Imam Reza (AS) Shrine Weekly

Transcription

1 In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful Imam Reza (AS) Shrine Weekly Contents Teachings of Imam Reza (AS)... 2 Theological Q & A... 3 Condolences on the Passing away anniversary of the Hazrat Zainab (SA)... 5 Biography of Hazrat Zainab (SA)... 6 Change of Qiblah... 9 Practical Laws of Islam th of April, Anniversary of U.S. defeat in Tabas Desert (Iran) Ruhollah s Lifestyle Discovering the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) The Third Zarih (burial chamber)-(steel One): Moral Story

2 Teachings of Imam Reza (AS) Imam Reza (pbuh) has said, Do good to the one who deserves it, and to the one who does not. If you do not come across a person deserving (your beneficence), you still have the (reward for) doing good (on account of your intention). ('UyūnAkhbār al-riḍā, Vol 2, p 35) The gift of light Offering to help someone is not conditional to his being a believer,mu min, and a Muslim. Doing good to a person who is oppressed and a victim of wrong is deemed right and (even) obligatory whether or not he is a Muslim or a non-muslim, a Shi ite or a Sunni, or even an unbeliever, provided that there is the ability to carry it out, and if the circumstances specified in forbidding the bad (nahy an al-munkar) are observed. The limpid spring Doing good to others makes the benefactor happy; that is why most benefactors are cheerful. At times, helping others may result in the fulfillment of one s own needs too. Helping others and fulfilling their needs without expecting anything in return and without reproach are signs of manliness. Pause to ponder Do you know the number of non-muslims who have embraced Islam because of love and kindness that Muslims have showed? When kindness can make such a change, isn t it better if we do not neglect helping others? 2

3 Theological Q & A Q: Given that we insist that happiness is achieved only through Shi'ism, isn't it unjust and unbecoming of divine justice to punish those who have no knowledge of any divine religions nor any understanding of Shi'ism? A: We need to sort out the question into three parts so as to come to a better conclusion: 1 What is justice of God? 2 Is eternal happiness confined to Shi'ism? 3 How does God deal with people who are not Shia? 1- When it comes to the first part, we must say that divine justice (justice of God) in this respect means that God, the Wise, holds everyone responsible for his deeds and beliefs according to his knowledge and capacity. Naturally, if there are two people who enjoy completely equal privileges and have the same capacity but one of them follows the right path and the other follows the wrong one, their status will not be equal when it com es to giving reward. Naturally, as stated above, the position of people who reject the truth and do not embrace the right religion knowingly will not be the same as those who do not choose the right religion because they did not get the message of truth. They will not be treated or rewarded equally. Consider the following verses so as to understand that such a notion is derived from the Holy Quran: First: And whoever acts hostilely to the Messenger after that guidance has become manifest to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he has (himself) turned and make him enter hell; and it is an evil resort.[an-nisa: 115] Second: And We do not lay on any soul a burden except to the extent of its ability, and with Us is a book which speaks the truth, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.[mu'minoon: 62] So only those people are held responsible to whom the truth has been revealed and who oppose the truth despite knowing it and those non-shiites who for any reason could not embrace the truth will be dealt with differently from those who rejected the truth out of pure grudge and hostility. 2- Although we believe Shia is the most perfect religion and conscious adherence to it and implementation of its teachings can guarantee man's complete happiness, a study of the teachings of other religions also reveals that some of them are not opposed to Shia teachings. In other words, we believe Shia is the most perfect of religions but we do not believe that he who does not believe in this school will not attain any stages of happiness because one of our beliefs is that the human intellect can independently distinguish many of the good and bad things. As well, there is some truth in the teachings of the divine prophets which have been distorted partially and left imperfect. Non-Shiites or 3

4 followers of other religions can, to some extent, get close to the right path with the help of those teachings. In the Holy Quran, God has praised some Christians simply because they enjoyed some good traits such as umbleness.[al-maedah: 82] The same good feature will allow them accept and follow Islam, if it is made clear to them. According to us there are people who have failed to follow Shi'ism not because of holding grudge against it or because of arrogance but because they have not been able to get acquainted with this religion. If such people act upon the natural human principle and endeavor to reach the truth, they can have a happy ending. As the fifth Imam of Shiites have said, the criterion for accountability on the Day of Judgment are the intelligence and knowledge with which man has been bestowed in this world.[8] This is a just standard for assessing happiness and prosperity of people. God, the Exalted, shall not want mankind to do anything further. 3- How does God deal with people who are not Shia? A precise and thorough analysis of the verses and traditions will help us separate people into three main groups: First group: People who are not Shiite and who trample upon the general natural principles that are acceptable to all human beings simply because they are either ignorant or due to grudge and arrogance. One cannot hope that they will be protected against the Fire on the Judgment Day. Second group: People who are aware of Shia being the right religion but grudge, arrogance or fear of losing their position cause them not to follow the right path. Such people deserve Fire without any doubt. Third group: They are a group of people who have not converted to Shia, not because of grudge, arrogance and hatred but because of a lack of proper access to facilities and means to enable them to do the necessary research in this regard. Perhaps, some of them might have done the research but they did not get to the truth. In other words, they are the ones whom we term as "the weak" (mustadh'afin). Most of these people observe, at least in their daily normal life, the natural human principles avoiding injustice and transgression upon others. We must know that most non-shiites are included in this category and your question also relates to these people. Your confusion, concerning how God may treat them with injustice subjecting them to hell fire and denying them happiness, is logical and correct. According to us, these people do not necessarily enter Hell and the path to happiness is not completely shut to them. Many narrations have been reported from Infallible Imams (AS) and we are going to mention one of them: Zurarah narrates that he asked Imam Baqir (AS): "Who is a mustadh'af?" The Imam repl ied that he was a person who neither decided seriously to disbelieve to be called a kafir (unbeliever) nor was the way of faith clear to him. In other words, he neither has the ability to have faith nor the ability to disbelieve. They are a group of children; men and women who have the intellect of children are also included in this category. Such people are relieved of obligation.[al-kafi, vol.2, p. 404] Elsewhere, the fifth Imam (AS) says to the same narrator: "God can, through His grace and bounty, take the "weak" (mustadha'afin) to Paradise or take them to Hell due to their sins but He will not, however, do injustice to them (giving them rewards proportionate to their deeds).[al-kafi, vol.2, p. 408] Some Shiites in the time of the Imams (AS) asked them as to what was the difference between Shiites and others if both of them entered Paradise.[15] The answer is that Paradise has different degrees and stations and every individual will go to one of them depending on the nature of his actions. Source: 4

5 Condolences on the Passing away anniversary of the Hazrat Zainab (SA) 5

6 Biography of Hazrat Zainab (SA) Name: Zainab (A.S.) Title: Siddiqua-e-Sughra Kunyat: Umm-al-Masaib Born : At Medina On 5th Jamadi-al-Awwal 5th Year after Hijrah Grand-father: Holy Prophet of Islam(S.A.W.) Grand-mother: Umm-ul-Mumineen Hadrat Khadijae-Kubra Father: Imam Ali (A.S.) Mother: Hadrat Fatima Zahra(A.S.) Sayyeda Zainab (s.a.), the daughter of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Sayyeda Fatima (s.a.), was an exemplary w oman of great ability, intelligence, knowledge, insight, courage and perseverance; she performed her divine duties to the best of her ability. She was born to a family formed by the Prophet (SAW), the most outstanding figure in history. Sayyeda Zainab (s.a.) was a brilliant star in the mandate sky that received rays of holiness from the five suns. It was through her holy origins and pious edification that she manifested so great a fortitude in Karbala (Iraq). The life of the daughter of Sayyeda Al-Zahra (s.a.) was always laden with hardships, but she never feared coping with difficulties, this enhanced her endurance and elevated her soul. The Birth of Sayyeda Zainab (s.a.) It was five years after the Muslims had accompanied the Prophet (SAW) and his family in the migration (Hijrah) to Medina, when the Holy Prophet's daughter, Sayyeda Fatima (s.a.), gave birth to a little girl. When her father, Imam Ali (AS), saw his daughter for the first time Imam Hussain (a.s.), who was then almost three years old, was with him. The boy exclaimed in delight, "O father, Allah has given me a sister." At those words Imam Ali (a.s.) began to weep, and when Hussain (a.s.) asked why he was crying so, his father answered that he would soon come to know. Sayyeda Fatima (s.a.) and Imam Ali (a.s.) did not name their child until a few days after her birth, for they awaited the Prophet's return from a journey so that he could propose the name. When finally the baby girl was brought before him he held her in his lap and kissed her. The Angel Gabriel came to him and conveyed the name that was to be hers, and then he began to weep. The Prophet (SAW) asked why Gabriel wept and he answered, "O Prophet of Allah. From early on in life this girl will remain entangled in tribulations and trials in this world. First she will weep over your separation (from this world); thereafter she will bemoan the loss of her mother, then her father, and then her brother Hassan. After all this she will be confronted with the trials of the land of Karbala and the tribulations of that lonely desert, as a result of which her hair will turn gray and her back will be bent." When the members of the family heard this prophecy they all broke down in tears. Imam Hussain (a.s.) now understood why earlier his father had also wept. Then the Prophet (SAW) named her Zainab (s.a.). 6

7 One day, when Zainab (s.a.) was about five years old, she had a strange and terrible dream. A violent wind arose in the city and darkened the earth and the sky. The little girl was tossed hither and thither, and suddenly she found herself stuck in the branches of a huge tree. But the wind was so strong that it uprooted the tree. Zainab (s.a.) caught hold of a branch but that broke. In a panic she grabbed two twigs but these top gave way and she was left falling with no support. Then she woke up. When she told her grandfather, the Prophet (SAW), about this dream he wept bitterly and said, "O my daughter. That tree is me who is shortly going to leave this world. The branches are your father Ali and your mother Fatima Zahra, and the twigs are your brothers Hassan and Hussain. They will all depart this world before you do, and you will suffer their separation and loss." She had barely attained the tender age of seven when her beloved mother passed away. Her mother's death had closely followed her cherished grandfather s passing away. Sometime later Imam Ali (a.s.) married Umm ul-banin, whose devotion and piety encouraged Zainab (s.a.) in her learning. Whilst still a young girl she was fully able to care for and be responsible for the running of her father's household. As much as she cared for the comforts and ease of her brothers and sisters, in her own wants she was frugal and unstintingly generous to the poor, homeless and parentless. After her marriage her husband is reported as having said, "Zainab is the best housewife." From very early on she developed an unbreakable bond of attachment to her brother Imam Hussain (a.s.). At times when as a baby in her mother's arms she could not be pacified and made to s top crying, she would quieter down upon being held by her brother, and there she would sit quietly gazing at his face. Before she would pray she used to first cast a glance at the face of her beloved brother. One day Fatima (s.a.) mentioned the intensity of her daughter's love for Imam Hussain (a.s.) to the Prophet (SAW). He breathed a deep sigh and said with moistened eyes, "My dear child, this child of mine Zainab would be confronted with a thousand and one calamities and face serious hardships in Karbala." Zainab (s.a.) grew into a fine stature young woman. Of her physical appearance little is known. When the tragedy of Karbala befell her in her mid-fifties she was forced to go out uncovered. It was then that some people remarked that she appeared as a 'shining sun' and a 'piece of the moon'. In her character she reflected the best attributes of those who raised her. In sobriety and serenity she was likened to Umm ul-muminin Khadija, her grandmother (s.a.); in chastity and modesty to her mother Fatima Zahra (s.a.); in eloquence to her father Imam Ali (a.s.); in forbearance and patience to her brother Imam Hassan (a.s.); and in bravery and tranquility of the heart to Imam Hussain (a.s.). Her face reflected her father's awe and her grandfather's reverence. Ibn Abbas quoted Sayyeda Zahra (s.a.) as having said that her daughter Zainab, like her father, was unparalleled in literary eloquence and courage. The speech she delivered in the assembly in presence of Yazid was at the zenith of eloquence and impressiveness. (Refer Famous Women, Dr. Ahmed Beheshti, and p.51) After the demise of the Holy Prophet (SAW), there came the period of distress and hardship in the life of Sayyeda Zainab (s.a.). She stood by her mother as far as the question of supreme mandate of her father was concerned. When her mother delivered the Fadak sermon, she was only 4 years old, but narrated the sermon so lucidly and expressively that the people from Bani Hashim remembered it by heart. Later the Shiite scholars recorded it that is why she is called Zainab the narrator of traditions. Sayyeda Zainab's Marriage When the time came for marriage, she was married in a simple ceremony to her first cousin, Abdullah Ibn Ja'far Tayyar. Her marriage settlement was equal to that of her mother's. Imam Ali (a.s.) told Ja'far not to prevent Zainab from going on a journey with Imam Hussain (a.s.), her brother. The marriage of Zainab did not diminish her strong attachment to her family. Together this young couple had 7

8 five children, of whom four were sons, Ali, Aun, Muhammad, and Abbas, and one daughter, Umm Kulthum. In Medina it was Zainab's practice to hold regular meetings for women in which she shared her knowledge and taught them the precepts of the Deen of Islam as laid out in the Holy Quran. Her gatherings were well and regularly attended. She was able to impart the teachings with such clarity and eloquence that she became known as Fasihah (skillfully fluent) and Balighah (intensely eloquent). In the thirty-seventh year A.H. (after Hijrah), Imam Ali (as) moved to Kufa to finally take up his rightful position as khalifah. He was accompanied by his daughter Zainab (s.a.) and her husband. Her reputation as an inspiring teacher among the women had preceded her. There too women would throng to her daily sittings where they all benefited from her erudition, wisdom and scholarship in the exegesis of the Qur'an. The depth and certainty of her knowledge earned her the name given to her by her nephew, Imam Ali Zayn ul - Abidin (a.s.), of Alimah Ghayr Mu'allamah, 'she who has knowledge without being taught'. Sayyeda Zainab (s.a.) in Karbala Zainab (s.a.) is the shining sun in the history of Islam and of humanity. Her brother's name and Karbala associate the idea of freedom, justice, humanity, virtue, fighting against despotism, with the realization of the sovereignty of Allah. The history of Karbala is based on two pillars: the rising of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and the rising of Zainab (s.a.). She was an outstanding figure in the history of Karbala endowed with divine steadfastness and fortitude. She sacrificed her two sons and one should not say anything if one devoted his life for the cause of Allah. After the martyrdom of her brother and her two sons, she said: "O my Lord! Accept our humble sacrifice to You." When Zainab reached Kufa, she addressed people with fury words: "Praise to Allah, and may the blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O people of Kufa, you are hypocrites and deceitful. You feign to be sorry for the death of my brother and his companions. May you always shed tears. I find nothing in you but flattery, evil acts and thoughts, pride and spite and ill will. By Allah! You deserve lasting sorrow instead of joy. Shames on you, your hands are imbrued with the blood of the son of the Holy Prophet (SAW), the one who was your sole refuge in case of adversity. By your evil act and disloyalty, you incurred the wrath of Allah against you. Woe betides you! No one will intercede with Allah for you." Her furious words prov oked people of Kufa to avenge Hussain's martyrdom. This frightened Ubaidullah and his cruel agents. She also delivered a furious sermon in the court of the caliph that made his authority and despotic rule feel undermined. She said: "I fear no one but Allah. Make whatever evil plot you can. Blazes are waiting for you in the hereafter. You'll he accountable to Allah for your atrocities." The Foundation of Mourning (Majalis A'azaa) Another unique feature of Zainab's character was her establishment of mourning ceremonies. This tradition which has lived in the memories and hearts of millions of Muslims to this day, has kept the sacrifices of Imam Hussain (AS) alive, and brought dynamism to every movement that aimed at removing injustices on earth. After every Majlis, the women would offer their condolences to Zainab (s.a.) and the men to Imam Zain-ul- Abedeen. These majalis made quite a stir in the cities, and the sound of crying and beating of chests and heads affected the minds of the inhabitants, and made them sadder and wiser to the events of Karbala. As it is said, "the word is mightier than the sword", this should stay in the minds of all Muslims, particularly the women. They should realize that they could always make a difference. They can always reach for th e better. Also, they can make their Ummah look better. The Muslim women should read more about the hardships which faced the great women of Islam and understand and practice the patience that characterized the life of Zainab (s.a.), and teach their children the value of these acts. 8

9 Change of Qiblah 15 th of Rajab is the day when the Qiblah of Muslims changed from Baytul Muqadas to the holy Ka'bah. Not a few months had yet passed since the migration of the Prophet to Medina when the Jews rose to oppose him. Exactly in the seventeenth month of migration a mandatory Divine command came that from then onwards the 'qiblah' of the Muslims would be the Ka'bah and while offering their prayers they should turn their faces to Masjidul Haram. Details of the event: During the thirteen years of his prophetic mission in Makkah the Prophet used to offer his prayers with his face towards 'Baytul Muqadas'(Jerusalem) and even after his migration to Medina the Divine order was that 'Baytul Muqadas' would continue to be the 'qiblah' and while offering their prayers the Muslims should also turn their faces to the same 'qiblah' to which the Jews turned theirs. This was in itself a sort of collaboration and a means of bringing the two religions -one old and the other new-nearer to each other. But the Jews became panicky on account of the advancement of the Muslims, because their ever-increasing successes went to show that very soon the religion of Islam would spread to the entire Peninsula and the strength and influence of the Jews would come to an end. They, therefore, began indulging in obstructionist activities and hurt the Muslims and their dignified leader in many ways. Amongst other things they put forward the question of offering prayers facing 'Baytul Muqadas' and said: "Muhammad claims that his is an independent religion and his law supersedes all previous laws, but he does not yet have an independent 'qiblah' and offers his prayers facing the 'qiblah' of the Jews". This news hurt the Prophet. He came out of his house at midnight and looked at the sky. He was awaiting revelation. In the meantime an order was revealed to him as contained in the following verse: Many a time We have seen you turn your face towards heaven. We will make you turn towards a 'qiblah' that will please you. (Surah al-baqarah, 2:144) It appears from the verses of the Qur'an that change of qiblah was not due only to the objection of the Jews, but there was also another reason for it. It was that the matter possessed an aspect of test. The intention was that the true believers and those who were not sincere in their faith should be identified and the Prophet should fully recognize such persons, because the second order, in obedience to which he turned his face towards Masjidul Haram, while performing prayers, was the sign of faith in the new religion and disobedience and delay is a sign of double-mindedness and 9

10 hypocrisy. The Qur'an itself mentions this fact clearly in the following verse: We decreed your former qiblah only in order that We might know the Prophet's true adherents and those who were to disown him. It was indeed a hard test, but not for those whom Allah guided. (Surah al-baqarah, 2:143 ) Practical Laws of Islam Two Jurisprudential questions regarding Qiblah On account of these reasons the Archangel Jibreel came when the Prophet had already performed two rak'ats of noon prayers and communicated to him the Divine command that he should thence forward turn to Masjidul Haram. In some of the narratives it has been said that the Archangel held the hand of the Prophet and turned him to Masjidul Haram. Men and women who were present in the mosque followed suit and from that day onwards the Ka'bah became the permanent qiblah of the Muslims. Miraculous Knowledge of the Prophet According to the computation of the former astronomers Medina lies at a latitude of 25 degrees and at a longitude of 75 degrees and 20 points. According to this computation the direction of qiblah as determined for Medina was not in conformity with the Prophet's 'mihrab' (place of offering prayers) which is still in its original position. This difference was surprising for some experts and at times they offered explanation to remove the difference. However, recently Sardar Kabuli, the famous scientist has proved, according to modern computations, that Medina is at latitude of 24 degrees and 75 points and at a longitude of 39 degrees and 59 points. The result of this computation turned out to be this: The qiblah of Medina inclines 45 degrees from the southern point and this extraction tallies exactly with the position of the Prophet's pulpit. This in itself is a scientific miracle because in those times, no scientific instruments were available, and there was nothing like computation. The Prophet while offering prayers, turned from Baytul Muqadas to the Ka'bah in such a way that there was not the least deviation from the direction of Ka'bah2 and as has been stated above the Archangel Jibreel held his hand and turned him to the Ka'bah. Source: The Message by Ayatullah Jafar Subhani 10 Q: What should a person do in a place where he does not knows the direction of the qiblah for sure or with probability, i.e., all four directions enjoy equal chances to be that of the qiblah? A: In the given question it will be obligatory, as per obligatory caution, to perform the prayer in all four directions and if there is not enough time for offering four prayers, one should perform the prayers in as many directions as time allows. Q: How should one face the qiblah at the point which is the opposite to the Holy Ka bah on the other side of the earth so that the line drawn from the Holy Ka bah passing through the center of the earth comes out of the other side of the earth at this point? A: The basis in facing the qiblah is to turn towards the Free House [Ka bah] in such a manner that someone who stands on the surface of the earth faces the Holy Ka bah that is built upon the earth s surface in Mecca. Therefore, if one stands at a point on the earth where the straight lines emanating from it in four directions and passing over the earth s surface towards the Holy Ka bah are equal in distance, he can pray to any direction he wishes. But, if the distance in some directions is shorter to the extent that the realization of facing qiblah varies according to common view, it will be obligatory to choose the direction of the shorter distance.

11 25 th of April, Anniversary of U.S. defeat in Tabas Desert (Iran) When the revolutionary university students occupied the American embassy in Tehran on November 4th, 1979 in an attempt to protest hostile US policies against Iranians, President Jimmy Carter s men tried to end the hostage crisis by sending a large army that was capable of wiping Iran off the map in an act of war(1). The failure of this operation was obviously a surprise for Carter, as it was well planned and organized (2). On April 25, 1980, the United States launched a covert military operation, known as Operation Eagle Claw, in an attempt to airlift the US embassy staff held in the Iranian capital, Tehran. However, a sandstorm hit and brought down the group of US military aircraft in the Tabas Desert, killing eight American servicemen and resulting in the abortion of the mission. Inspections showed a helicopter crashed into a C-130 Hercules transport plane as five other choppers were stranded in the storm. The units involved in the operation were from the US Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. In the aftermath of this failed operation, Imam Khomeini condemned Carter for his military intervention in Iran, and pointed to the fact that it was God who foiled this plot. Watch the video here. I have no right to order Ruhollah s Lifestyle We never saw Imam ask his wife to close the door. I have witnessed numerous times that the lady came to sit next to Imam and Imam would stand up himself to go close the door. Once I told Imam to ask the lady to close the door when she comes in. He said: I have no right to order. He didn t even ask the lady to do something. Ms. Zahra Mustafavi (Imam s daughter) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): The best in my Ummah are those who are not cruel at their families, do not insult them, are benevolent for them and do not suppress them. (Makarim al-akhlaq, p.206) 11

12 Discovering the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) The Third Zarih (burial chamber)-(steel One): So far, five burial chambers have been erected and installed over the holy grave of Imam Reza (AS). The third Zarih was erected in the period of Fath Ali Shah (the monarch of the Qajar dynasty) and installed over the second Zarih in 1238 A.H. (1822 A.D.). This Zarih, made of steel, was 4 meters in length, 3 meters in width, and 2 meters high. This Zarih had been also decorated with gems. There was a small door, studded with gems and devoted by Fath Ali Shah in the lower part of the mentioned burial chamber. The mentioned beautiful and precious door is now placed in the upper part of the western terrace of the holy burial chamber in special frame. Due to the erosion of its structure, the mentioned Zarih was removed in 1380 A.H. (1960 A.D.), and transferred to the Central Museum of Astan Quds Razavi. Then the fourth Zarih was installed over the second Zarih. 12

13 Moral Story 13