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3 THE MESSAGE Editor: Hujjat-ul-Islam Wal Muslimeen Sheikh Shabbir H. Lakhani (Maisami) Editorial Board: Mr. Mazher Ali Jumani, Molana Sajjad Qaimi, Dr. Hussain Kanani, Mr. Hasnain Nanjiani, Dr. Sana Muhammad Sadiq. Annual Subscription: Pak. Rs. 500/= For subscription and suggestions contact: 6, Jiwani Garden, JM-208/2, Amil Colony, Soldier Bazar # 3, Karachi Pakistan themessage@zahraacademy.org Web: Disclaimer: The Editor does not necessarily agree with the views expressed in the matter published herein. The views and opinions presented in the Journal reflect the views of the authors and not of the Journal or its Editorial Board or the Publisher. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Food for Thought: - Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.) 02 2 From The Editor s Desk 03 3 Your Daily-Life Questions Answered 05 4 Quran, an Everlasting Miracle 06 5 Fasting according to the Five Schools of Islamic Law 24 6 Ali (A.S.) the Voice of Human Justice 37 7 The Night of Qadr 49 8 A Child's First Fast! 56 9 Why an International Day of Al-Quds? 58 Kids Corner 10 Welcoming the Holy Month of Ramadan Shahadat of Amirul Mominin Imam Ali (AS) Wiladat Anniversary of Imam Hassan (A.S.) Wafat Anniversary of Hazrat Khadijah (S.A.) 64 Published by Zahra (S.A.) Academy Institute of Islamic Education, Development & Relief 1

4 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH FOOD FOR THOUGHT Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.) 1. Whoever fears Allah, the Glorified, He dispels all worries and gives him a way out of every distress. 2. The one who takes charge of caring for the orphans and the needy is considered [to be] among the honourable ones in the sight of Allah. 3. The value of a man is proportionate to his endeavour and [the value of] his action is to the extent of his intention. 4. One who is certain about [divine] reward does good [deeds]. 5. Adorn yourself with loss of hope in that which people possess and you will become safe from their malice and you will acquire their affection. 6. Three things weaken one s spirit: loss of loved ones, poverty in a strange land and unending hardship. 7. Your vain desire is a greater enemy towards you than all [other] enemies, so overpower it otherwise it will destroy you. 8. Sincere advice bears the fruit of affection. 9. Whoever jokes a lot, his seriousness becomes ineffective [and is considered just another of his jokes]. 10. It is sufficient for your trust [in Allah] that you consider no one else as a channel for acquiring your sustenance other than Allah, the Glorified. 11. God-given success (taufiq) is the best helper and good action is the best associate. 12. You will never get connected to the Creator until you sever your ties with the creation. 13. Giving financial support [to a believer] is the best of actions. 2

5 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH From The Editor s Desk The Message In the name of Allah, the all mercy, the ever mercy. Brothers and Sisters, Salam Alaikum. The Month of Ramadan is upon us. During this special time, we should all reflect on the many blessings Allah (s.w.t.) has bestowed upon us. You might have heard some people brag that they did not leave even one fast, or they were able to read four whole Qur ans in the holy month, they spent such and such amount in charity etc. etc. But did you ever stop to think who gave you the strength to keep the fast? Who gave you the eyes and opportunity to read the Qur an? Who gave you the extra money and stimulus to spend on the poor? The strength, the sight, the cash and stimulus were not of your doing surely? Our example is like the child whose father holds his hand and makes him write a straight line. Then the father pats his child s back and exclaims, oh what beautiful work you ve done! takes out his wallet and gives him a reward. Now if the child is dim he will certainly swell with pride and think it all his doing but if he is intelligent, he will know who was holding his hand. I m certain you are all intelligent people out there and will always keep in mind who s holding your hand. In Islam every ibadat has a deep philosophy behind it. We need to understand it and try to achieve that target. This may be related to our body, soul, family or society. If we take the example of fasting, it has effect on our body, soul, society and economy, but all these can have positive effect only if we realize what fasting means, personally and as a society. Unluckily a series of acts are being performed just for the 3

6 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH sake of action, regardless of its effectiveness. So, it s time to concentrate on each and every ibadat we are going to perform to benefit maximum out of it. If a labour works for whole day and at the end of the day he is told he worked at a wrong place or he performed wrong duty, what will be the outcome. He will be refused any pay/salary. What will be his feeling. Same is our case, at times we do things incorrectly or at times we do it without proper intention. In Lebanon, Hezbollah managed to achieve a remarkable victory in parliamentary elections despite all the Israeli efforts and the Saudi funds. The Lebanese public showed a major support to the party s fight against Israel. "Today I can say that our goals have been achieved," said Nasrallah, calling the results a "great moral and political victory." On the other hand, on Tuesday 8th May, Donald Trump made an announcement that he is pulling the United States 4 out of the international nuclear deal with Iran, declaring that economic sanctions against Tehran will be reinstated and that the 2015 pact was rooted in fiction. By this action, Trump has killed any credibility of the US government left by pulling out from the Iran nuclear deal and made the U.S. a rogue nation. Zahra (s.a.) Academy has the honor to provide relief services to the people in need. In this holy month, our compassion must be with them and, for those able to give, some measure of generosity would be a valuable gift. May Allah bless us all during this Ramadan, with His forgiveness, mercy, and peace, and bring us all closer to Him and to each other. Amen! Long live Islam. Long live Pakistan. Editor, Shabbir H. Maisami (Lakhani)

7 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Q.1: Is it obligatory for a pregnant woman to fast in the month of Ramadan? Ans.: If fasting harms the pregnant mother or her fetus, it is permissible for her to break the fast and make up the missed days later. If it does not harm her or the fetus then it is obligatory on her to fast. Q.2: If a guest comes during the month of Ramadan, can I feed him, as he is not fasting? Ans.: It is permissible to feed the guest during the day in the month of Ramadan if such a thing does not violate the sanctity of the month or encourage committing a sin. Q.3: When fasting, is it permissible to use a miswak, a toothbrush or to put a pen in the mouth? Ans.: It is permissible to use the miswak or the like when fasting, but one should avoid swallowing the liquids from outside the mouth, e.g. when one uses the miswak and it 5 The Message Your Daily-Life Questions Answered becomes wet from saliva, if it is taken out of the mouth and placed back in the mouth again, the wetness on the miswak will be deemed to be from outside the mouth, and swallowing such liquid will invalidate the fast. Q.4: If someone is sick during fasting, can he choose to break his fast? Ans.: Fasting is not valid if it would cause illness or aggravate it, or intensify the pain, or delay recovery, because illness entails harm (darar) and causing harm is prohibited (muharram). Q.5: Regular soap and toothpaste has fragrance in it; can it be used by those sitting in i'tikaf? Ans.: It is not permitted for the person during the state of i'tikaf to smell fragrance with enjoyment. Based on an obligatory precaution a person during the state of i'tikaf should completely avoid all kinds of fragrance.

8 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Quran, an Everlasting Miracle Edited excerpts from the book, Prophethood and the Prophet of Islam By: Ayatollah Ibrahim Amini The Holy Quran is the most important miracle of the Prophet of Islam and the best proof of his prophethood. This great miracle is having superiority on all the other miracles from the following aspects: 1. It is permanent and everlasting and it has been given into the charge of man forever and they can witness the miracle of Quran throughout history. As opposed to other miracles, which endure only for a limited period of time. 2. It is also not limited from the aspect of space; it is under the control of one and all in every period of time, so that he may realize that it is a miracle, as opposed to other miracles that can be verified in a particular place and only some people are able to witness them. 3. The Quran, in addition to the fact that it is a proof of prophethood, is also a program of life and a guide to the right path, as opposed to other miracles, which do not have such an excellence. The Holy Quran is the word of God and a miracle in such a way that others are incapable of presenting such a discourse. Quran introduces itself to be a miracle and by way of challenge says: Say: If men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could not bring the like of it, though some of them were aiders of others. (17:88) Or, do they say: He has forged it. Say: Then bring ten forged chapters like it and call upon whom you can besides Allah, if you are truthful. But if they do not answer you, then know that it is revealed by Allah s knowledge and that there is no god but He; will you then submit? (11:13-14) 6

9 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful. But if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers. (2:23-24) In the above verses, Quran has been introduced as the miracle and proof of the veracity of the claim of Prophet Muhammad (S) and it has openly demanded from the people that if they have any doubt in the miracle of the Quran or the messengership of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S), they should bring a like of it or ten chapters or at least one chapter. If those who are inimical to Islam had the capacity to perform this feat, they would have definitely taken up the challenge or at least brought one chapter like that of Quran and presented it to the Holy 7 Prophet (S) and Muslims in order to render the prophethood of His Eminence doubtful. This was the best method of confronting and defeating Islam. Therefore, if they had been able to perform this feat, they would have prevented the spread of the influence of Islam and succeeded in dispersing the new converts from the company of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) and this also did not carry the bloodshed and difficulties of fighting battles. But it is not mentioned anywhere in history that they took up this challenge of Quran and succeeded in it. In any case, the challenge of the Quran is not restricted to the people contemporary to the period of the Messenger of Allah (S), it is general and addressed to all the people of every age and place; it has asked all the intellectuals and litterateurs that if they have doubt in the messengership of The Holy Prophet Muhammad

10 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH (S) they should bring a like of this Quran or a chapter like it. But as the Quran predicted, they have till date not been able to perform this feat. Enemies of Islam have also written books in refutation of Quran and tried to insult it, but so far no one has succeeded in writing a book like it. In the words of Almighty Allah, there is a beautiful fluency and attraction in it, which is not present in other books. It is from this aspect that it has severely influenced the pure and enlightened consciences. A large number of people in the early period of Islam were attracted by hearing the verses of Quran and they accepted Islam because of this. Numerous examples of such persons are mentioned in the history of Islam. Such was the extent of the attraction of Quran that it even confounded and attracted the enemies of Islam and even they had to confess that it is extraordinary. Below we 8 present some instances of this: Abul Fida writes: Walid Ibn Mughira came to the Messenger of Allah (S) and the Prophet recited the Quran before him in such a way that he became inclined to Islam. This information reached Abu Jahl and he came to him and said: Uncle, your relatives intend to collect money for you. What for, he asked. He replied: So that they may hand it over to you, because you had gone to Muhammad to get something. Walid said: Quraish know that I am the richest of all of them. Abu Jahl said: So issue a statement that may reach your relatives and they may come to know that you are a denier of Muhammad. Walid said: What shall I say? By God, none of you is more learned than me about poetry and Arab human and Jinn literature. By God, the Quran of Muhammad does not resemble any of these. By God, the discourse of Mu-

11 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message hammad has sweetness, beauty and attraction; branches of the discourse of Muhammad have fructified and his roots are being watered. His discourse is having precedence over other discourses and no discourse is superior to his. Abu Jahl said to Walid: Your kin will not be pleased with you unless you make a statement with regard to this matter. He said: Give me some time to consider it. After thinking about it for some time, he said: The discourse of Muhammad is magical as it has the ability to bewitch others.[1] 9 Jabir Ibn Abdullah says: One day Quraish gathered and said: We should procure a man, who is most learned of all in magic, soothsaying and poetry and send to this man who has created dissension among us and who talks ill of our religion, so that he may speak to him. All said: We do not know of anyone better than Utbah Ibn Rabia. Therefore this assignment was given to Utbah. Utbah came to the Messenger of Allah (S) and asked: Who is better, you or your father? The Messenger of Allah (S) did not give any reply. He asked again: Who is better, you or Abdul Muttalib? Again the Messenger of Allah (S) did not accord any reply. Utbah said: If you think they were better than you, they worshipped the same idols that you talk ill of; and if you consider yourself to be better than them, say something that we might hear. By Allah, I have not seen any lamb more inauspicious than you, you have created disunity among us and criticized our religion and degraded us among the Arabs in such a way that they say: A magician has appeared among Quraish and we fear him that he would cause war among us and destroy all of us. O man, if you want wealth, we can collect so much wealth for you that you would

12 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH become the richest of Quraish and if you are in need of a spouse, we can get you married to any lady you want. At this moment the Holy Prophet (S) asked Utbah: Have you said all you wanted to say? Yes. He said: Then listen: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Ha Mim! A revelation from the Beneficent, the Merciful God: A Book of which the verses are made plain, an Arabic Quran for a people who know. (41:1-3) till he came to the verse: But if they turn aside, then say: I have warned you of a scourge like the scourge of Ad and Thamood. (41:13) Utbah said: Enough, do you have anything else? No, he replied. After this Utbah returned to Quraish and they asked him: What did you do? He replied: I spoke to Muhammad. They asked: What did he say in 10 reply? Utbah said: By the one who established the Kaaba, I did not understand anything from the discourse of Muhammad, except that he threatened you with lightning as in the case of Aad and Thamud. They asked: An Arab spoke to you and you did not understand him? He replied: Yes, I did not understand anything, except the mention of lightning.[2] According to another narration, Utbah said: I have heard such a discourse from this man that I have not heard anything like it from anyone else.[3] According to yet another version, Utbah said: By Allah, I have not heard such a discourse from anyone else so far, neither in poetry nor soothsaying; O people of Quraish, leave this man to his own devices, his discourse is having a great future. If Arabs accept it, it will be sufficient for you and if he is able to conquer the Arabs, his kingdom and honor would be

13 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message your kingdom and honor and you would benefit from him most of all. Quraish said in reply: Muhammad has bewitched you through his tongue.[4] Aspects of the miracle of Quran Previously it was mentioned that Quran is a miracle and it is different from human discourse. Friends and enemies have also confessed to this. At this point, it is necessary to explain the causes of its miraculousness. Scholar, theologians, litterateurs and commentators of Quran have mentioned some aspects in this regard and we shall mention some of them here: A New Style It is learnt from a close study of Quran that this great book is having a fresh lightness and it is completely different from the style and diction of other writings. Verses of Quran are not poetic couplets, because it is not composed on poetic meters and also does not have rhymes. Moreover, poetry is mostly imaginative and based on hyperbole, whereas the verses of Quran are not so. Although Quran is not a book of poetry, each of its verses are like coherent couplets along with a special flow and style arranged in a systematic way and between the end of every chapter there is a particular symmetry and similarity which imparts appeal and beauty to it. The verses do not have the meter of couplets, but they have remarkable compatibility and appeal. Quran is arranged as a soft prose, but it is different from other prose in two ways: A. It is at an elevated level from the aspect of eloquence and clarity, selection of words and sentences. It has mentioned the most complex points in an extremely easy and suitable words, which though simple and sweet are also meaningful, whereas 11

14 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH such a thing is not found in other discourses. So much so that even the sermons, traditions and supplications of the Holy Prophet (S) do not have such appeal. Although Amirul Momineen (a.s.), was considered to be the most eloquent of the Arabs and he became familiar with Quran during his childhood; he knew it by heart and had written it with his hands, and his Nahjul Balagha is considered as the most eloquent of the books; in spite of that it does not have the same appeal and beauty of the Holy Quran. Verses of Quran that occasionally appear within the sermons of Nahjul Balagha or traditions shine like stars in the sky. B. Matters of the Holy Quran have a special style and arrangement, which is a remarkable difference with other books. In this heavenly book, there are different subjects like knowing God, resurrection, Judgment Day, accounting, Paradise and Hell, 12 prophethood and stories, effects of good and bad character, creation of the earth, sky, man, animals, vegetation, sea, cloud, winds, rain and rules and regulations, lawful and unlawful actions, worship acts, transactions, marriage and divorce, penalties, retaliations and blood monies, advices and moral lessons and many such topics. Such topics and their like are spread throughout the Quran under various topics. But it is not thus in other books, since every book deals only with one particular topic and different topics related to the main subject are discussed. Sometimes, some other topics are also discussed, but some topics are also discussed separately. Such a book is in fact a number of books each of which follows a single aim. But Quran has not discussed only one subject; on the contrary, it has not even discussed all the problems related to a number of different subjects at one and

15 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message the same place together. It has mentioned different aspects in a scattered way; they are placed besides each other, but they are not incoherent and asymmetrical; on the contrary they have a special symmetry that keeps them connected to each other and which shapes the verses and chapters. Different subjects of Quran are like different priceless gems arranged in a special manner. That is why the Holy Quran in the arrangement of its subject matter does not resemble any of the books of morals, legal, anecdotal, scientific knowledge, humanities, literature and history; but each of them is connected to others and they are all harmonious. The aim of Quran includes: The cognition of man, world, Almighty Allah, resurrection and life after death and also calling man to worship the one God and inviting him to fulfill the social and individual duties and purification and training of the 13 self from bad manners and morals, development of the self by perfection of morals and finally, proximity to God and wayfaring on the path of God. Decisiveness in Discourse Subject matter of the Quran is mentioned with clarity and decisiveness in such a way that it has permeated into the depths of the soul of man and the hearer feels that the speaker is witnessing reality and is giving information from the unseen. It is from this aspect that the prophecies of the Quran inspire hope and its threats are severely pounding. Contemplation on the verses of Quran polishes the soul of man and raises him above the world of matter and makes him familiar with the unseen world. Therefore, it is possible for the soul of man to witness realities in these emotions, which their eyes cannot see. Appeal of the verses of Quran is to such an extent that opponents of Islam labeled them as magic.

16 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Sometimes, by hearing them, they were so bewildered that automatically they did not understand how to justify them. It was mentioned before also that Utbah was so bewildered on hearing the verses of Surah Fussilat that he expressed helplessness in justifying and explaining the verses and in reply to Quraish said: I did not understand anything, except that he threatened with a lightning like the lightning of Aad and Thamud. Fearing this same ideal appeal, the leaders of polytheism said to people: Do not give ear to the words of Muhammad, because it is possible that you would be deceived. Ibn Athir writes: Tufayl Ibn Amr Doosi, who was a man from a noble family and also an accomplished poet, says: I traveled to Mecca during the period the Messenger of Allah (S) and stayed there for some time. Some Quraish elders approached me and said: O 14 Tufayl, you have come to our city at a time when this man (The Holy Prophet Muhammad) is living here. He has cast us into hardships and has created discord among us. His discourse, like magic and sorcery, causes separation between father and son, wife and husband and brothers. Therefore, we fear that you might also be deceived. So do not speak a word to Muhammad and do not give ear to his talks. Tufayl says: So much they emphasized this point that I became determined that I would not hear the words of Muhammad or speak to him, and I also stuffed cotton wool into my ears. In the morning I went to the Holy Mosque and saw the Messenger of Allah (S) reciting prayers near the Kaaba. I went nearer; Allah had intended that his discourse would reach my ears. A beautiful discourse reached my ears. I said to myself: May

17 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message your mother mourn for you, you are a poet and an intellectual and know well how to discriminate between good and bad. Thus what restrains you from hearing the statements of this man? If it is good and proper you should accept it and if it is evil and invalid, you can leave it. Tufayl says: I waited a little while till Muhammad departed to his house, and then I followed him, when he entered the house, I also entered. At that moment I said: O Muhammad, leaders of Quraish told me this and that, but Allah intended that your discourse should reach my ears. I heard your beautiful discourse, tell me what is your aim and objective? So Muhammad presented Islam to me and recited the Quran. By Allah, I had not heard any discourse more beautiful and a matter more definite.[5] Therefore, if you also had been conversant with Arab literature and interpretation of Quran, contemplated on the 15 fresh style of its arrangement of verses and selection of words and the lofty subjects that Quran has chosen to express in those words and the construction of sentences, you will also discover some amazing aspects of the elegance of this heavenly book. No Contradiction Between The Verses Another sign of the miraculousness of Quran is that there is no contradiction between its verses. Quran itself has highlighted this point and said: Do they not then meditate on the Quran? And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy. (4:82) The above verse has reprimanded and said: Why do you not contemplate on the Quran so that you may understand that its verses have no contradiction and that they are revealed from Almighty Allah, because the discourse

18 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH of man is not without contradiction. Two kinds of contradictions are seen in books written by human beings and none of them is present in Quran. First: Contradictions related to subtlety, choice of words, style and diction, observance of literary aspects, eloquence and clarity. Since man is under constant change and perfection, as much as he writes and practices, as much expert he becomes and as much his writing improves and becomes more eloquent and beautiful. In the same way, different personal conditions, mood, different incidents and conditions of life, all of them affect the writing of a writer. Man in a condition of health or illness, joy or indisposition, happiness or sorrow, feeling of victory or defeat, exaltation or feeling of humiliation, cannot write in the same way and each of them affect his writing and beauty of discourse. 16 That is why if you study a book with attention you would realize that its different sections are not same from the aspect of beauty and elegance and the only book, which does not have such differences is the Holy Quran; neither the chapters revealed first have any difference with the last chapters nor the middle chapters and its verses. The Holy Quran was revealed on the Prophet of Islam throughout a period of twenty-three years, gradually in different space and time and in different conditions, but in spite of this, no difference is seen in its different sections from the aspect of eloquence and clarity or elegance of discourse; this proves that Quran is the discourse of God, which is not susceptible to change and development in His being or actions. Second: Existence of incongruous and contradictory matter is certain in the writing

19 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message of human beings. If an unlettered author dictates for 23 years matter on various subjects and different topics, such a book would without any doubt not be free of contractions. It is possible for a writer to write something at one time and later as a result of having changed his opinion about something may write to the contrary; or it is possible that he might do this because of forgetfulness or carelessness. Moreover it is possible that another writer coming after him may refute his arguments and through innovative arguments criticize him. In many instances it is seen that preceding writers have written on different subjects using their evidences and argumentations, but after a passage of time other writers have refuted those theories through new methods. History testifies that The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) did not attend any school.[6] In the Holy Quran also he is 17 mentioned as the unlettered prophet.[7] All the verses and chapters of Quran were revealed to His Eminence (S) in twenty-three years in various instances and in fragments. His Eminence did not write down the verses of Quran himself, on the contrary he dictated them to others. He did not revise any of his previous statements in any way. In spite of this, not the slightest contradiction or incompatibility is seen in the verses of Quran. Instances cannot arise in rules and regulations related to society, rights and worship acts of Quran, which are not compatible to the religious and moral basis of that heavenly book. Nothing appears in problems related to morals, which is contradictory to the religious basis. In the stories of Quran and the biographies of the prophets and the past nations nothing is seen that is opposed to the fundamentals of belief or morals.

20 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH As regards problems connected to nature, nothing is seen which is opposed to the basics of thoughts. In points related to resurrection and rewards and punishment of the hereafter there is nothing incompatible to justice and perfection of Almighty Allah. With regard to points about general and special prophethood nothing is mentioned which is opposed to the principles of divine cognition. Hence, although Quran has spoken about a number of different subjects, all of them are organized and compatible and do not have the smallest incompatibility between themselves. Therefore they cannot be a product of human beings. On the contrary, it is the discourse of God revealed on the heart of the Prophet of Islam and no one else can bring such a piece of writing. Information of the Unseen The Holy Quran has informed about some events that were to occur in the future and this itself is considered to be a miraculous aspect, because it is not possible for ordinary human beings to get this knowledge. Below we shall mention some predictions issued by the Holy Quran: The Holy Quran says: Alif Lam Mim. The Romans are vanquished, in a near land, and they, after being vanquished, shall overcome, within a few years. Allah s is the command before and after; and on that day the believers shall rejoice, with the help of Allah; He helps whom He pleases; and He is the Mighty, the Merciful; (This is) Allah s promise! Allah will not fail His promise, but most people do not know. (30:1-6) From this verse, it can be concluded that in the early period of Islam, defeat and hardships would befall the soldiers of Rome. This event occurred near the land of Hijaz and the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula, especially 18

21 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message the new converts to Islam, became very much disconcerted at the defeat of the Romans. The above verse was revealed at that time informing the Muslims that after this defeat, in a short period of less than ten years, the Romans would overcome their enemies and believers would become pleased with the help of God. The prediction of Quran proved true and within that stipulated time the Romans, who were the People of Book conquered Persia; believers were also pleased by this victory. It is necessary to mention about the political and administrative conditions of the two great powers of that time (Rome and Iran) and the clashes that they had with each other in order to fully understand this important event of history: Before the advent of Islam, two great imperial powers ruled in Asia and the neighborhood of Arabian lands: 19 One was Iran, which had a huge land mass under its control, which was much larger than present Iran. Another power was that of the Romans, whose kingdom stretched up to Egypt and Syria. These two powers were always engaged in a struggle of expansion of their boundaries and power and were all the time in confrontation with each other. Sometimes one of them considered his opponent as weak and attacked him and seized some of his territory and wealth and plundered those places. After some time the defeated party would regain its power and then take up arms against the other and re-conquer the areas that had been seized from it before. This conflict continued forever between these two opponents. Arabs of the surrounding areas were also not safe as a result of the confrontation of the two adversaries. The capital of the rulers from the

22 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH family of Lakham in the city of Hira (near Kufa) who were under overlordship of the Sasanid rulers, who had ruled for many years. Their reign continued till around 602 A.D. At that time Khosrow Parvez decided to annex their kingdom and join it to his dominion.[8] When a Sasanid king became aware that the Himyar king intends to secede from the Sasanid domination, he sent a huge army in 598 A.D. to southern Arabia, which was able to vanquish them after a severe fight and south Arabia became a province of the Sasanid kingdom.[9] On the other hand, the Roman kingdoms also gave business to south Arabia and helped that country in opposing their adversaries, because many Christians had settled down in those territories. 20 That is why the people of the Arabian Peninsula were affected by the victory or defeat of each of these two opponents. When the Sasanids gained victory, the Christians of Arabia became despondent and the polytheists were elated, since they considered the Iranians to be their co-religionists as both of them were fire worshippers, so they considered their victory as their own victory. On the other hand, when the Romans were victorious, the Christians of Arabia became elated, but the polytheists were aggrieved as they sensed danger. Now we shall explain the main points: The Prophet of Islam (S) was vested with the office of prophethood in 610 A.D. in Mecca. From 602 to 610 A.D. it was a very bad period for the Roman power, because as result of civil disturbance and internal strife, it had become absolutely weak. During this time Khosrow Parvez, the Sasanid king discovered the weakness of the Roman Empire; so he took advantage of the circumstances and launched fierce attack on his opponent. These attacks

23 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message began from 610 and continued till 619 A.D. The strong Sasanid fighters gained remarkable victories one after another. From 605 to 613 A.D. cities like: Dara, Aaamad, Adsaa, Nasirapolis, Aleppo, Apaya and Damascus fell under the domination of the Sasanids. Khosrow Parvez became arrogant as a result of his remarkable victories and he declared a holy war against the Christians. Some Jew groups also joined ranks with him. In the year 614 he attacked Jerusalem and killed around Christians and plundered the city. He razed and burnt down a number of churches. During these attacks they seized and brought to Iran the crucifix that was considered by the Christians to be the original and was the most venerated emblem of their faith. Parvez wrote to Hercules the Roman Emperor: From Khosrow Parvez, the greatest Lord and master of the rulers of the earth to Hercules, a worthless servant who is ignorant of himself, you say that you trust in God, but why did He did not save Jerusalem from my hands? In the year 616, Khosrow sent a huge army to Alexandria and in 619 he conquered Egypt. He sent another army to Asia Minor and occupied Chaldea in 617.[10] Rapid and wide ranging Sasanid victories were really remarkable from different aspects. Some information of these victories reached the people of Arabia who lived in the surrounding lands. The reaction of Arabs to these reports used to be of two kinds: Polytheists used to be elated at them, because they considered their victory as victory against forces of monotheism. But Christians were aggrieved and they feared their safety and peace. Muslims of the early period of Islam who were very few in numbers, and were usually 21

24 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH persecuted and oppressed by polytheists, used to be extremely wary of the rapid and remarkable victories of the Sasanids. Moreover, they also feared that Arabia would also come under their subjugation. Because the enemy has reached up to Azrat which is mentioned in Quran as Adnal arz and they were extremely fearful of the oncoming danger. The above verse was revealed with regard to these circumstances and it gave glad tidings to Muslims that in a period of less than ten years, the soldiers of Rome would vanquish the Persians and the believers would become elated at the divine help. Ibn Athir writes: Adnal Arz implies the land of Azrat since it is an Arab land closest to Byzantine territories and the Romans in some battles had retreated to this area. The Prophet of Islam and Muslims were aggrieved at the victory of Persians over the Romans, since the Romans were People 22 of the Book and the infidels were pleased at these victories and considered the Majus like their own selves. When this verse was revealed, Abu Bakr laid a bet for a hundred camels with Ubayy ibn Khalaf, although at that time betting was not unlawful.[11] Muslims became hopeful of the divine promise and began to count the days for its realization. At last the promise of God was fulfilled and the Romans gained victory over the Persians. It is mentioned in history that the Roman Emperor, Hercules First was extremely aggrieved at the defeat at the hands of Persians and decided to strengthen his weak points and take serious steps to regain the territories lost to their opponents. With this aim, he took reformative steps and corrections and prepared his men to launch a severe and widespread attack. In 622 A.D. he sent a powerful naval force through the Black Sea in Armenis to attack

25 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message the Persians from the rear. The next year he attacked Azerbaijan and plundered the birth place of Zoroaster and extinguished their holy fire, which had been burning since ages. They recovered the holy crucifix from the Persians and returned it to Jerusalem.[12] Although Romans were defeated at Azraat (Adnal Arz) in 613 A.D., they continued repeated and formidable attacks on Persians till year 622 A.D. when they were finally victorious, that is, they gained victory in nine years after their defeat as mentioned in the Holy Quran as Within a few years. That is why the prediction of Quran when it said: second victory of Romans would occur in a period of less than ten years after their defeat, proved true. At that time, Christians and Muslims were elated at the new victory of Romans over the Persians. Realization of this divine promise is an evidence of the miraculous aspect of Quran. References: 1-4. Al-Bidaya wan Nihaya, Vol. 3, Pg Usud al-ghaba, Vol. 3, Pg And you did not recite before it any book, nor did you transcribe one with your right hand, for then could those who say untrue things have doubted. (29:48) 7. Those who follow the Apostle, the unlettered, whom they find written down with them in the Taurat & the Injeel... (7:157) 8. Tarikh Iran Az Salukian taa Furupashi daulat Sasani, Vol. 3, Pg Tarikh Iran Az Salukian taa Furupashi daulat Sasani, Vol. 3, Pg Will Durant, History of Civilization, Part I, Vol. 4, Pg. 181; 11. Al-Kamil fit Tarikh, Vol. 1, Pg Tarikh Iran Az Salukian taa Furupashi daulat Sasani, Vol. 3, Pg. 266; Will Durant, History of Civilization, Part I, Vol. 4, Pg

26 The Message Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the 'pillars' of the Islamic faith. No proof is required to establish its being obligatory (wajib) and one denying it goes out of the fold of Islam, because it is obvious like salat, and in respect of anything so evidently established both the learned and the unlettered, the elderly and the young, all stand on an equal footing. It was declared an obligatory duty (fard) in the second year of the Hijrah upon each and every mukallaf (one capable of carrying out religious duties, i.e. a sane adult) and breaking it (iftar) is not permissible except for any of the following reasons: 1. Hayd and nifas: The schools concur that fasting is not valid for women during menstruation and puerperal bleeding. 24 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Fasting according to the Five Schools of Islamic Law By: Allamah Muhammad Jawad Maghniyyah, Translated from the Arabic by: Mujahid Husayn 2. Illness: The schools differ here. The Imamis observe: Fasting is not valid if it would cause illness or aggravate it, or intensify the pain, or delay recovery, because illness entails harm (darar) and causing harm is prohibited (muharram). Moreover, a prohibition concerning an `ibadah (a rite of worship) invalidates it. Hence if a person fasts in such a condition, his fast is not valid (sahih). A predominant likelihood of its resulting in illness or its aggravation is sufficient for refraining from fasting. As to excessive weakness, it is not a justification for iftar as long as it is generally bearable. Hence the extenuating cause is illness, not weakness, emaciation or strain, because every duty involves hardship and discomfort.

27 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message The four Sunni schools state: If one who is fasting (sa'im) falls ill, or fears the aggravation of his illness, or delay in recovery, he has the option to fast or refrain. Iftar is not incumbent upon him; it is a relaxation and not an obligation in this situation. But where there is likelihood of death or loss of any of the senses, iftar is obligatory for him and his fasting is not valid. 3. A woman in the final stage of pregnancy and nursing mothers The four schools say: If a pregnant or nursing woman fears harm for her own health or that of her child, her fasting is valid though it is permissible for her to refrain from fasting. If she opts for iftar, the schools concur that she is bound to perform its make up (qada') later. They differ regarding its substitute (fidyah) and atonement (kaffarah). - In this regard the Hanafis observe: It is not at all wajib The Malikis are of the opinion that it is wajib for a nursing woman, not for a pregnant one. - The Hanbalis and the Shafi`is say: Fidyah is wajib upon a pregnant and a nursing woman only if they fear danger for the child; but if they fear harm for their own health as well as that of the child, they are bound to perform the qada' only without being required to give fidyah. The fidyah for each day is one mudd, which amounts to feeding one needy person (miskin.).[1] The Imamis state: If a pregnant woman nearing childbirth or the child of a nursing mother may suffer harm, both of them ought to break their fast and it is not valid for them to continue fasting due to the impermissibility of harm. They concur that both are to perform the qada' as well as give fidyah, equaling one mudd, if the harm is feared for the child. But if the harm is feared only

28 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH for her own person, some among them observe: She is bound to perform qada' but not to give fidyah, others say: She is bound to perform qada' and give fidyah as well. 4. Travel, provided the conditions necessary for salat al-qasr, as mentioned earlier, are fulfilled as per the opinion of each school. The four Sunni schools add a further condition to these: The journey should commence before dawn and the traveler should have reached the point from where salat becomes qasr before dawn. Hence if he commences the journey after the setting in of dawn, it is haram for him to break the fast, and if he breaks it, its qada' will be wajib upon him without a kaffarah. The Shafi'is add another condition, which is that the traveler should not be one who generally travels continuously, such as a driver. Thus if he travels habitually, he is not entitled to break the fast. 26 In the opinion of the four Sunni schools, breaking the fast is optional and not compulsory. Therefore, a traveller who fulfils all the conditions has the option of fasting or iftar. This is despite the observation of the Hanafis that performing salat as qasr during journey is compulsory and not optional. The Imamis say: If the conditions required for praying qasr are fulfilled for a traveler, his fast is not acceptable. Therefore, if he fasts, he will have to perform the qada' without being liable to kaffarah. This is if he starts his journey before midday, but if he starts it at midday or later, he will keep his fast and in the event of his breaking it will be liable to the kaffarah of one who deliberately breaks his fast. And if a traveler reaches his hometown, or a place where he intends to stay for at least ten days, before midday without performing any act that breaks the fast, it is wajib

29 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message upon him to continue fasting, and in the event of his breaking it he will be like one who deliberately breaks his fast. 5. There is consensus among all the schools that one suffering from a malady of acute thirst can break his fast, and if he can carry out its qada' later, it will be wajib upon him without any kaffarah, in the opinion of the four schools. In the opinion of the Imamis, he should give a mudd by way of kaffarah. The schools differ in regard to acute hunger, as to whether it is one of the causes permitting iftar, like thirst. The four schools say: Hunger and thirst are similar and both make iftar permissible. The Imamis state: Hunger is not a cause permitting iftar except where it is expected to cause illness. 6. Old people, men and women, in late years of life for whom fasting is harmful and difficult, can break their 27 fast, but are required to give fidyah by feeding a miskin for each fast day omitted: similarly a sick person who does not hope to recover during the whole year. The schools concur upon this rule excepting the Hanbalis, who say: Fidyah is mustahabb and not wajib. 7. The Imamis state: Fasting is not wajib upon one in a swoon, even if it occurs only for a part of the day, unless where he has formed the niyyah of fasting before it and recovers subsequently, whereat he will continue his fast. Vanishing of the Excuse If the excuse permitting iftar ceases--such as on recovery of a sick person, maturing of a child, homecoming of a traveler, or termination of the menses--it is mustahabb in the view of the Imamis and the Shafi`is to refrain (imsak) from things that break the fast (muftirat) as a token of respect. The Hanbalis and the Hanafis consider imsak as

30 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH wajib, but Malikis consider it neither wajib nor mustahabb. Conditions of Fasting As mentioned earlier, fasting in the month of Ramadan is wajib for each and every mukallaf. Every sane adult (albaligh al-`aqil) is considered mukallaf. Hence fasting is neither wajib upon an insane person in the state of insanity nor is it valid if he observes it. As to a child, it is not wajib upon him, though valid if observed by a mumayyiz. Also essential for the validity of the fast are Islam and niyyah (intention). Therefore, as per consensus, neither the fast of a non-muslim nor the imsak of one who has not formed the niyyah is acceptable. This is apart from the afore-mentioned conditions of freedom from menses, puerperal bleeding, illness and travel. As to a person in an intoxicated/unconscious state: The Shafi`is observe: His fast is not valid if he is not in 28 his senses for the whole period of the fast. But if he is in his senses for a part of this period, his fast is valid, although the unconscious person is liable to its qada', whatever the circumstances, irrespective of whether his unconsciousness is selfinduced or forced upon him. But the qada' is not wajib upon an intoxicated person unless he is personally responsible for his state. The Malikis state: The fast is not valid if the state of unconsciousness or intoxication persists for the whole or most of the day from dawn to sunset. But if it covers a half of the day or less and he was in possession of his senses at the time of making niyyah and did make it, becoming unconscious or intoxicated later, qada' is not wajib upon him. The time of making niyyah for the fast in their opinion extends from sunset to dawn. The Hanafis, an unconscious person is exactly like an insane one in this respect,

31 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message and their opinion regarding the latter is that if the insanity lasts through the whole month of Ramadan, qada' is not wajib upon him, and if it covers half of the month, he will fast for the remaining half and perform the qada' of the fasts missed due to insanity. The Hanbalis observe: Qada' is wajib upon a person in a state of unconsciousness as well as one in a state of intoxication, irrespective of whether these states are selfinduced or forced upon them. In the opinion of the Imamis, qada' is only wajib upon a person in an intoxicated state, irrespective of its being self-induced or otherwise; it is not wajib upon an unconscious person even if his loss of consciousness is brief. Muftirat The muftirat are those things from which it is obligatory to refrain during the fast, from dawn to sunset. They are: 1. Eating and drinking deliberately. Both invalidate the fast and necessitate qada' 29 in the opinion of all the schools, though they differ as to whether kaffarah is also wajib. The Hanafis and the Imamis require it, but not the Shafi`is and the Hanbalis. A person who eats and drinks by an oversight is neither liable to qada' nor kaffarah, except in the opinion of the Malikis, who only require its qada'. Included in shurb [drinking] is inhaling tobacco smoke. 2. Sexual intercourse, when deliberate, invalidates the fast and makes one liable to qada' and kaffarah, in the opinion of all the schools. The kaffarah is the manumission of a slave, and if that is not possible, fasting for two consecutive months; if even that is not possible, feeding sixty poor persons. The Imamis and the Malikis allow an option between any one of these; i.e. a mukallaf may choose between freeing a slave, fasting or feeding the poor. The Shafi'is, Hanbalis

32 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH and Hanafis impose kaffarah in the above-mentioned order; i.e. releasing a slave is specifically wajib, and in the event of incapacity fasting becomes wajib. If that too is not possible, giving food to the poor becomes wajib. The Imamis state: All the three kaffarahs become wajib together if the act breaking the fast (muftir) is itself haram, such as eating anything usurped (maghsub), drinking wine, or fornicating. As to sexual intercourse by oversight, it does not invalidate the fast in the opinion of the Hanafis, Shafi`is and Imamis, but does according to the Hanbalis and the Malikis. 3. Seminal emission (al- 'istimna'): There is consensus that it invalidates the fast if caused deliberately. The Hanbalis say: If semen is discharged due to repeated sensual glances and the like the fast will become invalid: The four schools say: Seminal emission will necessitate qada' without kaffarah. 30 The Imamis observe: It requires both qada' and kaffarah. 4. Vomiting: It invalidates the fast if deliberate, and in the opinion of the Imamis, Shafi`is and Malikis, also necessitates qada'. The Hanafis state: Deliberate vomiting does not break the fast unless the quantity vomited fills the mouth. Two views have been narrated from Imam Ahmad. The schools concur that involuntary vomiting does not invalidate the fast. 5. Cupping (hijamah) is muftir only in the opinion of the Hanbalis, who observe: The cupper and his patient both break the fast. 6. Injection invalidates the fast and requires qada' in the opinion of all the schools. A group of Imami legists observe: It also requires kaffarah if taken without an emergency. 7. Inhaling a dense cloud of suspended dust invali-

33 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message dates the fast only in the opinion of the Imamis. They say: If a dense suspended dust, such as flour or something of the kind, enters the body the fast is rendered invalid, because it is something more substantial than an injection or tobacco smoke. 8. Application of kohl invalidates the fast only in the opinion of the Malikis, provided it is applied during the day and its taste is felt in the throat. 9. The intention to discontinue the fast: If a person intends to discontinue his fast and then refrains from doing so, his fast is considered invalid in the opinion of the Imamis and Hanbalis; not so in the opinion of the other schools. 10. Most Imamis state: Fully submerging the head, alone or together with other parts of the body, under water invalidates the fast and necessitates both qada' and kaffarah. The other schools consider it inconsequential The Imamis observe: A person who deliberately remains in the state of janabah after the dawn during the month of Ramadan, his fast will be invalid and its qada' as well as kaffarah will be wajib upon him. The remaining schools state: His fast remains valid and he is not liable to anything. 12. The Imamis observe: A person who deliberately ascribes something falsely to God or the Messenger (S) (i.e. if he speaks or writes that God or the Messenger said so and so or ordered such and such a thing while he is aware that it is not true), his fast will be invalid and he will be liable to its qada' as well as a kaffarah. A group of Imami legists go further by requiring of such a fabricator the kaffarah of freeing a slave, fasting for two months, and feeding sixty poor persons. This shows the ignorance or malice of those who say that the Imamis consider it permissible to

34 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH forge lies against God and His Messenger (s). Evidence of the New Moon There is a general consensus among Muslims that a person who has seen the new moon is himself bound to act in accordance with his knowledge, whether it is the new moon of Ramadan or Shawwal. Hence it is wajib upon one who has seen the former to fast even if all other people don't, [2] and to refrain from fasting on seeing the latter even if everyone else on the earth is fasting, irrespective of whether the observer is `adil or not, man or woman. The schools differ regarding the following issues: 1. The Hanbalis, Malikis and Hanafis state: If the sighting (ru'yah) of the new moon has been confirmed in a particular region, the people of all other regions are bound by it regardless of the distance between them; the difference of the horizon of the new 32 moon is of no consequence. The Imamis and the Shafi`is observe: If the people of a particular place see the new moon while those at another place don't, in the event of these two places being closeby with respect to the horizon, the latter's duty will be the same; but not if their horizons differ. 2. If the new moon is seen during day, either before or after midday, on 30th Sha'ban, will it be reckoned the last day of Sha'ban (in which case, fasting on it will not be wajib) or the first of Ramadan (in which case fasting is wajib)? Similarly, if the new moon is seen during the day on the 30th of Ramadan, will it be reckoned a day of Ramadan or that of Shawwal? In other words, will the day on which the new moon is observed be reckoned as belonging to the past or to the forthcoming month? The Imamis, Shafi`is, Malikis and Hanafis observe: It belongs to the past month

35 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message and not to the forthcoming one. Accordingly, it is wajib to fast on the next day if the new moon is seen at the end of Sha'ban, and to refrain from fasting the next day if it is seen at the end of Ramadan. 3. The schools concur that the new moon is confirmed if sighted, as observed in this tradition of the Prophet (s): 'Fast on seeing the new moon and stop fasting on seeing it'. They differ regarding the other methods of confirming it. The Imamis observe: It is confirmed for both Ramadan and Shawwal by tawatur (i.e. the testimony of a sufficiently large number of people whose conspiring over a false claim is impossible), and by the testimony of two `adil men, irrespective of whether the sky is clear or cloudy and regardless of whether they belong to the same or two different nearby towns, provided their descriptions of 33 the new moon are not contradictory. The evidence of women, children, fasiq men and those of unknown character is not acceptable. The Hanafis differentiate between the new moons of Ramadan and Shawwal; they state: The new moon of Ramadan is confirmed by the testimony of a single man and a single woman, provided they are Muslim, sane and `adil. The Shawwal new moon is not confirmed except by the testimony of two men or a man and two women. This is when the sky is not clear. But if the sky is clear--and there is no difference in this respect between the new moon of Ramadan and Shawwal--it is not confirmed except by the testimony of a considerable number of persons whose reports result in certainty. In the opinion of the Shafi`is, the new moon of Ramadan and Shawwalis confirmed by the testimony of a single witnesss provided he is Muslim, sane, and `adil.

36 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The sky's being clear or cloudy makes no difference in this regard. According to the Malikis, the new moon of Ramadan and Shawwal is not confirmed except by the testimony of two `adil men, irrespective of the sky's being cloudy or cloudless. The Hanbalis say: The new moon of Ramadan is confirmed by the testimony of an `adil man or woman, while that of Shawwalis only confirmed by the testimony of two `adil men. 4. There is consensus among the schools, excepting the Hanafi, that if no one claims to have seen the new moon of Ramadan, fasting will be wajib after the thirtieth day allowing thirty days for Sha'ban. According to the Hanafis, fasting becomes wajib after the twenty-ninth day of Sha'ban. This was with respect to the new moon of Ramadan. As to the new moon of Shawwal: The Hanafis and the Malikis observe: If the sky is cloudy, thirty days of Ramadan will be completed and iftar will be wajib on the following day. But if the sky is clear, it is wajib to fast on the day following the thirtieth day by rejecting the earlier testimony of witnesses confirming the first of Ramadan regardless of their number. The Shafi`is consider iftar as wajib after thirty days even if the setting in of Ramadan was confirmed by the evidence of a single witness, irrespective of the sky's having been cloudy or clear. According to the Hanbalis, if the setting in of Ramadan was confirmed by the testimony of two `adil men, iftar following the thirtieth day is wajib, and if it was confirmed by the evidence of a single `adl, it is wajib to fast on the thirty-first day as well. In the opinion of the Imamis, both Ramadan and Shawwal are confirmed after 34

37 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message the completion of thirty days regardless of the sky's being cloudy or clear, provided their beginning was confirmed in a manner approved by the Shari`ah. The New Moon and Astronomy This year (1960) the governments of Pakistan and Tunisia have decided to rely upon the opinion of astronomers for the confirmation of the new moon with a view of putting an end to confusion [3] and the general inconvenience resulting from not knowing in advance the day of `Id, which at times comes as a surprise, and at other times is delayed despite all the preparations. This decision of the two governments has become an issue of heated controversy in religious circles. The protagonists of the move observe that there is nothing in the religion that disapproves of reliance on the opinion of astronomers; rather it is supported by this verse of Surat al-nahl:...and way marks; and by the stars they are guided. (16.16) The antagonists state: The decision contradicts the above-mentioned prophetic traditon: صوموا لرؤيته وأفطروا لرؤيته. That, because the word ru'yah (sighting) implies sighting the moon with the eyes, which was common among the people during the time of the Prophet (s). As to using a telescope or relying on astronomical calculations, they are inconsistent with the literal import of the tradition, they point out. In fact, none of the sides has advanced sound reasons, because `guidance by the stars' implies determination of land and sea routes with the help of the stars, and not determination of days of months and new moons. As to the tradition, it does not contradict sound scientific knowledge, because `seeing' is a means for acquiring 35

38 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH knowledge and not an end in itself, as is the case with any means that helps confirm facts. However, in my opinion, the judgment of astronomers do not lead to certain knowledge, nor do they remove all doubts as removed by vision, because their judgments are based on probability not on certainty. This is evident from their divergent judgments about the night of the new moon as well as the time of its occurrence and the period that it remains (above the horizon). If a time comes when the astronomers attain accurate and sufficient knowledge, so that there is consensus among them and they repeatedly prove to be right to the extent that their forecasts become a certainty like the days of the week, then it will be possible to rely upon them. Rather, then it will be obligatory to follow their judgments and to reject everything that goes against them. [4] References: 1. Approximately 800 grams of wheat or something similar to it. 2. But the Hanafis observe: If he testifies before a qadi who rejects his testimony, it is wajib upon him to perform its qada' without liability to kaffarah (al-fiqh `ala al-madhahib al-'arba`ah). 3. In 1939 the `Id al- Adha was observed on Monday in Egypt, on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, and on Wednesday in Bombay. 4. Refer to the discussion on this issue in the first volume of our book Fiqh al-'imam Jafar al-sadiq (`a), the section on the proof of the new moon at the end of section on fasting bab al-sawm. Golden Saying of the Imam Hassan (AS) Do not be hasty in punishing (someone s) sin, and leave (room) between the two (fault and punishment) for apology. 36

39 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message Ali (A.S.) the Voice of Human Justice Edited excerpts from the book, The Voice of Human Justice, By: George Jordac Out of the persons who have narrated the attributes of Imam Ali son of Abu Talib the author of Zakhair al-uqba writes thus: "His stature was moderate and slightly short. His skin was of wheaten colour and his beard was white and long. His eyes were large and black. He had a cheerful face and was goodnatured. His neck was long like a goblet made of silver. His shoulders were broad. The joints of his hands were like those of a roaring lion, because his hands and wrists were completely joined with each other and distinction could hardly be made between them. His hands and fingers were strong, moderately fat and fleshy. His arms were also fleshy in a similar manner. He walked calmly like the prophet. However, as and when he proceeded to give a fight he walked briskly and did not turn his head to see anything else. His bodily strength was unimaginable. He usually picked up the fighters whom he laid his hands on and threw them on the ground without any difficulty or effort, as if they were small children. And if he held the arm of any warrior in his hand the latter could not even breathe. It is well-known that he did not fight with anyone whom he did not vanquish, even though he might have been very strong and a renowned champion. At times he picked up a big gate, which a number of strong persons could not even close, or open, and used it as a shield to defend himself. On some occasions he threw away with one hand, a stone, which could not even be shaken by a number of men. At times he roared in the battlefield so loudly that the bravest men got frightened although their 37

40 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH number might be quite large. He possessed such a great power to bear hardships that he did not fear any harm from heat or coldness. It is very difficult to explain fully the nature and habits of human beings and especially of great personalities because personal qualities of men are related with one another and every one of them influences others. Every quality is related with another quality and every habit is the cause of another habit and the result of a third one, or two of them are effect of another and so on and so forth. Hence, I propose to study a few of the personal qualities of Ali from different angles and to compare them within one and the same personality so as to arrive at some conclusions by means of this intellectual analysis. In the first instance I shall briefly present the various qualities of Ali by deducing them from his simple dealings and wellknown actions so that his nature, habits and disposition 38 are known and our detailed discussion in the following chapters may be limited to those qualities and characteristics. We now commence the discussion with reference to his acts of worship. Ali was well-known for his piety and continence. He did many things for his own self as well as for his own people and others, as he was extremely pious. I believe that Ali's piety was not the outcome of circumstances like that of other pious persons, who engage themselves in worship on account of the weakness of their souls, or to escape the vicissitudes of life and to keep aloof from the people, or in imitation of their ancestors, and the effects of the events of life confirm it, because as a rule people accord respect to ancestral customs and traditions. The fact is that the piety of the Imam Ali was based on a firm footing and was linked with the mutual tie that exists

41 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message in all parts of the creation and has bound the sky and the earth with each other. His worship was in fact a continuous effort and a campaign against mischief for the sake of human life and prosperity. He fought against all aspects of evil and wickedness. On the one hand he fought against hypocrisy and selfishness and on the other hand against dastardliness, abjectness, meanness, helplessness and other bad qualities that the people had acquired during those evil days. According to Ali the essence of piety is to sacrifice one's life for the sake of truth and justice. He has said: "Your faith should be at such a level that you should prefer truth to falsehood even though it may cause you loss and falsehood may bring you gained". His piety was of the same type as defined by him. He was martyred on account of this very truthfulness, and if it be possible to give the title of "Martyr" to living persons it may be said that even while alive he was a martyr in the path of truth & righteousness. If a person studies the piety of the Imam carefully it will become known to him that even in politics and governments he had a special method in the matter of worship which he pursued firmly. When he stood before the Almighty God he made his supplications with full attention, just as a poet is lost in the beauties of nature. The following remark of Ali is very instructive for those who worship God and observe piety: "One group worships God to be favoured with His blessings. This is the worship of the tradesmen. Another group worships Him on account of His fear. This is the worship of the slaves. A third group worships Him by way of thanksgiving. This is the worship of the free man". One who accords the same position to worship as was accorded by Ali will certainly 39

42 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH view life in the same manner in which it was viewed by Ali. Such a person does not seek life for worldly gains and transient pleasures. On the other hand he seeks it to attain high morals and to achieve the ends which are compatible with his nature. It was for this reason that Ali chose piety in the world and did not seek fame and ostentation. He was true in the matter of piety in the same way in which he was true in the matter of his actions, words and intentions. Harun son of Antara relates thus from his father: "I went in the presence of Ali in Khurnaq Palace in winter season and saw that he was wearing an old cloak and was trembling with cold. I said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful! God has fixed a share for you also in the public treasury and in spite of that you are living in this condition". He replied: "I swear by God that I do not take anything out of your (i.e. public) property and this cloak is the same which I brought from Madina". He spent his days in the small house with perfect contentment till he was martyred at the hands of Ibn Muljim. Although he was the caliph there was none amongst the Muslims who lived as simple and contented a life as he did. In fact this lack of interest on his part in worldly comforts was related with his valour. Some persons think that these two qualities are apart from each other, but this view is not correct. Really speaking his valour consisted of the greatness of his soul and his efforts to achieve great objects and to help the poor and the needy without caring for his own benefit. The fact is that he was not prepared to enjoy the pleasure of life while living in a city in which many helpless and indigent persons were also residing. Umar son of Abdul Aziz was a caliph of the family of Bani Umayyah. This family was 40

43 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message inimical towards Ali, slandered him and abused him from the pulpit. In spite of this he was obliged to remark thus keeping in view the sublime conduct of Ali: "The most chaste and pious person in the world was Ali son of Abu Talib." It is said that Ali did not construct for himself even a house made of reeds. Although the White Palace had been constructed for him he did not occupy it because he did not wish to live in a house which was better than the huts made of wood occupied by the poor people. The manner in which Ali led his life is reflected in his wellknown remark: "Should I content myself with this that the people call me the Commander of the Faithful and I should not share the vicissitudes of life with them?" Ibn Athir has narrated that when Ali married the Prophet's daughter Fatima their bed consisted only of the hide of a sheep. They used it as a mattress during night and placed fodder on it during the daytime to feed their camel. They did not have more than one servant. During the caliphate of Ali some property was received from Isfahan. It was divided by him into seven parts. It also included a loaf of bread and he broke that also into seven pieces. Manliness was incarnated in Ali in all respects and included every quality necessary for it. Broad mindedness and forgiveness are the necessary concomitants of manliness and they were ingrained in the Imam s nature. It was on this account that he did not even think of harming any person although he might have harmed him, and did not oppress a person about whom he knew that he wanted to kill him. Bani Umayyah abused and slandered him but he did not retaliate in the same manner because magnanimous persons do not abuse a person who abuses them. 41

44 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Imam Ali prohibited his own companions from abusing Bani Umayyah. He has no peer in history in the matter of forgiveness and connivance, and there are innumerable incidents which throw light on these qualities of his. It is said in this connection that on the occasion of a battle he gave inter alia the following instructions to his soldiers: "Don't kill an enemy who runs away. Don't withhold assistance from one who is helpless and wounded. Don't strip any one. Don't take the property of anyone by force". At the conclusion of the Battle of the Camel he offered funeral prayers for the enemies who had been killed and prayed to God for their forgiveness. When he gained control over his fell enemies like Abdullah son of Zubayr, Marwan son of Hakam, and Sa'id son of Aas, he forgave them, behaved with them kindly and prohibited his companions from punishing them although he was in a position to give them a harsh treatment, and they too did not hope that they would be set free. In the Battle of Siffin Mu'awiya and his supporters decided to overcome Ali by subjecting him and his companions to thirst. For some days, therefore, they blocked his way to the Euphrates and threatened that they would not allow his army to utilize the water and would make them die of thirst. However, Ali's army launched an attack and gained control of the bank of the river. But Ali behaved with Mu'awiya in a different manner. Notwithstanding the fact that he could stop supply of water to the Syrian army as a measure of retaliation he allowed them to utilize water in the same way in which his own men were utilizing it. Once he was given to understand that two persons were accusing Ayesha of having started the Battle of the Camel and of plotting to 42

45 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message kill him. He ordered that each of them might be administered one hundred lashes by way of punishment. After achieving victory in the Battle of the Camel he sent Ayesha back to Madina with due honour and respect. He accompanied her up to a few miles distance and also sent some persons with her so that they might serve her on the way, and she might reach Madina comfortably. In spite of his being so brave Ali avoided being oppressive. The narrators and historians are agreed that he hated warfare and did not resort to it except when no other alternative was left. He always tried that matters might be settled with the enemies without bloodshed and fighting. He used to advise his son Hasan not to invite anyone to fighting. He was always sincere in what he said and followed the policy which he recommended to his son till he was obliged to act otherwise. To shun cruelty and oppression was a moral principle of Ali and formed part of his nature and disposition. He never broke covenants and was not inimical towards his former friends unless they themselves broke the covenants and showed enmity in reply to kindness. Imam Ali has been reported to have said: "Even if all the seven regions of the world and whatever is under the sky is offered to me so that I may disobey God and take away unjustly the husk of barley from an ant I shall not do so. In my eyes this entire world is inferior to a leaf which may be pressed in the mouth of a locust". Ali was so kind to' human beings that he ordered that his murderer, the wicked Ibn Muljim might be treated kindly. In the recommendations made by him to his sons Hasan and Husayn he said: "Be enemies of the oppressors and supporters of the 43

46 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH oppressed". He also said: "Be enemies of the oppressor even though he may be your near relative and support the oppressed person even though he may not be related to you and may be a stranger". He always endeavoured to punish the oppressors and relieve the people of their wickedness. To achieve this purpose he used his heart, tongue, sword and blood. He always remained a helper of the oppressed and an enemy of the oppressors. Following this path he never relaxed till the end of his life. One should not be surprised that Ali was just. It would have been a matter of surprise if he had not been just. The instances of his justice, which have been narrated, are the most valuable assets in human history and man should be proud of them. Ibn Abi Rafe' has narrated thus: "I was the administrator of the public treasury during the period of the caliphate of Ali and was also his scribe. The property received from Basra for the public treasury included a pearl necklace. The daughter of Ali sent word to me saying: "I understand that there is a pearl necklace in the public treasury which is controlled by you. Send that necklace to me on loan so that I may wear it on Eid al- Azha day. Thereafter I shall return it". I sent the necklace to her on the conditions that she would be responsible if it was lost or damaged, and that she would return it within 3 days. She accepted these conditions. By chance the eyes of the Commander of the Faithful fell on the necklace and he recognized it. He asked his daughter as to where she had obtained it from. She replied: "I have taken it on loan from Ibn Abi Rafe' the in charge of the public treasury to wear it on Eid al-azha day and have promised to return it to him within three days". 44

47 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message The Commander of the Faithful summoned me and said; "Do you consider it lawful to commit breach of trust with the Muslims"? I replied: "May God forbid that I may commit treachery with the Muslims". Thereupon he said: "Then why did you lend such and such necklace to my daughter without obtaining my permission and without the concurrence of the Muslims"? I replied: "O Commander of the Faithful! She is your daughter. She borrowed it to adorn herself and guaranteed its safe return so that I might restore it to its proper place". Ali said: "Take it back today and do not do so in future otherwise I shall punish you". When Ali's daughter came to know about it she said to him: "O father! I am your dear daughter. Who else is more entitled to wear this necklace"? Ali replied: "O daughter of Abu Talib! Don't deviate from the right path. Can you tell 45 me how many Muhajir and Ansar women adorn themselves with such necklaces"? Eventually I took back the necklace from the daughter of the Commander of the Faithful and restored it to its proper place. Sincerity and intrepidity are the qualities of great men and they were possessed by Ali par excellence. Sincerity, truthfulness, intrepidity and manliness and all other similar qualities are inter-connected. Hence he did not express anything which was opposed to his real intention and determination. He did not practice deceit, although he knew very well that by doing so he could get rid of the mischief of the enemies. What has been said above about the truthfulness and character of the Imam fully proves his sincerity and intrepidity. One of his principles and morals consisted of simplicity in everything. He hated formality very much and used

48 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH to say: "The worst brother is he for whom one has to involve oneself in trouble". He also used to say: "If a believer observes formality with his brother it means that he has separated himself from him. If he expressed an opinion or tendered an advice or gave some present, then this act of his was not tainted with ostentation. This habit was so much ingrained in his nature that the selfish people could not make him act according to their wishes, and the flatterers should not hope to attract his attention. These people used to say that the Imam was hard-hearted, ill natured and proud. However, the Imam was neither hardhearted nor ill natured nor proud. On the contrary, as demanded by his nature, he said whatever he had to say without any formality or deceit. Ali hated pride and was absolutely free from egotism. He also forbade his children, companions and officials to show pride and practice egotism. While giving them advice he used to say: "Shun egotism. You should know that egotism is a bad quality and a calamity for reason He hated formality. He also restrained the people from going to the extreme while praising him and told them: "I am lesser than what you say". At times it so happened that he considered the person concerned to be his enemy. On such occasion he did not refrain from mentioning the mental condition of that person of which he was aware and told him: "I am better than what you believe about me in your heart". Ali disliked some of his friends exalting him too much in the same manner in which he disliked his being belittled by his enemies. He has said: "Persons of two types have been destroyed on account of their attitude towards me - The friends who have exaggerated my qualities and the spiteful enemies". He 46

49 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message neither showed pride nor humiliated himself unnecessarily; he presented himself as he was. He was free from affectation and hypocrisy. It is difficult to find a straightforward man like him. He purchased a bagful of palm-dates and was carrying them home. Some persons observed this and volunteered to carry the bag for him. He, however, told them frankly that the head of the family was more responsible to carry it. Another attribute of Ali was his noble disposition. He did not entertain grudge in his heart against anybody, even though he might be his fell enemy. Although Talha had come as an enemy to kill him, he wept on his dead body and recited a heart-felt elegy for him. Although the Kharijites were his deadly enemies and had fought against him, and his murderer was also one of them, but he advised his friends and followers not to fight against them. He gave this direction because he knew that those people had fallen prey to misunderstanding and had been misguided. They were seekers of truth but had been mistaken in the matter of its assessment. Nothing can be seen in the biography of Ali which may go to show that he was revengeful. In all circumstances he showed truthfulness, honesty', straightforwardness and swordsmanship. Magnanimous persons are not revengeful and do not also tolerate injustice and oppression. They get annoyed with one who oppresses others. Although Ali did not entertain any grudge in his heart against anyone, he had to face a spiteful group. His meaningful words show how grieved he was. His grief was such as arose from sympathy and kindness. He was grieved to see that people harmed themselves. 47

50 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Another quality which distinguished him from others and was complementary to his other attributes was his perfect faith in his actions and beliefs, and whenever he did anything he believed in its correctness and in his being on the right path. When he decided to fight against Amr son of Abd-awudd, the famous champion of Arabia he was warned by the prophet and his companions about the consequences. He however, decided to fight because besides being brave he possessed enthusiasm to support Islam. We repeat that when the enemies had encircled Ali from all sides he busied himself in offering prayers without there being any guard to protect him from the mischief of those enemies, and consequently Ibn Muljim succeeded in wounding him with his poisoned sword. This very thing is a great proof of the fact that he was certain of the correctness of what he did, because a righteous person does not fear anything. All the words and acts of Ali go to prove that he had perfect and firm faith in his actions. This was so because all his actions emanated from wisdom and capability. When the people were divided into two groups in their attitude towards him (i.e. friends and enemies) he did not become afraid of the enemies and did not lay down arms before them, because he had perfect faith in his own truthfulness and justice and correctness of his actions. It was in this context that he said: "Even if I strike on the nose of a believer so that he may become my enemy he will not become my enemy and even if I shower all the bounties of the earth on him so that he may become friendly towards me he will not become my friend". 48

51 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Night of Qadr The Message Source: A year consists of different hours, days, nights, months, and most importantly different periods. However amidst all these times, certain moments are given a higher value than the rest because of the special attention of Allah (SWT) upon them, the effects they have, and the events that occur or have occurred during those times. Of these very important times is the Night of Qadr. This night is the most important and valuable night of the year. The importance of this night is to such an extent that along with the different verses that discuss the Night of Qadr, a whole chapter (Surah) in the holy Quran has been named after this night. To further study the importance of this night, we can consider two series of the verses, one of which talk about its magnificence and the others are about its effects. The magnificence of this night in the holy Quran is to the extent that Allah (SWT) addresses His messenger as And what do you know about what Night of Qadr is? In another verse the almighty Allah considers this night to have a higher value than nearly 30,000 ordinary night. Such comparison of the holy Quran is an obvious proof for the high value and great magnificence of such night. In the second series of verses Allah (SWT) mention the special features of this night. Having such features causes the Night of Qadr to have special and unique effects among the other nights of the year. For example this night is called Mubarak. Mubarak means full of mercy and blessing. Applying such a word for the Night of Qadr states that this night has the capacity of abundant blessing to the degree that the revelation of the holy Quran has taken place in this night. Also due to the abundant 49

52 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH blessing in this night the gates of forgiveness and mercy of Allah (SWT) is open to people. Another effect of it is that in this great night no punishment is assigned for the creatures. For the almighty Allah has named it a night full of Salam (Peace) till the break of the morning. Considering the greatness and importance of the Night of Qadr and contemplating the effects and events of it, one is naturally inclined to learn more about this holy night. The events that take place on Night of Qadr By referring to the verses of the holy Quran, we understand that all affairs destined to happen in the universe and also to each person and other creatures in the following year, are made clear in this night. Moreover the angels will descend these destined affairs in the form of divine command. By referring to the verses which have talked about the descent of the angles, we can divide the descent of the angles according to their purpose into two groups. One type is when the angels would descend to execute the orders of Allah (SWT). Examples of this method can be seen in the descending of angels for the task of helping the believers in Badr, Hunain and other stages, taking the life of people, or the descending of angels to execute a punishment from Allah (SWT), like the punishment on the people of Prophet Lut (a.s.) The second type of descending is mainly to present the sacred affairs and communicate the message of Allah (SWT). It is clear that each message requires a receiver or an audience. An example of this method of descending can be seen in the descending of Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad (S). Angel Gabriel descended upon Prophet Muhammad (S) for twenty three years to continuously give the messages of Allah (S). 50

53 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message When Allah (SWT) says that the angels will descend in it by the permission of their Lord, with every command, then it is clear that this manner of descending is like the second type: to communicate a message. The descent of the angles toward which destination? As it was discussed the descent of the angles in the Night of Qadr is for delivering messages. In this type of descending, the angels act as messengers from Allah (SWT) to bring a message for a receiver. Therefore there has to be a recipient for the angels to descend upon and give the commands. Considering the descending of the angels and the message they carry, and supposing that the descent of angles is not vein, one can conclude that the descending of the angels can not be upon every creation of Allah (SWT). Rather it should be upon a person who has the ability of receiving such extensive and important information. By referring to the verse of the holy Quran which implies that in that very night the angels reveal the distinction of all affairs, namely not only the distinction of the yearly affairs of you and I, but all the human beings on this planet. Therefore we simply find that an ordinary man can never receive such amount of information in just one night. On the other hand, the angels reveal the executive commands of Allah (SWT). In order for this act of angels to be considered useful, their descent needs to be followed by a result. In another words, the person who the angles descend upon should have a responsibility and role in the process of accomplishment of these commands. Now by a careful glance at ourselves and the people around us, we would find that not only we are not in the position to receive divine messages from the angles, but also we don t 51

54 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH have any role in relation with the distinctions of people. Now that we realize an ordinary human being cannot be the receiver of the decrees brought by angels, we can therefore expect that certain chosen people exist for this task. These chosen people must be far from any impurities or defects of any normal human being, and they must have the capacity of receiving and executing divine messages. In other words they must be Allah s (SWT) representative on the earth. The representative of Allah (SWT) is one who represents Allah (SWT) and with His permission does divine acts, like Prophet Jesus (a.s.) who was able to bring the dead back to life. The caliph of Allah on the earth is responsible for executing specific command and effects, in other words he is the connection between the heavens and the earth. It is obvious that the Caliph of Allah (SWT) being His 52 representative on the earth and in connection with Him should be able to receive and execute divine messages. Who are these people? Muslims all agree on the fact that in the age of the Prophet the only person whom the angels would descend upon for bringing the sacred messages was the Prophet Muhammad (S). During his lifetime, no one else would receive these messages. However, just as discussed above, the descending of the angels on the Night of Qadr and bringing the divine commands is a progressive act that is repeated each year. Therefore it did not end after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S) and the angels continue to bring the distinction of people to such a person. It is obvious that such a person should be the one who like the Prophet is appointed to by Allah to be responsible for divine affair like the descent of the angles upon him. Also he should be given the special abilities and

55 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message capabilities by Allah (SWT). Naturally such a person is the continuer of the path of the Prophet and is responsible for the acts which he was responsible for and should be continued after him. To be more clear he is the successor of the Prophet and besides the representative of Allah on the earth. Historical sources have shown that after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S), no one except a few have claimed that the angels descend unto him on the Night of Qadr. If they had done such, their claim could be easily defeated by asking the people of his era a few simple questions about the future and its specifics. However there were a few who claimed that angels would descend upon them, and they would defend their claim through legitimate proof. They, like the Prophet Muhammad (S) had such a vast knowledge about the incidents of the world that the 53 people of their era would easily realize that they were the most knowledgeable Men in their era. The biographies of these certain people confirm this claim and open a whole new subject that will need to be discussed in other articles. Let it not be unsaid that these people are none other but the one who the Shiites believe in their Imamah, the successors of Prophet Muhammad (S), the representative of Allah (SWT): Ali and the eleven infallible Imam from his progeny. From the above argument, one can deduce that there must be a leader chosen by Allah (SWT), a representative of Allah at all times so the angels can descend upon on the Night of Qadr for bringing the destinies. Based on this reasoning the Shiite Muslims believe that after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S), the angels would descend upon the representatives of Allah (SWT) and true

56 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH successors of Prophet Muhammad (S) on the Night of Qadr. And in our present age, each year the angels descend upon the living Imam of the time, Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his appearance) to bring the destined affairs. When is the Night of Qadr exactly? Through verses of the holy Quran and the Prophetic narrations we can deduce that the Night of Qadr is in the holy month of Ramadan. In one verse, Allah (SWT) confirms that the Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan, and in another chapter, it is made clear that the Quran was descended on the Night of Qadr, We have indeed revealed this (Quran) in the Night of Qadr. 23 Since in the first verse it was made clear that the Quran descended in the month of Ramadan, and in the second verse it was said that the Quran was revealed in the Night of Qadr, then we can conclude that the Night of 54 Qadr is in the month of Ramadan. In addition to the verses of the holy Quran, narrations from Prophet Muhammad (S) and from the Ahl al-bait (the Imams) also confirm that the Night of Qadr is in the month of Ramadan. The Quran does not reveal the exact Night of Qadr, but the traditions give more detail as to which nights have a higher possibility to be the Night of Qadr. In these narrations, the infallibles have suggested that there is a strong possibility that the Night of Qadr may be on the 19th, 21st, or 23rd of Ramadan. However the 23rd of Ramadan has been given the strongest possibility for being the Night of Qadr. What is recommended to do on this night? In the previous sections we referred to the verse that considers the value of the Night of Qadr to be better than a thousand months. The Infallible Imams (a.s.) see the reason for the excellence of

57 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message this night in the fact that any good deed or worship done in this night has more value than if one were to accomplish these good acts in a thousand months. If we think to ourselves in just a few moments we would get that out of the 365 nights of the year only one has the value of 1000 months and has such extraordinary features. Therefore with a little thinking we would find that we should make the most benefit from this great opportunity. This is the reason that every wise man would strive to do his best in understanding this night and performing good deeds. On these possible nights of Qadr, it is best to act upon the recommended acts and pay attention to the worships we are advised by the Infallible Imams (a.s.). Of the recommended acts in this night is best to stay up till dawn and think about the issues which help us keep closer to Allah (SWT). For 55 example it is proper to sit aside and investigate our acts in the past year. Where were we last year and where we are today? By thinking about these issues we can get prepared for benefiting better from this night. We may ask Allah (SWT) a better distinction in this year. We may ask Him to help us follow the path which He is satisfied with. We may ask Him to forgive us in this night which He has promised us.. We may decide in this night to obey Allah (SWT) more than before. Remembering Allah (SWT) in our heart, helping the poor, and praying for others is of the other recommended acts of this night. In this way every wise man can benefit from the blessings of this night due to his attention to this opportunity. We pray for all to take the best advantage from this valuable night.

58 The Message A Child's First Fast! Source: Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Is My Child Ready to Fast? Fasting is more difficult for some children than it is for others. Children who have a weak constitution might not be able to fast. Likewise, children who normally need to eat frequently can find fasting difficult. Children who are extra active in their play are also among those who have trouble fasting. It is the job of the parents to determine whether their children are ready to fast. They know their children's health. However, the parents should not be lax in the matter. As long as a child is in good health, the child can be introduced to Ramadan fasting in some manner or another. Between seven and nine years of age, it is possible to gradually introduce children to the fast. At the beginning, they can be encouraged to fast until 10 AM. Then the time can be increased until the time of the Zuhr prayer, then until the time of the Asr prayer. At this point, we can encourage them, saying: "Come on, be brave. Keep up the fast until sunset and complete it all the way." A healthy ten year old child can handle the fast. Medically, his body is able to handle cope with it. We can say to a child at this age: "Come on. Show us how brave and strong you are. Do something really great and fast the whole day." Some Important Measures It is important for us as parents to adopt the following measures so that our children can get the maximum benefit from their attempts at fasting and not develop instead their skills at lying and deception: 1. We must work to instill in our children's heart the desire to fast during Ramadan. This means that compulsion is out of the question. Forcing them to fast is no way to develop 56

59 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message their inner selves. Instead, it can cultivate ugly character traits like hypocrisy, lying, cowardice and deceit. 2. Positive reinforcement works wonders and can make it much easier to get our children to fast. Praise and encouragement are strongly recommended. Prizes - both material and honorary - can be awarded to the children. 3. We must not neglect using the gradual approach with our children. This approach should be used so that the child steadily advances to the point of fasting a full day. The fasting of small children is a mother's responsibility, since the children are too young to understand the importance of the fast. Therefore, when a mother discovers that her child has been eating in secret, she should do the following: 1. Encourage the child's fasting by giving the child an allowance for each day successfully fasted. 2. Do not confront the child because of the mistake. Do not call the child a liar. Instead, inform the child indirectly - by using stories of others - just how serious it is to break the Ramadan fast and to lie. 3. Do not expect a small child to fast a full day from the onset. Increase the duration of the child's fast in increments, according to the child's age and ability. 4. When the child fasts, make sure to praise the child and to give the child recognition in front of the rest of the family. 5. Do not place sweets and displays of food within the child's line of vision before the time of breaking the fast. 7. Cultivate a religious and celebratory atmosphere at home. Let the child sense the importance of this month by making it different that the other months of the year. Ramadan should be something special. 57

60 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Why an International Day of Al-Quds? By: Jerrmein Abu Shahba As many of us are aware, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan has been classified as Al-Quds Day by the leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the great Ayatollah Imam Khomeini. This international day of observance was introduced to raise our voices to liberate Al- Aqsa Mosque and also to express solidarity with our oppressed Palestinian brothers and sisters who have been facing great trials not only now but for the past 60 years by the Zionist-Apartheid system of Israel. Despite the knowledge of this clear case of oppression, unfortunately there are a significant number of Muslims who pose some concerns and display a lack of passion for the Quds crisis. Of all cases of oppression, why did Imam Khomeini dedicate the last Friday of Ramadan for Al-Quds? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the usurped land of Al-Quds is not just any land; it is a holy land that holds great religious significance. In fact, the war which Israel is fighting against the Palestinian people is really a war against Islam and in opposition to the Muslims, and the means to do so is by desecrating one of the most sacred Islamic holy lands such as Al-Quds. Furthermore, the oppressors (Zionists) of Al- Quds are one of our most lethal enemies today, so there is greater urgency in fighting them over other oppressors. Perhaps one of the reasons why Imam Khomeini saw it necessary to highlight this particular case is because the land of Quds and Masjid Al- Aqsa will be one of the key items on the agenda of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance) and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) at the time of reappearance. We cannot compare Al-Quds (which means holy, derived 58

61 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message from the word Muqaddas ) with any usurped land. The reason is because the land of Al-Quds is a symbol which represents Allah, and thus becomes holy and constitutes Sha aer Allah (signs of Allah); hence desecrating it is a direct offense to Allah. As the holy month of Ramadan revives the spirit of unity and brotherhood among Muslims, it was certainly not a coincidence that Imam Khomeini chose a Friday during this month to dedicate for this most noble purpose of joining our hands together as a unified nation, no matter what school of thought we belong to or what nation we come from. When the Muslim world has tasted an example of what the poor and needy suffer by fasting from food and water throughout this holy month, we naturally become more sympathized and united for the cause of the oppressed. Hence, the peak of spiritual recognition in this aspect becomes more 59 apparent towards the latter part of Ramadan, which makes the timing all the appropriate to dedicate as Al- Quds Day. We all share the same concern for Al-Quds and Baitul Maqdis, and therefore, our collective protest on this specified day, particularly as the world is well aware of the Muslims observance of the holy month of fasting, creates a greater effect and speaks a louder voice for the cause of standing up against oppression. Why do we not have the same passion equally distributed to other cases of human rights violation? One may continue in this endless and futile chain of asking why not this? and why not that? However this type of fruitless questioning will not bring a solution to the existing problems, and there is no value in starting a sequence of comparisons whenever passion is expressed about an issue or a noble cause. After all, one can

62 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH argue why so much passion about the tragedy of Karbala in which only around 72 people were killed, while thousands of lives were taken in the Holocaust! The comparison here is inappropriate as there are other factors that come into play when assessing a case of oppression. Granted this world is filled with oppression from the North to the South Pole, and that will be the case until the Imam of Our Time (may Allah hasten his reappearance) fills the earth with justice and equality. There is no disagreement that it is the duty of every human to stand up against any and all oppression we witness, and as the saying goes, He who witnesses oppression and is silent is like he who condones it and takes part in it. It would be great if there are demonstrations for every case of injustice that takes place in this world till the end of time, and we should exert all efforts to initiate, organize, and participate in such noble efforts. However, it may be beyond our capacity and resources to tackle every case of oppression to the same degree. We should at least exert our efforts in the most efficient way possible and prioritize with the most critical issues at hand, under the guidance of our respected religious leaders, which by default represents all other cases as well. For those of us who are hesitant to participate in Al- Quds rallies or have any affiliation with organizations that stand up for this cause, it is a good time to reassess our faith as the holy month of Ramadan culminates. Surely it is contradicting to claim that we are preparing ourselves for the return of our Imam when we are struggling within ourselves to protest against one of the most obvious cases of oppression in our present time. 60

63 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH The Message Kids Corner The fasting is performed to obey Allah s command with aim to inculcate discipline, humbleness & self-restraint, and experience what the poor and destitute feel. Welcoming the Holy Month of Ramadan Dear kids, the month of Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The beginning of the Islamic months depends on the sighting of the new moon. Thus the month of Ramadan begins on a different day each year which gives us a chance of fasting during different seasons of the year. During the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims observe fast and refrain from eating, drinking, intentionally letting the thick dust or smoke enter the throat, deliberately vomiting, etc. before the break of the dawn till sunset. It also involves abstaining from evil intentions and desires. 61 Fasting is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female who has reached the age of puberty. Fasting is not obligatory on children until they reach the age of puberty (15 complete lunar years for boys and 9 complete lunar years for girls). However, being baligh is not a condition of validity of fast i.e. if a child keeps fast, it will be all right. Shab-e-Qadr is a highly virtuous night in the holy month of Ramadan when the Holy Quran was sent down to the Holy Prophet (S) as is recorded in the Sura Qadr in the Holy Quran. It is related from various authentic sources that this night is one of the 19th, 21st or the 23rd night of Ramzan.

64 The Message Shahadat of Amirul Mominin Imam Ali (AS) Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH of Kaaba, I became successful". The night of 19th Ramadan is the night of great difficulty for the Ahl-e-Bait (a.s.) and all Momineen and Mominat. This evening of the 40th year of Hijrah, as always, Imam Ali (a.s.) only had salt and some water for iftar and from then on he was busy throughout the night in prayers with tears rolling out of his eyes. The whole night, his children were besides him and were amazed and guessing as to what was so special about this night. They were to know about it only in the next morning when the commander of the faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) was attacked during the Fajr Prayer ibne-muljim (may Allah curse him) and was fatally injured by a sword which was dipped in poison. This was the time when Imam Ali (a.s.) uttered his famous words: "Fuzto wa Rabb-il-Kaaba" - "By the Rab 62 His sons Imam Hasan (a.s.), Imam Hussain (a.s.) together with close companions of Imam Ali (a.s.) brought him to his house among tears and cries. It was here that Imam Ali (a.s.) asked his friends to leave him and asked his sons to take him inside the house where his daughters, who had received the news of him being injured, were anxiously waiting to see their father. Even during this period of hardship, Imam Ali (a.s.) had so much care for his daughters that no one would hear even their cries. But in Karbala, the daughters of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Imam Hussain (a.s.) were brutally and savagely maltreated. May Allah (swt) curse the cruel tribe which committed atrocities on the Ahl-e-Bait (a.s.) of Prophet Mohammad (saww).

65 Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH Wiladat Anniversary of Imam Hassan (A.S.) Dear kids, 15th of Ramadan is a very special occasion in the blessed month of fasting. It is the day when the holy Prophet Muhammad (S) became grandfather for the first time, and his daughter Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) and Imam Ali (a.s.) became proud parents of a radiant son. It is the day when the second Shiite Holy Imam Hazrat Hassan (a.s.) was born on the 3rd Hijrah in Medina. Imam Hassan (a.s.) was the most similar person to the Messenger of Allah, in form, manner and nobility. He (a.s.) was well known for his kindness to the poor and bondmen, and for his knowledge, tolerance and bravery. It has been narrated that a man from Syria saw Imam Hassan (a.s) riding a horse and started insulting him. Imam Hassan (a.s) did not reply to the man. When the Syrian stopped, Imam The Message Hassan (a.s) proceeded towards him and after cheerfully greeting him said: "Old man, I believe you are a stranger. Maybe you have confused me with another person. If you ask forgiveness, it is granted to you. If you ask for a means of transportation, we shall provide it for you. If you are hungry, we shall feed you. If you are in need of clothes, we shall clothe you. If you are deprived, we shall grant you. If you are being sought, we shall give you refuge. If you have any need, we shall fulfill it for you. And if you wish to proceed with your caravan, be our guest until you leave, it would be more useful to you, for we hold a good position, great dignity and vast belongings." When the man heard the words of Imam Hassan (a.s) he cried and said: "I testify that you are Allah's (s.w.t) heir on His earth. Allah (s.w.t) surely knows to whom 63

66 The Message Ramzan-ul-Mubarak 1439 AH He assigns His Message. You and your Father were the most resented of Allah's (s.w.t) creatures to me, but now you are the most beloved of Allah's (s.w.t) creatures to me." The man then directed his caravan and became their guest of the town until he departed while believing in their love. Wafat Anniversary of Hazrat Khadijah (S.A.) Hazrat Mohammed (S) spent 25 years of his life with Hazrat Khadijah, who was not only a loving wife for him, but also his best and most helpful mate. Hazrat Khadijah was the first woman who believed in Hazrat Mohammed's (S) divine prophecy. She chose to marry Hazrat Mohammed (S) who was financially in a lower class. After marriage, she devoted all her wealth in spreading Islam. Hazrat Mohammed (S) said: "Khadijah's wealth was the most useful wealth I ever had." In the 6th year after Hazrat Mohammed's (S) appointment, when Muslims were surrounded in an area called "Sheb-e-Abi Talib", Hazrat Khadijah used her wealth to help surrounded Muslims. She spent all of her wealth for Muslims to the extent that before her demise, she had nothing left. As saying goes, "Islam did not rise except through Ali's sword and Khadijah's wealth." Hazrat Khadijah was so devoted to her husband and showed such great sympathy and self-sacrifice for him and for the promotion of his religion that not only did he love her dearly and respect her highly during her lifetime, but even after her death. Each time he remembered her, his blessed heart filled with sorrow and he wept at her loss. 64

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