Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

TAQIBAAT E NAMAZ E FAJR

As quoted from Misbah al-Mutahajjid

Subsequent to the Dawn (fajr) Prayer, say the following supplicatory prayer, as quoted from Misbah al-Mutahajjid:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِاِذْنِكَ اِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ اِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْاَوْصِيَاءِ الرَّاضِينَ الْمَرْضِيِّينَ بِاَفْضَلِ صَلَوَاتِكَ وَ بَارِكْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِاَفْضَلِ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ عَلَى اَرْوَاحِهِمْ وَ اَجْسَادِهِمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ .

Again, repeat the following invocation ten times:

This invocation of God’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household has been also reported to be said on Fridays with a great reward.

Also, say the following:

اللَّهُمَّ اَحْيِنِي عَلَى مَا اَحْيَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ اَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ اَمِتْنِي عَلَى مَا مَاتَ عَلَيْهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام.

Also, repeat each of the following statements one hundred times:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَ اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ

اَسْاَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ

اَسْتَجِيرُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ النَّارِ

وَ اَسْاَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ

اَسْاَلُ اللَّهَ الْحُورَ الْعِينَ .لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ

صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللَّهُ وَ اللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ كَانَ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ.

You may then say the following:

اَصْبَحْتُ اللَّهُمَّ مُعْتَصِما بِذِمَامِكَ الْمَنِيعِ الَّذِي لا يُطَاوَلُ وَ لا يُحَاوَلُ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ غَاشِمٍ وَ طَارِقٍ مِنْ سَائِرِ مَنْ خَلَقْتَ وَ مَا خَلَقْتَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ الصَّامِتِ وَ النَّاطِقِ فِي جُنَّةٍ مِنْ كُلِّ مَخُوفٍ بِلِبَاسٍ سَابِغَةٍ وَلاءِ اَهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّكَ مُحْتَجِبا مِنْ كُلِّ قَاصِدٍ لِي اِلَى اَذِيَّةٍ بِجِدَارٍ حَصِينٍ الْاِخْلاصِ فِي الاعْتِرَافِ بِحَقِّهِمْ وَ التَّمَسُّكِ بِحَبْلِهِمْ مُوقِنا اَنَّ الْحَقَّ لَهُمْ وَ مَعَهُمْ وَ فِيهِمْ وَ بِهِمْ اُوَالِي مَنْ وَالَوْا وَ اُجَانِبُ مَنْ جَانَبُوا فَاَعِذْنِي اللَّهُمَّ بِهِمْ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ مَا اَتَّقِيهِ يَا عَظِيمُ حَجَزْتُ الْاَعَادِيَ عَنِّي بِبَدِيعِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ اِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مِنْ بَيْنِ اَيْدِيهِمْ سَدّا وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدّا فَاَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لا يُبْصِرُونَ .

This supplication, which is reported from Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) at the Night of Mabit, is advisably said each morning and evening.

In Tahdhib al-Ahkam (by Shaykh al-Tusi), it is reported that whoever repeats the following litany ten times after the Dawn Prayers, Almighty Allah will save him from blindness, insanity, leprosy, poverty, and (house) demolition or dotage:

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Shaykh al-Kulayni reports Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) as saying: Whoever repeats the following litany seven times after the Dawn and Sunset Prayers, Almighty Allah will saved him from seventy kinds of misfortune the least of which are flatulence, leprosy, and insanity; and his name will be erased from the list of the condemned ones, if it was listed there, and will be added to the list of the happy ones:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said that one who desires to enjoy both the worldly life and the Next World, and one who has eye ache, should utter the following supplicatory prayer after the Dawn and Sunset Prayers:

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْكَ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلِ النُّورَ فِي بَصَرِي وَ الْبَصِيرَةَ فِي دِينِي وَ الْيَقِينَ فِي قَلْبِي وَ الْاِخْلاصَ فِي عَمَلِي وَ السَّلامَةَ فِي نَفْسِي وَ السَّعَةَ فِي رِزْقِي وَ الشُّكْرَ لَكَ اَبَدا مَا اَبْقَيْتَنِي

In ‘Uddat al-Dai, Shaykh Ibn Fahad reports Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida(a.s.) to have said: Whoever says the following statement after the Dawn Prayer, will have all his requests made easy-to-gain for him and will be saved by Almighty Allah against every thing that aggrieves him:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ وَ اُفَوِّضُ اَمْرِي اِلَى اللّٰهِ اِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ فَوَقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا لا اِلَهَ اِلا اَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ اِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَ نَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَ كَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ فَانْقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللّٰهِ وَ فَضْلٍ لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لا مَا شَاءَ النَّاسُ،

مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ اِنْ كَرِهَ النَّاسُ حَسْبِيَ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْمَرْبُوبِينَ حَسْبِيَ الْخَالِقُ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ حَسْبِيَ الرَّازِقُ مِنَ الْمَرْزُوقِينَ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ حَسْبِي مَنْ هُوَ حَسْبِي حَسْبِي مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ حَسْبِي حَسْبِي مَنْ كَانَ مُذْ كُنْتُ لَمْ يَزَلْ حَسْبِي حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لا اِلَهَ اِلا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ.

TRUE INCIDENT FOR FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES

Our master scholar, Shaykh al-Nuri, in his book of Dar al-Salam, has recorded on the authority of his mentor FathAli al-Sultanabadi that Shaykh MuhammadSadiq al-Iraqi had lived in harsh poverty for a long time without finding any solution for his state until he saw, in dream, that he was in a valley where there was an enormous tent with a dome over it. As he asked about the lord of that tent, he was answered that it was owned by Imam al-Mahdi, the Awaited - the protecting shelter and the relief of the deprived ones - may Allah hasten his reappearance. He therefore hurried towards that tent and complained about his poverty, asking the Imam (a.s.) to teach him a supplication that would relieve him from his grief and save him from his misfortunes. The Imam, having heard his complaint, instructed him to visit the tent of one of his offspring. He therefore left the Imam’s tent and headed for the tent to which he was guided. When he reached there, he saw Sayyid Muhammad al-Sultanabadi sitting in his prayer-place while he was engaged in uttering supplications and litanies. He greeted him and told him about his story with the Imam. The Sayyid therefore taught him a supplication that would relieve him from poverty and bring him good sustenance.

When the man woke up, he found that he had learnt that supplication by heart; therefore, he hurried to the house of the Sayyid and found him in the same state that he had seen in the dream. As if the Sayyid had already known about the dream, he welcomed the man and smiled in his face. The man hence asked the Sayyid about that supplication and the Sayyid answered him. Immediately after saying the supplication persistently, the man became so wealthy that fortune covered him from all sides.

HajjFathAli al-Sultanabadi used to praise the Sayyid so laudably. For some time, he studied under him.

The following three matters were taught by the Sayyid to that man:

(1) He taught him that he, after the Dawn Prayers, should put his hand on his chest and repeat seventy times the phrase of:

يا فتّاح

(2) He taught him to regularly say the following supplicatory prayer that, as is recorded in al-Kafi, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) taught to one of his companions who had been afflicted by disease and poverty. Soon after that, the man recovered health and got rid of poverty. The supplication is this:

لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لا يَمُوتُ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدا وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِيٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَ كَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرا.

(3) He taught him to say the abovementioned supplication, which is recorded by Ibn Fahad al-Hilli in ‘Uddat al-Dai, after the Dawn Prayers.

It is thus necessary to constantly say these supplications since great rewards will be given to those who do not neglect so.

SUPPLICATIONS AT SUNRISE & SUNSET

Too many are the supplications that have been reported from the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams, peace be upon them, to be said at sunrise and sunset. Besides, verses from the Holy Qur’an and traditions of the Infallibles, peace be upon them, have urged on and awakened desires for the persistence on saying such supplications at these two times of the day. However, let us mention a few number of these authenticated supplications:

First: Master Hadithists have narrated, through authenticated chain of authority (sanad), that Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) said: It is incumbent upon each and every Muslim to repeat the following supplicatory prayer ten times before sunrise and ten times before sunset:

لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيتُ وَ يُمِيتُ وَ يُحْيِي وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ .

According to some narrations, this supplication should be made up if it is missed because it is obligatory.

Second: Through trustworthy chains of authority too, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said: Before sunrise and sunset, repeat ten times the following supplicatory prayer:

اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَ اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ اِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ.

Third: Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said: Nothing should divert you from saying the following supplicatory prayer three times each morning and evening:

اللَّهُمَّ مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ وَ الْاَبْصَارِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ وَ لا تُزِغْ قَلْبِي بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَيْتَنِي وَ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ وَ اَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ بِرَحْمَتِكَ اللَّهُمَّ امْدُدْ لِي فِي عُمْرِي وَ اَوْسِعْ عَلَيَّ فِي رِزْقِي وَ انْشُرْ عَلَيَّ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ اِنْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَكَ فِي اُمِّ الْكِتَابِ شَقِيّا فَاجْعَلْنِي سَعِيدا فَاِنَّكَ تَمْحُو مَا تَشَاءُ وَ تُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَكَ اُمُّ الْكِتَابِ.

Fourth: Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have instructed to say the following supplicatory prayer each morning and evening:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ لا يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ غَيْرُهُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَمَا يُحِبُّ اللَّهُ اَنْ يُحْمَدَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَمَا هُوَ اَهْلُهُ اللَّهُمَّ اَدْخِلْنِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ اَدْخَلْتَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدا وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَخْرِجْنِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ اَخْرَجْتَ مِنْهُ مُحَمَّدا وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

Fifth: Repeat the following litany ten times each morning and evening:

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللَّهُ وَ اللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ .

Dua al-Ashraat, which will be later on cited in this book, is one of the supplications to be advisably said each morning and evening.

THANKSGIVING PROSTRATION (SAJDAT AL-SHUKR)

It is highly recommended to do the Thanksgiving Prostration after the accomplishment of obligatory prayers. Too many are the supplications and litanies that may be said during the Thanksgiving Prostration. In this connection, Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida(a.s.) is reported to have said that one may repeat one hundred times one of the following words during the Thanksgiving Prostrations:

“شكرا شكرا”

“عفوا عفوا”

Imam al-Rida(a.s.) is also reported to have said: The least to be said while prostrating is to repeat the following three times:

“شكرا للّه”

THIRD CHAPTER: SUPPLICATIONS OF THE DAYS

The following are the supplications of the days as quoted from the appendix of al-Sahifah al-Kamilah al-Sajjadiyyah:

THE SUPPLICATION ON SATURDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ كَلِمَةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِينَ وَ مَقَالَةِ الْمُتَحَرِّزِينَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ جَوْرِ الْجَائِرِينَ وَ كَيْدِ الْحَاسِدِينَ وَ بَغْيِ الظَّالِمِينَ وَ اَحْمَدُهُ فَوْقَ حَمْدِ الْحَامِدِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اَنْتَ الْوَاحِدُ بِلا شَرِيكٍ وَ الْمَلِكُ بِلا تَمْلِيكٍ لا تُضَادُّ فِي حُكْمِكَ وَ لا تُنَازَعُ فِي مُلْكِكَ اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ وَ اَنْ تُوزِعَنِي مِنْ شُكْرِ نُعْمَاكَ مَا تَبْلُغُ بِي غَايَةَ رِضَاكَ وَ اَنْ تُعِينَنِي عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ وَ لُزُومِ عِبَادَتِكَ وَ اسْتِحْقَاقِ مَثُوبَتِكَ بِلُطْفِ عِنَايَتِكَ وَ تَرْحَمَنِي بِصَدِّي [وَ صُدَّنِي‏] عَنْ مَعَاصِيكَ مَا اَحْيَيْتَنِي وَ تُوَفِّقَنِي لِمَا يَنْفَعُنِي مَا اَبْقَيْتَنِي وَ اَنْ تَشْرَحَ بِكِتَابِكَ صَدْرِي وَ تَحُطَّ بِتِلاوَتِهِ وِزْرِي وَ تَمْنَحَنِي السَّلامَةَ فِي دِينِي وَ نَفْسِي وَ لا تُوحِشَ بِي اَهْلَ اُنْسِي وَ تُتِمَّ اِحْسَانَكَ فِيمَا بَقِيَ مِنْ عُمْرِي كَمَا اَحْسَنْتَ فِيمَا مَضَى مِنْهُ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

THE SUPPLICATION ON SUNDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الَّذِي لا اَرْجُو اِلا فَضْلَهُ وَ لا اَخْشَى اِلا عَدْلَهُ وَ لا اَعْتَمِدُ اِلا قَوْلَهُ وَ لا اُمْسِكُ اِلا بِحَبْلِهِ بِكَ اَسْتَجِيرُ يَا ذَا الْعَفْوِ وَ الرِّضْوَانِ مِنَ الظُّلْمِ وَ الْعُدْوَانِ وَ مِنْ غِيَرِ الزَّمَانِ وَ تَوَاتُرِ الْاَحْزَانِ وَ طَوَارِقِ الْحَدَثَانِ وَ مِنِ انْقِضَاءِ الْمُدَّةِ قَبْلَ التَّاَهُّبِ وَ الْعُدَّةِ وَ اِيَّاكَ اَسْتَرْشِدُ لِمَا فِيهِ الصَّلاحُ وَ الْاِصْلاحُ وَ بِكَ اَسْتَعِينُ فِيمَا يَقْتَرِنُ بِهِ النَّجَاحُ وَ الْاِنْجَاحُ وَ اِيَّاكَ اَرْغَبُ فِي لِبَاسِ الْعَافِيَةِ وَ تَمَامِهَا وَ شُمُولِ السَّلامَةِ وَ دَوَامِهَا وَ اَعُوذُ بِكَ يَا رَبِّ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَ اَحْتَرِزُ بِسُلْطَانِكَ مِنْ جَوْرِ السَّلاطِينِ، فَتَقَبَّلْ مَا كَانَ مِنْ صَلاتِي وَ صَوْمِي وَ اجْعَلْ غَدِي وَ مَا بَعْدَهُ اَفْضَلَ مِنْ سَاعَتِي وَ يَوْمِي وَ اَعِزَّنِي فِي عَشِيرَتِي وَ قَوْمِي وَ احْفَظْنِي فِي يَقَظَتِي وَ نَوْمِي فَاَنْتَ اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظا وَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَبْرَاُ اِلَيْكَ فِي يَوْمِي هَذَا وَ مَا بَعْدَهُ مِنَ الْآحَادِ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ وَ الْاِلْحَادِ وَ اُخْلِصُ لَكَ دُعَائِي تَعَرُّضا لِلْاِجَابَةِ وَ اُقِيمُ عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ رَجَاءً لِلْاِثَابَةِ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرِ خَلْقِكَ الدَّاعِي اِلَى حَقِّكَ وَ اَعِزَّنِي بِعِزِّكَ الَّذِي لا يُضَامُ وَ احْفَظْنِي بِعَيْنِكَ الَّتِي لا تَنَامُ وَ اخْتِمْ بِالانْقِطَاعِ اِلَيْكَ اَمْرِي وَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ عُمْرِي اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ.

THE SUPPLICATION ON MONDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يُشْهِدْ اَحَدا حِينَ فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ وَ لا اتَّخَذَ مُعِينا حِينَ بَرَاَ النَّسَمَاتِ لَمْ يُشَارَكْ فِي الْاِلَهِيَّةِ وَ لَمْ يُظَاهَرْ فِي الْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ كَلَّتِ الْاَلْسُنُ عَنْ غَايَةِ صِفَتِهِ وَ الْعُقُولُ عَنْ كُنْهِ مَعْرِفَتِهِ وَ تَوَاضَعَتِ الْجَبَابِرَةُ لِهَيْبَتِهِ وَ عَنَتِ الْوُجُوهُ لِخَشْيَتِهِ وَ انْقَادَ كُلُّ عَظِيمٍ لِعَظَمَتِهِ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ مُتَوَاتِرا مُتَّسِقا وَ مُتَوَالِيا مُسْتَوْسِقا [مُسْتَوْثِقا] وَ صَلَوَاتُهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ اَبَدا وَ سَلامُهُ دَائِما سَرْمَدا اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ اَوَّلَ يَوْمِي هَذَا صَلاحا وَ اَوْسَطَهُ فَلاحا وَ آخِرَهُ نَجَاحا، وَ اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ يَوْمٍ اَوَّلُهُ فَزَعٌ وَ اَوْسَطُهُ جَزَعٌ وَ آخِرُهُ وَجَعٌ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِكُلِّ نَذْرٍ نَذَرْتُهُ وَ كُلِّ وَعْدٍ وَعَدْتُهُ وَ كُلِّ عَهْدٍ عَاهَدْتُهُ ثُمَّ لَمْ اَفِ بِهِ وَ اَسْاَلُكَ فِي مَظَالِمِ عِبَادِكَ عِنْدِي فَاَيُّمَا عَبْدٍ مِنْ عَبِيدِكَ اَوْ اَمَةٍ مِنْ اِمَائِكَ كَانَتْ لَهُ قِبَلِي مَظْلِمَةٌ ظَلَمْتُهَا اِيَّاهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ اَوْ فِي عِرْضِهِ اَوْ فِي مَالِهِ اَوْ فِي اَهْلِهِ وَ وَلَدِهِ اَوْ غِيبَةٌ اغْتَبْتُهُ بِهَا اَوْ تَحَامُلٌ عَلَيْهِ بِمَيْلٍ اَوْ هَوًى اَوْ اَنَفَةٍ اَوْ حَمِيَّةٍ اَوْ رِيَاءٍ اَوْ عَصَبِيَّةٍ غَائِبا كَانَ اَوْ شَاهِدا وَ حَيّا كَانَ اَوْ مَيِّتا فَقَصُرَتْ يَدِي وَ ضَاقَ وُسْعِي عَنْ رَدِّهَا اِلَيْهِ وَ التَّحَلُّلِ مِنْهُ، فَاَسْاَلُكَ يَا مَنْ يَمْلِكُ الْحَاجَاتِ وَ هِيَ مُسْتَجِيبَةٌ لِمَشِيَّتِهِ وَ مُسْرِعَةٌ اِلَى اِرَادَتِهِ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تُرْضِيَهُ عَنِّي بِمَا [بِمَ‏] شِئْتَ وَ تَهَبَ لِي مِنْ عِنْدِكَ رَحْمَةً اِنَّهُ لا تَنْقُصُكَ الْمَغْفِرَةُ وَ لا تَضُرُّكَ الْمَوْهِبَةُ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اَوْلِنِي فِي كُلِّ يَوْمِ اِثْنَيْنِ نِعْمَتَيْنِ مِنْكَ ثِنْتَيْنِ سَعَادَةً فِي اَوَّلِهِ بِطَاعَتِكَ وَ نِعْمَةً فِي آخِرِهِ بِمَغْفِرَتِكَ يَا مَنْ هُوَ الْاِلَهُ وَ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ سِوَاهُ

THE SUPPLICATION ON TUESDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ حَقُّهُ كَمَا يَسْتَحِقُّهُ حَمْدا كَثِيرا وَ اَعُوذُ بِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي اِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَاَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ اِلا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي وَ اَعُوذُ بِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ الَّذِي يَزِيدُنِي ذَنْبا اِلَى ذَنْبِي وَ اَحْتَرِزُ بِهِ مِنْ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ فَاجِرٍ وَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ وَ عَدُوٍّ قَاهِرٍ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ جُنْدِكَ فَاِنَّ جُنْدَكَ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ حِزْبِكَ فَاِنَّ حِزْبَكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ، وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ اَوْلِيَائِكَ فَاِنَّ اَوْلِيَاءَكَ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ لا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي فَاِنَّهُ عِصْمَةُ اَمْرِي وَ اَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي فَاِنَّهَا دَارُ مَقَرِّي وَ اِلَيْهَا مِنْ مُجَاوَرَةِ اللِّئَامِ مَفَرِّي وَ اجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَ الْوَفَاةَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ ، وَ تَمَامِ عِدَّةِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَ اَصْحَابِهِ الْمُنْتَجَبِينَ وَ هَبْ لِي فِي الثُّلَثَاءِ ثَلاثا لا تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبا اِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَ لا غَمّا اِلا اَذْهَبْتَهُ وَ لا عَدُوّا اِلا دَفَعْتَهُ بِبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ خَيْرِ الْاَسْمَاءِ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ رَبِّ الْاَرْضِ وَ السَّمَاءِ اَسْتَدْفِعُ كُلَّ مَكْرُوهٍ اَوَّلُهُ سَخَطُهُ وَ اَسْتَجْلِبُ كُلَّ مَحْبُوبٍ اَوَّلُهُ رِضَاهُ فَاخْتِمْ لِي مِنْكَ بِالْغُفْرَانِ يَا وَلِيَّ الْاِحْسَانِ

THE SUPPLICATION ON WEDNESDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسا وَ النَّوْمَ سُبَاتا وَ جَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُورا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ اَنْ بَعَثْتَنِي مِنْ مَرْقَدِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ جَعَلْتَهُ سَرْمَدا حَمْدا دَائِما لا يَنْقَطِعُ اَبَدا وَ لا يُحْصِي لَهُ الْخَلائِقُ عَدَدا اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ اَنْ خَلَقْتَ فَسَوَّيْتَ وَ قَدَّرْتَ وَ قَضَيْتَ وَ اَمَتَّ وَ اَحْيَيْتَ وَ اَمْرَضْتَ وَ شَفَيْتَ وَ عَافَيْتَ وَ اَبْلَيْتَ وَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَيْتَ وَ عَلَى الْمُلْكِ احْتَوَيْتَ اَدْعُوكَ دُعَاءَ مَنْ ضَعُفَتْ وَسِيلَتُهُ وَ انْقَطَعَتْ حِيلَتُهُ وَ اقْتَرَبَ اَجَلُهُ ، وَ تَدَانَى فِي الدُّنْيَا اَمَلُهُ وَ اشْتَدَّتْ اِلَى رَحْمَتِكَ فَاقَتُهُ وَ عَظُمَتْ لِتَفْرِيطِهِ حَسْرَتُهُ وَ كَثُرَتْ زَلَّتُهُ وَ عَثْرَتُهُ وَ خَلُصَتْ لِوَجْهِكَ تَوْبَتُهُ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ عَلَى اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَ ارْزُقْنِي شَفَاعَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ لا تَحْرِمْنِي صُحْبَتَهُ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اقْضِ لِي فِي الْاَرْبَعَاءِ اَرْبَعا اجْعَلْ قُوَّتِي فِي طَاعَتِكَ وَ نَشَاطِي فِي عِبَادَتِكَ وَ رَغْبَتِي فِي ثَوَابِكَ وَ زُهْدِي فِيمَا يُوجِبُ لِي اَلِيمَ عِقَابِكَ اِنَّكَ لَطِيفٌ لِمَا تَشَاءُ

THE SUPPLICATION ON THURSDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي اَذْهَبَ اللَّيْلَ مُظْلِما بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَ جَاءَ بِالنَّهَارِ مُبْصِرا بِرَحْمَتِهِ وَ كَسَانِي ضِيَاءَهُ وَ اَنَا فِي نِعْمَتِهِ اللَّهُمَّ فَكَمَا اَبْقَيْتَنِي لَهُ فَاَبْقِنِي لِاَمْثَالِهِ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ وَ لا تَفْجَعْنِي فِيهِ وَ فِي غَيْرِهِ مِنَ اللَّيَالِي وَ الْاَيَّامِ بِارْتِكَابِ الْمَحَارِمِ وَ اكْتِسَابِ الْمَآثِمِ وَ ارْزُقْنِي خَيْرَهُ وَ خَيْرَ مَا فِيهِ وَ خَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهُ وَ اصْرِفْ عَنِّي شَرَّهُ وَ شَرَّ مَا فِيهِ وَ شَرَّ مَا بَعْدَهُ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي بِذِمَّةِ الْاِسْلامِ اَتَوَسَّلُ اِلَيْكَ وَ بِحُرْمَةِ الْقُرْآنِ اَعْتَمِدُ عَلَيْكَ وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ الْمُصْطَفَى صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ اَسْتَشْفِعُ لَدَيْكَ ، فَاعْرِفِ اللَّهُمَّ ذِمَّتِيَ الَّتِي رَجَوْتُ بِهَا قَضَاءَ حَاجَتِي يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اقْضِ لِي فِي الْخَمِيسِ خَمْسا لا يَتَّسِعُ لَهَا اِلا كَرَمُكَ وَ لا يُطِيقُهَا اِلا نِعَمُكَ سَلامَةً اَقْوَى بِهَا عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ وَ عِبَادَةً اَسْتَحِقُّ بِهَا جَزِيلَ مَثُوبَتِكَ وَ سَعَةً فِي الْحَالِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ الْحَلالِ وَ اَنْ تُؤْمِنَنِي فِي مَوَاقِفِ الْخَوْفِ بِاَمْنِكَ وَ تَجْعَلَنِي مِنْ طَوَارِقِ الْهُمُومِ وَ الْغُمُومِ فِي حِصْنِكَ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلْ تَوَسُّلِي بِهِ شَافِعا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ نَافِعا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

THE SUPPLICATION ON FRIDAYS

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْاَوَّلِ قَبْلَ الْاِنْشَاءِ وَ الْاِحْيَاءِ وَ الْآخِرِ بَعْدَ فَنَاءِ الْاَشْيَاءِ الْعَلِيمِ الَّذِي لا يَنْسَىٰ مَنْ ذَكَرَهُ وَ لا يَنْقُصُ مَنْ شَكَرَهُ وَ لا يَخِيبُ مَنْ دَعَاهُ وَ لا يَقْطَعُ رَجَاءَ مَنْ رَجَاهُ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اُشْهِدُكَ وَ كَفَىٰ بِكَ شَهِيداً وَ اُشْهِدُ جَمِيعَ مَلائِكَتِكَ وَ سُكَّانَ سَمَاوَاتِكَ وَ حَمَلَةَ عَرْشِكَ وَ مَنْ بَعَثْتَ مِنْ اَنْبِيَائِكَ وَ رُسُلِكَ وَ اَنْشَأْتَ مِنْ اَصْنَافِ خَلْقِكَ اَنِّي اَشْهَدُ اَنَّكَ اَنْتَ اللَّهُ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اَنْتَ، وَحْدَكَ لا شَرِيكَ لَكَ وَ لا عَدِيلَ وَ لا خُلْفَ لِقَوْلِكَ وَ لا تَبْدِيلَ وَ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَ رَسُولُكَ اَدَّىٰ مَا حَمَّلْتَهُ اِلَى الْعِبَادِ وَ جَاهَدَ فِي اللّٰهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَقَّ الْجِهَادِ وَ اَنَّهُ بَشَّرَ بِمَا هُوَ حَقٌّ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ وَ اَنْذَرَ بِمَا هُوَ صِدْقٌ مِنَ الْعِقَابِ اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْنِي عَلَىٰ دِينِكَ مَا اَحْيَيْتَنِي ، وَ لا تُزِغْ قَلْبِي بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَيْتَنِي وَ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِنْ اَتْبَاعِهِ وَ شِيعَتِهِ وَ احْشُرْنِي فِي زُمْرَتِهِ وَ وَفِّقْنِي لِاَدَاءِ فَرْضِ الْجُمُعَاتِ وَ مَا اَوْجَبْتَ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا مِنَ الطَّاعَاتِ وَ قَسَمْتَ لِاَهْلِهَا مِنَ الْعَطَاءِ فِي يَوْمِ الْجَزَاءِ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

FOURTH CHAPTER: MERITS & RITUALS OF FRIDAY NIGHT & DAY

MERITS OF FRIDAYS

Friday days and nights excel the other days and nights in standing, honor, and regard. In this connection, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said, “Surely, in each hour of the twenty-four hours of the Friday day and night, Almighty Allah releases from Hellfire six hundred thousand persons.”

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said, “One who dies in the period between midday on Thursdays and midday on Fridays will be released, by Almighty Allah, from pressure in graves.”

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported as saying, “Verily, Fridays enjoy rights (incumbent upon people). Therefore, beware of violating Fridays’ sanctity through showing shortcoming in acts of worship; rather, seek nearness to Almighty Allah by means of righteous deeds and abandonment of all forbidden acts. Certainly, on Fridays, Almighty Allah doubles up the rewards (of good deeds), erases forgivingly punishments (for evildoings), and raises the ranks (of faith). Friday daytimes are as same as Friday nights; therefore, you may, when possible, stay up supplicating and offering prayers to Almighty Allah Who, at that night, orders the angels to descend to the lower sky in order to double up the rewards and erase the evildoings. Most surely, Allah is Ample-giving and All-generous.”

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported, in a validly reported tradition, to have said, “When a believing individual prays to Him for granting him his request, Almighty Allah may postpone the answer of that request to Friday in order that the individual will be given all the more due to the exclusive merit of Fridays.”

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported as narrating that when Prophet Joseph’s brothers asked their father, Prophet Jacob, to ask Almighty Allah’s forgiveness of their faults, he promised to do that. Yet, he postponed that appeal to Friday early dawn so as to guarantee response.

Again, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported as saying that on Friday nights, fishes in oceans and beasts in wildernesses raise their heads and pray Almighty Allah saying in a loud sound, “O Our Lord; torture us not for the sins of the human beings.”

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said that on Friday nights, Almighty Allah gives orders to an angel - on behalf of Him - to call out, from above the Divine Throne, throughout the night, “Is there not any believing servant who will, right now, supplicate Me, before dawn comes upon him, for his world and Next World needs so that I will respond to him? Is there not any believing servant who, right now, repents to Me, before dawn comes upon him, and gives up his sins so that I will accept his repentance? Is there not any believing servant whose sustenance has been made reduced who will, right now, prays Me for increase, before dawn comes upon him, so that I will increase and develop his sustenance? Is there not any believing servant, being ailed, who will, right now, pray Me for healing, before dawn comes upon him, so that I will heal him? Is there not any believing servant, being grieved and detained, who will, right now, pray Me for relief and release, before dawn comes upon him, so that I will relieve and release him? Is there not any believing servant, being oppressed, who will, right now, pray Me for giving him victory and releasing him from oppression, before dawn comes upon him, so that I will back and release from oppression?” This angel will keep saying so until dawn.

Likewise, Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) is reported to have said, “As He has chosen Friday, Almighty Allah has decided their daytimes and nights to be feasts. One of its merits, whoever beseeches Him on Fridays will be granted his request. Chastisement that is decided for a people because of an evildoing will be canceled by Him if that evildoing is committed on Friday. All graces that Almighty Allah decides are put into practice on Friday nights. Hence, Friday nights are more favorable than other nights and so are their days.”

Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported as saying, “Avoid committing any act of disobedience (to Almighty Allah) on Friday nights, for the punishments (of evildoing) are doubled up, and rewards (for good deeds) are also doubled up. Whoever avoids committing an act of disobedience at Friday nights, Almighty Allah will forgive all of his previous sins. In the same way, whoever challenges Almighty Allah by committing an act of disobedience at such nights, Almighty Allah will punish him for each and every act of disobedience that he did in his whole lifetime and will double up the punishment for him.”

It has been authentically narrated on the authority of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida(a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “Verily, Friday is the master of days. On Fridays, Almighty Allah doubles up the rewards (for good deeds), erases, forgivingly, the punishments (for evildoings), raises the ranks (of faith), responds to prayers, relieves from misfortunes, and fulfills the grand requests. Friday is the day of bonus. Almighty Allah, on Fridays, releases numerous individuals from Hellfire. When anyone prays Him on Friday while having already appreciated the actual standing and the sanctity of this day, it will be incumbent upon Almighty Allah to release him/her from Hellfire. If that individual dies on that day or night, he/she will be decided as martyr and will be resurrected (on the Judgment Day) secured. Conversely, if one belittles the sanctity of Friday and disrespects its standings, it will be incumbent upon Almighty Allah to cast him/her into Hellfire unless he/she repents thereafter.”

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported, through an authentic chain of authority, to have said, “Sunlight has never risen in a day better than Friday. When beards meet each other on that day, they greet each other with, Peace! Good day!”

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) is authentically reported to have said, “On Fridays, do not engage yourselves in anything other than acts of worship, for the servants’ faults are forgiven and the divine mercy is sent down on Fridays.”

Finally, the merits of Friday daytimes and nights are too many to be cited in this brief introduction.

Lesson 2: The Signs of God in our Daily Life

1. Knowing God and the Progress of Science

Pretend that a friend has come from a trip and has brought a book as a present for you. He says that it is an excellent book, because the author of this book is full of information by a very great scholar, who is accurate, an expert and a genius in his own field.

You will most certainly not study this book carelessly. Rather you will concentrate on every sentence and even the choice of words made and if there be a sentence there that you do not understand, perhaps you will spend hours and even days, whenever you can, studying it until the meaning of it becomes clear to you.

Why? Because the author of this book is not a normal average person but rather a great scholar who considers every word he uses carefully.

But if the opposite were true and they had said to you, “This book may appear to be beautiful and pleasing on the outside, but the author is not very literate and he has no base in science and has not taken any care,” it is clear that you will only quickly glance at the book and wherever you found something unclear in it, you would say, “This is because the author was uninformed and it is a waste of time for a person to study this.”

The world of creation is like a great book in which every creature forms a word or sentence in that. From the point of view of a person who worships God, every atom of this universe is worthy of study.

A person who has faith in the ray of the light of worshipping God, will make use of a special sense of curiosity in studying the secrets of creation and it is this very fact which helps science and human knowledge to progress - because he knows that the Creator of this universe has endless knowledge and power and everything He does is based on a wisdom and a philosophy. Thus, he studies with greater care, more profoundly in order to be able to understand the secrets better.

But a materialist has no reason to discover the secret of creation for he believes that nature is senseless. If we look at the work of a materialist scholar, it is in the same rank because he accepts God but calls him ‘nature’. Why? Because he accepts an order and a program in nature.

2. Knowing God, Endeavoring and Hope

Whenever a difficult and complicated event takes place in the life of a human being, whenever all doors are somehow closed, one senses weakness, hopelessness and loneliness, when confronted by these difficulties, a person with faith in God then seeks His help, which He gives.

A person who has faith in God does not see himself or herself as being alone or powerless. He or she does not despair. He or she does not sense weakness or inability, because God is above all difficulties and everything is easy for Him.

With hope in His kindness, support and help, he or she will struggle against the difficulty and will use all of his or her energies. With love and hope, one will continue his or her endeavors and efforts and will overcome the difficulty.

Yea. Faith in God is a great place of refuge for a human being. Faith in God is the substance of perseverance and steadfastness. Faith in God always keeps hope in hearts alive. Because of this, individuals with faith never attempt to commit suicide because attempts at suicide come from despair, a complete lack of hope and a feeling of having failed but individuals with faith neither lose hope nor do they sense failure.

3. Knowing God and the Sense of Responsibility

We know a doctor who, when poor people visit him, not only does he not get money from them for the visit, but he gives them money and drugs and if he senses a danger for that person, he will stay all night in his home. These are people who worship God and have faith.

But we also know a doctor who, until the money of the visit is not paid, he will not take the first step for the sick person because he does not have a strong faith. A person who has faith, no matter what his or her profession is, senses responsibility, knows his or her duties, does good, readily forgives and constantly sees a spiritual policeman within his or her soul who watches over one’s deeds.

But people who lack faith are selfish and dangerous people who have no sense of responsibility. Oppression, suppression and aggression against the rights of others is easy for them and they are less prepared to do good.

4. Knowing God and Peacefulness

Psychologists say that mental and psychological diseases are greater in our time than in any other. They say that one of the factors is anxiety over future events, anxiety over death, anxiety over war and anxiety of fear and failure.

They add, “Among the things which can take anxiety away from a person’s spirit is faith in god because whenever an anxiety wants to penetrate one’s spirit, faith in God pushes it away”.

A God who is kind, a God who helps one meet one’s needs, a God Who is aware of His servants’ condition and if they turn towards Him, He helps them and frees them from anxiety.

Because of this, a real believer always has a sense of peacefulness and no anxiety exists within his or her spirit. Whatever such a person does, is for God. Even if one suffers a loss, one seeks its replacement from Him. Such a person even enters the war front with a smile.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with oppression - that are (truly) in peacefulness, for they are on (right) guidance.” (6:82)

Think and Answer

1. Do you recall the fate of the people in the past which the Qur’anic verse refers to?

2. Do you know why some individuals, who pretend to have faith in God, are morally corrupt and none of the four effects mentioned above can be found in them?

Lesson 3: Two Clear Ways of Knowing God

From the earliest of times until today, books have been written about coming to know God and a great deal has been said by scholars and non-scholars.

Each one chooses a way in order to come to understand this issue but from among all of the ways, there are two ways which can help us to grow near to this great Creator of the universe:

- First, an inward way (the closest way)

- Second, an outward way (the clearest way)

With the first way, we get in touch with our deep inner self and we hear the cry of monotheism from within the depths of ourselves.

With the second way, we explore the expansive created world, and we see the signs of the creator in all creatures and in the heart of every atom. Each one of these two ways requires a great deal of explanation, but what we will try to do is to briefly study each of these two ways.

The Inward Way

Let us think about the following:

1. Scholars say that every human being who thinks, from whatever class or race one be, if left alone, receives no special training, not even hears the words of people who worship God nor the words of materialists, that person will naturally become aware of a force or power which is above nature and which rules all of the world.

In the corners of one’s heart and spirit, one will sense a very subtle sound, which is full of kindness and, at the same time, clear and firm, which calls one towards the great Source of the universe and the power that we call God. This is that very pure, divinely-created human nature of people.

2. It is possible that one becomes occupied with the commotion in the material world and one’s daily life and the lights and attractions of life and one may temporarily neglect to hear this sound, but when one finds oneself facing problems and difficulties, whenever a natural catastrophe like a flood or an earthquake or a hurricane comes, yes, at this time, when one is curtailed from all means of material life, and when one finds no place of refuge, this inner sound gains strength.

One senses that within one’s self, a power is calling one, a power which is superior to all forces, a secret force and all difficulties and problems seem simple before it.

It is rare to find a person who in such difficulties does not automatically turn to God. It is this issue which shows how close we are to Him and how close He is to us.

He is in our spirit and our very soul. Of course, the cry of instinct (nature) is always within a person, but at times like this, it finds greater force.

3. Our history shows that even the powerful rulers who, at the time of peace and calm, refuse to even mention the Name of God, when the bases of their power begin to shake and they see that they are about to lose all of their power, they turn to God and they hear the voice of their Divinely-created nature.

History tells us that when Pharaoh saw that he was drowning in the waves of the sea, he said, “I confess that there is no god but the great God of Moses. “This cry came from his soul. Not only Pharaoh, but all people who are in a state or condition like he was, cry out the same thing he did.

4. If you study the real reasons for this, you will agree that a light shines from there which calls you to God. Perhaps there have been times when you have met with difficulties and problems and all of the usual ways of solving problems do not work. At that moment, most certainly, you have seen that there is a force in the world which can easily solve it.

At this moment, a hope mixed with love fills your spirit and soul and it removes the clouds of darkness from our soul. Yea. This is the closest way which a person can take to God.

Only one question:

We know that this question may arise for some of you. Does this possibility not exist that based upon what we have been taught by our environment, our father and mother, at sensitive moments, we begin to think that we should ask God for help?

We know you are right and correct in asking this question, but we have a very interesting answer which we give in the next lesson.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on God, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a Share (of their worship to others)!” (29:65)

Think and Answer

1. Try to memorize the surah number, verse number and meaning of word to word translation and gradually become familiar with the language of the Holy Qur’an.

2. Has a complicated problem ever arisen for you for which no solution seemed available to you except the kindness of God, the Almighty? (Write or tell about it briefly).

3. Why is this way called the closest way?

Lesson 4: An Answer to an Important Question

Question: In the previous lesson, we realized or recognized that we always hear the voice of monotheism (tawhid) and worship of God from within our souls and especially at times of difficulty, this voice becomes stronger and clearer and we naturally begin to think about God and we seek His help and kindness.

Here it is possible that this question arises that this inner voice which we call the voice of our ‘God-given nature’ (fitrat) is the result of things which we have heard from our environment and our mother and father have told us or from school and it has become very normal and common for us.

Answer: The answer to this requires a brief introduction. Customs change. We cannot find a custom which has not changed throughout history among all nations.

Thus, when we see that this is something which exists among all nations, has existed at all times and during all ages, without exception, we should realize that its roots are in fitrat and that it is woven into the spirit and soul of human beings.

For instance, the love of a mother for her child. This can in no way be said to come from propaganda or habit or custom because in no tribe or nation, or at any time or age, can you see that a mother does not love her child.

Of course, it is possible that a mother, because of a mental disturbance, do away with herself or a father during the Age of Ignorance in Arabia (the time before the appearance of Islam) buried his girl children alive because his thoughts were wrong and based on superstitions but these are very rare cases.

Looking at this introduction, recalling how people in the past and in the present worship God, we see (as this lesson is a little bit more difficult, please pay careful attention).

1. As stated by sociologists and historians, there has been no time in history when belief in God and faith did not exist among people. Rather, in every age and time and at all moments of this world, some form of belief existed and this, itself, is clear reason why the worship of God is from the depths of the spirit and its source is fitrat of human beings, not that it is a result of customs we have accepted because if it were the consequences of habit and custom, it would not be so extensive and eternal.

We even have rules which show that tribes who lived before written history began, had some kind of a belief system. Of course, there is no doubt that at times, when people had forgotten God as the Being Who is above nature, they searched for Him and looked for Him among creatures in nature and they made idols for themselves of things in nature.

But with the development of thought, human beings gradually were able to see the truth, stop worshipping idols which were material creatures and become familiar with the One God.

2. Some of the well-known psychologists clearly and directly say that the human spirit or soul has four senses:

First, the sense of knowledge which sends a person after science and knowledge and makes one’s spirit thirsty for knowledge whether or not this has any material benefit.

Second, the sense of goodness which is the source for moral and human issues in the world of humanity.

Third, the sense of beauty which is the source of poetry and literature and art in their real sense.

Fourth, the sense of belief which invites the human being to come to know God and to implement His Commands. In this way, we see that the sense of worship is one of the senses with the deepest roots of the spirit. That is, they are never separate from each other.

3. In our future lessons, we will see how most materialists even admit to the existence of God, even though they do not mention His Name and instead refer to nature or give Him other names but qualities are given to nature which are, in fact, qualities of God.

For instance, they say, if nature has given two kidneys to human beings, it was because it knew that if one of these failed, the other would continue life, etc.

Does this explanation hold for a nature which lacks awareness and consciousness? Or is this not a reference to the All-knowing and Infinite God but calling Him, nature?

We can conclude from what has been said that:

A love for God has always existed in us and will always continue.

Faith in God is an eternal flame which warms our heart and spirit.

In order to come to know God, we are not obliged to take a long and complicated way.

We quickly turn inward and see we have faith in Him. The Holy Qur’an says:

“We are closer to the human being than his jugular vein.” (50:16)

Think and Answer

1 Write several examples of customs and several examples of things which are part of our God-given nature (fitrat).

2 Why do ignorant people turn to idol worship?

3 Why do materialists refer to God as Nature?

Lesson 5: A True Story

We have said that in the depths of the spirit of those who deny God with their tongue, a faith in God exists.

There is no doubt that victories and successes - especially for individuals with few possibilities develop pride and this very pride becomes the source for forgetfulness, to the point where often a person even forgets his or her own opinions.

But the moment that a storm of difficulties throws their life into chaos and the strong wind of difficulties attacks that person from all sides, the curtains of pride and selfishness moves away from their eyes and divinely-created nature (fitrat) and monotheism (the belief that God is One) appears.

History gives many examples of individuals who were like this, whose lives were full of deceit:

There was a minister who was very strong and powerful in his age. He had taken control of most of the power and no one opposed him. One day he entered a meeting in which a group of religious scholars were present. He turned to them and said, “For how long will you continue to say that God exists? I have many reasons to prove otherwise.”

He said this with special pride. As the scholars who were present knew that he was not a reasonable or logical person and that power and strength had made him so proud that no words of truth would affect him, they ignored him and remained silent, a meaningful and humble silence.

This event passed. After a time, the minister insulted someone. The ruler of the time had him arrested and thrown into jail.

One of the scholars who were present at the gathering thought to himself that the time to awaken him had come.

Now that he has gotten off the horse of pride and the curtain of self-interest has moved away from his eyes, and the sense of accepting the truth was awakened in him, if he contacts him and gives him words of advice, it may produce good results. He received permission to visit him and he went to the prison.

As he neared him, he saw that he was in a room all alone, walking back and forth and thinking and he was recalling a poem which said, “We are all like drawings or paintings of a lion which are painted or drawn on a flag. When the wind blows, it moves and perhaps even attacks, but in reality it has nothing from itself. Its strength is the wind which gives it power. We, also, as we gain more power, have nothing from ourselves. It is God who has given this strength to us and whenever He wills, He can take it from us.”

The above-mentioned scholar saw that under these conditions, not only does he not deny the existence of God, but he has become ardently aware of God. After greeting him he said, “Do you recall how you said you have many reasons for the non-existence of God.

I have come to answer those many reasons with just one response, “God is He Who, with such ease, took your power away from you.” He hung his head in shame and did not answer because he knew that he had been wrong and he saw the light of God within himself.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“We took the Israeli tribes across the sea; Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in pride and insolence. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said, ‘I believe that there is no god except Him whom the Israeli tribes believe in. I am of those who submit (muslimin)’ ” (10:90)

Think and Answer

l. Describe the consequences of the true story in several lines.

2. Why are the Israeli tribe called “Israeli tribe”?

3. Who was Pharaoh? Where did he live? What claims did he make?

Lesson 6: The Second Way of coming to Know God

The Outer Way

With a quick glance at the world that we live in, we realize that the world is not in chaos and disorder. Rather, all phenomena are in motion moving towards a clear and determined direction. The facilities of the world are like a great army which has been divided into well-organized units which move in a determined direction.

The following points will clarify any ambiguities:

1. In order to come into being and to remain, every living creature must be a part of a series of laws and special conditions. For instance, for a tree to be, water and suitable soil and a specific temperature are necessary for us to plant seeds and nourish them and each seed to become green and grow.

If these conditions do not exist, there is no possibility for growth and the choosing of these conditions and proving the necessary preliminaries requires an intellect and knowledge.

2. Every creature has a special effect which is exclusive to it. Water and fire each have their own particularities which do not separate from them and they constantly follow permanent laws.

3. All of the members (organs) of living creatures work and are coordinated with each other. As an example, this very human body, which is itself a world, all works together consciously and unconsciously in a special coordination. For instance, if a danger arises, all are mobilized for defense. This relationship and cooperation is another sign of the order in the universe.

4. One look at the world scene makes it clear that not only are all organs of one body of one living creature in coordination with each other, but all the various creatures of the world are also in special coordination with each other. For instance, for the nourishment of living creatures, the sun shines, clouds bring rain and the earth and resources of the earth also help. This all shows the existence of one clear system in the universe.

The Relationship of Order and Intellect

This truth is clear for everyone’s conscience that whenever order exists in a facility, this shows intellect, thought, a plan and a goal.

Because whenever a human being sees order, permanent laws and a reckoning of things, he or she knows that beside that source, knowledge and power must also be sought and in understanding this, in one’s conscience, he or she does not see need for reasoning.

He or she knows that a blind person or an illiterate person can never type a good essay or write a social or critical article, that a child of two years old can never paint beautiful and valuable painting by the drawing of lines on a piece of paper.

Rather, if we see a good essay or read a good article, we know that a person who is literate or if we have seen very beautiful paintings, we will have no doubt that an expert painted them even if we have never met or seen that painter.

Thus, wherever there is a sense of order, beside that, there has been an intellect and however much larger that system be, it is more accurate and more interesting, the knowledge which brings that into being in the same proportion is greater.

Sometimes, in order to prove this issue that every system needs a source of knowledge, the law of probabilities, which has been achieved in high mathematics is used to prove that, for instance, if an illiterate individual wants to type an article or an essay or a poem by randomly pressuring on the keys of the machine, according to the law of probabilities, this will take millions of years to attain for which one lifetime is not sufficient.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“Soon will We show them Our Signs upon the horizons and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that Thy Nourisher is aware of all things.” (41:53)

Think and Answer

1. Give a few examples (other than those presented in the story) about industrial units, the observation of which shows the existence of a Creator of the world Who is Aware.

2. What is the difference between ‘horizons’ and ‘souls’? Give examples of God in the ‘horizons’ and within one’s own ‘soul’.

Lesson 7: Examples From Creation

Throughout the world, ‘order’, ‘goal’ and ‘design’ are apparent. Now pay attention as we study some examples of this. We will present some large and small examples for you.

Fortunately, today, with the progress made in natural sciences, the discovery of the secrets and wonders of the world of nature, and the subtleties in the existence of human beings, animals and plants, the wonderful structure of a cell or an atom and the wonderful system of the stars, the doors of knowing God have been opened to us in such a way that one can clearly say that all books of natural science are books about the oneness and unity of God which teach us great lessons about the great Creator because these books remove the veils or curtains which cover the interesting order of the creatures of this world and show how important the Creator of this world is.

The center of administration of the country of your body

Our skull has been filled with grey matter called the brain. This brain forms the most accurate and exact system of our body because it commands all of the powers of our body and it manages all of the organs of our system.

In order to understand the importance of this great center, it would be a good idea for us to explain the following for you.

The newspapers had printed that a Shiraz university student in Khuzistan was in an automobile accident and his brain was damaged but it seemed that nothing at all had happened to him. All of his organs were healthy but strangely enough, he had forgotten all of his past life. His mind worked well.

He could study but if he saw his mother and father, he did not recognize them. When they said to him that this was his mother, he was surprised. They took him to his home in Shiraz. They showed him the handicraft work he had done and then hung on the walls of his room.

But he looked at it all in amazement and said that he was seeing these things for the first time.

It became clear that in the brain damage he suffered, cells which were, in reality, transitions between thought and his memory were no longer working and like a blown out fuse which cuts off the electricity and brings darkness, his memory of the past had been disconnected.

Perhaps the point which no longer works is no bigger than the size of the top of a pin but what an effect it has had upon his life and from this it becomes clear how complicated and how important our brain is.

Our brain consists of two separate parts: first, the part which is controlled by our voluntary which controls all of our voluntary motions like walking, looking, speaking.

Second, the involuntary part which controls the movement of our heart, stomach, etc. and if one part of this part of the brain does not function, the heart or another organ will no longer function.

One of the Most Wonderful Parts of the Brain

The cerebrum is the center of will power, consciousness and memory. In other words, it is one of the most sensitive areas of the brain and many of the reactions of the inner senses like anger, fear, etc. relate to it.

If we take out the cerebrum in an animal but we leave the other organs as they are, it will remain alive but its understanding and consciousness will be totally eliminated.

They have removed the brain of a pigeon. It remained alive for a while but it could not eat seeds that were placed in front of it. Even though it was hungry, it would not eat.

If it was allowed to fly, it flew until it hit a barrier and fell down.

Another Wonderful Part of the Brain is the Sense of Memory

Have you ever thought how wonderful our sense of memory is? If our sense of memory is taken from us for even one hour, what a difficult situation we will be placed in.

The center of memory which forms a small part of our brain is where all of our memories of our lifetime are stored. Whoever is related to us, the particularities of that person as to size, form, color, clothes and spirit, are kept in storage in their own area and a special file is formed for each one.

Thus the moment we confront that person, our mind removes him from the file and immediately, completely reviews what we know about him and then it commands us as to what reaction we should have.

If it is a friend, respect and if it is an enemy, the showing of hatred but all of this is done so quickly that there is more or less no lapse of time.

The wonder of this becomes more apparent when we try to recall what is stored and draw it or write it down or record it in a tape recorder.

Without any doubt, it will require a great deal of paper or a great number of tapes which can fill a large storage room.

Even more wonderful than this is when we want to find one drawing or one tape among them, a file clerk will be necessary but our sense of memory does all of this work very simply, easily and quickly.

How can an Unconscious nature create a conscious one?

Many books have been written about the wonders of the human brain. Can you believe that such an extraordinary system which is so subtle, accurate, complicated and mysterious be made from unconscious nature?

More wonderful than this is to believe that an unintelligent nature could create intelligence!

The Holy Qur’an says:

“On the earth are signs for those of assured faith as also in your own selves: will you not then see?’’(51:21)

Think and Answer

1. Do you have any other information about the wonders of the human brain?

2. What has God created in order to protect the human brain against accident?

Lesson 8: A World of Wonder in a Small Bird

In this lesson, we want to leave aside the large country of our body, which we have only very briefly touched upon, and turn to a look at the wonderful order of other creatures.

We look at the sky in the darkness of night. We see an exceptional bird which is searching for food with all of its energy. This bird is a bat. There are many wondrous things but flying at night is among the most wondrous.

The swift flight of bats in the darkness of the night without hitting anything is so wondrous that no matter how often one studies this, new mysteries of this are revealed.

This bird flies with the same speed and accuracy as a pigeon does in the day time. If it flies into a dark and narrow tunnel which is full of smoke and twists and turns, it will fly through all of the twists and turns without hitting any of the walls and not the smallest amount of smoke will be found on its wings.

This strange ability of the bat is proof of an effect within it which is similar to radar. We now need to know what radar is in order to be able to see it in a small bat.

In physics, in the discussion on forms, waves are discussed which are beyond sound waves. These waves are those same waves whose length and frequency are so great that the human ear cannot hear them. This is why they are called meta-sound waves.

When these waves are set off by means of a very strong transmitter, these waves move forward but whenever they meet up with any kind of a barrier in a point of space (like the aircraft of the enemy, etc), just like a ball when it hits a wall and bounces back, like our voice before a mountain or a high wall and based on an accurate record of how long it takes for the sound to return to us, we can measure the exact distance to the object.

Many aircrafts and ships are guided by means of radar and it takes them to whatever direction they want.

It is also used to find out the location of enemy ships and aircraft.

Scholars say that within this small creature, there is something similar to radar so that if the bat flies in a room which at that same moment a microphone is put to use to transform meta-sound waves into sound waves which can be heard, in each second (30 to 60 times) the meta-sound waves will be heard by the bat.

Scholars in answer to this say, “These waves leave the larynx through the nose of the bat by means of strong organs and its ears, which are the receivers, receive these.

Thus, this bat, in its night travels, is obligated to its ears. A scholar, through experiment, has proven that if you remove the ears of a bat, it cannot fly avoiding things whereas if you completely remove its eyes, it will very expertly still be able to fly. That is, a bat sees with its ears! Not its eyes. And this is most strange.

Now think who created these two wondrous organs in this small creature and how was it taught how to use them? And how can it avoid the dangers which exist during its night flying? Who?

Is it possible that nature have the intelligence and consciousness to do this? and place these organs which scientists copy, at great expense, in its body?

Hadrat ‘Ali, peace be upon him, in the Nahj al-Balaghah, in a very long sermon about creation, mentions the bat, saying, “It is never prevented from the way because of the darkness of the night. Great and glorious is God Who, without a previous model, brought everything into being.

Think and Answer

1. What other interesting information do you have about the bat?

2. Did you know that the bat’s wings and how it bears children and that even its method of sleeping differs from other animals and that it is most exceptional?

Lesson 9: Love for Insects and Flowers

One spring day when the weather is, little by little, growing warmer, make a visit to a park or a farm. You will meet up with all sorts of small insects, honey bees, flies, butterflies and mosquitoes, who, without making a sound, fly from one flower to the next and from this branch to that branch of the trees.

They are so busy with their work that one could imagine an employer is overlooking their progress and continuously telling them what to do. Their wings and feet are colored yellow by the pollen of the flowers, giving them the look of workers who have put on their work clothes and with love and seriousness, they continue their work.

In truth, they have a very important assignment which is so great that Professor Leon Briton says, “Few people realize that without the work of insects, our fruit baskets would be empty.”

And we add this sentence, “The next year, our green gardens and pastures would be completely lost.” Thus, insects are, in reality, the real nourishers of fruit and providers of flower seeds.

You most probably ask why. Because the most sensitive act in the life of flowers is performed with their help. You have probably heard that flowers, like many animals, have two parts, masculine and feminine, and that reproduction takes place through their union, giving us seeds and fruit.

But have you ever thought how the two parts of flowers, which do not move, are attracted to each other? And how the male spermatozoa mix with the female ovary and provide the beginning of a marriage between the two?

This work is most often the work of insects and, in some cases; it is the work of the wind. But this is not as simple as we think it is. This fruitful marriage, in which insects act as the intermediates, has a history, formality and long adventure, only a small part of which we mention here with a short story.

Two old and close friends: Natural scientists, after study, have concluded that flowers and plants appeared in the second geological age and strangely enough, insects appeared at the same time. These two, throughout the eventful history of creation, were like two old and close friends who have remained loyal to each other and have been complements to one another.

Flowers have always stored sweet nectar within themselves in order to further attract and sweeten the relationship. At the time when insects enter the flower in order to transfer the masculine group, provide the preliminaries for the marriage and pregnancy, the flower freely gives of its sweetness to them. This sweet and valuable sugar is so good tasting to the insect that they are naturally pulled towards it.

Some botanists believe that the beautiful colors and good smelling perfume of flowers also play an important role in attracting the insects to them. Various experiments with honey bees have shown that they distinguish colors and the aroma of flowers.

In reality, it is these flowers which grow for insects and have a good-smelling aroma in such a way that a butterfly and honey bees are attracted to them. They accept the invitation with all of their being and quickly begin the preliminaries and eat of their sweetness.

This very sweetness is a special kind of sugar which is considered to be the best food for insects. When it is stored in one place, it makes honey because insects are attracted to flowers. It eats some of this sweetness and takes most of it with them to their honeycomb to store. This is a contract of friendship and love which is based on mutual interest, always existed and will continue to exist between flowers and insects.

A lesson about monotheism: when a human being studies these wondrous points in the lives of insects and flowers, he or she automatically asks, “Who established this pact of love and friendship between insects and flowers?”

Who gave this special sweetness and good tasting nectar to flowers? Who granted flowers these attractive colors, beauty and this sweet-smelling perfume? Who invited in sects towards it? What were the fat and tiny bodies of insects, butterflies, honey bees and golden bees given to make them prepared to collect the pollen of flowers?

Why do bees, for a certain period of time, move towards one kind of flower? Why did the life of flowers and insects begin at one time in the created world?

Can anyone - no matter how stubborn - accept the fact that all of these events were without any plan or pre-design? And the unconscious laws of nature automatically brought such wondrous scenes into being? Never!

“And thy Nourisher taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in habitations then to eat of all the produce (of the earth) and find with skill the spacious paths of its Nourisher…” (16:68-69)

Think and Answer

1. What use does the sweetness, color and perfume of flowers have?

2. What do you know about the amazing life of honey bees?

Lesson 2: The Signs of God in our Daily Life

1. Knowing God and the Progress of Science

Pretend that a friend has come from a trip and has brought a book as a present for you. He says that it is an excellent book, because the author of this book is full of information by a very great scholar, who is accurate, an expert and a genius in his own field.

You will most certainly not study this book carelessly. Rather you will concentrate on every sentence and even the choice of words made and if there be a sentence there that you do not understand, perhaps you will spend hours and even days, whenever you can, studying it until the meaning of it becomes clear to you.

Why? Because the author of this book is not a normal average person but rather a great scholar who considers every word he uses carefully.

But if the opposite were true and they had said to you, “This book may appear to be beautiful and pleasing on the outside, but the author is not very literate and he has no base in science and has not taken any care,” it is clear that you will only quickly glance at the book and wherever you found something unclear in it, you would say, “This is because the author was uninformed and it is a waste of time for a person to study this.”

The world of creation is like a great book in which every creature forms a word or sentence in that. From the point of view of a person who worships God, every atom of this universe is worthy of study.

A person who has faith in the ray of the light of worshipping God, will make use of a special sense of curiosity in studying the secrets of creation and it is this very fact which helps science and human knowledge to progress - because he knows that the Creator of this universe has endless knowledge and power and everything He does is based on a wisdom and a philosophy. Thus, he studies with greater care, more profoundly in order to be able to understand the secrets better.

But a materialist has no reason to discover the secret of creation for he believes that nature is senseless. If we look at the work of a materialist scholar, it is in the same rank because he accepts God but calls him ‘nature’. Why? Because he accepts an order and a program in nature.

2. Knowing God, Endeavoring and Hope

Whenever a difficult and complicated event takes place in the life of a human being, whenever all doors are somehow closed, one senses weakness, hopelessness and loneliness, when confronted by these difficulties, a person with faith in God then seeks His help, which He gives.

A person who has faith in God does not see himself or herself as being alone or powerless. He or she does not despair. He or she does not sense weakness or inability, because God is above all difficulties and everything is easy for Him.

With hope in His kindness, support and help, he or she will struggle against the difficulty and will use all of his or her energies. With love and hope, one will continue his or her endeavors and efforts and will overcome the difficulty.

Yea. Faith in God is a great place of refuge for a human being. Faith in God is the substance of perseverance and steadfastness. Faith in God always keeps hope in hearts alive. Because of this, individuals with faith never attempt to commit suicide because attempts at suicide come from despair, a complete lack of hope and a feeling of having failed but individuals with faith neither lose hope nor do they sense failure.

3. Knowing God and the Sense of Responsibility

We know a doctor who, when poor people visit him, not only does he not get money from them for the visit, but he gives them money and drugs and if he senses a danger for that person, he will stay all night in his home. These are people who worship God and have faith.

But we also know a doctor who, until the money of the visit is not paid, he will not take the first step for the sick person because he does not have a strong faith. A person who has faith, no matter what his or her profession is, senses responsibility, knows his or her duties, does good, readily forgives and constantly sees a spiritual policeman within his or her soul who watches over one’s deeds.

But people who lack faith are selfish and dangerous people who have no sense of responsibility. Oppression, suppression and aggression against the rights of others is easy for them and they are less prepared to do good.

4. Knowing God and Peacefulness

Psychologists say that mental and psychological diseases are greater in our time than in any other. They say that one of the factors is anxiety over future events, anxiety over death, anxiety over war and anxiety of fear and failure.

They add, “Among the things which can take anxiety away from a person’s spirit is faith in god because whenever an anxiety wants to penetrate one’s spirit, faith in God pushes it away”.

A God who is kind, a God who helps one meet one’s needs, a God Who is aware of His servants’ condition and if they turn towards Him, He helps them and frees them from anxiety.

Because of this, a real believer always has a sense of peacefulness and no anxiety exists within his or her spirit. Whatever such a person does, is for God. Even if one suffers a loss, one seeks its replacement from Him. Such a person even enters the war front with a smile.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with oppression - that are (truly) in peacefulness, for they are on (right) guidance.” (6:82)

Think and Answer

1. Do you recall the fate of the people in the past which the Qur’anic verse refers to?

2. Do you know why some individuals, who pretend to have faith in God, are morally corrupt and none of the four effects mentioned above can be found in them?

Lesson 3: Two Clear Ways of Knowing God

From the earliest of times until today, books have been written about coming to know God and a great deal has been said by scholars and non-scholars.

Each one chooses a way in order to come to understand this issue but from among all of the ways, there are two ways which can help us to grow near to this great Creator of the universe:

- First, an inward way (the closest way)

- Second, an outward way (the clearest way)

With the first way, we get in touch with our deep inner self and we hear the cry of monotheism from within the depths of ourselves.

With the second way, we explore the expansive created world, and we see the signs of the creator in all creatures and in the heart of every atom. Each one of these two ways requires a great deal of explanation, but what we will try to do is to briefly study each of these two ways.

The Inward Way

Let us think about the following:

1. Scholars say that every human being who thinks, from whatever class or race one be, if left alone, receives no special training, not even hears the words of people who worship God nor the words of materialists, that person will naturally become aware of a force or power which is above nature and which rules all of the world.

In the corners of one’s heart and spirit, one will sense a very subtle sound, which is full of kindness and, at the same time, clear and firm, which calls one towards the great Source of the universe and the power that we call God. This is that very pure, divinely-created human nature of people.

2. It is possible that one becomes occupied with the commotion in the material world and one’s daily life and the lights and attractions of life and one may temporarily neglect to hear this sound, but when one finds oneself facing problems and difficulties, whenever a natural catastrophe like a flood or an earthquake or a hurricane comes, yes, at this time, when one is curtailed from all means of material life, and when one finds no place of refuge, this inner sound gains strength.

One senses that within one’s self, a power is calling one, a power which is superior to all forces, a secret force and all difficulties and problems seem simple before it.

It is rare to find a person who in such difficulties does not automatically turn to God. It is this issue which shows how close we are to Him and how close He is to us.

He is in our spirit and our very soul. Of course, the cry of instinct (nature) is always within a person, but at times like this, it finds greater force.

3. Our history shows that even the powerful rulers who, at the time of peace and calm, refuse to even mention the Name of God, when the bases of their power begin to shake and they see that they are about to lose all of their power, they turn to God and they hear the voice of their Divinely-created nature.

History tells us that when Pharaoh saw that he was drowning in the waves of the sea, he said, “I confess that there is no god but the great God of Moses. “This cry came from his soul. Not only Pharaoh, but all people who are in a state or condition like he was, cry out the same thing he did.

4. If you study the real reasons for this, you will agree that a light shines from there which calls you to God. Perhaps there have been times when you have met with difficulties and problems and all of the usual ways of solving problems do not work. At that moment, most certainly, you have seen that there is a force in the world which can easily solve it.

At this moment, a hope mixed with love fills your spirit and soul and it removes the clouds of darkness from our soul. Yea. This is the closest way which a person can take to God.

Only one question:

We know that this question may arise for some of you. Does this possibility not exist that based upon what we have been taught by our environment, our father and mother, at sensitive moments, we begin to think that we should ask God for help?

We know you are right and correct in asking this question, but we have a very interesting answer which we give in the next lesson.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on God, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a Share (of their worship to others)!” (29:65)

Think and Answer

1. Try to memorize the surah number, verse number and meaning of word to word translation and gradually become familiar with the language of the Holy Qur’an.

2. Has a complicated problem ever arisen for you for which no solution seemed available to you except the kindness of God, the Almighty? (Write or tell about it briefly).

3. Why is this way called the closest way?

Lesson 4: An Answer to an Important Question

Question: In the previous lesson, we realized or recognized that we always hear the voice of monotheism (tawhid) and worship of God from within our souls and especially at times of difficulty, this voice becomes stronger and clearer and we naturally begin to think about God and we seek His help and kindness.

Here it is possible that this question arises that this inner voice which we call the voice of our ‘God-given nature’ (fitrat) is the result of things which we have heard from our environment and our mother and father have told us or from school and it has become very normal and common for us.

Answer: The answer to this requires a brief introduction. Customs change. We cannot find a custom which has not changed throughout history among all nations.

Thus, when we see that this is something which exists among all nations, has existed at all times and during all ages, without exception, we should realize that its roots are in fitrat and that it is woven into the spirit and soul of human beings.

For instance, the love of a mother for her child. This can in no way be said to come from propaganda or habit or custom because in no tribe or nation, or at any time or age, can you see that a mother does not love her child.

Of course, it is possible that a mother, because of a mental disturbance, do away with herself or a father during the Age of Ignorance in Arabia (the time before the appearance of Islam) buried his girl children alive because his thoughts were wrong and based on superstitions but these are very rare cases.

Looking at this introduction, recalling how people in the past and in the present worship God, we see (as this lesson is a little bit more difficult, please pay careful attention).

1. As stated by sociologists and historians, there has been no time in history when belief in God and faith did not exist among people. Rather, in every age and time and at all moments of this world, some form of belief existed and this, itself, is clear reason why the worship of God is from the depths of the spirit and its source is fitrat of human beings, not that it is a result of customs we have accepted because if it were the consequences of habit and custom, it would not be so extensive and eternal.

We even have rules which show that tribes who lived before written history began, had some kind of a belief system. Of course, there is no doubt that at times, when people had forgotten God as the Being Who is above nature, they searched for Him and looked for Him among creatures in nature and they made idols for themselves of things in nature.

But with the development of thought, human beings gradually were able to see the truth, stop worshipping idols which were material creatures and become familiar with the One God.

2. Some of the well-known psychologists clearly and directly say that the human spirit or soul has four senses:

First, the sense of knowledge which sends a person after science and knowledge and makes one’s spirit thirsty for knowledge whether or not this has any material benefit.

Second, the sense of goodness which is the source for moral and human issues in the world of humanity.

Third, the sense of beauty which is the source of poetry and literature and art in their real sense.

Fourth, the sense of belief which invites the human being to come to know God and to implement His Commands. In this way, we see that the sense of worship is one of the senses with the deepest roots of the spirit. That is, they are never separate from each other.

3. In our future lessons, we will see how most materialists even admit to the existence of God, even though they do not mention His Name and instead refer to nature or give Him other names but qualities are given to nature which are, in fact, qualities of God.

For instance, they say, if nature has given two kidneys to human beings, it was because it knew that if one of these failed, the other would continue life, etc.

Does this explanation hold for a nature which lacks awareness and consciousness? Or is this not a reference to the All-knowing and Infinite God but calling Him, nature?

We can conclude from what has been said that:

A love for God has always existed in us and will always continue.

Faith in God is an eternal flame which warms our heart and spirit.

In order to come to know God, we are not obliged to take a long and complicated way.

We quickly turn inward and see we have faith in Him. The Holy Qur’an says:

“We are closer to the human being than his jugular vein.” (50:16)

Think and Answer

1 Write several examples of customs and several examples of things which are part of our God-given nature (fitrat).

2 Why do ignorant people turn to idol worship?

3 Why do materialists refer to God as Nature?

Lesson 5: A True Story

We have said that in the depths of the spirit of those who deny God with their tongue, a faith in God exists.

There is no doubt that victories and successes - especially for individuals with few possibilities develop pride and this very pride becomes the source for forgetfulness, to the point where often a person even forgets his or her own opinions.

But the moment that a storm of difficulties throws their life into chaos and the strong wind of difficulties attacks that person from all sides, the curtains of pride and selfishness moves away from their eyes and divinely-created nature (fitrat) and monotheism (the belief that God is One) appears.

History gives many examples of individuals who were like this, whose lives were full of deceit:

There was a minister who was very strong and powerful in his age. He had taken control of most of the power and no one opposed him. One day he entered a meeting in which a group of religious scholars were present. He turned to them and said, “For how long will you continue to say that God exists? I have many reasons to prove otherwise.”

He said this with special pride. As the scholars who were present knew that he was not a reasonable or logical person and that power and strength had made him so proud that no words of truth would affect him, they ignored him and remained silent, a meaningful and humble silence.

This event passed. After a time, the minister insulted someone. The ruler of the time had him arrested and thrown into jail.

One of the scholars who were present at the gathering thought to himself that the time to awaken him had come.

Now that he has gotten off the horse of pride and the curtain of self-interest has moved away from his eyes, and the sense of accepting the truth was awakened in him, if he contacts him and gives him words of advice, it may produce good results. He received permission to visit him and he went to the prison.

As he neared him, he saw that he was in a room all alone, walking back and forth and thinking and he was recalling a poem which said, “We are all like drawings or paintings of a lion which are painted or drawn on a flag. When the wind blows, it moves and perhaps even attacks, but in reality it has nothing from itself. Its strength is the wind which gives it power. We, also, as we gain more power, have nothing from ourselves. It is God who has given this strength to us and whenever He wills, He can take it from us.”

The above-mentioned scholar saw that under these conditions, not only does he not deny the existence of God, but he has become ardently aware of God. After greeting him he said, “Do you recall how you said you have many reasons for the non-existence of God.

I have come to answer those many reasons with just one response, “God is He Who, with such ease, took your power away from you.” He hung his head in shame and did not answer because he knew that he had been wrong and he saw the light of God within himself.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“We took the Israeli tribes across the sea; Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in pride and insolence. At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said, ‘I believe that there is no god except Him whom the Israeli tribes believe in. I am of those who submit (muslimin)’ ” (10:90)

Think and Answer

l. Describe the consequences of the true story in several lines.

2. Why are the Israeli tribe called “Israeli tribe”?

3. Who was Pharaoh? Where did he live? What claims did he make?

Lesson 6: The Second Way of coming to Know God

The Outer Way

With a quick glance at the world that we live in, we realize that the world is not in chaos and disorder. Rather, all phenomena are in motion moving towards a clear and determined direction. The facilities of the world are like a great army which has been divided into well-organized units which move in a determined direction.

The following points will clarify any ambiguities:

1. In order to come into being and to remain, every living creature must be a part of a series of laws and special conditions. For instance, for a tree to be, water and suitable soil and a specific temperature are necessary for us to plant seeds and nourish them and each seed to become green and grow.

If these conditions do not exist, there is no possibility for growth and the choosing of these conditions and proving the necessary preliminaries requires an intellect and knowledge.

2. Every creature has a special effect which is exclusive to it. Water and fire each have their own particularities which do not separate from them and they constantly follow permanent laws.

3. All of the members (organs) of living creatures work and are coordinated with each other. As an example, this very human body, which is itself a world, all works together consciously and unconsciously in a special coordination. For instance, if a danger arises, all are mobilized for defense. This relationship and cooperation is another sign of the order in the universe.

4. One look at the world scene makes it clear that not only are all organs of one body of one living creature in coordination with each other, but all the various creatures of the world are also in special coordination with each other. For instance, for the nourishment of living creatures, the sun shines, clouds bring rain and the earth and resources of the earth also help. This all shows the existence of one clear system in the universe.

The Relationship of Order and Intellect

This truth is clear for everyone’s conscience that whenever order exists in a facility, this shows intellect, thought, a plan and a goal.

Because whenever a human being sees order, permanent laws and a reckoning of things, he or she knows that beside that source, knowledge and power must also be sought and in understanding this, in one’s conscience, he or she does not see need for reasoning.

He or she knows that a blind person or an illiterate person can never type a good essay or write a social or critical article, that a child of two years old can never paint beautiful and valuable painting by the drawing of lines on a piece of paper.

Rather, if we see a good essay or read a good article, we know that a person who is literate or if we have seen very beautiful paintings, we will have no doubt that an expert painted them even if we have never met or seen that painter.

Thus, wherever there is a sense of order, beside that, there has been an intellect and however much larger that system be, it is more accurate and more interesting, the knowledge which brings that into being in the same proportion is greater.

Sometimes, in order to prove this issue that every system needs a source of knowledge, the law of probabilities, which has been achieved in high mathematics is used to prove that, for instance, if an illiterate individual wants to type an article or an essay or a poem by randomly pressuring on the keys of the machine, according to the law of probabilities, this will take millions of years to attain for which one lifetime is not sufficient.

The Holy Qur’an says:

“Soon will We show them Our Signs upon the horizons and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that Thy Nourisher is aware of all things.” (41:53)

Think and Answer

1. Give a few examples (other than those presented in the story) about industrial units, the observation of which shows the existence of a Creator of the world Who is Aware.

2. What is the difference between ‘horizons’ and ‘souls’? Give examples of God in the ‘horizons’ and within one’s own ‘soul’.

Lesson 7: Examples From Creation

Throughout the world, ‘order’, ‘goal’ and ‘design’ are apparent. Now pay attention as we study some examples of this. We will present some large and small examples for you.

Fortunately, today, with the progress made in natural sciences, the discovery of the secrets and wonders of the world of nature, and the subtleties in the existence of human beings, animals and plants, the wonderful structure of a cell or an atom and the wonderful system of the stars, the doors of knowing God have been opened to us in such a way that one can clearly say that all books of natural science are books about the oneness and unity of God which teach us great lessons about the great Creator because these books remove the veils or curtains which cover the interesting order of the creatures of this world and show how important the Creator of this world is.

The center of administration of the country of your body

Our skull has been filled with grey matter called the brain. This brain forms the most accurate and exact system of our body because it commands all of the powers of our body and it manages all of the organs of our system.

In order to understand the importance of this great center, it would be a good idea for us to explain the following for you.

The newspapers had printed that a Shiraz university student in Khuzistan was in an automobile accident and his brain was damaged but it seemed that nothing at all had happened to him. All of his organs were healthy but strangely enough, he had forgotten all of his past life. His mind worked well.

He could study but if he saw his mother and father, he did not recognize them. When they said to him that this was his mother, he was surprised. They took him to his home in Shiraz. They showed him the handicraft work he had done and then hung on the walls of his room.

But he looked at it all in amazement and said that he was seeing these things for the first time.

It became clear that in the brain damage he suffered, cells which were, in reality, transitions between thought and his memory were no longer working and like a blown out fuse which cuts off the electricity and brings darkness, his memory of the past had been disconnected.

Perhaps the point which no longer works is no bigger than the size of the top of a pin but what an effect it has had upon his life and from this it becomes clear how complicated and how important our brain is.

Our brain consists of two separate parts: first, the part which is controlled by our voluntary which controls all of our voluntary motions like walking, looking, speaking.

Second, the involuntary part which controls the movement of our heart, stomach, etc. and if one part of this part of the brain does not function, the heart or another organ will no longer function.

One of the Most Wonderful Parts of the Brain

The cerebrum is the center of will power, consciousness and memory. In other words, it is one of the most sensitive areas of the brain and many of the reactions of the inner senses like anger, fear, etc. relate to it.

If we take out the cerebrum in an animal but we leave the other organs as they are, it will remain alive but its understanding and consciousness will be totally eliminated.

They have removed the brain of a pigeon. It remained alive for a while but it could not eat seeds that were placed in front of it. Even though it was hungry, it would not eat.

If it was allowed to fly, it flew until it hit a barrier and fell down.

Another Wonderful Part of the Brain is the Sense of Memory

Have you ever thought how wonderful our sense of memory is? If our sense of memory is taken from us for even one hour, what a difficult situation we will be placed in.

The center of memory which forms a small part of our brain is where all of our memories of our lifetime are stored. Whoever is related to us, the particularities of that person as to size, form, color, clothes and spirit, are kept in storage in their own area and a special file is formed for each one.

Thus the moment we confront that person, our mind removes him from the file and immediately, completely reviews what we know about him and then it commands us as to what reaction we should have.

If it is a friend, respect and if it is an enemy, the showing of hatred but all of this is done so quickly that there is more or less no lapse of time.

The wonder of this becomes more apparent when we try to recall what is stored and draw it or write it down or record it in a tape recorder.

Without any doubt, it will require a great deal of paper or a great number of tapes which can fill a large storage room.

Even more wonderful than this is when we want to find one drawing or one tape among them, a file clerk will be necessary but our sense of memory does all of this work very simply, easily and quickly.

How can an Unconscious nature create a conscious one?

Many books have been written about the wonders of the human brain. Can you believe that such an extraordinary system which is so subtle, accurate, complicated and mysterious be made from unconscious nature?

More wonderful than this is to believe that an unintelligent nature could create intelligence!

The Holy Qur’an says:

“On the earth are signs for those of assured faith as also in your own selves: will you not then see?’’(51:21)

Think and Answer

1. Do you have any other information about the wonders of the human brain?

2. What has God created in order to protect the human brain against accident?

Lesson 8: A World of Wonder in a Small Bird

In this lesson, we want to leave aside the large country of our body, which we have only very briefly touched upon, and turn to a look at the wonderful order of other creatures.

We look at the sky in the darkness of night. We see an exceptional bird which is searching for food with all of its energy. This bird is a bat. There are many wondrous things but flying at night is among the most wondrous.

The swift flight of bats in the darkness of the night without hitting anything is so wondrous that no matter how often one studies this, new mysteries of this are revealed.

This bird flies with the same speed and accuracy as a pigeon does in the day time. If it flies into a dark and narrow tunnel which is full of smoke and twists and turns, it will fly through all of the twists and turns without hitting any of the walls and not the smallest amount of smoke will be found on its wings.

This strange ability of the bat is proof of an effect within it which is similar to radar. We now need to know what radar is in order to be able to see it in a small bat.

In physics, in the discussion on forms, waves are discussed which are beyond sound waves. These waves are those same waves whose length and frequency are so great that the human ear cannot hear them. This is why they are called meta-sound waves.

When these waves are set off by means of a very strong transmitter, these waves move forward but whenever they meet up with any kind of a barrier in a point of space (like the aircraft of the enemy, etc), just like a ball when it hits a wall and bounces back, like our voice before a mountain or a high wall and based on an accurate record of how long it takes for the sound to return to us, we can measure the exact distance to the object.

Many aircrafts and ships are guided by means of radar and it takes them to whatever direction they want.

It is also used to find out the location of enemy ships and aircraft.

Scholars say that within this small creature, there is something similar to radar so that if the bat flies in a room which at that same moment a microphone is put to use to transform meta-sound waves into sound waves which can be heard, in each second (30 to 60 times) the meta-sound waves will be heard by the bat.

Scholars in answer to this say, “These waves leave the larynx through the nose of the bat by means of strong organs and its ears, which are the receivers, receive these.

Thus, this bat, in its night travels, is obligated to its ears. A scholar, through experiment, has proven that if you remove the ears of a bat, it cannot fly avoiding things whereas if you completely remove its eyes, it will very expertly still be able to fly. That is, a bat sees with its ears! Not its eyes. And this is most strange.

Now think who created these two wondrous organs in this small creature and how was it taught how to use them? And how can it avoid the dangers which exist during its night flying? Who?

Is it possible that nature have the intelligence and consciousness to do this? and place these organs which scientists copy, at great expense, in its body?

Hadrat ‘Ali, peace be upon him, in the Nahj al-Balaghah, in a very long sermon about creation, mentions the bat, saying, “It is never prevented from the way because of the darkness of the night. Great and glorious is God Who, without a previous model, brought everything into being.

Think and Answer

1. What other interesting information do you have about the bat?

2. Did you know that the bat’s wings and how it bears children and that even its method of sleeping differs from other animals and that it is most exceptional?

Lesson 9: Love for Insects and Flowers

One spring day when the weather is, little by little, growing warmer, make a visit to a park or a farm. You will meet up with all sorts of small insects, honey bees, flies, butterflies and mosquitoes, who, without making a sound, fly from one flower to the next and from this branch to that branch of the trees.

They are so busy with their work that one could imagine an employer is overlooking their progress and continuously telling them what to do. Their wings and feet are colored yellow by the pollen of the flowers, giving them the look of workers who have put on their work clothes and with love and seriousness, they continue their work.

In truth, they have a very important assignment which is so great that Professor Leon Briton says, “Few people realize that without the work of insects, our fruit baskets would be empty.”

And we add this sentence, “The next year, our green gardens and pastures would be completely lost.” Thus, insects are, in reality, the real nourishers of fruit and providers of flower seeds.

You most probably ask why. Because the most sensitive act in the life of flowers is performed with their help. You have probably heard that flowers, like many animals, have two parts, masculine and feminine, and that reproduction takes place through their union, giving us seeds and fruit.

But have you ever thought how the two parts of flowers, which do not move, are attracted to each other? And how the male spermatozoa mix with the female ovary and provide the beginning of a marriage between the two?

This work is most often the work of insects and, in some cases; it is the work of the wind. But this is not as simple as we think it is. This fruitful marriage, in which insects act as the intermediates, has a history, formality and long adventure, only a small part of which we mention here with a short story.

Two old and close friends: Natural scientists, after study, have concluded that flowers and plants appeared in the second geological age and strangely enough, insects appeared at the same time. These two, throughout the eventful history of creation, were like two old and close friends who have remained loyal to each other and have been complements to one another.

Flowers have always stored sweet nectar within themselves in order to further attract and sweeten the relationship. At the time when insects enter the flower in order to transfer the masculine group, provide the preliminaries for the marriage and pregnancy, the flower freely gives of its sweetness to them. This sweet and valuable sugar is so good tasting to the insect that they are naturally pulled towards it.

Some botanists believe that the beautiful colors and good smelling perfume of flowers also play an important role in attracting the insects to them. Various experiments with honey bees have shown that they distinguish colors and the aroma of flowers.

In reality, it is these flowers which grow for insects and have a good-smelling aroma in such a way that a butterfly and honey bees are attracted to them. They accept the invitation with all of their being and quickly begin the preliminaries and eat of their sweetness.

This very sweetness is a special kind of sugar which is considered to be the best food for insects. When it is stored in one place, it makes honey because insects are attracted to flowers. It eats some of this sweetness and takes most of it with them to their honeycomb to store. This is a contract of friendship and love which is based on mutual interest, always existed and will continue to exist between flowers and insects.

A lesson about monotheism: when a human being studies these wondrous points in the lives of insects and flowers, he or she automatically asks, “Who established this pact of love and friendship between insects and flowers?”

Who gave this special sweetness and good tasting nectar to flowers? Who granted flowers these attractive colors, beauty and this sweet-smelling perfume? Who invited in sects towards it? What were the fat and tiny bodies of insects, butterflies, honey bees and golden bees given to make them prepared to collect the pollen of flowers?

Why do bees, for a certain period of time, move towards one kind of flower? Why did the life of flowers and insects begin at one time in the created world?

Can anyone - no matter how stubborn - accept the fact that all of these events were without any plan or pre-design? And the unconscious laws of nature automatically brought such wondrous scenes into being? Never!

“And thy Nourisher taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in habitations then to eat of all the produce (of the earth) and find with skill the spacious paths of its Nourisher…” (16:68-69)

Think and Answer

1. What use does the sweetness, color and perfume of flowers have?

2. What do you know about the amazing life of honey bees?