THE HOLY QURAN AYAT

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

"The day when every soul will find what it has done of good brought forward, and what it has done of evil; it will wish there was a far space between itself and it (evil). And Allah warns you to beware of Him; and Allah is Compassionate with His servants".

Holy Qur'an (3:30)

"They ask you what they should spend. Say: Whatever of wealth you spend, is for the parents, relatives, orphans, the needy and the traveller, and whatever good you do, Allah is surely Omniscient of it".

Holy Qur'an (2:215)

Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. -Interpretation

1 – My father - may Allah have mercy on him - narrated to us; he said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to us from Ahmad b. Muhammad b.`Isa from Qasim b. Yahya from his grandfather Hasan b. Rashid from `Abdullah b. Sinan, from Abi `Abdillah (al-Sadiq) [a]. He said: I asked him [a] about Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. He replied: “The baa’ is for Allah’s brilliance (Bahaa’ Allah) and the seen is for Allah’s sublimity (Sanaa’ Allah) and the meem is for Allah’s glory (Majd Allah) -- and some others have narrated: Allah’s Kingdom (Mulk Allah) --  And Allah (means) the God of all things, the Beneficent (Rahman) towards the entire world and the Merciful (Raheem) for the select faithful.”.  ن 2 – Muhammad b. al Hasan b. Ahmad b. al Waleed - may Allah be pleased with him - narrated to us; he said: Muhammad b. al Hasan al Saffaar narrated to us from al `Abbas b. Ma`ruf from Safwan b. Yahya from the one who narrated it to him, from Abu `Abdillah (al-Sadiq) [a] that he asked about Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. Then he [a] said: The baa’ is for Allah’s brilliance (Bahaa’ Allah) and the seen is for Allah’s sublimity (Sanaa’ Allah) and the meem is for Allah’s kingdom (Mulk Allah).  He said: I said: (And what about) Allah?  So he replied: The alif is for those bounties (aalaa’) of Allah upon His creation which are favours (bestowed on them) due to our mastership. And the laam is the obligation (ilzaam) of our mastership by Allah upon His creation.  I said: Then the haa’?  He said: (It stands for) humiliation (hawaan) of the one who opposes Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, blessings of Allah be upon them all. He said: (What about) the Beneficent (ar-Rahman)?  He replied: (It means His Mercy) Towards the entire world.  He said: (What about) The Merciful (ar-Raheem)?  He replied: (It means His Mercy) Towards the faithful, in particular. 4 - Another chapter on the meaning of Bismillah Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. Ishaq al-Taliqani - may Allah be pleased with him - narrated to us, he said: we were informed by Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Sa`eed, the master of Bani Hashim, from `Ali b. Hasan b. `Ali b. Fadal, from his father who said: I asked ar-Rida, `Ali b. Musa [a] about Bismillah (In the name of Allah). He replied: The meaning of the saying of a speaker "Bismillah" is that he imprints upon himself a mark (simh) from the marks (simat) of Allah, the Mighty the Exalted, and this is worship. I said to him: What is simh? He replied: It is a sign (`alamah). 5 - Chapter on the meaning of "Allah" the Mighty and Exalted    1 - My father - may Allah have mercy on him - said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to us from Ahmed b. Muhammad b. `Isa, from Qasim b. Yahya, from his grandfather Hasan b. Rashid, from Abi Hasan Musa b. Ja`far [a]: Once, a question was asked (from the Imam) about the meaning of “Allah”. He (the Imam) replied, ‘It (the word “Allah”) means one who dominates the small and the large.’ 2 - Muhammad b. al Qasim al Jarjani al Mufassir - may Allah be pleased with him - narrated to us; he said: Abu Ya`qub Yusuf b. Muhammad b. Ziyad and Abul Hasan `Ali b. Muhammad b. Sayyaar narrated to us, and these two were from the Imami Shi`i, and they from their fathers, from al Hasan b. `Ali b. Muhammad (al-Askari) [a] about the saying of Allah, Mighty and Exalted,: Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. So he [a] said:  “Allah is He towards whom are placed the desires and distresses of all creation. And when all hopes are severed from everyone apart from Him, and all provisions are cut off from all besides Him, you say:Bismillah. That is, I seek help in all my affairs from Allah, whom no one befits worship but Him, the One who helps when His help is sought, and the One who responds when called upon. And He is what, when a man said to al-Sadiq [a]: O son of the Messenger of Allah! Guide me regarding Allah, what is He? For often those who engage in arguments argue with me and perplex me.  So he (al-Sadiq [a]) said to him: “O `Abdullah! Have you ever sailed on a ship alone?” He said: Yes. He said: “Then has it ever broken down on you (during the joyrney) where there was no (other) ship to save you, nor was there any skilled swimmer to save you?”  He said: Yes.  He [a] said: “Then did it occur to you in your heart that there is a thing from the things which has the power to rescue you from your getting drowned?”  He said: Yes.  Al Sadiq [a] said: That very thing is Allah, the One capable of saving when there is no saviour, and of helping when there is no helper.

Modesty

Allah (subhana wa'atala) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty. Allah says: 'O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested.' (S33:59).  In the above Ayaah there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the  restriction is removed. This is illustrated in the case of elderly women who may have lost every aspect of attraction. Allah (swt) made it permissible for them to lay aside their outer garments and expose their faces and hands reminding, however, that is still better for them to keep their modesty.

YOUR IMAN - HIJAB

Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing women, Al-Mo'minat. In many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the believing women". Aisha , the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some women from the tribe of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes on them, they were improperly dressed: "If indeed you are believing women, then truly this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing women, then enjoy it."  

REMEDIES OF ANGER

One of the practical remedies of anger when it is provoked is to restrain it and calm it down in the earlier phase when one’s intellect is still in control.  Imam al-Baqir (a) said “..whosoever is angry with someone let him sit down immediately if he is standing; for, indeed, doing so will repel from him the uncleanliness of Satan. And whoever gets angry with his family member, let him approach and (gently) touch him; for the feeling of family affiliation, when stimulated by touch, induces calmness.” [Al‑Kulayni,al‑Kafi, vol. 2, p 302, hadith # 2]

 Imam Ali (a) said “When a person gets angry, if he is standing, he should immediately lie down (sit down) on earth for a while as this removes the filth of Satan from him at that time." [Al-Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, hadith # 15059]

 

Advice to Cure Anger

A person with the habit of often getting angry should know that anger is the faculty that is granted by God Almighty for the sake of the preservation, continuity and survival of human species and for the discipline and order of the family system, protection of human rights and safeguarding Divine laws. If he acts contrary to this divine purpose and makes use of power of anger against the design of God, it will be a breach of trust that deserves severe punishment from Him. What an act of ignorance and injustice it is not to live up to Divine trust and to incur His Wrath! He should therefore seriously think about the moral vices and vicious deeds that are the outcome of anger, and try to remove their evil effects, each one of which is capable of afflicting a person till eternity, causing many problems in this world as well as punishment in the Hereafter.

Among the fundamental remedies of anger is to get rid of the factors responsible for its provocation. These factors include self‑love, which in turn causes love of wealth, glory, and honour, and the desire to impose one's will and expand one's domain of power on the creatures of God. These inherently excite the fire of anger, as the individual infatuated with them tends to hold them in high regard. When someone loves these things, he gets excited and angry if any one of his aspired goals is not achieved. Another factor that sometimes arouses anger is that it is imagined to be a merit and confused with bravery due to one’s ignorance. Anger is thus the product of spiritual weakness, insufficiency of faith, immoderation of character and soul.

A wise person thinks carefully of the evil consequences of anger and the benefits of restraint, thus making it incumbent upon himself to stamp out this fire from his heart with every possible effort. He clears from his heart the love of wealth, honour and the like that provoke his anger. If he resolves to act against his inner self and its worldly desires, with the help and blessings of God, his attachment becomes less intense and he gives lesser importance to them. His inner calm and contentment, caused by giving up the love of wealth, honour and the like, will not allow his self to act unjustly. Gradually, he will not lose the grip of self‑restraint at times when anger is provoked in his heart. Finally, he will achieve complete control over his anger. [Adapted from Al-Khumayni, Forty Hadith, chapter 7, ‘Ghadhab’]

 

Conclusion

 

 Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a) said: “A mu’min (believer) is the person who when angered, his anger doesn’t lead him away from that which is true...” [AKulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 186, hadith # 11]

The Cure of ‘Asabiyyah

The Cure of ‘Asabiyyah   ‘Asabiyyah is a dangerous condition for an individual and society. One must ponder seriously about its consequences in this world and hereafter. If you love or hate someone, or support or are against a group of individuals or a nation, think what has motivated you for it.   If it is other than promoting truth and justice or help of oppressed or preventing aggression and tyranny, than give up your support of the people you are associated with. It will be certainly difficult for you to take a bold step and give up love, friendship, and affinity of your relatives, friends and colleagues. Your decision to give up blind ‘asabiyyah will not only save you from the fire of hell, but also motivate others to do the same.   Conclusion   The Prophet (s) said: "One who calls towards ‘asabiyyah is not from us, one who fights for ‘asabiyyah is not from us and the one who dies on  ‘asabiyyah is not from us.”[Mizan al Hikmah, hadith # 13035]

Praiseworthy ‘Asabiyyah

Praiseworthy ‘Asabiyyah   The defense of truth and upholding justice, the efforts to disseminate and to posit something that is true, are either not`asabiyyah, or, if they are, represent a commendable kind of it. The criterion lies in the distinct aims and purposes, and the extent to which it involves selfish and diabolical ends or serves just and godly purposes.   Thus, when a man supports his kinsmen and friends, if he does so purely for the sake of upholding justice and defeating injustice, this kind of `asabiyyah is commendable and praiseworthy; because supporting justice and truth is among the most sublime of human qualities, being one of the attributes of the prophets (a) of God and His awliya' (friends).One should support the party that is on the side of truth and justice, even though it may consist of one's enemies. Such a person is a defender and lover of truth; he will be counted among the champions of human sublimity, a rightful citizen of the ideal human society, one whose presence exerts a reforming influence on the evil tendencies of society.   The Prophet (s) said: “Best among you is the person who defends his tribe till they do not commit a sin.” [Abu Dawood, Sunan, hadith # 5130]      Imam ‘Ali (a) said: “If it becomes unavoidable for you to be among those who practice ‘asabiyyah, then do ‘asabiyyah to uphold the truth and support of the oppressed.” [Al-Amidi, Ghurar ul-Hikam wa Durar ul-Kalim, hadith # 3738]

What is and what is not ‘Asabiyyah

What is and what is not ‘Asabiyyah  It is reported that when Prophet (s) was asked: “O Prophet of God! What is ‘asabiyyah ?”, He (s) replied: “That you support your nation (or tribe) in  oppression.” [Abu Dawood, Sunan, hadith # 5119]  Imam ‘Ali bin al-Husayn (a) was asked about ‘asabiyyah. He (a) replied: “‘Asabiyyah that makes a person sinful is that he takes the worst actions of his nation (or tribe) to be better than the best actions of his opponent tribe. It is not ‘asabiyyah to love one’s nation. However, if one helps his nation in committing oppression than it is ‘asabiyyah.” [Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, vol. 2, bab al ‘asabiyyah, p. 308, hadith # 7]   The Evils of `Asabiyyah   If one’s heart is covered with the dust of self‑love and the love of the kindred and improper and blind `asabiyyah, the light of faith will not shine in it.   Al‑Imam al‑Sadiq (a) is reported to have said: "Whosoever practices `asabiyyah (against someone), God shall wrap around him (`asabahu) a fold (`isabah)of Fire." [Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, vol. 2, bab al ‘asabiyyah, p. 308, hadith # 4]    It is reported from al-Imam al‑Sadiq (a) that the Prophet (s)said:"The one who exerts `asabiyyah or the one on whose behalf it is exerted, the tie of faith is taken off his neck." [Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, vol. 2, bab al ‘asabiyyah, p. 308, hadith # 2]. That is, such a person is deprived of faith and abandoned from the fold of faithful in the eyes of God. As to the person in whose interest`asabiyyah is exerted, he is also included in the hadith due to his compliance to the behaviour of the one exerting`asabiyyah on his behalfand hence made to share his lot jointly.   ‘Asabiyyah against a nation or group may lead one to commit several moral vices such as backbiting, slandering, and heinous crimes such oppression, murder, massacres, and the like.

Prejudice (`asabiyyah)

Prejudice (`asabiyyah) O people! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best in conduct…(Qur'an, 49:13)   Imam Ja’far al‑Sadiq (a) reported from the Prophet (s) who said: "Whoso ever possesses in his heart 'asabiyyah (prejudice in any of its forms such as tribalism, racism, nationalism) even to the extent of a mustard seed, God will raise him on the Day of Resurrection with the (pagan) Bedouins of theJahiliyyah (the pre‑Islamic era).” [Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, vol. 2,bab al ‘asabiyah, p. 308, hadith # 3]   `Asabiyyah isan inner psychic trait that is manifested in patronizing or defending one's kindred or those with whom one has some kind of affinity or relation, whether it be creed and religious ideology, soil or home, language or colour. This affinity may also be due to similarity of profession or the relationship of teacher and pupil, or something else. It is a moral vice that appears to take the form of defense of truth or religion, but in reality it is aimed at extending one's own influence or that of one's co‑religionist(s), relative(s), friend(s), or member(s) of group.

Satan's Insolent Behavior

Satan's Insolent Behavior Satan can get control over Allah's servants only by whispering to them when they have abandoned their remembrance of Allah, become disdainful, feel complacent when faced with His prohibition, and forget that Allah sees their secret.   Whispering is what comes from outside the heart by tacit permission of the intellect, and is sustained by man's own nature; once it becomes established in the heart, there is error, misguidance, and disbelief. Allah called on His bondsmen with His subtle call and told them about the enmity of Iblis:   إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy. (35:6)   Be with him like a man who, standing near the shepherd's dog, has recourse to the dog's master in order to keep the dog away from him. It is the same when Satan comes to whisper to you, to lead you off the true path and make you forget to remember Allah. Then seek refuge from him with your Lord and his Lord. He will defend the truth against falsehood, and help wronged ones, since He says,   إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ Surely he has no authority over those who believe and who rely on their Lord. (16:99)   Man will only be able to do this if he knows how he comes, and can recognize his methods of whispering, by constant watchfulness, sincerity in the arena of service, awe of the All-Aware, and increased remembrance of Him.   However, anyone who neglects to spend his time in awareness must undoubtedly be the prey of Satan. He should draw a lesson from what Satan does with such a person's self: he leads it to misguidance, deception and haughtiness by duping the person into admiring his own actions, his worship, and his insight.   Satan's insolent behaviour towards him causes a curse to descend on his knowledge, his gnosis and faculty of reasoning for all eternity; yet he has no power over those who are not negligent. Therefore hold to the firmest rope of Allah, which means seeking refuge with Allah, and having a sound need of Allah at every breath.  Do not be deceived when Satan makes your acts of obedience appear beautiful in your eye: if he opens ninety-nine doors of goodness for you, it is only so that he may overcome you by opening the hundredth. So meet him with opposition, block his path and reject his charm.

A GOOD DEED - HUMILITY

Humility embraces every precious and noble rank and high position. If humility had a language which people understood, it would speak about the realities which are hidden in the outcomes of affairs. Humility is whatever is undertaken for Allah and in Allah, and anything other then that is trickery. Whoever is humble to Allah, Allah will honour over many of His bondsmen. The people of humility have recognizable signs. When one of them was asked about humility, he said, 'It means you are humble to the truth and follow it, even if you hear it from a child.' Many types of pride keep one from using, accepting and following knowledge. There are certain verses about this, denouncing the haughty. The people of humility have signs recognized by the angels in heaven and the gnostics on earth. Allah said,   وَبَيْنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ وَعَلَى الأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلاًّ بِسِيمَاهُمْ   On the most elevated places there shall be men who know all by their marks. (7:46)     and elsewhere,   مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ...   Whoever from among you turns back from his faith, then Allah will bring a people whom He loves and they shall love Him, humble towards the believers, mighty against the unbelievers. (5:54)     إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ   Surely the most honourable of you with Allah is the one among you with the greatest precaution. (49:13)   And فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُم...ْ   Do not attribute purity to your souls. (53:32)   The root of humility comes from the majesty, awe, and immensity of Allah. Allah is not pleased with any act of worship, nor does He accept it unless it comes with humility. No one knows what is the true meaning of humility except those of His bondsmen who are close and connected with His unity. Allah said,   وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا The servants of the Merciful are they who walk on earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say; Peace. (25:63)   He commanded the mightiest of His creation and the master of its people, Muhammad, to be humble, saying,   وَاخْفِضْ جَنَاحَكَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ   Make yourself gentle to the believers. (15:88)   From humility grow submission, humility, fear and modesty; it is only from within humility that these qualities appear. True and perfect nobility is only given to those who are humble in the essence of Allah.

Funny, Isn't it?

Funny, Isn't it?

* Funny how a £10 note looks so big when you take it to the mosque, but so small when you take it to the market.

* Funny how long it takes to do Zikr (remember Allah) for an hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes of football.

* Funny how long a couple of hours spent at the mosque are, but how short they are when watching a movie.

* Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray, but don't have difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend.

* Funny how we get thrilled when a football game goes into extra itime, but we complain when a lecture at the centre is longer than the regular time.

* Funny how hard it is to read a chapter of the Holy Quran, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling novel.

* Funny how people want to get a front seat at any game or concert, but scramble to get a back row at mosque so that they can scramble out fast.

* Funny how we need 2 or 3 weeks advance notice to fit a mosque event into our schedule, but can adjust our schedule for other events at the last moment.

* Funny how hard it is for people learn a simple preaching well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people to understand and repeat gossip.

* Funny how we believe what the newspaper says, but question what the Quran says.

* Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, or to think, or to say, or do anything.

CONSUMPTION OF HARAM

Greater Sin is Consumption of Harām. In the Qur’anic ayat ‘Akal al-soht’ is translated as eating of what is unlawfully acquired. Hence the word “eat” is not restricted to consumption of edibles but includes the use of any and every article, which has been acquired unlawfully or by illegal means. Consumption of Harām is listed as greater sin in the HolyQur’an and the tradition of Imam Riďa (a.s.) from the book Uyūn al-Akhbar ar-Riďa and the tradition of Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) as related by Amash. In the following ayat of Surah al-Mā’ida: “And you will see many of them striving with one another to hasten in sin and exceeding the limits, and their eating of what is unlawfully acquired; certainly evil is that which they do. Why do not the learned men and doctors of law prohibit them from their speaking of what is sinful and their eating of what is unlawfully acquired? Certainly evil is that which they work.” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:62-63) In this ayat Soht refers to the acquirement as well as use of anything acquired unlawfully. The dictionary meaning of ‘Soht’ is ‘to be finished’ or ‘to be lost’. The thing that becomes ‘Soht’ is that which is finished off or used up. The use of this word signifies that unlawfully acquired things do not have any ‘barakat’ and will not benefit the possessor in any way. It should be evident that this unlawful practice would include usurping another’s property, taking interest and all activities that are undertaken using the money obtained by illegal means. The use of article brought with such money is also unlawful. Sayyid Abu A’lā Maududi writes in his book Islam and the Economic Problems: “Islam permits the people to obtain their livelihood in any way they choose. They have their freedom to choose their occupation and obtain the necessities of life, but Islam does not allow them to earn in a manner that is harmful for society. It should also not endanger the social equilibrium. Islamic laws not only prohibit the consumption of wine and intoxicants and gambling, but also prohibit any action that causes these sinful things to come into being. For example to undertake cultivation of grapes for wine making, to manufacture wine, to transport, to buy or sell wine, to give it and to use it; all these are Harām too. Islam does not consider free-sex to be a human activity. Islam has prohibited dancing. It does not consider singing and playing musical instruments lawful professions. Any activity that is beneficial to one person but harmful to someone else or to society is considered Harām in Islam. All such types of actions carry a heavy punishment in this world and a dreadful retribution in the hereafter e.g. bribes, stealing, interest-taking, adulteration and frauds, unlawful hoarding of edible items to hike their rates making life difficult for the poor. In the same way all such actions that instigate wars and those occupations that do not require effort, making the person rich by luck, such as lottery. All these occupations are Harām.” Shaykh Sadūq (r.a.) has narrated a tradition from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, “Any action of Khayanat with the Imam is ‘Soht’.” There are many types of ‘Soht’. ‘Soht’ includes that which is received from the tyrant rulers, bribe to Qazis, payment for prostitution, wine, alcoholic nabid (a kind of wine), and interest. “To bribe a Qazi (for giving a favourable judgement) is to disbelieve in Allah the Almighty.” (Khisāl of Sadūq) A similar kind of tradition is to be found in the bookal-Kāfi, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) says: “‘Soht’ means the payment for corpse, for dogs and wine. It also denotes the fee paid to a prostitute, the bribe given to a judge and the payment to a Kahin.”[8] (Wasa’il ul--Shia) Although consumption of every type of Harām is ‘Soht’, some of them are denounced more emphatically and their punishment is more severe. The worst of these is taking bribe. One who accepts bribe is just like a disbeliever and the Holy Prophet (S) has cursed him. The one who takes interest is equated to the one who has made war against Allah (S.w.T.) and the Prophet (S). Types of bribe There are Three types of bribes: (1) Bribe paid to a judge for a favourable judgement. (2) Bribe for ‘Harām’ work. (3) Bribe for permitted things. The first kind of bribe comprises of money etc. paid to a judge so that he maygive a favourable judgement. The judge may also be bribed for pointing out the loopholes whereby one could weaken the position of the opposite party. It is absolutely Harām even if the one who is paying the bribe is right and the judge delivers the correct judgement. The paying and receiving of this type of bribe or whatever may comprise this bribe is also Harām and a Greater sin. A person who pays or accepts such a bribe deserves the curse of Allah (S.w.T.). The Holy Prophet (S) says: “May Allah curse one whogives a bribe, one who accepts it and one who acts as an agent between them.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) Elsewhere, the Holy Prophet (S) says: “Beware of bribe!It is nothing but disbelief. The one who is involved in bribe will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) Bribe is not only a sin for the guilty but it constitutes assisting in sin, the one who accepts. However if one is compelled to bribe and without it he cannot obtain his rights, it is another matter, but it is still Harām for one who accepts it. Similarly it is also Harām to reach someone by bribing. The one who acts as an arbitrator or agent and takes an active part in negotiating bribe is also a sinner. This type of bribe is absolutely Harām whether paid in cash or kind. Bribe may also comprise of offering some services to the judge like stitching his clothes free of cost or constructing his house etc. Bribe can even be paid in words. One may praise a judge unduly to please him and thus influence him to give a favourable ruling. Bribe in the name of khums and gift Even if a bribe is paid in the name of khums and gift, it is Harām. For example to give someone a gift or a present with the intention of bribing him i.e. with the intention that by giving a gift the beneficiary will act to benefit the giver in some way. Similarly khums and zakat given with the intention of bribing is also Harām. It will not be considered as Khums or Zakat and it will be obligatory for one who has paid Khums or Zakat with such intentions, to pay it once more. Khums and Zakat are to be given with the purest of intentions, that of achieving nearness to Allah (S.w.T.) . There can be no other motive. One of the signs of Qiyāma is mentioned in traditions in the following words: “Bribes will be accepted as gifts.” The second kind of bribe is the bribe paid to someone, atyrant or an oppressor for inflicting harm on a third person. The Holy Qur’an says: “And do not swallow up your property among yourselves by false means, neither seek to gain access thereby to the judges, so that you may swallow up a part of the property of men wrongfully while you know.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:188) In this ayat believers are warned not to use anything obtained illegally and not to use their wealth to bribe those in power in order to obtain anything unlawfully. Paying a bribe for obtaining ones rights The third type of bribe is one that is paid for something lawful. Like paying someone in order that he may help in obtaining ones rightful property or to escape from a tyrant. Bribing for lawful things is allowed. In a tradition Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) was asked about the person who bribes the occupant of a house to vacate it so that the owner may himself use it as his residence. Imam (a.s.) said that there was no harm in it. However the house mentioned in this hadith does not belong to the person who pays the bribe. It is a trust property or a public place like, the mosque, madrasa, lane, by-lane, and bazār etc. Thus if someone is occupying a place in the mosque or a student is living in a room in the public hostel, he can be bribed to vacate it. Hafsul Amr enquired from Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (a.s.): “The ruler has appointed agents to purchase our agricultural produce. Is it allowed for us to bribe those agents so that we may remain safe from the ruler’s tyranny?” Imam (a.s.) replied, “There is no harm in it. You may pay whatever you think fit.” Then Imam (a.s.) asked: “Do you have to supply lesserquantity of grain to the ruler after you have paid the bribe to these agents?” “Yes,” said the questioner. “You have invalidated your bribe (i.e. you have made the bribe Harām),” Imam told him. (Wasa’il ul--Shia) Thus it is clear that bribing to cause someone to be oppressed is Harām but it is permitted in order to save oneself from oppression. Accepting a bribe for doing something lawful It must however be made clear that though it is permitted to gift something for lawful acts or to save oneself from oppression, it is detestable to accept such gifts. Because these gifts bear a close resemblance to bribe. Also, the habit of bribing for lawful things may make a man habitual and he may be inclined to pay bribes for unlawful purposes too. One is prone to error. If a pious person refrains for Makrūh (detestable) bribe he will never be prone to the Harām bribe. The following tradition supports this fact. “Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter. (They are) listeners of a lie, devourers of what is forbidden.” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:41-42) Explaining this ayat, Amir ul-Mu’minīn ‘Ali (a.s.) says:“It is that person who fulfills the wish of his believing brother and accepts a gift in return.” Shaykh Ansari says in the book, Makasibul Āmāl:“There are many explanations of this tradition. One of it is that we must absolutely refrain from accepting gifts in return for favours done that we may never fall into the trap of accepting bribe.” Characteristics of those who eat Harām A characteristic feature of earnings by Harām means the money and wealth so acquired. It is narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said, “The madness of (acquiring or constructing) buildings. Mud and water occupies the head of one who earns by unlawful means.” (Bihār al-Anwār) It means that a person with unlawful earnings is constantly worried about his wealth and strives to convert it into fixed property so that it is not lost. The buildings of mud and water neither benefit the owner in the Hereafter nor do they provide peace in this world. Such a person spends every bit of his wealth for pieces of land. Finally, Allah (S.w.T.) orders the land to swallow all his wealth. Unlawful gains are harmful both from the worldly point of view as there is no barakat in such gain and also from the spiritual point of view as these form obstacles in the acceptance of acts of worship. The Holy Prophet (S) says: “When a single morsel ofHarām enters the stomach of a person and becomes a part of his body, the angels of the sky and the earth curse him.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) The Messenger of Allah (S) has also said: “Acts ofworship accompanied by the acquiring of Harām are like buildings that rest on (crumbling) sand.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) They lack a firm foundation and hence are of no use. Such buildings can never remain intact and are soon destroyed. Invocations are not accepted The noble Messenger of Allah (S) has remarked, “Prayers of the one who eats a single morsel of Harām are not accepted for forty nights nor are his invocations accepted for forty days. Every piece of flesh that grows by consuming Harām is most deserving of being burnt in hell-fire and even a single morsel consumed causes some growth of flesh.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) The Holy Prophet (S) has also stated, “One who wishes to have his invocations accepted must keep aloof from Harām food and unlawful earnings.” (al-Kāfi) A man asked the Holy Prophet (S): “I wish for theacceptance of my deeds.” The Prophet (S) told him, “Keep your food purified from Harām and do not let any unlawful thing enter your stomach.” (al-Kāfi) The Almighty Allah (S.w.T.) revealed to Janabe Isa Ibn Maryam (a.s.):“Inform the oppressors of Bani Israel that they must not call Me and invoke Me as long as they are involved in unlawful earnings. And if they call Me and invoke Me in this condition, I will curse them.” (al-Kāfi) Hardening of the heart Whatever man eats is like a seed sown in the earth. If the seed is good it will bear sweet fruits. If the seed is bitter and poisonous, so is the fruit that grows from it. If the food is good and lawful it has beneficial effects on the heart. It is purified from every blemish and impurity. The organs of this person perform good deeds, but if one consumes food obtained through unlawful means it causes the heart to harden. The symptoms are soon obvious. A hard hearted person is unaffected by any kind of preaching and remains absolutely impenitent. Such a man is not moved even when he sees clear injustice. No good can be expected from him. Not a trace of goodness is visible in his dark heart. He refuses to accept what is right and is immune to every kind of moral advice. The tragedy of Karbala is the perfect example of this phenomenon. These are the characteristics clearly pointed out by Imam Husain (a.s.) in his address to the troops of Ibn Sād: “You bellies are filled with unlawful (wealth). Now you will not accept the truth. Why don’t you deal with justice? Why don’t you listen to me?” (Nafasul Mahmūm) In other words, when a person’s heart becomes hard and darkness occupies it. During the rule of the Abbasid King Mahdi, there was a Qazinamed Sharīk bin Abdullah. He was an honest and upright Judge, till the time he was summoned by the king. The Abbaside King forced him to choose one from three things: (1) Either he should accept the post of the Royal Qazi (2) He should become the teacher of the King’s son (3) or he should dine with the king, at least once. The Qazi thought that easiest of the Three was to eat with the king once, so he agreed to dine with King Mahdi. The ruler ordered the royal chef to prepare the best of the dishes. When the Qazi had eaten the food, the cook remarked to his companions, “Now, Qazi Sharīk will never achieve salvation.” The prediction came to be true. The Harām food affected the Qazi to the extent that he also accepted the other two conditions. He became the special Qazi of the King and the tutor of his children. It is said that Qazi Sharīk used to be very strict and unflinching with the treasurers while obtaining his share from the royal treasury. One day the treasurer protested, “You have not sold me grain that you act so ruthless in recovering its price.” Qazi Sharīk replied, “Yes, I have sold something more valuable! I have sold my religion.” One day a tray filled with delicious dishes was sent by Harūn al-Rashīd for Bahlūl. Bahlūl did not accept it. The servants of the king said, “It is not possible to reject the present of the Caliph.” Bahlūl, the wise, pointed towards the stray dogs and said, “Give it to the dogs.” The servants became angry and said, “You have insulted the royal gifts.” Bahlūl became silent then said, “Be quiet, if the dogs learn that this food is sent by the king, they will not touch it.” A morsel of Halāl food Eating Harām gives rise to every type of infamy. Whereas, the Halāl morsel is the cause of every kind of goodness and charity. Numerous traditions praise the acquisition of livelihood through lawful means. For example the Holy Prophet (S) says, “Worship consists of seventy parts and the best part is earnings by lawful means.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) The Messenger of Allah (S) has also said, “When a man eats Halāl food an angel stands over his head and prays for his forgiveness till he finishes eating.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) The Prophet (S) has remarked in a similar vein, “One who strives to earn his livelihood in a lawful manner from morning till night, achieves salvation.” (Safinat’ul-Bihār) The Holy Prophet (S) states that Allah has said: “Iwill not care on the Day of Qiyāma from which door he enters Hell, the person who does not care from which door he earns money in this world.” (Bihār al-Anwār) The Prophet of Allah (S) has also mentioned the followingtradition: “One who does nor care from which way he earns wealth in this world will be sent to Hell in Qiyāma and I shall not care from which way he is made to enter it.” (Bihār al-Anwār) Allah (S.w.T.) does not provide unlawful livelihood Maybe, those who do not refrain from unlawful earnings are afraid that if they give up this chance they may suffer poverty and deprivation. This is just a false notion. It is merely a satanic thought because it goes against the Divine promise of lawful sustenance repeatedly mentioned in the Qur’an. It is unreasonable, as it is contrary to the numerous traditions of Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.). The Almighty Allah (S.w.T.) has promised to provide sustenance to each and every creature. The Divine promise is never unfulfilled. Allah (S.w.T.) only tests the believers to see if they strive patiently to acquire lawful livelihood or act impatiently and deviate. Whatever sustenance is decreed is surely received. It is only the impatience of the people and the weakness of their faith that makes them leave the path of lawful earnings and stray towards illegal occupations. When a person does this he fails the test. Allah (S.w.T.) deprives this person of the lawful sustenance that was in his destiny. Allah (S.w.T.) has not decreed for anyone unlawful sustenance. No one dies without receiving his decreed sustenance On the occasion of the last Hajj, the Holy Prophet (S)addressed the Muslims in the precincts of the Masjidul Harām: “Know that, the trustworthy Spirit (Jibrīl) has informed that no creature dies till he has received his destined sustenance. Then fear Allah and do not vie among yourself in earning your livelihood. If there is some delay in receiving your sustenance, it must not be that you pursue it in disobedience to Allah. Verily, Allah has distributed only Halāl sustenance to every creature. He has not destined Harām sustenance to anyone. Hence one who fears Allah and acts with patience, Allah shallbestow upon him His sustenance through lawful means. But one who abandons purity and takes up Harām methods, a similar amount shall be decreased from his lawful sustenance. He shall be made to account for his Harām earnings on the Day of Qiyāma. Allah the Almighty has prohibited it in the following words: “...and do not substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones)...” (Surah an-Nisā’ 4:2) It should not be that in a hurry to obtain livelihood you obtain it through illegal ways, before Allah provides you with the Halāl sustenance that He had decreed for you.” (al-Kāfi) Deprived of Halāl food One day, Amir ul-Mu’minīn ‘Ali (a.s.) reached the mosque and alighted from his mule. He entrusted his animal to a person and entered the mosque. The man pulled out the saddle and ran away leaving the mule unattended. When ‘Ali (a.s.) returned, he was holding two dirhams. He intended to give them to the man who had looked after the mule. He found the mule without the saddle. After reaching home he gave the same two dirhams to his slave for the purchase of another saddle. The slave went to the bazār found the same rein. It came to be known that the thief had sold the stolen rein for two dirhams. It was the same amount that he could have earned in a lawful way. When the slave related the whole incident to ‘Ali (a.s.), he said, “By abandoning patience man converts his Halāl sustenance into Harām. Though he does not receive more than what is in his destiny.” (Lailail-Akhbār)