History. Teacher's Guide

Transcription

1 History Teacher's Guide

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Shi a-muslim Association of Bay Area would like to thank the authors, editors, and reviewers for their contributions to the Islamic curriculum development project. We are especially thankful to Sheikh Salim Yusufali, Sister Urooj Kazmi, Sister Samina Ali, Sister Bhavani Ali, Sister Sabika Mithani, Sister Fatima Falahati, Sister Zahra Sabur, Sister Liliana Villalvazo, Brother Taymaz Tabrizi, Brother Mohammad Hendijanifard, Sister Fatima Hussain, the Tabatabai family, all the illustrators who allowed us to use their illustrations, both SAB and SABA Academy syllabus committees, teachers, and staff for their support and assistance in the development and testing of the curriculum. SABA is also very thankful to the Islamic organizations and authors whose syllabus and books were used for the inspiration and creation of this curriculum. Please remember all the people involved in this project in your prayers. Authors and Editors: Hujjatol Islam Nabi Raza Abidi and Curriculum Committee 2015 Shi a-muslim Association of the Bay Area Published by: Shi a-muslim Association of Bay Area 4415 Fortran Court, San Jose, CA 95134, USA

3 Table of Contents Part I: History of the Prophets Intruduction... 2 Prophet Adam (A)... 6 Prophet Idrees (A) Prophet Nuh (A) Prophet Hud (A) Prophet Saleh (A) Prophet Ibraheem (A) (Part 1) Prophet Ibraheem (A) (Part 2) Prophet Isma eel (A) Prophet Ayyub (A) Prophet Yunus (A) Prophet Ya qub (A) Prophet Yusuf (A) Prophet Musa (A) (Part 1) Prophet Musa (A) (Part 2) Prophet Dawood (A) Prophet Sulayman (A) Prophet Zakariya and Yahya (A) Prophet Isa Ashaabul Kahf Ashaabur Ras Part II: History of the Imams 14 Ma soomeen... 1 Prophet Mohammad (S)... 5 Sayyidah Fatimah (A) Imam Ali (A) Imam Hasan(A)... 20

4 Imam Husain (A) Imam Zain ul Abideen (A) Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir(A) Imam Ja far As-Sadiq (A) Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (A) Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (A) Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (A) Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (A) Imam Muhammad Al-Taqi (A) Imam Ali An-Naqi (A) Imam Hasan Al-Askari (A) Imam Mahdi (A) Eid al-ghadeer Eid al-mubaahala The Event of Saqifa Understanding Karbala Martyrdom and the Martyrs of Karbala Karbala and Imam Husain (A) Islam before Karbala Importance of Turbatul Husainiyyah A Glimpse at some of the Shuhadah Of Karbala Friend of Imam Husain (A) Muslims In America The Living Imam (Part I) The Living Imam (Part II) The Living Imam (Part III) The Islamic Months Islamic Holy Countries and Cities

5 PART I: Prophets ix

6 INTRODUCTION Who is a Prophet? A Prophet is someone sent directly by Allah to lead us to the right path. Allah sent us 124,000 Prophets from Prophet Adam (A) to Prophet Muhammad (S). Prophet Muhammad (S) was the last Prophet and there are no other Prophets after him. We do not know who all the Prophets were. In the Quran, Allah says, We sent Prophets before you (Prophet Muhammad): there are some whose story We have told you and some whose story We have not told you. (40:78) How Was a Prophet Chosen? Allah chose the people that were the most perfect at the time to be Prophets. Prophets are Maʿsoom they never commit a sin. The Christian bible talks about many Prophets that have committed sins, but according to Islamic belief, Allah would never choose a person to become a Prophet. If Prophets committed sins, then people would not listen to them because they would not command the same respect as someone that was pure and without fault. Let me give you an example. The principal of your school is capable of running around the school and acting like a child, but he does not do this because he knows that no one would respect him if he did that. In the same ways, the Prophets were capable of committing sins, but they never committed a sin, because they knew the true ugliness of sins, and also, no one would respect them or want to obey them. What Was the Role of a Prophet? The Prophets were sent from Allah to guide us to the right path. They brought laws from Allah to help us become better people. Just as a mirror receives light from a lamp and reflects it somewhere else, in the same way, the Prophets received knowledge from Allah and bring it to us so we can become better human beings. Once we receive that knowledge, it is our choice whether or not we accept it. Why Did Allah Send Us Prophets? The main reason Allah sent us Prophets was to prevent us from going onto an evil path. Because of Allah s kindness, He has sent us Prophets and we should be thankful for that. Also, if Allah were to reward or punish us on the Day of Judgment without sending us any prophets, it would be unfair because our mistakes would not really be our fault. We could make an excuse that nobody was there to guide us, but we know Allah is fair and would never let that happen. He sent us prophets so that we are never left without a guide. It is up to us whether or not we follow this guidance. Difference between Nabi and Rasool Both Nabi and Rasool are Arabic ways of saying Prophet. They are both sent directly by Allah to the people. There is a difference, though. A Nabi is one that follows the laws 2 3

7 from the previous Prophets while a Rasool is one that brings new laws. Among 124,000 Nabis, only 313 were chosen as Rasools, and 5 of those Rasools were Ulul ʿAzm Prophets. The Ulul ʿAzm Prophets The Ulul ʿAzm Prophets are the Prophets that brought new detailed laws to the people. When each one came, they upgraded the previous set of laws and brought in some new ones. In literal terms Ulul ʿAzm means those who possess a quality of determination and firmness. There are five Ulul ʿAzm Prophets. The first was Prophet Nuh (A). Prophet Nuh (A) brought a very simple set of laws from Allah. These laws were used till the time of Prophet Ibraheem (A). When Prophet Ibraheem (A) came, he brought new laws from Allah that were a little more detailed. Those laws were used until the time of Prophet Musa (A). Prophet Musa (A) brought in more detailed laws from Allah that were used until Prophet Isa (A) came. Prophet Isa (A) brought a fully detailed set of laws from Allah for a period of time. Finally, when Prophet Muhammad (S) came, he brought in a final and fully detailed set of laws from Allah the Quran that we still use today. After Prophet Muhammad (S), there were no more Prophets and no more new laws. don t fit him anymore, and so you have to buy new clothes that are his size. But once that child reaches the age where he will not grow anymore, he can continue wearing the same clothes. Similarly, in the beginning, people were very simple; therefore, Prophet Nuh (A) brought them simple laws. As time and people advanced, they needed more detailed laws. Finally, when they had reached the stage where they had advanced to the highest level, Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (S) with the final set of laws that we use today. We do not need any new laws after Prophet Muhammad (S), which is why the laws sent to him are still in effect for us today. Why Laws Were Changed Each Time When a child is born, you buy clothes that fit him. When he grows older, the old clothes 3 4

8 WORKSHEET 1.1 Prophets True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. Prophets are Maʿsoom (sinless). T F Prophets were sent to guide us. T F Nabis and Rasools are both Prophets. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. Why do Prophets have to be Maʿsoom (sinless)? a. So that people listen to them. b. So that they can be well liked by the people. c. So that they can go to heaven. 2. How were Prophets chosen? a. Anybody who passed Allah s written exam became a Prophet. b. Those people who were the most perfect at that time were chosen as the Prophet. c. Those people who were well liked by people were chosen as the Prophet. 3. Which of the following are Ulul ʿAzm Prophets? (Circle all that apply) a. Prophet Muhammad (S) b. Prophet Dawood (A) c. Prophet Nuh (A) d. Prophet Isa (A) e. Prophet Adam (A) 4 5

9 Short-Answer Questions Answer the questions in complete sentences. 1. What is the difference between a Nabi and a Rasool? 2. What was the role of the Prophets? 3. Why were laws changed each time? 4. What is an Ulul ʿAzm Prophet? 5 6

10 PROPHET ADAM (A) When Allah created the earth, He put in it mountains and valleys. He created flowing seas and rivers. He put in it all kinds of animals and plants. Allah also created the heavens and the stars. He created the sun and the moon. Thus, he created the whole universe. In Surah Fatiha, we read: Alhamdulillaahi Rabbil Aʿlameen, which means, All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The reason we say this is because we want to thank Allah for all the wonderful things He has created. Allah also created the Angels who worship and glorify Him. One day, Allah informed the Angels that He was going to make a new creation, a human, which would live on earth. The Angels were surprised because they thought that these creatures Allah was going to create would fight amongst themselves on earth. They thought this because they had seen these creatures fight amongst themselves on the earth. However, there were a few Jinns that were good, such as Azazil, who used to worship Allah with the other Angels. Allah mentions the story of Prophet Adam (A), in Chapter 2, Ayah 30 of the Holy Quran. Allah created Prophet Adam (A) from special clay brought by Angel Jibraeel. Allah then gave him a sou,l which turned him into a perfect human being. Allah taught Prophet Adam (A) all the names of the Ahlul Bayt (A) and gave Prophet Adam (A) more knowledge than the Angels. He even made him His messenger. After Prophet Adam (A) was created, Allah ordered all of his creations to prostrate (do Sajdah) before Prophet Adam (A). All the Angels obeyed Allah, except Azazil, who used to worship Allah with the other Angels, did not listen to Allah and did not prostrate to Adam (A). After this incident, Allah changed his name from Azazil to Shaytaan Iblees, which means the evil one. Iblees had committed a sin by disobeying Allah. He argued with Allah that he was superior to Prophet Adam (A) because he was made from fire and Prophet Adam (A) was made from clay, and that fire could burn clay. To prove to the Angels that Prophet Adam (A) was more superior and had more knowledge, Allah asked the Angels to name the Ahlul Bayt (A). The Angels were not able to give the names, but Prophet Adam (A) was. Prophet Adam (A) had more knowledge, and this was why he was made the messenger of Allah. 6 8

11 Allah punished Iblees and sent him out of heaven to earth. Iblees asked Allah to allow him to live until the Day of Judgment so that he could lead Allah s servants to the wrong path. Allah granted him this request and said to Iblees, Those of My servants who are My true believers will never go onto the wrong path. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will punish Iblees and his followers and throw them in the fire of hell. Allah permitted Prophet Adam (A) to stay in the garden of Heaven. Allah also created a wife for Prophet Adam (A), and named her Hawwa (A). Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) enjoyed the blessings of Allah in heaven. Allah let them do anything they liked except one thing. He told them not to go near one of the trees of Heaven and not to eat its fruits. Now, Iblees was jealous of Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A). He blamed Prophet Adam (A) for his misfortune and wanted revenge. So, one day, Iblees entered Heaven and started talking to Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A). He pretended to be their friend. He whispered into their ears and tempted them to eat from the forbidden tree. Iblees also swore by Allah that he was their real friend, and he would never harm them. h i m a n d b ro k e t h e c o m m a n d o f A l l a h. Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) realized what they had done, and so they asked for forgiveness from Allah. Allah thought it was time for Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) to start life on earth, so he sent them there. Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) did not like earth at first. They cried and asked for Allah s forgiveness. Almighty Allah accepted their repentance and forgave them for their mistake, but he told them that they had to remain on earth. Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) thanked Allah for forgiving them. Allah taught them that there were two paths in life. One was the path of obedience to Allah, which leads to happiness and Heaven; and the other path was that of the sinners, which leads to sorrow and Hell. Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) had never heard anyone lie before in their lives, and because Iblees swore by Allah, they believed 7 9

12 How does this story relate to our lives today? Iblees thought that he was better than Prophet Adam (A). Even though he had worshipped Allah for years before, this one act got him thrown out of Heaven, and he is destined for Hell. We should obey Allah s commands always and never think we are better than another person because in the end, we are all creations of Allah. When Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) realized that they had made a mistake by eating from the forbidden tree, they immediately asked Allah for forgiveness. Allah is Most Merciful and Forgiving. We should not forget to ask Allah for forgiveness when we make a mistake. VOCABULARY Prostrate: do Sajdah Superior: higher in status or rank Permit: give permission to do something Forbidden: not allowed; off limits 810

13 WORKSHEET 1.2 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Allah created the universe. T F 2. At first, Iblees was a good Jinn. T F 3, The Angels were more knowledgeable than Prophet Adam (A). T F 4. Prophet Adam (A) and Hawwa (A) were sent down to earth. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 5. Iblees was a: a) Man b) Jinn c) Angel 6. What did Iblees ask Allah after he was sent out of heaven? a) To make him the most powerful being in the world b) To make him live forever to guide His servants c) To give him life until the Day of Judgment 7. How does Iblees trick us? a) He whispers things into our ears and makes bad things appear good b) He uses magic c) He pretends he s a magician and makes us listen to him 8. Who was the wife of Prophet Adam (A)? a) Aasiya b) Hawwa c) Zainab 911

14 WORKSHEET 1.3 Short-Answer Questions Answer the questions in complete sentences. 1. What does Alhamdulillaahi Rabbil ʿAalameen mean? 2. Why do we praise and thank Allah? 3. Why didn t Iblees prostrate when Allah ordered him to? 4. Why was Prophet Adam (A) made a messenger of Allah? 5. In your own words, explain how the story of Prophet Adam (A) relates to our life today. 1012

15 PROPHET IDREES (A) (ENOCH) Prophet Idrees (A) was the great-grandson of Prophet Sheeth (A) and was born 100 years after the death of Prophet Adam (A). He was the third Prophet of Allah. Prophet Idrees (A) used to tell people to worship Allah and not to commit sins. He was a very clever man and taught people many new skills. He taught them how to stitch clothes, measure weights and balances, and write. Additionally, he was the first man to teach them how to make weapons for hunting and defense. Prophet Idrees (A) lived during the time of a cruel king. The king had full control over the people and their properties. One day, the king decided to go for a walk, and on his way, he saw a beautiful garden. The garden was so attractive that the king wanted it for himself. After finding out who the garden belonged to, the king ordered that the owner be brought to him. When the owner came, the king told the owner to hand over the garden. The owner, who was a pious and God-fearing man, replied that the garden supported his family, and he would not hand it over. This made the king very angry, so he told the owner that he would buy the garden. The owner still refused. The king returned to his palace very upset. The king s wife was also a cruel person. So, when she heard what had happened, she advised the king to call a few of his friends and tell them to lie in the court that the owner of the garden was plotting against the king. The king decided to follow his wife s advice. The next day, the owner was called to court and was accused of plotting against the king. Even though the owner swore that he was innocent, the king did not listen to him and killed him instead. The king then took the owner s garden for himself. This made the owner s wife and children very unhappy. You see, Allah sees and hears everything. The murder by the greedy king displeased Allah, and so He commanded Prophet Idrees (A) to go to the tyrant king and tell him that in addition to killing a very pious man, he also left the man s family penniless. Prophet Idrees (A) was also commanded to tell the king that Allah would punish the king by taking away his kingdom and causing his wife s flesh to be eaten by dogs. Prophet Idrees (A) brought the message of Allah to the king. The king got very angry and 1114

16 drove Prophet Idrees (A) away from the palace. The queen overheard this and decided to send some men to kill Prophet Idrees (A). Since his life was in danger, Prophet Idrees (A) left town and hid in a cave. Through the help of Allah, an Angel used to provide Prophet Idrees (A) with sustenance every day. Prophet Idrees (A) prayed to Allah not to send any blessings to the town because of the king s actions. Prophet Idrees s (A) prayers were soon answered by Allah. The kingdom was overthrown, the king died a shameful death, and the queen s flesh was eaten by dogs. The kingdom was then passed on to yet another cruel king. Twenty years passed after the disappearance of Prophet Idrees (A). During this time, not a drop of rain fell on the town, and the people suffered terribly. There was neither food, crops, nor gardens, and the ground was all dry. All these hardships and misfortunes made people wonder what could have caused them. They began to realize that their troubles were due to the curse of Prophet Idrees (A). So, they prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive them for their sins and to send them His mercy and blessings. worship Allah. As a result, Prophet Idrees (A) prayed to Allah, and it began to pour. Prophet Idrees (A) guided his people on the right path for many years. He was one Prophet who had the respect and love of all his people. Finally, Allah raised him to the heavens where he is still alive today. How does this story relate to our lives today? Although the king had a whole kingdom, he was greedy for more and wanted the garden that belonged to a pious man. His greed drove him to murder the man, which brought the anger of Allah upon him. We should be happy with what Allah has blessed with and not become greedy because greed can lead to devastating consequences, the worst being Allah s displeasure with us.. VOCABULARY Tyrant: a cruel and oppressive ruler Sustenance: food and drink that is a source of strength Devastating: disastrous or highly destructive Almighty Allah accepted their prayers and sent Prophet Idrees (A) back to the town. People came to Prophet Idrees (A) and promised that they would obey him and 1215

17 WORKSHEET 1.4 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Prophet Idrees (A) was the great-grandson of Prophet Sheeth (A). T F 2. The owner of the garden was a very bad man. T F 3. Prophet Idrees (A) hid inside a cave. T F 4. Prophet Idrees (A) was one Prophet who had the respect and love of all his people. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. What skills did Prophet Idrees (A) teach his people? a) He taught them how to write and make weapons for hunting and defense b) He taught them how to read the Holy Quran c) He taught them how to sing 2. Who owned the garden? a) The king b) Prophet Idrees (A) c) A pious man 3. How was the town saved? a) The people called in another Prophet to pray for them b) The people moved to another town c) The people prayed to Allah to send them His mercy and blessings 4. Where is Prophet Idrees (A) today? a) In his grave. b) Alive in heaven. c) Alive on earth. 1316

18 WORKSHEET 1.5 Short-Answer Questions Answer the questions in complete sentences using your own words. 1. Who were the first, second, and third Prophets? 2. What did the queen advise the king to do after she heard what had happened? 3. How were the king and queen punished for what they did? 4. What happened to the town after Prophet Idrees (A) left? 5. What lesson did you learn from the story that applies to your life today? Explain in your own words. 1417

19 WORKSHEET 1.6: ART EXTENSION Draw a scene from the story of Prophet Idrees (A). Be careful not to draw the face of the Prophet. Then explain the scene you chose below the drawing. 1518

20 PROPHET NUH (A) (NOAH) A long time after Prophet Adam (A) was sent down to earth, the population of the earth had increased to thousands. However, many of these people had forgotten Allah. As a result, Allah sent down a number of Prophets to guide them. However, the people became arrogant just like Iblees and s t o p p e d l i s t e n i n g t o t h e Prophets. They started making their own gods (idols) out of wood and stone. They would ask their idols for good crops, good health, and a lot of wealth. They used to worship their idols so much that everything in their lives became dependent on these idols. Some of these idols were called Wadd (Man g o d ), S u w a ( W o m e n g o d d e s s ), Yaguth (Lion god), Yauq (Horse god), and Nasr (Eagle god). The story of Prophet Nuh (A) is mentioned Surah Nuh (Chapter 71) of the Holy Quran: When We sent Nuh to his people, punishment came upon them. He said, O my people, I warn you clearly that you should worship only Allah and fear Him, and follow Me. (71:1-3) Allah sent Prophet Nuh (A) as His messenger to guide the idol worshippers to the right path. Prophet Nuh (A) invited these people towards Allah, but they turned away. He encouraged them to do good deeds in exchange for rewards from Allah, but they did not listen. He warned them about Allah s punishment, but they still did not listen. Prophet Nuh (A) was a very patient man and he never gave up his mission. He explained to the people the mysteries of the Universe. He talked about the dark nights, the shinning moon, the dazzling hot sun, the round earth, the flowing streams, the winding rivers, the fresh vegetables, the lovely animals, the white clouds, and the pouring rain. He told the people that all these wonders of nature were the signs of Allah s greatness and power. Most of the people at that time were very stubborn and still did not listen to Prophet Nuh (A). Despite their stubbornness, Prophet Nuh (A) tried for hundreds of years to make people believe in the Oneness of Allah. He told them not to worship their idols that were built out of wood and stone, and instead worship Allah. He also informed them of the punishment they would face on the Day of Judgment when they would return to Allah. As time passed, the people grew worse, and they even began to attack Prophet Nuh (A) with stones whenever he tried to talk to them. 1620

21 Finally, Prophet Nuh (A) became very frustrated and prayed to Allah to punish the idol worshippers. Almighty Allah listened to his prayers and commanded him to build an ark (a big boat). When Prophet Nuh (A) began building the ark, people started to laugh and make fun of him. They thought he was crazy since there was no lake, river, nor ocean nearby for the ark to go in. Prophet Nuh (A) paid no attention to them, though, and finished building the ark. Almighty Allah then commanded Prophet Nuh (A) to fill the ark with a pair of each type of animal, along with some food and water. When this was done, Prophet Nuh (A) told all his followers to get inside the ark as well. Once the ark was full, Allah began to send down a heavy rainfall which caused a great flood. As the water rose up, the ark started to float. All the unbelievers started to drown, but those who were in the ark were saved. Some unbelievers climbed mountains thinking that they could be saved, but the water rose higher and higher and drowned them too. O n e o f t h e unbelievers that climbed up a mountain was Prophet Nuh s (A) very own son, Kanan. Kanan did not believe in what his father was teaching, and so Almighty Allah did not save him. Allah told Prophet Nuh (A) that since Kanan did not believe in Allah, he was not a part of Prophet Nuh s (A) family, and that is why he was drowned with all the other unbelievers. The Holy Quran says: And Nuh cried to his Lord and said, My Lord! Surely, my son is of my family, and surely Your promise is true and You are the best of the judges. (God) said, O Nuh, surely he is not of your family; his conduct is not righteous. (11:45-46) Finally, after forty days and nights, the rain stopped and the water drained away. It is said that the ark of Prophet Nuh (A) landed on Mount Judi. From there, the believers spread out all over the world and began new lives. Prophet Nuh (A) invited people to worship for nine hundred and fifty years and lived for two thousand and five hundred years in this world. Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) has said: The likeness of my Ahlul Bayt is that of the ark of Nuh (A). He who goes into it is saved, and he who turns away from it is drowned. 1721

22 In other words, Prophet Muhammad (S) is saying that those who follow and act upon the teachings of his Ahlul Bayt will be saved on the Day of Judgment just like those people who were saved from the flood by going into the ark. Those who will reject the teachings of our Prophet and his family will not be saved on the Day of Judgment just like those unbelievers who were drowned in the great flood. How does this story relate to our lives today? The people didn t follow the Prophets before Nuh (A) because they had become proud like Iblees and started making up their own idols. This ended in their destruction as they drowned in the flood. We should be cautious of becoming proud and thinking we are better than the message that has been sent to us. We should follow our religion carefully and not become one of the disbelievers. Prophet Nuh (A) was very patient with the unbelievers and spent so much time kindly explaining all of the signs of Allah to the people. We should remember to be patient with those around us and not get angry with our family, friends, and non-muslim neighbors. When Prophet Nuh (A) was building the ark, the unbelievers laughed at him because there was no water around for the ark to float in. Prophet Nuh (A) ignored their laughs and kept doing what was commanded to him by Allah. We should remember to follow Allah s orders with strength and determination, even if others are laughing at us or making fun of us. If we stick to the truth, Allah will protect us. 1822

23 WORKSHEET 1.7 Prophet Nuh (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Prophet Nuh (A) tried for a long time to show the people the right path. T F 2. Prophet Nuh (A) was Kanan s son. T F 3. People laughed at Prophet Nuh (A) because he was a funny person. T F 4. The Ark landed on Mount Judi. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. What did the people worship? a) They worshipped Allah b) They worshipped idols c) They worshipped Prophet Nuh (A) 2. What is an idol? a) A God b) A person who does not like to work c) A man-made object made of stone or wood that people worship 3. What did Allah command Prophet Nuh (A) to do? a) To build an ark b) To continue preaching to the people c) To go to another town 4. Why did Allah tell Prophet Nuh (A) that Kanan was not really his son? a) Because Kanan was an adopted son. b) Because Kanan was a disbeliever. c) Because Kanan was really his brother. 1923

24 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 1. Why did people in Prophet Nuh s (A) time stop worshipping Allah? 2. How were Prophet Nuh (A) and his followers saved from the flood? 3. The people who believed in Prophet Nuh (A) and went into the Ark were saved from the flood. Those people who rejected Prophet Nuh (A) were drowned. How is the Ark of Prophet Nuh (A) similar to the Ahlul Bayt (A)? 4. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words. 2024

25 ART EXTENSION Make your own ark, just like Prophet Nuh (A) s! Cut out the animals and ark below and fold/glue along the dotted lines. 2125

26 PROPHET HUD (A) A long time ago, within the deserts of Saudi Arabia lived a tribe by the name of Aad. They lived in a place called Ahqaaf, an area between Yemen and Oman. A l m i g h t y A l l a h h a d granted the Tribe of Aad many blessings. They l i v e d i n p e a c e a n d c o m f o r t. T h e y w e re clever and strong people, and had built beautiful cities. In their tribe, no disease existed, and no one got sick. Despite all the favors that Allah had granted them, the people of Aad did not believe in One God, and instead worshipped their stone-carved idols. When anything good happened to them, they would thank their idols, and when they were in trouble, they used to pray to these idols for help. After some years, the tribe of Aad began to lose its unity. The powerful people treated the weak and poor members very badly. To guide these proud and ignorant people, the Merciful Allah sent Prophet Hud (A) to them as their Prophet. lies. O my people, I ask no reward for it (my work), my reward is with Him who created me. Will you not then understand? (11:50) Prophet Hud (A) was from the tribe of Aad itself and was respected because of his noble family and good manners. He was the greatgrandson of Prophet Nuh (A). He was a very patient and kind man and told his people not to worship idols, which they had carved themselves. He informed them that their idols could not do anything for them and pleaded to them to use the mind that Allah had granted them. Prophet Hud (A) explained that there was only one God, Allah, who had created them, given them health and wealth, and made them a powerful nation. He also reminded them of what happened to the idol worshippers during the time of Prophet Nuh (A). Prophet Hud (A) tried hard to make the people understand the error of their ways, but instead of listening to him, they became more stubborn. They asked him why they should listen to him and not follow what their forefathers used to The story of Prophet Hud (A) starts in Surah Hud, Ayah 50 of the Holy Quran: And We sent to the people of Aad their brother Hud, who said, O my people, worship Allah, You have no other god besides He. (As for the idols), you are only inventing 22

27 do. They told him that he was just a man like them a man who ate, drank, slept, and talked like them. They even called him a liar who had lost his senses. The people thus made fun of Prophet Hud (A). His tireless preaching brought him only a few followers. When Prophet Hud (A) warned the people of Aad about the punishment of Allah, they said: Then bring down on us what you have threatened, if you are truthful. (7:70) When the people of Aad invited Allah s punishment with their arrogant words, the rain stopped falling. For three years, there was a terrible drought. During this time, Prophet Hud (A) told the people to be sorry for their actions and seek the forgiveness of Allah before it was too late. However, the people were blind to the truth and continued praying to their idols for rain. Finally, Prophet Hud (A) gave up and said, You can do what you want. I only depend on Allah, my Protector. A t l a s t, t h e punishment of Allah appeared. A large dark c l o u d c a m e. W h e n t h e people of Aad s a w i t, t h e y thought it was going to rain. Instead of rain, a strong and terrible wind came down and uprooted their houses and tossed them into the air. Streaks of lightning began to come d o w n a n d s t r i k e t h e m. T h e violent storm continued for eight days, and by the end of it,the proud people of Aad were totally destroyed. The Holy Quran describes this event: And as for Aad, they were destroyed by a roaring violent blast. He made it rage against them for seven nights and eight days, uprooting, so you would see the people lying like the trunks of hollow palm trees. Do you then see any of them surviving? (69:6-8) At the first sign of the storm, Prophet Hud (A) had gathered his followers and family and taken them to a safe place. They were the only survivors of the terrible punishment from Allah. When the storm was over, Prophet Hud (A) took his companions to a place called Hazramaut, where they spent the rest of their days. 2

28 How does this story relate to our lives today? The people of Aad were very ungrateful for all the blessings that Allah had given them and were eventually destroyed. We should thank Allah for all the blessings in our lives and not complain about things. We can thank Allah by saying Alhamdulillah and we can also thank Allah by worshipping Him and by obeying His commands. The people of Aad worshipped idols, which in their case were carved and wooden, and they forgot about Allah. Anything that can cause us to forget about Allah can be considered an idol for us. Whether it is the TV, video games, or even a good book, if we are forgetting our prayers or other acts of worship to Allah for that thing, then it can be considered an idol. In Surah al-fatiha, we recite, Iyyaka naʿbudu, we Iyyaka nastaʿeen, which means, Only You (Allah) do we worship, and only You do we ask for help. We have to remember this at all times. Let us not forget that it is Allah alone who is worth worshipping and it is Him who is Kind and Beneficial, yet He can also cause misfortune to fall upon us. Sources: 1) Tareekh Notes from London and Vancouver. 2

29 WORKSHEET 1.8 Prophet Hud (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. The tribe of Aad lived in Makkah. T F 2. The tribe of Aad received many blessings. T F 3. During the first punishment, the tribe of Aad asked for forgiveness. T F 4. Prophet Hud (A) and his family and followers were saved from the punishment. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 5. What is the name of the tribe that Prophet Hud (A) was sent to? a) The Tribe of Nuh (A) b) The Tribe of Aad c) The Tribe of Thamud 6. How did the people respond to Prophet Hud s (A) teachings?? a) They called him a liar and made fun of him b) They accepted his teachings and became good people c) They killed him 7. What did the people say after Prophet Hud (A) warned them of the punishment from Allah? a) They asked for forgiveness b) They ran away as quickly as they could c) They arrogantly told Prophet Hud (A) to call on Allah s punishment. 8. Why was the tribe of Aad destroyed? a) Because they became too proud and did not believe and trust in Allah b) Because their idols destroyed them c) Because they killed Prophet Hud (A) 2

30 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences 9. Why was Prophet Hud (A) sent to the tribe of Aad? 10. How were the people of Aad punished? 11. What does Iyyaka naʿbudu, wa Iyyaka nas-taʿeen mean? 12. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words. 2

31 WORKSHEET 1.9: ART EXTENSION What is an Idol? Draw a picture that illustrates what can be considered an idol in the world we live in today. Anything that can cause us to forget about Allah can be considered an idol. Then explain your drawing below and include how a person can avoid such a thing from becoming an idol. 2

32 PROPHET SALEH (A) (SHALEH) After the tribe of Aad had been destroyed by Allah, a new tribe decided to settle in the area of Ahqaf. This new tribe was the tribe of Thamud. The people of Thamud were very strong and worked very hard. They made beautiful gardens and parks and built magnificent buildings. In o r d e r t o p r o t e c t themselves from storms, they built their houses inside the caves of mountains. The people l i v e d i n e a s e a n d comfort. Despite all these blessings, however, they were not thankful to Allah. In fact, they believed that their good life was a result of their own strength, and so they became arrogant as well. Instead of turning to Allah, they turned to their mountain and offered it sacrifices. As a result, Allah the Merciful sent Prophet Saleh (A) to the people of Thamud in order to guide them to the right path. The story of Prophet Saleh (A) starts in Chapter 11, Ayah 61 of the Holy Quran. Like Prophet Hud (A), who was from the tribe of Aad itself, Prophet Saleh was from the tribe of Thamud itself. Prophet Saleh (A) was already respected in his tribe because he was a kindhearted and wise young man. He invited the people to worship only Allah, the Creator. He tried to teach them how useless it was to worship a mountain, which could not harm or help anyone. He reminded them that he was from their own tribe and wanted them to be on the right path. However, the people of Thamud turned a deaf ear to him. They said, O Saleh, we thought you were a sensible man. Why have you started spreading this nonsense around? Do you want us to stop worshipping what our forefathers used to worship? We will never listen to you! They even started calling him a madman and a liar. For many years, Prophet Saleh (A) patiently tried to teach them the truth. He made it clear that he was only guiding them so they could benefit themselves, and he did not want anything from them in return. He said that his reward would come from Allah. He reminded them of the many blessings that Allah had given them. It turned out that a few people started listening to Prophet Saleh (A) and started believing what he told them. Then, a few more people became believers. As the number of believers started to grow, the leaders of the tribe of Thamud became worried. They were afraid that if too many people started believing Prophet Saleh (A), 2

33 then Prophet Saleh (A) might become powerful and overthrow them. As a result, they decided to make Prophet Saleh (A) look weak in front of the people. Therefore, they challenged him to prove his words. They told him that if he was really a Prophet, then he should show them a miracle from Allah which they had never seen before. By the powers of Allah, a huge shecamel appeared out of the side of a mountain. The people had never seen such a camel in their lives. The shecamel was itself a miracle: on one day, it would drink all the water in the town; on the next, it would allow the people to drink the water; and on the day that the she-camel drank all the water, it would give the people as much milk as they wanted. Prophet Saleh (A) told the people, Indeed a clear proof of your Lord has come to you. This she-camel of Allah is a sign for you. Leave it free to roam and eat on Allah s earth and do not harm her; otherwise, you will be overtaken by a painful punishment. This powerful miracle made a lot of people believe the words of Prophet Saleh (A). It also made the leaders of the tribe nervous because they knew that as long as the people could see the she-camel, they would listen to Prophet Saleh (A). Despite the warning from Prophet Saleh (A) to leave the she-camel alone, the leaders of the tribe decided to kill her. After surrounding the she-camel, a man by the name of Qadar struck the animal s neck with his sword and killed it. In reference to this man, our Holy Prophet (S) has said, The wicked person from the olden times is the one who killed the innocent she-camel of Prophet Saleh (A). After killing the camel, the leaders went to Prophet Saleh (A) and arrogantly said, O Saleh! Bring us the punishment if you really are a Prophet. Even after what the people had done to the she-camel, Allah (the Merciful) decided to give the people three more days before he would send down the punishment. Prophet Saleh (A) told the people that they had three days to ask for Allah s forgiveness, but they only laughed at him. A f t e r t h r e e d a y s, P r o p h e t S a l e h ( A ) received a command from Allah to leave the town with his followers. Then, the punishment of Allah came down on the people of Thamud. A great thunderbolt came from the sky and a powerful earthquake shook the town and totally destroyed the buildings and houses. 2

34 People fell down dead, and the fire from the sky turned their bodies into ashes. No one was left alive in the town after that terrible day. When Prophet Saleh (A) saw the tragic end of the people of his own tribe, he turned to their dead bodies and said, O People, I delivered to you the message of Allah and guided you to the right path; you did not listen to me, and now look what has happened to you. How does this story relate to our lives today? Only a few people of the tribe of Thamud actually listened to Prophet Saleh (A). Most of the people decided to ignore the right path. We should remember to walk on the right path, but more importantly, we should stay on that path and not drift away. That is why in Surah al- Fatiha, we say, Ih Dinas Siraat al-mustaqeem, which means, Guide us to the right path. We want Allah not only to guide us onto that path, but also to keep us on that path forever. One of the arguments the people of Thamud made against Prophet Saleh (A) is that they were following the way of their forefathers. Islam teaches us that just doing things and believing things because our parents and forefathers do so is not correct. We have to use our own brain and intellect ( aql) to prove why we believe what we believe. We cannot just use the excuse, Because that is what my parents and forefathers do. This did not work for the people of Thamud and cannot work for us. Arrogance led the leaders of Thamud to bring Allah s punishment down upon their town. They thought that all the blessings they had were because of their own hard work. We should be careful about becoming arrogant and remember that all good comes from Allah. We should humble ourselves before Him and thank Him for all the blessings He has given us. Even after the people of Thamud had acted against what Allah had ordered and killed the she-camel, Allah still gave them 3 days to ask for forgiveness, but they laughed at this and were killed. Allah is very Merciful and loves those who ask for forgiveness when they do something wrong. We should always remember to ask for forgiveness for ourselves, our parents, families, friends, and all believers, because the door to forgiveness is always left open by Allah.

35 WORKSHEET 1.10 Prophet Saleh (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. Prophet Saleh (A) was from the tribe of Aad. T F Prophet Saleh (A) was sent to guide the tribe of Thamud. T F The ark was the miracle of Prophet Saleh (A). T F The leaders of the tribe of Thamud decided to kill the she-camel. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. After the she-camel was killed, Allah sent the punishment three days later because: a) It took three days to get the punishment ready b) Allah decided to let the people enjoy life for three more days before they would die c) Allah gave them a chance to ask for forgiveness in those three days 2. What does Ih Dinas-Siraat al-mustaqeem mean? a) All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds b) The Most Kind, the Most Merciful c) Keep us on the right path 3. What didn t the leaders of the tribe want people to believe in Prophet Saleh (A)? a) The leaders knew Prophet Saleh (A) was a bad person b) The leaders wanted to follow Prophet Saleh (A) alone c) The leaders did not want Prophet Saleh (A) to become powerful and overthrow them 4. What lesson can we learn from this story? a) We should try to help others just like the tribe of Thamud tried to help the she-camel b) We should not be arrogant and stubborn like the tribe of Thamud, otherwise we will also be punished like them c) We should follow the leaders of our community even if they are bad people

36 WORKSHEET 1.11: ART EXTENSION Draw a scene from the story of Prophet Saleh (A). Be careful not to draw the face of the Prophet. Then explain the scene you chose below the drawing. 2

37 PROPHET IBRAHEEM (A) (ABRAHAM) Namrud was the king of Babylon. He was a very powerful king and he told the people to worship him as their god. Since the people were already worshipping idols, they did not mind worshipping Namrud as their god as well. One day, Namrud had a bad dream that left him feeling scared. So, he called all the astrologers to explain the meaning of his dream. The astrologers predicted that a boy was going to be born and he would call all the people towards Allah. Namrud did not want his people to worship Allah, so he ordered his guards to examine all the new born babies carefully to see if they showed any signs of miracles. What he failed to realize was that when Allah wanted to send down a Prophet, nothing could stop Him. By Allah s wish, when Prophet Ibraheem s (A) mother was going to have a baby, nobody found out. To make sure nobody discovered him, she gave birth to Prophet Ibraheem (A) in a cave in the woods. She then covered the entrance of the cave, left him alone there, and prayed to Allah to take care of him. Almighty Allah indeed took care of him. Whenever Prophet Ibraheem (A) was hungry, Allah made milk flow from the fingers of Prophet Ibraheem (A). Thus, Prophet Ibraheem (A) grew up strong and healthy. At the age of 13, he went back to town to live with his mother. Prophet Ibraheem (A) had an uncle by the name of Azar. He carved idols from stones and his sons would sell them to the people. Azar gave the same job to Prophet Ibraheem (A). Prophet Ibraheem (A) would tie the idols and drag them to the market, making them dirty and dusty. Then, he would tell the people in the market to come and buy the idols that were so lifeless and helpless. In this way, he tried to point out to the idol-worshippers that their idols could neither help nor hurt anyone, and could not even defend themselves!. Prophet Ibraheem (A) would talk to the idolworshippers about the Day of Judgment and how people would rise from the dead. Prophet Ibraheem (A) believed Allah could do this, but he wanted to see it with his own eyes. This story is narrated in Surah Baqarah, Ayah 260 of the Holy Quran. Allah told Prophet Ibraheem (A) to catch four birds, cut them up into little pieces, mix their flesh together, divide them into four parts, put each part on the top of a mountain, and then call each one of them so that by the will of Allah, each one of them comes to life again. Prophet Ibraheem (A) did exactly what Allah had told him, and sure enough, the birds came to life and flew back to Prophet Ibraheem (A).

38 After witnessing this great power of Allah, Prophet Ibraheem s (A) heart was even more certain. Prophet Ibraheem (A) started to work on Allah s mission. First, he asked his uncle Azar to worship only Allah, but his uncle became very angry and refused. O my father! Do not worship Iblees, who was disobedient to Allah. O my father! I am afraid that the punishment of Allah might touch you so that you would be Iblees s companion. He (Azar) said, Do you turn against my gods O Ibraheem? If you do not go away, I will stone you. Get away from me for a long while. He (Ibraheem) said, Peace be on you, I will pray to my Lord to forgive you. He is the most gracious to me. (19:44-47) Prophet Ibraheem (A) did not give up at all. Instead, he became more determined to carry out his mission. He continued to show people how illogical it was to worship idols. In Chapter 21, Ayahs of the Holy Quran, there is an incident describing how Prophet Ibraheem (A) showed the people the helplessness of the idols. keeping a watch. There, he took an axe and started breaking idol after idol. Soon, he had broken all the idols except one big one. Prophet Ibraheem (A) spared this idol because it was part of his plan to teach the people a lesson. When the people returned to the town and found their gods lying b r o k e n, t h e y b e c a m e v e r y angry. Since they knew that Prophet Ibraheem (A) was against idol worshipping, they brought him to court and asked him if he had broken the idols. Prophet Ibraheem (A) simply pointed to the big idol that was still standing, and said, Why don t you ask him about it instead? Every year, the people of Namrud used to celebrate a festival, which was held outside the town. All the people, young and old, attended the ceremony, so Prophet Ibraheem (A) took advantage of this situation and stayed behind. He went to the temple where all the idols were kept. There were no guards

39 The people knew that the idol could not speak and felt quite embarrassed. S e i z i n g t h e opportunity to e x p l a i n h o w useless the idols were, Prophet I b r a h e e m ( A ) c o n t i n u e d, Shame on you for worshipping pieces of wood and stone that don t know anything and can neither benefit nor harm you. However, instead of listening to Prophet Ibraheem (A), the people started shouting, Burn him alive! Burn him alive! P r o p h e t Ibraheem (A) put his trust in Allah. By the m i r a c l e o f Allah, the fire became cool and harmless f o r P r o p h e t Ibraheem (A). Namrud and his people watched in amazement as Prophet Ibraheem (A) sat calmly and comfortably in the middle of the fire. They said, Burn him to ashes if you want to help your gods. We (Allah) said, O Fire, be cool and peaceful for Ibraheem. (21:68-69) Namrud decided to burn him. For the next few days, people got busy g a t h e r i n g u p firewood. Soon, there was a big pile of wood, and it was lit to make a huge bonfire. The flames leapt high into the sky and the heat was so intense that no one could go near it. So, Prophet Ibraheem (A) had to be thrown in by a catapult. When Prophet Ibraheem (A) was falling into the fire, Angel Jibraeel asked him whether he needed any help to which the Prophet replied, Let Allah do what is to be done. So, as the chosen friend (Khaleel) of Allah,

40 WORKSHEET 1.12 Prophet Ibraheem (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Azar was the king of Babylon. T F 2. Namrud was the uncle of Prophet Ibraheem (A). T F 3. Almighty Allah took care of Prophet Ibraheem (A) when he was young. T F 4.Prophet Ibraheem (A) was saved by Angel Jibraeel from burning in the fire. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. When Namrud had the dream, what did the astrologers predict? a) That Namrud would have a baby boy b) That a boy was going to be born who would call the people towards Allah c) That Namrud would become king of Babylon 2. After Prophet Ibraheem (A) had broken all the idols, what did Namrud decide to do? a) He decided to send Prophet Ibraheem (A) to Palestine b) He decided to make Prophet Ibraheem (A) fix all the idols c)he decided to burn Prophet Ibraheem (A) in a big fire 3. Why did Prophet Ibraheem (A) not ask Angel Jibraeel to help him. a) Because Angel Jibraeel could not do anything b) Because Prophet Ibraheem (A) put his trust in Allah c) Because Prophet Ibraheem (A) wore fire-proof clothes

41 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 1. How did Allah show Prophet Ibraheem (A) that He had the power to raise people from the dead? 2. Why did Prophet Ibraheem (A) spare one big idol instead of destroying them all? 3. What happened when Prophet Ibraheem (A) was thrown into the fire?

42 PROPHET IBRAHEEM (A) PART 2 After the event of the fire, Namrud called for Prophet Ibraheem (A) and asked him, Who is your Lord? Is there any lord other than me? Prophet Ibraheem (A) replied, My Lord is the One that gives life and causes death. To this, Namrud said, I can also give life and cause death. If I send for two prisoners who have been condemned to death, and spare one and get the other killed, then it will be the same as giving one life and causing one to die. Prophet Ibraheem (A) replied to this, No, you are only right if you are able to bring back the dead one to life. Anyway, my Lord makes the sun rise in the east. If you are so powerful, make it rise from the west. Namrud could not give a reply to this and instead he ordered Prophet Ibraheem (A) to leave his kingdom. Prophet Ibraheem (A) thus took his family and left for Baytul Muqqaddas in Palestine. On his journey, he came across some people who worshipped the stars. When Prophet Ibraheem (A) came to know of this, he decided to invite them towards the right path. This story is narrated in Chapter 6, verse 77 of the Holy Quran. Prophet Ibraheem (A) decided to stay with the star worshippers. When it was night time, Prophet Ibraheem (A) saw the stars and said to the star worshippers, This star is my Lord. After a while, the star faded away and Prophet Ibraheem (A) said, I cannot love a lord that fades away. Then, the moon came up and Prophet Ibraheem (A) said, This is my lord, it is bigger than the star. Soon, the moon disappeared too, and Prophet Ibraheem (A) said, If my Lord is not going to lead me, I will be misguided. In the morning, the sun came out and Prophet Ibraheem (A) said, This is my lord, it is the biggest of all stars. In the evening though, the sun disappeared, and he said, I am sick of these ever changing creations. Without doubt, I turn my face towards the Lord who created the stars, the moon, the sun, the heavens, and the earth and I worship only Him. This is how Prophet Ibraheem (A) tried to show everyone the right path instead of the wrong one. In the last verse of Surah al-fatiha, Allah tells us what path is the right path and what the wrong one is. We say, Siraat al-ladheena an- ʿamta ʿalayhim; ghayril maghdhoobi alayhim, wa lad-dhaalleen, which means, Keep us on the path of those upon whom You (Allah) have given Your blessings; not the path of those You are angry with, nor of those who have gone astray. Prophet Ibraheem (A) was a man who was blessed by Allah, and so he was on the right path. Namrud, the idol worshippers, and the star worshippers were people who had gone astray, and so their path was the wrong one. After trying to show the star worshippers the right path, Prophet Ibraheem (A), his wife Sarah and her maid Hajirah continued the

43 journey to Palestine. Hajirah was a good woman. She worked very hard and never failed in her duty. Sarah could not have any children so she suggested that Prophet Ibraheem (A) marry Hajirah and maybe Allah would give them a child. When Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Hajirah did marry, Allah blessed them with a son, Prophet Ismaʿeel (A). Oh Ibraheem, does a friend refuse an invitation to meet his friend? However by Allah s grace, five years later Sarah also had a son, Prophet Ishaaq (A). Prophet Ibraheem (A) is thus called the father of the Prophets because from his son, Prophet Ismaʿeel (A), came the Arab Prophets, including the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S); and from his other son, Prophet Ishaaq (A) who by Allah s grace was born 5 years later to Sarah, came the Hebrew Prophets (A), including Prophet Isa (A). Khaleelullah The title of Prophet Ibraheem (A) was Khaleelullah, which means, Friend of Allah. When the time came for his death, he told the Angel who had come to take his soul, Does a friend take the soul of his friend? He meant that Allah should not order Prophet Ibraheem (A) s death because he was His friend. The Angel of death could not answer this question, so he returned to Allah. Allah told the Angel to go back to Prophet Ibraheem (A) and say,

44 Prophet Ibraheem (A) Prophet Ishaaq (A) Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) Hebrew Prophets (A) Arab Prophets (A) Prophet Isa (A) Prophet Muhammad (S) How does this story relate to our lives today? When Prophet Ibraheem (A) was about to be thrown in the fire, he told Angel Jibraeel that he had complete trust in Allah and what Allah has decreed. The fire became cool for Prophet Ibraheem (A). We should put our complete trust in Allah and know that Allah is the best of planners. We should try our hardest to be on the right path and know that Allah will take care of us.

45 WORKSHEET 1.13 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Sarah was the wife of Prophet Ibraheem (A). T F 2. Prophet Ibraheem (A) is known as the Father of the African Prophets. T F 3. Prophet Ibraheem (A) is known as Khaleelullah. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. What happened when the king of the Arab country reached out to touch Sarah? a) Prophet Ibraheem (A) hit the king b) The king s hand froze like a piece of wood c) A huge lightning bolt struck the king and his body was turned into ashes 2. The maid given by the king of the Arab country to Prophet Ibraheem (A) was? a) Hajirah b) Bilqis c) Sarah 3. Siraat al-ladheena an- Amta Alayhim; Ghayril Maghdhoobi Alayhim, wa lad- D h a a l l e e n means: a) All thanks is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds b) The path of those upon whom You (Allah) have given Your blessings; not the path of those You are angry with, nor of those who have gone astray c) Only You (Allah) do we worship, and only You do we ask for help 4. Why did the star worshippers worship the sun? a) Because they thought it was the greatest force in the world b) Because they liked the shape of the sun c) Because Prophet Ibraheem (A) told them to

46 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 1. How did Prophet Ibraheem (A) show that Namrud was not really a god? 2. How did Prophet Ibraheem (A) show the star worshippers that they were wrong in worshipping the stars, the moon, and the sun? 3. What does Khaleelullah mean? 4. Why is Prophet Ibraheem (A) known as the father of the Prophets? 5. How does the story of Prophet Ibraheem (A) relate to our lives today?explain in your own words. 2

47 PROPHET ISMAʿEEL (A) (ISHMAEL) When Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) was born, Prophet Ibraheem (A) was overjoyed and spent his time loving and caring for his son. Sarah became a little sad when she saw this because she still did not have any children of her own. Prophet Ibraheem (A) asked for Allah s help, and Allah told him to take Hajirah and their son away to a far away place. Since this was the command of Allah, Prophet Ibraheem (A) took Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel ( A ) o n a l o n g j o u r n e y. T h e y stopped in a valley b e t w e e n t w o hills, which later became known as Makkah. There was nothing but sand, stones, and hills everywhere. Allah ordered Prophet Ibraheem (A) to leave Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) there and return to Palestine alone. It was not easy, but Prophet Ibraheem (A) obeyed Allah s command and left. As he was leaving, H a j i r a h a s k e d, O Ibraheem, in whose care are you leaving us here? Prophet Ibraheem (A) replied, I leave you in the care of Allah who saved me from Namrud s fire. Hajirah said, Then I shall rely upon Allah to look after me and my child. Hajirah had learned to trust and depend on Allah and was confident she would be fine. Soon, the food and water ran out, and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) started crying because he was hungry. Hajirah looked at the hill of Marwah and saw a mirage of water on the hill. She ran to Marwah, but found no water. She looked at the opposite hill of Safa and saw water there. She ran to Safa, but found no water there either. She ran back and forth between the hills seven times before she returned, sad and tired, to her son. Just then, Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) kicked his heal on the ground, and suddenly, water started gushing out. This was a miracle of Allah, later known as the well of Zam-Zam, w h i c h c o n t i n u e s t o provide water to this day! The stream attracted many birds, animals, and plants. Through His Mercy, Allah provided food and water to Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A). Year after year, the miraculous well attracted more and more people to come and settle there. Soon, it became a flourishing town. Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) grew up here and was thirteen when Prophet Ibraheem (A) came to visit him.

48 One night during this visit, Prophet Ibraheem (A) had a dream that he was sacrificing his beloved son for Allah. He was a little confused. He had the same dream again on the next day. On the third night, when he again saw the dream, he was convinced that it was a command from Allah. Prophet Ibraheem (A) told Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) about the dream. Showing great faith and loyalty to Allah, Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) asked his father to carry out Allah s command: And when (Ismaʿeel) became Baaligh, he (Ibraheem) said, O my son! I saw in a dream that I am sacrificing you. What is your view? He (Ismaʿeel) said, O father! Do as you have been commanded. If Allah wills, you will find me from the patient ones. (37:102) Prophet Ibraheem (A) was already prepared to obey Allah s command because his loyalty to Allah was even stronger than his love for his son. So, Prophet Ibraheem (A) and his son set off to a place called Mina to carry out Allah s command. At a cross-road, they met a man who asked them where they were going. When Prophet Ibraheem (A) explained, the man tried to stop him from carrying out Allah s command. Prophet Ibraheem (A) knew at once that the man was Iblees in disguise. Both father and son picked up stones and threw them at the man until they got rid of him. As they walked on, they met another man who also tried to persuade them to forget Allah s command. This man was also Iblees in disguise, but Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) knew that, so they stoned him too. As they continued on for the third time, they met yet another man. This, too, was Iblees in disguise, who again tempted them not to carry out Allah s command. They stoned this man as well. Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) had faced Iblees three times on their way to Mina, but they still were able to stay on the right path. This was one of the many tests that they had successfully passed. Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) finally arrived at Mina. Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) told his father to blindfold himself so that he would not suffer any pain looking at his son s throat b e i n g c u t. P ro p h e t Ibraheem (A) prayed to Allah, and with his blindfold on, he cut t h e t h r o a t o f h i s sacrifice. W h e n P r o p h e t Ibraheem (A) opened his blindfold, he saw his son Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) standing at a distance smiling. Allah mentions this in the Quran: And We called out to him, O Ibraheem, indeed you have proven your dream true. This is how We pay back people who do good. Indeed this was a clear trial, and We ransomed him with a Great Sacrifice. And We

49 gave (this blessing) to one from the later t i m e s. " P e a c e b e u p o n Ibraheem. (37: ) So if he did not slaughter his son, what did he slaughter? It was a sheep! This was the miracle of Allah. Allah saved Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) and blessed the family of Prophet Ibraheem (A). We celebrate this sacrifice every year on the day of Eid al-adha. Allah made the actions of Prophet Ibraheem (A) and his family Wajib for all Muslims. Thus, when we go for Hajj, we walk between Safa and Marwah seven times just as Hajirah did. In Mina, we stone the three pillars that represent Iblees, who tried to stop Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) from carrying out the command of Allah. Finally, in Mina, we slaughter a s h e e p i n t h e memory of Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel s (A) sacrifice. Later on in life, Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) rebuilt the Holy Kaʿbah as c o m m a n d e d b y Allah. How does this story relate to our lives today? Prophet Ibraheem (A) loved his son, Prophet Isama eel (A), very much. However, Allah commanded that Prophet Ibraheem (A) send Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) away to Makkah. Prophet Ibraheem s (A) love for Allah was greater than anything, so he followed Allah s commands. We have many things that we love, but we should remember that loving Allah is most important and we must always follow His commands. For example, we may love a favorite TV show, but if it is time for prayer, we should follow Allah s command and pray first. We should always put Allah first, like Prophet Ibraheem (A). On their way to perform the sacrifice commanded by Allah, Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) encountered Iblees three times, and he tried to keep the Prophets from carrying out Allah s command. Each time, the Prophets resisted Iblees and went on to fulfill Allah s command. Iblees is always whispering in the ears of those who are trying to do the right thing. We should fight Iblees and do the right thing. For example, your mother may call you to help her with something, but as you stand up to help her, you suddenly feel tired and just want to relax in your room. Allah has commanded us to please our parents, but Iblees is whispering that your relaxation is more important. You should ignore Iblees and happily go help your mother. Then you have beat Iblees.

50 WORKSHEET 1.14 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. The mother of Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) was Sarah. T F The father of Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) was Prophet Ibraheem (A). F Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) was commanded to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ibraheem (A). F T T The man who stopped Prophet Ibraheem (A) was Iblees in disguise T F The well in Makkah is called the well of Zam-zam. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 6. Why did Prophet Ibraheem (A) marry Hajirah? a) Because Sarah could not have children b) Because Sarah was a bad lady c) Because he wanted to 7. Prophet Ibraheem (A) took Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) to a far away place that later became known as... a) Medina b) Makkah c) Kuwait 8. Hajirah ran back and forth between two hills. What were their names? a) Makkah and Medina b) Mina and Hira c) Safa and Marwah 9. Which one of the following did Prophet Ibraheem (A) and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) build? a) The Ark b) The Kaʿbah c) The Idols.

51 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 10. How did Hajirah and Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) get water when they were left alone in the middle of the desert? 11. What happened when Prophet Ibraheem (A) cut the throat of his sacrifice? 12. Describe three things that we do during Hajj, which were done by Prophet Ibraheem (A) and his family. 13. Explain two ways in which Prophet Ibraheem (A) had been tested. 14. How does the story of Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

52 PROPHET AYYUB (A) (JOB) Prophet Ayyub (A) was the grandson of Prophet Ishaaq (A). He was married to a lady by the name of Rahmah, who was the daughter of Prophet Yusuf (A). Allah gave Prophet Ayyub (A) many blessings. He was a wealthy man with a large flock of sheep and a lot of land. He had many children and was very well respected by his people. Prophet Ayyub (A) was generous with his wealth as well. He took care of orphans and provided food for the poor. For all his blessings, Prophet Ayyub (A) continuously thanked Allah. After seeing how much Prophet Ayyub (A) used to worship Allah, Iblees tried to lead him away from the right path. Since he was dealing with a Prophet, Iblees requested Allah for power over Prophet Ayyub s (A) affairs and said, O Allah, while Ayyub enjoys your blessings, he remains thankful to you. But give me control over his affairs and I will make him turn away from you. Allah was fully aware of the patience of Prophet Ayyub (A), but as a trial for His Prophet and as a lesson for mankind, he granted Iblees s request. Iblees came down to earth and destroyed all of Prophet Ayyub s (A) animals and property. He even killed his children! Despite these great misfortunes, though, Prophet Ayyub (A) never lost faith in Allah. In fact, he began to worship Him even more than before. When Iblees saw that his plans were not working, he tried something else. He took away Prophet Ayyub s (A) good health and made him suffer a terrible disease. When the people saw this, they started believing that Prophet Ayyub (A) must have committed a big sin and was being punished by Allah. So, they started avoiding him. Eventually, he was told to leave town. Prophet Ayyub (A) began to live in the wilderness and spent his time praying to Allah. His only companion was his faithful wife, Rahmah, who supported both both of them by working in people s houses. Sometimes, poor people who suffered from great diseases would come and ask Prophet Ayyub (A) to pray to Allah to relieve them of their sufferings. Prophet Ayyub (A) would pray to Allah, and his prayers would be accepted. The people would be cured of their disease. When they asked him why he did not pray for himself, Prophet Ayyub (A) replied, I have enjoyed Allah s blessing for 80 years, and it would be very ungrateful of me to start complaining now just because I have been put in some distress for a little while. Seven years passed and Iblees watched helplessly as Prophet Ayyub (A) remained devoted in his love for Allah. Finally, Iblees

53 decided that he would test Prophet Ayyub s patience through his wife. So, one day, Iblees came in the form of a human being to Rahmah and told her that he was a doctor who could c u r e h e r h u s b a n d o f h i s t e r r i b l e disease.rahmah was excited since she hated to see her husband in so much pain. However, Iblees said that he would only cure Prophet Ayyub (A) on one condition: when Prophet Ayyub (A) was cured, he should say that it was him that cured Prophet Ayyub (A) and not Allah. Rahmah wanted to see h e r h u s b a n d w e l l again, so she went to h e r h u s b a n d a n d s u g g e s t e d t h i s treatment to him. Prophet Ayyub (A) instantly realized what had happened. He knew that the doctor was really Iblees in disguise. Finally, Prophet Ayyub (A) turned to Allah and complained about Iblees s repeated efforts to misguide him. Allah accepted the prayers of Prophet Ayyub (A) and cured him of all his troubles. The Holy Quran says: Remember Our servant Ayyub, when he cried to his Lord, Truly, Iblees has afflicted me with pain and distress. (We said), Stamp on the ground with your foot - this stream is for you to wash with, and a cool and refreshing drink. We gave him back his family and more like them, as a grace from Us, and a reminder to those who understand. (38: 41-42) Prophet Ayyub (A) struck the ground with his foot and a stream of water came out. When he w a s h e d himself with the water, he saw that his s i c k n e s s disappeared a n d h e r e t u r n e d t o n o r m a l. Rahmah, who had spent so much time worried about him, was amazed to see him so well. Allah then restored Prophet Ayyub (A) to his former status. He was blessed with many children and more followers than he had before. How does this story relate to our lives today? Even though Prophet Ayyub (A) had a lot of wealth, he remained thankful to Allah and spent it in a good way to help others. Money should never be treated as greater than Allah. We should remember that money is only granted to us with the permission of Allah, and we should not be so attached to money that we forget about Allah. The patience of Prophet Ayyub (A) is a great lesson for us. Even when he was suffering, he was not bitter and was content with the will of Allah. Whenever we are in difficulty, we should remember the story of Prophet Ayyub (A) and be patient and never lose our faith in Allah. Prophet Ayyub (A) remained grateful for everything that he was given, even after it was taken away. We should always remember to thank Allah for the blessings we have and have had and not complain.

54 WORKSHEET 1.15 Prophet Ayyub (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. Prophet Ayyub (A) was the son of Prophet Yusuf (A). T F Rahmah was the wife of Prophet Ayyub (A). T F Iblees destroyed all of Prophet Ayyub (A) s animals, property, and children. T F Prophet Ayyub (A) never lost his faith in Allah. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 5. What did the people do after they saw Prophet Ayyub (A) with his terrible disease? a) They looked for doctors all over the land that might be able to help him b) They forced him to leave the town c) They killed him so as to relieve him of his suffering 6. How long did Prophet Ayyub (A) suffer his hardships? a) 7 years b) 80 years c) 10 years 7. How was Prophet Ayyub (A) cured of his disease? a) The people found a doctor to cure Prophet Ayyub (A) b) Prophet Ayyub (A) agreed to Iblees s condition, and so Iblees cured him c) Prophet Ayyub stomped his foot on the ground, and a spring gushed forth; when he washed himself with that water, he was cured by Allah

55 Short-Answer Questions: Answer in complete sentences. 8. What offer did Iblees make to Rahmah? 9. When the poor people asked Prophet Ayyub (A) why he did not pray for himself, what did he say? 10. How did Iblees try to tempt Prophet Ayyub (A) and Rahmah to lose faith in Allah? 11. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

56 PROPHET YUNUS (A) (JONAS) Prophet Yunus (A) was sent by Allah to the people of Nineveh (Babylon) to guide them to the right path. The people of Nineveh were idol worshippers, and although Prophet Yunus (A) tried night and day to explain to them how useless their worship was, they did not accept his advice. They said to him, You are a liar. Our forefathers have always worshipped these idols and we will do the same. Still, Prophet Yunus (A) tried to convince the people for a long time to worship One God. He even warned them of Allah s punishment if they continued in their sinful ways, but they refused to give up their idol worshipping. At last, Prophet Yunus (A) became frustrated with these stubborn people. He walked out of their town and asked Allah to send His punishment on them. However, Prophet Yunus (A) had left his people without permission of Allah. After Prophet Yunus (A) left, the signs of Allah s punishment appeared over Nineveh. A huge cloud came over the whole area and the land was filled with darkness. The people immediately realized that they were about to be punished for their sins. A wise man from amongst them advised them to ask for Allah s forgiveness at once, before they were all destroyed. All the people young and old, men and women came out of their homes and sincerely begged Allah to forgive them. Allah accepted their prayers and withdrew His punishment. Meanwhile, Prophet Yunus (A) had gone a long distance and had reached the sea. There, he saw some people in a big boat that was ready to sail. He asked for permission to join them. Since he looked like a very respectable person, the passengers of the boat cheerfully welcomed him on board. In the sea, the boat was suddenly caught up in a heavy storm. In those times, sailors thought that bad luck happened on the sea if there was a bad person on board. So, they drew names to find out who this bad person was. The first time, Prophet Yunus (A) was picked, but since he was considered to be a respectable person, they drew names again. When Prophet Yunus (A) was picked a second time, they had no choice but to throw him overboard. At that moment, Prophet Yunus (A) realized his mistake in walking out on his people without waiting for the command of Allah. He knew that his present problems were due to that mistake, but he trusted in the Wisdom of Allah and jumped into the stormy sea. Allah commanded a large fish to swallow P r o p h e t Yu n u s ( A ). P r o p h e t Y u n u s ( A ) suddenly found himself in the stomach of the fish, and he lay there, f r i g h t e n e d b u t unharmed. 2

57 The Holy Quran says: Truly Yunus was one of the messengers. When he abandoned his people and sailed away in a full ship. The people cast lots and he was thrown into the water. The whale swallowed him up and he deserved this. Had he not glorified Allah, he would certainly have remained inside the fish until the Day of Judgment. (37: ) Prophet Yunus (A) spent several days and nights inside the whale while it swam across the sea. In the darkness of its stomach, Prophet Yunus (A) prayed to Allah to forgive him for his mistake, and his prayers were finally accepted. The Holy Quran says: He [Prophet Yunus (A)] cried out from the darkness: There is no god but You. Glory be to You. Verily I was of the unjust. Then We responded to him and saved him from his grief. Thus do we save the faithful believers. (21:87-88) In these verses, Allah tells us something very important. No matter what happens to us, we should always remain faithful to Allah. As long as we re one of the faithful believers of Allah, he will save us like he saved Prophet Yunus (A). The whale that Prophet Yunus (A) was in went to the seashore and let him out safely onto the shore. Prophet Yunus (A) s body was badly hurt by the acids inside the whale, so Allah caused a plant to grow whose leaves healed Prophet Yunus (A) and whose fruits fed him. Soon, Prophet Yunus (A) had regained his health and he was commanded to return to Nineveh. When he went back, he was amazed to see that the people had given up their idol worshipping and were worshipping Allah. His people welcomed him and he spent the rest of his life preaching and leading them on the right path. How does this story relate to our lives today? Prophet Yunus (A) tried for a very long time to convince the people their idol worshiping was wrong and that they should worship Allah alone. Yet, the people refused to listen because they were stubborn. Stubbornness is when someone refuses to change his/her attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons. We should remember to listen to good advice and refuse to be stubborn. Being stubborn can keep people off of the right path and displease Allah. When Prophet Yunus (A) was in the fish, he realized that leaving the town without Allah s permission was wrong, and he immediately asked for Allah s forgiveness. We may make mistakes in life, but it is important that we realize we made a mistake and ask Allah for forgiveness. Allah loves those who ask for forgiveness.

58 WORKSHEET 1.16 Prophet Yunus (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. The people of Nineveh worshipped one God. T F The people did not listen to Prophet Yunus (A) at first. T F Prophet Yunus (A) walked away from the people of Nineveh after asking Allah s permission. T F Prophet Yunus (A) is alive today inside the belly of a whale. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. Prophet Yunus (A) was sent to the people of: a) Nineveh b) Aad c) Thamud 2. Why was Prophet Yunus (A) thrown out of the boat? a) Because he was too heavy b) Because when the people cast the lots, it fell on him c) Because the people did not like him 3. How did Prophet Yunus (A) get healed after he came out of the fish? a) Allah sent a doctor from Nineveh to take care of him b) Allah caused a plant to grow, whose leaves healed him c) Prophet Yunus (A) struck the ground, Allah caused a spring to form, and the water helped heal him

59 Short-Answer Questions Answer the questions in complete sentences. 1. Why didn t the people of Nineveh listen to Prophet Yunus (A) at first? What was their argument and why was it wrong? 2. What mistake did Prophet Yunus (A) make? 3. How were the people of Nineveh saved from Allah s punishment? 4. What did Prophet Yunus (A) cry out to Allah while he was in the whale? 5. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

60 ART EXTENSION Create a whale, just like the one that swallowed Prophet Yunus (A). Instructions: 1. Color the two fish on the next page. 2. Cut out the two fish. 3. On the top part of Fish 1 (above the teeth), write the Duʿa that Prophet Yunus (A) recited that allowed him to get out of the fish. 4. Glue Part 2B onto part Using a brad clip, attach Part 2A to the top of the fish.

61 1 2A 2B

62 PROPHET YAʿQUB (A) (JACOB) Prophet Ishaaq (A) was the younger son of Prophet Ibraheem (A). His mother was Sarah, who by the miracle of Allah, was able to bear a child even in her old age. Prophet Ishaaq (A) married a lady by the name of Rafqa, and they were blessed with twin sons, Isu and Prophet Yaʿqub (A). blessed with many children. From his earlier marriages, he had ten sons. From his marriage to Raheel, he was blessed with two more sons, Benyameen (Benjamin) and Prophet Yusuf (A). Together, the twelve sons b e c a m e f a m o u s l y k n o w n a s t h e Grandchildren of Ishaaq. Prophet Ibraheem (A) Raheel Prophet Yaʿqub (A) Other wives Sarah Prophet Yaʿqub (A) Prophet Ishaaq (A) Isu Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) Hajirah Prophet Yusuf (A) and Benyameen Ten sons Prophet Yaʿqub (A) was loved very much by his parents, which made his twin brother jealous. To prevent trouble between the brothers, Prophet Ishaaq (A) advised Prophet Yaʿqub (A) to migrate (or move) from their home in Palestine to a place in Iraq where the uncle of Prophet Yaʿqub (A) used to live. Prophet Yaʿqub (A) agreed to move to Iraq and began working for his uncle. In return for his work, he was allowed to marry his uncle s daughter, Raheel. After his work was over, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) left with his family and returned back to Palestine. In Palestine, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) sent presents to his brother, Isu, to show that he wanted to be friends again. Isu accepted the gifts and welcomed his brother warmly. Soon, the hatred between the two brothers was over. Prophet Yaʿqub (A) decided to make his home in the land of Syria. There, he was Raheel died when she was young, and therefore, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) always regarded their sons Benyameen, and especially Prophet Yusuf, (A) with great fondness. He loved them very dearly. When Prophet Yusuf (A) was around twelve years old, he dreamt that eleven stars and the sun and moon were prostrating (doing Sajdah) to him. When he told his father about his dream, though, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) realized that the dream predicted the great future of Prophet Yusuf (A). He immediately advised his son not to tell his brothers about the dream. The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (A) were jealous of Prophet Yusuf (A), not only because they saw that their father loved him more, but also because Prophet Yusuf (A) was a very handsome boy. As time went by, they became more and more jealous. Soon, one of the

63 brothers proposed to kill Prophet Yusuf (A). Another one, however, suggested that they throw him in a well, in which case some travelers passing by would pick him up and take him to a far away place. In this way, they would not be guilty of murder. Once the plot was formed, the brothers went to their father and asked them if Prophet Yusuf (A) could go with them when they took their goats for grazing. At first, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) refused. He loved his son so much that he did not want anything to happen to him. However, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) finally agreed to let Prophet Yusuf (A) go. As they had planned, the brothers took Prophet Yusuf (A) far away from home, and threw him into a dry well. Then, they took Prophet Yusuf (A) s shirt and stained it with the blood of a goat. When they got back home, they went to their father and sadly explained to him that while they were grazing their sheep, a wolf came and ate Prophet Yusuf (A). They showed their father the bloodstained shirt as well. How does this story relate to our lives today? Many of Prophet Yusuf s (A) sons were jealous of Prophet Yusuf (A) which made them do something very bad. In the end, Allah saved Prophet Yusuf (A) because Allah is the best of planners. We should realize that everyone has been given different blessings from Allah and that being jealous will only hurt ourselves. We should learn to be happy with whatever Allah has given us and not want what others have, because the feeling of jealousy can lead us to do bad things that Allah will be displeased with. Prophet Yaʿqub (A) was very sad that his beloved son, Prophet Yusuf (A), was not with him anymore. But he did not believe the story that his sons had told him. Instead, he remained patient and waited for Allah to reunite him with his beloved son.

64 WORKSHEET 1.17 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. Prophet Ishaaq (A) was the son of Prophet Ibraheem (A). T F The mother of Prophet Ishaaq (A) was Hajirah. T F Raheel was the wife of Prophet Yaʿqub (A). T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. Prophet Yaʿqub (A) was the son of: a) Prophet Ismaʿeel (A) b) Prophet Ishaaq (A) c) Prophet Ibraheem (A) 2. How many sons did Prophet Yaʿqub (A) have? a) 8 b) 10 c) What did Prophet Yaʿqub (A) get in return when working for his uncle? a) He got to marry his uncle s daughter, Raheel. b) He got a lot of money to spend. c) He got a lifetime job with his uncle.

65 Short-Answer Questions answer the questions in complete sentences. 1. How did Prophet Yaʿqub (A) know that Prophet Yusuf (A) would have a great future? 2. Why were the brothers of Prophet Yusuf (A) jealous of him? 3. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words. 4. Fill in the family tree of Prophet Ibraheem (A) to the sons of Prophet Yaʿqub (A). Sarah Prophet Ibraheem (A) Hajirah Prophet Yaʿqub (A) Isu Raheel His other

66 PROPHET YUSUF (A) (JOSEPH) Prophet Yusuf (A) Comes to Egypt Prophet Yusuf (A) was discovered by a caravan of traders that were passing by and had stopped to get some water. They took him with them to Egypt and sold him to some slave traders for a few pieces of silver. The Governor of Egypt, who w a s c a l l e d t h e A z i z, o f f e r e d a p r i c e t h a t none could m a t c h a n d brought Prophet Yusuf (A) home to adopt him as a son. Prophet Yusuf (A) Sent to Jail After some time, unfortunately, Prophet Yusuf (A) was accused of plotting against the king and sent to prison. On that same day, two other men were also imprisoned on the accusation of trying to poison the king. One used to serve the king wine, while the other was the royal cook. The next day, the wine-server said to Prophet Yusuf (A), I saw in a dream that I was crushing grapes to make wine for the king. The cook said, I had a dream that I was carrying some bread in a basket on my head and birds were pecking at the bread. Both men felt that perhaps Prophet Yusuf (A) could interpret their dreams. Prophet Yusuf (A) took this opportunity to preach the religion of Allah to his prison companions. He promised to tell them the meaning of their dreams and informed them that this was a special power given to him by Allah. He explained to them how pointless it was to believe in more than one god. Finally, he said, O my prison-mates! The man who dreamt that he was crushing grapes will soon be released from here and will go back to his old job of serving wine for the king. The second one, who carried the bread on his head in the dream, will be killed and the birds will start to eat his brain. Prophet Yusuf (A) told the wine-server to remind the king that Prophet Yusuf (A) was still in prison. The dreams of both men came true just as Prophet Yusuf (A) had predicted. One of the prisoners was released while the other was hanged. Unfortunately, the wine-server forgot to tell the king about Prophet Yusuf (A), and so, Prophet Yusuf (A) had to stay in prison for a few more years. Prophet Yusuf (A) Released from Jail One day, the king told his advisors that he dreamt that seven fat cows were being eaten by seven thin ones. He asked his advisors to tell him the meaning of the dream, but none of them knew how to interpret dreams. The king was very concerned about the meaning of his dream and even his wise advisors could not make sense of it. 2

67 As soon as the wine-server heard about the dream, he remembered Prophet Yusuf (A). He also remembered what Prophet Yusuf (A) had told him to tell the king. So. he went to the king and told him about Prophet Yusuf (A). The kind called Prophet Yusuf (A) and asked him to interpret the dream. He told the king, For seven years there will be many crops and food available for the people of Egypt. After that, there will be a famine for seven years in which no food will grow and people will starve. Therefore, people should try to grow and store as much extra grain as possible so that they will be able to survive during the years of famine. After hearing this very wise interpretation of his dream, the king was delighted. He ordered that Prophet Yusuf (A) be released at once. Not only that, but the king gave Prophet Yusuf (A) a very high position. He became the Aziz (Governor) of Egypt, and his duties included being in charge of the food and money of Egypt. He began his duties right away and started to work on making sure that when the famine arrived, nobody would starve. Prophet Yusuf (A) as the Aziz of Egypt For the first seven years, Prophet Yusuf (A) gave his people a little portion of the grain and stored the rest in very big store-houses. By the time the seven years were over, the storehouses were full. During the next seven years, there was a famine in which the earth became very dry, and very little food grew. However, because of the planning of Prophet Yusuf (A), t h e p e o p l e i n E g y p t d i d n o t starve. The famine also spread to other lands, such as Kanaan, where Prophet Yaʿqub (A) lived with his sons. One day, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) called his sons and said, My sons! We are in need of food. You may go to the Aziz of Egypt who is known as a kind person, and he will sell you food. Let Benyameen stay with me so I won t be alone. As commanded by their father, the brothers of Prophet Yusuf (A) set off for Egypt to purchase grain. The First Journey to Egypt When Prophet Yusuf (A) saw his brothers in Egypt, he was very pleased to see them. They did not recognize him, but he recognized them. However, he did not reveal who he was. Prophet Yusuf (A) was disappointed not to see his real brother, Benyameen, and asked his brothers to tell him about themselves. They introduced themselves and told him about their father and mother. Prophet Yusuf (A) was relieved to hear that his father, Prophet Yaʿqub (A), was still alive. Prophet Yusuf (A) sold them some grain, but instead of keeping the money, he secretly put it back into their bags so that they would have

68 some money to come back to buy more grain. He told them that when they came again, they should bring their little brother with them; otherwise, he would not sell them any more grain. When the brothers came back home, they told their father about the kindness of the Aziz and were delighted to see their money when they opened their bags. The Second Journey to Egypt After some time, Prophet Yaʿqub s (A) family was out of grain again, and the brothers had to go back to Egypt to get more. However, they could not go without Benyameen, so they tried to convince their father to let him come with them. Prophet Yaʿqub (A) was hesitant at first, but after he made his sons swear by Allah that they would look after Benyameen at all times, he agreed. When they reached Egypt, Prophet Yusuf (A) was extremely happy to see his younger brother and invited all of them to have dinner with him. Later, he let them all stay at his own house and asked Benyameen to sleep in his room. During the night, Prophet Yusuf (A) told Benyameen who he really was. However, he asked Benyameen not to tell their brothers his real identity. Prophet Yusuf (A) wanted Benyameen to stay there with him, and so with Allah s help, they made a plan. The brothers prepared for their journey home. Meanwhile, according to the command of Allah, Prophet Yusuf (A) carried out his plan to keep Benyameen with him. He ordered his men to put a silver cup belonging to the king in Benyameen s bag. The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (A) had not gone very far before they were stopped and accused of stealing the silver cup. The brothers said that they were innocent, but after the guards had searched their bags, they found the cup in Benyameen s bag. So, Benyameen was not allowed to go back home.the brothers pleaded to Prophet Yusuf (A) to take any one of them instead of Benyameen, but Prophet Yusuf (A) said that he could not take anyone who was not guilty. The brothers had no choice but to return to their father without Benyameen. The eldest brother could not face telling his father the terrible news, so he remained in Egypt.

69 The Third Journey to Egypt: When the brothers returned home and told Prophet Yaʿqub (A) what had happened, he was heartbroken. He had already lost his eyesight from crying so much over Prophet Yusuf (A). Now hearing how his other son, Benyameen, had been taken away was too much for him to bear. So, he sent his sons back to Egypt to look for both Prophet Yusuf (A) and Benyameen. The brothers went back to Egypt, and asked Prophet Yusuf (A) to release Benyameen. Prophet Yusuf (A) knew that it was time to reveal his identity. He reminded his brothers how badly they had treated their brother Yusuf. The brothers were amazed to hear this. Prophet Yusuf (A) then said, I am Yusuf, and this is my brother. Allah had been gracious to me. Anyone who is patient during hardships is always rewarded by Allah. H e t h e n g a v e h i s brothers his shirt and told them to cover their father s face with his shirt so that he may regain his eyesight. He then told them to return with the whole family. The Fourth Journey to Egypt: The brothers went back to Kanaan to tell their father about the good news. As soon as the brothers came close, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) recognized the fragrance from Prophet Yusuf s (A) shirt. When the shirt was placed on his face, Prophet Yaʿqub (A) was able to see again, and he decided to take his family to On hearing this, the brothers hung their heads in shame and asked Prophet Yusuf (A) for his forgiveness. Prophet Yusuf (A) forgave them at once, and prayed to Allah to forgive them. Egypt immediately. Prophet Yusuf (A) was delighted to meet them and hugged his father and step-mother. Because they were so happy, the father, the step-mother, and the ten brothers prostrated on the ground. Thus, Allah made true the dream of Prophet Yusuf (A), when he had seen eleven stars and

70 the sun and the moon doing Sajdah in front of him. The story of Prophet Yusuf (A) is narrated in detail in the Holy Quran, in the twelfth Surah, Surah Yusuf. How does this story relate to our lives today? The separation between Prophet Yaʿqub (A) and Prophet Yusuf (A) was difficult for them both. However, both remained patient and faithful to Allah, and in the end, Allah rewarded them by reuniting them. Sometimes, we find ourselves in difficult situations and think that it is easier to give up, but we should remember to be patient and know that Allah is the best of planners. In the end, the patient ones will be rewarded. The jealousy of Prophet Yusuf s brother was so bad that it led them to lie to their father and send their own brother away. Allah sees and knows all things, and He is not pleased with jealousy. We should remember to be happy with what we have and rid ourselves of jealous thoughts and actions.

71 WORKSHEET 1.18 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. Prophet Yusuf (A) did not interpret the prisoners dreams correctly. T F Anyone who is patient during hardship is always rewarded by Allah. T F Prophet Yaʿqub (A) regained his eye-sight after Prophet Yusuf (A) s shirt was placed on his face. T F Prophet Yusuf (A) was released from prison because he was able to interpret the king s dream. T F Short-Answer Questions: Answer in complete sentences. 1. How did Prophet Yusuf (A) get to Egypt? 2. What did the prisoners dream and what interpretation did Prophet Yusuf (A) give for their dreams? 3. What did the king dream and what interpretation did Prophet Yusuf (A) give for his dream?

72 5. Fill in the information for the table below. Some parts are already filled in. Who Went? What happened [in short]? The First Journey To Egypt The ten brothers of Prophet Yusuf Prophet Yusuf recognized his brothers but they didn t recognize him. Prophet Yusuf told them that if they wanted to come back, they had to bring their younger brother with them. Prophet Yusuf secretly returned their money back so that they would come again. The Second Journey to Egypt The ten brothers of Prophet Yusuf and Benyameen The Third Journey to Egypt The brothers were sent back to Egypt to look for Benyameen and Prophet Yusuf (A). Prophet Yusuf revealed himself. The brothers felt ashamed for what they had Prophet Yusuf forgave the brothers and sent them back with his shirt to restore the eyesight of their father. The Fourth Journey to Egypt

73 PROPHET MUSA (A) (MOSES) PART 1 Several centuries after Prophet Yusuf (A), a cruel man by the name of Firʿaun came to power in Egypt. During his time, the tribe of Bani Israʿeel had grown and was still increasing in population. Firʿaun feared that the tribe of Bani Israʿeel might overthrow him, so he decided to make life difficult for them by making them his slaves. One day, Firʿaun was warned by a royal astrologer that a son born to the tribe of Bani Israʿeel would destroy his kingdom. To prevent this from happening, Firʿaun ordered his men to kill every male child that was born to the tribe of Bani Israʿeel. Firʿaun may have planned, but Allah mentions in the Quran: They plan, and Allah plans; and (surely) Allah is the best of planners. (3:54) Allah had decided that Prophet Musa (A) was to be born in this dangerous situation, so nobody could stop it from happening. When Prophet Musa (A) was born, his mother hid him to protect him from the king s soldiers. However, there was great danger that the child would be discovered at any moment. So, upon Allah s command, Prophet Musa s mother made a water-proof basket, put the child in it, and let it float away in the river. She then asked her daughter, Maryam, to keep a watch over it. The basket floated on the Nile River and made its way to Firʿaun s palace. Firʿaun s men saw the basket and picked it up. When Firaun s wife, Asiya, saw the lovely boy, she decided to adopt him, so she took him home. Firʿaun immediately ordered the boy to be put to death, but Asiya, who was a very pious woman, pleaded with him until he finally allowed her to adopt the boy. Allah has bestowed His blessings upon Asiya, who is one of the ladies of Paradise. The three other ladies of Paradise are Maryam, the mother of Prophet Isa (A), Fatimah Zahra (A), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (S), and Khadijah, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (S). Prophet Musa (A) would not feed from any of Firaun s maids and no one knew what to do. Maryam (Prophet Musa s sister), who had been watching all this from a distance, entered the palace and told Firʿaun that she could find a woman to feed Prophet Musa (A). She went running back home and told her mother the whole story and brought her mother to the palace. Naturally, Prophet Musa (A) accepted to be fed by his own mother. In this way, Allah made Prophet Musa s (A) mother look after her own son while he was still young. As the years passed, Prophet Musa (A) grew up to be a strong and healthy man. He had the knowledge, wisdom, and manners that Allah grants all His Prophets. Prophet Musa (A) was determined to end Firʿaun s cruelty against his own people. One day, Prophet Musa (A) tried to stop an Egyptian from torturing a person from the tribe

74 of Bani Israʿeel. While trying to help his tribesman, he accidentally killed the Egyptian. An Egyptian believer advised Prophet Musa (A) to leave the town before anyone killed him. So, Prophet Musa (A) started on his journey away from Egypt. After a long, hard journey, Prophet Musa (A) arrived at a well in Madyan. There, he saw some shepherds under the shade of a tree watering their sheep. He also saw two maidens standing away from the well waiting to water their sheep. A long time had passed, and the maidens were still waiting. Prophet Musa (A) went to the maidens to find out why. They told him that they could not go to the well until the shepherds moved away. Prophet Musa (A) decided to water their sheep for them, and when it was done, the two maidens left, thanking him. It wasn t long before one of the two maidens returned back to Prophet Musa (A). She told him that her father wanted to meet him. Prophet Musa (A) went with the maiden to see her father. The maiden s father was Prophet Shu ayb (A). He was very thankful to Prophet Musa (A) for watering their sheep. Prophet Musa (A) told Prophet Shu ayb (A) his story and everything that happened in Egypt. Prophet Shu ayb (A) said that it was safe to live in Madyan and asked Prophet Musa (A) to stay and work for him for ten years. Prophet Musa (A) agreed. Later, Prophet Shu ayb (A) married one of his daughters, Sufra, to Prophet Musa (A). After working under Prophet Shu ayb (A) for 10 years, Prophet Musa (A) decided to leave Madyan with his wife and visit his mother and sister in Egypt. One night, during his journey to Egypt, he saw a fire on a nearby mountain. Since it was a cold night, he told his wife to wait while he checked on the fire. When he reached Mount Sinai, where the fi r e w a s glowing, he was surprised to see t h a t fla m e s were burning, though there w a s n o t h i n g there to burn. Suddenly, he heard a voice saying, O Musa! I am your Lord! Take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground! Prophet Musa (A) instantly obeyed Allah s command and took off his shoes. Allah ordered Prophet Musa (A) to throw his staff (walking-stick) down onto the ground. When Prophet Musa (A) did so, the staff turned into a large, ferocious looking serpent. Then, Allah ordered Prophet Musa (A) to pick it up again, and in doing so, the serpent turned back to a staff. Prophet Musa (A) was then commanded to put his hand under his arm and take it out again. When he did so, a brilliant light began to glow from his

75 hand. When he put his hand again under his arm and took it out, it turned back to its original form. Allah told Prophet Musa (A) that he should use these two signs to warn Firʿaun about Allah s power. Prophet Musa (A) was then given a mission to free all the people of Bani Israʿeel from the cruelty of Firʿaun. Prophet Musa (A) asked Allah if he could take his brother, Prophet Haroon (A), to help him with his mission because Prophet Haroon (A) was a very good speaker. Allah granted him his request. When Prophet Musa (A) arrived in Egypt, he went with his brother to Firʿaun s palace and warned him about Allah. They told Firʿaun that Allah was the most superior and should alone be worshipped as God. They also made him aware of their mission to release all the Israelites (people of Bani Israʿeel) and take them out of Egypt. Prophet Musa (A) showed Firʿaun the miracles he had received. Firʿaun just laughed at the signs of Allah, calling them simple magic tricks. He challenged Prophet Musa (A) and Prophet Haroon (A) to a contest with his own magicians.

76 WORKSHEET 1.19 Prophet Musa (A) True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. The King of Egypt during the time of Prophet Musa (A) was Namrud. T F 2. Prophet Musa s (A) sister was Maryam. T F 3. Prophet Musa s (A) wife was Khadijah. T F 4. Prophet Musa (A) accidentally killed a person from the tribe of Bani Israʿeel. T F 5. Prophet Musa (A) saw the fire on Mount Sinai. T F 6. Prophet Musa (A) asked Allah if his sister could help him in his mission. T F 7. Prophet Haroon (A) was the brother of Prophet Musa (A). T F 8.Firʿaun laughed at the signs of Allah and called them magic tricks. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. Who was Firʿaun s wife? a) Sayyida Fatimah (A) b) Sayyida Maryam (A) c) Asiya (A) 2

77 2. Who was the Prophet who lived in Madyan? a) Prophet Musa (A) b) Prophet Shuʿayb (A) c) Prophet Yusuf (A) 3. Which tribe was Prophet Musa (A) from? a) From the tribe of Bani Israʿeel. b) He was an Egyptian. c) He was from the tribe of Arabs. 4. Why did Prophet Musa (A) leave Egypt? a) He did not like the king anymore. b) He killed an Egyptian and he feared that his life was in danger. c) He wanted to get married and start a family. 5. What was one miracle given to Prophet Musa (A)? a) He became a very good speaker b) His staff could turn into a snake c) His hand could turn into a block of wood 6. Why did Prophet Musa (A) want his brother to help him in his mission? a) Because his brother was a better speaker. b) Because his brother was a stronger person. c) Because his brother was more liked by Firʿaun.

78 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 1. Why did Firʿaun kill all the male children? 2. How did Prophet Musa s mother end up feeding her own son? 3. Who are the four ladies of Janna whom Allah has bestowed His blessings on? 4. What two miracles or did Allah give Prophet Musa (A)? 5. What was the mission of Prophet Musa (A)?

79 PROPHET MUSA (A) PART 2 The next day, everyone gathered in the court to watch the challenge between the magicians and Prophet Musa (A). When all of Firʿaun s magicians had been called, they threw down their own staffs. These turned into little snakes. But when Prophet Musa (A) threw down his staff, it turned into a much larger snake that ate all the other ones up. Seeing this, the magicians knew that what Prophet Musa (A) had done was not magic, but a real miracle. They turned to Prophet Musa (A), accepting Allah, and condemned Firʿaun for misguiding them. Firʿaun got very angry, and as a result, he made life for the Israelites more difficult. He did not listen to Prophet Musa (A) or Prophet Haroon (A). Allah commanded Prophet Musa (A) to take his followers and move away from the city. Allah then sent a huge storm on Firʿaun and his people, leaving them homeless. Firʿaun promised Prophet Musa (A) that if the storm would stop, he would free the Israelites. However, when the storm did stop, Firʿaun did not stick to his promise. Allah warned Firʿaun and his followers in many different ways in the form of plagues. Allah sent a storm of locusts that ate all the Egyptian food; he sent frogs and lice; he sent worms that entered people s nostrils; he converted the River Nile into blood so there was no water. Each time, Firʿaun promised Prophet Musa (A) that if the plagues would stop, he would release all the Israelites, but each time the plague stopped, Firʿaun went against his promise. At last, Allah commanded Prophet Musa (A) to take all the Israelites and leave Egypt during the night. Prophet Musa (A) did so, but by the next morning, Firʿaun found out about Prophet Musa s (A) plan and gathered a huge army to go after him. When the Israelites arrived at the Red Sea and saw Firʿaun s army coming behind them, they got angry at Prophet Musa (A) for making them leave with him, because they thought that they would surely be killed now. Prophet Musa (A) told them to be patient, as A l l a h w o u l d look after t h e m. P r o p h e t Musa (A) t o u c h e d the water of the Red Sea with his staff and by the mercy of Allah, a path formed in the sea for Prophet Musa (A) and his people to pass.

80 Firʿaun reached the Red Sea and saw the path too, so he ordered his army to follow. However, when Firʿaun and his army reached halfway, Allah commanded it to close on them. At this time, Firʿaun pleaded with Allah to forgive him, but it was too late. Firʿaun had been given m a n y chances in the past to turn to the right path. Allah told Firʿaun that h e w a s going to preserve his body to show people the example of disobedience. The body of Firʿaun was discovered in 1881 and is kept in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. This should be a lasting lesson for all of us. After Firʿaun and his men had been destroyed by Allah in the Red Sea, Prophet Musa (A) took the Israelites further on. On their way, they passed a group of people who worshipped idols. Upon seeing the beautiful idols, the Israelites wanted one for themselves and asked Prophet Musa (A) to make them one. Prophet Musa (A) became angry and reminded them of the one true Allah, who had saved the Israelites and destroyed Firʿaun. Prophet Musa (A) had promised the Israelites that he would bring them some laws from Allah to follow. When Prophet Musa (A) reached the base of Mount Sinai, he prayed to Allah for a set of laws. Allah ordered him to go up Mount Sinai and spend 30 nights in fasting and prayer, after which he would receive the divine book of laws. Just like after Prophet Muhammad (S), Imam Ali (A) was in charge, Prophet Musa (A) left his brother Prophet Haroon (A) in charge and went up the mountain. Prophet Muhammad (S) has said to Imam Ali (A), You are to me as Musa was to Haroon. Allah told Prophet Musa (A) stay for an extra ten days. So, when Prophet Musa (A) did not return after 30 days, many Israelites became uneasy and started to lose faith in Allah. A man named Samiri, who was a disbeliever, took advantage of the situation and tempted the people to make an idol. He collected gold from people and made it into a calf. Soon, people started to worship the golden calf that they had made. Prophet Haroon (A) became angry and warned the people about their faith, but they did not listen. The Holy Quran says: The people of Musa, in his absence, prepared the image of a calf from their jewelry a body which seemed to give a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to any way? They adopted it for worship and they were unjust. (7:148)

81 At the end of the 40 days, Allah g a v e P ro p h e t Musa (A) the Ta w r a a t - t h e Divine laws from Allah written on tablets of stone. A l l a h a l s o i n f o r m e d Prophet Musa (A) that he had tested the Israelites, and Samiri had managed to lead them astray. When Prophet Musa (A) came to know of this, he got very angry, and on his return, he warned the Israelites of the punishment of Allah. He ordered the Israelites to ask for forgiveness. He also told Samiri that he had done a great sin and would surely be punished by Allah. The Israelites gradually started on their journey again and soon arrived near the Holy land of Baytul Muqqaddas in Palestine. This was the land that Allah had promised He would give to the Israelites. However, first, they had to drive away the people who were already ruling there. The only problem was that the people ruling there were very strong. The Israelites did not have any courage to fight such a group of people. So, when Prophet Musa (A) told them to drive away the rulers of Palestine, the Israelites did not obey him. Prophet Musa (A) tried many times to tell the Israelites that Allah was on their side, but they were too ignorant to obey. As a result, Allah decided to punish the Israelites by making them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. During these very long and harsh 40 years, both Prophet Musa (A) and Prophet Haroon (A) passed away. Finally, after 40 years, the generation of Israelites was able to conquer and rule Palestine. How does this story relate to our lives today? Allah gave Firʿaun many chances to follow the message of Prophet Musa (A). Allah sent many plagues, and Firʿaun said he would change, but when the plague was lifted, Firʿaun resisted and returned to his old ways. After many chances, finally Allah destroyed Firʿaun. We should remember to take advantage of the time we have and make changes in our life for the better. We should not make false promises to Allah. Allah might send us signs in our life for us to change. We should not ignore the signs by saying we will change, but then return to our old ways when things get better.

82 WORKSHEET 1.20 True or False Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. One of the plagues sent to the Egyptians by Allah was the River Nile turning into blood. T F 2. Prophet Musa (A) went up Mount Sinai to bring laws from Allah. T F 3. Samiri told people not to worship the golden calf. T F 4. Prophet Musa (A) stayed on the mountain for 40 days instead of 30. T F Multiple Choice Circle the best answer. 1. What happened in the contest with the magicians? a) Prophet Musa (A) s snake ate all the other snakes, and so the magicians became followers of Allah s religion b) Prophet Musa (A) s snake ate all the magicians as well as their snakes c) Prophet Musa (A) s snake was eaten by the other snakes 2. How did Prophet Musa (A) and the Israelites cross the Red Sea? a) They dug a hole under it and walked to the other side b) They built an ark and sailed over the sea c) Allah formed a path in the Red Sea on which they passed

83 3. What was the name of the set of laws that Prophet Musa (A) brought back from Mt. Sinai? a) Quran b) Injeel. c) Tawraat. 4. What was the name of the land that Allah had promised the Israelites to rule in? a) Makkah. b) Baytul Muqqaddas. c) Mount Sinai. 5. What punishment did the Israelites get for disobeying Prophet Musa (A) by not fighting for their land? a) They were forced to wander in the desert for 40 years. b) A huge earthquake swallowed them up. c) They never got their land

84 Short-Answer Questions Answer in complete sentences. 1. What happened to Firʿaun and his army? 2. What is one lesson we can learn from this part of the story? 3. What did the Israelites do while Prophet Musa (A) was on the mountain? Why do you think they did this? 4. What did the Israelites have to do in order to get that land? 5. How does the story of Prophet Musa (A) relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

85 PROPHET DAWOOD (A) (DAVID) The Bani Israʿeel, who had been brought out of Egypt by Prophet Musa (A), had settled in the land of Palestine. However, they were constantly engaged in war against the Palestinians, who finally managed to banish them from their homes. In the last battle, the Sacred Casket, which contained the original Tablets of the Tawraat, was lost, and this greatly hurt the confidence of the Bani Israʿeel s. They spent many gloomy years away from their home before they approached Prophet Samuel (A) and asked him to appoint a strong king for them so that they could regain their land. On the command of Allah (SWT), Prophet Samuel (A) appointed Taalut (Saul) as their king. The Bani Israʿeel did not like the choice, saying that Taalut was a poor and unknown man. However, Prophet Samuel (A) informed them that Taalut had been chosen because of his knowledge, wisdom, and strength, and he would lead them to victory. It took Taalut 20 years to find the sacred box that had the Tawraat, and once it was given back to the Bani Israʿeel, they marched to Palestine. The leader of the Palestinians was a huge man called Jaalut (Goliath). Just looking at Jaalut terrified the Bani Israʿeel. Prophet Dawood (A) was present in the army of Taalut. He was very young and had not come to fight, but to help his three older brothers who were soldiers, and to bring news of the war back to their father. When Taalut saw that Jaalut had terrified his army, he tried to encourage his men by promising them great rewards if they faced Jaalut. He even promised that he would marry his daughter to the man who killed Jaalut. When Prophet Dawood (A) heard all the commotion going on, left his post and came to find out what was happening. He had never fought a duel before, but he approached Taalut and said, I am fit to fight this devil because I have killed a tiger and a bear that attacked my father's sheep." T a a l u t w a s impressed by this and agreed. As he dressed him in a coat of armor, he warned him to be careful. Before Prophet Dawood (A) approached Jaalut, he removed the heavy armor that restricted his movement. He stood in front of the enemy with just a slingshot and the staff with which he used to guide his sheep. Before Jaalut could even react to this challenge, Prophet Dawood (A) had shot a stone from his slingshot. The

86 stone struck Jaalut's forehead with terrible force and brought him to the ground. Prophet Dawood (A) then drew Jaalut's heavy sword and cut off his head. The sight of their champion dead scared the Palestinians, who ran away in panic. Because of this g r e a t v i c t o r y, Prophet Dawood (A) married Taalut's daughter Mikal. He was also made commander-in-chief of Taalut's army and became the king after Taalut s death. Allah blessed Prophet Dawood (A) with a beautiful voice and revealed to him the book of Zabur (Psalms of David). When he used to recite from it, the mountains and the birds would also join him. Allah gifted him with the miracle of bending iron; iron was as soft as wax in his hands, and he used to make special, light-weight battle armor made of iron ringlets joined together. By selling these to the army, he earned his livelihood. How does this story relate to our lives today? When Bani Israʿeel went to Prophet Samuel (A) to ask for a king, they were disappointed in his choice of Taalut, because they said he was poor and not very well-known. At the end, Taalut s strong faith made him a good leader leadership and gave him the blessing of Prophet Dawood (A) on his side, which gave the Bani Israʿeel victory. We learn from this that we should not judge people based on how much money they have or how popular they are. We should trust and befriend those who have the most piety, or in other words, are religious and have strong faith in Allah. This is what will save us in the end. Although Jaalut was much bigger than Prophet Dawood (A), because of Prophet Dawood s faith and trust in Allah, he was able to defeat Jaalut, when everyone else was afraid. We should remember not to fear anything except Allah. Sometimes, things may seem scary to us, but if we have trust and faith in Allah, then anything is possible. Allah mentions in the Quran: Indeed We granted Dawood a blessing, saying, "O Mountains! sing the praise of Allah along with him, and you too, 0 Birds! And We made iron soft for him. (34:10) 2

87 WORKSHEET Prophet Musa (A) had saved the Bani Israʿeel from. 2. Prophet Samuel (A) appointed (Saul) as their king. 3. The Bani Israʿeel did not like the choice, saying that their king was a and unknown man. 4. It took this king 20 years to find the sacred box which had the and once it was given back to the Bani Israʿeel, they marched to Palestine. 5. The leader of the Palestinians was a huge man called. Just looking at him terrified the Bani Israʿeel. 6. After Taalut died Prophet (A) became the king of the Bani Israʿeel. 7. The other name for Jaalut is. 8. Allah blessed Prophet Dawood (A) with a beautiful voice and revealed to him the. (Psalms of David). When he used to recite from it, the and the would also join him. 9. Allah gifted him so that was as soft as wax in his hands. 10. Prophet Dawood (A) ruled for many years. After him his youngest son Prophet (A) became king.

88 PROPHET SULAYMAN (A) (SOLOMAN) Prophet Sulayman (A) was only thirteen years old when his father Prophet Dawood (A) died. Prophet Sulayman (A) was granted many blessings. Allah granted him with the greatest kingdom that any king has ever ruled over. He was also given the blessing of knowing the language of the birds and animals, and even the wind would obey him. He had a large army, which consisted of men, Jinn, animals, birds, etc. Prophet Sulayman (A) and the Valley of Ants One day, he was marching with his army to a place called the Valley of Ants, which had many gems and valuable metals buried in it. In the valley, there were large ants that stopped people from coming into the valley. When the chief of the ants saw the army of Prophet Sulayman (A) coming, he told all the other ants to go into their holes (houses) or else Prophet Sulayman (A) and his army might crush them. When Prophet Sulayman (A) heard what the chief of the ants said, he smiled and asked his army to be careful not to hurt the ants. Prophet Sulayman (A) thanked Allah for giving him the wisdom to understand animals and be able to save lives. Prophet Sulayman (A) and the Queen of Saba One day, Prophet Sulayman (A) noticed that his messenger bird Hud Hud was missing. A little while later, Hud Hud came back and reported to him, "...I have brought to you i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m S a b a ( S h e b a ). I found a woman ruling over them who is very wealthy and has a great throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah!" Prophet Sulayman (A) sent a letter to Bilqees, the Queen of Saba, saying, In the name of Allah, the Kind, the Merciful. Do not elevate yourself and come towards me in submission to Allah (as a Muslim). (27:30-31) When Bilqees received the letter, she consulted her ministers and decided to send Prophet Sulayman (A) gifts and then wait for his reaction. Prophet Sulayman (A) welcomed the messengers and asked for the reply to his letter. When they presented him with the gifts, he said, What are these riches? I have been given such blessings from Allah that are matched by none. Return to your country and

89 inform your queen that I am sending an army towards Saba that no one will be able to defeat." When Bilqees received this message and the report about the power of Prophet Sulayman (A), she decided to submit herself before him and accept his invitation to embrace Islam. When Prophet Sulayman (A) learned that she was coming to his kingdom, he turned to his people and asked, Which of you can bring me her throne before they come here in submission? (27:38) One Jinn said, I will bring it before you can rise from your place. (27:39) However, Asif ibn Barhkia, who had been taught the special names of Allah by Prophet Sulayman (A), said, I will bring it to you before you can blink your eye. When Prophet Sulayman (A) saw the throne appear beside him, he said, "This is by the Grace of my Lord so that He may test whether I am grateful or ungrateful. (27:40) In preparation for the arrival of Bilqees, Prophet Sulayman (A) had ordered a palace of glass to be built. Under the glass floors, there was water with various kinds of fish swimming in it. When Bilqees arrived, he took her to the palace. Bilqees was fooled by the appearance of water and pulled up her dress to prevent it from getting wet. When she realized her mistake, she immediately understood what Prophet Sulayman (A) was trying to tell her. He was showing her that things are not always what they seem, and even if the sun she worshipped was the most powerful thing that could be seen, it was Allah who created it. Prophet Sulayman (A) then allowed her to return to Saba and rule in his name. Prophet Sulayman (A) ruled over his people with justice for a long time. His power extended across most of the world. This unique blessing was in response to his prayer, which is recorded in the Holy Quran: He said, O my Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as shall not befit anyone after me, verily You are the Granter of bounties (without measure). (38:35) One day, Prophet Sulayman (A) called all his army of men, Jinn, animals and birds together. He wanted to inspect them. He climbed on top of his palace to see them. It was there while he was viewing his kingdom that the Angel of death came and took his life while he was still leaning on his staff (stick). It was only when a worm ate through the stick and he fell that the men and Jinn in his army realized that he had died.

90 How does this story relate to our lives today? Prophet Sulayman (A) was given many gifts from Allah, but he remained grateful to Him for them. Allah has blessed us with many gifts as well, such as a roof over our heads, the ability to talk and to see, food in our stomach, etc. and people who love us. These are gifts that we often take for granted. We should remain grateful to Allah for anything and everything He has blessed us with.

91 WORKSHEET 1.22 Fill in the blanks: 1. Prophet Sulayman (A) was given a no-one else had been given before. 2. Prophet Sulayman (A) had the ability to understand the language of. 3. One day, his bird,, informed him of the queen of. 4. This queen and her people worshipped the. 5. Prophet Sulayman (A) wrote her a letter to accept and come in his presence to submit to. 6. The queen only did so after he refused her and threatened to send his to her land. 7. Before the queen arrived Prophet Sulayman (A) summoned a Jinn to bring him her. 8. Prophet Sulayman (A) had a built before the arrival of the queen. 9. How did this building show the queen what Prophet Sulayman (A) was trying to say? 10. How does the story of Prophet Sulayman (A) relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

92 PROPHET ZAKARIYA (A) (ZACHARIAH) & PROPHET YAHYA (A) (JOHN) Prophet Zakariya (A) was sent to the people of Bani Israʿeel. He was a descendent of Prophet Yaʿqub (A) and was well-liked and respected by his people because of his cheerful manner. He was in charge of the Masjid of Baytul Muqaddas in Jerusalem, and from there, he taught people about the religion of Allah and guided the people according to the rules mentioned in the Tawraat of Prophet Musa (A). Prophet Zakariya (A) had also been entrusted to look after Hadhrat Maryam (A) (Mary), the mother of Prophet Isa (A). He had provided her with a special chamber in Baytul Muqaddas. Although Sayyida Maryam (A) remained in the chamber busy worshipping Allah, Prophet Zakariya (A) found that she always had fresh fruit in her room. Because he knew that she had no c o n t a c t w i t h a n y person, he wondered where the food came from. Sayyida Maryam (A) informed him that Allah sent her the fruits every morning and evening; they were a sign of His Grace. Prophet Zakariya (A) realized that he was the guardian of a very special lady whom Allah had specially chosen for a great honor. Prophet Zakariya (A) had reached the age of 90 years, and despite his cheerful and relaxed nature, he was sad that he had no son to succeed him. After listening to Sayyida Maryam (A), he pondered on the limitless blessings that Allah bestows on His servants and wondered if he could be blessed with a son despite his old age. That same night, he went to pray under the Arch of Sanctuary in Baytul Muqaddas, which was the special place of prayer to Allah. His prayers have been recorded in the Holy Quran: (This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zakariya. When he quietly called his Lord and said, My Lord! My bones have become weak, and my hair has turned white with age. Yet, I have never been deprived in receiving from you the answer to my prayers. I am afraid of what my family will do after (my death) and my wife is barren. Lord, grant me a son who will be my heir and the heir of the family of Yaʿqub, and make him, O my Lord, one with whom You are well pleased." (19:2-6) When he was standing during prayer in the sanctuary, the Angels called him saying, "Allah gives you the glad news of the birth of your son, Yahya, who will be testimony of the Word of Allah. (He will be) honorable and chaste and one of the righteous Prophets." (3:37-38) The prayers of Prophet Zakariya (A) were answered and he was blessed with a handsome and virtuous son, Yahya (A). Allah blessed

93 this child with wisdom and knowledge in his infancy and made him His Prophet and Messenger. From his childhood, Prophet Yahya (A) worshipped and glorified Allah. Among his qualities mentioned in the Holy Quran, is the fact that he was always kind to his parents and never spoke to them harshly. Prophet Yahya (A) is mentioned in the Bible as John the Baptist. Prophet Yahya (A) was well versed in the Divine commandments in the Tawraat. He used to teach people the religious principles and urged them to stay away from sin. He carried out all his duties as a Prophet and would not hesitate to speak out against wrong actions. One day, Prophet Yahya (A) found out that the Emperor of Palestine, Herodotus, wanted to marry his own niece, Herodya, but was going about it in an incorrect manner. Prophet Yahya (A) did not approve of this, because this sort of marriage was against the religion and had been forbidden in the Tawraat. His views that this marriage should not occur began to spread around the country, and people began to gossip about the king's unlawful relationship with his niece. She demanded that Prophet Yahya (A) be killed as soon as possible. The king, who had lost all control of his senses in his love for her, issued the order for murdering Prophet Yahya (A). Soon afterwards, the king's messengers brought Prophet Yahya (A) before the king and brutally murdered him. However, wherever the sacred blood of this noble Prophet of Allah fell, it began to flow. They tried to cover the blood with sand, but it continued to flow. Finally, a sand hill was built over it, but the blood still kept on flowing. This miracle only stopped when Bakhtun Nasr invaded Palestine and avenged the innocent blood of Prophet Yahya (A) by killing 17,000 people of Bani Israʿeel on that sand hill. In his short life, Prophet Yahya (A) left behind valuable lessons in Akhlaq for us to follow. Herodya wanted to marry the king without delay because she dearly desired to become Queen of Palestine. When she heard of Prophet Yahya's (A) objection to the marriage, she became his deadly enemy.

94 How does this story relate to our lives today? Although Prophet Zakariya (A) was very old, he wanted a son. He made a sincere prayer to Allah, and Allah granted him a son, Prophet Yahya (A). We should remember that nothing is impossible for Allah and that we should be sincere in our worship of Him and have faith in Him, and He will take care of our needs and wants. Prophet Yahya (A) was a righteous person because he always stood for the truth and followed the laws carefully, no matter what the worldly punishment may be. Eventually, the king even killed him, but Prophet Yahya s (A) place with Allah will be in heaven. No matter what worldly pressures we face, we should always remember to follow Allah s laws and be faithful to Him. If a person laughs at you because you are wearing hijab or because you are praying, it should not matter because you are following the law of Allah and by doing so, you are pleasing Him. This will save you and get you a place in heaven, whereas the people who laughed at you may be punished by Allah.

95 WORKSHEET 1.23 Fill in the blanks: 1. Prophet Zakariya (A) was the descendant of Prophet (A). 2. He was in charge of the Masjid of. 3. He was well liked due to his personality. 4. Prophet Zakariya (A) was sad because he had no. 5. Prophet Zakariya (A) was also entrusted with the care of (A). 6. Impressed by her miracle he prayed to Allah and was blessed by Prophet (A). Short Answer Questions: 1. What was one of the good qualities mentioned of the Prophet known as John the Baptist, in the Bible? 2. Who was Herodya and why did she become this Prophet s enemy? 3. What was the miracle that took place after the death of the Prophet and how did it stop? 4. Explain in your own words, how this story relates to our lives today.

96 WORKSHEET 1.24: ART EXTENSION Draw a scene from the story of Prophet Zakariya (A) and Prophet Yahya (A). Be careful not to draw the face of the Prophets. Then explain the scene you chose below the drawing. 2

97 PROPHET ISA (A) (JESUS) Prophet Isa (A) was the son of Hadhrat Maryam (A). One day, while she was busy in her worship, Hadhrat Maryam (A) was startled to see a young man suddenly appear before her. She was scared, but the man said, "Do not be frightened, I am Angel Jibraeel and have brought to you good news that Almighty Allah is soon going to bless you with a son. He will be great in this world and in the hereafter and will speak while still in his cradle. Hadhrat Maryam asked, "How can this be possible? How could I have a baby without a husband? Jibraeel replied, "Allah has Power over all things." Not long after the Angel had left, Prophet Isa (A) was born under an old date tree. Things had happened so quickly that in despair, Maryam (A) cried, "Would that I had died and been forgotten before all this had happened!" The Holy Quran says, Then (a voice) called out to her from beneath her, Do not grieve, your Lord has caused a stream (to flow) from beneath you. And shake the trunk of the palm-tree; it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. Then, eat and drink " (19:24-26) Consoled by this, she regained her confidence and returned to Baytul Muqaddas with her baby in her arms. The Jews who saw her were surprised. She merely pointed to her baby without saying anything. The Holy Quran says: But she pointed unto him. They said, How can we speak to one who is a child in the cradle? He (Isa) said, Surely I am a servant of Allah. He has given me a Book and made me a Prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and He has enjoined on me prayer and Zakaat for as long as I live. And (to be) dutiful to my mother and He has not made me disobedient. (19:29-31) The miracle of Prophet Isa (A) speaking to them from his cradle silenced the disbelievers and left them astounded. The fame of the baby grew and many came from all over the country to see him and pay their respects to him. The Jewish emperor, Herodotus, learned about the birth of Prophet Isa (A) and was immediately concerned about the threat to his power. He therefore plotted to kill Prophet Isa (A) to protect himself from any future trouble. However, Hadhrat Maryam (A) learned of the danger to her son and she left with him for Egypt.

98 In Egypt, Prophet Isa (A) lived with his mother until he was 30 years old. Then, he received the command of Allah to begin his mission and the Divine Book, Injeel, was revealed to him. Thus, Prophet Isa (A) returned to Baytul Muqaddas to invite the Jews to the true religion of Allah. As proof of his Divine appointment, Prophet Isa (A) showed certain miracles. He could bring the dead back to life, restore the eyesight of the blind, and cure diseases. These remarkable powers attracted the Jews attention, and some of them became believers. The rest of them became his deadly enemies because they felt Prophet Isa (A) had brought a message that overruled that of Prophet Musa (A). From amongst the few who had embraced the faith, Prophet Isa (A) selected twelve as his apostles. These men learned directly from Prophet Isa (A) and he gave them authority to preach to people according to the laws laid down in the Injeel. Prophet Isa (A) and his twelve disciples went from place to place, in towns and villages, inviting people to believe in One God and teaching them the Divine commandments contained in the Injeel. Thus began the mission of one of the greatest Prophets of Allah. Day by day, his followers increased in number, but his popularity made Jewish people hate him even more. Despite their efforts to stop people from following the new faith, they were helpless against the Will of Allah. There was a great stir amongst the Jews, who felt that their own religion was being threatened. They were enraged that Prophet Isa s (A) laws were different from those laid down in the Tawraat and that he did not consider Saturday as a Holy day. They accused him of causing disruptions in their community with his magic. They refused to recognize him as a Messenger of Allah just like Prophet Musa (A), and they began to plot against him. They finally decided to kill Prophet Isa (A) and set about trying to find him. They were going to arrest him and crucify him by nailing his hands and feet onto a wooden cross. This was a very painful and slow execution style in which the victim usually suffered a great deal before he died. When Prophet Isa (A) had found out that the Jews planned to arrest him, he took shelter in a vacant house.

99 Meanwhile, the Jews caught and interrogated one of his disciples, whose name was Shamoon as-safa (Simon Peter), but he gave them no information as to the whereabouts of Prophet Isa (A). Then, they came across another disciple, Yahuda (Judas). This man betrayed Prophet Isa (A) after he was bribed with thirty pieces of silver. Yahuda led the Jews to the house where Prophet Isa (A) had taken refuge. assumptions. They certainly did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised (lifted) him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. (4: ) However, Prophet Isa (A) was a great Prophet of Allah. His birth had been in remarkable circumstances, and his life was also destined to be extraordinary. At the time when his life was in danger, Allah raised him to the heavens. Meanwhile, Yahuda entered the house, but found it empty. Allah caused the face of this disloyal disciple to change so that he looked exactly like Prophet Isa (A)! When he came out of the house to report to the Jews, he was shocked when they seized him and dragged him away. Despite his protests, he was crucified. The Jews and even the Christians thus say that Prophet Isa (A) was killed on the cross, but the Holy Quran says about the Jews: According to a prophecy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S), when our 12th Holy Imam (A) will re-appear, Prophet Isa (A) will descend from the heavens and offer prayers behind him. They said (boastfully), Surely we killed the Messiah, Isa son of Mary, the Apostle of God. but they did not kill him or crucify him, but it was made to appear to them (that they had). And those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge. They only follow

100 How does this story relate to our lives today? Throughout his life, people wanted to destroy and kill Prophet Isa (A), who was always faithful to Allah, because they were afraid of their own position, power, and wealth being taken away from them. But time and time again, Allah protected him. We should remember that no matter what people say about us, staying faithful to Allah will always save us in one way or another. Yahuda was the man who told the Jews where Prophet Isa (A) was hiding, but Allah saved Prophet Isa (A) and raised him to the heavens and made Yahuda look like Prophet Isa (A), which was the cause of his crucifixion. Betrayal always has bad consequences. We should be honest and true to those who are closest to Allah or else it is us that will suffer.

101 WORKSHEET The name of Prophet Isa s (A) mother was: a. Hajirah b. Maryam c. Rabab d. Fatimah 2. came to her and told her Allah was going to bless her with a. 3. Prophet Isa (A) was born a hours later. 4. Allah made food available for Prophet Isa s (A) mother in the: a. date palm-tree above. b. river by the side. c. corn crops growing nearby. d. apple tree. 5. The critics of Prophet Isa s (A) mother were silenced when Prophet Isa from his.

102 Short-Answer Questions: 1. Why did Prophet Isa s (A) mother leave for Egypt? 2. What miracles was Prophet Isa (A) given to prove his divine appointment? 3. Why did the Jews get upset with Prophet Isa (A)? 4. How were they going to kill him? 5. How did Allah save Prophet Isa (A)? 6. When will Prophet Isa (A) re-appear? 17. How does this story relate to our lives today? Explain in your own words.

103 READING: ASHAABUL KAHF Ashaabul Kahf - The People of the Cave Don t you think that the people of the Cave and of the Inscription (Raqeem) were of Our wonderful signs? When the youth found safety in the cave, they prayed, "Lord grant us mercy and help us to get out of this trouble in a righteous way." We sealed their ears for a few years. Then, We woke them up to see which of them knew the actual duration of their sleep. We tell you this story for a genuine reason. They were young people who believed in their Lord and We gave them further guidance. We strengthened their hearts when they stood up (against the idol-worshippers) and said "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never worship anyone other than Him. Holy Quran: Kahf, 18 : 9-14 Afsoos was a famous city that once flourished on the West Coast of Asia M i n o r. L o n g b e f o r e P r o p h e t Muhammad (S) was born, it was part of the Roman Empire, and the king was kind and just. During his reign, there was peace and prosperity. When he died, the people argued about who should rule next. While they had no leader, Dacius, a neighboring king, invaded their land, took it over, and added it to his kingdom. He ruled them from 249 A.D. to 251 A.D. Dacius was a violent ruler who wanted to kill the faithful Christians who lived at the time. Six (or seven) young men stood up for their beliefs and had to leave the town to escape the cruel king. On their way, they met a shepherd who gave them some water to drink. When they told him about their intention of finding a hidden place to worship Allah in peace, he joined them with his dog. The shepherd led them to a fertile valley, through which they came upon a mountain and entered a cave called Kahf. Meanwhile, Dacius followed these youth, determined to make an example of them. When they heard the king getting closer, they prayed to

104 Allah to rescue them from the evil king. Soon afterward, the young men were overcome with a deep sleep, and the dog sat outside the cave. The king reached the cave and sent in his minister to bring the men out. The minister was a faithful believer in Prophet Isa (A). When he saw the young men sleeping, he came out and reported that they had all died of fear. This news pleased the king, who ordered that the cave be shut with a boulder. A stone tablet with the name of the men and the date of the event inscribed on it was put at the entrance of the cave. This is why these people have been referred to as the people of the Cave. In the Holy Quran, Allah says: They will say, "There were three of them, the fourth of them was their dog", and (others) say, "Five, the sixth of them was their dog", guessing about the unknown; and (others) say, "Seven and the eighth of them was their dog." Say (O Muhammad), "My Lord knows how many there were. Kahf, 18 : 22 Allah caused the young men to sleep for about 180 years before they woke up. When they w o k e u p, i t seemed to them that they had slept for a day or even less. They were all starving, so they decided that one of them would go i n t o t o w n a n d secretly purchase some food and bring it back. They prayed to Allah to first open the entrance to the cave. This prayer was granted, and they exited the cave. They were amazed by what they saw. Everything looked different. Little did they know that Dacius was long dead and there was a new and kind Christian King Theodosius I, who ruled from 408 A.D. to 450 A.D. The man who went to the town to get food saw that everything was different.

105 The houses did not look right, and people were dressed in strange clothes. He looked around in amazement, wondering if he was dreaming. He approached a baker and asked for some bread. The baker was surprised to see the oddly dressed young man who spoke an ancient language and was offering him outdated money. The baker asked him if he had discovered the coins in some treasure. The young man replied, "No, this is the money I made after selling my dates the day before yesterday." The baker did not believe this tale and took the man to the king. When the young man told his story, the king informed him that Dacius was long dead, and then he asked the man to show him the cave and his friends. Just before they reached the mountain, the young man told the king and his assistants, "Let me inform my friends of the situation so that they are not scared when they see you. were worried that it might be a trick and that they would be arrested. Therefore, they prayed to Allah to put them back to sleep. Their prayer was granted, and they were again overcome with a deep sleep. After a while, the king approached the cave and found the men and their dog asleep. After seeing this, he believed their story and decided to build a mosque at the spot in respect of the miracle that had occurred at this place. The Holy Quran says: And they stayed in the cave for three hundred years and add nine (more). Surah al-kahf, Verse 25 When he entered the cave and told the others about his experiences, they

106 WORKSHEET 2.1 People of the Cave Ashaabul Kahf Fill in the blanks: 1. was a famous city in Asia and was part of the Roman Empire. 2. was the cruel King who persecuted Christians at the time. 3. The shepherd joined the Ashaabul Kahf with his. 4. Ashaabul Kahf slept for years before they woke up for the first time. dog Afsoos Dacius 180

107 WORKSHEET 2.2 Find the following words from the story: AFSOOS ALLAH SLEEP CAVE DOG DUA KAHF

108 WORKSHEET 2.3 Draw a picture from the story of the Ashaabul Kahf and explain your picture at the bottom.

109 READING: ASHAABUR RAS The people of Ras lived between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the bank of the river Ras during the time just after Prophet Sulayman (A). They lived in twelve towns situated along the river. The largest of these towns was Isfandar, where the king, Tarqooz, lived. Tarqooz was a descendant of the cruel king, Namrud, who had ruled at the time of Prophet Ibrahim (A). The people of Ras worshipped the "Sanobar, which was a huge pine tree that had been originally planted at Isfandar by Yafas, the son of Prophet Nuh (A), after the great flood. They treated this tree as if it were a god. There was a spring at the foot of the pine tree, but nobody was allowed to d r i n k f ro m i t b e c a u s e i t w a s considered to be the life blood of the god. The people of Ras cultivated the lands around the river, and Allah blessed them with a pleasant climate and a life of comfort. Despite all of this, they were ungrateful for His favors and thoughtlessly turned to the pine tree for their needs. Twigs from the great tree would be taken to homes and also worshipped. During the days of festival, animal flesh would be burnt and offered to the tree as sacrifices. To educate and guide these ignorant people, Allah sent one of His Prophets to them. Although the name of the Prophet (A) is not mentioned in history, we do know that he was from the descendants of Prophet Ya'qub (A). The Prophet (A) tried to bring the people to their senses by pointing out their mistakes. He taught them about the blessings and bounties of Allah and warned them not to worship anything besides Him. However, regardless of his continuous efforts, the people ignored the Prophet's words and carried on worshipping their pine tree. On the day of their festival, the Prophet (A) sadly watched the people prepare for the ceremonies. As he o b s e r v e d t h e d e d i c a t i o n a n d enthusiasm with which they were preparing to worship their tree, he

110 prayed to Allah to dry up the tree so that the people would realize how ridiculous it is to worship it. Allah granted this prayer, and the people were shocked to see their pine tree wither and begin to die before their eyes. However, instead of learning a lesson, they decided that their god was annoyed at the interference of the Prophet and decided to sacrifice him to please their god! The people of Ras captured the Prophet (A) and threw him into a large pit. Thereafter, they covered the pit and buried him alive. For some time, the cries of the Prophet (A) were heard, but then there was silence, as his soul left this world. The people turned to their tree to see if it had recovered. Instead, they noticed the signs of Allah s Punishment. Suddenly, the Wrath of Allah broke over the whole tribe. A red blast of wind swept through them and destroyed the entire population. All that was left at the end was a black cloud that hung over the entire area, plunging it into darkness. Thus, the people of Ras faded away, teaching future generations a valuable lesson. The Holy Quran mentions them in the following verses: And to the (tribes of) Aad and Thamud and the people of Ras, and many generations between them, We gave examples (lessons, warnings) and We destroyed every one (of them) completely. (Quran 25:38-39)...The people of Nuh and the people of Ras, Thamud, Aad, Fir'aun and the brothers of Lut and the dwellers of the forest and the people of Thubba' had all rejected the Prophets. Thus, My promise (of their doom) was proved true. (Quran 50:12-14)

111 WORKSHEET Where did the people of Ras live? 2. What did the people of Ras worship? 3.What happened to the Prophet (A) that Allah sent to guide the people of Ras? 4. In the end, what did Allah do to the people of Ras?

112 WORKSHEET 2.5 Draw a scene from the story of the people of Ras and explain what is happening in the scene. If you happen to include the Prophet (A) in your drawing, please do not include a face.

113 PART II: s lxxv

114 FOURTEEN MAʿSOOMEEN The Maʿsoomeen = Those who can, but do not sin These are the people of the House (Ahlul Bayt) that Allah refers to in the Quran in Surah Al-Ahzaab, verse 33: "Surely, Allah will wash away all sins (and uncleanliness) from you, O Ahlul Bayt (people of the house), and purify you completely. (33:33) This Ayah was revealed when Sayyida Fatimah (A), her father, Prophet Muhammad (S), her husband, Imam Ali (A), and her two sons, Imam Hasan (A) and Imam Husain (A), were under the Kisa. In the Ayah, Allah tells us that the people of the house, and not just those under the blanket, are totally clean and Taahir, meaning all uncleanness is kept from them. Prophet Muhammad (S) + + Sayyida Fatimah (A) 12 Imams (A) = 14 Maʿsoomeen (A)

115 Chapter 1: Twelve Imams The 12 Imams came after our Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), as he was the last of the Prophets. Imam means leader. There are 12 Aimma. The first of them being Imam Ali (a.s) andthe last, the Imam of our time Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi (a.s) We also call our 12 Imams A-immah which is the plural for Imam. Aimma must be chosen by Allah. They cannot be chosen by the people. Names of A-Immah 1 st : Imam Ali (a.s.) 2 nd : Imam Hassan (a.s.) 3 rd : Imam Hussein (a.s.) 4 th : Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (a.s.) 5 th : Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s.) 6 th : Imam Ja'far As-Sadiq (a.s.) 7 th : Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s.) 8 th : Imam Ali Ar-Ridha (a.s.) 9 th : Imam Muhammad At-Taqi (a.s.) 10 th : Imam Ali An-Naqi (a.s.) 11 th : Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s.) 12 th : Imam Muhammad Al Mahdi (a.s)

116 3.2 Worksheet: Help the stars reach the moon! Imam Ali (a) Imam Hasan (a) (a) 1 Imam Mahdi (a) (a) 8 6 Imam Hussein (a) (a) Imam Jafer Sadiq (a) (a) Imam Ali Ridha (a) (a) 3

117 WORKSHEET Write a number in each heart. There are 14 hearts to remember the 14 Ma soomeen. Color in the hearts!

118 PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S) Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah on the 17th of Rabiul Awwal. He was the son of Abdullah and Aminah. Sadly his father, Abdullah, died a few days before his birth. Aminah, the mother of the Holy Prophet (S) asked a lady called Haleema to take care of her son so that he could be brought up in the open and healthy country air. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) spent the first five years of his life with Haleema and then she returned him to his mother, Aminah. When he was about six years old, his mother took him to Medina for a few days. On their return

119 journey, she died. After that, his grandfather Abd al-muttalib took him into his care. Abd al-muttalib loved his grandchild very much and was very kind to him. However, he too, died after two years. After that, the Holy Prophet began to live with his Uncle, Abu Talib, and Aunt, Fatimah, daughter of Asad. They loved Muhammad (S) as if he was their own son. Abu Talib went on a business trip and he took his young nephew along with him. This way, he learnt a lot about trading. Prophet Muhammad, even as a young man, was very honest with people. The people, therefore, respected him very much and used to call him as- Sadiq (the truthful) and al-amin (the trustworthy). Prophet Muhammad (S) never worshipped idols and at times he would go in a cave at Mount Hira and think. The Prophet used to be hurt when he saw the people of Makkah fighting and cheating one another. One day, when he was in the cave, Angel Jibraeel (A) came down by Allah s command and told Prophet Muhammad that he has been chosen by Allah to become the Prophet and the Messenger, and to spread the religion of Islam. It was because of his kindness and honesty that a very rich lady called Khadija asked him to marry her. The Prophet agreed; they were married and lived together very happily.

120 He also told them of the Day of Judgment, when everyone will see his or her good and bad deeds from this world, and will be either rewarded or punished for them. Prophet Muhammad advised the people to stop idol-worshipping and other evil deeds and to worship only Allah. He told them it is only Allah who has made the heavens and the earth and is in charge of them. His first wife, Lady Khadija, and his cousin, Imam Ali (A), were the first to believe that he was a Prophet and to accept Islam.

121 WORKSHEET 2.6 Jigsaw Fill in the missing word to find the name of the most perfect person. Place each letter that you fill in on the line at the bottom.

122 Our Holy Prophet Muhammad was brought up by: 1. Halima 2. Grandfather Abdul Muttalib 3. Uncle & Aunt Abu Talib & Fatima Binte Asad THE NAME OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD S FATHER IS: A _ L L _ H THE NAME OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD S MOTHER is: A M A

123 Find the correct names. 1. Prophet Muhammad s (saw) father A U AH 2. Prophet Muhammad s daughter F T A H 3. Prophet Muhammad s (saw) grandfather A D L T T L B 4. Prophet Muhammad s (saw) Mother A N H 5. Prophet Muhammad s (saw) Uncle A U T L B 6. Prophet Muhammad s (saw) wife K A JA KHADIJA ABDULMUTTALIB ABDULLAH FATIMAH ABUTALIB AMINAH

124 Sayyida Fatimah Az Zehra (a) Sayyida Fatimah Az-Zahra (A.S.) is the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and Sayyida Khadija (A.S.) She was born in Makkah on the 20 th of Jamad ul Aakher. Her mother died when she was only 5 years old. The people of Makkah used to laugh and throw things at her father - Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) because he taught that there was no god except Allah. She used to help her father brush the rubbish off his clothes. Whenever she entered a room where the Prophet (S.A.W.) was, he used to stand up out of respect for her. Bibi Fatimah (a.s.) used to work very hard in her house. Her father, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), could see how hard she was working. One day, he gave her a Tasbeeh, and told her that after every Salaat she should say: 34 times Allahu Akber 33 times Al Hamdulillah 33 times Subhanallah Salaat is like a beautiful flower and the Tasbeeh of Bibi Fatimah (a.s.) gives that beautiful flower a beautiful smell. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) has said that this Tasbeeh is better than a helper or anything else in the world. So after every Salaat remember to recite the Tasbeeh of Bibi Fatimah (a.s.).

125 She got married to Imam Ali (A.S.) and they had five children: Imam Hasan (A.S.) Imam Hussein (A.S.) Sayyida Zaynab (A.S.) Sayyida Umme Kulthum (A.S.) Baby Muhsin (A.S.) - who died. After the Prophet (S.A.W.) died, the bad rulers tried to burn down her house and even pushed a door down on her. She was hurt badly. She died soon after. Imam Ali (A.S.) was very sad. He buried her at night so nobody could find her grave to trouble her any more. She is buried in Madina.

126 8.1 Worksheet: Sayyida Fatimah Az Zehra (a) Sayyida Fatimah Zehra (a) 3

127 Imam Ali (a) Imam Ali (a), our first Imam, was the: son of Abu Talib and Fatima binte Asad The cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (a). He was born on Friday, the 13th Rajab in the Holy Ka'ba. Fatima binte Asad (the mother of Imam Ali) went to the Ka'ba and prayed to Allah that the baby she was going to have would be born safely. She was standing near the wall opposite the door of the Ka'ba, praying to Allah when suddenly there was a crack in the wall near her. The crack became bigger and bigger until it was big enough for Fatima binte Asad to go through it and enter the Ka'ba. When Fatima binte Asad had entered the Ka'ba, the crack began to get smaller and smaller. Prophet Muhammad (S) had been away when all this happened. When he came back from his trip and went to the Ka'ba, the lock on the door of the Ka'ba fell open all on its own and Fatima binte Asad came out holding her new little baby - Imam Ali (A). Imam Ali (A) is the only person ever to be born in the Ka'ba. From his very childhood, he was brought up in the house of the Holy Prophet who gave him the best education.

128 1 Chapter 12: Imam Ali (as) Name Title : Ali-ibn- Abu Talib (A) : Ameer ul Mu mineen, sayyid al Wasiyyeen, saqi al kawthar, Haider e Karrar,Waliullah, Asadullah Ghalib Kunyat Birth date Father Mother Death : Abul Hasan : 13th Rajab, at Holy Ka ba : Abu Talib (A) : Syeda Fatimah binte Asad : 21 st Ramadhan 40 A.H. Buried : Najaf, Iraq Imam Ali (A) our first Imam was born in the Ka ba on the 13th of Rajab - the year 30 Aamul Feel.

129 His father was called Imran but is better known as Abu Talib (A).Abu Talib (A) was the uncle of our holy prophet Muhammad (saw). His mother was Syeda Fatimah binte Asad (A) From his very childhood, he was brought up in the house of the Holy Prophet who gave him the best education. He was the first among men to accept Islam. He knew the verses of the Holy Qur'an and Islamic Laws. He thought a lot before saying or doing anything so that whatever he said was correct and whatever he did was according to Islamic teachings. He was very brave and he spent his whole life fighting against injustice He was polite and not proud and treated everyone like a brother and a friend. He was never unfair to anybody and did not displease anyone. He used simple, but clean clothes. His diet was also very simple. He usually ate barley bread. He was so just and happy with was Allah had given him that he once said, "If you give me the whole world, to snatch away just one grain from the mouth of an ant, I will never do so". Imam Ali (A) was a very brave man and the hero of all the battles of Islam. He was given a special sword called Zulfiqar from Allah. He was very knowledgeable. The Prophet (saw) said: I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate

130 12.1 Marraige He was married to Syeda Fatimah (A), who was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (S). Together, they had five children. They were: Imam Hasan (A) Imam Hussein (A) Mohsin (A) Syeda Zainab (A) Syeda Kulthum (A) Under Allah's command, the Holy Prophet told the people that Imam Ali (A) was going to be the leader of the Muslims after his death Martyrdom: On the 19th of Ramadan 40 A.H., while doing his Salaa in the Masjid al-kufa, he was struck with a poisoned sword of Abd al Rahman who was the son of Muljim. He died on the 21st of Ramadan. His grave is in the city of Najaf in Iraq.

131 IMAM ALI S FAMILY MOTHER FATIMA BINTE ASAD FATHER ABU TALIB WIFE Sayyida Fatimah (a) SON IMAM HASAN (a) SON Imam Hussein (a) SON MOHSIN DAUGHTER Sayyida ZAINAB DAUGHTER Sayyida KULTHUM 18

132 12.3 Worksheet MME FATHER 1. IMAM HUSSEIN MOTHER 2. SYEDA FATIMAH WIFE SON 3. PROPHET MUHAMMAD SON 4. IMAM HASAN SON DAUGHTER DAUGHTER COUSIN & FATHER- IN-LAW 5. MOHSIN 6. ABU TALIB 7. FATIMAH BINTE ASAD 8. SYEDA KULTHUM

133 2 Chapter 14: Imam Hasan Al-Mujtaba (A) Name Title Born Father Mother : Hasan : Al Mujtaba : 15th Ramadhan 3 AH at Medina : Imam Ali ibne Abu Talib (as) :Syeda Fatimah a.s (Daughter of the Holy Prophet s.a.w ) Martyred Buried : 7th Safar 50 A.H at Medina : Jannatul Baqi, Medina 14.1 Childhood: Imam Hasan (A) was named by the Prophet (saw). The name came from Allah through Angel Jibrael. The Prophet said to Imam Ali (A): O Ali! You are to me as Haroon was to Musa. Prophet Haroon (A) had two sons called Shabber and Shabbir. In Arabic Shabbar is translated as Hasan Imam Hasan(as) was the first son of Imam Ali (as) and Syeda Fatimah (as).prophet Muhammad (saw) was very happy at his birth and did his Aqiqa by slaughtering a lamb and giving away silver to the poor. That was the first Aqiqa ever done in the history of Islam.

134 Imam Hasan (A) was only one year older than Imam Hussein (A) and they grew up side by side with same principles and goals. Imam Hasan (A) and Imam Hussein (A) were very dear to the Holy Prophet (saw). He used to carry them on his shoulders and once told the people, Hasan and Hussein are the leaders of the Youth of Paradise During the Imamat of Imam Ali, the battles of Siffen, Jamal and Nahrwaan were fought. Imam Hasan (A) was the standard bearer in all these battles and played an important role in the victories. When his father Imam Ali (A) died, Imam Hasan(A) was 37 years old. He became the next Imam Courtesy of Imam Hasan (A) One day, Imam Hasan (A) saw an old man was performing Wudhu but his Wudhu was not right. Imam Hasan (A) wanted to make him aware of his mistake but he didn t want to break his heart or annoy him so that he didn t accept it. So he went along with Imam Hussein (A) and between the 2 brothers, they decided to create a scene and ask the old man to make the judgment. Imam Hasan (A) addressed Imam Hussein (A) and said, "I perform a better wudhu as compared to yours." Imam Hussein (A) said "I perform it better than you do." Both of them approached the old man and said, "You come and see our wudhu and decide who performs a better wudhu." Both of them got busy with performing ablution and ended it in a correct and nice way. The old man understood the secret of their act and realized that they meant him to find out his fault, in this way. So he said to them "The wudhu performed by both of you is correct, I am an old man, who did not know how to perform the wudhu correctly. You made me aware about my fault. I am much thankful to you."

135 14.3 Imamat When his father Imam Ali (A) died, Imam Hasan(A) was 37 years old. He became the next Imam. Muawiya, the governer of Syria did not want Imam Hasan (A) to be the leader of the Muslims, Imam Hasan (A) wanted to fight with him but he didn t have a faithful army. He had to sign a peace agreement with Muawiya. Thus Muawiya became the ruler. Muawiya promised a lot of reward to Imam Hasan s (A) wife Juda binte Ashath if she kills Imam Hasan(A).Imam Hasan (A) was poisoned by her and he is buried in Medina.

136 14.4 Worksheet: Imam Hasan (A) Answer the questions: 1. Who was Imam Hasan s (A) father? 2. Who was Imam Hasan s (A) mother? 3. Who did not like Imam Hasan (A) to be the Imam? 4. Who poisoned Imam Hasan (A)? 5. Where is Imam buried? 6. Who recited Adhan and Iqamah in Imam Hasan s ear? 7. Who is the brother of Imam Hasan (A)?

137 3 Imam Hussein As-Shaheed (A) Name Title Kunyat Born Father Mother : Hussein : Sayyid-ush-Shohada (Leader of Martyrs) : Abu Abdullah : 3rd Shaban 4 AH at Medina : Imam Ali ibne abu Talib (as) :SyedaFatimah a.s (Daughter of the Holy Prophet s.a.w ) Martyred Buried : 10th Muharram 61 AH at Kerbala : Kerbala

138 15.2 Imam Hussein (A) and the Holy Qur an: Abu Abdil Rahman Salmi was a Qur an teacher in Medina. Many children would come to him to learn how to recite the Holy Qur an. One day he taught a son of Imam Hussein (A) to recite Surah Al-Fatihah (Al- Hamd). When the child recited the Surah Al-Fatihah before his father, Imam Hussein (A) was so pleased that he rewarded the teacher with valuable gifts. Some people criticized this action saying it was not necessary to give so much in return for teaching one Surah. In reply, Imam Hussein (A) said, "What comparison can there be between the gift I have given to the teacher of my child, and his teaching the Holy Qur'an, the gift which he has given to my child?" Imam Hussein (A) gave a lot of importance to the Holy Qur'an during his life. During the night of Qadr, in the Holy month of Ramadhan, there is a specific Ziyaarah of Imam Hussein (A) which we recite. Imam of our time Imam Mahdi (A) in his Ziyaarah addresses Imam Hussein (A) saying: "You were for the Prophet, a son and for the Holy Qur'an, a support" Martyrdom: Yazid was a very evil man who changed everything that the prophet (saw) had taught.yazid wanted Imam Hussein (as) to follow him. Imam (as) refused to follow him, because he knew that if he did, true Islam would be forgotten. That made Yazid very angry.

139 Yazid sent a large army to Kerbala under the command of Ubaidullah ibne Ziyad and surrounded Imam Hussein (as), his family and a small army of 72 people. On the day of Ashura 61 A.H Imam Hussein (as) and his companions were martyred in Kerbala and are buried there.

140 15.4 Worksheet: The prophet of Allah Muhammad (saw) has said many HADITH (sayings) for Imam Hasan(A) and Imam Hussein(A). One of these sayings is given numbers noted below.find the letters for the same number from the key and write them below A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

141 4 Imam Zain ul Abideen (a) Name Title Kunyat Birth date Father Mother Death : Ali-ibn-ul Hussein (a) : Zain-ul Abideen (The jewel of worshippers) : Abu Muhammad : 15th Jamadi-ul-Awwal, at Medina : Hussein ibn Ali (a) : Syeda Shahr Bano (a), daughter of King Yazdigard II : 25 th Muharram 95 AH. Poisoned by Waleed bin Marwan Buried : Jannat-ul-Baqee, Medina. Imam (a) was the eldest son of Imam Hussein (a). His mother was the Persian princess Syeda Shahr Bano(a). He spent the first two years of his life under the care of his grandfather Imam Ali (a) and next 12 years under the guidance of his uncle Imam Hassan (a).he was present in Kerbala, where his father, relatives and the companions of his father were martyred by the forces of Yazid. At the time, he was too ill to fight and was thus protected by Allah to continue the line of Imamat. Imam (a) lived 34 years after his father and all his life was passed in prayers to Allah and in the remembrance of tragedy of Kerbala. His habit of frequent prostration in Sajdah caused him to be known as SAJJAD. He was also called ABID. At the time of our 4 th Imam, Imam Zainul Abideen (A) it was very difficult for Imam (A) to teach Islam to the people. This was because Yazid s men used to keep a close watch on Imam s (A) movements.

142 Imam Zainul Abideen (A) had seen his father, Imam Hussein (A), and other loyal friends and family die for the sake of Islam. Imam Zainul Abideen (A) decides that the best way to teach people about Islam was by prayers (Du a). As a result, we have today a beautiful collection of his Du a in a book called: Al- Sahifat al-kamilat al-sajjadiyyah - The complete book of Al-Sajjad, (Imam Zainul Abadeen (A) was also known as al-sajjad). An extract from a du a for Sunday (the 1 st verse) from AL- Sahifat al-kamilat al-sajjadiyya: In the name of Allah, the most Kind and the most Merciful. In the name of Allah from whom I hope for nothing but bounty, and from whom I fear nothing but justice! I rely only upon His word, and I cling only to His cord! Just in these few lines Imam (A) is teaching us so much: He is teaching us that only Allah is the provider. He is teaching us that we should not fear Allah as He is the most forgiving and the most Merciful but at the same time He is also the Most Just and it is this justice that we should fear. There was once a man who was a very religious man and because he was so sure of himself he always used to pray to Allah to judge him on Justice, (we are told always to pray to Allah to judge us with His mercy). When this man died he saw a scale that was being weighted down with all his good actions. The angels then brought an apple which they put on the other side of the scale and the scale came down on the side of the apple.

143 The man did not understand how a single apple could outdo all his good actions. He was then told that, that apple was one that he had tasted in the market without the permission of the shop owner. Because the man had insisted that Allah judge him on justice, Allah did not intervene with His mercy. Imam Zainul Abideen (A) then finished the 1 st verse with the lesson that we should only rely on Allah and attach ourselves to Him alone. Moral: 1. We should always ask Allah to judge us with His mercy. 2. We should try to read the du as from Al-Sahifat al-kamilat al-sajjadiyyah, as there is so much to learn from them.

144 2.1 Worksheet: Imam Zain ul Abideen (a) 1. How did Imam Zainul Abideen (A) teach Islam and why did he use this method of teaching? 2. What is the name of the book of Imam (A) teaching? _. 3. Imam Zainul Abideen was known as ABID and SAJJAD. Why?

145 5 Imam Muhammad Bin Ali Al Baqir (a) Name Title Kunyat Birth date Father Mother : Muhammad : Baqir ul uloom, Shakir, Haadi. : Abu Ja far : 1 st of Rajab 57 A.H at Medina. : Imam Zain ul Abedeen (a.s) : Umme Abdullah Fatimah Binte Imam Hassan (a) Martyrdom : 114 A.H. Buried : Janatul Baqee, Medina 2.3 Birth and childhood: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a) was born in Medina on 1 st of Rajab 57 A.H. He is the son of our 4 th imam Zain-ul Abedeen(a) and Umme Abdullah Fatima binte Hassan daughter of 3 rd Imam Hassan (a). When he was four years old, Imam Baqir (a) accompanied his parents and his grandfather Imam Hussein (a) to Kerbala. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a), along with other Ahlul bait he went through the hardships of KUFA and SHAM.

146 2.4 Imam Muhammad Baqir (a) and Jabir Ibne Abdullah Ansari Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) was the friend of Prophet Muhammad (saw); he lived a long life. Once Imam Baqir(a) visited Jabir and greeted him. Jabir returned his greetings and asked who he was? That was after he had lost his sight because of old age. Muhammad bin Ali bin Al-Hussein (a). Imam answered. Jabir kissed his hands and feet and then said, Prophet Muhammad (saw) sends his greetings to you. Imam Baqir asked How is that, Jabir?" Jabir replied: "One day I was with him when he said to me: "Jabir,perhaps you will live until you meet one of my sons called Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-hussein(a), on whom Allah will bestow light and wisdom. Then recite to him my greetings." 2.5 Imamat After the death of Imam Zain ul Abedeen (a), it was the time of Imam Baqir s imamat. Imam was able to preach Islam freely as the rulers were busy with other problems. Imam (a) set up and conducted classes on the teachings of Holy prophet (saw) and the Ahlul bait (a).he also began to teach new sciences like Mathematics and Chemistry for the first time in Arabia. That s why he is known as BAQIR Imam Baqir (a) gave the idea about what should be written on the first Islamic coin. One side of the coin said, LAA ILAHA ILLALLAH And on the other side it was MUHAMMADDUR RASOOLULLAH

147 2.6 Martyrdom The ruler of the time was Hisham bin Abdul Malik. He was jealous that Imam Baqir (a) was getting so popular. He wanted to kill Imam Baqir (a). So he had a man deliver a horse saddle that has poison on it. When Imam rode on the saddle, the poison in it killed him. He (a) died at the age of 37 in Medina in 114 A.H. He is buried in Baqee next to his father.

148 2.7 Worksheet: Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a) Circle the correct answer. 1. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a) is our imam. a. 3 rd b. 4 th c. 5 th 2. The father of Imam Baqir (a) is a. Imam Hussein (a) b. Imam Hassan (a) c. Imam Zain ul Abedeen. 3. Was he in Kerbala when Imam Hussein (a) was martyred? a. Yes b. No 4. He died because he a. Ate poisoned grapes b. Rode a poisoned saddle c. Was killed with the sword 5. He is buried in a. Jannat ul Baqee b. Sham c. Kerbala

149 6 Imam Ja far As-Sadiq (a) Name Title Kunyat Born Father Mother : Ja'far : As-Sadiq : Abu Abdullah,Abu Musa. : Monday 17th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 83 A.H. in Medina : Muhammad ibn Ali (a) : Umme-e-Farwah binte Qasim (a) Martyrdom : At the age of 65 years, at Medina,25 th Shawaal 148 AH. Buried : Jannat-ul-Baqi,Medina. Imam Ja far As Sadiq (a) was born on the same date as our Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). He was brought up in the care of his grandfather, Imam Zainul Abideen (a) for 12 years and then remained under the guidance of his father, Imam Baqir (a) for another 19 years. During the lifetime of Imam (a), rulers of that time Banu Abbas were busy in internal wars so they did not disturb Imam. He used this opportunity to advance the work started by his father and he setup a large teaching center. His classes and session of instruction produced 4,000 scholars of Hadith and the sciences. Amongst his famous students were: Hisham bin Hakam Jabir bin Hayyaan

150 Abu Hanifa. We have 4 great books of Hadith mainly from Imam Sadiq (a). 3.1 Imam Sadiq (a) and the shortage of Wheat in Medina: 3.2 Martyrdom: Once in Medina there was a shortage of wheat flour and prices of the flour were very high. Imam (a) asked his servant what their situation was. The servant replied that they had plenty of wheat and should have no problem for a long time. Imam (a) said, Sell the wheat in the market and let us face the situation along with everyone else. In this way he taught that Islam discourages hoarding. Towards the end of his life severe restrictions were put on Imam (a) by the ruler at that time, Mansoor. Finally he sent some poisoned grapes through his governor in Medina,Muhammad bin Sulayman. The poison took its effect and Imam breathed his last on 25 th of Shawaal 148 A.H. He is buried in Jannatul Baqee next to his father.

151 3.3 Worksheet: Imam Sadiq (a) Fill in the blanks 1. Imam Ja far as Sadiq (a) shares the same birthday as the. 2. His father name is. 3. His grandfather is. 4. is one of the famous student of Imam Sadiq (a). 5. In his madressa there were atleast students. 6. He was martyred in A.H. 7. Imam Sadiq(a) s Kunyat was. Muhammad Al Baqir (a) 4000 Abu Abdullah 148A.H Abu Hanifa Prophet Muhammad (saw) Imam Zainul Abideen (a)

152 7 Imam Musa Al Kadhim (a) Name Title Kunyat : Musa : Al-Kadhim (one who controls his anger) : Abu Ibrahim, Abul Hassan and Abu Ali. Birthdate : 7 th Safar 128 A.H., at Abwa. Father Mother : Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s) : Hamida Khatoon (a.s) Martydom : 25th Rajab 183 AH. Poisoned by Harun-al-Rashid the Abbaside caliph Buried : Kazmain, Baghdad (Iraq) 4.1 Birth: Imam Musa Kadhim (a) was born in Abwa, a place between Mecca and Medina where Syeda Aminah (a) (prophet Muhammad s (saw) mother is buried) 4.2 Imamat: Imam Musa Kadhim (a) is our seventh imam. He enjoyed the company of his father for 20 years. After the martyrdom of his father, He took over the responsibility of Imamat and guided the people from Medina. He is one of the Imams whose miracles are reported extensively.

153 4.3 Rulers During His Imamat: Four Banu Abbas caliphs, Mansoor,Mahdi,Hadi and Haroon Rasheed ruled during the Imamat of our seventh Imam. Although he was allowed some freedom in the beginning, it was no long before the attention of the rulers was turned on him. Haroon Rashid became the caliph in 170 A.H. It was he who introduced Chess and music as Islamic culture. Haroon begin to resent the popularity and the power that Imam (a) had over the muslims. Once when Haroon went over to Medina, he approached the tomb of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and said, Greetings to you O Prophet of Allah, Greetings to you my cousin. He was trying to show the people that he was relative to the Holy Prophet (p) because he was from the family of Abbas, the Uncle of Prophet (p). Imam (a) also approached the tomb and said, Greetings to you O Prophet of Allah, Greetings to you my father. Imam (a) was proving to the people and Haroon that he was a direct descendent of the Holy Prophet (SAW). When he heard this, Haroon s face went red in anger. The capital of Haroon s regime was Baghdad. Haroon felt threatened by the growing popularity of Imam (a). He had the Imam (a) handcuffed and brought to Basra from Medina. He was imprisoned and was moved from prison to prison in Baghdad. Imam remained in the prison for the last nineteen years of his life.

154 4.4 Martyrdom Imam (a) was kept under the guard of Sindi bin Shahik who eventually killed Imam (a) by presenting him with poisoned dates. Sindi put the body of Imam (a) on a bridge and invited the people to come and see the body and prove to themselves that he had not been killed by force, but had died naturally. His funeral prayers were led by his son Imam Ali ar Ridha (a).

155 4.5 Worksheet: Imam Musa Al Kadhim (a) Match the right answer. Imam Musa Kadhim (a) was born here. Kazmain Imam Musa Kadhim (a) s Mother. Baghdad Capital city in Haroon s rule. Imam Ali Ar Ridha (a) Imam Musa Kadhim (a) s Tomb is here. Abwa Son of Imam Musa Kadhim (a). Hamida Khatoon

156 8 Imam Ali Ar Ridha (a) Name Title Kunyat : Ali : Ar-Ridha (One with whom Allah is pleased) : Abul Hassan Birthdate : 11th of Zilqad 148 A.H., at Medina Father Mother : Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) : Ummul Baneen Najma (a.s) Martydom : 29th Safar 203 AH. Poisoned by Mamoon the Abbaside Caliph Buried : Mashad, Iran. Imam Ridha (a) was brought up under the care of his father for 35 years. His father left behind a written document declaring his succession. 5.1 Imam Zamin (a) Imam (a) is also known as Imam Zamin(a). Zamin comes from the Arabic word Zamanat, which means security. Whenever we start a journey, we pray to Allah to keep us safe for the sake of our eighth Imam (a).we also give some money in charity, which is in the name of Imam Zaamin (a).in some cultures there is a tradition of tying Imam Zamin around the arm.

157 5.2 Imamat Imam Ridha (a) took over the great responsibility of Imamat under very difficult circumstances after the martyrdom of his father. Followers of Imam Ridha (a) were leading very difficult lives under the rule of the Abbaside caliphs Haroon and his son Mamoon. After the death of Haroon, his sons Amin and Mamoon became the caliphs respectively. Mamoon was an intelligent man, he realized that Imam Ridha (a) was very popular among the people.even some of his own ministers were Shia of Imam Ridha (a), so he decided to change the strategy of torture and oppression used by his father (Haroon Rasheed ). First, he declared himself as a shia of Imam Ali (a).he ordered that the family of Imam Ali (a) should not be harmed. Secondly, He invited the Imam (a) to come from Medina to Marv, which was his winter capital. 5.3 Fortress of Allah Thousands of people were gathered to greet him on his way to Marv, some scholars at Nishapoor begged him to stop and address them. Imam (a) related to them the following Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (p): The angel Jibraeel (a) had told the Holy Prophet (saw),who told Imam Ali(a),and each Imam had told the next Imam (a), that Allah had said, Laa Ilaaha IIIallah is My fortress, and whoever enters My fortress saves himself from My punishment. Then Imam (a) went forward a little and then stopped. He then informed them that there were some conditions that need to be fulfilled before entering the Fortress of Allah. One of which was complete submission to the Imam of that time. On his arrival in Marv, Mamoon greeted Imam (a) with great respect. He offered him (a) the Caliphate, Imam (a) refused and Mamoon insisted that he accept to become the heir to the throne. Despite his reluctance Imam (a) was forced to accept the position and Mamoon asked the people to pay the Oath of allegiance to him.

158 He also ordered that the royal robes would be green as green was the color of Holy Prophet s (saw) household. A Dirham coin with the name of Imam Ridha (a) was issued. Ar Ridha min Aale Muhammad Mamoon had not given this position to Imam (a) due to any love for him, but had done it to suppress the uprising of the people. He had no intention of allowing Imam (a) to become his successor. 5.4 Imam Ar Ridha (a) in Mamoon s court Imam (a) took the opportunity to spread the teachings of Islam in the court of Mamoon. He organized Majalis to remember the martyrs and sacrifice of Kerbala, and explained the moral lessons to be learnt from that tragedy. Mamoon s court was visited by people from all over the world. Imam (a) answered all the questions they asked to Mamoon. 5.5 Martyrdom Mamoon soon felt threatened by the growing popularity of Imam (a) and decided to kill Imam (a). He invited Imam (a) to a meal where he was offered poisoned grapes. Imam (a) became very ill and as a result died on 29th Safar 203 A.H. He is buried in Mashad, Iran.

159 5.6 Worksheet: Imam Ali Ar Ridha (a) Project: Let s make an Imam Zamin. Fill in the blanks: 1. was the father of Imam Ali Ar Ridha. 2. Imam Ridha (a) is also known as. 3. He was born in A.H. 4. Imam Ridha (a) is our imam. 5. Mamoon was caliph. 6. was the winter capital of Mamoon s regime Marv Abbaside Eighth Imam Musa Kadhim (a) 148 A.H Imam Imam Zamin

160 9 Imam Muhammad At-Taqi (a) Name Title : Muhammad :At-Taqi(One who is Mindful of Allah) and Al-Jawaad. Kunyat Born Father Mother Martydom caliph Buried :Abu Ja'far : 10th of Rajab 195 A.H, Medina. : Ali ibn Musa (a) :Sabaika Khaizuran (a) : 29th Zilqad 220 AH. Poisoned by Mu'tasin the Abbaside : Kazmain, Bagdad. Imam Muhammad Taqi(a) was brought up under the care of his father for 4 years. When Mamoon forced Imam Ridha (a) to leave Medina for Iran, he (a) declared Imam Taqi (a) as his successor. After the martyrdom of Imam Ridha (a) in 203 A.H, Imam Taqi (a) took over the duties of imamat at the age of 8 years. 6.1 Imam Taqi (a) and Mamoon One day when he was 5 years old, he was on the road when Mamoon was passing by. All the children ran away but Imam (a) stayed. Mamoon stopped the carriage and asked why Imam (a) was still standing there. Imam (a) told him that the road was wide enough for all of them and he had not done anything wrong. Mamoon asked him who he was.

161 After knowing about his identity, Mamoon who was hiding a tiny fish in his hand asked the Imam (a) Can you tell me what I have in my hand? Imam (a) replied: Allah has made tiny fishes in the river. These fishes are hunted by the kings and Imams can tell the secrets. 6.2 Imamat Inspite of his young age, he demonstrated the intelligence and wisdom of his forefathers. He was bold, learned, used to forgive people and was tolerant. He (a) was famous for his hospitality and courtesy to all and for his help for poor, orphans and the needy. He lived a simple life and worked tirelessly to guide people to right path. Imam (a) prepared the Muslims for the time when the 12 th Imam (a) would come. He (a) did that by training the Muslims to ask questions and take advice from those who had learned the Qur an and all the laws of Islam and who were good Muslims. This is called Taqleed. 6.3 Martyrdom After Mamoon, Mu tasim Billah came to the throne. He was the cruel enemy of Ahlul bait. Mu tasim once asked Imam (a) to pass judgment of how to punish a thief. Imam (a) said only fingers could be cut as the palms were for Allah (one of the wajib parts to touch the ground during sajdah). Mu tasim arranged for Imam (a) to be poisoned. Imam was only 25 years old when he was martyred by poison, given to him in a drink by Ummul Fadhl. Imam (a) is buried besides his grandfather, Imam Musa al Kadhim (a) at Kazmain, Baghdad.

162 6.4 Worksheet: Imam Muhammad at-taqi (a) Fill in the blanks. 1. Imam Taqi (a) took over the duties of imamat at the age of years. 2. The kunyat of Imam Taqi (a) is. 3. At Taqi means. 4. lived a simple life and worked tirelessly to guide people to right path. 5. Imam was only years old when he was martyred by poison. 6. Imam (a) is buried besides his grandfather at Kazmain, Baghdad.

163 10 Imam Ali An-Naqi (a) Name Title Kunyat Birth date Father Mother Martydom : Ali (a) : An-Naqi (The pure) and Al-Hadi (The Guide) : Abul Hassan :15th of Zilhajj 212 A.H., at Medina. : Muhammad ibn Ali At Taqi (a) :Summana Khatoon (a) : 3 rd Rajab 254 AH. Poisoned by Mu'taz the Abbaside caliph. Buried : Samarra, Baghdad. Imam (a) was only 8 years old when his father was martyred. Thus, like his father, He also took over the responsibility of Imamat at a very young age. 7.1 Imam Ali Naqi (a) and Junaydi The caliph wrote to the governor of Medina asking him to send the young Imam (a) to a person called Junaydi for tutoring. Junaydi was an old, well known poet of that time and anti-ahlul bait When Junaydi was once asked about the progress of his student he said: I am the student and he is the teacher. I now know what knowledge is. What I say is because of what I have been taught by Imam.

164 7.2 Rulers During the Time of Imam (a) 1. Mamoon Rashid 2. Mu tasim, He ruled for 8 years. 3. Wathiq Billah: During his rule Imam (a) and His Shia were allowed to live peacefully. 4. Mutawakkil: He was the first Abbaside caliph who openly held and participates in parties where music, drinking alcohol and all kinds of evil was practiced. 5. Muntansir: He succeeded his father Mutawakkil by Killing him. 6. Mustain Billah 7. Mu taz Billah. Mutawakkil forced Imam Naqi (a) to leave Medina and go to Sammra, where He (a) was imprisoned. Mutawakkil was his enemy, but Imam (a) never returned this enmity. Once Mutawakkil was suffering from serious sickness and his doctors declared him incurable. Mutawakkil s mother approached Imam (a) for help, and He (a) prescribed an ointment, which cured him. 7.3 Imamate He (a) served the longest period of Imamate (besides the 12 th Imam)-34 years that can be divided into two parts 17 years of freedom and 17 years of imprisonment. 7.4 Martyrdom It was Mu taz who finally poisoned him. His funeral prayers were conducted by his son Imam Hassan Askari (a) and he was buried in Sammra. He was only 42 years at the time.

165 7.5 Worksheet: Imam Ali An-Naqi (a) Fill in the blanks: 1. Imam Ali Naqi (a) was Years old, when his Imamat was declared. 2. The caliph sent Imam (a) to be tutored by. 3. He (a) served years of Imamat. 4. Imam (a) was poisoned by. 5. is the father of Imam Ali Naqi(a). 6. was the next imam. 7. Naqi means. 8. Al Hadi means. The Guide Imam Muhammad Taqi (a) Mu taz Billah Eight Junaydi Imam Hassan Al Askari(a) 34 The Pure

166 11 Imam Hassan al-askari (a) Name Title Kunyat Birth date Father Mother Martyrdom Buried : Hassan : Al-Askari : Abu Muhammad : 8th Rabi-ul-Akhar 232 A.H., at Medina : Ali ibn Muhammad Naqi(a) : Syeda Sulail (a) : 8th Rabi-ul-Awwal 260 AH. Poisoned by Mo'tamad the Abbaside Caliph in Sammra. : Samarra, Baghdad. 8.1 Birth and Childhood When He was born his father said that it was the order from the Prophet Muhammad (saw) that he should be named HASSAN. His mother was Sulail or Sausan (a). He was 22, when his father was martyred and the period of his Imamate, following his father's death, was six years His only son is Mohammad Mahdi (Mahdi, the promised one) who will upon his advent; fill up the world with equity, justice, and fairness.

167 The rulers of the time of 11 th Imam, Imam Hassan Askari (a) knew that the Imams were going to be 12 in number and the last Imam would take control of the world. The rulers wanted to stop the 12 th Imam (a) to be born, so they kept Imam Hassan Askari (a) imprisoned for most of his life. But the Allah, who had saved and defended Musa (Moses) (A.S.) from Fir aun, could bring the future leader of the Islamic Ummah too into existence, away from the sights of people. Imam's (a) Morality 8.2 Special Features of One of the courtiers of Abbasade government named "Ahmed bin Khaqan", who was an enemy of the Prophet's family, said one day "I have not seen anybody in Samarra, among the Bani Hashim family, more pious than Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.). If the caliphate goes out of the Bani Abbaside's hands then no one except Hassan Askari (A.S.) will be capable and fit for it. Then he said, "one day I was present with my father when Hassan Askari (A.S.) arrived there, although he was the enemy of the Prophet's family, yet he got up from his place, kissed his hand and made him seated upon his own place and sat before him like a pupil in front of a teacher and lent ears to his words 8.3 Abu Yousuf s Account Abu Yousuf says about the charity and generosity of Imam (A.S.), I got down and out, and could not support my children any longer. We were all hungry, sad and desperate, I went to the court of Abbasides many a times so that I may seek their help, for, I was related to them. But they were so very lost in their lives that they would not attend to my agony and painful

168 heart. One day, I paid a visit to Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) and described before him my implications. He had four hundred dinnars available with him and he gave all of them to me and said, "Go and get your family freed from distress." He was in prison for six years and in-spite of all his difficulties, problems and pains he met the people with smiling face. 8.4 Revealing of Imam (a) There was a severe draught in Sammra and a Christian priest was able to make it rain, which was making the Muslim people question their faith. So Motamid had to ask Imam Hassan Askari (a) for help, before there were no Muslims to rule over. Imam (a) showed how the priest was making it rain using the bone of a prophet (a) and how Imam (a) could make it rain without the help of anything. The Muslims were overjoyed and Motamid had no choice but to let Imam (a) free who was imprisoned by him. 8.5 Imam s (a) Definition of Mu min The Imam (a) was once asked of the signs of a Mu min 1.who prays 51 rakaat of salaah daily. 2.He prostrates on Khake Shifa. 3.He wears ring on his right hand. 4.He repeats the verses of Adhaan and Iqama. 5.He recites Bismillah loudly in salaaht. 6.He prays his Fajr Salaah before the stars disappear and his Dhuhr prayers before the sun starts to decline. 7.He recites Qunoot in Salaah. 8.He dyes his hair and beard. 9.He recites 5 takbirs in Salaahul Mayyit.

169 8.6 Martyrdom Mu tamid could not bear hearing about the popularity of Imam (a) and tried many times to have him killed. At last he sent a poisoned drink to him that caused the martyrdom of the Imam (a) at the age of 28 years. Our 12 th Imam (a) conducted the Funeral prayers. And it was then that a lot of Shia s saw him for the first time. Imam Hassan Askari (a) is buried besides his father in Sammra.

170 Worksheet: Imam Hassan al-askari (a) Circle the right answer. 1. Imam Hassan Al Askari s (a) mother was. a. Syeda Fatimah(a) b. Syeda Sulail(a) c. Syeda Khadija 2. Imam Hassan Al Askari (a) only son is who will upon his advent; fill up the world with equity, justice, and fairness. a. Imam Ali (a) b. Imam Hussein (a) c. Imam Muhammad al Mahdi 3. A Mu min is a person who prostrates on during Salaah. a. Carpet b. Khake Shifa c.plastic 4. A Mu min recites -loudly in salaah. a. Mashallah b. Alhamdulilah c. Bismillah 5. Imam Hassan Al Askari is buried in Iraq. a. Sammara b. Kerbala c. Najaf.

171 12 Imam Muhammad Al Mahdi (a) Name Title : Muhammad bin Hassan (a) : Al- Mahdi (the guided one), Al Hujjat (proof of Allah), Al Muntazar (one who awaits the orders of Allah), Al Muntazir (one who is awaited), Saheb-uz- Zamaan (master of the time), Al Qaim (the present one). Kunyat Birth date Father Mother Martyrdom : Abul Qasim. : Friday, 15th of Sha ban 255A.H in Samarra : Imam Hassan Al Askari (a.s) : Sayyida Narjis (a.s) : Alive MashaAllah and in Ghaybat. Imam Mahdi (A) was born in Samarra at dawn on Friday, the 15th of Sha baan 255 A.H. in the house of his father, Imam Hassan Al Askari. The name of the mother of Imam Mahdi (A) is Syeda Narjis (A). Her other names were Malika, Sausan and Rayhana. She was the grand-daughter of the Roman Emperor of the time. Allah granted Imam (A) with wisdom and excellence at birth. Like the Prophets Isa (A) and Yahya (A), he had the ability to speak in infancy and used to recite verses of the Holy Qur'an from the cradle.

172 Imam (A) was born in the time of the Abbaside Caliph Mu'tamad, who had tried to prevent his birth but had been unsuccessful During his childhood, his father never used to let him stay in one place in the house. He used to move him to a different location every so often, so that Mu'tamad would not come to know of his existence. Imam Hassan al-askari (A) only let a few trusted companions into the secret of his son and advised them that he would be his successor. At the time of the death of Imam Hassan al-askari (A), Imam (A) suddenly appeared. He was only 5 years old and most people had never seen him. Imam (A) led the funeral prayers and then disappeared. Mu'tamad received the news that the prayers had been led by a young boy, from whose face light shone out like the full moon. He immediately knew that he had failed in his plan and despite all his efforts, the next Imam (A) had been born. This fact frightened him because he knew of the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (S) that the 12th Imam (A) would be the one who would fill the earth with peace and justice in the same way as it will have been filled with cruelty and injustice. Mu'tamad knew that his own rule was far from just, so he increased his efforts in locating and killing Imam (A) before any harm came to himself. In this he was unsuccessful because Allah protected His Hujjat, who had to serve mankind till the last days. There have been two periods of Ghaybat (concealment).the first is known as Ghaybate Sughra (Minor Concealment) in which Imam (A) was not seen by his followers but used to answer their questions through his four deputies. 1. Othman bin Said 2. Muhammad bin Othman. 3. Hussein bin Rauh. 4. Ali bin Muhammad Samry.

173 After 68 years the period of Ghaybate Sughra ended with the death of his fourth deputy and the period of Ghaybate Kubra (Major Concealment) began. This is the period we are living in today. Ya Imam Al Mahdi, Al Hujjat, Al Qaim, Al Muntazar, Saheb uz Zaman.

174 Worksheet: Imam Muhammad Al Mahdi (a) Imam Al-Mahdi (a) was born on: Date: Month: Year: Town: Country:

175 Color the banners. Al Mahdi Al Qaim Al Muntazar Al Muntazir Al Hujjat Saheb uz Zaman

176 READING: EID AL-GHADEER On the 18th of Dhul-hajj, Allah commanded Prophet Muhammad (S) to stop at a place called Ghadeer al-khumm (the pond of Khumm). A friend of the Prophet (S) called all the people to gather around. The Holy Prophet (S) led the Salaah. Then, he stood up high so that all the people could see him. He told everyone that, when he dies, he would leave behind two special things: The book of Allah, the Holy Quran The AHLUL BAYT (A) (his family) Sayyida Fatimah (A) & 12 Imams (A) The Prophet (S) explained that if the people follow BOTH the Quran AND the Ahlul Bayt, Allah will always be happy with them and they will be guided. But if the people follow only the Quran and don t listen to the Ahlul Bayt, then Allah will NOT be completely happy with them and they will not be truly guided. Prophet Muhammad (S) then held up Imam Ali s (A) hand, showing him to all the people and said:

177 Whoever considers the Prophet (S) as their leader, must also consider Imam Ali (A) as their leader. Then, he prayed to Allah to love those people who love Imam Ali (A) and dislike those who do not love him. Allah then said that the religion of Islam had been completed on that day. This day is known as Eid al-ghadeer. This is a day of celebration because our religion was completed on this day!

178 Chapter 6: The Event of Ghadeer Khum 6.1 The Farewell Pilgrimage Ten years after the migration (hijrah), the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessings be upon him and his Progeny] ordered to his close followers to call all the people in different places to join him in his last pilgrimage. On this pilgrimage he taught them how to perform the pilgrimage in a correct and unified form. This was first time that the Muslims with this magnitude gathered in one place in the presence of their leader, the Messenger of Allah [s]. On his way to Mecca, more than seventy thousand people followed Prophet [s]. On the fourth day of Dhulhijjah more than one hundred thousand Muslims had entered Mecca Date and Location The date of this incident was the 18th of Dhulhijjah of the year 10 AH (10 March 632 CE). After completing his last pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada'), Prophet [s] was leaving Mecca toward Medina, where he and the crowd of people reached a place called Ghadeer Khum (which is close to today's al-juhfah). It was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:67 In this place, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people..." (Qur'an 5:67) The last sentence in the above verse indicates that the Prophet [s] was mindful of the reaction of his people in delivering that message but Allah informs him not to worry, for He will protect His Messenger from people The Sermon Upon receiving the verse, the Prophet [s] stopped on that place (the pond of Khum) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have been ahead in the way, to come back and 65

179 waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel tooling to make a pulpit (minbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noontime in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks. On this day the Messenger of Allah [s] spent approximately five hours in this place; three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses from The Glorious Qur an, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech. The following is a part of his speech that has been widely narrated by the Sunni traditions: Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) The Messenger of Allah [s] declared: "It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny that is my Ahlul Bait. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)." Acknowledgement of Authority Then the Messenger of Allah continued: "Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O' Messenger of God." Then he uttered the key sentence denoting the clear designation of 'Ali as the leader of the Muslim ummah. The Prophet [s] held up the hand of 'Ali and said: "For whomever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." The Prophet [s] continued: "O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him."

180 These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon that are recorded by many Sunni authorities Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5:3 Immediately after the Prophet [s] finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favor upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (Qur'an 5:3) The above verse clearly indicates that Islam without clearing up matter of leadership after Prophet [s] was not complete, and completion of religion was due to announcement of the Prophet's immediate successor Hassan b. Thabit's poetry Immediately after the Prophet's speech, Hassan b. Thabit, the Companion and poet of the Messenger of Allah [s], asked for his permission to compose a few verses of poetry about Imam 'Ali [a] for the audience. The Prophet [s] said: "Say with the blessings of Allah". Hassan stood up and said: "O' people of Quraish. I follow with my words what preceded and witnessed by the Messenger of Allah [s]. He then composed and recited a beautiful poem Oath of Allegiance After his speech, the Messenger of Allah [s] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [a] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women." Number of People in Ghadeer Khum Allah ordered His Prophet [s] to inform the people of this designation at a time of crowded populous so that all could become the narrators of the tradition, while they exceeded a hundred thousand. Narrated by Zayd b. Arqam: Abu al-tufayl said: "I heard it from the Messenger of Allah [s], and there was no one (there) except that he saw him with his eyes and heard him with his ears." 6

181 Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70:1-3 Some Sunni commentators further report that the first three verses of the chapter of al-ma'arij (70:1-3) were revealed when a dispute arose after the Prophet [s] reached Medina. It is recorded that: On the day of Ghadeer the Messenger of Allah summoned the people toward 'Ali and said: "Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla." The news spread quickly all over urban and rural areas. When Harith Ibn Nu'man al-fahri (or Nadhr Ibn Harith according to another tradition) came to know of it, he rode his camel and came to Medina and went to the Messenger of Allah [s] and said to him: "You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah. We obeyed you. You ordered us to perform the prayers five times a day and we obeyed. You ordered us to observe fasts during the month of Ramadhan and we obeyed. Then you commanded us to offer pilgrimage to Mecca and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying `Ali is the mawla of whom I am mawla.' Is this imposition from Allah or from you?" The Prophet [s] said: "By Allah who is the only deity! This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious." On hearing this Harith turned back and proceeded towards his she-camel saying: "O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture." He had not reached his she-camel when Allah, who is above all defects, flung at him a stone that struck him on his head, penetrated his body and passed out through his lower body and left him dead. It was on this occasion that Allah, the exalted, caused to descend the following verses: "A questioner questioned about the punishment to fall. For the disbelievers there is nothing to avert it, from Allah the Lord of the Ascent." (70:1-3)

182 6.2 Worksheet: The Event of Ghadeer Khum TRUE/FALSE T F One of the significant aspects of the Prophet s last pilgrimage was that he wanted to teach the people to perform the hajj in a correct and unified form. T F T F There were always many people who followed the Prophet; therefore the crowd following him into Mecca was not extraordinary. While returning from Hajj, the Prophet stopped and gave a famous sermon. During this sermon, he recited about 100 verses from the Qur an. T Sunni traditions do not acknowledge the Prophet s sermon at Ghadeer Khum. F T The event of Ghadeer Khum has Qur anic verses to support it. F FILL IN THE BLANK 1. The date of Ghadeer Khum is. 2. Thaqalyn means. 3. For whoever I am his Leader (mawla),. 6

183 STORYTIME: EID AL-MUBAAHALA When Islam was first introduced to the people, the Holy Prophet (S) had sent letters to many different countries inviting them to Islam. One letter was sent to the Christians of Najran. The Christians wanted to meet the Holy Prophet (S). When they arrived in Medina, the Holy Prophet (S) was sad to see them dressed in silk and gold, and he ignored them. Imam Ali (A) asked them to change into simple clothes, and the Holy Prophet (S) was then happy to see them. They talked, but the Christians would not listen to the Prophet (S). They believed that Prophet Isa (A) was the son of God, because he had no father. Allah sent down a verse as part of Surah Aal `Imran, saying that if they called Prophet Isa the son of God (as he has no father), then they should also call Prophet Adam (A) the same, because he was born without a father or mother. The Christians did not have an answer to this, but they still argued because they did not want to admit they were wrong. Allah ordered the Holy Prophet (S) to do "Mubaahala" with the Christians. Mubaahala means to pray against one another. It was something that the people of that time would do if they wanted to prove something to be correct or true. If two groups disagreed on something, they would invoke the curse of Allah to be upon the one that is wrong, and then the group that was correct would be made clear. This Mubaahala was ordered by Allah. Allah commanded the Prophet (S) to do Mubaahala with the Christians.

184 The next day, on the 24th of Dhul Hijjah, the Holy Prophet (S) came out for the Mubaahala with Imam Ali (A), Sayyida Fatimah (A), Imam Hasan (A), and Imam Husain (A). When the Christians saw the shining faces of the group, they began to tremble and shake. They backed away and realized that they had failed. We celebrate the Prophet s (S) victory on this day as Eid al- Mubaahala.

185 Chapter 7: The Event of Saqifa 7.1 The Last Days of the Prophet (s) The Prophet (S) returned from the Farewell Hajj at the end of the month of Dhulhijjah of 10 A.H. After passing the one-month of Muharram, he fell ill at the beginning of Safar 11 A.H. At that time, news was received that the Romans to the north west of Arabia were preparing to attack the Muslim capital of Medina. The Prophet (S) reacted to this dangerous situation by ordering the mobilization of a huge Muslim army under the command of Usama bin Zaid. He specifically ordered all the Muhajiroon who had migrated with him to Medina to participate in the battle, except for Imam Ali (A). The expedition to Syria under Usama shows that the Prophet (S) had two things in mind. Firstly, all the Muhajiroon would be away in the expedition, so Imam Ali (A) could take over his appointment as Caliph without any interference. Secondly, he wanted to teach the people that age was not important in the distribution of responsibility and power, and the criteria for leadership were personality and ability. However, some of the Muhajiroon knew the intentions of the Prophet (S) and used his weak condition as an excuse to disobey him. They wanted to make certain that they were in Medina at the time of his death so that they could plot to steal the Caliphate from Imam Ali (A). When the Prophet (S) expired, Imam Ali (A) was the only person with him. The Muhajiroon of Mecca and the Ansar of Medina in their greed lost no time in contesting the matter of the Caliphate. They had gathered at a place called Saqifa bani Sa'eda and each group was claiming that they had the right to the Caliphate. One can only wonder at their actions, because only two months ago the Holy Prophet (S) had openly declared that Imam Ali (A) would be his successor. The Muhajiroon claimed that they had a greater right to the Caliphate because: They had been Muslims for longer and had supported the Holy Prophet (S) in Mecca when he had very few friends. They also claimed to be his kin and said that they had migrated from their homes in Mecca in very difficult circumstances, leaving behind all their wealth and property.

186 The Ansar insisted that they had a greater right to the Caliphate because They had given the Holy Prophet (S) shelter in Medina when he could live in Mecca no longer. They had also protected him in his time of need and had fought at his side in battles against powerful enemies. They recalled how for 13 years he had preached amongst the Meccans and only a handful had become Muslims. They argued that it was the Ansar who had given Islam strength and consolidation. When Umar bin Khattab and Abu Bakr bin Qahafa reached Saqifa, the arguments had almost been settled in favor of the Ansar, who had chosen Sa'd bin Ubadah to lead the Muslims. Umar did not find this acceptable at all as he had already planned to bring in a man from the Muhajiroon. He urged Abu Bakr to make a speech and turn the situation. Abu Bakr rose and said that the Arabs would not accept any Caliph who was not from the tribe of Quraish, which was the tribe of the Holy Prophet (S). He also praised the merits of the Ansar to keep them quiet. The Ansar were not fooled by the clever words of Abu Bakr and while there was some silence, Abu Bakr received help from an unexpected quarter. The two main tribes of the Ansar were the Aws and Khazraj. The Holy Prophet (S) had settled the old enmity between them long ago, but now it came out into the open. To stop the selection of Sa'd bin Ubadah who was the chief of the Khazraj, Bashir bin Sa'd from the tribe of Aws suddenly went forward and gave his allegiance to Abu Bakr. Three other men from the Aws followed him. Suddenly, the tables had turned and now the Muhajiroon had the upper hand. Despite protests from the tribe of Khazraj and a few followers of Imam Ali (A), Abu Bakr was elected as the first Caliph. How strange was their behavior! While some of the Muhajiroon sold their religion for their self-interests, others had hearts full of hatred toward Imam Ali (A) because he killed their non-believing relatives. The people of Aws sold their religion for fear that the Khazraj might come to power. The rest of the people followed like sheep, too weak or uncaring to protest. The few who did raise their voices to defend the unrecognized rights of Imam Ali (A) were ignored and outnumbered.

187 Meanwhile, Imam Ali (A) was occupied with washing the body of Prophet Muhammad (S) and preparing for the funeral. The members of Bani Hashim and some loyal Muslims were too occupied with the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S) to give any thought to worldly affairs. By the time they learnt of the happenings at Saqifa, it was too late to do anything. When Imam Ali came to exercise his right to the Caliphate as per the orders of the Holy Prophet (S) at Ghadeer Khum, his claim was rejected and he was forced to return to his house. Later, Abu Bakr sent Umar to Bibi Fatemah's (A) house, where Imam Ali (A) and some friends had gathered. Umar had instructions to bring Imam Ali (A) to Abu Bakr to pay the oath of allegiance to him. When Imam Ali (A) refused to do this, Umar threatened to burn down the house. Imam Ali (A) then came out with Abbas and Zubayr. From the open door was heard the sound of Bibi Fatemah (A) weeping. She was saying, "O Father, how soon after your death are troubles pouring on our head at the hands of the son of Khattab and the son of Abu Qahafa. How soon they have ignored your words of Ghadeer Khum and your saying that Ali was to you as Haroon was to Musa." Hearing these heartrending words, the companions of Umar could not keep themselves from weeping and turned back.however Umar was bent on humiliating Imam Ali (A). He insisted that Imam Ali (A) be led to the mosque tied with a rope so that he could not escape. The Muslims now saw an amazing sight. The Lion of Allah; the man who was the champion of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khyber and Hunayn, was being led by Umar, who had run away from the battle of Uhud when the Holy Prophet (S) was injured. It was a measure of the patience of Imam Ali (A) that he did not use force in the interests of Islam. He knew that nothing could be gained by fighting, and a civil war would destroy the Muslims. When Imam Ali (A) was brought in front of Abu Bakr, Umar insisted that if he did not give the oath of allegiance, he should be killed. Imam Ali (A) replied, "Will you kill a man who is a servant of the Lord and a brother of the Apostle of the Lord?" Umar then turned to Abu Bakr who had remained silent till then, asking him to decide Imam Ali's (A) fate. However, Abu Bakr said that so long as Bibi Fatemah (A) was alive, he would not force her husband to give allegiance to him.

188 After that Imam Ali (A) was released and he went directly to the grave of the Holy Prophet (S) where he stood, reflecting on how the attitude of the people had changed now that his brother had left this world. 5

189 7.2 Worksheet: The Event of Saqifa Continue the sentences: 1. The Prophet told all Muhajiroon to battle in Medina under the command of Usama bin Zaid. The only person he did not send to battle was 2. Two important things the Prophet had on his mind while planning this battle were: i. ii. 3. The Ansar and Muhajiroon fought over their right of 4. Saqifa bani Sa eda was a place where 5. Abu Bakr claimed he had right to because he was from the tribe of

190 Answer the following questions: 1. Why was Imam Ali left out of the Prophets plan for going to Syria? 2. What did Abu Bakr want from Imam Ali (a)? 3. Who came to get Imam Ali (a) from his house? 4. Explain why Imam Ali (a) did not fight back when he was taken forcefully? 5. Why do you think it was so important for the new caliphate to get Imam Ali s (a) allegiance?

191 UNDERSTANDING KARBALA Not content with spilling the innocent blood of Imam Husain (A) and his companions, Umar ibn Saʿad, the commander of Yazid's army, ordered the horses to run over the bodies of the martyrs. Yazid s soldiers marched into the camp of Imam Husain (A), where they looted the tents and snatched ornaments and even the hijabs from the heads of the women. Not even satisfied with this, the enemy set fire to the tents. On the 12th of Muharram, when the Umayyad forces left Karbala, the people of the tribe of Bani Asad from the nearby village came down and buried the bodies of Imam Husain (A) and his companions on the spot where they were murdered. The Journey to Damascus: The commander of Yazid s army, Umar ibn Saʿad, decided that the captives should be led through Kufa to Damascus and then to the court of Yazid. Umar ibn Saʿad marched directly on to Damascus to inform Yazid about the events of Karbala, and to obtain his promised reward. Seventy two heads were raised on the points of the spears, each of them held by one soldier followed by the women of the Prophet s family on camels. Some soldiers were appointed to bind the ladies and children. They tied ropes and chains around their hands and feet. The ladies were put on camels with no saddles. Imam Zainul Abideen (A) was heavily chained and made to walk on foot, despite his weakened condition. Finally, the caravans got underway for Kufa. Within a few hours, the caravan reached the outskirts of Kufa. Shimr decided to send a messenger to inform the governer, Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad, of their arrival. The messenger returned, saying that all preparations have been made, and the captives should be marched through the main streets of the town.

192 Finally, the caravan reached the court of the governer. Sayyidah Zainab (A) reminded everyone of the status of the Holy Prophet (S) and his Holy Ahlul bayt (A). She reminded the governor of the teachings of Islam, about the considerations to be given to prisoners, especially women and children. She warned him about the temporary nature of his victory and the doom that he and his evil master, Yazid, would soon face. She began to tell the gathered people about the inhumane crimes committed against Imam Husain (A) and his companions. Ubaydallah realized at once that the situation could get out of hand. The speech of Sayyidah Zainab (A) could cause an uprising against him if he did not act quickly. He ordered his men to get rid of the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) and told Shimr and Khooli to the get the captives out of Kufa immediately. The Journey from Kufa to Damascus: The caravan of the captive families of Imam Husain (A) and his companions was led by Shimr through the deserts of Iraq and Syria, from Kufa to Damascus (Sham). Throughout the journey people noted with wonder that the lips of the severed head of Imam Husain (A) kept on reciting verses from the holy Quran. The following verse was clearly heard by the people. Do you think that the people of the Cave and of the Inscription were of Our wonderful miracles? Suratul Kahf 18:9. T h e c a p t i v e s fin a l l y r e a c h e d Damascus. On reaching the city gates, the caravan was stopped and Yazid was informed of their arrival and his permission was sought to bring the captives into his court.

193 The Court of Yazid: As the caravan was paraded through the streets, the people of D a m a s c u s s a w t h e c a p t i v e s a n d w e r e moved by their pitiable condition. The children were crying with hunger and thirst, many onlookers threw them dried dates as alms. Sayyidah Zainab (A) and Sayyidah Umme Kulthum (A) asked the hungry children not to eat these dates as it was Haraam for them. They requested the people not to throw them food as Sadaqa, because the Holy Prophet (S) had forbidden his family to eat sadaqa. Finally, the prisoners arrived at the court of Yazid. After a wait of one full hour under the scorching sun, the orders came from Yazid to admit the captives into the court. As they entered, they saw that Yazid sat on an elevated gold throne while his courtiers and foreign ambassadors sat on gilded chairs around him. Yazid was already quite drunk. Umar ibn Saʿad introduced the Ahlul bayt to him. Sayyidah Zainab (A) and Imam Zain al-ʿabideen (A) gave historical sermons; Yazid wound up the session, deciding to imprison the captives in the dark dungeons of the fort of Damascus. Imam Zain al-ʿabideen (A) and the women from the House of the Prophet remained in the prison in Damascus for over a year. By these cruelties, the Muslims were made to see how wicked the Umayyads were. People began to show love towards the prisoners and cursed Yazid. It became necessary for Yazid to free them or else his rulership would be in danger. It is important to note that Yazid did not free Imam Husain s family from prison out of kindness. It is also not true to think that Yazid was sorry for what he did to the family of the Holy Prophet (S).

194 WORKSHEET 3.1 Events after the Day of Ashura Answer the following questions. 1. Briefly describe Imam Zain al-ʿabideen (A) and the Ahlul Bayt s journey to Damascus. 2. Why did Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad fear that Sayyidah Zainab s (A) sermon could cause an uprising against him? 3. What was the impact of Imam Zain al-ʿabideen (A) and Sayyidah Zainab s (A) sermons in the court of Yazid?

195 PROPHET MUHAMMAD S (S) FAMILY TREE Prophet Muhammad s (S) Family Tree ISMAEEL ADNAN QUSAY ABD MANAF HASHIM ABD SHAMS ABDUL MUTTALIB UMAYYAH ABDULLAH MUHAMMAD (S) ABU TALIB ALI (A) HARB ABU SUFIYAN Fatimah (A) YAZEED MUAWIYAH YAZEED HASAN (A) HUSAIN (A)

196 FAMILY OF ʿABDUL MUTTALIB IN KARBALA ʿAbdul Muttalib ʿAbdullah Abu Talib Muhammad (S) Ali (A) Ummul Baneen Jaʿfar Aqeel Muslim Fatimah (A) Abbas (A) Muhammad ʿAbdullah ʿAbdullah Hasan (A) Husain (A) Zainab (A) Umme Kulthum (A) Jaʿfar ʿAbdullah ʿAbd- Rahmaan Qasim Awn Muhammad Abu Bakr Shaherbanoo Laila Rubab Ali Zainul ʿAbideen Ali Akbar Sukaina ʿAbdullah (Ali Asghar) leads to our 12th Imam

197 OVERVIEW OF LIFE OF IMAM HUSAIN (A) Imam Husain (A) born (4AH) Prophet Muhammad (s) very happy; names him Husain and calls him his son. Imam Husain (A) ~ 7 years old. Prophet Muhammad (s) dies. Rightful successor is Imam Ali (A). Abu Bakr takes caliphate & becomes khalifa for 2 years. Imam Husain (A) ~ 9 years old. Umar becomes 2nd khalifa. He appoints Muawiyah as governor of Syria. Umar rules for 10 years Imam Husain (A) ~ 19 years old. Othman becomes khalifa. Othman rules for 12 years. Imam Husain (A) ~ 32 years old Imam Ali (A) becomes khalifa. He puts conditions--he will rule only in Islamic way and all governors should swear loyalty. Muawiyah does not swear loyalty. Imam Husain (A) ~ 36 years old Imam Ali (A) is martyred. Imam Hasan (A) becomes khalifa. Muawiyah continues to cause problems. Imam Hasan (A) makes a peace treaty with Muawiyah. Muawiyah breaks treaty; nominates his son Yazeed as his successor. Imam Husain (A) ~ 45 years Imam Hasan (A) is poisoned to death by Muawiyah's plot. Imam Husain (A) ~ 55 years old (60 AH) Muawiyah dies and now Yazeed is in power. He is immoral, unjust, and cruel. He wants total control. He asks 'bayʿah' (allegiance) from Imam Husain (A). Imam refuses and travels to Mecca and then further on towards Iraq. On 9 Dhul Hijjah 60 AH Imam Husain s cousin Muslim bin Aqeel is killed in Kufa by the order of Yazeed. Soon after 9 Dhul Hijjah 60 AH Imam hears of Muslim s death in the middle of his journey and is very saddened. He continues his journey. Yazeed sends an army to stop Imam Husain (A) at Nainawa, Iraq. Imam Husain (A) ~ 56 years old (2nd Muharram 61 AH) Imam Husain (A) arrives in Karbala, Iraq.

198 EVENTS AT KARBALA 2 9 Muharram 61 AH Muharram Date Event 2ND Imam Husain arrives at Karbala Camp positioned by Hurr at Alqama 3RD Umar Ibn Saʿd arrives with army unit More army units arrive 7TH Ubaydallah ordered to cut off water supply Shimr Dhil Jawshan arrives 9TH Assault starts; postponed Imam talks to his group Both sides prepare for the next day

199 DAY OF ASHURA EVENTS ASHURA DAY FRIDAY 10 MUHARRAM 61 AH DAWN Fajr prayers led by Imam EARLY MORNING Imam s speech to Yazid s army Kufian s speech to Yazid s army Hurr and others change sides Umar Ibn Saʿd shoots first arrow Battle begins Shaheed s 1 to 12 LATE MORNING First general attack Shaheed s 13 to 62 Imam s camp attacked Shaheed s 63 and 64 NOON-AFTERNOON EARLY EVENING Prayer s time, battle not suspended Imam shielded during prayers Shaheeds 65 to 92 Imam s family Shaheed s: 93 to 110 Imam Husain (A) becomes shaheed Heads cut off from bodies Imam s camp looted, set on fire

200 MAP OF THE MIDDLE EAST/ROUTE OF IMAM HUSAIN (A)

201 WORKSHEET 3.2 Journey of Imam Husain (A) In the map below, draw the route of Imam s journey to Karbala. Then answer the questions below.! 1. In which month did Imam Husain (A) leave Medina? a) Ramadhaan b) Rajab c) Muharram 2. Why was Imam Husain (A) forced to leave Mecca? a) It was too hot there. b) Yazid's army was waiting for him at Karbala. c) Yazid had sent men as Hajis to kill Imam Husain (A) during Hajj. 3. The people of Kufa wrote many letters to Imam Husain (A), inviting him to go there. Who did Imam (A) send there first? a) His cousin Muslim bin Aqeel. b) His son AIi-Akbar c) His brother Abbas. 4. lmam Husain (A) was stopped from entering Kufa by the soldiers of Yazid. Who was the leader of those soldiers? a) Umar ibn Saʿad. b) Ibn Ziyad. C) Hurr

202 WORKSHEET 3.3 Find the Correct Numbers. Put the correct number beside each of the following sentences. You may choose from the numbers at the bottom. 1. people were martyred in Karbala. 2. Water was not allowed into the tents of Imam Husain (A) from the th of Muharram. 3. Ashura is the th day of Muharram. 4. The tragedy of Karbala took place in A. H. 5. Imam Husain (A) had faithful friends who died with him in Karbala. " " 110"" 61 AH" " 7th" " 72" " 10 th

203 MARTYRDOM AND THE MARTYRS OF KARBALA Once a person comes to believe in Allah and His Prophet, he or she is a Muslim. By definition, a Muslim is a someone who submits to the will of Allah (SWT). That means that whatever Allah asks us to do, we obey Him. The basic commandments that he has asked to follow are called the Furoo ad-deen. Two important branches of the Furoo ad-deen are listed below: Amr bil Maʿroof: Inviting to good. This means that as a Muslim, whenever you can, you should guide people and tell people about what is right and what is good. Can you think of any examples of when/ where you can do Amr bil Maʿroof? Nahy ʿanil Munkar: Stopping evil. This means that as a Muslim, whenever you can, if you see something evil or bad, you should do whatever you can to stop that evil from happening and to make changes so that it won't happen again. Can you think of any examples of when/ where you can do Nahy ʿanil Munkar? When Imam Husain (A) refused to accept Yazid as the leader of the Muslims, he was following the commands of Amr bil Maʿroof and Nahy ʿanil Munkar. If he had accepted Yazid as the leader, the people of that time would not have known that Yazid was an evil person, and that things had to change. How evil was Yazid? One historian says, "Yazid was a pleasure-seeking person. He always held parties where people drank wine." How could Yazid become the leader of Muslims when he did not represent Islam? Imam Husain (A) was a living role model of Islam. How could he accept Yazid as the leader of Muslims? To follow the tenants of Islam of guiding people and telling them what s evil, he had to refuse Bayʿah, allegiance to Yazid. We also need to remember to tell people if they are doing wrong and guide them to the right path whenever we can. Sometimes, doing Amr bil maʿaroof and Nahy ʿanil Munkar will not be easy. In fact, it will be a struggle, and this struggle is called jihad. People will not be happy with us, and we might get hurt. In the most extreme cases, this struggle will mean that we have to give up our life in the way of Islam, and this is called shahadah, or becoming a shaheed (a martyr). This is what Imam Husain (A) had to do. Because his struggle was extremely great, and because many of his own family members and close companions became shaheed with him, he is called Sayyid as- Shuhadah, the leader of all the martyrs. Martyrs are given the highest respect in Islam. 90

204 The Quran says: "Do not think of those who were killed in the way of Allah as dead. They are alive, and they get their sustenance from their Lord. (3:169) There are many examples from the life of Imam Husain (A) that tell us that he himself knew that he would be killed. In fact, his father Imam Ali (A), his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S), and all the Prophets before him all the way from Prophet Adam (A) knew that h e w o u l d b e k i l l e d. CRITICAL THINKING: If Imam Husain (A) knew that he was going to be killed, why did he go to Karbala? One reason is that sometimes death is more important than life, as in the case when one is performing Amr bil Maʿroof and Nahy ʿanil Munkar. There was no other way to "wake people up" in the society than for Imam Husain (A) to become a martyr. Therefore, Imam Husain (A) did what he had to in order to save and preserve Islam for future generations. 9

205 WORKSHEET 3.1 Short Answer Questions: 1. What is the meaning of shahadah? 2. Why was Imam Husain (A) ready to die for Islam? 3. How do you think Imam Husain s (A) shahadah gave life to Islam? 4. What kind of jihad can you do in daily life? 2

206 Martyrdom and the Martyrs of Karbala Fill in the blanks: 1. Imam Husain (A) was following the Furoo ad-deen. He was holding up the commandments of and. 2. Imam Husain s (A) refusal to do Bayʿah is actually a public example of a refusing to do something evil. This is an example of. 3. Imam Husain (A) was also guiding people to the right path by refusing to do Bayʿah. This shows how he was not only preaching the commandment of but also following it. 4. Imam Husain (A) s refusal to do Bayʿah led to his but he accepted death because he was standing up for what was right. 5. Imam Husain (A) is called because he is known as the leader of all martyrs.

207 KARBALA AND IMAM HUSAIN (A) Before the Prophet died, he appointed Imam Ali (A) as his successor. However, when the Prophet (S) actually passed away (Imam Husain was 7 at this time), Abu Bakr began to rule as khalifa (against the will of the Prophet) for 2 years. After Abu Bakr, Umar ruled for 10 years and appointed Muawiyah as governor of Syria. Imam Husain (A) was 19 years old at this time. The next ruler was Uthman. He and Muawiyah caused a lot of problems, which eventually led to Uthman s downfall. Uthman ruled for 12 years, until Imam Husain (A) was 32. After Uthman s death, Imam Ali (A) took the caliphate with conditions: he wanted to rule in the Islamic way and have all governors swear loyalty. Muawiyah, however, did not swear loyalty. Imam Husain (A) watched and supported Imam Ali (A). After Imam Ali (A) was martyred, Imam Hasan (A) was his successor. However, Muawiyah and his supporter Ziyad continued to cause problems. They were unjust, corrupt, and ruled with terror. Due to propaganda and bribery, they were able to gain support from many people. Imam Hasan (A) did not have enough supporters to fight against Muawiyah, so found it wise to form a peace treaty with him instead. No sooner was the peace treaty signed that Muawiyah broke it. The treaty between Imam Hasan (A) and Muawiyah had the following conditions: 1. Muawiyah is to rule according to Quranic rule and the Prophet s (S) guidance. 2. Muawiyah has no right to nominate any successor. 3. People of Islamic territories are to be protected. 4. Lives, honor, and properties of all Shias are to be safeguarded. 5. Muawiyah is not to harm, terrorize, or attempt to kill any of the Prophet s (S) family members. Even after signing the treaty, Muawiyah poisoned Imam Hasan (A), whom he still viewed as a threat. Thereafter, Imam Husain (A) now became his the rightful successor now, at the age of 45. Although it was clearly stated in the treaty that Muawiyah was not to nominate a successor, he planned to nominate his son Yazid for khalifa. Even Muawiyah s supporters knew his son Yazid was cruel, wicked, and immoral. They didn t want him to become khalifa, but Muawiyah killed off all opposition and still nominated Yazid as khalifa. When Muawiyah died and Yazid came into power, his conduct was terrible, yet he wanted to be the political and religious leader of all. In Syria, he demanded Imam Husain (A) to give bayʿah to him, but Imam (A) refused and decided to leave Medina to stay safe. So, he traveled to Makkah with his family. In Makkah enemies of Islam tried to kill him. Imam Husain (A) then headed towards Kufa.

208 Imam Husain (A) was on his way to Kufa when he heard his cousin Muslim bin Aqeel had been brutally killed in Kufa.. Sadly, he continued to travel only to pass by Kufa, as Yazid s soldiers had blocked the path to Kufa. As Imam Husain (A) reached Karbala, Hurr (one of Yazid s generals) received an order from Ubaydallah to stop Imam Husain (A). Hurr followed these orders. This was the beginning of the tragedy of Karbala.

209 In Karbala: Martyrdom of Awn and Muhammad Of all things a mother loves, she loves her child the most. The mothers of Karbala loved their children and were proud of them. Why then, did the Mothers of Karbala let their children die in Karbala? They knew that Imam Husain (A) was on the right path and that by sacrificing their sons, they would be able to help save Islam and prevent Muslims from going astray. These mothers squashed their motherly love and sacrificed their children for Imam Husain (A) For Islam. One such mother was Sayyida Zainab (A), who had brought along with her two sons, Awn and Muhammad. They were the children of ʿAbdullah bin Jaʿfar. Jaʿfar was Imam Ali s (A) brother, and was a brave warrior who was martyred in one of the battles of Islam. So, Awn and Muhammad were the grandsons of Imam Ali (A) from their mother s side and Jaʿfar bin Abu Talib from their father s side. On the eve of Ashura, Sayyida Zainab (A) told her sons, My sons Awn and Muhammad, tomorrow is the day of battle. Your uncle Imam Husain s life will be in danger. It is your duty to help him in this time of difficulty on Islam. On Ashura day, Ali Akbar, the son of Imam Husain (A) gave the Adhaan, Imam Husain (A) led the Fajr prayers, and then the battle began under the hot, scorching sun. One-by-one, Husain s (A) companions went to the battlefield and were martyred. Since dawn, Sayyida Zainab (A) watched as the bodies were brought back to the tents one-byone. She called her sons, Awn and Muhammad, and her brother, Husain (A) to her tent and begged for his permission to allow her children go to the battlefield. With a heavy heart, Imam Husain (A) gave his permission to Awn and Muhammad and led them to their horses. He kissed them and helped them mount their horses. Awn and Muhammad bid farewell to their mother and rode out on to the battlefield. They fought bravely together. They were the grandsons of Jaʿfar and Ali (A). They pushed the enemies back and killed several of them. 70

210 Hadhrat Abbas (A) and Imam Husain (A) watched the two brothers fight so fiercely despite being thirsty for three days. Hadhrat Abbas (A), who had trained his nephews in the art of sword fighting, was filled with pride. Umar ibn Saʿd, Yazid s commander, soon became worried, so he ordered his soldiers to separate the two brothers and then attack them from all sides. Awn and Muhammad were separated and then surrounded by Yazid s soldiers. They were attacked by horsemen with arrows, swords, spears, and daggers from all sides. Finally, they became severely wounded and took their last breaths. Imam Husain (A) and Hadhrat Abbas (A) carried the two young bodies to the tent. Ali Akber cried out: My brothers, Awn and Muhammad, have been killed." Sayyida Zainab (A) heard the cry from her tent. She performed sajdah and said, Oh Allah I thank you for accepting my sacrifice. I am proud of my two sons who have given their lives for Islam!" Imam Hassan (A) had 7 sons and 3 daughters. Six of these sons were martyred in Karbala. One of his sons, Hasan-e-Muthana, although injured, survived in Karbala. Of the 6 martyred sons, Qasim and ʿAbdullah bin Hassan are better known.

211 In Karbala: Martyrdom of the Sons of Imam Hasan (A) The companions of Imam Husain (A) did not let Imam Husain s (A) family go to the battlefield while they were alive. When none of the companions were left, Qasim took permission from his mother, Umme Farwah, to fight. Then, he went to his uncle, Imam Husain (A) to ask for his permission. Imam Husain (A) was hesitant to give permission to his brother's son to die, but Qasim insisted that he wanted to protect Imam Husain (A) and Islam Imam Husain (A) asked his sister to bring Imam Hassan's (A) abaa and turban. As he (A) dressed Qasim in these, Tears flowed from Imam Husain (A) and Sayyida Zainab's (A) eyes, as they remembered their dear brother. When Qasim was dressed in battle clothes, Imam Husain (A) gave him the weapons. Qasim was so young that his sword touched the ground as he walked. He could not mount his horse on his own. His uncle, Hadhrat Abul Fadhlil Abbas, helped him mount the horse. The young Qasim rode to the battlefield and fought gallantly, a battle history will never forget. The enemy could not overpower him, so one of Yazid s cowardly soldiers came from behind and hit Qasim on the head with a sword. The young Qasim, thirsty for three days, could not maintain his balance anymore. He fell from his horse and cried out, "O, Uncle! Come quickly. Help, Uncle!" Imam Husain (A) and Abul Fadhlil Abbas rushed to the battlefield. The enemies of Islam thought that Imam Husain (A) and Hadhrat Abbas (A) were coming to attack them, so they became scared. The confusion led to horses running from one side to another, trampling over Qasim, who was lying wounded on the ground. Imam Husain (A) and Abbas (A) searched and called out for Qasim, but he could not reply. He had stopped breathing. When the enemies withdrew, Imam Husain (A) saw that Qasim was not in one piece. The horses had trampled him to pieces. Heartbroken by the sight of Qasim s body, Imam Husain (A) took off his abaa and spread it on the ground. He gathered Qasim s body and placed them on his abaa. Imam Husain (A) and Hadhrat Abbas (A) carried Qasim's trampled body back to the camp. This was not the only young son of Imam Hassan (A) to die in Karbala. ʿAbdullah bin Hassan was 11 years old in Karbala. At the time when there was no else to come and help Imam Husain (A),

212 ʿAbdullah came forward to protect and save him. At this last hour, a spear came towards the direction of Imam Husain (A) from Yazid s camp. To protect his uncle, ʿAbdullah bin Hassan came forward and extended his right hand, which was then cut off by the spear. Then, in the same way, his left hand was also cut and separated from his body. Imam Husain (A) then embraced ʿAbdullah as many more arrows found their target. Thus, ʿAbdullah was martyred in his Imam s arms. Imam Husain (A) had to carry another scar of a son of his beloved brother. The sacrifices made by Imam Husain (A) in the battle of Karbala to save Prophet Muhammad s (S) Islam is an example of our Imam s absolute devotion to Islam and submission to Allah. Imam Husain (A) was not martyred in vain. Yazid wanted to win by getting Imam Husain s (A) bayah. In submission to Allah, Imam Husain (A) refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid and continued to do so till his last breath, no matter how many members of his family Yazid killed.

213 WORKSHEET 3.1 Karbala and Imam Husain (A) Choose the correct answer: 1. Who nominated Muawiyah as governor of Syria? a. Abu Bakr b. Umar c. Uthman d. Imam Ali (A) 2. Under what conditions did Imam Ali (A) agree to become Khalifa? a. He wanted to rule the Islamic way b. He wanted to have all governors swear loyalty c. Both a and b d. None of the above 3. Items included in the Peace Treaty of Imam Hasan (A) were: a. Muawiyah would follow Islamic rule & ensure protection of people of Islamic territories. b. Muawiyah would not be responsible for the lives or honor of shias. c. Muawiyah would have no right to nominate his successor & would not harm any of the Prophet s (S) family members. d. Both a and c 4. Muawiyah broke the treaty by: a. Not ruling according to the Quran b.nominating his son as successor c. Getting Imam Hasan (A) poisoned d. All of the above 5. When Muawiyah died who became Khalifa? Did Imam Husain (A) revolt now to become successor? a. Yazid. Yes, Imam (A) argued it was his right to become Khalifa. b. Yazid. No, but Imam (A) refused to accept Yazid as the religious leader. c. Yazid. Yes, Imam (A) was waiting for this moment.

214 Short Answer Questions: 6. Why do you think Muawiyah broke the Peace Treaty? 7. What did Yazid want from Imam Husain (A) that the Imam refused? Why do you think the Imam refused? 8. Who was the person that got killed in Kufa? How was he related to Imam Husain (A)?

215 WORKSHEET 3.2 Martyrdom of Awn and Muhammad Answer the following questions: 1. Why were the mothers of Karbala ready to sacrifice their children? 2. Describe the heritage of Awn and Muhammad. 3. Why do you think Imam Husain (A) hesitant in giving Sayyida Zainab s (A) children permission to fight? 4. How were the children targeted by the army of Yazid? 5. What was Sayyida Zainab s (A) reaction to the martyrdom of her sons? 2

216 WORKSHEET 3.3 Martyrdom of the Sons of Imam Hassan (A) Answer the following questions: 1. How many sons of Imam Hassan (A) were martyred in Karbala? 2. Which were the two sons that are better known? 3. Describe the circumstances of the deaths of each of them. 4. How do you think fighting for Imam Husain (A) was the same as fighting for Islam? 5. How do you think Imam Husain (A) won in Karbala?

217 ISLAM BEFORE KARBALA Islam and Prophet Muhammad (S) The Prophet (S) was a Hashimi. He started preaching Islam publicly at age 40. Imam Ali (A) was the strongest supporter of the Prophet (S) in his life and onwards. The Prophet s (S) major opponent was Abu Sufyaan. The Prophet (S) had a major influence on Imam Husain (A), who was 7 years old at the time of the Prophet s death in 11 AH. Islam during the time of Imam Ali (A) After Abu Bakr s rule, Imam Husain (A) was 10 years old. Omar became 2nd Khalifa Omar appointed Muawiyah as governor.. When Muawiyah became governor of Syria, Imam Husain (A) was 20 years old. Imam Ali (A) was offered Caliphate with conditions after Omar s death. He refused. Othman was next Khalifa. Othman and Muawiyah caused a lot of problems. Othman s downfall. He asked for Imam Ali s (A) help. (Imam Husain (A) 32 years old) Imam Ali (A) offered Caliphate after Othman s death. He takes office in 35 AH with conditions rule in an Islamic way and all the governors have to swear loyalty.

218 Muawiyah does not swear loyalty - starts the propaganda again. Imam Ali (A) dies in 40 AH. Imam Ali s (A) influence on Husain (A) 7 to 37 years old) as he: Refuses bayʿah to accept Caliphate Exhibits bravery in battles Dealing with friends and enemies Carries out responsibilities for Islam Islam during the time of Imam Hasan (A) Imam Hasan (A) is the next Khalifa. Muawiyah & Ziyad continue to cause problems: Propaganda Spies and informers Rule by terror Invades Iraq and surrounding areas Introduces dancing and court jesters Introduces taxation for his income Peace treaty between Imam Hasan (A) and Muawiyah. Imam feels that is the wise thing to do. Peace treaty content: Muawiyah to rule according to Islamic rule and Prophet s (S) guidance Muawiyah gets no right to nominate his successor All people of Islamic territories are to be protected Lives, honor, properties of all Shi as are to be safeguarded Muawiyah not to harm, terrorize, or make any attempt to kill any of the Prophet s (S) family Treaty not kept by Muawiyah. Imam Hasan (A) poisoned to death in 50 AH; Imam Husain (A)) 47 years old.

219 Before Karbala Muawiyah wishes to nominate Yazeed, his son for Khalifa. All people including Muawiyah s supporters against this; Yazeed known to be wicked, cruel, drunk, immoral. Muawiyah kills off all oppositions and nominates Yazeed to be next Khalifa, thus breaks the treaty made with Imam Hasan (A). Muawiyah dies in 60 AH- Imam Husain (A) 57 years old Yazeed now in power, his conduct is terrible. Yazeed wants to be the political and religious leader and from Syria asks for Bay ah (allegiance) from Imam Husain (A) in Medina. Husain (A) refuses; does not wish to cause bloodshed in Medina; takes family and goes to Makkah. In Kufa, people write to the Imam to come to Kufa and be their leader. From Makkah, Imam sends Muslim Bin Aqeel to Kufa. Muslim arrives in Kufa and writes to the Imam that he there is a lot of support for him. Yazeed s spies in Kufa report on Muslim s mission, Yazeed sends Ubaydallah Ibne Ziyad to Kufa to kill Muslim and his supporters. Ubaydallah becomes Governor of Kufa and terrorizes anyone supporting Imam Husain (A) Muslim Bin Aqeel martyred on 9 Dhul Hijjah 60 AH.

220 WORKSHEET 5.1 Islam Before Karbala 1. The major opponent of Our Hashimi Prophet (S) at his time was: a. Ziyad b. Shimr c. Abu Sufyaan d. Saddam Husain 2. The rightful successor of Prophet Mohammad (S) was: a. Imam Husain (A) b. Imam Ali (A) c. Omar d. Abu Bakr 3. The three people after Prophet Muhammad (S) who became ) Khalifa against the will of our Prophet (S) were: a. Muawiyah, Ziyad, Yazeed b. Shimr, Hurmula, Yazeed c. Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman d. Ubaydallah, Yazeed, Ziyad 4. The 2 people Omar appointed as governor of Syria were: a. Yazeed then his brother Muawiyah b. Abu Bakr then Othman c. Ubaydallah then Abu Bakr d. None of the above 5. The conditions under which Imam Ali (A) agreed to become Khalifa were: a. He wanted to rule in the Islamic way b. He wanted to rule over only one country c. He wanted all governors to swear loyalty d. Both a and c

221 Short Answer Questions: 1. Why do you think Imam Ali (A) had refused Caliphate after Omar s death? 2. How long was Imam Ali (A) Khalifa? Who was the next Khalifa? 3. What were the problems caused by Muawiyah and Ziyad? 4. Why do you think Imam Hasan (A) decided to have a Peace Treaty? What was included in the Treaty? 5. Muawiyah broke the Treaty and had Imam Hasan (A) poisoned. Imam Husain (A) respected the Treaty of his brother until the contract ended. When did Imam Husain (A) stand up against the Ummayads? What do you think would have happened if he had not?

222 IMPORTANCE OF AT-TURBATUL HUSAINIYYAH At-Turbatul Husainiyyah W e a r e o n l y allowed to perform Sajdah on natural things that grow or come from the earth, except those things that can be worn or eaten. Performing Sajdah on turbah (clay/earth) is the practice of the Prophet (S) and Imams. The best thing that you can perform Sajdah on is the turbah from the haram of Imam Husain (A) in Karbala. This earth is known as At-Turbatul Husainiyyah. It is sacred because it is earth that the blood of t h e m a r t y r s o f K a r b a l a s p i l l e d o n. During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (S), his daughter Sayyida Fatimah (A) made a Tasbeeh from the earth taken from the grave of Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet (S) s uncle who was martyred in the Battle of U h u d. Hamzah was known as "chief of the martyrs" during the Holy Prophet's time. Imam Husain (A) is known as the "chief of the m a r t y r s " o f a l l t i m e s. By using Khak-e-Shifa when praying, we remember Imam Husain (A) and hope for his intercession and assistance (shifa) in helping us become closer to Allah. Imam Zainul Abideen (A) took some clay from near the grave of his father Imam Husain (A) and used it for Sajdah, and we follow the same practice till today. It is important to note that even though we make Sajdah on turbah, we do not make Sajdah to the turbah -- we make Sajdah only to Allah. Even before Imam Husain (A) was martyred in Karbala, Imam Ali (A) and Prophet Muhammad (S) foretold of the importance of the earth and dirt of Karbala. According to one hadith, the Prophet (S) gave some sand from Karbala to his wife Umm-e-Salama and told her what would happen to his grandson, Imam Husain (A). Years later, when Imam Husain (A) was killed in Karbala, the sand turned blood red and Umm-e-Salama knew what had happened in Karbala even before the news h a d r e a c h e d Medina (where she was staying). One day, Imam Ali (A) was on a journey with his companions, and they passed by the land of Karbala. There they recited their Fajr prayers. Afterwards, Imam Ali (A) took a handful of earth, smelled it, and said: "Peace be upon you, earth of Karbala! A group of people (who will be buried in you) will enter straight into heaven."

223 WORKSHEET 3.2 Fill in the blanks: 1. What is the earth of Imam Husain s (A) grave called? 2. Why do we do Sajdah on it? 3. What did Sayyida Fatimah (A) do from the earth taken from Hamzah s grave? 4. Give two examples of hadiths telling the importance of the earth of Karbala. 5. What is the act of Sajdah on turbat-e-husain (A) symbolic of?

224 A GLIMPSE AT SOME OF THE SHUHADAH OF KARBALA Muslim bin Aqeel A Glimpse at Some of the Shuhadah of Karbala He was an ambassador sent by the Imam to Kufa. He took his two sons Muhammad and Ibraheem with him. When Yazid found out that the people of Kufa had accepted Muslim and paid allegiance to Imam Husain (A) as their leader, he sent Ibn Ziyad to Kufa. Ibn Ziyad instilled terror in the hearts of the people of Kufa and they abandoned Muslim who was eventually martyred. His host Hani bin Urwah was also martyred. His two sons Muhammad and Ibraheem were imprisoned but freed by the jailer. Only 8 and 10 years of age they set out to warn Imam Husain (A) not to come to Kufa. They were caught martyred while in Salaah. Qays bin Musheer He was a messenger sent by Imam after he had left Makkah to tell the Kufis he was on his way. Qays was imprisoned by Ibn Ziyad and told he would be spared his life if he cursed Imam Husain (A). Qays did just the opposite by cursing Ibn Ziyad. He was martyred being thrown off a palace like Muslim bin Aqeel & Hani bin Urwah. Muslim bin Awsaja He was one of the leaders of Kufa who had written to ask Imam Husain to come. He had seen the Prophet (S) and was more than 90 years old. He slipped out of Kufa and joined Imam Husain (A). He fought bravely and when he fell he called out to Imam Husain (A) who ran to his side with Habeeb. When Habeeb asked him if he had any last wishes he said while pointing to Imam (A), Do not leave this man.

225 Wahab bin Abdullah Kalbi He, his mother and his wife of a few months were on their way back from Hajj. They found that the road to Kufa was sealed off. When they saw the caravan of Imam Husain (A) they asked to join it. Wahab was martyred on Ashura and so was his young bride who had run out to him. She was the only woman martyred in Karbala. John bin Huwai He was the ex-slave of Abu Dharr Ghaffari. An Abyssinian by birth he stood by Imam. He had a habit of not speaking in the presence of Imam until he was spoken to. When he faced the enemy he fought reciting the following poem: I am a soul willing to die for Allah; I have a sword which is thirsty for the blood of the enemies of Allah; before I die I shall fight the enemies of Allah with my tongue and my sword; thus shall I serve the grandson of the Holy Prophet, He was also martyred on Ashura day. Saʿeed Bin Abdullah He was a prominent member of the Shias in Kufa and had given his support to Muslim Bin Aqeel. True to his words he had pledged to sacrifice his life and he did so protecting Imam whilst the Imam was praying his Dhuhr Salaah. He was struck by 13 arrows. Zuhayr Bin Qayn He joined the Imam on the way to Karbala after a conversation with the Imam. He too gave his life protecting the Imam from arrows whilst praying Salaah. When he saw that the enemy was dangerously close to the Imam he made his last charge and fell. Burair Hamadani On the night of Ashura Burair could not stand the cries of the children Al Atash (thirst).he made his way to the river in the dark night and managed to bring some water. When the children heard that water had come they rushed to the water bag. The cap flew open and all the water spilt before the children could drink it. The Imam consoled Burair by saying, You have earned the Duʿas of the son of Fatimah. 2

226 Burair was a Hafidhe Quran (had memorized the whole Quran) and was also a companion of Imam Ali (A). He too fought bravely and was martyred on Ashura. Abu Thumama (Amr bin Abdullah) As the time of Salaatul Dhuhr approached on Ashura day, Abu Thumama expressed his wish to the Imam of praying Salaah behind Imam before he met his Lord. Imam (A) blessed him for remembering Salaah even at the time of danger, and then he asked him to ask the enemy to stop the war for the duration of the Salaah. On being reminded of Salaah, the enemy got violent and in the violence, Abu Thumama was killed. Nafi bin Hilal He was the chief of his tribe and was also a Hafidhe Quran. He had fought with Imam Ali (A) in the battles of Jamal, Siffin, and Nahrawaan. He was an expert archer. On the day of Ashura he was captured and both his arms were broken. Shimr killed him while Nafi thanked Allah that he was dying at the hands of the worst of creatures. Anas Bin Harith He was one of the companions of the Prophet (S) and had heard the Prophet foretell the sacrifice of Imam Husain (A). He had always wanted to be there should it happen in his lifetime. He too was old and like Muslim Bin Awsaja lifted his sagging eyebrows by tying a handkerchief and straightened his back by tying a turban around it. He too was martyred on the day of Ashura.

227 WORKSHEET 3.3 Short answer questions: Martyrdom and the Martyrs of Karbala 1. Why were Muhammad and Ibraheem, sons of Muslim Bin Aqeel, martyred? 2. What was the last wish of Muslim Bin Awsaja? 3. Who was the only woman martyred in Karbala? 4. Why was Qays Bin Musheer, martyred?

228 Fill in the blanks: 5. John Bin Huwai was the of Abu Dharr Ghiffari who did not in the presence of the Imam unless he was spoken to. 6. On the night of Ashura Burair Hamadani could not stand the children s cries of Al Atash and managed to sneak some water into the camp but the water 7. Saʿeed Bin Abdullah and Zuhayr Bin Qayn were martyred as they stood guard while the Imam 8. When Abu Thumama (Amr Bin Abdullah) asked them the enemy to stop the war for the duration of Salaah. they 9. Nafi Bin Hilal was killed by. 10. Anas Bin Harith knew about Imam Husain s (A) martyrdom before Karbala because he had heard the foretell it.

229 FRIENDS OF IMAM HUSAIN (A) Although Imam Husain s (A) army was very small compared to the army of Yazid, he had many brave friends in Karbala who loved him as their Imam, and who sacrificed their lives in the cause of Islam on the Day of Ashura. The following are the stories of five of his friends whose names are not commonly mentioned. Hurr bin Yazid ar-riyaahi He was one of the important people of Kufa, and was a respected officer in the army of Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad. He had been ordered to keep Imam Husain (A) away from Kufa, and it was Hurr who had diverted (turned) Imam (A) to Karbala. Hurr had never expected that the situation in Karbala would become so serious. He had thought that people might listen to the message of Imam Husain (A) and had not thought that they would harm him. On the night of Ashura he approached Umar ibn Saʿad, the commander-in-chief of the forces, and asked him if the battle would definitely go ahead. Umar replied that the governor of Kufa, Ubaydallah, would not listen to any reason and was keen to kill Imam Husain (A). That night, Hurr paced in his tent, hearing the sounds of worship from the camp of Imam Husain (A). He was unable to sleep because he realized that, by taking part in the killing of Imam Husain (A), he would commit a crime that would surely earn him Hell. On the morning of Ashura, he waited for the armies to gather. Muhajir bin Aws saw him trembling with emotion and asked, What is the matter with you. I have never seen you act like this before. If I was asked who is the bravest warrior from Kufans, I would certainly mention you. Hurr replied, I see myself between Hell and Heaven. By God, I will not

230 choose anything but Heaven, even if I am cut to pieces and burnt. Saying this, he turned his horse and galloped to the side of Imam Husain s (A) camp. Hurr approached Imam Husain (A) and begged him for his forgiveness. Such was Imam Husain s (A) character that he said, I forgive you and Allah will also forgive you. Hurr asked to be allowed to sacrifice himself first since it was he who had first resisted him. Hurr was one of the first martyrs to be killed on the Day of Ashura from the army of Imam Husain (A). Muslim bin Awsaja al-asadi Muslim was one of the greatest supporters of Imam Husain (A). At the time of his martyrdom, he was a very old man and had even seen the Holy Prophet (S). He used to pray the midnight prayers (Salaahul Layl) regularly. He was an expert horseman who had fought well in previous wars. He was well known and respected throughout Arabia. On the night before the day of Ashura, Imam Husain (A) gathered all of his friends in a tent. He told them that the enemy, the army of Yazid, hated him but didn t want to kill the rest of his companions. He turned to his companions and said, I have not known any companions who are more faithful and devout than you, nor have I known any family who is more considerate, affectionate, favorable, and amiable than my family and I permit all of you to go away freely while I validate this for you. I lift from you the responsibility of the allegiance and oath (which you have sworn at my

231 hands). Imam Husain (A) then said that the night was dark and no one would see if any of his companions w a n t e d t o l e a v e b u t w e r e embarrassed. When Imam Husain (A) said this, Muslim bin Awsaja stood up and said How can we leave you? On the day of Judgment when we are in the presence of God, what excuse will we give to explain why we left our Imam alone on the battlefield? No, by God! I will pierce this sword into the heart of the enemies, and if I have no weapon, I will attack them with stones. By God! Even if I know that I shall be killed and then made to rise again and then killed and burnt and my ashes be scattered around... even if I know that this shall happen seventy times, even then, I will never leave you until I am killed in your obedience. The next day, on the day of Ashura, Muslim bin Awsaja was one of the first to be killed in the way of Islam. Abu Thumaama al-sa idi Abu Thumaama was a horseman and had fought at the side of Imam Ali (A) in every war. He had actively supported Muslim bin Aqeel in Kufa. On the day of Ashura, he had expressed his desire to pray behind Imam Husain (A) one last time. Imam Husain (A) had blessed him for remembering the prayers at such a dangerous time and had said that, on t h e D a y o f J u d g e m e n t, A b u Thumaama would be in the special group of those who are mindful of their prayers. Abu Thumaama was killed in the fight that broke out when he requested the enemy to give them time to pray. Sa id bin Abdallah al-hanafi S i n c e fig h t i n g h a d n o t b e e n suspended, Imam Husain (A) and his companions prayed the specially shortened form of the daily prayer called Salaahul Khawf. While he led the prayer, Imam Husain (A) was shielded from the enemy arrows by Sa id bin Abdallah al-hanafi and Zuhayr bin Qayn. Sa id was a prominent Shia from Kufa and was known for his bravery and

232 devotion to prayers. On the day of Ashura he stood in front of Imam Husain (A) and his men while they prayed. Just as the prayers finished, he fell down dead with 13 arrows in his body. Zuhayr bin Qayn bin Qays al-bajali He was an experienced warrior who had originally disagreed with the views of Imam Ali (A) regarding the revenge of the murder of Othman, the third Caliph. But on his way back from Hajj, he met Imam Husain (A) at Zarud and their discussion made him convert completely to the cause of Imam Husain (A). He commanded the right wing of the army and fought bravely in the initial stages of the battle. At the time of prayers, he also stood guard and was wounded by arrows. When he saw that the enemy had reached dangerously close, he made his final charge and fell fighting.

233 WORKSHEET 4.1 Friends of Imam Husain (A) The friends and companions of Imam Husain (A) helped him to save Islam by offering their lives. Ali wishes to present bouquets to them. Please help Ali and color the names of the companions of Imam Husain (A) in red. Hurr Wahab -e- Kalbi Muslim -bin- Osaja Habib -ibn- Mazahir Mukhtar John Shimr Ibn - e- Ziyad Umar -ibn- Saʿa d Mulsim Zuhair -ibn- Qan Yazid Hajr -bin- Aadi

234 WORKSHEET 4.2 W N C N L R S H A W Z A B A N K A H A J R Z S G K Y X Z M A R O L X S U M U F E E O L A F J I I P X H V F C A V G E M E H T A N W G C V N U F N S A A P S K F H A N B J C N M D H W J U U S N W A D S A E E D T I Y S X E A K B I B A H O T U R Z U D K M B L N X N B F O B J G V N O R I B R R H J C D A V B U R A Y R L A D Y N F I K E K U I Q J A N S R T R I E P F Q Q I Y Y P B C U T P B K G E O S E D T A X I C M B A H A W N A H T I R J J W U D G B X V!! ABBAS HILAL MUSLIM SHAWZAB BURAYR Hurr NAFE WAHAB HABIB JOHN SAEED ABUTHAMAMA!

235 WORKSHEET 4.3 Questions: 1. Write a story in your own words about one of the friends of Imam Husain (A) who died in Karbala. Why is he special? What do we learn from his story? 2. Salaah (prayers) is mentioned many times by the friends of Imam Husain (A). What do we know about their feelings towards Salaah? What does this teach us about Salaah?

236 As a Muslim who lives in America, how many different types of Muslims have you interacted with in your life? Have you ever wondered when the first Muslims entered America? In school, you probably learned about Christopher Columbus, the Native Americans, the American Revolution, slavery, and other facts about American history. But have you ever learned about the history of Muslims in America? In this lesson, you'll find out: When Muslims first came to America. The number of Muslims in America today What types of communities Muslims have built in America. The history of Muslims in America begins many, many years ago. For hundreds of years, white Americans used to bring African slaves in ships. Slave traders captured them from Africa and brought them to America so that they could work for white people. This was a very unfair practice, and eventually the practice of slavery ended in America. But among the slaves who had already entered America, somewhere around 10% - 25% of those who had been brought here between the 17th and 19th centuries were actually Muslims. That means that approximately 2 out of every 10 slaves was Muslim! Therefore the first Muslims who entered America were slaves. Then, in the late 1800's, Muslim immigrants began arriving in America. An immigrant to America is someone who was born in another country but now lives in America. These immigrants came from Arab countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine. They mostly came so they could find better jobs in America. They were the first people to build mosques in North America. Between 1947 and 1960, many more Muslim immigrants began to arrive. These immigrants were not only from the Middle East but also from India, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, and Russia. Some of these immigrants were children of ruling presidents, kings, and queens of Muslim countries. Others came so they could go to college and university here. And yet others came to escape from persecution, or bad treatment, in their own countries. Even more immigrants came afterwards, and they continue to come to live in America. Do you know any Muslim immigrants who arrived in America in the last five years? So far we have talked about Muslims in America that are immigrants, meaning they came from other countries. But what about Muslims who didn't come from other countries, but instead they are from America itself? Do you think there any such Muslims? The answer is YES. In fact, currently about 1 in every 3 Muslims in America is African American. Either they converted to Islam sometime in their lives, or they were born to African-American parents or grandparents who converted to Islam. There are actually many more Muslims in America who are African American than any other nationality. For example, if you took 100 American Muslims, about 30 or 40 would be African American, 20 would be Indian or Pakistani, 10 would be Arab, 5 would be African, 3 would be Iranian, and 1 2

237 would be white American. Which ethnic group do you belong to? Islam is now the second largest religion in America. Since Muslims arrived in America they have built mosques and other religious institutions. The first mosque that was built in America is called the Mother Mosque of America, and is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Muslims in America have built and established many other organizations and communities as well. he went for hajj and saw the true spirit of Islam, he changed his beliefs. Because of his activities, he was unfairly assassinated in For example, Muslims in America have established: Islamic centers where: Prayers are held Dua Kumayl is recited Majalis of Imam Husain (A) are recited Muslims invite people of other faiths (like Christians) to learn about Islam Full time Islamic schools Muslim political organizations like CAIR Islamic weekend schools (madrasah) One of the most famous American Muslims in history is al-hajj Maalik Shabazz, who is better known as Malcolm X. He was a great leader of African-Americans in the 1960s. When he first became interested in Islam, he joined a group that called itself Muslim, but that actually had teachings against Islam. For example, they taught that white people were devils. But when 2

238 WORKSHEET 3.4 Worksheet: Muslims in America Fill in the blanks: 1. The first Muslims in America entered the country as. 2. Muslim immigrants entered the country in the s. 3. There are Muslims in America that are Natives of America. One out of Muslims in America are actually African American. 4. The percentage of African American Muslims in America is % of the total Muslim population. 5. The first mosque built in America is in the state of. 6. Islam is the largest religion in America. Questions: 1. Who are immigrants and why did they come to America? 2. What was the English and Arab name of a famous African-American Muslim? 3. Which ethnic group of Muslims is present in highest percentage in America? 4. If we wanted to spread Islam further do you think we could do so by our behavior? How? 2

239 LESSON 2: THE LIVING IMAM م ن مات ولم ي عر ف إمام زمان ه مات م يتة جاهلي ة One who dies without knowing his/her Imam of the period, dies the death of ignorance. Prophet Muhammad (S) Hakima Khatoon, the aunt of Imam al-mahdi (A) narrates: It was the night when Imam al-mahdi (A) was supposed to be born, but she did not seem pregnant. I was with Lady Narjis, his mother. Lady Narjis was busy praying Salaatul Layl, the night prayer, when all of a sudden, she broke her Salaah because of her pain. I took her into my arms and gave her a hug and said Bismillaahir Rahmaan nir Raheem. His father, Imam Hasan al-askari (A), said, Recite Surah al- Qadr. I recited Surah al-qadr and then asked Lady Narjis, How do you feel? She said, I can feel that it is almost time for this promised child to come. I recited Surah al-qadr once again. Then, something very surprising happened. As I was reciting the Surah, I could hear Imam al-mahdi (A) reciting the Surah inside his mother s stomach along with me! After the Surah finished, he said his salaams to me, and by hearing the sound of the baby, Imam al-mahdi (A), from the stomach of his mother, I was shocked! Imam Hasan al-askari said, Do not be surprised of what Allah can do. He has guided us, the Imams, towards wisdom when were were just children. It shows and proves the greatness of our Imaamah on this earth. 2

240 Imam al-mahdi (A) has many titles, many of which we learned in previous years such as: Al-Mahdi (the guided one), Al-Hujjah (proof of Allah),Saahib az-zamaan (the living master). In this lesson, we will learn about the title Al-Qaaim, the Upright. Imam as-sadiq (A) says that after the event of Karbala and martyrdom of Imam Husain (A), the Angels were crying in the Heavens. They said to Allah, Oh Allah! Is this how they treat your chosen Husain (A), the grandson of your chosen Prophet, Muhammad (S)? The curtains of the unseen were lifted from the eyes of the Angels and they saw a man standing. Allah said, Through this man, the Qaaim, I will take revenge on those who oppressed Imam Husain (A). When we hear the name Al-Qaaim, we must stand and put our hands on our head. Someone asked Imam As-Sadiq (A), Why do we stand when we hear the name Al-Qaaim? He replied, His occultation will be very long, and this name will remind people of how lonely and miserable they are without him. Out of respect for his greatness, we stand. One of the reasons we put our hands on our heads is because every time Imam Ridha (A) heard his name, he would stand and put his hand on his head. Putting your hand on your head can be a way to show respect and/or also grief of how upset we are that the Imam (A) is not with us. You should show this respect any time you hear any of his names, but especially for the name Al-Qaaim, the Upright. And Say: The truth has come and falsehood has vanished; Indeed, falsehood is a vanishing (thing). Surah Bani Israil - 17:81 "And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make the Imams and to make them the heirs. And to grant them power in the land." Surah Qasas (28) Ayah 5 and 6 "Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion, which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me..." Surah Nur (24) Ayah 55 May Allah (SWT) hasten the reappearance of our Imam (A), and include us amongst his truest companions. 2

241 WORKSHEET 6.2 The Living Imam (A) Choose the correct answer: 1. The name of our 12th Imam is: a) Imam Muhammad bin Hasan (A) b) Imam Hasan al-askari (A) c) Imam Zainul Abideen (A) d) Imam Ali Naqi (A) 2. Imam al-mahdi (A) was born in the month of: a) Shawwaal (on the 1st). b) Shaʿbaan (on the 15th). c) Dhulhijjah (on the 10th). d) Rajab (on the 13th). 3. Imam al-mahdi (A) was born in a) Mashhad, Iran b) Karbala, Iraq c) Samarra in Iraq d) Medina, Saudi Arabia Fill in the blanks: 1. The aunt of Imam al-mahdi (A) who was there when he was born is 2. When you hear Imam al-mahdi s (A) name you should put your hand on your and bow down because Imam used to do this. 2

242 3. The Surah of the Quran that Imam al-mahdi (A) recited in his mother s womb before he was born was Surah al-. 4. Imam al-mahdi (A) s father is and his mother is. 5. The A imma that have the same first name as Imam al-mahdi (A) are Imam (A) and Imam (A) 6. One title of Imam al-mahdi (A) is, which means the. 2

243 LESSON 2: THE LIVING IMAM In order to know the Imam of our time, it is important to pay attention to the many traditions available to us from the Prophet (S) and the Imams (A). It is also important to note the sources of these traditions so that we can familiarize ourselves with the names of these books. Let us look at some of the hadiths and sources available to us: The Holy Prophet said to Imam Ali (A): "Creation is never empty of a Hujjah [representative of Allah on this earth.] "There will be twelve Guides (Imams) after me, the first of whom is you, O' Ali, and the last one will be the 'Upright' (al-qaaʿim), who with the grace of Allah, will gain victory over the whole east and west of the world." When Imam al-mahdi (A) was born he recited Ayah 5 of Surah al-qasas: And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them Imams and make them [its] inheritors Imam al-mahdi s (A) birth and his existence was kept a secret in an effort to save him from enemies of Islam. His life was constantly in danger even as he grew older. As a result, the twelfth Imam (A) had to go into a state of ghaybah (occultation). The Two Occultations The Holy Prophet (S) said: "There are two occultations for my son who will rise (Imam al-mahdi), great and small (kubra and sughra)." Ghaybatun Nʿumani p

244 The First Period: " The first period, known as Ghaybah as- Sughra, the small occultation, extends from the time of his father, Imam Hassan al-askari's (A) death until about 70 years later. During this time, although he was hidden from the public, he was not completely cut off from it. Rather, he maintained regular contact with his followers through his deputies, who were able to reach him and present to him their needs and inquiries. There were four of these deputies or Naa ibs. The Second Period: " " " The second period started after the death of his last deputy and will continue until a time comes where our Imam (A) has enough companions to lead humanity to establish the rule of justice on earth. This period of occultation is known as al-ghaybah al- Kubra. In Surah al-qadr, we read that the Angels descend to the earth every Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power) which according to our hadiths, descend upon our Imam. With respect to the 12th Imam, Imam Ali (A) once said, "The occultation of my son (Imam al-mahdi) will last so long that some will doubt his existence. By Allah he will appear and will rid the w o r l d f r o m i n j u s t i c e a n d corruption." (Bihaar al-anwar, Vol. 51, P.112) How is He Still Alive? Some people wonder how Imam al- Mahdi (A) could live that long. Everyone but Allah is mortal. The difference among mortals is the length of their lives in this world. The Holy Quran and the prophetic traditions inform us that some people have had extraordinarily long lives in this world. We sent forth Noah to his people and he lived among them for nine hundred and fifty years. (Surah Al-Ankabut Ayah 14) According to this ayah, the Prophet Nuh preached Allah s message to people for 950 years. He is believed to have lived for a total of 2,500 years: 40 years before preaching and 1,510 after the Flood. Prophet ʿIsa (A) is still alive! He is, in fact, 2000 years old by now. He is in the heavens, and will come back to the earth to assist Imam al-mahdi (A). Prophet Khidr (A) is still alive! The Quran mentions the story of his meeting with Prophet Musa (A). He existed before the time of Prophet Musa (A), and as such, he is now more than 3000 years old! He lives on the earth, but we cannot recognize him not unlike the case of Imam al-mahdi (A).

245 Scientific research too has proven that there are methods of extending life span. Recently, the scientists Siegfried Hekimi of Montreal s McGill University and Michael Rose of The University of California have proved that life spans can be increased with genetic manipulation (Time Magazine - December 9th 1996). When He Returns When Imam al-mahdi (A) appears, he will do so in Makkah and Prophet ʿIsa (A) will also re-appear and help him. According to Islamic traditions, Prophet ʿIsa (A) will descend from the heaven and help the cause of Imam al-mahdi. Christians and Jews will see him and recognize his true status. Christians will abandon their faith and become Muslim. How Can We Wait? Imam Ali (A) has said: "A person who is waiting for Imam al- Mahdi is like a person who is doing jihad." Therefore, the best thing we can do today is prepare ourselves, our communities, and our societies spiritually and physically for the return of our Imam (A). 2

246 WORKSHEET 5.2 The Living Imam al-mahdi (A) 1. Which ayah from which Surah did Imam al-mahdi (A) recite when he was born? Write the ayah below. 2. What does Ghaybah as-sughra mean? Which period did this occur in? 3. What does Ghaybah al-kubra refer to? In which period did this occultation take place in? 2. Which two Prophets are still alive? How do we know that they still exist? How old are they believed to be? 5. What should we do while we await the return of the 12th Imam (A)?

247 LESSON 2: THE LIVING IMAM We have numerous hadiths from the Prophet (S) and our Imams (A) that point to the coming of our 12th Imam. There are also some traditions that are available from the books of our Sunni brothers and sisters. Hadith about the 12th Imam (A) from Sunni Books There are six major collections of hadiths/ traditions in the Sunni world. These six books are Sahih al-bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Jamiʿ al- Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Sunan al-nisaʿi. Collectively they are known as the al-sihah al-sittah, or the Six Authentic Books. The following are only some of the traditions out of many about Imam Mahdi (A) in these books: 1. The Mahdi is going to come in the last days to establish a universal government. 2. The Mahdi is from the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet (S). 6. The Prophet (S) said: "Even if there is one day left on this earth, Allah will stretch that day so long until the Mahdi comes. He will then fill the earth with peace and justice. The coming of Imam al-mahdi (A) and the earth being filled with peace and justice is something both the Shiʿas and Sunnis agree upon. This is the promise that Allah has mentioned in the Quran: 3. The Mahdi is from the children of Fatimah (A), the daughter of the Prophet (S). 4. Mahdi is other than Jesus (the Messiah). 5. Prophet Isa (A) will be one of the followers of Imam Mahdi (A) and will pray behind him. And certainly We have already written in the book [Zaboor] after the [previous] mention that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants. (21:105)

248 The Reappearance (Dhuhoor) of Imam al- Mahdi (A) When Imam al-mahdi (A) returns, he will first come to Makkah. He will pray 2 Rakʿahs near the Kaʿbah and Maqaam Ibrahim (A) and then he will address the people. In his speech, he will address the whole world and the people of all religions based on the teachings of all the Prophets. Then, he will remind people of the hadith of Thaqalayn from Rasulullah (S) and the right of the Ahlul Bayt (A) and the injustices done to them. Thereafter, Imam al-mahdi (A) will outline his goal. It will be to establish Islam as the universal religion for all humankind and Tawheed as its central message. He will invite people to obedience to One God Allah and obedience to Rasulullah (S), the message of the Quran, and to him, the Imam of the Time. Imam al-mahdi (A) will call for reviving whatever the Quran upholds and ending whatever the Quran condemns, such as falsehood, idol worship, atheism, polytheism, and innovations and practices that were later added to Islam. The 313 The first people to pledge allegiance (i.e. give bayʿah) will equal 313. They will be the most pious, learned, and courageous people on the earth at that time and will come from different parts of the world. Through a miracle, Allah will bring them all together to Makkah for this great even, the likes of which mankind has never seen. This number 313 is the same as the number of Muslims who fought beside Rasulullah (S) in the first battle of Islam, the Battle of Badr in 2 AH. These 313 will give their pledge of allegiance to Imam al-mahdi (A) while he stands between the Rukn and the Maqaam. The Rukn is the corner of the Kaʿbah where the Hajar al-aswad is lodged, and the Maqaam is the Maqaam of Ibrahim. In other words, near the door of the Kaʿbah. Thereafter, Imam al-mahdi (A) will assign these 313 as his representatives in different parts of the world. The Coming of Sufyani Sufyani will be an Umayyad and a descendant of the children of Abu Sufyan, like Muʿawiya and Yazid. According to the hadith of Rasulullah (S), he will kill many innocent people in Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, and other parts of the Middle East. Sufyani will also kill many women, children, and elderly, and he will finally set his capital in al- Sham (Syria) just like his forefathers had done. When Sufyani finds out that Imam al-mahdi (A) has appeared in Makkah, he will send an army to fight the Imam, but when they army of Sufyani will be between Medina and Makkah, the earth will open up, and most of them will be swallowed up and destroyed. Imam al-mahdi (A) will then move to Iraq and make Kufa his capital. From there, he will go towards Sham with a huge army and fight Sufyani until all of evil is destroyed and there is peace and justice on the earth. The Return of Nabi Isa (A) When Imam al-mahdi (A) enters Jerusalem, a very important miracle will take place: the descent of Prophet Isa (A) from the heavens. This is a prophecy that even the Christians

249 believe in (i.e., the return of Jesus) and it is recorded in many hadiths. Nabi Isa (A) will refuse to lead the prayers and will insist that Imam al-mahdi (A) should lead the Salaah, and he will pray behind Imam al-mahdi (A). This will show and prove to the Christians and the whole world that the message of Rasulullah (S) was the final message and is to prevail over all other religions. Since the majority of people in the world are Christians, when Nabi Isa (A) shows his support for Imam al-mahdi (A) and he denies being the son of God (or God Himself), a large number of Christians will change their understanding of religion and will join Islam as a universal message of monotheism and will believe in Tawheed. Then, with the majority of the world following Imam al-mahdi (A), the spread of justice and peace will increase. A final evil will be Dajjal a person who will try and cheat people into believing that he is god. The Christians call Dajjal the Antichrist, and with Nabi Isa (A) s help, he will also be defeated. After many battles and wars, justice and peace will prevail. The whole planet will worship Allah, and human beings will learn to live on the earth without greed and fear, with love and devotion for Allah, and with selfless service to other creatures of Allah. Imam al-mahdi (A) will unveil a tremendous amount of knowledge to human beings where all forms of illnesses will be removed, the heavens and earth will give out all its blessings, and human beings will learn to travel to the far regions of outer space. After his return, Imam al-mahdi (A) will be known a s a n d a d d r e s s e d b y e v e r y o n e a s Baqiyatullah (The remainder of Allah), meaning the last proof of Allah on the earth. The Waiting (al-intidhaar) Waiting for Imam al-mahdi (A) to return is called Intidhaar. It is not only the Shiʿa or the Muslims who are waiting for someone to come and establish peace and justice on the earth. Most religions have a belief of some savior coming to save the world in the end of time. We should never doubt the presence of Imam al- Mahdi (A). If Allah could raise Rasulullah (S) physically all the way to the heavens for Miʿraj, and raise Nabi ʿIsa (A) and keep him alive in the heavens until he returns, it is very easy for Allah to keep someone alive on the earth for a long time. We have many examples of others, good and bad, that have lived a long time on the earth or are still alive since a time before Imam al- Mahdi s (A) birth. Nabi Nuh (A), for example, lived for 950 years according to the Quran, and according to some narrations, that was only before the flood, but he actually lived for 2500 years. Besides Nabi Isa (A), Nabi Khidr (A), Nabi Idrees (A) and Nabi Ilyas (A) are also alive. We also know that Shaytaan (Iblis) has been alive since before the creation of Nabi Adam (A). So, if Allah can allow so many others from His creation, good and evil, to remain alive for as long as He pleases, it is very easy for Him to keep Imam al-mahdi (A) alive as His proof and representative on the earth for so long.

250 During Intidhaar During the time of Intidhaar, it is the duty of all the followers of the Ahlul Bayt (A) to work for the good of humanity and to be role models for others on how human beings should live after the establishment of peace and justice when the Imam returns. Naturally, those whose values, habits, and character are most similar to the values that Imam al-mahdi (A) will strive to establish are those who will fit into the new world most easily. Obeying Allah and keeping away from haraam are the first duties we have towards showing our loyalty to Imam al-mahdi (A). Thereafter, serving humanity and praying for the return of the Imam (A) are also part of our duties to the Imam. Just as we are doing Intidhaar (waiting) for the Imam, so is the Imam doing our Intidhaar, We are waiting for him to return because we want to see justice and peace established on the earth and the removal of all our suffering. The Imam (A) is waiting for our readiness for his return and to see if we are pious and sincere, and not As Imam Ali (A) mentioned, a good practice, in order to remind us of our Imam and pray for his reappearance, is to read the Duʿas taught by Imam al-mahdi (A) himself, such as Duʿa al-iftitah. We should also remember that since our Imam (A) is among us, he might encounter any moʿmin. In fact, he is believed to meet a moʿmin on 3 occasions: 1. At the time of Hajj 2. At times of trouble 3. At the funeral of a moʿmin who does not have a debt of khums Let us pray that our akhlaq and Imaan are so strong that our Imam (A) may consider us as a moʿmin and meet us at one of the above three occasions; and when it is time for him to come, he will choose us as his companions. Imam Ali (A) has said: "The best Du a is the Duʿa for the appearance of Imam Mahdi (A) (for example Duʿa Faraj)" (Wasa il al-shi a Vol.11 p.35 Bab 13) selfishly greedy for the pleasures of the world. The Imam (A) will only return when Allah wills it and that will happen when we are ready to follow the Imam (A) sincerely.

251 WORKSHEET 4.2 The Living Imam Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. What is a belief shared by both Shi as and Sunnis? 2. When the Imam (A) first reappears, where will he come? 3. Where will the Imam (A) establish his capital? 4. Who will pray behind Imam al-mahdi (A)? What will happen as a result? 5. Who are the two evil forces that the Imam (A) will defeat? 6. We are waiting for the Imam (A). What is the Imam (A) waiting for? 7. How should we prepare ourselves to be included in the Imam s army?

252 THE ISLAMIC MONTHS In Islam, we follow the lunar (moon) calendar rather than the Solar (Gregorian) calendar. To follow the lunar calendar, we use the shape of the moon to work out which day of the month it is. When there is a new moon, only a very thin crescent is visible to us and tells us that it is the beginning of a new Islamic month. As the month goes on, the moon gets more and more visible so that the crescent gets larger. By the middle of the month, the crescent becomes a full moon. Thereafter, the crescent gets smaller again until it is no longer visible and it is time for the appearance of the new moon. It takes 29 or 30 days for the moon to go through all its phases, so the Islamic month has 29 or 30 days, while the Gregorian month has 30 or 31 days. Following the lunar calendar means that all the Islamic months fall in different seasons as the years go by. So, if one year Ramadhaan is in summer when the days are long (and therefore the fasts are long too), then some years later, Ramadhaan will fall in winter when the days are short (and the fasts, too). The Islamic year begins with the saddest month Muharram. In this month, we remember the sacrifice that Imam Husain (A) and his family made to save Islam. The Islamic months in order are: Muharram Rajab Safar Shaʿbaan Rabiul Awwal Ramadhaan Rabiul Aakhar (Thaani) Shawwaal Jamaadiul Awwal Dhul Qaʿdah Jamaadiul Aakhar Dhul Hijjah

253 WORKSHEET 4.1 The Islamic months 1. The first month of the Islamic year is. 2. The last month of the Islamic year is. 3. Ramadhaan is the month of the Islamic year. 4. The solar calendar is called the calendar and is based on the 5. The fourth month of the Islamic year is. 6. The lunar calendar is based on phases of the. 7. The middle of a lunar month is visible by a full. 8. There are or days in a lunar month. 9. When there is no moon visible then it is the of the lunar month. 10. A very small crescent may indicate the of a lunar month.

254 SCIENCE EXTENSION Phase 1 - New Moon - The side of the moon that is facing the Earth is not lit up by the sun. At this time the moon is not visible. Phase 2 - Waxing Crescent - A small part (less than 1/2) of the moon is lit up at this point. The part that is lit up is slowly getting bigger. Phase 3 - First Quarter - One half of the moon is lit up by the sun at this point. The part that is lit up is slowly getting bigger. Phase 4 - Waxing Gibbous - At this time half of the moon is lit up. The part that is lit is slowly getting bigger. Waxing means to slowly get bigger. Phase 5 - Full Moon - The side of the moon that is lit up by the sun is facing the Earth. The entire moon is lit up at this point. Phase 6 - Waning Gibbous - The moon is not quite lit up all the way by sunlight. The part of the moon this is lit is slowly getting smaller. Waning means to slowly get smaller. Phase 7 - Last Quarter - Half of the moon is lit up by the sun. The part that we can see lit up is slowly getting smaller. Phase 8 - Waning Crescent - A small part of the moon is lit up at this point. It is getting smaller by the minute.

255 Chapter 10: Islamic holy cities in Saudi Arabia 10.1 Mecca al-mukarramah Map of Arabia The Holy Ka'aba. The House of Allah and the birth place of Imam Ali b. Abi Taalib (a) Hajar al-aswad (The Black Stone) Maqam Ibrahim Hijr Ismail. This was the location of the house of Prophet Ismael (a). He and his mother are buried here. Well of Zamzam Hatwim: this is the place between the door of the Ka'aba and Hajar al-aswad. It is called Hatwim "the smasher" because it smashes major and minor sins of one who seeks forgiveness here. Mount Safa Mount Marwa Jannat al-mualla (Cemetery in Mecca) It is the 2nd holiest graveyard after Baqi. Those buried here include: Qasim: son of the Holy Prophet (s.) Abd Manaf: Great, great-grandfather of the Holy Prophet [s]

256 Grave of Hashim: Great-grandfather of the Holy Prophet [s] Grave of Abdul Muttalib: Grandfather of the Holy Prophet [s] Grave of Amina: Mother of the Holy Prophet [s] Grave of Abu Talib: Father of First Imam Ali (a) Grave of Khadija: First wife of the Holy Prophet [s] and mother of Sayyida Fatima (a) Jabal Nur. The mount on which the Cave of Hira is found Cave (ghar) of Hira Cave of Thaur The cave where the Holy Prophet [s] hid from his enemies when migrating to Medina Birth Place of the Holy Prophet [s] 10.2 Medina al-munawwarah Masjid al-nabawi Shrine of Holy Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him & his Household Grave of Sayyida Fatima al-zahra (a). Daughter of the Prophet [s] and wife of Imam Ali (a). According to some historians she is buried in Jannatul Baqi Room (hujra) of Sayyida Fatima al-zahra, peace be upon her Pulpit (minbar) of the Holy Prophet [s] Prayer niche (mihrab) of the Holy Prophet [s] The door (bab) of Archangel Jibrail (a) Maqam of Archangel Jibrail (a) Jannatul Baqi Graves of Imam Hassan (2nd Imam), Imam Zain ul Abidin (4th Imam), Imam Muhammad al-baqir (5th Imam), and Imam Ja'far al-sadiq (6th Imam) Grave of Sayyida Fatima (a). Daughter of the Prophet [s] and wife of Imam Ali (a). Location of her grave is unknown. According to some historians she was buried in her own room (now inside Masjid Nabawi) next to the Holy Prophet [s]'s Grave of Fatima bint. Asad (a): Mother of Imam Ali (a) Grave of Ja'far al-tayyar (a) - brother of Imam Ali (a) Grave of Ibrahim (a): son of the Holy Prophet [s]

257 Masjid Quba: First mosque of Islam Masjid Qiblatayn (i.e. the mosque of two qiblas) The mosque where the Holy Prophet [s] was commanded to change his qibla from Masjid al-aqsa (Jerusalem) to the Holy Ka'aba (Mecca) 10.3 Arafat Jabal Rahmah Masjid NAmarah 10.4 Mina The Three Jamaraat: 1. Jamaraat al-ula, 2. Jamaraat al-wusta, and 3. Jamaraat al-uqba

258 Chapter 11: The Islamic holy cities in Iraq 11.1 Najaf Pilgrimage sites Mausoleum of 1st Imam Ali b. Abi Taalib (a.s) There are 3 graves in one darih: Grave of Imam Ali (a) Grave of Prophet Adam (a) - 1st prophet and man on earth Grave of Prophet Nuh (a) Wadi-us Salaam Tomb of Prophet Hud (a) Tomb of Prophet Saleh (a) Maqam of Imam Ja'far al-sadiq (a) Maqam of Saheb al-asr, Imam Al-Mahdi (a)

259 Mosalla of Imam Ali Zain ul-abidin (a) Tomb of Kumayl - companion of Imam Ali (a) Tomb of Rashid Hijri - companion of Imam Ali (a) Masjid Hannana This mosque is between Kufa and Najaf. The significance of this mosque is that when Imam Hassan (a) and Imam Hussein (a) were carrying the janaza of Imam Ali (a) from Kufa to Najaf, they passed near this mosque, and as they were passing, the pillars of the mosque inclined towards Imam Ali (a) as if paying its last respects Kufa Pilgrimage sites Masjid Kufa Mehrab-e-Ibadat. The place where Imam Ali (a) was martyred Mausoleum of Muslim ibn Aqil (a), cousin and ambassador of Imam Hussein (a) to Kufa Mausoleum of Hani ibn Urwa, companion of Imam Hussein (a) Mosalla of several prophets House of Imam Ali, peace be upon him Masjid Sahla Kerbala Pilgrimage sites

260 Mausoleum of 3rd Imam al-hussein (as) There are 3 graves in one darih: Grave of Imam Hussein (a) Grave of Ali Akbar, son of Imam Hussein (a) Grave of Ali Asgher, son of Imam Hussein (a) Mausoleum of Abbas bin Ali (a): Brother and Standardbearer of Imam Hussein (as) Grave of Habib ibn Madhaher (as) friend of Imam Hussein (as) Ganj-e-Shohada - graves of the rest of the martyrs of Kerbala Qatl-ghah Grave of Ibrahim son of 7th Imam Musa al-kadhim (as) Til-e-Zainabiya (as) Khaimaghah Mausoleum of Hurr (companion of Imam Hussein (a) in Kerbala) - 3 miles from Kerbala 11.4 Kadhmayn Mausoleum of 7th and 9th Imams, Imam Musa al-kadhim and Imam Muhammad al- Jawad (as)

261 11.5 Samarra Pilgrimage sites Mausoleum of 10th and 11th Imams, Imam Ali al-naqi and Imam Hassan al-askari (as) The main darih has four graves: Grave of 10th Imam Ali al-naqi (as) Grave of 11th Imam Hassan al-askari (as) Grave of Sayyida Halima Khatoon (a) daughter of Imam Ali al-naqi (a) and sister of Imam Hassan al-askari (a) Grave of Sayyida Nargis Khatoon (a), mother of the 12th Imam Al-Mahdi, peace be upon him Cellar (sardab) of 12th Imam Al-Mahdi (as) where he was last seen. Also called Maqam Ghaybat (i.e. the place of occultation)

262 Chapter 12: Islamic holy cities in Iran and Baytul Muqqaddas 12.1 Mashad al-muqaddas Mausoleum of 8th Imam Ali b. Musa al-ridha, (AS) 12.2 Qum Mausoleum of Fatimah bint Musa (a) Daughter of 7th Imam (a). Well-known as Masooma Qum Masjid Imam Hassan al-askari(as). Near the mausoleum of Masooma Qum

263 Masjid Jamkaran Built in 393 AH under orders of the 12th Imam (a). This is outside Qum 12.3 Baytul Muqqaddas Masjid al-aqsa (Dome of the Rock) Prayer-niche (mihrab) of Imam Ali, peace be upon him Room of Maryam, mother of Prophet Isa, peace be upon them Room in which there are the mosallas of forty prophets Masjid Sakhra Sakhratullah: reported hillock from where Prophet Muhammad [s] ascended (me'raj) Mosalla of nine prophets Tomb of Syeda Maryam (a), the mother of Prophet Isa (a) The Cave of Prophets (ghar al-anbiya): between Jerusalem and Damascus Tomb of Prophet Musa (a): 10 miles from Jerusalem

264 Chapter 13: Islamic holy cities in Syria 13.1 Damascus 13.2 Tomb of Syeda Zainab (as) Daughter of Imam Ali (a) and Syeda Fatimah al-zahra (a) 13.3 Bab Saghir (also called "Goristan-e-Ghariban") This is a street with cemeteries on either side of the road Tomb of Syeda Ruqayya (a): daughter of Imam Hussein (a) Tomb of Syeda Umm Kulthum (a): sister of Imam Hussein Tomb of the Prophet's [s] wives (ummahatul mu'minin): Umme Salama and Umm Habiba Tomb of Syeda Fidha, the maid of Sayyida Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter), (a) Tomb of Fatimah Sughra bint Imam Hussein (a)