When a person stands up for prayers
Imam Ali (A.S) said: “When a person stands up for prayers, Iblis approaches him and looks at him with envy and jealousy, as he sees the Mercy of Allah encompassing the person.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 207
Pray for Those who Misbehave out of Ignorance
It is narrated that when in the War of Ohud, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) lost 4 of his teeth as well as injuring his face, the companions told him:
Why don’t you curse those who caused your injuries? The Prophet replied: I have not come for cursing and damning, I have been sent to pray and ask for mercy;
then he prayed for those who caused injuries to him by saying: Please Allah (SWT), guide these people out of their ignorance.
Taken from: Beharul Anwaar, Vol. 21, Page 20.
Worshipping the world
Regarding the relation between some people and the world, the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: They are the slaves and worshippers of money [1].
Imam Hussein (A.S) in his first sermon in Karbala said: The people are the slaves of the world and worship it [2].
These words indicate that how far the relation between human being and the material things can go. Perhaps some people may say: Not all people are like this, meaning there are people who are not slaves of the world.
It is narrated that Imam Sadiq (A.S) told Ishaq ibn Qaleb: O, Eshaq; how many people do you think will be included in the description of Ayah 58 of Surah Al-Tawbah? The Ayah said:
If you give them money and the world, they will be satisfied with you but if you do not do that, they will be your enemies and will stay away from you. In another words if you chant the slogan of the world, they will follow you otherwise they will be your enemies. Eshaq said: I did not say anything and remained silent.
Imam Sadiq (A.S) said: More than two thirds of the people are those whose hearts are filled with the love of the world [3].
Explanations by: Ayatollah Sheikh Mojtaba Tehrani
Source: shafaqna.com
The rewards for making a believer happy
The following narrations have been selected from the book of “Thawabul Aamaal wa Eqabul Aamaal” by “Sheikh Sadooq”. Abu Hamzah narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S): Whoever makes a believer happy, God will make that person happy on the Day of Judgment and he/she will be told: Request whatever you like because you liked to make happy the friends of Allah (SWT) and then God will grant more than it is requested, beyond any imagination.
It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (A.S): A person who resolves the problem of a believer, on the Day of Judgment, God will resolve his/her problems and will raise that person from the grave with happiness.
Sadeer Sairafi narrated a long narration (Hadith) from Imam Sadiq (A.S) who said: When a believer is raised from the grave, a companion will also will be raised with him/her and lead in front, whenever that believer faces a difficulty on the Day of Judgment, the companion will say:
Do not worry, I give you the glad tidings from God. This will continue till that person attends before the Almighty where God will make it easy for him/her and orders that person be taken to paradise whilst the companion will be in front and the believer will say: Mercy of God be on you, you were a good companion and companied me all this way, now tell me who are you?
The companion will reply: I am that happiness you brought for your brother in religion, God created me from that happiness to make you happy.
Source: shafaqna.com
The Tale of a Seeker of the World
Bin Babawiyah quotes through a reliable source that Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S) has told about a person who lived in the olden days. The man sought to find livelihood through fair means. He failed. He tried illegitimate means and even then he didn’t succeed. Satan came to him and told him that he would suggest a stratagem to the man to succeed in his efforts. The person agreed. Satan suggested to him to float a new religion. Encourage people to join its ranks. The man acted on the suggestion and soon became very rich.
One day the man thought that he had committed the foulest of deeds. He felt that he had led lots of people astray. He realized that any amount of penitence would not get him a pardon unless he corrected the people who had left the right path because of him. He started telling people that the faith propagated by him was a farce and they should abandon it.
But the idea was engrained in their minds and they told him that his faith was authentic and that he was lying to them. He could not change even a single person. In desperation he went to the forest and tied himself in a heavy chain. He resolved that unless Allah forgave him for his sin he would not free himself.
Allah sent a Revelation to the Prophet (PBUH) of the time that the person must be informed that even if his body goes to shreds repenting his sin, his penitence would not be accepted! The only way for his pardon was through reforming all the persons who had been led away from the right path by him!
Source: .imamreza.net
Description of God by Imam Hadi
There is no doubt that the Divine Names and attributes are special and it is necessary to know them correctly and properly. Imam Hadi (A.S) said: Truly, God cannot be described except the way the Almighty described it. How can God be described when the senses are unable to imagine or understand the Supreme Being that cannot be seen?
The Divine Being despite the complete and full presence is remote and yet is near with all the remoteness; has created circumstance and personality but has no circumstance or personality; has created the place but has no place. God has no place or circumstance, the Almighty is a single unique being, God’s magnificence is distinct and the Divine Names are absolutely pure and clean [1].
Note: [1] Beharul Anwaar, Vol.4, Page 303.
Source: shafaqna.com
Do not blame the world
It is narrated from the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) who said: If a person tells the world: May God make your face ugly, the world will reply: God will make the face of sinners ugly [1].
In another narration, the prophet (PBUH) said: Do not insult the world! Why do you insult the world? The world is a tame mean for a believer and will benefit him/her whilst removing evil from them. For the sake of the world, the benefits are gained and harms are removed, when a human being says: Curse of God on the world! The world will reply:
Curse of God is on a person who uses me as a mean to sin! Can a person who take a knife and kill someone say, may God curse this knife? The knife also will reply: May God curse you that by using me, you killed an innocent person [2]. Therefore the world can help to solve the problems relating to the life of hereafter but due to human’s love of the world, this benefit is lost and cannot be of any use.
The heartfelt attachment to the materialistic pleasures will lead to wrongful utilization of the world and with the use of the sharp knife of materialism; the life of hereafter will be destroyed [3].
Notes:
[1] Beharul Anwaar, Vol.74, Page 173.
[2] As above, Page 180.
[3] Rasa’el-e-Bandegy (Farsi Edition) by Ayatollah Sheikh Mojtaba Tehrani, Page 117.
Source: shafaqna.com
The Secret Number, Forty, in the HOLY Qur’an
In Religion
Number Forty is a special number in the religious and Islamic culture.
The significance of the age of forty is undeniable, as Prophet Muhammad said, “When one gets forty God tells his two guardian angels, ‘From now on, be strict on him and note every small and big deed he does.’” This shows that one’s personality is formed before he becomes forty years old and every inner change will become harder after that.
In Mysticism
Muslim scholars, especially mystics, consider forty as a significant number in the fields of self-purification, finding one’s talents, and reaching moral heights.
In the Qur’an
The number forty has been mentioned with three different virtues in the Qur’an:
1. We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, “O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favor which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam.” (Al-Ahqaf: 15)
2. Allah said: “Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years: In distraction will they wander through the land: But sorrow thou not over these rebellious people. (Al-Ma’ida: 26)
3. “And remember We appointed forty nights for Moses, and in his absence ye took the calf (for worship), and ye did grievous wrong.” And “We appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed (the period) with ten (more): thus was completed the term (of communion) with his Lord, forty nights. And Moses had charged his brother Aaron (before he went up): Act for me amongst my people: Do right, and follow not the way of those who do mischief.” (Al-Baqara: 51)
The Interpretations
There are different interpretations of the above mentioned verses concerning the number forty.
Verse 15 of Al-Ahqaf Surah could be related to the perfection of man at the age of forty. However, most interpreters believe that a man gains perfection at thirty three.
Imam Sadiq believed that man gains perfection at the age of thirty three and he will remain the same till he gets forty.
Anyway, many others believe that one’s mental ability is perfect at the age of forty, as Muhammad was appointed the prophet of God in the same age.
What is the Secret of Forty?
Some scholars like Sadr-al-Motalein Shirazi maintain that only Prophets and messengers of God know the secret of the number, forty.
There are some sayings indicating that God has made Adam out of soil in forty days. It took man forty days to turn from what it is to a divine creature. Therefore, in order for one to get back to his divine nature, one needs forty days of time.
Prophet Muhammad also said, “Whoever memorizes forty sayings in regards to religion, will be considered as a sage on the day of judgment.”
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
If Husayn was christain
If Husayn was one of us, we would have put up a flag and a minaret for him in every part of the earth and called the people to Christianity
Antoine Bara
Golden Sayings of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) about Imam Hussain
* “Hussain is of myself and I am of Hussain. O’ Allah be pleased with those who please Hussain and hate those who hate Hussain.”
These holy words were uttered by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H), the one who never speaks of his own desire but only as inspired to him by the one Mighty in power.
* The muslims feeling gratitude towards the Prophet (P.B.U.H) for his efforts in guiding them offered to reward him with gold. The Prophet (P.B.U.H) answered them with a verse that was revealed to him, ” Say, No reward do I ask of you for this except being kind to those of kin” (verse 23/sura 42). Al- Kashaf ( an authoritative interpretation of the Holy Quran) narrates that when this was revealed, people asked the Prophet “O, Prophet of God, who are the ones whose respect is made obligatory upon us in this verse?” The Prophet (P.B.U.H) answered “They are Ali, Fatema and their two sons.”
* “Hassan and Hussain are masters of youth in Paradise.”
* One day, when the Holy Prophet was in prostaration (sajda) during a prayer, Imam Hussain (a.s) then climbed on his back. The Holy Prophet remained in prostration untill Imam Hussain (a.s) came down himself.
*Ibn Saad (an eighth century historian) narrates from Ash-Shabi that Imam Ali (a.s) while on his way to Siffin passed through the desert of Karbala. He stopped and wept bitterly. When asked regarding the cause of his weeping, he commented that one day he visited the Holy Prophet and found him weeping. When he asked the cause, the Apostle of Allah replied, ” O’ Ali, Jibrael has just been with me and informed me that my son Hussain would be martyred in Karbala, a place near the bank of the river Euphrates. This moved me so much that I could not help weeping.”
*Anas bin Harith narrates that : One day the Holy Prophet(P.B.U.H) ascended the pulpit to deliver a sermon to his associates while Imam Hussain and Imam Hasan were sitting before him. When the sermon concluded, he put his left hand on Imam Hussain and raising his head towards Heaven, said: “O my Lord! I am Muhammad Thy slave and Thy Prophet, and these two are the distinguished and pious members of my family who would fortify my cause after me. O my Lord! Gabriel has informed me that my son Hussain will be killed.O my Lord, bless my cause in Hussain’s martyrdom, make him the leader of the martyrs, be Thou his helper and guardian and do not bless assassins.’