Litundhira Qawmāan Mā ‘Undhira ‘Ābā’uuhum Fahum Ghāfilūna
[Yaseen 36:6] That you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless.
Prophet (SAW) entered this temporal abode at the time when materialism was at its height. People existed for this world. They had no belief in the eternal life. The Divine Messages had been altered to suit their own, man-made beliefs. Literary work was based on superstitions and make-belief. Society was dominated by personal whims and wishes. Prophet (SAW) had an extremely tough task in front of him. He had to preach amongst people, about whom Quran has informed us that though, descendents of Prophet Abraham (AS), the father of All Monotheistic Faiths, but was still heedless, had not accepted the warnings brought to them by innumerable Prophets (AS).
Imam Ali (AS), the Divinely Appointed Vicegerent of Prophet (SAW), often talked about Prophet (SAW) in his sermons. He informed people about the importance of Prophet-hood, he told them about the status of Prophet Mohammad (SAW), he discussed the state of Arab World before the advent of Islam, and the hard task that Holy Prophet (SAW) had to face. “Verily, Allah sent Muhammad (PBUH) when none among the Arabs read a book or claimed prophet-hood. He guided the people, till he took them to their correct position and their salvation. So their spears (i.e. officers) became straight and their conditions settled down.” (Sermon 33)
Monotheism, always the first casualty of illiteracy, and which should in fact be the focal point of existence, was absolutely missing in the lives of the people of the time. Holy Quran constantly emphasises the significance of the belief in the Unity of Divinity. At one place, through Prophet (SAW), Allah (SWT) says,

Qul ‘Inna Şalātī Wa Nusukī Wa Maĥyāya Wa Mamātī Lillāhi Rabbi Al-`Ālamīna

[Al-Ana’am 6:162] Say! Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Prophet (SAW) is informing the people, it is not enough that one verbally claim faith in Allah (SWT); his actions too should proof this conviction! Every act in life should be performed with the intention of gaining closeness to Allah (SWT). Every moment of life, the prayers, the daily functioning of existence, the suppression of desires and wants, in fact every breath that man takes, and even the last breath, after which he meets his Creator, should be in service of the Lord of the worlds.

Islam is the Way of Life, and hence does not ask one to live in the Stone Age! The fast developing technology is not forbidden to use! It is a Divine Blessing and if used to not only strengthens one’s own servitude efforts, but also to guide others, it turns into worship! Permitted entertainments are not discouraged, the only thing is to keep a balance in life, reflection, acquisition of knowledge, striving for every day needs, socialising, relaxation all are important and one’s day and life should be divided to accommodate them all.

But throughout the life one must keep repeating the slogan, live for Him, die for Him, spend for Him, love for His sake, forsake material pleasures for Him, offer sacrifices for His approval, this should be the Moto of Existence!
Imam Ali (AS) has expressed his views about the matter in the following words, “Allah sent the Prophet at a time when the people were going astray in perplexity and were moving here and there in mischief. Desires had deflected them and self-conceit had swerved them. Extreme ignorance had made them foolish. They were confounded by the unsteadiness of matters and the evils of ignorance. Then the Prophet – blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants – did his best in giving them sincere advice, himself trod on the right path and called (them) towards wisdom and good counsel.” (Sermon 95)
Prophet (SAW), who was perfection personified, showed that the greatest success in life is to understand and follow the Divine Laws, which alone generate good in individuals, which in turn spills over into communities. Thus resulting in a unified society, which is the core of Monotheism!

Holy Prophet (SAW) wanted everyone to adapt the path of the Truth (Haq). The materialist minded polytheists did not want to change their lifestyle. They thought that the comforts and pleasures of life, which they possessed, were too precious to be sacrificed, for promises of unseen and eternal pleasure. Therefore to stop Prophet (SAW) from preaching the Truth, they offered him many worldly incentives. Holy Prophet (SAW) informed them that he did not care for the temporary gains of this life; he only wanted them to accept Divine Message as their way of life, for their own good.

Qul Mā ‘As’alukum `Alayhi Min ‘Ajrin ‘Illā Man Shā’a ‘An Yattakhidha ‘Ilá Rabbihi Sabīlāan

[Al-Furqaan 25:57] Say: I do not ask you aught in return, except that he who will may take the way to his Lord.

But to no avail! The materialists who love this world, and have no faith in the hereafter, always, find excuses for their wrong practices. A very common objection from the commencement of the world has been that why the Prophets (AS) were human and not angels. Another demand of such people has been for the Prophets (AS) to present miracles, to prove their status.
The reason is that disbelievers do not want to accept the purpose of Prophet-hood. The Prophets (AS) are the Role Models as well as Messengers. They are the link between humanity and Allah (SWT). They are the source of converting Divine Commands into practices.
As man is apt to forget and err, therefore, he needs to be constantly reminded about his duties. He needs constant guidance. This was provided by the Messengers (AS), who not only warned and guided man, but also, presented an ideal character for man, to base his life on.
Prophet Mohammad (SAW) was a Living Miracle. He never went to a worldly school, but was able to present another Everlasting Miracle, Quran, which is safe from any and every alteration till Dooms Day. These are Spiritual Miracles and comprehensible to those who have faith in Allah (SWT). But the materialist disbelievers constantly demanded that he should present some physical miracle, which they could see and feel.
The Divine Messengers (AS) had no love for worldly matters. They all devoted their life for guidance of mankind. Prophet (SAW) was the leader of all Messengers (AS). Therefore he was the most pious and devoted of all. He selflessly and diligently worked for the guidance of humanity. He never expected any recompense from them for his hard work.
Imam Ali (AS) has introduced Prophet (SAW) in following words in another place, “His place of stay is the best of all places and his origin the noblest of all origins in the mines of honour and the cradles of safety. Hearts of virtuous persons have been inclined towards him and the reins of eyes have been turned towards him. Through him Allah buried mutual rancour and put off the flames of revolt. Through him He gave them affection like brothers and separated those who were together through unbelief. Through him He gave honour to the low and degraded honour of unbelief. His speaking is clear and his silence is indicative like tongue.” (Sermon 96)
The Holy Progeny (AS) of Prophet (SAW) are the Chosen Imams (AS) of guidance. When Prophet (SAW) asks his followers to love and revere his Holy Family, it is for the benefit of Muslims. These are the Infallibles (AS), who have the same moral traits as Prophet (SAW). Whoever loves and reveres them, will gain from this act, because he will get closer to them, will study their persons and eventually will work to emulate them in word and deed. Hence he will find the certain path to salvation.
Therefore, Prophet (SAW), whose only desire was to work for the deliverance of all mankind, wants them all to take advantage of this open invitation, for their salvation.
Prophet (SAW) answered the rejecters in the same manner as all other Prophets (AS) had done,

Qul ‘Innamā ‘Anā Basharun Mithlukum Yūĥá ‘Ilayya ‘Annamā ‘Ilahukum ‘Ilahun Wāĥidun Faman Kāna Yarjū Liqā’a Rabbihi Falya`mal `Amalāan Şāliĥāan Wa Lā Yushrik Bi`ibādati Rabbihi ‘Aĥadāan

[Al-Kahf 18:110] Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your god is one Allah, therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join anyone in the service of his Lord.

The Divine Messengers (AS) were human beings, but they were the Chosen Ones, whose strong characters made them worthy of being trusted, with the conveying of the Message of the Truth. Whatever powers they had, were a Divine Blessing, which were gifted to them because of their Absolute Submission. Prophet (SAW) was the most submissive and humble of them all. It is height of belief in Monotheism to appreciate that man is nothing in his own capacity! His person is dependent on whatever munificence he has received from the Creator! It is also an expression of gratitude to constantly remember that, every attainment is a gift from Almighty Lord! Thus Prophet (SAW) constantly reminded people that if he can achieve this elevated status, they too can work towards it, following in his footsteps!
Imam Ali (AS) testifies to this reality in the following manner, “And I stand witness that Muhammad (blessing of Allah be on him and his progeny) is His slave and His Prophet. He sent him for enforcement of His commands, for exhausting His pleas and for presenting warnings against eternal punishment.” (Sermon 83)
Prophet (SAW) informed them that whatever superiority a man enjoys in this world is temporary and perishable. Old age follows youth, health can be overtaken by illness, riches can turn into poverty, life has to give in to death; but whatever action is performed for Allah (SWT) is secure. It is safely with Allah (SWT), and its benefits will stay permanently with the doer, in the eternal life.
Mā `Indakum Yanfadu Wa Mā `Inda Allāhi Bāqin Wa Lanajziyanna Al-Ladhīna Şabarū ‘Ajrahum Bi’aĥsani Mā Kānū Ya`malūna
[An-Nahl 16:96] What is with you passes away and what is with Allah is enduring; and We will most certainly give to those, who are patient, their reward for the best of what they did.
One should never forget that when Prophet Mohammad (SAW) commenced his mission, the world was in a very sad state. Ignorance had taken strong roots in the society. People were living a life of deceit, that is, the fake glamour of the material world had put veils on their eyes. They could not perceive the Truth (Haq). Prophet (SAW) took them out of this world of darkness, and set them on the Right Path, the path of salvation and eternal bliss.
Today too, man has gone back to the same steep depth of darkness. The ignorance, which is the result of acceptance of falsehood, has fully enveloped him. Justice and equity has been abandoned. Hence the humanity is crying out for a Saviour (ATFS), who will God Willing come to end this misery, but are we prepared to receive Him (ATFS)! Have we purified our souls enough to distance ourselves from the artificial shine, and turn to the Real Light of The Truth!
The only way out for one is to patiently and persistently, follow in the footsteps of Prophet (SAW) and His Holy Progeny (AS), move forward in life. In every eventuality, and even when facing constant attacks against his person, like his Mentor, Prophet (SAW) announce,
Ĥasbī Allāhu Lā ‘Ilāha ‘Illā Huwa `Alayhi Tawakkaltu Wa Huwa Rabbu Al-`Arshi Al-`Ažīm
[9:129] Allah is sufficient for me, there is no god but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of mighty power!

Al-Alaq (The Clot):
Aqra’ Biāsmi Rabbika Al-Ladhī Khalaqa, Khalaqa Al-’Insāna Min `Alaqin, Aqra’ Wa Rabbuka Al-’Akramu, Al-Ladhī `Allama Bil-Qalami, Allama Al-’Insāna Mā Lam Ya`lam.
[96:1-5] Read in the name of your Lord Who created, He created man from a clot. Proclaim and your Lord is Most Bountiful; He, Who taught (the use of) the pen, Taught man that which he knew not.
In twenty three years Prophet (SAW) took humanity out of the darkness of ignorance, and under the light of knowledge, which is the only way to impart Ma’arafah (Divine Awareness and Knowledge), and which keeps the souls alive. But alas as soon as his eyes closed, the hypocrites seized the reins of power, and returned mankind back to the era of ignorance! The Divinely Appointed Imam (AS) had no choice, but to take such a stand against the usurpers, which will remain an eternal Beacon of Light, and an everlasting Ship of Salvation.
He met with deadly dangers, acted justly and fairly, made use of everything belonging to him to pay full attention to give sincere advice, took pains, made every effort and put his heart, mind, soul and life at the disposal of Thy mission to liberate the people from the yoke of ignorance and evil of bewilderment. (Ziarat-e-Arba’een of Imam Hussain (AS))
Imam Hussain (AS) has left a message for his followers to acquire knowledge, which is the inheritance of Prophets (AS) and Imams (AS). It is the only road to salvation. It is the only path, through which one can claim to be the follower of the ‘City of Knowledge’, Prophet (SAW), the believer in the Guidance and Leadership (Imamate) and Divinely Appointed Authority (Wilayah) of ‘The Door of Knowledge’, Imam Ali (AS)!
According to Islam the knowledge is not divided into secular or religious, worldly or divine, material or spiritual, all awareness originates from One Creator, and has the essence of its Fountainhead! Hence the stress and emphasis on the importance of acquisition of knowledge from the Correct Sources, who have learnt directly from the All-Knowing is visible from the time of the creation of the ‘Father of Mankind’!
Wa `Allama ‘Ādama Al-’Asmā’a Kullahā, Thumma `AraĐahum `Alá Al-Malā’ikati
[Al-Baqarah 2:31] And He taught Adam all the names! Then presented them to the angels!
In the previous verse, [2:30], Allah (SWT) had informed angels about appointing man as His (SWT)’s vicegerent on the earth. Vicegerency means setting one being in place of another! Granting same powers up to a certain extent as the One, Whom the vicegerent is representing! Hence the vicegerent has to be a facsimile of the Original, the Lord and Master, in characteristics, traits and innate abilities! Allah (SWT) is All Knowing, thus vicegerent too has to be gifted with the ability to acquire unlimited knowledge and awareness! Allah (SWT) is Perfection; He does not have any defects, evils or disorders! Therefore the assistant too has to be proficient enough to gain knowledge, with purity of intention, and apply it practically, developing all the necessary characteristics on the way. The verses on the appointment of Adam (AS) and his progeny as vicegerent of Allah (SWT) inform us that the essential quality of the vicegerent is the imparted knowledge. Once having taught Adam (AS) “All the Names”, the Creator questioned both him and angels about “The Names”! The angels were unable to answer, but Adam (AS) immediately replied. Hence the standard of qualifying as a vicegerent of the Lord and Master was established! Only the one, who has gained the knowledge and awareness of “The Names” and learnt through them, will be considered worthy of this status.
“And He taught Adam all the names”; in other words, true knowledge has been ingrained in human beings since that first day. With passage of time it has been constantly bearing newer, fresher and better fruits; whenever man gets a chance, he discovers new avenues of knowledge; and thus he always finds himself inspired with previously unknown potentialities that more often than not turn into real achievements. It is a never ending process; it is a wonder that will not cease, and newer insights will keep appearing that will never fail to amaze.
The superiority of Adam (AS) over the angels is because of the ability to gain knowledge, through Correct Source, and apply it in life. Therefore one must never forget that there is a huge difference between knowledge and awareness, and education and book learning! Knowledge and awareness creates humans, who are willing to work for the betterment of humanity, for peace, for harmony, for unity! Whereas education and book learning produces paper degrees and certificates, which are necessary for being a suitable candidate in the job market! Though knowledge and awareness can survive without education and book learning, as one sees many dedicated workers busy diligently in rural areas, or less developed places, leading a peaceful life, without causing problems for others! They might not reach a very high status materially! They might never be in the lime-light! But they are at peace within themselves! Their souls are satisfied with their achievements! But education and book learning alone can never develop the humane side of man! It gives him competitive urge! It makes him crave for more! But it does not harness his selfish instincts! In fact it only boasts the animalistic traits of humans!
If knowledge is divided into secular and religious it becomes limited! Its vastness of message, its depth, it’s all encompassing essence is mislaid! In a so called secular syllabus, which too is formed on the basis of knowledge provided by the Creator, the passage to The Truth is taught as a subject, but in an all comprehensive Divinely Commanded Curriculum all sciences sets one on the course of The Truth! Hence when all four, knowledge, awareness, education and book learning are joined together, the true balance is created. The perfect being is created. The true vicegerent of Allah (SWT) comes into being. Wisdom develops, man’s senses improve, there is bonding between the senses and their application, which results in positive development of not only oneself, but also leaves a constructive impact on the society, on the surroundings.
First step is to recognise whom to accept as teachers. The Arabic pronoun Thumma (Them) used in the verse [2:31] is used for rational beings, who have been endowed with life, logic, sense and reason. Hence the Named Ones were some beings living in the Unseen World (Ghayb), and are the source of entire available knowledge and information which man will need till the end of the world. Let us find out through some agreed upon and authentic narrations of Prophet (SAW) who these Foundations of Knowledge are!
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “I was the prophet of Allah when Adam was yet in the (womb) of water and clay. It was my light (nur) which Allah created before all creation.” (At-Tabarani, Al-Mu’jjam al-Kabir; Al Khasa’is al-Kubra, vol.1, p.4)
Another authentic narration of Prophet (SAW) is, “I and Ali Bin Abi Talib both were a single light in the presence of Allah 14,000 years before the creation of Adam. When Allah created Adam, he deposited that light in Adam’s loins. We remained together as one light until we separated in Abdul-Muttalib’s loins. Then I was endowed with Prophet-hood and Ali with the caliphate.” (Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Musnad, Mir Seyyed Ali Hamdani Faqih Shafi’i, Mawaddatu’l-Qurba)
At another place Prophet Mohammad (SAW) informs us, “I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate!” (Imam Tha’labi, Hakim Nishapuri, Muhammad Bin Jarir Tabari, Suyuti)
And the Creator of all, the Lord and Master informs us,
Ar-Raĥmānu, `Allama Al-Qur’āna, Khalaqa Al-’Insāna, `Allamahu Al-Bayāna
[Ar-Rehman 55:1-4] The Beneficent Allah, It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. He has created man; Taught him the mode of expression.
So the knowledge comes from Allah (SWT), which He directly taught to the Chosen Ones! From there it passed down to entire humanity. Man has been blessed with the faculties of pondering, reasoning and comprehension. All Prophets (AS) and their successors enter the world with Perfect Knowledge. But Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and His Holy Successors, who are the Chosen Ones, were created before the entire humanity [2:31], and are blessed with the Complete Knowledge, which is necessary for the vicegerent of Allah (SWT). With the passage of time, as humanity developed and matured, as the veils from knowledge and information were lifted, the Final Light (SAW) and His Holy Progeny (AS) were sent! Their light was created before anything else, and is the Perfect Replica of Divine Attributes and Traits, which man has to inculcate to reach zenith of perfection.
Man, the Best Divine Creation, has been blessed with two lives and two worlds, within his one existence on the earth. The evident life and the external world are related to his body, and are connected with his temporal existence. The internal life and the inmost world are linked with his soul, and are attached to the unseen world or celestial world. He has been provided with power to use his potential and faculties, gain awareness and knowledge, direct them according to the provided Guidance, and rise above the level of angels, or let go of the Divine Blessings of logic and reason, become a prey of satanic instincts, and fall down into the ditch of darkness.
The two forces of good and evil are always at war inside a man, his existence in this world is a battleground for them. Hence the training of the soul, the struggle and striving within one’s being, has been called The Greater Struggle (Jihad-e-Akbar).
The ears, eyes, tongue, stomach, private parts, arms and legs are the apparent body parts which are employed to survive in this world. They are the tools of the senses and are also used for other physical functions. Mind or intellect and heart are also extremely important members of the body, in deciding the direction of life. They are connected to the conscience, which is called the Innate Messenger (Rasool-e-Batini)! The message received through the senses if first contemplated by the heart (Qalb), and then sent to the brain, will produce a balanced result. The contemplation, logic and reasoning will be based on what is appropriate for this life, as well as the hereafter. It will give a message based on the servitude of the Lord and Master, because heart is the source of life, the habitat of Divine Spirit, and it is connected to the Creator! Hence it should be enlightened through the knowledge brought by The Truthful Ones!
Nafakhtu Fīhi Min Rūĥī
[Al-Hijr 15:29] Breathed into him of My spirit!
But God forbid if the satanic forces get to take hold of the messages sent by senses, they will turn off the power of logic and rationality, they will dominate the strength of goodness and well-being, and will turn the acts into fiendish direction. This happens when one dwells in ignorance; one may be reading books, learning them by heart, educating oneself, thinking that this is enough! But this learning and education if directionless, if not acquired under the Light of Guided Ones, will lead on the wrong course. Like one can see today many who have learnt the Holy Book by heart, who have got very high class degrees in worldly education, but their satanic instincts are extremely strong. They kill others to show their dominance. Some of them are so selfish that are not willing to share the acquired knowledge with others, though the beauty of knowledge is that it increases with sharing!
To ensure that the senses send correct message to the mind and heart, and they in turn send appropriate guidance to the body parts, one has to endeavour and strive through the Greater Struggle, because only the one who purifies oneself through this effort will be ready to participate in the Minor Struggle, which all who wish to be part of Imam (ATFS)’s army have to face once He (ATFS) is here.
This involves certain steps. The first of which is meditation and self-reflection. One must daily devote some time to think about the creation as a whole, man’s position in it, the reason behind his creation, and many other such questions. One must ponder and reason out why Messengers (AS) and Imams (AS) are sent! Why they all guided towards one goal only, that is, towards submission to the Creator, the Lord and Master! If one regularly involves oneself in such exercise, no doubt the doors of knowledge and awareness will start opening up, and the light will become brighter with passage of time.
Secondly will and resolution must be strengthened, because this is the guarantee of liberty! It makes one free of what others will think or say. One only does what the True Master wants. As one becomes more resolute to serve Allah (SWT), to submit to His Will, one is less worried about what others will think or say about one’s practices and actions. One only worries about how his Lord will receive them. It helps one in staying away from sinful deeds, being particular about not only performance of mandatory acts, but also making every effort to execute optional ones too. Here too, receiving the knowledge about Correct Code of Life from the Right Sources, Prophet (SAW) and His Holy Progeny, helps one adapt it precisely in life. Hence make the journey forward easier, ensuring final success.
Regular self evaluation is another necessary action. One must with justice ponder on the entire day, how it was spent, where it was spent, and how it can be improved on. Any needless or time wasting deeds must be shunned in future. Any wrong actions must be shed. The good deeds must be turned into habits. If one becomes regular in self evaluation, one will find that sticking to the right path is not a great effort. It can easily be turned into a regular practice.
One very essential endeavour is Remembrance (Dhikr) of Allah (SWT)! It is in human nature to be grateful to his benefactor. Who can be a Greater Benefactor than Allah (SWT)! His Grace to man is unlimited. Every breath that one breathes, every step that one takes, every morsel that one eats, in fact whatever one has is His Blessing! And He gives all this without any hope of return from us! His Greatest Munificence is the guidance provided to man. How to live his life! Not only He sent Holy Scriptures, but also Messengers (AS), Prophets (AS), and Imams (AS), who lived according to the Divine Commands, and became Role Models for common man.
Regular recitation of supplications taught by Imams (AS), and pondering on their message is another excellent habit, which must be inculcated by a passenger of The Truth. These supplications are not only asking Allah (SWT) to fulfil one’s own desires, but they also teach how to deal with others. They make one conscious of one’s duties towards others. They help one in being a better human being.
Today too followers of Right Guidance stress on spread of awareness, they raise the banner of knowledge, they shout out that none should remain illiterate, technology should be shared and advanced through efforts of all, but the satanic forces believe in limitation of awareness! Their slogan is why others are developing knowledge of what they have. Thus every soldier striving for the Greater Struggle, every traveller on the path of The Truth must constantly beseech Allah (SWT) and say,
Rabbi Zidnī `Ilmāan
[TaaHaa 20:114] “O my Lord! Advance me in knowledge.”
And should join hands with fellow soldiers and travellers, work to create an atmosphere, where one can find the balance between knowledge, awareness, education and book learning, and through its help, as One Unit the entire humanity should tread the path of The Truth!

Wa ‘Innaka La`alá Khuluqin `Ažīmin
[Al-Qalam 68:4] And thou stand on an exalted standard of character.
An often repeated saying of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is, “I have not been sent except to perfect the ethical system (mukāram al-akhlāq).” (Shaykh Ali Namāzī, Mustadrak, Safīnat al-Bihār, volume 1, page 410)
If the purpose of Prophet (SAW)’s advent is to teach us perfect ethics and morals, then why the injunctions of obligatory prayers, fasting, paying poor due, holy pilgrimage and so on!
On reflection one realises that these too cover the character building of mankind! The refinement and perfection of temperament! These deeds bring discipline to life, makes one more vigilant about others’ needs, and one’s own flaws. In fact every obligatory act recommended by Islam is a personality refiner. It is to purify the human soul, and make one more submissive to Unity. Hence bringing tolerance and harmony to the society, and helping one ascend the ladder of the Unification of the Entire Creation.
The duties of Prophet (SAW) are also all encompassing. He has been sent to purify the human souls through training in Khulq (Ethics and Morals), and then Khalaq (Create) them through teaching of wisdom. The Khulq (Ethics and Morals) covers the inner self or soul, and Khalaq (Creation, Formation) deals with the outer self, the behavioural patterns, which reflect the true condition of the soul! For first forty years of his life Prophet Mohammad (SAW) established the greatness of his own Khulq (Ethics and Morals), only then he set out to teach and guide people.
Huwa Al-Ladhī Ba`atha Fī Al-’Ummīyīna Rasūlāan Minhum Yatlū `Alayhim ‘Āyātihi Wa Yuzakkīhim Wa Yu`allimuhumu Al-Kitāba Wa Al-Ĥikmata
[Al-Juma’a 62:2] He it is Who raised among the inhabitants of Mecca a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His communications and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom!
And when one turns to the Custodians of the Holy Book, the Guardians of Jurisprudence of Islam, the true exegetes of the Holy Quran, one finds that they too emphasise the importance of ethics and morals a lot in their sayings and supplications, and connect it with the Code of Life, Islam!
Supplication of Noble Moral Traits (Du’a-e-Makarimul Akhlaq), by Imam Ali Ibne-Hussain (AS), is one such Literary Jewel. At start Imam (AS) beseeches the Lord and Master to raise the faith to the level of perfection, increase certainty to immoveable level, give purity of intention and then moves on and asks for fortification of ethics and morals, which are reflected through deeds and acts.
AL-LAAHUM-MA S’AL-LI A’LAA MUH’AM-MADIW-WA AAALIH
WA BAL-LIGH BIEEMAANEEE AK-MALAL-EEMAAN
WAJ-A’L YAQEENEEE AF-Z”ALAL-YAQEEN
WANTAHEE BINEE-YATEEE ILAAA AH’-SANIN-NEE-YAATI, WA BIA’MALEEE ILAAA AH’-SANIL-AA’-MAAL
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, cause my faith to reach the most perfect faith, make my certainty the most excellent certainty, and take my intention to the best of intentions and my works to the best of works!
Hence one has to appreciate that Islam is ethics, faith is morality too, worship and submission is ethics too, and in essence ethics and morals present a huge canvas, a picture which encompasses the entire life of man. In other words this in itself is a perfect message of Unity! Human body and soul are united, and have to be nurtured and trained simultaneously, to achieve the goal of creation. A person bound by values and ethics, which have been fortified by correct faith, is not attracted by the appearance of a striking picture when it is presented to him. In fact he develops the discerning capability to reach the depth, and appreciate the boundaries of right and wrong. Thus so much emphasis has been placed on the developing of a conscience awe of the Lord and Master (Taqwa), which is the best shield for a believer against any temptation!
Yā ‘Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū ‘In Tattaqū Allāha Yaj`al Lakum Furqānāan
[Al-Anfa’al 8:29] O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion to judge between right and wrong!
Imam Sajjad (AS) says in the above mentioned supplication that one must first beseech for the perfection of faith, which is the foundation of every good deed.
According to traditions from Imam Sadiq (AS), in Tuhaf-al-Uqoul (Blessings for the Reason and Intellect), there are different levels of faith.
The first level is to declare verbally Divinity of Allah (SWT), His unity, and the Messenger-ship of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) (Shahadah). This is the basic level of faith. One has entered Islam, and now he has to be accepted as a Muslim, and treated as one.
The second level is the verbal declaration, and performance of compulsory (Wajib) deeds, like obligatory prayers, fasting, paying poor due, pilgrimage and so on.
The third level is declaration through words, certainty and conviction (Yaqeen) in heart, diligent performance of mandatory acts, but still not able to stay away from forbidden (Haram) deeds.
At fourth level one starts staying away from the forbidden deeds, while performing all compulsory acts, with certainty and conviction.
Fifth level sees one not only performing obligatory acts, avoiding forbidden deeds, but also being vigilant about the fulfilling of highly recommended (Mustahib), and conscious about staying away from discouraged (Makroohaat).
The sixth level is reached when one has mastered to avoid even some permitted (Mubah) things, in the fear that they might cause weakening of faith, or might lead one into some disobedience! This is the Perfect Faith (Akmal Al-Emaan)!
These levels are not crossed over night. Passing from one stage to the next necessitates a lot of pondering and reflection, effort and hard work. It requires struggle and striving. It entails self evaluation, being very truthful with oneself, being careful to nurture the soul, which is a trust placed with one for purifying, refining and carrying forward to the peak of perfection.
Then Imam Sajjad (AS) tells to beseech for excellence in certainty and conviction.
About conviction Imam Sadiq (AS) informs us in Usul Al-Kafi, “Indeed Allah (SWT), with His justice and fairness, has put joy and comfort in conviction (yaqin) and satisfaction (al-rida) and He has put sorrow and grief in doubt and dissatisfaction.”
Certainty and conviction is another name of firm and true faith. Here too, man has to travel through different stages, to reach the highest stage of certitude.
The journey begins with Certain Knowledge (Ilmul Yaqeen). This is obtained by gaining knowledge and awareness, thinking about it, reasoning within oneself, being certain in mind that there is something behind this all, like when one sees smoke one is convinced that there is a fire.
Sight of Certainty (Ainul Yaqeen) is the next level. It is when one witnesses what one has been reading about, what one has been gaining information about and now it is in front of the eyes, like now the fire is visible about which one had knowledge through seeing the smoke. This is reached by those who start using the eyes of their heart (Baseerah).
The final and excellent state is Reality of Certainty (Haqqul Yaqeen). It is when one experiences what one had been learning about through knowledge and observation. It is the proper knowledge and the realisation of The Truth. It is like jumping in the fire and experiencing the heat oneself. This is the Excellent Conviction for which Imam Sajjad (AS) teaches us to supplicate. It is arrived at by those who have purified themselves by being diligent about permitted (Mubah) things too.
This is a journey of a lifetime, which is successfully embarked on by those who with attentiveness and painstaking dedication devote themselves to fulfil the Divine Behests.
Next Imam Ali Ibne-Hussain (AS) tells us to pray for the greatest or the Best of intentions.
Prophet (SAW) said, “Verily, the action is judged by the intention behind it!” (Biharul-Anwaar)
Intention connects knowledge with practice. If one does not have awareness one cannot make an intention to turn it into correct deeds and actions. True intention is in the heart. When one verbally declares one’s objective before performing a deed, of getting closeness to Allah (SWT), it is just a superficial deed. The Pure Intention is in the heart. When the entire being submits to the Divinity, that is, the whole body and soul!
The worst level of intention is when one is performing an act to please other humans, or to display one’s superiority in piety, without having sincerity of heart. Such a motive instead of bringing any benefit results in involving oneself in an act of lawlessness and sinning.
The second level of intention is when deed is performed in the hope of gaining paradise, and the fear of being punished with the hell. As such there is nothing wrong with it. It is the practice of traders, but the Holy Quran too has been the bearer of glad tidings (Basheer), and harbinger of punishments (Nazeer).
The third motive can be to submit in gratefulness, with the hope of receiving more blessings. This too is a good intention, and has been encouraged in supplementary supplications.
In the fourth state one submits under the pressure of modesty and morality (Haya). When one remembers that the One, Who has blessed with unlimited bounties, has to be faced on the Day of Resurrection.
When one arrives at the fifth stage the submission is to the All Sovereign and All Glorious.
The sixth level sees one bowing down because the Lord and Master so commands.
The final and seventh stage is when one starts appreciating that only He (SWT) deserves to be worshipped. The heart fully submits. There is no distance left between knowledge, intention and actions. All in unity and harmony are ready to perform the Commands of the Creator, the Lord and Master of all. This is the Best and Pure Intention.
Once again it has to be kept in mind that this journey is a long one. Only vigilant, hard working and persistent are able to reach the top.
Our fourth Imam (AS) reminds us that all this endeavour, sincerity, striving should inculcate into Best of Deeds.
Knowledge and awareness is the root and thus its acquisition has been highly emphasised by Islam, but practices are the culmination point. If learning is there but is not reflected in the practices, the whole purpose of knowledge and education will be wasted. Deeds and practices are connected to intention and motive. Whatever the level of intention will also be the state of practice. As the purity of intention increases, the sincerity in the performance of deeds too will become purer. Allah (SWT) is not concerned with the quantity of the deeds; it is the quality that counts. Refinement of soul too is dependent on the knowledge, sincere intention and turning it into good deeds.
So how to go about in this journey of perfection! Where to find the manual to nurture our souls! Turning to the Holy Quran one finds that Prophet Abraham (AS), the father of all Divine Faiths existing and being practiced in the world today, has presented a very beautiful and workable method of passing through different stages, and training oneself through logic and reason at every point.
Wa Kadhalika Nurī ‘Ibrāhīma Malakūta As-Samāwāti Wa Al-’ArĐi Wa Liyakūna Mina Al-Mūqinīna, Falammā Janna `Alayhi Al-Laylu Ra’á Kawkabāan Qāla Hādhā Rabbī Falammā ‘Afala Qāla Lā ‘Uĥibbu Al-’Āfilīna, Falammā Ra’á Al-Qamara Bāzighāan Qāla Hādhā Rabbī Falammā ‘Afala Qāla La’in Lam Yahdinī Rabbī La’akūnanna Mina Al-Qawmi AĐ-Đāllīna, Falammā Ra’á Ash-Shamsa Bāzighatan Qāla Hādhā Rabbī Hādhā ‘Akbaru Falammā ‘Afalat Qāla Yā Qawmi ‘Innī Barī’un Mimmā Tushrikūna, ‘Innī Wajjahtu Wajhiya Lilladhī Faţara As-Samāwāti Wa Al-’ArĐa Ĥanīfāan Wa Mā ‘Anā Mina Al-Mushrikīna
[Al-Ana’am 6:75-79] So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, that he might with understanding have certitude. When the night covered him over, He saw a star: He said: “This is my Lord.” But when it set, He said: “I love not those that set.” When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: “This is my Lord.” But when the moon set, He said: “unless my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among those who go astray.” When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: “This is my Lord; this is the greatest of all.” But when the sun set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from your guilt of giving partners to Allah. “For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah.”
Prophet Abraham (AS) set out to educate his nation, and guide them into the use of logic and reasoning. As explained above, the journey of the True Faith commences when man with the help of acquired knowledge strengthens his certitude of belief, and with untainted motives moves to gain closeness to the Creator, Lord and Master, while performing noteworthy deeds.
This entire passage quoted above actually shows that Prophet Abraham (AS) was actively engaged in combating idol and nature-worshipping, which is the root of every evil. He did not raise the possibility of the star, the moon and the sun being gods as a fact; it was raised only as a part of his method of disproving such a possibility. In debates, it is quite common to initially accept the view of your opponent, in order to lead him to your own view, and later through use of analogy try to convince him in accepting the truth! This also helps in strengthening one’s own certainty too!
While travelling in mind and heart through heavenly bodies, Abraham (AS) began by saying in front of his people that a star could not be Allah (SWT) because it sets. Although the superstitious might read fortunes in it, or attribute some influence to it, true knowledge shows that it rises and sets according to the laws authored by the Lord of all, and its light is extinguished in the brighter light of the day, so worshipping it is futile.
In today’s world the shine and glitter of material riches attract man to such an extent that he caves in to their appeal, and to attain these is willing to worship any and every being! He forgets that fortunes are a gift of Allah (SWT), and might be taken back or increased as He wills! Man can only struggle and strive diligently; he cannot decide the fate of rise and fall of destiny! If one studies history, or even observe recent past, one can easily find cases of fluctuating destinies, be it individuals or nations!
Prophet Abraham (AS) took a second step in his analogy to guide his people to the truth and showed that, although looking brighter and bigger than the star, the moon could not be Allah (SWT) either, because besides setting like the star, it changes its shape from hour to hour, and depends for its light on some other body. At this point, Abraham (AS) openly declared that he had already been guided by his Lord, and that those who did not worship Him alone were among those that went astray.
Allah (SWT) is not time or space bound. All power and light emanates from Him! He is the origin of all! If one truly accepts this, the so called super powers of the world will not make one indulge in wrong deeds and injustices. Man will not be oppressive and aggressive towards other humans, and will be willing to give others their due. He will respect other Divine creations too, like plant and animal world, and will not plunder them.
The last blow which Abraham (AS) struck was to show that the sun could not be worshipped as Allah (SWT) either, because despite its huge size and startling luminosity, it also disappears from sight, and therefore it was folly to worship created phenomena.
This reference to the huge size of the sun, which has brilliance too, is very illuminating! Today, the so called developed countries of the world pressurise others through their great, glittering material assets. They try to rule on all because of these Divine Blessings, which are given as a test to man and nations.
If man remembers that all other creations are there for his service, but he has been created to serve the Creator of all, he will never succumb to material temptations, however great and eye-catching they might be. He will remember that they have no permanency, cannot help or harm him, and he is stronger than all other creations and is their master! This will be of great help to him in the Journey of Perfection!
After rejecting the worship of other creations, Prophet Abraham (AS) reminds us about the True and Ideal Faith, and the Excellent State of Certitude, which one reaches through Purity of Intention and performance of Best Deeds! It is the final destination which one has to strive for, [Al-Ana’am 6:79] I have set my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth! In clear words he declared that as a man of pure faith and one of upright nature, he is not amongst those who associate partners with Allah (SWT).
So let us take lessons from here, and see how we can apply Prophet Abraham (AS)’s message in our lives, and stay free of worldly temptations! One must never forget that, fortifying true faith through conviction, acquisition of knowledge and application of reasoning, with purity of intention turning it into practices, applying it in one’s life, is the real aim of existence.
Imam Ali (AS) was asked who the most wretched of all people was, and he replied, “He who sells his Hereafter for someone else’s profit in this world!” (Amali al-Saduq)

Allāhu Wa Līyu Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū Yukhrijuhum Mina Až-žulumāti ‘Ilá An-Nūr
[Al-Baqarah 2:257] Allah is the guardian of those who believe, He brings them out of the darkness into the light!
Allah (SWT) created the universe and His Best Creation (‘Aĥsani Taqwīmin), the man, with extreme love and care. It was not possible that He created this all in vain! Hence there is a goal, a purpose behind the creation, and man is the one who has to achieve the set target, because he is the only one created with a free will, while rest have been formulated with some fixed objectives. To recognise the goal, to guide him to the target man has been blessed with the Guidance and Guardianship of Chaste Role Models, who not only brought the Divine Message and miracles to prove their claim, but also presented themselves as Ethical and Moral Ideals for others to base their lives on!
Mā Đalla Şāĥibukum Wa Mā Ghawá, Wa Mā Yanţiqu `Ani Al-Hawá, ‘In Huwa ‘Illā Waĥyun Yūĥá
[An-Najm 53:2-4] Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed!
The above verses give the basis of why the Spiritual Authority and Guardianship of Divinely Appointed Guides (Imams and Walis) have been made obligatory for the attainment of the set goal, and for remaining steadfastly on the Straight Path!
Prophet Mohammad (SAW) being the Final Messenger (SAW), and the bringer of Perfect Code of Life, has been invested in and empowered with this Authority. The verses clearly state that whatever people might think or say, every word spoken by Prophet (SAW), every command given by him, is based on revelation sent by Allah (SWT). Holy Prophet (SAW) had such control over his wishes and desires that they were absolutely submissive to Divine Commands. Even before declaration of Prophet-hood, he spent his time in Hira Cave, worshipping and communing with Almighty Lord. Therefore his entire existence was connected to Divine Commands, and there was no chance of his taking any action which went against Divine Order. That made him worthy of being an authority over other mankind.
Wa Mā Kāna Limu’uminin Wa Lā Mu’uminatin ‘Idhā QaĐá Allāhu Wa Rasūluhu ‘Amrāan ‘An Yakūna Lahumu Al-Khiyaratu Min ‘Amrihim Wa Man Ya`şi Allāha Wa Rasūlahu Faqad Đalla Đalālāan Mubīnāan
[Al-Ahzab 33:36] It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.
The Wali (Supreme Authority) should be a Paradigm for the society; that is, Perfection Personified (Insan-e-Kamil). He should have Absolute Knowledge in all religious affairs; in fact his teacher should be the All-Knowing Himself!
The Prophets (AS), Messengers (AS) and Imams (AS) are Divine Proof or the Final Destination (Hujjat) on the earth. Thus their knowledge is a direct blessing from the Lord and Master. Prophet (SAW) was called Ummi (Unlettered), because he never attended a school or had a teacher in this world. The extremely high level of knowledge that he possessed was a Divine Gift. Same is true for Imams (AS). Not even their worst enemy can say that their teacher was any but the Infallibles (AS). Imam Ali (AS) was taught by Mohammad (SAW), and he passed down the knowledge to his sons, and so on. Thus, when Messenger (SAW) judged in a matter concerning any issue, be it material, spiritual, social or economic, it was a decision based on Divine Command, and was the most appropriate for the concerned people.
Falā Wa Rabbika Lā Yu’uminūna Ĥattá Yuĥakkimūka Fīmā Shajara Baynahum Thumma Lā Yajidū Fī ‘Anfusihim Ĥarajāan Mimmā QaĐayta Wa Yusallimū Taslīmāan
[An-Nisa’a 4:65] But no! By your Lord! They do not believe (in reality) until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of disagreement among them, and then do not find any straitness in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with entire submission.
Having doubts and questioning any Prophetic Command is like being unsure of Divine Laws, which is a form of polytheism. In other words, disobeying any command of jurisprudence, which has been passed down by Prophet (SAW), but was in fact promulgated by the Creator of all, because one does not comprehend its benefits, is submitting to one’s own desires and inclinations! It is straying towards the darkness of ignorance, instead of taking advantage of the Light provided by the Wilayah of Prophet (SAW). Submission is only for Allah (SWT), when one submits to Him, His Wilayah engulfs one, and makes one a true Monotheist! Thus such deviant practices involve one in hidden polytheism (Shirk-e-Khafi)!
Today, Muslims are facing the consequences of not having accepted the Supreme Authority (Wilayah) of Prophet (SAW) and his Holy Successors (AS)! Hence been perpetrators of hidden polytheism!
Yā ‘Ayyuhā Ar-Rasūlu Balligh Mā ‘Unzila ‘Ilayka Min Rabbika Wa ‘In Lam Taf`al Famā Ballaghta Risālatahu
[Al-Maida’a 5:67] O Messenger! Proclaim the message which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord. If thou did not, thou would not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission.
At Ghadir-e-Khum, on Divine Command which was sent through verse [5:67], Prophet (SAW) named Imam Ali (AS) as the successor of Supreme Authority (Wilayah). This has been recorded by more than three hundred historians and traditionalists of different schools of thought. But after the passing away of Prophet (SAW), Muslims rejected this Command as favouritism, thus split into factions, breaking the Unity of Ummah (Nation). Hence today, though one fourth population of the world is Muslim, but in every field they lag behind others. Who is to be blamed for this tragedy!
So let us try to comprehend the essence of Wilayah through an open mind!
The first level of power given to the Prophets (AS) is Religious Authority. This encompasses every aspect of life, because religion (Din) means entire life. According to Allah (SWT), life cannot be divided into secular and religious. Every moment of life has to be spent according to Divine Decrees, the Prophets (AS) brought all those commandments, and they spent their lives based on those laws. So their behaviour is ideal for common man.
Qul ‘In Kuntum Tuĥibbūna Allāha Fa Attabi`ūnī Yuĥbibkumu Allāhu Wa Yaghfir Lakum Dhunūbakum
[Aale-Imraan 3:31] Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults!
All Prophets (AS) enjoyed this authority.
The second level is Authority in Governance. Every society needs someone to govern it and run it according to the prescribed laws. As per Divine Commands, only a Prophet (AS) or an Imam (AS) has the authority to hold this position.
Yā ‘Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū ‘Aţī`ū Allāha Wa ‘Aţī`ū Ar-Rasūla Wa ‘Ūlī Al-’Amri Minkum
[An-Nisa’a 4:59] O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you.
It is a vertical system of authority. Allah (SWT) is the Absolute Lord and Master, and the Wali. He has invested that Master-ship in Messenger (SAW), who is a Prophet (Nabi), Messenger (Rasul), a Leader and Guide (Imam), and Supreme Authority (Wali). The Authority has come down from Absolute Purity, the Lord and Master to Messenger (SAW), from whom Allah (SWT) has distanced every impurity [33:33]. Therefore, only those who share in this status of purity can be trusted to safeguard the designation of Supreme Authority (Wilayah).
‘Innamā Yurīdu Allāhu Liyudh/hiba `Ankumu Ar-Rijsa ‘Ahla Al-Bayti Wa Yuţahhirakum Taţhīrāan
[Al-Ahzaab 33:33] Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying!
Thus, “those charged with authority among you”, cannot be worldly leaders, chosen by common mortals. They have to be Pure, Chosen Ones, who have the ability to further and strengthen the Divine Message. They have to be Role Models for mankind with their perfect ethics and behaviour! Their decisions have to be unbiased, based on Divine Commands! How can we even consider worldly leaders to be the ‘people in authority’, as some Muslims say, in the explanation of the verse [4:59]!
Spiritual Authority (Tasarruf) or spiritual control of mankind is the Supreme Most Authority. This gives power to control spirits and persons of other beings. It is limited to few Messengers (AS) only, that is, only those, who have been given Imamate too. Prophet (SAW) is the Greatest Example of Spiritual Authority (Wilayah). After him it has been invested in Imams (AS).
These are the people, who through devotion and worship reached such closeness to Allah (SWT) that they say,
‘Aslamtu Wajhiya Lillāhi
[Aale-Imraan 3:20] I have submitted my entire self to Allah.
As a reward they have been given the Spiritual Power over mankind, because they have developed very acute distinction between right and wrong.
An-Nabīyu ‘Awlá Bil-Mu’uminīna Min ‘Anfusihim
[Al-Ahzab 33:6] The Prophet is closer to the Believers than their own selves!
This verse points to Prophet (SAW)’s Spiritual Authority, which is the Divinely Bestowed Absolute and Supreme Authority (Wilayah)!
Thus the verse [33:6] decisively establishes the Superior Authority (Wilayah) of the Holy Prophet (SAW) over the selves or souls of all the believers. The verse is the declaration of the Creator of all, Who says about Himself,
Wa Naĥnu ‘Aqrabu ‘Ilayhi Min Ĥabli Al-Warīdi
[Qaaf 50:16] We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.
Thus the Creator of all, the Lord and Master has invested this authority in Prophet (SAW) and designated Chosen Imams (AS) as his successors! This Divine Declaration also points to the fact that Superior Authority (Wali), is appointed by Allah (SWT), and can only be someone, whose purity is of the level, where he can comprehend people’s needs, more than they themselves can!
Only a person, who receives direct communications from Allah (SWT), can be trusted to fulfil the responsibility of spiritual, social, political and universal guidance. Only someone, who has never submitted to other than Allah (SWT) (GharAllah), can be in a position to teach others about Absolute Submission, which is the ultimate goal of mankind!
The Supreme Authority (Wilayah) makes it possible for the Wali to exercise his powers over every existence, thus making them all move in unison, and as one force, which is the actual essence of Monotheism. Hence, only Allah (SWT) has the discretion and power, to appoint Supreme Authority (Wali) in the world.
The role of common humanity in this is to submit gratefully to whatever has been sent to Prophet Mohammad (SAW), and has been implemented as deeds and practices by Him (SAW) and Imams (AS). Not only adapt the Perfect Manual of life for themselves, but also guide others towards it, first through deeds, and then, if they show inclination, through words.
Wa Al-Mu’uminūna Wa Al-Mu’uminātu Ba`Đuhum ‘Awliyā’u Ba`Đin Ya’murūna Bil-Ma`rūfi Wa Yanhawna `Ani Al-Munkari Wa Yuqīmūna Aş-Şalāata Wa Yu’utūna Az-Zakāata Wa Yuţī`ūna Allāha Wa Rasūlahu
[At-Tawbah 9:71] The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger.
This verse is a reminder that every believer has authority over others, as in guiding them towards the Right Path! But that does not mean imposing their beliefs on others! Faith gives wisdom to man, one develops an instinct to move according to the given situation. In the conduct of Perfect Paradigms (AS) one has the examples of how to proceed in a given situation. Islam does not believe in ‘My Life’. According to the verse, man is a social being and has to live in a community. Thus believers must help each other. They must urge others towards goodness, and stop each other from doing wrong deeds. They must support each other in correct practices. But all that has to be done through deeds first, and if one succeeds in attracting others to The Truth through deeds, then only words should be used!
The focal point of Islam is unification of humanity. Unity amongst mankind is only possible if they all share the same values and similar ideology. If everyone in the society follows the path of The Truth, they will all worry about the end of others. Hence they will all keep an eye on each other, to see that someone does not go astray. This is called Amr bil maroof and Nahi anil munkar (Preaching righteousness and forbidding evil). This sort of guardianship brings balance in a society. It stops spread of evil and wrong doing. It supports development of a pure, pious society. Once again it is very important to never forget that, “One can only preach what one practices”! So till one has groomed oneself into some semblance of given guidelines one has no right to preach to others. And preaching is only possible where the ground is already fertile, so first the tilling has to be done through one’s own deeds, and then move to the next step of planting through verbal teaching!
Therefore, Supreme Authority (Wilayah) is a necessity for the continuation of the system, which commenced with the appointment of Prophet Adam (AS), as the Divine Caliph on the earth. Once he was established here, the earth became inhabited by other humans. One after the other Messengers (AS) came, and furthered Divine Message. Finally the time came for arrival of Prophet (SAW), and he brought the best and most Perfect Code of Life, which is to remain till the Day of Judgement!
Al-Yawma ‘Akmaltu Lakum Dīnakum Wa ‘Atmamtu `Alaykum Ni`matī Wa RaĐītu Lakumu Al-’Islāma Dīnāan
[Al-Maida’a 5:3] This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
That Perfect Code cannot be left unguarded with common mortals, without any Supreme Authority (Wali)! Thus when the Completion and Perfection of Manual of Life, Islam was announced, the appointment of Supreme Authority (Wali) was also made known!
More than fourteen hundred years have passed since the Perfection and Completion of Islam, but still Muslims are in a sad state, there is no Unification either amongst Muslims, or amongst humanity as a whole. This is because only a Supreme Authority (Wali) can unite and take humanity forward towards development and perfection! So let us all work to improve ourselves, submit to the Supreme Authority (Wali), adapt the Perfect Code of Life, and prepare the grounds for the reappearance of the one, who has been appointed the Imam, the Guardian and the Wali (ATFS) by the Lord and Master of all!

Wa Nafsin Wa Mā Sawwāhā, Fa’alhamahā Fujūrahā Wa Taqwāhā, QQad ‘Aflaĥa Man Zakkāhā, Wa Qad Khāba Man Dassāhā
[Ash-Shams 91:7-10] And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it; He will indeed be successful who purifies it, and he will indeed fail who corrupts it.
“I was on my way here, but I couldn’t find a boat to take me across the lake, suddenly I saw a tree fall and break into pieces. Slowly those pieces put themselves together and formed a boat. I was a little hesitant at first, but then decided to get into the boat. Once I got in, the boat started to row by itself and took me across the shore.”
The questioner’s expression changed to incredulity. And then he began to laugh hysterically.
“This is the madman you have put up against me? The pieces of wood put themselves together and formed a boat out of nowhere?”
It was the Scholar’s turn to smile. “You do not believe that a boat could come into existence of its own accord,” he asked quietly. “Yet you expect me to believe that this vast universe could?” (An episode from the life of Sheikh Mufid (RA))
One must never forget that, “To seek to know Allah (SWT) and comprehend His dictates and decisions is an adventure of a lifetime; it cannot be done overnight, in one day, or a few years!”
Hence the Holy Quran has laid the foundation of faith and belief on thought and reasoning. Throughout, the Quran insists that men should attain faith through the agency of thought. In the view of the Quran, intellectual servitude is not sufficient for believing and understanding its basic doctrines. Accordingly, one should take up a rational inquiry of the basic principles and doctrines of the faith. One has the right to ask questions, and search around for answers! For example, the belief that Allah (SWT) is One, should be arrived at rationally. The same is true of the Prophet-hood of Muhammad (SAW).
So let us start our journey of discovery!
When someone sets out to create something he has a plan for its usage. He prepares a manual for its correct application. He trains people who can teach others the minute and accurate details which must be followed when using the creation, otherwise something might go wrong in it. If not used properly its full potential will not be utilised, it might not serve the purpose of creation, it might never display its perfection and utility which creator had visualised, and it might even become a source of bringing about disasters, creating problems in the world! Thus the instructors are chosen with great care. Their potential, intellect, integrity, honesty, sincerity and all other positive traits are tested. Only then they are considered creditable enough to receive the instructions which will make them an expert, and worthy of teaching others. For their ethical devotion to the cause, their dexterity, their hard work, the adversities they might encounter, and their spread of knowledge, they are highly compensated.
All this effort is undertaken for a creation which might become obsolete with passage of time! A new and better invention might replace it! Then what to say about man, who has been declared the Best Creation, who has been said to have been created in the Best Mould, and who has been declared the assistant of the Creator!
The human intellect and reason has the capability to recognise his Creator through observing other creations in the world. Man has been given intrinsic potential to distinguish between right and wrong. But because of the biological appetites and physical needs man has a great affinity towards the material world.
At birth a child’s bond with his mother is extremely strong, he instinctively turns to her to fulfil every need, but as he grows and becomes independent his link with mother loosen, he becomes more self-sufficient, and a time arrives when he is absolutely independent, and if have not been trained to recognise his responsibilities and parents’ rights, might even become distant from the mother, who brought him in this world! Lack of proper guidance and nurturing might even result in being a misfit in the society. Hence so much emphasis is placed on correct upbringing, and imparting of knowledge and awareness.
Same is true for the Absolute Lord! When a child is born his connection with the Creator is very strong. But with passage of time the material attractions of the world, the allure and glamour divert man from the reality of creation, the goal of creation, the target which has to be achieved while living in this world! Even the best amongst the men become so engrossed in material world that they become incapable of achieving the balance which is an absolute must for leading a successful existence, for maintaining peace and harmony in one’s own self, as well as in the world!
Man shares two traits with animals, desire and anger. Both are necessary for survival. Desire develops love, which is needed for fruitful relationships. It makes him competitive. It helps him move forward in the world. Many other positive achievements are a result of desire too. Anger is manifested through fear and courage. It makes man repulse and remove whatever he finds dangerous, harmful or displeasing. It makes him stand firmly and boldly in the face of adversary, and other negative forces.
But both these traits need restrain and guidance. If left free they can cause havoc in the world, as is seen today. On the one hand there are illiterate extremists, who have declared war against anyone who disagrees with them! And on the other are so called literate extremists and materialists, whose desires have become so unrestrained that they are willing to destroy anyone or anything, to satisfy their bestial instincts! Both are killing and destroying to safeguard their interests, and the sufferer is the earth, the nature, the animal world, and of course the humanity as a whole! In fact the entire creation of the Lord is facing the consequences of the actions of unrestrained and unguided desires and anger of the minority on the earth!
The Creator is familiar with the qualities and flaws of His creations, which are a necessity in this world of tests and trials, where man has been given the free will to live the way he wants. Through Prophet-hood and Messenger-ship He (SWT) presented the Manual of Life for man, but gave them freedom of choice to accept or reject it.
Allah (SWT), the Creator has the power to impart the knowledge in any way possible. He can do it directly for every individual, or he can guide them through Teachers and Guides, who have been specifically selected and trained for the purpose. He chose the latter method, because the basic purpose of creation is Uniformity, Unity, Harmony, Synchronisation and Agreement amongst all created beings and the Creator.
The first person to inhabit the world was Prophet Adam (AS), and he was also the first one to bring the Manual of Life, which places extreme emphasis on Absolute Submission and Peace, or in other words Islam! Once the world became inhabited with humanity Prophet Adam (AS) taught the manual verbally, as well as through deeds and actions. He became the Role Model, the Teacher, and the Guide for the people to emulate. This method of teaching and guidance is the accepted one even today. Every centre and institute where knowledge is imparted uses theory as well as practical application for effective guidance of its students.
Submission and peace go hand in hand! When desires and anger submit to a set way of life, to rules and orders, they bring peace to the heart and mind of an individual, and as he is member of a society this peace spills over into community, the community passes it on to the nation, and then world as a whole! This is the essence of Unity and Oneness! This is why it is the fundamental of faith and life!
As mankind developed more Prophets (AS) were sent to maintain the Unity and Harmony in the world. With passage of time, and unfolding and development of human intellect The Message, The Manual of Life became more detailed, but the fundamental remain unaltered, Absolute Submission brings Peace to life! After some thousands of years, and many hardships and sacrifices, man reached the stage where he became capable of adapting the complete Manual of Life. Thus the Perfect Role Model, Prophet Mohammad (SAW) was sent, with the Complete Manual, in the form of Holy Quran, which is an Eternal Divine Miracle! Even after more than 1400 years none has been able to alter its contents!
It is an intrinsic trait of humans to search for guidance and to submit to some authority or the other. Authority, in Islamic terminology, is defined as Wilayah (The Divine Authority). The essence of Wilayah is ‘one thing taking place by the side of another in such a way that there is no distance between them’, i.e., ‘if two things are placed side by side in such a manner that there is no other thing between them’ the root-word Wali is used. Literally, this term means to be close, near, follow, be up to, intimacy, assistance, love, and tenure of office. He who has such qualities is called Wali. According to the Holy Quran, Allah (SWT) is known as the Wali. Since He is Wali and Guardian of the entire world, He is its Guide as well. The Lord, the Creator, Who has authority over the entire existence, guides every type of existent to its own way of perfection. Unlike most of the other creations, human perfection is to be achieved consciously and freely. Therefore, man is in need of teaching so that this consciousness and freedom may grow. Therefore the School of Prophet-hood and Messenger-ship!
The Prophets (AS), the Messengers (AS) and after them the Imams (AS) are the ones, who are extremely close to Allah (SWT). They are so close in their traits and nature to the Lord and Master that no third can come in between them and the Creator. Man has to work and develop his person in such a manner that he reaches the level of the Role Models, the Prophets (AS), the Messengers (AS) and the Imams (AS). Those who ascend the ladder of evolution in such a manner, that their level of perfection takes them so close to these Divinely Appointed Dignitaries, that no third can come in between, are called Friend’s of Allah (SWT) (Auliya Allah).
Justice is an integral part of every set up, and man too is attracted by it. Justice (A’dl) means to give everything its proper, assigned place and due. Allah (SWT) has created this universe and all other creations with justice. When humans follow the assigned role, which has been imparted to them through Prophets (AS) and Messengers (AS), they maintain the justice, and balance is created. Hence the Divine Justice required that mankind should not be left without any Teacher, Leader, or Guide in human form once Prophet-hood comes to an end, after the Complete and Perfect Manual of Life is delivered. Thus the School of Imamate (Guide and Leader) began. Through this system the role of Divine Authority (Wilayah) is maintained.
The Imams (AS) guided mankind through thick and thin for almost 250 years. They faced many different situations and successfully dealt with them, saving Divine Manual of Life even under toughest imaginable conditions. When not permitted by the government of the era to openly propagate, they used supplications to spread The Truth. If one reads the supplications taught by Imams (AS), one will find that they are full of messages for a successful life. They cover dealing in different relationships, responsibilities and rights, good governance, war-fare, morals and ethics, and much more. The speeches and supplications of Imams (AS) are an exegesis of the Holy Quran, the Code of Conduct sent by the Creator.
The worldly rulers realised that despite unlimited restrictions, the preaching, guidance and teaching of The Truth is not diminishing. In fact the followers and students of Imams (AS) willingly faced hardships and death but continued to adhere to the Divine Order. Thus one after the other Imams (AS) were brutally assassinated. This continued till the demise of the 11th Imam (AS). After which Allah (SWT) sent His 12th and Last Luminary into occultation, for unknown number of years.
But during the lives of Imams (AS) many scholars benefitted from their knowledge and guidance. Through devotion and hard work they developed their persons, and reached the level of Friend’s of Allah (SWT) (Auliya Allah). When the occultation began these scholars, who were extremely pious and very knowledgeable, took on the mantle of guidance, at Divine Behest. They trained others, and the system has continued till today. Any common man, who is unbiased and has no adverse agenda, when meets these scholars, be it an adherent of their conviction, of another Muslim School of Thought, of other faith, vouches for their charisma, piety, knowledge and appealing personalities.
Now the people are obliged to imitate and follow a living jurisprudent, who guarantees that the system of Divine Authority (Wilayah) progresses the way it should.
Those, who have accepted and adapted the system of Divine Authority (Wilayah) in their lives, do justice to their beings. They are just in their dealings with other creations. They accept that the Divine Presence, His Guidance, His Grace, His Guardianship is continues process! It began with Prophet-hood and Messenger-ship, continued through Imamate or Leadership of Chosen Guides, and has reinforced with time through His (SAW)’s Friends, who are spread out in this vast world.
When one has firm belief and trust in this system, one does not become possessive about material riches, and possessions. One works diligently and to the best possible human ability, but not selfishly. One shares what one has earned with less fortunate ones. One is willing to accept that sometimes Allah (SWT) blesses one through giving plenty, because He wants to see what care one is willing to take of others! At other times He (SWT) tests one through scarcity to see how grateful one is for whatever he receives from his Lord, and this is also a test of those with plenty, if they are willing to share with others, who are their brothers and sisters in humanity!
The problem arises because majority of the people do not think and ponder, do not realise that this universe has sustained for uncountable years, and everyone has been provided for. Thus the One, Who has been nurturing for so long will do so in the future too. In their fear of scarcity, in their selfishness for more, in their lust for power, they accumulate, they hoard, they use more than their requirements, their fair share, and if they have left over they destroy it instead of sharing it with others. Resultantly there is a shortage of provisions, sometimes created by negligence, and at others by selfishness to balance the markets in their favour.
Man cuts down jungles, he kills animals, he pollutes rivers and oceans, he destroys marine life, he erodes mountains and river banks, all to satisfy his selfish urges. They are all Divine Creation, and are there to serve man, but man too has to care for them, treat them humanely. Many a catastrophe is caused because of this mistreatment of Divine Creations, because of the injustice being done to a creation, because it is being misused. The natural disasters, the earth quakes, storms, epidemics, or any other source of devastation is a wakeup call for man. It is to remind him that the path he has chosen is going to bring an everlasting calamity. One must realise that this is only a reminder! A real disaster will be if the sky falls, or the storm does not end and the whole world drowns, or the drought affects the entire world and all humanity dies of hunger.
Then too, the contained natural calamities are again a test for humanity! They make man appreciate that there is a Greater Power out there, Who has more control on events than an ordinary mortal. Through these disasters people are tested, how much they are willing to help and support their brethren, who are the victims of such events! They are made to self-evaluate and think. Many turn back to the Lord and Master once being affected by such a calamity.
The Lord has blessed the earth with four seasons, through the blessing of the sunlight. During the winter heat returns to the plant life and generation of fruits begin! This is the period when humidity condenses to make clouds and rain. The animal bodies grow and strengthen. Come spring the fruits bloom. Animals come out of hibernation and mate for multiplication. The summer sees warm air, and ripening of fruits. The human body shed waste through sweating. The earth dries up and hardens for cultivation, planting and building. The autumn air is crisp and fresh, it brings health and freshness to the bodies. These are some of the blessings which changing seasons gift us with.
But here too man is not satisfied with nature’s gifts. He has worked to create artificial rain. Through the release of green house gases ozone layer is being destroyed, which is playing havoc with the seasons and weather conditions now. In his greed for plenty he has started producing food artificially, is using short cuts, chemicals or other synthetic sources to increase food supply. The underground tests of nuclear materials or other armaments have resulted in many an earth quake, and even tsunami has been connected with these tests! Such tests destroy fertility of land, which again results in scarcity of some food products. He is developing artificial germs as biological war-fare. Many other so called advancements and developments, which he presents as his success story, are in reality just the fulfilment of his desire to go one up his adversaries, to beat them and repress them! To become the master of all!
All this is because he rejected the Divine System, the Code of Life, the Manual of Existence, which his Creator has sent for him. In his arrogance he ignored the messages sent by his reason, the pokes which he received from his conscience! He considered himself self-sufficient to decide all for himself! But it is still not too late! Man is waking up from the self induced slumber! He is appreciating the need of solving the mystery of from where he came, why he came, where he is going, and what should be his goal and target of life! He has come full circle, and is turning to the message of,
‘Innā Lillāhi Wa ‘Innā ‘Ilayhi Rāji`ūna
[Al-Baqarah 2:156] To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return!

Qul Falillāhi Al-Ĥujjatu Al-Bālighatu Falaw Shā’a Lahadākum ‘Ajma`īna
[Al-Ana’am 6:149] Say: “With Allah is the conclusive argument, if it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all.”
There is a tradition of Prophet (SAW), quoted from Imam Baqir (AS), in Al-Kafi, “When God created the Intellect (al-`Aql), He examined it. Thereupon He said to it: `Come forward!’ It came forward. Then He said: `Go back!’ It went back. Thereupon He said: `By My power and majesty, I didn’t create any creature dearer to me than you! I will not make you perfect except in one whom I love. Indeed, to you are My orders and-prohibitions addressed. And for you are My rewards and retributions reserved.’”
A tradition of the Prophet (SAW) narrated by Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) says, “Once Gabriel came to Adam (AS). He brought with him faith (Eman), morality or modesty (Haya’) and intellect or reason (‘Aql) and asked him to choose one of the three. When he chose ‘aql, the others were told by Gabriel to return to heaven! But they said that they were ordered by Allah (SWT) to accompany ‘aql wherever it remained!”
Intellect or reason (‘aql) embraces all rational faculties of human beings. It is considered to be a prerequisite for gaining knowledge. All authentic compendia of traditions devote their first chapter to the merits of reason and intellect (‘aql) and the virtues of knowledge (‘ilm). Reason has been denoted by such words as ta’aqqul, tafaqquh and tadabbur in the Qur’an.
Morality or modesty (Haya’) is refraining of the soul from every sin, disobedience and transgression. It is the state when man is afraid of being in the Divine Presence when burdened with disobedience! When one reaches this stage the worth of the soul becomes extremely high. The soul becomes dear because it is a Divine Blessing!
Accepting Islam means that one moves forward to embrace all Divine Behests, and performs them to his best ability. But when faith (Eman) strengthens then one is vigilant not to commit any forbidden act too. A Muslim reads the Holy Quran with his tongue, but a person with faith reads it through his heart (Qalb), and thus it enters his soul and guides him to perfection!
So the title verse is informing us that the ‘Conclusive Argument’ (Hujjat) is with Allah (SWT), which can guide and take (Baligha) man to the ‘Purpose of Creation’, mature him spiritually to reach the desired target! And the following traditions place emphasis on the importance of reason, its close association with morality, modesty and strength of faith.
The root word of Arabic word Hujjat is Hajj. The meanings of Hajj are target, goal, final destination, proof, witness, the purpose for which one is striving.
Baligha means to guide and take to the destination, an event or time which has been predestined, an inevitable occurrence, devoting oneself for a purpose with full energy and effort.
The essence of Hujjat is ‘The Undeniable Truth’! It is with the Lord and Creator of the entire universe. But He has made man independent enough to search for it, strive to reach it, try to comprehend with logic and reasoning, develop morality and modesty, and strengthen faith, because these are all prerequisites of being able to reach the Conclusive Argument!
Imam Al-Hujjat (ATFS), the Awaited Saviour, the Final and Conclusive Argument of Allah (SWT) is the truth which appeals to human intellect! A Just Lord, Who created the Father of Humanity, Adam (AS), and blessed him with knowledge;
Wa `Allama ‘Ādama Al-’Asmā’a Kullahā
[Al-Baqarah 2:31] And He taught Adam all the names!
Then He (SWT) sent His infallible Guide and Leader Prophet Adam (AS) to the earth before inhabiting it with humanity. So the Creator sent the Leader (AS) first, and only then other mankind was created! Hence He (SWT) cannot leave mankind unguided and without a leader for unknown period, after the demise of His Last Prophet (SAW)! So reason and logic guide man to accept that there is still an Infallible Leader (ATFS) of mankind present on the earth. Allah (SWT) is an Absolute Being, with every trait and perfection imaginable; hence His Messengers (AS) and Imams (AS) too must personify the Divine Traits, which mankind has to develop in himself to reach the goal of creation. These leaders and guides are the Role Models, the Ideals whom one must emulate to find success in this life, as well as in the hereafter. For the establishment of Unity (Tawhid) it is a must that the Role Model should be same for entire creation! Different Guides and Leaders will present a diverse picture, and thus will create disunity in the universe! Therefore the Divinely Appointed Guide and Representative (Imam and Wali) is one and he represents the entire righteousness and goodness.
Especially since Satan, the Iblis is one too, and he is all evil personified, and he has been granted respite till time unknown or till humanity is raised back to life!
Qāla ‘Anžirnī ‘Ilá Yawmi Yub`athūna, Qāla ‘Innaka Mina Al-Munžarīna, Qāla Fabimā ‘Aghwaytanī La’aq`udanna Lahum Şirāţaka Al-Mustaqīma, TThumma La’ātiyannahum Min Bayni ‘Aydīhim Wa Min Khalfihim Wa `An ‘Aymānihim Wa `An Shamā’ilihim Wa Lā Tajidu ‘Aktharahum Shākirīna
[Al-A’araaf 7:14-17] He said: Respite me until the day when they are raised up. He said: Surely you are of the respited ones. He said: As Thou has caused me to remain disappointed I will certainly lie in wait for them in Thy straight path. Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and Thou shalt not find most of them thankful.
Therefore even before Adam (AS) descended to the earth two paths were clearly defined, one of goodness and the other of evil! To ascend the ladder of goodness one has to use reason and intellect, accumulate knowledge, think, research, apply, develop awareness and faith, and practically present the acquired knowledge through actions. If one does this he becomes the ‘Soldier of Allah (SWT)’ (HizbAllah)! He is engaged in Greater Struggle (Jihad-e-Akbar), the struggle of purifying his soul. This is the struggle which one must carry out while awaiting the Saviour (ATFS)! Those who reject this path prefer the brightness and allure of materialism, go astray! They become a tool in the hands of Satan, and thus members of his army, (Hizb-e-Shaitan)!
It is the duty of every person who considers himself amongst those who are waiting for the Imam (ATFS) to purify his soul first, acquire knowledge and awareness of Awaited One (ATFS), spend time and money in propagating The Truth, be aware of the happenings of the world, always ready to help suffering humanity, ever present whenever and wherever needed. If he wants to be a companion of the Qaim (ATFS), The One Who will Rise and take a Stand against injustice and inequity, one must work to eliminate these traits from one’s own person!
When one awaits the arrival of a loved one, the condition is of perturbation and anxiety! One is constantly worried why the (Muntazar) Awaited One (ATFS) is not arriving! Can the reason be my conduct which is delaying the arrival! What must I do to hasten His (ATFS) coming! What and where can I bring about the changes so that I can get the chance of meeting the Awaited One (ATFS), of living in the era of the Reformer, the Messiah! The agitation, the fretfulness can cause a revolution in a person! Hence the true essence of waiting is perturbation and anxiety, which should cause revolution in oneself as well as in the surroundings! This is only achieved when one devotes oneself to the acquisition of knowledge and awareness.
A revolutionary becomes the witness of The Truth! That is, his deeds and actions testify that he is truly waiting for the arrival of the Muntazar (ATFS), the Hujjat (ATFS) of Allah (SWT)! The testifying is sometimes through words and actions, through offering of material and temporal riches and comforts, at others through sacrifice of one’s life! At times the life is offered is in a battle, like in Karbala, and the testifier proves where The Truth stands! On other occasions one is killed when he raises the flag of The Truth, like is happening today, hence becoming a witness to The Truth and Justice!
In Islam knowledge is not confined to the attainment of information only, but also embraces socio-political and moral aspects. Knowledge is not mere data; it requires the believers to act upon their beliefs and commit themselves to the goals which Islam aims at attaining. The theory of knowledge in the Islamic perspective is not just a theory of epistemology. It combines knowledge, insight, and social action as its ingredients. All knowledge originates from Allah (SWT), because Father of Humanity was taught the entire information and awareness by the Lord Himself! And its task should be to take one back to the Creator, prepare one to enter His Presence with a sense of achievement!
‘Innā Lillāhi Wa ‘Innā ‘Ilayhi Rāji`ūna
[Al-Baqarah 2:156] Surely we are from Allah and to Him we shall surely return!
With passage of time, as humanity evolves, knowledge unfolds for the usage of mankind. Hence which ever field of knowledge one enters he should acquire it with the intention of gaining closeness to the Creator, the Lord, and the Master. If this intention is present then not only will the blessed gift of knowledge be never misused, it will also be reflected in practical life of the person too.
One gift that such a person receives in this lifetime is the chance of being in contact with Imam (ATFS)! Being encouraged by him! Being considered a firm supporter and ally of him!
The annals of history are full of the life accounts of those who sacrificed materially as well as physically for the propagation of The Truth. One such personality is Abu Abdullah Muhammad Haaris Akbari, famous as Sheikh Mufid (RA). He was born in 336 Hijrah, seven years after the start of Greater Occultation of Imam (ATFS). He belonged to an affluent family, hence devoted his material goods for the propagation of The Truth. He spent his entire life gaining knowledge with the intention of serving his Creator, and through practical example showed the world the real meaning of Islam. Ibn Shahr Ashob says in his Ma’alimul Ulamaa that for his service to Islam Sheikh Mufid (RA) was blessed with the title of Al-Mufid (Useful, Beneficial) by the Imam (ATFS) of our times. Thus making it clear that the greatest service during occultation is to acquire knowledge, live it and propagate it.
Some other narrator has said that the title was given by a scholar of another school of thought, whom Sheikh had defeated in a debate. Both can be true because Sheikh Mufid (RA) proved himself extremely useful and beneficial for the propagation of the True Message!
The period of Sheikh Mufid (RA) was full of people with twisted concepts and half-baked beliefs. Like today the basic fabric of Islam was being attacked through exaggerated additions. The Greek, Roman and Hindu philosophers were presenting their views wrapped up in an attractive, alluring cover, which had fascinated illiterate masses. The purity of Islam was being threatened by all such attacks. Hence Sheikh Mufid (RA) not only conducted classes of theology where teaching was imparted to interested students, who carried on the lamp of Islam for future followers; he also held debates, discussions, meetings and seminars with people of diverse thoughts and ideologies. He was able to convince many of them into accepting The Truth.
This is what our Imam (ATFS) wants from us! He wants us to acquire knowledge and awareness, adapt it in our lives, purify our souls and guide others through deeds and actions. Verbally propagating an ideology, values, but not living those results in repelling people. It is disfavour to Islam. Imam (ATFS) is Mahdi, the one who will propagate the truth, justice and hidden secrets. He wants those companions who have devoted their lifetime in finding at least the basic concept of these realities.
Today the world has become very small because of media and internet. Many false beliefs are being propagated through these sources. If one lacks awareness, does not have strong enough faith, one can easily be caught in the mesh of these tricksters, the satanic soldiers.
Imam (ATFS) addressed many Signed Letters (Tawqees) to this great soldier of Allah (SWT). Many scholars have collected those letters and compiled them in their books. This recognition and remembrance of Sheikh Mufid (RA) by Imam (ATFS) was because Sheikh devoted himself to achieving the purpose of creation, which is serving others through the message of The Truth. He accepted the hardships of every day existence to please Allah (SWT), and became a worthy servant of the Lord and Master.
This is a message for the followers, the devotees, that Imam (ATFS) guides and blesses those who are willing to serve Islam. Those, who have realised and accepted the true purpose of creation, and are working to achieve the set goal.
When Sheikh Mufid (RA) left this temporal abode in the year 413 Hijrah, as a final reminder of his high status and station, an eulogy written by the 12th Imam (ATFS) is said to have appeared on his grave, which proclaimed, “Today, may there be silence, for your departure makes it a day of tribulation for the Prophet’s Household. You are now under the earth, but Tawheed (Unity) and Ad’l (Justice) are alive in your personality, for al-Mahdi himself used to celebrate every time a student studied under you.”
A clear and concise communication for those who want to be the companions of Imam Mahdi (ATFS) and other Imams (AS) too, in this life as well as hereafter, that only through Greater Struggle, through usage of reason, through development of morality and modesty, through purification of soul, through propagation of The Truth, through strengthen of faith, through establishment of justice, can they hope to reach this coveted status!

YYā ‘Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū Attaqū Allāha Wa Kūnū Ma`a Aş-Şādiqīna
[At-Tawbah 9:119] O you who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah and be with the truthful ones!
The believers are the addressees, the ones who have accepted the Unity of their Creator, who have declared the Ultimate Prophet-hood and Messenger-ship of Mohammad (SAW), who have proclaimed the Authority of Imams (AS)! But they are still told to be careful of their duty to Allah (SWT), and that has been declared the condition for becoming the helper, companion and supporter of The Truthful Ones!
The last month of Islamic year commences with a message of austerity, brotherhood, equality, sacrifice, reminder of ultimate end, and all other messages which help man develop positive traits in life!
AAl-Ĥajju ‘Ash/hurun Ma`lūmātun Faman Farađa Fīhinna Al-Ĥajja Falā Rafatha Wa Lā Fusūqa Wa Lā Jidāla Fī Al-Ĥajji Wa Mā Taf`alū Min Khayrin Ya`lamhu Allāhu Wa Tazawwadū Fa’inna Khayra Az-Zādi At-Taqwá Wa Attaqūnī Yā ‘Ūlī Al-’Albābi
[Al-Baqarah 2:197] For Hajj are the months well known! If anyone undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj. And whatever good you do, be sure Allah knows it. And take a provision with you for the journey, but the best of provisions is right conduct. So fear Me, O you that are wise.
So the humanity is being invited to journey for pilgrimage to Holy Kabah, and is being told to leave behind all negative characteristics, and carry the Divine Fear in heart when setting out for this most important visit of their lifetime!
Once there, slowly the purification process begins! Umrah is the dress rehearsal! Daily prayers, supplications, visitations to holy sites are all a reminder to purify oneself because that is the real aim of existence. Then the Day of Arafah arrives and man is reminded of the Day of Judgement. From here one moves on to Muzdallfah and then Mina, and sacrifice of animals, which symbolises the willingness of the True Believers to submit absolutely to every Divine Command! An old father ready to sacrifice his only son on the Divine Order, and a young son willing to accept death because it is the decree of his Lord and Master! Shaving of head is saying good bye to vanity! Stoning of Satan a step to cleansing one’s soul of lingering ego, distancing oneself from the evil ones! Circumambulation of the Kabah, a declaration of strong faith in Divine Authority (Wilayah), whose first link was born in the Holy House! Treading between the mounts of Safa and Marwa, a reminder of the submission of that Great Lady who willingly agreed to come and dwell in a desolate land when informed that it is Divine Will!
From here the month progresses and we arrive in Ghadir-e-Khum, on the 18th of the same month! Here we are informed,
Al-Yawma Ya’isa Al-Ladhīna Kafarū Min Dīnikum Falā Takhshawhum Wa Akhshawnī Al-Yawma ‘Akmaltu Lakum Dīnakum Wa ‘Atmamtu `Alaykum Ni`matī Wa Rađītu Lakumu Al-’Islāma Dīnāan
[Al-Maida’a 5:3] This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me! This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion!
A clear and concise message! The disbelievers and their associate hypocrites have now lost hope! The hypocrites had entered Islam thinking that it is a temporary discipline imposed on them! It will end with the demise of Prophet Mohammad (SAW), and they will return to the worship of their material pleasures and temporal gains! But now sadly it has been declared that there is a Divinely Appointed Guide, a Leader, and an Authority, who will guide mankind till the Judgement Day! So now whosoever adheres to him will tread the path of salvation, otherwise not! And secondly Absolute Submission, Islam has been declared the favoured Code of Life!
The month and the year is about to end, it is 24th of Dhil-Hajj, the Day of Mubahilah, when some Christians came at Prophet (SAW)’s invitation to Medina, and not willing to enter Islam agreed to have a Mutual Cursing Session or Imprecation to decide the veracity of the opposing parties! Allah (SWT) commanded Prophet (SAW) in following words,
FFaman Ĥājjaka Fīhi Min Ba`di Mā Jā’aka Mina Al-`Ilmi Faqul Ta`ālaw Nad`u ‘Abnā’anā Wa ‘Abnā’akum Wa Nisā’anā Wa Nisā’akum Wa ‘Anfusanā Wa ‘Anfusakum Thumma Nabtahil Fanaj`al La`nata Allāhi `Alá Al-Kādhibīna
[Aale-Imraan 3:61] But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.
Next morning saw the Holy Prophet (SAW) coming in, Imam Hussain (AS) in his arms, Imam Hasan (AS) holding his index finger, walking beside him, Bibi Fatimah Zahra (SA), close to his heels and Imam Ali (AS) just behind her, as his sons, women, and selves. Thus informing all who the Truthful Ones are!
So now the stage is set for the Islamic New Year, which presents The Truthful Ones and their True Followers fighting against falsehood! Submitting themselves to the Divine Will they offer the most precious gift of their lives! Their leader, Imam (AS) of the era commanded them on Divine Orders to defend The Truth, and they bow down in submission, like True Muslims!
Every year Muslims hold commemoration meetings, they take out processions in memory of the Karbala martyrs, they self-flagellate, they mourn those who had sacrificed their all for humanity, they remember the selfless attitude, the submission, the unflinching faith in their leader and guide, Imam Hussain (AS)! But why! Is it a ritual, a custom, a tradition, or a religious obligation which has been ordained by their faith!
When Hussain (AS) was born while saying call for prayer in his ears Prophet (SAW)’s eyes filled with tears! When questioned by his daughter about the condition he replied that Hussain (AS) will be martyred along with his family on the plains of Karbala defending Islam, and as his parents, brother Hasan (AS) and grandfather would have already departed from the world, thus Allah (SWT) will create a nation to mourn Hussain (AS). And then Prophet (SAW) said, “Hussian-o-Minni wa Ana Minul Hussain”. Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain. One can explain Hussain (AS), being the grandson of the Prophet (SAW) was from him biologically. How a grandfather was from his grandson needs to be explained.
Prophets (AS) of Allah (SWT) speak symbolically addressing the soul, rather than literally, because their task is to educate the soul, the real human being, body is only to serve it. Prophet Mohammad (SAW) had been sent to propagate and safeguard Islam. He had devoted his entire life for this mission. Thus the message of the Holy Prophet (SAW) in this saying was that Hussain (AS) will, in near future save this mission from destruction!
Therefore it is established that mourning for Imam Hussain (AS), or Azadari is a religious obligation, and its purpose is to keep the True Message of Islam alive! Or in other words one can say that, “Azadari is the means to reach the goal of creation, which is absolute submission to the Creator, the Lord and Master, it is not the aim”! The nation which has been made responsible to uphold this message has to embrace it in such a manner that the Real Spirit of Islam is kept alive; it should spread and bring the entire humanity under its radiance!
Karbala is a way of life! It is the life of justice, freedom, equality, discipline, morality and submission! Karbala is the battle of values, evil versus good! The good won because even after hundreds of years its victory is being remembered and commemorated by followers of the Truthful Ones! The evil lost because none is willing to associate himself/herself with it! No one claims that he is the follower of the evil ones who perpetuated the Greatest Tragedy of history! Even their defenders and apologists, who have risen in recent past, when in some adverse situation, symbolise their situation with that of Imam Hussain (AS), Bibi Zainab (SA) and other eminent personalities of Karbala!
In Mohurrum meetings mourners are reminded that humanity is divided into two groups, those who have faith in material world only! For them this life is the real thing, thus they concentrate on achieving as much as they can for this world, without having any thought for the hereafter. For them body is the important thing, and should be catered for! The second group believes in the unseen! Therefore for them soul is the real thing and should be provided for! They spend their entire life in a balanced manner, using this world to gain the hereafter.
Knowledge is the pre-requisite for any positive progress. But when this knowledge is used through intellect alone it does not necessarily provide right guidance. Whereas when the heart and mind both are involved the true direction is found.
Iblis was extremely knowledgeable, had worshipped Allah (SWT) for more than three thousand years, acknowledged that Allah (SWT) is the Creator of all, including him and Adam (AS), because he said, “You have created me from fire and him from earth”, but was not willing to accept the Lordship and Master-ship of Allah (SWT), which decides the position and designation of each creation. In other words he was not willing to practice what he knew for a fact!
It is He, Who decides what is good and bad for man! It is He, Who has given Absolute Submission, Islam as The Code of Life! So knowledge alone can never guide man, the heart has to submit fully; only then one can hope to reach the spiritual perfection.
Human mind has been created to crave knowledge and awareness. It has unlimited capacity for knowledge, thus questions and searches for it. Human senses are the tools used to provide the required knowledge. They collect awareness and send it to the brain, which analysis it and use as required.
The Islamic New Year feeds and nurtures the desire for knowledge! It helps develop the cohesion between different senses, mind and heart! It brings all body parts into unity ready to serve The Truth! One is reminded that this life is a journey, and whoever enters the temporal abode is a passenger. One needs provisions for every journey undertaken. Hence instead of wasting time accumulate the much needed supplies! The passing time never returns! It is not a New Year, but the previous year has passed by! Analyse the preceding year! Think what one has done in the Path of Justice!
Man has been created to serve his Lord, and if the time is utilised in disobeying the Creator than it has been wasted!
The Holy Quran has symbolised man’s effort for perfection to planting of a harvest! A year is like a growing tree! Months are the branches, days are the twigs, hours are like leaves, and every breath is like a fruit! If the breath fulfils the essence of Divine Submission, that is if the fruit is being tended correctly, it is growing in perfect surroundings, than it will be of an excellent quality! But if it is being cultivated defying the nature, it will never taste perfect!
But one should not forget that the fruit of the tree is picked, tasted and improvements are made in cultivation, or soil, or fertilisers to recover the quality! Self-analysis helps one in the same manner. If one develops this positive trait one will be able to see one’s own drawbacks and weaknesses and change and nurture them towards the Right Path. God forbid if analysis is not undertaken one will only find out the quality of every breath on the Day of Judgement!
Therefore the commemoration gatherings, the lectures, the processions, the slogans are all a source of reminder. Their purpose is to prompt humanity not to waste time, not to become too immersed in this world, but to work hard for the hereafter. This will not only be fruitful in the eternal life, but will also bring peace and tranquillity in the temporal existence!
[Al-Asr 103:1] I swear by the time, Most surely man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual teaching of The Truth, and of Patience and Constancy!

By

Huma Hasan

In every ideology New Year commences with fresh resolutions, renewed vigour, firm resolve to stick to a positive life style, to fulfil the set targets, and many other novel and bright thoughts and ideas! They may be a repetition of some previous plans, a carryover of some unfinished ideas, or might be a set of brand new resolutions!

But Islamic New Year heralds the Season of Protest against tyranny and injustice! It is the time to renew ones resolve to never bow down in the face of oppression and inequity! It is the time to relive the sacrifices and valour of those who stood firm for the sake of The Truth! It is the period to pay homage to those Great Personalities of history, who though numerically small, but still showed the world that The Truth always prevails, falsehood cannot survive if there is even a single flag bearer of The Truth! It is the same every year, and in every place all over the world!

The last month of Islamic calendar reminds us that when Prophet Abraham (AS), the Father of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, offered his son Prophet Ishmael (AS) as sacrifice to fulfil Divine Behest, he was replaces by a sheep from the paradise, and the said sacrifice was delayed for future, amongst the descendents of Prophet Ishmael (AS)! [As-Saaffaat 37:107] “And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice”!

Thousands of years later, on the sands of Karbala, the truth of above verse was seen! Imam Hussain (AS), from the progeny of Prophet Ishmael (AS), offered a historic sacrifice of his entire family, friends and himself, to safeguard the Message of The Truth, Islam, for coming generations. He set an example for the humanity to never bow down in the face of oppression and inequity! It is not only unfair on oneself, but also enslaves the coming generations, because it is a quagmire which keeps swallowing them! Once one enters this mesh it is not easy to break the shackles of slavery! Thus even if one is small numerically, even if all odds appear against one, one must stand upright and face the enemy boldly, being sure that The Truth is always victorious!

Islamic New Year is a wake-up call for entire humanity! It is a reminder that if one takes a stand for justice, one becomes immortal! One becomes a symbol for justice! Their remembrance is used eternally and universally to protest against prevailing and ever increasing injustice and oppression in the world! They become the flag-bearers of fearlessness and valour! That is why be it Mahatma Gandhi, Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, Edward Gibbon, Antoine Bara and many more, they all eulogise Imam Hussain (AS), and consider him a Role Model for freedom, bravery and justice.

Since before the advent of Prophet Adam (AS) on the earth two paths were shown to man, one is the Path of Rehman (Merciful, Beneficent, Munificent) and the other is the path of Shaitan (Distant, Insolent, Arrogant, Corrupt)! [Al-Aaraaf 7:17-18] “Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and Thou shall not find most of them thankful. He said: Get out of this (state), despised, driven away; whoever of them will follow you, I will certainly fill hell with you all”!

Once humanity started spreading on the earth the first example of two paths was given by Abel and Cain. With the passage of time one sees Prophet Moses (AS) and Pharaoh, Prophet Abraham (AS) and Nimrod, Prophet Jesus (AS) and Judas, Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and numerous heads of Quaraish Tribe! In other words one can say that there are two paths, one of humanity, freedom, valour and justice, and the other of tyranny, suppression, cowardice and enslavement! Man has to decide between the two! Does one prefers the temporal and material benefits of this life and follow Satan, or is the ever-lasting existence of hereafter, which each and everyone has to face, better and more rewarding! None can claim that death will not seize him, so why not die for a cause, for the betterment of mankind, for the freedom of humanity!

Today too one sees that the followers of negative path, when in need of spreading their power base, offer option of two paths only, raising the slogan, “With us or with them”! They create a bogie, nurture it materially and physically, and then present it to the world as the villain of the era! Though it is just the trained stooges of their masters, fashioned to help fulfil the nefarious designs of their creators!

This is where the importance of Islamic New Year is visible! Those who have realised the importance of the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (AS), those who have studied history, have renewed allegiance to the cause of humanity regularly, which ever faith they might belong to, whatever their ideology, do not fall victim to such slogans coming out of power hungry forces! They reject these false leaders, and expose their reality to the world! They show that this is the path of the Satan, which took different names in history! Sometimes it appeared as Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh and Judas, at others it took the name of Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, Kharjites, Yazid, Umayyad and Abbaside!

The Path of God, the Creator, the Lord, the True Master, the Nourisher is of knowledge, awareness, equality, liberty, equity, fair-play, equal and same opportunities for all, and whatever is just and positive in life. Followers of this path do not suppress others for material benefits, they do not attack others for natural resources, they do not place sanctions on others as punishment for acquisition of knowledge, they like for their brother what they like for themselves!

Man by nature is forgetful! Then too every year children grow up and new generation is created! Thus it is necessary to repeat the same history on yearly basis, to pledge allegiance to Correct Path repeatedly! If this is done at the beginning of the year, there is a hope that it might last for the remaining year! Hence come next year man might have inculcated some of the good habits, might have developed some positive traits, might have ascended the ladder of humanity, might have helped create a better world!

BY HUMA HASAN

Since the advent of Prophet Adam (PBUH) faith in three fundamentals is obligatory for a Muslim;
belief in the Unity of Allah (SWT), Divine Justice along with all other Divine Attributes is part of it, belief in Messenger-ship, Imamate is continuation of this belief, and faith in the Day of Resurrection and Judgement when all will be brought back and answer for every deed performed in temporal life. Every permitted or forbidden act comes under the umbrella of these three basics, and decides if one is following the ‘True Faith’!

Hence those who are careful about their end take care to guard against smallest possible wrong act
in this world, and ascertain that they firmly tread the path of the ‘True Faith’! Here is a story to illustrate the life of such a faithful!

Abu Baseer was once in the company of Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq (PBUH) when a woman came and said to the Imam (PBUH), “I have come to ask a question. I am ill. Physicians in Iraq have told me to take liquor. Now I want to know what to do in such circumstances?”

The Imam (PBUH) asked her, “Why don’t you drink what the doctors have prescribed for you?”

She replied, “As I am your follower, I shall obey what you say. If you permit me, I shall drink it; if not, I shall keep away from it; so that if I am asked by the Almighty God on the Day of Judgement why I did so, I shall reply that I followed the
instructions of the Imam of the day.”

Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq (PBUH) turned to Abu Baseer and said: “O Abu Baseer. Did you listen to what this woman has to say? Are you not moved by her faith? In-spite of her illness, she is refraining from taking liquor without the Imam’s permission.”

The Imam (PBUH) then turned to the woman and said, “By God, I do not permit you to drink. If you do so, you shall be sorry when your soul reaches your throat, that is, at the time of death“.

So saying the Imam (PBUH) pointed at her throat; and asked her three times if she understood what he had said. The woman nodded her head.

Strong faith in Divine Unity demands absolute obedience for the Prophets (PBUT) and Imams (PBUT), who will be the Leaders of Salvation on the Day of Judgement. If they forbid something one must not argue and question their judgement! ‘True Faith’ demands that one accept it as Divine Command, and submit. Today the Imam (ATFS) of the day is not in front of our eyes, but His (ATFS)’s assistants Marajia’ah are there, following them and obeying their injunctions is obligatory on every ‘True Faithful’!

BY HUMA HASAN

[Yunus 10:35] Say: Is there any of your associates who guides to the truth? Say: Allah guides to the truth. Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be
followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge?

From amongst His creations Allah (SWT) has chosen certain Perfect Beings, taught and guided them as models for humanity, [Ar-Rehmaan 55:1] The Beneficent Allah, It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. Thus only those, channelled by the Divine Guidance bestowed on them, are not in need of any worldly supervision, and are the True Guides who should be followed.

Allah (SWT) and His Prophet (SAW) repeatedly directed towards these personalities, “Ali is the door of servitude, and whoever passes through that door is a true believer,” is one
reminder by Prophet (SAW)!

Another message of Prophet (SAW) was, “Remembering Ali and his virtues is worship.” Remembering Imam Ali (AS) is an act of worship, since it makes one follow him and accept his authority. Addressing the virtues of Imam Ali (AS) brings about an important result, it motivates us to follow him, for anybody in search for truth and perfection is attracted towards such high qualities. Mankind naturally prefers a person of exceptional morality and righteousness over one lacking these merits.

Imam Ali (AS) was first cousin of Prophet (SAW). After passing away of their common grandfather Hadhrat Abdul Mutalib (AS), Imam Ali (AS)’s parents, Hadhrat Abu Talib (AS) and Lady
Fatima Binte Asad (SA), brought up Prophet (SAW).

Imam Ali (AS) was born when Prophet (SAW) was thirty years old. His birth was a miracle. He is the only human ever who was born inside Khane Ka’bah, The House of Allah (SWT). His mother Lady Fatima Binte Asad (SA) was praying near Ka’bah, suddenly she felt labour pain, she intensified her supplications, unexpectedly a wall of Ka’bah split open and the observers saw her entering the precincts of House of Almighty Lord, and the opening closing miraculously behind her.

For three days and three nights Lady Fatima Binte (SA) stayed inside the Ka’bah. When she came out Imam Ali (AS)’s eyes were still closed. Prophet Mohammad (SAW) had come there to greet and wish his aunt and foster mother. When Lady Fatima (SA) saw Prophet (SAW) she gave the newborn to him and told him about infant not opening his eyes. Prophet (SAW) put some saliva from his mouth on the child’s eyes. Immediately he opened his eyes.

At the time of Ali (AS)’s birth House of Almighty Lord had been turned into a place of idol worship. It was full of stone idols. Therefore, the first Imam (AS), the leader and guide for entire humanity, could not let his first glance in this temporal world fall on those material gods! But as soon as Prophet (SAW), the representative of Allah (SWT) picked him up, he opened his eyes in acknowledgement of Monotheism.

Both parents of Imam Ali (AS) were monotheists and they were practicing the faith of their ancestors, the Abrahemic faith. They were first cousins and had common ancestors. The strength of their faith can be deduced from the fact that they both very dedicatedly brought up Prophet (SAW). They were very careful about his security, and at the expense of their sons’ lives they safeguarded him.

Lady Fatima Binte Asad (SA) treated Prophet (SAW) with so much love and care, that he never missed the motherly love, of which he had been deprived in childhood. The greatness of Lady Fatima Binte Asad (SA)’s character, and the strength of her faith can be judged from the fact that, she was considered worthy of being given the responsibility of bringing up Prophet-hood, as well as Imamate.

When Allah (SWT) says in Chapter ‘Ad-Dhuha’, [93:6] Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter, the term shelter is being applied for both Hadhrat Abu Talib (AS) and Lady Fatima Binte Asad (SA).

When Lady Fatima Binte Asad (SA) left this temporary world to meet her Creator, Prophet (SAW) was heartbroken. He gave her shroud of his own shirt, and he lowered her into the grave.