Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Prostration on the Soil of Karbala (The Land of Imam al-Husayn’s Martyrdom)

The Philosophy behind Prostrating on the Soil of Karbala

One of the subjects which has attracted the attention of both Sunnis and Wahhabis is why the Shi‘ahs prostrate on soil from Karbala, known as the soil[turbat] of Imam al-Husayn (as). They question the essence of this prostration and wonder whether it is for Imam al-Husayn (as) or the soil itself. We will now examine this topic to make this issue clear.

The Shi‘ahs prostrate on any kind of soil

The Shi‘ah scholars[‘ulama’] do not say that it is obligatory[wajib] to prostrate on soil from Karbala. They have said that it is permissible to prostrate on any clay, earth and dust in general. Because of the fact that the soil from Karbala has special distinctions, it is considered preferable and more desirable to prostrate on it.

The superiority of some lands over other lands in the Qur’an

It can be deduced from a number of verses of the Holy Qur’an that certain lands have been blessed and have special distinctions over other lands. Allah, the Exalted, says,

﴿ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَکَّةَ مُبارَکاً وَهُديً لِلْعالَمِينَ ﴾

“Most surely the first house appointed for men is the one at Bekka, blessed and a guidance for the nations.” 1

And He also says,

﴿ وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَنْزِلْنِي مُنْزَلاً مُبارَکاً وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ اَلمُنْزِلِينَ ﴾

“And say: O my lord! Cause me to disembark a blessed alighting, and Thou art the best to cause to alight.” 2

Another Qur’anic verse says,

﴿ وَنَجَّيْناهُ وَلُوطاً إِلى الأَرْضِ الَّتِي بارَکْنا فِيها لِلْعالَمِينَ ﴾

“And We delivered him as well as Lut (removing them) to the land which We had blessed for all people.” 3

Talking about the Prophet Moses (as), the Holy Qur’an says,

﴿ إِذْ ناداهُ رَبُّهُ بِالْوادِ المُقَدَّسِ طُوَي ﴾

“When his Lord called upon him in the holy valley, twice.” 4

And likewise, while addressing him, the Holy Qur’an says,

﴿ فَاخْلَع نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوادِ المُقَدَّسِ طُوَي ﴾

“Therefore put off your shoes; surely you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa.” 5

In a story about Sulayman, the Holy Qur’an says,

﴿ وَلِسُلَيْمانَ الرِّيْحَ عاصِفَةً تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ إِلى الأَرْضِ الَّتِي بارَكْنا فِيها ﴾

“And We made subservient to Sulaiman the wind blowing violent, pursuing its course by his command to the land which We had blessed.” 6

About the Holy Prophet of Islam, the Holy Qur’an says,

﴿ سُبْحانَ الَّذِي أَسْري بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِنَ المَسْجِدِ الحَرامِ إِلى المَسْجِدِ الأَقْصي الَّذِي بارَکْنا حَولَهُ ﴾

“Glory be to Him who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to the Remote Mosque of which We have blessed the precincts.” 7

The superiority of some lands over others in hadiths

From the viewpoint of both Sunni and Shi‘ah traditions, it can be inferred that certain parts of the earth, and likewise the people dwelling therein, are endowed with qualities of either wickedness or prosperity and salvation:

1. On his own chain of transmission, Bukhari recounts that ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar said,“When the Holy Prophet (S) was passing through the land of Thamud, he said, ‘Do not enter lands whose owners have committed oppression against themselves so that you may not be afflicted with suffering as they were, unless you pass through while crying.’ Then, the Prophet of Allah covered his blessed head and passed through that valley quickly.” 8

2. Bukhari also narrates,“‘Ali disliked performing his prayers in the valley of Babylon.” 9

3. Halabi recounts, “The consensus of the Islamic community[ummah] is that this place (Medina), which contains the body of the Holy Prophet (S), is the best part of land on earth. It is even higher than the Ka‘bah (Mecca). Some say it is the most excellent part of the earth and is even higher than the Throne[‘arsh] of Allah.”10

4. In a discussion about why Medina is higher than all the other parts of the earth, Samhudi Shafi‘i says, “The second reason is this: this land consists of parts of the earth that are considered by consensus of the Islamic community[ummah] to possess the holy body of Allah’s Prophet (as).”11

5. Likewise, it is narrated that after the death and burial of the Holy Prophet (S), people used to come and carry some soil from his grave with the aim of seeking divine favors from it. ‘A’ishah got worried that the soil would get finished and hence reveal the body of the Holy Prophet. Therefore, she ordered that a wall should be raised around the Prophet’s grave.12

The excellence and superiority of the clay of Karbala

Clay from Karbala is one of the soils on earth which Allah, the Exalted, has blessed for certain reasons, and one of the reasons is that this piece of the earth is where the pure and noble body of the Doyen of Martyrs, Imam al-Husayn (as), rests.

While explaining the hidden meaning of prostrating on soil from Karbala, ‘Allamah Amini says,“This issue is based on two basic principles:

a. That the Imamate Shi‘ahs try to always have a clean cake of natural earth in their possession so that they may prostrate on it.

b. That some graves are superior to others; therefore, there are special blessings derived from these tombs. It is for this reason that the precincts of the Ka‘bah and other holy shrines have special religious laws.

One of the lands which has gained superiority over other lands and has become a source of blessings and favors is Karbala, the place where the body of the Doyen of Martyrs, Imam al-Husayn (as), lies. Karbala is that same holy piece of land from which Imam ‘Ali (as), long before the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (as), had picked up a handful of clay. He smelled the soil and cried so much that the soil got wet with the tears flowing from his eyes.”

Then, he said,“Seventy thousand people will be raised from this land. They will enter heaven without their actions of this world being accounted.” 13

Can it not be said that prostrating on such holy soil is a desirable and virtuous act? Won’t prostrating on such soil bring about nearness to Allah, the Exalted? Is it not deserving that man should prostrate on soil which is the symbol of monotheism and reminds him of the sacrifices which have to be made for the Beloved, Allah the Exalted?

A piece of soil which, if man looks at it from the perspective that it truly deserves, brings about tenderness of heart and brings man closer to Allah.14

Professor ‘Abbas Mahmud ‘Aqqad, Egyptian author, says the following about the land of Karbala,

“The land of Karbala is a holy place where Muslims go for pilgrimage in order to learn lessons from the example of Imam al-Husayn. For those who are not Muslims, they come here as tourists to see and visit the holy land.

However, in order for us to do justice to this land, we have to make it a place of pilgrimage for all inhabitants of the earth so that everyone might gain his portion of virtue which this land has to offer, regardless of what they believe in, because we do not have any piece of land in living memory that possesses as much virtue nor as many benefits as Karbala. The main reason is that this land called Karbala is the resting place of al-Husayn, and thus is connected and joined to him.” 15

Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Al Kashif al-Ghita’, while explaining why it is preferable and desirable to prostrate on soil from Karbala, said, “One of the high motives and aims of preferring to prostrate on soil from Karbala is that when the person who is praying puts his forehead on this soil, he remembers the sacrifices that were made by Imam al-Husayn (as) and the love which he displayed when he was in the presence of Allah.

The man who is praying on the soil from Karbala becomes overwhelmed by such thoughts as how it is possible for a man to sacrifice as Imam al-Husayn (as) did for his beliefs and convictions, and stand up against the oppressors!

Considering the fact that prostration is the best posture where a servant of Allah finds himself in the presence of Allah, it is befitting that while in this state he remembers holy and pure souls; souls which sacrificed their lives in the way of their Beloved, Allah. At this moment, and with such thoughts, man acquires a condition of humility and modesty. Everything that is in this world will then appear low and abject before him.

With such thoughts, man’s soul acquires a strong mystical and spiritual attachment to Allah, like the station of conviction which was attained by Imam al-Husayn (as) and his companions. This is the benefit of betaking a strong connection with Imam al-Husayn (as) by means of prostrating on soil from Karbala.

It is for this reason that we read in narrations about Imam al-Husayn (as) that his clay (the soil of Karbala) removes the seven veils[hijab] . Therefore, in reality, prostration on the soil of Karbala is a secret for ascending from the earthly domain towards the Lord of lords…”16

‘Abd al-Razzaq Muqarram writes,“One of the methods that the Ahl al-Bayt (as) have employed to manifest the oppression which Imam al-Husayn (as) suffered is prostrating on soil from Karbala. This action has lots of hidden meanings.

The most important secret is that every time man’s eyes fall on the soil of Karbala as he performs his five daily prayers, he is reminded about Imam al-Husayn (as) and his companions and the sacrifices they made. It is clear that remembering such role models will produce remarkable psychological and spiritual effects in man’s soul…” 17

The grave of al-Husayn (as) is likened to the Holy Prophet’s (S)

At the beginning of this discussion, we mentioned the virtues and special qualities of the Holy Prophet’s (S) shrine and the whole area where his holy body rests. Now, we have to bring back to mind that the grave of Imam al-Husayn (as) is just like the Prophet’s (S), because Imam al-Husayn (as) is a part of the Holy Prophet (S). The Holy Prophet (S) said,

حسين منّي وأنا من حسين

“Al-Husayn is from me, and I am from al-Husayn.” 18

Umm al-Fadl recounts that she saw the Holy Prophet (S) in a dream. She dreamt that a part of the Holy Prophet’s (S) body had gotten separated from him and was placed in her lap.

When she asked the Holy Prophet (S) to interpret that dream, he said that a blessed son called al-Husayn (as) was going to be born from his daughter Fatimah al-Zahra (as). That son would later be raised on the lap of Umm al-Fadl.19

It follows therefore that if Imam al-Husayn is part of the Holy Prophet (S), the same kind of respect and status which is reserved for the Holy Prophet should also be reserved for him. If the soil from the Prophet’s grave is blessed, then soil from the grave of Imam al-Husayn is also blessed.

The virtues of clay from Karbala

1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrates from ‘Amir Shatibi,“I once accompanied ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib on a journey. He was traveling to Siffin. When he reached the valley of Naynawa, he shouted out, ‘O Aba ‘Abd Allah! Bear patiently near the River Euphrates.’ ‘Amir Shatibi says, ‘I asked him: why?’ ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) answered, ‘One day I went to visit the Holy Prophet and found him crying. I asked him, ‘O Prophet of Allah! Has anyone annoyed you? Why are you crying?’ The Holy Prophet (S) answered, ‘No one has annoyed me, but just a while ago the Archangel Gabriel left. He brought the news that al-Husayn will be martyred near the River Euphrates. Gabriel asked me if I wanted to smell the scent of that soil. I agreed. Then, he brought out a handful of soil from the place where al-Husayn will be martyred in Karbala. It was at that moment that I could not control myself and started crying.’’” 20

2. Umm Salamah says,“One day, the Prophet of Allah woke up in a very disturbed state. He slept again and once more woke up in the same agitated state. He repeated this three times. When he woke up for the third time, I saw him holding red soil in his hand. He was kissing it while shedding tears. I asked him, ‘O Prophet of Allah! What is that soil?’ He said, ‘Gabriel has informed me that my son al-Husayn will be martyred in Iraq. I asked Gabriel, ‘Show me the soil where al-Husayn will be martyred’ Gabriel brought this soil and gave it to me’.” 21

It is essential to point out that there is a difference between“the one for whom prostration is done” and“on what material it is done” . The Shi‘ahs do not consider the soil from Karbala to be“the one for whom prostration is done” .

On the contrary, they consider it to be“the material on which prostration is done” . This means that the Shi‘ahs do not prostrate for or to the soil of Imam al-Husayn. On the contrary, they prostrate before Allah, the Exalted, by using the soil of Imam al-Husayn (as) as a pure place where they place their foreheads (a medium of prostration). There is a clear distinction between these two.

References

1. Surat Al ‘Imran 3:96.

2. Surat al-Mu’minun 23:29.

3. Surat al-Anbiya’ 21:71.

4. Surat al-Nazi‘at 79:16.

5. Surat Ta Ha 20:12.

6. Surat al-Anbiya’ 21:81.

7. Surat al-Isra’ (or Bani Isra’il) 17:1.

8. Sahih Bukhari, vol. 6, p. 7, Kitab al-Maghazi.

9. Ibid., vol. 1, p. 90; Kitab al-Salat.

10. Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, vol. 3, p. 306.

11. Wafa’ al-Wafa’, vol. 1, p. 52.

12. Ibid., vol. 1, p. 385.

13. Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. 3, p. 111, hadith 2825.

14. Al-Sujud ‘ala al-Turbat al-Husayniyyah ‘inda al-Shi‘ah al-Imamiyyah, pp. 69-87.

15. Abu al-Shuhada, p. 145.

16. Al-Ard wa al-Turbat al-Husayniyyah, pp. 32-33.

17. Maqtal al-Husayn (as), pp. 103-104.

18. Al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, vol. 5, p. 658; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, vol. 4, p. 174; Ibn Majah, Sunan, hadith 144.

19. Al-Hakim al-Neyshaburi, Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 176.

20. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, vol. 2, p. 60.

21. Al-Hakim al-Neyshaburi, Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 4, p. 398.

Responses to Doubts

The Case of Adam (a.s .)

It will help us greatly if we, first of all, study the verses of the Qur'an about the creation of Adam, his stay in Paradise, and his coming to the earth.

Chapter 2 (al-Baqarah ) verses 30-39: The Creation

When your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a vicegerent on the earth,” the angels said, “Will You place on the earth the one who shall act wickedly in it and shed blood; whereas we sing Your praise and glorify You?” Allah said, “Surely I know what you do not know.”

And [after creating Adam] Allah taught Adam all the names. Then He presented those to the angels and said, “Tell me the names of these if you are true [in what your assumption that you are more superiorthan Adam].” They said, “Glorybe to You! We have no knowledge except whatYou have taught us. You are surely the All-Knowing, the Wise.” [Then] He said, “O Adam! Tell them the names of those [persons].” When Adam told them those names, Allah said [to the angels], “Didn't I say to you that I know the unseen things of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you manifest and what you hide.”

And [remember] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam.” All of them prostrated exceptIblis , who refused and was haughty, and [thus] he became one of the unbelievers.

In Paradise:

[After creatingHawwa }, We said, “O Adam, Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from it [freely] as many [things] as you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will become one of the ¨alimeen اَلظَّالِمِيْنَ .”

But theShaytan made them slip (اَزَلَّهُما ) from that [Garden by luring them to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree] and thus got them out from the state [of felicity] in which they had been.

SoWe said [to Adam,Hawwa , and theShaytan that, “All of you] get down [from the Garden to the earth] some of you being the enemies of the other, and there is on the earth your abode and the necessities [of life] for a [fixed period of] time.” [Adam felt ashamed and intended to ask Allah's forgiveness.]So Adam learnt some words from his Lord, and Allah turned to him mercifully (تَابَ عَلَيْهِ ).Surely He is the Most- Forgiving, the Merciful. We said, “All of you get down from the Garden. [Once you are on the earth],a guidance will certainly come to you from Me: whosoever follows My guidance, there will be no fear for them nor shall they grieve. But those who disbelieve and rejectOur revelation, they are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide.”

Chapter 7 (al-A'râf ) verses 19-25

[Allah said,] “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from wherever you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will become one of the ¨alimeen اَلظَّالِمِيْنَ ”

Then theShaytan instilled temptation into themso as to reveal to them their private parts that were hidden from them. He said, “Your Lord has only prohibited you from this tree lest you both become rulers, or lest you become immortals.” [To ensure that his temptation will work, theShaytan ] swore to them both that, “Truly, I am a sincere adviser for you.”Thus he misled them by delusion.

So when they tasted [the fruit of] the tree, their private parts became manifest to them, and both of them started to cover themselves with the leaves of the Garden. Their Lord called out to them, “Did I not prohibit both of you from this tree and say to you that theShaytan is your open enemy?”

They said, “Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves (¨alamna ظلمنا أنفُسَنا ); and ifYou do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall surely be among the losers.”

Allah said, “Get down [to the earth], some of you being the enemies of the others; and there is on the earth your abode and necessities [of life] for a time.” He said, “Therein you shall live, therein you shall die, and from it you shall be raised [again].”

Chapter 20 (Ta Ha) verses 116-126

And [remember] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” all of them prostrated exceptIblis who refused and was haughty.

Therefore,We said, “O Adam!this [Shaytan ] is an enemy to you and your wife. So do not let him expel you from the Garden, otherwise you will be uncomfortable (تشقى ): in it [i.e., the Garden] you shall neither be hungry nor naked, and you shall neither be thirsty therein nor struck by the sun's rays.”

But theShaytan instilled temptation to him by saying, “O Adam! Shall I guide you to the tree of immortality and a kingdom which will not decline?” When [they] both ate of that tree, their private parts became manifest to them and both of them started to cover themselves with the leaves of the Garden.

Adam disobeyed (عَصى ) his Lord, and so he erred (غوى ). Then his Lord chose him, and then He turned to him and guided him.

[Then] Allah said [toShaytan and Adam], “You both get down from this [Garden}, some of you being the enemies of the other. [On the earth], a guidance will certainly come to you fromMe , and then whosoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor will he be unhappy. But whosoever turns away fromMy reminder, then he shall surely have a wretched life and we shall resurrect him blind.”

Review of Adam’s Story

1. According to the experts of Islamic jurisprudence, the orders given by Allah are of two types:

Al-amr al-mawlawi , a legislative command. Such ordersmust be implemented ; and, if someone disobeys such a command, then he is committing a sin and is liable to be punished. For example, the command to “say the daily prayers” or “do not eat the pork” is of such nature. Neglecting the daily prayers or eating of the pork is a sin and Allah can rightly punish the sinner.

Al-amr al-irshadi , an advisory command. Such orders are of advisory nature; their purpose is to inform the people about its consequences. However, if someone disobeys such an order, then he is not committing a sin; of course, he will have to face the consequences of not following the advice. For example, the command to “saybismillah when you slaughter the chicken” is of advisory nature.

Now, if someone slaughters the chicken and neglects thesaying of “bismillah ,” then has he committed asin? No, he has not committed a sin nor is he liable for a punishment for not saying the “bismillah ” at that time. However, he will lose the right to eat that chicken;that chicken cannot be eaten by a Muslim .

Another example: a person comes to his doctor complaining of cough. The doctor advises his patient to drink a certain medicine, a cough syrup. Now if the patient ignores that advice, then he is not committing a sin or a crime; but he will surely suffer the consequence - his illness will be prolonged and his health might deteriorate.

Conclusion: not all commands of Allah are of obligatory or prohibitive nature. The advice given to Adam andHawwa was not of the legislative nature. It was not that that particular tree and its fruit themselveswere forbidden . The prohibition of going near that tree and eating its fruit was al-amr al-irshadi .And going against such an order is not a sin; at most, the doer will have to face the consequences of ignoring that advice. In case of Adam and his wife, the consequence they faced was cancellation of their tenure as guests of Allah in the Paradise and its comforts. Remember that they were not supposed to stay in the Paradise forever; theywere created for the earth, and their stay in the Paradise was meant to be temporary.

2. The Garden/Paradise is not the place for test and trial.It is this earth on which human beings have been destined to go through test and trial by obeying the commands of Allah. The concept of sinning in case of human beingsis connected to the worldly life.

In the story of Adam itself, Allah makes this point clear when He orders Adam to go to the earth - He said,

“You both get down from this [Garden], some of you being the enemies of the other. [On the earth], a guidance will certainly come to you fromMe , and then whosoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor will he be unhappy. But whosoever turns away fromMy reminder, then he shall surely have a wretched life and we shall resurrect him blind.” (20:126)

The order given to Adam in Heaven is not same as the orders given to human beings in this world -it is disobedience of the orders given on this earth that constitutes sin .

Finally, theShaytan himself knows that he does not have the power to mislead the prophets, the messengers, and those whoare graced with purity by Almighty Himself. Whenhe was given respite by Allah , he declared the following:

“So I swear by Your Might (O Lord) that I will surely mislead them all together except the devoted servants ofYours from among them.” (38:82-3; 15:39-40)

And Allah responds to him by saying,

“…As for my servants, you have no power over them except those who follow you from among the misled people…” (15:41)

The Satan himself knew the limitation of his influence upon the chosen servants of Allah in this world.

3. Those who believe that Adam committed a sin, describe the eating of the forbidden fruit as the “sin” and Adam's expulsion from the heaven as the “punishment”. However, this relationship between the sin and its punishment is not valid because of two reasons:

Firstly, Adam was destined to come to the earth anyway. Allah had declared even before creating Adam that “I want to place a vicegerent on the earth.” So coming of Adam to the earth is not a punishment; whether or not he ate the forbidden fruit, Adam would have come to the earth anyway.So that was not a punishment.

Secondly, if coming of Adam to the earth was a “punishment” of eating the forbidden fruit, then heshould have been returned to the paradise after Allah “forgave” him. Forgivenessmeans “canceling the punishment” - Adam should have been taken back to the paradise. This did not happen, which proves that Adam's coming to the earth was not a “punishment”; and eating was not a “sin”.

4. What about the words in the story Adamthat imply that he committed sin?

After studying the issue of 'ismah from theQur'anic point of view, if we come across such words we have to interpret them in a way that they are in harmony with the other verses of the Qur'an. Now let us look at three such words that have occurred in the story of Adam.

First: theword ” ¨alimeen الظالمين " is from ¨ulm ظلم This word has four meanings: (a) to put something in a wrong place; (b) to oppress; (c) to make haste; and (d) to come to harm.1

We see that the last two meanings of the word are in harmony with what we explained about 'ismah . For example, verse 2:35 would read like this:

We said, “O Adam, Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from it [freely] as many [things] as you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will be one of those who put themselves into harm.”

Here, “harm” would mean facing the difficulties of the earthly life and losing the comforts of the heaven.

or

"…otherwise, you will be one of those who make haste.” Here, “making haste” would mean that they were eventually to go to the earth but by eating from the forbiddentree they hastened their departure to a place where they will lose the comforts of the Garden.

This meaning of the word ¨alimeen الظالمين is supported by the next verse that says that theShaytan “got them out from the state [of comfort] in which they had been.”Also the verse 20:117 supports this interpretation: “O Adam!this [Shaytan ] is an enemy to you and your wife. So do not let him expel you from the Garden, otherwise you will be uncomfortable: in it [i.e., the Garden] you shall neither be hungry nor naked, and you shall neither be thirsty therein nor struck by the sun's rays.” In other words, here food,clothing and shelter are readily provided for you; you will lose these comforts on the earth. Here everythingis provided but there you will have to work for yourselves.

Second: the word عَصَى means “disobeyed”. This does not necessarily imply sin because disobediencecan be attributed to two types of commands: al-amr al-mawlawi (a legislative command) or al-amr al-irshadi (an advisory command). If a person goes against the advisory command, then he has “disobeyed” but not “sinned”. We have already explained that commands of Allah do not always have the force of obligation or prohibition.And , by keeping in mind those verses which prove the 'ismah , we have no choice but to interpret this word as “disobeyed the advisory command”.

Third: Similarly, the word غَوَىmeans “he erred”.But this does not necessarily mean sin. Itcan easily be applied to at-tarku 'l-awla which is possible for a prophet to do. At-tarku 'l-awla (ترك الأولى )means “leaving the more appropriatebehaviour ”. “Adam erred” would mean that even if the command of Allah did not carry the force of legislative prohibition, still Adam should have obeyed it. In disregarding the advisory command of Allah, Adam is guilty not of a sin but of not living up to the appropriatebehaviour which is expected from a prophet or messenger of God.

5. If Adam did not commit a sin, then whydoes Allah talk about repentance for Adam and forgiveness from Himself, and uses so strong words as

الظالمين and عصى etc?

Firstly,When a prophet like Adam commits at-tarku 'l-awla , it is quite appropriate for him to ask Allah for pardon - not necessarily for a sin but for an inappropriatebehaviour . So “repenting” does not necessarily mean that Adam must have committed a sin; it is quite appropriate rather advisable even after committing at-tarku 'l-awla .

Secondly, the use of harsh words by Allah in describing the story of Adam is acceptable by keeping in mind the status of Adam. Although Adam did not commit a sin, it was improper for him to adopt an inappropriatebehaviour . The people with high ranksare expected to live by the standard that is higher than that of the normal human beings. As the saying goes: the virtuous deeds of the pious are considered 'sins' by those who are nearest to God -hasanâtu 'l-abrâr sayyi'âtu 'l-muqarrabin .

Note

1. See al-Munjid , the famous Arabic dictionary that gives following meanings to ad-dulm :

الجور، وضع الشيء في غير موضعه، كل ما أعجلته عن أوانه،

The Case of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s .)

There are some verses in the Qur'an that apparently attribute sins and wrong doings to Prophet Ibrahim (a.s .). We shall look at the three most important such examples.

Chapter 6 (al-An'am ) verses 75-80

[Remember] when Ibrahim said to his uncle,Azar , “Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.”Thus We were showing Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth so that he might be of (al-muqinin ) those who are sure [of their faith].

So when the night outspread over Ibrahim, he saw a star; he said, “This is my Lord.” But when the star set [in the morning,] he said, ” [This cannot be my Lord because it has passed away,] I do not like the transitory [gods].”

[On the next night,] when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This is my Lord.”But when the moon set he said, “If my Lord had not guided me, then I shall surely be of (adh-dhaliyn ) the people who have gone astray.”

[In the morning,] when Ibrahim saw the sun rising, he said, “This must be my Lord [because] this is greater [than the star and the moon!]”But when the sun set, he said, “O my people, surely I am free from what you associate [with Allah.] I have sincerely turned myself to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of the polytheists.”

Many historians of religion take Ibrahim as the founder of the monotheistic idea. This definitely goes against the Islamic view that monotheism was the original faithof mankind from the days of Adam (a.s .), and that later on people became polytheists.

TheQur'anic statements quoted abovehave been used as a proof of the evolutionary phases in Ibrahim from polytheism to monotheism. This is, obviously, an incorrect reading of the Qur'an.

1. This entire passage quoted above actually shows that Prophet Ibrahim was actively engaged in combating idol - andnature-worshipping . Reading the whole passage does not raise any problem about the 'ismah of Prophet Ibrahim. He did not raise the possibility of the star, themoon and the sun being gods as a fact; it was raised only as a part of his method of disproving such a possibility. In debates, it is quite commonto initially accept the view of your opponent in order to lead him to your own view.

If you read the first part of the passage where Ibrahim is disputing with his own uncle1 against idol-worshipping and also Allah's statement that “We were showing…so that he might be of those who are sure [of their faith],” it shows that he was a true believer before he engaged in debate with the idol- and nature-worshippers.

2. Even the passage where he says, “If my Lord had not guided me, then I shall surely be of the people who have gone astray,” is a conditional statement. It says “if” and “then”. And since the first part did not take place, therefore the second part is not relevant.

Chapter 21 (al-Anbiya ') verses 62-63

In pursuant of his mission againstidol-worshipping , Ibrahim one day smashed all the all idols of the temple except the big one. Then the Qur'an says:

[The idol-worshippers] said, “Who has done this to our gods? He surely must be one of the unjust people.” [Some of them] said, “We have heard a youth speaking [ill] of them, and he is known as Ibrahim.” …

[When Ibrahim was brought to the king,] he said, “Rather it wasthis their leader that has done it - ask the [smashed idols] if they can speak.”

The objection against 'ismah is that if Ibrahim wasma'sum , howcould he lie? Again, if we look at the entire passage, we see that Ibrahim wanted to make his people realize that idols are not worth worshipping - if they cannot defend themselves or even talk, then how can they help you.

Secondly,Ibrâhím's answer is conditional: ” …if they can speak.”Ibrâhím's answer was rhetorical and intended to force the people to think. This becomes clearer from the following verse: 21:65-66

…They said, “You know that the idols do not speak.” Ibrahim said, “Well then, do you worship, besides Allah, [the idols] that neither benefit you in any way nor harm you.”

Chapter 2 (al-Baqarah ) Verse 260

And [remember] when Ibrahim said, “My Lord! Show me howYou give life to the dead.” Allah said, “What, do you not believe [in resurrection]?” He answered, “Certainly [I believe, I am asking this] so that my heart may be at ease.”

Allah said, “Take four of the birds….”

Some people use this incident as a proof that Ibrahim did not believe in resurrection. This isabsolutely incorrect . The question and answer are themselvesvery obvious that he believed. “Certainly [I believe].”

Then why did he ask for a demonstration of resurrection?

Firstly, Ibrahim surely believed in God's power of giving life to dead. However, this was a belief based on the revelation of Allah just as we believe in it based on the information reached to us through the prophets and the Imams.

Secondly, Ibrahim wanted to elevate the level of his belief from “information” to “demonstration”. According to traditions, one day Ibrahim saw a dead fish, half in the water, the other half outside the water. He also saw that sea creatures were eating awayone half of the fish and land animals were eating away the other half. This incident made Ibrahim wonder about the issue of resurrection. We are using the word “wonder” not “doubt ”. This is when he had the desire of seeing a demonstration of Allah's power of resurrection, andthis also explains the way Allah asked him to kill and mix the parts of the four birds.

In conclusion, Ibrahim believed in resurrection before as well as after this event. The difference is that his belief prior to this eventwas based on the information about the future revealed to him by God; whereas after this event, his belief in resurrection was based on visual demonstration done by him with Allah's permission. This is similar to a Muslim who has been to hajj: before his journey, he believed that theKa'bah existed; but the basis of his belief changed after his journey - now he has seen theKa'bah with his own eyes.

Note

1. The Qur'an uses the word “ab ” forAzar who was an idol-worshipper. He was not father of Ibrahim; he was his uncle. Look at the following verse where he eventually disassociates himself fromAzar : 9:114. On the other hand, we see that Ibrahim, at the last stage of his life, prays for his “walid ,” a word that is used for the real father. See verse 14:41.

The Case of Prophet Musa (a.s .)

Chapter 28 (al-Qasas ) Verses 15-16

And he entered the city at a time when its people were not aware [of his presence], and found therein two men fighting: one was from his party and the other was from his enemies. [When] the one who was his follower [sawMúsa , he] cried out to him for help against the one who was from his enemies. SoMúsa [went and] struck him with his fist and killed him.

[ThenMúsa ] said, “This isShaytan's deed (عمل الشيطان ); surely he is an open enemy who leads [others] astray.” [Músa ] said, “My Lord! I surely have been (ظلمتُ نَفسي ) unjust to myself; therefore (فاغفر لي ) forgive me.” So [Allah]( غ َفَرَ ) forgave him; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

The common translation of the last verse combined with the statement about theShaytan creates conflict with the concept of 'ismah , infallibility. When reading these verses, keep the following points in mind:

WhatMúsa did was not a crime; he went to help an oppressed person and, in the process, struck a blow with his fist at the oppressor. This ended, unexpectedly, in the death of the oppressor. Helping an oppressed person is a praiseworthy act in itself. The death of the oppressor, at most,can be labeled as accidental death that is not a crime or a sin.

Músa's words that “This isShaytan's deed” does not necessarily refer to his own action. Remember that theShaytan himself knew his limits; he says to Allah,

“…I will certainly mislead them all together except the devoted servants ofYour's from among them.” (38:82-83)

And Allah says to theShaytan ,

“…As for my servants, you have no power over them except those who follow you from among the misled people….” (15:41)

And Músa surely was not among the misled servants of Allah!

So the sentence that “this isShaytan's deed” refers to the mischief started by the oppressor himself.

As for the sentence that “My Lord I have surely been unjust to myself,” thismust be interpreted in light of the meaning ofdhulm explained in the case of Prophet Adam (a.s .). Its correct translation wouldbe: “My Lord I surely have put myself into harm” - after the accidental death of the oppressor,Músa was pursued by the people ofFir'awn .

Then how do you explain the sentence after that which says that “ighfir li ” which means “forgive me” and “ghafara ” which means that Allah “forgave him”?

Again, the common meaning ofghafara (forgiving) is not applicable here. The word “ghafara ” also means “to watch over someone” or “to guard someone” or “to cover something [i.e., protect it]”. This second meaning does not imply any sin; it just means that by accidentally killing the oppressor,Músa found himself in harm and trouble from the people ofFir'awn ; and, therefore, he prays ”…therefore, guard me and Allah guarded him.”

This meaning of the last sentence is also supported by another verse of theQur'an which quotes Allah saying toMúsa that, “…when you killed an [Egyptian] man [accidentally and were being pursued byFir'awn's people], We delivered you from the worry…” (20:40)So thedhulm is explained in this verse as “worry”; and “ghafara ” is explained as “delivered”.

The Case of ProphetYunus (a.s .)

Anotherverse which is considered to be incompatible with the concept of 'ismah is about ProphetYúnus (a.s .).

Chapter 21 (al-Anbiya ') verses 87-88:

And (remember)Yúnus , when he went away in anger; and he thought that We would never have power over him (naqdira ). Then he called in the darkness [of night, sea, and fish]: “There is no god butYou , glory be to Thee; surely I am one of the unjust (¨alimeen ).

So We responded to him and delivered him from the grief, and thus do We deliver the believers.

The common translation of the wordsnaqdira and ¨alimeen make these two verses incompatible with the concept of 'ismah .

1. The first question against 'ismah in this passage is about the action of ProphetYúnus : he left his people when the punishment subsided without him knowing about it. WasYúnus angryat Allah?

The most that this verse says is thatYúnus went away in anger; it does not say that he was angry with Allah.So we have no choice but to interpret this verse by saying thatYúnus left the people while he was angry with them for not believing him.

2. The second question is about the sentence: “He thought thatWe would never have power (naqdira ) over him.” Some people have taken the wordnaqdira in the meaning of “having power,” thus imply thatYúnus went away in anger thinking that God “would never have power over him”.

Firstly, if this meaningis to be taken seriously, thenYúnus would become akafir , an unbeliever!

Secondly, the wordnaqdira (which is fromqadr ) has been used many times in the Qur'an for “restricting of the provision” by Allah. For example, in chapter 13, verse 26, Allah says, “Allah expands and straitens (yaqdiru ) the provision for whomsoever He pleases.”Or , for instance, in chapter 89, verses 15-16, Allah says: “As for man: when his Lord tries him by treating him withhonour and giving him an easy life, he says 'My Lordshonours me.' But when He tries him by straitening (qadara ) his provision for him he says, 'My Lord has disgraced me.'”

In conclusion, we can say that the first sentence of the passage under discussion means: And (remember)Yúnus , when he went away in anger; and he thought thatWe would never straiten [the provision] over him.” This, at most, means thatYúnus thought that because he was God's prophet, his Lord would never straiten his provision for him; he had taken Allah's provision for granted. It has nothing to do with issue of Allah having no power over him.

3. IfYúnus had committed no sin by leaving his people, then why did he say that, “surely I am one of the ¨alimeen , the unjust”?

As mentioned earlier in the case of Prophet Adam (a.s .), the word ¨ulm does not necessarily imply “injustice” and “sin”. It also means “to make haste” and “to come to harm”. Any of these two meanings are compatible with the concept of 'ismah and also correct in the case of ProphetYúnus .

The verse would then mean as follows: “There is no god butYou , glory be to Thee; surely I am one of those who make haste” or “There is no god but You, glory be to Thee; surely I am one of those who come to harm”.

This explanation is further supported by the next verse in which Allah says, “So We responded to him and delivered him from the grief, and thus doWe deliver the believers.” The ¨ulm mentioned in the prayer ofYúnus is explained by Allahas ” al-ghamm - grief”, and not as sin or injustice; that is why Allah said ”najjayna - delivered” and not “forgiven”.

The Case of Adam (a.s .)

It will help us greatly if we, first of all, study the verses of the Qur'an about the creation of Adam, his stay in Paradise, and his coming to the earth.

Chapter 2 (al-Baqarah ) verses 30-39: The Creation

When your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a vicegerent on the earth,” the angels said, “Will You place on the earth the one who shall act wickedly in it and shed blood; whereas we sing Your praise and glorify You?” Allah said, “Surely I know what you do not know.”

And [after creating Adam] Allah taught Adam all the names. Then He presented those to the angels and said, “Tell me the names of these if you are true [in what your assumption that you are more superiorthan Adam].” They said, “Glorybe to You! We have no knowledge except whatYou have taught us. You are surely the All-Knowing, the Wise.” [Then] He said, “O Adam! Tell them the names of those [persons].” When Adam told them those names, Allah said [to the angels], “Didn't I say to you that I know the unseen things of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you manifest and what you hide.”

And [remember] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam.” All of them prostrated exceptIblis , who refused and was haughty, and [thus] he became one of the unbelievers.

In Paradise:

[After creatingHawwa }, We said, “O Adam, Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from it [freely] as many [things] as you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will become one of the ¨alimeen اَلظَّالِمِيْنَ .”

But theShaytan made them slip (اَزَلَّهُما ) from that [Garden by luring them to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree] and thus got them out from the state [of felicity] in which they had been.

SoWe said [to Adam,Hawwa , and theShaytan that, “All of you] get down [from the Garden to the earth] some of you being the enemies of the other, and there is on the earth your abode and the necessities [of life] for a [fixed period of] time.” [Adam felt ashamed and intended to ask Allah's forgiveness.]So Adam learnt some words from his Lord, and Allah turned to him mercifully (تَابَ عَلَيْهِ ).Surely He is the Most- Forgiving, the Merciful. We said, “All of you get down from the Garden. [Once you are on the earth],a guidance will certainly come to you from Me: whosoever follows My guidance, there will be no fear for them nor shall they grieve. But those who disbelieve and rejectOur revelation, they are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide.”

Chapter 7 (al-A'râf ) verses 19-25

[Allah said,] “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from wherever you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will become one of the ¨alimeen اَلظَّالِمِيْنَ ”

Then theShaytan instilled temptation into themso as to reveal to them their private parts that were hidden from them. He said, “Your Lord has only prohibited you from this tree lest you both become rulers, or lest you become immortals.” [To ensure that his temptation will work, theShaytan ] swore to them both that, “Truly, I am a sincere adviser for you.”Thus he misled them by delusion.

So when they tasted [the fruit of] the tree, their private parts became manifest to them, and both of them started to cover themselves with the leaves of the Garden. Their Lord called out to them, “Did I not prohibit both of you from this tree and say to you that theShaytan is your open enemy?”

They said, “Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves (¨alamna ظلمنا أنفُسَنا ); and ifYou do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall surely be among the losers.”

Allah said, “Get down [to the earth], some of you being the enemies of the others; and there is on the earth your abode and necessities [of life] for a time.” He said, “Therein you shall live, therein you shall die, and from it you shall be raised [again].”

Chapter 20 (Ta Ha) verses 116-126

And [remember] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” all of them prostrated exceptIblis who refused and was haughty.

Therefore,We said, “O Adam!this [Shaytan ] is an enemy to you and your wife. So do not let him expel you from the Garden, otherwise you will be uncomfortable (تشقى ): in it [i.e., the Garden] you shall neither be hungry nor naked, and you shall neither be thirsty therein nor struck by the sun's rays.”

But theShaytan instilled temptation to him by saying, “O Adam! Shall I guide you to the tree of immortality and a kingdom which will not decline?” When [they] both ate of that tree, their private parts became manifest to them and both of them started to cover themselves with the leaves of the Garden.

Adam disobeyed (عَصى ) his Lord, and so he erred (غوى ). Then his Lord chose him, and then He turned to him and guided him.

[Then] Allah said [toShaytan and Adam], “You both get down from this [Garden}, some of you being the enemies of the other. [On the earth], a guidance will certainly come to you fromMe , and then whosoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor will he be unhappy. But whosoever turns away fromMy reminder, then he shall surely have a wretched life and we shall resurrect him blind.”

Review of Adam’s Story

1. According to the experts of Islamic jurisprudence, the orders given by Allah are of two types:

Al-amr al-mawlawi , a legislative command. Such ordersmust be implemented ; and, if someone disobeys such a command, then he is committing a sin and is liable to be punished. For example, the command to “say the daily prayers” or “do not eat the pork” is of such nature. Neglecting the daily prayers or eating of the pork is a sin and Allah can rightly punish the sinner.

Al-amr al-irshadi , an advisory command. Such orders are of advisory nature; their purpose is to inform the people about its consequences. However, if someone disobeys such an order, then he is not committing a sin; of course, he will have to face the consequences of not following the advice. For example, the command to “saybismillah when you slaughter the chicken” is of advisory nature.

Now, if someone slaughters the chicken and neglects thesaying of “bismillah ,” then has he committed asin? No, he has not committed a sin nor is he liable for a punishment for not saying the “bismillah ” at that time. However, he will lose the right to eat that chicken;that chicken cannot be eaten by a Muslim .

Another example: a person comes to his doctor complaining of cough. The doctor advises his patient to drink a certain medicine, a cough syrup. Now if the patient ignores that advice, then he is not committing a sin or a crime; but he will surely suffer the consequence - his illness will be prolonged and his health might deteriorate.

Conclusion: not all commands of Allah are of obligatory or prohibitive nature. The advice given to Adam andHawwa was not of the legislative nature. It was not that that particular tree and its fruit themselveswere forbidden . The prohibition of going near that tree and eating its fruit was al-amr al-irshadi .And going against such an order is not a sin; at most, the doer will have to face the consequences of ignoring that advice. In case of Adam and his wife, the consequence they faced was cancellation of their tenure as guests of Allah in the Paradise and its comforts. Remember that they were not supposed to stay in the Paradise forever; theywere created for the earth, and their stay in the Paradise was meant to be temporary.

2. The Garden/Paradise is not the place for test and trial.It is this earth on which human beings have been destined to go through test and trial by obeying the commands of Allah. The concept of sinning in case of human beingsis connected to the worldly life.

In the story of Adam itself, Allah makes this point clear when He orders Adam to go to the earth - He said,

“You both get down from this [Garden], some of you being the enemies of the other. [On the earth], a guidance will certainly come to you fromMe , and then whosoever follows My guidance, he shall not go astray nor will he be unhappy. But whosoever turns away fromMy reminder, then he shall surely have a wretched life and we shall resurrect him blind.” (20:126)

The order given to Adam in Heaven is not same as the orders given to human beings in this world -it is disobedience of the orders given on this earth that constitutes sin .

Finally, theShaytan himself knows that he does not have the power to mislead the prophets, the messengers, and those whoare graced with purity by Almighty Himself. Whenhe was given respite by Allah , he declared the following:

“So I swear by Your Might (O Lord) that I will surely mislead them all together except the devoted servants ofYours from among them.” (38:82-3; 15:39-40)

And Allah responds to him by saying,

“…As for my servants, you have no power over them except those who follow you from among the misled people…” (15:41)

The Satan himself knew the limitation of his influence upon the chosen servants of Allah in this world.

3. Those who believe that Adam committed a sin, describe the eating of the forbidden fruit as the “sin” and Adam's expulsion from the heaven as the “punishment”. However, this relationship between the sin and its punishment is not valid because of two reasons:

Firstly, Adam was destined to come to the earth anyway. Allah had declared even before creating Adam that “I want to place a vicegerent on the earth.” So coming of Adam to the earth is not a punishment; whether or not he ate the forbidden fruit, Adam would have come to the earth anyway.So that was not a punishment.

Secondly, if coming of Adam to the earth was a “punishment” of eating the forbidden fruit, then heshould have been returned to the paradise after Allah “forgave” him. Forgivenessmeans “canceling the punishment” - Adam should have been taken back to the paradise. This did not happen, which proves that Adam's coming to the earth was not a “punishment”; and eating was not a “sin”.

4. What about the words in the story Adamthat imply that he committed sin?

After studying the issue of 'ismah from theQur'anic point of view, if we come across such words we have to interpret them in a way that they are in harmony with the other verses of the Qur'an. Now let us look at three such words that have occurred in the story of Adam.

First: theword ” ¨alimeen الظالمين " is from ¨ulm ظلم This word has four meanings: (a) to put something in a wrong place; (b) to oppress; (c) to make haste; and (d) to come to harm.1

We see that the last two meanings of the word are in harmony with what we explained about 'ismah . For example, verse 2:35 would read like this:

We said, “O Adam, Dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat from it [freely] as many [things] as you wish; but do not approach this tree, otherwise you will be one of those who put themselves into harm.”

Here, “harm” would mean facing the difficulties of the earthly life and losing the comforts of the heaven.

or

"…otherwise, you will be one of those who make haste.” Here, “making haste” would mean that they were eventually to go to the earth but by eating from the forbiddentree they hastened their departure to a place where they will lose the comforts of the Garden.

This meaning of the word ¨alimeen الظالمين is supported by the next verse that says that theShaytan “got them out from the state [of comfort] in which they had been.”Also the verse 20:117 supports this interpretation: “O Adam!this [Shaytan ] is an enemy to you and your wife. So do not let him expel you from the Garden, otherwise you will be uncomfortable: in it [i.e., the Garden] you shall neither be hungry nor naked, and you shall neither be thirsty therein nor struck by the sun's rays.” In other words, here food,clothing and shelter are readily provided for you; you will lose these comforts on the earth. Here everythingis provided but there you will have to work for yourselves.

Second: the word عَصَى means “disobeyed”. This does not necessarily imply sin because disobediencecan be attributed to two types of commands: al-amr al-mawlawi (a legislative command) or al-amr al-irshadi (an advisory command). If a person goes against the advisory command, then he has “disobeyed” but not “sinned”. We have already explained that commands of Allah do not always have the force of obligation or prohibition.And , by keeping in mind those verses which prove the 'ismah , we have no choice but to interpret this word as “disobeyed the advisory command”.

Third: Similarly, the word غَوَىmeans “he erred”.But this does not necessarily mean sin. Itcan easily be applied to at-tarku 'l-awla which is possible for a prophet to do. At-tarku 'l-awla (ترك الأولى )means “leaving the more appropriatebehaviour ”. “Adam erred” would mean that even if the command of Allah did not carry the force of legislative prohibition, still Adam should have obeyed it. In disregarding the advisory command of Allah, Adam is guilty not of a sin but of not living up to the appropriatebehaviour which is expected from a prophet or messenger of God.

5. If Adam did not commit a sin, then whydoes Allah talk about repentance for Adam and forgiveness from Himself, and uses so strong words as

الظالمين and عصى etc?

Firstly,When a prophet like Adam commits at-tarku 'l-awla , it is quite appropriate for him to ask Allah for pardon - not necessarily for a sin but for an inappropriatebehaviour . So “repenting” does not necessarily mean that Adam must have committed a sin; it is quite appropriate rather advisable even after committing at-tarku 'l-awla .

Secondly, the use of harsh words by Allah in describing the story of Adam is acceptable by keeping in mind the status of Adam. Although Adam did not commit a sin, it was improper for him to adopt an inappropriatebehaviour . The people with high ranksare expected to live by the standard that is higher than that of the normal human beings. As the saying goes: the virtuous deeds of the pious are considered 'sins' by those who are nearest to God -hasanâtu 'l-abrâr sayyi'âtu 'l-muqarrabin .

Note

1. See al-Munjid , the famous Arabic dictionary that gives following meanings to ad-dulm :

الجور، وضع الشيء في غير موضعه، كل ما أعجلته عن أوانه،

The Case of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s .)

There are some verses in the Qur'an that apparently attribute sins and wrong doings to Prophet Ibrahim (a.s .). We shall look at the three most important such examples.

Chapter 6 (al-An'am ) verses 75-80

[Remember] when Ibrahim said to his uncle,Azar , “Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.”Thus We were showing Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth so that he might be of (al-muqinin ) those who are sure [of their faith].

So when the night outspread over Ibrahim, he saw a star; he said, “This is my Lord.” But when the star set [in the morning,] he said, ” [This cannot be my Lord because it has passed away,] I do not like the transitory [gods].”

[On the next night,] when he saw the moon rising, he said, “This is my Lord.”But when the moon set he said, “If my Lord had not guided me, then I shall surely be of (adh-dhaliyn ) the people who have gone astray.”

[In the morning,] when Ibrahim saw the sun rising, he said, “This must be my Lord [because] this is greater [than the star and the moon!]”But when the sun set, he said, “O my people, surely I am free from what you associate [with Allah.] I have sincerely turned myself to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of the polytheists.”

Many historians of religion take Ibrahim as the founder of the monotheistic idea. This definitely goes against the Islamic view that monotheism was the original faithof mankind from the days of Adam (a.s .), and that later on people became polytheists.

TheQur'anic statements quoted abovehave been used as a proof of the evolutionary phases in Ibrahim from polytheism to monotheism. This is, obviously, an incorrect reading of the Qur'an.

1. This entire passage quoted above actually shows that Prophet Ibrahim was actively engaged in combating idol - andnature-worshipping . Reading the whole passage does not raise any problem about the 'ismah of Prophet Ibrahim. He did not raise the possibility of the star, themoon and the sun being gods as a fact; it was raised only as a part of his method of disproving such a possibility. In debates, it is quite commonto initially accept the view of your opponent in order to lead him to your own view.

If you read the first part of the passage where Ibrahim is disputing with his own uncle1 against idol-worshipping and also Allah's statement that “We were showing…so that he might be of those who are sure [of their faith],” it shows that he was a true believer before he engaged in debate with the idol- and nature-worshippers.

2. Even the passage where he says, “If my Lord had not guided me, then I shall surely be of the people who have gone astray,” is a conditional statement. It says “if” and “then”. And since the first part did not take place, therefore the second part is not relevant.

Chapter 21 (al-Anbiya ') verses 62-63

In pursuant of his mission againstidol-worshipping , Ibrahim one day smashed all the all idols of the temple except the big one. Then the Qur'an says:

[The idol-worshippers] said, “Who has done this to our gods? He surely must be one of the unjust people.” [Some of them] said, “We have heard a youth speaking [ill] of them, and he is known as Ibrahim.” …

[When Ibrahim was brought to the king,] he said, “Rather it wasthis their leader that has done it - ask the [smashed idols] if they can speak.”

The objection against 'ismah is that if Ibrahim wasma'sum , howcould he lie? Again, if we look at the entire passage, we see that Ibrahim wanted to make his people realize that idols are not worth worshipping - if they cannot defend themselves or even talk, then how can they help you.

Secondly,Ibrâhím's answer is conditional: ” …if they can speak.”Ibrâhím's answer was rhetorical and intended to force the people to think. This becomes clearer from the following verse: 21:65-66

…They said, “You know that the idols do not speak.” Ibrahim said, “Well then, do you worship, besides Allah, [the idols] that neither benefit you in any way nor harm you.”

Chapter 2 (al-Baqarah ) Verse 260

And [remember] when Ibrahim said, “My Lord! Show me howYou give life to the dead.” Allah said, “What, do you not believe [in resurrection]?” He answered, “Certainly [I believe, I am asking this] so that my heart may be at ease.”

Allah said, “Take four of the birds….”

Some people use this incident as a proof that Ibrahim did not believe in resurrection. This isabsolutely incorrect . The question and answer are themselvesvery obvious that he believed. “Certainly [I believe].”

Then why did he ask for a demonstration of resurrection?

Firstly, Ibrahim surely believed in God's power of giving life to dead. However, this was a belief based on the revelation of Allah just as we believe in it based on the information reached to us through the prophets and the Imams.

Secondly, Ibrahim wanted to elevate the level of his belief from “information” to “demonstration”. According to traditions, one day Ibrahim saw a dead fish, half in the water, the other half outside the water. He also saw that sea creatures were eating awayone half of the fish and land animals were eating away the other half. This incident made Ibrahim wonder about the issue of resurrection. We are using the word “wonder” not “doubt ”. This is when he had the desire of seeing a demonstration of Allah's power of resurrection, andthis also explains the way Allah asked him to kill and mix the parts of the four birds.

In conclusion, Ibrahim believed in resurrection before as well as after this event. The difference is that his belief prior to this eventwas based on the information about the future revealed to him by God; whereas after this event, his belief in resurrection was based on visual demonstration done by him with Allah's permission. This is similar to a Muslim who has been to hajj: before his journey, he believed that theKa'bah existed; but the basis of his belief changed after his journey - now he has seen theKa'bah with his own eyes.

Note

1. The Qur'an uses the word “ab ” forAzar who was an idol-worshipper. He was not father of Ibrahim; he was his uncle. Look at the following verse where he eventually disassociates himself fromAzar : 9:114. On the other hand, we see that Ibrahim, at the last stage of his life, prays for his “walid ,” a word that is used for the real father. See verse 14:41.

The Case of Prophet Musa (a.s .)

Chapter 28 (al-Qasas ) Verses 15-16

And he entered the city at a time when its people were not aware [of his presence], and found therein two men fighting: one was from his party and the other was from his enemies. [When] the one who was his follower [sawMúsa , he] cried out to him for help against the one who was from his enemies. SoMúsa [went and] struck him with his fist and killed him.

[ThenMúsa ] said, “This isShaytan's deed (عمل الشيطان ); surely he is an open enemy who leads [others] astray.” [Músa ] said, “My Lord! I surely have been (ظلمتُ نَفسي ) unjust to myself; therefore (فاغفر لي ) forgive me.” So [Allah]( غ َفَرَ ) forgave him; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

The common translation of the last verse combined with the statement about theShaytan creates conflict with the concept of 'ismah , infallibility. When reading these verses, keep the following points in mind:

WhatMúsa did was not a crime; he went to help an oppressed person and, in the process, struck a blow with his fist at the oppressor. This ended, unexpectedly, in the death of the oppressor. Helping an oppressed person is a praiseworthy act in itself. The death of the oppressor, at most,can be labeled as accidental death that is not a crime or a sin.

Músa's words that “This isShaytan's deed” does not necessarily refer to his own action. Remember that theShaytan himself knew his limits; he says to Allah,

“…I will certainly mislead them all together except the devoted servants ofYour's from among them.” (38:82-83)

And Allah says to theShaytan ,

“…As for my servants, you have no power over them except those who follow you from among the misled people….” (15:41)

And Músa surely was not among the misled servants of Allah!

So the sentence that “this isShaytan's deed” refers to the mischief started by the oppressor himself.

As for the sentence that “My Lord I have surely been unjust to myself,” thismust be interpreted in light of the meaning ofdhulm explained in the case of Prophet Adam (a.s .). Its correct translation wouldbe: “My Lord I surely have put myself into harm” - after the accidental death of the oppressor,Músa was pursued by the people ofFir'awn .

Then how do you explain the sentence after that which says that “ighfir li ” which means “forgive me” and “ghafara ” which means that Allah “forgave him”?

Again, the common meaning ofghafara (forgiving) is not applicable here. The word “ghafara ” also means “to watch over someone” or “to guard someone” or “to cover something [i.e., protect it]”. This second meaning does not imply any sin; it just means that by accidentally killing the oppressor,Músa found himself in harm and trouble from the people ofFir'awn ; and, therefore, he prays ”…therefore, guard me and Allah guarded him.”

This meaning of the last sentence is also supported by another verse of theQur'an which quotes Allah saying toMúsa that, “…when you killed an [Egyptian] man [accidentally and were being pursued byFir'awn's people], We delivered you from the worry…” (20:40)So thedhulm is explained in this verse as “worry”; and “ghafara ” is explained as “delivered”.

The Case of ProphetYunus (a.s .)

Anotherverse which is considered to be incompatible with the concept of 'ismah is about ProphetYúnus (a.s .).

Chapter 21 (al-Anbiya ') verses 87-88:

And (remember)Yúnus , when he went away in anger; and he thought that We would never have power over him (naqdira ). Then he called in the darkness [of night, sea, and fish]: “There is no god butYou , glory be to Thee; surely I am one of the unjust (¨alimeen ).

So We responded to him and delivered him from the grief, and thus do We deliver the believers.

The common translation of the wordsnaqdira and ¨alimeen make these two verses incompatible with the concept of 'ismah .

1. The first question against 'ismah in this passage is about the action of ProphetYúnus : he left his people when the punishment subsided without him knowing about it. WasYúnus angryat Allah?

The most that this verse says is thatYúnus went away in anger; it does not say that he was angry with Allah.So we have no choice but to interpret this verse by saying thatYúnus left the people while he was angry with them for not believing him.

2. The second question is about the sentence: “He thought thatWe would never have power (naqdira ) over him.” Some people have taken the wordnaqdira in the meaning of “having power,” thus imply thatYúnus went away in anger thinking that God “would never have power over him”.

Firstly, if this meaningis to be taken seriously, thenYúnus would become akafir , an unbeliever!

Secondly, the wordnaqdira (which is fromqadr ) has been used many times in the Qur'an for “restricting of the provision” by Allah. For example, in chapter 13, verse 26, Allah says, “Allah expands and straitens (yaqdiru ) the provision for whomsoever He pleases.”Or , for instance, in chapter 89, verses 15-16, Allah says: “As for man: when his Lord tries him by treating him withhonour and giving him an easy life, he says 'My Lordshonours me.' But when He tries him by straitening (qadara ) his provision for him he says, 'My Lord has disgraced me.'”

In conclusion, we can say that the first sentence of the passage under discussion means: And (remember)Yúnus , when he went away in anger; and he thought thatWe would never straiten [the provision] over him.” This, at most, means thatYúnus thought that because he was God's prophet, his Lord would never straiten his provision for him; he had taken Allah's provision for granted. It has nothing to do with issue of Allah having no power over him.

3. IfYúnus had committed no sin by leaving his people, then why did he say that, “surely I am one of the ¨alimeen , the unjust”?

As mentioned earlier in the case of Prophet Adam (a.s .), the word ¨ulm does not necessarily imply “injustice” and “sin”. It also means “to make haste” and “to come to harm”. Any of these two meanings are compatible with the concept of 'ismah and also correct in the case of ProphetYúnus .

The verse would then mean as follows: “There is no god butYou , glory be to Thee; surely I am one of those who make haste” or “There is no god but You, glory be to Thee; surely I am one of those who come to harm”.

This explanation is further supported by the next verse in which Allah says, “So We responded to him and delivered him from the grief, and thus doWe deliver the believers.” The ¨ulm mentioned in the prayer ofYúnus is explained by Allahas ” al-ghamm - grief”, and not as sin or injustice; that is why Allah said ”najjayna - delivered” and not “forgiven”.