Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Alhassanain (p) Network for Islamic Heritage and Thought

Tradition ofMyrobalan Fruit (Hadith al-Halila )

A thought provoking dialogue between ImamJa'far al-Sadiq (a) and an atheist physician from India. Using logical arguments and theMyrobalan fruit as its theme the Imam convinces the atheist beyond doubt of the existence and attributes of Almighty Allah.

Author(s): ImamJafar Sadiq (a)

Translator(s):Wali Muhammad C.Momin

Publisher(s):Majlisul Muslemeen

www.alhassanain.org/english

Table of Contents

Foreword 3

An Anecdote 3

Preface 5

Notes 6

The Hadith 7

Foreword

Says Qur’an:

Allah affirms that there is no god but He; and so do the angels, and those with knowledge, He is established in justice. (3: 19)

Such is the claim of the Qur’an. So when we come across the atheistic people or those who seriously believe in the Theory of Evolution and deny the existence of any Creator of this Universe and its paraphernalia we attribute it to their lack of knowledge either inherent or acquired.

Again, says Qur’an:

“Your God is one God.” (16: 7),

“Allah-there is no deity but He, Living the Eternal.” (2: 257)

This is the assertion of the last Book of Allah revealed to Muhammad (S). But for an explanation of the verses of the Qur’an we must refer either to Muhammad (S) himself to whom it was revealed or to those about whom he did direct us to refer to.

Said Muhammad (S): I am the City of knowledge and ‘Ali is the gate of it.

After ‘Ali (A) we have a chain of his children and grand children towards whom we must look for inspiration and guidance in all our affairs.

Now in an age when people have either denied the very existence of One God or have lost faith in His attributes such as Omnipotence, Omniscience etc., we present a conversation that took place in the 2nd century of Islamic era betweenHazrat ImamJa’far al-As-Sadiq {A), the sixth in the series of the twelve Imams of the House of Muhammad (S), and a philosopher-cum-physician from India who was a staunch votary of atheism.

Needless to say that the intellectual caliber of the Imam was highest in that age as he had his knowledge from Allah. What needs our close attention is the fact that nearly 1200 years ago the mind of a man like us could argue so forcefully that not many intellectual giants that survived during this long period could have attained that standard.

However the counter arguments of the Imam (A) convinced the atheist about the Existence of Allah, His Oneness and other attributes so much so that he embraced Islam.

How true it is:

An Imam excels all other persons both in knowledge and piety. The intellectual caliber of an Imam shall always remain the highest irrespective of the age in which he survives.The reason being simple that he is deputed by Allah to guide the people, and Allahcan not depute a person with lesser knowledge to guide those superior in knowledge.

With this book in hand the Muslims in particular and the other non atheistic people in general can help eradicate atheism from the surface of the globe.

To achieve our goal we need not use force. We can do it peacefully with the help of our 'aql (reason) and achieve splendid success.

Regarding 'aql suffice it to quote an anecdote. This relates to our common ancestor-Hazrat Adam (A).

An Anecdote

The Last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S) about whom says Qur’an:

“And we sent thee to mankind at large, to announce and threaten. But most of the people understand not.” (34: 29)

passed on 'ilm (knowledge) to his Vicegerent ‘Ali who relates:

Jibrael -al-Ameen (Gabriel, the Trustworthy) called on Adam and said to him:

“Allah had commanded me that I leave it to your discretion to pick and choose one thing out of the three and leave the remaining two.”

Adam (A) asked: “OJibrael ! What are those things?”

Jibrael said: “These are ‘aql (Reason),haya (Modesty) anddeen (Faith).

Adam (A) expressed: “I pick and choose 'aql (Reason).”Jibrael said to the other two (haya anddeen ):

“Both of you go back.”

The two (haya anddeen ) replied: “Allah has ordained us to adhere to 'aql wherever it may be.”

Jibrael , saying: “Well you know your position best,” rose back to the firmament.

Is it not representative of the distinctive personal character of Adam (and Eve too)? We can certainly say that it scuttles the theory of a Godless universe. And it does retard the theory of the 'evolution' of man from a 'larva' for a sensible person?

The people of the world today are almost in the grip of a 'Godless cult' and there is an imminent danger of mankind at large due to the serious challenge of atheism.

Let the Muslims in particular and non-Muslims in general turn to Islam as presented by Muhammad andAhlul Bayt 'alaihim us Salaam' and live in peace here and gain salvation in the hereafter.

Syed Farzande Raza

Chief Organizer

Majlisul Muslemeen

14.H ,Rizvia Colony

Karachi 18, Pakistan

3rdShaban , 1383

l0th December, 1963

Preface

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Oh, Allah may Thy peace be upon Muhammad (S) and his descendants

This little book which I give to the public is the translation ofHadith al-halila , the tradition of theMyrobalan fruit. It has come down to us fromHazrat ImamJa’far as-Sadiq (A) the sixth of the twelve immaculate Imams of the house of the Prophet Muhammad (S). He (A) lived in the middle of the second century of Islamic era.

After the most tragic massacre of the third Imam Husain (A) who fought against the hostile forces of ungodlyOmayyids for the protection of the faith of Islam, and the holy principles, which his grand-father, the Prophet (S) had laid down for the guidance and progress of man and fell a martyr to the cause, at Karbala, the whole family of the Prophet especially the Imams took to seclusion.

They preferred peacefully preaching Islam to taking any part whatsoever, in the secular and tribal dissensions then rife in Arabia. “In the midst of misery and unhappiness they followed truly and faithfully the precepts of their ancestor and found consolation in intellectual pursuits.

Their ardent love of knowledge, their passionate devotion to the cause of humanity, their spirit looking upwards far above the literalness of common interpretations of the law shows the spirituality and expensiveness of Islam.

The definition by ImamJa’far as-Sadiq (A) of science or knowledge gives some idea of their faith in the progress of man”. “The enlightenment of the heart is its essence, truth, its principal object; Inspiration, its guide; Reason, its acceptor; God its Inspirer, and words of man, itsutterer ”.

“While theOmayyids discouraged the peaceful pursuits of mind, the children of Fatima (the Imams) with remarkable liberalism favored learning”.1

As a matter of fact, whatever success the Moslems achieved in the field of learning, science, or spiritualism, has had its foundation in the teachings of these Imams. None but these Imams were the authorized exponents of the Qur’an and theHadithes (traditions) of the Prophet. When the Prophet saw that his time to leave this transient world had approached, he preached his last sermon and said, “I leave behind me two things for you, The Book of God (Qur’an) and my descendants (‘Itrat ). If you shall hold fast to them you shall not go astray after me;

They (Qur’an and ‘Itrat ) shall not be separated from each other, till they reachHauz-i-Kauthar (fount ofKauthar ) untidily.”2

It will not be without interest, I am sure, to read thisHadith which shows the liberality of their teachings and proves the existence of One God so vividly. As it is admitted on all hands that belief in God, Who is the Creator of this universe and to whom every man is responsible for his actions in this world, essential for the moral and material progress of man, I hope thisHadith will supply him, much food for reflection, and lead him to the right path. The arguments are so perfect, so simple and logical. Besides, there is absolutely nothing to injure the susceptibilities of any man belonging to any caste or creed. It is equally edifying to the Muslims as well as non-Muslims. As the God preached it, it is not the God of only one nation, but is the, God of all worlds (Rabb-ul-Aalamin ).

Perhaps the modern reader will find some of the arguments forwarded by the Imam in some contrast to the present day science, but it must be understood that the Imam intended to teach “God”, and not the science. The Imam, as far as science was concerned, simply followed the conceptions prevalent in the age to which he belonged.

Now I must admit that I have translated thisHadith from “Tauhid-ul-Aimma ” byMolvi Syed MohammedHaroon Saheb who has not only rendered this work into Urdu from Arabic but translated and written many other valuable works and thereby rendered a substantial service to the cause of Islam.

I must not also forget to thank my learned friend Mr.Alam Khan, G. B. V. C. for all the help he has given me in translating thisHadith and for many other valuable suggestions

And last but not the least; I have to tender my most cordial thanks to MohammadJa’far Haji SharifDevjee andGhulam Husein Saleh Hasan (Hami -e-Islam) of their most generous pecuniary help for the publication of this book.

I cannot but appreciate their kind feelings towards me, their zealous love for the diffusion of the teachings of the Imams, and the unostentatious services to the cause of religion; and pray that they may long be spared to the community.

Wali Muhammad C.Momin

25thApril , 1918

Ahmadabad (Gujarat)

India

Notes

1. The Spirit of Islam.

2.Sahih Bukhari andSahih Muslim