| HADEES OF OUR 4TH IMAM (A.S.) - I | for everyone |
- Imam 'Ali Ibn al-Husain (A.S) used to say: Every Mu'min, whose eyes shed tears upon the killing of Husain Ibn' Ali (A.S.) and his companions, such that the tears roll down his cheeks, Allah shall accommodate him in the elevated rooms of paradise.
- Allama Majlisi writes, “ It is said that he (i.e. Imam Zayn al-'Abideen) continued to weep till his eyes were endangered. And whenever he took water to drink, he wept till the tears filled the pot. Someone talked to him about it and he replied: "Why should not I cry, when my father was denied the water which was free to the beasts and animals?”
- He also says, "And never was food brought to him but that he wept, so much so that a servant told him: ‘May I be your ransom, O Son of the Messenger of Allah! I am afraid that you would die (of this weeping).’ The Imam said: 'I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah and I do not know. Never do I remember the massacre of the children of Fatima but that tears strangle me.’"
- Imam Zainul Abideen (A.S.) is reported to have said: "When a believer’s eyes shed tears for the death of al-Hussain until they flow over his cheeks, Allah will provide for him rooms in Paradise which he will inhabit for a long time. When a believer’s eyes shed tears until they flow over his cheeks because of the atrocities inflicted upon us by our enemies in this world, Allah will provide him with a true abode in paradise." Ibn Qawlawayah p. 103
- May Allah have mercy on you - know that Allah has rights against you. These rights surround you in all your movements, in your rest, in all your body parts and every thing that you use. Some of these rights are big others are small.
- The greatest right which is on you is from Allah Himself and this is the root of all other rights .... The greatest right of Allah on you is to worship Him without associating anything with Him. If you do that with purity of heart,
- He promises to give you sufficiently what you need here and in the next world ...
- The rights of your teacher on you are: You should look at him with honor, listen to him with full attention, sit facing him with respect and do not raise your voice in his presence.
- If someone asks him a question, you should not reply it but let the teacher do it.
- Do not speak to any one or talk bad things about others in front of him.
- You should hide his faults and speak of his good qualities.
- Keep away from his enemies and do not make enemies with his friends.
- If you do all these, angels will be your witness that you did what you were required to do and that you obtained knowledge from him for the pleasure of Allah only.
- The rights of your mother are: she carried you where no one carries anyone else; she fed you the fruit of her heart which no one gives to anyone else; she protected you with all parts of her body.
- She did not care if she remained hungry as long as you were fed; if she was thirsty as long as you drank; if she was naked as long you had clothes on, if she was in the sun so long as you were in shade.
- She lost her sleep for you, she protected you from cold and heat so that you should live.
- You will never be able to thank her unless if Allah helps you ....
- The right of your neighbor is that you should guard him (His belongings) when he is absent, respect him when he is present and help him when he is wronged.
- Do not do any shameful act to him. If you know of any bad things about him keep that secret.
- If you know he will accept your advice then give it to him.
- Do not leave him alone when he is in trouble.
- Help him out of his troubles, forgive him if he has wronged you and treat him generously.
- Surely, I have never brought to mind the martyrdom of the children of Fatima (A.S.) except that I have been choked with tears due to it.
- Try to earn a high position in Paradise (Jannah). Remember that highest positions will be given to those who have been most useful to their brothers in faith and who have been most helpful to the needy.
- Remember there are times when a person says but one good sentence and that brings him very near to Allah and brings his freedom on the Day of Judgment.
- Never think that what you do for your brother in faith is unimportant because these are the things that will be of much use to you on a day when nothing else will be of any use.
- (Speaking) Good words increase a person's wealth and sustenance, prolong his life, make him to be loved by his wife and children and take him to paradise.
- He who honors himself will debase the worldly life.
- "Our character isn't one of kicking the fallen ones. Neither do we avenge the enemy when he has fallen and weak. Our character is that of assisting the poor and the needy."
- But just apposite to his expectation, Imam (as), in his usual manner of a Muslim must aid a Muslim, called on him: "Salaamun 'Alaikum." After greeting him, the Imam (as) offered: "If there is anything I could do for you, I am ready to do." Bihar v. 11, p. 17 & 27. And "Al Imam Sadiq Sayyed al Ahl" translated by Husayn Wijdani, p. 92.
- The richest of people is that who is satisfied with what Allah has chosen for him.
- The whole goodness is to protect yourself (against all that which is unacceptable).
- The very hypocrite is that who warns people (against evil deeds) but he does not stop committing them and orders them (to do good acts) but he does not do (such acts).
- When he stands for offering the prayer he turns right and left, when he genuflects (in the prayer) he huddles, and when he prostrates himself, he pecks.
- In evenings, his only concern is dinner while he was not fasting.
- In mornings, his only concern is to sleep while he has not passed (the last) night with worship.
- The believer, on the other hand, mixes his acts with clemency; he sits down so that he may learn (something); he keeps silent so that he may save himself, he does not divulge his secrets before his friends (even); he does not conceal witnessing for the strangers; he does not act any rightful action out of showing off, he does not neglect any act out of prudence; if he is praised, he fears sayings of the eulogists and seeks Allah's forgiveness for what they do not know; he does not care for the ignorance of those who ignore him.
- To spend moderately in times of poverty, give generously in times of luxury, treat people fairly, and greet them initiatively - these manners are within the characters of the believers.
- Indeed, the inner knowledge and gnosis and the zenith of the religion of a Muslim is abandoning such talk which is meaningless and futile, and the scarcity of his dispute and arguing, and his forbearance and his patience and fortitude and his politeness and good conduct.
- The assemblies of the pious men are the invitations to righteousness and piety.
| WILADAT MUBARAK OF OUR BELOVED 4TH IMAM HUSSAIN IBN ALI (A.S.) | for everyone |
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| YA ZAHRA (S.A) IRFAN HAIDER | for everyone |
1. (Ay meri bibi) x2
tere dar pe istighasa he, tera mamnoon meri shehzadi ye jaha sara hai
(ya zehra) x4
2. tu hame hifz or amaan dede, apni chadar ke saiban dede,
teri kudrat me kya nahi bibi, tu jise chahe do jahaan dede
(ya zehra) x4
3. (ay meri bibi) x2
aansu-o ne duwa mangi hai, teri tasbee hi parke dil ne tuje pukaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
4. tera darbaar wo sakhi dar hai, har farishta jahaan gadaagar hai,
tere makrooz asmaan waale tera makrooz har sikandar hai
(ya zehra) x4
5. (ay meri bibi) x2
tu sakhi hai tere bache bhi, ek rahib nahi gawaahi me jag ye saara hai
(ya zehra) x4
6. farshe majlis pe aur musalle par, har jawaa keh raha hai roro kar,
ham rahe na rahe magar bibi, ta qayamat rahe game sarwar
(ya zehra) x4
7. (ay meri bibi) x2
tere bacho ka gham manaa te hai, apni awlaad se kahi barke gham ye pyara hai
(ya zehra) x4
8. karz makrooz ka adaa karde, mufliso ka naseeb wa karde,
jinki godi bhari nahi bibi unko awlaad tu ataa karde
(ya zehra) x4
9. (ay meri bibi) x2
bas tuhi muraad deti hai, teri chawkhat dare ilahi ka isti araa hai
(ya zehra) x4
10. Qalb-e-momin se gham juda karde, bas ghame karbela ataa karde,
be khataa kayd me hai jo momin, mojize se unhe rihaa karde
(ya zehra) x4
11. (ay meri bibi) x2
gham koyi hussainiyo ko na de, jo hussaini hai tere baba ko jaan se pyaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
12. un shaheedo ka ye mukadar hai, sayibaan inka teri chadar hai,
unke sino pe ay meri bibi daaghe maatam nishaane haider hai
(ya zehra) x4
13. (ay meri bibi) x2
khuld me shaheed jab jaye, teri awaaz aaye aane do ye hamaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
14. majlise gham me ashk barsaane, aasake ya nahi khuda jaane,
kya bharosa hamaari saanso ka, ab kahaa ham kahaa azaa khaane
(ya zehra) x4
15. (ay meri bibi) x2
ashke gham teri amaanat hai, teri awlaad ke hi gham ne hame sawaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
16. tujko ummat ne yu sataaya hai, marghe mohsin pe bhi rulaaya hai,
tujko baba ke baad ummat ne, haaye darbaar me bulaaya hai
(ya zehra) x4
17. (ay meri bibi) x2
kitne sadme utha hai tune, ji te ji tujko meri shehzadi gham ne maara hai
(ya zehra) x4
18. (ay meri bibi) x2
tere darpe sar jukaa te hai, har hussaini ka tere tukro pe hi guzaara hai
Warke matam sha (Fatema zehra) x2 Aalame walaa (Fatema zehra) x2 Mere man maula (Fatema zehra) x2 Sarware zehra (Fatema zehra) x2 Aaha wawayla
tere dar pe istighasa he, tera mamnoon meri shehzadi ye jaha sara hai
(ya zehra) x4
2. tu hame hifz or amaan dede, apni chadar ke saiban dede,
teri kudrat me kya nahi bibi, tu jise chahe do jahaan dede
(ya zehra) x4
3. (ay meri bibi) x2
aansu-o ne duwa mangi hai, teri tasbee hi parke dil ne tuje pukaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
4. tera darbaar wo sakhi dar hai, har farishta jahaan gadaagar hai,
tere makrooz asmaan waale tera makrooz har sikandar hai
(ya zehra) x4
5. (ay meri bibi) x2
tu sakhi hai tere bache bhi, ek rahib nahi gawaahi me jag ye saara hai
(ya zehra) x4
6. farshe majlis pe aur musalle par, har jawaa keh raha hai roro kar,
ham rahe na rahe magar bibi, ta qayamat rahe game sarwar
(ya zehra) x4
7. (ay meri bibi) x2
tere bacho ka gham manaa te hai, apni awlaad se kahi barke gham ye pyara hai
(ya zehra) x4
8. karz makrooz ka adaa karde, mufliso ka naseeb wa karde,
jinki godi bhari nahi bibi unko awlaad tu ataa karde
(ya zehra) x4
9. (ay meri bibi) x2
bas tuhi muraad deti hai, teri chawkhat dare ilahi ka isti araa hai
(ya zehra) x4
10. Qalb-e-momin se gham juda karde, bas ghame karbela ataa karde,
be khataa kayd me hai jo momin, mojize se unhe rihaa karde
(ya zehra) x4
11. (ay meri bibi) x2
gham koyi hussainiyo ko na de, jo hussaini hai tere baba ko jaan se pyaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
12. un shaheedo ka ye mukadar hai, sayibaan inka teri chadar hai,
unke sino pe ay meri bibi daaghe maatam nishaane haider hai
(ya zehra) x4
13. (ay meri bibi) x2
khuld me shaheed jab jaye, teri awaaz aaye aane do ye hamaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
14. majlise gham me ashk barsaane, aasake ya nahi khuda jaane,
kya bharosa hamaari saanso ka, ab kahaa ham kahaa azaa khaane
(ya zehra) x4
15. (ay meri bibi) x2
ashke gham teri amaanat hai, teri awlaad ke hi gham ne hame sawaara hai
(ya zehra) x4
16. tujko ummat ne yu sataaya hai, marghe mohsin pe bhi rulaaya hai,
tujko baba ke baad ummat ne, haaye darbaar me bulaaya hai
(ya zehra) x4
17. (ay meri bibi) x2
kitne sadme utha hai tune, ji te ji tujko meri shehzadi gham ne maara hai
(ya zehra) x4
18. (ay meri bibi) x2
tere darpe sar jukaa te hai, har hussaini ka tere tukro pe hi guzaara hai
Warke matam sha (Fatema zehra) x2 Aalame walaa (Fatema zehra) x2 Mere man maula (Fatema zehra) x2 Sarware zehra (Fatema zehra) x2 Aaha wawayla
| WAFAT BIBI ZAHRA (S.A) | for everyone |
| OUR DEAR FATEMA-az-ZEHRA (S.A.)- WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH | for everyone |
The daughter of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny), was born on 20 Jamadi al-Thani. She was named Fatima, meaning "the weaned one". It is said she was given this name because she was weaned from the fires of hell, and the same would be true of her followers.
Everyone who adopts the title of Shia claims by this title to be a follower of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them), including Fatima (peace be upon her). To be someone's follower requires more than love and more than sharing grief. It requires knowledge of what that person said and did to be followed, and then application of that knowledge to the self.
Followers of Fatima must learn whatever is possible about her true character and behaviors and sincerely endeavor to apply them in their own lives. It is a worthy endeavor because the supreme character and infallibility of Fatima makes her an ideal role model.
The Lady Fatima, one characteristic rings loud and clear above all others; it emanates so strongly from her every act and word that she embodies this trait perfectly as an example for her followers. That defining trait is that she preferred Allah Almighty to the world in every instance. Never once did Fatima do or say anything to prefer this world. She weaned herself from it totally, and this is how she weaned herself from the fires of hell. Her whole life was for the message of Islam, not ever for herself. She rebelled against her personal needs, however simple, for the sake of the principle of Truth, while most people choose the comfort of the self.
Her life was never one of ease. She spent her early years suffering from the blockade of the Muslims that would lead to the death of her mother Khadija and take the last of her wealth. After this, her father's protection through his uncle and wife were gone, and Fatima endured the suffering of her father. While they abused him, she never tried to protect herself from this hardship or became embarrassed about her father; instead, she was his comfort and helper, earning her the epithet she valued most: "the mother of her father".
Throughout her short life, she endured extreme poverty for the sake of Islam. She did not have nice clothes, home furnishings or jewelry. Her garment was worn and patchy. On the day of her wedding, she had a new garment but learned that a lady had no garment to wear and thus could not leave her house, so she gave it away to her. When Imam Ali (peace be upon him) gave her a necklace, after her father saw it she realized that being the daughter of the Prophet (saw) and the connection between him and the pure progeny that came from her, she could not keep it for herself. She gave it to charity immediately. Her home furnishings were simple and few; when the Prophet called upon her and Ali while they rested, their thin bed cover could not reach their feet, and they had nothing else.
When she and her family fasted, they had only bread and water to break their fast – yet when a needy person came to them, they gave away their bread and went hungry for three days. And she labored as hard as the poorest women of the Muslims, grinding grain for her family and for the helpless. Her fingers bled from the grinding, and her neck was permanently marked from a strap for carrying water. Her husband felt for her suffering so much that he encouraged her to ask the Prophet for a helper. But the Prophet knew that Fatima's destiny was that she was weaned from the world, and so he gave her instead the Tasbih that we now recite after our daily prayers.
She was satisfied with this Tasbih over any worldly help or comfort. She took her joy from her praying, and she prayed so much that her feet would swell, but she never asked for herself. Instead, she praised Allah and prayed for the benefit of Islam and the people.
After the Prophet died, she came out of her house and used her deep religious knowledge to remind people of the Truth and urge them to put their allegiance with Imam Ali and to fight for her right to Fadak. She angered not for her husband or her self, and she was not fighting for their personal rights. Rather, she expended herself to her last, because she knew the future of Islam was at stake. By denying her right to the administration of Fadak and her husband's right to the succession of the Prophet, the people were losing Islam, and they were giving away all the Prophet had done for them in favor of the world.
Fatima was called Siddiqah, because she was the most truthful. She always sided with the Truth, preferring it to anything else no matter the cost, as the above examples show. A lesson the believers today should take from her is the uncompromising dedication to the Right Path and purity of intention in all acts – we can make our acts for Allah. She never sinned, and we can learn from her to avoid sin by taking care to know the Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) and adhere to it carefully. She lived simply, and we can learn from her to strive for the Hereafter rather than accumulating too many useless things in this world, so that on the Day of Judgment, we won't be questioned about how many outfits were in our closet, how many pieces of jewelry we owned, or how nice a car we had while people who had left rights of our neighbors, family, believers, or brethren in humanity unfulfilled.
Without Fatima, Islam would be lost, and we would be lost. But Islam is not a body that stands alone in itself, preserved. Islam is action and not just thought. Therefore if we wish to love Fatima, grieve for Fatima, be followers of Fatima, and receive the gift of her intercession, we must learn how she lived and what she said as far as we are able, and then change ourselves to be more like Fatima.
| FULFILLING THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS............ | for everyone |
The idea of a brotherhood in Islam entails more than just calling each other "brother" and "sister". One of the essential elements of a stable Islamic brotherhood is to fulfill the rights of others. For most of us "fulfilling the rights of others" makes us think about feeding the poor, helping the orphans, and other such charitable endeavors. But there's another group of rights owed a little closer to home which we often neglect.
According to the Noble Qur'an and our beloved Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them), it is possible to transgress against others by mocking and insulting them as well as picking at their faults. In fact, this spiritual disease of hurting other believers is widespread amongst our communities, a grave sin we must not commit under any circumstance.
Making Fun of Others
In verse 11 of Sura Al-Hujaraat of the Holy Qur'an, Allah says: "O you who have true faith, do not let men make fun of other men – perhaps they may be better than the other (group of men). Also, do not let women make fun of other women, as it may be that they are better than the other (group of) women..." According to Tafsir Majma al-Bayan the following incidents occurred at the time of revelation of this verse:
1. Thabit Ibne Qais suffered from a hearing difficulty, so when he entered the mosque, he attempted to move through the crowd to sit closer to the Prophet. A person blocked Thabit from moving any closer to the Prophet and made him sit down where he was. Thabit was angered by this man, and upon completion of the sermon, sought revenge by ridiculing the man because his mother was named after a woman who was notorious during the pre-Islamic period. The person became extremely embarrassed and lowered his head in shame.
2. Aisha binte Abu Bakr and Hafsah binte Umar made fun of the Prophet's chaste wife Umme Salamah when a piece of cloth remained awkwardly hanging from the cloth she wore around her waist. They said "Umme Salamah has a piece of fabric hanging out which resembles the tongue of a dog when he is chasing himself!"
Just like Thabit, how many times have we joked about those aspects of others which cannot be changed, such as their ethnicity, family lineage, height, weight, and outward appearance? And like the abovementioned ladies, how many times have we laughed or gossiped about the way someone dressed or their mismatched/out-of-fashion clothing?
Name-Calling
The verse continues: "...and do not defame one another by using bad names."
So guess what? That means it is against the teachings of the Qur'an to say things like: "That guy looks like such-and-such animal", "That lady's hair looks like a birds nest", "He is such a [insert rude nickname]".
Finding Faults in Others
The verse also states: "do not find faults in yourselves." Tafsir Majma al-Bayan explains these words of the Almighty as: "There are a group of people who incessantly try to pick faults in people and due to the lack of insight of the (negative) traits within their own selves and being unaware of the (spiritual) status of others are constantly looking to find faults in people and constantly strive to lift the curtains that cover the defects and shortcomings of others."
Remember the last time you heard someone say, "she cooks terrible food", "I have never seen that man pray", "their house is so small", "her wedding dress was so cheap", "that jewelry set is totally fake", "that guy has a low salary", "their kids are not intelligent", "her scarf looks so bad, she looks like she's mourning", "he doesn't have a good voice", "his Qur'an recitation was too long and boring", "his wife isn't good looking", "they never host dinner parties". The list of faults we find in others seems never ending.
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: "Sufficient is a person's own defect (in himself) that he tries to pick and look for faults in other people, when he himself has those same faults in himself (and does not recognize them)!"
Finding faults in others is a doubly disturbing characteristic because besides the fact that we are committing a sin by doing so, we fail to recognize our own shortcomings and continue living the illusion that everything about us is perfect and without fault or flaws.
To emphasize the gravity of this issue, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) has forbidden us from even spending time with such people if they persist with such ill behavior: "I warn you of keeping relations from people who look for faults in others, since surely there is not a single person who will be safe from such people."
Pointing Out Someone's Defects with Sincerity
On the other hand, it is important to realize that pointing out one's defects with sincerity is not the same as faultfinding. In his commentary of this verse, Ayatollah Ja'far Subhani states: "Picking the faults of others is one of the negative ethical traits, whereas guiding people and informing them of their own shortcomings by advising and giving them good council is one of the religious and humanistic responsibilities. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every spiritually conscious person to save his fellow human beings from a terrible end and that dark day 'when everyone will have to answer for their actions'."
Imam Ali has said, "Let the best person in your estimation be the one who points out to you your faults and shortcomings and presents them to you as a gift."
Similaryl, in regards to people who partake in Amr Bil Maroof and Nahi Anil Munkar in a God-conscious manner, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) says: "May Allah's mercy be upon that person who offers a gift to me by pointing out my own mistakes and shortcomings."
Often when we receive these "gifts" of our faults being brought to our attention, even in a most appropriate and polite way, we have a tendency of lashing out at the giftgivers.Ayatollah Subhani explains such behavior: "The person who is scared of straight talk finds the truth being brought out into the open as being something bitter to accept. He finds it hard to acknowledge and accept any sort of open dialogue about the problems in the society. Such a person wants the societal shortcomings of a community to be swept under the rug and kept quiet and desires that people should speak about such things. These people are never content that the writers and speakers of the community bring up the problems of the people and anytime these things are brought up, then those who do not like this done try to destroy and refute what has been written or said. Therefore we must say to such a person: 'May you be destroyed! Not bringing up these issues (The problems of a community) is an error itself!'"
Psychological Motives Behind Hurting Others
Now that we have explored insulting, name calling, and faultfinding, let us know why such people intentionally hurt others. Ayatollah Subhani states: "When we look at the psychological reasons that lead a person to make fun of other people, we see that there is a defect or shortcoming that the person himself possesses, and by making other people feel inferior, he wants to try and compensate for his own shortcomings, and thus he tries to instill in himself his supposed greatness."
Repentance
The verse concludes, "How bad it is after having true faith that a person (does these acts) but does not turn in repentance (to Allah), so then surely it is these people who are the transgressors." If we have ever intentionally hurt someone, the Almighty is commanding us to repent and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. It is also vital to directly apologize to the person we have hurt, even if it was a long time ago, especially if it entailed backbiting
How Can I Help Prevent This in My Community?
- First and foremost, let us analyze ourselves and make sure we are not one of those people who hurt others. If we have done so, we must sincerely repent and seek forgiveness. In the future, be able to draw the line between a friendly joke and the prohibited act of hurting other. When in doubt, hold yourself back!
- Gently approach those we associate with who intentionally hurt others and explain the gravity of such actions. Insha'Allah they will stop hurting others. If they continue to intentionally hurt others, disassociate with such people.
- If someone is being intentionally hurt and insulted in front of you, step in and defend them like our Prophet and Imams (peace be upon them) would. Not only does it fit the mannerism of a believer to do so, but we will also be rewarded!
- Imam Ali said: "May Allah have mercy upon the person who services a right and removes a wrong, or refutes an injustice and establishes justice." ZARA SYED
| HADEES OF THE HOLY PROPHET (S.A.W.S.) | for everyone |
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
"Whoever praises an oppressive ruler, succumbs to him, or humbles himself in front of him in a bid to secure his pleasure will accompany him to the Fire." (Amali al-Saduq)
| ALLAH DOES NOT BURDEN A SOUL WITH MORE THAN WHAT IT CAN BEAR | for everyone |
ALLAH DOES NOT BURDEN A SOUL WITH MORE THAN WHAT IT CAN BEAR
"So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief." (Qur'an 94:5-6)
We hear it all the time: this life is a test, and we have to get through it. The hardships of poverty, sickness, death, disability, unemployment, war, natural disasters, and family problems are all tests of the strength of our faith in the Almighty. It is in these trying times that we are reminded of Allah's Magnificence, and we turn to Him for help.
When confronted with tests, it is how we react to them that is important – will we commit a major sin by losing hope in Allah, or will we be grateful to Him for choosing us to test and thereby strengthen our faith?
We cannot hope for our lives to pass by without hardship, because the only time we will live in peace will be after the arrival of our Awaited Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance).
When we do du'a, we call upon him to reappear and deliver justice, but are we truly ready? It is essential to realize that these are the difficulties which strengthen us for his reappearance, because in reality it is he who is waiting for us to reach a strong point in our faith.
While history has shown that certain events occurred as punishments (the punishments sent down upon the people of Prophet Nuh, Prophet Lut, Firaoun, etc.), that does not mean that all tests are punishments sent by Allah. It is not for us to judge the hardship of another – Allah tests those whom He wills. Allah has told us that He will test us throughout our lives anyway, not that anytime something unpleasant befalls us, we should think it is a punishment!
As the time of our Imam's arrival nears, the state of things will only worsen; it will be at the lower-most level of conditions that Allah will send him – meanwhile, we are being tested to see if we will remain firm in times of instability.
To be patient in the face of hardship does not mean to be helpless; it means realizing that what happens is the will of Allah and to be content with what He decrees. It is an honor that He chooses whom He wills to test, and if He has presented us with an obstacle, then He will also give us the strength to endure it.
When faced with a problem, we should look towards our infallible role models (peace be upon them all) for guidance. Prophet Lut was surrounded by people who had sunk deeply into Shaitan's trenches, yet he remained firm in his faith. Prophet Ibrahim had a child after so many years, yet he did not waver when Allah first told him to leave his wife and infant in the desert, and later told him to sacrifice his son. Prophet Muhammad was patient despite the many hardships he faced from the people amongst whom he grew up. Imam Ali remained strong in his faith when faced by his opponents after he lost the support of the Prophet and Lady Fatima. Imam Hussain was patient in the face of his enemies when they did not even allow Imam Hasan's funeral to take place peacefully. Imam Zainul Abideen did not lose faith in Allah despite everything that took place before his eyes. All these examples are but a drop from the ocean of noble traditions for us to gain inspiration from!
Du'a Kumayl, Du'a Yastasheer, and the many supplications in Sahifa Sajjadiyya are all examples of prayers which can be recited particularly in times of troubles and worries. As Allah says in Surah Baqara: "And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is a hard thing except for the humble ones," (2:45) and later "O you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient." (2:153)
However, it is essential to remember that when faced with a difficulty, we have a responsibility to make use of the intelligent faculties that He has bestowed upon us: in sickness, visit a doctor, take the prescribed medication after being informed of the best route to take, and in addition to all that – do du'a to the Most High.
We should look towards the Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt for their impeccable examples, we should make use of our resources and do du'a, and we must always be aware of the presence of the Most Merciful One. Everything and everyone else is temporary, and it is only He who can always help.
Look at the situation as an electrocardiogram: it is only when there are ups and downs that signify the beating heart that signify life – if the ups and downs disappear and the line becomes smooth, then that means life is over. Likewise, this life has to be filled with events of varying difficulty so that we may learn from our experiences and thereby strengthen our faith in the mercy of Allah – and that, insha'Allah, will lead us closer to our Creator.
NABILA RIZVI
| WHY ME GOD?.......... | for everyone |
We all know the popular phrase, "why me?" But why is it that people say that? Who really is responsible for the situation being so unbearable? Many times we find ourselves asking God why He chose us to go through the fight, the loss, the argument, or the sickness. Many times we find ourselves asking our parents or our friends why they chose us to pick on and make us feel bad. In more serious situations, like getting in a car accident, losing a loved one, or our desires not coming true, we usually blame God.
Allah has given us the ability to make our own choices and to be in control of ourselves, that is, if we put in the effort. After all, the struggle against the self is the mightiest; nobody said it was going to be easy. In the Holy Qur'an, Allah says, "We test you with fear, hunger, the loss of wealth and possessions, death, and the loss of the fruits of your toil. Give glad tidings to those who struggle manfully on this path, those who say when afflicted with calamity and pain, 'We are from God, and to Him we return on our path to perfection,' – that it is they who receive kindness and mercy from their Lord together with their suffering, and they it is who are truly guided." (2:155-57). So it is as if we have no excuse, or justification, to be the big babies that we sometimes are.
Today a very big problem, but an unspoken one, is that of depression and hopelessness. And it is a sad thing that Muslims feel this way when our Creator has guaranteed us everything we need and wish for. As we say in Du'a Kumayl, “For You have demanded your servants to worship You, ordered them to call upon You, and assured them of fulfilling (of their requests)." How can we overlook the beauty in these words of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)? Instead, we begin to throw ourselves a pity party and ask, "why me?"
We need to stop proving right the theory of learned helplessness. Allah has given us infinite blessings, and instead of looking at the mercy He has bestowed upon us, we look at the things that we think are messing up our life. Instead of thinking how Merciful Allah is for giving us parents, we get depressed at how our parents are not understanding or treating us justly. What do we do in those situations? We rebel, complain, or just act hopeless. Why instead do we not thank Allah for the blessed tongue he gave us and start a conversation with those same blessed parents and try and solve our problems? When in situations of financial need, why don't we use our blessed hands and feet and brain to go places, get information, and do things that will help to satisfy our needs? When in problems regarding getting married or finding the right spouse, why don't we use our blessed brain again to think about the situation and how we are going to solve it, reflect on what is wrong and how to fix it, and question if it needs to be fixed and if we are doing the right thing, instead of becoming frustrated and getting nowhere? How many times do we find ourselves pointing fingers at who did what to me, and how oppressed I am for silly matters like saying a bad word about me? Do we not believe in Allah's justice and how He will judge and hold accountable those who backbite? Why do we weaken ourselves? We are caught too many times looking back instead of taking care of our future and our afterlife. What is going to happen then? Have we taken the time to make sure our afterlife is one that will be pleasant? Or are we too busy playing judge and news reporter for ourselves and others?
When we learn who we are and what we really want, only then will we be able to get along and work together with others. We are constantly caught up in our own miseries and forget to look at what we already have, causing us to act helpless. As we all know, the best examples on how to deal with the struggles of desperation, depression, hopelessness, and the like can be found on the plains of Karbala. We are commemorating Arba'een these days. We are remembering the aftermath of the triumph of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). We should be learning from the strength, the character, and the hope that our great Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) graced the people with. We should learn from the fact that when she watched her brother and sons get slaughtered, the first thing she did was to go into prostration and thank Allah for allowing her to sacrifice her family for the cause of Islam. Or we can learn from the eve of Ashura, when instead of crying all night, she offered her Night Prayers in order to connect with her Creator and seek help and not be helpless. Many a times we forget about the beauty and the real life lessons we can learn from Karbala and apply to our own lives. The Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) always looked at the beauty of the situation, as Lady Zainab's famous reply to Yazid, that everything that happened in Karbala was beautiful. And with that beautiful experience they had, as they were paraded through the towns, they spread the message of true Islam. Were the family members of Imam Hussain not eligible to act hopeless and depressed?
Just as we struggle today, they struggled then, as did all of our Ahlul Bayt. But the difference is in the way we handle our challenges. They struggled in a way that they held their character and spread the message of Islam in ways unimaginable, yet so simple, like giving charity during prayer. Some us have become so picky in our lives we may even question if that broke his prayer! We have been created to attempt to be complete human beings, at peace with ourselves, and understanding and propagating right and wrong .But if we are too busy crying ourselves a river, we will never truly understand life and the blessing it is.
Let us look at the bright side of things; it's not like we're going to live forever.
MADIHA ZAIDI
| Saudi Wahhabi Forces Destroyed 8 Bahrain Shia Masjids, Tragic Photos | for everyone |
Saudi Wahhabi Forces Destroyed 8 Bahrain Shia Masjids, Tragic Photos
|
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Saudi-backed Bahraini government forces have intensified their crackdown on anti-regime protesters and have also demolished 8 Shia Masjids.
Saudi Wahhabi Forces stormed 8 Shia Masjids and destroyed them completely. They burned holy objects such as the holy books of Quran.
Saudi forces Yesterday completely destroyed several Masjids such as "Imam Sadiq Masjid" in Salmabad region, "Rasul Azam Masjid" in Karzakan city.
Meanwhile Bahraini police backed by Saudi forces destroyed Masjid "al Barbaqi" on A'ali region on yesterday April 17, Al-Watiyya Masjid” which was known as Qadam al-Mahdi in Mahuz village, “Imam Jawad (a.s) and Um al-Banin (s.a) Masjids ” in Hamad town, "Imam Hasan Askari Masjid" in Manama on 15 April and "Fadak al Zahra Masjid" in Hamad on 14 April.
Imam Sadiq (A.S) Masjid Before Destruction:
After Destruction:
Al Barbaqi Masjid Before Destruction:
After Destruction:
Rasul Azam Masjid
Watiyya Masjid Before Destruction:
Watiyya Masjid After Destruction:
Um al Banin Masjid After and Before Destruction:
End item/ 129
| Bahraini forces demolish two mosques | for everyone |
LANATULLAH KAWMAZ ZALEMIN- LANAT BESHUMAR ON THE WAHABIS AND THEIR GOONIES- MAY ALLAH (S.T.) CURSE FALL ON THEM SOON AND TEACH THESE IDIOTS LESSON FOR LIFE
Bahraini forces demolish two mosques
Demolishing Imam Jawad mosque in Nuwaidrat
Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have reportedly destroyed two more mosques in line with the country's policy of demolishing Muslim religious sites.
One of the mosques was demolished in Karzakan and the other one in Salmabad on Monday, a Press TV correspondent reported.
Several mosques have been destroyed so far as part of the Saudi-backed crackdown against peaceful protesters.
On Sunday, security forces fired tear gas into several religious sites across the country and two mosques were demolished -- one in Karzakan and another in A'ali.
Earlier this month, a video footage showed a mosque in the northern town of Kawarah destroyed in attacks by Saudi forces.
Earlier on Monday, Bahraini forces reportedly detained eight teachers and several pupils from a girl's secondary school in the town of Hamad.
The new arrests came as Bahraini anti-government protesters are preparing to start the world's largest joint hunger strike to show their anger at the regime's crackdown.
The organizers have called on all Bahrainis around the world to begin a hunger strike from Monday in protest at the regime's brutalities against the opposition.
In March, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait deployed their troops in Bahrain to reinforce the brutal armed clampdown against mass protests.
Scores of protesters have been killed and many others gone missing during the harsh crackdown.
AGB/AKM/MMN
AGB/AKM/MMN
| A Bahraini opposition leader has strongly criticized-brutal crackdowns as “genocide.” | for everyone |
A Bahraini opposition leader has strongly criticized Bahrain's intensified pressure on peaceful protesters, describing the brutal crackdowns as “genocide.”
“This is a crime against humanity, it is a genocide it is a sectarian apartheid,” said Saeed al-Shahabi of the London-based Bahrain Freedom Movement, in a Press TV interview on Saturday.
He went on to describe the brutal crackdowns in Bahrain as instances of “sectarian cleansing.”
Since the protests erupted in Bahrain three months ago, many Bahraini doctors have been arrested, tortured or sacked from their jobs, the human rights activist said.
This is aimed at discouraging the medical staff from treating anti-government protesters.
The Bahraini regime has also cut off scholarships for many Bahraini students studying overseas, leaving them in a dire state, Shahabi noted.
This comes amid heightened tensions across Bahrain, where government troops have launched a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters that demand an end to the decades-long rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty.
On Saturday, clashes were reported between security forces and anti-government protesters in Bahrain's southern city of Sitra.
According to reports, government troops have also stormed the town of Al-Diraz, Sar village and neighboring areas.
Meanwhile, security forces are reported to have arrested over 800 people.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights in Manama has reported that the people detained by the government forces are tortured. The rights group said that there have been bruises and lashing marks on the bodies of those detainees who have died while in government custody, after they were collected by their families.
In March, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait deployed their troops to Bahrain to reinforce the brutal armed clampdowns against mass protests.
Scores of protesters have been killed and many others gone missing during the harsh crackdowns.
Moreover, most Bahraini media outlets have been blocked and several mosques have been demolished by the government.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the Bahraini and Saudi regimes for their heavy-handed tactics against the Bahraini population.
FF/HJL/MB
| This is why I don't like visiting my rich friends...... | for everyone |
This is why I don't like visiting my rich friends:
Once when visiting a very rich friend of mine , the maid approached me and asked me ......
1- Question : What would you like to have for a drink, fruit juice, soda, tea , hot chocolate, cappuccino, frappuccino or coffee?
Answer: Tea please.
2- Question : Ceylon tea, Indian tea, herbal tea, bush tea, honey bush tea, iced tea or green tea ?
Answer : Ceylon tea please
3- Question : How would you like it? black or white?
Answer : White
4- Question : Milk or fresh cream?
Answer : With milk
5- Question : Powdered milk or fresh milk ?
Answer : Aah , fresh .
6- Question : Goat's milk or cow's milk?
Answer : cow's milk please .
7- Question : Freezeland cow or Afrikaner cow?
Answer: umm , think I'll just take it black
8- Question : would you like it with a sweetener, sugar or honey or without ?
Answer : with sugar
9- Question : beet sugar or cane sugar ?
Answer : cane sugar
10- Question : white, brown or yellow sugar?
Answer: Oh ya , forget about the tea , just give me a glass of water instead .
11- Question : mineral water , tap water or distilled water?
Answer : mineral water
12- Question : flavoured or non-flavoured?
Answer: I think I'll just die of thirst !!!!!!!!
13- Question : How do you choose to die sir ?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(sent by bro Najmuddin)Once when visiting a very rich friend of mine , the maid approached me and asked me ......
1- Question : What would you like to have for a drink, fruit juice, soda, tea , hot chocolate, cappuccino, frappuccino or coffee?
Answer: Tea please.
2- Question : Ceylon tea, Indian tea, herbal tea, bush tea, honey bush tea, iced tea or green tea ?
Answer : Ceylon tea please
3- Question : How would you like it? black or white?
Answer : White
4- Question : Milk or fresh cream?
Answer : With milk
5- Question : Powdered milk or fresh milk ?
Answer : Aah , fresh .
6- Question : Goat's milk or cow's milk?
Answer : cow's milk please .
7- Question : Freezeland cow or Afrikaner cow?
Answer: umm , think I'll just take it black
8- Question : would you like it with a sweetener, sugar or honey or without ?
Answer : with sugar
9- Question : beet sugar or cane sugar ?
Answer : cane sugar
10- Question : white, brown or yellow sugar?
Answer: Oh ya , forget about the tea , just give me a glass of water instead .
11- Question : mineral water , tap water or distilled water?
Answer : mineral water
12- Question : flavoured or non-flavoured?
Answer: I think I'll just die of thirst !!!!!!!!
13- Question : How do you choose to die sir ?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
| Call on Bahrain to release Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and other peaceful protesters | for everyone |
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| IMAM MAHDI ASSOCIATION OF MARJAEYA | for everyone |
|
I.M.A.M. | Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya | 13357 Michigan Ave | Dearborn | MI | 48126
|
| PRAYING OF ZIYARAH OF BIBI FATEMA-az-ZEHRA (S.A.) | for everyone |
It is reported that Lady Fatima (A) said:
"My father said to me: `He who prays on your behalf, Allah, Exalted and Glorified is He, shall forgive him and make him join me wherever I may be in Paradise."
For this reason, and to benefit the dear readers of this book, we include her visitation here and accompany it with the English translation. (This is the visitation mentioned in Mafatih Al?Jinan (The Keys To Paradise)):
In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Gracious
Peace be upon Muhammad and his Progeny
O you who were tried;
Allah Who Created you, tried
you before He Created your (flesh);
He found you patient with that which
He tried you with. We claim that we are your followers,
believing in you, and (believing and) bearing with everything
that has been brought unto us by your father (S)
and that which his successor brought unto us.
Therefore, we beg you (now that we believe) to make us
join both of them so that we may rejoice at being purified for following you.
(It is recommended to add here)
Peace be upon you O daughter of the Messenger of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the Prophet of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the beloved of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the friend of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the sincere friend of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the trusted (Messenger) of Allah;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the best of Allah's creatures;
Peace be upon you O daughter of the best of Allah's prophets, messengers and angels;
Peace be upon you O daughter of him who is the best of all creatures;
Peace be upon you O wife of the friend of Allah and the best of creatures after the Messenger of Allah;
Peace be upon you O Mother of Al?Hassan and Al?Hussain, who are the masters of the youth of Paradise;
Peace be upon you the truth-teller (devoted one) and martyr;
Peace be upon you O gratified and accepted one;
Peace be upon you O well-mannered and chaste one;
Peace be upon you O human huri;
Peace be upon you O pious and pure one;
Peace be upon you who is spoken to by angels, and who is knowledgeable;
Peace be upon you O oppressed and usurped one;
Peace be upon you O repressed and defeated one;
Peace be upon you O Fatima, daughter of Allah's Messenger;
and may the blessings and mercy of Allah be upon you and upon your soul and body;
I bear witness that you have perished while fully knowing your Lord.
(I also bear witness) that he who gladdens you, gladdens the Messenger of Allah (S)
he who deserts you, deserts the Messenger of Allah (S)
he who harms you, harms the Messenger of Allah (S)
he who bestows you (with a favor), bestows (a favor) upon the Messenger of Allah (S) and
he who deprive you, deprives the Messenger of Allah (S) (This is) because you are "part of him and his spirit which lies in his sides."
Allah, His Messengers and His Apostles are my witnesses that I accept him whom you accept, resent him who you resent;
I exonerate myself to Allah from him who you exonerate yourself to Allah from, him who you be friend, hold as my enemy those who you hold (as your enemies), and dislike him who you dislike.
Allah is the best Witness, the best-anticipated One, best Rewarder, and most Bountiful.
(It is recommended to pray on behalf of the Prophet and his progeny after this visitation.)
ALL PRAISE IS DUE ALLAH THE LORD OF THE WORLDS
| The True Date of Fatemeh's-az-Zehra (S.A.)'s martyr | for everyone |
The true date of Fatemeh's martyr is a subject for discussion among Muslims. Some say that it was forty days after the death of our Prophet, some say it was sixty days after, some believe it was seventy five days after, and some say it was ninety days, and some do believe that it was ninety five days after the death of her beloved father. There are some who also believe that Fatemeh died six months, or even eight months after her illustrious father.
But among the great Islamic scholars, there is an agreement that Fatemeh died ninety days after her father...
Some say that her grave is in "Baghi" cemetery, and some believe that her grave is situated in her own little house.
We pray that Hazarat Fatemeyeh Zahra takes care of all of us, poor sinners, and that she would be willing to intercede in our favour ...! May God hear her intercessions for us and forgive our sins, and let us enter the Paradise!
| “Verily, Fatima (s.a) was surnamed ‘Omme Abiha’.” | for everyone |
Abu-Faraj al-Isfahani in his Isnad narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s) from his father: “Verily, Fatima (s.a) was surnamed ‘Omme Abiha’.”
[Beharul-Anwaar, vol43 p.19 from Maqatelu-Talebin]
‘Omme Abiha’ or ‘the mother of her father’ is one of the best known titles of the Lady Fatima (peace be upon her).
This title sounds quite peculiar for many people specially those who are less familiar with the Arabic language. This lecture is a humble interpretation of the abovementioned Hadith. I shall by the Will of Allah suggest 10 reasons because of which she enjoyed this unique title.
Fatima was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w), the wife of Imam Ali (a.s), the mother of the only two Masters of the Youth of Paradise- Imam Hasan and Imam Husain- and the mother of the 11 infallible Imams (peace be upon them all). She is the elite of the elite women of the past, present and future. She was an infallible martyr and a human huri. She was the crystallization of piety, chastity and real devotee of the Almighty Allah. Her virtues are so numerous that the Messenger of Allah said about her: “If beauty were a person it would be Fatima, Nay! She is greater. Indeed Fatima is my daughter and the best of the people of the earth in her origin, dignity and honour.” [Fara’edoh-Samtayn vol.2 p.68]
Fatima had a short life in this world and as her husband Imam Ali (a.s) has described, “She joined her father very soon.” Yet, her life was so rich with abundant blessings so much so that she became al-Kauthar and the fountain of the Prophetic blessings.
Fatima was born during the Prophetic mission and when the Prophet of Islam had reached his perfection. She was the only child of the house of Prophet Mohammad and Sayyeda Khadija (s.a). Her conception was heavenly blessed with the paradisiacal fruit gifted to her father at the time of his ascension. She was brought up in a house wherein revelation and the words of God were constant. She witnessed the descending and ascending of the angels. Her physical growth accomplished with her mental and spiritual growth and hence she became an infallible lady who enjoyed the sublime virtues of her father, the holy Prophet of Islam.
Lady Khadija died 10 years after the Prophet of Islam declared his mission and left her five year old daughter an orphan. The richest lady of Quraiysh at the time of her death could not even afford a simple shroud for her burial and hence she requested her daughter to ask her father to shroud her with his own cloak after her death. Fatima was since the only memory of Khadija for the Prophet of Islam. After the painful death of her mother the young Fatima dedicated herself to her father, the Messenger of God. During the hardship of Makka she was not only a supportive daughter but a comrade. After her marriage with Imam Ali in Medina, initially her house was quite a distance from the mosque which would make the traveling to the Prophet quite difficult. Thus, the Prophet made an arrangement that the young couple live in the house of Haritha bin No’man whose house was near the house of the Prophet. [ibn Sa’ad, al Tabaqaat vol 8 p14]
Fatima was not the type of girl who sat at home weaving or sewing with no social responsibility. Her exalted spirit had made her from the very early stages of her life, endeavor for the spread of Islam with her father.
• Once, the Prophet of Islam was inviting people to Islam inside the Masjidul Haraam. Abu Jahl made some of his puppets pour rubbish onto the Prophet. Fatima; the female comrade of the Prophet immediately ran towards her father and with her small hands cleaned the head and the shoulders of the Prophet of Islam.
Many a time the infidels of Quraiysh stoned the Messenger of God and the young Fatima was sometimes shielding her father with her own body.
Many a time the infidels of Quraiysh stoned the Messenger of God and the young Fatima was sometimes shielding her father with her own body.
• Her care and compassion towards the Messenger of God was so motherly and passionate. Every time the Messenger of God came home Fatima was dusting the hair and face of the Prophet . it was due to all this compassionate conduct of Fatima that the Messenger of God had such tremendous love for her.
• The role of Fatima in her support and the spread of Islam was so vital that according to Imam Ali (a.s) she was considered the second pillar of the Islam. After the martyrdom of Fatima Zahra (s.a) Imam Ali stated, “The messenger of God was the first column of Islam and Fatima was the second and the Islamic Ommah today has lost its second column too.
Fatima was a woman and as such jihad was not obligatory on her. Nonetheless, she was an active participant and a supporter of the Muslim warriors along with her father and husband. During the battles, Fatima had the responsibility of nursing the wounded soldiers and repairing their artillery. When the rumor about the martyrdom of the Messenger of God was spread in Medina during the battle of Ohud, Fatima mobilized some of the ladies of Medina to the battlefield. When she saw her father’s teeth broken and bleeding she was in tears and hugged the Messenger of God. The shia and Sunni historians have narrated that during the severe time of the battle of Ohud whereat blood was flowing from the head and the face of the Prophet, the companions had tried to stop the bleeding of the wounds, to no avail. It was Fatima who then immediately burnt a straw mat and poured its ashes onto the wounds and stopped the blood from flowing. [Safinatul Behar vol.1 p140, Sahihul Bukhari vol.4 p.72]
After the battle of Ohud, an ayah was revealed to the Messenger of God to discipline his companions. It was customary for Arabs to call each other with their names without any title and as such they would only call the Prophet of Islam with his first name, Mohammad, the Messenger of God as also too humble to request them to address him otherwise. It was under these circumstances that the Almighty God revealed, “Make not the calling of the Messenger among you as you are calling one of another.” 24:63
Upon the revelation of the Ayah, Muslims were commanded to address the Prophet with the title of Messenger of God.
Lady Fatima narrated, “After the revelation of the Ayah, I wondered whether I could still address my father as ‘father’ and thus I called him ‘O Messenger of God’. Upon hearing that my father immediately replied, “My dear Fatima. That rule was not for you, you call me O father for indeed this is more reviving for my heart and more pleasing your Lord.”[Ibn al-Maghazeli, al Manaqeb p367]
Lady Fatima narrated, “After the revelation of the Ayah, I wondered whether I could still address my father as ‘father’ and thus I called him ‘O Messenger of God’. Upon hearing that my father immediately replied, “My dear Fatima. That rule was not for you, you call me O father for indeed this is more reviving for my heart and more pleasing your Lord.”[Ibn al-Maghazeli, al Manaqeb p367]
Thus Fatima was the only exception of the above Ayah of which she gained part of her everlasting title ‘The Mother of Her Father’.
In the year 5 AH, after the Battle of al-Ahzab a new rule with regards to the wives of the Prophet was revealed. “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves and his wives are their mothers.” [33:6] This revelation taught Muslims to respect the wives of the Prophet like their own mothers and that they were forbidden to ever marry them. Thus, none of the wives of the Prophet were ever able to remarry after the demise of the Messenger of God. To this end, every wife of the Prophet was referred to as ‘the mother of the believers’ which means as the believers could not ever marry their mother they could not possibly ever marry any of the wives of the Prophet. After the revelation of the above law, the Messenger of God said to his beloved daughter, “O Fatima. If my wives are the (spiritual) mother of the believers then you are my (spiritual) mother.”
ETYMOLOGY OF THE TERM ‘AL-OMM’
The term mother is referred to in Arabic as ‘Omm’ whether a direct biological mother or indirect and hence, Eve is also referred to as our ‘mother’. Linguistically, the term ‘mother’ is quite similar in all different languages. Omm in Arabic, mum or mother in English, mahdar in Farsi, ma in Urdu and mama in Italian.
The term al-Omm in Arabic is defined by the renowned Arabic linguist al-Raghib “Everything and everyone who is the source of the existence of something or its rearing or reforming.” Therefore, anything that is the origin of the source of something or has a fundamental role in its existence is called al-Omm in Arabic. For instance, in Surah 43 Ayah 4 the Holy Quran is introduced to be in the Mother of the Book, “And verily, it (this Quran) is in the Mother of the Book with Us, indeed exalted, full of wisdom.” The term ‘the mother of the book in the above ayah is meant for al-Lauh al-Mahfuz which is the source of all the divine knowledge and its producer.
The first Surah of the Quran is also called ‘Ommul Kitab’ the mother of the book for its seven Ayaat contain the summary of the entire teachings of the holy Quran and hence is the root and the origin of the rest of the Quran.
Ommah in Arabic is a community which has a common religious and spiritual goal.
In short, Omm is either a biological mother which is not gained but physically or a spiritual mother which is a title given due to some spiritual privileges and characteristics and carries similar parental rights. It is to this meaning that the Messenger of God introduced himself along with Imam Ali as the two fathers of the Muslim Ommah (community).
In the following I shall share with you ten reasons because of which Lady Fatima enjoyed the divine medal of ‘The Mother of Her Father’ by the Messenger of God.
We will learn that she is the symmetrical axis between Prophet-hood and Imamat.
1. The Axis of Creation
1. The Axis of Creation
Numerous prophetic traditions state that the Messenger of God is the final cause of the creation. The Almighty God in a holy hadith says, “Had it not been because of you I would have not created the creation.” This is a well established principle in Islamic philosophy and mysticism for the reason that the Messenger of God is the most perfect creation of God and the creation is aimed at the peak of its perfection. It is due to this fact that Fatima is the axis of creation for without her the generation of the most perfect human i.e. the Messenger of God would cease to continue. Similarly, spiritually the existence of Fatima was the cause of the continuation of Islam until the day of Judgment as I shall explain.
2. The Axis of Imamat
2. The Axis of Imamat
Fatima was the symmetrical axis joining Prophet-hood to Imamat. It was through Fatima that the blessed light of Prophet-hood was transmitted to eleven infallible Imams. I’m in awe! She is the mother of 11 infallible Imams! If the holy Mary begot one Jesus, and hence she became a truthful female, the holy Fatima begot 11 pure Imams, behind the last of whom Prophet Jesus shall pray.
3. The Axis of Ahlul-Bait
3. The Axis of Ahlul-Bait
The story of the Hadith of the Cloak is narrated by numerous Shia and Sunni narrators. Jabbir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari narrated that the Messenger of God went to the house of Fatima while he was not feeling well. Fatima received him and covered him with his Yemenese cloak for warmth and comfort. Then the Prophet of Islam brings Hasan, Husain and then Imam Ali and Fatima under his cloak with him. It was then that the angel Gibreel brought Ayah 33 of Surah 33, “Verily, Allah willed but to purify you Ahlul-bait…..” Lady Fatima is the symmetrical axis in this story so much so that when the arch angel Gibreel aims at introducing those who are under the cloak to the heavenly creatures, he states, “They are Fatima and her father and her husband and her children.”
4. The Axis of Infallibility
4. The Axis of Infallibility
Since Fatima is the axis of Ahlul-bait she is also the axis of infallibility as indicated in Ayah 33 of Surah 33. She was the mother and the spiritual coach of all the Imams of Ahlul-bait. The infallibility, bravery and guidance of all the Imams of Ahlul-bait were inherited from their mother, holy Lady Fatima. When Khadija (s.a) was pregnant with Fatima she used to speak with her. One day when the Prophet of Islam heard his wife talking to her baby he said to her, “Gibreel has given me the glad tiding that she is going to be a baby girl and her generation will be blessed and pure and indeed the Almighty God will continue my generation from her offspring and will make them the Imams and the vicegerents of God on earth after revelation has ceased to continue.” [Rodhatul Wa’ezin vol.1 p.143]
5. The Axis of Al Mubahilah
5. The Axis of Al Mubahilah
In the last year of the life of Prophet Muhammad (saww) a deputation of 60 high ranked Christians of Najran headed by Abdul Masih their chief monk-priest came and discussed with the Holy Prophet about the personality of Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus). When they refused to accept the logical reasoning of the Prophet of Islam, the Messenger of Allah by revelation invited them to a cursing challenge called ‘al-Mubahila’. “Then whoever disputes with you concerning him (Jesus) after all this knowledge that has come to you, say: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then we pray and invoke the Curse of Allah upon those who lie.” [3:61]
The only people the Prophet of Islam (saww) chose to take to this vital challenge were: Imam Ali, Fatima al-Zahra, (Imam) Hasan and (Imam) Husain peace be upon them. In this challenge Fatima was the example of the child of the Prophet in ‘our sons’, the woman in ‘our women’. She was also the example of the soul of the Prophet in ‘ourselves’ for the Messenger of God had said about her: “She is part of me as she is my soul in my heart.”
Of the significance of this selection the renown Sunni scholar al-Qandoozi narrated from the holy Prophet (saww): “Had the Almighty Allah knew more honourable people on earth than Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain he would have commanded me to challenge the Christians with them. But He ordered me to enter the Mubahila with them (Ahlul-Bait) for they are the best creatures.” [Yanabi’ul-Mawaddah, p.131]
6. The Axis of Imams of Ahlul-Bait (a.s)
6. The Axis of Imams of Ahlul-Bait (a.s)
The Almighty God gave the glad tidings to Fatima (s.a) that 11 infallible Imams will emerge from her offspring. Thus, she was called ‘the Mother of the Imams’ and ‘the Mother of the Blossoms of Islam’ and ‘the Mother of the Light of the Imams’. It is therefore narrated from the Messenger of Allah (saww): “I am the tree and Fatima is its fruit-bearing and Ali is its pollen and Hasan and Husain are its fruits.” [Ihqaqul-Haq, vol.9 p.157]
Similarly, when Lady Fatima (s.a) delivered her eloquent sermon in the Masjidul-Nabi, Imam Ali (a.s) addressed her with the title of: “O the remaining of the Prophet-hood.” [Beharul-Anwar, vol.43 p.148]
Most importantly, the holy Fatima was the bearer and the depository of the divine secrete, i.e. Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance).
7. The Axis of Faith
7. The Axis of Faith
The Lady Fatima (s.a) is the axis of faith. It is narrated from the Imams of Ahlul-bait (a.s) that on the Day of Judgment “she will be the scale of measuring the deeds of our lovers and our enemies.” [ al-Kharazmi, Maqtalul-Husain, p.107] Thus, she is the scale of measuring the lovers and the enemies of Ahlul-Bait.
8. The Axis of the Sayyyeds
8. The Axis of the Sayyyeds
The holy Fatima was ‘al-Kouthar’ meaning abundant blessings. The generation of the last Messenger of Allah (saww) has spread world-wide through his daughter Fatima. She is the mother of Millions of offspring of the Prophet from the linage of Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Husain, Imam Redha, and Imam Kadhem (peace be upon them). They are related to the Prophet of Islam (saww) through Fatima.
9. The Axis of Intercession
9. The Axis of Intercession
The holy Fatima is the axis of intercession on the Day of Judgment to rescue the sinners from the Hell-fire. Indeed she is called Fatima for Allah has safeguarded her and her followers from the Hell-fire. Numerous Prophetic saying indicated that she is called Fatima for Allah has prevented her and her lovers and followers from the Hell-fire. [See Beharul-Anwar, vol.43 pp.4 -18]
Jabir; the distinguished companion of the Messenger of Allah (saww) who lived long enough to visit Imam Baqir (a.s) asked the Imam to inform him of the status of his grandmother; the lady Fatima (s.a). Part of the Hadith reads:
“On the Day of Judgment people will be ordered: Bend your heads down and lower your gaze for indeed this is Fatima proceeding to Paradise. She then will ask the Almighty: O my Lord! I would like my status be known in this Day. Thus, the Almighty Allah addresses her: O daughter of My beloved! Look back and find whoever there is a love in their heart for you or for any of your offspring to take their hands and enter them into Paradise. It is on that Day the she will be as selective as a chicken selects the good seeds over the spoiled ones. Then the Almighty Allah will address those who loved the holy Fatima (sa.a): Look back and find whoever loved your for the love of Fatima, whoever fed you for the love of Fatima, whoever clothed you for the love of Fatima, whoever offered you a drink for the love of Fatima… then take their hands and enter them into Paradise. Imam Baqir (a.s) then added: On that Day none will be left save the one who has been doubtful (about the status of Fatima), or the one who has been Kafir or hypocrite.” [Beharul-Anwar, vol.8 p.51]
10. The Axis of Granting Wishes
10. The Axis of Granting Wishes
Although all the fourteen infallible are the gates through whom the Almighty God grants our invocations, the Lady Fatima has a pivotal role in the granting of our wishes. Even the Imams of Ahlul-bait when they invoked to the Almighty, they asked Allah in the virtuous name of their mother Fatima. Thus, the name of Fatima is again the central core in the recommended supplication for our needs.
“Allahuma inni asaloka be haqe fatimata wa abiha wa ba’leha wa baniha wa sirril musta’ da’e fi ha an to salle’a ala muhammadin wa ale muhammad. Wa an tafalla be ma anta ahlo wa an taqthia hawa’iji”
“O Allah verily I ask You by the right of Fatima and her father and her husband and her sons and the hidden secret entrusted in her (Imam Mahdi a.j) that You may Mohammad and his family and that You may do for me what You are anticipated to do and that You grant my requests.”
The affection between Fatima and her father was mutual. That means, as much as the holy Prophet of Islam loved his daughter Fatima, she also loved her father the Prophet. Thus, the demise of the Prophet of God did not have but an enormous effect on Fatima. During her short time after the demise of her father, she cried so much that according to the words of imam Sadiq (a.s) she became one of the five most weeping people in history of mankind. Prophet Adam (a.s) after his fall wept so much that stains marks appeared on his cheeks. Prophet Yaqoub (a.s) wept so much in the absence of his son Yusuf that he lost his eye sight. Prophet Yusuf in return also cried so much in missing his father that his fellow prisoners requested that he should cry either at night or day. Imam Sajjad (a.s) wept for the last thirty five years of his life for the tragedy of Karbala and finally the holy Fatima wept her life away in the absence of her father the holy Messenger of God. She wept so much that Imam Ali (a.s) had to build an isolated hut for her worshipping and weeping called ‘the House of Grieves’. The weeping of Fatima however, was not only for the physical departure of the Messenger of God from this world, she wept also for the catastrophic deviation that occurred after the Prophet passed. Her weeping was in fact a cry opposition to awaken the Islamic Ummah of the evil consequences of their wrongdoing. Fatima was fully aware that the deviation that occurred in Saqifeh would lead to the massacre of Karbala.
“As salamu alayk O you oppressed lady whose right has been usurped and her rib was broken, the one who was beaten, the lady who was truthful and martyred.”
The enemies of Islam and Ahlul-bait could not stand her opposition. According to al-Mas’oodi; the renowned historian, she witnessed that the party of Abu Bakr forced Imam Ali to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr whilst Imam Ali was refusing. [Ithbatul-Wasiya p262]
Eventually, the enemies threatened to set the house of Fatima on fire should Ali continue to refuse allegiance. Omar ibn Kattab along with his men approached the house of Ahlul-bait. He threatened that should Ali still refuse he would burn the house down and the household. Omar was reminded that Fatima was also in that house, his only reply was, “Even so…”.
I would like to end my speech by narrating the tragic event of the martyrdom of the holy Lady Fatima (s.a); the part of the heart of the Prophet and the beloved mother of her father with her own heartbreaking description of the scene,
“they placed firewood at the gate of my house and then they brought fire and torched it to burn us all. I was standing behind the front door. I pleaded with them by the name of Allah and my father the Messenger of Allah to leave us alone or help us. But Omar grabbed the whip of Qunfuz; the slave of Abu Bakr, and whipped my arm so hard that it bruised and marked like a bracelet. He then kicked the door against me while I was pregnant and I fell to the floor all the while the fire was blazing in front of me and its heat was burning my face. He then slapped me so hard on my face that my earring tore my ear then I felt the pain of labor and lost my innocent baby. [Baitul ahzan p97 al-Ehtejaj vol1 from p203, Sharh ibn Abil Haddid vol2 p21, The History of Tabari vol2 p234, Al Imamah & Al Siyasah vol1 p12, Morujo Thahab vol2 p302, Al Kafi vol8 p343]
“they placed firewood at the gate of my house and then they brought fire and torched it to burn us all. I was standing behind the front door. I pleaded with them by the name of Allah and my father the Messenger of Allah to leave us alone or help us. But Omar grabbed the whip of Qunfuz; the slave of Abu Bakr, and whipped my arm so hard that it bruised and marked like a bracelet. He then kicked the door against me while I was pregnant and I fell to the floor all the while the fire was blazing in front of me and its heat was burning my face. He then slapped me so hard on my face that my earring tore my ear then I felt the pain of labor and lost my innocent baby. [Baitul ahzan p97 al-Ehtejaj vol1 from p203, Sharh ibn Abil Haddid vol2 p21, The History of Tabari vol2 p234, Al Imamah & Al Siyasah vol1 p12, Morujo Thahab vol2 p302, Al Kafi vol8 p343]
MANSOUR LEGHAEI
| High Moral Virtues of Hazrat Zahra (s.a.) | for everyone |
Fatimah (AS) had high moral virtues and her life is full of spiritual behavior. We explain two of them below noticing that these are only a very little part of her moral virtues :
1. Jaber-bin-Abdullah-al-Ansari, the Prophet,s (PBUH) companion, says that a poor emigrant (Mohajer) came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked for help. The Prophet (PBUH) answered: ?I do not have anything. Go to my daughter whose house is beside mine?. Then Bilal, the Prophet (PBUH),s muezzin, guided him. He went to Fatimah,s (AS) house and said: ?Peace be on you, O! The family of the Prophet (PBUH)? and asked for help. When Fatimah (AS) got aware of his poverty, although she and her father and husband did not have anything to eat for 3 days, she brought out the necklace which Hamzeh,s (AS) son -her cousin- had presented her and told the man: ?Take this and sell it. I hope that Allah gives you better than this?. The man took the necklace and went to the Prophet (PBUH) and described what had happened.
The Prophet (PBUH) cried and prayed for him. Ammar-e-Yaser (the Prophet,s (PBUH) companion) stood up and after getting permission, bought the necklace instead of giving him food, cloth, an animal and cost of traveling. The Prophet (PBUH) asked the man: ?Are you satisfied?? The man felt ashamed and thanked. Ammar put the necklace in a Yemeni cloth and perfumed it and dedicated it to the Prophet (PBUH) with his slave. The slave came to the Prophet (PBUH) and told the story. The Prophet (PBUH) offered the necklace and the slave to Fatimah (AS). The slave came to Fatimah (AS). She took the necklace and let the slave free. He smiled and when he was asked for the reason, he answered: ?What a blessed necklace! It fed a hungry, covered a naked, made a pedestrian have an animal, made someone free from want, let a slave free and finally returned to its owner ?
2. Prophet (PBUH) bought Fatimah (AS) a new dress for her marriage ceremony and she owned a patchy dress. A poor man came to her house and asked for a used cloth. Fatimah (AS) decided to give him the old dress as he had asked but remembered the verse: ?
You never attain to righteousness until you spend out of what you like?. So she gave him the new dress.
| Iran warns Pakistan on mercs in Bahrain | for everyone |
Iran warns Pakistan on mercs in Bahrain
The Bahraini army, backed by some regional countries, has been suppressing peaceful Bahraini demonstrators since February 14, 2011.
Iran has warned Pakistan that diplomatic relations between the two neighbors would be affected if Islamabad fails to stop recruiting Pakistani military forces helping the Bahraini army crackdowns.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Behrouz Kamalvandi has summoned the Pakistani charge d'affairs in Tehran to Iran's Foreign Ministry to convey Iran's serious reservations about Pakistan's recruitment of retired military officials for the Bahraini army to help with the crackdown of Bahraini protesters demanding their democratic rights, Pakistani media reported.
The Iranian official warned that if the recruitment continues, it will have serious ramifications for diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Tehran.
However, the decision-makers in Islamabad have ignored the Iranian warning as the recruitment persists.
A foundation affiliated to the Pakistani army is recruiting retired military personnel from the Pakistan Army, Navy and the Air Force who will be deployed in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at exorbitant salaries.
According to sources in the foundation, almost 90 percent of the recruited officials are being sent to crisis-hit Bahrain.
Over 1,000 Pakistanis have so far been recruited in March 2011 alone, while 1,500 more would be hired in the next few weeks, reports say.
People in Bahrain have been holding anti-government protests since February 14, demanding constitutional reforms as well as an end to the al-Khalifa monarchy.
Demonstrators maintain that they will continue the protests, until their demands for freedom, constitutional monarchy, and a proportional voice in the government are met.
The peaceful popular movement in Bahrain has been violently repressed since mid-February, leaving scores of protesters killed and many others missing.
AR/GHN/HRF
posted by ABBAS ALAM @ 06:58
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