8.2 Difficulty in Doing Sajdah Mustahabaat in Sajdah Men and Women Things on Which Sajdah Is Allowed

Transcription

1 Class 7 Fiqh

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Foreword... 5 Section I: Islamic Beliefs (Fiqh)... 6 Chapter 1: Introduction to Al-Tawheed Belief in the Existence of God Why should we know whether God exists? Ways of Knowing God Worksheet: Introduction to At-Tawheed...10 Chapter 2: Al-Tawheed - The Inner Way of Knowing God The Inner Way A Question: Why then do some people not believe in God? Instinct in God strongest at certain times Worksheet: Al-Tawheed - The Inner Way of Knowing God...14 Chapter 3: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God -part I The Outer Way Is there really a God? An argument against Chance Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God -part I...18 Chapter 4: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God - Part Wonders of Creation Imam As-Sadiq talks to an atheist The Human Brain Wisdom in the animal life Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part Chapter 5: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part Extracts from Nahjul Balagha Extracts from the Hadith of Mufazzal Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part Chapter 6: Salaah and its Importance in Islam - Part I Worksheet: Salaah and its Importance in Islam - Part I...32 Chapter 7: Salaah and Its Importance II: Concentration in Prayer Know the meaning of what you recite Have presence of heart and mind Swallow Your Pride (Have Khushoo`) Control your Imagination Remember the Ahlul Bait (a) Reward of Concentration in Prayer Worksheet: Concentration in Prayer...38 Chapter 8: Salaah: Rules of Sajdah Review of some laws of sajdah: Definition The Position of Sajdah The Recitation in Sajdah Some rules about the order you should perform sajdah

3 8.2 Difficulty in Doing Sajdah Mustahabaat in Sajdah Men and Women Things on Which Sajdah Is Allowed Further Rules Regarding Things On Which Sajdah Is Allowed Khak-e-Shifa The merits of the sajdah The Sajdah of Shukr (Giving thanks): Worksheet: Rules of Sajdah...46 Chapter 9: Salaah: Salaat ul Qasr How the 17 Raka ah are reduced: Seven Conditions should be fulfilled for Salaah-e-Qasr to apply:...47 Case 2: Haider Worksheet: Salaat ul Qasr...52 Chapter 10: Qadha Salaah If a qasr salaah becomes qadha: Other qadha salaah: Praying of a Father s Qadha Salaah Worksheet: Qadha Salaah...57 Chapter 11: Salaatul Jama ah - Congregational Prayers Definition: Benefits: Unlimited Reward Importance and conditions of Salaat ul Jama ah How to Join Salaat ul Jama ah Some rules of Salaatul Jama ah Worksheet: Salaat ul Jama ah...64 Chapter 12: Salaat al-jumah Method of Praying Friday Prayer Worksheet: Salaat al-jumah...70 Chapter 13: Salaatul Eidain - Eid Prayers Method of Praying Worksheet: Salaatul Eidain - Eid Prayers...75 Chapter 14: Voluntary and Obligatory Taxes in Islam The Transfer of Wealth to Promote Economic Equality Khums: The Obligatory Tax The History of Khums Khums Has To Be Paid On the Following 7 Things Worksheet: Voluntary and Obligatory Taxes in Islam...81 Chapter 15: Khums (Continued) Khums on Net Savings Khums when lawful wealth is mixed with some illegitimate wealth Items on Which Khums Is Exempted An Example on How to Calculate Khums Worksheet: Khums Continued...86 Chapter 16: The Other Obligatory Tax: Zakaat Zakaat-e-Maal Distribution of Zakaat e Maal Zakaat-e-Fitrah Fitrah Can Be Given On The Following Other Relevant Conditions for Fitrah Fitrah Can Be Given To Maximum That Should Be Given

4 16.4 Worksheet: The Other Obligatory Tax: Zakaat Zakaat Crossword...95 Chapter 17: Awareness of Our living Imam (a) Discussion among the Companions and the Subsequent Generations: Worksheet: Awareness of Our living Imam (a) SECTION II: Special Occasions Chapter 18: The Different Fasts and Their Conditions Wajib Fasts Haraam Fasts Makruh Fast Sunnah Fasts Calendar Showing All the Sunnah Fasts of a Year Conditions of Fasting Worksheet: The Different Fasts and Their Conditions Chapter 19: Things That Invalidate the Fast or are Makruh Things That Invalidate (Batil) the Fast If Done On Purpose Things that are Makruh when Fasting Kaffara for Not Fasting Worksheet: Things That Invalidate the Fast or are Makruh Chapter 20: Qadha fasts Worksheet: Qadha Fasts Chapter 21: Hajj (Part 1) Obligation to perform Hajj Conditions that make Hajjatul Islam obligatory Adulthood Reason Freedom Financial Ability Other Necessities for Hajj Time Physical Health and Strength No Obstruction Expenses for the Journey Availability of Means on Return A Short History of the Ka ba A Short History of the Sa ee between Safa and Marwahh Worksheet: Hajj (part1) Hajj Part 2: Hajj-e-Tamattu Similarities & Differences between the a maals of Umrah-e-Tamattu and Hajj-e-Tamattu Tawaaf Salaah of Tawaaf Sa ee Taqseer Worksheet: Hajj Part 2: Hajj-e-Tammattu Chapter 22: Pilgrims from Islamic Countries Worksheet: Pilgrims from Islamic Countries

5 In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious Most Merciful Foreword Education is a vital part of our life; in fact, without it one can never attain true perfection. There are many different methods of educating ourselves and our children. Reading books, going to education centres like schools, colleges, mosques etc. are a few from the long list of methods of learning. The present education system run in almost all parts of the world is through learning from a teacher. The job of a teacher is facilitated if he is provided with a syllabus. Many Islamic courses have been compiled for children in English, considering their different needs. One cannot undermine the importance of the efforts of any writer in producing a course. However, needs change as time progresses. Also, different societies require courses which apply to their culture. Thus, even if a course is produced in English, but the person compiling it is living in a part of the world where the society is different from the one where the course is being taught, then this course may not be able to fulfil the needs. Islam is a religion of nature; thus, children s feelings are natural. Although the literature that is intended for children may seem very basic and rudimentary, these foundational works are very important. Providing children with wholesome Islamic literature is one way of helping them to grow up as knowledgeable, steadfast, and faithful Muslims. Being educated in Islamic values and teachings at an early age is essential for a functioning Islamic society, especially when living in the West. Most Muslims in English-speaking countries are not native speakers and speak another language as well; hence, they have not paid much attention to developing the English literature on Islam. However, in recent decades, a great deal of original and translation work has been the priority for many scholars and academics. Some organisations have succeeded in developing their own Madrassa courses which are very useful. The present syllabus is an edited version of the course produced by SABA Islamic Centre, California. The present syllabus is a humble effort; there may be mistakes in it and there is certainly need of improvement. However, it will provide a strong foundation to the children who will learn it. It has four components: Beliefs, Fiqh (jurisprudence), Ethics and History. It is divided into seven classes to cater for children aged 6 to 12. We will be providing a list of books to be taught to older children and young adults on our website: I would like to mention the cooperation and sheer hard work of my colleagues in Majlis-e-Ulama who made this work possible, especially Mawlana Sayyed Ali Abbas Rezavi, who read the syllabus from the beginning to the end and made some changes to it. In the end, we pray for the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and the Ahlul Bayt (AS). May Allah hasten the reappearance of our Beloved Twelfth Imam (AF). Sayyid Ali Raza Rizvi Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Shia Europe April

6 Section I: Islamic Beliefs (Fiqh) Class 7 Fiqh 6

7 Chapter 1: Introduction to Al-Tawheed 1.1 Belief in the Existence of God Before believing in any of the roots of religion, a believer should have strong faith in the existence of God. It is not enough to believe in God because it is what most people do, or it is what has always been taught and believed by those around us. Each human being has to know for himself/herself the reasons behind the belief in God. 1.2 Why should we know whether God exists? Before we learn about the ways of knowing that there is a God, the first question we must answer is why should we even bother with that? Is it necessary to know whether God exists or not? Would not life be much simpler if we did not ask this question in the first place? To answer that, think of the following points. 1. Search for the Truth. It is a natural instinct to search for truth. At some point in life, most people ask themselves basic questions such as how they came upon the earth, who brought them here, what will be their ultimate end, etc. These questions need answers, and cannot be ignored by suppression. Human beings, especially those who are curious and intelligent, need to answer these questions in order to satisfy their search for the truth. 2. To thank the Provider of Blessings. Good etiquette demands that we thank all those who carry out favors for us, whether big or small. The more the favors, the more the appreciation and gratitude should be. Take an example of a person who stays as a guest at someone's home. All preparations have been carried out to meet his needs. He has a room ready for him, food on the table, clothes washed and dried, etc. Would he not want to thank the person who did this for him? Good manners dictate that he should show his gratitude for the favors received by him by thanking the host. If he does not know who the host is, he should make an effort to find out. To ignore that, and just enjoy the benefits, would be considered ill mannered and rude. 7 Class 7 Fiqh

8 When we come into the world, we see that there are a lot of blessings and favors that have been prepared for us. We have a wonderful body, family, home, beautiful earth, trees, fruits, flowers, animals, and numerous other blessings all of which are there for our use and benefit. Surely we need to ask who these blessings came from, in order to thank the provider. It would be most ungracious if there really was a provider and we did not bother to find out and thank him. 3. Basis for Life. The way we live our lives is tremendously affected by whether we believe in a God or not. A person who does not believe in God would base his life on material and worldly benefits only. He would see no benefit in doing good deeds, as he would have no belief in the hereafter. The outlook on life for such a person would be completely different from one who believes in a God, and consequently believes in the life after this world. To be able to plan our life in the best and most fruitful way possible, we need to first ask whether there is a God or not. Once we have answered the question, we can base our actions accordingly. 4. Avoid possible harm. Whenever we are warned about something, we immediately take heed and find out about the possibility of danger. For example, when there is a scare of a particular disease in a country, and the doctors warn that many people may die from it, the people of that country at once take heed. Most people would take necessary precautions after finding out if they were in danger of falling sick from that disease. This is because it is inherent in the human being to save himself from possible danger. Many Prophets have come to humankind to warn them about disbelief, and the punishment awaiting those who reject faith in God. It is our duty, as people who have been warned, to at least study these warnings, and find out if they are true or not. We have been warned of punishment in the life hereafter, of Hell and the tortures awaiting the rejecters of faith. Common sense dictates that we should pay heed to these warnings and ask questions about them. It would be foolish to ignore the warnings, and then perhaps find out when it is too late, that they were actually true. This would bring great harm upon us. Class 7 Fiqh 8

9 1.3 Ways of Knowing God Human being can know about God through two different ways: 1. The Inner way. 2. The Outer way. The Inner way is from within the human being himself, through his own instinct. The outer way is by looking at the world around him, and exploring the signs present outside him. Class 7 Fiqh 9

10 1.4 Worksheet: Introduction to At-Tawheed 2. Read over this lesson carefully, and then think for a couple of minutes about its contents without referring to the lesson. Ask yourself the following questions, and answer them by yourself (no need to put the answers down on this paper): a. What sort of favors, blessings, and bounties do you have in this life compared to others in this world? b. Where do these blessings come from? c. What do you do to acknowledge these blessings and thank the Creator of these blessings? d. What would happen if the Creator of these blessings were to suddenly take them away from you? 3. Consider someone who does not believe in any sort of religion, or someone who claims to be of a certain religion but does not practice it or know anything about it. Suppose you wanted to make this person think about the existence of a God. What sort of questions would you ask this person? 4. After asking the questions above, what if the person says to you, why should I care? What would you tell him/her? 5. This lesson says some time in their lives, most human beings ask fundamental questions such as, where did they come from, and who brought them here. Based on your observation and opinion, a. How do people normally find out answers to these questions? b. How should people find out answers to these questions? 10 Class 7 Fiqh

11 Chapter 2: Al-Tawheed - The Inner Way of Knowing God 2.1 The Inner Way When a human being follows his own instinct, before listening to anything else to influence him, there is a voice inside him that tells him there is a being greater than himself who should be worshipped. That is why we see that throughout history, most people have always believed in God. Even those tribes who live far away from civilization, who are in isolation from the rest of the world, will still believe in some Divine being. This is sometimes a false god, such as the sun, animals, etc. But the fact remains that these people knew that they should be worshipping something. This instinct of the human being is called Fitrat in Islamic terminology. There are many things that a human being knows through his fitrat. The love of goodness and beauty, for example, does not have to be taught. It is instinctive. So is the avoidance of harm and injury, the love of a mother for the child, and many other attributes which a human being does not have to be taught. He knows about them from within himself. When a woman bears a child, she does not have to be told that she must love and protect it, and look after its needs. She does that instinctively, because of the nature she has been endowed with. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an that we should follow the true religion "in harmony with the fitrat (that) Allah has made for people". (30:30) A man once came to the Imam Ja far As Sadiq (a) and asked him to convince him that there was a God. The Imam asked him: Have you ever traveled by ship? The answer was: Yes. Then Imam said: Did it ever happen that the ship sprang a leak and there was nobody to save you from drowning in the fierce ocean? Yes! At that dangerous moment, and in that state of despair, did you have the feeling that an infinite and almighty power could save you from that terrible fate? Class 7 Fiqh 11

12 Yes! That power you were hoping would save you was God. 2.2 A Question: Why then do some people not believe in God? If the belief in God is instinctive, why are there many human beings who do not believe in God? Is the instinct not present in them? Answer: Although Allah places the instinct in the human being, man can sometimes choose to suppress the instinct, or ignore it until it fades away. Take the example of the mother's love for her child. All of us are aware of the existence of such an instinct, and have seen it around us many times. Yet we have also heard of the cases, although rare, when mothers have killed their own children. A recent happening in America illustrates this point very clearly, when a young woman drowned her two baby boys in a lake. Did she not have a mother's instinct to love and protect her children? She did, but other factors affected her so much that she went against her instincts and killed her babies. The fact that this case attracted so much outrage is an indication that it was a most unnatural thing to do. Although the instinct in belief in God is present in human beings, they suppress it in order to reject the belief in a Creator. Reasons for doing this include running away from responsibility that faith would bring. 2.3 Instinct in God strongest at certain times Although the instinctive belief in God is always there, it is strongest at two times: 1. In difficulties. When a human being faces a problem, and is going through a hard time, the instinctive belief in God becomes very strong. Even those who have not bothered much about the belief in God will turn to Him in times of grief or fear. At such times, just as in the story on the previous page, they know that the only entity that can help them is God. In this way difficulties are sometimes actually blessings, because they turn a person towards God. If human beings were always happy, and experienced no hardships, they would turn away from God. 2. At the moment of death. When a person knows that he is dying, the instinct in God is extremely strong. Even if he had rejected faith in God throughout his life, at such a time he would affirm his faith in God. 12 Class 7 Fiqh

13 The Qur'an tells us in Surah Yunus about Fir aun that "when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He, in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims". (10:90) Of course it was too late for Fir aun. With the arrival of death the door of repentance is closed. Even thinking about the death of someone else can make the instinctive belief in God strong. In Surah al-waqiah Allah tells the people who are surrounding a dying person: Why then do you not (do something) when the soul reaches the throat And you are at that time looking on. And we are nearer to him, but you see not. Why then, if you (imagine that you) are not going to be returned to Us, Send it (the soul) back (into the dead person s body), if you are truthful? (56:83-7) Class 7 Fiqh 13

14 2.4 Worksheet: Al-Tawheed - The Inner Way of Knowing God 1. Read over this lesson carefully, and then think for a couple of minutes about its contents without referring to the lesson. Ask yourself the following questions, and write down the answers. c. Clear your mind, and think about yourself. Locate the natural instinct (the fitrat) that Allah (swt) has gifted you with. Each human being can either suppress this instinct or let it flourish. Ask yourself how you are treating this instinct. d. What are two situations where a human being is most likely to feel the fitrat to believe in God? 2. What reason does the lesson mention for why a human being suppresses the instinct to believe in God? Give two other reasons for why a human being might suppress the instinct to believe in God. 14 Class 7 Fiqh

15 3. Look up verses 63 and 64 from the Qur an, Surah Al-An`am, and explain how this lesson relates to these verses. 4. The lesson mentions that throughout time, people have listened to their instincts and believed in some type of god, although sometimes they believed in a false god or gods. Why do you think they believed in false gods? What were they lacking? Class 7 Fiqh 15

16 Chapter 3: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God -part I 3.1 The Outer Way The second way of knowing God is through the world around us. There is an order and a system present in the Universe, and many wonderful and astonishing acts of nature take place every day. As we see living things around us, we need to think about them and ask ourselves the following questions: 1) Who created all these living things? Did they come upon the earth by chance, or by the will of a supreme power? 2) Who made this perfect system in the world? Science has discovered many astonishing facts about the creation of the human body, animals, and plants. Everything in the world is designed exactly the way it should be. Was this just by accident or evolution, or because of a system and order? 3.2 Is there really a God? There are numerous examples that demonstrate that a great power is responsible for the creation of the Universe. For example: 1. Whenever we see a beautiful painting, or a work of art, or a fancy life-like computer animation, we know that there must be a skilled artist behind it. We don t need to see the artist or to even know his name. We just know that there must be someone who made that particular piece of art. This is because we know, without being told, that every effect must have a cause. The piece of art is a sign that proves the existence and the skill of an artist. 2. When we take a walk in the forest, and see some footsteps of a large animal, we know at once that an animal has passed by the same route. We have not seen the animal, and we haven t heard from anyone that there was an animal walking on that path. We know this, however, because of the same cause and effect rule. There can be no footprints on a path without a creature walking on it. The footprint is a sign that proves the passing of the animal. An old woman was spinning yarn. Someone asked her why she believed in God. She stopped her hand and the spindle stopped. She said: "You see a simple spindle needs a hand to make it revolve. Can you think that this sun, moon, these stars, and all this world, moves without any guiding hand?" 16 Class 7 Fiqh

17 3.3 An argument against Chance By mathematical law we can prove that it would be impossible for the world to be created by chance. Chance, or probability, means that something may happen or not happen. The chance of one particular thing happening can be calculated by knowing the number of possibilities that could also happen at the same time. Take the following example to make it clear what exactly chance means. Put 10 coins in a bag, numbered from 1 to 10. Shake the bag, and without looking, try to take out the coins in the right order, putting back each coin after taking it out. Mathematically, the chance of first taking out coin no.1 is one in ten. Taking out 1 and 2 in succession is one chance in a hundred, 1, 2 and 3 in succession is a chance of one in a thousand. Your chance of taking out all the coins from nos. 1 to 10 in the right order would reach the unbelievable figure on one chance in ten thousand million. That means you may have to try that many times (if possible) to perhaps be able to take out the coins in the right order. For the world to exist as it does today, so many conditions are necessary that it is not possible that all of it could be by chance. A Swiss mathematician by the name of Charles Eugen Guye has calculated how likely it is for chance to have formed a single living cell. Each cell of living creatures is made up of 5 elements in exact proportions for it to function well. The chance that from all the elements in nature these 5 would come together in the amounts and procedure required is one chance in (To understand this amount write 160 zeros after the number 10). For just one single cell to occur by chance would require years. There are billions of cells in one human body alone. To calculate the chance of the cells being formed, and taking on different functions to form the human body, is an impossible task. The example of the cell is just one small example amongst the millions of examples that could be cited to show the impossibility of creation by chance. So many exact conditions are necessary for life on earth that they could not possibly exist by chance. The earth rotates on its axis at 1000m an hour. If it rotated at 100m an hour, our days and nights would be ten times as long. The hot sun would then burn up the vegetation during the long day, and everything would freeze during the long night. The sun is just far away enough from the earth to warm us up enough. If it gave only half of its present radiation, we would freeze, and if it gave a half more than it does now, we would be roasted. If the moon were closer than it is now, the tides would be so enormous that twice a day all the continents would have been submerged. If the ocean was a few feet deeper, all the carbon dioxide and oxygen would be absorbed, and no vegetable life would exist. Because of these, and a million other reasons, we believe it is not possible that life was created by chance. Class 7 Fiqh 17

18 3.4 Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God -part I Fill in the blanks: 1. The outer way of knowing God is through the around us. 2. There is an and a present in the universe. 3. Astonishing acts of nature make us ask the question who made this. 4. We realize that the world came to be not just by but because of a system or order. 5. Every effect has a, so behind the creation of the universe must be a. Food for thought: Look back at the lesson and think of two examples (different than those provided in the lesson) that show of the impossibility of creation by chance. Write down those examples below. Compare your examples with other classmates and see what they have come up with. 18 Class 7 Fiqh

19 Chapter 4: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God - Part Wonders of Creation The outer way of knowing God is by looking at the world around us. We first ask the question: Who has created life? Then we think over the wonderful ways in which everything has been created. If we see there is beauty, order, wisdom, and knowledge in the creation of things, we know that the being who created them also has these qualities. An ignorant being that does not have good qualities could not have given these qualities to the things it creates. Human beings often walk through life blindly. They see with their eyes, but do not think about what they see. That is why in the Qur'an, Allah often invites us to think about His signs that are present in the world. One example is the following ayah of the Qur an: Most surely in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and the alteration of the night and the day, there are signs for men who understand. (3:189) Imam Ali (a) says: Worship of Allah is not a lot of prayers (performed without meaning), but real worship is thinking over the signs of Allah. 4.2 Imam As-Sadiq talks to an atheist. Once an atheist came to the sixth Imam and asked him to help him believe in God. Imam asked him to take a seat. Then a child arrived with an egg in his hand. Imam took the egg from him and said to the atheist: "Here is a mysterious fortress enclosed within a hard shell, underneath which is a fine wrapping which covers molten silver (the albumen - the white part of an egg) and some molten gold (the yolk). The gold part does not mix with the molten silver (although both are semifluid and should mix when shaken). They keep their separate states. No artist comes out of it to say that he has made any changes, nor is it known whether it is designed to produce a male or female. Birds of various colors come from it. Do you think it has a designer? Who has painted all this inside it? And how did the chick come about? Who designed all these various shades, the feathers, the limbs, the feet, the beak, the wings, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the bowels, the crop, the joints, etc seeing that no artist entered it?" The atheist was amazed and had no answer! Class 7 Fiqh 19

20 4.3 The Human Brain Our skull is filled with gray matter called the brain. This brain is the most important part of our system because it commands all the powers of our body, and manages all the organs of our system. The cerebrum in the brain is one of the most sensitive areas of our body, and is responsible for will power, consciousness and memory. Many of the reactions that take place in our body are from the cerebrum. If we remove the cerebrum from an animal, and leave the other organs intact, it will remain alive but its understanding and consciousness will be eliminated. If the memory of the human being were taken away, even for a little while, he would be in great trouble. The center of memory forms a small part of our brain where the memories of a lifetime are stored. Everybody that we know, along with the particularities of that person regarding size, form, color, character, etc. are stored in an area in the memory. The moment we see that person, our mind removes the "file" of that person, reviews what we know about him, and commands us to react accordingly. If it is a friend, it commands us to show signs of affection and cordiality, and we feel happy. All this is done so fast that there is no passage of time in between. Imagine if we had to store all this information outside of ourselves. If we had to make a recording of all we know about someone, or to make a file on a computer for each person we know. Every time we met someone, we would have to seek out his file from our hard disk (the more people you know the more files you d have!); read that information, and then react. The same thing would apply to every action we have to carry out in life. We would record how to do it, and then look it up every time we want to do it. Living in this world would become too complicated to bear! It is a wise and knowledgeable creator who has saved us from all this and equipped us with a system which can do it faster than we can think about it. 4.4 Wisdom in the animal life Animal wisdom is a wonderful sign that shows the existence of a wise Creator. The workings of many animals that work instinctively, is a brilliant testimony to the wisdom of God. Scientists have discovered that the beehive is a large amazing centre where a great effort occurs. In one "honey town", there are about 120,000 firm hexagonal houses built by the architect bees. At the center of these houses is the royal palace that is the seat of the queen bee that produces two million infants a year. Around the palace stand splendid buildings that are the residences of the princesses. There are special houses for the care of infant bees. Wide streets have been built in every direction, and air-conditioning can also be seen in the hives. All the bees work together, in various roles such as guards, workers, engineers, and cleaners to produce honey, to train the next generation, and to continue life. They do not stop until they die. 20 Class 7 Fiqh

21 The salmon is another good example of animal wisdom. The young salmon spends years at sea, then comes back to his own river, and travels up the very side of the river from which flows the tributary where he was born. If he is removed from that tributary, he will at once change his direction and go back to the main stream to return to his own tributary. Even more amazing are the eels. The eels migrate at maturity from all ponds and rivers, to the deep waters of the Bermuda. There they breed and die. The little ones, with no one to guide them, find their way back to the same rivers and ponds from where their parents came. Eels from Europe return to Europe, while those from America go back to America, although the babies of both types of eels were born in the Bermuda. Added to all that, the European eel who has traveled more than the American eel, is slower to mature so that it is not too old by the time it reaches its home. A wasp will overpower a grasshopper, dig a hole in the earth and sting the grasshopper in exactly the right place so it does not die but is unconscious. The wasp will lay her eggs so that her children can feed on the insect without eating dead meat. The mother then flies away and dies. She never sees her young. This procedure is then repeated again, and again, for every new wasp to come on the face of this earth. Such mysterious ways when animals and insects function, just on their instinct cannot be explained by accident or adaptation. A great Creator who knew exactly what each living thing would need to survive on the earth has bestowed these qualities. This is why the Qur'an says: Everything in the Heavens and the Earth glorifies Allah. (62:1) Class 7 Fiqh 21

22 4.5 Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part 2 1. If we see there is beauty, order, wisdom, and knowledge in the creation of things, we know that the being that created them also has these qualities. Nature is known to have such wonders. Give an example of something you have seen that was awesome. Did it remind you of Allah and His creation? If not take a moment to think of such a connection and write it down. 2. Write down a few signs that come to your mind when you read this ayah. If you can t come up with any all you need to do is think hard: Most surely in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and the alteration of the night and the day, there are signs for men who understand. (3:189) 3. Scientists have not told animals how to function, yet they carry on their lives in a very systematic way. Give two examples of animals or insects that exhibit these qualities. 22 Class 7 Fiqh

23 4. Our brain processes information just like a computer, perhaps even better. Give an example of something else in nature from which scientists may have learned to make something. 5. Man has no control over many things. This is also a sign of the existence of a higher Being. Give an example of something that no human can control; something that you cannot stop from happening. Different students can come up with different answers, so you may want to compare these with each other. Class 7 Fiqh 23

24 Chapter 5: Al-Tawheed - The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part Extracts from Nahjul Balagha Here are parts of the sermons given by Imam Ali (a) in which he describes some of the wonders of creation: The Peacock (from Sermon 163) Allah has created birds of various shapes that live in the burrows of the earth, in the openings of high passes, and on the peaks of mountains... Among them are those shaded with one shade, and there is no other color except the one in which they have been dyed. There are others, which are shaded with one color, and they have a neck ring of a different color. The most amazing bird among them is the peacock, which Allah has created in the finest harmony and arranged its colors in the best composition, with wings well tacked together and a long trailing tail...it feels proud of its colors and swaggers with its movements... You could imagine its feathers to be sticks made of silver, and the wonderful circle and sun-shaped feathers growing on those sticks to be pieces of pure gold and green emerald. If you compare them to anything growing on land, you would say that they are a bouquet of flowers collected during spring. If you compare them to clothes, they are like printed clothing or amazing multicolored sheets of Yemen. If you liken them to jewelry they are like gems of different colors fashioned together by means of studded silver... There is hardly a color from which the peacock has not taken a bit of, and improved further by regular polish, luster, silky brightness, and brilliance... If you carefully see one hair from the hair of its feather s sticks, it would look like red rose, then emerald green and then golden yellow... The Bat (from sermon 153) Praise be to Allah... He created the creatures without any example, without the advice of a counsel, or the assistance of a helper... An example of His delicate production, a marvel of His creation, and a sample of His profound wisdom, is what we see in the bat, which shrinks from the daylight, although daylight moves everything else to action, and is active in the night, although the night stops the activity of every other living being... Consequently, they... treat the night as a lamp and go out with its help in search of their livelihood. The darkness of the night does not obstruct their sight nor does the gloom of darkness prevent them from movement. As 24 Class 7 Fiqh

25 soon as the sun removes its veil, and the light of morning appears... the bats pull down their eyelids on their eyes and live on what they had collected in the darkness of the night... He has given them wings of flesh with which, at the time of need, they rise upwards for flying. They look like the ends of ears without feathers or bones. Of course, you can see the veins distinctly. 5.2 Extracts from the Hadith of Mufazzal Hadith-e-Mufazzal is the narration by the sixth Imam (a) to one of his companions, Mufazzal bin Umar. Mufazzal asked the Imam to give him some answers to counter the arguments of the atheists who denied the existence of God. Consequently, Imam narrated to him some of the wonders of creation. This narration took place over a period of some days, and was written by Mufazzal. The following are some excerpts from the book. O Mufazzal! The structure of the Universe is the most important proof and argument for the existence of Almighty Allah - (look) how the parts of it have been set together with elegant workmanship and design... This Universe is like a house furnished with all articles necessary for human beings. The sky is like a canopy. The earth is spread like a carpet, while the stars... appear as lamps alight in their places. The gems are treasured as if the house has a lot of collection. O Mufazzal! Don't you see that everything big or small has been created with a flawless plan? Just see the advantage that occurs to a child from crying. There is a fluid in the child's brain which if not drained off may cause trouble or illness, even the loss of an eye. The discharge of the fluid from its brain leaves it healthy and the eyes brighter... Just consider the various organs of the body, the functions each organ is required to perform, and the perfection of design that underlies each organ. Both hands are meant to handle business, both feet are meant for movement, the eyes are to see with, the mouth is to take in food, the stomach to digest it, the liver to extract its nutrition for distribution to the various parts of the body after manufacturing it into blood... you will find that every organ is exactly fitted to perform its specific functions, and is perfectly designed. O Mufazzal! Do you think that if a man enters a house and sees it supplied with all human needs, the whole house full of treasures, and everything placed with a definite purpose, can he imagine that all those things have been arranged by themselves without anyone to plan it? Then how can any rational being suggest that this world and all its contents have come by themselves? Class 7 Fiqh 25

26 O Mufazzal! Just consider the mercy of Allah towards animals in giving their bodies a covering with different kinds of hair to protect them against winter hardships. And they have been gifted with hoofs, cleft and uncleft, or padded feet. They have neither hands nor palms nor fingers to spin and weave, so their clothing is made part of their bodily build without renovation and changing. O Mufazzal! Just consider the physical build of the bird, as it was ordained that it would fly high in the air. It has been gifted with a light body and a compact constitution. It has only two feet instead of four... it is gifted with a sharp chest to cut through the air just as a boat is built to cut through the water...the whole body is covered with feathers to get filled with air for high flights. 26 Class 7 Fiqh

27 5.3 Worksheet: The Outer Way of Knowing God-Part 3 1. What lessons can we learn about Allah from the following verse of the Qur an? ي خ ر ج ال ح ي م ن ال م ي ت و ي خ ر ج ال م ي ت م ن ال ح ي و ي ح ي ي ا ل ر ض ب ع د م و ت ه ا و ك ذ ل ك ت خ ر ج ون [Surat Ar-Room 30:19] He brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living, and gives life to the earth after its death. That is the way that you too will be brought out (alive after being dead). 2. What lessons can we learn about Allah from the following verse of the Qur an? و ه و ال ذ ي ج ع ل ل ك م الن ج وم ل ت ه ت د وا ب ا ف ظ ل م ات ال ب ر و ال ب ح ر ق د ف ص ل ن ا اآلي ات ل ق و م ي ع ل م ون [Surat al-an`aam 6:97] And He it is Who made stars for you to help you find the right way (even) in the darkness of the land and the sea. We have truly made plain and simply Signs (aayaat) for people who know. Class 7 Fiqh 27

28 3. Name an animal that Imam Ali (a) has talked about in the Nahjul Balagha. Describe one of its amazing features. 4. What is the name of Imam Sadiq s (a) companion who has narrated many of his ahadith? What does Imam Sadiq (a) say about the function of a bay s tears? 5. Describe one characteristic of an animal given to it by Allah that protects it. 28 Class 7 Fiqh

29 Chapter 6: Salaah and its Importance in Islam - Part I Then when you have finished the prayer, remember Allah (swt) standing, sitting and reclining; but when you are secure (from danger) keep up the prayer; surely prayer is a timed law for the believers. - Al-Qur an: Chapter 4, verse 103 Everyday, Muslims from all around the world turn their faces towards the Ka ba five times a day to pray to their Lord. In the morning before the sun rises, they wake up to pray the Subh prayer. In the afternoon, they pray the Dhuhr and Asr prayers. Finally, in the evening after the sun has set, they end off by praying the Maghrib and Isha prayers. From dawn to dusk the Muslim is constantly remembering his Lord through these prayers. In Arabic, these prayers are called salaah, and Almighty Allah (swt) has commanded the Muslims to perform them five times a day. Salaah is one of the most important practices in Islam and in this lesson we will learn why it so important. One of the reasons salaah is so important is because it is like a heavenly path that connects us to Almighty Allah (swt). When we stand to pray, we are standing in the presence of our Creator. We recognize that He is our Lord and the Lord of everything around us. So we pray to Him with humility and humbleness. Through salaah, our exhausted and restless hearts find peace and comfort. So we thank Allah for what He has given us; and we ask Him to continue guiding us along the right path. Salaah nourishes our souls just as food nourishes our bodies. It keeps us away from shameful deeds and without it our souls would become weak and fragile. Salaah has a social aspect as well, for when we pray in jama ah (congregation) we show the unity and brotherhood of all Muslims. It is for these reasons that the salaah is so important, because it represents the heart of the Islamic message. Class 7 Fiqh 29

30 So if salaah is this important, then what is it telling us? Well for one thing, it is telling us that we cannot be careless about our salaah. In the Holy Qur an, Almighty Allah (swt) warns us: So woe to the praying ones who are heedless of their prayers. (Chapter 107, verses 4-5). In other words, we must take our salaah seriously and treat it with much respect. After all, we are not just standing in front of anyone we are standing in front of our Lord. The salaah is like a living being, and if we don t treat it with respect, it will not treat us with respect on the Day of Judgment. Imam Ja far As-Sadiq (a) has said: Whoever performed the obligatory salaah at the beginning of their times and observed their restrictions, the angel would raise them, white and pure, to heaven, and the salaah would say (to the performer): May Allah preserve you as you preserved and entrusted me to a generous angel. But whoever performed them after their times, with no excuse, and did not observe their restrictions, the angel would raise them, black and dark, while the salaah shouting at the performer: You have lost me, may Allah lose you, and may He not care for you as you did not care for me. Truly this hadith is advising us on something very important. The most important thing that we must remember is that our salaah involves our whole being. It involves our body, our mind, and our soul. So before performing our salaah, we must make sure that our bodies are ritually clean, our intentions are pure and our hearts are sincere. And during salaah, we should not only utter the words with our tongue, but we should also realize what we are saying with our minds, and we should feel it deeply within our hearts. We must close our eyes to this world and open them towards our Creator. We must let go of all the little things in our life and focus completely on Allah (swt). Of course, to do all this is not easy. But we must try as much as we can, and Insha-Allah through practice and patience, we may be able to turn our prayers into something very special indeed. SOURCES: 1. Ayahullah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Profoundities of the Prayer, tr Ayahullah Ruhullah Khomeini, Adabus Salat: The Disciplines of the Prayer, tr Class 7 Fiqh

31 Prayers Can t Be Answered Unless They Are Prayed Life without purpose is barren indeed There can t be a harvest unless you plant seed There can t be attainment unless there s a goal. And man s but a robot unless there s a soul. If we send no ships out, no ships will come in, And unless there s a contest, nobody can win. For games can t be won unless they are played, And prayers can t be answered unless they are prayed. So whatever is wrong with your life today You ll find a solution if you kneel down and pray. Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health, Not just for honors and prestige and wealth. But pray for a purpose to make life worth living And pray for the joy of unselfish giving. For great is your gladness and rich your reward. When you make your life s purpose the choice of the Lord. Author Unknown Class 7 Fiqh 31

32 6.1 Worksheet: Salaah and its Importance in Islam - Part I True or False: Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. The word for prayers in Arabic is Subh, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and T F Isha. 2. Salaah nourishes our bodies just as food nourishes our souls. T F 3. Praying salaah in jama ah is a sign of the unity of all Muslims. T F Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the best answer. 1. In what state should we be when we perform our salaah? a) We should be relaxed. b) We should be humble. c) We should be proud. 2. If we perform our salaah in the way it should be performed, what will it do to our hearts? a) Our exhausted and restless hearts will find peace and comfort. b) Our soft and tender hearts will become hard and stiff. c) Our hearts will go on beating forever and ever until the Day of Judgment. Short Answer Questions: Answer the following questions. 1. Write down two reasons why salaah is important in Islam? 32 Class 7 Fiqh

33 2. What does Allah warn us in the Holy Qur an in chapter 107 verses 4-5? 3. According to Imam Ja far As-Sadiq (a), what will salaah say on the Day of Judgment to the person who did not perform his or her salaah correctly? 4. How does salaah involve not only the body but also the mind and the soul? Class 7 Fiqh 33

34 5. Complete the following sentence by comparing salaah with another object. Salaah is like a (Example: Salaah is like a magic carpet that can take us on a heavenly journey to Allah ) 34 Class 7 Fiqh

35 Chapter 7: Salaah and Its Importance II: Concentration in Prayer Prayers have to be recited in their prescribed times and with proper concentration. People who undermine prayers or anything that forms a part of praying (e.g. Wudhu, Qiblah, etc.) are called Mustakhiff in `Arabic - literally meaning those who take it lightly. The sixth Imam, Ja far As-Sadiq (A) has said that there is no sin greater than that of prayers being taken lightly. Note that the Imam (A) does not say that the worst sin is missing prayers, but taking prayers lightly. This shows the importance of not only reciting the prayers, but also reciting it correctly and with great respect. Allah says in the Holy Qur an: [Al-Ma`oon 107:4] So woe to those who pray, }5{ [Al-Ma`oon 107:4] But do not pay attention when they say their prayer. ف و ي ل ل ل م ص ل ني }4{ ال ذ ين ه م ع ن ص ل ت م س اه ون The Prophet (s) has said: "As for a salaah, half of it may be accepted, or one-third, or a quarter, or a fifth, or even a tenth. Another salaah may be folded, like an old dress, and be thrown back at the face of its owner." Here are some ways to improve your concentration in prayer: 7.1 Know the meaning of what you recite For most Muslims in the world, Arabic is not the native language they speak. But still, Allah (swt) commanded us to recite our prayers in Arabic. This means that we must understand enough Arabic to that we fully understand the meaning of what we recite. 7.2 Have presence of heart and mind The key to having concentration in prayer is to make your mind and your heart go along with the actions of your body. The minds of those who do not pay attention in prayer wander freely as soon as the Takbiratul Ehram has been performed. Some ways you can improve your attention in prayer: Class 7 Fiqh 35

36 From the moment you begin performing wudhu, focus on the task at hand. Ask Allah to protect you from the fire of hell the same way the water of your wudhu washes over you. Proceed from performing wudhu to your musalla without being disturbed, and think about every action you do. Before beginning prayer, recite Adhaan and Iqamah, and know that when you do so, angels will line up to pray behind you. Perform other mustahab actions as well such as wearing perfume, nice clothing, and an `aqeeq ring. Do not do something before prayers (like chatting with a friend about worldly things) that will distract your mind while in prayer If you are drowsy, hungry, or need to go to the bathroom, and there is enough time, take care of these things before saying your prayers 7.3 Swallow Your Pride (Have Khushoo`) Allah (swt) is the Creator of everything and there is absolutely nothing we can do without His power. For example, we cannot sit, stand, speak, or even take our next breath without the power and permission of Allah. When you fully realize this point you will be able to concentrate better in prayer because the feeling of khushoo`, or lack of pride, will fill your body when you pray, especially when you do sajdah, since the Shaitan was unable to perform sajdah because of his pride. 7.4 Control your Imagination The only way to control your imagination is to always be aware of it and to watch it. At the end of your salaah, think back to your imagination and all the things you thought about other than the prayer itself. Next time, make it your goal to do even better. 7.5 Remember the Ahlul Bait (a) One of the best ways to have concentration in prayer is to ask Allah (swt) for guidance from the Ahlul Bait (a), and to remember the way that they and their companions used to concentrate in prayers. 1. A companion of the 4th Imam (a) said: "I saw 'Ali ibn al-hussein (al-'imam al-sajjad) - may peace be upon both of them- offering prayer, when the cloak slipped from his shoulders. The Imam did not arrange it until he had finished his prayer. When I questioned him about it, he 36 Class 7 Fiqh

37 said: 'Woe to you, don't you know before whom I stood? Nothing is accepted of a devotee's prayer except what he offers with the proper attention of his heart.' Thereupon I said to him, 'May I be ransomed for you, (if that is so) then we (i.e. the like of us) are doomed!' He replied, 'No indeed. Verily God compensates for that for the faithful by the means of the extra nawafil prayers.' " 2. A man belonging to the tribe of Ghatfan was pursuing the Muslims so that he might do them some harm and then return immediately. This man took advantage of the darkness of the night and shot an arrow at the person guarding the valley while the latter was offering prayers. The sentry was so much absorbed in invocations that he did not much feel the prickly sensation caused by the arrow. He pulled out the arrow from his foot and continued his prayers. However, the attack was repeated three times. The last arrow of the enemy struck his foot so severely that he could not continue his prayers as he wished. He therefore finished his prayers immediately and then awakened 'Ammar. The tragic condition of 'Abbad moved 'Ammar very much and he said by way of protest "Why did you not awaken me at the beginning?" The wounded sentry replied "I was praying and was reciting a surah of the Holy Qur'an when suddenly the first arrow hit me. The enjoyment of invocations and the deliciousness of attention towards the Almighty Allah kept me from breaking my prayers. If the Prophet had not made me responsible for guarding this point I would not at all have broken my prayers and the surah which I was reciting and would have given up my life making invocations to Allah before breaking my prayers. 7.6 Reward of Concentration in Prayer The Ahlul Bait (a) have said repeatedly that if you recite just two raka ah and during those two raka ah you do not let your soul think of anything from this world, Allah will forgive you all your sins! Class 7 Fiqh 37

38 7.7 Worksheet: Concentration in Prayer 1. a) Based on this lesson, what is one way in which you can have all your sins forgiven? b) Is this an easy thing to do or a difficult thing? Why? 2. When in prayer, the most important thing to focus on is your relationship with (fill in the blank). 3. There are three class 7 students who each prepare to recite salaat al-maghrib. Ahmad was in the middle of playing the new Lord of the Rings video game. He paused the game right in the middle of an important battle scene and is now anxious to get back to it. Salma just got off the phone with her good friend Sulayma. She was telling her about all the new clothes she saw when she went to the mall today. Recently, Ali got in the habit of saying Subhan-Allah to himself whenever his mind thinks about Allah. The first day he tried, he only remembered Allah a few times in the daytime, but now he thinks about Him a lot. Today he was saying Subhan-Allah when he heard the adhaan being recited from the computer program his parents run that plays adhaan automatically at Maghrib time. a) What type of experience will Ahmad probably have during his salaah? b) How can he improve that experience next time? 38 Class 7 Fiqh

39 c) What type of experience will Salma probably have during her salaah? d) How can she improve that experience next time? e) What type of experience will Ali have during his salaah? 4. Name three ways in which you can improve your concentration during prayer. 5. Write down one way (without using the examples above) in which you can improve your concentration in salaah. For at least one salaah during this week, try it out. Class 7 Fiqh 39

40 Chapter 8: Salaah: Rules of Sajdah 8.1 Review of some laws of sajdah: Definition Sajdah means that you should place your forehead on earth in a special manner, with the intention of humility (before Allah) The Position of Sajdah During the Sajdah, 7 parts of your body must touch the ground. They are: - Forehead, - 2 palms, - 2 knees and - Big toes of both feet Among these 7 parts, the forehead must rest directly upon the earth. The place where you will put your forehead and your toes must be of the same level. If there is any difference, it should not be more than 4 joined fingers.

41 8.1.3 The Recitation in Sajdah The dhikr of Sajdah is similar to that of Ruku` with the difference of only one word. It is recited as: "Subhaana rabbee-al-a`alaa wa bi hamdih. Exalted beyond my understanding is my Lord, the Most High, and I praise him. You can also recite Subhan-allah three times Some rules about the order you should perform sajdah 1. Stand up straight and still before going into the first Sajdah. While reciting the Dhikr of Sajdah you should be still. You should not start the Dhikr until you have reached the required position and are not moving. 2. If you intentionally recite the Dhikr of Sajdah before your body becomes still or raise your head while still reciting the Dhikr, your Salaah is Batil. 3. Get up after the 1st Sajdah into a sitting position, wait, then go into the 2nd Sajdah. 4. Recite the Dhikr again making sure you are still and don t start until you are in the exact position. 5. Get up again after the second sajdah into a sitting position before continuing with the Salaah. 8.2 Difficulty in Doing Sajdah If a person can sit but cannot do Sajdah properly because of an illness or any other reason, then s/he should do one of the following things (in order of preference): 1. If a person can sit, but cannot do Sajdah properly, then s/he should bow down as much as s/he can, and place the mohr/sajdagah on something high and place his/her forehead on it. The palms, knees and toes must still touch the ground. 2. If something high cannot be found and s/he cannot find a person to hold it, then the mohr/sajdagah should be raised to the forehead by the person himself or herself. 3. If a person cannot perform Sajdah at all, then s/he should make the sign of it with his/her head. 4. If a person cannot make a sign with the head, then s/he should make the sign of it with the eyes. 5. If a person cannot even make the sign of Sajdah with the eyes, then s/he should make the sign of Sajdah with the hands and recite the Dhikr in his/her mind. 8.3 Mustahabaat in Sajdah Saying Takbir before Sajdah Class 7 Fiqh 41

42 When in Sajdah to place one s nose on a mohr or on anything that Sajdah can be performed To keep the hands on level of the ears, with the fingers close together and the fingertips facing the Qiblah. Repeating the Dhikr of Sajdah an odd number of times - 3, 5 or 7 times, and reciting Salawaat. After getting up from the 1st Sajdah, to say Takbir and then, "Astaghfiru-llaaha rabbee wa atoobu ilayhi" (I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, and I turn to him in repentance), and also to say a Takbir before the 2nd Sajdah. To say "Bi hawlil-laahi wa quwwatihi aqoomu wa aq`ud" (By the power and strength of Allah I sit and stand) while getting up for the next Rakat. One can even add the words "wa-arka' wa asjud" (and perform ruku` and sajdah) after "aq'ud". While in Sajdah you should pray to Allah, and express your wishes. This is a recommended du`a: Ya Khayr-al-Mas'ooleen wa Yaa Khayr-al-Mu`teen, Urzuqnee wa-rzuq `ayaalee min fadlika fa innaka dhu-l-fadli-l-`adheem - O You Who are the best from whom people seek their needs, and O You, Who are the best giver of gifts! Give me and the members of my family sustenance with Your grace. Undoubtedly You possess the greatest grace. It is Mustahab to prolong the Sajdah, and when sitting after the Sajdah, to place one's hands on the thighs. 8.4 Men and Women While going down for Sajdah, a man should go in such a way that first his hands touch the ground; whereas a woman should go in such a way that first her knees touch the ground. A man should keep his hands away from the body, whereas a woman should keep them close to her body. Men should not make their elbows and stomachs touch the ground. And women should place their elbows and stomachs on the ground, and should join their limbs with one another. 8.5 Things on Which Sajdah Is Allowed - Natural earth; - Anything that is not eaten or worn 42 Class 7 Fiqh

43 - Anything that grows from the earth. such as Wood Leaves 8.6 Further Rules Regarding Things On Which Sajdah Is Allowed Natural Earth - this does not include mineral or precious stones that come out from the mines. As mentioned above, you cannot do sajdah on any things that are used in food or dress. E.g. you can do sajdah on the leaves of a mango tree but you cannot do sajdah on the mango itself. You can do sajdah on paper if it has been manufactured from wood, grass, cotton or flax. Paper made from silk is not allowed If you cannot find something on which sajdah is allowed, then you can do it on tar If there is nothing else available, then you should do sajdah on your dress or on the back of your hand. sajdah performed on soft clay or mud on which your forehead cannot stay still, is batil. If you perform sajdah on a thing upon which sajdah is not allowed, and realize before reciting the Dhikr, then you should gradually slide or move your head onto a thing that is permitted. Importance of Sajdah It is Haraam do Sajdah to anyone but Allah. Therefore, when we put our foreheads at the doorsteps of the shrines of our Imams (A) we must make sure that our intention is not for praying TO them but that we are doing Sajdah for thanking Allah and seeking the intercession of the Imams Khak-e-Shifa The highest preference has been given for doing Sajdah upon the earth from the Harum of Imam Hussein (a) in Kerbala. This earth is known as "Al-Turbatul Husayniyyah" or "Khak-e- Shifa". It is sacred because it is the earth that has the blood of the martyrs of Kerbala. During the life-time of the Holy Prophet (s), his daughter Fatima (a) had made a Tasbih from the earth taken from Hamzah bin Abdul Muttalib's grave. Hamzah was known as "chief of the martyrs" during the Holy Prophet's time. Class 7 Fiqh 43

44 8.7 The merits of the sajdah Imam Ali (a) said: "In the first prostration you are reminding yourself that you are made of dust and in the second one you remember that you will die and return to dust and by raising your head once more, you will think of the day you will be raised again for a future life." Once Imam Muhammad al-baqir visited his father Imam 'Ali ibn al-hussein. He saw that Imam as-sajjad had reached an unprecedented state of 'ibadah. "His color had paled from keeping awake all night; eyes sore from weeping; forehead and nose bruised due to prolonged sajdahs; and his feet and ankles were swollen from standing in salaah." Such was the state of our fourth Imam during the worship that our fifth Imam says that he could not help breaking into tears. "I wept out of compassion that I felt for him," commented Imam al-baqir. Some time passed before the Imam realized that his son has come. Upon seeing him, Imam as-sajjad asked for the parchments which describe the great 'ibadah of Imam 'Ali bin Abi Talib (a). The fourth Imam read something from it and let it go from his hands in exasperation commenting, "Who has the strength to worship like 'Ali b. Abi Talib, 'alayhis-salaam?" Imam Ali (a) said: Prolong your sajdahs, as there is no deed that is more severe for Iblis to see that to see the son of Adam in sajdah, since he (Iblis) was commanded to perform sajdah but he disobeyed Imam Muhammad al-baqir (a) said: Whenever my father remembered Allah s blessings on him he performed sajdah. Whenever he read an Ayah from the Book of Allah where there was a sajdah, he performed sajdah. Whenever Allah removed any evil that he feared or any malice from an enemy, he performed sajdah. Whenever he finished an obligatory prayer he performed sajdah. Whenever he was able to make peace between two people he performed sajdah. The marks of sajdah were visible on all parts of his body where he performed sajdah, and for that he was known as al-sajjad. The Prophet (s) said: Salaah is the mi'raj of the believer. 8.8 The Sajdah of Shukr (Giving thanks): In the Qur an, Allah says: If you are thankful, I will give you more; but if you disbelieve (and are thankless), My punishment is surely terrible. (14:7) It is Mustahab to perform a sajdah of thanks: 44 Class 7 Fiqh

45 After you finish your prayers Whenever you are blessed with His bounties Whenever trials and tribulations are averted from you When in sajdah, say Shukran lillaah (thanks be to Allah) or Al-`Afwu (O the One who Pardons!) 100 times, or three times, or even once. You may also say whatever dua comes to your heart. Thank Allah sincerely and ask Him what you need, and insha Allah He will give it to you. Here is a beautiful dua that Imam al-baqir (a) recited in sajdah: س ب ح ان ك ا لل ه م أن ت ر ب ي ح ق ا ح ق ا س ج د ت ل ك يا ر ب ي ت ع ب دا و ر ق ا ا لل ه م ا ن ع م لي ض ع يف ف ض اع ف ه ل ي ا لل ه م ق ن ي ع ذاب ك ي و م ت ب ع ث ع ب اد ك و ت ب ع ل ي إن ك أن ت الت و اب الر ح يم. O Allah, you are my Lord, truly and rightfully. I make sajdah to you, worshipping and humbly. O Allah my actions are weak, So increase them (In significance). O Allah, save me from Your punishment On the day You raise Your servants, And turn (mercifully) towards me. Surely You are Al-Tawwab (The One who Turns to those who Turn to Him), the Merciful. Grade 7 Fiqh 45

46 8.9 Worksheet: Rules of Sajdah 1. Lookup verse 19 from Surat al-`alaq in the Qur an. What does it say about the effect of performing sajdah? How does this relate to the saying of Imam Ali (a): One cannot get close to Allah, glory be to him, except by performing a lot of sajdah and ruku? 2. True or False: You can perform sajdah on a steep slope of a hill as long as you are facing qiblah. 3. What is the meaning of what you recite in sajdah? 4. True or False: When you recite salaah, your elbows should rest on the ground. 5. Give two lessons you learned about the merits of sajdah from the sayings of the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a). 46 Class 7 Fiqh

47 Chapter 9: Salaah: Salaat ul Qasr When traveling, it is obligatory to say salaah in Qasr form; that is, one will recite the noon, afternoon and night prayers in two raka ah instead of the normal four raka ah. Salaah would be Qasr if one travels 14 miles from the boundary of the County in which he/she is living. 9.1 How the 17 Raka ah are reduced: PRAYER Raka ah recited daily Raka ah recited by traveler Fajr 2 2 Dhuhr 4 2 Asr 4 2 Maghrib 3 3 Isha 4 2 TOTAL It is recommended that a traveler should recite the following verse 30 times after every salaah. If you recite it 60 times it is even better. Subhannallahi walhamdu lillahi wa la illaha illallahu wallahu Akbar It is highly recommended to recite dua after Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha salaah. 9.2 Seven Conditions should be fulfilled for Salaah-e-Qasr to apply: 1. Traveling Distance: A traveler should shorten their prayers if the total distance covered beginning from the boundary of the county, or city in which they are living is 28 miles or more (14 miles away and back). 2. Boundary/ Hadde-Taakh- Khus: The traveler should be out of the boundary of the town or county in which they are living. 3. Niyyah: There must be a firm intention (Niyyah) of traveling 14 miles or more, one way. 4. Purpose of Journey: The journey should not be haraam (forbidden by Allah/unlawful) or conducted for a haraam purpose. Class 7 Fiqh 47

48 5. Length of Stay: The intention/niyyah to stay must be for less than 10 days. The stay of 10 days means staying at least from: Sunrise of the 1st day to sunset of the 10th day or Dhuhr of the first day to Dhuhr of the 11th day. 6. Destination: The destination should not be to a place that is within the home County where you live; for instance, Alameda County, Santa Clara County, San Jose etc. 7. Frequency: The normal journey of a person to work, school, or to run errands is not considered as travel time. In our lesson we will use Alameda County as an example. In Figure 1 we have a map of Alameda County. Figure 1 48 Class 7 Fiqh

49 If you live in a County, so long as you are within the boundary of the county, salaah -e Qasr does not apply. For instance, Fatimah, a 7th class student, lives in Fremont, which falls in Alameda County. She goes to school in Fremont but has to travel to Union City for Qur an lessons and archery classes in Piedmont daily after school. Although the distance from one end of Alameda County to the other is more than 14 miles, she is within her home county and therefore Qasr does not apply. In the following page we have an extended map of the cities and counties surrounding Alameda County. Please note that the area that is highlighted with an X indicates the approximate Hadde Tarkhus, which basically refers to the areas that are at a 14- mile radius from the boundary of Alameda County. Let us apply these rules to our daily life by studying the lives of different students and individuals living in the Bay Area. Case 1: Fatimah Fatimah lives in Santa Clara County; she is a student at the University of California Berkeley studying Economics and Sociology. She commutes daily to school; however, she is home on the weekends and holidays. Berkeley falls in Alameda County. Traveling Distance: Approximately 47 miles from her home on Terence Avenue Town/ County Boundary: Santa Clara Niyyah: Both Berkeley and Santa Clara are her home Purpose of Journey: Studying Halaal? Yes Destination: The University is her temporary home Journey Frequency: As and when required Decision: She will pray full salaah Reason: She is studying there to get her degree, which will take 4 years Case 2: Haider Haider has just moved with his family to San Jose from San Francisco. Being the head of the household, he decided to move to San Jose as his two daughters are studying law at San Jose State University. He has rented an apartment in River Oaks. He however works for the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco as a General Manager and maintains a penthouse suite at the hotel. Class 7 Fiqh 49

50 Traveling Distance: 47 miles from their new home in River Oaks Parkway Town / County Boundary: Outside San Jose County Niyyah: He has made niyyah to make his home in both cities Purpose of Journey: He has moved to be around his daughters Halaal? Yes Destination: San Francisco Journey Frequency: Everyday Decision: He prays full salaah Reason: He has made his home in both towns Case 3: Sarah Sara and her friends are at a friend s house in San Jose. They decide on their own to attend a live performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat by legendary actors. They are traveling from Alameda County. Traveling Distance: 34 miles round trip Town/ County Boundary: Alameda Niyyah: To attend a play and be home by the end of the day Halaal? No- their parents do not know of the trip and the play is a musical Length of Stay: 1 day Decision: They will pray full salaah Reason: The journey is for a haraam purpose Case 4: Amina Amina is a policewoman with the Santa Clara Police Department but lives in Alameda County. Travelling Distance: More than 28 miles daily Town/ County Boundary: Outside Alameda County Niyyah: Amina knows that she will travel daily to work Halaal? Yes as it is for work Length of Stay: Daily Destination/ Watan: The destination is not her hometown as she is going there to work Journey Frequency: Daily Decision: She will pray full salaah Reason: She is making her daily journey for work 50 Class 7 Fiqh

51 Case 5: Abbas Abbas is joining his friends at Sunday school for a weekend camp in the lake Tahoe region. He lives in San Jose Travelling Distance: More than 400 miles total round trip distance Town/ County Boundary: Outside San Jose Niyyah: To go on a leisure outing Halaal: Yes Destination/Watan: He is only visiting Tahoe Journey Frequency: 3 days Decision: Will pray Qasr Reason: The trip is halaal and the total distance and length of stay all support the fact that he should pray Qasr Class 7 Fiqh 51

52 9.3 Worksheet: Salaat ul Qasr 1. When travelling a person will offer only raka ah instead of in one whole day. 2. In order to be a called traveler, the travelling distance should not be less than miles. 3. If one s total of outward journey and return journey is 28 miles, even if the single journey each way does not equal 14 miles, one should shorten one s prayers. TRUE FALSE 4. The traveler should be out of the boundary of the town or city HADDE TARAKH- KHUS (city limits) in order to shorten his prayers. TRUE FALSE 5. The travelling distance is to be counted; starting from the point one leaves the house. TRUE FALSE 6. I will be gone overseas for 15 days. I will be staying at three different cities (Paris, London, and Dubai) for 5 days each. Do I pray Salaatul Qasr for those 15 days? YES NO 7. When you are travelling, and your stay at the destination is less then 10 days, do you have to offer Salaatul Qasr? YES NO 8. If a person intends to stay for 10 days in a place, or thinks he will probably stay for 10 days he should pray Salaah in full. The stay of 10 days means staying minimum from: 52 Class 7 Fiqh

53 (Mark 2 correct answers) a) Sunrise of first day to Sunset of tenth day b) Dhuhr of first day to Dhuhr of eleventh day c) Sunrise of first day to Midnight of ninth day 9. A traveler is given an option of praying Qasr or in Masjid ul Haraam (Ka ba) and in the whole town of Mecca. (House of God.) 10. A person who going for Hajj goes to Medina first. He stays there for 11 days. It is wajib on him to pray full Salaah all the time he is there. TRUE FALSE 11. If a traveler did not know he was to pray Qasr Salaah and offered Salaah in full, then his Salaah is fine. TRUE FALSE 12. If a person knows he has to offer Qasr prayers and offers prayers in full, his Salaah is Batil. TRUE FALSE 13. If a person forgets that he has to pray Qasr and prays full Salaah, and then realizes his mistake later, he has to pray again unless the realization came after Salaah became. 14. It is time to offer Dhuhr Salaah and I am too busy packing, as I have to travel to another state. I reach there before Maghrib time and am planning to stay there overnight. Do I pray Qasr Salaah for the Dhuhr Salaah that I did not pray back home? YES NO Class 7 Fiqh 53

54 15. Take the same scenario as in Question # 14, except that when I get to the other State, it is dark and past Maghrib time. Do I pray Qadha of Dhuhr as Qasr Salaah? YES NO 16. If the Dhuhr, Asr or Isha salaah of a traveler becomes qadha and he has not offered Salaah yet, he will pray his Qadha Salaah in the shortened form even if he is not travelling anymore (he is back home). TRUE FALSE 17. Suppose a person who is not a traveler does not offer Dhuhr, Asr or Isha prayers in time and it gets qadha. The next day, he is travelling. Now he wants to pray Qadha of the previous day. Does he pray a) In full? b) Qasr? 18. A traveler reaches his hometown before the time of salaah becomes qadha, should he offer Salaah in full? 19. Zainab lives in Alameda County and is going to Pakistan to visit her grand parents during Spring break. She will be in Pakistan for 5 days. Will she read Qasr or regular salaah? 20. Ali lives in Fremont is spending the night in Piedmont with his friend. He will be in Piedmont for a day. Does he read Qasr or regular prayers? 54 Class 7 Fiqh

55 Chapter 10: Qadha Salaah 10.1 If a qasr salaah becomes qadha: In case a Qasr Salaah (the prayer to be recited by a traveler) is made Qadha (omitted), and the person returns to his home, it should be made up as 2 raka ah, provided that the traveling was for a purpose that is permissible in Islam. If the travel was not an allowed one in Islam, then one should pray 4 raka ah Other qadha salaah: If you are uncertain about the number of days for which you have to recite qadha it is sufficient for you to recite qadha for the least number of days for which you believe you owe qadha. You may however decide that as a precaution you should recite qadha for any larger number of days. If there are so many, that you have no clear idea how many qadha you have, then recite as many qadha prayers as you can until you acquire the satisfaction that you owe no more. One can pray Sunnah (mustahab) prayers even if he/she has qadha prayers to be performed. This rule is unlike fasting, in which all wajib qadha fasts must be completed before fasting any Sunnah fasts. It is not wajib to pray a qadha Salaah before you pray the regular Salaah. It is strongly recommended to pray the Qadha of the day on the same day. For example, if it is Dhuhr time and you haven't prayed the Subh Salaah, you can pray the Subh qadha after you pray the Dhuhr and Asr, but it is recommended that you pray the Subh first. Qadha salaah should also be recited in the proper sequence i.e. Subh, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha, but this is not wajib Praying of a Father s Qadha Salaah It is wajib on the eldest son to recite the qadha prayers of his deceased father. For other sons (if the eldest has died or is refusing to pray the qadha), it is mustahab (recommended) to recite the qadha. If there are no sons, then again it is mustahab for the daughter to recite - it is not wajib. Also it is mustahab for the eldest son to recite the qadha Salaah for his mother (unlike being wajib for the father). Class 7 Fiqh 55

56 In all cases, one can hire or employ somebody else to recite the qadha Salaah for the deceased. If the person reciting or arranging for the qadha to be recited does not know how many Salaah the deceased missed, an estimate will be made, and that will be sufficient. A person can accept engagement to offer some Mustahab acts like Ziyarat, Umrah, Hajj, on behalf of living persons. Also he can perform some Mustahab acts, and dedicate their thawaab to living or dead persons. However, someone else cannot recite the qadha Salaah of a person that is still alive, even if the person is so ill that he cannot recite it for himself. A person who is hired to offer the qadha prayers of a dead person, should be a Mujtahid, or should know the rules of the prayers correctly according to Taqleed, or should act according to precaution, provided that he knows fully when a precaution is to be observed. At the time for making niyyah, the hired person must specify the dead person, but it is not necessary that he should know his/her name. Hence, it is enough if he intends: I am offering prayers for the person on whose behalf I am hired. The hired person should act with the niyyah that he is acting to discharge the obligation of the dead person. It will not be enough if he performs and dedicates its thawaab to the dead person. While hiring somebody one should be satisfied that the hired person will perform the act for which he is hired. If the person hired for offering prayers for a dead person has not performed it, or has performed incorrectly, another person should be hired for the purpose. If a person doubts whether or not the hired person has performed the act, and in spite of the hired person's assurance, he is not satisfied, he must hire another person. But if he doubts whether or not the hired person has performed it correctly, he should presume that it has been correct. A person who has some excuse (for example, if he offers prayers with tayyammum or in a sitting position) should never be hired for offering prayers for a dead person, even if the prayers of the dead person may have become qadha that way. A man can be hired on behalf of a woman, and a woman can be hired on behalf of a man, and in the matter of offering prayers loudly or silently, the hired person should act according to his/her own obligation. If it is not agreed with the hired person how many Mustahab acts he will perform, he should perform as much as is usual. 56 Class 7 Fiqh

57 10.4 Worksheet: Qadha Salaah 1. You were on a trip and were in one place for more than 10 days, so you had to pray full Salaah. If you happened to miss one set of Dhuhr and Asr Salaah, and returned to your hometown before repaying it. Do you have to recite the full 4 raka ah, or only 2 for these qadha? 2. If a man only had daughters, is it wajib for them to recite his qadha Salaah when he dies? Describe how this would change if he had sons. If you are the oldest son of your parents what applies to you? 3. If a person is in a coma and cannot pray his Salaah, can his family pray the qadha Salaah for him until he has recovered to the point that he can start to pray on his own? Class 7 Fiqh 57

58 4. Does the person that is hired to pray the qadha Salaah of someone, have to be a Mujtahid, or is it enough that he is just knowledgeable about Salaah? 5. Describe two conditions you would have to consider when you hire someone to offer a dead relative s prayers. 58 Class 7 Fiqh

59 Chapter 11: Salaatul Jama ah - Congregational Prayers 11.1 Definition: Salaatul Jama ah means prayers that are offered as a group (i.e. more than two people) Benefits: Praying in congregation provides us with rewards both in this world and the hereafter; these are listed and illustrated below: Love and Co-operation Unity Prestige of Islam Discipline Islamic Equality Unlimited Reward 11.3 Unlimited Reward Allah has put a very big reward for Jama ah prayers. Our Holy Prophet (S) and our Imams (A) have placed great emphasis on Salaat ul Jama ah. Therefore, whenever we get an opportunity we should offer congregational prayers. Class 7 Fiqh 59

60 Rewards People present in Jama ah Each Rakah worth prayers prayers THEREAFTER IT DOUBLES UNTIL AFTER THE 11th PERSON JOINS 11 **ONLY ALLAH KNOWS** 11.4 Importance and conditions of Salaat ul Jama ah The following are a few examples of the importance of offering the congregational prayers. For a full listing please refer to Islamic Laws (page 262) 1. Unlimited reward as mentioned above. 2. If a parent orders the son to offer Jama ah prayers, (with love or otherwise) as a recommended precaution, he should obey. 3. When congregation prayers are being offered, it is Mustahab (i.e. better to) for a person, who has already offered his prayers alone, to repeat the prayers in congregation. 4. It is not permissible to absent oneself from the congregational prayers intentionally, and it is not proper to abandon congregational prayers without a justifiable excuse. 5. When an Imam is leading a congregation for the daily prayers; one can follow him for any of the daily prayers. 6. If one does not consider a particular imam as aadil and he is already inside the mosque then he should pray Wajib Furada between Adhaan and Iqamah or wait until Salaat ul Jama ah is finished, as a mark of respect. 7. Increase of rukn either intentionally or unintentionally makes prayer invalid, but in congregational prayer such increase is allowed due to the importance of Jama ah. The following are a few examples of the conditions of offering the congregational prayers. For a full listing of please refer to Islamic Laws (page ). 1. The Imam of the congregation prayers should be: **Baligh** **Adil** **of legitimate birth** **Sane** **Recite Correctly** 2. If the Imam and the followers are both women, the obligatory precaution is that all of them should stand in line, and the Imam should not stand in front of others. 60 Class 7 Fiqh

61 3. In the first line immediately after Imam, it is Mustahab, if aged; learned and pious persons occupy the first row. 4. It is Mustahab that the rows of the congregation are properly arranged and that there is no gap between the persons standing in one row; all standing shoulder to shoulder. 5. It is necessary for the follower that, besides that which is recited in the prayers, he should perform all acts like Ruku and Sajdah with the Imam or a little after him, and if he performs them before the Imam, or after a considerable delay, intentionally, his congregational prayers becomes void. However, if he converts to Furada, his prayers will be in order How to Join Salaat ul Jama ah Scenarios Imam in 1st Rakah, better to join in: Imam in 2nd Rakah better to join in: Imam in 3rd/4thRakah, better to join in: Imam in 3rd \ 4th Rakah (Qiyam): If you do not know which Rakah it is always join in: You enter the Mosque it is the last Sajdah, you perform your Niyyah and Takbiratul Ehram and then go into: Where to join in Congregational Prayers Qiyam Ruku Sajdah Tashah-hud Salaam Join and recite Surah Al Hamd and if you cannot finish the recitation by the time the Imam rises from Ruku you have to change your Niyyah to furada. By joining you are being rewarded Jama ah thawaab. During Tashah-hud and Salaam, raise your knees and place your palms on the floor - rise up to your 1st Rakah when Imam completes Salaam. Class 7 Fiqh 61

62 Extra note: Raising of the knees from the ground is also followed in Tashah-hud and Salaam when you join in 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th Rakat Some rules of Salaatul Jama ah 1. Two persons, one leading, another following can start Salaatul Jama ah. 2. When there are only two persons in Salaatul Jama ah, one Imam and another Ma mum, then the Ma mun should position himself just behind the imam on his right side. 3. In first line immediately after Imam, it is Sunnah if aged or learned people join. 4. Travelers who pray Qasr Salaah and all those suffering from gas trouble should not join in the first line. 5. You should stand close to each other, shoulder to shoulder in line. It is Makruh to start or join in a new line when there is still space in the front line. 6. The distance between two rows should be less than a meter. 7. Only Wajib salaah, whether ada (on time) or qadha Salaah can be in Jama ah. 8. There can be no Salaatul Jama ah in Mustahab prayers except Salaatul Eidain and Salaatul Istisqa (an invocation for rain). 9. When Takbiratul Ehram is recited by Imam, it is better that people standing in the second and other lines say Takbir after people in the first line have said. 10. Ma mumeen praying behind Imam should recite all Dhikr except the recitation of the first and second Surah in the 1st and 2nd Rakah. 62 Class 7 Fiqh

63 11. It is necessary for you to recite silently all the recitations that are Wajib or Sunnah to follow Imam and not to recite before Imam, especially intentionally, as this will make your Salaah Batil. 12. If adult females want to join Salaatul Jama ah, they should stand behind male Ma mumeen and if there is a curtain between the male and female it is allowed. 13. The only differences between having a male Imam and a female Imam are: i. A male Imam can have female followers, whereas as a female Imam cannot have male followers. ii. A male Imam has followers standing behind him while he stands alone; whereas a female Imam will have her followers standing next to her to form the first line of Salaat ul Jama ah. Class 7 Fiqh 63

64 11.7 Worksheet: Salaat ul Jama ah Imam Can you start Salaat ul Jama ah with only two people? Ma mum YES NO Female Imam Female Ma mumeen Is this: CORRECT INCORRECT IMAM Qiblah Is this: CORRECT INCORRECT gap of more than a metre Ma mumeen gap of more than a metre 64 Class 7 Fiqh

65 Choose the correct answer: 1. It is not permissible to absent oneself from prayers intentionally, and it is not proper to abandon them without a justifiable excuse. 2. It is generally advisable to join salaatul jama ah in although in the first and second rakah you could also join in at. 3. When you join at ruku the Imam of the prayer should prolong the. 4. In first line immediately after Imam, it is Sunnah if or learned people join. 5. You should stand close to each other, shoulder to shoulder in line. It is to start or join in a new line when there is still space in the front line. 6. Ma mumeen praying behind Imam should recite all Dhikr except the recitation of the first and second in the 1st and 2nd Rakah. 7. It is necessary for you to recite silently all the recitations that are wajib or sunnah to follow Imam and not to recite Imam, especially intentionally, as this will make your salaah batil. Class 7 Fiqh 65

66 Chapter 12: Salaat al-jumah O you who believe! When the call is made for prayers on Friday, then hurry to the remembrance of Allah and leave your business; that is better for you, if you know. But when the prayer is ended then spread out in the land and seek Allah s grace, and remember Allah much so that you may be successful. - Al-Qur an: Chapter 62, verses 9-10 Friday is a very important day in Islam. In most Muslim countries, it is considered a holiday and it is a day when people spend their time with their friends and families. It is also a day when Muslims gather together from all parts of the village or city in order to perform the Friday prayers. In some places, so many people gather together that a whole mosque is built just for that purpose. This is usually called the Friday mosque. In Arabic, Friday prayers can be translated as Salaat al-jumah. In fact, just to show you how important Jumah (or Friday ) is, if you look in the Holy Qur an, you will come across a whole chapter that is named after it - Chapter 62. In it, Allah has told the believers that they should leave all their work and meet with the other believers in order to perform the prayers that are so special in that day. According to Ayatollah Seestani, Salaat al-jumah is not exactly wajib, but it is Wajib-e- Takhyiri. Wajib-e-Takhyiri simply means that you have a choice of doing any one of two different acts with the intention of wajib. So on Fridays, you can either perform Salaat aljumah or you can perform the regular Dhuhr prayer. The choice is entirely up to you, but you must perform at least one of them. So for example, if you went to mosque on a Friday afternoon and you prayed Salaat al-jumah, then you don t have to pray your Dhuhr prayer anymore. Of course, you may perform the Dhuhr prayer if you wanted to, but then it should be done with a mustahab intention. The point is that if you have performed Salaat al-jumah then you don t need to perform Dhuhr, and instead you can go straight to Asr. 66 Class 7 Fiqh

67 Now it should be remembered that not all mujtahids consider Salaat al-jumah as Wajibe- Takhyiri. Some mujtahids believe that it is mustahab and will only become wajib when the twelfth Imam (a) will reappear. So if you do taqleed of any of these mujtahids, then you have to pray your Dhuhr prayer even if you prayed Salaat al-jumah. Salaat al-jumah cannot just be prayed anywhere at any time. There are certain conditions that must be met before it can be performed. Here are some of the main conditions: 1. It should be prayed at the earliest time of Dhuhr. If it is delayed for too long, then its time will be over and you won t be able to pray it anymore. 2. It must be prayed in jama ah ( congregation ) with at least five people (including the Imam). If there are less than five people, it cannot be performed. This means that you cannot perform Salaat al-jumah on your own. 3. The Imam must have the necessary qualifications for leading a jama ah prayer. For example, he must be baligh, sane, just, etc. 4. If there are two places where Salaat al-jumah is being offered, then the distance between them should be more than 5.5 km. If the distance is less than this, then whichever of the two groups performs the prayer first will be correct while the other one will not. By now you know a lot about Salaat al-jumah, but do you know how to pray it? Well, Salaat al-jumah consists of two raka ah, similar to the Subh (Fajr) prayer in the morning. But unlike the Subh prayer, Salaat al-jumah has two khutbahs or sermons before it. In the first khutbah, the Imam stands and praises Allah for His blessings, reminds the people to be pious, and then reads a surah from the Qur an. The Imam then sits down while the congregation recites three Salawaat. The AERIAL VIEW OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS GATHERING FOR FRIDAY PRAYERS AT THE DOME OF THE ROCK AND AL-AQSA MOSQUE. Imam stands up again and begins his second khutbah. In it, he praises Allah again, sends blessing on the fourteen Maasumeen, and seeks forgiveness for the believers. Sometimes, he even talks about current issues that threaten the Muslim world. Both khutbahs are in Arabic, but when the Imam is talking directly to the congregation, he can use any language he wants. After the khutbah, the prayer begins. It is recommended that in the first raka ah after Surah Class 7 Fiqh 67

68 Fateha the Imam should recite Surah Jumah (Chapter 62), and in the second rakah after Surah Fateha he should recite Surah Munafiqun (Chapter 63). Qunoot is usually done in both raka ah, but in the first rakah, it is done before the ruku and in the second rakah, it is done after the ruku. Second sermon = Verses from the Holy Qur an First sermon = current affairs Must be prayed in Jama ah Khutba must be listened to by at least 4 (6 is better) persons. Must be two sermons, (khutba) delivered by the Must be at least 5 (better 7) persons including the Imam Only 1 Friday prayer may be held in a radius of 3 miles, 720 yards. If two prayers are held within this distance, the later will be NULL and 12.1 Method of Praying Friday Prayer Niyyah 1st Rakah Qara at I am praying 2 Raka ah Salaat al Jumah Wajib / Sunnah Qurbatan ilallah Sunnah for the Imam to recite Suratul Jumah after Al-hamd Qunoot There is a special Qunoot 68 Class 7 Fiqh

69 Ruku Sajdah 2nd Rakah Qara at Recite Suratul Munafiqoon after Suratul Hamd Ruku Qunoot Recite the normal Qunoot (that is usually recited in the daily prayers) Sajdah Tashah-hud Salaam & SOURCES: AL- MUNTAZIR MARESSA, LONDON Syed Ali al-husaini Seestani, Islamic Laws: English Version of Taudhihul Masae l, tr NOTE: Translations of the Holy Qur an may have been simplified for teaching purposes. Class 7 Fiqh 69

70 12.2 Worksheet: Salaat al-jumah True or False: Circle either T for True or F for False. 1. Jumah means Friday prayers. T F 2. Chapter 62 in the Holy Qur an is called Salaat al-jumah. T F 3. Salaat al-jumah must be prayed in congregation. T F 4. Salaat al-jumah can be prayed just before Maghrib prayers. T F 5. There are 3 raka ah in salaat al Jumah T F 6. Verses 9 and 10 of Chapter 62 are about Salaat al-jumah. T F 7. There is one qunoot in Salaat al-jumah. T F 8. In Salaat al-jumah the sermon should be given before the prayer. T F Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the best answer. 9. If your mujtahid says that Salaat al-jumah is mustahab what does that mean? a. It means that if you pray Salaat al-jumah you don t have to pray your Dhuhr prayer. b. It means that if you pray Salaat al-jumah you still have to pray your Dhuhr prayer. c. It means that you should not pray Salaat al-jumah. 10. When praising Allah in the Khutbahs, what language should be used? a. Arabic. b. Any language the Imam wants. c. Half in Arabic and half in any other language. 70 Class 7 Fiqh

71 Short Answer Questions: Answer the following questions. 11. According to Ayatollah Seestani, Salaat al-jumah is Wajib-e-Takhyiri. What does this mean? (Give an example as well) 12. If there are two places where Salaat al-jumah is being offered, and the distance between them is less than 5.5 km, what happens? 13. Describe what the Imam says in the two khutbahs of Salaat al-jumah? Class 7 Fiqh 71

72 14. What is unusual about the Qunoot in Salaat al-jumah? How is it different from regular prayers? 15. Find a hadith that has to do with Salaat al-jumah and write it down. Don t forget to mention who it is from. 72 Class 7 Fiqh

73 Chapter 13: Salaatul Eidain - Eid Prayers 13.1 Method of Praying Niyyah I am praying two Raka ah of Eid-ul-Fitr / Adha Sunnah Qurbatan il-allah. First Rakah After Surah Then hands are raised for Qunoot. Do Ruku' Al-Hamd, and Sajdah Sura A'ala This special Qunoot (SEE BELOW) is recited five times (Surah no. 87) is recited, along with Takbirs (Allah u Akbar) at the end of each dua. Class 7 Fiqh 73

74 Second Rakah Surah Shams (Surah no. 91) is recited after Al-Hamd. In this Surah, Allah has directed man to keep himself pure and to protect himself from sins The Qunoot and the dua above is again recited but now only four times along with Takbirs (Allah u Akbar) So the Dua for Qunoot is recited for a total of nine times in this 2 raka ah prayer. Ruku', Sajdah, Tashah-hud & Salaam are done in the usual way. The Muslims observe two big festivals each year. One is Eid-ul-Fitr (1 st. Shawwaal) and the other is Eid-ul-Hajj (10 Dhulhijjah). Eid-ul-Fitr is observed at the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan. Fasting creates the feelings of faith, spirituality, patience, contentment and sacrifice. The festivity of Muslims is NOT dancing or singing songs. We submit ourselves to Allah offering Eid prayer for those religious, spiritual and moral benefits that we gathered during the Holy month of Ramadhan. Eid-ul-Adha or Eid-ul-Hajj is observed on the day when Prophet Ibraheem (A.S.) intended to sacrifice his son Isma eel in obedience to Allah's command. The Holy Qur'an has narrated the whole episode, which is the greatest example of self-sacrifice. The festival of Adha is in remembrance of this sacrifice. It reminds us that all our possessions, everything we have, including our lives and those near and dear to us, should be sacrificed in the way of Allah, if necessary. Again we offer this special prayer - Eid prayer. Eid prayer is sunnah, not wajib, in these days when our Imam (A) is hidden from us. Translation of the dua recited in qunoot. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. 0 Allah: the Possessor of Greatness and Magnificence, the Possessor of Generosity and Power, the Possessor of Pardon and Mercy, and the Possessor of Piety and Forgiveness. I beseech You for the sake of this day which You have appointed as a festival for Muslims, and for Muhammad (Allah's blessing be on him and his family) a treasure, an honor, a distinction, and an increase in bounties. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and grant me of every good which You have granted Muhammad and his family. Remove from me every evil which You have kept away from Muhammad and his family, Your blessings be on him and on all of them. 0 Allah, I ask You the good that Your virtuous servants have asked You for, and I seek refuge in You from what your sincere servants have sought refuge from. 74 Class 7 Fiqh

75 13.2 Worksheet: Salaatul Eidain - Eid Prayers 1. Eid prayer is: 0 Sunnah 0 Wajib in these days when our (A) is hidden from us. 2. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on (Islamic date & month) and Eid-ul-Hajj is celebrated on (Islamic date & month) 3. How many Raka ah are there in Eid Salaah? 4. How many Qunoot? 5. What is the name of the surah that is recited in the first Raka ah after Surah al-hamd? 6. What is the name of the surah that is recited in the second Rakah after Surah al-hamd? Class 7 Fiqh 75

76 7. Eid ul Hajj is also known as 8. Eid-ul-Hajj is observed on the day when Prophet Ibraheem (A.S.) intended to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command. 9. In the qunoot Allah is referred to as the possessor of,,,,,, Piety, and Forgiveness. 10. In about 2 to three sentences tell what a person is asking for himself, when reading the qunoot? 76 Class 7 Fiqh

77 Chapter 14: Voluntary and Obligatory Taxes in Islam 14.1 The Transfer of Wealth to Promote Economic Equality Islam wants to prevent the excessive accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few people so the society may not fall into two classes: one over wealthy, while the other is starving. The Holy Qur'an gives the reason for taxing wealth by saying, "...so that it (the wealth) may not circulate among those who are rich among you." (al-hashr, 59:7) To bring about this equality in the economic condition of the people, Islam has introduced various methods to transfer excess wealth from the fortunate sector of the society to its less fortunate members. This is done on two different levels: on an individual level and on a collective level. 1. Individual Level Islam encourages Muslims to be mindful of the plight of others by prescribing charity. In Arabic, this is known as Sadaqah and Infaq. Various verses of the Holy Qur an encourage us to be charitable. They ask you (O Muhammad) as to what they should spend (in way of charity). Say, "Whatever can be spared (from your wealth after your own expenses)." (al Baqarah, 2:219) (The pious are those who)...spend (in charity) from whatever We have given to them. (al Baqarah 2:3) (The pious people are those) who spend (in charity) when rich or poor (Ali Imran 3:134) However, the Holy Qur'an also encourages us to follow the path of moderation when giving charity Class 7 Fiqh 77

78 Let not your hand be shackled to your neck (out of greed) or outspread it completely open -- otherwise you will sit down blamed and destitute (poor). (Bani Israil, 17:29) The economic equality is guaranteed through the obligatory (Wajib) taxes on the excess wealth of every Muslim. These are taxes like Khums, Zakaat, Fitrah, etc. Let us look at these taxes in a little more detail Khums: The Obligatory Tax Khums is the fifth branch of Furoo e deen and it is Wajib on every Muslim. Khums, in Islamic terminology means one fifth of certain things which a person acquires as wealth and which must be paid as an Islamic Tax. Allah s ays in the Holy Qur'an: "Know that whatever of a thing you acquire (Ghanimat), a fifth of it is for Allah, for the Messenger, for the near relatives, the orphans, the needy and wayfarer." (al Anfal 8:41) 14.3 The History of Khums Khums is one of those things introduced by Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of our Holy Prophet (S) and continued in Islam. Acting upon a command of Allah given to him in a dream when he discovered the well of Zam Zam, he found in it many valuable things that were buried in it by the progeny if Prophet Isma eel (A) when they feared their enemies would usurp the valuables. When Abdul Muttalib found this buried treasure he took out one fifth (Khums) in the way of Allah and kept the rest. This became a custom in his family and after the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (S), this same system was incorporated in Islam Khums Has To Be Paid On the Following 7 Things According to the Ahadith of our Imams (A), the items that are eligible for Khums are seven: 78 Class 7 Fiqh

79 1. Net Savings: From business or any income source. It applies to a Baligh who has surplus of lawful (according to Shar iah) income and net savings after the necessary expenditures on maintenance of his family. He or she must pay 20% on the net This saving could be from wages, salary, profits, gifts, prizes, etc. person has savings. 2. Lawful Wealth Mixed With Unlawful Wealth: If lawful wealth gets mixed with unlawful wealth; and if the exact amount cannot be distinguished, or if the quantity cannot be determined or the true owner cannot be found then it is Ihtiyaat e Wajib to take out Khums out of it, with a general intention i.e. a payment of Khums or Mazalim then it will become legal wealth. Mazalim means to pay charity as a penalty for valuables obtained in an unlawful way and when one is not able to reimburse the owner, either because he does not know the owner or because it is impossible to do that. 3. Buried Treasure: You pay Khums on buried treasure if the silver or gold. If the treasure found is obligatory on the basis of precaution to property found is in the form of neither gold nor silver then it is pay Khums. 4. Minerals: After having paid the expenses of mining the minerals out, if value of the minerals exceeds 70 grams of gold, then Khums have to be paid on the remaining amount. 5. Precious Stones Obtained From Sea By Diving: It is Ihtiyaat e Wajib to pay Khums on such of a small amount. the will valuables even if it is 6. War Booty: It is Ihtiyaat e Wajib to take out Khums on booty (spoils of war) obtained from the war against non-muslims, with the permission of the Imam (A), even in his Ghaybat. Class 7 Fiqh 79

80 7. Land Purchased: If a Non-Muslim (Kafir e Zimmi) purchases land from a Muslim, the Muslim will pay Khums (i.e. 20% of the value received by him for land). the (Source: Stanmore Madrasah of London: Masail of Ayahollah Seestani) 80 Class 7 Fiqh

81 14.5 Worksheet: Voluntary and Obligatory Taxes in Islam 1. One verse from the Qur an that encourages the giving of charity is: 2. Khums has to be paid on 7 things. Circle the correct answers. Net savings Wheat Rice Minerals War booty Buried Treasure Cattle Dates Halaal income mixed with unlawful income Land purchased by a Zimmi Kafir Precious stones obtained from under-sea diving 3. Khums is the branch of Furoo e deen a. First b. Last c. Fifth d. Second 4. Khums is on every Muslim i.e. every Muslim is obligated to pay it. a. Mustahab b. Wajib c. Makruh d. Haraam 5. Two other obligatory taxes in Islam are: a. Zakaat and Fitrah b. Sadaqah and Kaffara c. Zakaat and Sales tax d. Fitrah and sadaqah Class 7 Fiqh 81

82 Chapter 15: Khums (Continued) Khums is Wajib on seven items as discussed in the last lesson; but we will discuss Khums on only two items: The net savings, and Lawful wealth that is mixed with some illegitimate wealth. The other five are not generally relevant to most Muslims, and one can refer to the necessary Masail for them, if needed Khums on Net Savings After the allowable expenses are deducted from the income, what remains at the end of the year or on the annual date set for payment, will be the net savings. You will deduct 20% of this saving as Khums. All new items that have not been used (even once) by the end of your Khums year must be counted as your savings. The deductible household expenses include: Food Transportation Drink Furniture Accommodation Marriage expenses Medical expenses Hajj Payment of Sadaqah Ziyarat Gifts Donations Paying debts Legal penalties Wages of servants Insurance premiums The amount deducted from your salary for mandatory provident fund or for mandatory pension plan, income tax, etc 15.2 Khums when lawful wealth is mixed with some illegitimate wealth It is Wajib to pay Khums from a wealth that is mixed with some illegitimate wealth. By "illegitimate" we mean anything that has been acquired by the means not permitted in the shariah, for example, usury, and gambling or a liquor business. 82 Class 7 Fiqh

83 By "mixed" we mean that the owner is unable to distinguish the amount or the items that have come to his possession by lawful and legitimate means from those that he has acquired by unlawful means. If a person cannot distinguish the amount, the item and the owner of the wealth acquired by unlawful means from the legitimate wealth, then the only way to make his existing properties lawful is to pay Khums from the entire wealth. If a person knows the amount or the item possessed by unlawful means but does not know the owner or owners, then he must give that amount or item to the needy as charity (Sadaqah) on behalf of the unknown owner. However, before giving that amount or item as Sadaqah, it is Ihtiyaat e Wajib to ask the permission of the Mujtahid Items on Which Khums Is Exempted 1. There is no Khums on the amount of one's dowry (Mahr) i.e. the wealth that the husband agrees to pay his wife at the time of Marriage, and she can demand it at any time. 2. Khums is not liable on Inheritance. It is Ihtiyaat e Wajib that when one inherits from the least anticipated person, e.g. a very remote relative from whom one does not expect to inherit, Khums should be paid if any amount remains at the end of the year. Distribution of Khums The money of Khums has to be divided into two equal parts. KHUMS Sehme Imam Sehme Sadaat This part is given to the Imam of the time (in our case our 12th Imam) This part is given needy persons from the family of the Holy Prophet (S) Class 7 Fiqh 83

84 At present in the Ghaybah of the Imam (A) this part of the Khums has to be given to most learned and trustworthy Mujtahid. He is Mujtahid whose taqleed we do. With his permission we use this money for other purposes, like building Mosques, Sunday Schools, etc An Example on How to Calculate Khums Mohsin is single and owns a studio apartment. He earns $2 500 every month. His khums is due mid April. Suppose he has the following monthly expenses: Travelling costs to and from work $ 100 Household Expenses $ 300 Mortgage $ 800 Insurance [Car &Home] $ 200 He has a saving account which has $ Question: How much khums will he pay if he has never paid khums before? Solution: Salary he gets in hand after National Insurance, Tax deduction and pension $2,500 plan is: Total expenses for the month: $1,400 Previous savings: $5,000 Monthly savings after deducting all expenses: $1,100 Total khums due on: $6,100 Khums to be paid on $1,220 Sehme Sadaat $610 Sehme Imam $610 Question: Suppose he has been paying khums every month and khums has already been paid on $4,000 of his savings. Will he have to pay on that again this year? If not, how much will he pay instead? Solution: He will not pay on the $4,000 he has already paid khums on. His khums for this year will be: 84 Class 7 Fiqh

85 Salary he gets in hand after National Insurance, Tax deduction and pension $2,500 plan is: Total expenses for the month: $1,400 Previous savings he hasn t paid khums on: $1,000 Monthly savings after deducting all expenses: $1,100 Total Khums due on: $2,100 Khums to be paid on $420 Sehme Sadaat $210 Sehme Imam $210 (Source: Stanmore Madrasah of London: Masail of Ayahollah Seestani) Class 7 Fiqh 85

86 15.5 Worksheet: Khums Continued Choose the correct answer 1. Khums has to be paid on net savings a. Once a year b. Once in a lifetime c. Once every 5 years d. Once a month 2. Items that are considered as deductible from Khums are: a. Food, drink, accommodation b. Marriage expenses, sadaqah c. Net savings d. Both a) and b) e. All of the above 3. If somebody has $2,000 of medical expenses a year, at the end of the year he should pay 20% as khums. a. True b. False 4. If one buys gifts for people it is advisable to keep records of all the gifts given since khums is wajib on 20 % of that amount at the end of the year. a. True b. False 5. If I earned enough money to pay for all my household expenses and bills, and I truly have no savings left at the end of the year (or the time I have allocated to paying Khums) then I don t have to pay any khums. a. True b. False 86 Class 7 Fiqh

87 6. All new items that have not been used (even once) by the end of your Khums year must be counted as your savings. a. True b. False 7. More than half of the Khums money goes to persons of the family of the Holy Prophet (s). a. True b. False 8. Half of the khums money belongs to our Imam Mahdi (a). a. True b. False 9. A woman does not have to pay khums on her Mahr. a. True b. False 10. Hassan is surprised to find out that he has inherited money from his father s second cousin s wife when she dies. Is he obligated to pay khums on this money? a. Yes b. No Class 7 Fiqh 87

88 Khums Crossword Across Down 1. Khums is wajib on things. (give the #) 2. Khums is the branch of Islam (Furoo-e-deen). 6. It is wajib to pay khums when you become, although according to Ayatollah as-seestani, it is wajib to pay khums on the wealth owned by children. 9. Half of the khums collected is set aside as. 12. You can help the poor by giving on an individual level. 13. It is to pay khums. 1. The most common thing to pay khums on. 3. Half of the khums money belongs to our. 4. Half of the khums money belongs to needy Sayyid. This is known as. 5. Khums was paid by him when wealth was dug up from the well of Zam Zam. 7. Shariah Mahr from khums, so one does not have to pay khums on Mahr. 8. Another tax that is wajib to pay. 10. Sehme Imam money can be used to build, with the permission of a mujtahid. 11. A Muslim has to pay khums if a Zimmi buys land from him. 88 Class 7 Fiqh

89 Chapter 16: The Other Obligatory Tax: Zakaat In Arabic, the word Zakaat literally means "growth". It also means "purification" as used in the Ayah below: "Take alms (Sadaqah) from their wealth in order to purify them and cleanse them by it." (at-tawbah, 9:103) And in many places Allah mentions Zakaat, immediately after prayer, showing its importance: "And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity;..." (al Baqarah : 2:43) Zakaat is the Fourth Pillar of Islam. It is a Wealth Tax of 2.5%. There are 2 types of Zakaat. They are: 1. Zakaat-e-Maal - Zakaat on possessions. 2. Zakaat-e-Fitrah - Zakaat payable on Eid-ul-Fitr Zakaat-e-Maal It is Wajib on the following things: Wheat Barley Dates Grapes Gold & Silver Coins Camels Cows Sheep Goats Class 7 Fiqh 89

90 16.2 Distribution of Zakaat e Maal The Holy Qur'an is very clear in its guidance on this. It says: "Verily, alms (Sadaqaat) are for the poor and the needy, and the people employed to administer (the funds), and those whose hearts are to be won over, and for freeing of slaves, and those who are in debt, and in the way of Allah and for the wayfarer; a duty ordained by Allah. Allah is all-knowing, all-wise." (at-tawbah, 9:60) Therefore Zakaat-e-Maal can be given to: 1. Fukara: Those who cannot pay their and their families' expenses for the whole year. 2. Masakeen: Those whose state is worse than Fukara. 3. Hamil: One who has been appointed by Imam (A) or Mujtahid-e-A'alam to collect Zakaat (he may also pay his own fixed salary out of this). 4. Rikaab: Those helping in freeing a slave. 5. Those non-muslims who might become Muslims or supporters of Islam if they are helped. 6. Debtors who are unable to pay their debts. 7. Fi Sabeelillah: In the way of Allah to build Mosques, Schools, Roads, Bridges, etc. 8. Ibnus Sabeel: Poor travelers, who are stranded far away from home and have run out of money. 90 Class 7 Fiqh

91 16.3 Zakaat-e-Fitrah On the night of Eid-ul-Fitr, Fitrah becomes compulsory on the head of the family who is responsible for the maintenance of the family. Before Sunset After Sunset Muslim Guest Arrival Host has to pay Fitrah Host does NOT have to pay Fitrah Kafir Guest Arrival Host has to pay Fitrah Host does NOT have to pay Fitrah New born baby Head of Family to pay Fitrah Mustahab to pay Fitrah Guest/Servant Fitrah does NOT need to be paid Fitrah needs to be paid Departs Person Dies Fitrah does NOT need to be paid Fitrah needs to be paid Boarder It is the responsibility of the boarder to pay the Fitrah and not the Head of the Family. Receives Wages ONLY Receives Wages & Food Servant Fitrah paid by the servant Fitrah paid by employer The head of the family who is responsible for paying Fitrah should keep the money separate at night with the intention of paying it later. It is better that the money is given away before Eid prayers, but it can be given after the prayers Fitrah Can Be Given On The Following Wheat Milk Dates Grapes Or the Value of the above in Money i.e. If you want to give Fitrah on the wheat that you eat then find (for every 3 kgs) and each person in the family has to pay that amount. out the price of wheat Class 7 Fiqh 91

92 Other Relevant Conditions for Fitrah 1. The Fitrah per person has to be 3 kgs (6 ½ lbs) in weight or its value in money. 2. The money for Fitrah can be given to any Organisation who undertakes the responsibility of buying the grain and passing it on to the people who are liable for receiving Zakaat. 3. If you are giving Fitrah in the form of grain then you have to ensure that the grain is of good quality and not mixed with dirt. 4. One person cannot give 3 different kinds of grain as Fitrah; however, members of the same family can give different forms of Fitrah Fitrah Can Be Given To 1. Anyone who qualifies for Zakaat-e-Maal. 2. Any Shia Ithna Asheri who is poor; but preference has been given to: a. Needy blood relations; b. Needy neighbours; c. Needy scholars. It is Wajib to give Fitrah to the needy in your hometown first and is not necessary to tell that the money given is of Fitrah. 1. Fitrah given by a Sayyid can only be given to a Sayyid. 2. Fitrah given by a non-sayyid can only be given to a non-sayyid Maximum That Should Be Given 1. It should be enough to pay for one year's expenses. 2. It could be given to buy something for the poor from which they can earn a sure income; like setting up a business or buying a sewing machine. (Source: Stanmore Madrasah of London: Masail of Ayahollah Seestani) 92 Class 7 Fiqh

93 16.4 Worksheet: The Other Obligatory Tax: Zakaat Answer the following questions: 1. There are two types of Zakaat. One is on certain items you possess. The other one is a Fitrah. When do you pay these? 2. Give one example how the money collected on Zakaat-e-Maal (Zakaat on your possessions) could be used? 3. Fitrah is on food products that you eat in a year. Name three of them. Choose the correct answer: 4. Zakaat is wajib on these roughly divided categories: metals, cattle, and. a. Jewels b. Land c. Minerals d. Crops 5. The Fitrah per person has to be about of certain foods throughout the year. a. 6 and ½ lbs b. 3 and ½ lbs c. 5 lbs d. 3 lbs Class 7 Fiqh 93

94 6. Can a non-sayyid give Fitrah to a Sayyid? a. Yes b. No c. Only if he tells him it is not Fitrah d. If the Sayyid is really poor 7. Instead of giving the actual food for Fitrah can you give its worth in money? a. Yes b. No c. Only sometimes d. It is better to give jewelry instead 8. One has to pay zakaat or khums on these items. Choose the item you would have to pay zakaat on. a. Wheat b. Minerals c. War booty d. Precious stones found in the deep sea 9. One has to pay zakaat or khums on these items. Choose the item you would have to pay zakaat on. a. Grapes b. Net Savings c. Gold coins d. Silver coins 10. One has to pay zakaat or khums on these items. Choose the item you would have to pay zakaat on. a. Dates and Raisins b. Buried treasure c. Pearls d. Livestock 94 Class 7 Fiqh

95 16.5 Zakaat Crossword Across 2. Person who does not earn enough for his and his family's expense for a year. 4. Fitrah can be given as certain food items in or monetary value. 5. A taxable (in the form of zakaat) mineral. 7. The form of zakaat that is payable on Eid ul Fitr. Down 1. One of the kinds of animals you have to give zakaat on. 2. Zakaat is the branch of Furoo-e-deen. 3. A taxable (in the form of zakaat) crop. 6. One of the meanings of zakaat. Class 7 Fiqh 95

96 Chapter 17: Awareness of Our living Imam (a) The presence of our living Imam is confirmed by Prophet Muhammad (s) himself. The Prophet (s) used to inform people about the existence of the Mahdi. He would say: "Mahdi will be among my descendants. He will be among the sons of Fatimah, among the descendants of Hussein." At other times he would announce his name and give information about the signs of his reappearance and other related matters: The Promised Mahdi is among my descendants. His name and patronymic will be the same as mine. In creation and conduct he will be the closest to me. He will live a life of occultation during which people will become confused and lost. At that time, like a brilliant star he will appear and fill the earth with justice and equity, as it will be filled with injustice and tyranny. Hudhayfa also relates the following hadith from the Prophet (s): "If there remains no more than a day for the world, God will prolong it until a man from my progeny, whose name will be my name, will emerge." At this Salman asked: "From which of your progeny will he emerge?" The Prophet replied: "From this son of mine." And, he struck Hussein (a) with his hand. In another tradition Abu Sa'id Khudari relates that the Prophet (s) told Fatimah: "The Mahdi of this community behind whom Jesus will pray is among us." Then he struck Hussein s shoulder with his hand and declared: "The Mahdi of my community will be from the descendants of this son of mine." Once Salman al-farsi came to see the Prophet (s) when the latter had Hussein (a) in his lap and was kissing Hussein s (a) face while saying: You are the master and the son and brother of the master. You are the Imam, son and brother of the Imam. You are the proof and son and brother of the proof of God's existence. You are the father of nine proofs of God, the ninth among whom will be the Qa'im Discussion among the Companions and the Subsequent Generations: After the Prophet's (s) death the story of the coming of the Mahdi was often heard among the prominent companions of the Prophet (s) and the following generation. The matter was 96 Class 7 Fiqh

97 regarded among the religious truths and was treated as one of the certain future events. The following are some examples of this: Ibn 'Abbas is reported to have told Muawiyah that a person among the descendants of the Prophet (s) will rule for forty years at the End of Time. According to another famous companion of the Prophet (s), 'Ammar Yasir: "At the time when Nafs al-zakiyya is killed a caller from the heaven will say: 'Your commander is so-and-so.' Following it the Mahdi will emerge and fill the earth with justice and equity." Ibn Sirin reports a tradition from 'Abd Allah b. Harith. He said: "The Mahdi will arise at the age of forty and will resemble the Children of Israel." Ibn Sirin records several other traditions that speak about the function of the Mahdi. In one tradition Salma b. Zafar reports: One day people were talking about the appearance of the Mahdi (a) in the presence of Hudhayfa. Hudhayfa said: "If Mahdi has indeed appeared while you are living close to the Prophet's period and while his companions are living among you, then you are truly fortunate. However, that is not the case. Mahdi will not appear until people are devoured by oppression and tyranny and there is no one absent more beloved and more needed than him. Imam Ridha (a) said to Di'bil b. 'Ali al-khuza'i, a famous poet, "After me my son Muhammad will be the Imam; following him his son 'Ali will be the Imam; and after 'Ali his son Hassan will be the Imam. Following Hassan his son will the Proof of God and the Qa'im, who should be awaited while he is in occultation. And when he appears he should be obeyed. He is the one who will fill this earth with justice and equity. But the time of his emergence has not been fixed. However, it has been reported by my ancestors that he would appear all of a sudden and in a flash of a moment." In a hadith related from Imam Sadiq (a) to Mufaddal, Abu Basir and Aban b. Taghlib, the Imam said: "Since the Umayyads and the 'Abbasids had heard that tyrannical rule will be overthrown by our Qa'im, they initiated their hostility against us. They labored to kill the descendants of the Prophet and to destroy subsequent generations with the hope that they could get rid of the Qa'im. But since God was determined to fulfill His will, He did not avail the tyrants all the information about the matter." Class 7 Fiqh 97

98 As Imam Sadiq s (a) hadith tells us above, Allah protected our Imam by keeping him and subsequent information about him, hidden. The twelfth Imam (a) remained concealed from the public at two different times. The first period extends from the time of his birth in 255 or 256 AH or from the time of his father, Imam Hassan 'Askari's (a) death in 260 AH, to the year 329 AH. During this time, although he lived an invisible existence as far as the public was concerned, he was not completely cut off from them. 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. The existence of the Imam during this period that lasted some 74 or 69 years is known as ghaybat-e sughra. The second period extends from the year 329 AH, with the termination of the deputyship of his prominent and trustworthy associates, to the time when he will emerge from the state of the occultation to lead humanity to establish the rule of justice and equity on earth. This period of occultation is known as ghaybat-e kubra. Both the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a) had informed people about the two forms of occultation for the Mahdi. Ishaq b. 'Ammar relates a hadith from Imam Sadiq (a): The Qa'im will have two forms of occultation: one long and the other short. During the first occultation his special followers will know his whereabouts; during the second occultation, except for a few very special followers of his in his religion, no one will have any information about his whereabouts. In another tradition Imam Sadiq said: The one who is entrusted with the command (sahib al-'amr) will have two forms of occultation. One of them will be so long that a group of the people will say that he has died; others will say he has been killed; still others will say he has disappeared. Very few will remain who will still have faith in his existence, and will continue to be steadfast. At this time no one will have any information about his whereabouts except his very few followers. These ahadith from the Prophet (s) and his family inform us of Imam Mahdi s (a) existence and occultation. There are numerous other ahadith to the same effect. The contemporary Scholar, Safi Golpaygani, has collected all the traditions in his book, Muntakhab al-athar, citing their Sunni and Shia sources. Following is the list of the subject and the number of traditions on that subject: 91 hadith on: "The Imams are twelve in number, among whom the first is 'Ali b. Abi Talib and the last is the Mahdi." 94 hadith on: "The Imams are twelve, and the last one is the Mahdi." 98 Class 7 Fiqh

99 107 hadith on: "The Imams are twelve, nine among whom are the descendants of Hussein, and the ninth is the Qa'im." 389 hadith on: "Mahdi is from among the progeny of the Prophet." 214 hadith on: "Mahdi is from among the descendants of 'Ali." 192 hadith on: "Mahdi is from among the descendants of Fatimah." 185 hadith on: "Mahdi is from among the descendants of Hussein." 148 hadith on: "Mahdi is the ninth descendant of Hussein." 185 hadith on: "Mahdi is among the descendants of 'Ali b. al-hussein." 103 hadith on: "Mahdi is among the descendants of Imam Muhammad Baqir." 103 hadith on: "Mahdi is among the descendants of Imam Ja'far Sadiq." 99 hadith on: "Mahdi is the sixth descendant of Imam Sadiq." 101 hadith on: "Mahdi is among the descendants of Imam Musa al-kadhim." 98 hadith on: "Mahdi is the fifth descendant of Imam Kazim." 95 hadith on: "Mahdi is the fourth descendant of Imam 'Ali Ridha." 90 hadith on: "Mahdi is the third descendant of Imam Muhammad Taqi." 90 hadith on: "Mahdi is among the descendants of Imam 'Ali al-hadi." 145 hadith on: "Mahdi is Imam Hassan 'Askari's son." 148 hadith on: "The name of Mahdi's father is Hassan." 47 hadith on: "The name and patronymic of the Mahdi will be that of the Prophet's name and patronymic. AL-IMAM AL-MAHDI THE JUST LEADER OF HUMANITY Ayahollah Ibraheem Amini Translated bydr. Abdulaziz Sachedina An effort of the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project Class 7 Fiqh 99

100 17.2 Worksheet: Awareness of Our living Imam (a) Fill in the blanks: 1. himself used to inform people about the existence of the Mahdi. 2. After the Prophet's (s) death the prominent of the Prophet (s) and the following generation would talk about the coming of the. 3. According to Imam Sadiq (a) the and the (tyrants themselves) were hostile against the Ahlul Bait because they had heard our Qa im would overthrow tyrannical rule. 4. Prophet Muhammad (s) indicated that the Mahdi(a) would be from the descendants of Imam (a). 5. The shorter occultation of Imam Mahdi (a) is known as. 6. The longer occultation of Imam Mahdi (a) is known as. Answer the following questions: 7. Safi Golpaygani has collected many traditions with their Shia and Sunni sources. What is the name of that book? 8. According to ahadith, what will the world be filled of when Imam shows up? 9. Why do think some people would have difficulty believing in the existence of Imam Mahdi? 10. Write down 2 ahadith you could quote to somebody who was wondering about Imam s (a) existence? 100 Class 7 Fiqh

101 SECTION II: Special Occasions Class 7 Fiqh 101

102 Chapter 18: The Different Fasts and Their Conditions 18.1 Wajib Fasts 1. Fast during the month of Ramadhan. 2. Qadha fast for the month of Ramadhan. 3. Fast becoming wajib on account of Kaffara. 4. When a father dies, it is wajib on the eldest son to fast his Qadha fasts. 5. Fast broken or left out intentionally. Fasting is Mustahab on all the days of the year except on those days on which it is Haraam to observe fast. Some are mentioned below Haraam Fasts 1. Eid-ul-Fitr. 2. Eid-ul-Hajj. 3. A fast kept despite illness Makruh Fast It is Makruh to fast on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura Day) Sunnah Fasts It is Sunnah to fast everyday however certain days are strongly recommended. 1. On all days of Rajab and Sha ban or on as many as is possible to fast, even if it is only one day. 2. On 13th, 14th and 15th of every Lunar month. 3. The day of Nawroz (21st March) 4. From the 4th up to the 9th of Shawwaal. 5. The 25th and the 29th day of Dhul Qa ada 102 Class 7 Fiqh

103 6. The first and last Thursday of every month AND the 1st Wednesday after the 10th of every month. 7. From the 1st day to the 9th day of the month of Dhulhijjah. 8. The 18th of Dhulhijjah - Eid-e-Ghadeer. 9. The 24th of Dhulhijjah - Eid-e-Mubahila. 10. The 1st, 3rd and 7th day of Muharram. 11. The 17th of Rabiul Awwal - Birthday of our Holy Prophet (S). 12. The 15th of Jamaadul Awwal. 13. The 27th of Rajab - the appointment of the Holy Prophet (S) to the prophetic mission (Bi'that) Calendar Showing All the Sunnah Fasts of a Year Muharram Safar M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Rabiul Awwal Rabiul Akhar M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Jamaadul Awwal Jamaadul Akhar M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Class 7 Fiqh 103

104 Rajab Sha ban M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Ramadhan Shawwaal M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Dhulqa ada Dhulhijjah M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Conditions of Fasting 1. Sanity. 2. Islam: Should be a Muslim and follow Islamic laws. 3. Not being in danger of illness by fasting. 4. Not being a traveler. Saum is an act of worship; its main aim is to stay away from forbidden things so as to earn "the pleasure of Allah by obeying Him." The most important thing is the niyyah (intention). There is no need to utter it. However one must have in mind why one is fasting; that is one must have in mind: "Qurbatan Ilallah", for the pleasure of Allah. 104 Class 7 Fiqh

105 Niyyah can be made for the whole month together on the eve of the first of Ramadhan or individually on the eve of each day. If you choose to make niyyah for the whole month together, then if you miss a fast for any reason in between, you will be required to make niyyah again. Fasting begins with the setting in of the time for Subh prayers. This time is called SUBHE SADIQ or FAJR. Fasting ends at MAGHRIB, which occurs a few minutes after sunset. Class 7 Fiqh 105

106 18.7 Worksheet: The Different Fasts and Their Conditions Put a T for true or an F for false for each of these statements: 1. It is wajib to fast during the month of Ramadhan. 2. It is wajib to perform Qadha for the fasts of Ramadhan that have been missed by someone who can fast. 3. Fast never becomes wajib on account of Kaffara. 4. A fast kept despite illness is makruh. 5. A fast on Eid-ul-Fitr is haraam. Fill in the blanks: 6. It is Sunnah to fast on all days of the months of and or on as many as is possible to fast, even if it is only one day. 7. It is Sunnah to fast on, and of every Lunar month. 8. It is Sunnah to fast on the first and last of every month AND the 1st after the 10th of every month. Answer the following: 9. One has to be sane to be able to fast. What are the three other conditions of fasting? 10. What should be your real niyyah for fasting? 106 Class 7 Fiqh

107 Chapter 19: Things That Invalidate the Fast or are Makruh 19.1 Things That Invalidate (Batil) the Fast If Done On Purpose 1. Eating and drinking. 2. Saying false things about Allah, Prophet (S) or the successors of the Holy Prophet (S). 3. Making dust reach one's throat. 4. Vomiting intentionally 19.2 Things that are Makruh when Fasting 1. Using eye drops or Surma, etc if its taste or smell can be felt in the throat. 2. Actions that would make you physically weak e.g. donating blood. 3. Inhaling snuff and smelling fragrance from herbs and flowers. 4. Tooth extraction or any other action that will cause you to bleed. 5. A wet toothbrush for brushing. 6. Putting water or using any kind of mouthwash unnecessarily. The above 6 things do not break your fast if you do them but it is better if you do not do them Kaffara for Not Fasting It is a great sin to eat or drink during the days of Holy Ramadhan, or deliberately commit acts that break the fast without a justifiable reason. Anyone who purposely does not fast, has to give Qadha as well as Kaffara. The Kaffara for each fast is: Either: (i) to free a slave. Or: (ii) to fast for 60 days. Or: (iii) to feed 60 poor to their fill or give 1 mudd* Class 7 Fiqh 107

108 * 1 mudd is equal to ¾ foodstuff like wheat, barley, etc. If you choose to fast for 2 months as Kaffara, you will have to fast for 31 days together and thereafter, you can complete the balance of 29 days in your own time. However, you will not begin fasting your 31 days when you know there will be a day in between when it is Haraam to fast; e.g. You will not begin fasting your Kaffara at the beginning of Dhulhijjah as on the 10th of Dhulhijjah - Eid-ul-Hajj - it is Haraam to fast. If a person breaks his fast by a Haraam acts like: (i) (ii) Drinking alcohol, etc; OR Attributing lies to Allah, His Prophet (S) and Masumeen (A); S/he will have to give ALL 3 Kaffara together. 108 Class 7 Fiqh

109 19.4 Worksheet: Things That Invalidate the Fast or are Makruh Put a T for true or an F for false for each of these statements: 1. Saying false things about Allah, Prophet (S) or the successors of the Holy Prophet (S) will make your fast batil. 2. Making dust reach one's throat will not make your fast batil. 3. Vomiting intentionally will make your fast batil. 4. Actions that would make you physically weak e.g. donating blood would be makruh. 5. Putting water or using any kind of mouthwash unnecessarily would make your fast batil. 6. Tooth extraction or any other action that will cause you to bleed is makruh during fasting. 7. Anyone who purposely does not fast has to give Qadha as well as Kaffara. Fill in the blanks: 8. The Kaffara we would have to give for each fast missed is to fast for days or 60 poor people to their fill or give 1 mudd mudd is equal to foodstuff like,, and the like. 10. If a person breaks his fast by a acts s/he will have to give ALL 3 Kaffara together. Class 7 Fiqh 109

110 Chapter 20: Qadha fasts 1. If a person does something that breaks the fast when s/he is not sure of the timing and later finds that the time for Fajr had set in, or if s/he breaks his/her fast thinking it is already time to do so and finds out later that it wasn't, Qadha has to be kept for that fast. 2. If a person puts water in the mouth to feel cool or without any reason and the water is then swallowed by mistake, Qadha fast has to be kept. 3. If a person who was insane becomes sane, s/he is not required to fast those that s/he missed when s/he was insane. 4. When an unbeliever becomes a Muslim, s/he does not have to fast those that s/he missed out when s/he was an unbeliever. However, if a Muslim changes his/her Faith to accept another and then later becomes a Muslim again, s/he has to give Qadha for all those s/he missed out when s/he wasn't a Muslim. 5. If a person breaks his/her fast on account of compulsion, e.g. if s/he has to break his/her fast because there may be a danger to his/her life from other unbelievers around him/her, then s/he has to fast Qadha for the fasts missed. 6. If a person leaves out a fast for any reason that is valid, e.g. becoming ill during the month of Ramadhan, then s/he has to fast Qadha for those fasts after that Ramadhan but before the next Ramadhan. If however, s/he does not manage to complete the Qadha fasts before the next year, then s/he has to give one MUDD (3/4 kg) of foodstuff, (i.e. wheat, barley, etc), to a poor person for each fast missed out. After that those Qadha fasts can be kept at any time throughout the person's life. 7. If a person does not fast during Ramadhan due to illness or any other valid reason, and dies before the end of Ramadhan, it is not necessary to give Qadha fasts on their behalf. 8. A person who is fasting a Qadha fast for the month of Ramadhan can break his/her fast before Dhuhr, however if a person is fasting Qadha for someone who is dead, it is better not to break the fast after Dhuhr. 9. If a father has not kept a Wajib fast other than that of the month of Ramadhan, e.g. a fast that became Wajib on account of a vow, the eldest son should keep Qadha for that fast. However, if the father was hired to fast Qadha for another person and he did not observe them, it is not Wajib for the eldest son to offer them. 10. If the illness of a person continues for a few years, s/he should, after being cured, observe the Qadha fasts for the past year and give one MUDD of foodstuffs to a poor person, per fast for the previous years. 110 Class 7 Fiqh

111 20.1 Worksheet: Qadha Fasts What do you think? 1. Rubab has fasted today and goes to the table to have her iftar. The clock says 6:59 and it looks pretty dark outside. She reaches out and drinks her glass of mango juice. Her brother walks in and says, Hey iftar time was 7:02. Does she have to offer qadha for her fast? 2. Sana has been sick for 6 years. This year however she is much better Ramadhan is coming up in the next few months. She knows she has to fast this year and she is fine with that, but she is dreading the180 fasts she has to do of the last 6 years. What can you tell her that would give her some relief? 3. Zahid does not fast during Ramadhan due to illness. Unfortunately he dies before the end of Ramadhan. Is it necessary for anyone to give Qadha fasts on his behalf? 4. Kathy became a Muslim. She is worried about fasting those days she missed out before she became a Muslim. What can you tell her? Class 7 Fiqh 111

112 5. Mona changes her faith to accept another and then later becomes a Muslim again. She did not fast those days when she wasn t a Muslim. What should she do now? Put a T for True and F for false next to each statement: 1. If a father has not kept a wajib fast other than that of Ramadhan the eldest son should keep Qadha for that fast. 2. If a person puts water in the mouth and the water is then swallowed by mistake, Qadha fast has to be kept. 3. A person who is making up a Qadha fast for the month of Ramadhan can under no circumstance break his/her fast before Dhuhr. 4. If a person who was insane becomes sane, s/he is required to fast those that s/he missed when s/he was insane. 5. If a person breaks his/her fast on account of compulsion, then s/he has to fast Qadha for the fasts missed. 112 Class 7 Fiqh

113 Chapter 21: Hajj (Part 1) Hajj is one of the obligatory acts in Islam, which must be performed by each and every Muslim who is able to at least once in his or her lifetime if certain conditions are fulfilled. The books of ahadith are replete with wisdom from the Prophet of Islam and his twelve Successors (peace be upon all of them) concerning Hajj and the philosophical and mystical aspects behind the various acts performed. Hajj can be separated into a few stages. In the first stage, above all other things, that which is the most important is repentance (tawbah) and to be vigilant. The meaning of repentance is to shun all devils and all forms of despotism, and turn back towards Allah. It means to disregard one's wishes, low desires and the lower soul (al-nafs al-ammarah) and proceed towards spirituality and the (higher) qualities (of a human being). In the second stage, the first action consists of wearing the Ihram at the Meeqat (the station where the Ihram must be worn). The Ihram of the Hajj is similar to the Takbiratul Ehram for Salaah, such that when a person says the Takbiratul Ehram to start the Salaah, one must leave behind all other things and focus one's entire attention on Allah. From the beginning of the Salaah until its completion, nothing else must distract the person. Such is the Ihram for Hajj - meaning that once it is worn, the person must leave aside all things related to the world. In its place, one must turn towards Allah and (that which is) His pleasure. At the time of donning the Ihram, one must fulfill the commandments of Allah. The third stage is going from Mecca and Medina back to one's hometown. The responsibilities at this stage are much more difficult than they were at the first and second level, since it is at this level that one's responsibilities become just like those of the Prophet of Allah: "Those who convey the messages of Allah. " In the first and second stage, one was busy with self building, but at this stage, one must work on building others. Although the act of enlightening others is dependent upon self building, however, this task is so difficult that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (as) has said: "Surah Hud made my beard white from the point where it was revealed, `Continue then in the right way as you are commanded, as also he who has turned (to Allah) with you (O' Muhammad)'." Class 7 Fiqh 113

114 After returning from Mecca and Medina, the Hajji must convey that which he has brought with him (his self building) to others through his actions. His speech, actions, manner and disposition must be an example for others, and this is truly the best gift that one can bring back for the rest of the people. (Source: al-islam.org, Secrets of the Hajj by Ayahullah al Hajj ash Shaykh Husain Mazaheri and Risalah Al-Amaliyah of Ayahollah Sayyid Ali Seestani) 21.1 Obligation to perform Hajj It is clear from the Holy Qur'an and the traditions that performance of Hajj (Pilgrimage) is obligatory on every person who has attained puberty and has the means mentioned below. Hajj is one of the basic principles of Islam; its performance is one of its essentials, and its nonperformance is a grave sin. Denial of the obligatory nature of Hajj is blasphemy (kufr). Allah states in the Holy Qur'an, ".. and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) every one who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves, surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above any need of the worlds". (3/97). In religion the performance of pilgrimage is obligatory on a person once only; it is known as Hajjatul Islam. Performance of pilgrimage becomes obligatory immediately in the year in when its conditions are realized. If one fails to perform it, deliberately or for an excuse, it must be fulfilled in the ensuing year, and so on Conditions that make Hajjatul Islam obligatory Adulthood Pilgrimage is not obligatory on any person who has not attained adulthood, even if they were approaching it. A pilgrimage, performed by a child will, most evidently, not be counted as Hajjatul Islam, even if it was performed properly Reason There is no obligation on an insane person to perform pilgrimage, even if their insanity is periodic. 114 Class 7 Fiqh

115 Freedom Financial Ability There are few rules that need considering under the last two headings Other Necessities for Hajj Time There must be enough time for making the journey to Mecca and staying throughout the obligatory periods. In other words, it is not obligatory to perform pilgrimage, even if you can afford it, if you do not have ample time for the journey, stay, and performing the obligatory rituals Physical Health and Strength If a person is unable to travel to the holy places due to ill health, old age, or they are unable to stay there for the required periods because of extreme heat, it is not obligatory on them to set out for pilgrimage personally No Obstruction The route must be open and safe, i.e. there must be no danger to the pilgrim's life, his property or honor. Otherwise, pilgrimage is not obligatory Expenses for the Journey There must be sufficient funds to meet the expenses, arising from the journey, such as those for eating, drinking and other necessities. The provision must be adequate for the return journey including transportation Availability of Means on Return The person must be in a position to maintain themselves and their family on returning home. It is necessary that, on their return, they should be solvent enough as to insulate themselves and their family against poverty. Class 7 Fiqh 115

116 21.4 A Short History of the Ka ba Nabi Ibraheem (AS) built this House for devout worship to one God. But within his lifetime people disobeyed his orders and began to put idols inside the Ka ba. He told the people that this was a symbolic house of God. God does not live there for He is everywhere. People did not understand this logic and no sooner had Nabi Ibraheem (AS) died the people, out of reverence, filled the place with idols again. They visited to this place annually and worshipped their personal gods, It was over Four Thousand years later that the last of the line of prophet (SA), Nabi Muhammad (SAW) entered Mecca triumphantly, went inside the Ka ba and, with the help of his cousin and son in law Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (AS) destroyed all the idols of Ka ba with their own hands. At one stage of this destruction of idols, the tallest of the idol Hubbol was brought down after Ali had to stand on the shoulders of the Prophet to carry out God s orders. The Prophet of Islam was reciting the Verse from the Qur an Truth hath come and falsehood hath vanished A Short History of the Sa ee between Safa and Marwahh Nabi Ibraheem (AS), Hajirah and Nabi Ismaeel (AS) moved to a valley in Arabia (Hijaz). They settled in a place with hills and mountains on all sides to protect them. After a while Ibraheem said that he should go back to see Sarah and to get more food and water. Before he left he prayed to Allah to look after his wife and son because they did not have much food and water left. The food and water soon began to run low. Hajirah was very worried and prayed to Allah. Hajirah went to the top of the mountain, Mount Safa, to look for Nabi Ibraheem (AS). Now their water was all gone and they were desperate. She went to the other side of the valley and climbed to the top of Mount Marwah. She looked towards the North, East; West and South for help but found none. Hajirah kept running backwards and forwards between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah. She did this seven times. Suddenly she saw Isma eel kick the ground with his heel. A spring of water gushed out - beautiful, pure water, they were saved. Even today this water, called Zamzam, still flows in the Valley of Hijaz. 116 Class 7 Fiqh

117 21.6 Worksheet: Hajj (part1) 1. Ali is a wealthy man with ample time. Is it obligatory for him to perform Hajj? 2. Ahmad is almost a teenager with responsibilities like taking care of an elderly parent and going to school. Due to his parents wealth he does have a lot of money in his account. During his long school vacation which coincides with the month of Dhulhijjah, he decides to perform Hajj (Hajjat Al-Islam). Is it obligatory for him to perform Hajj? 3. If he performed Hajj successfully and properly, would it be accepted as Hajjat Al-Islam? Please state your reason. 4. Hassan has $2000 in his bank account. To perform Hajj, he needs to pay $3000 for the whole trip. He decides to use borrowed money to perform Hajj. Is that acceptable? Please state your reason. 5. Explain the similarity between the Ihram of Hajj and Takbiratul Ehram of Salaah? Class 7 Fiqh 117

118 Hajj Part 2: Hajj-e-Tamattu We have studied the first part of Hajj Umrah -e-tamattu in previous classes. Umrah-e- Tamattu includes doing the niyyah, wearing ihram and reciting Talbiyyah. It also includes the tawaaf of the Ka ba, the salaah of Tawaaf, the Sa ee, and the Taqseer. The following are the Wajibats that have to be observed in Hajj-e-Tamattu: You have to make niyyah, wear Ihram and recite Talbiyyah. Ihram will be worn in Mecca itself. Wuqoof-e-Arafat: One must arrive at Arafat before Dhuhr or at the time of Dhuhr on the 9th of Dhulhijjah. It is Wajib to stay on the plain of Arafat up to the time of Maghrib. Wuqoof-e-Masharul Haraam (Muzdalifah): Just after Maghrib, you depart from Arafat to go to Muzdalifah. It is Wajib to stay there from Dawn to Sunrise. Here you should collect seventy pebbles to throw at the Jamarah (Stones representing Shaytan) at Mina, the following day. Stay at Mina: On 10th Dhulhijjah, after reaching Mina you perform your first wajib act of the day, which is to go to the Jamarah of Aqba and strike it seven times with pebbles you collected at Muzdalifah. Qurbani (Sacrifice): After striking the Jamarah is Qurbani. The animal for sacrifice may be a camel, cow, goat or sheep. Taqseer or Halaq: The next wajib act is trimming of the hair or nails or shaving the head. Tawaaf of Hajj Salaah of Tawaaf Sa ee Tawaafun Nisa Salaah of Tawaafun Nisa 118 Class 7 Fiqh

119 Mina, 11th & 12th night: It is Wajib to spend the nights of 11th and 12th of Dhulhijjah at Mina. Striking Jamarah: On the 11th and 12th day, you must hit all three Jamarah each with seven pebbles Similarities & Differences between the a maals of Umrah-e- Tamattu and Hajj-e-Tamattu Similarities & Differences between the a maals of UMRAH-E-TAMATTU & HAJ-E-TAMATTU UMRAH-E-TAMATTU HAJJ-E-TAMATTU: Ihram Tawaaf Salaatul Tawaaf Sa ee Taqseer Ihram Arafat Muzdalifah Mina Qurbani Rami of Jamarah Taqseer Tawaaf Salaatul Tawaaf Sa ee Tawaafun-Nisa Salaah of Tawaafun Nisa 21.8 Tawaaf The starting point and the ending point for each circuit during Tawaaf is the Black Stone fixed to the wall of Ka ba. This is known as Al-Hajr-al-Aswad. When you have made your Niyyah, stand just parallel to the Al-Hajr-al-Aswad and start the Tawaaf. Each round is completed when you return to the starting point. 2. At all the time during Tawaaf, Ka ba must remain to your left. So if for any reason your left shoulder turns away from Ka ba, that particular sector of movement will not be included in Tawaaf. You will have to return to the place where you were distracted and continue from there. Now, since Ka ba is in a cubical shape, it has four corners. As you reach the corners, you will make a gradual turn exercising care, as much as possible, that your shoulder remains parallel to Ka ba. Class 7 Fiqh 119

120 There is a small wall in arc shape adjoining Ka ba on one side. This is Hijre Isma eel (The graves of Prophet Isma eel, his mother Hajirah and other Prophets). While making Tawaaf, this arc must be included in the round. So do not pass between Ka ba and Hijre Isma eel during Tawaaf. Tawaaf must be carried out between Ka ba and Maqam e Ibraheem and not beyond. The number of circuits or rounds in each Tawaaf is seven. Each round begins from Al- Hajr-al-Aswad and ends there. A Tawaaf of less or more than seven rounds is Batil Salaah of Tawaaf Two raka ah of Salaah is wajib immediately after completion of Tawaaf. The Salaah is said behind Maqam e Ibraheem, or at a place nearest to it Sa ee Sa ee is wajib and must be performed after Salaah of Tawaaf. Sa ee means to walk between the two rocks of Safa and Marwahh. Each trip begins with Safa As you walk from Safa ending at Marwahh, this is counted as your first trip. Your return from Marwahh to Safa will be your second trip. You will end your 7th trip at Marwahh. In between Safa and Marwahh, there are two pillars that are meant for Harwala. When one reaches these, one has to trot (walk faster). This is Mustahab for men only Taqseer It means cutting off some hair or nails. It is better to do it immediately, or at Marwahh. After taqseer, you can change into your normal clothes. 120 Class 7 Fiqh

121 21.12 Worksheet: Hajj Part 2: Hajj-e-Tammattu 1. The following a mals are done during Hajj-e-Tamattu. Write 1, 2 or 3 in the hearts. Arrive at Arafat before Dhuhr or at the time of Dhuhr Recite Talbiyyah. Wear Ihram Go to Muzdalifah. One should collect seventy pebbles. After reaching Mina you strike Jamarah of Aqba seven times with pebbles 9th of Dhulhijjah: It is Wajib to stay on the plain of Arafat up to the time of Maghrib. Qurbani (Sacrifice) Tawaaf of Hajj Taqseer or Halaq: trimming of the hair or nails or shaving the head. Sa ee Salaah of Tawaaf Tawaafun Nisa Class 7 Fiqh 121

122 2. You must arrive on the plains of Arafat on the 9th of Dhulhijjah by not later than time. 3. It is Wajib to be present in Arafat on the 9th Dhulhijjah from Dhuhr to. 4. Upon your arrival in Mina on the 10th Dhulhijjah, you proceed to perform the first Wajib act of the day. This is to go to jamarah of and strike it seven times. 5. It is Wajib to spend the two nights, of Dhulhijjah and of Dhulhijjah at Mina. 122 Class 7 Fiqh

123 Chapter 22: Pilgrims from Islamic Countries Egypt Continent: Africa Neighbors: Libya, Sudan, and Palestine Population: Over 47 million Muslim percentage of population: 94 Capital: Cairo Official Language: Arabic Currency: Egyptian Pound Climate: Mostly hot. Malaysia Continent: Asia Neighbors: Brunei, Indonesia, and Thailand. Population: Over 15.5 million Muslim percentage of population: 41% Capital: Kuala Lumpur Official Language: Malay Currency: Malaysian dollar Climate: Warm and humid. Jordan Continent: Asia Neighbors: Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Population: Almost 4 million Muslim percentage of population: 91% Capital: Amman Official Language: Arabic Currency: Jordanian Dinar Climate: Mainly hot. Look for some other Islamic countries in the maps above. Where do you think the following countries are? Sudan, Morocco, Indonesia, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Class 7 Fiqh 123

124 22.1 Worksheet: Pilgrims from Islamic Countries Pilgrims from all over the world gather in Mecca for Hajj. Let us interview three different pilgrims about their country. Fill in the blanks in the conversation by looking at the boxes on the next page. 1. Brother Akram comes from Egypt. Q Assalamu alaykum Br. Akram. You come from Egypt. How many Muslims are there in Egypt? A Alaikumus Salaam. The population of Egypt is more than and % of the people of Egypt are Muslims. Q What is the official language of Egypt? A The official language is Q What is the currency of Egypt? A The currency of Egypt is the 2. Sister Shahidah comes from Malaysia. Q Assalamu alaykum Sr. Shahidah. You come from Malaysia. In which continent is Malaysia? A Alaikumus Salaam. Malaysia is in Q How many Muslims are there in Malaysia? A There are more than Muslims living in Malaysia. Q What is the capital of Malaysia? A The capital of Malaysia is 3. Brother Abdul comes from Jordan. Q Assalamu alaykum Br. Abdul. You come from Jordan. Have you come a long way? A Q What percentage of Jordanians are Muslims? A Almost of Jordanians are Muslims. Q What is the capital of Jordan? A is the capital of Jordan. 124 Class 7 Fiqh

125 Class 7 Akhlaq CLASS 7 AKHLAQ

126 Table of Contents for Akhlaq Table of Contents... 2 Section I: Akhlaq (for History Class)... 3 Chapter 1: Development of Will Power Worksheet: Development of Will Power... 5 Chapter 2: Jihad Worksheet : Jihad...13 Chapter 3: Loyalty and Breach of Promise Worksheet: Loyalty And Breach Of Promise...18 Chapter 4: Tohmat and Gheebat Worksheet: Tohmat and Gheebat...25 Chapter 5: To Sallow Anger and Forgive Others Worksheet: To Swallow Anger, To Forgive Others...30 Chapter 6: Abusive Languate, Insults, Sarcasm and Impertinence Worksheet: Abusive Language, Insults, Sarcasm, and Impertinence: Choose the correct answer: Write T for True and F for False...35 Chapter 7: Earning a Halaal Livelihood Worksheet: Earning a Halaal Livelihood...38 Chapter 8: Going to the Theatre and Watching Movies Worksheet: Going to the Theatre and Watching Movies...42 Chapter 9: Music and its Effects Worksheet: Music and its Effects...47 Section II: Akhlaq (for Fiqh Class) Chapter 10: Leading a Moral Life Worksheet: Leading a Moral Life Chapter 11: Service to Humanity Worksheet: Service to Humanity Chapter 12: Care for the Environment Worksheet: Care for the Environment Chapter 13: Being Just (Adl) Worksheet: Being Just (Adl) Chapter 14: Keeping Secrets Safe Worksheet: Keeping Secrets Safe Chapter 15: Telling the Truth Worksheet: Truthfulness Chapter 16: Ehsan and Shukr Worksheet: Ehsan, Shukr Chapter 17: Qardh-e-Hasanah Worksheet: Qardh-e-Hasanah Class 7 Akhlaq 2

127 Section I: Akhlaq (for History Class) Class 7 Akhlaq 3

128 What is will power? Chapter 1: Development of Will Power Put simply into words, it means the ability (POWER) to control your desires (WILL). Will power is very important because, as we know, the highest stage of this life, is to attain the pleasure of God, to be content; and that cannot be attained except by controlling and developing the will. In the world around us, we are always exposed to dangerous objects, such as drugs, alcohol, pornography. If we were to yield (give in) to these temptations, we would ruin our lives. To have will power means to be able to keep yourself from all these bad habits, from simple points such as sleeping in late to behavior that is much worse, such as not offering our prayers on time, or even not offering them at all!! The whole month of Ramadhan is an exercise of will power. Actually, not to eat food is the easiest act of Ramadhan. Controlling our appetite for food and water is very easy, compared to what else we must accomplish. We must control ourselves from looking and listening to things that are Haraam. We must control our temper, and our language. At the end of the month, we should have conquered that voice inside us which invites us towards evil: the voice of our nafs. Once, the Prophet (S) was asked, don't you have a voice inside you (a Shaitan) which tells you to do evil? And he replied, Yes I do, but I keep it locked up! It was not with chains of metal that the nafs was tied up, but with the fetters of will power. This shows that the most powerful weapon against evil is what Islam teaches us to use and develop, the will power. When Islam teaches us to offer our prayers on time it teaches us discipline, which strengthens our will power and this constant practice of discipline enables us to control our 4 Class 7 Akhlaq

129 1.1 Worksheet: Development of Will Power Choose the correct answer: 1. Will Power can be defined as: a. The ability to control your nafs b. The ability to control your desires c. Self-control d. All of the above 2. If Zahras' neighbors David and Mary were hosting a block party that Zahra went to what would be the best way of exercising self-control or will-power for her? a. She could be very friendly and mingle with everyone by doing whatever everyone else was doing and eating all the cold cut sandwiches as long as they were not pork. b. She could be very friendly and mingle with everyone but avoid all the food that was Haraam. She didn t have to explain her reason for not eating the Haraam food unless specifically asked. c. She could show everyone that Muslims don t eat Haraam food by openly scowling and frowning at the food and telling people that it is ridiculous to eat everything that comes in front of you. 3. Zoha, a 14-year-old goes to her Muslim friend s birthday party and realizes that her friend is not really a practicing Muslim. There are many non- Muslims invited and pizza with beef meatballs has been ordered from a non-halaal pizza place. Everyone takes a slice of pizza and the boys and girls start the dating game. Zoha knows her mom won t pick her for the next 2 hours and everyone seems to be having so much fun. What should Zoha do? a. She should join in the group, eat a slice of pizza and enjoy herself. After all you are young only once and it doesn t hurt to have fun. b. As a 14 year old Zoha know she s now Baligh and responsible for her own actions. If she gives in to her desires she may get into the habit of doing so all the time so she should watch, eat whatever halaal is available, and not take part in anything she feels is haraam. Class 7 Akhlaq 5

130 c. Zoha s parents would never find out what she had played or eaten at this party. Besides even if they did she would promise never to do it again. She should go ahead and join everyone else for now, as long as she vows never to do it again. 4. Haider is a 10th class student. His school friends once meet up at lunch and talk about trying out cigarettes. Haider doesn t want to look like a wimp so he doesn t say anything. When the boys finally meet up for a smoke Haider should: a. Tell them no matter what they think of him he is not going to try smoking because that is his decision. b. Just smoke once then tell everyone he doesn t like it that way nobody will think he is wimpy. c. Go ahead and smoke since that is what is expected of him. It may look uncool if he refuses. Besides, many Muslims smoke. 5. Ammar is surfing the net when he comes upon a site that has inappropriate pictures. Ammar is alone in the room and his mom thinks he is doing his homework. Which would be the best example of will power and self-control? a. Ammar is curious to look but closes the windows then tells his mother about the website so that it is not accessed by his younger brother or sister. b. Ammar browses through the pictures but makes sure nobody finds out especially his parents. c. Ammar makes sure his siblings don t go to that site but looks through the site himself. d. Ammar looks through the site for a while then promises he won t look through it again Write T for True and F for False: 6. Will power can be developed through exercising discipline from a very young age. 6 Class 7 Akhlaq

131 7. Will power should only be present in adults. 8. Talking about people behind their back is an example of poor will power. 9. Controlling your laughter when something really funny happens to your classmate that could embarrass him/her is a show of great will power and self-control. 10. Teasing people that are weaker then you or younger to you is an example of poor will power or self-control. Class 7 Akhlaq 7

132 Chapter 2: Combat with self The word Jihad means "to struggle or to strive" in the way of Allah. This requires a great deal of will power. People often make the mistake of translating Jihad to meaning ONLY fighting or ONLY war. This could not be further from the truth. If you put effort into any action that gains Allah's pleasure, then that effort is counted as a struggle in the way of Allah, a JIHAD. Jihad does also mean Holy War, but that is just one of its facets. Jihad in the occultation of imam Mahdi is regarded only as defensive which means that if someone attacks you, you can defend yourself with reasonable force. But this is against an attack and not innocent people. Once the Holy Prophet (S), after returning to Medina from a battle, told his army that the Jihad-e- Saghira (the lesser struggle) had been completed, and now Jihad-e-Akbar (greater struggle) was awaiting them. The people having been tired by the battle looked around anxiously to find this new and even mightier enemy, but the Prophet (S) explained to them "The restraining the soul (or self) from its appetite, is the greatest holy war." This means that controlling the nafs from it desires takes greater effort then any other holy war. It is the greatest Jihad, and we know from our furoo-e-deen that Jihad is wajib. Every action which we do in a day, avoiding Haraam food, saying our Salaah on time, keeping a beard, wearing Hijab, when others around us do not do so and every action which requires some effort on our part is Jihad. Qur'an explains us that man was created for a test, and like any test, he must work hard to achieve the results. Class 7 Akhlaq 8

133 Al-Balad` The City' Revealed at Mecca, 20 verses. In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 90:1» I do call to witness this City-- 90:2» And you are a freeman of this City-- 90:3» And (the mystic ties of) Parent and Child-- 90:4» Verily We have created Man into TOIL AND STRUGGLE. 90:5» Does he think that none has power over him? 90:6» He may say (boastfully): "Wealth have I squandered in abundance!" 90:7» Does he think that none sees him? 90:8» Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?-- 90:9» And a tongue, and a pair of lips?-- 90:10» And shown him the two highways? 90:11» But he has made no haste on the path that is steep. 90:12» And what will explain to you the path that is steep?90:13» (It is:) freeing the bondsman; Class 7 Akhlaq 9

134 90:14» Or the giving of food in a day of privation 90:15» To the orphan with claims of relationship, 90:16» Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 90:17» Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and selfrestraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. 90:18» Such are the Companions of the Right Hand. 90:19» But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) companions of the Left Hand. 90:20» On them will be Fire Vaulted over (all round). By this Allah explains us that a person has two choices, whether to live his life the easy way, taking the down hill slop, and lose out in the next life, or to take the steep slope in this life, and benefit on Qiyamah. It also shows us how to perform Jihad, how to climb the steep slope. 9:41: Go forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and STRIVE AND STRUGGLE, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of God. That is best for you, if you (but) knew. This ayah tells us that whether we are rich or poor, able bodied or disabled, strong or weak, we should each strive towards Allah the best way that we can, to earn His pleasure. It also explains to us that we are making ourselves better people, and benefiting ourselves by struggling in the way of Allah. 2:148: To each is a goal to which God turns him; then STRIVE together (as in a race) toward all that is good. Wherever you are, God will bring you together. For God hath power over all things. 10 Class 7 Akhlaq

135 DOES THIS MEAN THAT WE SHOULD PRAY AND READ QUR'AN NON-STOP? Not at all! We should of course pray and recite Qur'an, but we should help those in need, we should fight for the rights of others, and for ourselves. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO BELIEVE, BUT DO NOT STRUGGLE? 4:95: Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of God with their goods and their persons. God has granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home): unto all (in faith) has God promised good: but those who strive and fight has He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward. This shows that for a person who struggles in the way of Allah, there is a reward waiting which is greater than that for ordinary people. A person who dies in the state of Jihad (struggle) is a martyr, and the status of a martyr is distinguished. "Over every act of virtue, there is another one till a man is martyred in the way of Allah, then there is no other virtue over it". A woman is given one of the biggest challenges in Islam to perform Jihad of the nafs. Hijab is one of the ways in which a woman or young balig girl can practice Jihad. When a woman struggles to maintain a marriage and bear the wishes the husband, she is doing Jihad in itself. Every moment of a woman s effort to preserve her marriage and make it blossom is Jihad. Bringing up children and teaching them is Jihad, to maintain Hijab so that the children will learn modesty is Jihad, and Allah rewards her accordingly. It is not easy to keep Hijab. Allah holds every woman who does Hijab in high esteem. "The first person to enter Paradise is a martyr". Class 7 Akhlaq 11

136 Islam recognises the difficulty and hardship that a mother takes is bringing up her children. Since these actions are all a struggle to make the child into a good Muslim, someone who will guide and help others, then that struggle is one towards Allah, which is why there is a hadith that explains, Heaven is under the mother s feet. In the upcoming chapters you will learn of specific examples of will power and jihad and how you can practise both. 12 Class 7 Akhlaq

137 2.1 Worksheet : Jihad Answer the following : 1. What is Jihad? 2. What are the two facets of JIHAD or the two types of Jihad in Islam? Which one is the the greater Jihad according to Prophet Muhammad (S)? 3. It is wajib upon every Muslim to practice Jihad of the nafs in their daily lives? Find a saying of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S) from your notes that mentions Jihad of the nafs? Class 7 Akhlaq 13

138 4. To do good deeds, to obey your parents, to practice Hijab and to eat Halaal food are some of the ways in which we can do Jihad of our nafs in our daily lives? TRUE FALSE 5. Read the Ayah below and explain the meaning of the Ayah. Furthermore, mention the Chapter and Verse of the Quran has this Ayah been taken from. Go forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and STRIVE AND STRUGGLE, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of God. That is best for you, if you (but) knew. 6. The Qur an tells us that each person is given a goal towards which Allah directs us and we should always strive to do good in the way of Allah. Find the Ayah in the Quran that mentions this and write it down below with the Surah number and Ayah number. 7. What does the Qur an say about those believers who only have faith but do nothing but stay at home and do not STRUGGLE in the way of Allah? Select an Ayah from your notes and explain it below 14 Class 7 Akhlaq

139 8. A person who dies in the way of Allah and for the sake of Islam is considered a martyr. TRUE FALSE 9. Explain ways in which a woman can strive in the way of Allah as a girl, a woman, and as a mother? You can use an Ayah from the Qur an to support your explanation 10. A mother has a very high status in Islam. It is said in the Qur an that heaven is under the mother s feet. What does this Ayah mean to you? Why do you think a mother has such a high status in Islam? Class 7 Akhlaq 15

140 Chapter 3: Loyalty and Breach of Promise Since loyalty is a word that we very often use, we tend not to dwell upon it much. Loyalty means to be faithful to ones duties, promises, and to others. It means to always stick by your family and friends. It means to be able to give even if you have nothing to gain. A loyal person is also a trustworthy person. The importance of this in Islam can be shown by the following hadith from Prophet Muhammad (S): "He who is untrustworthy has no faith" We know that the opposite of loyalty is betrayal. This is to break your promise, or let someone down. The Holy Prophet has also said: "There is no higher kind of betrayal than to relate an incidence to your fellow brother whilst he believes you whereas you have lied to him." This shows that to control you tongue (speech) is an important part of loyalty; however, loyalty covers the performance of actions as well. When you make a promise, then you are bound by it. Others are then relying on you, and you cannot let them down. If you are not sure that you can do what ever you said, then you should not promise it, you should just say that you will try to do it. Loyalty is an important branch of akhlaq in Islam. It encompasses exercising respect, honesty, trust, and patience with others. A loyal person is held higher (more dignified) in the eyes of Allah and needs to have what we learnt in the first chapter, will power. We should be loyal to our parents, family, and friends. We should especially remember to be loyal to Allah by being faithful to him and following his commands. Loyalty to Allah, is the proof that we have Yaqeen in him. Yaqeen So what is yaqeen? It is the same as faith or eiman? Close, but not the same. Yaqeen is to have certainty, to be sure. It is definitely a higher stage than eiman. We are told that there is a God, have we seen Him? When we read and learn, and when we are explained we get faith, and we believe that God then exists. Then we use our logic, we see that God must exist, we see His signs all around us, and we know through our intelligence that, yes there can only be one God, and He must exist. This is faith. 16 Class 7 Akhlaq

141 When we have faith, we then try harder to obtain Allah's pleasure, we talk to Him from our prayers, we talk to Him when we are in need, and if we are sincere enough, if we mean what we say, we will feel His answer. Allah will talk to us. He will not talk to our ears, but will talk directly to our hearts. That is why when Imam Ali (A) was asked, "Do you worship a God that you cannot see?" Imam (A) replied, "No, I would never worship something that I can not see. I see Allah with my heart, not with my mind." Imam Ali (A) is so certain of the existence of Allah he knows it s a fact that Allah can be seen, just not with the eyes. This shows that when we reach the state of yaqeen, (Insha-Allah), we will know for a fact that Allah is there. We will have felt his presence everywhere, and we will be sure without doubt. Then Shaitan will not be able to put doubts in our head. That is why Yaqeen is such a high stage, because there is no room for even a slight doubt and one can only reach this stage with patience, and understanding. Class 7 Akhlaq 17

142 3.1 Worksheet: Loyalty and Breach of Promise Short Answer Questions: 1. Define the meaning of loyalty, trust, and honesty in Islam 2. Zeinab, Ali and Sara are 7th class student in San Jose High School. They have an English project to work on together as a team. The topic is the life of Karen Blixen. Zeinab and Sara have collected the research from the Internet and archives in the library and have written it in a research paper format. Ali was supposed to compile the information as the group leader and edit it once he received the written version from both Zeinab and Sara. Ali promised the girls that he would talk to the proprietor of the Karen Blixen Museum and get additional pictures for the project. The project was due in 6 days. The girls kept trying to contact Ali and Ali did not return their phone calls; to make matters worse, when the day for the presentation arrived, Ali did not do his part in compiling the project and had not talked to the proprietor. The girls trusted Ali as a group leader and he let them down. Not only did his irresponsibility affect the group as they were unable to present their project on time but it also caused him embarrassment. Luckily the girls were able to present their case to their teacher and got a break and were given an extension to work on the project. Ali however, got a failing grade for his irresponsibility. What lesson do you learn about honesty, dependability, responsibility and trust from this incident? How did Ali s actions affect the group and him? 18 Class 7 Akhlaq

143 3. Sara s best friend, Nala came up to her and asked her to help her cheat in an exam and promised her that he would get her free tickets to Cirque Soleil as she has a cousin that works there. Nala also told Sara that she would be upset with Sara if she did not help her. Sara is in a bind. She knows that if she helps her friend she will be going against her own beliefs but if she does not help her friend, she may loose the friendship? What should Sara do in such a situation to ensure that she is honest not only to herself but to Allah as well? What role does she have to play as a Muslim friend? 4. How is faith related to trust? Find a hadith of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S) from your notes that mentions and talks about the faith of a person who is untrustworthy? 5. When we lie we end up betraying others or hurting others feelings. For instance, Habib and Ali both go to Sunday school and are in the same class. Ali however, is very well liked by his peers and by his teachers because he is a kind and hardworking student. Habib gets jealous and starts spreading bad rumours about Ali to his friends that are lies and Ali finds out. Ali is hurt and cannot understand why Habib did what he did. Ali feels betrayed by Habib. Find a hadith from the holy prophet that talks about lies as betrayal from your notes and write it down. Class 7 Akhlaq 19

144 6. Islam has no place for people who pretend to be loyal to their friends but end up backstabbing them, by either lying about them, or doing something to hurt them. As Muslims we should not believe others without evidence and we should not participate in gossip about others. Why do you think this is important? 7. What is Yaqeen? How is it related to eiman? 20 Class 7 Akhlaq

145 8. As Muslims we have Yaqeen in Allah and our Imams. We cannot see Allah but we have faith in him and we know that he is all knowing, all seeing, beneficent and merciful. We know that Allah listens to us and we can feel his presence. We cannot see Imam Mahdi (a) but we have Yaqeen that he is present and he is the Imam of our time. What did Imam Ali once tell a person who came up to him and asked him why he believed in a God that he could not see(refer to your notes above)? 9. How can we strengthen our Yaqeen? 10. Give examples from your personal experiences, or observations that constantly remind you of Allah s presence and affirm your believe in him even though you can not see him? Class 7 Akhlaq 21

146 Chapter 4: Tohmat and Gheebat Tohmat means to accuse someone of doing something without proper justification. It is a form of backbiting. There are two words for backbiting, one is GHEEBAT, and the other is TOHMAT. When you speak about someone, and what you say is TRUE, then this is GHEEBAT.The Prophet (saww) says Gheebat is remembering your brother in a way he dislikes. In another narration it states Gheebat is expressing that aspect of your brother which Allah had concealed. when you speak about someone, and what you say is FALSE, then this is TOHMAT. TOHMAT AND GHEEBAT ARE BOTH HARAAM. The Holy Prophet (S) once said, "O Abu Zar, keep yourself away from backbiting because it is worse than adultery... After committing adultery, if one repents, Allah forgives him, but the backbiter can not be pardoned unless he has been pardoned by the one about whom he has been backbiting." Imagine you saw someone you know go into a pub (a place where people go to drink alcohol). If you were to tell the world that this man has been drinking, then that is Tohmat. How do you know he was drinking? He could have broken down, and gone in the pub to use the phone, or ask directions. In Islam, you should always give the benefit of the doubt to others. Even if someone does do something bad, you should hide it, and not tell the whole world. How would you like it if Allah told the whole world the evil that you or I perform? We all commit sins at one time or another. If Allah can hide our faults, then you should hide the faults of others. In the Holy Qur'an Surah 49 ayah 12, Allah tells us: "... And do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the dead flesh of his brother?" This shows us that backbiting is as bad as eating the flesh of your dead brother. This means that once someone you know, i.e. your brother/sister in Islam has done something bad, they have killed their own reputation. By telling others what they have done, you are enjoying and gaining at their loss. It is as if you are eating and feasting on the reputation they have already destroyed. 22 Class 7 Akhlaq

147 In the early days of the first few Imams, there were two men. Let us call the first one Haroon and the second one Khalid. One day Khalid started telling everybody bad things about Haroon. He was spreading lies all around. After a few days Haroon heard about this. The first thing he did was to go home and put all his money and gold and silver in a big bag and then took the bag to Khalid's house. When Khalid saw Haroon coming he became scared because he thought that Haroon had come to beat him up. Khalid came out of his house and fell on his knees and begged to Haroon, "O Haroon, I am really sorry, I did not mean to tell tales about you, O please do not beat me!!" Haroon said, "I have not come to beat you, I have come to give you this money, and this wealth." Khalid had the shock of his life. Haroon continued, " Khalid, I have come to thank you, here have this wealth of mine." Khalid stood up and asked, "Why are you giving me wealth when I have insulted you and spoilt your name among the people?" Haroon replied. "The Holy Prophet (S) has said that if one person TALKS BEHIND THE BACK of another, the thawaab of the first person gets transferred to the second." he continued, "So now that you have spoken bad of me behind my back, I am thanking you for giving me all your thawaab. This money is too little for the amount of thawaab that you have given me." This shows how bad gheebat and tohmat are. Once there was a man who did tohmat of our sixth Imam, Ja far As Sadiq (a). Imam (A) did no know about it until a few days later when one of his `friends' came to him and said, " Oh Imam, I have heard terrible news. This person has been going around and saying this about you." Imam (A) became angry with his `friend'. He said, "Think of the person who did tohmat towards me as if he shot an arrow at my body. I did not hear him so it is as if the arrow missed me; but by telling me this news, you have picked up the arrow from the ground and have hit me with it." The Prophet stated one who lends an ear to backbiting is one of the backbiters Class 7 Akhlaq 23

148 It is the duty of a good Muslim to stop others from speaking ill of a person, and if that is not possible he should go away from the people who are talking ill. Why are gheebat and tohmat haraam? They are haraam because they spoil people s names and characters. When you speak badly of someone, you make others think badly of him or her. Another reason why it is bad is because the people are not there to defend themselves. If you hear wicked things about others, you should give the others a chance to defend themselves by explaining, before you believe what you hear. Gheebat and tohmat are a result of Jealousy. If a person is respected, has done good, has helped others, there will always be people who are angry and bitter that such a person is respected by all. The result is to try and slander and destroy this reputation by sowing seed of venom in their character, by telling the world lies so that the respect turns to outrage and shame. Such people are cursed by Allah, and are referred to as the whispers of menu. Those people that go out of their way to avoid doing gheebat or tohmat have actually developed a strong will power. They exercise a great deal of self-control and get special blessings form Allah. It is only when a person sins openly like roaming the streets with alcohol is when the apparent stated as one who openly does sin is not worthy of respect.

149 4.1 Worksheet: Tohmat and Gheebat 1. What are the two forms of backbiting? 2. What is the difference between gheebat and tohmat? 3. Both tohmat and gheebat are haram in Islam. Once the holy prophet (S) told his companion Abu Dhar that gheebat was worse than committing adultery. Why is gheebat considered to be the bigger sin according to the Prophet (S)? 4. Which Surah and Ayah in the Quran refer to gheebat as being equivalent to eating the flesh of one s dead brother. Refer to your notes. Class 7 Akhlaq 25

150 5. In this lesson you read about two gentlemen who lived in the time of our Imams. Khalid and Haroon. Khalid was saying bad things about Haroon behind his back and this made Haroon very upset. TRUE FALSE 6. Haroon ran to Khalid s house with an Axe so that he could beat him for spreading all these rumours about him. TRUE FALSE 7. What did Haroon do with all the gold, silver and money that he put in a big bag? 8. What was Khalid s reaction to the entire incident? 9. What happens to our thawaab when we backbite about another person? 26 Class 7 Akhlaq

151 10. It is the duty of a good Muslim to stop others from speaking ill of a person, and if that is not possible one should go away from, or avoid, people who are talking ill about others. What did Imam Jafar As Sadiq s (a) say to the person that came up to him to inform him that someone was talking behind his back (Tohmat)? Class 7 Akhlaq 27

152 Chapter 5: To Sallow Anger and Forgive Others To swallow ones anger refers specifically to when you have been wronged, and is one of the most commendable acts in Islam. A good Muslim always controls his/her anger when he or she has been wronged. There is a saying in English to "bury the hatchet", this means that instead of trying to get revenge just bury it and put it out of your mind. There is also another saying to "forgive and forget" which has a similar meaning. This does not mean that you let people bully you around! But it applies to those whom you have power over, or those who repent or have done the deed without intention. Anger is a bitter pill to swallow, and can be controlled only with a strong will power. This can be seen by the following sayings of the Prophet (S), "The strongest of you is he who overpowers himself when enraged and the most forbearing of you is the one who forgives when having overpowered his enemy." "Do you consider the intense strength as being in the lifting of (a heavy) stone whereas in fact it is in overpowering oneself when filled with anger". The way to swallow your anger is to "cool off". "Verily anger is from Shaitan and the Shaitan is created from fire. And the fire is but extinguished with water. Therefore whenever one is overtaken with anger, he should make wudhu." Wudhu has a calming effect on the body, and cools it down. It also makes us remember Allah, so we gain control over our self again. Imam Ali (A) has said that: "Should any of you be faced with anger, he should sit down if standing, should lie down if sitting." 28 Class 7 Akhlaq

153 All of us have done sins at some time in our lives, something that might have been worthy of punishment. But if Allah can forgive us with his infinite mercy, then what right have we to be angry with others when they are sorry. "Almighty Allah had said, Oh the son of Adam! Remember Me when in anger so that I remember you when you deserve my wrath and do not destroy you." Also we are told in Qur'an, 3:133: Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; WHO RESTRAIN ANGER, AND PARDON (ALL) MEN; for God loves those who do good. Imam Musa al Kadhim (A) was given the title AL-KADHIM for this reason. He is the ideal example of one who swallowed his anger. He was treated despicably and imprisoned by the oppressors right up to his martyrdom in prison, but he restrained his anger and bore it with patience. Surah 42 Ayah 36 onwards explains "Whatever you are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this Life: but that which is with God is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord; those who avoid the greater crimes and shameful deeds, and, WHEN THEY ARE ANGRY EVEN THEN FORGIVE; Those who hearken to their Lord, and establish regular prayer; who (conduct) their affairs by mutual Consultation; who spend out of what We bestow on them for Sustenance; And those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them, (are not cowed but) help and defend themselves. The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, His reward is due from God: for (God) does not love those who do wrong. But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them, against such there is no cause of blame. Class 7 Akhlaq 29

154 5.1 Worksheet: To Swallow Anger, To Forgive Others 1. Islam teaches us to control our anger when someone provokes us? TRUE FALSE 2. Zeinab and Jahara are 7th class students in Sunday school? Zeinab bullies Jahara one day and makes fun of her. Should Jahara control her anger? What would be the best way to deal with such a situation as a Muslim? 3. Write down a hadith from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S) that emphasizes the importance of controlling ones anger and being forgiving (Refer to your notes above) 4. Prophet Muhammad (S) said that controlling ones anger is an intense strength in one of his hadith s TRUE FALSE 5. Anger comes from Shaitan TRUE FALSE 6. It is recommended that whenever one is in anger he/she should do wudhu. Why do you think this is important? What is the significance of Wudhu here? 30 Class 7 Akhlaq

155 7. Imam Ali (a) has said that if one is standing in a state of anger he should sit down and if one is standing, he/she should lie down. TRUE FALSE 8. As Muslims we are supposed to forgive those that ask us for forgiveness or forgive those that are sorry for what they did. Look for an ayah from the Quran in your notes that talks about forgiveness and quote it. 9. Why was our seventh Imam, Imam Musa (a) given the title of AL-KADHIM? 10. The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, His reward is due from God: for (God) does not love those who do wrong. Explain the above Quranic Ayah and the name of the Surah it comes from. Class 7 Akhlaq 31

156 Chapter 6: Abusive Languate, Insults, Sarcasm and Impertinence To use abusive language means to swear or insult someone. Everyone knows this is wrong yet children at school still do it. So why do people use bad language? Most people swear when something bad happens to them, or when someone does something that they don't like. These people say that the actual swearing helps them control their anger, and stops them from doing other things that might be even worse. This may seem acceptable to many people but Islam says that a person who cannot restrain his anger, without using foul language must have a very weak will power. The noblest person according to Islamic etiquette (akhlaq) is that person who can control his anger, and manage to look unflustered, that is somebody who would not lose his cool and act uncivilized. Shouldn t that be the definition of cool behavior? Or is it really cool to lose your control and lash out at someone with bad language? It is worse to use swearing as a means of insulting someone and unjustified under any circumstances. Islam teaches us NEVER TO INSULT. If someone has angered us, we should either take action, or tell him or her that we do not like what he or she says; but to insult is to stoop to a very low stage, and Islam does not accept that a person should become so undignified or uncivilized. To be sarcastic to others, and tease them also shows that part of a person's character is faulty. It may only feel like a joke, but if you turn the tables and put yourself in their place it wouldn t feel that funny. For example, would YOU like it if people teased you and called you names? Would YOU like it if your friends or classmates laughed when you fell down? Would YOU like people making fun of your family, or the color of your skin, or at the way you dress? Most of us know of some classmate who is always teasing and being sarcastic. Do you like that behavior? Would you like that behavior to be directed at you? Probably not, so it would be unfair and of poor character to be like that yourself. Below are a few saying of Imam Ali (A) about the danger of the tongue. Imam Ali (A) is dearly respected by all of us. So let us look at what he has told us, and think about the meaning of his words. Let us try to understand and follow his advice. "Nothing else need to be restrained and kept under control but the tongue". "Whosoever desires to remain safe should guard against what comes out of his tongue". 32 Class 7 Akhlaq

157 "Take care of your tongue". "Woe be upon you! Will people be with their noses prostrated in hell fire except for reasons of what they had reaped out of (misuse) of their tongues". "The one from whose tongue people are afraid of is from the inmates of hell fire". "Salvation of the believer lies in guarding his tongue. If we were to pay heed to Imam Ali s (A) words we would refrain from verbally abusing anyone. Additionally, one other point that his sayings refer to and needs mentioning is impertinence. This means to give cheek, or disrespectful answers back to people who are talking to you. If someone is talking to you, even angrily, you should never be rude in your reply. If you are innocent then explain yourself, but to answer back especially to a parent or a teacher in such a manner is an inexcusable example of bad akhlaq. The respect that parents and teachers command over you is very great, and you are responsible to speak to them in a polite manner. Besides, impertinence just proves that you have a poor character. It may make you feel big in class but you will have lost all your respect in front of your elders. Food for thought: It is important to note that when even anger does not excuse you the use of bad language then how do you think it would be allowed just for fun or just because everyone else does it? Would it then be all right to swear just to fit in among the cool crowd of kids? Class 7 Akhlaq 33

158 6.1 Worksheet: Abusive Language, Insults, Sarcasm, and Impertinence: Choose the correct answer: 1. When you are angry with someone, it is hard to control yourself. Islam tells you to: a. Go ahead and let out your anger, you have to get rid of your negative feelings. b. Use bad language or insults only at this time since anger has to be expressed, and you are at least not physically harming anyone. c. Use your will power and control your anger such that you tell the wrongdoer off but refrain from using bad language or insults. 2. Teasing other people only proves: a. Your own character is at fault. b. You have no will power. c. You have no standards of decency. d. All of the above. 3. If Mariam s friend Noor has upset, her Mariam should: a. Let Noor know in polite but serious words. b. Tell all of Noor s friends what Noor did. c. Embarrass Noor in front of everyone so she never upsets anyone again. 4. Sibling rivalry is a very natural part of every family s life. If your sibling aggravates you, Islam tells you to: a. Spank him/her if they are younger than you are. b. Tell your sibling firmly to stop then tell an adult if he/she does not listen. c. Tell your sibling firmly to stop then yell insults at them or swear so that they know that you are angry. 34 Class 7 Akhlaq

159 5. Sarcasm and cheeky, disrespectful answers back to adults: a. Make you look smart and therefore cool. b. May make you look smart but also extremely disrespectful. c. Might make your friends think you are cool but sadden your Imams. d. B and C Write T for True and F for False 6. Impertinence and cheeky answers are signs of a poor character. 7. Swearing is a sign of poor self-control and lack of will power. 8. It is a sign of high morals and respect to be able to remain cool and refrain from abusive language or insults. 9. Parents and teachers command respect. One should talk to them politely. Even disagreements can be handled in polite and firm language. 10. Imam Ali (a) has said that a salvation of a believer lies in guarding his tongue. Class 7 Akhlaq 35

160 Chapter 7: Earning a Halaal Livelihood As we saw in the previous chapter will power and self -control is required to deal with the complicated emotion of anger and to refrain from bad language. Well it is also required in something as simple as earning a living. We are always used to understanding Halaal & Haraam in terms of objects, i.e. to eat this is Haraam, this meat is Halaal and so on... However, we never think about our actions. Actions, like objects, can also be classified as to whether they are Haraam or Halaal. If I see $20 bill on the ground, on my way to school, I can EITHER pick it up and put it into my pocket, OR hand to the lost and found in school. If I can fool someone into paying me more money than I charge for the servicei rendered then will I do it? These are all things that can happen to us anytime, and we should find a way to choose the right action. Our LIVELIHOOD is the way in which we live and earn in our day-to-day lives. For adults, it is the way they earn their money, the way in which they help their friends, how they act to other people, how they pay taxes, how they run the business, whether they pay Khums, etc.. For youngsters, still at school, it is the way they treat their friends, the way they do their homework, what excuses they make if they do not do something, etc. Islam emphasises the importance of making sure that these actions are not against Shari'a i.e. making sure all these actions are HALAAL. The attitude of very many people is that it doesn't matter how you do something, for example, it doesn't matter if I usurp someone else's property, as long as I give some of it to charity. It doesn't matter whether I pay Khums or not, as long as I pray. This attitude is not an Islamic one and it is something that the youth of the community should realize and teach others by example. 36 Class 7 Akhlaq

161 Why should we earn a halaal livelihood? What is wrong in cheating others? If we were to cheat someone, we would be gaining at his or her loss. Suppose we were working on a job together and were paid $10. If instead of splitting it half/half, I was to keep $6 and give you $4, and you didn't notice, I would be gaining $1 at your expense. $1 itself may not be a big deal but it is the principle that counts. IAllah has given us a short term on this world. He has put us in a position where we have the choice of cheating or being fair. If we can stay on the path of Islam, the path of justice, we will benefit BOTH in this life and the next. However if we cheat and follow Shaitan, we may become rich, but we will never be happy in this world, and definitely not in the next life. The Holy Prophet (S) has said "Whoever lives on halaal earnings for 40 days, Allah shall enlighten his heart, and cause springs of wisdom to come from his heart, following to his tongue." This does not mean that we should earn a halaal life for 40 days, and then forget it and start cheating!! It shows us the reward that Allah gives us for obeying Him, and resisting temptation. Imam Ali (A) said to his people: "Who is a believer?" Then he gave a detailed answer, part of which said: "The believer is one with whom people's life, wealth, and dignity are safe. His livelihood is earned in an honourable way." We must always remember that Allah is giving us the chance to prove ourselves to Him. We can gain his pleasure by fighting our nafs and being just in this world, or we can displease Him by following our nafs. Remember the example of Hur, when he saw before him two paths, one was death in an honourable way with Imam Hussein (A), and one was riches and wealth without principles. He made the right choice and set us the example. Do we have the courage to follow this? The choice is ours... Class 7 Akhlaq 37

162 7.1 Worksheet: Earning a Halaal Livelihood Choose whether true or false 1. Earning a halaal livelihood refers to eating food that is not haraam. True False 2. Your money is halaal if you have earned it in a fair manner and paid khums on the savings. True False 3. Winning money through gambling would be considered halaal only if you used more than 50% to donate to the poor. True False 4. If I found a $100 bill and gave at least 20% to the needy or my masjid the rest would be halaal for me to keep. True False 5. If you have earned all your money fairly and given to the poor and needy too whenever you remembered your money is halaal even if you forgot to pay khums on it. True False 6. If your friend lent you some lunch money and forgot to take it back you need not worry about paying him back such a small amount. True False 38 Class 7 Akhlaq

163 7. If you get a big chunk of business by selling alcohol at your convenience store only to non-muslims your money earned will be halaal. True False Short Answer Questions: 8. What did Imam Ali (A) say about earning a halaal livelihood? 9. If we cheat what does that say about our nafs? 10. What can we do with our nafs to please Allah? Class 7 Akhlaq 39

164 Chapter 8: Going to the Theatre and Watching Movies At one time going to the movies was thought to be haraam, since the cinema was predominantly used for movies that contained bad language, obscenities, songs, and dance. Today, we have television inside our houses, and can see anything we want to. Thus the question of whether we go to a movie or not does not apply any more, it is rather a question of what we watch. It is kind of like eating at a restaurant. To go to a restaurant to eat becomes Haraam only if the food they serve is Haraam. However if the restaurant serves halaal food, then there is no problem to go and eat there. Therefore it doesn't matter whether we go to a restaurant or a not, it is what we have to eat that is important. If we go to see a movie that shows offensive scenes such as people acting shamelessly or hardly wearing any clothes, then of course it becomes Haraam. However, if we go to watch movies that are of educational interest or for fun, without seeing anything Haraam, then they are permissible. Unfortunately, many movies today are aimed at the desires of the youth. These films show scenes that encourage youngsters to think and practise those thoughts that should be kept under control by the youngster s own will power. These films are Haraam because they influence the actions of the one who watches them. They make the desires of the nafs so strong that it becomes very difficult to control, and often the mind gives in and becomes the slave of our desires rather than our intellect. Another factor that makes movies haraam is the presence of music. One point people often bring up is that nowadays all movies and programs contain music. If the music is such, that it is one of the major themes of the movie or program, then the program should be avoided. However if the music is in the background, and is not the central theme of the program, then it is permissible to watch. This is because according to the fatwa (verdict) of both Ayahollah Al Khomeini (may Allah rest is soul) and Ayahollah al Khui (may Allah keep him well), background music is allowed. This also applies to watching television in our own homes. There are movies that are obviously funny, but contain jokes that are filthy and crude. These are not the movies you should watch, since they provide a negative influence over you. 40 Class 7 Akhlaq

165 Then there are movies that are decent, and respectable, where you will gain an insight into human behavior, develop your imagination, or learn and at the same time have fun. These movies are permissible. At the end of the day, if we want to go to see a movie, we must ask ourselves why. If the movie will be fun, but will still contain sections that would go against our principles, then we should avoid it. Especially in a theatre, you are exposed to whatever is on the screen, so you cannot switch it off like a television, nor can you forward it like on a video. This is a major test of your willpower. Allah has given you a test; can you control your nafs from tempting you to watch R rated or worse movies, or will it control you? There is no Adult rating in Islam. If a movie is obscene, shameless, or pornographic than it is Haraam for all to see, whether you are 5 years old or 50. You will notice, at first it will be very difficult to refrain, but as soon as you make your mind up and be firm, you will feel as if your character has improved a hundred times, and you will not even be tempted any more. You will ask yourself, how can I have let that nafs of mine have so much control over something that I can now see to be so childish and materialistic? Class 7 Akhlaq 41

166 8.1 Worksheet: Going to the Theatre and Watching Movies Circle T for True & F for False: 1. It is Haraam to watch movies. True False It is Haraam to go to the Theatre. True False 2. It is permissible to watch movies in a theatre if there are no indecent scenes, pictures or songs in the movie. True False 3. It is alright to watch any rating of movies if all spectators are adults. True False 4. A person that has the willpower of avoiding movies that are inappropriately rated no matter what his age, exercises control of his Nafs and pleases Allah. True False 5. If a person is an adult, it is permissible for him to watch movies that please him, even if they contain inappropriate material. True False 6. One can watch movies at theatres, or at home as long as they contain descent language, scenes, and clothing. True False 42 Class 7 Akhlaq

167 Choose the best answer: 7. Some good movies have a couple of inappropriate scenes. What would be the best choice in this case? One could: a. Still watch the movie, after all it is generally good b. Consider it Haraam c. Watch the movie on a DVD so inappropriate scenes can be skipped. 8. Some movies are inappropriate to watch at all, but all your friends say you have to watch it. You could: a. Tell your friends your parents are so mean you can t watch it. b. Ask your friends if you could watch it at their house. c. Tell your friends you really are not interested in watching the movie. 9. Some friends may ask you to lie to your parents & join them for a movie that contains nudity and bad language. You should: a. Make an excuse not to watch the movie, since not only would you be watching something Haraam, but you would be lying to your parents as well. b. Watch it only if their playing it at their home. c. Go and watch it to see if you and your friends get caught. Class 7 Akhlaq 43

168 Chapter 9: Music and its Effects Islam does not recommend or encourage music amongst a community. Let us see why. Human beings are highly versatile and can adapt to different situations easily, so it is very rare that everyone will react to an influence in exactly the same way. Thus all human beings may not be affected by a tiny bit of alcohol, or a little music to the same degree. However, Islam is a religion for all the people AS WELL as the individual. Therefore, if there is something that affects a large percentage of people in an undesirable manner, such as alcohol causing drunkenness and disorder, then Islam will make it Haraam at the very beginning on the basis that "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE." This means that it is better to stop something bad from happening in the first place rather than doing something about it after it happens. This is a logical approach. Allah also says in the Holy Qur'an, that some things in small quantities do have good effects for us, but the bad effects outweigh the good, therefore overall it is harmful and so forbidden. They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit."... Thus doth God make clear to you His Signs: in order that you may consider. Surah 2:219 So what is undesirable about music? Music has an affect on the mind and the body. The effect depends on the type of music. With some types of music, soft and soothing, one relaxes and opens up the mind, closes the eyes, and drifts off to another world, perhaps a world of fantasy. With other types of music, the mind is almost possessed. Very often, with loud music, played at discos, and parties, people begin to dance and move in rhythm to the music. This causes them to lose control of their nafs, so that they dance with partners, come very close and lose all sense of shame, and think of or commit acts that are the result of their desires. Music is also addictive. It becomes like a drug. People require more and more of it and find it very difficult to stop, and to obtain the same effect, they play the music louder and louder, which may negatively effect their hearing or nervous system. 44 Class 7 Akhlaq

169 Music has a general negative effect on society. Many youngsters growing up in the western world identify themselves with a certain band and club. There are posters in their bedroom, and their clothes and personality change to emulate this idol. Rather than getting influenced by great personalities in the past or present their hero becomes this music idol that takes them away from reality. It is unfortunate that the society we live in, defines enjoyment as anything that makes you forget the world: music, alcohol, drugs which have two common factors, (i) they are an escape from reality, and (ii) they are addictive. Yet if you live the simple life prescribed by Islam, you will find contentment in reality and not have to escape it. Many singers, and groups can be seen to use music to arouse the desires that should be controlled. Many of the groups today are scantily dressed and make indecent gestures while performing. Music affects us in the same way as alcohol; it causes us to be unaware of our actions. We can become very angry if the music around us is loud and dominating. Places like discos and parties, cause people to lower their guard, and act in a loose and permissive manner. You start to dance to music, soon letting that music control your actions and your thoughts. This can lead you to perform other immoral actions too. So not only should we avoid music, but also we not go to places that are designed to play music, or places where people solely meet to dance. One final point to be aware is that Allah makes things Haraam for our benefit. We should try and understand why things are Haraam and justify them as above, but at the end of the day, if we are convinced and have faith, we will accept the rules of Islam. It is vital to ask questions and thus understand our faith, but we should never become so stubborn and say, "just because I don't understand something I don t have to follow it." Allah is our creator and He is closer to us than our own skin. We must realize that His laws are there to help us perfect our own character and fulfill our function as being His deputies on this earth. Verse 3 of Suratul Mu'minoon. and those who, from what is vain, keep themselves aloof. Vain, Imam Ali (A) says that all that is void of remembrance of God is meant by this term. With the Ahlul Bait this term included all useless entertainment, wasteful of time, including musical enjoyments. Vain games played just to while away time, are also covered by this term. Class 7 Akhlaq 45

170 So is absolutely all music haraam? Can t we listen to any music other than background? Actually shariah says that war music played to boost the morale of an army is permissible. Addititonally you may listen to music that meets the following 4 conditions: a. The music does not have the effect of arousing the listener. b. The music does not take you into a world devoid of Allah. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of God, and from prayer: will you not then abstain? Surah 5:94 c. The music does not cause you any physical or mental harm. d. The music does not remind you or is similar to a place where haraam is performed (Such as a nightclub). Also singing of the human voice by itself is not haraam, unless it reminds you of a place where haraam is performed. Even though these conditions allow you to listen to certain kinds of music there are many People who want to practice ihtiyat and not listen to any music at all and they may choose to do so. In the same way manufacturing, Selling and purchasing musical instruments is haram.and the income derived is also haram. Its is haram to even keeping instruments in your house. In a narration by imam Ridha (a.s) it is mentioned that a person invites divine wrath when in his house in his house instruments like flute, drum and chess played for 40 days. If this man dies within 40 days, his death would be of a sinner and a transgressor. His place shall be hell and what a dreadful place it is.

171 9.1 Worksheet: Music and its Effects Choose the best answer: 1. Music is generally discouraged in Islam because it has a tendency to: a. Affect the mind and body. b. Influence a person in a way that it takes them away from reality. c. Both A and B. 2. Music makes a person: a. Really, think about Allah and worship him. b. Escape from reality. c. Think about Islam and all the great personalities of Islam. 3. Music has the tendency to: a. Change people into very nice human beings. b. Give Thawaab to your parents. c. Be addictive 4. Islam discourages anything: a. That makes you happy and loose touch with reality. b. That makes you sad and loose touch with reality. C. That is addictive and can make you loses self-control. 5. Often when people listen to music it makes them a. Want to dance uncontrollably or indecently and tap their feet. b. Lose touch with reality and drift off into a fantasy world. c. Forget their prayers or other duties towards Allah. d. All of the above. 6. Playing War music to cheer on soldiers is: a. Haraam b. Permissible c. Mustahib 7. Which one or more of the conditions make music permissible. a. Music becomes permissible when it does not take you away from Allah. b. When it does not cause you any physical harm. c. When it sounds very soothing. d. Both a and b. Class 7 Akhlaq 47

172 8. If the music reminds you of some Haraam place such as a nightclub then: a. Such music becomes haraam even if other conditions are met. b. It is okay to listen to music if other conditions are met after all, you are not in the Haraam place. c. It is permissible to listen to music as long as it is at a low volume. 9. If the music has the effect of arousing someone even if all other conditions are met it is: a. Haraam b. Halaal c. Makruh 10. When you are thoroughly engrossed in music you may: a. Think or commit immoral acts b. lose all self control c. Lose your sense of shame d. All of the above. 48 Class 7 Akhlaq

173 Section II: Akhlaq (for Fiqh Class) 49 Class 7 Akhlaq

174 Chapter 10: Leading a Moral Life Let us first define morals, as "concerned with the distinction between right and wrong." Islam is a religion that is sent as a gift from Allah to mankind, to bring them together in peace and harmony. This can only be done if the morals of the community are pure. Therefore in order to have a peaceful life, Islam has given man a set of social values (morals) so that each individual and thus the whole community can build up a moral character. How are we to live a moral life? Each of us has a responsibility to the other, to maintain justice, to respect the rights of the other. In the Holy Qur'an (Surah 49, ayahs 11,12) Allah explains to us certain ways of behaving: "O you who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other by (offensive) nicknames... Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs (gheebat). Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?" There are countless ways to behave in a community; the essence of all moral behavior is in CONSIDERATION. If one considers the needs of others, then he will not do anything to cause further hardship. Prophet Muhammad (S) has said: "Prefer for people that which you prefer for yourself." In a very short Surah (Suratul Asr) Allah explains the way the whole of mankind should behave. Ayah 2: "Verily Man is in a loss." This is thought to refer to the Day of Judgment when Allah will raise man from his grave to answer about his life, some men will say that they had lived an IMMORAL life, and these men will Class 7 Akhlaq 50

175 be in a loss. Some men will reply that they had been very good themselves and established regular prayers; THESE MEN TOO WILL BE IN A LOSS. Ayah 3: "Except for such as have Faith, AND do righteous deeds, AND join together in the mutual teaching of Truth, AND of patience." This shows that being good by yourself is not enough, you must lead such a life so as to serve and teach the community by guiding them towards the truth and enjoining them towards good. This is known as Amr bil Ma'aroof (direct towards good) and Nahy anil Munkar (persuade against evil). The set of morals given to mankind by Allah is reflected in the behavior (Sunnah) of the Holy Prophet and Imams (may Allah bestow peace upon them.) Once Imam Ali (A) was asked what a person s morals should consist of, he answered: "When powerful, he forgives easily. He is generous in appropriate ways. His behavior is gentle. His actions and walk reflect modesty. People enjoy his affection and calmness. He is ready to bear pain in order to comfort others. In friendship he is sincere. He honors his promises. He helps the oppressed and is concerned about the deprived. He does not abandon those in distress; he tries to relieve their burdens. He respects the rights of those who are absent. He accepts the apologies of those at fault. He assists those who have assisted him. He does not divulge (tell) peoples' secrets. He does not inquire into secret affairs that do not concern him. He sets a good example for those who succeed him. His good deeds are not performed for the sake of being boastful. He does not fall into the same difficulty twice." Also, in the dua for excellence in morals, Imam Ali Zainul Abideen (A) has written: "Oh Allah, advance my faith to the greatest perfection. Let my belief be the most excellent of beliefs. Let me be honored, but do not let me fall prey to pride. Issue from my hands good to mankind, but do not let it be undone with reproaches. Give me excellent morals 51 Class 7 Akhlaq

176 and save me from boasting. Give me grace to behave with sincere good-will to him who was insincere to me." Let us try to change these words into actions. Class 7 Akhlaq 52

177 10.1 Worksheet: Leading a Moral Life Choose the correct answer: 1. The essence of all moral behavior is in: a. Having consideration for the needs of others. b. Forcing others to listen to you about what is right. c. None of the above. 2. In Surah 49 Allah has made it clear that he does not like people to: a. Laugh at others b. Be sarcastic c. Be suspicious without cause and backbite. d. All of the above. 3. Prophet Muhammad(s) has said that you should: a. Want for others what you want for yourself. b. Always give your money to the homeless c. Always tell Kafirs that they are immoral. 4. Verily man is in a loss refers to the fact that: a. Those who feel they have they have been always good will never be in a loss. b. Those who have been Immoral will be in a loss. c. Those who have been good but have never served the community will still be in loss. d. Both b and c. 5. Eeman is fourteen. She prays five times a day; never misses a fast, and makes sure she follows all Usool and Furoo-e-Deen. She practices Islam to the best of her ability. However when her younger brother walks in her room she yells, Get out you jerk you re always so nosy, why are you in my room? Is Eeman considered: a. Moral because the rest of her deeds are very pious and she has a right to get angry sometimes. b. Immoral, because she is not considerate about the feelings of her younger brother. 53 Class 7 Akhlaq

178 c. A decent teenager who is going through a tough time in her life too and will naturally yell at the younger sibling. d. Both b and c 6. Zahra is a devout Muslim and tries to do everything prescribed by Islam. She is very popular and likes this feeling. She cannot stand it if her friends start paying more attention to anyone else. To become a better Muslim Zahra will need to change herself since her behavior shows some: a. Consideration b. Morality c. Immorality 7. Ammar s younger sister Zoya has just messed up his video game. Ammar has spent hours and days to reach that level and his anger knows no limit. He picks a baseball bat and is about to throw it at Zoya who is crouched helplessly in a corner. Suddenly he drops the bat, lets out an angry breath and walks out of the room. Ammar displayed the following moral mentioned by Imam Ali (a): a. In friendship, he is sincere b. He honors his promise c. When powerful he forgives easily. 8. Explain what you think is meant by he respects the rights of those who are absent Give three examples of how you can be sincere with your friends Class 7 Akhlaq 54

179 Write down three traits of a moral person other than the ones mentioned above Class 7 Akhlaq

180 Chapter 11: Service to Humanity As previously mentioned it is quite obvious that Islam is a religion for a community that teaches people to interact and bring the whole society together under one faith and to guard each other s rights. Human beings have many qualities that distinguish them from other animals. They have supreme intelligence, they can tell between right and wrong. One feature which humanity shares with many other animals is their ability to form and live together in large communities. The spirit of consideration is a key to morality and the central force that binds people together in a society. Human life without consideration is transformed into animal life, since everyone is for himself, and it becomes survival of the fittest. If a person cannot use his abilities to help others, and to guide them, then that person is leading a useless life. This service to others has been emphasized again and again in Islam. The Holy Prophet (S) has said: "One who does not take interest in the affairs of Muslims is not a Muslim. And that person too is not a Muslim who hears a Muslim calling for help and does not respond to his call". The reward offered for this service to humanity is so great, that few other deeds carry similar rewards. "One who fulfils the needs of a brother Muslim is like one who has been worshipping Allah throughout his life". Sometimes, you are asked for help, and you are not in a position to give it. Even in this circumstance, if your niyyah was pure then you are rewarded. Our 5th Imam (A) has said, "At times it so happens that a Muslim seeks help from another Muslim and the latter, though inclined to help him, is not in a position to do so; Allah will send him to Paradise for this very resolution". Perhaps the best advice on service to humanity comes from Imam Hussein (A) who explained to us, Class 7 Akhlaq 56

181 "the requests which people make to you are blessings of Allah, so do not feel weary or uneasy". There are many places where we have a chance to perform services for others. There are ample opportunities in our day-to-day lives. Even if people take you for granted, or they insult you, remember that your niyyah is for the sake of Allah (lillah). Haqq-un-naas When talking about service to humanity it is important to mention haqq-un-naas. The phrase haqq-un-naas comprises two words, (Haq) which means right, i.e. a person's right to have or own something, and (naas) which means person, or human beings. It can be seen from this, that haqq-un-naas means the rights of people. Every person has certain vital rights that should not be taken away. If I am holding the estate of an orphan, then it is the right of the orphan to inherit the estate when he comes of age. I should not take advantage of my position as the custodian and consume it my self. Allah, who is Just and Merciful, will (inshallah) forgive us for the sins that we commit against Him, provided we repent for them sincerely; but how can He forgive you for the sins that you commit against others. That would be going against His justice. We can never be forgiven for breaking haqq-un-naas, the rights of others, unless the person whom we have wronged forgives us himself. This makes haqq-un-naas a major sin, and one that is unforgivable. The next question is "What actions break haqq-un-naas?" A person has a right over you even when he is not there. Imagine you were at a gathering, and were discussing with others. If I am not at that gathering, I still have a right that my name should not be insulted, nor my reputation spoilt. This means that if you do Gheebat, or Tohmat, or Fitna in which my name is mentioned then you have committed a sin against me. Such a sin cannot be forgiven unless I have forgiven it. It is because of these high consequences that we should avoid committing actions that breach the rights of others. This shows that Islam is a religion that not only benefits a person directly, but also helps the community in general. Where else can you find a law the commands you, not to insult others and tells you to guard their reputation in public and private. You are answerable for haqq-un-naas even after death. Islam advises that we should seek forgiveness from the person whom we have wronged before one of the parties dies. If a person dies before forgiving the other, then there is no direct way of obtaining forgiveness, and that sin will carry forward until the day of Judgment. 57 Class 7 Akhlaq

182 Consider the danger of this sin! Allah who can create the universe and destroy it in one stroke; who can perform any action conceivable; who is eternal and lives forever, even He cannot forgive us for crimes against haqq-un-naas. He Himself has told us that only the person who has been wronged can forgive. This does not matter whether the person is a Muslim, or a nonmuslim, whether he is a sinner, or a believer. Class 7 Akhlaq 58

183 11.1 Worksheet: Service to Humanity Choose the correct answer: 1. Islam is a religion for a: a. Country b. Continent c. Community 2. Human life without is transformed into animal life. a. Food and water b. Friends c. Consideration 3. According to Prophet Muhammad(s) a person that had no interest in the life of other Muslim is a. Not a good Muslim himself b. A good person because he at least he/she takes care of himself. c. None of the above 4. Suppose your friends needs extensive help with his homework and wants to meet you to do it at your house, but you have so many assignment due yourself that you cannot spare much time. You really want to help so you take some time out only to call your friend at home and give some quick guidelines on how to get the homework done. You probably will be: a. Punished since you didn t let your friend come to your house for help. b. Prone to a life of misery since you should have helped more. c. Rewarded since you sincerely wanted to help and did try your best to do so. 5. Haqq- un- nass refers to the rights of: a. Rights of your father b. Rights of people c. Rights of your neighbor 59 Class 7 Akhlaq

184 6. Allah is very forgiving provided we are sincere. So if we hurt the feelings of our friend and ask sincere forgiveness from Allah, he will a. Probably forgive us if we are really sorry b. Forgive us only if our friend has forgiven us c. Never forgive us because we committed a sin against the rights of people 7. Imam Hussein (a) gave water to the army of Hurr even though Hurr was at that time representing the enemy. This is a great example of a. Hurr s piety and sincerity b. Imam Hussein s (a) forgiveness and service to humanity c. Ubaydullah s negligence and planning. Short Answer Questions: 8. Give two examples of how you can be of service to humanity. 9. If you told a lie about a friend to another friend what would you have to do to get forgiveness from Allah? 10. What did Imam Hussein (a) say about help that people ask for? Class 7 Akhlaq 60

185 Chapter 12: Care for the Environment One way to be of service to humanity that none of us think about is to care for the environment. You must have learnt in school about saving the earth. Islam has similar views on protecting the environment. Allah created us all, and made us the inheritors of the earth. He gave us the world and all the creatures within so that we may live and prosper by using them, not abusing them. He mentions in Qur'an 6:165» It is He who has made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: When we inherit something we must take good care of it especially if we want to pass it on to the next generation. If we abuse it or neglect it we may damage it beyond repair. Our world is getting used, and abused. We cannot throw that away. We only have one world, our world, and only by keeping it clean and conserving its resources can we make sure it lasts. Consider the house you live in and sleep in. What would happen if you did not bother to clean up the mess you made, the dishes, the clothes, the dust, and the dirt? What if you didn t care of regular maintenance of the actual building structure? If this were not dealt with, then your house would soon become uninhabitable. To make sure your house is livable you would have to sincerely and periodically maintain it. We inherited the earth from our ancestors and it is our responsibility to look after it so that we can hand it down in good condition to the next generation. Our planet has about 4 billion people, if we do not act responsibly and save the environment then where can we go when it becomes too polluted to live in? What can we do to save the environment? We can start by realizing that we should not waste things. Everything in this universe is created by Allah, and serves His purpose. Allah has blessed us with so many natural resources but we should have the courtesy to spend them with care use them sparingly without waste. As it is Islam condemns Asraaf. The more we waste, the more we throw away and multiplied by 4 billion it all adds up. We create so much garbage that the landfills are overflowing. Another thing we often overlook is the use of harsh chemicals that damage the environment. We can help save it by using earth friendly products rather than chemicals that may damage the ocean and the sky. 61 Class 7 Akhlaq

186 In fact Islam tells us that we should even respect the existence of plants since Allah explains 55:6» And the herbs and the trees-both (alike) bow in adoration. Let us not be selfish and look after all the creations of Allah. Let us be fair to our planet and the people who will be using it after us. Our responsible actions now may save our planet for future generations to come. Class 7 Akhlaq 62

187 12.1 Worksheet: Care for the Environment Fill in the blanks: 1. To care for the environment is also a to the community. 2. Allah has made us the of the earth. 3. When we inherit something valuable we should look after it so we can pass it on to future generations in. 4. If we our world we may pollute it beyond repair. 5. One way we can help save the planet is to stop things. 6. We need to also remember to reduce the creation of. 7. According to the Qur an plants also in adoration (to Allah) Short Answer Questions: 8. Write down some examples of environmental pollution. 9. Is it just commercial industry that causes pollution, or is it the individual consumer? 10. What solutions, both long term and short term can you think of to prevent pollution? 63 Class 7 Akhlaq

188 Chapter 13: Being Just (Adl) If Islam asks us to be fair to our planet and to Allah s creation then we should remember that man is also Allah s creation. So obviously we should be fair to people too, since this kind of consideration is also a service to humanity and an aspect of morality taught by Islam. All men are equal, rich or poor, black or white. This is the basic principle that Islam has always taught. If people are equal in the eyes of Allah, then they must be treated with equality. This is why it is very important to be fair and just when you are making a decision that affects other people. The story below shows an example of just this: There was a man who was journeying towards Kufa. When he arrived in Kufa, he decided to be a guest of Imam Ali (A). For a number of days, he stayed with Imam (A) without divulging the purpose of his visit; and Imam (A) did not ask either. Finally the man said: "I have a dispute with a particular party here and I have come to get it settled. Would you act as an arbitrator (judge)?" Imam (A) said: "You are party to the dispute, aren't you?" "Yes," the man replied "Then you cannot expect me to be your arbitrator. If you wanted me to decide your case, you should not have become my guest. The Prophet (S) said: 'When a person has been appointed a judge or an arbitrator in a case, he has no right to play host to either of the two sides, except when they are both invited together.'" Justice starts with your own self. You cannot fool yourself about what you are doing. If you can be just with yourself, then it is easier to be just with others. Imam Ali (A) has said that: "He is the most just man that does justice upon himself without anyone else to judge him." When we make decisions concerning other people, we have to decide between what we feel is right and wrong. Not between our friends and enemies. It doesn't even matter if family is involved, what is important is that the truth must be told. The Holy Qur an explains this to us: Class 7 Akhlaq 64

189 (4:135) You who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your family, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), in case you swerve, and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that you do. This verse does not mean you have the right to be disrespectful to your parents or family. It means that if you see them being unjust you should not side with them and discourage the injustice if you can. If you feel that it will be difficult for you not to take sides in a decision, then ask someone else to make the decision. Islam has explained to us how important it is to be fair. Only those people who do not believe in Allah, or who do not care about what Allah says practice injustice. The Hypocrites, men and women, (have an understanding) with each other: they enjoin evil, and forbid what in just, and are close with their hands. They have forgotten God; so He has forgotten them. Allah commands us that we must be just. If we try to cheat or be unfair, then how can we expect Allah to treat us fairly on the Day of Judgment? (16:90) God commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that you may receive admonition. Allah tells us that being just is like being pious; they both gain the pleasure of Allah. (5:9) O you who believe! Stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: THAT IS NEXT TO PIETY: and fear God, for God is well-acquainted with all that you do. 65 Class 7 Akhlaq

190 13.1 Worksheet: Being Just (Adl) Fill in the blanks: 1. The basic principle of Islam is that all human beings are created. 2. We must be when making a decision that affects other people. 3. Justice starts with your own. 4. Imam Ali (a) has said, The most just man will do upon. Choose the correct answer: 5. Jafer is in 8th class. He has made a small group of friends whom he gets along with really well. However his friends always pick on a short boy in class that is not in their group. Jafer feels uncomfortable because that boy is actually quite a nice person. What should Jafer do? a. Join his friends otherwise they will think he is a wimp. b. Ask his friends too stop teasing the boy because it doesn t seem right. c. Let his friends tease the boy but not do so himself. 6. Hanifah and Sana are sisters. Sana has been best friends for the last 3 years with Zoha, but has now found a new best friend. When Zoha comes over Sana ignores her and is mean to her, thus hurting her feelings. Hanifah sides with her sister and does the same thing. What could have Hanifah done that would have been more Islamic? a. She should have ignored everyone and made her own friends. b. She should have been nicer to her sister s new friend. c. She should have treated Zoha the same way she did before. 7. Farwah and Azeema are friends. Azeema gets in an argument with a girl at the Sunday school they go to. She uses bad language and insults against this girl. The argument escalates so that they have to go to the principal s office. Farwah knows Azeema was rude but she supports her because she is a good friend and tells the principal that Azeema has not done anything wrong. Did Farwah do the right thing? Class 7 Akhlaq 66

191 a. No because not only was she unjust to the other girl, she lied to save her friend. b. Yes because Azeema was her friend and it was Farwah s duty to support her. c. Yes because she didn t even know the other girl so how could she side with her. 8. Kulthum s little brother takes part in a school poster-coloring contest. She is asked to be a judge in the competition since she is a frequent volunteer for school events. Kulthum knows how hard her brother has worked and how eager he is to win. She doesn t think she will like any posters better than her brother s. What would be the fairest thing for her to do? a. She should ask someone else to make the decision because she thinks she may be biased in her opinion. b. She should make sure she does judge because that way she can vote for her hardworking, eager brother and increase his chances of winning. c. She should ask another friend who actually favors her brother to judge in her place. Short Answer Questions: 9. Explain what is meant by the Qur an when it suggests that for justice you should go against your parents, or your family What, according to the Qur an is the similarity between being pious and being just? 67 Class 7 Akhlaq

192 Chapter 14: Keeping Secrets Safe The practice of being just and fair leads us to another topic. Is it really fair to betray someone s secret? Is it really moral to tell people something someone wanted to keep quiet? Every human being possesses secrets. They are affairs that they would rather not disclose to others, due to embarrassment, shame, guilt or such reasons. Zahid, a 7th class student goes to school and opens up his notebook just to find out he has a pop quiz. He is really not ready for this quiz and he knows he has an A average in this class. He is so worried that he might fail the quiz that he does what he never imagined possible. His notebook is open and he can glance at most of the writing. He cheats on the quiz! The teacher does not find out because he is usually such a good student that she trusts him. When Zahid got home his secret and the fact he did something wrong both began to nag him. So he called up his friend Radha and told him what he did, but asked him not to tell anyone. Radha was so surprised that he could not keep it to himself. He let out Zahid s secret. Meanwhile Zahid spent a sleepless night. His conscience continually bothered him. He had never cheated before. He realized in the morning that he could not go through with this. So, as soon as he got to school he went to his teacher and told her what he had done. The teacher was upset, but forgave Zahid because of his honesty and feelings of regret and told him he would have to take a makeup quiz. Zahid felt so much better and walked happily back to the class where his friends were waiting. As soon as he approached them he heard one of them say, Hey we never knew you were such a cheat! Then they all laughed. Zahid was so embarrassed, but even more so he was angry and hurt that Radha had betrayed his trust. Radha had definitely not proved to be a good friend. If he had really wanted to help Zahid he would have kept the secret and advised Zahid to go and tell the truth. The above story shows that by telling our friends secrets we extremely hurt them. We embarrass them and break their trust in us. When someone tells you a secret, they trust you with something very important, and we do not realize this. The Holy Prophet (S) has said that: "He who keeps no pledge has no religion". In the Holy Qur'an Surah 8 ayah 27 Allah says: Class 7 Akhlaq 68

193 "O ye that believe! betray not the trust of God and the apostle, nor exploit knowingly things entrusted to you" If someone was to hand over some money to you, and say "Please look after this, don't give it to anybody." Now, if you agreed, and then were to go and give that money to someone else, you would be breaking your word, even if you were to get the money back. It is the same with a secret, it is something entrusted to you, (AMANAH), and you do not have any right to disclose it to anyone else. The Holy Prophet (S) has said that: "Four things when allowed to enter a house become the cause of spoiling and depriving it of prosperity," of those four things, one of them is the breach of trust. He also said: "A hypocrite is recognized by three signs: 1. He lies when he talks, 2. He breaks promises, 3. He betrays when trusted." If someone reveals a secret to you, and you feel that by telling someone else, you may be able to help him, what to do you do? In this case, it is not a sin to tell the other person's secret, as long as you do not give his identity, and that you SINCERELY feel that it is for his good. One thing we should always remember, Imam Ali (A) has told us, if we cannot keep our secrets to ourselves, and tell others, how can we expect them to guard our secrets, when we ourselves cannot! 69 Class 7 Akhlaq

194 14.1 Worksheet: Keeping Secrets Safe Fill in the blanks: 1. Everyone has, or affairs that they would rather not share with others. 2. People may not want to share certain things due to, guilt, or shame. 3. When someone asks you to keep something to yourself they are you with something important. 4. When you reveal a friend s secret, you betray him/her, embarrass him/her, and him/her. 5. If someone tells you a secret it is an (something entrusted upon you). Choose the correct answer: 6. If a friend tells you a secret about something s/he did wrong the best thing to do is to a. Tell others so s/he doesn t do it again. b. To keep the secret but advise him/her to correct the wrong act or talk to his/her parents. c. To go tell his/her parents right away since he would never tell them. 7. According to the Holy Prophet what does breach of trust do to your prosperity? a. Increase it or double it b. Stabilize it c. Reduce it or ruin it Short Answer Questions: 8. What are the three signs of a hypocrite? Class 7 Akhlaq 70

195 9. If you feel that you have to tell your friend s secret in order to help him what should you do? 10. How would you have reacted if you were Zahid s friend? 71 Class 7 Akhlaq

196 Chapter 15: Telling the Truth To lead a moral life one would have to make sure to always tell the truth. Truthfulness is something that everyone knows to be important, but yet it is one of the most difficult virtues to make into a habit. How many times do we lie in a day? Sometimes to avoid people or responsibilities, sometimes to get out of trouble, or sometimes just to make ourselves look big, and to get attention. Prophet Muhammad (S) has said, "Leave falsehood and make speaking the truth a habit." "If a person has a habit of speaking lies, he is a hypocrite until he rids himself of the habit." No matter who you are talking to there should never be any reason to avoid the truth. If you are honest in your dealings with people, you have nothing to hide and you should be able to say the truth without fear. The Qur'an also tells us to tell the truth, and not to cover it with lies. 2:42: And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when you know (what it is). Furthermore, our Prophet (S) has explained to us, "Beware of association with the liar for he is like a mirage which draws the far one nearer to you and the nearer far from you." If you make the habit of lying, then you will lie very often without even realizing it. You will lie to your family, your friends and everybody you meet. Then one day you will be caught out because you will have trapped yourself in a corner, and there will be no escape. Also if you make a habit of lying you will start doing other things which are even worse. One evil leads you to another. Consider the following story: Ranya and Julia were friends and went to the same school. Ranya was Muslim but felt embarrassed when she had to do something that a non-muslim would not understand. Julia would often ask questions about Ranya s culture and religion and that too made Ranya uncomfortable. Once Julia asked her, Do you have to dress a certain way if you are Muslim, because I see many Muslims in scarves? Class 7 Akhlaq 72

197 Oh no, lied Ranya, Only the really weird Muslims do that. Nobody wears the scarf in my house. Ranya s mom used to wear hijab and Ranya did too at the masjid. And since she was going to start middle school she had promised her mom she would wear hijab the next year herself. But Ranya did not want Julia to know all of this. She knew she had until next year. Besides Ranya also knew she would be going to the Islamic school then. Julia would never find out. The next year, to Ranya s horror, the Islamic school was full so she had to go back to her regular school. She had already lied to Julia and did not want Julia to think that she was not only weird but also a liar. Ranya thought hard about what she could do. Then she came up with a plan. She asked her mom if she could walk with a group of neighboring kids to school. Her mom was reluctant, but Ranya pleaded and said, Come on mom, what s wring with walking if you are with a group of people. It is safe and you will not have to get out to drop me. Besides the school is only a 3-minute walk away. I promise you I will be responsible. Ranya s mom gave in. So Ranya walked to school and when she was out of her mother s sight she took off her hijab and put it in her bag. On the way back home she took the hijab out and wore it again. Ranya got home and heaved a sigh of relief, glad that she was able to save face in this manner. A few weeks later Ranya was walking to school and stopped at the spot where she took off her hijab. As she took it off and was putting it in her bag she heard someone almost scream, Oh my God Ranya! Is it really you? Ranya turned abruptly into the face of her good friend Julia who had also decided to walk to school that day. I..I I., grasping for words that couldn t come. Julia looked at her with a disgusted expression. Wow! I don t believe this. How long have you been wearing this? Quite long, admitted Ranya. Well, why didn t you tell me? I don t have anything against it. What kind of friend do you think I am? Do you think I judge you by the way you look? Come on Ranya we ve been such good friends. I don t believe you lied to me like that for so long! What else have you lied to me about? You know something I can t be your friend any more! I don t think I can trust you! So for Ranya one lie led her to commit other sins: She continued to lie, she cheated her mother, she took off her hijab, and in the process she hurt the feelings of a good friend. And what did she gain but disrespect, mistrust, and the loss of a friend? 73 Class 7 Akhlaq

198 15.1 Worksheet: Truthfulness Write down T for truth and F for false: 1. It is fine to lie if nobody is likely to find out. 2. Small lies such as I forgot my homework at home are excusable. 3. People who start to lie may continue doing so and it can then become a habit. 4. According to our Prophet, a liar is a hypocrite. 5. The hadith of Prophet Muhammad (s) has explained to us that lying pushes our close acquaintances away from us. 6. To lead a moral life you must refrain from lying. 7. One evil leads to another. 8. If you lie to Non-Muslims then it is o.k. Short Answer Questions: 9. Suppose your mother asks you if your homework is done. You are playing a game, you know it is almost done and you intend to finish it right after the game. So you say, yes. Why is even this small lie discouraged in Islam? 10. In the story above what would you have done if you were Ranya? How do you think Julia felt when she found out she had been lied to? Write down 3 or 4 adjectives that would describe the feelings. Class 7 Akhlaq 74

199 Chapter 16: Ehsan and Shukr In essence this means to thank Allah, for the favors that He has provided for us. Gratitude to Allah should be present in every Muslim attempting to lead a moral life. It would surely be immoral not to be grateful to our Creator who has been infinitely kind to us. To be thankful to Allah is actually an important part of worship, or faith in Islam. Imam Ali (A) has said, "Eeman (faith) is divided into two halves: one half lies in patience and the other in THANKFULNESS". People often ask how you can call being thankful an act of worship, but Prophet Muhammad (S) explains to us in very simple words the following, "There are people who worship Allah for the sake of (fulfilling their) desires and that is the worship of business people. And verily there are those who worship Allah out of fear of Him, this is the worship of slaves. But there are those who worship out of thanks giving to Him, this being the worship of free minded people and is the best of worship" Allah does not require our thanks, He does not benefit from it in any way. As always, the reason why Islam asks us to perform any action is so that we may benefit from it ourselves. By thanking Allah, we make ourselves remember that it was He who granted us His blessings; it was not just our own doing. He declares in Qur'an Surah 27, Ayah 40, "...and he who is grateful, verily he is grateful to his own self, and whoever is ungrateful, then verily My Lord is Self-Sufficient and Bounteous." A thankful person always benefits, from Allah, as well as the people he lives with, as the following hadith shows: "That man best deserves a kindness who, when he is put off, bears it patiently; when he is refused, excuses it; and when he receives it, Is THANKFUL." If we thank Allah, and show our appreciation, then with His infinite Grace, He will grant us even more. In Qur'an, Surah 14 Ayah 7, we are told, "If you are grateful I will increase My favours unto you..." 75 Class 7 Akhlaq

200 But instead, man has the bad habit to think that everything he gets is from his own work, rather then from Allah. When we tell people that Allah has given us everything we often say, "This money which I have here, and the money that is in the bank, who has given that to me! Nobody has given that it to me; I have earned it all by MYSELF, with MY hard work." This is surely a narrow-minded approach. There are so many things we can be grateful for: the air we breathe; the food we have; the health Allah gave us. There are countless blessings. Even if we do not have as much as one person we may have more than another. Yet, even after all the blessings Allah grants, we still forget that it is Him that has given us all we have. There are people are looking for work, for example and have a degree and job experience but are experiencing bad luck so cannot find a job. Yet when they get the job instead of thanking Allah for reversing their luck they start thinking that they had worked so hard, they were bound to find the job. Allah says in Qur'an Surah 100, Ayah 6-8, "Truly Man is, to his Lord, ungrateful; And to that fact He bears witness by his deeds; and violent is he in his love of wealth." How should we be thankful? If we have been successful in any way whatsoever we should thank Allah for the opportunities that made us successful. When we do something good, get good grades, or get a reward, we should thank Allah, because He is the one who sent the blessing to us. After we offer our prayers, we should go into Sajdah, and actually talk to Allah, thanking Him for the favors we received that day, thanking Him that no accident occurred, and that we have been given another day to live. Our gratitude can go beyond that. It can be shown not just in prayers or in words, but in action. The best thanks to Allah is by PERFORMING SOMETHING THAT HELPS OTHER HUMAN beings, since Allah is above any needs. Class 7 Akhlaq 76

201 16.1 Worksheet: Ehsan, Shukr Fill in the blanks: 1. Ehsan or shukr means to Allah, for the favors that He has provided for us. 2. To be grateful to Allah is an important part of. 3. Imam Ali (a) has said that faith is divided in to parts one of which is to be grateful to Allah. Write T for true and F for false 4. Allah does not benefit from our thanks. 5. If we are thankful to Allah, he will grant us even more 6. If we worked hard for something it is probably our own doing that we are successful. Choose the correct answer: 7. The best worship according to Prophet Muhammad is that which is done: a. For the sake of desires b. Out of fear of Allah c. Out of gratitude to Allah 8. The best way to thank Allah is to say: a. Thank you to him 100 times since that makes up one whole tasbeeh of thanks. b. Write a thank you note to Him. c. Do something that may help someone. 77 Class 7 Akhlaq

202 Short Essay: 9. One way we could thank Allah is by: a. Providing food and clothing for the needy if Allah has given us enough. b. Announcing at the masjid that we are very thankful to Allah because He has made us very rich. c. Going into sajdah and sincerely thanking Him for every breath we have. d. Both a and b e. Both a and c 10. Write down 5 blessings that you are thankful for (try to use examples not mentioned in this chapter). Write down how you think your life would be without these blessings Class 7 Akhlaq 78

203 Chapter 17: Qardh-e-Hasanah Qardh-e-hasanah means to give a loan to those who require aid. In Islam, there is a moral duty and a unity that should bind all Muslims. This duty should be so strong that material goods should be put aside to fulfill it. If there is a person who has had the ability to be successful and has made a good and profitable business, then he should thank Allah for the opportunities that made him successful. This gratitude should not be just in prayers or in words, but in action. The best thanks to Allah is by performing something that helps other human beings, because Allah is above any needs. Allah has explained this concept of lending money to those who require it as a loan to Allah Himself. In Suratul Baqarah, Ayah 245, Allah declares: "Who is he that will lend to God a fair loan so that He will multiply it to him manifold;... " We should know that any loan that is lent to Allah will be paid back manifold (many times). Allah also says in Qur'an, Surah 64, Ayah 17: "If you lend to God a beautiful loan, He will double it to your credit, and He will grant you forgiveness: for God is most ready to appreciate service." Since Allah has given you opportunities to be successful, you should go out of your way to provide opportunities for others. If someone comes to you and asks you for financial or other aid, it becomes your duty to help him. You should lend him as much as you can if you have the means, and give him further assistance. However, this duty is mutual. The facility of Qardh e Hasanah has been provided by Islam so that the community as a whole can develop and prosper while at the same time become more united. Thus, the one who borrows the money should have the intention to pay it back as quickly as he possibly can, and should not delay. If he misuses the facility, then he is taking advantage of the system, and will cause difficulties for others. 79 Class 7 Akhlaq

204 What is the concept behind this giving, why is it so important? There is a saying that a man will manage to find sleep at night even though a relative may have died the previous day, but the day he has lost his money, he will never sleep. This highlights particular vices that exist in a man's heart, greed and selfishness. If a man is able to lend a substantial amount of money, without any profit in return for himself, then he has conquered both these vices. He has conquered the SELFISHNESS by letting the money out of his hands, to give others the chance of becoming successful. He has also conquered the GREED because he knows he will earn no profit on the money, because to charge interest is Haraam. We must always help our community and people at large, if we stop to ponder for a moment, tomorrow we will not be on this earth any more, but our book of deeds will remain open. If we leave behind us people who will remember us for helping them, we will still gain blessings. If on the other hand, the only memory that people have of us is our meanness, then on the Day of Judgment, what will be the use of all our wealth and rich Class 7 Akhlaq 80

205 17.1 Worksheet: Qardh-e-Hasanah Fill in the blanks: 1. Qardh-e-hasanah means to give a to those who require aid. 2. The duty to all Muslims should be so strong that material goods should be put aside to fulfill it. 3. A person who has had success should Allah for the opportunities that have made him successful. 4. is above any needs 5. The facility of Qardh-e-hasanah is provided by Islam so that the community as a whole can and, while at the same time become more united. 6. In the Qur an Allah has promised that if anyone lends to Allah, Allah will: a. Multiply it to him manifold. b. Make him pay interest. c. Make sure his mortgage gets paid. 7. Giving a loan to Allah actually refers to: a. Giving a loan to someone in need of it. b. Providing opportunities for others. c. None of the above. 8. Qardh-e-hasanah should be mutual. This means that a. If someone gives a loan to you should give one to your neighbor b. If you give a loan to someone then that person has to you a loan when you want it c. If you give a loan to someone that person must try his or her utmost best to return it to you as soon as possible. 81 Class 7 Akhlaq

206 9. When a Muslim gives another a loan he has conquered two vices. These are: a. Selfishness and greed b. Extravagance and Lying c. Gossiping and Cheating 10. When we die and we have helped people in our life then we: a. Still gain blessings when they remember us b. Make life very hard for them c. Have made it to heaven. Class 7 Akhlaq 82

207 Class 7 History

208 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Section I: Islamic History...5 Chapter 1: Biography of Fatimah Zahra (SA) Worksheet: Biography of Fatimah Zahra (SA)...11 Chapter 2: Imam Ali s (a) Biography Worksheet: Imam Alis (a) Biography...17 Chapter 3: In Mecca - Before Hijrah His Conduct at Dhul Ashira The Sacrifice of Imam Ali (A) on the Night of Migration His Fulfillment of the Obligations of the Prophet (S) in Mecca Worksheet: In Mecca - Before Hijrahh...20 Chapter 4: In Medina - After Hijrah The Declaration of Brotherhood The Marriage of Imam Ali and Syeda Fatimah (S) The Battle of Badr The Battle of Uhud The Battle of Ahzab Removing the Idols from the Holy Ka ba Taking up the Standard at Khyber Worksheet: In Medina - After Hijrah...26 Chapter 5: The Virtues of Imam Ali (a) The Virtues and the Qualities of the Holy Imam (a) His Faith in Allah and the Prophet (s) His Knowledge His Bravery His Eloquence His Ability to Govern His Piety His Generosity To Love the Holy Imam (a) and to be his Shia Worksheet: The Virtues of Imam Ali (a)...31 Chapter 6: The Event of Ghadeer Khum The Farewell Pilgrimage Date and Location Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5: The Sermon Tradition of the Two Weighty Things (thaqalayn) Acknowledgement of Authority Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 5: Hassan b. Thabit's poetry Oath of Allegiance Number of People in Ghadeer Khum Revelation of Qur'anic Verse 70: Worksheet: The Event of Ghadeer Khum...37 Class 7 History 2

209 Chapter 7: The Event of Saqifa The Last Days of the Prophet (s) Worksheet: The Event of Saqifa...42 Chapter 8: Abu Bakr - The First Caliph Worksheet: Abu Bakr - The First Caliph...46 Chapter 9: Omar - The Second Caliph Worksheet: Omar - The Second Caliph...51 Chapter 10: Othman - The Third Caliph Worksheet: Othman - The Third Caliph...55 Chapter 11: The Caliphate of Imam Ali (a) Worksheet: Caliphate of Imam Ali (a)...60 Chapter 12: The Battle of Jamal Worksheet: The Battle of Jamal...65 Chapter 13: The Battle of Siffeen Worksheet: Battle of Siffeen...70 Chapter 14: The Battle of Nahrawan Worksheet: The Battle of Nahrawan...74 Chapter 15: The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a) Worksheet: The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a)...78 SECTION II: Special Occasions...80 Chapter 16: Imam Hussein (a) & the Events at Kerbala Journey of Imam Hussein (a) from Medina to Iraq Ashura Conclusions Worksheet: Imam Hussein (a) and the Events at Kerbala...85 Chapter 17: Ali Akbar (a) - Son of Imam Hussein(a) Worksheet: Ali Akbar (a) - Son of Imam Hussein (a)...93 Chapter 18: Abbas Ibn Ali Ibn Abu Talib (a) Pure lineage Childhood and Upbringing Name and Titles of Abbas Ibn Ali (a) Al-Abbas Abu l-fadhl Abu-Qirba Abu l-qasim Qamar Bani Hashim As-Saqqaa Battal ul-alqami Hamil ul-liwaa Kebsh ul-kateeba Al-Ameed Bab ul-hawaaij Ash-Shahid Al-Abd us-salih Al-Aabid Bab Ul-Hussein Worksheet: Abbas Ibn Ali Ibn Abu Talib (a) Appendix A: Important Personalities to Remember Abu Talib Abdul Muttalib Abu Sufiyan Hamzah Class 7 History 3

210 18.9 Aqeel Khalid Bin Al-Walid Ossama Sa ad Bin Abada Ammar Bin Yasir Salman Al-Farsi Al-Moqdad Muawiyah Talha Al-Zubayr Umm Al-Banin Malik Al-Ashtar Amr Bin Al-A hss Abu Mussa Al-Asha rry Mohammed Bin Abi Bakr Abu Thar Marwahhn Bin Al-Hakam Kumail Maitham Al-Tammar Appendix B: Sayings to Remember Appendix C: History Review Questions Appendix D: Maps Appendix E: Genealogy Chart Class 7 History

211 Section I: Islamic History Class 7 History 5

212 Chapter 1: Biography of Fatimah Zahra (SA) Name: Kuniyat: Father: Mother: Birth date: Died Buried: Children: Fatima Umm-ul-Aimma Holy Prophet Muhammad Ibn-e-Abdulla (PBUH) Khadija bint-e-khuwailid Friday 20 th Jamadi-ul-Akhar in Mecca 14 th Jamadi-ul-Awwal at Medina at the age of 18 years. The cemetery of jannatul Baqi at Medina. Imam Hassan (a.s), Imam Hussain (a.s), Lady Zenab (s.a), Lady Umme Kulsum (s.a) Prince Mohsin (a.s) Looking back in history, most if not all the human societies considered women unimportant and irrelevant when it came to political and social events. Men were physically more aggressive therefore they dominated the society. Women were property of men. They could be purchased, mistreated, or killed just like animals. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave women both social and individual rights which elevated the status of woman. Despite in many Islamic countries these rights are not being implemented, the remains encoded in Islamic laws and ethics. Islam (wished) to emancipate woman both physically and mentally. This meant that women were not just a commodity or used to sell goods but they were there to nurture and build societies. Today in the world we live in, women have acquired rights but their physical appearance is still values above their abilities as society builders. Have we ever had women in our history that we can use as a role model? The answer is Yes we have had a few very good role models such as: Syeda Khadijah (S.A.), Syeda Fatimah (S.A.), and Syeda Zainab (S.A.). From being a businesswoman to politician they bravely walked through territories that were forbidden to women in their time. Each of these ladies performed an incredible role in their own time and left a remarkable print in history. Here is a brief life history of one of them. 6 Class 7 History

213 Our Lady of Light was born on Friday the 20th of Jamaadi u thaani. She was named Fatimah meaning separated and that is because her followers are separated from Hell because of her. She had many titles and nicknames the most famous one being Zahra means luminous. Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: When Fatimah prayed, she shined for the Heavens as the stars shine for people on earth. Most Shia and Sunni commentators believe that Surah Al-Kawthar (Extreme Blessing) came down in connection with her birth. The love of Syeda Fatimah for her father and vice versa was immense. Whenever Syeda Fatimah (SA) arrived the Prophet (PBUH) would get up from his place, kiss her and make her sit next to himself. This was not only to show respect to her but also to set an example for Muslim men in their behavior toward Muslim women. The Prophet (PBUH) used to say; Fatimah is a piece of me, whoever tortures her has tortured me, and whoever pleases her has pleased me. One day he said to her; O Fatimah God gets pleased on you being pleased and gets furious due to your unhappiness. She was six years old when her mother Khadijah (SA) passed away. After the death of her mother she always looked after her father. Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) came home injured from harassing enemies she would wash the blood from his face, dress his wounds, and encouraged him with her sweet conversation. At such times when the Prophet was a stranger in his own land and was struggling against ignorance, it was Syeda Fatimah (SA) who strengthened his hopes. That is why the Prophet used to say: May your father sacrifice his life upon you. He also called her Mother of Her Father because she was like a mother to her father. Being brought up by her father, Syeda Fatimah (SA) not only adopted his graceful manner but also became well acquainted with Qur an and religious laws. Once she grew older, many men including Abu Bakr and Omar asked her hand in marriage. But the Prophet (PBUH) said, I am waiting for revelation in this connection. The revelation came, God ordered, Oh my Prophet get the Light (Noor) married to the Light i.e. Get Fatimah (SA) married to Ali (AS). When Imam Ali (AS) approached the Prophet (PBUH) to request the hand of Syeda Fatimah (SA) in marriage he had nothing from the wealth of the world. The Prophet (PBUH) asked Syeda Fatimah (SA) her opinion by saying; Oh daughter you know fully well that Ali (AS) was the first ever faithful out of the lot. I had prayed to God, to give the best husband to you. Class 7 History 7

214 Therefore, God has selected Ali (AS) for your husband, so what is your opinion? Syeda Fatimah (SA) remained silent. The father took her silence as the token of her being agreed and arranged a modest ceremony. The Prophet told the couple that they were the best people for each other and sent them to their home that was eight kilometers from Medina where the Prophet (PBUH) had stayed on migration from Mecca and had waited a week for Ali (AS). But soon they moved back to Medina and resided in a house next to the Prophet s house because the father and daughter could not tolerate separation from each other. This is the same house of Ahlul Bait of purity and piety that is praised by the Holy Qur an. The relationship between Syeda Fatimah (SA) and Ali (AS) is a perfect example for every Muslim couple. There was love and respect and since both people followed the same set of rules (God s rules) any issues were settled in a rational way. To describe their relationship Imam Ali (AS) once said; I swear to Allah that I never made Fatimah angry and never ordered her to do something she did not like and she also never made me angry and never disobeyed me. The fruit of their marriage were four unique human beings, two boys and two girls. Although AlSyeda Fatimah (SA) was the daughter of the head of the state, she never acted like royalty. A lot of times she had no servants to help her with house chores and so from grinding the wheat to baking the bread and looking after the children she did herself. She never asked her husband for unworthy material possessions. Together they attended to the training of their children in a perfect manner. It is recorded that they never got angry with their children or said anything to hurt their feelings. She brought up her children in an environment full of love of Allah and respect for humanity. She and her husband were perfect role models for their children. During the Nights of Qadr in Ramadhan Syeda Fatimah (SA) would feed the family a light meal and put away the beds to encourage them to stay up all night and offer prayers. This way she fed their souls as well as their bodies. Events after the Demise of the Prophet (PBUH) The night that the Prophet (PBUH) was in his death bed Syeda Fatimah (SA) kept his company while reciting Qur an for him. Nothing was more soothing to him than listening to God s Words being recited by his best creature. 8 Class 7 History

215 Syeda Fatimah (SA) never really got over the grief of her father s separation. It was as if what the Prophet (PBUH) said about them being a part of each other was true in a spiritual sense. Besides the loss of her father she had another reason to grief. Her husband s right to be the next Caliph of the Muslim nation was taken away from him. She was clearly in shock over the fact that those who pretended to be the closest people to the Prophet (PBUH) were the first ones to ignore his orders. Coming back from his last Hajj the messenger of Allah clearly introduced Ali (AS) as his successor.syeda Fatimah (SA) realized the unjust nature of the political decision that was made so she did not remain silent. She raised her voice in opposition to the appointment of Abu Bakr as the Caliph. Some Muslims who were brave enough to take the side of the truth gathered in Syeda Fatimah s house to show their objection to the appointment of Abu Bakr. When Abu Bakr was chosen only by the people gathering in Saqifa, he sent Omar to Syeda Fatimah s (SA) house to bring in Imam Ali (AS) and others for swearing allegiance by force. Omar and others went there carrying fire with them. When he arrived there Syeda Fatimah (SA) came to the door and asked the reason for his coming. Omar said that he wanted to take Imam Ali (AS) and others by force. Syeda Fatimah (SA) prohibited him and others from doing that. Therefore some of the people following Omar dispersed but Omar who got angry threatened to put the house with all the people in it in fire. At this time people who had gathered in Syeda Fatimah s house exited the house. Omar followed them and broke some of their swords. But still Imam Ali (AS) and his family were inside. Omar put the door on fire and entered the house by force. He and his followers dragged Imam (AS) by force to the mosque where Abu Bakr was. During that traumatic event Syeda Fatimah (SA) who was pregnant at the time got injured, nevertheless she went to the Mosque to defend her husband. She gave a fiery speech and warned Omar and Abu Bakr of Allah s anger and punishment. Syeda Fatimah was also oppressed on Fadak after the Prophet s (PBUH) death. Fadak is a village 165 Kilometers from Medina that produced lots of date palms. Fadak belonged to the Jews but they granted it to the Prophet (PBUH). So it was considered Anfal which belongs to Allah and the Prophet (PBUH) as Holy Qur an says. After the verse" Give your family their rights came down, the Prophet (PBUH) granted Fadak to Al-Fatimah (SA) as Allah had ordered. Imam Ali (AS) and Syeda Fatimah (SA) had some agents in Fadak who worked there and sent the income to them after the harvest. Syeda Fatimah (SA) gave the agents a salary first and divided the remaining among the needy, although her living condition was so simple that sometimes she and her family slept hungry, because they would grant their daily food to the others in need. After the death of the Prophet (PBUH), Abu Bakr claimed that Prophet s inheritance belonged to all Muslims and took Fadak away from Al-Fatimah (SA). Syeda Fatimah (SA) defended her right in two ways. Class 7 History 9

216 First, she introduced several people who had witnessed that the Prophet (PBUH) had granted Fadak to her as a gift when he was alive. So Fadak was not inheritance. Second, she brought several verses from Qur an that showed Abu Bakr s claim to be invalid. Her speech was so logical that nobody was doubtful that Fadak belonged to her. However, it was not returned to her or her family until the time of Omar. But it was again usurped when Othman was Caliph. Syeda Fatimah s terrible injury during Omar s attack to her home was taking a toll on her. She grew more ill every day. During the last days of her life Omar and Abu Bakr went to visit her. Although Syeda Fatimah (SA) rejected them first they insisted and finally managed to meet her. Then she reminded them of Prophet s (BPUH) statement: Any one who makes Syeda Fatimah angry has made me angry and one who pleases her pleases me. They confirmed that saying. Then, she called Allah and angels to witness that they (Abu Bakr and Omar) had made her angry and never pleased her and she would clearly complain to the Prophet (PBUH) of them. Just before her death she made requested that Imam Ali (AS) give her ghusl, shroud her, and bury her at night. She did not want any of the people who oppressed her to be present at her burial. It was third of Jamaadi u thaani, year eleven after Hijrah. On that day, Syeda Fatimah (SA) asked for some water. She washed herself, wore new clothes, and lay down in bed facing the Ka ba. Soon the light of her existence was extinguished. At the time of her sorrowful demise Imam Hassan (AS) was 7, Imam Hussein (AS) was 6, Zainab (SA) was 5, and Umme Kulthum (SA) was 3 years old. She herself was 18. Her death was in the same year as the Prophet (PBUH). Imam Ali (AS) did every thing according to her will. After the bathing and shrouding was done, he told Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Hussein (AS) to notify some of Prophet s (PBUH) real companions whom Syeda Fatimah (SA) was satisfied with to participate in her burial ceremony (they were not more than 7). After they arrived, he said prayers and then buried her while their children were crying. When the burial ceremony ended Imam Ali (AS) turned to Prophet s (PBUH) shrine and said: Regards to you the messenger of Allah, I am returning to you that which you have entrusted me. Your daughter will inform you of how your community oppressed her. Today after passing many years, still her shrine is hidden and it will remain hidden until her son Imam Mahdi (AS) reappears. He will show us his mother s shrine, Insha- Allah. Peace be upon her pure soul. 10 Class 7 History

217 1.1 Worksheet: Biography of Fatimah Zahra (SA) Choose the correct answer: 1. The Prophet of Islam challenged the view that women were a. Very professional b. Very weak c. All of the above d. Unimportant and irrelevant 2. In the past a woman knew that she had no freedom, now she thinks she is free where indeed she is a slave of a society. a. Scientific a. Commercialized b. Industrialized c. Democratized 3. One of Syeda Fatimah binte Khadijah s (S) names, Zahra, means a. Happy b. Tortured c. Luminous d. Grief stricken 4. Fatimah is a piece of me, whoever tortures her has tortured me, and whoever pleases her has pleased me. This was said by. a. The Imams b. Khadijah c. Abdullah (Syeda Fatimah s (s) grandfather) d. Prophet Muhammad (s) Class 7 History 11

218 5. The Prophet (S) refused proposals for his daughter Syeda Fatimah (S) because he was waiting for. a. A revelation from the Qur an b. Some advice from his close friends c. Syeda Fatimah (s) to get older d. None of the above 6. When Syeda Fatimah (S) realized the unjust nature of the political decisions after her father s death she, in accordance with the principles of nahy anil munkar a. Told people they could not stop reading salaat b. Raised her voice in opposition c. Explained to everyone to vote for a better leader for Muslims d. Instructed everyone to stop being bad Muslims Answer the following questions: 7. Who was the true successor to Prophet Muhammad (s)? Write down if you remember when this was announced. 8. How did Syeda Fatimah (s) respond to the atrocious actions of Abu Bakr? 12 Class 7 History

219 9. Syeda Fatimah was heartbroken as she suffered oppression at the hands of those who took office after her father. Name the two things that saddened her extremely. What did she say or do that showed her discontent. 10. If we look at the hadith mentioned in question number 4, who did the oppressors really hurt and sadden? Class 7 History 13

220 Chapter 2: Imam Ali s (a) Biography Name: Ali Title: Al-Murtadha (The One Whom Allah Pleased) Kuniyat: Abul Hassan Father: Abu Talib bin Abdul Muttalib Mother: Fatimah binte Asad Birthdate: 13th Rajab, 23 years before Hijrahh, in Mecca Imamat: From 11 A.H. to 40 A.H. 29 Years ( Years ) Martyrdom: 21st Ramadhan 40 A.H.( 62 Years old ) Buried : Najaf, Iraq. The first Holy Imam (A) was born in the Sacred House, the Holy Ka ba, in Mecca in 600 A.D. The place of his birth was a sign of his position in the eyes of Allah and no one else has ever been born in the Holy Ka ba. Just before he was born, his mother Fatimah binte Asad came to the Holy Ka ba and knelt down to pray. As she raised her head from her prayers, the wall of the sacred building split by a miracle. Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib and some of his companions watched in amazement as she walked into the building that closed behind her. As the door was locked, nobody could get in. Soon the news of this miraculous event had spread round Mecca. Fatimah binte Asad stayed in the Holy Ka ba for three days and on the fourth day she stepped out holding her baby in her arms. The child had squeezed its eyes tightly shut and had not opened them since its birth. As she came out of the Holy Ka ba she saw that the Prophet (S) was anxiously waiting to receive the newly born child. He knew that this child would grow up to strengthen the cause of Islam and prove to be his right hand in the great mission that lay ahead. As he came into the arms of the Prophet (S), the Holy Imam (A) opened his eyes for the first time to look upon the blessed face of Prophethood. In Nahjul Balagha the Holy Imam (A) says, "The Prophet (S) brought me up in his own arms and fed me his own morsel. I followed him wherever he went like a baby camel following its mother. Each day a new part of his character would become known to me and I would accept and follow it as a command." Class 7 History 14

221 His childhood was spent in the company of the Prophet (S) and the Holy Imam (A) was similar in his character, knowledge, self-sacrifice, patience, bravery, kindness and eloquence. From his infancy, he prostrated to Allah with the Prophet (S), and when the message of Prophethood was declared, he was the first man to express that he was a Muslim. After the declaration of Prophethood, the Holy Imam (A) was always ready to serve the Prophet (S) and defend him from his enemies. He used to write down the verses of the Holy Qur'an and discuss them with the Prophet (S) as soon as they were revealed to him. His matchless devotion lasted up to the day when the Prophet (S) passed away in 11 A.H. The Prophet (S) has said of the Holy Imam (A): "O Ali, you are my brother in this world and the Hereafter." "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the gate." (Ana Medinatul `Ilmu wa `Aliyyun Baabuha) "Nobody knows Allah except I and Ali. Nobody knows Ali except Allah and I. Nobody knows me except Allah and Ali." "If you want to see the knowledge of Adam, the piety of Nuh, the devotion of Ibrahim, the awe of Musa and the service and devotion of Isa, look at the bright face of Ali." Among the many titles of the Holy Imam (A) are: 1. Ameer al-mu'mineen (Commander of the Faithful) 2. Sayyid al-wasiyyeen (Master of the successors of Prophets) 3. Qaseem an-naar wal Jannah (Distributor of Hell and Paradise) 4. Saqi al-kawthar (Waiter at the Pool of Kawthar) 5. Haider al-karraar (The Charging Knight) 6. Imam al-muttaqeen (Leader of the Pious) 7. As-Siddeeq al-akbar (The Greatest Testifier) 8. Al-Farooq al-a'zam (The Greatest Distinguisher between Right and Wrong) 9. Ya'soob al-muslimeen (The Best amongst Muslims) 15 Class 7 History

222 10. Khalifatu Rasoolullah (Successor of the Messenger of God) 11. Wasi ar-rasoolullah (The Viceregent of the Messenger of God) 12. Waliullah (The Friend of God) 13. Yadullah (The Hand of God) 14. As-Saafi (The Pure) 15. Asadullah al-ghalib (The Victorious Lion of God) 16 Class 7 History

223 2.1 Worksheet: Imam Alis (a) Biography 1. What is the meaning of the famous Hadith of the Holy Prophet (S): Ana Medinatul `Ilmu wa `Aliyyun Baabuha.? 2. How did Fatimah binte Asad enter into the Holy Ka ba? 3. How did she step out? 4. What is Imam Ali s (a) title that means Commander of the Faithful? Class 7 History 17

224 Chapter 3: In Mecca - Before Hijrah The life of the Imam Ali (a) is filled with events that prove his merits and his position as the foremost amongst Muslims after the Prophet (S). No other person achieved so much or possessed such qualities. Here we list very briefly some highlights from his life. The Holy Prophet (S) lived with his wife Khadijah (A) and his young cousin Imam Ali (A). Abu Talib could not afford to support his four sons due to his poor financial state. As a result, his son Ja far was looked after by his brother Abbas and the Holy Prophet (S) brought up his son Ali (A). In addition, when Imam Ali (A) was born, the Holy Prophet (S) had just lost his own son and Abu Talib's wife Fatimah binte Asad promised him that as soon as her child was a little older, she would hand him over to the Prophet (S). Imam Ali (A) was 9 years old when he came to live with Khadijah (A) and the Holy Prophet (S). 3.1 His Conduct at Dhul Ashira When the Prophet (S) was commanded by Allah to preach to his relatives, he invited 40 persons to his home for a meal. After the meal was over the Prophet (PBUH.) spoke to those present saying, "Oh the sons of Abdul Muttalib, God has ordered me to invite you to embrace Islam and get you introduced to it." Whosoever, having believed in my Prophethood, promises to help and assist me shall be my brother, deputy and successor and my caliph. He repeated this sentence thrice but no one except "Ali (A)" gave a positive response. At that time the Prophet (S) told him, "O Ali, you are my brother, my trustee, my helper, my inheritor and my successor after me". At a time when his own family was not prepared to believe in him, the Prophet (S) received the guarantee of lifetime support from the Holy Imam (A). Imam Ali (A) was always on the side of Prophet Muhammad (S) protecting him from the harassment of the pagans of Mecca. When the situation in Mecca became unbearable to the Muslims, Allah ordered the Prophet and all the Muslims to migrate to Medina. 3.2 The Sacrifice of Imam Ali (A) on the Night of Migration After he had ordered Muslims to leave Mecca for Medina for their safety, the Prophet (S) received the command to migrate himself. As per the command of Allah he asked the Holy Imam (A) to sleep on his bed, while he left the house secretly. Although the Holy Imam (A) was aware that he might be killed in the place of the Prophet (S) he did not hesitate to carry out the order. The plot by the Quraish to collectively kill the Prophet (S) was thus averted and in recognition of the sacrifice of the Holy Imam (A), Allah revealed the following verse: 18 Class 7 History

225 And among men there is one who sells his soul seeking the pleasure of Allah and truly, Allah is affectionate to his (such) servants. Baqarah, 2 : His Fulfillment of the Obligations of the Prophet (S) in Mecca A lot of people in Mecca used to leave their valuables with the Prophet (S) because of his reputation for honesty. Even his enemies trusted him in this matter. After he left for Medina he instructed the Holy Imam (A), who was the only person he could trust, to return the deposits to their owners. He was also entrusted the duty of bringing his own family to Medina. Class 7 History 19

226 3.4 Worksheet: In Mecca - Before Hijrahh Fill in the blanks: 1. At Dhul Ashira, a time when his own family was not prepared to believe in him, the Prophet (S) received the guarantee of lifetime support from Imam (A). 2. At that time the Prophet (S) told him, "O Ali, you are my, my, my helper, my inheritor and my after me" 3. On the night of Migration, although the Holy Imam (A) was aware that he might be killed in the place of the Prophet (S) he did not hesitate to carry out the order to in the Prophet s. 4. The plot by the Quraish to collectively kill the Prophet (S) was thus due to the of the Holy Imam (A), 5. After he left for Medina the Prophet (S), could only trust the Holy Imam (A), to valuables to their owners. 6. Imagine you were a reporter in the times of Dhul Ashira and the night of Migration. In your own words write down a half page report of how Imam Ali supported the Prophet (S). 20 Class 7 History

227 Chapter 4: In Medina - After Hijrah 4.1 The Declaration of Brotherhood After his arrival in Medina, the Holy Prophet (S) was faced with a new challenge of organizing and running this new Muslim state. The Holy Prophet (S) faced three main problems. These were: 1. The danger of attack from the Quraish in Mecca and other idol worshippers from the rest of Arabia. 2. The presence of the Jews of Medina who lived within and outside the city and possessed enormous wealth. 3. The differences that existed between his own supporters. The people who had migrated with him from Mecca (Muhajiroon) and the local Muslims who lived in Medina (Ansar) had been brought up in different environments and there was a great difference in their thinking and culture. Moreover, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj, who made up the Ansar, were sworn enemies of each other and had been fighting for over a hundred years. The first thing the Holy Prophet (S) did was to create peace between the tribes of Aws and Khazraj. He united them on the basis of their common faith in Islam, and told them to forget their old differences. Then, the Holy Prophet (S) turned his attention to the needs of the Muhajiroon. These brave Muslims had left all their wealth and possessions in Mecca to come with the Holy Prophet (S) to Medina. They had no wealth or property. On the command of Allah, the Holy Prophet (S) established brotherhood between the Muhajiroon and Ansar. He paired off each Muhajir with one Ansar and declared them brothers. The generous Ansar gave over one half of their wealth to their new brothers so that they could live comfortably in Medina. At the end of all the pairings, only Imam Ali (A) was left. He asked the Holy Prophet (S) who his brother would be. The Holy Prophet (S) declared, "O Ali, you are my brother in this world as well as the next." By this simple method, the Holy Prophet (S) ensured the unity of the Muslims and this unity enabled him to concentrate on other problems. The Muslim state in Medina was new and vulnerable. In order to establish peace and provide security for all citizens of Medina and its Class 7 History 21

228 surroundings, the Holy Prophet (S) drafted an agreement to establish peace between the Muslims and the Jews living around Medina. 4.2 The Marriage of Imam Ali and Syeda Fatimah (S) The Muslims realized that the person who married this great lady would not need to be rich and powerful, but would have to possess her qualities of truthfulness, piety and excellence. Therefore, some people suggested to Imam Ali (A) that he should go to the Prophet (S) and place a proposal for himself. Imam Ali (A) also wished this, and he approached the Prophet (S). Imam Ali (A) felt shy at his request but when the Prophet (S) encouraged him to speak what was on his mind, he managed to tell him. On receiving the proposal of Imam Ali (A), the Prophet (S) was so pleased that he smiled and said, "It is a welcome and happy proposal." However, he asked Imam Ali (A) to wait till he asked his daughter. When the Prophet (S) mentioned the proposal of Imam Ali (A) to Syeda Fatimah (S), she remained quiet due to her modesty. However, from her silence, her approval was clear to the Prophet (S) and he declared, Fatimah s silence is her acceptance. In those days, Imam Ali (A) owned nothing except his sword and battle armor. He was advised by the Prophet (S) to sell the armor to meet the expense of marriage. With the money from the sale, the items of dowry for Syeda Fatimah (S) were purchased. In the month of Ramadhan, 2nd A.H. the Holy Prophet (S) performed the marriage ceremony of his daughter. All the Muhajiroon and Ansar gathered for the wedding, and Imam Ali (A) arranged for a feast (Walimah). The Prophet (S) informed his daughter of the virtues and qualities of her husband. Then he turned to Imam Ali (A) and mentioned the excellence of his daughter and said that if Imam Ali (A) had not been born, there would have been none else to match her. He then divided the duties of life between them. He told Syeda Fatimah (S) to take care of all the household affairs while he made Imam Ali (A) responsible for the outdoor duties. 4.3 The Battle of Badr The pagans of Mecca and the Muslims clashed on 17th of Ramadhan 2 A.H. The Muslim army consisted of 313 soldiers, possessing only 2 horses and 70 camels. The Meccan army had 900 soldiers, 100 horses and 700 camels. They were much better equipped than the Muslims. According to Arab custom, there was single combat before the battle began. Three famous warriors, Utbah bin Rabiyyah, Shaybah bin Rabiyyah and Walid bin Utbah challenged the 22 Class 7 History

229 Muslims. The Holy Prophet (S) then sent Ubaydah, Hamzah and Imam Ali (A). Ubaydah faced Utbah, Hamzah faced Shaybah and Imam Ali (A) faced Walid. Hamzah and Imam Ali (A) soon killed their opponents, but Ubaydah was badly hurt and later died. Imam Ali (A) then killed Utbah. The Quraish were disturbed to see the skill of the Muslim warriors and began to attack together. The Holy Prophet (S) held back his small army and ordered them to fire arrows at the enemy. This organized attack broke up the ranks of the Meccans and, seeing their confusion, the Holy Prophet (S) ordered a general attack. The Muslims began to fight with confidence and the valley of Badr rang with the sounds of battle. Then Imam Ali (A) tore into the heart of the Meccan army, killing enemy soldiers with terrifying ease. His power and skill with the sword struck terror into the hearts of the Meccans, who began to flee. Before long, the battle was over and the Muslims had achieved a great victory, despite being outnumbered. The Muslims lost 14 men, while 70 Meccans, and others were killed. Out of these, Imam Ali (A) battled with and was victorious over 36 men himself and helped in fighting several others. 4.4 The Battle of Uhud In this battle, the Prophet organized his men and assigned a group to take position at a strategic hilly side where, if attacked from that side, the Muslim army would be most vulnerable. The prophet made it clear that whatever happens in the battlefield, the group members must never leave their positions, even if the Muslim army is losing and they need help. However, when this group saw the Muslim army winning the battle, all members of the group except for a few deserted their positions and ran to the battle field to get a share of the spoils. It was in this battle that the reputation of Imam Ali (A) was confirmed and he was acknowledged as a master in the field of sword fighting. He fought so hard that his sword broke. The Holy Prophet (S) then gave him own sword "Dhulfiqar". In appreciation of the bravery of Imam Ali (A) the voice of the angel Jibraeel (A) was heard from above saying, "There is no warrior except Ali; there is no sword except Dhulfiqar." In this battle, Muslims lost 70 men and 70 wounded. Imam Ali (A) was also heavily wounded. The Meccans lost 22 warriors, 12 of them at the hands of Imam Ali (A). 4.5 The Battle of Ahzab Class 7 History 23

230 In Mecca 20 leaders from the Jews that lived around Medina and 50 from Quraish signed an agreement in the Holy Ka ba that so long as they lived, they would fight the Holy Prophet (S). Thereafter, the Jews and Quraish contacted their allies and sent agents to a number of tribes for help. In this way, 10,000 soldiers gathered. They then marched upon Medina under the command of Abu Sufiyan. When the news of these preparations reached Medina, the Holy Prophet (S) consulted his companions. Salman Farsi advised to dig a deep and wide ditch on the unprotected side of Medina. This plan was accepted and the Muslims were divided into parties of 10, and each party allotted 10 yards to dig. The enemy was astonished to see the trench because it was a new thing for Arabs. Finally, some of the Quraish's warriors - including the famous Amr bin Abdiwad - succeeded in crossing the trench at a point where it was not very wide. Amr was one of the best warriors in all of Arabia. In battle he was considered equal to 1,000 warriors. He began to challenge the Muslims to fight, but his reputation made them hesitate. Three times the Holy Prophet (S) urged the Muslims to fight Amr. Each time only Imam Ali (A) stood up. Finally, the Holy Prophet (S) allowed him to go, giving him his own sword and tying a special turban on his head. As Imam Ali (A) went to the battlefield, the Holy Prophet (S) exclaimed, "The whole Faith is going to fight the whole Infidelity". Amr at first did not want to fight with Imam Ali (A). Imam Ali (A) then reminded Amr that he had once said that if any opponent made three requests, Amr would always grant one of them. Amr agreed to this. Imam Ali (A) then invited Amr to accept Islam or to return to Mecca or to come down from his horse as Imam (A) had no horse and was on foot. Amr agreed to the last request and came down from his horse. A fierce battle followed. Amr sent a murderous blow to the head of Imam Ali (A). Although Imam Ali (A) blocked it with his shield, Amr's sword broke through and inflicted a serious cut on his head. Imam Ali (A) then struck a blow to Amr's feet that brought Amr down. Suddenly the shout of "Allahu Akbar" was heard from Imam Ali (A) as he beheaded Amr. The death of Amr shocked the other warriors who had crossed the trench, and they fled away. 4.6 Removing the Idols from the Holy Ka ba After the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (S) decided to remove all the idols that the Meccans had placed within the walls of the Holy Ka ba. He could not reach up to some of them and he chose the Holy Imam (A) to climb onto his shoulders and knock down every last idol. 24 Class 7 History

231 4.7 Taking up the Standard at Khyber During the battle of Khyber, the Muslims were unable to conquer one of the Jewish forts, despite numerous attempts under different commanders. The Holy Imam (A) was present but could not take part due to a severe eye infection. Finally the Prophet (S) declared: "Tomorrow, I will give the standard to a man whom Allah and His Apostle love. He does not flee from battle and will not come back until Allah has brought about victory at his hands". The Muslims waited anxiously for the next day, each wanting to be the one chosen. However, the Prophet (S) called the Holy Imam (A) and restored the health of his eyes by rubbing them with his saliva. The Holy Imam (A) then went into battle with such ferociousness that none could withstand him. He did not return until he had captured every fort and brought about victory for the Muslims. Class 7 History 25

232 4.8 Worksheet: In Medina - After Hijrah Fill in the blanks: 1. The of between the Muhajiroon and Ansar enabled the Prophet (s) to focus on other important aspects. 2. The person who married Syeda Fatimah (s) would not need to be rich and powerful, but would have to possess her qualities of, and. 3. Muslims were victorious in the battle of even though the Muslim army consisted of 313 soldiers while the Meccan army had 900 soldiers. Choose the correct answer: 4. It was in this battle that the reputation of Imam Ali (A) was confirmed and he was acknowledged as a master in the field of sword fighting. He fought so hard that his sword broke and was given the Prophet s (S) own sword, the "Dhulfiqar". a. Battle of Badr b. Battle of Uhud c. Battle of Ahzab d. Battle of Khandaq 5. In this battle Salman Farsi advised to dig a deep and wide ditch on the unprotected side of Medina. a. Battle of Badr b. Battle of Uhud c. Battle of Ahzab d. Battle of Khyber 6. During this battle, the Muslims were unable to conquer one of the Jewish forts, until Imam Ali (A) went into battle and brought about victory for the Muslims. a. Battle of Badr b. Battle of Uhud c. Battle of Ahzab d. Battle of Khyber 26 Class 7 History

233 7. During the battle of Khyber, Imam Ali (A) had a(n) infection that was cured by the Prophet (S). a. Hand b. Foot c. Stomach d. Eye 8. To remove the idols form the Ka ba Imam Ali (A) had to climb on the. a. Ladder available b. Side walls c. Prophet s(s) shoulders d. Stacked bricks 9. Who was Amr bin Abdiwad? 10. Explain the phrase "the whole faith is going to fight the whole Infidelity". Class 7 History 27

234 Chapter 5: The Virtues of Imam Ali (a) 5.1 The Virtues and the Qualities of the Holy Imam (a) The Holy Imam (A) was a man who possessed and displayed the greatest character that a human being is capable of achieving. In all fields he has left for his followers a model on which to base their own lives. The Prophet (S) said to the Holy Imam (A), "O Ali, you will be engaged in disputes but you will overcome them because of seven qualities that you have which no one else has: you are the first of those who believed in me, the greatest of them in war, the most knowledgeable of them in the signs of Allah, the one of them who is most loyal in keeping the covenant (Ahad) of Allah, the most compassionate of them towards people, the most capable of giving equal treatment and the greatest of them in distinction before Allah." Hereunder, we attempt to list some of his outstanding merits His Faith in Allah and the Prophet (s) The Holy Imam (AS) was the first man to acknowledge he was a Muslim. The Prophet (S) has said, "The angels bless me and Ali for 70 years because, for a time, Ali and I were the only ones who recited the Kalima." He also said, "Ali was the first to believe in me and will be the first to shake my hand in greeting on the Day of Judgment. He is the greatest testifier of the truth (Siddeeq). He is the chief of the believers." His Knowledge The Prophet (S) said, "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the gate." "Ali is the most learned of my community and the most capable of giving legal decisions after me." The Holy Imam (A) proved superiority in all branches of knowledge throughout his life. After the death of the Prophet (S), even the Caliphs who had wrongly seized power had to come to the Holy Imam (A) for the solution of their difficult problems. When he came to power, he put on the cloak and turban of the Prophet (S) and went to the mosque and sat on the pulpit. After praising Allah and giving guidance to the people, he sat back confidently, knitted his fingers and placed them on his stomach. Then, he said, "Ask me before you lose me. Ask me, for I have the knowledge of those who came earlier and those who will come later. I could give judgments to the people of the Tawrat by their Tawrat, to the people of the Gospels by their Gospels, to the people of the Psalms by their Psalms and the people of the Furqaan (Holy Qur'an) by their Furqaan. By Allah, I know the Qur'an and its interpretation better than anyone who claims knowledge of it." 28 Class 7 History

235 5.1.3 His Bravery The Holy Imam (A) was always at the forefront of the battles of Islam and personally brought about victory for the Muslims in many of them. He was both a great soldier and a great general and was the victor of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khyber and Hunayn. Not only was he unstoppable in the battlefield, he also taught his friends and enemies how to conduct themselves in war. His bravery extended to his general dealing with the people and he never hesitated in saying or doing something in the cause of Islam, no matter what the opposition His Eloquence The Holy Imam (A) had a total command over the Arabic language. During the time when others wrongfully occupied the Caliphate he busied himself in writing various books. He compiled the Holy Qur'an and also regulated the syntax and grammar of the Arabic language. Some of his lectures and words are contained in the book Nahjul Balagha, which contains the best examples of Arabic oratory His Ability to Govern His Piety His Generosity 5.2 To Love the Holy Imam (a) and to be his Shia The Holy Imam (A) once said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, told me that only believers will love me and only hypocrites will hate me." Therefore, one of the ways in which the faith of a Muslim can be judged is by examining his feelings towards the Holy Imam (A). When Umm-e-Salama, a wife of the Prophet (S), was asked about the Holy Imam (A), she replied, "I heard the Apostle of God say that Ali and his Shia will be the successful ones." The Prophet (S) once said, "70,000 of my community will enter Heaven without any reckoning or punishment against them." Then he turned to the Holy Imam (A) and said, "They are your Shia and you are their Imam. " Class 7 History 29

236 Another time the Prophet (S) said to the Holy Imam (A), "Both I and you have been created from one piece of clay. Part of it was left over and from that Allah created our Shia. On the Day of Resurrection all the people will be called by the names of their mothers except our Shia. They will be summoned by the names of their fathers because of their good birth." Once when the Prophet (S) was with a group of Muslims he said to them. "O People of Ansar, instil in your children the love of Ali bin Abu Talib (A). Whoever loves him should know that he is rightly guided and whoever hates him should know that he is in error." May Allah raise us on the Day of Judgment at the side of Imam Ali (A). 30 Class 7 History

237 5.3 Worksheet: The Virtues of Imam Ali (a) Fill in the blanks: 1. Imam (A) was a man who possessed and displayed the greatest that a human being is capable of achieving. 2. The Prophet said of imam Ali (A): He is the greatest of the truth (Siddeeq). He is the of the believers." 3. The Holy Imam (A) once said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, told me that only will love me and only will hate me." 4. The Prophet (s) once said: "O People of Ansar, instill in your children the love of. Whoever loves him should know that he is rightly guided and whoever hates him should know that he is in error." 5. Imam Ali s (A) ability to govern, his piety, and his generosity were also among the qualities he had that were not possessed by others. a. True b. False 6. The Holy Imam (A) proved in all branches of knowledge throughout his life. 7. After the death of the Prophet (S), even the who had wrongly seized power had to come to the Holy Imam (A) for the solution of their difficult problems. 8. Imam Ali (A) used to say: "Ask me before you lose me. Ask me, for I have the of those who came earlier and those who will come later Class 7 History 31

238 Give an example of the following two qualities of Imam Ali (a): 1. His bravery. 2. His eloquence. 32 Class 7 History

239 Chapter 6: The Event of Ghadeer Khum (10A.H) 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 Class 7 History 33

240 waited until all pilgrims who fell behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman [r] to use rocks and camel tooling to make a pulpit (mimbar) so he could make his announcement. It was around noontime in the beginning of 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." 34 Class 7 History

241 These were the key parts of the speech of the Prophet [s]. There are also more detailed versions of this sermon that are also 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 'Omar b. al-khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn AbiTalib! 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." Class 7 History 35

242 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) 36 Class 7 History

243 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. Thaqalayn means. 3. For whoever I am his Leader (mawla),. Class 7 History 37

244 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. 38 Class 7 History

245 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 Omar 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. Omar 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 the Khazraj. The old enmity that the Holy Prophet (S) had settled between them long ago, now came out again 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. Class 7 History 39

246 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 Omar to Syeda Fatimah binte Muhammad s (A) house, where Imam Ali (A) and some friends had gathered. Omar 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, Omar 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 Syeda Fatimah bint e Muhammad(S) 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 Omar could not keep themselves from weeping and turned back.however Omar 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 Omar, 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, Omar 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?" Omar 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 as long as Syeda Fatimah binte Muhammad(S) was alive, he would not force her husband s allegiance. 40 Class 7 History

247 After that Imam Ali (A) was released and he went directly to the grave of the Holy Prophet (S). He stood there reflecting on how people s attitude had changed now that his brother had left this world. Class 7 History 41

248 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 42 Class 7 History

249 Answer the following questions: 1. Why was Imam Ali (A) left out of the Prophet s(s) 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? Class 7 History 43

250 Chapter 8: Abu Bakr - The First Caliph (11-13 A.H) On the day after the people had given him their allegiance at Saqifa, Abu Bakr came to the mosque of the Holy Prophet (S) and sat down on the pulpit. A large gathering was present to pledge the general allegiance. Omar stood nearby ready to prevent any trouble from the friends and followers of Imam Ali (A). Abu Bakr then made his first address to the people, during which he said, "I have been placed in this authority, although I do not like it. By Allah, I would have been pleased if any of you had taken it in my place. If you expect me to act like the Apostle of God, then I cannot do it. He was honored and preserved from error by the Lord, while I am an ordinary man, no better than any of you. When you see me steadfast then obey me, and when you see that I turn aside from the right path then set me aright. I have a devil that seizes me sometimes, and when you see me enraged then avoid me because at that time I will not listen to anything." What an incredible speech by the new leader of the Muslims! In one go he admitted that he was not the right man for the task and warned that he would probably make mistakes. He knew fully well that his knowledge in religious matters was only average, so he covered any future problems by mentioning his "devil". It was not a speech to inspire any confidence and it is a wonder that he got away with such miserable and apologetic words. Omar and Abu Bakr were so busy in securing the Caliphate that neither was present at the funeral of the Holy Prophet (S). Although Abu Bakr was now the Caliph, it was not a universally popular choice. The members of Bani Hashim and certain pious Muslims like Zubayr, Miqdaad, Salman, Abu Dhar, Ammar, Barra bin Azhab, Khalid bin Sa'id, Abu Ayyub Ansari, Khazima bin Thabit and others refused to acknowledge him, believing that the position belonged to Imam Ali (A). Imam Ali (A) was naturally grieved at the course of events, but he patiently endured this injustice for the sake of Islam. He turned his attention to collecting the Holy Qur'an and compiling it in order of its revelation. At the time of his election Abu Bakr was 60 years of age. He was one of the earliest converts to Islam. After the marriage of his daughter Ayesha to the Holy Prophet (S), he was called Abu Bakr in reference to his daughter. Abu Bakr used to trade in cloth and was also a genealogist i.e. he knew the family trees of the Arabs, especially the Quraish. 44 Class 7 History

251 One of the first things Abu Bakr did as a Caliph was to contest Syeda Fatimah binte Muhammad s (A) ownership to the land of Fadak; an action that she never forgave him for. According to her will, he and Omar were not allowed to attend her funeral. As Abu Bakr was not recognized as a legitimate heir to the Holy Prophet (S), the various tribes around Arabia stopped paying their taxes to the Muslim state. Abu Bakr decided to stop the voices of dissatisfaction with a show of strength, so he mobilized the Muslim army under various commanders and sent them to reclaim the distant provinces. On reaching their destination the commanders were instructed to give the Adhaan to test the faith of the local people. If they responded, they were to be asked to repent and submit to the Caliph, if they resisted they were to be attacked and their women and children made prisoners. With these instructions, the various commanders left Medina. The man who commanded the largest division was a brilliant general named Khalid bin Al-Walid. He was the same man who had caused the defeat of the Muslims at Uhud. Despite his later conversion to Islam, he was a cruel soldier and had no faith at all. He had been sent against Tulaiha, a man claiming to be a new prophet, in the northeast. After Tulaiha ran away and the tribes of Bani Hawaazan surrendered, Khalid s task was over and his men advised him to return to Medina. However, Khalid wanted to continue fighting and he led his men southwards to the tribe of Bani Yarb. The chief of this tribe was Malik bin Nuwaira, a noble man who was famous for his generosity, horsemanship and poetry. His wife was a beautiful woman named Laila. When Malik heard that Khalid was approaching at the head of 4,500 men, he realized that it was useless to fight. When the Adhaan was given, he responded to the call with all his men. Khalid however, did not accept this act of surrender and brutally killed Malik and married his widow the same night, despite the time limit fixed by the Holy Prophet (S) for marrying a widow. Although Khalid was later charged by the testimony of his own men, who were shocked by his inhuman conduct, Abu Bakr pardoned him. The Caliphate of Abu Bakr is filled with incidents where he proved himself to be weak, a poor judge and inadequate in matters of religion. He finally died in 13 A.H. after ruling for 2 years and 3 months. Class 7 History 45

252 8.1 Worksheet: Abu Bakr - The First Caliph TRUE/FALSE: If false, correct statement with a true statement. 1. Abu Bakr and Omar attended the Prophet s (s) funeral. 2. Imam Ali (a) tried hard to remove Abu Bakr from Caliphate. 3. Imam Ali (a) had many followers that did not pledge to Abu Bakr. 4. Abu Bakr had no relations other than friendship with the Prophet (s). 5. Abu Bakr left Syeda Fatimah binte Muhammad(s) alone after taking the Caliphate. 46 Class 7 History

253 SHORT ANSWERS: 1. Name some of the people (about 5) who were pious Muslims and believed that the successor to Prophet Muhammad (s) should have been Imam Ali (a)? 2. How did Abu Bakr s leadership affect the people? What did Abu Bakr do to control them? 3. Who was Khalid bin Walid? 4. What incident occurred between Khalid bin Walid and Malik bin Nuwaira? 5. Khalid bin Walid s conduct was shunned by his own men, but who pardoned him and why do you think it was wrong to do so. Class 7 History 47

254 Chapter 9: Omar - The Second Caliph Omar al-khattab was privately selected by Abu Bakr to succeed him and he took over the Caliphate on the day of the death of Abu Bakr. In his first address to the people he said, "O God! Verily I am rough in temper, therefore soften me; and verily I am weak, therefore strengthen me; and verily I am miserly, therefore make me generous". With these poorly chosen words, Omar began his rule that was to last for 10 years and six months. Only one year after he came to power Omar made new religious laws. 1. He introduced a special prayer called Tarawih, during the month of Ramadhan. This prayer, which requires recitations of large portions of the Holy Qur'an, is still recited by Sunni Muslims today. 2. He also stated that the minor Hajj (Umrah e Tamattu) and the temporary marriage (Mut'a) were Haraam from that time onwards. 3. He reduced the number of Takbirs in Salaat e Mayyit from five to four. Omar had no authority to make these changes because the Holy Prophet (S) has said that the things that he himself had taught to be Halaal and Haraam shall remain unchanged till the Day of Judgment. Omar was once preaching from the pulpit when Imam Hussein (A), who was then only a young boy, stood up and told him, "Come down from the pulpit of my father". Omar admitted, "It is the pulpit of your father, not the pulpit of my father, but who told you to say this?" Imam Ali (A) who was present, rose and said "By Allah! No one told him what to say". During the reign of Omar, the boundaries of the Muslim territories were expanded greatly and many foreign lands were conquered. These included Syria, Jordan, Jerusalem, Egypt and Persia. Omar placed ill-chosen governors in many of these new lands. In particular, he was responsible for the growth of power of Muawiyah bin Abu Sufiyan in Syria. By initially placing Muawiyah in power, Omar was the originator of the massacre in Kerbala, which took place at the orders of Muawiyah s evil son Yazeed. 48 Class 7 History

255 Omar's knowledge of the Holy Qur'an was weak. He used to make rounds in the streets of Medina at night with a whip in his hand. Once he passed a house where he heard someone singing. He jumped over the back wall and found a man and woman drinking wine. He shouted in anger, "O enemies of God, did you think your sin would pass unnoticed?" The man replied, "O Omar, if I am guilty of one sin, then you are guilty of three wrong acts according to the Holy Qur'an". Omar could not believe his ears and challenged the man to prove his words. The man quoted three verses of the Holy Qur'an: 1. O you who believe, avoid much suspicion... and do not spy. Hujuraat, 49: 12 (Part) 2....It is not good that you should enter your houses from behind but the righteous one is he who guards himself against evil and enters the houses by the doors... Baqarah, 2: 189 (Part) 3. O you who believe, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked for permission and greeted those within... Nur 24: 27 (Part) On hearing this Omar was ashamed of his ignorance of the Holy Qur'an and asked for forgiveness for the intrusion. After the man promised not to touch wine again, Omar left. Many such incidents occurred and Omar was embarrassed time and time again by his poor command of the verses of the Holy Qur'an. It is a wonder that he still thought himself fit to rule the Muslims! Numerous incidents have been noted in history where Omar made hasty and incorrect decisions that were changed by the presence and intervention of Imam Ali (A). Once Omar ordered that a mad woman who had been found guilty of adultery should be whipped as per the prescribed punishment. As the poor woman was being dragged along on the way to be flogged, Imam Ali (A) passed by and asked what was going on. When he was informed of the situation he said, "Do you not know that the Holy Prophet (S) has said that the order of punishment should be withheld from a mad person till they recover, because they are not in control of their actions". Omar then ordered the woman to be released. Such incidents happened so many times that Omar used to say, "If it was not for Ali, Omar would have perished". Class 7 History 49

256 Omar had a rule that non-arabs were not allowed to enter Medina. However, he relaxed the rule for one man only at the request of his governor of Kufa. The man in question was called Abu Lulu. He was not an Arab, but he was a good carpenter, blacksmith and engraver. Abu Lulu was heavily taxed for the privilege of residing in Medina and asked Omar to increase his allowance. Omar refused and instead commissioned him to build a windmill for grinding grain. Abu Lulu promised him that he would build him such a windmill that people would always talk about it. The way he said it made Omar wonder whether he was being threatened and his fears proved correct. A few days later Abu Lulu ambushed Omar in the early hours of the morning and stabbed him in the stomach and Omar died three days later on 26th Dhulhijjah at the age of 63 years. 50 Class 7 History

257 9.1 Worksheet: Omar - The Second Caliph True/False: Circle either T or F. 1. Omar was chosen by Khalid bin Walid to become caliph. T F 2. In Omar s first speech, he praised himself and his Islamic character. T F 3. Syria, Jordan, Jerusalem, Egypt and Persia were some of the countries captured during Omar s reign. T F 4. Omar was well respected by the Muslim community he ruled. T F 5. Omar would take his time and research decisions before making them. T F 6. Omar used to say, If it was not for Ali, Omar would have perished T F Short Answers: 1. Omar changed some Islamic laws. Name three of them. a. b. c. Name one incident that proves Omar was not well versed in Qur an and Islamic principles. Class 7 History 51

258 Chapter 10: Othman - The Third Caliph Just before he died, Omar nominated six companions of the Holy Prophet (S), to choose a successor from amongst them. The six were Abdur Rahman bin Awf, Othman bin Affan, Ali bin Abu Talib (A), Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas, Zubayr bin Awam and Talha bin Ubaidullah. This was a very clever move by Omar because he had chosen people who would not readily favor Imam Ali (A). Furthermore, he had instructed that if any of these six challenged the appointment of the person who was finally declared Caliph, he should be killed. After his death the nominees met but could not reach any conclusion. At last, Abdur Rahman said that he would forego his claim for the Caliphate if they allowed him to elect the Caliph. Othman agreed to this but Imam Ali (A) said that he would only agree if Abdur Rahman promised not to give consideration to family but judge only on merit. He said this because Othman was the brother-in-law of Abdur Rahman and the two were friends. Abdur Rahman accepted the condition and then talked to each of the candidates privately. Zubayr was in favor of Imam Ali (A), Talha was not present in Medina and how Sa'd voted is uncertain. Both Imam Ali (A) and Othman pressed their own claim. Therefore the selection narrowed down to these two men. The next day the mosque was crowded because everyone wanted to know who their new Caliph would be. Abdur Rahman had discussed the situation with Amr al-aas, who was a shrewd politician with no religious morals. Acting on Amr's advice, Abdur Rahman asked Imam Ali (A) to become Caliph as long as he would agree to rule by the Holy Qur'an, the teachings of the Holy Prophet (S) and the practices of Abu Bakr and Omar. As expected, Imam Ali (A) agreed to the first two conditions but flatly refused to follow the practices of Abu Bakr and Omar. When Othman was given the same conditions, he agreed at once and was thus declared the third Caliph. Imam Ali (A) told Abdur Rahman, "It is not the first time I have been deprived of my rights, but you have not been free of self interest in your decision." On hearing these words Abdur Rahman warned Imam Ali (A) that Omar had said that the one who defies the selection should be killed, whereupon Imam Ali (A) left the gathering in disgust. 52 Class 7 History

259 The choice of Othman was a bad mistake and in later years the man almost destroyed the faith and dignity of the Muslims. His first speech to the public was a very poor effort and he lamely finished by saying, "We were never preachers but the Lord will teach us." From the first day of his rule, Othman began systematically replacing the governors of the major provinces with his own relatives from the Bani Umayyah. Thus, in Kufa he appointed his drunkard brother Walid to replace Sa'd bin Waqqaas. In Egypt he replaced Amr al-aas with his foster brother Abdallah bin Abi Sarh, who has been cursed in the Holy Qur'an (Surae An'am, verse 93) for inventing lies and saying that he had revelations from Allah. He recalled Hakam bin al-aas, who had been exiled for life by the Holy Prophet (S), back to Medina. Hakam was Othman's uncle and Othman made Hakam's evil son Marwahn his secretary and gave him huge gifts from the property of the Muslims. He also gave Marwahn the property of Fadak and made him his son-in-law. As Othman began to squander the public money on his relatives openly, resentment against him grew from all quarters. Ammar Yasir, an old and respected companion of the Holy Prophet (S) challenged Othman's conduct and was severely beaten for his words. This action against a man like Ammar outraged the people. In Syria, another great companion of the Holy Prophet (S), Abu Dharr Ghiffari, was going around warning of the governor Muawiyah and the evil ways of the government. Muawiyah sent Abu Dharr to Medina where Othman had the bad manners to insult him. He then cruelly banished the old man to a desert place called Rabazha, where he died of neglect two years later. Othman's high-handed behavior and the cruelties and excesses of his worthless governors caused unrest throughout the empire. Riots broke out everywhere. In Medina itself there were calls to remove Othman. The Caliph was surrounded from all sides and turned to Imam Ali (A) to appeal on his behalf. Imam Ali (A) agreed provided Othman publicly apologized for his mistakes. In despair, Othman mounted the pulpit and with a voice broken by sobs and tears he begged the forgiveness of Allah and assured the public that he was repentant. Because of his sorry state and the intervention of Imam Ali (A) people were subdued. However, the Egyptians still wanted their demands to be met. They insisted that Muhammad the son of Abu Bakr replace their cruel governor Abdallah bin Sarh (Muhammad was a pious man who had been raised from his infancy by Imam Ali (A), who had married Abu Bakr's widow). Class 7 History 53

260 Othman agreed to this demand, but secretly sent a letter to his brother in Egypt warning him of the situation and advising him to kill Muhammad bin Abu Bakr on his arrival. Unfortunately for Othman, Muhammad himself intercepted this messenger on the way to Egypt. The Egyptians were outraged by the Caliph's treachery and returned to Medina in a furious mood. The news of his actions spread and finally Othman had to take refuge in his palace, which then got surrounded by people calling for his blood. After a siege of 40 days the palace was broken into and Othman was killed by repeated stab wounds. His body was left on the ground for three days before he was buried in the graveyard of the Jews. He was 82 years old and had ruled for 11 years. 54 Class 7 History

261 10.1 Worksheet: Othman - The Third Caliph Choose the correct answer: 1. Othman replaced Sa d bin Waqqaas the governor Kufa by appointing a. Walid b. Abdallah bin abi Sarh c. Marwahn d. Imam Ali (A) 2. The Number of companions Omar chose who would select the next Caliph From amongst themselves were a. 4 b. 3 c. 6 d Othman was Declared Caliph By which companion Of the Holy Prophet a. Talha bin Ubaidullah b. Sa d bin Abi Waqqaas c. Zubayr bin Awam d. Abdur Rahman bin Awf 4. The Egyptians insisted that their cruel governor Abdallah Bin Sarh be replaced by: a. Muhammad the son of Abu Bakr b. Abu Dhar Ghiffari c. Muawiyah d. Imam Ali (A) Answer the questions below: 5. How was the process of choosing a Caliph a clever move by Omar? Class 7 History 55

262 6. Why did Imam Ali (A) refuse the Caliphate when he was offered by Abdur Rahman Bin Awf? 7. Who became the next caliph and how did he rule? 8. What turned people against this Caliph? 9. Who did the Egyptians want to replace their governor? 10.What outraged the Egyptians and led to the death of Othman? 56 Class 7 History

263 Chapter 11: The Caliphate of Imam Ali (a) After the murder of Othman, there was great unrest in the city of Medina due to the absence of any government. The main citizens of the city called for the immediate election of a Caliph to end the danger of a civil war. Two men had ambitions to become Caliph. They were Talha and Zubayr, both brothers-in-law of Ayesha, the widow of the Holy Prophet (S). However, to the great disadvantage of these two candidates, she was in Mecca for pilgrimage at the time. The people of Medina, however, wanted Imam Ali (A) to be their Caliph. He was a man admired by his friends and enemies alike for his courage, piety, eloquence, wisdom and kinship to the Holy Prophet (S). After having been ruled by weak men the people now turned to the man who had been nominated to lead them in the first place. However, Imam Ali (A) refused their offer and said that he would rather remain as an advisor to any Caliph they elected. The people of Medina insisted that they would follow none but him and at last he reluctantly agreed. He said, "I must say frankly at the outset that I shall deal with you according to the Holy Qur'an and to the best of my knowledge and judgment." This condition was accepted, but Imam Ali (A) asked that his nomination be made in public so that if anyone had anything to say, they would have an opportunity to do so. Next day in the mosque of Medina most of the Muslims were present to pay allegiance to Imam Ali (A), including Talha and Zubayr. Imam Ali (A) thus took over as the fourth Caliph of the Muslims. The first matter that Imam Ali (A) attended to was replacing the worthless governors that were appointed by Othman. Most of the new governors took over their posts but the new governor appointee to Kufa was stopped from entering that city while Muawiyah s men stopped the new governor appointee to Syria. Both had to return to Medina. The second matter, that Imam Ali (A) attended, was the economy. The 25 previous years had created social and economical injustice in the Islamic nation. Imam Ali (A) made two major announcements: 1. All money and property that was taken illegally from the Islamic treasury must come back. 2. All money in the treasury, which was 300,000 dinars, will be distributed among all eligible Muslims (100,000 men in Medina). So each man received 3 dinars, including Imam Ali himself, Talha, Zubayr and everyone else. Class 7 History 57

264 After a few days Talha and Zubayr and a few others came to Imam Ali (A) asking that the murder of Othman be avenged. Imam Ali (A) knew fully well that some of these same people had been responsible for the riots that led to Othman's death, and now they just wanted to stir up trouble. However, he told them that he had called Othman's wife Naila and his secretary Marwahn and asked them if they could identify the culprits since they had been with Othman at the time of his death. Marwahn did not come and Naila said that two men who she did not recognize had killed Othman. Under the circumstances Imam Ali (A) could do nothing more unless further evidence came to light. Meanwhile, the members of Bani Umayyah, most of whom had not paid allegiance to Imam Ali (A), began to leave Medina. Imam Ali (A) knew that they were up to no good and in anticipation of future trouble; he began to secure the good will of the Quraish and Ansar in Medina. The Bani Umayyah, with the help of their leader Muawiyah, began to stir up trouble for Imam Ali (A) and his government. In the mosque of Damascus, Muawiyah displayed the bloodstained shirt of Othman and the chopped-off fingers of his wife Naila, to incite the anger of the people. They swore that they would take revenge for Othman's death and Muawiyah began to blame Imam Ali (A) for doing nothing to bring the murderers to justice. When his governors returned from Kufa and Syria, Imam Ali (A) wrote letters to Abu Musa Ash'ari in Kufa and Muawiyah in Syria demanding that they give way to the new governors. Abu Musa wrote back from Kufa, stating that the Kufans were at the service of the new Caliph, but Muawiyah did not send a reply for three months. Finally, his messenger arrived with a letter. When Imam Ali (A) opened the letter it contained no words at all and was a gesture of outright defiance. In addition the messenger informed him that Muawiyah had gathered 60,000 men ready to avenge the murder of Othman on Imam Ali (A). This news astonished Imam Ali (A) and he said, "I call God to witness that I am not guilty and that it is a false charge." The cunning Muawiyah had managed to rouse the hatred of the people of Syria against Imam Ali (A) by using Othman's murder as an excuse. However, Imam Ali (A) declared that only the sword would decide matters between Muawiyah and himself and he gave orders for an army to be gathered to march to Syria. Meanwhile, Talha and Zubayr had plans of their own and proceeded to Mecca on the excuse of performing Umrahh. Imam Ali (A) knew their intentions, and refused to give them permission to leave Medina. But after their insistence, Imam Ali (A) asked them to make a vow that if he let them go to Mecca, they would not stir trouble against his government. On the way they joined 58 Class 7 History

265 Ayesha the widow of the Holy Prophet (S) who was also using the death of Othman to create trouble for Imam Ali (A), whom she had always hated. Thus, Imam Ali (A) was faced with a double threat to the security of his government - from Ayesha in Mecca and from Muawiyah in Syria. Class 7 History 59

266 11.1 Worksheet: Caliphate of Imam Ali (a) 1. Two men had ambitions to become Caliph. They were: a. Imam Ali (a) and Talha b. Imam Ali (a) and Zubayr. c. Talha and Zubayr d. Muawiyah and Zubayr 2. The people of Medina wanted who to be their Caliph after Othman? a. Imam Ali (a) b. Zubayr c. Talha d. Muawiyah 3. Who made this statement, I shall deal with you according to the Holy Qur an and to the best of my knowledge and judgment. a. Muawiyah b. Ayesha c. Imam Ali (a) d. Zubayr 4. What was the first matter that Imam Ali (a) attended to when he became the Caliph? a. Agriculture b. Manufacturing c. Trade d. Replacing the corrupt governors appointed by Othman 5. What was the second matter that Imam Ali (a) attended to when he became the Caliph? a. Social and Economic injustice b. Agriculture c. Trade d. Inviting Muawiyah to visit Medina 6. Talha and Zubayr wanted to create problems for Imam Ali (a) and proceeded to Mecca under the pretext of performing Umrahh. 0 true 0 false 7. Abu Musa the governor of Kufa wrote that Kufans would support Imam Ali (a). 0 true 60 Class 7 History

267 0 false 8. Members of Bani Umayyah, whose leader was Muawiyah supported Imam Ali (a) 0 true 0 false 9. How did Muawiyah raise the hatred of people of Syria against Imam Ali (a)? 10. Why did Ayesha want to stir up trouble for Imam Ali (a)? Class 7 History 61

268 Chapter 12: The Battle of Jamal Ayesha, the widow of the Holy Prophet (S), was in Mecca for the pilgrimage when Othman was killed. She had always expected either Talha or Zubayr to succeed him and when she heard of Imam Ali's (A) appointment as Caliph, she was very upset. Ayesha was a jealous and cunning woman, one who had caused the Holy Prophet (S) a lot of annoyance. Now she declared herself as the avenger of the murder of Othman and prepared to wage war against Imam Ali (A), whom she had always hated. She managed to recruit the support of the powerful clan of Bani Umayyah, to whom Othman had belonged. Othman s ex-governors, who had been replaced by Imam Ali (A), also joined her and the ex-governor of Yemen provided her with the means of financing her war by giving her the treasure he had stolen from Yemen when he was deposed. Talha and Zubayr also joined her, in spite of their oath of allegiance to Imam Ali (A). A large number of aimless drifters were also paid to enlist in the army. After the preparations of war were completed, Ayesha's army proceeded to Basra. Before leaving, she had asked Umm-e-Salama, a faithful widow of the Holy Prophet (S), to accompany her. Umm-e-Salama had indignantly refused, reminding Ayesha that the Holy Prophet (S) had said that Imam Ali (A) was his successor and whoever disobeyed him, disobeyed the Holy Prophet (S) himself. She also reminded her of the time when he had addressed all his wives saying that the dogs of Hawab would bark at one of his wives, who would be part of a rebellious mob. She then warned Ayesha not to be fooled by the words of Talha and Zubayr who would only entangle her in wrong deeds. This advice had a sobering effect on Ayesha, who almost gave up her plan. However, her adopted son, Abdallah bin Zubayr, convinced her to go ahead. Ayesha mounted on the camel al-askar, and marched from Mecca at the head of 1,000 men. On her right was Talha and on her left, Zubayr. On their way many more joined them, swelling their numbers to 3,000. On the way to Basra, the rebel army received news that Imam Ali (A) had come out of Medina in their pursuit. They decided to leave the main road and proceed to Basra through a different route. When they passed through the valley of Hawab the dogs of the village surrounded Ayesha's camel, barking loudly. She was immediately worried and asked for the name of the place. When she was told it was Hawab, she was shocked and she despairingly cried, "Alas! Alas! I am the wretched woman of Hawab. The Prophet of Allah had already warned me against this." 62 Class 7 History

269 She got off her camel and refused to go any further. Talha and Zubayr tried to convince her that the place was not Hawab and even brought 50 witnesses to testify to this lie, but in vain. Finally, they raised a cry that Imam Ali (A) was approaching, and Ayesha, struck with terror, quickly remounted and the march was resumed. The army reached Basra and camped in the suburbs. Ayesha, Talha and Zubayr began talks with the leading citizens of Basra, trying to get their support for their cause. In this they failed and were subjected to ridicule. Finally, some of them entered the city and during the congregational prayers, they treacherously captured Imam Ali's (A) governor, Othman bin Huneif, after killing 40 of his guards. Fighting broke out in the city and many of Imam Ali's (A) supporters were killed before Ayesha gained control of Basra. The governor, Othman, suffered the indignity of having his eyebrows, moustache and beard plucked out, hair by hair, before being turned out of the city. Meanwhile, Imam Ali (A) had received information about Ayesha's plans from Umm-e-Salama, and news of the disturbances in Mecca and Basra also came through. Imam Ali (A) made immediate plans to march towards Basra but could only raise 900 men with difficulty. This was because the people were reluctant to fight Ayesha, who was considered to be the Mother of the Faithful by virtue of being the widow of the Holy Prophet (S). Also, Muawiyah had succeeded in making people think that Imam Ali (A) was somehow involved in the murder of the previous caliph Othman. In Kufa, Imam Hassan (A) raised 9,000 men, and other units arrived as well, all joining Imam Ali (A) at his camp at Zhi-Q'ar. Meanwhile, Othman bin Huneif arrived with fresh news from Basra. Imam Ali (A) smiled and said to him that he had left them as an old man but had returned as a beardless youth. Imam Ali (A) wrote letters to Ayesha, Talha and Zubayr, warning them against the unwise steps they had taken, but his words were ignored. Finally he marched to Basra at the head of 20,000 men. Ayesha's forces numbered 30,000 but they were mostly raw recruits, while Imam Ali's army was full of battle veterans. In Basra, the sight of Imam Ali's (A) men in battle formation filled Ayesha and her comrades with terror. Imam Ali (A) talked at length with Talha and Zubayr, negotiating for peace. He reminded them of the words of the Holy Prophet (S) regarding his authority, which they both admitted they had heard. Zubayr was ashamed of his deeds and left the scene but Talha remained doubtful. Class 7 History 63

270 Ayesha was furious at the conduct of the two and ordered a raid at nighttime to end the chance of peace. The next morning Ayesha mounted her camel al-askar and urged her troops to prepare for battle. Thus began the unfortunate Battle of Jamal (Camel), where Muslims fought each other for the first time. Although outnumbered, Imam Ali (A) and his soldiers were too skilled to be defeated. Soon victory began to incline towards Imam Ali (A). Talha was wounded and later died. Ayesha's camel was brought down and Imam Ali (A) ordered his adopted son Muhammad bin Abu Bakr to take care of Ayesha, Muhammad s half-sister. After that, the battle was soon over, and Imam Ali (A) declared a general amnesty for all the rebels. Ayesha's plans had come to nothing and 10,000 men lay dead as a result of her jealousy. In this battle Imam Ali (A) restrained his men from taking any war booty and all property found on the battle ground was gathered in the mosque of Basra, from where the owners could claim their possessions. 64 Class 7 History

271 12.1 Worksheet: The Battle of Jamal Mark the correct answer : 1. Ayesha the widow of the Holy Prophet (s) always expected which person to be the next Caliph? a. Imam Ali (a) b. Muawiyah c. Yazeed d. Talha or Zubayr 2. Who wanted to falsely avenge the murder of Othman, and prepared to wage a war against Imam Ali (a)? a. Zubayr b. Talha c. Ayesha d. Umm-e-Salama 3. The ex-governor of Yemen provided what kind of help in this unjust battle? a. Men b. Moral support c. Means of financing 4. Who made this statement? Alas! Alas! I am the wretched woman of Hawab. The Prophet (s) of Allah had already warned me against this. a. Ayesha b. Umm-e-Salama c. A woman of the Bani Umayyah clan 5. Zubayr was ashamed of his deeds and left without participating in the war. 0 true 0 false 6. Muslims fought each other for the first time in this unfortunate Battle of Jamal. 0 true 0 false 7. After the battle was over Imam Ali (a) declared a general amnesty for all the rebels. 0 true 0 false Class 7 History 65

272 Short Answer Questions: 8. State two reasons why initially Imam Ali s (a) army had only 900 men? 9. Why did Imam Ali (a) try negotiating for peace with Talha and Zubayr? 10. Why did Umme Salama, a faithful widow of the Holy Prophet (s), refuse to take any part in this battle of Jamal? 66 Class 7 History

273 Chapter 13: The Battle of Siffeen After the battle of Jamal was over, Imam Ali (A) returned from Basra to Kufa in Rajab of 36 A.H. He decided to set up the capital of his government in Kufa because it was more centrally placed in the Muslim Empire, and he could halt Muawiyah s progress into Iraq. Before marching towards Muawiyah, Imam Ali (A) tried to settle matters peacefully by sending Jarir, the governor of Hamdan, to Syria as an envoy. However, Jarir became so engrossed in the entertainment that Muawiyah put his way, that he wasted his time in Syria. He finally returned three months later with the useless message that peace could only be negotiated if the murderers of Othman were brought to justice. Imam Ali (A) decided that matters could be only decided by war, so he marched without delay and crossed the Euphrates River. Later the army of Imam Ali (A) came into sight of Muawiyah s main forces, which had already camped at Siffeen. At Siffeen, Muawiyah had stationed his general, Abul Awr, with 10,000 men on the river to stop the access to water for Imam Ali's (A) army. Imam Ali (A) sent a message to Muawiyah that this action was not necessary because, after all, the people whom he was refusing water were also Muslims. He further assured Muawiyah that if the situation had been reversed; the river would have been open to both armies. However, Muawiyah sent back a message that the murderers of Othman had not allowed him any water when they had laid siege to his palace, and Muawiyah was avenging that action. Imam Ali (A) knew that this situation would be intolerable and he launched an attack under Malik e Ashtar. The brave commander secured the river after heavy fighting and Abul Awr was dislodged from its banks. Having control of the river, Imam Ali (A) kept to his word and allowed unlimited access to Muawiyah's side. Imam Ali (A) divided his army of 90,000 men into seven units each commanded by brave warriors. Muawiyah similarly divided his army of 120,000 men into seven columns. Everyday one column from each army would engage one another in combat. The battles were mostly restricted to single combats or small groups fighting because Imam Ali (A) was trying to avoid the serious loss of Muslim lives that would have resulted from a full-scale battle. The month of Dhulhijjah ended in this manner and the month of Muharram, in which fighting is forbidden, set in. During this month, Imam Ali (A) tried hard to resolve the crisis by negotiation, but to no avail. He pointed out that he was ready to punish the murderers of Othman Class 7 History 67

274 if Muawiyah would point them out. However, Muawiyah did not wish the matter to end so easily, because it was the issue of Othman's unavenged death that had enabled him to gather such a large army. In the month of Safar fighting was resumed. For a week, fierce battles raged all day. Everyday the conflict got more severe and bitter. In the second week Imam Ali (A) came to the battlefield for the first time. After a series of single combats, in which he overcame every opponent with his awesome skill, no body would come to fight him. He was forced to disguise himself to get anybody to challenge him. On one such occasion, an unsuspecting warrior from Muawiyah s side attacked Imam Ali (A). Imam Ali (A) struck the man with a single sweep of Dhulfiqar with such force that the upper half of his body was severed from the lower half. Those who watched thought that the blow had missed, and it was only when the horse moved and the two halves fell to the ground, that people realized what had happened. Day after day the loss of lives increased, especially in the ranks of Muawiyah. However, Imam Ali (A) also lost several distinguished Companions of the Holy Prophet (S) from his side. Amongst them was Ammar Bin Yasir. The Holy Prophet (S) had informed Ammar, who was 93 years old, that he would die fighting rebels and enemies of Islam. This was well known by all, and when he died there was some commotion in Muawiyah s army. He managed to subdue them by saying that, since Ammar had been brought to fight by Imam Ali (A), it was he who was the cause of his death. He said that Imam Ali (A) therefore was the rebel that the prophecy talked about, and not Muawiyah. This incredible argument was accepted by his men and war continued until the 13th night. On that day the commander-in-chief of Imam Ali's (A) army, Malik e Ashtar, attacked the enemy ferociously. His shout of Allah u Akbar, every time he killed a man, was heard no less than 400 times. The hero of the battle began to bring on victory when Amr al-aas on Muawiyah s side said, "Call the enemy to the Word of God." Muawiyah eagerly accepted these words and his men raised 500 copies of the Holy Qur'an on their spears, saying that the Holy Book would decide their differences. This trick had a strange effect on some people in the army of Imam Ali (A), who dropped their weapons and agreed that the Holy Qur'an should decide the matter. Imam Ali (A) stepped into the battlefield urging his men to continue fighting and ignore the tricks of Muawiyah, but they disobeyed. The war thus came to an unsatisfactory end, and it was decided that one representative from each side should meet to reach a final decision. 68 Class 7 History

275 Imam Ali (A) wanted Abdullah bin Abbas or Malik e Ashtar to represent him, but his men insisted that Abu Musa Ash'ari be chosen instead. Muawiyah appointed Amr al-aas to represent him. Abu Musa had neither wit nor tact and was no match for the cunning Amr al-aas. In the meeting that took place some months later, Abu Musa was badly tricked by Amr into giving up the rights of Imam Ali (A). Muawiyah thus managed to escape certain defeat at Siffeen. The damage done at the battle was great. Muawiyah lost 45,000 men and 25,000 men were killed on the side of Imam Ali (A). Class 7 History 69

276 13.1 Worksheet: Battle of Siffeen Choose the correct answer: 1. Where did Imam Ali (a) decide to set up the capital of his government? a. Medina b. Kufa c. Mecca d. Syria 2. Why did Muawiyah station his general, Abu Awr with 10,000 men on the Euphrates River? a. To make sure the soldiers had access to water b. To have a fertile feeding ground for the horses c. To make sure that Imam Ali s (a) army has no access to water. d. To lay claims on the land surrounding the river. 3. The shouts of Allah Akbar by Malik e Ashtar were heard how many times on the battlefield? a. 200 b. 300 c. 400 d Why did Muawiyah s army raise 500 copies of the Holy Qur an on their spears? a. To make sure the Holy Book would decide their differences b. To let Imam Ali (a) know that Muawiyah s army was surrendering c. They were using the Qur an to trick the winning side into ending the battle d. They wanted Imam Ali (a) to be their leader instead of Muawiyah. 5. Imam Ali (a) allowed Muawiyah s army unlimited access to the waters of the Euphrates. a. True b. False 6. Malik e Ashtar was the brave commander of Imam Ali s army. a. True 70 Class 7 History

277 b. False 7. At the end of the war Imam Ali s (a) army lost men and Muawiyah s army lost men. 8. Who was Imam Ali (s) representative in the peace negotiations? a. Abdullah bin Abbas b. Malik e Ashtar c. Abu Musa d. Jarir the governor of Hamdan Short Answer Questions: 9. Why did Muawiyah reject all efforts by Imam Ali (a) of peace negotiations? 10. Why was there a commotion in Muawiyah s army at the death of Ammar Bin Yasir, a distinguished companion of the Holy Prophet (s)? Class 7 History 71

278 Chapter 14: The Battle of Nahrawan After the unsatisfactory conclusion to the Battle of Siffeen, Imam Ali (A) returned with his army back to Kufa on the 13th of Safar 37 A.H. During the march, a group of 12,000 men kept themselves at a distance from the main part of the army. The group was furious at the way things had ended at Siffeen. These were the Kharjites (Kharjite means one who rebels against religion). They were the same people who had put down their weapons on the battlefield. Now they said that Imam Ali (A) had betrayed Islam by agreeing to the truce and should have referred judgment to the Holy Qur'an alone or continued to fight. They demanded that he repent for this great sin. When the army neared Kufa, the Kharjites camped at a village named Harura. They started saying that all Muslims were equal and nobody could rule over the other. In this way, they denounced both Imam Ali (A) and Muawiyah and said that their belief was in "La Hukma Illa Lillah", meaning, "No Rulership except by Allah alone." Imam Ali (A) went to their camp and tried to explain to them that they were misunderstanding the words "La Hukma Illa Lillah", and that in accepting the arbitration (peace talks) at Siffeen, he had not gone against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. He pointed out that they themselves were at fault, because they should never have laid down their arms and forced him to call back Malik e Ashtar, who was at the point of securing victory. He reminded them that they had pressed for the arbitration and had forced him to appoint Abu Musa Ash'ari as their representative. He told them that he found their present behavior very strange, considering their involvement in Siffeen. To this they admitted that they had sinned but now they had repented for it and he should do the same. Imam Ali (A) replied that he was a true believer and did not have to repent because he had not committed any sin. The Kharjites refused to accept the words of Imam Ali (A) and awaited the decision of Amr al-aas and Abu Musa Ash'ari. When they learnt of the decision they decided to revolt, and they set up their headquarters at Nahrawan, a few miles from Baghdad. Some people came from Basra to join the rebels. Meanwhile, Imam Ali (A) received news that trouble was brewing in Nahrawan. He was involved in raising another army to march against Muawiyah and wrote to the Kharjites that it was high time they joined his army. However, the Kharjites insultingly wrote back that they would think about it when he repented for his mistake at Siffeen. 72 Class 7 History

279 Imam Ali (A) had already started towards Muawiyah when he received the news that the Kharjites had raided the town of Mada'in but had been repelled back to their camp. They were now committing horrible crimes around Nahrawan and killing all those who did not accept their viewpoint. There was a danger that the Kharjites might attack Kufa while Imam Ali (A) and his men were marching towards Muawiyah, so Imam Ali (A) decided to stop them. He changed his course eastward, crossed the river Tigris and approached Nahrawan. Imam Ali (A) sent a messenger to the Kharjites demanding that those people who had murdered innocent Muslims around their camp should surrender. The Kharjites replied that they were all equally responsible for killing these sinners. There was some reluctance in the army of Imam Ali (A) to fight the Kharjites, because they had been their companions against Muawiyah at Siffeen. Imam Ali (A) himself did not desire the bloodshed of these misguided fanatics, so he placed his battle standard outside their camp and announced that all those who gathered around it or returned to their homes would be safe. This announcement had the desired effect and most of the Kharjites began to leave. In the end, only a core of 1,800 die-hards was left under the command of Abdallah bin Wahab. These Kharjites swore that they would fight Imam Ali (A) at any cost. The Kharjites attacked Imam Ali's (A) army with desperate courage. However, they did not stand a chance against the superior army that faced them and they were all killed except nine men. These nine managed to flee to Basra and elsewhere, where they spread the fire of their hatred and recruited more followers. Three years later, in 40 A.H., it was the Kharjites who sent out three assassins to kill Imam Ali (A), Muawiyah and Amr al-aas. The latter two survived but Imam Ali (A) was martyred following Ibne Muljam's cowardly attack in the mosque of Kufa. Having disposed of the Kharjites at Nahrawan, Imam Ali (A) resumed his march to Syria. However, the chiefs of his followers urged him to stop at Kufa to let the men rest before the long journey and to enable the army to repair their weapons and armors. Imam Ali (A) agreed to this request and camped at Nukhayla outside Kufa. The soldiers were allowed to leave the camp for a day. On the next day, hardly any men returned and at length, Imam Ali (A) entered Kufa and gave a stern sermon to the people. However, nobody came forward and finally, Imam Ali (A) turned away from them in disappointment. The Syrian expedition was abandoned, and never to be resumed. Class 7 History 73

280 14.1 Worksheet: The Battle of Nahrawan 1. A Kharjite is 2. Kharjites believed Imam Ali (A) had committed a sin by 3. The Kharjites main belief about leadership was 4. According to the Kharjites, La hukma illa lillah means 5. Imam Ali (A) believed the Kharijites committed a sin by 6. Imam Ali (A) was going towards Muawiyah for battle but changed his direction because of 7. Why was there some reluctance in the army of Imam Ali (A) to fight the Kharjites? 74 Class 7 History

281 8. Instead of directly fighting with the Kharjites, what did Imam Ali (A) do? 9. Was Imam Ali (A) able to complete the exchange with the Kharjites without a battle? 10. The remaining Kharjites were responsible for which horrid act? Class 7 History 75

282 Chapter 15: The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a) After Imam Ali (A) became the Caliph of the Muslims, he had to fight many battles. The last of these was the Battle of Nahrawan, against the Kharjites. These were the people who had deserted the Holy Imam (A) because they thought he had been too lenient with Muawiyah at Siffeen. After their defeat they went to Mecca, where they plotted the assassination of the Holy Imam (A), Muawiyah and Amr al-aas. Amr was Muawiyah s close advisor and his governor in Egypt and they feared that he would claim the Caliphate after the death of Muawiyah. By these murders the Kharjites thought that they could bring order to the Muslim empire. Accordingly, Abdur Rahman ibne Muljam agreed to kill the Holy Imam (A), Burak bin Abdallah Tymi to kill Muawiyah and Amr bin Bakr Tymi to kill Amr al-aas. The morning of Friday the 19th of Ramadhan was fixed for the execution. The three assassins poisoned their swords and set off towards Kufa, Damascus and Egypt. The man sent to Egypt was killed before he could approach Amr al-aas. The second man, Burak, reached Damascus and actually struck at Muawiyah but missed, and was killed before he could do him any harm. However, the man sent to kill the Holy Imam (A) reached Kufa safely and stationed himself in the mosque of Kufa on the night of the 19th of Ramadhan. The Holy Imam (A) had prophesied his departure from this world several days beforehand. When he left the house, his chickens began making a great noise and when one of his servants attempted to quieten them, the Holy Imam (A) said, "Leave them alone, for their cries are only in grief of my approaching death." On the morning of 19th Ramadhan, the Holy Imam (A) went to the mosque of Kufa and began to wake up all the people sleeping there. Ibne Muljam was lying on his stomach so as to hide the sword, and the Holy Imam (A) woke him up as well, telling him not to sleep on his stomach, as that was the way of Shaitan. After giving the Adhaan, the Holy Imam (A) led the prayer and Ibne Muljam, pretending to pray, stood behind him. When the Holy Imam (A) was in the state of prostration, Ibne Muljam dealt a heavy stroke with his sword on the Holy Imam's (A) head. The Prophet (S) had foretold the assassination of the Holy Imam (A) and his children and had said, "O Ali, I see before my eyes your beard dyed with the blood of your forehead". The murderer was caught and brought to the Holy Imam (A) and when the Holy Imam (A) saw that the ropes tied to him were cutting his flesh, he forgot his own agony and requested that Ibne Muljam should be treated more humanely. Touched by these words the murderer started to weep. A smile played on the Holy Imam's (A) lips and in a faint voice he said, "It is too late to repent now, you have done your deed. Was I a bad Imam or an unkind ruler?" This conduct was typical 76 Class 7 History

283 of the Holy Imam (A), whose justice was always tempered with mercy, even to the worst of his enemies. The Holy Imam (A) was taken home from the mosque. During his last hours, Asbagh bin Nabata, one of his companions, visited him and asked him for some words of advice. The Holy Imam (A) replied, "O Asbagh, what can be greater counsel than the fact that yesterday I was your companion, today I am your guest and tomorrow I will only be a memory." His last words to his sons were, "Remain steadfast in piety and resign yourself to the Will of Allah. Never aspire to anything that is beyond your reach. Always be truthful and merciful towards the orphans. Help the poor and needy and try to live in the world in a way which may help it to become better." He also instructed them to carry his coffin from behind only, as unseen hands would carry the front. He told them to take the route guided by the coffin itself. At the place where the coffin would stop, they would find a grave already dug for him. He also requested his sons that he should be buried secretly, because he feared his enemies might desecrate his grave. On the 21st of Ramadhan in 40 A.H. the Holy Imam (A) departed this world. He was 63 years old at the time. After washing and shrouding his body, his two sons Imam Hassan (A) and Imam Hussein (A) carried the coffin. The coffin stopped at Najaf, which is about four miles from Kufa. Here they found a grave already prepared with a message in it saying: "This grave has been dug by Prophet Nuh (A) for the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (A)." The Holy Imam (A) was buried in this grave. Until recently, the shrine of the Holy Imam (A) at Najaf was breathtaking. Countless number of people from all over the world used to flock to his tomb day after day to pay their respects and to offer salutations. Here they prayed to Allah seeking the Holy Imam's (A) intercession. Today the tomb has been demolished by the evil Saddam Hussein who destroyed all the holy shrines in Najaf and Kerbala and committed enormous crimes against innocent people, especially the Shia. Class 7 History 77

284 15.1 Worksheet: The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a) 1. The last battle fought by Imam Ali (A) was The Battle of 2. The people who deserted Imam Ali (A) and fought in The Battle of Nahrawan were called the 3. Imam Ali (A) left his home on 19 of Ramadhan knowing he would 4. Why did Imam Ali (A) say sleeping on the stomach is a way of Shaitan? 5. Name 3 main things the Imam said to his children before his death The date Imam Ali (A) died was 78 Class 7 History

285 7. Imam Hassan (A) and Imam Hussein (A) carried Imam Ali s (A) coffin to the city of and buried him in a grave prepared by 8. An important lesson Imam Ali (A) taught humans was to forgive people. Give an example from this story in which the Imam forgave someone. Class 7 History 79

286 SECTION II: Special Occasions 80 Class 7 History

287 Chapter 16: Imam Hussein (a) & the Events at Kerbala [by Dr. Hamid Algar, Univ. of California, Berkeley, USA, 27th September, 2001 and excerpts from Karbala by Ramzan Sabir (al-islam.org)] - Imam Hussein (a), the son of Imam Ali (a), was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban, 4 AH (626 CE). Like his brother Hassan (a), the Imam was very close to his grandfather, the Prophet (s), and resembled him in appearance. His name was given to him by the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) recited Adhaan in his ear at birth, and foretold the fate of the Imam (a) at Kerbala, calling him "Sayyid ash-shuhada. - After the death of the Prophet (s), Imam Hassan (a) and Hussein (a) did not participate in Islamic affairs during the reign of the first three caliphs. They did however; guard the house of Othman when his house was under siege by Muslims. During the caliphate of their father Imam Ali (a), the 2nd and 3rd Imams participated in all the battles. - Between the death of the 2nd Imam in 49 AH and the death of Muawiyah, Imam Hussein (a) continued to live a quiet life, even when Yazeed was nominated and the treaty between Muawiyah and Imam Hassan (a) violated. A number of delegations from Kufa came to Medina with a pledge to support Imam Hussein (a), and requested him to rise up against the Umayyads. One supporter Hujr b. 'Ali, rose against the Umayyad ritual of cursing Imam Ali (a). While he was swiftly captured and killed, it indicated a growth of Shia resistance to the caliphate. After the murder of Hujr, Muawiyah warned Imam Hussein (a) not to support any of these uprisings. The Imam (a) replied that this was not his goal. Why did the Imam (a) not support any of these uprisings? For two main reasons: 1) Imam (a) believed that the treaty of his brother continued to be legally binding. 2) Imam (a) acknowledged the unequal balance of support between his followers and Muawiyah's men, as well as the fickle nature of many Shias who betrayed both his father and brother AH: Muawiyah appointed Yazeed as his successor, violating the terms of the treaty with Imam Hassan (a). Yazeed was utterly irreligious, openly drinking and mocking Islamic beliefs, so much so that Muawiyah himself expressed concern about his nomination. Four years before his own death though, Muawiyah demanded that Muslims give allegiance to Yazeed. Those that refused to do so were the son of Abu Bakr, Abdullah ibn Omar, Abdullah ibn Zubayr, and Imam Hussein (a). Muawiyah was unsuccessful in forcing their allegiances during his lifetime. In 60 AH when Yazeed came to power, he instructed the new governor of Medina Walid b. 'Utba, to force an allegiance out of the four, especially Abdullah ibn Zubayr and Imam Hussein (a). Imam Hussein (a) flatly refused to accept Yazeed either as a Caliph or a leader of Islam. When he refused to give his allegiance even at the repeated insistence of Walid, Yazeed Class 7 History 81

288 commanded Walid to get an allegiance or to kill the Imam (a). Walid replied that he would never kill the Imam (a), no matter how much wealth he received in return Journey of Imam Hussein (a) from Medina to Iraq - A few days later, after Imam Hussein (a) had openly declared to Yazeed that a man like himself could never give allegiance to a man like Yazeed, on the 28th of Rajab 60AH, Imam Hussein (a) left for Mecca. He left with all his family and many of his friends. At hearing this, many Kufans invited the Imam to come to Kufa, and offered their help in fighting Yazeed. But the Imam (a) was aware of their unreliability and fickle nature. He instead sent them letters outlining his role as an Imam, and agreeing to come only if they allow his to carry out his true purpose. In addition to the letters, Imam Hussein (a) sent his cousin Muslim bin Aqeel to Kufa to assess the situation. In the mean time Yazeed spread a network of informants and secret agents in Mecca to assassinate the Imam during pilgrimage. Imam learned about the spies, and carefully evaluated the situation in Mecca. Imam Hussein (a) knew that Yazeed son of Muawiyah had no regard for Islamic values and teachings, that he would do anything to enforce his tyrannical rule. Imam Hussein (a) also knew that giving allegiance of loyalty to an imposter like Yazeed would certainly place Islam at great jeopardy. Therefore he decided to leave Mecca for Kufa to prepare for a confrontation with Yazeed and his forces. - On the 5th of Sha'ban, Muslim bin Aqeel arrived in Kufa. At the time around 12,000 to 30,000 Kufans gave him their allegiances. However Yazeed replaced the current Kufan with a new governor known as Ubaydallah bin Ziyad. Ubaydallah began threatening and persecuting those who supported Muslim bin Aqeel. Gradually the number of supporters dwindled, as some were bought over by Ubaydallah and others became tired or afraid, leaving hardly any devotees. Then Muslim s place of hiding was betrayed, and on the 8th or 9th of Dhulhijjah he was martyred. This was the same day that Imam Hussein (a) left from Mecca for Kufa, as he had yet only received positive letters from Muslim reporting the favorable events in Kufa. On his way, however, the Imam (a) met Farazdaq the poet, who said about the people of Kufa "their hearts are with you, but their swords are with the Umayyads". - Soon thereafter Imam Hussein (a) was informed of his cousin's death and other prominent Shias in Kufa. Despite this, Imam (a) continued on his way to Iraq, while he informed his followers they were free to leave him if they wanted. He arrived in Kerbala on the 2nd of Muharram, 61AH. He was compelled under the command of Hurr bin Yazeed and 1000 of his men, to set up camp in an unprotected area without direct access to water. Soon the army of Amar ibne Saad arrived, bringing the total of the enemy to 5000 men. Imam's (a) army consisted of 72 people. At first Amar ibne Saad said that if Imam (a) agreed to swear allegiance he could return to Mecca. Imam Hussein (a) refused. Amar ibne Saad was still reluctant to take action, and as a result the leadership was 82 Class 7 History

289 given to Shamir (commonly known as Shimr), who had fought with Imam Ali (a) in battle of Siffeen. On the 7th of Muharram basic needs like water were denied to Imam Hussein (a) and his supporters Ashura - On the 10th of Muharram (Ashura) Imam made a final appeal to the army of Yazeed, not to save his own life, but to allow the soldiers to redeem themselves and prevent them from carrying out the heinous crimes they were about to commit. Upon their refusal, the battle began. It lasted less than a day, and began in the traditional manner with single combat between the two sides. At noon 2 major assaults were carried out against the Imam's (a) camp, which while very small in number, presented stiff resistance. One after the other, his followers were killed. Then the family members of the Imam (a) were killed; his son 'Ali Akbar, the sons of Muslim bin Aqeel, a son of Imam Ali (a), the sons of Imam Hassan (a). Eventually only Imam Hussein (a) and his brother Abbas were left. When Abbas too was martyred, Imam bid a final farewell to his family. Some of the soldiers in Yazeed s army continued to be reluctant to kill the Imam, but when Imam (a) fell to the ground, a man by the name of Sinan carried out the murder. The army then proceeded to trample upon the body of the Imam (a), and beheaded the bodies of all the martyrs. - There remained from the family of Imam Hussein (a) only one male who was very sick at the time, his son Imam Zain ul 'Abideen (a). Imam Zain ul 'Abideen (a) who took on the role of the Imam at the death of his father, was taken with the women who remained, first to Syria and then eventually to their homes in Medina. The heads of the martyrs were taken to Syria. It was not until 2 or 3 days after Ashura that local tribesmen buried the bodies of the martyrs Conclusions - Among the general Muslim community there was no serious reaction or outcry against the actions of the caliphate that had murdered the grandson of the Prophet(s), less then 50 years after the death of the Prophet(s). - The events of Kerbala had a very important impact on Shia view of early Islamic history. Sunni Islam, with its belief in the general virtue of all the companions, often idealizes the first century of Islam, and looks to it to provide an ideal of model worthy of imitation. Shia Islam, on the other hand, recognizes that the events in the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet (s) were far from ideal. Rather early Islam was inaugurated by tragedy, and should not Class 7 History 83

290 be seen as a model to be imitated. Combined with the belief in the coming of the 12th Imam, Shias instead look to the future for a time when Islam will be established throughout the world. - Finally Ashura became an extremely important date, both for its historical events, and the symbols for which the battle between Imam Hussein (a) and Yazeed stand for, i.e. the continual struggle between justice and injustice. Thus a hadith of the 6th Imam says, "Every day is Ashura, every land is Kerbala". Prior to 61AH there were numerous events associated with Ashura that occurred during the times of earlier Prophets, but the events of Kerbala took precedence over all these other events. - Kerbala is the cruelest tragedy humanity has ever seen. Yet, the startling (though appalling) events in Kerbala proved like a powerful volcano that shook the very foundation of Muslims, it stirred their consciousness, ignorant or learned alike. For sincere Muslims, Kerbala turned into a triumph. The tragic event became the very beacon of light to always remind Muslims to practice Islam honestly and sincerely, to do what is right irrespective of consequences, and fear no one except Allah (swt). - On the other hand, Yazeed never achieved what he and his father had planned to achieve, for within three years, Allah's wrath fell upon him, causing him to die at the age of 33 years. And within a few decades the rule of Banu Umayyah crumbled and came to an end. The tragedy of Kerbala taught humanity a lesson; that standing for the truth and fighting unto death for it, is more honorable and valuable than submitting to the wrong, especially when the survival of Islam is at stake. 84 Class 7 History

291 16.4 Worksheet: Imam Hussein (a) and the Events at Kerbala Write whether true or false: 1. After the death of the Prophet (s), Imam Hassan (a) and Hussein (a) did not participate in Islamic affairs during the reign of the first three caliphs. 2. They refused to guard the house of Othman when his house was under siege by Muslims. 3. During the caliphate of their father Imam Ali (a), the 2nd and 3rd Imams were too young to participate in any battles. 4. Between the death of the 2nd Imam in 49 AH and the death of Muawiyah, Imam Hussein (a) continued to live a quiet life, even when Yazeed was nominated. 5. There were signs of Shia resistance against Muawiyah. 6. Those that refused to pledge allegiance to Yazeed were the son of Abu Bakr, Abdullah ibn Omar, Abdullah ibn Zubayr, and Imam Hussein (a). Choose the correct answer: 1) Imam Hussein (a) sent his cousin Muslim bin Aqeel to Kufa a) To assess the situation b) Because he was aware of the fickle nature of the people of Kufa c) Because Muslim was eager to see Kufa d) Both a) and b) 2) Gradually the number of Muslim s supporters dwindled because a) Some were bought over by Ubaydallah b) Some did not know who Muslim was really representing c) Some became tired or afraid d) Both a) and c) 3) The Imam (a) found out about the death of Muslim a) In Mecca, before he left for Kufa b) On his way to Kufa c) When he got to Kerbala d) When he arrived in Kufa 4) Imam Hussein (a) was commanded to set up camp a) In an unprotected area without direct access to water b) Outside of Kerbala c) In Kufa d) In an area full of wild trees and poisonous bushes Class 7 History 85

292 Short essay question: Describe the major events that took place after Imam s (a) arrival in Kerbala. 86 Class 7 History

293 Chapter 17: Ali Akbar (a) - Son of Imam Hussein(a) Ali Akbar (a) was Imam Hussein s (a) older son. His handsome looks were matched by his handsome deeds. His nobility of character, his sense of duty, his generosity, his chivalry, his geniality, his love of justice and fair play had endeared him to every soul. It was a well-known fact amongst the Arabs throughout Hijaz that Ali Akbar (a) bore a remarkable resemblance to the Holy Prophet. In looks, in voice, in mannerism, in every way, he resembled the Prophet. The resemblance was so marked that people from far and wide came to see him, to be reminded of the Prophet whom they missed so much. Those who had not had the good fortune to see the Prophet were told by their elders that Ali Akbar (a) was the very image of Muhammad (s), may Peace of Allah be on Him. When Imam Hussein (a) refused Yazeed s bay at and decided to leave Medina, a delegation approached Hussein (a) to dissuade him from undertaking his journey. Their leader, with supplication in his faltering voice, besought Hussein (a) to tell them why he had decided to leave them and the Prophet's tomb for which he had so much attachment. O Son of the Prophet, if we have displeased you in any way, please forgive us. At this display of love and affection Hussein(a) was moved to tears. Suppressing his grief he replied: My dear brethren, believe me that my heart is bleeding at this parting, parting from you and from the graves of my beloved grandfather, my dearest mother and my brother, whom I held dearer than my life. Had it not been for the call of duty, I assure you I would have abandoned the idea of leaving Medina. It grieves me most that I cannot for once grant you your wishes when you all love me so dearly. But Almighty Allah has so willed it and in His divine dispensation ordained that I should undertake this journey. I know what hardships await me; but the Prophet has groomed me from my childhood to face them. The representatives of the people of Medina then requested Hussein (a) to grant them one wish and leave Ali Akbar (a) behind in Medina. O Hussein," they said, "we cannot bear the thought of parting with your son Ali Akbar. He is the very image of the Prophet. Whenever we feel overcome by the remembrance of Muhammad, we go to Ali Akbar to have a look at him and take comfort. We shall look after him better than we look after our own sons. We promise that we shall treat his every wish as a command. In fair weather and foul we shall stand by him. Even if we die, we shall command our children as our dying wish to attend to all his comforts and needs. His exemplary life has been an object lesson for our sons who are devoted to him as if he were their brother. Class 7 History 87

294 This sincere and earnest pleading made Hussein (a) momentarily speechless. He replied to them in a tone tinged with pathos, Alas, I only wish I could entrust my Ali Akbar to your care! In my mission he has to play a role, the importance of which time alone will tell. I cannot accede to your request for reasons that I cannot reveal to you; but rest assured that I shall always remember your kindness to me. I shall carry with me vivid memories of this parting and remember you in my prayers. And so when the heavens were glowing with the last rays of day, the caravan left on its longdrawn journey to the unknown destination. Meandering through the desert, the caravan had reached the destination that Allah had willed for it. With the dawn of the 10th day of the month of Muharram the events, started unfolding themselves. One by one the faithful followers went out to fight for the cause of Islam and in the process faced death. With his devoted supporters engulfed in death, the turn of Hussein's (a) sons and brothers and nephews came. Ali Akbar (a) went over to his father to ask his permission to go out into that gory arena from which no person from his camp had returned. Hussein (a) looked at his face; it would be more correct to say that for a couple of minutes his stare was fixed on that face which he loved so much; which reminded him every time of his grandfather whom he resembled every inch. He tried to say something but his voice failed him. With considerable effort he whispered with downcast eyes: Akbar, I wish you had become a father; then you would have known what I am experiencing at this moment. My son, how can a father ask his son to go, when he knows that the parting would be forever! But Akbar, the call of duty makes me helpless in this matter. Go to your mother, and to your Aunt Zainab who has brought you up from childhood and loved you and cared for you more than for her own sons, and seek their permission. Ali Akbar (a) entered the tent of his Aunt Zainab (a). He found her and his mother Umme Laila. Syeda Zainab (a) broke the silence with an exclamation: Oh God, can it be true that Akbar has come to bid me and his mother the last farewell Akbar do not say that you are ready for the last journey. So long as my sons Awn and Muhammad are there, it is impossible for me to let you go. 88 Class 7 History

295 Akbar knew what love and affection his aunt Zainab (a) had for him. He was conscious of the pangs of sorrow she was experiencing at that moment. Her affection for him transcended everything except her love for Hussein (a). He looked at her face, and at his mother's who was rendered speechless by her surging feelings of anguish. He knew not how to tell them that he had prepared himself for the journey to Heaven that lay ahead. He summoned to his aid his most coaxing manners that had always made his mother and Al-Zainab (a) accede to his requests and said: My aunt, for all my father's kinsmen the inevitable hour has come. I implore you, by the love you bear for your brother, to let me go so that it may not be said that he spared me till all his brothers and nephews were killed. Abbas, my uncle, is Commander of our army. The others are all younger than me. When death is a certainty, let me die first so that I can quench my thirst at the heavenly spring of Kawthar at the hands of my grandfather. The earnestness of Akbar's (a) tone convinced Al-Zainab (a) and his mother that he was determined to go. It seemed to be his last wish to lay down his life before all his kinsmen. Since on no other occasion they had denied him his wishes, it seemed so difficult to say no to his last desire. With a gasp Al-Zainab (a) could only say, Akbar, my child, if the call of death has come to you, go. His mother could only say: May God be with you my son. With you I am losing all I had and cared for in this world. Your father has told me what destiny has in store for me. After you, for me pleasure and pain will have no difference. When Akbar (a) approached Hussein (a), there was no need for him to say that he had bid farewell to his mother and Aunt Zainab (a), for the sorrow depicted on his face spoke volumes to Hussein (a). Silently he rose and put the Prophet's turban on Akbar's (a) head, tied the scabbard on his waist and imprinted a kiss on his forehead. In a failing, faltering voice he muttered: Go Akbar, God is there to help you. Treading heavily, Akbar (a) came out of the tent with Hussein following closely behind him and marched towards the battlefield. He was now facing the enemy horses. He addressed the forces of Amar Ibne Saad with an eloquence that he had inherited from his Grandfather and the Prophet. He was telling them that Hussein, his father, had done them no harm and had devoted his life to the cause of Islam. He was explaining to them that by shedding the blood of Class 7 History 89

296 Hussein and his kinsmen they would be incurring the wrath of God and displeasure of the Prophet. He was exhorting them not to smear their hands with the blood of a person so holy, so God-fearing and so righteous. His words cast a spell on the army of the opponents. The older ones from amongst them were blinking their eyes in amazement and wondering whether the Prophet had descended from the Heavens to warn them against the shedding of Hussein's blood. What a resemblance there was with the Prophet, in face, features and even mannerism! Even the voice was of Muhammad! Seeing the effect which Ali Akbar's (a) address had produced on his soldiers, Amar ibne Saad exhorted them to challenge him to single combat. A few of them, desiring the honor and rewards they would get if they overpowered and killed this brave son of Hussein, emaciated by three days of hunger and thirst, came forward to challenge him. One by one he met them in battle, gave them a taste of his skill and prowess in fighting and flung them from their horseback to meet the doom they so much deserved. Now it was his turn to challenge the warriors of Yazeed to come forward. Seeing that he was capable of displaying valor and battle craft for which his grandfather Ali (a) had been famous for and which had struck terror into the hearts of enemies of Islam, none dared to come forward. Ali Akbar (a) had received several gaping wounds in the course of his victorious single combats. He was fast losing blood and the effect of his thirst was getting accentuated with every second that was passing. He realized that the treacherous enemies would attack him en masse. He had left his mother in a dazed condition. An irresistible urge to see his dear ones for the last time seized him and he turned his horse towards his camp. He found his father standing at the doorstep of the tent and his mother and aunt standing inside the tent. Hussein (a) had been watching the battles of this thirsty youth and the two ladies were watching his face: they knew that if any calamity befell Ali Akbar (a), Hussein's (a) expression would indicate it. Whilst watching Hussein's (a) face, they were both praying offering silent prayers: O Allah, Who brought back Isma il to Hajirah; O Allah, Who granted the prayers of the mother Musa and restored her son to her; O Allah, Who reunited Ya qub with his son Yusuf in response to the aged father's supplications, grant us our one wish to see Ali Akbar for once. Was it the effect of these prayers that brought back Ali Akbar to the camp? Ali Akbar (a) was now facing his aged father and his loving mother and Syeda Zainab (a). With an exclamation of joy and relief they clung to him. Hussein (a) lovingly embraced his son saying: 90 Class 7 History

297 Bravo, my son. The gallantry you how displayed today reminded me of the battles of my revered father, Ali. The only difference was that, during his fights, my father Ali had not to battle against hunger and thirst as you have to. Ali Akbar s (a) second parting was sad as the first one, perhaps sadder. Every one realized that this was the last time they were beholding Akbar. Hussein (a) followed Ali Akbar (a) out of the tent. As he rode away, Hussein (a) walked behind him with a brisk pace for some distance, as a man follows his sacrificial lamb in Mina. When Akbar (a) disappeared from his sight, he turned heavenwards and, with his hands raised, he prayed: O Allah, Thou art my Witness that on this day I have sent away for sacrifice one whom I loved and cherished most, to defend the cause of righteousness and truth. He sat on the ground as if trying to listen expectantly to some call from the battlefield. It was not very long before he received a wailing call, a call from Ali Akbar (a), a call of anguish and pain: Father, Akbar has fallen with a mortal wound in his chest. Father, come to me for I have not long to live. If you cannot reach me, I convey my last salutations to you and my dear ones. Though Hussein (a) was anticipating such a call, what a ghastly effect it had on him! He rose from the ground and fell; he rose again and fell again. With one hand on his heart he struggled to his feet. Torrential tears were flooding his eyes. He rushed in the direction from which the cry had come. It seemed as Hussein's (a) strength had ebbed away on hearing that fateful cry of his dearest son, for he was falling at every few steps. He was sobbing: Akbar, give me another shout so that I can follow its direction. Akbar, my sight is gone with the shock I have received and there is nobody to guide me to where you lie. Abbas (a) came rushing to the aid of his master. Holding his hand he led him on to the place from where Akbar's (a) dying cry had come. Akbar (a) was lying in a pool of his own blood. With one hand on his chest covering a deep wound from which blood was gushing out, with his face writhing with pain, Akbar (a) was prostrate and unconscious. His thirst and the agony he was enduring on account of the wound, made his feet dig into the sand. With a cry of anguish Hussein (a) fell on the body of Akbar (a). On seeing his beloved son breathe his last in his own hands, Hussein (a) for quite some time remained there weeping. Abbas (a) sat by his side shedding tears. What words of consolation could he offer when the tragedy was of such a magnitude? Class 7 History 91

298 When Hussein (a) reached the camp he laid down Akbar's (a) body on the ground. The ladies came and all flung themselves on the body, lamenting profusely. Hussein (a) sat for a few minutes near the dead body of his son, dazed with grief. He was awakened from his stupor by Qasim (a), the son of his brother, who had come to seek his permission to go to the battlefield. He rose from the ground, wiped the tears from his aged eyes and muttered Verily from God we come, and unto Him is our return. Reference: Tears and Tributes by Zakir Shaheed Associates, Hyderabad, India 5th Revised Edition Contributed by Br. Ali Abbas abbas@seas.gwu.edu 92 Class 7 History

299 17.1 Worksheet: Ali Akbar (a) - Son of Imam Hussein (a) Choose the correct answer 1. Ali Akbar (a) was Imam older son. a. Hassan s (a) b. Ali s (a) c. Hussein s (a) d. Zain ul Abideen s (a) 2. It was a well-known fact amongst the Arabs throughout Hijaz that Ali Akbar (a) bore a remarkable resemblance to. a. Imam Ali (a) b. The Holy Prophet (s) c. Syeda Fatimah Zahra (a) d. Imam Hussein (a) 3. Ali Akbar s (a) handsome physical appearance was matched by his equally handsome deeds. Some of these were: a. His nobility of character and generosity b. His sense of duty and love of justice c. His youth d. Both (a) and (b) 4. The representatives of the people of Medina did not want a. Imam Hussein (a) and Ali Akbar (a) to leave Medina b. Imam Hussein (a) to refuse Bay at c. Any youth to leave Medina d. Imam Hussein (a) to lose his son in Kerbala 5. Imam Hussein (a) told Ali Akbar (a) to get permission to go to battle from Syeda Zainab (a) because: a. She was the oldest Aunt Ali Akbar (a) had b. Ali Akbar s (a) mother was in Medina c. Syeda Zainab (a) decided who could go to the battlefield d. None of the above Class 7 History 93

300 Short essay question: In 2 or 3 paragraphs write down what happened after Ali Akbar (a) went to the battlefield. Be sure to include the emotions of Imam Hussein (a). For a moment reflect on your own relationship with your father. Write down a few sentences about why you think Imam Hussein (a) let his own son go to die. 94 Class 7 History

301 Chapter 18: Abbas Ibn Ali Ibn Abu Talib (a) Imam Zain ul-abideen (a) has said: "Allah may have mercy upon my uncle, al-abbas. He preferred his brother to himself, did well, and sacrificed himself for his brother until he lost his two hands for sake of such." Imam as-sadiq (a) has said: "My uncle al-abbas was clear-sighted, steadfastly faithful " Imam al-mahdi (a) said: "Salaam be upon Abul-Fadhlil Abbas, son of Amir ul-mu mineen. He preferred his brother to himself, supplied himself with (opportunities of) today for (rewards of) tomorrow, sacrificed himself for his brother, protected him, hurried for fetching him water, and his two hands were cut (for such)." Al-Abbas, after all, was the righteous servant of God and the epitome of heroism Pure lineage Undoubtedly, to have relations with great personalities is an honor and dignity, especially when such great personality is the choice of God and the seal of the prophets. Al-Abbas ibn Ali (a) was the son of Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a) who was an independent source of honor and dignity. Al- Abbas (a) had every right to take pride in him and learn from his morals, ethics, and excellences. He learnt values like courage, patience, faith, and loyalty from his father. Like fathers, uncles play a good role in the structure of personalities. The paternal uncles of, al- Abbas (a), were such unique personalities whose lives and situations have been matters of pride for humanity in general and Islam in particular From the maternal side, al-abbas (a) was the son of a great lady; namely Umm-ul-Baneen, from the tribe of Kelab who enjoyed excellent lineage and personality. Umm-ul-Baneen belonged to one of the most celebrated families in fields of honor, openhandedness, nobility, courage, and bravery, because her forefathers had been the foremost among others in fields of heroism and courage. Class 7 History 95

302 In addition to her high moral and ethical standards, she was well known of her loyalty to the Ahlul Bait and her devoutness. Therefore, she occupied an elevated position in the sight of the Ahlul Bait who praised her in many occasions and showed her great respect. This great lady gave birth of four courageous sons, Al-Abbas, Abdullah, Ja far, and Othman, the elder being Abul-Fadhlil Abbas (a). He, as well as his brothers, acquired the qualities of courage and bravery from their mother as well as their father. Some historians have confirmed that al-abbas (a) was born on the fourth of Sha ban, AH Childhood and Upbringing It is narrated that, once, Imam Ali (a) seated his baby al-abbas (a) on his knees, lifted his (the baby's) hands, kissed them, and wept. Watching this situation, the mother was astonished; hence, Imam Ali (a) foretold her about the future of her baby and what would happen to his hands. She, as well as the others, wept heavily. After that, the Imam told her about her baby's great position with God, and this relieved her. Al-Abbas (a) adhered to his father since he was in Medina, and when he moved to Iraq and resided in Kufa, al-abbas (a) was also under his thoughtful care and wise education. By heredity, education, and environment, al-abbas (a) acquired all virtues, high moral standards, knowledge, and conversance. After his father's demise, al-abbas adhered closely to his two brothers; al-hassan (a) and alhussein (a). He returned with them to Medina and learnt from them the religious knowledge and fundamentals in addition to the nobilities of character. When Imam al-hassan (a) was poisoned to death, al-abbas (a) adhered to his brother Imam al- Hussein (a) and his nephew Imam Ali Zain ul Abideen (a). He kept himself with his brother in Medina, Mecca, and Iraq where he protected him until he lost his life for this sake. Thus, al-abbas (a) had the characteristic of full adherence to his father, two brothers, and nephew. From that reason, he was a true copy of the Imams in knowledge and morality. Al-Abbas (a) was also the brother of Syeda Zainab al-kubra (a), daughter of Syeda Fatimah az- Zahra (s). She was older than al-abbas (a). Like her mother, Al-Zainab (a) was the best example of glory, honor, and perseverance on principles; therefore, she contributes strongly in erecting the ideal human society. Al-Abbas (a) engaged himself with her guardianship during the tragic journey to Kerbala. 96 Class 7 History

303 It is now not odd for, al-abbas (a), to hold all the mental virtues in his unparalleled personality, since his forefathers, father, mother, brothers, and sisters were all models of human perfection. Muhammad ibn al-hanafiyya is another brother from whom al-abbas (a) learnt courage plus horsemanship and eloquence. During the battle of Siffeen, Imam Ali (a) regarded his son Muhammad as his hand Name and Titles of Abbas Ibn Ali (a) Following are the meanings of his name and titles Al-Abbas Referring to the linguistic meaning of the Arabic al-abbas (a), Ibn-Manzhour, in his al-ayn, writes down: Al-Abbas: the lion that other lions fear and escape. In Muntaha al-irab, the following is recorded: Al-Abbas: this name is called on the courageous, the fearless, the strong, and the attacker. It is one of the names of the lion. Describing al-abbas (a) in the battlefields, many historians have likened him to the angry lion. At- Turaihi, in his al-muntakhab, says: Al-Abbas ibn Ali (a) looked like an unshakable mountain. His heart was as same as a mound because he was such a unique horseman and hero. In battlefields, he was fearless. Other names of Al-Abbas Abu l-fadhl Al-Abbas (a) was called Abul Fadhlil (father -or owner- of virtue). Some mentioned that he had a son called al-fadhl. As a matter of fact, this name represents his personality completely, because he was the owner, leader, and source of virtue. In his life, he was so openhanded-he used to distribute his virtue and charity on everyone who directed to him. After martyrdom, he is the shelter and refuge of everyone who seeks his help. Class 7 History 97

304 Abu-Qirba Al-Abbas (a) was also called Abu-Qirba (the owner of the skin of water) because he carried water to the harem of Imam al-hussein (a) during the battle of at-taff Abu l-qasim He was also called Abul-Qasim. This name, however, is not common among historians some of whom have mentioned that al-abbas had a son called al-qasim and was martyred during the battle of at-taff. Jabir al-ansari addressed to al-abbas (a) during the Ziyara of al-arbaeen: "Salaam be upon you, Abul-Qasim. Salaam be upon you, al-abbas ibn Ali." Undoubtedly, Jabir was that great personality who spent much of his time in the house of prophecy and Imamate; therefore, he was more knowledgeable than others in the secrets, affairs, and news of this holy house Qamar Bani Hashim Al-Abbas (a) was so bright-faced and handsome. Hence, he was called 'Qamar Bani Hashim - Moon of the Hashimites.' He was also the moon of his family and the moon of Islam because he paved the path of martyrdom with light and shone upon the lives of Muslims. He was so bright-faced that the light of his countenance lit all darkness and everybody admired his handsomeness. When al-abbas (a) was accompanied by his nephew Ali Akbar (a), known of his similarity to the Prophet physically and morally, people of Medina used to stop in lines to watch their physical stature As-Saqqaa During the stay of Imam Hussein (a) and his household in Kerbala al-abbas, undertook the mission of fetching water his brother s camp. On that account, he had the epithet 'as-saqqaa - the provider of water.' From his forefathers, al-abbas (a) inherited the mission of serving water. Other than the other Koreishite clans, the Hashemites exclusively undertook the mission of serving water for the unparalleled qualities of generosity and honor that they enjoyed. Historians have recorded that Qusay ibn Kelab was the foremost to serve water to the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God in Mecca. After him, his son Abd-Menaf inherited this mission and 98 Class 7 History

305 left it to his son Hashim who, too, left it to his son Abd-ul-Muttalib. After Abd-ul-Muttalib, AbuTalib undertook this mission then handed it over to his brother al-abbas ibn Abd-ul-Muttalib. On the day of the conquest of Mecca, al-abbas offered this mission to the Prophet (s) who gave it back to him. Furthermore, history is full of narrations, mentioning that the Prophet (s) served water to his companions in many occasions before and after prophesy. Imam Ali Amir ul-mu mineen (a), also, served the Muslim army with water at that night before the day of the Battle of Badr. On the day of the Hudaybiyyah Treaty, Imam Ali served the Prophet and Muslims with water. When Othman ibn Affan was blockaded at his house, Imam Ali ordered his sons to send him water. Finally, during the battle of Siffeen Imam Ali (a) allowed the other party to drink from the water which was under his control although Muawiyah prevented Imam Ali's (a) army from reaching the river when he, first, had controlled it. Like their father, Imams al-hassan (a) and al-hussein (a) supplicated to God for rain for people of Kufa when they were afflicted by draught. Because of the Imams' supplication, the city of Kufa was watered with heavy rain that regained life to it. After all, history has not forgotten the situation when Imam al-hussein, after he had left Medina and Mecca and directed towards Kufa, served water to people of Iraq: At the last hours of that night, Imam al-hussein (a) ordered his servants to fetch water as much as possible. They did although they did not know the reason. In their way, the caravan of the Imam met the army headed by al-hurr ibn Yazeed and they were intolerably thirsty under the heat of that sun and the iron of their military uniform. Only then did the servants of Imam al- Hussein know the reason why their master had asked them to take water as much as possible. Then, the Imam (a) ordered, "Serve them with water and give their horses some." Like his fathers and two brothers, al-abbas ibn Ali (a) assumed to himself the mission of serving water and he was completely worthy of it. On every occasion and every opportunity he could seize, al-abbas (a) served the others with water, until the blockade imposed by Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad. When Imam al-hussein's (a) camp lost many of the individuals and seemed to be losing the battle, the Imam shouted, "Is there not any helper who may help us? Is there not any one who may guard the harem of Allah's Messenger?" Hearing these words from his brother, al-abbas approached to his brother, kissed him on the face, and asked for permission for fighting. The Imam did not permit him, but he ordered him to fetch some water for the women and children. Class 7 History 99

306 Battal ul-alqami Al-Alqami is the name of the river on whose bank was the last scene of the life of al-abbas. This river was gathered around by big numbers of soldiers whose mission was to prevent the camp of Imam al-hussein (a) from water. By his giant determination and unmatched heroism, al-abbas could attack that army and occupy the river until he was martyred there. Hence, he was called 'Battal ul-alqami -the hero of al-alqami.' Hamil ul-liwaa The holding of standards in wars was the most significant position in armies. Standards are given exclusively to the soldiers who enjoy special military abilities. During the battle of at-taff, the standard was in the hand of Abul-Fadhlil Abbas (a) who preserved and held it since the beginning of the tragic journey in Medina until the last spark of his life. He protected that standard so bravely and uniquely that he embraced it to his chest when his two hands were severed. In more than one situation, al-abbas (a) asked his brother Imam al-hussein (a) for permission for fighting, but the Imam used to say to him, "You are the standard-bearer of my army. If you are martyred, my troops will separate. It is also well known that standard-bearers are chosen according to special qualifications: The standard-bearer must be accepted by everybody and must bear qualities such as courage, chivalry, and honor. The standard-bearers, too, must exert all efforts for sake of keeping the standard high. From this reason, al-abbas (a) exerted unique efforts to keep the standard high. When his right hand was severed, he held the standard in the left, and when this one was also severed, he embraced the standard to his chest and kept it to the last breath of his life. Historians have also recorded that when the Umayyad army raided at the camp of Imam alhussein (a) -after his martyrdom-, they robbed everything including the standard, which was borne by al- Abbas (a). In Syria, Yazeed s sight fell on that standard that amazed him. He noticed that it was completely stabbed except at its handle, from which it was carried and said, "Look at this standard! It is stabbed in every place except its handle. This clearly means that its bearer was so courageous and chivalrous that he faced all stabs and strokes without letting that standard fall from his hand. This is the true loyalty to brothers!!" Kebsh ul-kateeba This title is exclusively given to the higher commander whose mission is to protect and manage his troops. Hence, this title was conferred upon al-abbas for his unique courage and 100 Class 7 History

307 bravery during the battle of at-taff when he protected and guarded the camp of Imam al- Hussein (a). In fact, the Umayyad army, including their commanders, feared al-abbas (a); therefore, they offered many seductive offers, such as the general commandment of the army, provided that he would leave the wing of Imam al-hussein (a) and join theirs. By the martyrdom of al-abbas (a), the eyes of his enemies, which could not see rest so long as he was there, became delighted, while the eyes of Imam al-hussein's (a) camp and children, which was tranquil and delighted so long as they could see al-abbas (a) protecting them, lost rest forever Al-Ameed This title is also addressed to the lofty military personalities. It was conferred upon al-abbas (a) because he played the role of the support and commander of his brother's army Bab ul-hawaaij People believed that God would surely settle the needs of him who implores to Him by seeking the intercession of al-abbas for the special rank that he enjoys in the sight of Almighty God and for dedicating himself to the obedience to Imam al-hussein (a). Hence, al-abbas (a) is called 'Bab ul- Hawaaij -the door to the settlement of needs.' Ash-Shahid Although this means 'the martyr', is not very famous among the other epithets of al-abbas (a), it is mentioned in the statements of Abul-Hassan al-omari and Abu-Nasr al-bukhari when they refer to the biography of al-abbas ibn Ali. Abu-Nasr refers to a narration in which Imam assadiq (a) calls al- Abbas as 'ash-shahid': Muawiyah ibn Ammar al-yazidi narrated: I asked as-sadiq (a) how they divided the donation of Fadak when it had been given back to them. He answered: "We gave the descendants of al-abbas ash-shahid -the martyr- a quarter and took the rest for ourselves." Class 7 History 101

308 Al-Abd us-salih Al-Abd us-salih refers to the righteous servant (of God). In the Special Ziyara of al-abbas (a) that Abu-Hamzah ath-themali related, Imam as-sadiq (a) says: "Salaam be upon you, the righteous servant!" In the Holy Qur an, God describes His prophets, including Prophet Muhammad (s) as righteous servants Al-Aabid Al-Abbas (a) was also called 'al-aabid -the worshipper, for his distinctive worship to the Lord. Undoubtedly, it is natural that al-abbas (a), being brought up in the center of the genuine worship, which is the house of the chief of the worshippers; Imam Ali Amir ul-mu mineen (a), acquires the quality of worshipfulness superiorly. As-Saduq, in his Thawaab ul-a'maal, records that al-abbas ibn Ali (a) was described as having the sign of prostration on his forehead. Obedience is attached to pure worship and al-abbas (a) was described by Imam as-sadiq (a) as obedient. In the Ziarat by Imam as-sadiq (a) during his visit to the tomb of Abu'l-Fadhl alabbas (a), the following statement is addressed to al-abbas (a): "Salaam be upon you; the righteous servant (of God), the obedient to Allah, His Messenger, Amir ul-mu'mineen, al-hasan, and al-hussein, peace and greetings of Allah be upon them." Bab Ul-Hussein Like his father who was the door to the Prophet (s), al-abbas (a) is the actual and spiritual door to Imam al-hussein (a). Because of the high moral standards and great faithfulness of al- Abbas, Imam al-hussein (a) used to choose him for every mission and depend upon him in every difficult situation. Likewise, al-abbas (a) dedicated himself to being at the disposal of his brother. He was the protector and defender of the Prophet's household. It is related that al-abbas (a) used to call his brother by 'Sir.' Only on one day and in one situation did al-abbas (a) call his brother by 'brother.' That was on the day of Ashura when he fell down from his horse after his two hands had been severed and he had been stricken on the head. In such an hour, a man longs for seeing the ones he loves for the last time. Only then he shouted as aloud as possible, 'O brother, reach your brother!' 102 Class 7 History

309 As soon as the Imam heard that voice, he hurried towards its source. He rode off, put his brother's head in his lap, began to wipe out blood and dust from the face, and asked about his pains. Al-Abbas (a) opened his sights in his brother's face, looked at him for the last time, and bid him farewell with a smile expressing all meanings of sincerity and loyalty. As an answer, Imam al-hussein (a) replied his brother's farewell not with words, but with tears that dropped on the face of al-abbas while he was in his last sparks of life. Thus, al-abbas (a) emitted his last breaths while he was in the lap of his brother and has become the door to him. Hence, it is recommended for the pilgrims of the tomb of Imam al-hussein (a) to begin first with visiting the tomb of al-abbas (a). This is one of the confirmations that al-abbas is door to his brother; chief of the martyrs. The door intended here is mental and spiritual. Al-Abbas, hence, is the spiritual door to Imam al-hussein (a). Class 7 History 103

310 18.4 Worksheet: Abbas Ibn Ali Ibn Abu Talib (a) Fill in the blanks: 1. The father of Al-Abbas (a) was. 2. Al-Abbas (a) was the son of a great lady; named from the tribe of Kelab. 3. Umm-ul-Baneen belonged to one of the most celebrated families in fields of, openhandedness,, courage, and. 4. Umm-ul-Baneen had four sons Al-Abbas,,, and. 5. waqs the oldest of Umm-ul-Baneen s sons. 6. Al- Abbas (a) held all the mental virtues in his unparalleled personality, due to all models of human perfection under whose guidance he grew up with. These were his parents, and,,,. Choose the correct answer: 1. Ibn-Manzhour describes the linguistic meaning of the Arabic al-abbas to be: a. The lion that other lions fear and escape b. The person that serves everyone water c. The person that submits only to Allah d. The giver of knowledge 2. Qamar-e- Bani Hashim means: a. The lion that other lions fear and escape b. Moon of the Hashemites c. The person that submits only to Allah d. None of the above 3. As- Saqqaa means: 104 Class 7 History

311 a. The provider of water b. The provider of peace c. The courageous fighter d. All of the above 4. Al-Abbas (a) is referred to as Bab ul-hawaaij because: a. For the special rank that he enjoys for being the provider of peace b. That is the name given to him by his mother c. For the special rank that he enjoys in the sight of Almighty God for dedicating himself to the obedience to Imam al-hussein (a) d. a) and b) Short essay question: In a couple of paragraphs write down four names of Al-Abbas (a) apart from the ones mentioned above and describe what they meant and why they were given to Al-Abbas (a). Class 7 History 105

312 Appendix A: Important Personalities to Remember 18.5 Abu Talib Abu Talib was the son of Abdul Muttalib. He is the uncle of Holy Prophet (S) and Father of Imam Ali (A). His family was responsible for looking after the Ka ba. After his father s death Abu Talib became the Amir of Mecca and the trustee of Ka ba. Like his father Abu Talib (A.S.) too took upon himself the duty of being the host of the pilgrims of Ka ba. He became so popular that the Arabs began to call him The leader of the Land. Apart from being the trustee of Ka ba, Allah bestowed upon Abu Talib (A) the honor of being the guardian of the Prophet (S). He took the Holy Prophet in his care after his mother Amina and grandfather Abdul Muttalib died. Abu Talib (A) looked after Muhammad (S) for forty-two years. The Prophet (S) often remembering Abu Talib (A) said nobody dared to harm me as long as my uncle Abu Talib (A) lived Abdul Muttalib Abu Muttalib is the grandfather of the Holy Prophet. He was the guardian of Holy Prophet and when Holy Prophet s mother died at the age of six he took the Prophet in his care. He also died when the Holy Prophet turned eight Abu Sufiyan Abu Sufiyan was the father of Muawiyah and was from Quraish. When the Holy Prophet declared his mission, Abu Sufiyan became extremely hostile toward the Holy Prophet and Islam. He led the Quraish army against the Muslims in the battles of Uhud and the Trench. Even his descendents especially his son Muawiyah, were also against the Holy Prophet and his kin. It was only after the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims that Abu Sufiyan and his family including Muawiyah submitted to Islam Hamzah Hamzah is the uncle of the Holy Prophet (S). Hamzah won the badge of honor from his nephew, Prophet Muhammad (S) who named him, 'Asadulllah wa asadu Rasoulih -the lion of Allah and the lion of His Messenger-', for his unique bravery and courage. He defended Islam fearlessly until he was killed during the battle of Uhud. Hence, the Prophet (s) named him as 'chief of martyrs.' Moreover, many narrations confirm that Hamzah had considerable knowledge and outstanding rank in the sight of Allah Aqeel Aqeel was the son of Abu- Talib, cousin of the Holy Prophet and brother of Imam Ali. He embraced Islam from the beginning; therefore, the Prophet (s) had great love for him: 106 Class 7 History

313 "I love you twice-once for your being Aqeel and the other for Abu-Talib's love for you Khalid Bin Al-Walid Khalid Bin Walid was a late converter of Islam. He was a warrior and a skilled swordsman Ossama Ossama was a courageous young man. He was 17 years old when Prophet Mohammed appointed him to lead an expedition to Syria. Some old companions were very upset at that appointment Sa ad Bin Abada Sa ad Bin Abada was a famous leader of the Ansars, the leader of the Khazraj. He was also a candidate for the Caliphate after the death of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) at the gathering of Saqifa against Abu Bakr Ammar Bin Yasir Ammar ibn Yasir was one of the earliest converts to Islam. The pagans in Makkah tortured his mother and father to death. They were the first and the second martyrs of Islam, and this is a distinction that no one in all Islam can share with them. Prophet Muhammad once said: "Ammar is the embodiment of all Eiman (Faith)". Ammar also became a good companion of Imam Ali Salman Al-Farsi Salman Al-Farsi was a companion of Holy Prophet and was a true believer. The Holy Prophet (S) said about him that: Salman is one of us Ahlul Bait. Even before Islam Salman didn t believe in idols and he was searching for the true Prophet of Allah Al-Moqdad Al-Moqdad was a good companion of the prophet and Imam Ali. He was one of a few who stood with Imam Ali after the Saqifa meeting Muawiyah Muawiyah was the son of Abu Sufiyan and the father of Yazeed. His family was an archenemy of the Holy Prophet. They accepted Islam only after the conquest of Mecca. The Caliph Omar appointed him as the Governor of Syria. As the Governor of Syria he tried to win the hearts of the people by gifts and concessions. After Imam Ali election as the Caliph, he deposed Muawiyah from the governorship of Syria. Muawiyah did not accept the orders of Ali and refused to vacate office. Then, he gathered a large army to fight Imam Ali. Class 7 History 107

314 18.17 Talha Talha belonged to the Taym section of Quraish. He was closely related to Abu Bakr. He became a Muslim at the young age of fifteen, and was among the early Muslim converts. After the assassination of Othman, Imam Ali became the Caliph. Talha and Zubayr took the allegiance to Ali, but soon they repudiated such allegiance and supported the demand for vengeance for the blood of Othman. Talha, Zubayr, and Ayesha occupied Basra and the battle of the Camel was fought between the supporters of Ali, and the supporters of Talha, Zubayr, and Ayesha outside Basra. In this battle, Ali won and the cause of Talha and Zubayr was lost Al-Zubayr He was a companion of Holy Prophet. Later in his life, he became greedy for wealth. He gave his pledge to Imam Ali (As), but later on he changed his mind because Imam Ali did not make him a governor of a country. He was also the brother-in-law of Ayesha. He confronted Imam Ali in the battle of camel along with Ayesha Umm Al-Banin After the death of daughter ( Bibi Syeda) of the Prophet, when Imam Ali wanted to remarry. He asked his brother Aqeel to find him a lady who was from a noble, pious and courageous family, so that with her they could have a loyal son that would serve the cause of Islam. For this reason, he married Syeda Fatimah (better known as Umm al-banin), and they had a child, namely Abu Fadhlil Abbas. She was a very pious lady and raised her children in such a way that they treated themselves as secondary and servants of the children of Imam Ali (a) and Bibi Syeda (a) Malik Al-Ashtar Malik belonged to an old Yemeni tribe. He became a Muslim in the time of the Prophet [s]. He was very loyal to his Islam. He took part and fought bravely in the Battle of Yarmook. He had brave attitudes in stopping the Romans' attacks against the Muslim Army. So, his eye was split by a sword, namely, its lower lid was split. Thus, he was called al-ashtar. He was also a companion of Imam Ali and fought against Muawiyah Amr Bin Al-A hss Amr Bin Al-A hss was a shrewd politician and was a man of little morals. He was Muawiyah s advisor. He helped Muawiyah a great deal in Siffeen by tricking a lot of Imam Ali s followers. 108 Class 7 History

315 18.22 Abu Mussa Al-Asha rry He was a simple and naïve man. Although Imam Ali disagreed, Abu Mussa was chosen to represent Imam Ali s side for peace talks in Siffeen. He then was tricked and humiliated by Amr Bin Al-A hss Mohammed Bin Abi Bakr He was the son of Abu Bakr and was a good companion of Imam Ali s. he was killed by Muawiyah s agents. He was a good follower to the extent that Imam Ali (AS) once said: Mohammed (Bin Abi Bakr) was to me like I was to Muhammed (S) Abu Thar Abu Thar was a good companion of the Holy Prophet and loved him very much. He was a true believer of Islam. His real name was Jundub bin Junadah. He was an early convert and contributed in spreading Islam. He was very ascetic. He could not stand the behavior of the 3rd Caliph Marwahhn Bin Al-Hakam He and his father were corrupted people. He was the secretary of the 3rd Caliph. He later was a loyal follower of Yazeed. Marwahhn was the one who asked the governor of almedina to kill Imam Hussein (a) if he did not pledge to Yazeed Kumail His name was Kumail bin Zyyad al-nakhay. He came from Yemen. He was one of Imam Ali's (a) companions. He was a noble man and his people obeyed him. His family inhabited Kufa during Imam Ali's Caliphate. Imam Ali has taught him a supplication, now known as Kumail's supplication, and asked him to read it on Thursday nights. Nowadays, millions of Moslems read this Kumail's supplication Maitham Al-Tammar Maitham was born at Nahrawan near Kufa. A woman from bani Asad bought him. One day, Imam Ali (A) bought and gave him his freedom. Maitham became free. He sold dates in Kufa Market. Maitham lived a simple life. Two things grew in his heart: faith in Islam and love for Imam Ali (A). Imam Ali (A) taught him that Islam was the only way to freedom. Class 7 History 109

316 Appendix B: Sayings to Remember Selected sayings of Prophet Muhammad (p) and Imam Ali (a) that had a historical value and told us something about the circumstances and the situation of that period of time. Ask me before you lose me That (the leader) who is not obeyed has no authority I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate 110 Class 7 History

317 Appendix C: History Review Questions 1. What is Imam Ali (AS) birth date? Where was his birthplace? 2. Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (S) from Mecca to Medina started with a heroic sacrifice by Imam Ali (AS). What was the sacrifice? 3. After the Muslims entered Mecca, how was the top of the Ka ba cleaned out from idols? 4. What were the achievements of Imam Ali (AS) in Badr? 5. At the end of the battle of Uhud, people heard a very loud shout coming from the skies. Who was that? And what did he say? 6. Three major events took place when the Allies came to invade Medina in what is known as the battle of the Allies or the battle of the Trench. What were these three events? Hint: trench, the challenge, wind. 7. Whose idea was it to dig a trench at the border of Medina when Quraish and its allies came to invade Medina? 8. What words did Prophet Muhammad (S) utter when Imam Ali (AS) went to challenge Amr bin Abdwad in the battle of the trench? 9. Prophet Muhammad (S) said that He is leaving us with two valuable things. What are they? 10. About how many people attended the event of Ghadeer Khum? 1,000 ; 10, , What were the major announcements of the day of Ghadeer? 12. What is the significance of the day of Ghadeer? 13. Who were the two debating groups in the Saqifa meeting? And why didn t Imam Ali (A) attend the meeting of Saqifa? Class 7 History 111

318 14. The Ansar were two major tribes. What are they? How was their relationship before Islam? 15. How did the Muhajiroon succeed in bringing the Ansar to accept Abu Bakr as a Caliph? 16. Who were the only three companions of Imam Ali s (A) that were ready to help him right after the event of Saqifa? 17. How did Lady Syeda Fatimah (S) own the Fadak property? Why did Abu Bakr contest it from Her? 18. Why did Imam Ali (A) bury Lady Syeda Fatimah (S) secretly at night? 19. What did Imam Ali (A) do during the first six months after the demise of the Prophet (S)? 20. Why did Imam Ali (A) help the 2nd and 3rd Caliphs although they took his right? How did he help? 21. What was the famous statement the 2nd Caliph Omar repeated, more than 70 times, regarding Imam Ali s (A) help to him? 22. During the ruling of which Caliph Persia, Egypt and Syria became Muslim states? 23. Just before he died, Omar nominated six people, one of whom would become his successor. Name at least four of the six. 24. Imam Ali (A) would have become the 3rd Caliph if he had agreed to a condition that was presented to him. What was that condition? 25. Why did Imam Ali (A) accept pledging his loyalty to the three Caliphs before him? 26. What did Othman do that led his leadership to crumble at the end? 27. Name some personalities that instigated against Othman. Name some that tried to protect him. 28. Why did Talha and Zubayr turn against Imam Ali (A), even after declaring their loyalty? 29. Name the three groups that fought Imam Ali (A) during his ruling period. Name the associated battles. 112 Class 7 History

319 30. Why did Imam Ali (A) transfer the government headquarters from Medina to Kufa? 31. How did Imam Ali (A) deal with the corrupt governors that were appointed by Othman? 32. What did Imam Ali (A) say about the issue of the money and wealth of the Muslims that were taken illegally during Othman s period? 33. When he became the Caliph, what was the single major financial move that Imam Ali (A) did in order to improve the economy and help the poor? 34. Why did Ayesha revolt against Imam Ali (A)? 35. Who influenced Ayesha s decision to fight Imam Ali (A)? 36. Ayesha tried to convince Umm-e-Salama (R) to support her against Imam Ali (AS). What was Umm-e-Salama s reaction? 37. How did Imam Ali (AS) try to prevent the war of Jamal from happening, just before it started? 38. What was so bad about the battle of Jamal, even though Imam Ali s (A) army won? 39. After the camel of Ayesha fell on the battlefield, whom did Imam Ali (A) send to protect Ayesha? 40. After the battle of Jamal was over, how did Imam Ali (A) send Ayesha back to Mecca? 41. What was the major verse of the Qur an that Ayesha violated by leading an army? 42. Why did Muawiyah want to fight Imam Ali (A)? 43. Why didn t Imam Ali (A) do any expansion or send expeditions to new lands? 44. Name as many good companions of Imam Ali s (AS) as you can. Name as many foes of his as you can. 45. After the army of Imam Ali (AS) was winning in Siffeen, what was the single event that confused the situation and turned things around? 46. What did the Kharijites want Imam Ali (A) to do? Class 7 History 113

320 47. The Kharijites were about 12,000 at the beginning. How did Imam Ali (A) deal with them at first? How many insisted on staying as Kharijites? 48. Who assassinated Imam Ali (A)? Which group did he belong to? What was the date? 49. Where is the tomb of Imam Ali (A)? 50. The sayings and speeches of Imam Ali (A) were assembled in a book called? 51. In one speech Imam Ali (A) called his followers Oh you who look like men but are not men.. you filled my heart with agony. Why? 52. Once Imam Ali (A) said, If I had wanted to plot and deceive, I would have been the trickiest of all Arabs. What was this saying about? 114 Class 7 History

321 Appendix D: Maps Class 7 History 115

322 116 Class 7 History

323 Class 7 History