The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims

The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims33%

The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims Author:
Translator: Al-Qalam Translators and Writers Bureau
Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
Category: Quranic Sciences

The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims
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The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims

The Qur'an in Islam Its Impact and Influence on the Life of Muslims

Author:
Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
English

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

Part 3: The Revelation of the Qur'an

General Beliefs of Muslims concerning the Revelation of the Qur'an

More than any other revealed book, especially the Torah and the New Testament, the Qur'an describes the details of the revelation, the transmittance and even accounts of the experience of the revelation. The general belief of Muslims concerning the revelation, based on the Qur'an, is that the text of the Qur'an is the actual speech of God transmitted to the Prophet by one of His chosen angels.

The name of this angel, or heavenly being, is Gabriel or the Faithful Spirit. He transmitted the word of God over a period of twenty-three years to the Prophet. He would bring the divine instructions to the Prophet, who would relate them faithfully to the people using the same words in the form of a verse.

The Prophet thus used the meaning of the verses to call the people to an understanding of faith, of belief, of social laws and of individual duties. These instructions from God to His messenger are known as the Prophecy, or the message; the Prophet transmitted this message without making any addition to or detraction from it in any way.

The View of Contemporary Non-Muslim Writers concerning the Revelation and Prophecy

Most contemporary writers who take an interest in different religions and ideologies adopt the following view of the Qur'an: they say the Prophet was a social genius who appeared to save society from the throes of decline into savagery and to raise it up in the cradle of civilization and freedom.

They claim also that he called men to his own ideas of pure and sincere behavior by giving them a comprehensive religious form and order. They affirm that he had a pure soul and tremendous ambition; that he lived in a particularly dark and ignorant age, where only the law of force and foolish singing of verse, social chaos and selfishness, stealing, marauding and savagery were to be seen.

They describe how he was troubled by witnessing such things and, sometimes when overcome by the pain of such sights, he would withdraw from men and pass days alone in the cave in the Tihamah mountains; he would marvel at the sky and its shining stars, the earth, the mountains, the sea, the desert and all the precious means placed at the disposal of man by the Creator; he would be grieved at the bad behavior and ignorance of those around him, who had thrown away a life of well-being and happiness for a tormented succession of bestial habits.

This feeling was always present with the Prophet; he bore this pain and vexation up to his fourtieth year when, according to these contemporary non-Muslim writers, he formed a plan to save his fellow-men from their miserable state of nomadic wandering, rebellious independence, selfish- ness and lawlessness.

This plan, called the religion of Islam, was the most suitable one for the times. The Prophet being of pure and sincere character, realized that his chaste thoughts were the Word of God and Divine Revelation which were infused in him through his virtuous nature. His good will and benevolent spirit, from which his thoughts exuded and established peace in hisheart, was called the Spirit of Trustworthiness and Gabriel, the angel of revelation.

Furthermore, according to this contemporary view of Muhammad, he perceived the forces of good and happiness in nature as Angels and all the forces of bad as Satan and the Jinn (invisible entities). He called his own task, which he had undertaken according to his own conscience, Prophethood and himself, the deliverer of the divine message.

This explanation, however, comes from those writers who affirm the existence of God or at least some kind of nature- force, and attach a certain importance to the religion of Islam, albeit in the name of just and unbiased assessment.

Those, however, who deny outright the existence of a Creator see Prophecy, revelation, divine duties, reward and punishment, the fire and the garden as mere religious politics, a lie in the name of religion to further one's own ends.

They say that the prophets were reformers who brought about social change in the name of religion. They argued that since men of past ages were drowned in ignorance and superstitious worship the prophets contained the religious order within a framework of superstitious beliefs about the origin of Creation and the day of reckoning in order to further their prospects of reform.

What the Qur'an Itself Says concerning this Matter

Scholars who explain the power of revelation and prophecy using the above explanation, attach great importance to the Science of nature and the visible world, and claim that everything in the world works according to the laws of nature. They view historical events, right up to the present-day, as the developing and constantly changing face of nature.

Likewise, they view all revealed religions as social manifestations. Thus they would agree that if one of the geniuses of history, like Cyrus, Darius or Alexander, had announcedhimself as having been chosen by God as an executor of divine commands, their explanation would have been no different than that given above.

We do not intend here to establish the existence of the unseen, of the world beyond the visible world of nature; we are not saying to other scholars or scientists that any one science may only be discussed by remaining within the strict limits of that particular science.

We are not suggesting that the modern sciences which investigate the properties and effects of the material world, (whether or not they be positively or negatively disposed to the creation), do not have the right to enter into an investigation of the metaphysical.

What we are saying is that any explanation they propose must be in accordance with the explanation of society, existence, nature and the cosmos given by the Qur'an. The Qur'an is an authentic document of prophecy and is the basis of all social, metaphysical and scientific discussion; theexplanation Of the Qur'an contain proofs against their arguments which we can enumerate and reflect upon. These proofs are connected to different Qur'anic verses discussed below.

According to the explanation of modern non-Muslims and atheists, the Prophet's nature was pure through which came to him the word of God, meaning that the divine system of thought was alive in his own thoughts; the idea of divinity manifested itself in his thoughts because he was pure and holy; it was natural (in the minds Of these Scholars) for prophets to attribute these thoughts to God for, in this way, they ennobled and exalted their own task.

The Qur'an, however, strongly and convincingly denies that it is the speech or the ideas of the prophet or, indeed, of any other man. In chapters 10:38 and 11:13 the Qur'an declares that if it is the word of man then detractors of Islam should produce similar words about every subject treated in the Qur'an, namely, belief in the after-life, morals, laws, stories of past generations and other prophets, wisdom and advice.

The Qur'an urges them to seek help anywhere if they do not realize that it is the word of God and not of man, but adds that even if jinn and man joined forces together they would not be able to produce a Qur'an like it.

In chapter 2:23 the Qur'an challenges those who consider it merely the speech of Muhammad to produce a book similar to it or even just one chapter like it. The force of this challenge becomes clear when we realize that it is issued for someone whose life should resemble that of Muhammad, namely, the life of an orphan, uneducated in any formal sense, not being able to read or write and grew up in the unenlightened age of the jahiliyah period (the age of ignorance) before Islam.

In 4:82 the Qur'an asks why no inconsistencies or changes appeared in the verses considering that neither the wording nor the meaning of the verses has altered despite being revealed over a period of twenty-three years. If it was the word of man and not the word of Gods then it would have certainly been affected by change like all other things in the temporal world of nature and matter.

It is clear that this challenge and these explanations are not mere empty words of exultation; rather they present the Qur'an for what it is, namely the word of God.

The Qur'an establishes its own miraculous nature in hundreds of verses. This miracle is still unexplained by normal literacy standards used to "grasp" a text. Indeed successive prophets established their Prophethood through similar verses revealed by God.

If prophecy was merely the call of an individual conscience or the inspiration of a pure and sincere soul, then there would be no sense in claiming it as divine proof or seeking help in its miraculous nature as the Prophet, in fact, did.

Some writers interpret the many miracles of the Qur'an in terms of undisguised mockery. When we investigate the subject of their mockery we inevitably discover that the Qur'an means something other than that which they have understood.

It is not our intention to try and prove the miraculous nature of the Qur'annor to demonstrate the soundness and authenticity of its narration; rather, we would point out that the Qur'an clearly describes the miracles of the past prophets, like Salih, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The stories related in the Qur'an can only be understood and interpreted in the light of miraculous guidance.

Why, we may ask, if the prophets were mere men, inspired by the purity of their character, was it necessary to establish the existence of this miraculous guidance?

The Angel Gabriel

According to the explanation of the above-mentioned writers, the prophet referred to his own pure soul as the "Faithful Spirit" or the giver of revelation. The Qur'an, however, does not support this view and names Gabriel as the deliverer of the verses.

God says in chapter 2:97, "Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel!for it is he who has revealed (this book) to your heart by God's permission." This verse refers to Jews who wanted to know who had revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet.

He replied that it was Gabriel. They said, "We are enemies of Gabriel as he it was who gave us (the tribe of Israel) the laws and legal punishments and as we are enemies to him, we do not believe in the book which he has brought.”

Thus God replies to them in the verse that Gabriel revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet by God's permission. God further says that the Qur'an is to be believed in, and that it is not the speech of Gabriel. It is important to note that the Qur'an, in the words of the above verse was revealed "to the heart" of the Prophet Muhammad by Gabriel.

In another verse (26:193-4) we read that it was transmitted by the Faithful Spirit, "which the Faithful Spirit has brought down upon your heart." By comparison of these two verses it becomes evident that it is the angel Gabriel who is meant here by the words, "Faithful Spirit."

In chapter 81:19-23 God describes the transmittance of revelation: That this is in truth the word of an honored messenger (Gabriel), Mighty established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne, one to be obeyed and trustworthy and your comrade (the Prophet) is not mad. Surely he saw him on the clear horizon.

These verses show that Gabriel was one of the intimates of God, possessing great power and trust. Again in chapter 40:7 we read, "Those who bear the power, and all who are around Him, praise their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe." Such characteristics as belief in God and seeking forgiveness from him are only to be expected from independent, sentient creatures.

In chapter 4:172-173 we read, The Messiah will never disdain to be a servant of God, nor will the favored angels. Whoever disdains His service and is proud, He will gather them all to Himself, then as for those who believe and dogood , He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace, and as for those who disdain and are proud, He will punish them with a painful doom. And they will not find for themselves besides Allah a guardian or a helper.

It is clear that although the Messiah, Jesus, and the favored angels do not disobey the commands of God they are, nevertheless, warned of a painful punishment on the day of reckoning if they were to commit a wrong.

The possibility of neglect of their duties or committing wrong action is necessarily dependent on their being sentient beings, possessed of free will and entrusted with the task of transmitting the revelation of God.

Thus we learn from the Qur'an that Gabriel is the Faithful Soul: he is trustworthy and to be obeyed because he is obeyed by angels in his task. An indication of these obedient angels comes in the verse, But truly it is a warning-so let whoever will pay heed to it, on honored leaves exalted, purified (set down by scribes) noble and righteous (80:11-16) .

The Angels and the Devils

According to the explanation of contemporary non-Muslim writers, angel is the name given to forces in nature which represent goodness, and happiness and devils are forces in nature representing evil and unhappiness.

What we under- stand from the Qur'an, however, is that they are beings existing beyond our sense-range, who possess feelings and an independent free-will. To the verses above, (indicating that angels possess independence and free will), may be added many other verses which confirm these same qualities.

The refusal of Satan to prostrate himself before Adam and the dialogue between Satan and God occurs several times in the Qur'an. Satan, after having been expelled from intimacy with God, says in chapter 38:82-83, "I surely will lead every one of them astray except your sincere slaves among them." And God replies "I shall fill hell with you and with those who follow you, together" (38:85).

It is clear that punishment can only take place if the punished understand the reason for the punishment. God in chapter 34:20, says in confirmation of Satan's warning to man, "And Satan indeed found his calculation true concerning them, for they follow them, all except a group of true believers. "

Likewise, we read in chapter 14:22, "And Satan said when the matter had been decided: Indeed! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you and failed you. And I had no power over you except that I called to you and you obeyed me. So do not blame me but blame yourselves."

Blame is a matter which can only be associated with those who possess the power of reason and free-will. We quote these verses to show that Satan, like the rest of the angels, is a thinking independent being rather than a force in nature. Just as verses occur in the Qur'an concerning the angels and the devils, there also are verses which clearly and vividly describe the jinn (elemental spirits or invisible beings, either harmful or helpful).

In chapter 46:18 reference is made to those who, invited to believe in Islam, spurn it as just another ancient fable or superstition: Such are those in whom the word concerning nations of the jinn and mankind which have passed away before them has effect. Indeed they are the losers.

We may understand from this verse that the jinn, the invisible entities, like mankind, live in different nations, pass a period of time in their different societies and finally die.

In the same chapter, verses 29-32 we read,And when we inclined toward you (Muhammad) certain of the jinn who wished to hear the Qur'an and when they were in its presence said, Listen!and , when it was finished turned back to their people warning. They said: O our people! Truly we have heard a book which has been revealed after Moses, confirming that which was before it, guiding to the truth and a right road. O my people!respond to God's Summoner and believe in Him. He will forgive you some of your wrong actions and guard you from a painful doom. And whoever does not respond to God's Summoner he can in no way escape in the earth, and you (can find) no protecting friends instead of Him. Such are in clear error.

These verses clearly confirm that the jinn, like men, live in groups, are thinking individuals possessing free will and charged with duties, Moreover, there are other verses dealing with the day of rising which affirms these same qualities in the jinn.

The Call of Conscience

According to the explanation of certain modern writers, Prophethood is the rising up of a man from amongst his people in order to undertake social reform in accordance with the call of his conscience. The Qur'an, however, gives a different meaning to the Prophethood. In 91:7-8 we read, "And a soul and Him who perfected it, and inspired it (with conscience off what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it. "

In this verse God demonstrates that each individual perceives from his own conscience and God-given nature the difference between good and bad action; and, that the potential for reform and the bettering of one's self is contained within each person; some listen to their conscience and act correctly while others pay no heed and so act wrongly.

Thus in the following verses of the same chapter God says: "He is indeed successful who causes it to grow and he is indeed a failure who stunts it.” If Prophethood manifests itself as a result of the conscience, which everyone possesses, then everyone in theory may become a prophet. God, however, has reserved this duty for certain men only.

Thus He says in chapter 6:124, "And when a sign comes to them, they say: we do not believe until we are given that which God's messengers are given. God knows best with whom to place His message."

The Reality of the Prophet's Mission

We should repeat at this point that we do not intend to prove or disprove here the truth of Islam or the validity of the Prophet's invitation of the people to Islam. Rather, we simply want to state that the second of the modern non-Islamic explanations is also not in accordance with the explanation given in the Qur'an.

According to it, the prophet succeeded in convincing people to believe in a set of superstitions framed in a politico-religious framework; he was aided in this, so they say, by the fact that his own people were tribesmen, having no advanced culture of their own.

In the name of public good and the well-being of society harsh punishments were promised to those who did not obey the religious laws; the Prophet instilled a fear of the Day of Reckoning and promised rewards for those who obeyed.

Thus fervor for the promised paradise and fear of the Day of Reckoning created a society based on a religious foundation.

The history of the lives of other prophets has, for the most part, been lost in time, but the life of the Prophet Muhammad is well documented. Anyone who researches into it will not be left in the least doubt that he had total faith and inner certainty in his mission.

If religious beliefs were mere superstitions or a means to unify and subdue a society, then all the proofs expounded in the Qur'an concerning the hereafter, the existence of a Creator of the World, Divine Unity, His attributes, belief in a prophecy and the reckoning of a man's actions after death would have absolutely no meaning.

What the Qur'an says about the Meaning of Revelation and Prophecy

The Qur'an clearly states that it is a book revealed to the Prophet and that revelation is a kind of divine utterance beyond the understanding or communication of the material world; revelation is unperceived by sense or intellect but apprehended by other faculties which, by God's will, are present in certain individuals. Through revelation instructions from the unseen are received and their acceptance and implementation is called Prophethood. To clarify this matter we may make the following points.

Man's Innate Nature

In the beginning of this book we explained that each created entity, whether mineral, plant or animal, is endowed with an inherent force which enables it to develop in accordance with its own innate design and nature.

Thus we read in chapter 20:50, "Our Lord is He who gave everything its nature, then guided it correctly,” and again in chapter 87:2-3 "Who creates, then disposes, who measures then guides." We also know that man is not excluded from this general law, that is, he has a direction and an aim towards which he develops, having been endowed with faculties which allow him to fulfill this aim.

All his happiness lies in achieving this aim; his sorrow, grief and misfortune are the result of his failure to achieve this aim. He is guided to this special purpose by his Creator.

As God says in chapter 76:3, "Indeed, we have shown him the way whether he be grateful or disbelieving. " Likewise we read in chapter 80:1920, "From a drop of seed, He creates him and proportions him. Then makes the way easy for him”

Man's Path in Traversing the Road of Life

The difference between the animal and plant kingdoms and man is that the former react according to their inherent knowledge or instinct, while man, also possessing an inherent knowledge, is equipped with an intellect and the capacity to use or recognize wisdom.

Even if man is capable of undertaking a certain action, he weighs the good or the bad, the benefit or harm, contained in that action and implements it only if he estimates that the benefit outweighs the harm.

Thus he follows the instruction of his intellect in every action; the intellect dictates the necessity of an action. The intellect causes one to abandon an act if it is likely to bring with it an unacceptable degree of trouble and hardship; it not only instructs one on the feasibility of an action, but it also takes into account the dictates of sentiment and feeling.

Indeed the perception of sentiment with regard to the relative good or bad in matter is so closely connected with the decision of the intellect as to be considered one and the same thing.

Man as a Social Being

No one would deny that men are social beings who co-operate with each other to better meet their daily needs. We may wonder, however, whether men desire this co-operation from their natural feelings; are they naturally inclined to undertake an action with others and share an interest in something as a social project?

On one level, man's needs, feelings and desires cause him to act for his own benefit and without regard for the needs and wishes of others. Man uses every means to fulfill his own needs: he uses every kind of transport to reach his destination; he uses the leaves, stems and fruit of plants and trees; he lives upon the meat of animals and their products, and takes advantage of a multitude of other things to complement his own deficiencies in certain respects.

Can man, whose state is such that he uses everything he finds to his own ends, be expected to respect another human being? Can he extend his hand to another in co-operation and turn a blind eye to his own desire for the sake of mutual benefit?

The answer in the first instance must be no. It is as a result of man's countless needs, which can never be fulfilled byhimself alone, that he recognizes the possibility of fulfilling them through the help and co-operation of others. Similarly, he understands that his own strengths, desires and wishes are also shared by others, and just as he defends his own interests so others defend theirs.

Thus, out of necessity, he co-operates with the social nexus and gives a certain measure of his own efforts to fulfill the needs of others; in return he benefits from the efforts of others in order to full fill his own needs.

In truth he has entered into a market-place of social wealth, always open to traders and offering all the benefits obtained by the collective work of the society. All these factors are placed together in this market- place of pooled human resources and each person, according to the importance society attaches to his work, has a share in these benefits.

Thus man's first nature incites him to pursue the fulfillment of his own needs using others in the process and taking advantage of their work for his own ends. It is only in cases of necessity and helplessness that he lends a hand to co-operate with society.

This matter is clear when we observe the nature of children: anything a child wants he demands in an extreme way; he emphasizes his demand by crying. As he grows older, however, and becomes a part of the social fabric, he gradually puts an end to his excessive demands.

More evidence for the truth of this may be seen when a person accumulates power which exceeds that of others and he rejects the spirit of cooperation and its restrictions of society; such an individual uses people and the fruits of their labors for himself without giving anything back in return.

God refers to the necessary spirit of natural cooperation in society in chapter 43:32, "We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them take labor from others... "

This verse refers to the reality of the social situation in which each individual has a different capacity and different talents: those who are superior in one domain engage the cooperation or employ of others for their eventual mutual benefit.

Thus all members of society are linked together in the ways and wants of the fabric of one single social unit. Those who do not see the obvious necessity of mutual cooperation are condemned by God in chapter 14:34, "Truly man is surely a wrong-doer, (a tyrant)” and, in chapter 33:72, "Indeed he has proved a tyrant and a fool."

These verses refer to man's natural instinct which, unless checked, drives him to take advantage of his fellow-men and in doing so to overstep the rights of others.

The Manifestation of Social Differences and the Necessity of Law

Man in his dealings with his fellow men is obliged to accept a social life based on cooperation; in doing so he effectively forgoes some of the freedom enjoyed within his own sphere of work. Merely taking part in a society based on injustice and gaining social differences is not enough to satisfy the basic needs of the average man.

In such a society, taking advantage of the efforts of others leads to corruption and a loss of the original purpose of removing glaring differences between men and bettering their lives.

It is clear that a framework of laws, understood and respected by all, must govern the different members of society. If there are no clear laws governing even the most basic of transactions (like buying and selling), transactions will cease to function correctly.

Laws are necessary to preserve the rights of individuals. The power and wisdom of the Creator, who has guided man towards his well-being and happiness, has also guaranteed the success and happiness of society.

Guidance in the form of social law is mentioned by God in 80:19-20, "From a drop of seed He creates him and proportions him.Then makes the way easy for him. ”This making of life easy for him is an indication of the social guidance which he has given to man in the form of laws and instructions.

The Intellect is not Sufficient in Guiding Man towards Respect of the Law

The guidance we are considering here is that which emanates from the wisdom of the Creator; this wisdom has created man and allotted him his goal of well-being just as it has assigned a path and goal to all creation.

This goal of happiness and well-being is the path of self-fulfillment based on correct behavior in a social setting. It is clear that, of necessity, there can be no inconsistencies or shortcomings in the work of the Creator.

If, at times, one cannot discern His aim or it seems hidden from normal perception, it is not through lack of reason or cause on the part of God, but rather that the cause is linked to other causes which obscure the one in question.

If there were no hindrances to a clear perception of the causal chain of events, two given actions would never appear inconsistent or contradictory to the harmony of creation.Nor would the work of the Creator appear (as it sometimes does to those whose perception is hindered by the intricacy of the causal chain of events), inconsistent and imperfect.

Guidance towards the law, whose function is to remove differences and conflict between individuals in society, is not a matter for the intellect since it is this very intellect which causes man to dispute with others. It is the same intellect which incites man to profit at the expense of others and to preserve, first and foremost, his own interest, accepting justice only when there is no alternative.

The two opposing forces, one causing difficulties and one doing away with them, are qualities of man's character; they do not obviously exist in the Creator: the countless daily transgressions and violations of the law, in effect, all result from those who use their intellect incorrectly; they themselves are the very source of their own difficulties.

If the intellect was truly a means of removing wrong action from society and was itself a trustworthy guide to man's well-being, it would recognize the validity of the law and prevent man from violating it.

The intellect's refusal to willingly accept what is obviously given for the well-being of man is confirmed when we realize that its acceptance of a society based on just laws is only out of necessity. Without this compulsion, it would never accept to know the law.

Those who transgress the law do so for many reasons: some oppose it without fear, because their power exceeds that of the law; others, because they live outside the reach of the law, through deceit or negligence on the part of the authorities; others are able to invent reasons which make their wrong actions appear lawful and acceptable; some make use of the helplessness of the person they have wronged.

All, however, find no legal obstacle in their wrong aims; even if an obstacle appears, their intellect, rather than guiding them to an acceptance of the law, renders the obstacle right and ineffective.

From these examples we are left in no doubt that the intellect, far from controlling, restricting or guiding man merely uses its influence to its own purpose. We must include, therefore, that it is incapable of guiding man towards a social law which guarantees the rights, freedom and well-being of all the members of society.

God says in chapter 96:6-7 "Indeed man truly rebels when he thinks himself independent. " The independence referred to here includes the independence of those who imagine that they can claim their rights through other than the path of legality.

The Only Way to Guidance is that of Revelation

Man, like the rest of creation, naturally seeks his own well-being and happiness as he lives out his life. Since, by his very make-up, he has a variety of natural needs, he has no alternative but to live in society in order to fulfill these needs; his own well-being and search for the fulfillment of his natural character takes place in the wider framework of society's well-being.

Thus the only acceptable pattern of existence, regulated by a comprehensive law common to all people, is the one which guarantees both the well-being of society and of the individual in a balanced and just fashion.

It is also clear that man, like the rest of creation, must endeavor to achieve his well-being and undertake whatever preparation is necessary for achieving this by allowing himself to be guided by his Creator.

It is but a logical next step in our analysis to say that any guidance from the Creator must be towards this comprehensive law, common to all and, at the same time, in accord with the individual's well-being. Intellect is not enough to guide man to the law since it does not always decide in favor of cooperation with othersnor in favor of the common good.

The path, the way, which fits perfectly the requirements of man is the way taught by the Prophets and messengers of God. It is the way brought to them by God through revelation and established as undeniably true and valid, by the example of their own lives and their intimate knowledge and contact with God.

The Revelation of the Qur'an

In chapter 2:213, God says, "Mankind was one community and God sent (to them) prophets as bearers of good news and as warners and revealed to them the book with the truth that it may judge between mankind concerning that in which they differed."

Here we under- stand "one community" to mean a society at peace, its members living without dispute or difference. After a period of time, men differed with one another and as a result God sent the prophets.

Again He says in 4:163-165, "Indeed We have inspired you as we have inspired Noah Messengers of good news and a warning in order that mankind might have no argument against God after the Messenger.” Intellect alone does not make man accountable to God and this is why he must be awakened to the reality of his inner condition by other means.

The first of the above-mentioned verses recognizes the way of revelation and prophecy as the only way of removing differences between men. The second shows revelation and prophecy to be the complete and absolute proof to mankind of the truth of God's message.

Some Questions Answered

Question: By using the premise that the intellect cannot prevent violation of the law and the wrong action of man in general, you are declaring the necessity of imposing a law or, as you say, "guidance" towards his own well-being; that is, you are demanding that we place our trust in revelation and in Prophethood rather than in the intellect.

The truth is, however, that the laws and instructions of revelation are also ineffective in that they cannot prevent violation of the law, of the Shari'ic law or divine code; in fact, man's acceptance of this code is even less than his acceptance of the civil code. What can you reply to this?

Answer: To point out the way is one thing and to follow it is another. The Creator has taken upon himself to guide mankind to a law under which he can achieve his well-being; He has not taken upon himself to stop mankind from infringing upon the law nor of compelling men to follow the law.

We have investigated above the problem of man's infringement of the law, not to prove that the intellect is deficient or incapable of preventing wrong action but, rather, to show that it usually does not decide in favor of the law or of cooperation with society.

As we have pointed out, the intellect only follows the law out of necessity; if it perceives that obeying the law and restricting one's personal freedom brings less benefit than disobedience, then it will not follow the law nor stop others from transgressing.

The acceptance of the way of the revelation, however, always brings with it obedience to the law. By accepting the code of behavior revealed by the prophets, one entrusts one's judgment to God who, with his boundless power and knowledge, constantly watches over man; only He can reward good deeds or punish bad ones in an absolutely just and unbiased way. God says in chapter 11:40, "The decision rests with God only," and in chapter 99:74, "And whoever does an atom 's weight of good will see it then and whoever does an atom 's weight of bad will see it then. "

Likewise, He says in 22:17, "Indeed God will decide between them on the day of Rising, Indeed! God is witness over all things,” and in 2:77, "Are they unaware that God knows that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim." In 33:52 we read: "And God is watcher over all things.”

From these verses it is clear that the divine din of Islam, which has been given to man through revelation, is not capable of preventing transgression of the law any more than the civil law drawn up by men.

The machinery of the civil law appoints officials and employees to control and inspect the action of man and also imposes a system of punishment for his offences; this method only works when the law is strong and the crime is discovered.

The divine din is superior to man-made laws orsocial orders in that control over man is carried out in a very special way, namely, through the vigil of the angels. Moreover, the divine din obliges in every man and woman to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong. All men, without exception, are instructed to watch over the action of their fellow men and to be guardians of the law.

It is only belief in a divine order which contains and defines action outside the limits of good and bad and within the reality of the Day of Reckoning to come. Most importantly, the Lord of the world and of all the unseen world is aware of man's every action and is present with him everywhere at every moment.

Like the civil codes drawn up by man, there is also in the divine code a corresponding system of punishment for every sin, both in this world and on the day of reckoning after death. Unlike the civil code, however, the divine law guarantees that no man will escape from judgment and punishment, if punishment is warranted.

As proof, the reader is urged to follow what is written in chapter 4: 59, "Obey God and obey the messenger and those of you in authority" and, in 11: 71, "And the believers, men and women are protecting friends one to another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong."

Likewise, we may study 82:1-12 when God says, "Indeed there are guardians above you, generous and recording, who know (all) that you do" and, also in 34:21, "And your Lord (O Muhammad) takes note of all things. "

A Second Question: It has been argued that the intellect does not always decide in favor of respect for the law. Is this not inconsistent with what is contained in the saying of the Imams which states that God has given two proofs to his servants, the outward and obvious one being that of His Prophet, and the inner and hidden one being that of the intellect of man? How are we to understand this statement in the light of how the intellect has been described?

Answer: Without exception, man's intellect is concentrated on securing benefit and avoiding harm. Whenever it accepts to cooperate and share in society's activity, it is, as we have seen above, seeking its own benefit.

This need is often felt by those who wish to profit from others or seek to control others by using their wealth. For such men there is nothing prohibiting them from pursuing their illegal action; their intellect will not decide in favor of the law nor forbid transgression of the same law.

If, however, the source of compulsion (as is understood in the light of divine revelation) is from God, then the effect on man is totally different. God's watching over man's action, His punishment or reward of bad or good action, admits of no negligence, ignorance or incapacity. The intellect, which recognizes the existence of God, cannot refuse the law. It will always decide in favor of that which revelation demands of man.

Thus the intellect of a believing man will recognize the importance of the revelation over any personal matter. God say in 13:33 "Is He who is aware of the deserts of every soul as he who is aware of nothing;" and, in 86:4, "No human soul but has a guardian over it" and, 74:38, "Every soul is a pledge for its own deeds."

The Path of Revelation is Protected against Mistakes

The path of revelation is part of the Creator's program. He never makes mistakes, neither in His Creation nor in the system of belief and the laws of the shari'ah, which are delineated for man through revelation.

God says in 72:26-28, (He is) the knower of the unseen and he reveals His secret to no one exccpt to every messenger He has chosen and He makes a guard go before him and a guard behind him, that He may know that they have indeed conveyed the message of the Lord. He surrounds all their doings and He keeps count of all things.

From this we understand that the prophets and messengers of God must be infallible both in receiving the revelation and in preserving it against alteration and attack. They are as instruments at the disposal of the Creator's wisdom.

Were they to make an error in receiving or teaching the message of the revelation or be led astray by the whispering of evil persons, were they themselves to commit wrong or deliberately change the message they had to deliver, then the wisdom of God would be unable to perfect its program of guidance.

God confirms in chapter 16:9 that He is in total control of man's guidance by means of his messenger, "And God's is the direction of the way, and some (words) do not go straight."

The Hidden Reality of Revelation

The reality of revelation is hidden from us. What is clear is that the aim of the program of life, outlined for man by the Creator, cannot possibly have been put together by the intellect; there must be another way of understanding, of perceiving, (other than through reflection and thought), by which man learns-of the duties incumbent on him and his fellow-men. This understanding may only be encompassed by the path of revelation.

There are, however, only a limited number of men who possess this kind of understanding since receiving revelation requires an understanding based on purity, sincerity and freedom from all corruption and bad thoughts.

It requires men whose spiritual qualities do not change; men who are psychologically balanced in their judgments and who possess real depth of understanding. It must be admitted that these qualities are rarely to be found amongst men.

The Prophets and messengers mentioned in the Qur'an are men of precisely these qualities. The Qur'an does not mention their number; it only names a few (namely Adam, Nuh (Noah),Hud , Salih. (Methusaleh), Ibrahim (Abraham), Lut (Lot), Isma'il (Ismael, Ishmael), Alyasa' (Elisha), Dhu al-Kifl (Ezekiel), Ilyas (Elias), Yunus Jonah), Idris (Enoch), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob), Yusuf Joseph), Shu'ayb, Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Da'ud (David), Sulayman (Solo- mon), Ayyub (Job), Zakariya' (Zacharias), Yahya (John), Isma'il Sadiq al-Wa'd, 'Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad; others are indicated but not named).

We, as ordinary men, do not share at all their qualities and so we cannot taste the reality of their perception. Prophecy, as an experience, remains unknown for us. Moreover, few of the past revelations have reached us and we have only a limited view of the reality which is revelation and prophecy.

It may be that what has reached us in the form of revealed books is exactly as the revelation we are familiar with, that is the Qur'an. Nevertheless, it is possible that other revelations (completely unknown to us) may have contained information and instructions of which we have no knowledge.

How the Qur'an was Revealed

Qur'anic revelation, according to the Qur'an itself, is an utterance on behalf of God to His Prophet; the Prophet received the speech of God with all his being, not just by way of learning. In 42:5 1-52 God says, And it was not to be for any man that God should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil or (that) we send a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Truly He is exalted, wise. And thusWe have inspired in you (Muhammad) a spirit of Our Command. You did not know what the Book, nor what the Faith was. ButWe have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of our slaves. And truly you surely guide to a right path.

On comparison of these two verses we discover three different ways of divine utterance. Firstly, God speaks without there being any veil between Him and man. Secondly, God speaks from behind a veil: like the tree on the Tur Mountain from behind which Moses heard God speaking. Thirdly, God's speech is brought to man by an angel who had previously heard the revelation from Him.

The second of the two verses above show that the Qur'an has reached us by means of the third of three possible ways. Again God says in 26:192-5, "(A revelation) which the Faithful Spirit (Gabriel) has brought down upon your heart, that you may be (one) of the warners, in plain Arabic Speech," and in chapter 2:97 "Who is an enemy to Gabriel!For it is he who has revealed (this book) to your heart."

From these verses we understand that the Qur'an was transmitted by way of an angel named Gabriel, or the "Faithful Spirit"; and that the Prophet received the revelation from him with all his being, all his perception and not merely by listening.

The verse says "on your heart," which in Qur'anic terms means perception or awareness. In 53: 10-11 we read, "And He revealed to His slave that which He revealed. The heart did not lie (in seeing) what it saw;" and in 98:2 reception of the revelation is indicated as a reading of "pure pages" by God's messenger.

Table of Contents

Dedication 1

Preface 2

Notes 7

The Shining of the Light 8

The Respected Family 8

The Father 8

The Mother 9

Naming 9

His Nicknames 9

His Surnames 10

Physical Descriptions 10

His Birth Year 11

His House 11

His Creativity and Intelligence 11

His Familiarity with Languages 12

His Participation in Rebuilding the Prophet’s (S) Mosque 14

The Disease of His Mother 14

His Dignity and Staidness 15

Notes 15

Under the Shadows of His Grandfather and Father 17

Under the Shadow of His Grandfather 17

His Prayer for His Son 19

Towards Immortality 21

Towards the Paradisiacal Abode 21

The Imam’s (as) Funeral 22

In His Last Destination 22

Under the Shadow of His Father 23

At the University of His Father 23

Love and Praise 23

His Advices to Imam al-Sadiq (as) 24

Imam al-Sadiq’s (as) Obedience to His Father 24

With His Father in Sham 25

Closing the Shops in the Face of the Imam (as) 27

Towards Immortality 28

Nominating Imam al-Sadiq (as) for the Next Imamate 28

His Advice to Imam al-Sadiq (as) 29

The Last Will 29

Towards Paradise 30

Funeral of the Imam (as) 30

In the Last Abode 30

Muslims’ Condolence to Imam al-Sadiq (as) 30

Notes 31

Psychological Elements 32

Imamate 32

Necessity of Imamate 32

Imams (as); Allah’s (SwT) Representatives 32

Imamate; the Prophetic Tree 33

Imams (as); the Commissioners of Allah (SwT) 33

Obedience to and Recognition of the Imams (as) 33

Supremacy of their Positions 34

The Knowledge of Imams (as) 36

Infallibility 38

Generosity and Magnanimity 38

Donations in Secret 39

Hospitality 39

Modesty 40

Nobility of Character 40

Patience 40

His Willingness to Praying 41

His Prayers 41

Fasting 41

Hajj 42

More about His Personality 43

Imam Baqir 43

Zayd ibn Ali 43

Yahya ibn Zayd 44

Malik ibn Anas 44

Abu Hanifah 44

Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Layla 45

Amr ibn Thabit 46

Al-Mansour al-Dawaneeqi 46

Abd al-Karim ibn Abil-Awja 46

Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak 47

Al-Sayyid al-Himyari 47

Al-Awni 47

Salih al-Jafari 47

Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad 47

Al-Arbali 47

Muayyid al-Din 48

Abu Hatam al-Razi 48

Ibn Hayyan 48

Al-Jahiz 48

Muhammad ibn Talhah 48

Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haythami 49

Al-Shahristani 49

Ibn al-Sabbagh 50

Abu Naim 50

Muhammad ibn Hamzah 50

Al-Yafii 50

Mahmoud al-Khalidi 50

Sayyid Mir Ali al-Hindi 51

Ahmad Amin 51

Peters al-Bustani 51

Muhammad Farid Wajdi 51

Ahmad Atiyyatullah 52

Khayr al-Din 52

Said Abbas al-Makki 52

Umar Rida Kahhalah 52

Mustafa Ghalib 52

Arif Tamir 53

Mahmoud ibn Wahib 53

Al-Shabrawi 54

Al-Dhahabi 54

Ibn Abu Hatam 54

Al-Khazraji 54

Ahmad Mahmoud Subhi 55

Al-Suwaydi 55

Al-Arbali 55

Abd al-Aziz Sayyid al-Ahl 56

Shaykh Abu Zuhrah 56

Muhammad Abd al-Munim 56

Muhammad Jawad Fadlullah 57

Al-Salami 57

Asad Haydar 58

Shaykh al-Mufid 58

Umar ibn Shahin 58

Farouq Umar 58

Ahmad ibn Abu Yaqoub 59

Adam Hodgeson 59

Abu Shaker al-Disani 59

Ramadhan Lawand 59

Hasan al-Amin 60

Abd al-Rahman al-Hanafi 60

Muhammad Sadiq 60

Mustafa al-Shakah 60

Conclusion 60

His Enemies 62

Ibn Sad 62

Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash 62

Yahya ibn Said 62

Al-Bukhari 63

Imran ibn Hattan 63

Aboul-Ahmar 63

Jarir ibn Uthman 64

Ishaq ibn Suwayd 64

Abdullah ibn Salim 64

Notes 64

His Scientific University 65

His Encouragements for Learning 65

Urging on Documenting the Science 65

His Advice to Protect Books 65

Correcting the Books of His Students 65

The Founders of the University of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) 66

In the Era of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 69

The Factors of Growth and Prosperity 70

The General Center 71

Scientific Scholarship 71

The Number of the Students 71

The Branches 72

His Professional Students 73

Documenting Sciences 74

Books Attributed to Al-Sadiq (as) 75

Al-Jafariyyat 76

A Book with His handwriting 76

Pride and Glory 76

Its Distinctive Feature 76

The Dread of the Government 78

Educational Systems 79

Imam (as) with His Students 80

Husham ibn al-Hakam 80

The Syrian Man with the Imam’s (as) Students 82

Imam (as) with Some of His Students 84

Notes 86

His Reasoning and Debates 87

Nullification the Doubts of Atheists 87

Al-Jud ibn Dirham 87

Abd al-Malik al-Misri 88

Some of the Atheists 89

Abu Shakir al-Disani 90

Abd al-Karim 90

The Infidel 96

With Fatalists 121

His Debates 122

With Abu Hanifah 122

With Ibn Abi-Layla 124

With the Mutazilah 125

With Christians 128

Notes 129

His Letters and Advices 130

Letters 130

A Letter to al-Najjashi 130

The Answer of the Imam (as) 131

The Letter of the Imam (as) to al-Najjashi 136

His Letter to Some of His Followers 136

His Letter About Spoils of War and the Fifth 138

His Letter Regarding Monotheism 141

His Letter to a Group of His Companions 142

His Letter to Some of His Followers 142

His Letter to Abdullah 142

His Letter to His Companions 143

His Letter to Some of His Companions 143

His Letter to Some of the People 143

His Letter to People of the World 143

His Advices 144

His advice to Abdullah ibn Jundab 144

Bequest for Mumin al-Taq 150

His Bequest For His Son al-Kadhem (as) 153

His Advices to Sufyan 154

His Advices to His Followers 155

His Advice to Jabir ibn Hayyan 157

His Advice to Mufaddhal ibn Zayd 158

His First Advice to Mualla ibn Khunays 158

His Second Advice to Mualla 159

His Advice to Umar ibn Said 159

His Advice to Hasan ibn Rashid 159

His Advice to Anbasa al-Abed 159

His Advice to Hamad 159

His Advice to Samaa 160

His Advice to Bastam 160

His Advice to Muhammad and Ishaq 160

His Advice to Muawiyah ibn Ammar 160

His Advice to Ammar ibn Marwan 161

His Advice to Abd al-Rahman 161

His Advice to Abu Basir 161

His Advice to Hamran ibn Ayun 161

His Advice to Mufaddhal ibn Umar 162

His Advice to Some of His Companions 162

His Advice to Onwan al-Basri 163

His Advice to Some of His Companions 164

His Advice to Some of His Companions 164

His Advice to Hafs ibn Ghiath 165

His Advice to Mufaddhal ibn Umar 166

His Advice to Some of His Companions 166

His Advice to His Companions 166

His Advice to Hafs ibn Ghyath 167

His Advice to His Companions 167

His Advice to Ammar ibn Mosa 167

His Advice to His Followers 167

His Advice to His Followers 168

His Advice for the General Public 168

His Advice to His Companions 168

His Advice to Homran ibn Ayun 169

His Advice to Mansour al-Dawaneeqi 169

Notes 169

Knowledge 170

Chemistry 170

Medicine 171

The Imam (as) with the Indian Physician 172

The Number of Bones in the Human Body 175

Blood Circulation 176

Warning Against Gastric Diseases 176

Health Advices 176

Nourishment 178

Rice Bread 178

Meat 178

Scholastic Theology 178

Conscience-Based Reasoning 179

Intellectual Reasoning 179

The Monotheism of al-Mufaddhal 179

Examples from the Monotheism of al-Mufaddhal 180

The origin of doubting about Allah (SwT) 180

Manichaeanism 181

Atheists 181

Sense-Based Reasons for the Existence of Allah 181

The Precise System of the Universe 181

The Creation of Human Being 182

The Science of Jurisprudence and the Reason of Instructions 188

His Flexibility 191

Opening the Horizon of Inference 191

The Levels of Ijtihaad 192

The Comprehensiveness of the Tasks for All 192

The Reason of Instructions 193

Ablution Before and After Meals 193

Prohibiting Wine, Eating Dead Animal and Blood 193

Fulfilling Fasts after Menstruation 193

Glorifying Mosques 194

Fulfilling Two Prayers Together 194

Group Prayer 194

Walking Towards Prayer 195

Leaving Prayers and Infidelity 195

Prostration on the Ground 195

Exclaiming “Allah is great” Three times After the Prayer 196

Night Prayer 196

Almsgiving 196

Almsgiving for the Poor 197

Illegality of Paying Alms to Some People 197

Fasting 197

The Necessity of Hajj 197

The Necessity of Hajj Umra 198

Talbia 198

Trotting and Endeavour Between al-Safa and al-Marwa 198

Not Looking in Mirror 199

The Hatred of Using Kohl for Women in Hajj 199

Making Hajj Compulsory for People 199

The Naming of Some Parts of Hajj 199

Forbidding Usury 199

Exceptions in Selling to Return Debt 200

Notes 200

In Holy Quran’s Atmosphere 201

Pondering on the Verses of Quran 201

The Miracle and Strange in Quran 201

Quran, Ordering and Denying 202

The Rewards of Those Memorizing and Reading Quran 202

The Reward of Listening to Quran 202

Houses in which Quran is read 202

What should be read during Each Day? 203

Having Quran in House 203

The Duration That Quran’s Reading Should be completed 203

Reading Correctly 203

Quran Descended in Four Sections 203

Writing Quran with Gold 204

Examples of His Interpretation 204

Important Notes About Establishing the House 208

Notes 297

A Glance at the Holy Prophet’s (S) Traditions 298

The Traditions from the Leader of the Believers, Imam Ali (as) 331

His Narrations from Imam Hasan (as) 347

His Narrations from His Father 349

His Narrations from Abu Dharr (ar) 350

His Narrations from Salman al-Farsi (ar) 352

From the Prophets’ (as) Judgments 352

Mind and Knowledge 365

Knowledge 365

The Importance of Mind 365

Mind and Religion 366

Mind is the Fence of Human Being 367

The Success of Human with his Mind 367

Reward in Accordance with Mindfulness 367

Mind and Morals 368

Mind and Its Soldier 368

Doubtfulness as a Disease of the Mind 369

Mind For Obeying Allah (SwT) 370

Mind as the Proof of Allah (SwT) for His Creatures 370

Encouraging People to Seek Knowledge 371

Compulsory Studying 371

Superiority of Scientists 371

The Reward of the Learner 372

Learn More and More 372

The Behaviour of Learner 372

Sincerity in Seeking Knowledge 373

Blaming the Pride in Knowledge 373

Different Categories of Learners 373

Superiority in Religious Studies 373

When Someone Is Considered as Religious Expert 374

Knowledge Accompanying Deeds 375

Knowledge Without Deeds 375

Speech Without Knowledge 375

Asking from Scholars 376

Evil Scholars 376

Scholars in Hell 376

The Death of Proper Scholars 377

Useful Knowledge 377

The Zakat of Knowledge 377

The Imperfect Person 378

Proper Attributes 378

Virtue 378

Patience 378

Endurance 379

Modesty 379

Contentedness 379

Being Satisfied With Allah’s (SwT) Decision 380

Humility 380

Proper Behaviour 381

Generosity 381

Beneficence 381

Kindness 382

Mercy 382

Determinism 382

Proper Attributes 382

Elevated Properties 382

Three Proper Attributes 383

Three Honourable Attributes 383

Beauty 383

Yielding on Truth 383

Honest Talk 384

Relying on Allah (SwT) 384

Strength in Affairs 384

The Attributes of the Prophets (as) 384

Proper Attributes 384

Prominent Attributes 385

The Attributes of the Believers 385

Ten Properties of Goodness 385

Ten Properties of Wisdom 385

Hateful or Bad Attributes 385

Spite 386

Envy 386

Self-complacence 387

Arrogance 387

Greediness 388

Stinginess 388

Cupidity 389

Pride 389

Anger 389

Duplicity 390

Lack of Mind 390

Backbiting 390

Deviltry 391

Gloating 391

Hypocrisy and Dispute 392

Throwing Sin on an Innocent Person 392

Aggression 392

Oppression 392

Duplicity 393

Betrayal 394

Cheating and Deceiving 394

Extremism 395

Pessimism 395

Over-joking 395

Being Bored and Worried 395

Lowness 395

Laziness 396

Lie 396

Adultery 396

Disloyalty to Parents 397

Denying Mercy 397

Three Whom Allah (SwT) is Furious About 397

Three Whom Allah (SwT) Hates 398

Three Who Have No Faith 398

Hasting In Deeds 398

Great Sins 398

Disclosing Secrets 398

Loving the Worldly Life 399

Friendship and Faith 399

The Importance of Friendship 400

The Necessity of Friendship 400

The Position of Friendship 400

Rights of Friends 400

Financial Comfort 400

Avoiding Expenses 401

Not Following the False Steps of the Friend 401

The Boundary of Friendship 401

People Who Shall Not Be Friends 401

Caring About Friend After His Death 402

Visiting Relatives 402

Faith and Believers 403

Faith 403

Islam and Faith 403

Faith with Levels 404

The Superiority of Those Ahead in Faith 404

Faith and Organs of Human 406

Believers 409

The Attributes of A Believer 409

The Right of A Believer 410

A Believer is Brother of A Believer 411

Working Hard to Fulfil Believers’ Need 411

Overcoming Believer’s Needs 412

Bringing Happiness to Believers’ Hearts 413

Overcoming Believers’ Trouble 414

The Clothes of Believer 414

Honouring Believers 415

Feeding the Believers 415

Relieving a Believer 416

Hurrying in Accepting a Believer’s Request 416

Giving the Believer What He Needs 416

Visiting and Asking about a Believer 417

Advising the Believers 417

Scorning a believer is Forbidden 417

Frightening a Believer is Forbidden 417

Assisting Someone Against a Believer is Banned 418

Letting a Believer Down is Forbidden 418

Accusing a Believer is Inhibited 418

Rebuking a Believer is Banned 418

Rejoicing At Misfortune of Believer is Banned 418

Damaging a Believer is Prohibited 419

Hurting the Believers is the Aim of Satan 419

Notes 419

Imam al-Sadiq’s (as) Opinions in Politics and Economics 420

Jurisprudents and Kings 420

Penance of Working with Kings 420

What People Are In Need of? 420

The Kindness of Rulers and Their Justice 420

Just Rulers 420

Silence in the Kingdom of the Cruel 421

Denying the Just Imam 421

Cruel Ruler 421

Being away From the Rulers 421

The Attributes of Imam 421

Keep Distance from Kings 422

The Best Rulers 422

Some Responsibilities of Ruler 422

The Responsibilities of Government on Citizens 422

Merciful Ruler 423

Words in Economics 423

Urging to Farm 423

Urging to Work 424

His Stress on Doing Business 424

His Denial against Squander 425

Restoration of Wealth 425

Avoiding Laziness 425

Denying Oversleep and Extra Leisure Time 426

Imam al-Sadiq’s (as) Advices and Models of His Wisdoms 427

His Advices 427

Love Because of Allah (SwT) 428

The Kind Act 429

His Tripartite Traditions 430

His Quadruplet Traditions 444

His Quintuple Traditions 448

His Sextet Traditions 450

His Heptagon Traditions 451

His Octoploid Traditions 451

His Ten-Part Traditions 452

The Imam’s (as) Short Phrases 452

The Era of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 472

The Umayyad Rulers 473

The Government of the Imam (as) 475

The Government of Muawiyah 479

The Government of Yazid 480

The Murder of Slaying Imam Husayn (as) 481

The Event of al-Harrah 481

Muawiyah ibn Yazid 482

The Government of Marwan 482

Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan 483

Appointing Hajjaj as the Governor 484

His Stand with Religion 484

The Problems of the Shiah 485

The Problem of Kufah 485

His Prisons 486

His Death 486

Comments about al-Hajjaj 487

Al-Hasan al-Basri 487

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz 487

Asim 487

Al-Qasim 487

Zadhan 487

Tawous 487

Returning to the Topic of al-Hajjaj 487

His Rulers and Attendants 487

Khalid al-Qasri 488

Ibn Shafi 488

Yousif ibn Umar 488

The Imam (as) in Damascus 488

The Death of Abd al-Malik 488

The Government of al-Walid 489

Imam (as) with al-Walid 489

The Death of al-Walid 490

The Government of Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik 491

The Government of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz 492

Avoiding the Curse against Imam Ali (as) 492

His Relation with the Alawis 493

The Return of Fadak to the Alawis 493

With Imam Baqir (as) 493

Points to Criticise 494

His Death 494

The Government of Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik 494

Husham ibn Abd al-Malik 495

Stinginess 495

Spite 495

Hardhearted 496

Malicious Logic 496

With His Son Said 496

With Imam Baqir (as) 496

The Lecture of the Imam (as) in Damascus 497

Arresting the Imam (as) 498

Closing the Shops in the Way of the Imam (as) 498

The Revolution of Zayd 499

The Betrayal of the Koufis 500

Passing Away 500

The Burning of the Pure Corpse 501

Imam al-Sadiq (as) and Zayd 502

The Death of Husham 503

The Government of al-Walid ibn Yazid 503

The Government of Yazid ibn al-Walid 503

The Government of Ibrahim ibn al-Walid 504

The Government of Marwan ibn Muhammad 504

Alawi Preachers 504

Al-Abwa Conference 505

Choosing Abi Muslim 505

The Advices of Ibrahim to Abi Muslim 505

In Khurasan 506

Nasr ibn Sayyar 506

The Stand of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 507

The Imam (as) with the Alawis 507

With Abi Salmah 508

Abi Muslim Regretted 509

The End of the Umayyad Dynasty 510

The Umayyad Escaped 512

Genocide 512

The Stance of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 512

The General Policy of the Umayyad 512

Enmity over Ahl al-Bayt (as) 513

Scoring the Nation 513

Scorning the Value and Principles 514

Tribal Prejudice 514

The Financial Policy 514

In the Era of al-Saffah and al-Mansour 515

The Government of al-Saffah 517

The Managerial System 518

Al-Saffah and the Alawids 519

The Stand of Imam al-Sadiq (as) with al-Saffah 520

Moving to al-Hirah 521

The Welcoming of the Scholars 521

His Visit to the Shrine of Imam Ali (as) 522

His Motivation for Visiting the Shrine of Imam Ali (as) 523

His Visits to the Shrine of al-Husayn (as) 523

The Merits of Visiting al-Husayn (as) 523

The Prayer of the Imam (as) for the Visitors of al-Husayn (as) 524

The Death of al-Saffah 525

The Government of al-Mansour 526

His Psychological Elements 526

Stinginess 527

His Niggardliness 527

His Stinginess on al-Mahdi 527

With the Singer of His Camel 528

With Ibn al-Samaan 528

With al-Wadheen ibn Atta 529

With the Poets 529

Economical Slump 530

The Reason of His Stinginess 530

His Dictatorship 530

His Betrayal and Disloyalty 531

Abu Muslim 531

Abdullah ibn Ali 531

Muhammad ibn Abi-Abbas 532

Frightening the Citizens 533

Torturing the Alawis 534

Spying on the Alawis 535

Arresting the Alawis 536

Transferring Them to Iraq 537

The Disaster of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 537

The letter of the Imam (as) to Abdullah 538

In al-Rabadhah 540

In al-Hashimiyyah 541

The Confiscation of the Alawis’ Wealth 542

The Revolution of al-Zaki Muhammad 542

The Revolution of Ibrahim 545

Putting the Alawis in the Cylinder 547

The Treasury of the Head of the Alawis 547

Alawis Asking for Mercy 548

Scolding Imam Ali (as) 548

The Stance of al-Sadiq (as) towards al-Mansour 549

The Stand of al-Mansour in Dealing with Imam al-Sadiq (as) 552

Cruel Actions 552

Burning the House of the Imam (as) 552

Keeping Him Away from the People 553

Arresting the Imam (as) 553

His Intention to Kill the Imam (as) 554

Giving up the Request of al-Mansour 555

The Release of the Imam (as) from His Malice 557

Al-Mansour with the Imam (as) in al-Rabathah 558

Sending after Him to al-Kufah 559

Sending after Him to Baghdad 562

Imam al-Sadiq (as) and the Close Departure 566

The Imam (as) Announcing His Death 566

His Assassination 567

His Will 567

Towards Paradise 568

Preparing for Funeral 568

Praising the Imam (as) after His Death 569

Lighting up a Lamp in the House of the Imam (as) 569

The Date of Departure 569

His Blessed Age 569

Notes 570


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