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Spiritual Journey of the Mystics (Suluk al-Arifan)

Etiquette of the Holy Month of Ramadhan

Etiquette and codes of special deeds performed by Allah's most sincere servants during the Holy Month of Ramadhan; the self-restraint and asceticism practised by them during these worships and the self-purification achieved by them.

Author(s): Ayatullah Mirza Jawad Tabrizi

Translator(s): Sayyid Hussein Alamdar

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Table of Contents

Dedication 5

A request from the Translator 6

Translator's Foreword 7

Notes 10

Biography of Late Hajj Mirza Javad Agha Malaki Tabrizi (R.A.) 11

Notes 13

Etiquette and Deeds of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 14

1. Effects of Fasting and Hunger 14

2. Types of Fasting 19

3. Classification of Fast observers On the Basis of Their Aims and Intentions 19

4. Special Fasting - the Affairs of Allah's Favourite Saints 20

5. Classification of Fast observers On the Basis of Their Food Consumption 23

Comment 24

Notes 25

Some Special Distinctions of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 27

Comments 29

Comment 30

A Few Reminders 30

Notes 31

The Splendour and Eminence of Supplications Compiled by the Ahlul-Bait [a] 33

1. Etiquette of the Holy Qur'an and Supplications 34

2. Etiquette of Recital of the Holy Qur'an 34

3. Understanding of Meanings of the Holy Qur'an 35

4 How to Think and Deliberate Over the Holy Qur'an 35

5. Obstacles in Qur'an's Understanding 38

Notes 40

Etiquette and Codes of Prayer 42

1. What is Prayer, and What it Ought to Be? 42

2. Secret of Non-acceptance of the Prayer of Righteous 43

3. Questions and Answers 45

4. Etiquette of Prayer 45

Being Hopeful towards Allah and Hopeless from Others 45

Importance of Remaining Hopeful towards Allah 47

Abstinence from Sinning - Oppression Against People's Lives, Possessions, and Honour 48

5. Factors which Influence Prayer's Acceptance 49

5.1. Shedding Tears and Crying 49

5.2. To Offer Thanks, Praise, and Apology 50

5.3. Deliberation and Persistence 50

5.4. Praying Away from People's Sight 50

5.5. Standing Together for Prayer 50

5.6. Humility and Meekness 51

5.7. Salutations Upon the Holy Prophet [s] and His Holy Progeny Ahlul-Bait [a] 51

5.8. Sincerity and Heart's Purity 52

5.9. Prevention is Better than Cure 52

5.10. Remembrance and Preference of Others 53

Importance of Friendship of a Believer and His Remembrance during Prayer 53

5.11. Raising Hands Upward in Prayer 55

5.12. Prostration and its Reality 55

5.13. Having a Ring in the Hand 56

Importance of the Ring 56

5.14. Paying Alms and Charity 56

5.15. Suitable Timings 56

A. Friday Day and Night 56

Response of Sayyid Ibn Tawus to Divine Proclamation 58

Another Important Point From Sayyid Ibn Tawus 58

5.16. Suitable Place 59

5.17. Important Thing About the Prayer 59

Notes 60

Some Other Deeds of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 62

1. Comments About the Etiquette of Prayer 62

2. Comments About the Effects of Deeds 69

3. Fast-breaking (Iftar) 71

4. Eating Before the Dawn (Suhur) 73

5. Prayer for Understanding the Nights of Qadr and Fitr 73

6. Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) and Appreciation of its Merits 74

7. Witnessing of the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 75

8. Inviting Others for Fast-breaking (Iftar) and Acceptance of Their Invitations 76

Notes 77

The Leadership (Imamat) and Preaching (Va'iz) 78

1. How to Examine Sincerity? 78

2. Etiquette of Preacher and Preaching 80

Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 85

1. The Ranks of the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 86

2. Beseeching Allah for Bestowing Readiness for the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 86

3. Preparation For the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 86

3.1. Selection of the Most Suitable Deeds 88

3.2. Meditation and Pondering 88

3.3. Not to be Negligent from Allah 88

3.4. Resorting (Tawassul) to Ahlul-Bait [a] 89

3.5. Crying and Shedding Tears 89

4. Some Other Deeds to be Performed During the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) 92

4.1. Comments About the Prayer's Etiquette 92

4.2. Comments About the Importance of Ahlul-Bait's [a] Supplications 93

4.3. A Reminder 94

4.4. Comments About the Prayers of Others 95

4.5. The Night of Twenty Seventh of Ramadhan 96

Notes 98

The Last Night of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 99

1. Questions and Answers 100

2. Studying Imam al-Sajjad's [a] Affairs 100

3. Self Accounting 103

4. Farewell of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 104

5. Comments About the Sense and Perception Among Solid Bodies 104

6. How to Farewell the Holy Month of Ramadhan 108

7. The Last Day of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 109

Notes 110

Dedication

This translation work is dedicated to the First Martyr of the Altar (Mehrab) during the Holy Month of Ramadhan, Imam 'Ali [a], as well to the lofty spirits of all the Martyrs of Islam, who waged Jihad and chose martyrdom for the way of Allah, proclamation of Monotheism (Tawhid), defence of Islamic lands, and governance of Qur'anic commands combating against the oppression and arrogance for the defence of deprived and oppressed.

A request from the Translator

Dear Readers! Please recite a Surah al-Fatihah for my deceased father, who left this transient world in the Holy Month of Ramadhan in the year 1976, thanks.

Translator's Foreword

“In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”

The Day of Judgement in the Holy Qur'an has been described as the Day of Regret (Yaum al-Hasrat), when the people would witness the inner essence of this world for the first time with their own eyes; they would then be crying: Is there a way to get out of Hell?1

But then it would be too late. Unfortunately, for most of the people, it is only after their death or their being transferred into other world that they witness the esoteric essence of this creation. But the esoteric essence of this creation is a reality and there exists a complete harmony and co-ordination among its various constituents.

In the Islamic narrations it has been mentioned, that if a group of people are sitting at a place, then in case if they were engaged in a righteous deed, that piece of earth prays and seeks Allah's forgiveness (istighfar) for them. But if they were busy in sinning, the same spot sends cursing upon them. For a pious righteous scholar (alim al-rabbani), it is said that the whole universe, i.e. earth, mountains, plants, rivers, and even the fishes inside the water pray and seek Allah's forgiveness (istighfar) for him.2

Therefore, there is a direct relationship between human existence and the created world, if he sins the entire creation curses upon him, likewise if he engages into Allah's servitude and obedience, the entire creation prays for him and beseech Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), to bestow upon him His best blessings and bounties. Because, a sinner moves in the direction opposite to the divine aim of human creation, his sinning creates a disorder in the aim of human creation which is the movement towards Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted).

Since, Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), likes the tears of shame of sinners, he has created the Holy Month of Ramadhan a month of blessings and mercy. It is a month of worship, prayers, supplications, repentance, night-vigil, and self-purification. Worshipping in this month is bestowed rewards many times the reward of worship performed in other months.

Even the sleeping and breathing of a believer are given the reward of a worship. It is a month when the gates of Paradise are opened while Hell's doors are closed. Divine angels continuously invite the people towards Allah's worship, especially at the dawn on the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) in which the worshipping and night-vigil are superior than the prayer of thousand months.3

Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), in this month has granted an audience inviting all the believers for a divine feast, the invitation of which has been brought by His messengers.

The host is the Most Merciful and Compassionate Lord, His favourite angels are the servants, and the believers are the guests. The tablecloth of divine blessings, containing all sorts of rewards and favours has been spread. From all dimensions the divine special blessings and favours which can't be seen by the eyes, ears are helpless to hear about them, and human hearts can not even imagine them are readied to be awarded upon the guests in accordance to their merits, worth, and absorbing capacities. If we are negligent, we will feel regret on the Day of Judgement whereby feeling sorry and being regretful will not be of any advantage. There is a detailed sermon delivered by the Holy Prophet [s] describing the importance of this blessed month, a portion of which is quoted here as follows:

“O' people the month of Allah with blessing mercy and pardon has came to you, a month which is the best month among all months before Him; its days are the best days; its nights are the best nights and its hours are the best hours. It is the month in which you have been invited by Allah for a feast and have been selected as the recipient of this special favour. Your breathings merit the reward of a worship. In this month your deeds are accepted and prayers are granted.

Therefore, with true intention and pure hearts beseech Allah to bestow upon you His special favour to be able to observe fasting and recite the Holy Qur'an. Because, the most unfortunate and wretched one is the who remains deprived from Allah's pardon during this great month. With your thirst and hunger remind yourself about the thirst and hunger of the Day of Judgement; pay charity to poor and destitute people, pay respect to elders; be kind towards youngsters, and observe the bonds of relationship with your kith and kin.”

The Holy Month of Ramadhan is directly related to Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), because, it is the only month whose name has been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, the month in which the Holy Qur'an after descending through various veils in the Celestial Kingdom was revealed upon the sacred heart of the Holy Prophet [s] though Archangel Gabriel as described in the Holy Qur'an as follows:

“The Holy Month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong).”

- Holy Qur'an (2:185).

The present book is the English translation of the Persian book: Spiritual Journey of the Mystics (Saluk al-Arifan) - which is the translation of Arabic book: al-Muraqebat fi Amal al-Sunnah, written by the most eminent perfect mystic Late Hajj Mirza Javad Agha Maliki Tabrizi. As the enclosed biography would reveal, he was the most eminent gnostic and ascetic of his period, who had attained the most Exalted mystic position of (Kashf-wa-Shahud) a spiritual position, whereby the curtains are rolled up from the wayfarers esoteric eyes, enabling him to see into the unseen far beyond the limits of this material world.

The book presents a detailed description of etiquette and codes of special deeds performed by Allah's most sincere servants during the Holy Month of Ramadhan; the self-restraint and asceticism practised by them during these worships and the self-purification achieved by them.

The present translation covers the following topics: deeds and etiquette of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, special distinction of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, the splendour and eminence of supplications compiled by the Ahlul-Bait [a], etiquette and codes of prayer, the leadership (Imamat) and preaching (Va'iz), the Night of Power (Lailatul-Qadr), the last night of the Holy Month of Ramadhan, the commentary - world being the House of Illusion (Dar al-Gharoor), how to farewell the Holy Month of Ramadhan, and comments about the sense and perception among the solid bodies etc.

If the readers are seriously interested to discover the inner essence of the Ramadhan's reality far beyond the apparent rituals of not eating and drinking etc., they will find the content of this book highly useful and interesting. In the end, I would like to mention about the most severe calamity of our times, especially in the advanced materialistic societies which is - the dryness of the eyes. Following is a tradition narrated by Imam al-Sajjad [a]:

“O' Lord! I do complain to you, against the dryness of the eyes, which do not cry, are not afraid of you, and instead take pleasure in looking whatever makes them pleased.”

- Bihar al-Anwar vol. 94, p.143

And the following narration:

“The dryness of the eyes is the result of hard-heartedness; hard-heartedness is caused due to excessive sinning; excessive sins are the result of consumption of food, which is arranged through forbidden and unlawful income; earning through forbidden and unlawful means is due to forgetting death; forgetting death is due to lengthy desires; lengthy desires are caused because of attachment to the world; and the world's attachment is the root of all evils.”

Therefore, if after offering daily prayers, recital of Dua Kumail,4 in the Qunoot of night-prayer, performance of deeds during the Nights of Power (Lailatul-Qadr) in the Holy Month of Ramadhan, and in general while communicating and establishing a link with the Most Supreme Reality, if one cannot shed a tear, then he should resort to spiritual physicians immediately without any further delay.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all of those who have contributed towards the realisation of this translation, especially Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini, the learned scholar and jurisprudent from the Religious Learning Centre of Qum, and Hajj Agha Ansariyan for their encouragement, guidance, and valuable suggestions. I am indebted to my wife Mrs. Fatimeh Razavi and my daughter Miss. Saman Zaidi in their painstaking efforts and endeavours for typesetting and designing of the text. Elucidatory footnotes added by the translator are identified with [Tr].

In the end I wish to apologise to my readers for possible errors and omissions, and sincerely welcome their suggestions and comments regarding this work as well as other translation works of this translator, published earlier by the Ansariyan Publications, on the following address. Also, it will be highly useful if the readers could communicate and let us know their needs and requirements about the Islamic books which should be translated from Arabic and Persian into English. We look forward to hear the comments of our dear readers.

Sayyid Husayn Alamdar

Ramadhan 27, 1418 January 26, 1998 Tehran

Phone: 0098-021-2281619 Fax: 0098-021-2281619

Notes

1. The Holy Qur’an (40:12)

2. Friday Prayer sermon of Tehran delivered by Ayatullah Imami Kashani on Ramadhan 10, 1418, Jan. 9, 1998

3. The Holy Qur'an (97:3)

4. Dua-Kumail: The Prayer of Kumail, a prayer taught to Kumail bin Ziyad - a close associate of Imam Ali [a] - by the Imam [a]. Its recitation is particularly recommended during Friday night (i.e., night after the end of Thursday). For the text see Sheikh Abbas Qummi's Mafatih al-Jinan pp. 83-90 [Tr.]

Biography of Late Hajj Mirza Javad Agha Malaki Tabrizi (R.A.)

The most distinguished jurisprudent and perfect mystic Late Hajj Mirza Javad Agha Malaki Tabrizi was born in Tabriz. After finishing early education at his home town, he left for Najaf al-Ashraf, which at that time was supposed to be the most reputable centre. At Najaf he attended the lectures of great learned jurisprudents such as Akhund Khorasani, writer of Kifayeh al-Usool, Hajj Agha Ridha Hamadani, writer of Misbah al-Faqiyeh, and Muhaddith Nouri, writer of Mustadrak al-Wasail.

Also during this period he came in contact with most celebrated mystic personality of that time Akhund Mulla Husayn Quli Hamadani who was unique in knowledge, ethics, and mystics. Hajj Agha Malaki spent 14 years with him and during this period acquired profound knowledge of moral ethics and mysticism from his learned teacher. Hajj Agha Malaki attained such higher spiritual positions in gnosticism that a great jurisprudent and scholar like Sheikh Muhammad Husayn Isfahani famous as Kampani - himself an outstanding authority of learning and deeds in a letter to Hajj Agha Malaki seeks his instructions regarding ethics and mysticism.

Hajj Agha Malaki returned to his native hometown Tabriz in the year 1320 or 21 A.H. and settled down there, but after few years due to constitutional revolution the condition in Tabriz deteriorated, forcing him to migrate to Qum, where he started teaching jurisprudence from Faiz Kashani's Book: Mafatih as well as taught ethics (Akhlaq). Also, he kept himself busy in writing and had left many precious works. Ultimately, after living a fruitful life full of learning, writing, refinement, and purification of self, he left this transient world to join his Beloved in the morning of1 1th, Dhi'l-hijjah, 1343 A.H. His holy remains were buried in Mirzai-Qummi the Shaykhan-Qum Graveyard near the tomb of Mirzai-Qummi. The following verse written in Persian reflects about his precious existence and the year of his demise.

“The world lost its soul, and the nation lost its shelter.”

His virtues and mystical perfection are far too great to be confined in words. In order to satisfy the curiosity of our readers to know more about profundities of Islamic mysticism, the following reports narrated by authentic sources will throw some light about the spiritual perfection of this great man:

1. One of his close friend and pupil had reported:

“One night in the City of Shahrud in a dream I found myself in a plain where Imam al-Mahdi [a]1, the Lord and Master of the Age, together with a group of his companions, was leading the congregational prayer. With the intention of kissing his hand and salutations, when I approached him, I saw a Sheikh whose face was the manifestations of virtues and perfection sitting near the Imam. After awakening from this dream I kept thinking deeply about the dignified Sheikh who is so close to the Imam [a]. I was so much interested to identify and meet him.

“Searching for him, I went to Mashhad hoping to locate him over there but could not, came to Tehran but still there was no news from him, ultimately, when I came to Qum, I found him in a small room at Faizyeh School busy in teaching. Having inquired about him, they said: 'He is Mirza Javad Malaki Tabrizi.' When I visited him he welcomed me warm-heartedly and with kindness, treated me in a manner as though he knows me, and was aware of that dream. After that I remained in his company and found him exactly the way I had first perceived him in that dream.”

2. Another one of his intimate friend has reported the following story:

“One day after finishing the lecture Late Malaki went to the room of a religious student in at Dar al-Shafa School; he thanked and appreciated the inmate and after sitting over there for a while came out of the room. Since I was accompanying him, I asked the reason of visiting this student, Hajj Agha Maliki answered: 'Last night near the dawn, I was bestowed with special divine grace which I understood was not due to my own deeds. When, I thought deeply, I discovered that this student is busy in night-vigil and in his night prayer has prayed for me, and those blessing were the result of his prayer. Therefore, I visited him for offering my appreciation and thanks.”'

3. Late Malaki has a son who is the source of warmth and pleasure for his household. On the Day of Eid al-Ghadir2 , when traditionally people visit the elderly personalities to offer greeting, his house is full of visitors. Suddenly, a female servant discovers the dead body of his son floating inside the yard's water pool.

She starts crying; the other women folk of Hajj Agha Malaki's household join her in loud crying; having heard the loud screams Hajj Agha Malaki comes to the backyard and sees the lifeless body of his dear one; he controls himself and asks the women folk to stop crying, the women stop lamentation and become silent, the dead body is placed in a corner and they return inside the house in order to treat the visiting guests.

Some of the guests remained for the lunch at his house. After the lunch, when the guests asked permission to leave, Hajj Agha Malaki says to some of his close friends: 'Please don't leave, I have to tell you something.' When all the guests leave the house, he informs them about the tragedy of his son's demise and seeks their help in making the necessary arrangements for the funeral.

4. Late Hujjatul Islam Sayyid Mahmud Yazdi one of very close and intimate friends has narrated the following :

“When the time of night-prayer arrived he used to perform all the etiquette recommended for awakening namely: prostration and special supplications, used to cry in his bed, then he would come outside in the yard and looking at the sky would recite the verse:

'Lo! In the creation of earth and sky there are signs ...,3 ' and while placing his head against the wall shed tears. During ablutions sitting on the water pool continued crying, while standing upon the prayer rug used to become agitated and cried a lot during prayer, and especially in Qunoot.”

5. Late Hajj Agha Husayn Fatimi, a pious ascetic and an intimate friend of Late Malaki has narrated:

“When I returned from the Jamkaran Mosque, I was informed that Hajj Agha Malaki has inquired about me. Since, I knew that he was sick I rushed to see him. I presume it was Friday afternoon, I found him laying in a bed, neat and clean, bathed, perfumed, and hair dyed readied for Dhohr and Asr prayer. He recited Adhan and Iqamah upon his bed, recited supplications and as soon as raised his hands for Takbirat-al-Ahram and said: Allahu Akbar, Allah is Great, his sacred spirit ascended towards the Celestial Kingdom, thus, the meanings of the narration: the prayer is believer's heavenly journey become truly manifested for him. Also, the meanings of “get readied for the prayer” 'qad qamat as-salat,' which in accordance to traditions has been described as the time of meeting with the Beloved, too became materialised for him, because he rushed to meet his Beloved with prayer”.

This was the brief life history of a perfect mystic. For the detailed biography the readers may refer to the following books:

Rehanateh al-Adab, vol.5, p.397, Naqba al-Beshar, vol.1, p.330, Ganjinai-danishmandan, vol. 1, p.232 , preface to Resala Laqa-Allah and Simai-Farzangan pp. 60-70.

Notes

1. Imam al-Mahdi [a]: The son of Imam Hasan al-'Askari was born in Samarra on Friday, 15th. Sha'ban 255 A.H. The twelfth Imam lived in hiding under the protection and tutorship of his father until the latter's martyrdom, when by Allah's command he went into occultation, during a period known as Lesser-occultation (al-Ghaybat al-Sughra).

During this period, four special deputies in succession would answer the questions of the Shi'ah and resolve their problems. After that in the year 329 A.H., the Imam [a] went into the Greater-occultation (al-Ghaybat al-Kubra) until a day when by Allah's command he will reappear to fill the world with justice as it is now filled with oppression [Tr].

2. Eid al-Ghadir: In the tenth year of the Hijra, the Most Noble Messenger [s] set out from Mecca to perform his final, farewell Hajj. After carrying out the rituals of the pilgrimage and imparting necessary teachings to the people, he set out for Madina. When he was returning on 18th. Dhi'l-hijjah (10 March, 632), on the road at a locale known as Ghadir al-Khumm (Ghadir-Pond), he ordered the caravan to halt.

In the midst of one hundred and twenty thousand pilgrims from all over the Arabian peninsula, he took 'Ali's [a] hand, raised it aloft, and declared: “He of whom I am the mawla (the patron, master, and leader) of him 'Ali is also the mawla (man kuntu mawlahu fa 'Aliun-mawlahu). O' Allah! Be friend of him who is his friend, and be the enemy of him who is his enemy (Allahuma waali man waalaahu wa 'aadi man 'aadaahu).” With this act, the question of the successor, who was to govern the affairs of the Muslims, guard the Sunna (the body of customary behaviour based on the Prophet's precedent ), and uphold religious customs and laws, was settled for the Islamic society.

The intent of the noble verse: 'O Messenger! Promulgate what has been revealed to you by your Lord, for if you do not, you will not have conveyed His message' (5:67) was carried out. The Most Noble Messenger [s] died shortly after returning to Madina. The above traditions of al-Ghadir are so abundantly reported and so commonly attested by hundreds of different transmitters belonging to all school of thoughts that it would be futile to doubt their authenticity.

Ibn Kathir, a most staunch supporter of Sunni view point has devoted seven pages to this subject and has collected a great number of different isnads from which the tradition is narrated. Also, Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal has recorded this event in his Musnad

3. The Holy Qur'an (2:164) [Tr].