Hussain's Martyrdom Prophesied in the Old Testamnet
"For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the North country by the river Euphrates". (Jer. 46:10 The Old Testament)
SHIA'ISM OR ISLAM-ORIGINAL
People mostly ignorant of what actually SHIA'ISM is and what in fact the commitment of a SHIA is to his faith what actually it is in practice, are laboring under a gross misunderstanding of faith and its adherents. When asked what actually means SHIA'ISM and the commitment of a SHIA to his faith, the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD AS-SADIQ gave the whole in a nutshell, after which there remains no room for any question about the faith or its adherents. "MAN KAANA LILLAH MUTEE'AN WAHOWA LANA VALI"
'He who is obedient to God is our friend (A SHIA)'. "MAN KAANA LILLAH ADOO'AN WAHOWA LANA ADOO".
'He who is hostile to God, i.e., disobedient to Him, he is our enemy (a non-SHIA)'. "WALA YANALO VILAYATENA ILLA BIL WARA'E WAL AMALIS SALEH". 'And reacheth not our love save through piety and righteousness'.
WHAT IS SHIA'ISM
SHIA'ISM is no religion, creed or faith. It is nothing but the Original-Islam in its original purity. It is the very same faith which was preached and practiced by the holy Prophet without anything added to or subtracted of it.
WHY THEN CALL IT SHIA'ISM AND NOT ISLAM?
It is an undeniably acknowledged and a universally acknowledged fact that the last exhortation of the holy Prophet Muhammad to his faithful adherents the Muslims was:
"I leave behind me amidst you the Two great things, the Book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and my 'ITRAT' my 'AHLUL BAIT' (the members of the holy Family, FATEMA, her husband Ali and her issues) Should ye be attached to these Two never, never shall ye be misled, after me, for verily these Two will never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring (the Spring of KAUTHER)" (TK., DM., SM., AND OTHER)
Under the above apostolic instruction form the holy Prophet every true Muslim ahs to abide by the Word of God (the holy QUR'AN) guided only by the 'AHLUL BAIT" and none else, and this is the one and only basis on which SHIA'ISM, i.e., The Islam-Original is based.
With the departure of the holy Prophet from the world, as the people of Moses and Jesus went astray so also the Muslim. The love of pleasures and the glory of this world maddened the masses and led them astray from the right path, under the evil influence of those in power. To get the religious authority and the powers to rule over the destinies of the people, the self-assumed rulers of the states, the self-made religious heads and the fanciful spiritual leaders, misinterpreted the holy QUR'AN and added much of falsehood to the Traditions or the Sayings of the holy Prophet, and many false traditions were fabricated to assume unwarranted powers and authority.
At the same time, to see that the masses do and get rightly guided by the holy 'AHLUL BAIT', and AHLUL BAIT were thrown into the background. They were not only totally neglected but also teased and tortured and all access to them by the public was strictly banned and if any one was found to have any friendly contact with these holy ones, he was severely punished even to the extent of his property being confiscated, his family being put to all sorts of torturous miseries and himself being mercilessly killed.
But a very few who feared none but God and cared not for any loss of property of the pleasures of this world against the perpetual gain and the everlasting bliss in the life hereafter, suffered the tortures and kept themselves faithfully attached to the AHLUL BAIT, to be on the right path. Some such godly devotees like MEESAM ATTAMMAR and others of his group were heartlessly tortured, which they bore with ideal patience and some were mercilessly put to death, but the great souls most willingly met even the most painful death with matchless courage and boldness but never gave up their attachment to the holy Ones.
When Islam was being corrupted at the hands of the aspirants for power and pleasures of this world, and the holy AHLUL BAIT were ignored, those who resorted to the right guidance from the right authorities were tortured and put to miseries and torturous death. It can be imagined how deep was the Truth buried and how difficult it was for any one to have it, but Truth was always there with the AHLUL BAIT and none could snatch it away from them at any cost, but only a very few, the sincere and bold ones, could have it. this state of affairs went on until the Sixth holy Imam JA'FAR IBNE MUHAMMAD, when the corrupted form of Islam was also called Islam, and the genuine or the original form of it which was with the holy AHLUL BAIT and practiced secretly by the faithful devotees to them needed to be distinguished with some particular name to identify it from the corrupt form.
Those who remained attached to the holy House of the holy Prophet, were known as the SHIAS of ALI IBNE ABI TALIB, and the True or the Original Islam was identified with the name MAZHABE-JA'FARI or SHIA'ISM (i.e., the Original Islam followed by the SHIAS). Thus SHIA'ISM is no other than the Islam-Original, but it is only identified with the name 'SHIA'ISM' just to distinguish it against the corrupted form. One can judge the Truth in this statement from the brief explanation of the Faith and the Article given in this book.
Thus the Original Islam is identified with the distinguishing token name 'TASHAYYU' or SHIA'ISM and its followers are known as the SHIAS. It means, the followers of the Islam-Original without the subsequent adulteration effected in it. SHIA'ISM (Islam-Original) strictly follows the holy QUR'AN, and the holy Prophet guided by the divinely commissioned Twelve holy Imams, whose physical and spiritual purity and personal excellence, the Islamic World as a whole unanimously acknowledges.
SHIA'ISM in order to help people to remain attached only to the Word of God as interpreted by the holy Prophet, wants its followers to strictly abide by the following Declarations of the holy Prophet. 1- At the start of his apostolic mission he declared that Ali was His Deputy, his Vicegerent, his Successor or his KALIF, with his orders to the assembly to listen to Ali an d to obey him.
2- Before the huge assembly of pilgrims numbering to several thousands, after his Last HAJ or the pilgrimage on the Eighteenth of ZILHAJ 10 A.H. at GHADEER-E-KHUM:
"Of whomsoever I am the MAULA (or the Lord), this Ali is his MAULA (or the Lord).
3- Just before his departure from this world saying:
"I leave behind me amidst you Two important things, The book of God (the holy QUR'AN) and the members of my family. As long as you keep yourselves attached to these Two, you shall never get astray after me. These Two shall never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Spring of KAUTHER".
With the above three main guiding factors, the Islam-Original or SHIA'ISM, keeps its faithful followers, the SHIAS, strictly attached to the Final Word of God, (the QUR'AN), the holy Prophet Muhammad, and his holy 'AHLUL BAIT' (i.e., the Divinely chosen members) of the apostolic family. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to cling fast to virtue and to be always with the virtuous, loving them more than their own lives. SHIA'ISM demands every SHIA to be always away from every vice and the wicked and be always aloof from them.
SHIA'ISM: ITS ARTICLES OF FAITH AND ITS PRACTICE
A SHIA Muslim believes in:
1- The absolute unity of God, with all his divine attributes as inseparable and essential qualities of His absolute Self.
2- The Perfect and flawless Equity of the Lord. Every word and act of the Lord being based on nothing but perfect justice. Inequity is imperfection and every imperfection is a defect and the lord is free from every defect.
3- The infallibility, sinless-ness and truthfulness of all the apostles of God, from Adam, the First of God's apostles to the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last of them. All the apostles were the personalities purified by the Lord Himself and by Himself conditioned for the services divinely assigned to them, and no apostle or prophet did come after the holy Prophet and neither any will come until the end of the world.
4- With the conclusion of the ministry of the holy Prophet Muhammad the Last one of God's apostles the infinite mercy of the Lord, for the guidance of man on the right lines of His revealed religion Islam, instituted the series of godly souls His own commissioned Imams, or Guide or Leaders from the same Lineage Abraham to continue the divine guidance and thus started the institution of Imamate in the place of 'RISALALT', i.e., apostleship. The Twelve God's commissioned Guides or Imams are:
(I)- Ali son of ABU TALEB the Cousin germane, the Son-in-Law of the holy Prophet and his Vicegerent, Brother, Heir and KALIF declared by him at the outset of his ministry at the 'DAWATE ASHEERA' and at the close of the apostleship, at GHADEER-E-KHUM at the command of the Lord revealed in verse 5:67.
(II)- HASSAN son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. The First grandson of the holy Prophet martyred by poison
(III)- HUSSAIN the second son of ALI IBNE ABI TALEB and the holy Lady FATEMA ZAHRA. 'ZIBHE AZEEM' i.e. Great Sacrifice, butchered with the Seventy two godly souls of his kith and kin and devotees, in the wholesale slaughter at KARBALA enacted by the KALIF YAZID son of MU'AVIAH.
(IV)- ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN AS-SAJJAD the first son of HUSSAIN the King of Martyrs of KARBALA, the Prisoner of YAZID martyred by KALIF WALEED BIN ABDUL MALIK.
(V)- MUHAMMAD AL-BAQUIR son of ALI ZAIN UL-ABIDEEN the Fourth Imam, martyred by HISHAM BIN ABDUL MALIK
(IV)- JA'FAR AS-SADIQ son of MUHAMAMD AL-BAQUIR the Fifth Imam, martyred by MANSOOR.
(VII) MOOSA AL-KAZIM son of JA'FAR AS-SADIQ the Sixth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF HAROON AR-RASHEED.
(VIII)- ALI AR-RIZA, son of MOOSA AL-KAZIM the Seventh Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MAAMOON AR-RASHEED.
(IX)- MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, son of ALI AR-RIZA, the Eighth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM.
(X)- ALI AN-NAQI son of MUHAMMAD AT-TAQI, the Ninth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TASIM
(XI)- HASSAN AL-ASKARI, son of ALI AN-NAQI, the Tenth Imam, martyred by the ABBASIDE KALIF MO'TMAD
(XII)- MUHAMMAD AL-MAHDI son of HASSAN AL-ASKARI, living by the will of the Lord as is Jesus in the seed of Isaac through his virgin mother Mary. Both this holy Imam and the holy Prophet Jesus will re-appear at the will of the Lord before the end of the world after which will be the Last Day of Resurrection and Final Judgment.
The Last Day Of The Final Judgment (QIAMAT)
It is now for any intelligent one to say that if the above fundamentals of the faith are those prescribed by the holy QUR'AN or not, or if they contain anything more or less than what the holy Prophet preached and enjoined upon his followers. As regards the practice of the faith a SHIA Muslim shall:
1- Offer regularly the prescribed five times compulsory prayers.
2- Fast the whole of the holy month of Ramadan.
3- Perform 'HAJ' i.e. pilgrimage to the holy KA'BA in Mecca at least once in his life provided he could afford to do it as laid down by the holy Prophet.
4- Pay the 'ZAKAT' (the prescribed poor-rate) of his assists as prescribed by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.
5- Pay the 'KHUMS' (the 1/5th of the net savings as laid down by the holy QUR'AN and explained by the holy Prophet.
6- Endeavor his most, i.e., 'JEHAD', as needed for the defense and the welfare of the faith and the faithful and even fight in the way of the lord for the purpose if called to do it by the Apostle of God or any one of God's commissioned Guides the Imams.
7- Preach or enjoin what is good to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.
8- Preach abstinence from evil, to his brethren in all peaceful and desirable ways.
9- Love God, God's chosen men and godliness and be always attached to the godly ones particularly to the holy Prophet Muhammad and his holy AHLUL BAIT.
10- Always keep himself away from evils and the evil ones, having nothing to do with the wicked ones with definite aversion to their wicked conduct and character.
Let any unbiased reader who pursues the above fundamentals and their practice declare, if there is nothing but good and it is nothing but godliness pure, in belief and practice, or if there is anything bad or objectionable in it. As regards the holy QUR'AN, a SHIA Muslim believes that the present holy QUR'AN is the very same Book of God, complete in itself without any deduction or addition to it and without any alteration or misarrangement of its verses. This is the holy QUR'AN which was revealed to the holy Prophet which was then and there recorded in writing by ALI IBNE ABI TALEB, ABDULLAH IBNE MAS'OOD, and MA'AAZ IBNE JABAL and which was read out to the holy Prophet during his very lifetime.
As regards the 'QIBLAH' or the point of turning towards, during prayers, a SHIA Muslim holds the holy KA'BA in Mecca as his QIBLAH. As regards the daily prayers a SHIA Muslim offers regularly the five times compulsory daily prayers with the number of the RAK'ATS or units as given below:
PRAYER WAJIB RAK'ATS (or units) SUNNAT FAJR (morning) 2 = 2 ZOHR (mid-day) 4 = 8 ASR (afternoon) 4 = 8 MOGHRIB (evening) 3 = 4 ISHA (night) 4 = 2 Total Compulsory 17 = 24 The 'KALEMA-E-SHAHADAT' or the verbal declaration of the faith, the KALEMA of a SHIA Muslim is the same as that of any other Muslim:
"LA ILLAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASOOLULLAH"
'There is no god save (the One God) Allah. Muhammad the Apostle of God'
A SHIA Muslim declares his identity with the Islam-Original to mean that this Islam is that of the AHLUL BAIT whose head after the holy Prophet was Ali, and not the Islam adulterated by unwarranted authorities, pronouncing his faith in Ali as the Friend of God or the Divinely commissioned Guardian over the Muslims after the holy Prophet. To do this a SHIA Muslim declares with in continuation of the above declaration: "ALLIYYON WALIULLAH WASIYYU RASSOLILLAH".
'Ali the Friend of God the Successor of the holy Prophet' Be it known that the above two clauses are pronounced not a part of the KALEMA but just as a note of distinction of the faith from the creed adulterated alter.
This is the whole of the SHIA'ISM or the Islam-Original and nothing else.
Under the Ninth article of the practice of the faith called 'TAWALLAH' a SHIA Muslim mourns the martyrdom of each of the holy ones of the AHLUL BAIT and expresses his sorrow and grief for the miseries and the calamities the holy ones suffered, individually and also collectively in congregational services called the MAJALIS-E-AZA in which are recited the holy QUR'AN and the life-readings of the holy ones with the Islamic philosophy and religious teachings for the information of the fellows in the SHIA faith.
Let the readers themselves judge if the above conduct could be in agreement or the token of devotion of God and the loyalty to the godly ones who suffered the calamities and laid their all in the way of the Lord for the guidance of mankind, or it could in any manner or sense be in the least objectionable. At the same time it has at last to be judged that not doing so will be ingratitude and disloyalty to God and the godly ones or not.
THE COMMEMORATION OF THE HISTORIC 'ASHOORA'
'ASHOORA' means the "Tenth" i.e., the Tenth day, of the Lunar month of MUHARRAM 61 A.H. on which historic day, HUSSAIN surrendered his all in the way of the Lord to save the Truth and thus to save humanity from getting beguiled by the Brute on the throne and the brutal forces of the mercenary scholars whom he had enlisted under his command. All those who love truth and the welfare of mankind at large, will naturally love HUSSAIN and his holy family, and will naturally be moved to express their sympathy and sorrow for the Great Godly Hero of KARBALA who sacrificed his all, suffered the worst of miseries and met the most torturous and brutal death but neither vielded to the blasphemy perpetrated by the Brute not the destruction of the Divine Principle of his holy Grandfather.
Honestly, not to commemorate such a solemn occasion will be thanklessness and ingratitude to godliness and God Himself, and to do it will surely earn the blessings of the Lord. Every one who has the least appreciation or the admiration for the matchless sacrifices, the Great Hero and his godly comrades who suffered martyrdom along with him, will naturally be moved to express his sorrow on the solemn occasion, and those who love devilry and the Devil YAZID, will naturally by festive on that day.
INTERCESSION OR SHAFA'AT
The possibility of intercession for the sinners on the Day of Judgment is quite obvious from the repeated declarations of the holy QUR'AN. The declarations are so clearly worded that none can misinterpret them otherwise: "…who is any one to intercede with Him, save with His permission…" [2:255]. According to this verse, intercession is possible only with permission of the Lord. There are the following verses clearer still: "They shall not own intercession, save he who has covenanted with the Beneficent God" [19:87]. "On that Day (of Judgment) no Intercession shall avail except of him whom the Beneficent Lord allows and with whose word He (God) is pleased with" [20:109]
The above verses are too clear to create any doubt against some dear ones to the Lord having the authority form Him to intercede. Who else could be more entitled to this divine grace and unique privilege than the apostles of God, more particularly the Last one, the chief of them, and those who have surrendered their lives in the way of the Lord like HUSSAIN and his faithful comrades who were martyred along with him. The point is that to one who sincerely seeks to know the truth, a straight answer, with the simplest logic, will certainly suffice, but to one who wants to go on arguing merely for argument's sake, even the apostles from God could not satisfy. No amount of arguing will be of any avail when the understanding is never to come at all from within the enquirer. One can give an argument but never an understanding.
THE HOUSES OF MIRACLES AND RESPONSE TO PRAYERS
Let the materialist world know from the millions of devoted Muslims, who have visited the Shrines in Iraq and other holy places, how brightly the Glory of God shines in the shrines of HUSSAIN and the members of his holy family and also of his faithful comrades who sacrificed their lives along with him in KARBALA. One need not wait long to witness any miraculous event on any of the week days, in the shrines of HUSSAIN and ABBAS,
particularly the holy shrine of ABBAS-E-ALAMDAR (i.e., ABBAS the Standard Bearer of HUSSAIN) is the place where from hundreds of thousands of the sufferers get their prayers immediately heard, and many a time this valiant son of ALI, the Lion of God, has rendered miraculous and timely rescue to those who invoked the mercy of God in his holy name. it can be most confidently said, let any one try his holy name. it be most confidently said, let any one try his luck if hi needs any help from God with the necessary sincerity and devotion to the great saintly brother of the King of Martyrs. Even today the holy name 'ABBAS' is a watchword for millions and millions of his sincere devotees for the immediate and miraculous rescue needed in any unavoidable risk or danger. Where is the wonder, for one who surrenders himself to God, God will also surely honor his name when mentioned in any prayer to Him. God Himself enjoins on man to seek a medium unto Him.
"Seek ye a medium unto Him (God)" [5:35]
It is the disbelievers who get hopeless of their dead. Be it noted that the 'KALIMA' or the Word of the Declaration of the Faith 'SHIA'ISM', is only: "LAILAH ILLALLAH Muhammad RASOOLULLAH" 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the (holy) Prophet of God.
RESPECT, REGARD AND REVERENCE TO THE SACRED EMBLEMS
"ALAMS (the Emblems of HUSSAIN, ABBAS and the other A'IMA), the ZAREES, MINVARS, IMAMBARAS and the other things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy Ones of the AHLUL BAIT, held with feelings of sanctity by the SHIAS (the devotees of the HOLY AHLUL BAIT)"
SOME GUIDING CLARIFTCATIONS
Of late, it is frequently preached by some ill-informed people against paying respect, regard or reverence to ALAMS, ZAREES, MINBARS, IMAMBARAS or any such things dedicated to the sacred memory of the members of the holy AHLUL BAIT, terming it, 'SHIRK' or 'BID' or 'KURF'. Since there is the possibility of some innocent and ignorant Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, not knowing the difference between 'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or faithfulness), and, 'OBBODAT' (i.e. Worship), getting astray, it has become necessary to issue the following clarifications.
Be it known that the move to criticize the expressions of Respect, Regard and Reverence to the holy AHLUL BAIT and the things dedicated to their sacred memory, is nothing new. Such criticisms and accusations against the devotees of the holy ones, the SHIAS, have been in vogue since centuries having their start immediately following the departure of the holy Prophet.
'MAWADDAT' (i.e. love or devotion) practiced by those attached to the holy AHLUL BAIT has always been misrepresented as 'OBOODIAT' (i.e. worship), just to condemn attachment to the holy Family, terming the love and the devotion to the holy ones, as 'SHIRK' (i.e. Polytheism) or 'KUFR' (i.e. infidelity). This was done to stop people's attachment to the AHLUL BAIT, and to enlist strength against those who, in-spite of the vicious propaganda, against them and even suffering the miserable persecution, remained devoted to the holy Ones of the Prophet's family. The first of such a cry, motivated with the vicious object mentioned above, was raised by some opportunists aspiring for power and authority, immediately as the holy Prophet departed form this world, saying:
"MAN KANA YA'BUDU MUHAMMAD FAQAD MAAT".
'Let every one who was worshipping Muhammad now know that he is dead (and gone)'. This satiric cry was raised against the devotees of the holy House, to declare them as 'KAFIRS' infidels (i.e. those who worshipped the holy Prophet) instead of God, terming their 'MAWADDAT' to the holy ones, which means only love and devotion, as 'OBOODIAT' i.e. worship, and thus to declare the attachment to the AHLUL BAIT as 'SHIRK' or 'KUFR', whereas only the devotees to the AHLUL BAIT are Muslims in the true and the strict sense of the term, as they worship none but the One and the Only True God, and love the holy Prophet and his AHLUL BAIT and remain devoted to them under the divine ordinance:
"Say unto the people O' Apostle Muhammad! 'I seek not of you any 'AJR' (Compensation) for it (the service of the apostleship) save love of my relatives…" [42:23]
Under the above ordinance from the Lord, none who does not pay the holy Prophet the 'AJR' (i.e. recompense) in the love and devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, demanded him, can never be a Muslim at all.
In short, 'MAWADDAT' i.e. the love towards the holy AHLUL BAIT, is purposefully termed as 'OBOODIAT' i.e., worship to blackmail their devotees, the SHIAS as 'MUSHRIKEEN' (i.e. the Polytheists) and 'KUFFAR' (the infidels), and to dissuade people from attachment to the holy Ones. It must first be remembered that 'SHIRK' means associating any thing with God, and these things which are held sacred by the SHIAS are never at all held as God, or gods, or in place of God, or that the holy ones to whose memory they are dedicated. They are mere Emblems and Memorials, dedicated to their memory. This fact has already been made clear and it is once again repeated here for the information of the new uninformed or misinformed critics.
The move against respecting these sacred memorials of the dedicated tokens, is only to dissuade the public from their devotion to the AHLUL BAIT, in the guise of preaching 'TAUHEED' i.e. the Unity of God, and warning against 'SHIRK' which is the most abhorred thing in Islam, particularly in SHIA'ISM which is the Islam-Original.
Let the misinformed advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warners against 'SHIRK' rest assured that the SHIAS, in particular when they pray for any divine boon or mercy in the name of ht holy Imams, they never imagine for a while that the actual giver or the bestower of the boon or the giver of the help prayed for, is any one other than the Almighty Lord of the Universe, and the prayer in the name of the holy Ones is only to invoke the mercy of the Lord through the medium of these holy souls who have been declared as God's chosen ones and the nearest and dearest ones to Him.
The misleading question which the critics raise, in that way should not one seek the help he needs directly from God? This question has in itself the answer that when such great devotees of God (i.e. the critics) get ill, why do they go to the doctor? Who is the actual Curer, God or the doctor? Why not they depend upon God for the cure and avoid the means of the doctor, when the doctor is not the actual curer? No, they do it because they have to seek a means or a medium and they do it for they cannot avoid it. This is quite in accordance with the divine guidance from the lord: "Seek ye the means to reach Him (God)" [5:35]
None can reach God without the proper means to the end. God Himself has enjoined the holy Prophet to seek his 'AJR' or recompense in the love and devotion to his AHLUL BAIT (See 42:23) and the 'AJR' in the love and devotion to the holy AHLUL BAIT has been made the way to the Lord (See 25:57) I ask not any 'AJR' (recompense) for it (i.e. apostleship) save ye take the way to the Lord (25:57).
And what the 'AJR' (recompense) is, has been mentioned in 42:23.
The reverence and the regard for things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy ones, is clearly warned by the verse 2:158 in which the Muslims have been ordained to run between the hillocks 'SAFA' and 'MARWA' while performing the 'HAJ'. And the following verse of the holy QUR'AN clearly declares the regard for any signs of God (i.e. anything by means of which man remembers God's Glory, His Authority or His Existence) as the piety of the heart of the individual:
"And whosoever respects the signs of God, it surely is of the piety of the heart" [22:32].
SHIAS go to 'IMAMBARA', the 'MAHFILS', the 'MINBARS' and recite there 'FATEHA' (i.e. 1st SURA of the holy QUR'AN), and the masterly edited prayers of the great divines viz. AMIRUL MOMINEEN ALI IBNUL HUSSAIN and the other Imams. Let the advocates of 'TAWHEED' and the warners against 'SHIRK' go through the 'DUA-E-JAWSHAN-E-SAGHEER' or any other prayers 'DUA' prescribed by the holy Imams and then say if there can be a greater and a surer source of approaching God or invoking His Mercy, than these mediums. People ignorant of these great things, are those who speak against the heavenly means to get nearer to the Lord to be blessed by Him.
It is also necessary to inform the advocates of 'TAUHEED' and the Warner against 'SHIRK' that it is declared faith and the conviction of every SHIA that nothing without the compulsory SALAT or NAMAZ, duly performed, can eve r benefit any one in approaching God or getting any boon or help from Him any one of the holy ones, and the Mosque is the holiest place with nothing to be compared to it.
SAJDAH
Who said SAJDAH or prostration in obeisance to any one besides God is allowed SAJDAH to 'GHAIRALLAH' or 'MASILLAHL' (i.e. other than God) is 'HARAM' i.e. strictly prohibited, and SHIA'ISM the Islam-Original, more than any other school of faith, abhors it, and guards its adherents against it, both from the pulpit and the press. The critic should first know that SAJDAH to God differs from the act of merely laying the head on the ground which also is termed as SAJDAH. The SAJDAH to God is not only laying the head on the ground, but submitting one's self wholly to God with the realization of one's negation of his finite existence granted to him, before the infinite. Almighty and the Absolute Existence of the Only Self Existing One,
with the intention of worshipping Him as the only Creator, Sustainer, Lord of the Universe. Mere laying of the head on the ground before any one in any ceremonial way of paying any conventional regard or formal reverence to any other than God, can never be the 'SAJDAH-E-OBOODIAT' (the prostration of subservience). It will be a 'SAJDAH-E-TAZEEMI' (i.e. the prostration or regard) which was demanded of the angels for Adam: "(SAJDAH) (Prostration) to Adam, they did offer (SAJDAH) prostration save 'IBLEES' (the Devil) …" [2:37 & 7:11].
This is what God Himself ordered the angels to do:
"When I have made him (Adam) complete and breathe into him spirit of Me, fall ye all down (offering SAJDAH) Prostration to him" [15:29]. If SAJDAH in any sense whatsoever was prohibited save to God, the stars would not have been caused to appear to Joseph in his vision, offering 'SAJDAH' or prostration to him.
"When Joseph said to his father, 'O' My father: Verily I saw eleven stars and the sun the moon, I saw them, offering SAJDAH (prostration) to me" [12:4].
And why did YACOOB (Jacob) an apostle of God, offer 'SAJDAH' to his son Joseph:
"And he (Joseph) raised his parents to the throne and they offered SAJDAH (prostration) to him" [12:100]. It is sufficiently clear if one wants only to know the truth that SAJDAH by way of worship to any object besides God, is strictly prohibited as 'HARAM' and abhorred by SHIA'ISM which is Islam-Original, whereas the act of mere lying of head anybody expressing one's humanity to any greatness, or excellence particularly in the case of any divine object, which was expected of the angels even by God Himself, and was practiced even by a prophet of God like Jacob, is not worship, and hence not objectionable.
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Author: S.V. Mir Ahmad Ali
