History of Islam up to the Demise of the Prophet (S)

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Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
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ISBN: 978-964-529-257-5

History of Islam up to the Demise of the Prophet (S)
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History of Islam up to the Demise of the Prophet (S)

History of Islam up to the Demise of the Prophet (S)

Author:
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
ISBN: 978-964-529-257-5
English

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

Chapter 3: Sects and Religions in the Arabian Peninsula and its Surroundings

Despite the fact that at the advent of Islam the prevailing belief of the Arabs involved idol-worshipping, there were different religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, Hanifiyyah, Manawiyyah, Sabian and other schools practiced in different localities of Arabia. Thus, the Arabs did not follow a specific sect. For this reason, there was a sort of fatigue and delusion among the followers of these sects. We will hereinafter deal with each of these sects, yet briefly:

Monotheists

Monotheists or Hanifiyyah114 were those who, despite the infidels and atheists, believed in One and Only God and probably believed in the punishment of the Doomsday. Some members of this group believed in Christianity; but historians have included them with the Hanifiyyah. Among the Hanifiyyah are the following individuals: Waraqah ibn Nawfal, ‘Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh, ‘Uthman ibn Huwayrith, Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl,115 al-Nabighah al-Ja’di (Qays ibn ‘Abdullah), Umayyah ibn Abil-Salt, Qiss ibn Sa’idah al-Iyadi, Abu-Qays Surmah ibn Abi-Anas, Zuhayr ibn Abi-Sulma, Abu-’Amir al-Awsi (‘Abd ‘Amr ibn Sayfi), ‘Addas (the servant of ‘Utbah ibn Rabi’ah), Ri'ab al-Shanni, and Bahira the monk.116 Some of these people were among the distinguished philosophers or poets.

Of course, the secret behind their inclinations towards monotheism lay in their pure and clean human nature and their bright thoughts. The prevalent ill-ominous sects of those days could not satisfy their spiritual needs. These distinguished individuals deeply believed in Almighty God and refrained from following an illogical set of beliefs such as those of idol-worshippers. Christianity and Judaism, too, had lost their vigor and spirituality with the passage of time and could not offer any means of tranquility to those men. For this reason, we observe that some of these God-seekers suffered the pains of journeys to find the truth. They had long discussions with Christian and Jewish scholars.117 They impatiently looked for the signs of prophethood of the Holy Prophet to which there were numerous references in the Holy Books. Since they could not reach any accomplishment, they accepted the very first principle of monotheism. However, we do not know anything about the way they carried out their religious ceremonies.

It should be noted, however, that contrary to the view of some scholars, Hanifiyyah did not play any role in guiding the Arab society towards monotheism; rather, as some other historians have stated, they spent their lives in seclusion. They spent their time in deliberation and contemplation, as they were never well-organized. They did not possess any sect with preset commandments or principles. What they were fond of was their seclusion and staying away from the population and refraining from worshipping idols. They were convinced that the prevalent ideology was a corrupt one. They did not give themselves the trouble of propagating their right ideas. For this very reason, they did not have any conflict with people of their own time.118

Christianity

There were some followers of Christianity, too, at some locations of Arabia. This religion had entered Arabia from the south via Ethiopia, and from the north via Syria (The dominated areas by Byzantine) and also from the Sinai Peninsula. However, Christianity achieved no progress in that land.119 In the northern parts of the Arabian Peninsula, Christianity had found its way among the members of the tribe of Taghlib (a branch of the tribe of Rabi’ah), Ghassan and some members of the tribe of Qudha’ah.120 Qiss ibn Sa’idah, Han¨alah al-Ta’i and Umayyah ibn al-Salt have been enumerated as Christians. Some of these had left their cities and communities and joined monasteries in the deserts.121

Christianity in Yemen

Christianity entered Yemen during the fourth century AD. Phillip Hatti, a Christian author, writes:

The first Christian missionary headed by Theofilus Endus Erius who arrived at southern Arabia was the one sent by Emperor Contantius in 356 AD. The dispatch of the abovementioned missionary was motivated by the world diplomacy of those days and the rivalry between Iran and Rome over the domination of territories in southern Arabia. Theofilus established a church122 in Aden and two in the country of Himyar. The people of Najran accepted the new religion in 500 AD.

At the dawn of Islam, Christianity was prevalent in the tribes of Tayy, Majhadh, Bahra', Sulayh, Tanukh, Ghassan, Lakhm and Yemen.123 The most important center for Christianity in Yemen was Najran, an advanced city. People used to engage in farming, weaving silky cloth, trading hides and weapon making, this city was located at the trade route which extended up to Hirah.124

Christianity was prevalent in Yemen until the reign of Dhu-Nuwas who came to power and forced people to put aside their religion. When Christians refused to do so, they were put in fire-pits and burned alive.125 Finally, Dhu-Nuwas was defeated in 525 AD by the intervention of Ethiopia and Christians came to power once again.

Christianity in Hirah

Another city where Christianity was prevalent was Hirah, to the east of Arabia. This religion had entered the region through Roman slaves. Since the time of Hormoz I, the government of Iran had built some colonies the inhabitants of which were Roman slaves. Some of them lived in Hirah. In the view of many, the source of Christian influence in this area was these slaves. Christian missionaries used to live in Hirah, promulgating Christianity. They started propagating and spreading Christianity in the Arab markets, discussing the issues of heaven, hell and chastisement. Due to their efforts, some accepted this religion; even Hind, the wife of al-Nu’man X, accepted this religion, building a monastery called Hind's convent. This building was in existence up to the time of al-Tabari. Han¨alah al-Ta’i, Qiss ibn Sa’idah and Umayyah ibn al-Salt were from Hirah.126 Al-Nu’man ibn al-Mundhir, the king of Hirah, due to the encouragement of ‘Adi ibn Zayd, accepted Christianity.127

Numerous Qur'anic verses deal with Christian ideas and the weak points in their beliefs and actions, especially their assumptions concerning Christ's divinity.128 This is the best piece of evidence for the existence of this religion in the Arabian Peninsula at the time of the revelation of the Holy Qur'an. The issue of Mubahalah; mutual cursing, which is well-known in the history of Islam, took place with the Najran priests.129

However, Christianity had lost its spirituality and authenticity and had been subject to a lot of distortions. Thus, it could not fill the intellectual and religious vacuum which existed in the mind of people in those days nor could it give any peace of mind anymore.

Judaism

Many centuries prior to the advent of Islam, Judaism had entered certain regions of Arabia. Yathrib was one of the most famous of these regions, which later came to be called Medina. There were Jewish communities in Tayma',130 Fadak131 , and Khaybar.132 The Jews of Yathrib belonged to three tribes: Banu- Nadhir, Banu-Qaynuqa’ and Banu-Quray¨ah.133

Besides these three Jewish settlements, there were in Medina two other Jewish tribes; Aws and Khazaraj, during the third century AD. Upon the establishment of the Jews in Yathrib, these two tribes came from Yemen to live in this city. They were originally idolaters and due to their association with the Jews, some of them embraced Judaism. It is said that there were some Jews living in Ta’if who had been driven out of Yemen and Yathrib by force and they started their engagement in trade.134

Wherever they lived in Arabia, the Jews were well-known for farming due to their skills in this activity. In Medina too, they were famous due to their skills in blacksmithing, dyeing, and weaponry.135 Judaism had some followers among the tribes of Himyar, Banu- Kinanah, Banu-Harith ibn Ka’b, Kindah,136 Ghassan and Judham.137

Jews in Yemen

Any region in which Jews lived; they propagated the Law of Moses. Yemen, too, was under the influence of the Jews for some time, and Dhu-Nuwas, the king of Yemen, who had accepted Judaism, started suppressing Christians and announced Judaism as the official religion.

In view of some researchers and historians, Dhu-Nuwas had some national and patriotic motives rather than religious sentiments, in announcing Judaism as an official religion; that is to say, Christians in Najran had friendly relations with Ethiopia and its government. Relying heavily on Najran’s Christians, they tried to interfere with the internal affairs of Yemen to achieve political objectives. For this reason, by suppressing the Christians, Dhu-Nuwas and his supporters tried to deprive Ethiopia of this stronghold. After the massacre of Najran's Christians, one of them escaped to Ethiopia and begged the Ethiopian emperor for help. This led to a war between two countries in which Dhu-Nuwas was easily defeated in 525 AD and Najran continued to remain an important center for Christianity up to the Holy Prophet prophethood.138

The Sabians

Historians believe that this sect came into being at the time of the kingdom of Tahmurath by Budhasif as its founder. After introducing the history of this sect, Abu-Rayhan al-Bayruni (360-440 AH) writes:

We do not know much about them except for the fact that in their opinion, God has no associate and is void of inappropriate epithets (negative attributes). For instance, they declare: God is not limited; He cannot be seen nor does He engage in injustice. They think the universe is managed by the heavens and that celestial bodies have influence upon us. They believe in life, speech, hearing and sight of the heavenly bodies that have control over rays. Believing in the great influences of the stars and their movement on the earthly creatures, Sabians used to keep the statues of these heavenly bodies in their temples. Examples are the statue of the sun in Baalbek, the statue of the moon in Harran and the statue of Venus in a village.139

The center of Sabian activities was the city of Harran.140 This sect used to have followers in Rome, Greece, Babel and other places of the world.141 The Holy Qur'an refers to them on three occasions.142 This sect is now disintegrating and only a few of them live in Khuzestan143 and Iraq.144

Manichaeism

The sects of Zoroastrianism, Mazdak and Manichaeism all originated in Iran. However, there is no consensus of opinion concerning the influences of these sects over Hijaz prior to Islam. Some contemporary historians believe these sects were present in Arabia in those years. Historical documents attest to the presence of Manichaeism in Arabia in those days. Ya’qubi writes:

Some Arabs adopted Judaism as their religion, others accepted Christianity, and some others became heretic and believed in dualism.145 Although the word zindiq (miscreant) originally refers to atheist and denier of God, in the opinion of the scholars, this was used for a group of believers in Manichaeism and gradually included all followers of this sect. Later on, it included infidels and atheists in general. Thus, in the ancient sources, the word zindiq was used to include the followers of Manichaeism.146 Now we know that Manichaeism is a combination of Christianity and Zoroastrianism.147

A group of historians have confirmed that heresy or Manichean heresy was prevalent among the people of Quraysh who had received it from the people of Hirah.148 This clarifies the fact that by heresy, we mean dualism, because Hirah used to be a protégé and neighbor of Iran and Iranian sects which were based on dualism.

Star Worshipping

During the Ignorance Era, a group of the people of the Arabian Peninsula, like many of other areas, worshipped celestial bodies, such as the moon and some stars. They believed in a special power embedded in these bodies which could exert energy over the population of the world, controlling their destiny in this way. For instance, the tribes of Khuza’ah and Himyar worshipped a star called Shi’ra, which is one of the stationary stars. Abu-Kabshah, one of the maternal ancestors of the Holy Prophet, was one of the worshippers of this star.149 A group of Tayy tribe used to worship a star called Thurayya or the Pleiades.150 The worship of skies and stars was so prevalent that its repercussions are visible in the Arab literature, romance and superstitions.151 Besides the Sebians who worshipped the sun and the moon, these two heavenly bodies were sanctified and worshipped by all idolaters in general.152

Prohibiting and condemning the worshipping of celestial bodies, the Holy Qur'an considers this limited group of celestial bodies creations of God that are dominated by His power and worshipping Him. Thus, they could be regarded as guides for man and directors towards God, the All-great. This is because these heavenly bodies are just signs for His power:

And He has made subservient for you the night, the day, the sun, and the moon and the stars are made subservient by His commandment; most surely, there are signs in this for a people who ponder. (16:12)

And among His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon; do not make obeisance to the sun nor to the moon; and make obeisance to Allah who created them, if Him it is that you serve. (41:37)

And that He is the Lord of the Sirius. (53:49)

These sacred verses depict the fact that at the time of the Holy Prophet, the worshipping of these celestial bodies was a common practice.

The Worshipping of Jinn and Angels

Besides the abovementioned sects, some people of Arabia used to worship Jinn and angels. ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zuba’ri, a tribal chief in Mecca, used to say, “We are the worshippers of the angels; the Jews worship Ezra, and the Christians worship the Christ! Now ask Muhammad: Would we go to hell when we worship so many beloved ones?”153

Banu-Malih, a branch of the Khuza’ah tribe, used to worship Jinn.154 It is said that the first people who started worshipping jinn were a group of Yemenis; then it was the Banu-Hanifah tribe; then it was spread among the Arabs.155 In the words of interpreters, some people believed that God has married the Jinn and the angels are the offspring of such a marriage.156 In the Holy Qur'an, God has condemned the worshipping of Jinn and angels and the wrong assumptions about them:

And they made the jinn associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attributed to Him, and highly exalted is He above what they ascribe to Him. (6:100)

And on the day when He will gather them all together, and then He will say to the angels: Did these worship you? They shall say: Glory be to Thee! Thou art our Guardian, not they; nay! The worshippers become abashed. (34:41)

It also becomes clear through the answers offered by the angels that they are not satisfied with people who worship them. (34:41)

It is evident that this question is not asking for any information; neither does it unveil any ambiguity. This is because God is All-knowing. God intends that the angels reveal the truth so that their worshippers become abased. However, the jinn were content in this respect.

Thus, the worshipping of these two sets of invisible creatures on the part of some worshippers was not unlike the dualism-bided sect, because the worshipper considered the jinn as the source of light, benevolence and abundance. When entering a valley at night, some Arabs used to say, “I ask the protection of the chief of the ignorant ones in order to be safe against those ignorant ones who live in this land.”157 By chanting such slogans, they believed the jinn would protect them for the truth of this claim comes from the Holy Qur'an:

And persons from among men used to seek refuge with persons from among jinn, so they increased them in wrongdoing. (72:6)

The Appearance of Mecca

The building of Mecca goes back to the time of Prophet Abraham who was ordered by God to bring his wife Hajar and his infant Isma’il from Syria to live in a dry climate. (14:37)

Upon the appearance of Zamzam by God to water these two,158 Jurhum, a southern tribe whose individuals had moved towards the north due to famine and drought, came to settle there.159 Reaching the age of adulthood, Isma’il married a girl from this tribe.160

Prophet Abraham was commanded by Allah to build up the Kaaba with the assistance of his son, Isma’il. (2:127)

When it was built, the city of Mecca came into being and Isma’il's offspring gradually settled therein.

The Remnants of Abraham's Religion: Hanifiyyah

‘Adnan was the great ancestor of the ‘Adnani Arabs and the twentieth ancestor of the Holy Prophet from Isma’il’s generation. Living in Hijaz, Najd, and Tihamah,161 the ‘Adnanis followed Prophet Abraham’s religion. In the words of Ya’qubi:

“Quraysh and ‘Adnan's children in general believed in some principles of Prophet Abraham’s religion. They used to perform their pious pilgrimage; they observed the Hajj ceremonies; they were hospitable; they observed the prohibited months; they abhorred nasty deeds, the severing of relations with relatives and injustice or tyranny; they used to punish the wrongdoers.162

The remnants of Prophet Abraham’s traditions, such as belief in God, avoidance of marrying one's mother or daughter, ceremonies of Hajj and Sacrifice, nocturnal pollution,163 circumcision, and shrouding and burying the dead164 were all carried out up to the advent of Islam: they carried the ten rules of cleansing the body and removing the unwanted hairs and the like.165 They believed, as well, in the prohibitions imposed on the four months which was one of Prophet Abraham’s traditions.166 If for any reason, there occurred a fight among them; they called it a sinful and obnoxious war.167 Thus, monotheism had a long history with the Arabs of that region and their idolatry entered there only later and drove them astray from monotheism.

The Beginning of Idolatry among Arabs

In accordance with numerous documents, two factors have been effective in the propagation of idolatry among Arabs:

First: ‘Amr ibn Luhayy, the chief of Khuza’ah, an influential man and custodian of the Kaaba,168 made a trip to Syria where he could visit a group at ‘Amaliqah169 who were engaged in idolatry. When he asked why they worshipped those idols, they replied, “They cause the rain to fall and help us in many ways.” He asked them for an idol, and they gave him an idol called Hubal. Later, he took it to the Kaaba and stuck it on it asking people to worship it.170 Besides this, there are two other idols next to the Kaaba: Asaf and Na’ilah.171 These two were also worshipped upon his recommendation. In this way, he laid the foundation of idolatry. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said:

‘Amr ibn Luhayy was the one who transformed Isma’il's religion and laid the foundation of idolatry. I have seen him in the fire of Hell.172

Second: When Isma’il's children grew in numbers in Mecca, they decided to go to different cities and locations to continue with their life. Due to their extreme respect and love for Mecca, everybody used to take away a piece of stone and put it on the ground wherever they went and started going around it like the ceremony around the Kaaba. Little by little, the motive behind this practice was forgotten and each stone transformed into an idol. People then would worship any stone they liked. In this way, they completely forgot their precious customs and religion: they transformed the religion of Prophet Abraham and Prophet Isma’il, accepting idolatry.173

Of course, these two factors were the basic reasons for the spread of idolatry. Naturally, there were other factors in this process, such as ignorance, human fondness of sensation (according to which man prefers God to be tangible), zeal for being the chief or among the prominent figures of the tribe who preferred people to be stuck in ignorance so that they could carry on with their domination, and imitating their ancestors that caused the spread of idolatry in different forms.174 The number of idols gradually increased to such an extent that there was an idol in every home. On their trips, they used to caress it with their hands and ask for blessing.175 At the time of the conquest of Mecca, there were three hundred and sixty idols in this city.176

Did Idolaters Believe in Allah?

The idolaters did not deny the existence of Allah; they considered Him as the Creator of the skies, the earth and the universe - a fact established in the Holy Qur'an.177 However, they committed two huge mistakes which were the very root of their misleading.

(1) A false recognition of Allah and His Attributes; they had puzzling attitudes towards Allah. This is witnessed by the fact that they assumed a wife and children for God. They thought that angels were Allah's daughters. They erroneously assumed that Allah was like men and other creatures that had the power of sexual reproduction. However, in different verses, God has reprimanded them for these attitudes:

And he made the angels - those who are the servants of the Beneficent God - female divinities.

What! Did they witness their creation? Their evidence shall be written down and they shall be questioned. (43:19)

Most surely, they who do not believe in the hereafter name the angels with female names. (53:27)

And they say: The Beneficent God has taken to Himself a son. Glory be to Him. Nay! They are honored servants. (21:16)

And they made the Jinn Associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attributed to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and Highly exalted is He above what they ascribe to Him. And that He - exalted be the majesty of our Lord - has not taken a consort, or a son. (6:100-101)

In different verses, God has reprimanded the disbelievers for their ascribing to God the existence of girls, which were considered to be evil, while ascribing boys to themselves:

Or has He daughters while you have sons. (52:39)

Then ask them whether your Lord has daughters and they have sons. Or did we create the angels females while they were witnesses. (37:149-150)

Have you then considered Lat, ‘Uzza, and Manat the third, the last? What! For you the males. And for Him the females! This indeed is an unjust division! They are naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent for them any authority. They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which their souls incline to; and certainly, the guidance has come to them from their Lord. (37:149-150)

What! Has He taken daughters to Himself of what He himself creates and chosen you to have sons? (43:16)

And they assert a relationship between Him and the jinn; and certainly, the jinn do know that they shall surely be brought up. Glory be to Allah for freedom from what they describe. (37:158-159)

In accordance with an interpretation, by the relation of God to Jinn was meant to be their assumption of God's relation with Jinn, the consequence of which was the angels.178

2. They used to think of the idols as petty Gods, intermediate between themselves and Allah. Worshipping these petty Gods was supposed to satisfy Him. This assumption was irrational since worship belongs to Allah alone.

Despite the fact that these small gods were not supposed to be the creators of the world, their worshippers assumed some divine roles for them, considering them influential on man's fate and future. They looked for these Gods' assistance to solve their worldly problems. However, in Islam, Allah is considered to be both the Creator of the universe and it’s Manager. (17:111)

The idols are lifeless entities, lacking perception. The Holy Qur'an depicts their baseless assumptions in the following manner:

And they serve beside Allah what can neither harm them nor profit them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Do you presume to inform Allah of what He knows not in the heavens and the earth? Glory be to Him, and supremely exalted is He above what they set up with Him. (10:18)

Now, surely, sincere obedience is due to Allah alone and as for those who take guardians besides Him, saying, We do not serve them save that they may make us nearer to Allah, Surely Allah will judge between them in that about which they differ; Surely Allah does not guide him aright who is a liar, ungrateful. (39:3)

And they have taken Gods besides Allah that they should be to them a source of strength. (19:81)

And they have taken Gods besides Allah that they may be helped. (36:74)

The Holy Qur'an calls the idolaters liars and ungrateful ones because they considered the idols as helpers to Allah in the management of worldly affairs.

The Chaotic State of Religion

When Islam appeared, idolatry had distorted and transformed the Hanifiyyah through its widespread customs and ceremonies. The disbelievers were in a state of chaos regarding religion. They severely adhered to their idolatry and carried out its customs. They carried out Prophet Abraham’s ceremonies, such as Hajj and sacrifice in a defective, distorted way, and mingled it with superstitions. For instance, besides bowing to and worshipping the Kaaba, they had built other temples around which they performed their ceremonies. They even took sacrifices to those temples, slaughtering them on the spot.179

Their prayers beside the Kaaba were nothing more than whistling and hand-clapping. During Hajj time and at the time of uttering the expression at Thy service, they used to call the names of their idols besides Allah's name.180 In this way, they mingled the Hajj of Prophet Abraham, which is one of the most sublime manifestations of monotheism, with polytheism. The two tribes, Aws and Khazraj, instead of head-shaving at the land of Mina, carried out this ceremony on their way back to Medina at the foot of Manat (an idol), which was at the seashore181 on the route between Mecca and Yathrib.182

The disbelievers, both men and women, used to circumambulate the Kaaba naked;183 it is apparent what a horrible scene could be seen around the Kaaba!

People of Quraysh used to put musk and ambergris on their idols next to the Kaaba and bow to them; they used to gather around them uttering at Thy service.184 Although they believed in the reverence of those four sacred months not to be involved in wars, they used to change the names of the month and postpone the sacred months so that they could be involved in wars.185

Drastic Changes in the Light of the Appearance of Islam

The advent of Islam brought forth drastic changes in the lifestyle of the people of Hijaz; a complete revolution took place the effects of which could be observed in the entirety of the Arabian Peninsula. With a resolute and strong struggle against idolatry, the Holy Prophet rooted out idolatry, replacing it with the principle of monotheism. Islam demolished the system of tribal life and its wrong and hazardous customs. It annulled the tribal prejudices and established a zeal for justice in society. Islam changed vengeance, plunder and homicide into peace and tranquility. It called all Muslims brethren of one another. It rescued women from misery and gave them sublime human dignity. Islam turned an ignorant nation into a knowing one. It established the systems of ummah (community) and imamate to replace tribal systems. It made a unified nation out of the scattered tribes. Islam prepared them for a universal government transcending the limited tribal life. Due to Islam, the Arab nation became so powerful that it could overthrow the great empires of those days, namely Iran and Rome. This point is so obvious that even non-Muslim scholars have witnessed to its authenticity. As some examples, we will present the views of three of them.

Dr. Eustan Le Bon, a French author, says:

“It was the great miracle of the Prophet of Islam to unite all the wandering Arabs into a nation prior to his demise. He made every Muslim obedient to one leader. Without doubt, Prophet Muhammad had some tangible results that none of the previous religions, such as Judaism and Christianity, could have achieved. For this, the Arab nation owes him a lot. If we desire to evaluate people with their feats and deeds, definitely Muhammad is the greatest man in the history of mankind. We consider the religion which he brought for mankind as a great Divine asset.”186

Thomas Carlyle, an English author, writes:

“Through Islam, God led the Arabs from darkness into light. Islam enlivened the dead and silenced Arabs. From the very beginning of man's life, Arabs were nothing but wandering desert-dwelling groups of people. They had nothing to present to the world. Through the prophet hood of a great Prophet, God changed the unknown Arab people into a well-known nation, a wandering nation into a settled one, a miserable nation into a prosperous one, a weak nation into a powerful one, and a spark into a great fire. The Prophet's rays spread everywhere; his light scattered at every corner of the earth, the south, the east and the west so much so that only one century after its advent, the Islamic government could establish its power from India to Andalusia.”187

Will Durant writes:

“In those days, nobody could dream and believe that wandering desert-dwelling people could, after only one century, capture half of the Roman territories in Asia, the whole territory of Iran and Egypt and most of the northern territories of Africa, and be on its way towards Spain. This historic event which started from Arabia and through which the Arabs could capture half of the Mediterranean territories and could establish Islam is no doubt the strangest historical event in the Middle Ages.”188

The Development and Significance of Mecca

The majority of the Arabian Peninsula people during the Ignorance Era were desert-dwellers living in tents. Civil life did not exist in the territory of Hijaz. What is referred to as a city was in fact minor villages with small populations. Some historians have estimated that only one-sixth of the population was city-dwellers; some have estimated that seventeen percent of the whole population was living in cities.189 The basis for these estimations is not clear. The percentage of city dwellers was small. Being located eighty-three kilometers away from the Red Sea, the city of Mecca, in the south of Hijaz, was the most important in the region; it had attracted a lot of settlers some decades prior to the advent of Islam. There were two reasons for the development of Mecca:

The commercial position

Located in a rough and dry territory, the city of Mecca lacked agricultural or other productive means of life. In order to survive, its people had to engage in trades, yet extremely limited.190 Non-Arab merchants used to carry their merchandise to either buy or sell inside the city or in the seasonal markets of the Arabian Peninsula. This continued until the reign of Hashim, the Holy Prophet's great grandfather, who entered into a treaty with the Roman Empire, according to which the Meccan traders could freely enter this country.191

He had a contract with the tribes on the way to Damascus to protect the Meccan merchants on their journey.192 In return, he had to carry their merchandise to Damascus free of charge.193 His brothers, ‘Abd Shams, Nawfal, and al-Muttalib, had similar contracts with the governor of Ethiopia and the kings of Iran194 and Yemen.195

Upon achieving the security of routes, Hashim established the trade route between Yemen and Damascus196 passing through Mecca which was between these two trade-centers.197 In this way, the trade of Quraysh outside the country was established.198 Since then, Meccan merchants, besides partaking in seasonal markets, such as ‘Uka¨, Dhu’l-Majaz, and al-Majannah, made their journey to Yemen and Ethiopia in winter and to Damascus and Gaza in summer. In this way, they could buy silky cloths, hides and other merchandise which had come from India or China into Yemen and take them to Mecca through the Arabian lands parallel to the Red Sea199 to take them again to Gaza, Jerusalem, Damascus and the ports on the Mediterranean. They could then buy wheat, oil, olives, wood and other produce from Damascus. They could also enter Ethiopia, through the Red Sea and Jeddah Port, which is located eight hundred kilometers away from Mecca. In this way, they could take their local merchandise from one place to another.200

The establishment of such a merchant route changed the city of Mecca into a lucrative center for trade and had a tremendous effect on the life of its people. God mentions this route as a means for prosperity for the people of Quraysh:

For the protection of the Quraysh - their protection during their trading caravans in the winter and the summer; so, let them serve the Lord to this house, Who feeds them against hunger and gives them security against fear. (106:1-4)

The Holy Kaaba

The very existence of the Kaaba was considered a significant factor for the development of the city and for the prosperity of its people. This is because the Arabs used to arrive to this city twice for the observance of Hajj ceremonies. People of Quraysh, being responsible sponsors for the Kaaba’s affairs, provided the pilgrims with water and food. Trade transactions were carried out between the pilgrims and the Meccan merchants during the Hajj ceremonies.201 These two factors played major roles in the trade prosperity of the city.

Of course, the sanctity of Mecca which brought forth the required security for the trade transactions was of utmost importance for the trade prosperity of Mecca. This fact is mentioned by Allah:

And they say: If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be carried off from our country. What! Have We not settled them in a safe, sacred territory to which fruits of every kind shall be drawn-sustenance from Us? But most of them do not know. (38:57)

Upon the settlement of his wife and child beside the Kaaba, Prophet Abraham asked his God for such an asset:

O Our Lord! Surely, I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley unproductive of fruit near Thy Sacred House, our Lord! That they may keep up prayer; therefore make the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them either fruits; haply they may be grateful. (14:37)

My Lord, make it a secure town and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the last day. (2:126)

Trade and Custodianship of Quraysh

The two factors of trade and the existence of the Kaaba, which had played their roles in the prosperity of Mecca, had their role in increasing the power of the people of Quraysh in Mecca, because they had the trade and religious initiatives in their hands:

(1) People of Quraysh could amass tremendous amounts of wealth thorough trade. The share of one of these traders in one caravan was more than thirty thousand Dinars.202 The Quraysh nobles had a lot of gardens.203 in the summer quarters of Ta’if, which, in good weather, was called a part of Damascus.204 Al-’Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib had a vineyard in Ta’if the produce of which was carried to Mecca to be made wine.205 He was one of the great usurers of Mecca.206 Upon his death, his body was enshrouded in two pieces of Yemeni cloth which cost the value of five thousand grams of gold.207 It is said his daughter, Hind, manumitted forty slaves in one day.208 Al-Walid ibn Mughirah, the elder chief of the Banu-Makhzum, had a great wealth and a great number of children; he was quite famous209 and later reprimanded by the Holy Qur'an because of his false pride and ambition.210 The wealth of ‘Abdullah ibn Jad’an Tamimi and his luxurious parties were considered fabulous.211 Poets composed eulogies to receive prizes.212 A poet likened him to Caesar.213 It is said that at one tribal war, he gave a thousand camels to a thousand warriors214 and armed a hundred warriors at his cost.215 He was the custodian and seller of female slaves.216 He used to drink out of golden ware.217 Upon the seizure of Mecca and when he was on the way to the Battle of Hunayn, the Holy Prophets borrowed one hundred sets of shields and the required ammunitions from Safwan ibn Umayyah, one of the infidels of Mecca.218

(2) Quraysh, who had taken away the position of the Kaaba’s custodianship from Qudha’ah219 since the time of Quzayy, the fourth generation away from the Holy Prophet, had distributed among the chiefs of the different Quraysh clans the different responsibilities related to the Kaaba, such as watering the pilgrims, guest-affairs, curtain-management and services of the Kaaba; they had in this way secured a religious position for itself. Besides, the Quraysh had distributed among the heads of its different branches the municipal affairs, such as the control of the reception of blood-money and the like.220

Quraysh's Power and Influences

Quraysh, who was a small, insignificant and impoverished tribe at the southern part of Hijaz and later became a strong and famous tribe due to its religious and economic power, turned out to be superior to other tribes in honesty, decency and creditability. In the words of contemporary historians, the Quraysh had some special privileges among other Arab tribes in the same way that priests had special privileges among Christians on those days.221

After the event of the Elephant Army and the defeat of Abrahah, the significance of the people of Quraysh raised drastically among the other tribes.222 This was due to the fact that its members were the custodians of the Kaaba. They took advantage of this event in their own benefit and called themselves al-Allah (Family of Allah), jiran allah (the neighbors of Allah) and sukkan haram allah (Inhabitants of Allah’s Precinct).223 In this way, they could strengthen their religious basis and due to their power, they showed inclination towards corruption and monopoly.224 This sense of power caused them to impose some new regulations over other tribes.

Quraysh had the special privilege of marrying any daughter from other tribes with the condition that they should accept the religious innovations that they had fabricated concerning the special Hajj ceremonies.225 They received taxes from the pilgrims who would enter Mecca,226 and called such tributes as special privileges of Quraysh.227 They had monopolized the management of the Hajj ceremonies and forced the pilgrims to follow their regulations. This was so severe that the pilgrims' movement from Mina or participation in stone-throwing was authorized by special order of Quraysh.228 Quraysh even forced non-Meccan pilgrims to either buy their costumes or carry out the ceremonies naked. These pilgrims had to throw away their costumes if they refused to buy them from the Quraysh.229 This would force them to buy their costumes from the Quraysh, anyhow.230 In the ninth year of Hegira, in which the Holy Prophet sent Imam ‘Ali to Mecca to take part in the ceremony of acquaintance, one of the items of ‘Ali's resolution was the prohibition of performing Hajj naked.231

Recognition of the Quraysh's power and influence is necessary in order to find out the problems that the Holy Prophet had to face and what powerful enemy he had to confront. With few sources of power that the Holy Prophet had at his disposal, he had to struggle against a powerful opponent.

Notes

1. Husayn Qarachanlu, Haramayn Sharifayn, pp. 9.

2. This equals one third of Europe, six times the area of France, nine times the total areas of west Germany and East Germany put together, ten tines the area of Italy, eighty times the area of Switzer land, and twice the area of Iran.

3. Cosmological Institution, the cosmology of countries, pp. 205.

4. Phillip Khalil Hitti, History of the Arabs.

5. ‘Ali Akbar Fayyadh, Tarikh Islam, pp. 2; Alber Male and Joel Isaac, History of the Middle Ages up to the One-Hundred Year War, pp. 95.

6. Phillip Hitti, Op cit, pp. 24.

7. Al-Maqdisi, a Muslim scientist of the fourth century, considers the Arabian Peninsula to contain four large sections: Hijaz, Yemen, Oman and Hajr; see Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma’rifat al-Aqalim, pp. 102. However, others state that it includes five sections: Tihamah, Hijaz, Najd, Yemen and ‘Arudh; see Abu’l-Fida, Taqwim al-Buldan, pp. 104; Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan, pp. 101 & 214; Shukri al-Alusi al-Baghdadi, Bulugh al-Irab fi Ma’rifat Ahwal al-’Arab, 1:187; Jawad ‘Ali, al-Mufazzal fi Tarikh al-’Arab Qabl al-Islam, 1:167.

There are other subdivisions, the descriptions of which are not useful now; see Gustav Le Bon: The Civilization of Islam and Arabs, pp. 31.

8. Yahya Nuri, Islam wa ‘Aqa'id wa Ara' Bashari (Islam, Doctrines and Human Beliefs), pp. 231-234.

9. Sayyid Ja’far Shahidi, Tarikh Tahlili Islam, pp. 3.

10. Ahmad Husayn Sharaf al-Din, al-Yaman ‘Ibr al-Tarikh (The Yemen in History), pp. 53.

11. Gustav Le Bon: The Civilization Of Islam And Arabs, pp. 92.

12. Mahmud Shukri Al-Alusi al-Baghdadi, Bulugh al-Irab fi Ma’rifat Ahwal al-’Arab, 1:204.

13. Georgi Zaydan, the History of the Islamic Civilization, pp. 3.

14. Al-Mas’udi, Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma’adin al-Jawhar, 2:89, pp. 132.

15. The Ma'rib Dam is located 192 Kilometers on the eastern section of Sana’a, the present capital of Yemen.

16. For further knowledge concerning the features of the scientific plan for this dam, see Dictionary of the Qur’anic Tales by Sadr Balaghi, pp. 82-88; Ahmad Husayn Sharaf al-Din, al-Yaman ‘Ibr al-Tarikh, pp. 122-132.

17. Georgie Zaydan, the History of the Islamic Civilization, 1:11.

18. Will Durant, the History of Civilization, 1: 341.

19. Phillip Hitti, History of the Arabs, pp. 64; Gustav Le Bon, The Civilization of Islam and the Arabs, pp. 94; Ahmad Husayn Sharaf al-Din, al-Yaman ‘Ibr al-Tarikh, pp. 105; al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab, 1:203.

20. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, The Political History of Islam 1:32.

21. Hamzah Izfahani, Tarikh Muluk al-Ardh wa’l-Anbiya' (the History of the Prophets and the Kings), pp. 120 & 132.

22. Abu-Rayhan al-Bayruni: Al-Athar al-Baqiyah, pp. 181.

23. Mu’jam al-Buldan 7:355.

24. Tubba’ (plural of which is Tababi’ah) was the title of the Himyarite Kings in Yemen. These were two classes: the first class included the kings of Saba and Ridan who rules from 115 BC to 275 AD. The second class included the kings of Saba, Ridan, Hadhramawt and Shahr who ruled from 275 to 533 AD: Ahmad Husayn Sharaf al-Din, Al-Yaman ‘Ibr al-Tarikh, pp. 90-97.

25. Hamzah Izfahani, The History of the Prophets and Kings, pp. 99, 119; Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, the Political History of Islam, pp. 44; Abu-Rayhan al-Bayruni, al-Athar al-Baqiyah, pp. 181,183.

26. Carl Brockleman, the History of Nations and Islamic States, pp. 5.

27. Georgie Zaydan, History Of The Islamic Civilization 1:15.

28. Gustav Le Bon, History Of The Islamic Civilization 1:88.

29. Phillip Hitti, History of the Arabs, pp. 14.

30. Phillip Hitti, History of the Arabs, pp. 33-35.

31. Gustav Le Bon, History Of The Islamic Civilization 1:65; Will Durant, The Story Of Civilization; The Age of Faith 4:201.

32. Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 46.

33. Ibid, pp. 33-34. al-Nu’man ibn al-Mundhir, king of al-Hirah, in reply to Khosrow the Persian king who asked him why the Arab nation does not live under a unified governmental system, answered, “Other nations who feel weak and fear the enemy's attacks submit their control under one family, submitting to them their affairs. But all the Arabs want to be kings and hate paying taxes or tributes.” See al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab… 1:150.

34. Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 225; ‘Abd al-Mun’im Majid: al-Tarikh al-Siyasi li’l-Dawlah al-’Arabiyyah (Political History of the Arab State), pp. 48.

35. Karl Brockelman, History of The Islamic States and Peoples.

36. He was also called ra'is (chief), amir (prince), and sayyid (master). See ‘Abd al-Mun’im Majid, al-Tarikh al-Siyasi li’l-Dawlah al-’Arabiyyah, pp. 49.

37. ‘Abd al-Mun’im Majid, al-Tarikh al-Siyasi li’l-Dawlah al-’Arabiyyah, pp. 49.

38. Al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab…1:187.

39. Phillip Hitti, The Arab History, pp. 39.

40. Phillip Hitti, The Arab History, pp. 38.

41. Will Durant, Op cit, 4:200.

42. Ahmad Amin, Op cit, pp. 10.

43. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, The Political History of Islam 1:37-8.

44. Shaykh al-Saduq, Thawab al-A’mal wa ‘Iqab al-A’mal, pp. 263; Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Uzul min al-Kafi, 2:308.

45. Sunan Abi-Dawud, Ch. Al-Adab, S. fi al-’Azabiyyah, pp. 332, H. 512.

46. Sahih al-Bukhari, Ch. Al-Ma¨alim, 2:66; Musnad Ahmad, 3:201.

47. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, the Political History of Islam, pp. 39.

48. Brockleman, op cit, pp. 6-7.

49. Al-Nuwayri, Nihayat al-Irab fi Funun al-Adab 6:67.

50. Al-Alusi, op cit, 1:281.

51. Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an 30:353; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:279.

52. For instance, if one's father was Arab, but his mother was non-Arab, he was insultingly referred to as hajin, which indicated the concept of inferiority; in the reverse situation, he used to be called mudharra’. Hajin was deprived of inheritance. See Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih al-Andalusi, al-’Iqd al-Farid 6:129. A hajin male had to marry a woman of his own standing. See Muhammad ibn Habib, al-Muhabbar, pp. 310; al-Shahristani, al-Milal wa’l-Nihal, pp. 254.

In Islam, when he was asked about the blood-money of a hajin, the Holy Prophet replied, “The blood money of all followers of Islam is the same.” See Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib 1:113.

53. Jawad ‘Ali, al-Mufazzal fi Tarikh al-’Arab Qabl al-Islam 1:493; Shawqi ®ayf, Tarikh al-Adab al-’Arabi, al-’Azr al-Jahili, pp. 55.

54. Al-Alusi, op cit, 1:149. At the beginning of Islam, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, who was strongly influenced by this kind of thinking, and who showed his dissatisfaction towards the Iraqi Nabataean who used to refer to their locations in their names, told them: Always remember your familial bonds and parentage and stop being like the Iraqi Nabataean who, when asked about their families, would refer to their place of birth or to the location of their residence. See Muqaddimat Ibn Khaldun, pp. 162; Al-Andalusi, op cit, 3:312.

55. Bulugh al-Irab… 3:182; also refer to al-Mufazzal fi Tarikh al-’Arab Qabl al-Islam 1:466-4667.

56. On the word of a narration reported from Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) and some books of exegesis of the Holy Qur'an, the Arabic word qaba'il mentioned in the aforementioned holy verse refers to the Arab tribes, while the word shu’ub refers to the non-Arabs. (See al-Tabrisi, Majma’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, Exegesis of Surah al-Hujurat, verse 13)

57. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Rawdhah min al-Kafi, pp. 246; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 21:137-8; Sirat Ibn Husham 4:54.

58. Ibn Shu’bah al-Harrani: Tuhaf al-’Uqul, pp. 34.

59. Shaykh al-Kulayni, op cit, p. 181.

60. Muhammad Ahmad Jad al-Mawla Bek, ‘Ali Muhammad al-Bajjawi, Muhammad Abu’l-Fadhl Ibrahim: Ayyam al-’Arab fi al-Jahiliyyah, pp. 142-168; Ibn al-Athir: al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:523-539.

61. Ibn Husham: Sirat al-Nabi 1:307; Yaqut al-Hamawi: Mu’jam al-Buldan 1:268.

Ibn al-Athir (in al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:566-582) and Jad al-Mawla Beck (in Ayyam al-’Arab pp. 246-277) consider the owner of the two horses to be one person namely, Qays.

62. Brockleman, op cit, pp. 8.

63. Sahih al-Bukhari 8:327-8, H. 893. Similar to this is mentioned in Sunan Abi-Dawud 4:271.

64. Gustav Le Bon, op cit, pp. 63,

65. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, op cit, 1:38.

66. Muqaddimat Ibn Khaldun 1:285-286.

67. Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 9; Phillip Hitti, op cit, pp. 35; Hamasat Abi-Tammam, pp. 32, Calcutta: Leisi Publishing House, 1895 AD.

68. Tabataba'i: al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an 9:272.

69. By exchanging the names of the months and through postponing and procrastinating the forbidden months, the Arabs were engaged in wars during these months. For this very reason, God said:

“Postponing of the sacred month is only an addition in unbelief, where with those who disbelieve are led astray, violating it one year and keeping it sacred another, that they may agree in numb of months that Allah has made sacred, and thus violate what Allah has made sacred; the evil of their doings is made fair-seeming to them; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.”(9:37)

70. Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, 2:267.

71. Abu’l-’Abbas al-Mubarrad: al-Kamil fi al-Lughah wa’l-Adab 1:393. Muhammad ibn Habib, al-Muhabbar, pp. 324.

72. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Furu’ min al-Kafi 6:406.

73. Tabataba’i, op cit 4:254-258; al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur 2:131-132; al-Shahristani, al-Milal wa’l-Nihal 2:254; Hasan, Women's Rights in Islam and Europe, pp. 34. The one who married his stepmother after his father’s death was named ®ayzan. (Muhammad ibn Habib, al-Muhabbar, pp. 325) Ibn Qutaybah al-Daynawari has named some these women who married their stepsons upon their husbands’ death (al-Ma’arif, p112.)

74. Tabataba’i, op cit, 4:258; Tafsir al-Tabari 4:207.

75. Tabataba’i, op cit, 2: 267.

76. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Safinat al-Bihar 1:197; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 13:174; Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Uzul min al-Kafi 18:163; al-Qurtubi, Tafsir Jami’ al-Ahkam 19:232.

77. Al-Qurtubi, op cit pp. 232.

78. Al-Mubarrad, op cit, 1:392; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid op cit, 13:179.

79. Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, op cit, 13:174.

80. Al-Alusi, op cit, 1:324; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi, 2:10.

81. Al-Alusi, op cit, 3:45; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, 1:240.

82. Muhammad Abu’l-Fadhl Ibrahim, et al, Qizaz al-’Arab 2:31, Abu’l-’Abbas al-Mubarrad, op cit, pp. 394.

Al-Farazdaq, a Muslim poet, took pride in his grandfather, Sa’za’ah, for he had objected to burying newborn girls alive. See al-Qurtubi, Tafsir Jami’ al-Ahkam, 19:232.

83. Abu’l-’Abbas al-Mubarrad, op cit, 1:394.

84. Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, 4:220.

It is narrated that Qays ibn ‘Azim converted to Islam and came to the Prophet, saying, “Before Islam, I buried eight of my daughters alive. How could I make up for it now?” The Prophet replied, “Free eight slaves for what you have done.” He said, “I have many camels.” The Prophet replied, “If you wish, you may slaughter eight camels.” See al-Qurtubi, Tafsir Jami’ al-Ahkam 19:233.

85. Ibn Husham, op cit, 2:75.

86. Gustav le Bon, the civilization of Islam and the Arabs, pp. 64-65. Will Durant writes concerning this topic, “The nomad was kind, generous and savage; he was Jealous, miser and traitor; he was and dissolute and conservative. Despite his poverty, he was generous; he faced the world with elegance.” See The Story of Civilization 4:201.

87. Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 76.

88. Phillip Hitti, the Arab History, pp. 33-35.

89. Murtadha al-’Amili, al-Sahih mi Sirat al-Rasul al-A’¨am, 1:50-54.

90. Mahmud Shukri al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:303.

91. For further information for the superstitions of the Arabs before Islam, see Bulugh al-Irab 2:303-367; Ibn Abi’l-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah 19:382-429.

92. al-Alusi, op cit, 3:182, 223, 261, and 327.

93. Muqaddimat Ibn Khaldun 2:1034.

94. Futuh al-Buldan, pp. 457-454.

95. Will Durant, the Story of Civilization 4:202.

96. Al-Mu’allaqat al-Sab’ah.

97. Concerning these marts, see Bulugh al-Irab 2:264-270.

98. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, the political History of Islam 1:24.

99. Fajr al-Islam, pp. 29.

100. The Jews mostly lived in Yathrib, Fadak and Tayma. A few of them lived in Ta’if. However, there is no indication of any Jew population in Mecca.

101. Georgi Zaydan, the History of the Islamic civilization, 1:16.

102. Sahih al-Bukhari 9:136.

103. Tafsir al-Tabari 4:25; Zahiyah Qaddurah, Al-Shu’ubiyyah, pp. 24; Ahmad Amin, ²uhr al-Islam 1:18.

104. Qizaz al-’Arab 2:358; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 3:144.

105. al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 1:311-313; Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd-Rabbih, al-’Iqd al-Farid 2:20; Ibn Qutaybah, al-Ma’arif, 608.

106. Ahmad Amin, ²uhr al-Islam 1:19.

107. The direct reason for this war was the following: Khosrow willed to marry the daughter of al-Nu’man ibn al-Mundhir, the king of al-Hirah. Upon his refusal, he was called to the Iranian court and was put in prison where he died. Khosrow ordered Hani ibn Mas’ud al-Shaybani to submit al-Nu’man’s wealth to him. He, however, refused to do so. Later, Khosrow dispatched an army to fight Banu-Shayban. Khosrow lost that war. See Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 1:485-484; al-Maqdisi: al-Bad’ wa’l-Tarikh 3:26.

108. Ahmad Amin, ²uhr al-Islam 1:19; Mas’udi, al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf, pp. 209; Jalal al-Din Homayi, Shu’ubiyyah, pp. 11-12.

109. Jawad ‘Ali, al-Mufazzal 1:41-42.

110. ‘Umar Farrukh, Sadr al-Islam wa’l-Dawlah al-Umawiyyah, pp. 39.

111. Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 4:151-155; Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 74-78; al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 1:15-18; Shawqi ®ayf, Tarikh al-Adab al-’Arabi 1:39.

Confirming this piece of information, jahl is the opposite of hikmah (wisdom) according to some narrations reported in reliable reference books like al-Kafi.

112. Jawad ‘Ali says: “In my view, jahiliyyah is stemmed from stupidity, pride, anger, arrogance and stubbornness towards God's commands. These features are strongly condemned by Islam. In our days, we rebuke a stupid person who utters taboo or nasty words by the following expression: Go away, you ignorant and silly one. This does not mean that he is illiterate.” See al-Mufazzal, 1:40.

113. Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 95.

114. Hanif (pl. Hunafa') is one following the religion of Prophet Abraham. See Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 1:216.

115. Muhammad Ibn Habib, al-Muhabbar, pp. 171.

116. Mas’udi, Muruj al-Dhahab 1:60-68; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:237; Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:122-165; Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, al-Maghazi, pp. 115-116; Muhammad Ibn Habib, al-Munammaq fi Akhbar Quraysh, pp. 152-153; Muhammad Ibrahim Ayati, the History of the Prophet of Islam, pp. 13-19.

117. Ibn Kathir, op cit, pp. 156; Qizaz al-’Arab 1:72.

118. Jawad ‘Ali, al-Mufazzal 6:449. Husayn Tabataba’i, Committing Treasons In Preparing Historical Accounts 1:120; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:237.

119. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, The Political History Of Islam 1:64.

2 Ibid, pp. 64; Shihab al-Din al-Abshahi, al-Mustatraf fi kulli fannin Musta¨raf 2:88; Ibn Qutaybah, al-Ma’arif, pp. 621; al-Himyari, al-Hur al-’In, pp. 136.

120. ‘Uthman ibn Huwayrith and Waraqah ibn Nawfal, belonging to the tribe of Banu-Asad, were following Hanifiyyah. See Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:225.

121. Ahmad Amin, Fajr Al-Islam, pp. 27.

122. Tarikh al-’Arab, pp. 78. Some historians ascribe the indoctrination and introduction of Christianity into Yemen to a Syrian saint called Faymiyin. See Ibn Husham, op cit, 1:32-35; Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:266. However, this seems to be a myth since it is not in agreement with what is narrated by Hetti.

123. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:224.

124. Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 26.

125. Some exegetes of the Holy Qur'an say that the verses 4-9 of Surah al-Buruj were revealed in connection with the slaughter of the Christians. This might be a referent of those verses. See al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 20:251-257:

Cursed be the makers of the pit, of the fire kept burning with fuel, when they sat by it. And they were witnesses of what they did with the believers. And they did not take vengeance on them for aught except that they believed in Allah, the Mighty, the praised. Whose is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is a Witness of all things (Qur’an 85: 8-9).

126. Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 18,25, 26, 28.

127. Qizaz al-’Arab 1:73; Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 27.

128. Qur’an 5:18, 72, 73; 4:171; 9:30; 5:82.

129. Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 3:228, 233.

130. In the words of Yaqut al-Hamawi, Tayma' was a small city between Syria and Wadi al-Qura. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 2:67. Wadi al-Qura is situated between Medina and Syria; it was one of the provinces of Medina. Thus, Tayma' was located between Medina and Syria. Al-Maqdisi, a scholar of the fourth century, writes: “Tayma' is an ancient city located in a wide-spread land, full of palm trees, with a lot of orchards and numerous rivers, with a spring of limpid water, which runs from an iron-grid into the pond and then runs into the orchards. There are some fresh water wells therein. However, most of them are ruined.” See Ahsan al-Taqasim.

131. Fadak is a village of two or three day distance away from Medina. Mu’jam al-Buldan 4:238.

132. Khaybar is a region 96 miles north of Medina; it included seven strongholds with numerous farmlands and palm-groves. (Mu’jam al-Buldan 2:404). The distance between Khaybar and Medina is recorded with different numbers. (Taqwim al-Buldan, pp. 123).

133. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, op cit, pp. 64.

134. al-Buladhari, Futuh al-Buldan, pp. 67.

135. Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 24.

136. Ibn Qutaybah, al-Ma’arif, pp. 621; al-Hur al-’«n, pp. 136.

137. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:257.

138. Ahmad Amin, op cot, pp. 23, 24, 37; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:37. Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan 5:266.

139. Al-Athar al-Baqiyah, pp. 294-295.

140. Harran was a big city between the Tigris and Euphrates; today, it is a ruined village. At the Advent of Islam, it was a prosperous city in which famous scientists used to live. See Mu’jam al-Buldan 3:235-236; Taqwim al-Buldan, pp. 303, 307, 309; Muhammad Mu’in, Farhang Farsi 5:457.

141. Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 10:279.

142. Qur’an 2:62; 5:69; 22:17.

143. They live at the shores of the Karun River, Ahwaz, Khorramshahr, Abadan, Shadigan, and Dasht Mishan.

144. They live at the shores of the Tigris and Euphrates in Baghdad, Hillah, Naziriyyah, ‘Imarah, Kut, Diyala, Kirkuk, Mosul, Ramadi, Sulaymaniyyah and Karbala'. For the derivation of the word zabi'i, whether it is Arabic or Hebrew, and for its meaning, see al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:223-228; Yahya Nuri, Islam And Human Ideas, pp. 431-432; Shahristani, al-Milal wa’l-Nihal 1:230, 2:5.

145. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:226.

146. Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 108; Dawud Ilhami, Iran and Islam, pp. 392. Having referred to the fact that Manicheans came to be called zanadiqah due to their following of zand, al-Bayruni writes: “The Manicheans and the Batiniyyah (Esotericists) are figuratively termed zanadiqah in Islam. This is because these two groups are similar to Mazdakids in ascribing certain traits and features to God.” See al-Athar al-Baqiyah, pp. 312. About this topic, ‘Abd al-Husayn Zarrinkub writes, “The word zandiq is derived from the Pahlavi word zandic. At this era, this word was used for the Manicheans and for those who believed in atheism of some sort.

147. Shahristani, op cit, pp. 244. An Orientalist says, “If we consider Manichaeism as Zoroastrianism mixed with Christianity, we are closer to the truth than considering Christianity mixed with Zoroastrianism.” See Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 104. Concerning Mani and his sect, Manichaeism, see ‘Abd al-Husayn Zarrinkub, Neither Eastern nor Western but Human, pp. 72-76.

148. Ibn Qutaybah, al-Ma’arif, pp. 621; Al-Abshahi, al-Mustatrah 2:88; Ibn Rustah, al-A’laq al-Al-Nafisah, pp. 264; Ahmad Amin, Fajr al-Islam, pp. 108.

Muhammad ibn Habib al-Baghdadi states that the following individuals from Quraysh belonged to this group: Abu-Sufyan, ‘Aqabah ibn Abi-Mu’it, Ubay ibn Abi-Khalaf, Abu-’Azzah, al-Nadhr ibn Harith, Nubayh and Munabbih, sons of al-Hajjaj ibn Amir al-Sahmi, al-’Az ibn Wa’il, and al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi. See al-Muhabbar, pp. 161.

However, the speeches and sessions held by these individuals carry no single indication of this point. Rather, documents prove that they were idol-worshippers. In his discussions on heresy, ‘Abd al-Husayn Zarrinkub remarks that the word zandaqah included Materialists as well. This latter group refrained from attributing the events of this world to a Creator. The zanadiqah of Quraysh, among whom were Abu-Sufyan, Ibn Abi-Mu’it, al-Nadhr ibn Harith, and al-Walid ibn Mughirah, were Materialists. It is understood from the news and poems related to the chiefs of Quraysh that their heresy stood for rejection of the Creator and disbelief in Resurrection”

149. al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:240.

150. Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 19:49.

151. Ibid, pp. 215, 220, 230, 237, 239 and 240; Islam And Man's Ideologies, pp. 295-247.

152. Tabataba’i op cit 17:393.

153. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:385.

154. Husham Ibn Muhammad Kalbi, Kitab al-Aznam, pp. 42.

155. Tabataba’i, op cit, 2:42.

156. Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 8:46.

157. al-Alusi, op cit, 2:232.

158. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:55, 116; al-Azraqi, The History of Mecca 1:55; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:18; Ibn Rustah, al-A’laq al-Nafisah, pp. 51.

159. Azraqi, op cit. pp. 57; Mas’udi, Muruj al-Dhahab 2:20.

160. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:19, 193; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 57.

161. An exegesis of the Holy Qur'an states that the holy verse, (…and the faith of your father Abraham,) refers to this meaning. See Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 7:97.

162. Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:224.

163. al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar 15:170; Husham Kalbi, al-Aznam, pp. 6.

164. Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi’ah: 1465; Tabarsi, al-Ihtijaj, pp. 189.

165. Shahristani, al-Milal wa’l-Nihal 2:257.

166. Tabataba’i, al-Mizan 9:272.

167. Shahristani, op cit, pp. 255; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:12

168. al-Azraqi, op cit, 1:88, 100, 101; Mahmud al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:200; al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 1:16.

169. Al-’amaliqah were the children of Prophet Noah. Their grandfather was named ‘imlaq or ‘imliq. See Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 2:188; al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 1:17.

170. al-Alusi, op cit, 2:201; al-Shahristani, op cit, pp. 243; al-Halabi, op cit, pp. 17; Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 2:224; al-Abshahi, al-Mustatraf 2:29; Kalbi, al-Aznam, pp. 6; Muhammad Ibn Habib, al-Munammaq, pp. 328.

In some records, it is said that he brought Hubal from Iraq. See al-Azraqi, Akhbar Makkah 1:79; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 2:188.

A report says that the stone of the idol is one of the stones of Ma'zamayn. For this reason, when the Prophet crossed that place, he showed hatred. See Wasa'il al-Shi’ah by al-Hurr al-’Amili 10:36.

171. al-Azraqi, op cit, 1:88; Shahristani, op cit, 2:242, 347.

172. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 79; al-Halabi, op cit, pp. 17; Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, al-Isti’ab 1:120; Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah 4:390; al-Tustari, al-Awa’il, pp. 217; Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:65; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 116.

173. al-Alusi, op cit, 2:200.

174. Tabataba’i, op cit, 1:272.

175. Kalbi, op cit, pp. 32.

176. Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Amali, pp. 336; al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:211; al-Azraqi, op cit, 1:21; al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 3:30; al-Mizan 26: 271, based on a narration by Imam al-Ridha.

177. Qur’an 31:25; 39:38; 43:9; 43:87; 10:3.

178. Al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur 4:23: Tabarsi, Majma’ al-Bayan 8:460.

179. Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:7. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:85.

180. Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 80; Ibn Kathir, op cit, pp. 63; al-Shahristani, al-Milal wa’l-Nihal 2:247. Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 2:88.

181. Kalbi, al-Aznam, pp. 13; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:8; al-Alusi, Bulugh al-Irab 2:202.

182. Kalbi, op cit, pp. 14.

183. al-Azraqi, Akhbar Makkah 1:178, 182; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:244; Sahih Muslim 18:162.

184. Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 14:414.

185. Azraqi, Akhbar Makkah 1:183; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:45.

186. The Civilization Of Islam And Arab, pp. 138-130.

187. Muhammad al-Siba’i, al-Abtal, pp. 9.

188. Will Durant, the Story of Civilization 4:197.

189. Ibn Wadhih, Tarikh al-Ya’qubi 1:215.

190. Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Baghdadi, al-Munammaq, pp. 42.

191. Ibn Wadhih, Ibid, 1:214.

192. Op cit, pp. 213.

193. Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 1:78.

194. Ibn Wadhih, Ibid 1:215.

195. Tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 2:180; Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:16.

196. Tabari, op cit, pp. 180; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, 1:143.

197. Ahmad Amin, Fajr Al-Islam, pp. 13-14; Shawqi ®ayf, Tarikh al-Adab al-’Arabi 1:49.

198. Tabari, op cit, 2:180; Ibn al-Athir, op cit, pp. 16.

199. Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 12; ‘Abd al-Mun’im Majid, al-Tarikh al-Siyasi li’l-Dawlah al-’Arabiyyah, pp. 79.

200. Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, The Political History Of Islam, pp. 56.

201. ‘Abbas Ziryab, Sirat Rasulillah, pp. 66-67.

202. Jawad ‘Ali, al-Mufazzal 1:114.

Probably, reference is made to Sa’id ibn al-’Az (Abu-Uhayhah) who had the largest share of the caravan of Quraysh that had to encounter the Muslim troops at Well Badr during their return from Damascus. However, al-Waqidi (in al-Maghazi 1:27) does not say it explicitly.

203. Phillip Hitti, op cit, pp. 130.

204. Tabari, op cit 2:221; al-Buladhari, Futuh al-Buldan, pp. 68.

205. al-Buladhari, op cit, pp. 68.

206. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, pp. 25.

207. Ibn Wadhih, op cit, 1:10.

208. Shawqi ®ayf, op cit, pp. 51, al-Jahi¨, al-Mahasin wa’l-Adhdad, pp. 62.

209. An exegete of the Holy Qur'an states that the two great personalities mentioned in the holy verse (43:31) are al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah in Mecca and ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud al-Thaqafi in Ta’if. Because of their great wealth, the had been expected to be the promised prophet.

210. Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an 2:43; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir 4:442.

211. Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 2:229; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:89; Muhammad Ahmad Jad al-Mawla Beck et al, Ayyam al-’Arab fi’l-Jahiliyyah, pp. 248.

212. al-Alusi, op cit, pp. 87; Ibn Kathir, op cit, pp. 220.

213. Bakri, Mu’jam mastu’jim 2:444.

214. Jad al-Mawla, op cit, pp. 334.

215. Op cit, pp. 324.

216. Ibn Qutaybah, al-Ma’arif, pp. 576: Mas’udi, Muruj al-Dhahab 2:284; Jawad ‘Ali, op cit, pp. 96.

217. al-Alusi, op cit, pp. 87.

218. Ibn Husham, op cit, 4:83; al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 3:890; Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra 2:150; Halabi, al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah 3:63.

The Holy Prophet borrowed three thousand spears from his cousin, Nawfal ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. (Halabi, op cit)

219. al-Azraqi, Akhbar Makkah 1:107; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:130.

220. Ibn ‘Abd-Rabbih, al-’Iqd al-Farid 3:314; Ahmad Amin, op cit, pp. 237; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:145-150.

These institutes and organizations were not in the form of modern times as some historians, such as Georgie Zaydan and Lamens, had assumed; rather, they were very primitive and tribal.

221. Phillip Hatti, op cit, pp. 17.

222. Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 1:59; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 176.

223. Ibn ‘Abd-Rabbih, op cit, 3:313; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 176.

224. al-Azraqi, op cit, 1:70.

225. Op cit, pp. 174; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:242.

226. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, 1:70.

227. Jawad ‘Ali, op cit, 4:21.

228. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 69; Ibn Husham, op cit, pp. 125, 130; Ibn Athir, al-Kamil fi’l-Tarikh 2:20; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 189.

229. Ibn Sa’d, op cit, pp. 72; al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 178, 182. It was because of Quraysh’s power and control over these ceremonies, people used to circumambulate the Kaaba naked. In this respect, there is a story about a naked woman who performed the Hajj ceremony composing a shameful verse of poetry. See al-Azraqi, op cit, 1:178, 182; Ibn Husham, op cit, 4:190; al-Alusi, op cit, 1:244; Sahih Muslim 18:162.

230. Al-Azraqi, op cit, pp. 177.

231. Ibn Husham 4:190.

CHAPTER ONE: THE IDEOLIGICAL CONSTQUCTION

The first Topic: liberating Man’s mind:

The view of the Islamic Ideology relies the fact that Man is an honored creature: (And surely we have honored the Sons of Adam and We carry them in the land and the sea and We have given them of the good things and We have made them to excel by an appropriate excellence over most of those whom We have created) [17-7-].

He is the “Chaliph (i. E representative) of Allah on earth, he has the abilities which enable him to ascend to high degrees in sublimity and elevation: “And when your Lord said to the angels I am going to create in the earth a Kaliph, they said!What! Wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy Holiness? He said; surely I know what you don’t know.” [2:30]

Likewise, He can stoop and demean himselftill he reaches the rank of animal: “He clung to the earth and followed his law desires so his parable is as the parable of the dog, if you attack him he lolls out his tongue and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue…” [7:176].

“Then he falls down more and more till he reaches the rank of a solid body! Then your hearts hardened after that so that they were like rocks rather worse in hardness” [2;74 ].

So the Islamic ideology faces in consideration takes the strong and weak sides together in the human being as Man has been described in the Holy Book as has been created weak, dismayed and rash, he is surely in ordinate, and that he oppresses and is ignorant-[1]

On thisbasis the Islamic legislation does not attempt to overburden him by heavy incumbents which exceed his psychological and bodily abilities, Allah (be exalted) has said:

“Allah Does not impose on any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability”[2]

The prophet (s.w.a.): “Nine things from my nation are not requited: the mistake, forgetting, the thing to which they are obliged, what they do not know, what they do not endure, what they do under necessity jealously and evil omen, and thinking with a sense of misgiving about creation unless it is uttered[ 3]

He also said “The pen had been lifted (i-e it doesn’t write) from three persons “the mad person who has lost his mind till he restores it, the sleeping person till he wakes up, and the young boy till he reaches sexual maturity”[4]

The Islamic belief, then, considers the sides of weakness in man as a natural state caused by his human construction and it does not consider it as very complicated to the degree that Man loses with it his ability to build and move, and to choose freely.

More than that the Islamic belief has attempted - while its motivating to construct and develop human being-to agitate in him a deep feeling of the positive side in his presence.

Sin is accidental:

From another side, the Islamic ideology considers sin as an accidental matter to human being and not on original subjective matter.So when Man falls into the holes of sin he is not changed into a devil whose develish nature prevents from returning to the vastnesses of humanity, rather Man remains a sinful person who can strive to repent, correct his fault and can rise from his misstep.

This is the secret of the greatness of the Islamic view point to man as it doesn’t put him under the mercy of the feeling of an imposed original sin as Christianity does, rather it tries to save him from the mud of sin and make him know his ability to progress, remind him always of Allah’s pardon and His vast mercy and not to feel disappointed of it.

There is no “confessional chair” in Islam as it is there inChristianity, rather the leaders of religion and theologians attempt to veil the defects and sins of people as much as possible because Allah loves concealing sins.

It is related from Assbagh Ebin Nabaatah that he said: A person came to Ameeral Mu’amineen and said: O Ameeral Mu’amineen, I have committed adultery so purify me (i-e punish me), Ameeral Mu’amineen turned his face away from him then he said to him: “Sit down, then Ali “A.S.” turned to his people and said: Poes the one of you fail to conceal his sin when he commits it as Allah Has concealed his sin?! …”[5]

Man is an honored creature:

From another side the Islamic ideology attempts to make Man feel-always- that he is an honored being who has his important position in this universe through the duty of “Caliphate which he should adopt and he has nothing to do but to carry out the duty of caliphate” (Allah’s representativeness on earth in the best way, to thank his Creator for his honor, enabling and guidance to the right religion.

A person asked Ameeral Mu’amineen (A.S.) about his love to meet Allah (be glorified), he said how do you love the meeting of Allah? He (Ali) said “When I found that He has chosen foe me the religion of His angles, apostles and prophets I knew that He has honored me with this does not forget me so I loved his meeting,[ 6]

The symptoms of liberating:

The Islamic ideology played an active role in liberating Man on different axes:

Firstly: It has freed man from political dictatorship

No one in Islam can dictate to another person, nor is there any exploitation of a class or a nation over an other one (religion has been along the Islamic history one of the most prominent factor of the appearance of liberation movements whatever the view point of the researcher towards religion he can not exclude the religious factor and its influence in building the revolutionary awareness during this era of Islamic history.

Abbizer’s and Alhussain’s (A.S.) revolutions had been nothing but a starting point of a concious tendency to correct the deviation in the history of Islam. In spite of all deviation from which Moslems had suffered along their long history they hadn’t lost in any era of this history a strong revolutionary tendency which strives to restore Islam to the runs of life to eliminate oppression, exploitation and to restore the rights of the Moslem and his dignity”. [7]

The Islamic ideology has released Man from “defying people” such as worshipping monarchs and dynasties. This habitwas prevented by some ancient nations like ancient Egyptians. Islam has abolished the theories of discrimination against any oneon the basis of race or language or color or wealth or power. The measure of superiority is restricted within moralmatters which are piety and virtue, Allah “be exalted” Has said: (O you men! Surely we have created you of a male and a female and made you tribes and nations that you may know each other, surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most pious! Surely Allah is knowing aware)[ 8]

Islam has preceded the French revolution in announcing the doctrine of liberty with ten centuries.

Ameeral Mu’amineen Ali (A.S.) says in one of his sermons (O people, Adam has not born a slave or a girlmaid all people are free…)[9]

But Islam has not made this granted freedom for Man unlimited so that man is free to do whatever he wishes. Rather it set controllers and curbs for freedom least it results in anarchy.

Hence, the difference between the Islamic ideology, which connects human freedom with slavery to Allah and the conscious and voluntary submission to His authority and between thelegislation which throw Man in amazement that doesn’t accord with his ability and his nature.

From this, there must be a balance between freedom and servitude, there is no a balance in this concern which releases Man’s energies and preserves his nature at the same time but what we find in Islam; a servitude to Allah and liberty from other servitudes, these slave’s freedom does not become complete except through his servitude to Allah, his servitude to Allah does not become complete except through his freedom from worshipping other than Him, so there is a clear balance and consistency between the social side and the tiducial side in the character of Moslem through the way of freedom as Islam views it.[10]

In the light of what has preceded, the ideology settles a basic truth which is the essence of the true freedom is the servitude to Allah because it means the freedom from all deviated authorities while in the servitude to Allah there is not any disgrace for human’s dignity rather it, on the contrary, consolidates his character and protects his dignity.

The prophet “s.w.a.” has been proud of his being a slave of Allah, he liked to be called the slave of Allah and refused the exaltation, which may lead to the false deity, as it had happened to “Ahlil Kitaab” (Christians and Jews) in spite of Allah’s warning them not to raise the personalities of their prophets, Allah said: “O followers of the Book! Don’t exceed the limits in your religion and don’t speak (lies) against Allah but speak the truth the Messiah Isa son of Maryam is only an apostle of Allah and His word, which he communicated to Maryam and a spirit from Him…”[11]

The School of “Ahlil Bait” (A.S.) refuses strongly the idea of apotheosizing people through concentrating on the feature of servitude for sometimes…

Ameeralmu’amineen Ali (A.S.) said “I am the slave of Allah and the brother of His prophet”[12]Alimaam Alreza (A.S.) said: “I am proud of being Allah’s slave”[13] . The idea of apothessizing people has been prevailing among other nations then it sneaked to the followers of heavenly religions and mixed with the beliefs of some of them.

Christianity for example claims AlMasseiah’sdeity, Judaism claims that Auzair is the son of Allah!

Therefore Imam Ali’s wisdom and foresight becomes clear in his concentration on the feature of “servitude” and his challenge to withstand all the claims of exaggeration which attributed him to deity. It is narrated in “Hadeeth” that “some people came to Ameeral mu’amineen (A.S.) and said: Salutations be to you, our God! He called them to repent but they didn’t, he dug for them a hole, he kindled fire in it then he dug another hole beside it and connected them when they didn’t repent he threw them down in the hole and kindled fire in the other hole till they died.[14]

In this concern hesaid: “In me two kinds of men perished an exaggerating lover and an extravagant hater”[15]

Secondly:

Secondly: The Islamic ideology has released Moslem from his lusts after it has connected his heart with Allah and the next abode and itdidn’t connect him with his wishes and caprices. The Islamic ideology has supplied the Moslem’s mind and will with the protective immunity from deviation or preferring the transient world to the remaining everlasting life. The spirit - according to Ahlilbait’s instructions- is the place of danger, so it took most of their attentions.

Thus, we find that the speech about the “spirit”, the necessity of controlling it, occupies a vast area of Ameeral Mu’amineen’s sayings, maxims and preachments, he didn’t miss any chance without speaking about the “soul” because it is the pivot of the mill in building the human being.

The Holy Qur’an has told us: “Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they changed their own conditions”[16] , so what is noteworthy is that Imam Ali (A.S.)-during the days of his just government- was ordering his governors and leaders to take control over their wishes, although he has chosen them precisely from virtue and that most of them had a recommended merits, from alter he (A.S.) wrote to Alashtar when he appointed him as a governor of Egypt: “this is what Abdullah Ameeralmu’amineen ordered Maalik bin AlHaarith Alashtar…he ordered him to fear Allah and to prefer His obedience… he ordered him to break his devotion to lusts…as the spirit longs for evils, except what Allah’s mercy helps…so take control over your wishes, keep your wishes back of what is not permitted to you as taking control of the spirit is the equity of what she loves and hates and feel sympathy to your subject. [17]

From a commandment to Shureih Ibna Haani, one of his millitary leaders when he appointed him on the vanguard of his army to Alsham: “…know that if you don’t hold yourself back from so much of what you like your wishes will guide you to so much damage. So would you prevent yourself and deter it..[18] .

From a letter he wrote to Muaweia, he uncovered to him the secret of his mutiny against the legal leadership i-e his psychological deviations, he said to him- your spirit (wishes) has driven you in evils, pushed into sin, has led you to perils and has guided you through rough passageways”[19]

Psychological deviation has serious consequences especially from those who take power without legality and qualification.

“Ahlilbait” with their known infallibility were asking Allah to help them take conrol over their wishes in order to teach and refine others” some of what is cited in a supplication of Imam Zeinala’abideen (A.S.) “…And weaken our strength to do what enrages you to us, do not let our souls alone with its choice as it chooses false option except what You help, longs for evil except what you lead with Your mercy”. [20]

from all that we deduce that Man cannot be built except by taking control over the soul “wishes” about which we will speak later.

Thirdly:

Thirdly: the Islamic ideology has released Man from worshipping nature and sanctifying its phenomenon, and fear of it, Allah says: “of His signs night and day, sun and moon don’t kneel to the sun and to the moon…”[21]

Man has passed through the stage of confusion, inquiry and fear of the phenomenon of nature about him, he does not know any thing of its secrets and changes of its conditions so he began to sanctify it and sacrifised to it generously thinking that- he can feel safe of its bursting volcanos, destructive earthquakes, sweeping floods and its burning thunder bolts. So the ideology worked towards purifying minds of their veils, opened the vast way to make use of nature and to make peace with it when it removed the thick veils between Man and nature, it has became clear to him that nature and what it includes of creatures and happiness are all emanated from Allah (be exalted), they are exploited creatures to serve him, he (Man) has nothing to do but to make use of them, think of them and their origin in order to reach through them to the Creator: “will they not then consider the camels, how they are created? And the heaven how it is reared aloft, and the mountains how they are firmly fixed and the earth how it is made a vast expanse?[22]

We must point out here that the procedure of the ideology in building human being is a “comprehensive procedure” it arranges Man’s relationship with himself, his creator, and nature around him. Every establishment or development in the relationship between man and his Creatorwill be reflected positively on the relationship between Man and nature, which is drudged by the hands of Allah.

So it grants the faithful man with blessings and benevolences.Hence the prophet “Hood” asked his people - who had deviated from the procedure of Heaven so it didn’t rain for three years till they were about to perish- to ask Allah’s forgiveness for their past sins and to repent to Him by correcting their course and arranging their relation with Allah (be exalted) then their relation with nature will be organized and it will grant them with rain and benevolences he said to them: “And, O my people’ ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him, He will send on you clouds pouring down abundance of rain and add strength to your strength, and don’t turn back guilty”[23]

So, real worship should be to Allah alone, fear should be of guilts, whichcause Allah’s rage and revenge, so He uses nature as a means to punishment, as Allah Has drowned pheroons into the sea, send the destructive wind which damaged the people of Aaad.Hence we find that most of the punishments which afflicted infidels had been fulfilled by the powers of nature which reveals to us the correlative relationship between Man an nature, in this concern Imam Al-Baaqir says: “we have found in the Book of the prophet (S.W.A)…when people abstain from praying “Zakaat” earth abstains its blessings such as plants, fruits and metals”[24] His son Imam Alsaadiq (A.S.) says “when adultry spreads out earthquicks appear, when “Zakaat” is not paid cattle perish, when judges decide unjustly rain doesn’t come down from heaven…”[25]

In brief, human fear must coneentrate on sins and misbehavior, which cause the destruction of societies and prevent heavenly blessings. As to the fear of nature, the belief that some of its phenomenons are evils whichdon’t harmonize with the worldly prevalent order firstly and with its wisdom and justice secondly it is originated from their limitedly narrow viewpoint to these issues.

Had they looked out to these incidents in the framework of the universal common order they would have given in to the idea that they are all good things. At the firstlook these incidents appear to be evil and disastrous, but he who contemplates deeply finds that they are motives for good and reform and they are not outside wisdom, justice and order.Dealing in detail with the subject of the philosophy of evils and aflictions in this world is related to the (Scholastic theology) but what is connected with our research we reemphasize that the Islamic ideology has restored the molding of man’s mind towards the nature around him in a way which makes him much freer, more interacting and feeling in peace with it.

Fourthly:

Fourthly: releasing Man from legendries and myths in belief and behavior in order to eradicate the fantastic deterrents, which prevent the right use of the energy the mind. Man in the pre-Islamic era e.g. had been regarding a good or a bad omen of the movements of bird, so he went optimistically to do some thing when bird takes the rightdirection and retreats and gives up the work when the bird takes the left direction.The class of parsons and diviners occupy the position of forefront in the social ladder and were cheating people by claiming that they know the unseen. Telling bad omen were chaining people with the ropes of fanaticism and prevent them from work and traveling, also the use of “azlaam” i-e if one wants to do something he takes three arrows writing on one of them (do) on the second (do not do) and leave the third free he stretches his hand to take one of them, if the first comes out he advances to his work, when he hits the second he does not do this work if the third comes out he repeats once again! Magic also has been prevalent among people foreshadowing a serious evil, the Islamic ideology made war against thesephenomenons, it has been a cause for opening the minds and elevation of spirits and to bring people out of the darknesses of illusion and legendry to the light of science and truth.

The prophet (S.W.A.) said:“ he is not of us who sees an evil omen or is told about evil omen, and he who foretold or was foretold, or made magic or was made to him[26] . He (A.S.) also said that He who gives up his work because of bad omen is a polytheist.[27]

Al Imam Alsaadiq (A.S.) said:“ bad omen is as you consider, if you regard it unimportant it becomes as such, if you regard it serious it becomes as such, if you regard it nothing it becomes as such too”[28]

From another side the Islamic ideology released the Moslem’s mind from the deductions of soothsayers as it considered a soothsayer like a foreteller, both of them try to restrict Man’s movement in life and to cheat his mind.

It is related from Abdilmalik bin A’ayon that he said: I said to Abiabdula (A.S.): I have been afflicted with this science-he means divinations- so when I look in the horoscope and I see the horoscope of evil I sit down and don’t go and if I see the horoscope of good luck I go to fulfill what I need he said to me: do you gain your need? I said: yes he said to me burn your books[ 29]

We must state here that the Divine school of Ahlilbait (A.S.) does not criticize the stars as a natural science Man can discover by it the features of the sky which shadows him in order to discover through that the greatness of the creator, but it finds fault with these who claim that they know through them (stars) the unseen future.

One of the witnesses which reflects Ahlilbait’s striving to release Moslem human being from the habit of soothtelling which remained to a late centuries, what Ameeralmu’amineen said to some of his companions when he decided to setup to confront “Khawaarij” as it is said to him! If you setup in this time we fear that you will miss your aim through the science of stars. He (A.S.) said: “Do you claim that you guide to the hour where every one set up would avoid evil?And you threaten of the hour where every one sets up would suffer damage? He who believes you, then, has accused Qur’an of telling lie and has dispensed with depending on Allah in getting the wanted and getting of evil…. Then he (A.S.) turned to people and said:

O people’ beware of knowing the science of sooth telling except what is used to know the directions in land and sea- till he said to them- go on depending on Allah (be exalted).[30]

The second topic: BuildingMan’s Thought:

Mind has an important significance in the Islamic religion. It is a source to attain the right belief,it is one of the evidences of deriving laws (i- e- “ijtihaad”) the honored prophet (S.W.A.) said : “every thing has a prop the prop of religion is mind”[31]

From another side mind composes the prop of the faithful human being, the prophet (S.W.A.)said “he who has a mind has a religion and he who has a religion he entered paradise”[32]

The texts of “hadeeths” which deal with drawing attention to the role of mind reached hundreds we can discover, through a general look at thesetexts, that the procedure of Islam in giving mind its actual role passes through two stages, it begins with releasing it then it shifts to direct its energies.

Liberating the mind:

This is the first step of the mentioned Islamicprocedure which we can discover through the texts that have been directed to give up the bonds which enchain mind and confine its real activity and so lead it to serious errors. Thiscan be found in two clear examples:

The first: is giving up blind imitation: its examples in the Holy Qur’an are very much, we can read them in many verses and scenes..

While Qur’an emphasizes that they have not the smallest proof of what they believe of worshipping idols and false creeds it concentrated that all of their plea is that they have found their fathers worshipping these idols so they adhered to that…“Nay! They say: we found our fathers on a course and surely we are guided by their footsteps”[33]

Then it emphasizesthat this is the habit of this kind of people who has shut all the vents on his mind… “And thus we did not send before you any warner to a town but those who led easy life in it said: surely we found our fathers on a course and surely we are followers of their footsteps.”[34]Thus Qur’an recounted their plea twice in two successive verses to show the disintegration it contains and the inherited rooted ignorance in which they are drowned to the limit that they do not listen to any right call nor obvious proof rather they have no more than repeating their plea “ Have you come to us to turn us away from what we found our fathers upon ” [35]

Even though a challenger came to them showing that what they follow is an error (Hesaid: what! Even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? [36]

Even with such evocation they do not search for a proof nor do they open a vent to discussion, rather they insisted on their first fogy nature, “Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent” and “They said that on which we found our fathers is sufficient for us”[37] , Qur’an repeats its condemnation of those in other positions because Qur’an confronts in its epistemic project theories that have been consolidated and taken roots wit successive nations and it is not far that there would be extended to the future of nations too. This theory has exceeded the excellent of knowledge and beliefs to the spheres of behavior and interactions. “And when they commit an indecency they say: we found our fathers doing so”[38]and “They say: Nay, we found our fathers doing so”[39]

Then Qur’an states the punishment which waits those people who took this course pointing out that people must beware of such a course…” so we inflicted retribution on them, then consider how was the end of the rejectors”[40]

DIRECTING THE ENERGY OF THE MIND:

After Islamic ideology has released human mind from the chains which capture it, its ends it out onwards directing its energies through drawing attention and pondering over the universe and life in order to establish a complete building religiously and for this world…

We can state some groups of the Qur’anicverses which direct the mind towards several vast horizons, some of them are as follows:

Firstly: pondering on the evidences of Allah (be exalted) in horizons and souls:

“Most surely in the creation of heavens and earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand. Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord Thouhast not created this in vain! Glory is to Thee: save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[41]

“And in the earth there are signs for those who are sure and in your own souls too will you not then see?”[42]

“Say look what is there in heavens and earth.. [43]

“Let Man then think over of what he has been created”[44]

“Let Man then look at his food”[45]

“Will they not then consider the camels, how they are created and the heaven how it is reared aloft and the mountains how they are firmly fixed. And the earth how it is made vast expanse, therefore do remind for you are only a reminder”[46]

What is noticeable here is Qur’an’s great attention to mention the scenes of the universe through repeating their show in more than one “Surah” i-e (chapter) in different ways and its call for the human being to ponder on and contemplate them, to mediate on the run of its happenings, the most important of that Qur’an made this universe as starting point to reach to Allah (i- e to deduce His existence and to know Him) the creator and originator.

It is narrated from the prophet (S.W.A.) that he was reciting “most surely in the creation of heavens and the earth and he alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand, those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain Glory be to Thee, save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[47] , he says “woe to him who reads it without contemplating it” and in another narration “woe to him who chewed it between his jaws without contemplating it”.

And it is related to Ameeral muamineen Ali (A.S.) that he said: “when the prophet (S.W.A.) wakes up at night he cleans his teeth then he looks at the sky then he says “most surely in the creation of heaven and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand, those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth our Lord: Thou hast not created this in vain Glory be to Thee save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[48]

The purified Imams (A.S.) used the way of setting the proofs of the existence of Allah through intellectual contemplation of the universe and what precise order and wonderful harmony it contains whichis the proof called by scholars “the proof of order”.

Ameeral mu’amineen Ali (A.S.) said: Had they thought of the greatness of His power and the plentiness of benevolence they would have returned to the path and feared the chastisement of burning but minds are ill, hearts are disordered. Do they not see the small-created things He has created, how He had consolidated its creation, mastered its composition, opened to it hearing and sight and made to it bones and skins!Look at the aunt in its small body, delicate form which is difficult to be seen by the eye and to be recognized by realizing mind, how it has crept on its land and stored its sustenance…if you think of the runs of her food, its upper and lower part, what its balley includes of epigastriums” its head of eye and ear you will be full of amazement at its creation and feel tired of its description…

So look at the sun and the moon… the burst out of these seas and the plentiness of these mountains, the length of these deserts and the diversity of these languages and tongues.

So woe towhom he denies the predeterminer and rejects the designer, they alleged that they are like plants without a planter and there is no maker for their different images while they didn’t give any proof of what they claimed and no inspection in what they adopt…

“And can there be a building without a builder or a crime without a criminal!”[49]

From another side the Holy Qur’an draws forth in the minds the motives of sincere and fruitful thinking through what it displays of knowledge, one time it uses the interrogatory question, such as His saying (Be Glorified) “What! Did you then think that we had created you in vain[ 50] , and by disavowal of shallow conceptions another time such as His saying (be Glorified) “And we didn’t create the heavens and the earth and what is between them in vain* we didn’t create them both but with the truth but most of them do not know”[51]

Itis known that according to the school of “Ahlilbait” (A.S.) thinking of the kingdom of the heavens and earth is a kind of worship, rather the best degree of worship. Imam Alsaadiq says: “the best worship is the continuous thinking of Allah and His omnipotence[ 52]

The followers of this high school and its disciples were making much of this intellectualworship which plays a very important part in constructing the human being and enables him to reach very high Gnostic degrees. Forexample most of Abbizar’s (may Allah be mercy with him) worship was thinking and taking lessons, his mother was asked about Abbizar’s worship she said: “During his day time he was thinking away from people”[53]

It must be known that the general view point about being to which the two “rare things” (Althaqalain) guide - The Qur’an and “Ahlilbait”- is the origin from which all intellectual behavioral view points stem and it is the foundation of the diversion of civilizations and cultures.

Secondly: meditating on the laws of history:

the Islamic ideology has called us to ponder on the incidents of history with a shrewd sight, an inspecting intellect in order to discover the reasons which had led societies to destruction, the flourishment or down fall of civilizations, Allah Has said: “indeed there have been examples before you, therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters”[54]

Allah (be glorified) also said: “Do they don’t consider how many a generation we have destroyed before them, whom we have established in the earth as we haven’t established you and we sent the clouds pouring rain o them in abundance and we made the rivers to flow beneath them, then we destroyed them on account of their faults and we originated after them another generations”[55]

Allah (be glorified) also said: “And certainly we did destroy generations before you when they were unjust, and their apostles had shown them clear argument and they wouldn’t believe; thus do we recompense the guilty people.”[56]

It is a call which insists on people to move the wheel of their minds, to look in the history of their ancestors least they become like strayed herd that moves without a shepherd towards the unknown, it is a call with a drawn procedure in order to benefit from the practices of previous civilizations and to study the reasons of their down fall, especially that history repeat its courses, Allah (be glorified) Has said: “Such has been the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before and you shall not find any change in the course of Allah”[57] we have to state here that, “The role of religion and its responsibility in Man’s life is to create the environment of appropriateness and harmony between Man’s thinking and behavior with the courses of Allah (i- e the laws Allah Has set in this universe to move with their course) and to direct the run of Man’s life to the current of these divine course which Allah Has set as an order for his creatures and creating in this universe.” [58]

So religion directsMan’s thinking towards the deep aimful look.Certainly there is a big difference between the superficial unsophisticated look to life and history and the deep examining look which is not satisfied with noticing the thing or the incident but it penetrates into its depths and observes its necessities and evidences in order to deduce the historical law which is applied to it, for example a tourist may pass through the pyramids of Egypt so he feels astonished at the marvelousness of its construction, and its highness and enjoys the beauty of its outer appearance and every thing ends.

As to the conscious thinker who is armed with belief, when he passes through the pyramids so many questions rise into his mind: about Man’s abilities, the injustice which was prevailing during those days through the phyrons’ exploitation of a great number of people to work in building these pyramids and what they had suffered of tiredness, weariness and chastisements. He also deduced the phyroon’s wrong concept of death and resurrection. Rather the believer, after having those pieces of knowledge deduces the beneficent lesson as he looks to their wreckages so he wonders where are their inhabitants and what was their fate?!

Therefore Ahlilbait (A.S.) draw the attention to the importance of the aware note and the deep look which is not restricted to the external matters it penetrates through the depths and sizes the dimensions they include as well as and implicational or correlative significances.

Itis narrated from Alhassan Alsaiqal that he said: I said to Abi abdulah (A.S.): thinking for an hour is better than worshipping for a night? He said: Yes, the prophet (S.W.A.) said: thinking for an hour is better than worshipping for a night. [59]

When Ameeralmu’amineen passed by the ruins of Almadaaen he gave his companions a lesson about the example of history in which, he (A.S.) said: those people had been heirs then they became testators, those people violated the immunities of Allah so they had been afflicted with His revenge, so do not violate Allah’s immunities so that you suffer His vengances”[60]

And He (A.S.) said: So take lesson from what the previous arrogant nations afflicted with of Allah’s agony, assaults, combats and examples.. [61]

Imam Ali (A.S.) went farther than that when he pointed out that the historic law is applied to all people, in every time and place and that it is not restricted to destroying infidels and the arrogant, rather it is applied to believers too, if they do not adhere-practically- to the Devin procedure in life and when they deviate from the right path when they disagree and dispute and controvers. In thisconcern he says:

“And reflect on the circumstances of the believers before you how were they in the state of examination and misfortune…so look in their circumstances when their wishes were unified and had the same aims; so look then their last circumstances when disagreement and dispute took place their wishes and hearts changed, they disputed and conflicted making war against one another, Allah has taken the cloth of His honor out of them and deprived them of His benevolence, there remains with you the stories of their narrations as lessons to their seekers”[62]

Some of his golden will to his son AlHassan (A.S.) in which he urges him on thinking of the circumstances of ancient nations which is called today “the philosophy of history” it is stated: “O my son’ although I haven’t lived as long as those before me had lived, I pondered on their actions, thought of their narrations, walked in their ruins till I have become one of them rather I have become - because of what I knew of them…as if I lived with their first till their last…” [63]

Thirdly: Thinking about the wisdom of the legislation:

The aim of that is to affirm Moslem’s certainty of his legislation, itsrightness and stating its applicability to every time and place in order that the clouds of suspicions, aroused by the enemy of Islam, fade away.If some of Islamic legislations are obligatory which call the Moslem to submit to them, and there is no benefit from pondering on them such as the worshipping matters; yet there are some legislations in Islam which have social dimensions, and the Qur’an has revealed to us the concealed wisdom of their legislations as there is social benefits related to the individual and the society as well such as His saying (be exalted): “And there is life for you in the law of retaliation, o men of understanding that you may guard yourselves.” [64]

And His saying (be exalted) ‘Allah doesn’t want to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you”[65]

The “Sunnah” also has uncovered somay sides of the wisdom of the legislation.For example, Imam Ali Ibna Moussa Alrezza (A.S.) wrote to Mohammad Ibna Sinaan answering some of his questions: “Allah Has prohibited killing the human being because it leads to corruption and perhaps their extinction and chaos of order…Allah Has prohibited adultery because it leads to many kinds of corruption such as killing others and intermixing of peoples’ decendence, leaving children without bringing - up, the corruption of heritage …and other sides of corruption like these”[66]

Fourthly: directing the mind to consider, to be deliberate in one’s opinion and to be independent in thinking and determination:

The Prophet of Allah (S.W.A) said:

“Don’t be blind imitators who say: when people dogood we do good and when people oppress we do so but strive to do good when people do good and not to oppress when people do so”[67]

Allah Hassaid: “Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Nay there are locks on their hearts.”[68]

Here is a serious call to consider and think by first disapproving those shallow -minded, absent -minded, and stubborn people firstly, then secondly through severe scolding of those kinds of people.

Allah Has also said: “Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful”[69]

So there is no value of a claim without aproof, and if Al-Zamakhsharri had seen in that text the most destructive call for the course of imitators”.[70]It has what is more than that for the (word) maybe directed to those accustomed to imitations but this Qur’anic verses is applicable to the whole of human thinking with all of its parts and sides, as thinkers may fall in - and so often they had fallen in - serious errors because of their dependence on some general concepts which they thought to be axioms that do not need a proof while they had been no more than imaginations emanated from fantasies or falling short of mind. This happens so many times with the errors ofdisputants, rather it sometimes happens with those engaged with practical sciences when they consider some deductions to be scientific affirmed laws while they are deductions based on incomplete notices.

Hence we feel a wider range of the Qur’anic call to advance the complete proof for every concept and case weather they are in the mental or practical sciences.

It is doubtless that the field of thinking and contempt acting is as wide as the wideness of knowledge and attitudes, and here we state two important effects:

One of them is general such as the generality of the mentioned Qur’anic text: although it aimed generally at the imitative mind like the people whoare dominated with imitation in their faiths and attitudes.

The second effect, which was seen as a special kind of imitation, is the blind imitation of some people, who have gained an affirmed high positions in peoples’ hearts, whereas the role of mind and its function in thinking, viewing and criticism has vanished, as if those people had become in them-selves the measure for right, so it is not right to weight their speeches and actions or to be subjected to judgment and criticism. This kind ofimitation which had been and still the source of so many kinds of dangers in beliefs and attitudes…Ameeralmu’amineen uncovered the secret of the error in this imitation and showed the right way to learn knowledge, this happened when some people were astonitioned at seeing Talha, Zubair and A’aisha standing in one line against Ameeral mu’amineen, so he denied that people like those agree on some thing wrong, so he mentioned that to Ameeralmu’amineen (A.S.), and he (A.S.) replied beginning his answer with the source of false imagination then shifting to give him the right method in knowledge, he (A.S.) said: “You are deceived, Allah’s religion is not known by men, rather by the evidence of rightness: so do know the right then you know its followers”[71]

Fifthly: directing Man to attain science and knowledge:

It is indisputable that the Islamic religion urges on attaining science and knowledge.He who contemplates on the verses Qur’an finds that repeated clearly or by hint: “Say are those who know and those who do not know alike?

Only the men of understanding are mindful[ 72] .

“Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge, in high degrees, and Allah is aware of what you do[ 73]

“Say: O my Lord’ increase me in knowledge”[74]

“Those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge”[75]

because of the importance of knowledge Allah Has taken the covenant of “Ahlilkitaab” to reveal it to people and not to monopolize it: “Allah Has made a covenant with those who were given the Book you should certainly made it known to people and don’t hide it”[76]

After the verses ofQur’an there come the “hadeeths” of the prophet (S.W.A.) and his purified progeny (A.S.) as they lead to this direction, and state that knowledge is the pillar of religion and the life of Islam is in it.

They prompt to gain it, uncover its merit, so the ink of scholar is superior to the blood of martyrs, and the superiority of a scholar to a worshiper is such as the superiority of the moon to other stars. In thisconcern the prophet (S.W.A.) says:

“Seeking knowledge is prior-with Allah- to prayer fasting “hajj” and striving in the path of Allah”[77]

it is enough to quote Ameeralmu’amineen’s (A.S.) saying:

“The value of every person is what good he does[ 78] ; it gives evidence to Ahlilbait’s prompt to get science and knowledge.

Look closely at the excellent comparison which Imam Ali (A.S.) made for Kumail Ibn Zeyaad Alnekhaei about the superiority of knowledge to funds and money He (A.S.) says: “O Kumail’ knowledge is better than funds, knowledge guards you while you guard funds and money becomes less when you spend it while knowledge flourishes when you spend it and the favor done by wealth vanishes with its vanishing.

O Kumail bin Zeyaad’ attaining knowledge is a religion followed, withit one can achieve the course of Allah’s obedience in his life, and the good remembrance after his demise, knowledge is a governor while money is governed.

O Kumail, the treasurers of funds perished while they are alive, while Scholars are alive as long as there is time, their bodies are absent and their statues in the hearts are present. [79]

Because of this rich epistemic sustenance the Moslem set off, being released from the shackles of ignorance and retardation, to the wide horizons of knowledge so he began to contemplate the universal phenomenon discover the secrets of nature through the empirical manner to which his ideology had directed; and this is the procedure on which modern science has been built.

Gebb says in his book “The modern directions in Islam”: “I think that it is agreed on that the detailed precise observation which Moslem researchers practiced had helped to achieve the scientific development in the material field, and that through these notices the empirical procedure had reached Europe in the middle ages”[80]

Man has the right to be astonished at the greatness of the Islamicideology which had brought in that civilizational revolution in the souls of the desert inhabitants till they have become the pioneers of the whole world in science and knowledge and other sides of civilization and culture.

Knowledge and faith:

It worthies stating that the ideology connects knowledge with faith, as knowledge without faith is like a plant without fruit. Knowledge calls to faith and faith prompts to knowledge.To separate one from the other leads to serious dangers. The martyr Murtaza Mutaharri says:

“Historical practices proved that separating knowledge from faith had resulted in damages which couldn’t be madeup, faith must be known in the light of knowledge faith draws for a way from legends in the light of knowledge. By separating knowledge from faith, faith changed into languidness and blind fanaticism, movingQuickly round itself without reaching anywhere. In theplace which is empty of science and knowledge the ignorant believers are turned into a tool at the hand of the big hypocrites and this was what we had seen of the examples of “Khawaarij” in the first period of Islam and the following ages in different forms.

Knowledge without faith is a torch at the hand of a thief at midnight to steal the best merchandise, so the person of knowledge without faith today doesn’t differ from the ignorant person without faith yesterday in the least difference concerning the nature of manners, practices and their essence”[81]

So knowledge needs faith as the body needs spirit because knowledge alone is unable -by its nature-to build the perfect human being, pure scientific education builds a half human not a perfect human, it can make a human being who may be powerful and able but he is not necessarily virtuous, it creates a human being with one dimension which the material dimension. As tofaith it molds one’s personality in its different dimensions.

Europeans’ deception by science has reached the limit of deification and worshipping although they did not perform its rituals in their churches and because religion depends on unseen foundations outside the extent ofmaterial they considered it to be an unscientific phenomenon.

On this basis the disease of separation between religion and knowledge appeared, this is a strange inclination to Islam “Nothing gives more evidence to this cohesion between religion and science than this urgent call by religion to get knowledge and to get more of it in all stages of the age and in all circumstances… and from this high evaluation of knowledge and Scholars by religion.

If there had been a conflict between religion and science in some eras of history, as it happened with the history of Christianity, that conflict had no connection with religion. Rather it had been a sort of deviation from religion, and religion is not responsible for the deviations people commit by its name”[82]

It is sorrowful that some voices rise here and there calling to separate religion from knowledge on the pretext that Europe had shun religion then it developed and we adhered to religion we failed. The minds of those people are either incapable of realizing the function of science which is a tool to uncover the objective truths and to give a neutral, precise and deep interpretation of the reality, or that those minds are ignorant of the Islamic procedure which doesn’t cease to inspire people to get knowledge. Most probably that they are mercenaried minds echoing the allegations of the grudged enemies of Islam and they overlook the serious spiritualresults which stemmed from separating science from religion:

“The clearest example of that is the age in which we live, the age in which the scientific and material development has reached its summit, and in which humanity had reached its lowest point in brutal fighting and enmity which severs the relations of humanity and makes it live in a lasting horror and fear of destruction, as it also has reached the lowest level in their depiction of the aims of life and the raise d’être of humanity restricting them to lust and enjoyments, reaching its lowest level -as a result of that thinking- of moral corruption and sexual disorder from which the animal abstains.”[83]

So the procedures of education bear a big obligation to the Islamic ideology for its insistence on the role of faith and knowledge in building Man’s personality. By separating knowledge fromfaith Man becomes like a magnetic needle swinging between the north and the south; therefore he needs a power which can stimulate a revolution in his conscience and give him a moral course that can actualize his humanity, this is a task which science can not perform without religion.

CHAPTER ONE: THE IDEOLIGICAL CONSTQUCTION

The first Topic: liberating Man’s mind:

The view of the Islamic Ideology relies the fact that Man is an honored creature: (And surely we have honored the Sons of Adam and We carry them in the land and the sea and We have given them of the good things and We have made them to excel by an appropriate excellence over most of those whom We have created) [17-7-].

He is the “Chaliph (i. E representative) of Allah on earth, he has the abilities which enable him to ascend to high degrees in sublimity and elevation: “And when your Lord said to the angels I am going to create in the earth a Kaliph, they said!What! Wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy Holiness? He said; surely I know what you don’t know.” [2:30]

Likewise, He can stoop and demean himselftill he reaches the rank of animal: “He clung to the earth and followed his law desires so his parable is as the parable of the dog, if you attack him he lolls out his tongue and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue…” [7:176].

“Then he falls down more and more till he reaches the rank of a solid body! Then your hearts hardened after that so that they were like rocks rather worse in hardness” [2;74 ].

So the Islamic ideology faces in consideration takes the strong and weak sides together in the human being as Man has been described in the Holy Book as has been created weak, dismayed and rash, he is surely in ordinate, and that he oppresses and is ignorant-[1]

On thisbasis the Islamic legislation does not attempt to overburden him by heavy incumbents which exceed his psychological and bodily abilities, Allah (be exalted) has said:

“Allah Does not impose on any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability”[2]

The prophet (s.w.a.): “Nine things from my nation are not requited: the mistake, forgetting, the thing to which they are obliged, what they do not know, what they do not endure, what they do under necessity jealously and evil omen, and thinking with a sense of misgiving about creation unless it is uttered[ 3]

He also said “The pen had been lifted (i-e it doesn’t write) from three persons “the mad person who has lost his mind till he restores it, the sleeping person till he wakes up, and the young boy till he reaches sexual maturity”[4]

The Islamic belief, then, considers the sides of weakness in man as a natural state caused by his human construction and it does not consider it as very complicated to the degree that Man loses with it his ability to build and move, and to choose freely.

More than that the Islamic belief has attempted - while its motivating to construct and develop human being-to agitate in him a deep feeling of the positive side in his presence.

Sin is accidental:

From another side, the Islamic ideology considers sin as an accidental matter to human being and not on original subjective matter.So when Man falls into the holes of sin he is not changed into a devil whose develish nature prevents from returning to the vastnesses of humanity, rather Man remains a sinful person who can strive to repent, correct his fault and can rise from his misstep.

This is the secret of the greatness of the Islamic view point to man as it doesn’t put him under the mercy of the feeling of an imposed original sin as Christianity does, rather it tries to save him from the mud of sin and make him know his ability to progress, remind him always of Allah’s pardon and His vast mercy and not to feel disappointed of it.

There is no “confessional chair” in Islam as it is there inChristianity, rather the leaders of religion and theologians attempt to veil the defects and sins of people as much as possible because Allah loves concealing sins.

It is related from Assbagh Ebin Nabaatah that he said: A person came to Ameeral Mu’amineen and said: O Ameeral Mu’amineen, I have committed adultery so purify me (i-e punish me), Ameeral Mu’amineen turned his face away from him then he said to him: “Sit down, then Ali “A.S.” turned to his people and said: Poes the one of you fail to conceal his sin when he commits it as Allah Has concealed his sin?! …”[5]

Man is an honored creature:

From another side the Islamic ideology attempts to make Man feel-always- that he is an honored being who has his important position in this universe through the duty of “Caliphate which he should adopt and he has nothing to do but to carry out the duty of caliphate” (Allah’s representativeness on earth in the best way, to thank his Creator for his honor, enabling and guidance to the right religion.

A person asked Ameeral Mu’amineen (A.S.) about his love to meet Allah (be glorified), he said how do you love the meeting of Allah? He (Ali) said “When I found that He has chosen foe me the religion of His angles, apostles and prophets I knew that He has honored me with this does not forget me so I loved his meeting,[ 6]

The symptoms of liberating:

The Islamic ideology played an active role in liberating Man on different axes:

Firstly: It has freed man from political dictatorship

No one in Islam can dictate to another person, nor is there any exploitation of a class or a nation over an other one (religion has been along the Islamic history one of the most prominent factor of the appearance of liberation movements whatever the view point of the researcher towards religion he can not exclude the religious factor and its influence in building the revolutionary awareness during this era of Islamic history.

Abbizer’s and Alhussain’s (A.S.) revolutions had been nothing but a starting point of a concious tendency to correct the deviation in the history of Islam. In spite of all deviation from which Moslems had suffered along their long history they hadn’t lost in any era of this history a strong revolutionary tendency which strives to restore Islam to the runs of life to eliminate oppression, exploitation and to restore the rights of the Moslem and his dignity”. [7]

The Islamic ideology has released Man from “defying people” such as worshipping monarchs and dynasties. This habitwas prevented by some ancient nations like ancient Egyptians. Islam has abolished the theories of discrimination against any oneon the basis of race or language or color or wealth or power. The measure of superiority is restricted within moralmatters which are piety and virtue, Allah “be exalted” Has said: (O you men! Surely we have created you of a male and a female and made you tribes and nations that you may know each other, surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most pious! Surely Allah is knowing aware)[ 8]

Islam has preceded the French revolution in announcing the doctrine of liberty with ten centuries.

Ameeral Mu’amineen Ali (A.S.) says in one of his sermons (O people, Adam has not born a slave or a girlmaid all people are free…)[9]

But Islam has not made this granted freedom for Man unlimited so that man is free to do whatever he wishes. Rather it set controllers and curbs for freedom least it results in anarchy.

Hence, the difference between the Islamic ideology, which connects human freedom with slavery to Allah and the conscious and voluntary submission to His authority and between thelegislation which throw Man in amazement that doesn’t accord with his ability and his nature.

From this, there must be a balance between freedom and servitude, there is no a balance in this concern which releases Man’s energies and preserves his nature at the same time but what we find in Islam; a servitude to Allah and liberty from other servitudes, these slave’s freedom does not become complete except through his servitude to Allah, his servitude to Allah does not become complete except through his freedom from worshipping other than Him, so there is a clear balance and consistency between the social side and the tiducial side in the character of Moslem through the way of freedom as Islam views it.[10]

In the light of what has preceded, the ideology settles a basic truth which is the essence of the true freedom is the servitude to Allah because it means the freedom from all deviated authorities while in the servitude to Allah there is not any disgrace for human’s dignity rather it, on the contrary, consolidates his character and protects his dignity.

The prophet “s.w.a.” has been proud of his being a slave of Allah, he liked to be called the slave of Allah and refused the exaltation, which may lead to the false deity, as it had happened to “Ahlil Kitaab” (Christians and Jews) in spite of Allah’s warning them not to raise the personalities of their prophets, Allah said: “O followers of the Book! Don’t exceed the limits in your religion and don’t speak (lies) against Allah but speak the truth the Messiah Isa son of Maryam is only an apostle of Allah and His word, which he communicated to Maryam and a spirit from Him…”[11]

The School of “Ahlil Bait” (A.S.) refuses strongly the idea of apotheosizing people through concentrating on the feature of servitude for sometimes…

Ameeralmu’amineen Ali (A.S.) said “I am the slave of Allah and the brother of His prophet”[12]Alimaam Alreza (A.S.) said: “I am proud of being Allah’s slave”[13] . The idea of apothessizing people has been prevailing among other nations then it sneaked to the followers of heavenly religions and mixed with the beliefs of some of them.

Christianity for example claims AlMasseiah’sdeity, Judaism claims that Auzair is the son of Allah!

Therefore Imam Ali’s wisdom and foresight becomes clear in his concentration on the feature of “servitude” and his challenge to withstand all the claims of exaggeration which attributed him to deity. It is narrated in “Hadeeth” that “some people came to Ameeral mu’amineen (A.S.) and said: Salutations be to you, our God! He called them to repent but they didn’t, he dug for them a hole, he kindled fire in it then he dug another hole beside it and connected them when they didn’t repent he threw them down in the hole and kindled fire in the other hole till they died.[14]

In this concern hesaid: “In me two kinds of men perished an exaggerating lover and an extravagant hater”[15]

Secondly:

Secondly: The Islamic ideology has released Moslem from his lusts after it has connected his heart with Allah and the next abode and itdidn’t connect him with his wishes and caprices. The Islamic ideology has supplied the Moslem’s mind and will with the protective immunity from deviation or preferring the transient world to the remaining everlasting life. The spirit - according to Ahlilbait’s instructions- is the place of danger, so it took most of their attentions.

Thus, we find that the speech about the “spirit”, the necessity of controlling it, occupies a vast area of Ameeral Mu’amineen’s sayings, maxims and preachments, he didn’t miss any chance without speaking about the “soul” because it is the pivot of the mill in building the human being.

The Holy Qur’an has told us: “Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they changed their own conditions”[16] , so what is noteworthy is that Imam Ali (A.S.)-during the days of his just government- was ordering his governors and leaders to take control over their wishes, although he has chosen them precisely from virtue and that most of them had a recommended merits, from alter he (A.S.) wrote to Alashtar when he appointed him as a governor of Egypt: “this is what Abdullah Ameeralmu’amineen ordered Maalik bin AlHaarith Alashtar…he ordered him to fear Allah and to prefer His obedience… he ordered him to break his devotion to lusts…as the spirit longs for evils, except what Allah’s mercy helps…so take control over your wishes, keep your wishes back of what is not permitted to you as taking control of the spirit is the equity of what she loves and hates and feel sympathy to your subject. [17]

From a commandment to Shureih Ibna Haani, one of his millitary leaders when he appointed him on the vanguard of his army to Alsham: “…know that if you don’t hold yourself back from so much of what you like your wishes will guide you to so much damage. So would you prevent yourself and deter it..[18] .

From a letter he wrote to Muaweia, he uncovered to him the secret of his mutiny against the legal leadership i-e his psychological deviations, he said to him- your spirit (wishes) has driven you in evils, pushed into sin, has led you to perils and has guided you through rough passageways”[19]

Psychological deviation has serious consequences especially from those who take power without legality and qualification.

“Ahlilbait” with their known infallibility were asking Allah to help them take conrol over their wishes in order to teach and refine others” some of what is cited in a supplication of Imam Zeinala’abideen (A.S.) “…And weaken our strength to do what enrages you to us, do not let our souls alone with its choice as it chooses false option except what You help, longs for evil except what you lead with Your mercy”. [20]

from all that we deduce that Man cannot be built except by taking control over the soul “wishes” about which we will speak later.

Thirdly:

Thirdly: the Islamic ideology has released Man from worshipping nature and sanctifying its phenomenon, and fear of it, Allah says: “of His signs night and day, sun and moon don’t kneel to the sun and to the moon…”[21]

Man has passed through the stage of confusion, inquiry and fear of the phenomenon of nature about him, he does not know any thing of its secrets and changes of its conditions so he began to sanctify it and sacrifised to it generously thinking that- he can feel safe of its bursting volcanos, destructive earthquakes, sweeping floods and its burning thunder bolts. So the ideology worked towards purifying minds of their veils, opened the vast way to make use of nature and to make peace with it when it removed the thick veils between Man and nature, it has became clear to him that nature and what it includes of creatures and happiness are all emanated from Allah (be exalted), they are exploited creatures to serve him, he (Man) has nothing to do but to make use of them, think of them and their origin in order to reach through them to the Creator: “will they not then consider the camels, how they are created? And the heaven how it is reared aloft, and the mountains how they are firmly fixed and the earth how it is made a vast expanse?[22]

We must point out here that the procedure of the ideology in building human being is a “comprehensive procedure” it arranges Man’s relationship with himself, his creator, and nature around him. Every establishment or development in the relationship between man and his Creatorwill be reflected positively on the relationship between Man and nature, which is drudged by the hands of Allah.

So it grants the faithful man with blessings and benevolences.Hence the prophet “Hood” asked his people - who had deviated from the procedure of Heaven so it didn’t rain for three years till they were about to perish- to ask Allah’s forgiveness for their past sins and to repent to Him by correcting their course and arranging their relation with Allah (be exalted) then their relation with nature will be organized and it will grant them with rain and benevolences he said to them: “And, O my people’ ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him, He will send on you clouds pouring down abundance of rain and add strength to your strength, and don’t turn back guilty”[23]

So, real worship should be to Allah alone, fear should be of guilts, whichcause Allah’s rage and revenge, so He uses nature as a means to punishment, as Allah Has drowned pheroons into the sea, send the destructive wind which damaged the people of Aaad.Hence we find that most of the punishments which afflicted infidels had been fulfilled by the powers of nature which reveals to us the correlative relationship between Man an nature, in this concern Imam Al-Baaqir says: “we have found in the Book of the prophet (S.W.A)…when people abstain from praying “Zakaat” earth abstains its blessings such as plants, fruits and metals”[24] His son Imam Alsaadiq (A.S.) says “when adultry spreads out earthquicks appear, when “Zakaat” is not paid cattle perish, when judges decide unjustly rain doesn’t come down from heaven…”[25]

In brief, human fear must coneentrate on sins and misbehavior, which cause the destruction of societies and prevent heavenly blessings. As to the fear of nature, the belief that some of its phenomenons are evils whichdon’t harmonize with the worldly prevalent order firstly and with its wisdom and justice secondly it is originated from their limitedly narrow viewpoint to these issues.

Had they looked out to these incidents in the framework of the universal common order they would have given in to the idea that they are all good things. At the firstlook these incidents appear to be evil and disastrous, but he who contemplates deeply finds that they are motives for good and reform and they are not outside wisdom, justice and order.Dealing in detail with the subject of the philosophy of evils and aflictions in this world is related to the (Scholastic theology) but what is connected with our research we reemphasize that the Islamic ideology has restored the molding of man’s mind towards the nature around him in a way which makes him much freer, more interacting and feeling in peace with it.

Fourthly:

Fourthly: releasing Man from legendries and myths in belief and behavior in order to eradicate the fantastic deterrents, which prevent the right use of the energy the mind. Man in the pre-Islamic era e.g. had been regarding a good or a bad omen of the movements of bird, so he went optimistically to do some thing when bird takes the rightdirection and retreats and gives up the work when the bird takes the left direction.The class of parsons and diviners occupy the position of forefront in the social ladder and were cheating people by claiming that they know the unseen. Telling bad omen were chaining people with the ropes of fanaticism and prevent them from work and traveling, also the use of “azlaam” i-e if one wants to do something he takes three arrows writing on one of them (do) on the second (do not do) and leave the third free he stretches his hand to take one of them, if the first comes out he advances to his work, when he hits the second he does not do this work if the third comes out he repeats once again! Magic also has been prevalent among people foreshadowing a serious evil, the Islamic ideology made war against thesephenomenons, it has been a cause for opening the minds and elevation of spirits and to bring people out of the darknesses of illusion and legendry to the light of science and truth.

The prophet (S.W.A.) said:“ he is not of us who sees an evil omen or is told about evil omen, and he who foretold or was foretold, or made magic or was made to him[26] . He (A.S.) also said that He who gives up his work because of bad omen is a polytheist.[27]

Al Imam Alsaadiq (A.S.) said:“ bad omen is as you consider, if you regard it unimportant it becomes as such, if you regard it serious it becomes as such, if you regard it nothing it becomes as such too”[28]

From another side the Islamic ideology released the Moslem’s mind from the deductions of soothsayers as it considered a soothsayer like a foreteller, both of them try to restrict Man’s movement in life and to cheat his mind.

It is related from Abdilmalik bin A’ayon that he said: I said to Abiabdula (A.S.): I have been afflicted with this science-he means divinations- so when I look in the horoscope and I see the horoscope of evil I sit down and don’t go and if I see the horoscope of good luck I go to fulfill what I need he said to me: do you gain your need? I said: yes he said to me burn your books[ 29]

We must state here that the Divine school of Ahlilbait (A.S.) does not criticize the stars as a natural science Man can discover by it the features of the sky which shadows him in order to discover through that the greatness of the creator, but it finds fault with these who claim that they know through them (stars) the unseen future.

One of the witnesses which reflects Ahlilbait’s striving to release Moslem human being from the habit of soothtelling which remained to a late centuries, what Ameeralmu’amineen said to some of his companions when he decided to setup to confront “Khawaarij” as it is said to him! If you setup in this time we fear that you will miss your aim through the science of stars. He (A.S.) said: “Do you claim that you guide to the hour where every one set up would avoid evil?And you threaten of the hour where every one sets up would suffer damage? He who believes you, then, has accused Qur’an of telling lie and has dispensed with depending on Allah in getting the wanted and getting of evil…. Then he (A.S.) turned to people and said:

O people’ beware of knowing the science of sooth telling except what is used to know the directions in land and sea- till he said to them- go on depending on Allah (be exalted).[30]

The second topic: BuildingMan’s Thought:

Mind has an important significance in the Islamic religion. It is a source to attain the right belief,it is one of the evidences of deriving laws (i- e- “ijtihaad”) the honored prophet (S.W.A.) said : “every thing has a prop the prop of religion is mind”[31]

From another side mind composes the prop of the faithful human being, the prophet (S.W.A.)said “he who has a mind has a religion and he who has a religion he entered paradise”[32]

The texts of “hadeeths” which deal with drawing attention to the role of mind reached hundreds we can discover, through a general look at thesetexts, that the procedure of Islam in giving mind its actual role passes through two stages, it begins with releasing it then it shifts to direct its energies.

Liberating the mind:

This is the first step of the mentioned Islamicprocedure which we can discover through the texts that have been directed to give up the bonds which enchain mind and confine its real activity and so lead it to serious errors. Thiscan be found in two clear examples:

The first: is giving up blind imitation: its examples in the Holy Qur’an are very much, we can read them in many verses and scenes..

While Qur’an emphasizes that they have not the smallest proof of what they believe of worshipping idols and false creeds it concentrated that all of their plea is that they have found their fathers worshipping these idols so they adhered to that…“Nay! They say: we found our fathers on a course and surely we are guided by their footsteps”[33]

Then it emphasizesthat this is the habit of this kind of people who has shut all the vents on his mind… “And thus we did not send before you any warner to a town but those who led easy life in it said: surely we found our fathers on a course and surely we are followers of their footsteps.”[34]Thus Qur’an recounted their plea twice in two successive verses to show the disintegration it contains and the inherited rooted ignorance in which they are drowned to the limit that they do not listen to any right call nor obvious proof rather they have no more than repeating their plea “ Have you come to us to turn us away from what we found our fathers upon ” [35]

Even though a challenger came to them showing that what they follow is an error (Hesaid: what! Even if I bring to you a better guide than that on which you found your fathers? [36]

Even with such evocation they do not search for a proof nor do they open a vent to discussion, rather they insisted on their first fogy nature, “Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you are sent” and “They said that on which we found our fathers is sufficient for us”[37] , Qur’an repeats its condemnation of those in other positions because Qur’an confronts in its epistemic project theories that have been consolidated and taken roots wit successive nations and it is not far that there would be extended to the future of nations too. This theory has exceeded the excellent of knowledge and beliefs to the spheres of behavior and interactions. “And when they commit an indecency they say: we found our fathers doing so”[38]and “They say: Nay, we found our fathers doing so”[39]

Then Qur’an states the punishment which waits those people who took this course pointing out that people must beware of such a course…” so we inflicted retribution on them, then consider how was the end of the rejectors”[40]

DIRECTING THE ENERGY OF THE MIND:

After Islamic ideology has released human mind from the chains which capture it, its ends it out onwards directing its energies through drawing attention and pondering over the universe and life in order to establish a complete building religiously and for this world…

We can state some groups of the Qur’anicverses which direct the mind towards several vast horizons, some of them are as follows:

Firstly: pondering on the evidences of Allah (be exalted) in horizons and souls:

“Most surely in the creation of heavens and earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand. Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord Thouhast not created this in vain! Glory is to Thee: save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[41]

“And in the earth there are signs for those who are sure and in your own souls too will you not then see?”[42]

“Say look what is there in heavens and earth.. [43]

“Let Man then think over of what he has been created”[44]

“Let Man then look at his food”[45]

“Will they not then consider the camels, how they are created and the heaven how it is reared aloft and the mountains how they are firmly fixed. And the earth how it is made vast expanse, therefore do remind for you are only a reminder”[46]

What is noticeable here is Qur’an’s great attention to mention the scenes of the universe through repeating their show in more than one “Surah” i-e (chapter) in different ways and its call for the human being to ponder on and contemplate them, to mediate on the run of its happenings, the most important of that Qur’an made this universe as starting point to reach to Allah (i- e to deduce His existence and to know Him) the creator and originator.

It is narrated from the prophet (S.W.A.) that he was reciting “most surely in the creation of heavens and the earth and he alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand, those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain Glory be to Thee, save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[47] , he says “woe to him who reads it without contemplating it” and in another narration “woe to him who chewed it between his jaws without contemplating it”.

And it is related to Ameeral muamineen Ali (A.S.) that he said: “when the prophet (S.W.A.) wakes up at night he cleans his teeth then he looks at the sky then he says “most surely in the creation of heaven and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand, those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth our Lord: Thou hast not created this in vain Glory be to Thee save us then from the chastisement of the fire”[48]

The purified Imams (A.S.) used the way of setting the proofs of the existence of Allah through intellectual contemplation of the universe and what precise order and wonderful harmony it contains whichis the proof called by scholars “the proof of order”.

Ameeral mu’amineen Ali (A.S.) said: Had they thought of the greatness of His power and the plentiness of benevolence they would have returned to the path and feared the chastisement of burning but minds are ill, hearts are disordered. Do they not see the small-created things He has created, how He had consolidated its creation, mastered its composition, opened to it hearing and sight and made to it bones and skins!Look at the aunt in its small body, delicate form which is difficult to be seen by the eye and to be recognized by realizing mind, how it has crept on its land and stored its sustenance…if you think of the runs of her food, its upper and lower part, what its balley includes of epigastriums” its head of eye and ear you will be full of amazement at its creation and feel tired of its description…

So look at the sun and the moon… the burst out of these seas and the plentiness of these mountains, the length of these deserts and the diversity of these languages and tongues.

So woe towhom he denies the predeterminer and rejects the designer, they alleged that they are like plants without a planter and there is no maker for their different images while they didn’t give any proof of what they claimed and no inspection in what they adopt…

“And can there be a building without a builder or a crime without a criminal!”[49]

From another side the Holy Qur’an draws forth in the minds the motives of sincere and fruitful thinking through what it displays of knowledge, one time it uses the interrogatory question, such as His saying (Be Glorified) “What! Did you then think that we had created you in vain[ 50] , and by disavowal of shallow conceptions another time such as His saying (be Glorified) “And we didn’t create the heavens and the earth and what is between them in vain* we didn’t create them both but with the truth but most of them do not know”[51]

Itis known that according to the school of “Ahlilbait” (A.S.) thinking of the kingdom of the heavens and earth is a kind of worship, rather the best degree of worship. Imam Alsaadiq says: “the best worship is the continuous thinking of Allah and His omnipotence[ 52]

The followers of this high school and its disciples were making much of this intellectualworship which plays a very important part in constructing the human being and enables him to reach very high Gnostic degrees. Forexample most of Abbizar’s (may Allah be mercy with him) worship was thinking and taking lessons, his mother was asked about Abbizar’s worship she said: “During his day time he was thinking away from people”[53]

It must be known that the general view point about being to which the two “rare things” (Althaqalain) guide - The Qur’an and “Ahlilbait”- is the origin from which all intellectual behavioral view points stem and it is the foundation of the diversion of civilizations and cultures.

Secondly: meditating on the laws of history:

the Islamic ideology has called us to ponder on the incidents of history with a shrewd sight, an inspecting intellect in order to discover the reasons which had led societies to destruction, the flourishment or down fall of civilizations, Allah Has said: “indeed there have been examples before you, therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters”[54]

Allah (be glorified) also said: “Do they don’t consider how many a generation we have destroyed before them, whom we have established in the earth as we haven’t established you and we sent the clouds pouring rain o them in abundance and we made the rivers to flow beneath them, then we destroyed them on account of their faults and we originated after them another generations”[55]

Allah (be glorified) also said: “And certainly we did destroy generations before you when they were unjust, and their apostles had shown them clear argument and they wouldn’t believe; thus do we recompense the guilty people.”[56]

It is a call which insists on people to move the wheel of their minds, to look in the history of their ancestors least they become like strayed herd that moves without a shepherd towards the unknown, it is a call with a drawn procedure in order to benefit from the practices of previous civilizations and to study the reasons of their down fall, especially that history repeat its courses, Allah (be glorified) Has said: “Such has been the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before and you shall not find any change in the course of Allah”[57] we have to state here that, “The role of religion and its responsibility in Man’s life is to create the environment of appropriateness and harmony between Man’s thinking and behavior with the courses of Allah (i- e the laws Allah Has set in this universe to move with their course) and to direct the run of Man’s life to the current of these divine course which Allah Has set as an order for his creatures and creating in this universe.” [58]

So religion directsMan’s thinking towards the deep aimful look.Certainly there is a big difference between the superficial unsophisticated look to life and history and the deep examining look which is not satisfied with noticing the thing or the incident but it penetrates into its depths and observes its necessities and evidences in order to deduce the historical law which is applied to it, for example a tourist may pass through the pyramids of Egypt so he feels astonished at the marvelousness of its construction, and its highness and enjoys the beauty of its outer appearance and every thing ends.

As to the conscious thinker who is armed with belief, when he passes through the pyramids so many questions rise into his mind: about Man’s abilities, the injustice which was prevailing during those days through the phyrons’ exploitation of a great number of people to work in building these pyramids and what they had suffered of tiredness, weariness and chastisements. He also deduced the phyroon’s wrong concept of death and resurrection. Rather the believer, after having those pieces of knowledge deduces the beneficent lesson as he looks to their wreckages so he wonders where are their inhabitants and what was their fate?!

Therefore Ahlilbait (A.S.) draw the attention to the importance of the aware note and the deep look which is not restricted to the external matters it penetrates through the depths and sizes the dimensions they include as well as and implicational or correlative significances.

Itis narrated from Alhassan Alsaiqal that he said: I said to Abi abdulah (A.S.): thinking for an hour is better than worshipping for a night? He said: Yes, the prophet (S.W.A.) said: thinking for an hour is better than worshipping for a night. [59]

When Ameeralmu’amineen passed by the ruins of Almadaaen he gave his companions a lesson about the example of history in which, he (A.S.) said: those people had been heirs then they became testators, those people violated the immunities of Allah so they had been afflicted with His revenge, so do not violate Allah’s immunities so that you suffer His vengances”[60]

And He (A.S.) said: So take lesson from what the previous arrogant nations afflicted with of Allah’s agony, assaults, combats and examples.. [61]

Imam Ali (A.S.) went farther than that when he pointed out that the historic law is applied to all people, in every time and place and that it is not restricted to destroying infidels and the arrogant, rather it is applied to believers too, if they do not adhere-practically- to the Devin procedure in life and when they deviate from the right path when they disagree and dispute and controvers. In thisconcern he says:

“And reflect on the circumstances of the believers before you how were they in the state of examination and misfortune…so look in their circumstances when their wishes were unified and had the same aims; so look then their last circumstances when disagreement and dispute took place their wishes and hearts changed, they disputed and conflicted making war against one another, Allah has taken the cloth of His honor out of them and deprived them of His benevolence, there remains with you the stories of their narrations as lessons to their seekers”[62]

Some of his golden will to his son AlHassan (A.S.) in which he urges him on thinking of the circumstances of ancient nations which is called today “the philosophy of history” it is stated: “O my son’ although I haven’t lived as long as those before me had lived, I pondered on their actions, thought of their narrations, walked in their ruins till I have become one of them rather I have become - because of what I knew of them…as if I lived with their first till their last…” [63]

Thirdly: Thinking about the wisdom of the legislation:

The aim of that is to affirm Moslem’s certainty of his legislation, itsrightness and stating its applicability to every time and place in order that the clouds of suspicions, aroused by the enemy of Islam, fade away.If some of Islamic legislations are obligatory which call the Moslem to submit to them, and there is no benefit from pondering on them such as the worshipping matters; yet there are some legislations in Islam which have social dimensions, and the Qur’an has revealed to us the concealed wisdom of their legislations as there is social benefits related to the individual and the society as well such as His saying (be exalted): “And there is life for you in the law of retaliation, o men of understanding that you may guard yourselves.” [64]

And His saying (be exalted) ‘Allah doesn’t want to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you”[65]

The “Sunnah” also has uncovered somay sides of the wisdom of the legislation.For example, Imam Ali Ibna Moussa Alrezza (A.S.) wrote to Mohammad Ibna Sinaan answering some of his questions: “Allah Has prohibited killing the human being because it leads to corruption and perhaps their extinction and chaos of order…Allah Has prohibited adultery because it leads to many kinds of corruption such as killing others and intermixing of peoples’ decendence, leaving children without bringing - up, the corruption of heritage …and other sides of corruption like these”[66]

Fourthly: directing the mind to consider, to be deliberate in one’s opinion and to be independent in thinking and determination:

The Prophet of Allah (S.W.A) said:

“Don’t be blind imitators who say: when people dogood we do good and when people oppress we do so but strive to do good when people do good and not to oppress when people do so”[67]

Allah Hassaid: “Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Nay there are locks on their hearts.”[68]

Here is a serious call to consider and think by first disapproving those shallow -minded, absent -minded, and stubborn people firstly, then secondly through severe scolding of those kinds of people.

Allah Has also said: “Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful”[69]

So there is no value of a claim without aproof, and if Al-Zamakhsharri had seen in that text the most destructive call for the course of imitators”.[70]It has what is more than that for the (word) maybe directed to those accustomed to imitations but this Qur’anic verses is applicable to the whole of human thinking with all of its parts and sides, as thinkers may fall in - and so often they had fallen in - serious errors because of their dependence on some general concepts which they thought to be axioms that do not need a proof while they had been no more than imaginations emanated from fantasies or falling short of mind. This happens so many times with the errors ofdisputants, rather it sometimes happens with those engaged with practical sciences when they consider some deductions to be scientific affirmed laws while they are deductions based on incomplete notices.

Hence we feel a wider range of the Qur’anic call to advance the complete proof for every concept and case weather they are in the mental or practical sciences.

It is doubtless that the field of thinking and contempt acting is as wide as the wideness of knowledge and attitudes, and here we state two important effects:

One of them is general such as the generality of the mentioned Qur’anic text: although it aimed generally at the imitative mind like the people whoare dominated with imitation in their faiths and attitudes.

The second effect, which was seen as a special kind of imitation, is the blind imitation of some people, who have gained an affirmed high positions in peoples’ hearts, whereas the role of mind and its function in thinking, viewing and criticism has vanished, as if those people had become in them-selves the measure for right, so it is not right to weight their speeches and actions or to be subjected to judgment and criticism. This kind ofimitation which had been and still the source of so many kinds of dangers in beliefs and attitudes…Ameeralmu’amineen uncovered the secret of the error in this imitation and showed the right way to learn knowledge, this happened when some people were astonitioned at seeing Talha, Zubair and A’aisha standing in one line against Ameeral mu’amineen, so he denied that people like those agree on some thing wrong, so he mentioned that to Ameeralmu’amineen (A.S.), and he (A.S.) replied beginning his answer with the source of false imagination then shifting to give him the right method in knowledge, he (A.S.) said: “You are deceived, Allah’s religion is not known by men, rather by the evidence of rightness: so do know the right then you know its followers”[71]

Fifthly: directing Man to attain science and knowledge:

It is indisputable that the Islamic religion urges on attaining science and knowledge.He who contemplates on the verses Qur’an finds that repeated clearly or by hint: “Say are those who know and those who do not know alike?

Only the men of understanding are mindful[ 72] .

“Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge, in high degrees, and Allah is aware of what you do[ 73]

“Say: O my Lord’ increase me in knowledge”[74]

“Those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge”[75]

because of the importance of knowledge Allah Has taken the covenant of “Ahlilkitaab” to reveal it to people and not to monopolize it: “Allah Has made a covenant with those who were given the Book you should certainly made it known to people and don’t hide it”[76]

After the verses ofQur’an there come the “hadeeths” of the prophet (S.W.A.) and his purified progeny (A.S.) as they lead to this direction, and state that knowledge is the pillar of religion and the life of Islam is in it.

They prompt to gain it, uncover its merit, so the ink of scholar is superior to the blood of martyrs, and the superiority of a scholar to a worshiper is such as the superiority of the moon to other stars. In thisconcern the prophet (S.W.A.) says:

“Seeking knowledge is prior-with Allah- to prayer fasting “hajj” and striving in the path of Allah”[77]

it is enough to quote Ameeralmu’amineen’s (A.S.) saying:

“The value of every person is what good he does[ 78] ; it gives evidence to Ahlilbait’s prompt to get science and knowledge.

Look closely at the excellent comparison which Imam Ali (A.S.) made for Kumail Ibn Zeyaad Alnekhaei about the superiority of knowledge to funds and money He (A.S.) says: “O Kumail’ knowledge is better than funds, knowledge guards you while you guard funds and money becomes less when you spend it while knowledge flourishes when you spend it and the favor done by wealth vanishes with its vanishing.

O Kumail bin Zeyaad’ attaining knowledge is a religion followed, withit one can achieve the course of Allah’s obedience in his life, and the good remembrance after his demise, knowledge is a governor while money is governed.

O Kumail, the treasurers of funds perished while they are alive, while Scholars are alive as long as there is time, their bodies are absent and their statues in the hearts are present. [79]

Because of this rich epistemic sustenance the Moslem set off, being released from the shackles of ignorance and retardation, to the wide horizons of knowledge so he began to contemplate the universal phenomenon discover the secrets of nature through the empirical manner to which his ideology had directed; and this is the procedure on which modern science has been built.

Gebb says in his book “The modern directions in Islam”: “I think that it is agreed on that the detailed precise observation which Moslem researchers practiced had helped to achieve the scientific development in the material field, and that through these notices the empirical procedure had reached Europe in the middle ages”[80]

Man has the right to be astonished at the greatness of the Islamicideology which had brought in that civilizational revolution in the souls of the desert inhabitants till they have become the pioneers of the whole world in science and knowledge and other sides of civilization and culture.

Knowledge and faith:

It worthies stating that the ideology connects knowledge with faith, as knowledge without faith is like a plant without fruit. Knowledge calls to faith and faith prompts to knowledge.To separate one from the other leads to serious dangers. The martyr Murtaza Mutaharri says:

“Historical practices proved that separating knowledge from faith had resulted in damages which couldn’t be madeup, faith must be known in the light of knowledge faith draws for a way from legends in the light of knowledge. By separating knowledge from faith, faith changed into languidness and blind fanaticism, movingQuickly round itself without reaching anywhere. In theplace which is empty of science and knowledge the ignorant believers are turned into a tool at the hand of the big hypocrites and this was what we had seen of the examples of “Khawaarij” in the first period of Islam and the following ages in different forms.

Knowledge without faith is a torch at the hand of a thief at midnight to steal the best merchandise, so the person of knowledge without faith today doesn’t differ from the ignorant person without faith yesterday in the least difference concerning the nature of manners, practices and their essence”[81]

So knowledge needs faith as the body needs spirit because knowledge alone is unable -by its nature-to build the perfect human being, pure scientific education builds a half human not a perfect human, it can make a human being who may be powerful and able but he is not necessarily virtuous, it creates a human being with one dimension which the material dimension. As tofaith it molds one’s personality in its different dimensions.

Europeans’ deception by science has reached the limit of deification and worshipping although they did not perform its rituals in their churches and because religion depends on unseen foundations outside the extent ofmaterial they considered it to be an unscientific phenomenon.

On this basis the disease of separation between religion and knowledge appeared, this is a strange inclination to Islam “Nothing gives more evidence to this cohesion between religion and science than this urgent call by religion to get knowledge and to get more of it in all stages of the age and in all circumstances… and from this high evaluation of knowledge and Scholars by religion.

If there had been a conflict between religion and science in some eras of history, as it happened with the history of Christianity, that conflict had no connection with religion. Rather it had been a sort of deviation from religion, and religion is not responsible for the deviations people commit by its name”[82]

It is sorrowful that some voices rise here and there calling to separate religion from knowledge on the pretext that Europe had shun religion then it developed and we adhered to religion we failed. The minds of those people are either incapable of realizing the function of science which is a tool to uncover the objective truths and to give a neutral, precise and deep interpretation of the reality, or that those minds are ignorant of the Islamic procedure which doesn’t cease to inspire people to get knowledge. Most probably that they are mercenaried minds echoing the allegations of the grudged enemies of Islam and they overlook the serious spiritualresults which stemmed from separating science from religion:

“The clearest example of that is the age in which we live, the age in which the scientific and material development has reached its summit, and in which humanity had reached its lowest point in brutal fighting and enmity which severs the relations of humanity and makes it live in a lasting horror and fear of destruction, as it also has reached the lowest level in their depiction of the aims of life and the raise d’être of humanity restricting them to lust and enjoyments, reaching its lowest level -as a result of that thinking- of moral corruption and sexual disorder from which the animal abstains.”[83]

So the procedures of education bear a big obligation to the Islamic ideology for its insistence on the role of faith and knowledge in building Man’s personality. By separating knowledge fromfaith Man becomes like a magnetic needle swinging between the north and the south; therefore he needs a power which can stimulate a revolution in his conscience and give him a moral course that can actualize his humanity, this is a task which science can not perform without religion.


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