Rabbee Zidnee

Why are supplications recited at particular times and places?

2007-09-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

Answer: The basic principle of supplicating to Allah (dua) and engaging Him in whispered conversation (munajaat) does not have any time or place restrictions. Any time or place that someone has the necessary spiritual prerequisites is a good time for him/her to communicate his desires with Allah.

However, some times and places are more effective for establishing and strengthening our relationship with Allah. For example the Qur'an tells us the the night of Qadr is better than a thousand months in terms of its excellence for worshipping Allah. Similarly the ka'abah is a special place for communicating with Allah. Such differentiation is not a phenomenon limited solely to the spiritual world. The Qur'an instructs us to observe how date palms, despite drawing nourishment from one source (rain) , differ in that some grow from one root while others grow from diverse roots (in a V-shaped) [Surat al-Ra'ad 13), 4].

There are several reasons for why the Imams have specified certain times and/or locations for the recitation of some supplications:

1. In order to draw importance to reciting that particular dua. When someone knows something has to be recited in a particular time or place he/she is more likely to do it then just leaving it open ended.

2. They are helping us by informing us of the best things to say at these special times and places in order to benefit the most. This is a bit like a shopping list for someone who is walking through a store not knowing what to buy.

3. By specifying a time or place they encourage us to have the mentality and culture of doing dua and to incorporate this culture into our day-to-day routines.

Even though there might be a specific time and/or place specified for some duas, these duas can be recited at any time or place with the intention of "rajaa" (hope) that we should benefit from the reward that was promised to those who recite it at the specified time/place. This is as opposed to reciting the dua as an established action with a promised reward that has been identified by the Ahlul Bayt (a). For example you can make the intention that you are reciting so-and-so dua with the possibility that it is desirable in the eyes of Allah (swt) and that I will be rewarded for it, qurbatan ilallah.

With a request for your duas in this holy month.

Source: Paraphrase of translation of response I received to a question posed to porsojoo.com along with some additional modifications.

Performing Hajj Multiple Times

2006-11-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

Question: Someone who has not yet performed the hajj but seeks to please Allah will naturally desire to perform the hajj. But those who have already performed the hajj have the same desire compounded multiple times, as those who have seen the house of Allah and visited the graves of the Prophet and Ahlul Bayt (a) will feel they have left part of themselves behind in the holy land. But there are those who criticize people for performing hajj multiple times. They say that the money should instead be given to charity, or that it should be gifted to others who don't have financial means to peform hajj on their own. Is this criticism valid?

Answer: We have multiple traditions from the Ahlul Bayt (a) that state that the reward for performing hajj is more than the reward for giving money in charity (sadaqah). On the other hand we have other traditions which state that the reward for helping a fellow believer (mu'min) in severe need is more than the reward for performing hajj multiple times. These two sets of traditions can be reconciled by saying that performing hajj multiple times is desirable (mustahab). However, if there is fellow believer in severe need who approaches you and asks you for help, and the only way you can help him/her is by using the money you were planning to use for hajj, you should do so and not go to hajj. Helping someone to perform their wajib hajj does not count as severe need, as hajj is not wajib on someone until they have the financial means to perform hajj (please refer to your marja's risalah for details).

Source: Question posed to a teacher of the hawzah, Shawwal 1427, November 2005

To Eat or Not to Eat?

2006-08-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve had extra food on our plate yet our appetite has been satisfied. In such a case, should we go ahead and eat the food even though we’re full, or should we leave it and in doing so perhaps it will go to waste (israaf)? I posed this question to a teacher and his answer is paraphrased below.

Answer: First of all, in many cases the choice between wasting food and overeating is not an either-or situation ((مانعة الجمع. Many times we can avoid both of them by following some steps outlined below.

Through our life experience we can learn to serve ourselves that which we need in order to reach the point of contentment. Someone who is observant for some time about the amount of food he/she eats will come recognize how much he/she really needs to eat.

Sometimes people fear that if they don’t take a lot of food at the first go at a buffet there won’t be enough left over and they will go hungry. This behavior stems from forgetfulness that sustenance (rizq) comes from Allah and not from the buffet. In such a situation someone should for example just take a small portion of all of that is available.

Mistakes happen and sometimes we might end up taking too much food. Or we don’t have control over how much we are given. If we have extra food left on our plate after reaching the point of contentment, there is nothing wrong in asking for a container to take the extra food back home.

After eating to our full, sometimes the thought may occur to us that we’ve lost an opportunity [hayf = a غنيمت that you don’t make use of] to not have eaten more even though we are content. This happens particularly when the cook has outdone him/herself. We then use this as an excuse to overeat. Being able to recognize this trick of our soul (or the Shaytan) is important.

However, sometimes find ourselves in a situation where we have to choose between not eating extra and protecting ourselves from the spiritual harms of overeating vs. eating and protecting the food from being wasted. In such a situation, clearly the choice to look out for ourselves. If it someone else’s fault for serving us too much to eat, the sin for the wastefulness falls on the server and not the person who is eating. If we made the mistake and took too much to eat, we should seek forgivness of Allah (istighfar) for having taken too much, but we shouldn’t go ahead and eat. We need to choose the lesser of two evils.

What are the spiritual harms of overeating? This warrants a separate discussion, but they include needing to oversleep, and serving as a barrier for the light of Allah to enter the heart.

It’s important to apply this advice in moderation. We shouldn’t be overly rigid about not taking more to eat when the host will feel bad if we don’t eat at all once we reach the point of contentment. In that case we might be trying to perform a mustahab act but in doing so causing so much unhappiness in others that we clearly should take a little more in order to please the opposite party. In general we ought to go about all of our actions in a pleasant, soft manner that doesn’t offend others.

Source: Q&A with a teacher of the howza, the holy city of Qum, Iran, July 2006

Sayyida Fatima's (a) Concern over the Journey to the Hereafter

2006-06-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

In His Name, the Most High

According to a tradition from Imam al-Sadiq (a), on her deathbed Fatima al-Zahra (a) made the following requests of Imam Ali (a):

(O Ali) you yourself
take charge of performing my ghusl,
conduct my funeral rites,
recite my funeral prayer (salaat al-mayyit),
lower me into my grave,
bury me,
and level the earth over me.

(Then) sit (beside my graveside) at the position of my head, facing my face,
and recite much Qur'an and make much du`a for me,
For indeed it is a time when the one who has died
is in need of familiar company from those who are living.
And I leave my children with you and I urge you to take care of them...

[From Bihar al-Anwar as quoted by Shaykh Abbas Qummi in Bayt al-Ahzan, page 177 - see http://www.shialibrary.info/books/htm1/m025/29/no2927.html]

The deep concern that Sayyida al-Zahra (a) shows for the moments after death despite her lofty status is a lesson for us never to imagine that our deeds alone will be a means for salvation from the difficult times that lie ahead of us as we make our way to the hereafter. Our only hope lies with the special favor of Allah and the intercession of the Ahlul Bayt (a).

My condolences to all the lovers of Sayyid al-Zahra (a) in these difficult days of mourning her martyrdom.

(Inspired from a lecture delivered in the Holy City of Qum during the period of mourning for the martyrdom anniversary of Sayyida Fatima (a), Jumadi al-Thani 1427, June 2006).

About the Moving Finger

2005-11-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

The supplication “يا من ارجوه لكل خير” (ya man arjoohoo li kulli khayr) is commonly recited after prayers during the holy month of Rajab and consists of a first portion that begins with yaa man and a second that begins with "يا ذا الجلال و الإكرام" (yaa dhal jalaali wal ikraam). This supplication was gifted to us by Imam Sadiq (a). While reading out the supplication in order to instruct his companion Muhammad b. Dhakwan Al-Sajjad, the Imam also performed some accompanying rites. Here are some common questions that may arise about the rites of this supplication along with answers:

When do I hold my beard and move my index finger during the du'a?

Examine the tradition carefully. The narrator says that the Imam Sadiq (a) extended his left hand and grasped his beard with it. He then recited the first portion of the du'a while moving his index finger in a gesture of humility. Then, after reciting the first portion he continued with the rest of the du'a. This means you should perform the rites of moving your finger and holding your beard at least during the first portion. Since the narrator doesn't say that the Imam (a) stopped moving his finger and holding his beard in the second part, we can assume that he didn't, and therefore you can can continue these rites throughout the second part as well.

How do I move the finger?

Position your right hand as if you were to shake hands with someone. Then curl your fingers slightly, and move just the index finger back and forth but keep the rest of your hand still. Swinging your arm around left and right doesn’t fit with what the tradition says.

What if I don't have a beard?

Well, if there is a bearded man next to you, you can always grab his beard :). But in case that is not an option :), and you are a woman or you do not have a beard, you can recite the du'a with the niyyat of rajaa' (hope that it will still be accepted) and either keep both hands in the same position you use for qunut, or hold your chin with your left hand and move your right index finger as described above.

What is the wisdom behind the accompanying rites?

Overall the rites are a sign of dhillat - humility, lowliness, and poverty. In previous times, when a poor Arab wanted to attract the attention of a rich Arab, it was not appropriate for him to approach the rich Arab directly. Instead, the beggar would raise his right hand in the air in a begging position (the same way you would raise your right hand for qunut) and move his index finger (as described above) as if he were indicating, "Me, me" or "Pay attention to me!" The beard is a sign of reputation and honor. In order for him to beg of the rich Arab while still upholding his honor and have the rich Arab treat him with some respect, the beggar would hold his beard in his left hand.

It seems that the Imam (a) adopted this particular custom of begging for this supplication, except that there is no indication that he raised his right hand in the air. Also, he (a) teaches us both through the beautiful words of the supplication and through the accompanying rites that the truly rich and independent entity (الغني المطلق - al-ghanee) is none other than Allah (swt) in front of whom we are all in utter need and poverty.

Answers provided by a teacher of the Howza in the holy city of Qum in the proximity of Sayyidah Fatima al-Ma'asumah, daughter of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a), November 2005.

Welcoming the Month of Rajab

2005-08-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

Translated from a lecture on this topic given by a teacher of the Howza, Qum, August, 2005:

The month of Rajab is full of blessings and mercy. The Ahlul Bayt (a) have described it as asabb (أصب), meaning that the blessings of Allah pour down in abundance during this month on believers who observe its rites like heavy rain (on dry earth).

Sayyid Tawoos in his Iqbaal al-Amaal (one of the main sources of mafatih al-jinaan) says that be aware that when you enter the month of Rajab, you enter a sacred month of haraam (prohibition). Allah (swt) has set aside four months in the year wherein fighting is prohibited. These are known as the months of haraam. Of course, fighting for unjust causes and attacking innocent people in other months is also unlawful but these four months have the additional sanctity that Allah, the Master, has entirely prohibited fighting and battle among his servants.

In the calendar, the last month of haraam we had was the month of Muharram. Muharram too is a sacred month, yet we know that in the sad history following the death of the Prophet (s), so-called Muslims violated the sanctity of this month. After cornering the grandson of the Prophet (s), his blessed family, and his noble companions in the desert of Karbala, they desecrated the sanctity of Muharram and committed the greatest disobedience of Allah ever by battling with Imam Husayn (a) and sending him and those who fought with him to their martyrdom -- even though fighting was prohibited throughout the month.

Therefore Sayyid Tawoos notes that the blessed arrival of the month of Rajab brings with it a renewed sense of security and peace as we hope to be protected by the rule of Allah, our Master, from warfare and fighting from other fellow servants of Allah. We haven’t felt this spirit of protection for five months since the month of Muharram. Sayyid Tawoos makes a further interesting observation. In this month, how bad would it be if servants were to disobey Allah by fighting each other? But even worse than that, when servants are protected from each other, how disrespectful and ugly would it be if a servant were to react to this blessing of Allah by warring against his Master, by disobeying Him and sinning?

The most important act of this month is seeking forgiveness of Allah (istighfar) that helps in moving aside the curtains that cover our hearts. In this respect repetition of the line
استغفر الله و اساله التوبة (astaghfirullaaha wa asaluhu at-tawbah) has been recommended.

It is perhaps is in this month that Imam Zayn al-Abideen (a) used to spend his nights in Makkah in front of the Ka’bah reciting this line while in sajdah:
الهي عظم الذنب من عبدك فليحسن العفو من عندك (ilaahee, `adhuma adh-dhanbu min `abdika, falyahsunil `afwu min indik)
O My God! Great indeed is the sin from your servant. Is it not therefore fitting and proper that you should forgive him?

The dua “يا من ارجوه لكل خير” (yaa man arjoohu li kulli khayr) is commonly recited after prayers during this month. Many people have unknowingly misinterpreted the tradition accompanying the dua and make these common mistakes:
- The tradition says to hold your beard in your left hand while moving the index finger of your right hand. It doesn't say to move your hand or your arm. Swinging your arm around left and right doesn’t fit with what the tradition says. Instead, keep your arm and hand steady and still and move only your pointing finger back and forth.
- The narration actually says that the Imam (a) held his beard and moved his finger throughout the whole dua -- not just the part that begins with يا ذا الجلال و الاكرام (ya dhal jalaali wal ikraam). This can be proven by carefully examining the whole tradition.
- Women are exempted from the accompany rites and can simply recite the dua while lifting their hands towards the sky as is typical when asking from Allah.

The Merciful Prophet

2005-04-07T22:58:00.000-07:00

Following the battle of Hunain, the Most Noble Messenger distributed the war-booty from the battle only among the Quraysh and he did not give any of it to the Ansars due to various reasons but with good intentions. Some of the Ansars, who had both played a significant role in the advancement of Islam and served [Islam and the Prophet] brilliantly, became offended and interpreted this act of the Prophet (s) as belittlement and disrespect to themselves. When the Prophet (s) found out, he ordered that the Ansars gather in one place and that no one but the Ansars should take part in the gathering.

The Most Noble Messenger along with Ali (a) went to the gathering and sat in the middle of the attendees. The Prophet then asked the Ansars to answer some questions he would pose to them.

He said, "Were you not in a state of loss and confusion and Allah then guided you by way of my presence?"

They said: "Yes."

"Were you not on the verge of collapse and Allah then saved you by way of my presence?"

They said: "Yes".

"Were you not enemies of one another and then Allah brought about reconciliation among you by way of my presence?"

They said, "Yes."

The Prophet paused for a few moments, and then continued: "Why is it that you didn't answer me from your perspective of things?"

They said, "How so? What might we have said?"

He said, "Had you wanted you might have said: O Prophet! When they expelled you from Makkah, we were the ones who gave you refuge. And when you were fearful for your life, we were the ones who gave you protection. And when others didn't believe in your message, we believed in you."

The counseling of the Prophet, his reminders of the favors of Allah upon the Ansar, and the expression of his gratitude had such an effect on the Ansars that they began to weep loudly. The leaders of the Ansar got up, kissed the hand of the Pophet, and expressed their contentment with the Prophet having distributed the war-booty as such. They then said, "All the wealth that we have is yours. Take whatever of it you like and distribute it among the Quraysh."

-- Translated from Koodak az Nazare Wiraathat wa Tarbiyyat by Marhum Falsafee, Vol. 2 Page 68-69.

We can learn many lessons from this beautiful story of the Prophet's conduct. If any such lesson comes to mind, please consider adding your thoughts as a comment to this blog entry so that others can benefit as well.

Being with Imam Husayn

2005-03-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Shahid Ayatullah Beheshti was one of the great scholars of the 20th century. He was a master in fiqh, usul, history, along with Islamic and Western philosophy. He was a pious man with a well balanced family life and numerous accomplishments. He was assassinated during the early days after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. It is well accepted that had he been alive after Imam Khumayni (may Allah raise his status) passed away, he would have taken over the spiritual guidance of the country.

A reliable source narrates a dream he had some years back near the time of the war in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The man dreamt of a friend who had fought in the war at a young age and become a martyr (shahid). The shahid looked very happy and comfortable. The man having the dream asked him how things were in paradise and how he passed his time. The shahid replied that things were very good, and that they were privileged to be able to attend a class on Qur’anic tafseer every day with Shahid Ayatullah Beheshti. The man having the dream then asked, “Do you have the opportunity to see Imam Husayn (a)?” The shahid replied wistfully, “We do see him once in a while, but as for Shahid Beheshti, he has a meeting with him every day!”

We are reminded from this dream that:

1) It is not correct to say that the hereafter has just one heaven and one hell, but rather it is many heavens and many hells, each one ranked according to the accomplishments one achieved in his life.

2) Nor is it the case that everyone who dies in the way of Allah as a shahid is equal. Yes, Allah (swt) has promised that one who sacrifices his life for His sake will at least enter a heaven. But that person’s heaven still depends on what he accomplished during his life.

3) Perhaps the most significant lesson of all from this dream: All of us love Imam Husayn (a) dearly and because of this love we yearn to spend time in his company in the hereafter. Suppose that Allah takes kindly to the few good deeds we perform during our lives, and with His Generosity, Forgiveness, and the intercession of the Ahlul Bayt (a) we make it into heaven. Even then, it could very well be the case that our access to Imam Husayn (a) is sporadic at best.

We need to ask ourselves, what kind of heaven do we want? What sort of heaven is a heaven without the regular company of Imam Husayn (a)? And the Prophet (s), Imam Ali (a), Bibi Fatima (a), and the rest of the Ahlul Bayt (a)? If we really want their company, the secret is to live a life that in every way leads us closer and closer to Imam Husayn (a). Both Shahid Beheshti and the young man who was seen the dream were shahids meaning that they died in the same way. The difference between them, however, was in the way that they lived.

-- From an akhlaq lecture by a teacher of the howza, February 2005

Being with the King

2005-03-10T22:50:00.000-08:00

The Qur'an establishes without a doubt that everyone will meet Allah in the hereafter. In order to help us better understand what sort of meeting this might be, Marhum Sayyid Qadi Tabatabai, the spiritual mentor of the late Allamah Tabatabai and the contemporary Ayatullah Behjat, gives an example of a great king who presided over a vast land.

One day the king wished to invite some people to a banquet at his castle. He dispatched his most elite messengers to personally invite the guests to attend the banquet. When the messengers arrived at the guests' homes to convey the invitations, they brought peace and happiness and spoke in gentle and polite tones. For the convenience of the guests, the messengers provided all amenities to escort the guests in luxury to the king's palace. At the time of the appointed banquet, the guests arrived in grand splendor, and the king welcomed them with pleasure. The guests spent time in the king's presence and were in every way satisfied and pleased with the event.

Another day the king received word that a certain denizen of his land had committed a heinous crime. The king commanded his dreadful, awesome guards to seize the criminal. The guards stormed the criminal's home and without warning, they cast him into chains and dragged him away from whatever he was occupied with. He was taken into the king's presence, where he only had a brief glance at the king before the king passed his judgment and ordered the criminal to be sentenced for his crime.

Everyone will meet Allah (swt) in the hereafter and realize, if they have not already done so, the truth of His Existence and Kingship over this world. There are the special friends of Allah (the awliyaa) who will meet Allah and from that then on Allah will not wish them to leave His presence for even a moment. Others will perceive Allah for some time and may be spoken to directly by Allah, and then be led into heavenly dwellings of gardens, rivers, and pleasures they could never have fathomed previously. And others will be graced with only a moment of being able to perceive the Truth, after which they will enter the fire that they have created for themselves as a result of their action (or lack thereof) in this world.

Given the numerous means we have at our disposal these days to keep us busy and entertained, we often forget about the hereafter, and if we do think of it, it is as if the hereafter is a great fictional tale. We hear about events that *will absolutely most definitely happen to us*, like the interrogation of munkir and nakir. We will face this interrogation, but how certain are we that it will happen to us?

----

Note that the story is but an example and let us not read too deeply into it, because although from one angle it helps us understand, from another angle obviously Allah is not comparable to a human king and "seeing" Allah with your eyes is not possible.

-- From a lecture about the hereafter by a teacher of the howza, February, 2005

Crocodile Tears

2005-01-19T01:11:00.000-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

“Crocodile tears” is a term used to describe insincere portrayal of emotion. For example, during a recitation of du’a al-nudbah (which literally means the supplication of weeping and lamentation), someone might shed many tears out of love of the 12th Imam (a) and fervently join with everyone in calling upon his quick return. However, that same person could at the same time be committing sins (for example not paying his khums in a timely fashion or looking with pleasure at certain actors/actresses at the movies) or not fulfilling his wajibaat (like not waking up for fajr prayers).

The Prophets and the Imams have taught us that emotional love for them is a good thing, but it is far more meaningful to them, and useful for us to put this love into action. Someone might be looking forward to an eminent return of the 12th Imam (a). But since his actions are contrary to his feeling, when the 12th Imam does return, he might quickly join the ranks of the opposition. Why? Because the Imam’s ways will differ from his ways.

The Qur’an has also given us a vivid example of crocodile tears. The brothers of Yusuf (a), by lying to their father, obtained permission to take him for an outing. Out of their jealousy for their youngest brother, they cast him into a well, and concocted a story that a wolf had eaten him in the wild. The Qur’an describes their return on the night of the journey as follows:

They returned to their father at night in a state of weeping.

Note that the Arabic (yabkoon) used in this ayah literally means they were crying, not that they were pretending to cry.

Why does the Qur’an tell us that they were crying? The Qur’an is not a storybook and Allah (swt) would not tell us this detail just for the purpose of entertainment. There must be a lesson and a reminder in it for us.

Let us not be like the brothers of Yusuf who outwardly shed tears, but at the same time possessed sick hearts (filled with jealousy) and openly disobeyed Allah in their actions.

-- From a discussion with a teacher at Madasah al-Mahdi, 1/16/05.

Salam but no response!

2005-01-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

Shaykh Husayn Ansariyan is one of our contemporary scholars (may Allah increase their knowledge and give them more tawfeeq) living in Tehran. In one of his speeches, he relates that someone came to him and complained that aalim X (another respected aalim of Tehran) never answers his salaam. Whenever that person would say salaamun alaykum the aalim would not respond.

Shaykh Ansariyan responded and said don’t worry about it. Why? Because that scholar is still so busy in thought about the iyyaka na’abudu wa iyyaka nastaeen that he recited in his fajr prayers that he simply does not hear you!

What is the moral of the story? That we should stop answering the salam that people send us? No; rather, answering a salam that you hear is wajib! And yes, remembrance of Allah should not distract someone for social obligations! Rather, the moral here is that the attention we have towards Allah in our prayers should not end with the salam of the prayer. Ending a prayer should not mean forgetting Allah. We should instead strive to have this attention throughout the day and use the prayer as a means of renewing that attention.

In the Qur’an, whenever we are commanded to pray, the Arabic verb aqaama has been used. Allah does not tell us to read or recite the prayers, but rather to establish them, which is a more inclusive action that means not only movement of the lips and the body but also attention of the mind towards the One towards whom we establish the prayer.

What is the first moral lesson of the Qur'an?

2005-01-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

If we approach the Qur’anic chapters in order, what is the first moral lesson that Allah teaches us? From the story of how Iblis refused to submit to the order of Allah to bow before Adam, we learn the powerful lesson of not doing takabbur. Takabbur literally means considering oneself greater than someone else. The opposite of takabbur is tawadu`, which means considering one’s self as lower and insignificant compared to someone else. In this context the Shaytan considered himself and his own desires, inclinations, and pretenses of greatness more important than the command of Allah. That this moral lesson appears first in the Qur’an indicates how important it is to submit to Allah’s commands over our own inclinations in all moments of our life.

Let us make the idea of takabbur more concrete by looking at an example. If we were to associate takabbur with a position in traditional society, the high king of society would be most deserving of this role. In an Islamic society, however, the high king is none other than Allah (swt). We call upon Allah's help in Surat al-Nas by saying maliki-n-naas, meaning Allah is the king of humanity. A human being who perceives Allah’s absolute authority and governance will have no courage to have an ounce of takabbur within himself. Every thought, belief, and action of his will be that of a slave who does tawadu` in front of the High King.

In Suratul Naml, Bilqis (the Queen of Sheba who eventually became the wife of Sulayman) says إنّ الملوك اذا دخلوا قرية أفسدوها و جعلوا أعزّة أهلها أذلة. [Indeed, when kings enter a city, they turn it upside own and they make those of consideration and esteem among the people lowly and submissive]. Normally, if kings invade a town for the purpose of conquering it, they don’t care much about the masses. Rather, they quickly subdue those people who are respected leaders among the people so that the masses will follow suit. Similarly, when the presence of the King of kings (Allah) enters someone’s heart, he ought to be subdued and not have any takabbur because of the presence of Allah. And if we see someone who thinks himself as greater than others, it means that he has not yet entreated Allah to enter his heart.

-- From a short lecture by a teacher at Madasah al-Mahdi, 1/1/05.

How much should we pray for?

2004-11-04T23:17:00.001-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

One of the best acts to do during the nights of Qadr is to make du`a and to keep in mind that when Allah gives, He doesn't lose anything at all. We recite in our nightly Iftitah supplications,

Laa tazeeduhu kathratul `ataa'i illa joodan wa karaamaa
However often Allah might give, He does not lose anything. Rather, His giving is a cause for Him to give even more out of His generosity and nobility.

Ayatullah Jawadi gave a beautiful example that illustrates this concept of Allah's giving always being easy for Him. The Qur'an describes two acts of Allah that He considers easy:

Retracting of a Shadow
Have you not considered how your Lord extends the shadow? If He wanted, He could have made it stationary. The sun is its guide (and causes its shadow). Then, we draw it to ourselves. It is a simple task. (Surah al-Furqan, Verses 45-46)

Transformation of the Entirety of the Heavens and the Earth
The day on which the earth will be split in two, and they will hasten forth. That is a gathering that is easy for Us to make. (Surah Qaaf, Verse 44)

One act is that of retracting a shadow. As for the other, what could be more complicated and difficult that bringing about resurrection, with all of its complexities and intricacies? Yet Allah (swt) considers both as simple. Therefore, when we are making du'a on the nights of Qadr, let us make duas that are bold and big. For example let us pray that Allah solves the problems of all the Muslims in this world. Answering this du'a, with all its vastness, will still be an easy task for Allah (swt).

Source: Lecture on 21st night of the month of Ramadhan by Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli from Masjid-e-A'azam, Holy City of Qum

The Real Life

2004-11-02T02:55:00.000-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

In Suratul Fajr, we read about the miserable one who, on that day when he is raised from the dead, laments by saying,

"Ya laytanee qaddamtu li hayaati! O, if only I had sent forth something (good) for my life!"

The question arises, why does he refer to the first day of the hereafter as life after he has already lived a life in this world and died? Agha Puya in his tafseer writes, "This indicates that the life hereafter is not only a continuation but a development which actually deserves to be called life."

What we are in right now is only temporary and a chance to send forth (qaddama) for the real life. We read in Suratul Hashr, "Wal tandhur nafsun maa qaddamat li ghad! Look carefully at what you send forth for tomorrow!".

The best thing we can send forth is quite simply good deeds (a'amaal salih). The Qur'an refers to accumulation of good deeds as noor (light). The Qur'an describes this light in Suratul Hadeed verses 12-13: That day when you will see the believing men and women with their light running before them. We can infer that their light will be so bright that their presence will be announced by their light.

The surah continues with a description of the hypocrites, who, having been plunged in the darkness of their deeds, will say to the people of the light: Wait for us a bit, so that we can borrow some of your light!

However, the hypocrites will be told, Go back where you came from and try to get some light from there! It is too late. The time for accumulating light was the previous world.

Send me back, my Lord!

2004-10-31T04:03:00.000-08:00

In His Name, the Most High

Allah (swt) says in Surat al-Mu'minoon, verses 99-100:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ
لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّا إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
When death comes to one of them, he will say: "Send me back, my Lord, send me back, so that I can do good in place of what I neglected." By no means!

Allamah Tehrani in his work Ma'ad Shenaasi makes the following beautiful point about those who protest to their Lord and ask for a second chance after they have seen the destiny they have created for themselves:

1- Is it the case that those who request a second chance are not speaking the truth? Clearly from the verse this is not the case. They have already seen the truth of what lies beyond death! They do indeed believe that if they were to return they would reform their ways.

2- Why does Allah (swt) not accept their plea? Is it the case that in the hereafter Allah (swt) is no longer All Merciful? God forbid! Allah is always the Most Merciful.

3- Rather, the explanation for this verse lies in that those who want to go back have been detached from their bodies. In this state of detachment after death, they sincerely feel that they can reform. But let us suppose they were to be reattached to their bodies. The minute they would once again have eyes, ears, hands, etc., the temptation to sin would be too much, and they would soon revert to their old ways.

Lesson learned: our life in this world is the place and time to form the person we really want to be.

Welcome to Zidnee

2004-10-31T02:49:00.000-08:00

In the Name of The Rahman

I have been inspired to set up a blog so that I can communicate information that I humbly feel will be of use to those who love the Ahl al-Bayt (a).

I will try to keep postings short. They will consist mostly of interesting points that I hear in classes or lectures. Because of the nature of these points, I won't often be able to provide full references.

If you find a point particularly interesting or revealing please add comments to the blog posting so that I am encouraged to continue.