Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq

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Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq Author:
Translator: Hub-e-Ali Team
Publisher: www.hubeali.co.uk
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Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq

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

Author: Syed Baqir Nisar Zaidi
Translator: Hub-e-Ali Team
Publisher: www.hubeali.co.uk
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Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq

Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq

Author:
Publisher: www.hubeali.co.uk
English

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


Note:

We don't engcourage Syed Baqir Nisar Zaidi's views in this book. We just publish here for the information of Mumineen, nothing else.

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ

وَالَّذِينَ اجْتَنَبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ{الزمر: 17} الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ أُوْلُوا الْأَلْبَابِ{الزمر: 18{

And (as for) those who keep off from the worship of the idols and turn to Allah, they shall have good news, therefore give good news to My servants. Those who listen to the word, then follow the best of it; those are they whom Allah has guided, and those it is who are the men of understanding. (Az-Zumar: 39:17-18)

Kashaf-ul-Haqaiq

Author: Syed Baqir Nisar Zaidi

English Translation: Hub-e-Ali Team

Table of Contents

WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION?. 6

READING OF BOOKS IS AN ART. 9

CHAPTER 1: CARELESSNESS. 10

SALVATION RESTS ON BELIEFS. 10

THREE TYPES OF SINS. 12

CHAPTER 2: AND NOW IT HAS COME TO THIS. 14

RECOGNITION OF IDOLS. 14

THE WEB OF SATAN. 15

A HUMAN BEING’S NATURAL WEAKNESS. 16

CHAPTER 3: DO WE HAVE TO BE IGNORANT ALL THE TIME?. 18

FROM WHOM SHOULD BE ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE. 19

WHO ARE THE SCHOLARS? 19

CHAPTER 4: IJTIHAD. 21

IJTIHAD. 21

QIYAS (ANALOGY) 22

ISTAMBAAT. 22

BEGINNING OF IJTIHAD IN SHIA SECT. 22

EVIDENCE OF IJTIHAD FROM THE HOLY QURAN. 26

1st Accusation. 28

2nd Accusation. 29

3rd Accusation. 29

CHAPTER 5: USOOL-E-FIQAH. 33

IMPORTANCE OF TRADITIONS. 33

THE MISCHIEF OF REJECTING AHADEETH. 36

ILM UR RIJAL. 37

ZAN. 42

IJMA. 44

IJMA AND ITS DISASTROUS EFFECTS - AN EXAMPLE. 45

CHAPTER 6: QIYAS (ANALOGY) 47

TYPES OF QAYAS. 47

ILLUL UL SHARAI 48

FATWA. 53

THE FINAL PROOF. 57

THE END RESULT OF FATWAS. 60

CHAPTER 7: DIFFERENCES. 61

A TALE. 65

ORDERS REGARDING UNCLEAN MATTERS (NAJASAAT) 71

ORDERS WITH REGARD TO THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD IN THE MOURNING OF IMAM HUSAYN (A.S.) 72

CHAPTER 8: OPPOSITION TO THE HOLY INFALLIBLES (A.S.) 75

1 - UNITY. 76

2 - TAQAYYAH (Dissimulation) 77

COVETING LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNMENT. 78

QIYAS (ANALOGY) 79

AHL UL ZIKR (PEOPLE OF REMEMBRANCE) 80

KHUMS. 81

THE IMAM (A.S.)’S APPARENT RULE AND HIS (A.S.) ESOTERIC MASTERSHIP  82

THE METHOD FOR RUKOO (BOWING) 82

RECITATION IN THE 3RD AND 4TH CYCLE OF PRAYER. 82

MAJOR SINS. 83

ENMITY WITH THE HOLY INFALLIBLES (A.S.) 84

SERMON 48 - SUPPLICATION FOR THE DAY OF SACRIFICE AND FRIDAY  85

THE DUA OF QUNOOT OF EID PRAYERS. 88

ENMITY WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY INFALLIBLES (A.S.) 90

ENMITY WITH THE MOURNING OF IMAM HUSAYN (A.S.) 92

ENMITY WITH LAMENTATIONS AND POEMS (NAWHAS AND MARSIYAS) 95

BOMBING OF THE HOLY SHRINE OF IMAM AL RIDHA (A.S.) AND THE MASSACRE OF THE PILGRIMS. 95

BOYCOTT OF THE VIRTUES OF THE HOLY INFALLIBLES (A.S.) 96

CLAIM OF BEING FROM THE SAME SPECIES. 97

REJECTION OF SHAHADA BIL WILAYAH (TESTIMONY) 98

THE PROOF OF THE THIRD TESTIMONY IN KALEMA. 100

THE THIRD TESTIMONY IN TASHAHHUD OF NAMAAZ. 101

CHAPTER 9: CLAIMS. 104

WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE A CLAIM.. 104

HUJJAT UL ISLAM (PROOF OF ISLAM) 106

AYATULLAH (SIGN OF ALLAH (S.W.T.)) 107

NA’IB E IMAM (REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IMAM) 113

IMAM.. 115

CALIPH OF THE HOLY PROPHET (S.A.W.) 118

BEING FROM ALLAH (S.A.W.) - (MIN JAANIB ALLAH) 120

TRUSTEE OF ALLAH (S.W.T.) 121

PROOF OF ALLAH (S.W.T.) - HUJJAT ALLAH (S.W.T.) 121

WILAYAH - WILAYAT E FAQIH. 122

AHL UL ZIKR - (PEOPLE OF REMEMBRANCE) 126

UL LIL AMR - ONE WITH AUTHORITY. 128

CHAPTER 10: TAQLEED. 131

1st PROOF. 136

2nd PROOF. 140

3rd PROOF. 141

4th PROOF. 142

5th PROOF. 143

6th PROOF. 143

7th PROOF. 143

8th PROOF. 143

9th PROOF. 144

10th PROOF. 145

11th PROOF. 145

12th PROOF. 146

13th PROOF. 146

14th PROOF. 148

15th PROOF. 148

16th PROOF. 148

17th PROOF. 149

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MUHADDITH AND A MUJTAHID. 150

CHAPTER 11: WHAT DO THE SHIAS DO?. 152

THE FIRST TOY. 158

THE SECOND TOY. 159

THE THIRD TOY. 161

CHAPTER 12: KHUMS. 165

Applicability of Khums 167

First Aspect - The only rightful owner of Khums is the Holy Imam (a.s.) 168

Second Aspect - The purpose of Khums is to strengthen economic status of the Family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). 169

Third Aspect - Khums is the right of the Sadaat 170

Fourth Aspect - No Mujtahid has even declared it to be a collective obligation  170

THE RIGHT OF THE IMAM (A.S.) 173

CONCLUSIVE ORDERS. 175

OUR FIRST ONE IS MUHAMMAD, OUR LAST ONE IS MUHAMMAD, OUR MIDDLE ONE IS MUHAMMAD, ALL OF US ARE MUHAMMAD. 175

CHAPTER 13: REVOLUTION. 178

WHY DID THE MULLAHS THINK OF FORMING A GOVERNMENT? 178

WHO CONCEIVED THE PLANS FOR THE REVOLUTION? 181

THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD. 182

THE STARTING POINT. 182

THE DREAM OF RULING THE WORLD. 184

LICENCE OF THE REVOLUTION. 185

HOW WAS THE MAP OF THE REVOLUTION MADE? 185

WHAT KIND OF REVOLUTION WAS THIS? 189

RESULTS OF THE REVOLUTION. 190

THE EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION ON PAKISTANI SHIITES. 191

RIGHTLY GUIDED CALIPHS. 193

APPENDIX. 196

UNDERLYING INTENTION. 196

REFUTATION OF ACTION. 196

WHAT IS THIS NEW THING? 196

THIEVES BLOWING THE WHISTLE. 197

A BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE. 198

DOCTORPHOBIA. 198

IGNORANT RESPONSE. 199

CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY SHIITE LIFE. 199

AN IMPORTANT OBJECTION. 200

THOSE FIMRLY ROOTED IN KNOWLEDGE (RAASIKUNA FIL'ILM) 201

THE UNJUST. 202

KNOWLEDGE. 203

MAYBE (LA’ALLA) 203

KINGDOM.. 203

FRIDAY PRAYERS. 204

OBLIGATORY PRE-CONDITIONS. 205

ALTERNATE VIEW.. 206

QUESTIONS. 207

THE LATEST. 209

1 - BOOK OF STRANGE THINGS. 210

2 - BOOK OF NATURAL INSTINCTS. 211

3 - BOOK OF PROBLEMS. 213

4 - BOOK OF DISBELIEF. 213

WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION?

It has always been considered dangerous to swim against the current especially during a flood, but I am compelled to do so when I see many people around me who are drowning or are desperately trying to stay afloat. I want to swim over and try to save them. This book is a small part of that effort of mine.

It is but natural for certain questions to arise in the human mind. Why is it so that the human being will be questioned and be subject to rewards and punishment? Why was it considered necessary for him to be given good news as well as warnings? Why was he given more importance than the other creations? There is only one answer to all these questions and that is because he has been endowed with intellect. He has been given the power to decide and having been left free in his intentions.

Intellect is that valuable commodity due to which man has been given exalted status over other creation and, without which, man would follow their physical desires and emotional needs, like an animal; in fact he is lower than animals in some of these aspects. It is due to this intellect that he has been granted a superior status over the others.

And when I refer to his intellect, I am not referring to something extraordinary, but rather, I am referring to the common sense which every human being possesses. It is possible that a person of low intellect may not comprehend the words of one with a higher intellect, or some words may also not be understood by one of higher intellect. Although it is due to these different levels of intellect that different statii exist, it is common sense which is the first proof of Allah (s.w.t.) for the human being, and this is to be found in all of them, a fact which no one can deny. For example, if one were to look at a constructed building then one will conclude that there has to be someone who has constructed it. And when one looks as its mode of construction and its design then one will also conclude that this is not the result of mere physical effort, rather there is wisdom and intelligence behind it as well. These conclusions will be reached by all except the madman.

The common sense of people has been addressed in many places in the Glorious Quran so that people may ponder and reflect upon it. Allah (s.w.t.) has addressed all the people wherever He (s.w.t.) says ‘O you people’, and not only certain people of a particular level of intelligence. It is this very common sense that I am appealing to so that my message can reach and be understood by even those with the lowest intelligence.

Now this matter is not dependent upon proof that, since by the usage of his intellect the human being has achieved high status, therefore his degradation will also be a result of him not making use of his intellect. He will be rewarded due to the usage of his intellect and be subject to punishment due to his not using of it. This is the reason why my Master, Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) has said:

AL KAFI - Ch. 1, H30

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated in a marfu‘manner from Amir al- Mu’minin Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:

“If one guarantees for me to firmly establish in himself one good quality I will credit him for it and forgive his other shortcomings. But I will not forgive him for his losing Intelligence and religion; abandoning religion is departing peace and security. Thus, life with fear and insecurity is unpleasant. Loss of Intelligence is loss of life. A person without Intelligence can be compared with no other thing but the dead.”

So it has been proven from the above traditions that there are two groups of people who will be destroyed:-

The first type of person is one who follows the crowd blindly, and if the crowd were to walk towards a pit and fall into it, he will close his eyes, follow the crowd and fall into the same pit.

The second is one who is unaware to religion and has placed his affairs into the hands of others.

Let me narrate to you another tradition: -

AL KAFI - Ch. 1, H32

Abu ‘Abd Allah al-‘Asimiy has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Hassan ibn al-Jahm from abu al-Hassan al-Rida, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:

“Our people mentioned Intelligence and spoke about it in the presence of Imam al-Rida, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and he said, ‘Of the religious people, those who have no Intelligence deserve no credit.’ I then asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in your service, of the people who support this cause (al-walayah) we know a group who are considered acceptable in our opinion but they do not have such Intelligence.’ The Imam then said, ‘They are not of the people whom Allah has addressed when He created Intelligence and said to it, “Come forward.” It came forward. He then said, ‘Go back.’ It went back. Then Allah said, “I swear by My Honor and Glory that I have not created anything better and more beloved to Me than you. I will grant blessings (rewards) to you only and will hold only you responsible for the consequences (of your deeds).’”

The questioner here is talking about those that can be referred to as Shia by virtue of their beliefs and their deeds. Apparently their deeds are not bad, but their beliefs are not based upon their intellect nor are their religious instructions by the use of their intellect. The Imam (a.s.) is neither classifying them as Shia or as believers.

When Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) was asked about the definition of intellect, he replied “Intellect is that by which the Beneficent can be recognized”. This book cannot be an explanation for this tradition, therefore I will only write that which is relevant to the topic. What I mean is that worship is only that which is done by the use of intellect, otherwise it can only be classified as physical exercise.

This has been explained in a Prophetic tradition: -

AL KAFI - H 9, Ch. 1, h9

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni rom abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme Covenant, who has said:  “The Holy Prophet has said, ‘If you hear good things about a man, you should examine how good his Intelligence is; he will be rewarded according to his Intelligence.’”

AL KAFI - H 23, Ch. 1, h23

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad in a mursal manner from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Intelligence is the support for man. From Intelligence comes insightfulness, understanding, memory and knowledge; and with Intelligence he gains perfection. Intelligence is his guide, his instructor and the key to his affairs. When his Intelligence is supported with light, he becomes a scholar, a keeper (of knowledge), an intelligent recaller and a man of understanding. Through Intelligence he learns the answer to how, why, where or when. He learns who helps and who harms him. When he learns these (facts) he learns the channels, the connections and the differentiating factors. He then establishes pure belief in the oneness of Allah and acknowledges the need to obey Him. When he does so he finds the proper remedy for what he has lost and the right approach to whatever may confront him. He knows well his present involvement, why he is here, where he has come from and to what end he is headed. He will have all these because of Intelligence.”

And in the end I am quoting such a tradition that anyone who has even an inkling of faith in the hereafter will be compelled to give his own life a second glance.

AL KAFI - Ch. 1, H33

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from certain persons of our people from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “The only thing (standing) between belief and disbelief is lack of Intelligence. People asked the Imam, ‘How is that, O great-great- great-great grandson of the Holy Prophet?’ The Imam replied: ‘Human beings centre their expectations on other creatures. If they become sincere to Allah He will grant their wish and fulfill their expectations more quickly.’”

The Imam (a.s.) has given the decision that non-usage of intelligence takes a person to the boundaries of disbelief.

If you have understood the importance of intelligence and its use in the light of the instructions of the Infallibles (a.s.) then it will not be very difficult for me to move forward in my discussion, and I shall be in a position to ask you to leave aside all your prejudices and personal bias when you browse through this book, and evaluate my arguments on the basis of intellect. Then you will understand the reality of my message, that this book has neither been written in condemnation of any person nor in refutation of any viewpoints, but only to present to you true realities based on the Holy Quran and commentaries of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and you have been invited to use your intellect. So now, if sunrise brings an end to the night of darkness then all shall benefit from it.

I have tried to present arguments either from the Holy Quran or the traditions of the Infallibles (a.s.). As far as the Holy Quran is concerned I have only made use of the explanations of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) for it is the unanimous view of the Shias that only they (a.s.) have the right to explain the Holy Verses as not only are they (a.s.) fully aware of the Desires of the Almighty Allah (s.w.t.), but in fact are His Desires themselves. Commentaries based on personal opinions are forbidden in our religion.

As far as traditions are concerned, I have taken these only from those books which are regarded as the fundamental books of traditions of the Shiite religion and around which the whole of the Shiite religion revolves. For example, Nahj Ul Balagah, Nahj Ul Israar, Sahifa E Kamila, Usool E Kafi, Man La Yahzur Ul Faqih, Kitab Sulaim Bin Qais Hilali Etc. I have made all this effort so that the possibility of refutation does not remain.

Only two situations arise when confronted with a proof. Either it has to be refuted by a proof that is more decisive or stronger than the first one and not making use of conjecture, analogy and references from non infallibles, and if it cannot be refuted and it should be accepted. There is no third situation. As far as stubbornness, mischief making, and giving preference to the words of non infallibles over the words of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) is concerned, then the people of intellect will always find this repulsive. I hope that I am only addressing the people of intellect.

READING OF BOOKS IS AN ART

Writing a book is no doubt a difficult and arduous task, but it is even more difficult to read one. A book is a tool for sending a message across but it is a monologue. It is up to the reader to understand the reality of what the author is trying to convey, and that requires concentration and the book has to be read in an organized and systematic manner. In order to fully understand the book, no comment or page of a book can be ignored, for it may contain a message. Therefore even the title of a page may contain a particular Holy Verse and a message would be embodied therein.

Thereafter the references of a book have to be looked at on which the arguments of a book are based so that the strength of the arguments can be gauged. When you look at the contents page, you would have an indication of the subject matters discussed in the book. The preface of the book needs to be read so that the purpose of the book can be understood. After this, one needs to read the book from its first page to its last which is the way it has been written.

It is only after having done all this that one achieves the purpose of reading the book and gets to be in a position to either refute or accept what has been said in the book. Reading a book from the middle or from its various parts haphazardly only leads to confusion and misunderstanding. This is the manner of reading of those whose intention is not to read the book but to pick up bits and pieces of information from it so that he can debate against people of low intellect and show off their intelligence within their circle of friends.

I have conviction that my readers are those that will read this book in a manner that will give them the true and complete knowledge of it.

CHAPTER 1: CARELESSNESS

SALVATION RESTS ON BELIEFS

Every religion has certain principles, which are embedded in its roots and executed through its codes of practice, and give out fruits through its branches. It is pointless to think about the branches when there are no roots. Therefore, survival of a tree is dependent upon its roots and not on its branches.

Based on intellect we can therefore conclude that the survival of a religion is also based on beliefs and not on the performed deeds. If the beliefs are incorrect then abundance of deeds are of no use whereas if beliefs are correct then the scarcity of deeds will be acceptable. Regarding this matter Allamah Hilli has written in his book ‘Ahsan Ul Aqaaid’ on page 9: ‘The principles of religion are those which form the foundation of religion. If any one of these is removed then religion does not remain intact’.  On page 10 he states: ‘The acceptability of worship and deeds as wells are salvations rests on the principles, understanding of a religion and its creed. It is the principles, which form the criterion for reward and punishment.’

Those that hold correct beliefs, but have ugly deeds will suffer punishment in the hereafter after which they will be the recipient of Divine rewards due to their correct beliefs. Eternal punishment is only for those unbelievers that do not believe in the principles of religion.

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٌ

[Shakir 52:21] And (as for) those who believe and their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their offspring and We will not diminish to them aught of their work; every man is responsible for what he shall have wrought.

This verse does not state that the children were the doers of good deeds, rather it refers to the children who followed them in faith.

In ‘Kitaab Ul Mo’min’ Imam Muhammad Baqirasws has said: “On the Day of Judgment the Lord of the Universe will stop Hisazwj true believer and make him count each and every one of his sins and forgive them all. Neither a Prophet nor an angel would be aware of this”.

In another tradition, it has been narrated that Allahazwj the Self-Sufficient will cover up the sins of a believer and will not make his sins known to others.

These sins will then be ordered to turn into good deeds. This has been revealed in this manner:

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

[Shakir 25:70] Except him who repents and believes and does a good deed; so these are they of whom Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

The last thing that I would like to say regarding this matter is that there is a unanimously accepted Prophetic tradition that : ‘My Ummah would be divided into 73 sects, out of which only one would go to Paradise whilst 72 of them would go to Hell’.  So, from the 72 sects that will go astray, even if one person were to go to Paradise then this tradition will have been falsified. It follows from this that from the one sect that is destined for Paradise, even if one person were to go to Hell, even then this tradition will not deliver its promise.

Now, it is a matter of fact that many sects have been formed, not on the basis of deeds but on the basis of beliefs. This argument of mine can be verified by Allama Hilli’s book ‘Ahsan Ul Aqaaid’ where he said: ‘From the Holy Prophetsaww’s nation, the seventy two sects that are destined for Hell and one which is destined for Paradise, is not based on deeds, for the deeds of all the people to be the same is against reason. Some will be carrying out religious obligations without failure whilst others will be careless in performing them. Since people’s deeds are not of the same status and kind, therefore punishment and rewards will also be different. The one sect that is destined for Paradise will surely be due to its beliefs and not due to its good deeds. Since all the people of a particular sect profess to the same beliefs, therefore it is possible to refer to the whole sect as the one destined for Paradise or the one destined for Hell fire.’

It is therefore imperative upon the ‘Ummah’  that they should analyse their beliefs on the basis of intellect. Wrong deeds can therefore be subject to forgiveness, but if the beliefs are wrong then the possibility of forgiveness does not exist.

Now I am going to quote to you some more traditions from Al Kafi so that there will remain no possibility of refutation after this.

AL KAFI - H 966, Ch. 86, h 4

He has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib al-Sajistani from abu Ja‘far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:

“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, ‘I will cause to suffer punishment all those (citizens) who live a religious life in Islam with belief in and acknowledgement of the guardianship of unjust 'A'immah (leaders without Divine Authority) who do not possess authority from Allah, even though such followers are (apparently) virtuous and pious in their deeds. I will forgive all those (citizens) who live a religious life in Islam with belief in and acknowledgement of the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possesses authority from Allah, even though such followers in their dealings are unjust sinners.’”

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiqasws said: ‘No deed is harmful in the presence of Eman (as sins will be forgiven) but no deed is beneficial in the presence of Kufr.  Have you not pondered that Allahazwj Says: There is nothing which is in the way of their forgiveness except for their denial of Allahazwj and His Prophetsaww as they eventually die in the state of Kufr.

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiqasws said: In the presence of Eman, no misconduct is going to have any detrimental effect (in the hereafter) whereas in the state of Kufr, no benefit will be transferred from the performed good deeds.

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiqasws said that Amir ul momineenasws frequently used to say in his sermons: O people! You better adhere to Deen as it is far beneficial to perform sins while clinching onto the Deen as compared with those good deeds which are carried out while remaining outside the Deen.  (In the hereafter) Muslims’ bad deeds will be forgiven but non-Muslims good deeds will not be accepted.”

Now there is no doubt about the fact that salvation rests on beliefs and not on the performed deeds. It is from here that I start my discussions.

Now that the importance of the principles of beliefs has become clear the question arises in the mind that how much effort has gone into propagating the beliefs. How much teaching and preaching has been done to the Shia people about their beliefs except for the fact that they have been made to just remember them superficially. Place your hand on your heart and ask yourself how many Shias are aware of the concepts of Tawheed (Divine Unity) and Adalat (Divine Justice)? Who is there among them who understand Nabuwwat (Prophethood) and the secrets of Imamat? How many of them know what the Day of Judgment is and what will happen there? I would not be wrong if I say that 99.9% of them are unaware of these principles of religion, to the point that they cannot even explain even their basic definition. In their view religion is only the performance of deeds, and take their principles as part of their culture and tradition.

THREE TYPES OF SINS

It is an obligation upon us to keep ourselves safe from sins. This means that we have to keep away from injustice because Allahazwj has revealed in the Holy Quran the conclusion that on the Day of Judgment a caller shall cry out ‘Curse of Allahazwj is on the unjust’.

It has been narrated from Imam Mohammed Baqirasws that:

“ZULM (or sins) are of three types

1-The one which Allahazwj will forgive

2-The second which Allahazwj will not forgive

3-The third which Allahazwj will not ignore until justice is done

The one which Allahazwj will not forgive is ‘SHIRK’, and the one which Allahazwj will forgive are those sins which a person would committed on himself in the matters which are between him and his creator (such as prayers, fast etc). The one which will not be ignored until justice is done are those that a person has committed against other human beings”

This is the scientific age and everything gets done scientifically. If someone were to give you multiple tasks to perform what would you do?  Would you start from whatever tasks are in hand and take it from there or would you first make a priority list.

Let’s say for example that you have run out of flour in your home and your family is hungry, while one family member happens to be ill and needs attention. What would you do? Would you go and buy the flour first to feed the family or would you first take the sick person to the hospital? Obviously every person of intellect would first give priority to take the sick to the hospital and then buy the flour, because the other family members would still live, albeit being hungry, but not taking the sick to the hospital would endanger his life. My Masterasws has divided sins to be of three types. One, which will be, forgiven, one which will only be forgive after punishment or compensation and one which will never be forgiven. Now if you have the intention to stay away from sins, which of the sins will you worry about first? Which one the second? And which one is the third?

In my preface to this book, I had written those logical points, which I am sure will appeal to your intellect. I am reiterating this appeal. You let me know using your own intellect whether you will first try and stay away from those sins which will never be forgiven, or not? Then you will worry about the second type and then lastly about those sins where my Masterasws has given me hope of forgiveness. So, now the list of sins to stay away from is somewhat like this.

1-Shirk

2-Dealing with others

3-Obligations of religion

But the priests of our religion have reversed the above order completely. They have explained to us our religions obligations and given them the top priority, secondly, to the matters of dealings with others and lastly they have told us about Shirk. Even then, they have only said that we should not believe in more than one God. If you were to even pay a little attention to this you will see that at the present time hardly any work is taking place in the Shiite world to explain the principles of religion. All our resources are being spent on explaining how to perform our ablution correctly, if we forget one cycle in our prayer then what shall we do etc. And most importantly, focus has been more on how to collect Khums. When you listen attentively to those that lead prayers and ascend the pulpits, and analyse their speeches you will realise that their main purpose is Khums and nothing but Khums.

How did this come about? Why were our preferences changed to be in the reverse order? Why have we been kept unaware of our beliefs? We shall consider all these points in the next chapter, but before we proceed to the next chapter please reflect upon this, as it is a matter of eternal life, either of damnation or salvation, eternal punishments or eternal rewards. Do not take this lightly as it could cost us an unrecoverable loss, an opportunity which will never be given to us again!