www.SDOL.

org – Project Tafsir Alphabetical

Alphabetical Quranic Commentaries

www.sdol.org
Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the merciful

This paper contains the commentaries of Quran regarding

many different issues, assembled alphabetically.

The Pooya/M.A. Ali English commentaries are taken from

www.al-islam.org.

Knowledge is no ones property. You may distribute it to

anyone you may like. And Quran is same for all
shias/sunnis/muslims! However it is requested that where
ever you distribute this copy to, do give the reference of
www.sdol.org . Spread the Light of Quran. I hold no
responsibility for any typing error in the commentaries. I
have just organized them in the wanted way. A copy unique
in its own way, I hope it is of great help to you.

Wasalaam
Syed Ammar Shah
es_ammar@hotmail.com

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Contents
Commentaries
Abdullah Bin Obay 1
Abdullah Ibn Ummi Maktum 1
Abel and Cain 2
Abu Lababa 3
Abu Lahab 3
Abu Talib 4
Accountability 5
Adam 7
Adl 9
Adoption 9
Adultery 10
AhleKitab 12
AhlulBayt 13
Ali Ibn Abu Talib 14
Aliens 17
Allah 18
Angels 21
Asahab Al Fil 23
Asahab Al Kahf 24
Ayyub 26
Back Biting 28
Bada and Naskh 30
Badr, The Battle Of 31
Balam 34
Bani Israel 35
Bismillah 35
Charity 37
Covenant, The 37
Creation Of The Heavens and Earth 38
Dawat Al Ashira 38
Dawood 38
Death 42
Debt 43
Edibles 44
Fasting 45
Fatima Zahra (AS) 46
Gambling 48
Gadheer e Khum 48
Ghayb 49
Greetings 49
Hajj 49

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Heaven 52
Hell 53
Here After 53
Hidayat 55
Hijrat – To Medina 56
Hijrat – To Abyssinia 58
Hud 59
Hudaybya and Oath of Ridwan 59
Hunayn – The Battle 62
Huruf Muqatta-at 63
Iblees and Shaitans 63
Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq 64
Idris, Prophet 69
Iffik 69
Illiyun 70
Illyas, Prophet 70
Inheritance 71
Injeel 71
Inna Lillah 73
Intoxicants 73
Iram 74
Isa and Mariam (AS), Prophet 74
Islam 81
Jihad 82
Jinns 84
Kafir 85
Kawthar 86
Kerbala 87
Khalifa 88
Khandaq – The Battle 89
Khaybar 92
Khizr 94
Khums 95
Kill – The Murder 96
Kufr 96
Lawh Mahfuz 97
Loan 97
Lunar Calendar 98
Luqman 98
Lut 99
Magians 100
Maliki Yawmi Din 100
Marriage 101
Martyrdom 102
Masjid Dhirar 103

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Mecca 103
Mecca – The Fall 104
Messengers 105
Menstruation 106
Miraj 106
Mubahila 110
Muhammad (SAW) 112
Munafiqin 116
Musa 119
Mutah 127
Nuh 127
Oaths 129
Orphans 130
Poetry 130
Qadr – The Night 131
Qayamah 132
Qibla 138
Qisas 138
Quran 139
Rabb 144
Ramadan 145
Rass 145
Riba 146
Righteous 147
Romans – The Prophecy 149
Ruyat 149
Saba – The Townships 150
Sabbath 151
Sabeans 151
Salat 152
Salih 153
Sects 154
Shafa-at 154
Shirk 155
Shuaib 157
Sibgh 157
Signs 158
Sijjin 158
Sins 159
Slavery 159
Sorcery 160
Soul 160
Spending In The Way Of Allah 162
Spoils Of War 164
Spouses 165

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Sulaiman 165
Tabarra 168
Tabuk – The Expedition 169
Talaq 170
Taqdir 173
Taqiya 173
Tawba 174
Tawheed 176
Tawrat 177
Tayammum 179
Trade 179
Tubba 179
Uhud, The Battle Of 179
Ulil Amr 182
Ummul Momineem 183
Usool e Deen 186
Uzayr, Prophet 186
Wasila 187
Yunus 187
Yusuf and Yaqub, Prophets 188
Zakarriya and Yahya, Prophets 194
Zihar 196
Zodiac 197
Zulqurnain 198
Zu-Nuwas 199

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 Abdullah Bin Obay

Abdullah Bin Obay

Many a commentator wrongly refers to Abdullah bin Obay and his associates whenever
munafiqin are discussed in the Quran, as a scapegoat substitute for the really dangerous
hypocrites whose subversive activities proved more harmful to Islam than Abdullah bin
Obay and his comrades. It is an attempt to restrict the general view of the Quran. In fact
Abdullah bin Obay's activities never amounted to a real threat. He had no influence even
over his own family. He was a very wealthy man, and therefore, wanted to be the chief of
Madina, but his chances of success disappeared after the arrival of the Holy Prophet. He
was a man of no importance. Had his schemes been really harmful to Islam, the Holy
Prophet would not have led his funeral prayers.

Abdullah Ibn Ummi Maktum

One day when the Holy Prophet was in conversation with some of his companions, a
blind man, Abdullab ibn Ummi Maktum, who was also poor, came to meet him and learn
the Quran. The Holy Prophet received him with kindness and asked him to sit beside him.
The Quraysh leaders did not like the interruption, particularly the respect and honour
given to him by the Holy Prophet. One of the companions frowned and turned his back
on him, which displeased Allah, and this surah was revealed.

Some commentators say that the pronoun "he" in abasa refers to the Holy Prophet who
disliked the interruption at a time when he was engrossed in earnest discourse with some
of the pagan Quraysh leaders.

As has been mentioned in the commentary of many verses, particularly Baqarah: 78;
Mumin: 55; Fat-h: 2 and Muhammad: 15 to 19, a large number of Muslim scholars try to
find out imaginary weaknesses in the character of the Holy Prophet so as to minimise the
actual shortcomings, deviation and waywardness found in the companions whom they
present as heroes of Islam. It is a preconceived plan to bring the infallible status of the
Holy Prophet to the ordinary level of temporal rulers, which has been fully exposed in the
commentary of above noted verses. For the perfection bestowed on the Holy Prophet
refer to the commentary of Ahzab: 21 and Qalam: 4.

The commentators who have depended on the sources, other than the Ahl ul Bayt, say
that the nominative pronoun in verse 1, the subjective pronoun in verse 2, and the
pronouns in verses 3, 6, 7 and 8 refer to the Holy Prophet. It is a deliberate attempt to
belie the infallibility of the Holy Prophet.

According to the Ahl ul Bayt all the pronouns refer to a companion who was present
there and frowned in anger as soon as Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum sat beside the Holy
Prophet. If, as said by such commentators, the Holy Prophet was deeply and earnestly
engrossed in explaining the right path to pagan leaders whose conversion he had long
cherished and did not pay attention to a man who had already embraced Islam, then this
act should not have been censured by Allah.

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 Abdullah Ibn Ummi Maktum

The question in verse 3 clearly indicates that the doubt "whether Abdullah would grow in
knowledge if the Holy Prophet talked to him" could only creep into the mind of a person
whose faith was not fully strengthened. It could never come to the mind of a messenger
of Allah who had been sent to preach the religion of Allah to one and all, irrespective of
the listener's worldly position.

Verse 4 asserts that it is more likely that a poor man on account of his will to learn may
grow in his spiritual development more than a wealthy leader who was proud of his
possessions, referred to in verse 5, and it was he who frowned in anger (in verse 1). The
wealthy companion who looked down upon Abdullah is commanded to let the poor
companion be attended to because the message of Allah is accepted by the poor and
lowly at once, and the mighty ones of the earth only come in when the weak and the
simple people become an irresistible force. Even if a poor man does not grow in
knowledge there is no blame on any one. Attention should be paid to those who come to
learn with a sincere longing for knowledge. The wealthy companion, in spite of receiving
guidance from the Holy Prophet, was unmindful of the preferences of Allah.

The Quran has been revealed to guide the whole mankind from which no one is to be
excluded, rich or poor, great or lowly, learned or ignorant. Those who show sincere
earnestness must be given preference.

Abel and Cain

Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain) were the two sons of Adam. Adam had nominated the
younger son Habil as his successor. The elder son, Qabil, disputed his father's judgement.
Thereupon Adam asked each of them to offer a sacrifice to Allah separately so that Allah
might accept the sacrifice of one whom He found deserving to succeed him. Habil was a
shepherd and Qabil a tiller of the soil. Habil brought the best of his flock as a gift to the
Lord; and Qabil brought some dried up ears of corn. Allah received Habil's gift with
favour; but He did not receive Qabil's gift. Qabil was very angry and his face fell. He
attacked his brother Habil and murdered him. As this was the first murder, in fact, first
human death, Qabil did not know what to do with the corpse and stood puzzled. A raven
was sent by Allah to show him how to bury a dead body. Adam was greatly disturbed.
Allah had granted him another son, Shith, in place of Habil. Shith, a prophet of Allah,
succeeded Adam. Qabil's descendants were drowned when the waters of the great flood
came upon the earth in the days of Nuh.

Allah only accepts sacrifice from those who are pious and safeguard themselves against
evil with full awareness of Allah's laws.

The murderer bears the sins of the person he has slain. If the murdered person is a
prophet, as Habil was, the murderer bears the sins of those who might have been guided
to the right path, by the slain prophet or the guide appointed by Allah, till the day of
resurrection. Every prophet or guide, divinely chosen, represents his people, and the sins
of the people are laid at his door, so that Allah may pardon them on account of His
chosen representative, as has been indicated in verse 2 of al Fat-h.

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 Abel and Caine

In verse 4:31 Qabil is sorry for his ignorance (not repentant) and condemns himself for
not knowing even that which a raven knew.

Abu Lababa

It is reported that after 21 days siege of Bani Qurayza they agreed to make a settlement.
They would leave Madina and go to Syria. The Holy Prophet appointed Sad bin Ma-adh
as an arbitrator, but the Jews wanted to consult Abu Lababa who was their old friend and
relative, before accepting the arbitration of Sad bin Ma-adh. When they sought Abu
Lababa's advice, he pointed his finger to his throat, to indicate that it would be as if
cutting their own throats. The Holy Prophet came to know about the treachery of Abu
Lababa through Jibra-il. Abu Lababa at once realised what he had done-he had
knowingly defrauded Allah and His prophet. Then he tied himself to a pillar of the masjid
al nabawiyy and avowed that he would neither drink nor eat until he was forgiven by
Allah and His prophet. The Holy Prophet went to him and told him that he had been
forgiven.

Abu Lahab

Abu Lahab, literally "the father of flame", was the nickname of Abul Uzza, an uncle of
the Holy Prophet, and a bitter and fiery opponent of Islam and the Holy Prophet. At
dawat dhil ashira Abu Lahab flared up and shouted at the Holy Prophet, saying:
"Perdition to you".

He made it his business to torment the Holy Prophet; and his wife, Umm Jumail, sister of
Abu Sufyan, took pleasure in carrying thorny bushes and strewing them in the sand
where she knew that the Holy Prophet was sure to walk barefooted, because of which she
is referred to as the bearer of the wood.

Abu Lahab used to persuade the people to throw stones at the Holy Prophet, whenever he
passed the streets of Makka, by telling them that he was a mad man. The two hands he
used to throw stones at the Holy Prophet are cursed by Quran. The two hands of Abu
Lahab may also refer to the evil deeds he had sent forth which condemns him to suffer
severest punishment till eternity. Neither his wealth nor his supporters will be able to
save him from the blazing fire.

A week after the battle of Badr, Abu Lahab perished, consumed with grief and his own
fiery passions. The angel of death strangled his wife with the rope she used to wear
around her neck. On the day of judgement the fire of punishment like a rope of iron
strongly twisted will be put on her neck.

No relationship whatsoever, even with the Holy Prophet, can be of any advantage to the
disbeliever. Abu Lahab, an uncle of the Holy Prophet, will burn in the blazing fire. On
the contrary, it is noticeable, that Salman, a Persian outsider, through his faith and

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 Abu Lahab

submission to Allah, the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt achieved the highest
distinction of being included in the Ahl ul Bayt.

Abu Talib

Abu Talib followed the creed of Ibrahim, i.e. Islam. Abu Talib died as a Muslim before
hijrat, therefore all the false traditions reported by the Muslim traditionists were
fabricated by the enemies of Ali ibn abi Talib to present his father as an unbeliever.

Abd al Muttalib, the Holy Prophet's grandfather, on his deathbed embraced Muhammad
for the last time and then entrusted him to Abu Talib, saying: "Take care of this boy,
nothing in our kindred is more precious than he." Abu Talib affectionately brought him
up, loved him fondly, made him sleep by his own bed-side and took him with himself
wherever he went. History is a witness that, before Ali, it was Abu Talib who supported
and assisted the Holy Prophet and his divine mission under all circumstances. In his
sermons and poetry he praised his nephew as the messenger of Allah and expressed his
faith in him and his belief in Allah.

When Abu Talib saw his son, Ali, praying with the Holy Prophet to worship Allah, he
gladly approved the act of devotion performed by his son and advised him to follow the
Holy Prophet, help and support him in his mission.

When the verse "warn your relatives" (Shu-ara: 214) was revealed, the dawat dhil ashira
was arranged by the Holy Prophet in the house of Abu Talib. Abu Lahab, his other uncle
tried his best to stop the Holy Prophet from delivering his speech but Abu Talib put his
hands on Abu Lahab's shoulders and made him listen to the Holy Prophet's message, the
message of Islam. He not only supported him in all his activities against the
idolworshippers but also suffered untold hardships along with him when the pagans of
Makka began the historic boycott of the Holy Prophet.

They went in a body to Abu Talib, and adopting a threatening tone demanded of him to
make his nephew desist from attacks on their gods. The Holy Prophet was present. He
refused to do so. The Holy Prophet thought that his uncle, for fear of family feud, wanted
to withdraw his protection, so he said to him that he solely depended on Allah, and turned
to go away. Here it is reported by Abul Fida, Habib al Siyar and Asni-al Matalib that Abu
Talib called him back and told him that he would stand by him against all his enemies
and would protect him (in his mission) till his own death; because Abu Talib believed in
his nephew's convictions, and he accordingly made the Makkans understand that his
nephew was really a messenger from Allah; and therefore they should take him as their
spiritual leader and guide.

Tabari and Ibn Hisham write that urged by Abu Sufyan, the heads of the different
families of idolworshippers decided to break off all connections with the Holy Prophet
and his relatives. In the seventh year of bi-that a covenant was written-not to have any
sort of intercourse with the Holy Prophet and his kinsmen, neither to sell to nor to buy
anything from, nor to contract matrimonial alliance with them-and signed and sealed and

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 Abu Talib

was kept in the Ka-bah. Abu Talib then took the Holy Prophet and the Banu Hashim to
his quarters known as Shib abi Talib. This fortress was also beleaguered occasionally by
the idolworshippers of Makka, to enforce the boycott in all its rigour.

Abu Talib feared even night attacks and was on his guard for the safety of the Holy
Prophet, and often changed his bed-site as a precaution against sudden violence. This
state of affairs lasted for about three years. Finally the Holy Prophet told Abu Talib that
Allah had shown His disapproval of the covenant against him, and had sent worms to eat
out every word of the document placed in the Ka-bah, excepting His own name written
thereon. Abu Talib, believing his nephew as the receiver of revelations from Allah,
unhesitatingly went to the idolworshippers and told them what the Holy Prophet had
spoken; and added that if what he was telling was found true, they would be bound to
withdraw their boycott and lay aside their enmity towards the Holy Prophet and his
kinsmen; if proved false, he would withdraw his protection. They all agreed and at once
went to inspect the document. Only the name of Allah was there and nothing more. They
said that it was an enchantment of the Holy Prophet, but, at the persistence of Abu Talib
the boycott was withdrawn. It is clear that only a believing man could do what Abu Talib
did.

In the tenth year of bi-that, some months after the withdrawal of the interdict Abu Talib
died at the age of 87 years. Abu Talib's attitude towards the Holy Prophet as well as some
of his preserved verses prove, says Abul Fida, that he believed in the Holy Prophet as the
true messenger of Allah and in his religion, Islam. He died actually in the faith with the
kalimah on his lips.

Some of his well-known verses are noted below:

1. I believe that Muhunmad's faith is the best of all the religions of the universe.
2. Do you not see that we have found Muhammad, a prophet like Musa; he is already
predicted in previous scriptures.
3. To exalt him He (Allah) derived his name from His own; He as the highest is called
Mahmud while He named him Muhammad.

The status of Abu Talib in Islam was the same as that of "Mumin min ali Firawn" (a
believer from among the people of Firawn) mentioned in verses 28 to 45 of al Mumin
who had concealed his faith to protect Musa-an instructive parallelism between
Muhunmad and Musa. The enemies of Ali fabricated false traditions to give the
impression that his father had not embraced Islam. In a malicious, nevertheless stupid,
way they had tried their best to take revenge from Ali for having killed in various battles
their fathers, the idolworshippers and hypocrites of Makka and Madina.

Accountability

Asra ul hasibin - when asked "How Allah would take account of all the created beings
simultaneously" Imam Ali replied: Just as He provides sustenance to one and all at the
same time.

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 Accountability

The messengers of Allah will bear witness over their followers when they will be asked
to give their report about them. The Holy Prophet (see commentary of an Nisa: 41) will
be a witness over all the witnesses, which means he was present in the times of all the
prophets.

Ya Sin: 65-"We will put a seal upon their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us and
their feet will bear witness as to what they used to do".

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: Deeds are not material substance to be
weighed, therefore "heavy weighing" means good deeds outbalance the bad deeds. Even
if a man prays the whole night and fasts throughout his life, his deeds will not benefit him
if he does not regulate his life in the light of the teachings and guidance of the guide-
leaders appointed by Allah.

Imam Ali ibn abi Talib said: "A balance weighs things consisting of matter. So no one
can weigh thoughts and deeds which are not corporeal, but if justice is taken as balance
the weight of good deeds means its quantity to which sincerity adds quality; and
weighing is reckoning to prove to the person concerned the actual position of his or her
faith and conduct. Nothing is hidden from or unknown to Allah."

Imam Ali bin Husayn Zayn al Abidin said: "Reckoning will be for the believers. The
disbelievers will be punished outright according to the degree of their wickedness."

It is also reported that figuratively it means that the thoughts and deeds of a believer will
be compared with the thoughts and deeds of the Prophet or the Imam of the age in which
he or she lived. Verse 47 of Ash Shura says that Allah has sent down the book with truth
and the balance, i.e. the Holy Prophet to serve as the truest and the most perfect model of
putting into practice the word of Allah. For giving reward every thought or deed will be
assessed in the light of its nearness to the thought or deed of the prophet or the Imam in
whose times the believer concerned had lived.

The assessment of the quantity and quality will be done by the all-wise Lord who does
not need any assistance.

As the authority of Allah operates in justice, the reward and punishment will be awarded
as it ought to be with measurable exactitude, for which a scale is necessary, a scale that
can appraise the nature of the thing judged. For example to judge a thought, whether it is
good or evil, a scale, different from the scale which weighs the weight of a material
object, is required. Such scales should be infallible. They are those who have been
selected by Allah.

The Holy Prophet said: "The love of Ali is the scale of faith, and hostility unto him is the
scale of hypocrisy."

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 Accountability

Abu Talib said: "Muhammad is the scale of truth which weighs the minimum as well as
the maximum weight ."

Adam
While talking about the creation of Adam the appearance of visible form (matter) in the
"arc of ascent" must be reviewed. Matter, in its primitive mode of being, carries the
potentiality to develop into various forms - minerals, vegetables, animals and human
beings. The capability of matter to give form to different species is determined by the
"unlike in nature" potency of its elements or components. Earth, a product of matter,
carried the capacity to bring some of its elements to a more advanced and highly
organised body of a human being. Likewise its other components could develop other
animate or inanimate objects. In form and substance each individual human being differs
from the other. It is on account of the diversity in the potentiality of the components of
the matter. The development in the "arc of ascent" was gradual. The graduality (in time)
is motion. Motion is the transfer of potentiality into actuality.

Verily, We created man of wet clay of black mud moulded into shape, (Hijr: 26)

Allah informed the angels about the creation of Adam, a new phase, and says: I am
appointing a vicegerent in the earth.

It was in the knowledge of the angels that struggle and conflict among the living beings
in the pre-Adam period brought about bloodshed and destruction. Many a religious
school confirms that there were semi-men, jinn and demons (afrit) before the advent of
Adam, on the earth. According to some traditions they were living beings of furious
nature and fiery temperament, devoid of intellect, reasoning and contemplation, fighting
each other for survival. The angels who always worship Allah and carry out His orders
presumed that Adam would also be like the above noted creatures. Allah rightly points
out their ignorance about the excellence of the vicegerency He has bestowed upon Adam.

According to verse 75 of Sad, Allah has created Adam with His two hands, matter and
spirit, which gives man the distinctive power of expression, termed as biyan by the
Quran.

The names Adam learned from Allah were not in the knowledge of the angels, because
these names did not refer to the phenomena known to them. The hum of aradahum does
not refer to the "names" but to the "named", and as a plural term cannot be used for
Allah, therefore, it cancels the possibility of interpreting these names as the names of
Allah. When reference is made in Arabic to several objects of inanimate nature, a
singular feminine pronoun is used, but when the objects are conscious beings, a plural
masculine pronoun is used, as done here through aradahum, to point out the "named
ones". If the object referred to is inanimate, the singular feminine pronoun, tilka or
hadhihi should have been used. Here the personal demonstrative pronoun refers to the
conscious beings of a superior-most status, knowledge of whose names entitled Adam to
the vicegerency of Allah. Thus the existence of the beings of the highest status has been

7
 Adam

established. Due to the affinity between Adam and these highest beings (alin), he was
capable to function as the medium of their manifestation.

Till then the names of the highest beings along with the insight and vision of their
realities, their latent qualities and inherent endowments were unknown to the angels.

Through Adam the angels became acquainted with the glory of the glorious beings. When
Adam, at the command of Allah, stated the names, qualities and symbols of those highest
beings whose collective and comprehensive status can be termed as wisdom personified,
the angels witnessed the glory of the infinite power and wisdom of the Lord that could
create such perfect beings of the highest calibre, in substance as well as in style, like of
whom they did not know till then. The names were of The Panjtun e Pak (The Holy 5).

It becomes a logical conclusion that since Allah willed these five lights of glory to be
manifested through Adam, he had been appointed as the khalifa of Allah, and through
these lights Allah's light had been destined to be manifested.

As Allah is aware of all the "unseen" in the universe, He knew that the angels secretly
thought themselves more deserving than Adam to be chosen as Allah's khalifa. After
seeing the glory of the five lights, endowed in the seed of Adam, they accepted their
ignorance and submitted to Allah's decision.

Satisfied with the proof of absolute wisdom and mercy of Allah, the angels prostrated
themselves before Adam, as ordered by Allah, and acknowledged the superiority of the
khalifa of Allah. Iblis, jinn, as described by verse 50 of al Kahf, overcome with grief and
despair, under the burden of arrogance (kabar), refused to come into the camp of
knowledge and mercy surrounded by iman. According to this verse, prostration (sajdah)
by one created being, in order to pay homage and accept superiority of another created
being, is permissible. The sajdah of total submission and unconditional surrender is for
the creator only.

With his opposite and complementary companion, Hawwa, the woman, Adam, the man
was given the garden to dwell in, unrestrained. Only a tree was out of bounds.

According to many a tradition, it was not the perpetual heavenly garden. The garden
referred to here was an area of expansion, comfort and ease, everything that was needed
and desired was available without toil and effort. The out of bound tree is the symbol of
temptation, covetousness, envy and greed. Imam Ali bin Musa al Rida says:It stimulates
desire for things which are not necessary for life.

The command of Allah was not to go near the tree. Eating the fruit of the tree was not
definitely forbidden.

Adam was endowed with infinite potentiality to reach the ultimate through rational
thinking and be able to discriminate and choose. Shaytan, the furious and the fiery,
obstinate and perverse, devoid of iman, became an enemy of Adam. The stimulating

8
 Adam

warning of the divine command "not to go near the tree" awakened Adam's latent
ambition to march unto those "highest beings" whose status Allah had shown him. To
begin this journey, Adam, in a way, apparently gave Shaytan the opportunity to use his
guile and rebellious energy in order to take advantage of the situation and get even with
his adversary who caused his downfall. Adam and Hawwa slipped out of the condition of
peace and contentment into the realm of struggle where peace and conflict, love and hate,
and such opposites are at full play. Thereafter the two opposite groups faced each other.
It was a conflict between good and evil, right and wrong. Ihbitu, also used in verse 61 of
al Baqarah, means a change from the easy life of joy and happiness to the life of toil,
suffering and misery.

There was no chance of going back to the dwelling of joy and happiness. They were at
the mercy of the Lord. They turned repentant unto Allah. The merciful and oft-forgiving
Lord blessed Adam with the most extraordinary words of prayer through which Adam,
and after him any one in his progeny (mankind), could invoke the mercy of the Lord.
These were the holy names of those highest beings whom Allah had already introduced to
Adam. So the oft-forgiving merciful Lord took Adam and his wife under His mercy when
they invoked Him through these names.

Man is originally sinless. The evil takes roots in him through external factors. Therefore,
the Christian theory of "original sin" has no place in the interpretation of the history of
Adam by the Quran. The approaching to the out-of-bounds tree, when he was in the
earthly paradise, was prior to his coming into this world, therefore, on account of his
record, after shouldering the responsibility of the vicegerency of Allah on the earth, he is
clean and sinless.

Adl
Faith in Allah's justice is essential. The laws made by Him to operate the universe are
precise and decisive. These are bound by rules based upon justice, and are not arbitrarily
changed. That is why there is complete harmony in the working of the whole creation,
otherwise there would have been chaos and confusion. All Allah's acts are just and right.

It is folly to suppose that Allah only reigns in the heavens. He also reigns on the earth. He
knows all our secret thoughts and motives, and the real worth of all that is behind what
we care to show. It is by our deeds that He judges us; for our deeds, whether good or evil,
we shall get due recompense in due time.

Adoption

Call the adopted sons by their natural fathers and not by those who have adopted them
which corresponds with truth and reality. It is better to call them brothers in faith or
friends, because brotherhood is used in a wider sense than fatherhood and is not likely to
be misunderstood.

9
 Adoption

In the market of Akkaz Zayd bin Harith was being sold as a slave. The Holy Prophet
purchased him and adopted him as his son. The father of Zayd was a man of means.
When he came to know that his kidnapped son was sold as a slave, he approached Abu
Talib to obtain the freedom of Zayd from his nephew. The Holy Prophet at once set him
free and gave him permission to go with his father, but Zayd decided to remain with the
Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet asked the people to bear witness that from that day Zayd
was his son and he was his father. Then he married his cousin Zaynab, a very beautiful
young woman, to Zayd. It so happened that they could not live happily together. Zayd
divorced Zaynab. To save Zaynab from the misery of a divorcee Allah commanded the
Holy Prophet to marry Zaynab. According to pagan formula when a man wanted to get
rid of his wife without making her free to remarry, he simply said to her: "You are to me
as the back of my mother." Likewise an adopted son was treated as a natural son. It was
this crudity of the pagan morals that, upon the Holy Prophet's marrying the divorced wife
of his freed man Zayd, who was also his adopted son, gave rise to a great deal of hostile
criticism. Islam abolished these widespread foolish customs. In Islam, according to verse
23 of Nisa, those who have been "wives of your sons proceeding from your loins" are
within the prohibited degrees of marriage, and this does not apply to adopted sons.
Adoption in the technical sense is not allowed in Muslim law.

Adultery

Fahisha in its general significance is "an excess, an enormity, anything exceeding the
bounds of rectitude", but when particularised, signifies "adultery or fornication", and, in
this context, evidently means an act of adultery.

The evidence in the case of adultery must be, according to the law of Islam, ocular, not
hearsay, conjectural or circumstantial. Every possible safeguard is taken against hasty
and unfounded accusations. When four men testify that they saw with their eyes the
actual carnal conjunction, punishments mentioned, can be inflicted.

If the married bondswoman is guilty of adultery inflict on her half the punishment
enjoined for free women.

The Arabic word zina denotes the sexual intercourse between a man and a woman,
whether married or not, who do not stand to each other in the relation of husband and
wife. The words are not "commit not adultery", but "approach not adultery" or "go not
near to adultery", thus preventing all ways and paths that could lead to it, because it
destroys the basis of the family; it works against the interests of children born or to be
born and cuts asunder permanently the bonds of society. No religion or creed has so
emphatically and comprehensively forbidden zina as Islam has done.

Every believer must guard himself against every kind of sex abuse or sex perversion.
Refinement or degradation of human soul is the result of how one deals with the hidden
workings of the sex instincts. Even the natural exercise of sex is restricted to the marriage
bond. This brief verse comprehends every aspect of chastity. A true believer must hold in
check his or her sex urge within the prescribed bounds. Because of inherent and latent

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 Adultery

danger in fulfillment of sexual prompting, even its minimum activity is strictly restricted
to the bonds of wedlock, under which the rights of both parties, man and woman, are duly
regulated and maintained. In view of the seriousness of the issue the word hafizun is
used, which implies that the natural demands of sexual desires should be treated as a trust
to be managed judiciously without ever misusing it.

The punishment of flogging both the adulterer and the adulteress with a hundred stripes is
restricted to unmarried offenders. The punishment should be open, in order to be
deterrent. There can be no leniency in enforcing this law because as said it is Allah who
has ordained this punishment. As the punishment is severe the proof of the offence has to
be beyond all possibilities of concoction. Let not even the slightest shade of falsehood
play a part in such cases (see commentary of Nisa: 15 and 16).

To give an example of how meticulous one should be in judging such cases an event that
took place in the reign of Umar bin Khattab is narrated below:

Six persons, accused of adultery, were produced before the then caliph, Umar bin
Khattab. At once he sentenced them to flogging, each of them with a hundred stripes.
When Ali pointed out to him that his judgement was in contravention of the divine law,
Umar requested him to give his own judgement.

Ali said: Execute the first., Stone to death the second, Punish the third with a hundred
stripes, Punish the fourth with fifty stripes, Warn the fifth and set him free, Set the sixth
free without any penalty.

All wondered as to why Ali gave a different verdict for each of the 6 persons tried for the
same crime.

Ali explained: The first is a dhimmi, a disbeliever under the protection of the Muslim
state, who committed the crime of adultery with a believing woman, and having violated
the law of Islam has ceased to be a dhimmi, therefore he must be executed. The second is
a married man whose punishment is stoning to death. The third is to be flogged with a
hundred stripes because he is a bachelor. The fourth is a slave, so fifty stripes is his
punishment . The fifth has only been warned because he was caught in the crime
inadvertently. The sixth is insane, so the law cannot be applied on him.

Then Umar said: "Had there not been Ali, Umar would have perished."

In almost all modern societies adultery is regarded as a social misconduct, but Islam
categorises it among the most heinous crimes, because it destroys the very social fabric of
the society and makes the lives of the affected individuals so miserable that they feel as if
they are neither living nor dead. The essential harmony of the Society is ruined beyond
recovery.

In view of the severe punishment if a woman is charged with the crime of adultery, it
should be supported by evidence twice as strong as would ordinarily be required for other

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 Adultery

offences, even in murder cases. Therefore four witnesses (God-fearing and upright whose
impartiality is beyond all doubts in the eyes of the people) are required instead of two. If
the accuser fails to produce such preponderant evidence, then he should be punished with
eighty stripes. Not only is he subjected to the disgrace of punishment but is also deprived
of the right of giving evidence in all matters all his life. It is a very effective check. It
almost puts a stop to false accusations, slander and gossip. It is a necessary provision to
protect the honour, integrity and reputation of innocent women.

The case of married persons is different from that of outsiders. If a man truly accuses his
wife of unchastity, after having caught her in adultery, more often it is not possible to
produce four witnesses, sometimes not even one, therefore he should bear witness four
times, calling Allah four times as his witness, and solemnly swear to the fact, and in
addition invoke the curse of Allah upon himself if he is telling a lie. It is a prima facie
evidence of the wife's guilt. She should be punished. But if she swears similarly four
times and similarly invokes Allah's curse on herself, she is acquitted of the guilt. In either
case the marriage is dissolved, as it is against human nature that the two can live together
happily after such an incident.

AhleKitab

The Jews thought that they were Allah's favourites to the exclusion of all other people,
and they alone would go to paradise. This preposterous idea made them deny the Holy
Prophet in spite of the clear proofs available in their book."Desire death, if you are
truthful", is a challenge. Tamannul Mawta means desire or wish (not invoke or pray)
death. If they were so specially favoured by Allah, they did not have to even take the
trouble of praying for death; merely desiring it would have received His response. He
who loves Allah loves death -to depart from this world and enter the eternal land of bliss
and happiness.

The conviction of the Jews was not genuine. They did not believe in what they said.
Aware of their own misdeeds, and the way they had corrupted their books, they could not
desire death for themselves. On the other hand they were plotting to kill the Holy
Prophet, because they knew that the Holy Prophet was a true prophet of Allah.

According to the book of Daniel (12: 1) , Mika-il is the great captain who stands guard
over the Jews. So Mika-il was their guardian angel. They disliked Jibra-il, who they
thought, always brought punishment. It was Jibra-il through whom the prophets came to
know the perverse behaviour of the Jews, and, therefore, they cursed the Jews. It was
Jibra-il who announced the birth of John the Baptist, and conveyed the glad tidings to
virgin Maryam about the birth of Isa whom the Jews obstinately hated. It was Jibra-il
who saved Nebuchadnezzar from their clutches when he was a boy, and he, afterwards,
destroyed their temple. Jibra-il was their enemy. This prejudice led them to believe that
he was asked to convey the office of prophethood to one of the Jews but he inadvertently
went to the Holy Prophet. Abdulla bin Suriya, a Jew, came to the Holy Prophet and asked
some questions to test his genuineness. He was convinced that Muhammad was a true
messenger of Allah, but when he came to know that it was Jibra-il who conveyed the

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 Ahl e Kitab

divine message, he said that he would not believe in his prophethood because Jibra-il was
the enemy of the Jews. In fact, the Jews were the enemies of Jibra-il, who brought Allah's
commands and revelations to His prophets, which contained guidance and good news for
the believers. Whosoever is the enemy of Allah, His messengers and His angels is an
unbeliever. Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers who are described as infidels.

AhlulBayt
According to 3:103, "Hold fast, all of you together, to the cord of Allah"-gives a mental
impression that a rope is hanging from the heaven so that those who are lying down on
the ground (earth) may climb up, by holding it, in the presence of the Lord to seek His
nearness.

Abu Sa-id Khudri reports that he heard the Holy Prophet saying: I leave behind me,
among you, two ropes. If my people hold fast to these two ropes, after me, they shall not
go astray. They are the book of Allah, hung from the heaven unto the earth, and my Ahl
ul Bayt. One of them is greater than the other. Be it known that these two shall never be
separated from each other; and joined together, they shall meet me at the spring of
Kawthar.

The Holy Prophet said: My Ahl ul Bayt are like the ark of Nuh. Whoso gets into it is
saved and whoso stays away is drowned and lost.

In Durr Manthur, Jalaluddin Sayuti says that the Holy Prophet had said: "The objects
shown to the angels were five lights. Allah informed the angels pointing to each of the
lights respectively:

1. This is Muhammad, the most praised, derived from My name, the praised one.
2. This is Ali, the high, derived from My name, the highest.
3. This is Fatimah, the original, derived from my name, the originator of the heavens and
the earth.
4. This is Hasan, the bountiful, derived from My name, the benefactor.
5. This is Husayn, the good, derived from My name, the good in origin.

O angels! It is in love of these five that I have created the universe."

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al-Sadiq said: Through us (the Ahl ul Bayt) Allah is
recognised and worshipped.

Verse 33:33 was revealed for the ahlulbayt to purify them from all sins,
1. Innama (verily or only) signifies exclusive distinction. To emphasise this
exclusiveness, the second object of the verb yudh-hiba (keep off)-the phrase ankum (from
you)-has been put before the first object rijs (uncleanness); and for further emphasis, the
phrase Ahl ul Bayt has been mentioned to explain the pronoun ankum (from you). The
grammatical structure of the whole clause indicates that this a unique privilege or
distinction granted to the Ahl ul Bayt only, excluding all others.

13
 AhlulBayt

2. The verb yuridu implies that the continuous will or intention of Allah is His creative
will/intention, not legislative. To interpret the will as the legislative will as in Ma-idah:6,
distorts the whole fabric of the verse and renders meaningless the exclusive particle and
the constructional arrangement. Even then it means that only the Ahl ul Bayt exclusively
achieved the standard.
3. This verse is a preface to verses 77 to 79 of al Waqi-ah: "Verily this is an honourable
(Karim) Quran, in a hidden (preserved) book, which no one can touch save the purified."
(Refer to page 3.)
4. The excellences of Ahl ul Bayt have been openly demonstrated in the event of
mubahilah (refer to the commentary of Ali Imran : 61).
5. The Ahl ul Bayt had only been thoroughly purified by Allah because of their total
submission to Allah's will and their state of being always in communion with Allah.

Fakhr al Din al Razi writes that the Ahl ul Bayt are at par with the Holy Prophet in five
things:
1. In salutation, for Allah said: "Peace be to you, O prophet." and He also said: "Peace be
to the ali yasin."
2. In invoking the blessings of Allah during prayers, after each tashhahud.
3. In their purity, for Allah revealed the verses of purification (Ahzab: 33) for the Ahl ul
Bayt.
4. In the sadqah (alms) being forbidden for them.
5. In love, for Allah said: "Say: I ask you no recompense except that you love my
kindred." (Shura: 23)

Ali Ibn Abu Talib

The Holy Prophet, on several occasions, appointed Ali ibna abi Talib as his successor and
vicegerent, in compliance with the commands of Allah. Some of the important traditions
and the verses of the Quran which make clear and confirm the vicegerency of Ali ibna abi
Talib have been mentioned in the "Essentials for the readers of the Quran" (page 1 to 7),
and in the commentary of verses 2 and 30 to 39 of this surah. From his birth in the holy
Kabah to the "tradition of qartas", there are several events and occasions, recorded by
well-known Muslim scholars in many books of history, traditions and commentaries
which can be referred to for arriving at the conclusion that in his own right and on the
basis of his matchless merits, he alone was the divinely chosen vicegerent to succeed the
Holy Prophet.

According to the verse of Mubahilah (Ali Imran: 61) Ali was the nafs (self) of the Holy
Prophet. It was Ali who stood by the Holy Prophet and protected him in the battle of
Uhad when all his companions ran away. In all the battles which guided the course of
Islamic history, it was Ali who won victories for the Muslims. It is evident from these
and other incidents in history that only the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt (the Imams
in his progeny) are those who studied and followed the book as it ought to be done.

Imam Ali said:"Verily, by Allah I declare that the son of Abu Talib is more familiar with
death than a baby is with the breast of his mother."

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 Ali Ibn Abu Talib

Therefore, neither the greed for power nor the fear of death, as the opponents of Ali used
to think, was the reason for his outspoken analysis of the behaviour of his
contemporaries, or his silence in the midst of ruthless deviators and hypocrites.

The sword which was used to defend the cause of Islam right from the beginning was the
dhulfiqar, and the man who devoted his life to the cause of Islam was Ali.

A divine voice informed the Holy Prophet in the midst of the battle of Uhad:
La Fata Illa Ali, La Sayf Illa Dhulfiqar
(There is no hero save Ali, there is no sword save dhulfiqar)

Ali, the champion of Islam, and his God-sent sword fought against the pagans of Makka
and their allies and the Jews and the Christians in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet. After
him, he never took part in the hostile campaigns directed against the non-Muslims of the
world by the companions of the Holy Prophet. It is because of the policies carried out by
those companions, that men like Gibbon declared that Islam was preached by the sword,
as he (wrongly) concluded that what the followers did, must have been the policy of the
preacher. He failed to identify the true followers of the prophet of Islam, Ali and his sons,
who, after the Holy Prophet, took the sword in their hands, not to enslave the non-
Muslims and appropriate their wealth, but to save Islam from the evil of hypocrisy which
had emerged in full force to mutilate the beautiful face of Islam. "I shall not cease to fight
against the hypocrites until the last of them is driven out from the fold of the true
believers," said Imam Ali ibna abi Talib. In Kerbala Imam Husayn bin Ali used the
dhulfiqar for the last time to distinguish between right and wrong or truth and falsehood.
When this purpose was served the God-sent sword was sheathed for ever till the return of
the last living Imam.

The Holy Prophet has said:

1. I and Ali are of one and the same light.
2. Ali is a part of me and I am a part of Ali.
3. The root of Ali and me is the same, but all other people come from various other
origins. (Zaynul Fata; Ibna Maghazali; Shafa-i; Kanzul Ummal, Ahmad ibna Hanbal).

Some of the titles of Ali ibn abi Talib, which are exclusively his, are given below:
Mawlud Kabah - Born in the house of Allah.
Nafs al Rasul - The "self" of the messenger.
Kullu Iman - The total faith.
La Fata - The hero who has no equal.
Karrar Ghayra Farrar - The unconquerable attacker who never runs away from the
battlefield.
Bab al Ilm - The gateway to wisdom.
Al Murtada - The chosen (by Allah).
Amir al Muminin - The commander of the faithful.
Imam al Muttaqin - The leader of the pious.
Mazhar al Aja-ib The manifestor of wonders.

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 Ali Ibn Abu Talib

Imam al Awliya - The original source of the friends of Allah who seek His closest
nearness.
Sayyid al Awsiya - The chief (or the first) of the successors of the Holy Prophet.

The following are some traditions found regarding Imam Ali:

1. The Holy Prophet placed his hand on the neck of Ali and said: "This is the guide of the
righteous and the slayer of the profligate. He who helps him is victorious and he who
abandons him is forsaken.
2. The Holy Prophet said: "Three things have been revealed to me about Ali: he is the
master of the Muslims, leader of the pious and the chief of the singularly radiant."
3. The Holy Prophet said: "It has been revealed to me about Ali that he is the master of
the Muslims, friend of the pious and the chief of the singularly radiant."
4. The Holy Prophet said: "Allah has informed me that Ali is the flag of guidance, the
Imam of my friends and a light for those who are obedient to me; and he is the word
which I have imposed upon the pious as duty."
5. The Holy Prophet pointed with his hand towards Ali and said: "This Ali is the first
person to believe in my prophethood and will be the first person to shake hands with me
on the day of judgement. He is the truest person and the wisest discriminator in this
nation. He will differentiate between truth and falsehood and he is the ruler of the
faithful."
6. The Holy Prophet said: "O you ansars-residents of Madina! Let me tell you one thing.
If you will rigidly follow it you will never go astray. Here is Ali. Love him as you love
me and be respectful to him as you are respectful to me. What I have told you is certainly
the commandment of the almighty and glorious Allah which Jibra-il has conveyed to me.
7. The Holy Prophet said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its door. He who wants
to acquire knowledge should come through the door."
8. The Holy Prophet, said: "Ali ibn Abu Talib is the door of forgiveness. He who enters
the door is faithful and he who goes out of it is an infidel.'
9. The Holy Prophet, on the day of Arafat (the climactic day of the pilgrimage) during the
farewell pilgrimage, said: "Ali is from me and I am from Ali and nobody can discharge
my duty as a messenger except myself or Ali."
10. The Holy Prophet said: "He who loves Ali loves me and he who hates Ali hates me."
11. The Holy Prophet said: "O Ali! You are the leader in this world and the leader in the
world hereafter. Your friend is my friend and my friend is the friend of Allah, and your
enemy is my enemy and my enemy is the enemy of Allah. Woe to him who hates you
after me."
12. The Holy Prophet said: "O Ammar! When you find Ali walking on one path and the
people walking on a different track, then follow the path of Ali and leave the people. Ali
will never lead you to destruction and will never misguide you."
13. The Holy Prophet said: "O Fatimah! Are you not pleased with this, that Allah cast a
glance on the dwellers of earth and selected from them two men, . one of them your
father and the other your husband?".
14. The Holy Prophet said: "I and this man Ali will be the judge upon my followers on
the day of judgement."

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 Ali Ibn Abu Talib

15. The Holy Prophet said: "He who wants to see Adam in his knowledge, Nuh in his
determination, Ibrahim in his clemency, Musa in his intelligence and Isa in his religious
devotion should look at Ali ibn Abu Talib."
16. The Holy Prophet said: "O Ali! There is a resemblance between you and Isa whom
the Jews hated so much that they laid a false blame on his mother; the Christians loved
him so much that they assigned to him the position which is not for him."
17. The Holy Prophet said to Ali: "My followers will turn treacherous towards you, when
you will be living according to my way, and you will be killed while still adhering to my
sunnah. He who loves you loves me and he who hates you hates me. And this," pointing
to Ali's beard, "will be deeply tinged with the blood of this" (pointing to Ali's head).
18. The Holy Prophet said: "There is among you a person who will fight for the
interpretation of the Quran just as I fought for its revelation." The people around him
raised their heads and cast inquisitive glances at the Holy Prophet and at one another.
Abu Bakr and Umar were there. Abu Bakr inquired if he was that person and the Holy
Prophet replied in the negative. Then Umar inquired if he was that person and the Holy
Prophet said: "No, but the person who is mending shoes (i.e. Ali)."
19. The Holy Prophet said: "O Ali! I have surpassed you in prophethood, for there will be
no Prophet after me, and you surpass all others in seven things: You are the first to
believe in Allah, the best fulfiller of the promise made to Allah, the best adherer to the
commandments of Allah, the most equitable distributor among the people, the best
dispenser of justice to the people, you have the best insight into controversial cases, and
are the most conspicuous in virtue and honour before Allah. "

Ali ibn abi Talib is known as mazhar al aja-ib and mazhar al ghara-ib because, as willed
by Allah, he used to appear in different forms to carry out divine plans under very special
circumstances. These two epithets are exclusively reserved for Ali. Even today the true
believers invoke Allah to send him for help. The famous dua, known as Nadi Ali, which
the Holy Prophet recited, as commanded by Allah, at Khaybar refers to Ali as mazhar al
aja-ib. Ali ibn abi Talib is also known as mushkil kusha, the remover of hardships. In
every age, to many persons he comes personally to remove hardships. Through his name
great spiritual achievements are attained. The Holy Prophet, and after him, Ali are
acknowledged as the most superior possessors of the spiritual powers.

Abdullah bin Umar said that his father, Umar bin Khattab, used to say that he coveted for
the three distinctions which only Ali had:
1. his marriage with Fatimah;
2. the standard of Islam given to him on the day of Khaybar;
3. the sadqah given by him alone in compliance with verse (58:12).

Aliens

Life is not confined to the earth. It is indicated in this verse that life in some form or other
is existing in the millions of heavenly bodies scattered through space. The Almighty who
created such countless beings has surely the power to bring them together when the
trumpet is blown.

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 Aliens

[42:29] And one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and what He has
spread forth in both of them of living beings; and when He pleases He is all-powerful to
gather them together.

Allah
There is no fitting equivalent, in the English or any other language, to convey and express
the essential essence of the word ALLAH. In the earlier times the idea of a "supreme
being" was conveyed to man by the prophets of Allah, but due to the general low level of
knowledge, a single word, containing the all-embracing sense and significance of the
supreme, universal and absolute being, was not made known.

"Father" may imply creativeness but, in no way, refers to compassion, beneficence and
mercy. The word father implies that the father of the universe had a father and a mother
who gave birth to him, because it does not indicate that the father of the heaven and the
earth had no father or mother to bring him into being. It also fails to establish his
uncreated self-existing eternity, unless explanatory words are added. The word Allah is a
compound of the definite article al and the noun ilah, meaning "that God". The literal
meaning of ilah is "puzzling" if waliha is the source, and "referred to" if it is derived from
aliha; in either sense, it can be used for the supreme being unto whom man must
surrender.

Known to every one, there is only one universal ultimate whom all human beings
devotedly worship; and upon whom they depend and rely. He is undefinable, beyond the
reach of human intelligence, unknowable to knowledge, unimaginable, yet recognised by
one and all.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq pointed to the spirit and vision of the word Allah to
an atheist, in the course of a discussion. He said: "When you are in a ship, sailing in the
middle of an ocean, and a wind-storm comes on from every side, and there is no
conceivable means of rescue, yet, in this hopeless situation, you make efforts, in hope of
deliverance; this ultimate faith is Allah, referred to by Allah in verse 22 of Yunus."

The word Allah points to that which is already in the consciousness, but cannot be
arrested by comprehension, or conceived mentally. It is universal, because it is connected
with the whole as well as with the part. It must be noted that as the absolute can never be
perceived by consciousness, so it cannot be defined by any name. One can refer to Him
by personal pronouns, of which "He" (huwa) is the most suitable. The word Allah stands
for the absolute self, the greatest name (ism azam), the one perfect total of all good and
excellence with no defect.

The two possible words ilah is derived from, are alaha and walah meaning astonishment
and wonder. The word Allah is formed by adding the definite article al to alah, which
means the one who is beyond the reach of conception, or even imagination, and out of the
range of knowledge.

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 Allah

The quest for knowledge about Allah comes to a close when the seeker in astonishment
confesses that with all his sincere efforts supported by intellect and insight he cannot
know Him.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: Observe and examine the creation of Allah, do
not pry into the being of Allah because no one knows what He is except He.

Imam Ali ibn abi Talib said: He! O He whom none knows what He is, nor how He is, nor
where He is, nor in what respect He is, but He.

The name Allah stands for the supreme one who encompasses everything in the universe
but nothing can encompass Him. He is the ever-living allknowing almighty. He has no
equal. There is none comparable to Him. He has no associate or partner. All goodly
names and ideal attributes belong to Him. He owns and controls that which is in the
heavens and that which is in the earth and that which is in between them, the kingdom of
the universe. It is only His will that is done. He is the all-seeing, all-hearing, all-just, all-
merciful. He is eternal, infinite and essential. He is the first, the immediate and the
ultimate.

The name Allah is called the ismi-dhat, the name of the absolute self, the only essential
being owning all the divine attributes. The other names called asma ul husna are
appellative and descriptive, relating to various attributes, each separately applicable
according to His dealings with His creation.

He is Allah, the creator, the maker, the fashioner. His are the asma ul husna (the excellent
names), (Hashr: 24)

The words rahman and rahim point out to the essence of one divine attribute-rahmah
(mercy or grace), yet, in application, each demonstrates a distinct aspect of the divine
mercy. He is rahman to all His creation, one and all, be they obedient or disobedient; and
He is rahim to the faithful who do good and receive His mercy as a reward, or as an
appreciation of the goodness of their souls.

Rahmah (grace), which is the root of both the words rahman and rahim, is the most
comprehensive attribute of Allah. It is the source which initiates and stimulates His
activities. Creation, sustenance of the creatures, guidance and legislation are the outcome
of His universal grace. Mercy or grace stands for active willingness to give with no
strings attached, without expectation of return, just for the well-being and good of His
dear created beings.

No being is out of His grace. Rahman signifies the (all) penetrating and (all) enveloping
universal grace of Allah. But every one receives His mercy according to his ability of
receiving and containing, in relation to its usefulness for each individual, neither less nor
more than that which is appropriate and equitable. To give more than what one deserves
would mean to waste the grace. Therefore the worthiness on the part of the creature itself
restricts or limits the measure of grace to be bestowed. The manner of giving is just. His

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 Allah

justice is as universal as His grace. In short, as he gives to each and all unreservedly and
with no expectation of return, His gift is grace; and as He gives to each according to its
merits His gift is justice. This grace subject to merit is implied in the attribute rahim.

Creation of life, brought about by His mercy, makes evident that He is an everliving
uncaused supreme being, hayy bidh-dhat, and on account of the mercy and its
demonstration it is inevitable that He, in His will and decision, is on His own, absolute
and final.

He is the creator of the creation and of the nature of creation, therefore, He is essentially
all-aware and all-knowing.

He is the beneficent and merciful. He loves each and every living being, so the beloved
must stay attached with Him. He is near, gives answer to the supplicants when they cry
unto Him. As it is His mercy which sustains the whole universe, He alone is the true
bountiful.

These two attributes of Allah, the creator Lord of the universe, are first presented to man
to make him know that his master, by Himself, is beneficent and merciful, which
automatically draws man nearer to the real master. Man runs away from dreadful events
and things, but to escape the imaginary affliction or hurt from such terrifying agents he
may yield to them under compulsion in order to appease their anger. Man, by nature,
loves a beneficent being who benefits him, and a merciful being who overlooks his
shortcomings. The submission of man to a beneficent and merciful being will
undoubtedly be out of love rather than the caution to be safe from any tyrannical
affliction, against which he is assured of safety by the qualities of beneficence and mercy.

There is none other besides Allah who alone exists and who alone can cause anything to
be or not to be. If man assures himself (and acts upon it) that it is Allah's will that is done,
and only He and none else can fulfil anything and there is none who can resist His will, it
gives him confidence and success. It is our common experience that when a mother
censures her child to discipline his conduct, the child, even while being reproved, rushes
towards the bosom of his mother. Why? It is because the young human soul is sure, and
in his own heart is convinced of his mother's love, full of mercy. There is none else better
than her in giving him the required protection even when her own self is being offended
by him. It is also seen many a time that when a child in a family is reprimanded by the
parents, displeased at any of his offences, he seeks protection with those of the members
of the family who, he knows, love him and would surely give him the required protection.
This same phenomenon works with maximum effectiveness in the man-god relationship.

"Slumber does not overtake Him", means that He is not influenced by any change
whatsoever. He is beyond time and states, for He encompasses time and all states. He is
the ever vigilant, or the true and perfect vigilance itself.

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His" means that He is the
creator of matter. If the "matter" is not created by Allah, and is said to be eternally

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 Allah

existing as He is, then He is only a fashioner of things out of matter, in which case
nothing belongs to Him. There is no propriety in this conjecture. It is unreasonable to say
that there are two independent eternal equals. If matter is accepted as an independent and
uncreated eternal, then Allah, to prove His existence, will need the matter to carry out His
creative plan, otherwise the matter will remain idle. There is no meaning in the idea of
two eternal equals, separated from each other. They must be one. If there are two such
beings, then there must be a dividing factor which makes the two as two and maintains
their two separate entities, in which case the dividing factor, superior in will and authority
will be the ever-existing supreme being.

Imam Ali said: “Total dedication to Allah is correspondingly related to mature

understanding of His Supreme Being. (He is) the (absolute) being, not 'happened for the
first time', nor His being is on account of an accident or event; the (ever) existing, not
after "missing" or "be wanting", nor there is any "before" before Him.

He is along with everything, not allied, related or circumstanced; aloof, by Himself, (but)
not detached, nor missing or slipping over any thing; making, doing, operating, effective,
not in terms of movement or motion, nor through any medium; seeing, even when there
was 'nothing' to look at.

Utmost degree of involvement (with Him) tells the truth that "He is single". Ultimate of
"He is single" belief generates sincere love with Him. The most possible in sincere love is
not to associate qualifying terms with Him, because every adjective demonstrate its
exclusion from the substance, and every substance certifies that it is other than the
adjective.

There is no adjective, limiting definition of His attributes, at hand to give a character to

the actual and make it agree with the same; and incomputable is the space of time (to
record His beginning), and no "time to come" will arrest the end, therefore, whoso gives
Allah a character joins one thing to another; and he who joins together, adds (addition in
effect is collection of bit and pieces); and to divide Him into parts and portions is to be
unwittingly ignorant of Him; and to stipulate direction or position is to circumscribe Him.
He who outlines Him in fact computes Him. "In" infers He is that which is implied;
"upon, at or by" assumes void devoid of Him. He was "there" before the created beings
could describe Him.

He who describes Him in terms of qualities, gives simile or example, or estimates

relatively, in fact, does not subscribe to His singleness. He, who draws a parallel or
brings to mind a likeness to convey an image of Him, has not indeed referred to Him. He
who makes a conjecture and employs guesswork goes wrong and does not have in him to
know Allah as the independent, everlasting and free of wants Lord master.”

Angels

The word malak is derived from malaka (to possess), and not from alak (conveying the
message). The angel as such is not the message, but the carrier of the message.

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 Angels

Angels, according to the Quran, are finite creatures, devoid of substance, in the sense of
matter, therefore, imperceptible by our senses. The angels are conscious beings are the
intermediary agents in the process of development and administration of the physical
world, operating under the laws of cause and effect; Angels are obedient beings. There is
no "becoming" (change) in the angelic sphere. Each of them has a fixed status to carry
out a particular function.

In view of the reply the angels gave to Allah's declaration about His will to send a khalifa
on the earth, it means that the angels have been endowed with freedom of will to give
expression to their views whenever they choose to do so, and that they are liable to err,
because Allah told them that they did not know what Allah knew when they made known
their opinion.

In whatever manner created and wherever found, the angels, finite creatures of light,
endowed with consciousness and intelligence, act to fulfil the divine plan. They take any
physical form (except pigs, dogs and other base animals) to become visible to human
vision, but belong to the celestial realm.

Those angels who administer the development of the animal life belong to a higher order
compared to those angels who control the development of the plant life. The
characteristics of the four arch-angels are as follows:

1. JIBRA-IL
He communicated the will of Allah to His messengers. He also destroyed the enemies of
Allah and His messengers.

2. MIKA-IL
He supplies nourishment and provisions.

3. ISRAFIL
He gives forms and shapes. He also assimilates nature.

4. IZRA-IL
He disengages living beings from one state of existence to initiate into another state of
existence .

These are, in fact the functions of the rububiyat, the cherishing aspect of Allah's grace.
There are many angels working under the arch-angels. The various angelic functions are
closely linked together. One cannot function without the other. The single exclusive
authority of Allah controls these functions according to His supreme will. So, there is no
room for the angels to act in contravention to the command of Allah.

Ma-aqqibat are the angels who descend, succeeding one another by turns, to keep safe
every individual from misfortunes when that individual, in Allah's will, is not to suffer
death (Anam: 61).

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 Angels

The angels not only descend on the prophets but also on those who believe and remain
steadfast. It is reported on the authority of the Ahl ul Bayt that the angels also descend on
the true believers when they die in order to relieve the agony of death. Verse 41:30
confirms that they descend on the true believers from time to time with glad tidings.
Authentic traditions confirm that angels descended on Imam Husayn and his comrades in
the battle of Karbala because it was the highest manifestation of possible perseverance.

The angels are the noblest and purest beings, and among them are those, superior in
excellence, who are in the neighbourhood of the arsh. All the angels not only celebrate
the glory of their Lord but also pray for the protection of human beings.

To save the transgressing human beings from the wrath of Allah, the angels, who only
carry out the will of Allah, under His command, pray for His protection and mercy so that
the erring human beings may not be totally annihilated by the rendering asunder of the
heavens.

Two angels are constantly with every human being to note his or her thoughts, words and
actions. One sits on the right side and records good deeds and the other on the left, to
record bad deeds, corresponding to the people of the right and the people of the left
mentioned in Waqi-ah: 27 and 41. Every thought, word and action is recorded by the
recording angels. The angels' record is complete.

There are angels who traverse all frontiers of the universe to carry out divine commands.
They never lag behind or leave anything undone while executing the will of Allah.

Angels do not eat or drink. It is stated in verses 69 to and 70 of Hud that Ibrahim brought
a roasted calf for the angels who visited him while going to the people of Lut but they did
not eat it. Eating and drinking has not been mentioned in connection with the angels in
the Quran.

Asahab Al Fil
Surah Al-Fil refers to an incident in the history of Makka, as an example of how Allah
deals with those who oppose His will. About fifty days before the birth of the Holy
Prophet, Abraha, the Abyssinia's viceroy of Yemen, Christian by religion, proceeded
against Makka, as the head of a large army, with the object of destroying the Ka-bah,
because he wanted that there should be no place or structure more glorious than the
church he was building at Sana. He had with him elephants. Therefore he and his army is
known as ashab al fil, those who brought elephants. At the outskirts of Makka he
captured a large number of camels belonging to the chief of Makka, Abd al Muttalib, the
grandfather of the Holy Prophet.

After receiving the information that Abraha was coming to destroy the holy Ka-bah, Abd
al Muttalib went to see him and said: "I have come to collect my camels. The Ka-bah
belongs to God. He will surely protect it from your evil design."

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 Asahab al Fil

Abraha gave the captured camels to Abd al Muttalib He returned to the city and asked the
people to retire to the neighbouring hills, leaving the Lord of Ka-bah to protect it. When
Abraha entered Makka, suddenly a large flock of birds, like swallows, came flying from
the sea-coast and pelted the invading army with pebbles of baked clay. They all died.
They were like a dead and useless field from which all the produce is eaten up and only
straw with stubble is left.

Abraha escaped and went directly to the king in Abyssinia. All the way a bird with a
stone in her beak followed him. When the king asked Abraha as to what kind of birds
they were, Abraha looked to the sky and the bird at once dropped stone in her beak and
killed him on the spot.

The lesson to be drawn is twofold. The pagans of Makka were forewarned that as the
Holy Prophet was superior to the Ka-bah, Allah, who protects whatever is His own, shall
protect him from all their evil schemes. It is also a warning to men in all ages that "if a
man intoxicated with power comes out to defeat Allah's holy plan, he cannot prevail
against Allah, but his plan will fail and destroy him as well."

The event narrated in this surah is a miracle. It proves the sanctity of the Ka-bah and the
strong faith of Abd al Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet, in Allah. When this
chapter of the Quran was recited by the Holy Prophet before the Quraysh unbelievers no
one raised any voice to belie him.

The faith of Abd al Muttalib in the oneness of Allah is proved by his following
supplication: O Lord, there is no hope (of receiving help from any quarter) to stop them
(Abraha's army) save from You, O Lord, therefore do not let them have Your protection
because he who is the enemy of Your house is Your enemy, Verily they (the enemies
whoever they are) cannot defeat Your power.

Asahab Al Kahf

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad As Sadiq said: "In order to test the Holy Prophet the pagans
of Makka sent three men to Najran so that they might learn a few unknown episodes from
the Jew scholars and confront him with them. They returned with the story of the "seven
sleepers in the cave", and when the Holy Prophet was asked to narrate their story these
verse 18 was revealed ."

The Quran, as usual, lays stress on the moral lessons of the story, and not on the exact
identification of the persons concerned. The Holy Prophet not only told them the main
story but pointed out the variations that were current, and admonished them for disputing
about such details. The story is treated as a parable, containing spiritual lessons of the
highest value.

The ashab ul kahf (the dwellers of the cave) were seven young Christian men who lived
in Ephesus, a city on the west coast of Asia Minor. They lived in a society which was

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 Asahab al Kahf

completely idolatrous, although they themselves were believers in only one God, as the
true followers of Prophet Isa. The city in which they lived was under the rule of the
Roman emperor Decius who ruled from 249 to 251 A.D. Decius was a tyrant, and an
idol-worshipper.

All those who lived under his rule were forced to worship the idols. He issued an order
saying that any citizen who refused to worship the idols was a traitor and was condemned
to death. Soon the seven young men-the ashab ul kahf-realised that they were the only
persons left who refrained from worshipping the idols. This forced them to re-evaluate
their situation: either give in to the majority pressure to worship idols, or refuse and be
killed. None of these alternatives seemed favourable.

Man must not jeopardise his life but should take all precautions to save it because it is a
trust, and then leave the matter to the will of Allah. Therefore, they decided to leave the
city and seek refuge elsewhere, away from the reach of the tyrant emperor. So they left
the city. Outside the city, a dog named Qatmir joined them. They went towards the hills
and finally found a cave for themselves. They prayed for Allah's help, and Allah made
them sleep for about 300 years.

A party of investigators, headed by a minister of the emperor came to the cave. The
minister, who went inside the cave and found them sleeping, was a believer, so he told
the emperor that they were dead. The cave was closed and a tablet (raqim) whereon were
inscribed the names of the ashab ul kahf, their religion, and what it was from which they
fled was put upon the entrance of the cave. The cave is said to be in Damascus. Even
today the pilgrims who call upon the shrine of Bibi Zaynab, pay a visit to this cave.

They were raised up in the reign of Theodosius 11 (408 to 450 A.D.), who was a
Christian. It is written in Hastings "Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics" that the cave
was reopened when Allah suggested to Adolius, the proprietor of the field where the cave
is, to build a sheepfold for his flock; for this purpose the workmen used the stones which
closed the entrance of the cave.

The long period of 300 years seemed to the ashab ul kahf, as if only a day or two passed
by, or even less. So our ideas of time are fallacious. The Almighty Lord controls time and
space. Even an animal who associated itself with the godly servants of Allah was
rewarded. This event is an example of Allah's power to resurrect all human beings after
their death on the day of judgement.

There is another version in which it is stated that when the ashab ul kahf came out of
sleep they found the mouth of the cave closed.

One of them said: "O my Lord, once I hired a man to work for me for one full day, but
he finished the work in half a day and left without taking the payment. With the amount
payable to him I bought a calf. Soon it multiplied into a herd. It so happened that one day
he came to see me. I told him what had happened. He did not believe. I swore in Your

25
 Asahab al Kahf

name and gave the whole flock to him. I did it in Your name and for Your sake. Please
open the cave."

One third portion of the cave opened.

Another from them said: "O my Lord, a beautiful woman came to me for some food
when there was a widespread famine in our land. I desired her very much as soon as I
saw her beauty but she refused to yield to my carnal passion and went away. She came to
me again and again but every time I put the same proposal to her. At last she agreed.
When I held her in my arms I felt she was violently trembling. To my question she said
she was trembling in fear of God. I at once freed her and gave her the provision she asked
for. I did it to obtain Your pleasure. I wept and sought Your forgiveness. Now I beseech
You to open the cave."

Now the two third portion of the cave was open.

Another from them said: "O my Lord, once I brought some milk for my parents, but
found them asleep. I did not want to disturb them. So I waited beside them. The whole
night passed and my flock of sheep perished in the field as I could not attend to them. In
the morning my parents awoke and drank the milk. I did it to please You, O my l.ord; so
open the cave."

Now the whole cave lay open before them.

Whatever is stated about the ashab ul kahf is a miracle of Allah. He is able to do all
things. No one has yet found the bodies of ashab ul kahf who are said to be still sleeping.
Allah has kept them invisible as He has kept Isa, Khizr, Idris and the living Imam Al Qa-
im hidden from the sight of all people.

When the people of the town found one of the ashab ul kahf in the market who went there
to buy food they wanted to know who he was. He told them their story. They went with
him to the cave. The man went inside in advance and informed his comrades that the
emperor with his scholars is coming to see them. They fell prostrate before Allah and
prayed that the sleep might come over them again. So when the royal entourage came in
they were asleep. They decided to build a masjid over them. The act of giving recognition
to the men of God has been appreciated by the Quran. To build a masjid over the graves
of men of God or to treat the place where they are buried as a place of worship of Allah is
permissible according to verse 18:21. On this basis the tawaf of hajr of Ismail, known as
hajr al aswad, close to the Ka-bah, is obligatory during the performance of hajj.

Ayyub

Prophet Ayyub was a very prosperous man and of exemplary virtue and piety. He
suffered from a number of calamities because Allah wanted to test his faith. He lost his
family, children, cattle and servants and became a miserable destitute, yet he remained
devoted to his Lord and prayed for His grace and mercy, even though Shaytan tried to

26
 Ayyub

convince him that the misfortunes afflicted on him were because of his sins. Ayyub
became a model of humility, patience and faith in Allah. Then he was restored to
prosperity, with twice as much as he had before, and he had a new family of several
children.

Ayyub was the son-in-law of Yusuf. He had abundant wealth and many children. Then he
lost his home, his possessions, his family; and suffered from sores, but he did not lose
faith, he turned to Allah. Those lacking faith suspected that Ayyub had committed some
sin and was being punished, but those good at heart, said that he, as a prophet of Allah,
was being tested to manifest ideal patience.

Shaytan, during his sufferings, tried to make him lose confidence in the mercy of Allah.
Ayyub, in his prayer to Allah, referred to Shaytan's endeavor to disturb his faith in Him
and to the belief of vain people about his having committed some sin which had drawn
His anger.

When Shaytan failed in his every effort to strip Ayyub of his title of "the patient" he
beguiled Ayyub's wife to lead him astray. He went to her as an experienced physician and
convinced her that if she could take the sheep he had with him and sacrifice it in his
name, he would immediately be cured. Since the wife was interested in Ayyub's welfare,
she came to him and related the suggestion of the physician.

Ayyub warned his wife not to be misled by the man because he was none but Shaytan.

Shaytan came back again as a beautiful young man astride a thorough bred stallion and
told her: "I am the king of the earth, and since your husband worshipped Allah, the king
of the heavens, not me, it was I who caused the loss of your children and wealth. If, now,
you prostrate before me once, l shall make your husband well again."

She promised to do as he wanted if her husband allowed her to do so. Then Shaytan
asked her to at least persuade Ayyub not to say bismillah before eating a meal and
alhamdulillah after finishing it. Hardly had she mentioned the proposal, Ayyub was so
much disturbed at the very audacity of it that he swore forewith to punish her with
hundred stripes. Then he prayed to Allah: "Indeed an affliction has distressed me."

There is another version that once when there was no food in the house she went to get at
least a loaf of bread for Ayyub. A man attracted by her lovely hair agreed to give her
food in exchange of a bunch of her hair. She gave it to him and brought some food. In
those days hair of a woman was cut and removed if she was found guilty of fornication. It
greatly pained Ayyub to see her head without her beautiful hair. He then swore to punish
her with hundred stripes.

For fulfilment of his oath, Ayyub was directed by Allah to strike his wife one simple
blow with a palm-branch having a hundred leaves.

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 Ayyub

The prophet of Allah Ayyub used to pray for those who came to him with incurable
diseases and ailments. But when they asked him why he did not pray for himself, he said:
"I have enjoyed Allah's grace and blessing for 80 years, and it would be downright
ingratitude if now I grumble when I have been made to taste distress for some time."

In his seven years illness he never uttered a single word of remonstration or grief, but due
to the persistent pestering of Shaytan, he used to invite Allah's attention and help for
combating his evil designs.

The highest example of patience and fortitude to demonstrate total submission to the will
of Allah was set forth by the grandsons of the Holy Prophet, Imam Husayn bin Ali in
Karbala and Imam Ali bin Husayn Zayn al Abidin in Kufa and Damascus. They were the
true inheritors of the Holy Prophet in whom all the virtues of all the prophets of Allah
had been deposited by Allah in the highest degree.

Ayyub was commanded by Allah to strike at a rock from which two springs of hot and
cold water gushed forth. Hot water was to wash his body to get rid of all physical
ailments and cold water to drink and refresh his spirits.

BackBiting
The habit of fault finding and backbiting has become so common that even the feeling of
its evilness has disappeared. And at present neither the high avoid it nor the low; neither
the high position of the pulpit prevents it nor the sacredness of the mosque. Whenever a
few companions sit together their topic of conversation and engaging interest is just to
discuss the faults of their opponents with added colourisation, and to listen to them
attentively. Although the fault finder is himself involved in the faults which he picks up
in others, yet he does not like that his own faults should be exposed. In such a case, he
should have consideration for similar feelings in others and should avoid searching for
their faults and hurting their feelings. He should act after the proverb: "Do not do unto
others what you do not want others to do unto you."

Backbiting is defined as the exposure of the fault of a brother-in-faith with the intent to
vilify him in such a way as to irritate him, whether it be by speaking, acting, implication
or suggestion. Some people take backbiting to cover only that which is false or contrary
to fact. According to them to relate what was seen or heard, exactly as it was, is not
backbiting, and they say that they are not backbiting but only relating exactly what they
saw or heard. But in fact backbiting is the name of this very relating of the facts, because
if it is not factually correct it would be false accusation and wrong blame.

It is related about the Prophet that he said: "Do you know what backbiting is?" People
said, "Allah and His Prophet know better." Then he said, "Backbiting means that you say
about your brother a thing which pains him." Someone said, "But what if I say what is
actually true about him?" The Prophet replied, "It is backbiting only when it is factually
true, otherwise you would be accusing him falsely."

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 BackBiting

There are many causes for indulging in backbiting, and because of this a man commits it
sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali has recounted
these causes in detail in his book Ihya' `ulumu'd-din. A few of the important ones are:
1. To make fun of anyone or to make him appear abased.
2. To make people laugh and to display one's own jolliness and high spiritedness.
3. Expressing one's feelings under the influence of rage and anger.
4. To establish one's feelings under the influence of rage and anger.
5. To disprove one's connection or involvement in a matter; namely that a particular evil
was not committed by oneself but by someone else.
6. To associate oneself with some group when in their company in order to avoid
strangeness with them.
7. To belittle a person from whom it is feared that he will expose some fault of one's.
8. To defeat a competitor in the same calling.
9. To seek position in the audience of someone in power.
10. To express sorrow by saying it is sad that so-and-so has fallen in such and such a sin.
11. To express astonishment, for example, to say it is wonderful that so and so has done
this.
12. To name the committer of an act when expressing anger over it.

However, in some cases fault finding or criticising does not fall under backbiting.
1. If the oppressed complains of the oppressor in order to seek redress, it is not
backbiting. Allah says about it: Loveth not Allah open utterance of evil in speech except
by one who hath been wronged.. (Qur'an, 4:148)
2. To relate anyone's fault while giving advice is not backbiting because dishonesty and
duplicity is not permissible in counselling.
3. If in connection with seeking the requirements of a religious commandment the
naming of a particular individual cannot be avoided, then to state the fault of such person
to the extent necessary would not be backbiting.
4. To relate the misappropriation or dishonesty committed by someone with a view to
saving a Muslim brother from harm would not be backbiting.
5. To relate the fault of someone before one who can prevent him from committing it is
not backbiting.
6. Criticism and expression of opinion about a relater of traditions is not backbiting.
7. If a person is well acquainted with someone's shortcoming, then to relate such a fault
in order to define his personality, for example, describing a deaf, dumb, lame or handless
person as thus, is not backbiting.
8. To describe any fault of a patient before a physician for purposes of treatment is not
backbiting.
9. If someone claims wrong lineage then to expose his correct lineage is not backbiting.
10. If the life, property or honour of someone can be protected only by informing him of
some fault, it would not be backbiting.
11. If two persons discuss a fault of another which is already known to both it would not
be backbiting, although to avoid iscussing it is better, since it is possible one of the two
might have forgotten it.

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 BackBiting

12. To expose the evils of one who openly commits evils is not back-biting as the
tradition runs: "There is no backbiting in the case of he who has torn away the veil of
shamefulness."

Bada and Naskh

Naskh, as a Quranic term, means substitution of one current law by another. It is called
bada if the substitution is in the law of creation, and naskh if it is in the law of legislation.

Substitution has been effected in "creation" as well as in "legislation". The sudden

changes in the course of creation, caused by the supreme will of Allah, a factor
apparently incomprehensible for the human intellect, are known as miracles - like the
birth of Adam and Isa, and the extraordinary performances carried out by the prophets
and divinely chosen representatives of Allah. These miracles cannot be taken as effects
without any cause, but are caused by a factor inconceivable by the human intellect. The
effect of the creature's prayer in the course of providence is also based on the
phenomenon of bada. These types of activities on the part of the creatures are a reaction
to the divine action. They are governed by the possibility of bada, provided there is no
contradiction. For example the "creation of a self-existing being" is a self-contradictory
idea. Allah alone is the self-existing creator, and what He creates cannot be self-existing.
The term "creation" itself suggests that it is not self-existing but was created whereas the
term "self-existing" means that it was not created by anyone. Another example is of an
"even number". It is impossible to stop it from being divided into two equal whole
numbers. In view of the infinite power, possibilities and potentialities at the command of
Allah it has been believed and accepted that every known operation in the creation can be
changed, substituted or abrogated by His supreme will or action. The human knowledge
may not comprehend the use of that which has happened and that which will happen, in
the sphere of bada. It must be kept in mind that there can be no limitation to the power
and ability of Allah. Imam Ali ibna Abi Talib says: "Allah has effected changes (bada)
and will also effect many changes in the operation (system) of the universe."

Change {Naskh) in the "legislation" became necessary due to the gradual development of
the human society. Though the spirit might have been the same but the laws and
teachings for mankind in a developed society had to be other than what they were in the
primitive age. The conditions and circumstances of a particular age do not appear again.
There are teachings, applicable in every age, but they, keeping the essential spirit intact,
take to new forms till they reach the final stage. From Adam to Muhammad, the divinely
appointed teachers took into consideration the receptive capacity of the people. For
example prophet Isa, knowing the limitations of his people, put off the delivery of the
final message and asked them to wait for the promised prophet.

The divine order "to do" or "not to do" a thing is based upon reason - alms should be
given for helping the poor; or liquor is prohibited in order to avoid its ill-effects. The
justifying reason is in the thing ordered to be done or not to be done.

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 Bada and Naskh

Sometimes the justifying reason is in the order itself. This is true of the orders issued
merely as a test of the obedience of the believers. For example, the change in the
direction of Qiblah was made (Baqarah: 149) to test the obedience of the believers; or
when prophet Ibrahim was asked to sacrifice his son

In the first category naskh takes place only when the substitution is necessary in view of
the new development. In the second category change is made, without making less its
scope and intensity, so that it may fully serve the purpose of the trial. Through naskh as
well as bada the withdrawal of the previous procedure or legislation is made known. If
the time-limit has already been prescribed for any law or procedure then the term naskh
or bada cannot be used. Every aspect of the creation or the legislation, together with their
possible manifestations, are known to the creator. Naskh or bada (substitution) cannot be
attributed to Allah's ignorance or change of mind. These terms are used in relation to the
creatures' knowledge of the divine will. Some orders or processes carry the restriction of
the period of validity at the time of their revelation in which case the term bada or naskh
cannot be applied. Sometimes it manifests afterwards. In both cases of naskh and bada,
the change or substitution means notification of the discontinuation of the procedure or
legislation which was in force. In connection with the events of creation or the
procedures of legislation the prophets of Allah, now and then, received definite
revelations about the taking place of an event, with its details, without any possibility of
any change; and at times the nature of the predictions of the consequences of an act was
indefinite, which, subject to conditions, could be changed. When the development
reaches the ultimate stage, as verse 115 of al An-am says, there is no changing in His
words.

In the gradual revelation of the laws to the Holy Prophet, no abrogation of any portion of
the Quran has been effected. It is generally believed that some Quranic laws, had been
abrogated by its own verses, or by the sayings of the Holy Prophet; a list of which has
been prepared by the jurists and the commentators, but the context of the traditions, in
view of the external evidence, has been, with ulterior motives, twisted and misapplied. A
careful study of the Quran with a thorough knowledge of the conclusively proved laws of
the faith, passed on to us by the Holy Ahl ul Bayt, the divinely chosen purified custodians
of the word of Allah, makes clear the view and proves that there are very few, not
exceeding five, abrogations; and even those cannot be described as real or actual naskh.

Badr, The Battle Of

The Holy Prophet learnt that a caravan of the Quraysh laden with merchandise, under
Abu Sufyan, was coming from Syria. Abu Sufyan sent a message to Abu Jahl that the
Muslims were planning to attack his caravan in order to seize the merchandise he was
bringing from Syria.

In addition to the decision the Holy Prophet took (not to attack the caravan and take
possession of the rich booty but to fight against the Quraysh army), the other facts which
clearly show that it was the pagans of Makka who took the initiative to attack the
Muslims are: the 13 days distance between Makka and Madina-the Muslim travelled 3

31
 Badr, The Battle Of

days to meet the pagans of Makka at Badr, who had already left Makka 10 days before
with full readiness to destroy the Muslims; and the material as well as the mental
condition of the Muslims who were so unprepared for such an encounter that they saw
nothing but death waiting for them.

The Holy Prophet, as guided by Allah, decided to leave the caravan and march out boldly
against the well-armed and well equipped Quraysh army coming from Makka under the
command of Abu Jahl in order to destroy the Muslims in Madina, even though some of
the very close companions opposed this policy. There was a party which was not
wholeheartedly submissive to the divine order, but Sad bin Ma-adh and Miqdad said:
"We will do as the Holy Prophet commands."

The prophet had 2 alternatives, the merchandise of the caravan or to face the Makkan
army in self-defence. Some of the companions desired to capture the caravan with
merchandise guarded by only 40 unarmed men, instead of confronting the strong army of
1000 fully equipped warriors, but the Lord willed otherwise. He desired to put to test
their faith and cut off the roots of the infidels.

The Muslim army, wearied with its long march needed a refreshing rest, therefore the
Lord arranged it for them. It rained during the night, rendering the hard soil on which the
pagans were moving heavy and fatiguing, and making the soft sand which the Muslims
had to cross hard and more firm to walk upon. The "pollution of Shaytan" refers to his
evil suggestions that had Allah willed to assist them they would not face such distress and
hardship. The rain which fell in the night formed a little pool of water to be used for
necessary purification.

The Quraysh army, full of zeal and fury, advanced to annihilate from the face of the earth
the meagre band of 313 ill-fed and poorly equipped Muslims. The Holy Prophet met the
advancing army of Quraysh at Badr situated at a three day's journey from Madina.

It is said that on the eve of the departure for the battle of Badr, Shaytan in the guise of the
chief of Bani Kananah assured Abu Jahl that he would certainly prevail over the Holy
Prophet but when he saw the angels descending from heaven ran away from the scene of
the battle, forsaking Abu Jahl and his comrades to defeat and disgrace. The fate of the
seducer and the seduced is the same-burning in the fire for ever.

Those who were averse to fighting were not convinced that it was a wise or prudent
decision, therefore, they felt as if they were being driven to death while death was staring
them in the face. They were frightened and perturbed. It was the first trial Muslims were
put to in order to prove their faith in the truth. It was also a clear proof that the Holy
Prophet was the true messenger of Allah, because unless it was so he would have not
risked total annihilation of the handful of Muslims, certain to take place if Allah had not
assured him that they would win the battle. By Allah's help they won a splendid victory
and the standard of truth was established, never to be lowered again.

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 Badr, The Battle Of

Hamza, Ubaydah and Ali were sent by the Holy Prophet to fight against Utbah, Shaybah
and Walid in single combat. Ali and Hamza killed all the three combatants but Ubaydah
was seriously wounded and succumbed to his injuries. He is the first martyr. Then the
general combat began. Ali and Hamza destroyed the army of Quraysh beyond recovery.
They ran away to Makka.

To help the Muslims Allah instilled terror into the hearts of the infidels in order to
destroy their morale and sent angels to fight the foe along side the believers, so that the
power base of the polytheism could be destroyed, otherwise, as always, they would
oppose the religion of Allah and His Prophet. Thereafter whosoever opposes Allah and
His Prophet shall be severely punished.

It was (the hand of) Allah who in fact always destroyed the enemies of Allah and his
prophet in the battles the Holy Prophet fought. The unexpected victory over the enemy
was a gift of Allah. Although Allah takes for Himself the full credit for the defeat of the
enemy but does not exclude the agency of His loyal and faithful agents whose every
action is ascribed to Allah Himself. The throwing of the dust by the Holy Prophet was a
reaction to His will.

Badr was a camping ground and market, about twenty miles south-west of Madina.
Hamza and Ali were the heros of the battle of Badr, which was of the greatest importance
for the spread of Islam. On the hands of Hamza and Ali, under the command of the Holy
Prophet, Islam had won its first and decisive military victory.

Allah had reinforced the Muslims with three thousand angels, a heavenly aid given to the
Holy Prophet, not actually to fight the enemy but to increase the very small group of men
he had with him so that the Muslims could muster courage; and the enemy might be
frightened at the sight of a large assemblage. It was Allah alone, not the angels, who
really caused victory through the valour of Ali and Hamza which brought the enemy to
their knees.

The Muslim were poor in numbers, mounts and armour. The spirit of discipline and
contempt of death manifested by the heroes of Badr (mentioned above), evident in all the
battles the Holy Prophet fought, was due to their total reliance on Allah with whom they
always took refuge and unto whom they always turned thankful.

Seventy of the chosen chiefs of the Quraysh were slain and seventy others were taken
captive, a complete rout, through Ali (yadullah-hand of Allah) after which, broken, in
utter despair they went back to their homes.

In the battle of Badr 313 Muslims were set to fight 1000 pagans, more than threefold
their number, but by Allah's will, the army of the believers, fighting in the way of Allah
saw the disbelieving host as twice their number, as has been made known to them in
verses 44 and 66 of al Anfal.

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 Badr, The Battle Of

The battle of Badr was indeed a turning point in the mission of the Holy Prophet. It was a
decisive victory. The slain on the enemy's side included many of his most influential
opponents. Who made this promised victory possible? Ibna Kathir has written that on the
day of the battle of Badr, the Holy Prophet gave the standard to his twenty years old
brother, Ali ibna abi Talib. Tabari and other historians have said that Ali and Hamza were
the only two warriors who not only killed the well-known warriors of the enemy in single
combats but also destroyed the enemy's fighting force beyond recovery.

On the division of booty at Badr a garment was found missing. Some companions
remarked that it might have been taken away privately by the Holy Prophet himself. The
Holy Prophet has been exalted by Allah to the highest pinnacles of honour and glory,
therefore those who wrongly try to blacken the fair name of the Holy Prophet shall be
punished on the day of reckoning.

It is reported that the Quraysh of Makka and Abu Jahl had prayed for victory for those
who were on the side of justice. They were confident that their superior numbers,
equipment and experience would be decisive at Badr, but they were completely routed. It
was the judgement of Allah. The infidels have been reminded to desist from mischief
making and accept the true faith. Their superiority in men and material would be of no
avail to them because Allah is with the believers.

It is a warning to those who participated in the battle of Badr that the promise made in the
preceding verses (Allah is with the believers) will not save them from punishment if they
ever turn away from the Holy Prophet and his commands, because as soon as any one
turns away from the Holy Prophet he becomes a disbeliever or a hypocrite.

Balam

It is said that "The news of the man whom We gave Our signs" refers to Balam, in the
days of Firawn, who knew the ism al azam. Firawn asked him to pray for Musa's arrest.
He agreed and sat on his donkey to go to a particular place to recite the ism al azam for
Musa's arrest, but the donkey did not budge. He beat the animal to its death. Then he
realised that he had totally forgotten the ism al azam. He died as an infidel.

Some commentators think the narrative relates to Balam. Some think the person referred
here is Umayya ibn Abu Salt who read the old scriptures and knew that Allah would send
a prophet about that time, but when the promised prophet, the Holy Prophet did arrive, he
refused to acknowledge him. Some think it relates to Amru ibn Numan ibn Sayfi, an
ascetic, who believed in the creed of Ibrahim but mixed it with the false beliefs of
Christian monks, and when he was censured by the Holy Prophet, he turned against him.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "Though it relates to Balam, but Allah intends to
set an example for those who receive true guidance from Allah, yet prefer to act
according to their own desires in order to lay hands on the worldly gains."

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 Bani Israel

Bani Israil

Is-haq's other name was Israil, hence the children of Is-haq are referred to as the children
of Israil. They enjoyed the promised blessings of Allah as long as they deserved it, but,
when, on account of their ungodly ways, they fell from grace, they did not stop Allah's
plan, and the responsibility of keeping alive the guidance from Allah was transferred to
the children of Ismail after prophet Isa who was the last prophet in the progeny of Is-haq.

The Bani Israil were Allah's chosen people. It was His favour that they were graced with
many prophets. There were more prophets among them than the rest of the people of the
world put together. Allah saved them from the merciless persecution of the Fir-awns and
provided them with heavenly bounties, but instead of making use of the guidance and the
blessings to reach a higher spiritual level they fell into the degradation of depravity and
disbelief.

Bismillah
The Holy Prophet said: There is no prayer (salat) without al Fatihah, and bismillahir
rahmanir rahim is one of its verses. The Ahl ul Bayt (the thoroughly purified members of
the family of the Holy Prophet), and the scholars, who follow their teachings, time and
again, had verified this saying of the Holy Prophet.

Abu Hanifa, founder of the Hanafi school, gave permission to his followers to recite
bismillahir rahmanir rahim quietly, with al Fatihah, in prayers, because the Holy Prophet
used to recite al Fatihah with bismillahir rahmanir rahim in his prayers, yet in his (Abu
Hanifa's) opinion it was not a part of the surah. There are some scholars who admit that al
Fatihah consists of seven verses but to insist on their misconceived notion that bismillahir
rahmanir rahim is not included in it they split the last verse into two separate verses,
although the meaning and the construction of the verse does not justify it.

According to the Holy Prophet any deed begun without reciting bismillah goes bad and
lacks effectiveness. As al salat is known as the best deed (khayrul amal) and al Fatihah is
the inaugurator of the book it is logical that bismillahir rahmanir rahim is the first verse
of al Fatihah.

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim, in addition to al Fatihah, is also the part of al Naml: Verily, it
is from Sulayman; and it is 'In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful'. This is the
beginning of the letter prophet Sulayman wrote to the queen of Shiba.

To start any good deed with "(I begin) in the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful"
means a supplication unto Allah for successful completion of the work. It also means that
the supplicant undertakes the job in the name of and on behalf of Allah to serve the good
in the work as well as achieve his own legitimate purpose. In other words he dedicates his
life to Allah and employs his self-interest-oriented activity in the service of overall
goodness. He admits his helplessness and relies on the truth that ability to make any work
fruitful is exclusively with Allah, and with no one else. By invoking Allah in the name of

35
 Bismillah

His beneficence and mercy he prays for His aid to achieve success in his undertaking. It
is quite logical to believe that the divine beneficence and mercy would bless such a
faithful. It does.

It is a fact that nothing exists or takes effect outside the course of Allah's will. The will of
Allah governs the scope of every activity but does not determine the desires and methods
of any created being. Anything that happens or exists without seeking Allah's pleasure, is
covered by the will of Allah, but is not blessed with His grace. Should an individual
begin any work without saying bismillah, it may be completed but without earning the
divine pleasure. The desires and actions of an individual shall be blessed only when he
surrenders them to Allah's pleasure. The Holy Prophet has made it known that anything
done without invoking the divine grace by reciting bismillah is not approved by Allah.

As said earlier anyone can begin any work, without invoking Allah with bismillah, and it
will be executed, if the divine will allows it. However, in this event, it does not earn the
divine pleasure, but on the contrary is liable to be punished according to the degree of
evil involved, the intention of the individual, the nature and the effect of the work. Even
if it is not evil in its nature, disciplinary action can be taken because the individual has
relied upon his ability and will which is as bad as setting oneself against the almighty
Lord.

In starting a work in the name of Allah, the reciter demonstrates the undernoted aspects
of fundamental importance :

1. Acknowledgement of the supreme being as his Lord master.

2. Confession of his own helplessness.
3. Belief in Allah as the ever-living and all-knowing - almighty.
4. Reliance on the supreme being, seeking His pleasure and mercy, and invoking Him
with His mercy-invoking attributes.
5. Conviction at heart and confidence that if called, the beneficent and the merciful Allah
will certainly not deny him His mercy.

The words of bismillah i.e., in the name of Allah, have wide and discernible implications.
The words may mean not only 'in the name of' but also:

1. For the sake of

2. To the service of

One of the many unique features and distinguishing factors about the originality of Islam
is bismillah which was never before used by or known to any of the other corrupted or
falsified creeds of the world.

The Holy Prophet and the holy Imams have enjoined to say bismillah before eating, and
to say Alhamdulillah after eating. In this way eating, an act of unification at the physical
level, becomes a function of devotion. The state of gratitude to Allah is bound to increase
love for Allah, and thus increases the quality of worship and devotion.

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 Charity

Charity
To attach strings to charity, or to make it known, or to reproach the overly solicitous
seeker of help, is an exercise in futility and renders the charity useless.

It is well if one gives alms openly to set an example for others to follow suit. Extra and
hidden giving in compliance with the Holy Prophet's advice "one hand knows not what
the other gives", is more noble because it protects from the danger of vanity. This verse
sanctions both the modes of spending in the way of Allah - open and secret, because
Allah is aware of the intentions and the motives of the givers. He gives in return an
appropriate recompense in both the cases.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq says: Hidden charity appeases the wrath of Allah,
does away with the sins as the water puts out the fire, and keeps away several
misfortunes.

Alms should be given to those who are devotedly absorbed in the service of Allah. We
can recognise them by the light of contentment and positive acceptance of their mission
on their faces. They do not solicit charity, but live from hand to mouth. By stating that
only those poor who abstain from begging deserve charity, the Quran, indirectly,
condemns professional beggary.

Convenant, The
The wrongdoers (fasiqin), break the covenant of Allah (yanquduna ahadallah), and cut
asunder that which Allah has commanded to join (yaqtuna ma amarallah), and make
mischief to destroy peace and harmony in human society.

Which covenant? Every soul, before coming into this world, makes a promise with the
Lord that it will exist only to fulfil the will of the Lord, and never shall rebel against His
authority, known as the original or the latent covenant. The second or the manifest
covenant is that which an individual agrees to be bound by when he or she embraces
Islam, which, in fact, is a surrender of the self to the will of Allah.

Those who break the covenant made with Allah and His Holy Prophet will have no share
in the rewards to be given on the day of judgement; nor will Allah speak to them or look
at them (pay attention to their repentance), nor will He purify them-a grievous
punishment awaits them which will torment them for ever.

It is stated that to break the covenant of Allah is like the foolish act of a woman who uses
labour and skill to spin good and strong yarn and then untwist its constituent strands and
break them into loose pieces.

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 Creation Of The Heavens And The Earth

Creation Of The Heavens And Earth

In Arabic language, according to Lisanul kitab, sab-a is used (in addition to denote
number seven) to say seven or more, several or many. Therefore, the seven heavens
mentioned may mean a large number of heavens.

According verses 9 to 12 of Ha Mim and verses 27 to 32 of Nazi-at the development of

the earth and its resources had taken place before the arrangement and organisation of the
heavens. Verses 30 to 33 of Anbiya say that the heavens and the earth were an integrated
mass, but had been separated by splitting. The creation of the heavens and the earth was
simultaneous, but the development of earth took place before the grouping of the
heavens. Verse 30 describes another development after the arrival of Adam.

Dawat Al Ashira
When the verse "And warn your tribe of near relatives" was revealed, the Holy Prophet
asked Ali to invite the tribe of his near relatives at the house of Abu Talib.

Before the leaders of the Quraysh, like Isa, he said: "O kinsmen! By Allah, I and I alone
can offer you the most precious of gifts, the good of this world and of the hereafter. Allah
has commanded me to call you to that which is the best-His worship. I, therefore, call
upon you to come forward and testify to my prophethood. Who among you will help me
and join me in my task, and be my brother, my lieutenant, my vicegerent and my
successor?"

Ali was the only person who came forward in response to the call of the Holy Prophet.

Then and there the Holy Prophet declared: "Verily Ali is my brother, my vicegerent and
my successor. From this day it has been made obligatory upon every one to obey the
superior authority of Ali."

Dawood

After Musa several prophets were sent to maintain his law (Tawrat), but as time passed,
people started neglecting the law and took to idolatry. Ultimately a time came when the
Jews had no prophet to guide them. In those days their enemies from the tribe of Jalut had
captured all the land on the Mediterranean including Egypt and Palestine. They killed 440
princes and noblemen of Bani Israil and enslaved them. The Bani Israil prayed to Allah
for a prophet. Allah appointed Samuel as their prophet. They asked Samuel to choose a
king for them. Samuel warned them about what the kings would do, but they refused to
listen to him.

Samuel again warned them that they might not fight even if fighting was ordained for
them. And when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except for a few of
them.

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 Dawood

Samuel said to the Jews that Allah had raised Talut (Saul) to be a king over them.
According to 1 Samuel 10: 23 he was a head taller than anyone else. There was no one
like him in the nation of Jews. He was called Talut on account of his height and strength.
The people despised Talut's kingship because he did not have wealth, which they had in
abundance.

The reaction of the people to the divine appointment of the executor can be favourable or
unfavourable. The Jews did not like the appointment of Talut as a king.

The tabut which Talut possessed (3 yards X 2 yards) was a holy ark or chest which
contained divine signs, understood by the prophets of Allah only. It was so divinely
blessed that whenever carried by the Jews into the battlefield, the enemy invariably ran
away. It was passed on from one prophet to another, and had miraculous properties. It is
reported to contain the garments of Musa, the turban of Harun and some sacred relics. It
was brought back from Shiloh to help the Jews in the war against the Philistines.

Talut tests his men by means of the river (saying: whoever then drinks from it, he is not
of me, and whoever does not taste of it, he is certainly of me, except he who takes as
much of it as fills his hand), but only a few of them are found faithful. It must be noted
that although the men with Talut were aware of their weakness against Jalut, they did not
desert him, but history is a witness to the fact that some of the companions of the Holy
Prophet not only ran away from the battlefield (Uhad) but also advised their comrades to
return to their former state of idolatry, because they loudly announced that the Holy
Prophet had been killed.

An account of the formidable strength of the mighty forces of Jalut is given in 1 Samuel
17: 4 to 11. Dawud killed Jalut in single combat. The Philistines, when they saw that their
hero was dead, turned and ran. In the battle fought between the Jews and the Philistines
the enemy ran away when Dawud killed Jalut; in like manner the whole army of infidels
of Makka left the battlefield in chaos and confusion when Ali killed Amr, completely
routed and annihilated. These two events are meaningfully connected because perhaps
there is no other battle where an army of a large number of fighting men left the
battlefield when only one warrior was killed. And Allah gave him (the conquering
warrior) kingdom and wisdom. Since kingdom belongs to Allah, He grants it to whom he
likes, on merit after test and trial, to exercise divine authority on His behalf. It was given
to Dawud. It was given to Ali (as imamat).

It is stated in Minhaj al Sadiqin that prophet Dawud had nineteen sons, and every one of
them wanted to inherit his father's kingdom. Allah sent Dawud nine questions with
answers and asked him to appoint the son who gives the correct answers as his successor.

1.Which is the nearest thing? Hereafter.

2. Which is the farthest thing? Time passed away
3. What phenomenon manifests love? Body with soul.
4. What phenomenon manifests dread? Body without soul.
5. Which things remain the same? Sky and earth.

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 Dawood

6. Which things ever remain different? Day and night.

7. Which things are opposed to each other. Life and death.
8. What ends in - goodness? Patience and forbearance at the time of anger.
9. What ends in evil? Haste at the time of anger

None save Sulayman, the youngest son, gave the correct answers, so he was made the
heir of Dawud.

Dawud had been gifted with an enchanting melodious voice, and whenever he sang the
glory of Allah the mountains around him would echo his praise, and the birds would join
him in chorus. Allah made iron, one of the hardest metals, soft and pliant in his hands, so
that without heating the metal he was able to manufacture coats of mail. It is said that
Dawud was the first to manufacture coats of mail. As a prophet of Allah he only
manufactured armour which is the means of defence, and not swords, which are the
implements of aggression.

Dawud was an impartial and just ruler. He used to ask everyone he met what they thought
of him as a ruler. If anyone had been wronged he would arrange the necessary redress.
Once when Dawud was passing a street of his town at midnight, he met an angel, sent by
Allah, in the form of a man. He asked the angel his usual question, and the angel replied
that the ruler was alright, except for the fact that he took his own sustenance from the
public funds. On hearing this Dawud wept for forty days, and prayed to Allah to teach
him some profession. It was then that Allah, in His mercy, made iron soft and pliant like
wax in Dawud's hands, and inspired him with the art of manufacturing coats of mail, and
the other articles of defence. Dawud was therefore able to sell the articles and live upon
his own earnings.

One day two men of Bani Israil came to Dawud disputing the ownership of a cow.
Dawud demanded witnesses from the plaintiff but he could not produce any, at which he
asked them to come next day. At night, in dream, Dawud was commanded to kill the
defendant, but since there was no proof he did not carry out the order at once.

Dawud had this dream for 3 continuous nights and finally ordered the defendant to be
executed. The defendant pleaded, asking the grounds on which this sentence was passed.
Dawud replied that he had been commanded by Allah through dreams for 3 nights. When
the defendant was sure of his death, he finally confessed that he had killed the plaintiff's
father and taken possession of the cow. Then, the people, discouraged by the true visions
of Dawud, gave up frauds, unfair dealings and evil intrigues and became law abiding
citizens. Thus the authority of Dawud in his kingdom was firmly established by Allah.

Dawud's brother Uriya obtained permission from the guardians of a girl, whom he loved,
to marry her, but at the last moment the guardians broke their word. Then Dawud sent his
own proposal and her guardians, impressed by Dawud's position as king, gave her hand
to him in marriage. Dawud already had 99 wives. She became his hundredth wife.

40
 Dawood

Uriya was disappointed. He thought that Dawud should have used his influence to
convince the girl's guardians in his favour. What Dawud did was not a sin, but in the
opinion of Uriya, Dawud, as a brother and also as the king, could have given preference
to him.

Allah sent two angels in human form to Dawud. They were not allowed to enter his
private chamber where he used to retire for his devotional prayers. They climbed over a
wall, entered his private chamber and said that they had come to seek redress at his
hands.

One of them said: "This my brother has a flock of 99 sheep, and I had but one; yet he
wants me to give up my one sheep to his keeping. He talks like one intending mischief."
Without giving a chance to the other who also came to him as a contender Dawud
decreed his demand unjust. The two angels disappeared as mysteriously as they had
come. It was then realised by Dawud that it was a trial. In self-complacence he passed the
judgement before listening to the defendant. As soon as it became evident to him, he
turned to Allah in repentance.

According to Imam Ali who so casts aspersion on Dawud on account of his marrying the
girl betrothed to his brother must be condemned because every prophet of Allah is free
from emotional weaknesses and sinful desires; particularly if the accuser is a Muslim the
doubt amounts to blasphemy.

The Biblical passages about Dawud are mere chroniques scandaleuses-narrative of

scandalous crimes of the grossest character. The Quranic idea of Dawud is that of a just
and upright prophet, endowed with all the virtues, in whom even the least thought of self-
elation has to be washed off by repentance.

A colossal musjid is said to be one of the structures erected by both men and jinn. It is
said that Allah revealed knowledge to Dawud, saying: "I had covenanted with your father
(ancestor) Ibrahim that I would bless his seed, (see Baqarah: 124) and multiply it, and
make it a great nation, for he (Ibrahim) had offered the sacrifice of his son at My
command. I have fulfilled my promise to him, but his seed has turned ungrateful to My
grace and bounties and I shall send a chastisement on them." Allah then afflicted them
with a plague, which was withdrawn when Dawud invoked Allah to spare them. Allah
said: O Dawud, tell my servants to offer their gratitude for the prayer I answered, by
building a masjid where your progeny and other future generations may also pray to Me."
The construction of the masjid was commenced and the righteous Israelites and Dawud
himself laboured to build it, carrying heavy stones and mud on their backs. When the
walls of the masjid rose to a man's height, Dawud was informed by Allah that his share in
the building of the masjid was complete, because the remaining work had been
designated to his son Sulayman. Dawud died in the one hundred and fortieth year of his
age and Sulayman succeeded his father to the throne in the thirteenth year of his age, and
completed the construction of the masjid.

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 Death

Death

No one can die unless Allah dispenses, or his appointed term expires. Death shall come
neither before nor after that time. It is not possible to delay death by keeping away from
battle. Verse 8 of al Jumu-ah also confirms this fact.

Everything, beside Allah, will know the taste of death. Nothing, save Allah, is permanent
in its existence. This awareness of certain death makes man do good and avoid evil, so as
to prepare himself for the inevitable day of reckoning, because the life of this world is a
merchandise of vanity-deceptive, unreal, insubstantial, as compared with the everlasting
hereafter.

Imam Ali ibn abi Talib has said that in the agony of death every man remembers his
wealth, children and deeds to seek help from them, but his wealth cannot do more than
buying a shroud for him, his children will only take him to the graveyard and put him in
the grave, but his deeds, good and bad, will accompany him to his ultimate destination-
the day of reckoning.

After death those who lived in this world like the goodly tree will live in peace and bliss
while those who lived like the evil tree will suffer untold miseries till the day of
resurrection and eternal punishment after the day of judgement.

Imam Ali said: "There is nothing greater in certainty than death."

Whosoever is in error, Allah prolongs his span of life as much as He likes because the
respite does not give him any advantage until he sees that which has been promised,
either the chastisement in this world or the hour of doom (resurrection). Then he will
know who is worst in position and weakest in forces. The phrase fal yamdud (shall
prolong) appears to be imperative. The real sense is "let him do", a challenge, but actually
it is a conditional clause meaning "even if Allah prolongs". There is no promise of
prolonging the life span of those who are in error. Verse 96 of al Baqarah throws light on
the actual meaning of this verse which is "whosoever is in error Allah shall allow him
sufficient respite."

Barzakh means a partition, a barrier-the place or state in which people will be after death
and before the day of resurrection. The condition and the state of barzakh has not been
described. What the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt have said about this interval or
intermediary state should only be accepted as true.

In verse 61 of Anam also it is said that the angel of death will take every man's soul. In
verse 42 of Zumar it is said that Allah takes the souls at the time of death. It indicates that
whatever is done is the effect of His Will. The angel of death carries out His will.

Imam Ali said: "On which day (can) I run away from death? The day which is decreed
(or) the day which is not decreed!"

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 Death

The souls of the wicked are averse to part with their body at death, but their choice will
not count. The angel of death will drag forth their souls vehemently. In contrast to the
wicked, the souls of the righteous will be drawn out gently to their new life. They are
always ready for it. For them death is a release from the temptations of this world. They
welcome the approach of the day of judgement.

Debt

Everything in the religion of Islam points to clarity and certainty. Therefore, all contracts
of debt should be recorded. It is incumbent upon a Muslim to act as mediator, witness, or
scribe when called upon to do so. All the parties to a contract of debt should safeguard
themselves with full awareness of Allah's laws, a reminder which has been repeated twice
in this verse, because Allah knows all things and what He teaches us is for our own good
in the larger interest of human society. If we do not follow His guidance then surely we
transgress. The laws prescribed in this verse develop and maintain a progressive, welfare-
oriented, civilised social order.

Every contract of debt should be written down by a scribe with fairness. He who owes the
debt should dictate without diminishing anything. If he is unsound or weak in
understanding then his guardian should dictate with fairness. Two witnesses should be
chosen to witness the written contract. If there are not two men, then one man and two
women must be called in to witness, so that if one woman errs, the second may remind
the other.

If the transaction is for ready merchandise which is given and taken from hand to hand,
then there is no blame on any party in not writing it down.

This Quran enjoins to take collateral if a proper document of agreement cannot be written
down, and the parties do not trust each other.

If the debtor is in crisis, the demand for repayment should be postponed till he is in a
better situation. The helpless poor must not be prosecuted and harassed. It is better, in
such cases, if one can, to postpone demanding payment forever, because one is only here
for a short while.

The Holy Prophet said: He who grants a respite to his debtor, or gives up a part or the
whole of the principal (given to him in cash or kind), will be allowed to take refuge with
Allah on the day when there will be no shelter.

During the period of postponement, the repayable debt will be treated as charity given by
the lender to the debtor, till it is repaid.

Zarara came to Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq and informed him that one of
Zarara's debtors was selling his house to repay his debt. The Imam said: "O Zarara! In the
name of merciful Lord I direct you not to render him shelterless."

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 Debt

Islam instructs the creditors to give respite and remission to the debtors and warns the
debtors not to avoid repayment if they own sufficient means. It is reported that once a
corpse was brought into the masjid for the final rites. The Holy Prophet refused to
conduct the funeral prayer because the deceased had sufficient means at his disposal but
did not repay his debt. Then and there Abu Qatadah paid the full amount on behalf of the
deceased, after which the Holy Prophet prayed his funeral prayer. The Holy Prophet
made it known that Allah dislikes those who neither repay their debts before death
overcome them nor leave behind anything to meet their commitment of repayment on
their behalf.

Qardan hasanan, a goodly loan, is given without any consideration for its repayment, or
time of repayment. In fact, it is completely forgotten as soon as it is given. The rewards
of a goodly loan, offered to Allah to seek His pleasure only, are manifold. It brings about
echoes of the goodness of the creator. The return from the merciful Lord corresponds to
the purity and sincerity of the intention of the lender. This goodly loan, also refers to the
spending in the way of Allah and striving in the cause of Allah. To restrict or increase the
means of subsistence is exclusively in the hands of Allah.

Edibles

To determine what food is lawful or unlawful is a very intricate procedure. The

injunction is to eat all that is suitable and good, and avoid causes of harm based on the
satanic pattern. Unlawful are not only those things which Allah prohibits but even
unforbidden things acquired unlawfully - by usurpation, by theft and cheating etcetera.

There is a clear description of some of the forbidden edibles. These foods were also
forbidden by the law of Musa, and by Isa. The Jews had forbidden some foods to
themselves without any authority (Ali Imran: 93).

Innama excludes everything besides that which has been mentioned. "The animals over
which any other name than Allah has been invoked" brings to light the fact that
everything in the universe belongs to Allah whose name is invoked when we eat or drink
anything lawful. Ghayra baghin means "not for enjoyment" but to satisfy an unavoidable
necessity.

La adin means "without any intention" to break the prescribed laws of Allah, or not
exceeding the minimum to satisfy the actual want.

The divine mercy is such that when it is absolutely necessary for survival, or in
circumstances beyond one's control, there is no blame if one transgresses temporarily.
Allah's mercy will overcome the evil of the transgression. The spirit of the divine law
must be observed in normal as well as extraordinary conditions. Under no circumstances
any revolt against any divine law is allowed.

Please refer to the commentary of al Baqarah: 173 for carrion (corpse of a dead animal),
blood flesh of swine, and that over which is invoked the name a ghayrallah (other than

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 Edibles

Allah). Also forbidden are the strangled, the beaten down, the fallen down, the gored,
that which has been devoured by beasts of prey, and that which has been slaughtered at
altars; and also dividing the meat by casting lots with arrows is forbidden. Illa ma
dhakkaytun-tadhkiyah means to cleanse (allowing the heat in the body to pass away
through the Islamic way of slaughter).

The Jews and the Christians do not follow the prescribed method of slaughtering the
animals, nor do they seek Allah's pleasure before killing the animal, therefore, to eat flesh
of any animal offered by them is not lawful for the Muslims.

According to Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq the word ta-am implies food made of
grains not containing flesh of permitted animals. Quran gives permission to the Muslims
to eat the food (made of grains) offered by the people of the book.

Fasting

Fasting is a means of restraining and controlling the nafs, so that contentment (rida), and
all the other blessings of this great discipline may be experienced. The fasting of the
ordinary man is to withhold only from food and drink. The fasting of the pious man is to
curb sensory desires, to refrain from looking at the unlawful, hearing the harmful, and
thinking about the distasteful, or about what stimulates the lower nature. The fasting of a
true believer is to seal the heart from paying any attention to other-than-Allah
(ghayrallah), and safeguard himself with thorough awareness of the divine laws. Fasting
(sawm) is one of the obligatory functions of the faith, next only to the prescribed 5 times
a day prayers (salat), in importance. It trains the Muslims to guard themselves against evil
as well as conditions them to suffer physical affliction and exercise self control in the
defence of faith and the faithful.

Fasting, although not as perfectly regulated and decisive as in Islam, was prescribed for
the followers of the previous prophets also, and was also in vogue, in varying forms, in
different parts of the world. Among the Jews it was done in times of sorrow and
affliction. Among the Hindus in India, fasting is undertaken as a penance or to achieve
spiritual power. The Sabians were also prescribed fasting for one full month and the
object of fasting among them was almost identical to Islamic fasting.

Fasting is prescribed "for a certain number of days" - they are the days of the month of
Ramadan. The deeper benefits of fasting are gained when one is in good health.
However, both in sickness and travel, these benefits are unlikely to be realised, therefore,
exemption from fasting is provided, but a number of other days should be selected to fast
in lieu of the obligatory fasts that have not been observed due to sickness or travel, and
also a redemption (fidyah) should be effected by feeding a poor man for every missed
fast. Aged people, nursing mothers and other cases in which the health is sure to be
harmed by fasting can forego fasting altogether, but feed the poor instead, giving away
the equivalent of one man's food daily for each fast missed.

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 Fasting

It is better to fast as well as feed the poor to obtain a greater return from Allah. The
fidyah is a concession allowed to the sick and the old but if they know the deeper benefits
of fasting they must fast instead of availing the concession. The Holy Prophet and the
holy Imams used to give away whatever they had in the way of Allah but in the month of
Ramadan, they were more liberal and open-handed, because the month of Ramadan is the
month of Allah.

During the fast eating and drinking, after the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from
the blackness of the night, is prohibited until night. In the beginning cohabitation between
man and wife was not allowed for those who observed fast, whether night or day, but the
future second caliph and some other companions confessed to the Holy Prophet that they
had transgressed this prohibition (Tafsir Baydawi). Then a verse was revealed which
allowed cohabitation between man and wife during the night..

It is incumbent upon each one of the faithful to seek the roots of justice and right balance
deeply. The purpose of sawm is to curb mean and lower tendencies such as wrongfully
consuming even things lawfully possessed and letting greed dominate every aspect of
life.

Fatima Zahra (AS)

The Holy Prophet has declared that Bibi Fatimah is the chief of the women in the
universe; (because) Bibi Fatimah was the daughter of the superior most prophet of Allah,
the seal of prophethood; and the wife of an Imam who alone has the unique distinction of,
"Ali's flesh is my flesh, Ali's blood in my blood, and I and he are from the same divine
light" (saying of the Holy Prophet), and the mother of eleven holy Imams and through her
last son the divine will and justice shall prevail on the earth, and the son of Maryam, Isa,
shall follow him. Through verse 33 of Al Ahzab, she, Ali and their sons have been
thoroughly purified. Therefore, (as the Holy Prophet has declared) Maryam was chosen
and her status remained so till his daughter Fatimah was born and thereafter Fatimah is
the most blessed, thoroughly purified, and the choicest woman, the best of all the women
in the universe from beginning to the end, in all ages, among whom are included Asiyah,
Maryam, and Khadijah al Kubrah.

Muhammad Iqbal, known as the philosopher- poet of the east, accepted as a scholar of
great depth and vision by all the Muslims, has given his opinion about Fatimah Zahra in
the light of the historical facts mentioned in the books of Islamic history.

He says: Maryam, of one connection with Isa, is venerable; (but) for three relationships
Fatimah is revered, respected and glorified; she is the light of the eyes (dearest darling
daughter) of the "mercy unto the worlds", the leader of those who have gone by and of
those who will come; she is the wife of he who wears the crown of Hal-Ata (Surah al
Dahr), the chosen, the divine helper, the fearless overpowering strength of Allah; she is
the mother of the axis of the circle of love and devotion, the leader-in-chief of the
caravan of lovers and devotees (Hasan and Husayn).

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 Fatima Zahra (AS)

It is mentioned in Rawdzat al Ahbab and Tarikh al Khamis, and also reported by Tabari,
Tibrani, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Asakir that the betrothal of Fatimah and Ali - as
revealed to the Holy Prophet - was ordained by Allah, who, the Holy Prophet said to his
daughter, had informed him of His choice from the noblest on the earth of two blessed
men, one being her father and the other her husband; and that He had decreed his (the
Holy Prophet's) lineal descendants to spring forth from the couple (Ali and Fatimah) and
not from himself.

Earlier, before their marriage, Abu Bakr, Umar and Abdur Rahman had expressed their
desires to marry the daughter of the Holy Prophet, but the Holy Prophet made known the
fact to all and sundry that Allah would choose the husband of Fatimah. Then they went to
Ali, and, after telling him about their unsuccessful attempt, advised him to try his hand at
this venture, as to marry Bibi Fatimah was a great privilege and the best blessings Allah
could bestow on a man in this world and the hereafter.

Ali went to the house of Ummi Salima and knocked at the door. The Holy Prophet was
in. He said to Ummi Salima: "Go and open the door. On your door is standing the man
who loves Allah and the messenger of Allah and Allah and His messenger love him the
most." Ali entered, greeted the Holy Prophet and sat before him with his usual graceful
demureness.

The Holy Prophet asked: "What it is that brings you here? Do you want to marry
Fatimah?"

Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, you have brought me up as your own son. You alone
have the right to decide everything that concerns me."

"What can you offer as a dower?" The Holy Prophet asked.

"Everything is known to you. I have a horse, a camel, a coat of mail and a sword," Ali
replied.

"You need the horse and the sword to defend the truth, the camel to earn your livelihood,
but you do not need the coat of mail, so sell it," said the Holy Prophet.

Ali sold it for 500 dirhams. When he brought the money to pay the dower, the Holy
Prophet informed Ali that the man to whom he sold the coat of mail was Jibrail.

"O Ali, Jibrail has returned the coat of mail to me and conveyed the decree of Allah that
your marriage with Fatimah has already been solemnized in the heaven and I have been I
commanded to do the same here," said the Holy Prophet

Tabattal implies that man should detach himself from worldly things and devote himself
to Allah, or forsake everything and apply himself to the worship or service of Allah. In
this sense the daughter of the Holy Prophet, Fatimah Zahra, is known as "batul"

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 Gambling

Gambling

Yasara, the root of maysir, means to divide a thing into parts or portions. Maysir means a
game of chance to seek quick and easy wealth, an unearned profit. Gain or loss is a
matter of chance. The Quran prohibits all games of chance and gambling.

Ghadeer Khum
The essential qualities required in a leader are clearly discernible if careful attention is
paid to the reply given by Samuel to the jews: Inallahas-tafahu alaykum-Allah has chosen
him in preference to you. According to the divine law a leader of the people (temporal or
spiritual) is chosen by Allah, not by the people. Wa zadahu bastatan fil ilmi wal jism-And
He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. The chosen leader is given
knowledge and physical strength by Allah Himself. The true leader possesses divinely
endowed knowledge and strength to guide and protect the people whom Allah loves and
cherishes. Wallahu yuti mulkuhu man yasha - Allah grants His kingdom to whomever He
pleases. The sovereignty and the kingdom of the universe belong to Allah, therefore, on
His behalf, the authority to lead and guide the created beings, is with him whom Allah
chooses. He chooses whomever He likes, whether the people like it or not.

Ali’s superiority over all the others in knowledge and strength, nobility and character is
undisputed. After the conclusion and the termination of the office of prophethood, the
infinite mercy of the merciful Lord did not leave mankind to go astray, misled by false
leaders who usurped temporal authority, but commanded the Holy Prophet to declare the
vicegerency of Ali and his progeny (the twelve Imams). The Holy Prophet, therefore,
appointed Ali ibn abi Talib as his and Allah's khalifa on the earth.

Every believer accepted the declaration of the messenger of Allah that of whomsoever
the Holy Prophet was the lord-master, Ali son of Abu Talib was also his lord-master.
After the unanimous undertaking of the believers, the following verse was revealed.

This day I have perfected for you, your religion, and have completed My favour on you,
and chosen for you Islam (to be) the religion.

So after the departure of the Holy Prophet, the believers might not follow any other
person save Ali ibna abi Talib, who alone was declared worthy and able to carry out the
mission of Islam, as the lawful authority (lord-master), in the absence of the Holy
Prophet.

The declaration was not a mere fancy of the Holy Prophet to honour Ali, but in
compliance with Allah's command to save the followers of Islam from yielding to those
who make mischief in the earth and spread corruption in the garb of religious leaders.
According to verse 217 of al Baqarah, mischief is more grievous than carnage. Islam
stands for peace and harmony. And when is peace disturbed? Only when anyone wants to
have (usurp) something which rightfully is not his.

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 Ghadeer Khum

Man's hypocrisy, doubt, denial, bickering and disagreement about leadership, in spite of
clear and specific prophetic directions, arise in all religions. The same thing occurred
among the Muslims after the departure of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet, in
compliance with Allah's command, had appointed Ali as his vicegerent and successor in
the open assembly of ashira and in the large gathering at Ghadir Khum.

Ghayb
The prophets of Allah did not know the unseen, the unknown, or the unknowable through
ordinary means, unless the knowledge of the ghayb (the knowledge of the past, right from
the beginning of creation and the events of the future which would take place in this
world and in the hereafter) was revealed to them as much as Allah wills; therefore it is
stated in Quran that Allah informs the Holy Prophet about the ghayb through revelation
to know not only that which was unknowable through ordinary means but also that which
was knowable through regular media.

Greetings

The customary greeting in Islam is: "Assalamu alaykum-peace be on you"; while

"wassalamu alaykam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu-and on you be peace and blessings
of Allah"; replies another.

These gentle and cordial words of greeting each other have created a unique sense of
brotherhood among the Muslims-master and servant, the rich and the poor, the learned
and the unlettered, greet each other with the same dignity on both sides, leading to no loss
of self-respect to either.

Hajj

The date and the month for performing hajj is fixed, whereas umra, an abridged ritual,
can be performed at any time. Hajj is a week of total loyalty. The body is denied all kinds
of comforts. The mind and the heart are tuned to bask in the light of devotion. It enables
man to rise to the glorious heights of spiritual bliss. The proud, rich and the egotistic
celebrities are made to know and realise their true insignificance, otherwise, in any other
situation, they would prefer to spend any amount to avoid association with the ordinary
people and being brought to the level of the meek . No distinction of wealth, fame, birth,
colour or nationality are of any use when the hajj begins. All are in the service of the
Lord. It is a training ground to put the idea of the brotherhood of man into practice.
Whoso fails to do in day-to-day life what he has experienced during the hajj, is not a true
believer. There is no other religion which has such an institution to inspire effective
voluntary control to curb brutality and pride, so easily acquired by the men of the world.
Islam would have been labelled as an imperfect code of life if hajj has not been
prescribed as an obligatory duty.

The criticism of the slaughter of animals by the opponents of Islam is unreasonable.

Animals have been created by the creator to provide food for the human beings. There is
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"life" in everything man or animal eats or drinks. Therefore saving or sparing "life" is not
possible. This is the law of nature. The very existence of life depends upon the proper
consuming of life. Life in the lower stages of creation has been purposely created to be
sacrificed to serve the survival of the species in the higher realm. Similarly, man has been
created to sacrifice his self which is dearest to him, to reach the higher realms of divinity
or spiritual bliss. It is true that purposeless slaughter of animals is a waste of Allah's
bounty when it is carried out in contravention to the laws of the author of nature. Even for
those who hold animals sacred, the surest way to show their concern is to slaughter them
at the proper time, because one day they will be eliminated by death. So, if an animal is
to die anyway, it is better to use it for sustenance of human life, rather than letting it go
waste. The merciful creator, therefore, has allowed slaughter of animals for the
sustenance of human life.

In the days of ignorance, man sacrificed man to please his man-made gods. Islam stopped
this practice. Instead, to keep alive the spirit of the intended sacrifice of Ismail by
Ibrahim, to show his obedience to his Lord, sacrifice of animals has been prescribed. On
the other hand, Islam prohibits purposeless killing of animals. As long as a haji is in
ihram he cannot kill even a mosquito. Hunting is not only forbidden during the hajj but
also as a sport in ordinary life. Imam Ali, on his death bed, asked his children to take care
of the birds he had domesticated, or else to set them free. Once a disciple of Imam Jafar
al Sadiq killed some pigeons in exasperation. The Imam asked him to give one dinar in
charity for every pigeon he had killed as an expiation.

If the holy Kabah is held in reverence, it is not idolatry. The spirit of holding in
veneration things dedicated to Allah (or godliness) without any intention of worshipping
them, even if it is the psyche of the idol-worshippers, is not idolatry. The holy edifice was
built by Ibrahim and Ismail, the two distinguished friends of Allah, for the exclusive
remembrance of the true Lord. The pagans appropriated it and used it as their temple. The
two other friends of Allah, the Holy Prophet and Imam Ali, cleared the sacred house of
the idols and restored it to its original purpose. They destroyed the false gods but retained
the really venerable black stone used by Ibrahim in construction of the holy house,
because this stone was sent down by Allah. Likewise the respect paid to Safa and Marwa,
on account of its association with Ibrahim and Ismail, has been preserved.

Shawwal, Dhilqad and Dhilhajj are the well known months. One can start the pilgrimage
in these months but the principal performance of hajj has been prescribed in the month of
Dhilhajj. During these days the pilgrim enters the state of purity in which he is entirely
absorbed with Allah. Taqwa is the best provision, because by resigning oneself to Allah
and abstaining from all that which connects with worldly matters, devotion to Allah
becomes total. Everything which pertains to rafas (sexual intercourse), fasaq
(fornication), jidal (quarrelling with one another) are forbidden.

"Take provision" means to plan and carry sufficient provisions for the journey so as not
to be a burden on others. Some people used to go for pilgrimage to Makka without
sufficient provisions, on the pretence that they trust in Allah's help, thus becoming a

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burden on their fellow travellers. Making provision may also mean making provision for
the journey of life with piety and righteousness.

Mash-aril haram, the holy sign or monument, is the place known as muzdalifa, where the
pilgrims halt for a night while returning from Arafat on the evening of the 9th Dhilhajj.
Despite the dissimilarity of colour, age and gender, the pilgrims stand equal in the eyes of
Allah, on the plain of Arafat. The Quraysh and the Kanana tribes imagined themselves
superior to other people, therefore, they used to stay behind and did not join the
multitude.

Hajj is a meeting with the Lord . The ignorant Arabs used to boast about the
achievements of their fathers. The father is merely a physical source, whereas the real
source is Allah. The pilgrims are asked to remember and glorify only Allah.

The station or the standing place of Ibrahim, the model believer in the unity of Allah, has
the following points of significance (clear signs).
1. The standing place of Ibrahim has been made the permanent religious centre of all
monotheists, because his faith (belief in the unity of Allah) was perfect, an ideal for every
believer.
2. It is a sacred sanctuary. Whoso enters it is safe from the clutches of the disbelievers. It
is a historic fact that all invaders who attacked this holy precinct were destroyed.
3. Pilgrimage to the Kabah to seek spiritual guidance has been made obligatory on
mankind for ever. The believers shall go to Kabah to carry out the command of Allah till
the day of resurrection. It should be noted that this prophecy was made at a time when the
Muslims were in danger of being exterminated by their enemies.

This institution of pilgrimage (hajj) has taken root in the lives of the Muslims. Every year
a great many pilgrims come to Kabah to translate their faith into action. There is no
sponsor, no convenor, no invitation, no compulsion. At Kabah, during the pilgrimage,
they forget their social status, ideology, race, colour, and nationality and become a single
party of the servants of Allah, dressed in a simple identical garment, standing in rows,
shoulder to shoulder, before their Lord, in front of His holy house, praying to one God, in
the language of the Quran, which, truly, is the everlasting miracle of the prophet of Islam,
a clear sign of the victory of truth.

In the end it is made clear that one who has sufficient means must perform the hajj.
Wilful neglect of this commandment of Allah amounts to the abandonment of His faith
(infidelity). So he who wilfully neglects the pilgrimage does so at his own peril, and not
to any hurt to his Lord, because He is independent of the worlds. He is self-sufficient.
Whether the whole mankind serve Him or none observe His commandments, it makes no
difference to Him whatsoever. The hajj has been prescribed for man's own good. There is
no profit or gain for Him. It is an escape from the sins a man commits (and its
consequences) to take refuge under the shelter of Allah's mercy.

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 Hajj

The Holy Prophet has said: He who wilfully does not perform the hajj shall rise on the
day of resurrection in the state of infidelity, having no vision. Hajj wipes out the sins as
fire removes corrosion from the iron.

The epithet "great" is only added to distinguish hajj from umra. Every hajj is called hajj
al akbar and umra is called hajj al asghar.

To honour and respect the signs of Allah, during hajj, such as

1. kissing the hajr al aswad,

2. circumambulating round the Ka-bah,
3. running to and fro between Safa and Marwa,
4. and pelting stones at the three places in Mina,

are, in a way, the worship of Allah, so acts like above should not be confused with
idolatrous practices and rituals. As explained in the commentary of verse 5 of al Fatihah
to employ ways and means, in contravention to Allah's orders, even to worship Him, is
prohibited. When commanded by Him the angels fell prostrate before Adam because
compliance with His command is His worship.

Heaven
The expression that the heavenly fruits, which the believers will enjoy, are similar, in
taste, to that which they were familiar with, shows the continuity of the human
consciousness and memory of the experiences in the life of this world; otherwise there is
no sense in the concept of reward or punishment. Men will have women and women will
have men as their mates.

In the eternal garden of bliss the righteous will be reunited with all those near and dear
ones whom they loved, provided that they were righteous also, because in eternity
nothing else counts. Refer to Yusuf: 101. The angels shall enter through many gates to
convey glad tidings and "peace" from Allah.

Whatever a dweller of paradise desires it will be made available to him or her-blessings

and blessings, more and more, with no limitations.

Abu Basir asked Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq: "Will a pious believing couple
remain united in the paradise if both the husband and wife desire so?" The Imam said: "If
the quality of piety and faith of husband is better, he will have the option, and if the
quality of the piety and faith of the wife is better, she will have the option. If one desires
the other they will certainly live together."

There will be grades in the living conditions of the dwellers of paradise according to the
quality of their faith and deeds. It is said that the people of higher regions will be allowed
to visit the comparatively lower parts, but the residents of the lower parts will be unable
to visit higher regions.

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 Heaven

Tasnim is the name of a spring of paradise whose water is pure and superior to all kinds
of drinking liquids. It will be used by muqarrabin who comprise those human souls who
are nearest to Allah because of their highest degree of submission to Allah.

Hell

Those who disbelieve Allah's signs shall be cast into fire, and when their skin (jild) is
burnt up, then Allah shall give them a new skin so that they may go on tasting the agony
of punishment. The continuous torment or comfort will be physical as well as spiritual.
The outer structure of the body communicates the feelings of pain or pleasure to the soul,
and as the cognitive self is not changed, the renewed outer structure, though had not
committed the sin, yet will be used to convey pain or pleasure to the unchangeable soul.
None of the senses will ever be destroyed but will be made sharper to taste pain.

According to Imam Ali the seven gates are the seven stages of hell, one over the other:
1. Jahannam (Hell) -Ya Sin: 63
2. Sa-ir (Blazing fire) -Shura: 7
3. Saqar (Scorching fire) -Qamar: 48
4. Jahim (Burning fire) -Infitar: 14
5. Laza (Flaming fire) -Ma-arij: 15
6. Hutamah (Crushing fire) -Humazah :4
7. Hawiyah (Abyss) -Qari-ah: 9

According to Nisa: 145 the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the fire-the abyss
(hawiyah).

The tree of Zaqqum is a tree having small leaves, stinging, dust coloured, with a pungent
odour, bitter taste and knots in its stem. This bitter tree of hell is a symbol of the contrast
with the beautiful garden of paradise with its delicious fruits. When the dwellers of hell
eat of the Zaqqum, they are brought up to drink the mixture of boiling water as a further
punishment, after which they go back to repeat the round.

Ahqab is the plural of huqub. According to Imam Ali there are 360 days in one huqub (a
period of time) and each day is equal to one thousand years (of this world). When some
transgressors will be forgiven and taken out from the hell, then one huqub will follow
another and the transgressors condemned for ever will live therein. Ghassaq is an
extremely foul smelling liquid. Dhari is understood to be a bitter and thorny plant,
loathsome in smell and appearance.

HereAfter
Akhirat literally means the end, but in the Quran this word has mostly been used in the
sense of the hereafter, the life after death. In some places it means the world beyond the
visible world.

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 HereAfter

The natural changes taking place in this world are a proof that this transitory state has an
end and whatever good is to be done to secure a good end should be done here,
otherwise, at the end of this worldly life, nothing can be done because the life of hereafter
is a consequence of what has been done here.

They know (only) the appearance (the apparent phase) of the life of the world (the lower
life), and are heedless (negligent) of the hereafter (its other phase). (RUM: 7)

The use of the word zahir (apparent), and ghafil (negligent) makes clear that akhirat is an
antonym of zahir, which is known to most people, yet they are negligent. The word
negligence is justified when something is known but paid no attention. The life after
death is not the antonym of the apparent, nor it is the neglected known. It is something to
come. The "other phase" means the world beyond the range of physical experience,
which is the world of subjective insight and conscious self. In this connection, it must be
noted that even the material world is not known to us through the physical experience of
senses because they are affected by the qualities and conditions of the matter, not by the
matter itself; and the conscious self is closer to the other world than to the lower world,
which is more akin to the senses. Akhirat has been utilised in the sense of hereafter, the
life after death, or after the end, the end of the material world. There is nothing without
some end, in the sense of purpose, and the purpose lies beyond the "apparent phase", the
world of awareness through the physical experience of the senses.

In giving the description of the life of the hereafter, the Quran refers to the pain and
pleasure experienced by the senses, because there is no other way to make man form an
idea about the pains and pleasures, as a punishment or a reward, awaiting him in his other
life, which he earns through bad or good conduct in this life. In the absence of the
developed senses, to have an idea of the actual pains and the pleasures of the life of the
hereafter, a figurative form has to be used to reach man in general, an example of which
is verse 15 of Muhammad. The intellectual significance of the parables presented to man
cannot be grasped by the common people save those endowed with wisdom. The Quran
says that the life of the hereafter is the developed continuation of the life of the world.
Not losing the essential elements, this life takes to a highly refined form in the next life,
more real, effective and purposeful. Every object of our senses has a corresponding
existence in the heaven. The social life of the hereafter, with positive and negative forces,
is another fact which Quran makes known to us.

In the next life the followers of misguidance will recognise their false leaders, the
usurpers, and will wish to be given another chance to experience this life with true light,
"the genuine leaders," but there will be no escape from the fire. Allah will show them
their actions, done pursuant to their judgements, to prove that as promised justice has
been done to them.

Every individual, in the next life, will be conscious of his deeds in this life. The
continuity of the human memory and consciousness, after death, indicated in this verse,
dismisses the idea of transmigration of soul.

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 HereAfter

When the whole universe along with its components, animate and inanimate, angelic and
human, take the final form and shape to which they are destined, the trumpet will be
blown. Before reaching that state the relations between the parts or components to each
other and the whole is subject to change. For example a seed contains the parts and
components of the tree, and each is related to the other, but when the process of growth
begins in the fertile seed the relation of the parts also begins to change. There appear
roots, stem, branches and leaves and the final form becomes a tree. In this process the
parts which were in the earlier stage co-related or played procreative role in subsequent
stage of growth, change their relation with each other. Likewise the universe with its
evolutionary movement to the absolute, along with its parts and components, will not
retain the same relation in the final stage; but it does not mean there will be no relation at
all. The life in the hereafter is more spiritual and sublime than here. There the relation
will take a different form.

Once the Holy Prophet drew the attention of his companions to the swollen, rotten and
stinking dead body of a goat lying on the ground, and asked them if any of them would
buy it for a penny. All refused. Then he said: "The value of the worldly possessions is
lower than this corpse."

Imam Ali said: "The world is a corpse. Whoever seeks it is a dog, O Ammar, grieve not if
the pleasures of this world are kept away from you. Honey, the best and sweetest food, is
the saliva of an insect, the bee. The nicest dress is made of silk which is the refuse of a
small worm. The most refreshing scent, musk, is the blood of an animal, the deer. The
best drink is water which is also used by animals to quench their thirst. The most
passionate act is cohabiting in which urinative organs are used."

The Holy Prophet said: "This world is a prison for the believers, and a garden for the
disbelievers. Treat this world as a land to cultivate harvest for the hereafter."

This world is a test, and the life hereafter is its consequence-punishment or reward.

Hidayat
Hidayat means "right guidance". All the living beings, all over the universe, are
motivated to exercise their free choice and do that which is meaningful and profitable,
and avoid that which is absurd and harmful, by discovering, understanding and making
use of the "controlled by precise laws" environment.

Taqdir governs every natural phenomenon and hidayat directs all the activities of the
living beings. Their combined application is universal. Every being in the universe is so
perfectly designed that each fulfils its own individual needs from one and the same
environment. But in order to refer to the particular aspect of sustenance and preservation
which the nourishing and preserving Lord justly and mercifully supplies for the benefit of
His creatures, a few typical examples are sufficient.

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 Hidayat

A newly born child at once sucks the mother's breast. The roots of the plants and trees
absorb from the earth only that which helps their growth, leaving out the unessential,
notwithstanding its presence in the soil. As soon as a fish is born it swims. Every creature
functions under the divine guidance.

Hijrat – To Medina

Hijrat is not escape or flight, but to leave home, property and possessions and strive hard
in the cause of Allah with a religious motive.

Thalabi, Ghazali, the author of Ahya-ul Ulum, and all the Shia commentators say that
2:207 was revealed to praise Ali ibna abi Talib, when he slept in the bed of the Holy
Prophet, during the night of hijrat.

Immediately after the death of Abu Talib, Abu Sufyan, the chief of the branch of
Umayyah, succeeded to the principality of Makka. A zealous votary of the idols, a mortal
foe of the line of Hashim, he convened an assembly of the Quraysh and their allies. All
tribal heads held a conference on the instigation of Abu Sufyan and Abu Jahl. It was
resolved that one man from every tribe should go to the Holy Prophet's house in the
darkness of the night and kill him jointly, in order to divide the guilt, and baffle the
vengeance of the Bani Hashim. In the stupidity of their ignorance, they forgot that Allah
is seeing, hearing, and His hand (Ali) was alive, who, from his earliest days, had
committed himself to save the Holy Prophet at all costs. In the dark night, the
conspirators surrounded the house of the Holy Prophet.

Meanwhile, Allah commanded the Holy Prophet to leave Makka at once and go to
Madina. The Holy Prophet intimated Ali of the divine plan and asked him to lie down on
his bed, in order to lead the enemies into thinking that it was the Holy Prophet himself
who was sleeping, thus giving him enough time to go away from Makka (unnoticed). Ali
asked the Holy Prophet if his lying down in his bed would save the Holy Prophet's life, to
which he answered in the affirmative. So Ali lay down on the Holy Prophet's bed,
covering himself with his blanket. Ali made a willing choice of certain death, as the
blood-thirsty enemies were lurking around the house to kill the Holy Prophet in his bed at
any time during the night.

Ali willingly agreed to die because: in his opinion the life of the Holy Prophet was more
valuable than his own; he was absolutely certain that it was the duty of a true believer to
obtain the pleasure of Allah and His messenger, even if one's life has to be bartered; he
had the peace of mind which gave him courage to sleep, while the naked swords were
flashing to strike him - a singular example of willing surrender to Allah's will;

While the assassins were lying in wait for the planned strike, they, on several occasions,
looked slyly at the bed, and were assured by the blanket of the Holy Prophet that he was
sleeping inside it. They did not realise that it was Ali under the blanket, whilst the Holy
Prophet opened the door and walked away unnoticed. As planned, the assassins, naked
swords in their hands, broke in and removed the blanket from the sleeper's face. They
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 Hijrat – To Medina

were surprised to find Ali there instead of the Holy Prophet. They viewed his composure
and steady expression of resolute courage, and having failed to obtain any information
about the whereabouts of the Holy Prophet, disappointed, they stepped out one by one.

The Holy Prophet had asked his companions not to leave their homes on the night of the
migration, but he found Abu Bakr following him on his way to Madina. However, he
allowed him to accompany him and they took refuge in a cave, because after finding Ali
in the bed, the conspirators at once started the quest for the Holy Prophet. By Allah's will,
a spider wove a web across the mouth of the cave, and in front of it a pigeon laid her
eggs. Seeing this, the pursuers presumed that no one had entered the cave for a long time
and did not search it.

As has been mentioned therein, inside the cave, the companion of the Holy Prophet, Abu
Bakr, was frightened and had started crying in anguish when he heard the voices of the
enemy.

Then the Holy Prophet said: "Do not fear. Allah is with us."

Compare this fear to the tranquillity of Ali described in the commentary of verse 207 of
al Baqarah which was revealed to honour and glorify Ali. It also points out the fact that
wherever in the Quran those who received tranquillity (sakinah) from Allah have been
mentioned Abu Bakr must be excluded because his fear has been historically recorded
and referred to in this verse. "His companion" (sahibihi) and the "second of the two"
imply no merit. See verse 37 of Kahf in which out of the two "mutual companions" one
was a believer and the other was a disbeliever.

On the next morning, Ali returned to the depositors all that which they kept with the Holy
Prophet in trust and left Makka, with the ladies of the house, to join the Holy Prophet in
Madina. It must be noted that even his opponents called the Holy Prophet al-amin, the
trustworthy, and kept their valuables in his custody. And it was Ali, the executor of his
will, who discharged all his commitments on his behalf. But the Muslim ummah, after the
departure of the Holy Prophet, went along with the frightened companion and forgot him
whose unshakeable faith in Allah, love for His messenger, and matchless courage entitled
him to obtain mardatillah, the pleasure and discretion of Allah. Ali's risking his life for
the Holy Prophet pleased Allah so much that He revealed this verse in his honour,
referring to Ali's actions as selling his soul for earning Allah's pleasure and permission.

It is reported that in the year of hijrat the harvest in Madina was not as good as it used to
be, therefore, the Jews availed the opportunity to attribute the bad harvest to the arrival of
the Holy Prophet in order to create doubts in the minds of the newly converts. It has been
made clear that everything is from Allah but what comes to us of good is verily from
Allah and what comes to us of evil is from our own selves (our actions).

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 Hijrat – To Abyssinia

Hijrat – To Abyssinia

When the Holy Prophet began to preach in public at Makka, the Quraysh violently
reacted against him. They insulted him in public, threw dust and dirt at him and over him
while in prayers, made loud cries, hooted or sang wild songs to drown his voice while he
was preaching; but to their discomfiture they could not prevent him. Finding all their
efforts of no avail, they began to use violence against his followers. The Holy Prophet,
therefore, advised his followers, who had no protection in Makka, to seek refuge
elsewhere. Abyssinia was the place proposed for this purpose, and unanimously agreed
upon. Accordingly, in the fifth year of bi-that (about 615 A.D.) one hundred and sixteen
refugees, headed by Jafar bin Abu Talib, reached Abyssinia in safety, while the Holy
Prophet and his family remained in Makka. Baffled by the Muslim converts escaping to
Abyssinia, the Quraysh sent an embassy headed by Amru bin As and Abdullah bin abi
Rabi-i with costly presents to the Christian King of Abyssinia, Najashi (Negus). Amru
and Abdullah first prostrated themselves to pay Negus their respects, then explained that
some of their tribes-men, having adopted a new faith which taught them to think lightly
of Isa and Maryam, had forsaken their ancestral religion and escaped to his country. They
requested the king, in the name of the Quraysh chiefs, that the fugitives might be
delivered up to them. The king sent for the Muslims to hear from them the defence
against the heresy of which they were accused. They came in a body headed by Jafar bin
Abu Talib. None of the Muslims prostrated himself before the king; but saluted him in
their usual manner, 'peace be on you'. The king was not offended, rather admiring their
manners, repeated the charges brought against them by the embassy of Quraysh. Jafar,
who was . a man of noble mien, pre-possessing countenance and persuasive eloquence,
stood forth and expounded the doctrines of Islam with zeal and enthusiasm. The king
who was a Nestorian Christian found the doctrines similar to those of his own religion,
opposed to polytheism. He asked Jafar to recite some passages from the revelations to the
Holy Prophet. Jafar recited the surah of Maryam, which- touched the heart of the king so
much that he could not help shedding tears. (Tabari; Ibn Athir, Ibn Hisham). It is reported
that on this occasion these verses (5:83 to 5:86) were revealed.

Then Negus, pleased to hear Jafar explaining the religion of Allah, dismissed the
embassy of Quraysh from his court returning their gifts, and received the Muslims into
his favour over and above the protection they already enjoyed. The Muslims lived in
Abyssinia till the Holy Prophet established the community of his followers in Madina. In
the meantime Negus and his courtiers had embraced Islam. The Holy Prophet wrote him
to send back the party of Muslims to Madina. While the Holy Prophet was at Khaybar,
Jafar reached Khaybar on the day of its conquest by his brother, Ali ibn abu Talib. The
Holy Prophet was much pleased to welcome back his cousin after so long a separation,
and joyfully explained that he did not know which of the two incidents Jafar's arrival or
the conquest of Khaybar by Ali-delighted him most.

Alongwith Jafar came some selected scholars from Abyssinia to learn more about Islam.
A group of Christians from Syria headed by the great Christian monk, Buhayra, also

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 Hijrat – To Abyssinia

came to meet the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet recited the surah Ya Sin before
them, their eyes brimmed over with tears and all of them became Muslims.

Hud

Prophet Hud, in the progeny of Nuh through Sam, was sent to preach the message of
Allah to the people of Ad, who were physically very strong and lived in Arabian
peninsula. They were zealous idolaters. In vain Hud tried to bring them to true faith. On
account of their ever increasing corruption a three years' famine visited them, but they
took no warning and challenged Hud to bring on them what he threatened them with.

At last dark clouds appeared on the sky. Thinking that it was going to rain they all
assembled under the clouds. A terrible blast of wind destroyed them and their land. It
continued for eight days. Under the command of Allah Hud along with his virtuous
companions had left the scene of calamity before it fell on the people of Ad. The people
mentioned here are known as the tribe of first Ad.

It was a tremendous hurricane. Its fury destroyed everything in its path. They were wiped
out. Nothing was to be seen-the ruins of their habitations were covered by the heaps of
sand, and their dead bodies buried under them.

Hudaybya and Oath of Ridwan

In the sixth year of Hijra, the Holy Prophet had a dream that with his followers he made
circuits round the Ka-bah, and performed all the ceremonies of hajj.

Six years had passed since the Holy Prophet had left Makka. Islam had grown during
these six years. The pagans had tried to attack the Holy Prophet at various times, but had
been defeated. The Holy Prophet desired to perform the umrah in the month of Dhiqada,
unarmed, but accompanied with his followers. A large following joined him, to the
number of fifteen hundred. Early in the month, the Holy Prophet led his followers to
Dhul Hulayfa on the road to Makka. They carried no arms but sheathed sword of a
traveller. When they drew near to Makka, they were warned that Quraysh had gathered
their allies against them, and that their cavalry under Khalid bin Walid was on the road
before them, and with him was Ikrima bin Abu Jahl.

As the Holy Prophet did not come to fight, he turned towards the right. At Hudaybiya his
camel, Qaswa, stopped and knelt down. The Holy Prophet took it as a divine command
and encamped there. There was no water there as the wells were choked up with sand.
The Holy Prophet planted an arrow in one of the wells and the water immediately
surfaced. The Quraysh sent three emissaries, one after the other, to enquire about his
intentions.

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 Hudaybya and Oath of Ridwan

Urwa, a chief from Taif, said to the Holy Prophet that the Makkans were desperate and
that they had resolved to die rather than allow him to enter. He also emphatically told him
that as soon as the Makkans would fall upon his followers, they would run and desert
him. At this Abu Bakr protested and resented the remark. The emissaries expressed their
conviction in the sincerity of the Holy Prophet's intentions but the heathens did not listen
to them. Kharrash bin Ummayya and Uthman were sent to the Quraysh but they could not
convince them. They only agreed to allow Uthman, if he wished, to perform the rites of
umrah.

In view of a possible confrontation, the Holy Prophet summoned all those with him and
standing under a tree, took oath from each, of resolute adherence to him, never to flee
from the battle field and to fight to the end. Refer to the verse 48:18 of this surah. This
pledge is called "The pledge under the tree".

As said earlier, although the Holy Prophet came, unarmed, to perform umrah, the
heathens of Makka did not allow him to enter into the city. In view of a possible
confrontation those who were with him swore their fealty to him, by placing hand on
hand according to the Arab custom. It was an impressive demonstration of surrender or
submission of the will of every believer to the will of the Holy Prophet. It is also called
bayt al ridwan (fealty which earns Allah's pleasure). Its another name is "bayt taht-ush-
shajarrah" (fealty under the tree). They placed their hands on the Holy Prophet's hand, but
the hand of Allah was above them-He accepted their fealty.

"Whosoever breaks his oath, does so to the harm of his own soul" indicates that the oath
of allegiance will be broken. So when some of the swearers ran away from the battle of
Hunayn the Holy Prophet addressed them: "O swearers of bayt al ridwan, whither are you
going?"

Mindful of the rout at the day of Khandaq at the hands of Ali the Makkans sent Suhayl
bin Amr with some other representatives to conclude a treaty of peace with the Holy
Prophet as soon as they heard of the pledge under the tree. When the terms of the treaty
were settled the Holy Prophet asked Ali, his vicegerent, to write down the terms of the
treaty. Ali began with "bismillahir rahmanir rahim" but Suhayl said that it should begin
as the Makkans used to do: Bismika Allahumma. The Holy Prophet agreed. Again when
Ali wrote that "This is the treaty made between Muhammad Rasullullah (the messenger
of Allah) and Suhayl bin Amr", Suhayl said that had they accepted Muhammad as the
messenger of Allah they would not have taken arms against him, therefore "Muhammad
bin Abdullah" should be written. Ali hesitated, then the Holy Prophet himself erased the
word rasulullah and wrote bin Abdullah after his name, and told Ali that he would
likewise face a similar situation in future. This prophecy came true when a treaty was
concluded between Ali and Mu-awiyah after thirty years.

The following terms were put down in the treaty.

1. There shall be no aggression on the part of any of the two parties for the next ten years,
neither shall attack the other or their allies.

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 Hudaybya and Oath of Ridwan

2. Whosoever wishes to join Muhammad and enter into a league with him shall have the
liberty to do so. Likewise whoso wishes to join the Quraysh shall have the liberty to do
so.
3 If any one goes over to Muhammad and is claimed back by his guardian he shall be
sent back; but if any one from the followers of Muhammad returns to the Quraysh, he
shall not be sent back.
4. Muhammad and his followers shall go back this year without entering the holy
precincts.
5. Next year Muhammad and his followers may visit Makka for three days, when the
Quraysh shall retire therefrom. They will not enter it with any arms, save with a
traveller's sword.

The text was written by Ali and was witnessed by some of the most prominent
companions. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, Tazkirat al Karim and Rawdat al Ahbab
that Umar bin Khattab expressed himself plainly that he had never before suspected so
strongly the truth of Muhammad being the messenger of Allah (it means he had doubted
many times before); and said: "Are you not a true messenger of Allah? Why should we
then put a blot upon our faith and bear the brunt of humiliation if we are in the right and
our adversaries in the wrong?" The Holy Prophet replied: "I am but a messenger of Allah
and can do nothing against His will. He will help me."

The treaty of Hudaybiya, which though at the time seemed a set-back to the Muslims,
proved in fact the greatest victory for Islam, moral and social, as well as political, and its
lessons are expounded in this surah-victory comes from cool courage, devotion, faith and
patience.

By virtue of this treaty every individual, each family, clan or tribe was given freedom of
choice to join the Holy Prophet in his mission, to profess Islam and convince others to
come into the fold of the religion of Allah without any risk of persecution from the
disbelievers. Islam was making steady progress throughout the land.

During the course of events at Hudaybiya any incident might have plunged the Quraysh
and the Muslims into a fight. On the one hand, the Muslims, though unarmed, had sworn
to stand together, and if the Holy Prophet wanted he could have forced entrance to the
Kabah, and on the other hand the Quraysh were determined to keep out the Muslims by
resorting to armed confrontation, if necessary. Allah restrained both sides from anything
that would have resulted in bloodshed (48:24).

There were believing men and women in Makka, observing taqiyyah, not known to their
brethren from Madina. Had a fight taken place in Makka, they would unwittingly have
killed some of these believing men and women, and thus would have been guilty of
shedding the blood of believers. This was prevented by the treaty. It not only saved the
lives of the believers among the Makkans but also of those who became Muslims
afterwards and served Islam. If the Muslims of Madina could have distinguished the
believers intermingled with the pagans population in Makka, or those believers could be

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 Hudaybya and Oath of Ridwan

separated, the Muslims might have been allowed to punish the disbelievers according to
48:25.

Hunayn – The Battle

Immediately after the conquest of Makka, the pagan idolaters, under the command of
Malik bin Awf, organised a great gathering of 4000 soldiers near Hunayn which is on the
road to Tayf from Makka to make plans for attacking the Holy Prophet. The Holy
Prophet, with a force of 12000, marched towards Hunayn. For the first time the Muslims
had tremendous odds in their favour. On leaving the narrow oasis of Hunayn the road
enters winding gorges, suitable for ambuscades.

As soon as the Muslim vanguard entered the hilly country, the enemy fell upon them with
full fury and caused havoc with their arrows from their places of concealment. Many
were slain, and many ran away from the battle as they had done in the battle of Uhad.
Those who were acclaimed as the heroes of Islam, after the departure of the Holy Prophet
from this world, were among the deserters.

Abu Qatada says: "The Muslims took to flight. I was also among them. Suddenly I saw
Umar ibn Khattab among those who were running away. I asked him: 'What has
happened?' He said: 'It is the will of Allah.'" (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 3, p. 45.)

According to some traditions Ali ibn abi Talib, Abbas ibn Abd al Muttalib, Abu Sufyan
ibn Harith and Abdullah ibn Masud were the only four persons who stayed with the Holy
Prophet. Some say there were ten persons who did not run away. Ali stood in front of the
Holy Prophet and stopped every attack made by the enemy to slay him. The Holy Prophet
called those who were deserting to come back. Some of them returned and joined Ali to
launch a counter attack on the enemy.

When Ali killed Abu Jarul, the standard bearer of the enemy army, a general retreat
began to take place among the invaders, which soon turned into chaos and then flight. In
this way a most crushing defeat was inflicted on the enemy.

After the battle, on the instructions of the Holy Prophet, the spoils of war taken by the
Muslims, were returned to those who embraced Islam. Some refused to comply with his
orders. In such cases the Holy Prophet compensated them.

When one companion protested that the Holy Prophet had not done justice in the matter
of distributing the spoils of war, some people wanted to kill him, but the Holy Prophet
stopped them and said: "Wait. Such people, on their own, one day will go out of the true
faith, then the best of men among you will kill him." And that man was killed by Ali in
the battle of Nahrawan.

The believers who stayed with the Holy Prophet on the day of Hunayn also received the
divine tranquillity (sakinah), along with the Holy Prophet. In verse 40 of surah 9 it is said
that the companion of the Holy Prophet in the cave was deprived of this tranquillity.
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 Huruf Muqatta-at

Huruf Muqatta-at

Certain surahs of the Holy Quran begin with letters of the Arabic alphabet such as Alif,
Lam, Mim. They are known as huruf muqatta-at, letters used as abbreviations for words
which have a definite meaning of sublime and profound nature known only to Allah, His
last prophet, and His Ahl ul Bayt, the true divinely chosen successors, the holy Imams.
Particularly, these types of symbolic alphabets, used in some of the surahs of the Quran,
as a part of those surahs, are beyond the comprehension of (even) the most learned
intellectuals. It is strictly prohibited to use imagination and discretion in finding out its
purport and meaning.

There are six surahs including al Baqarah, which begin with Alif, Lam, Mim. The others
are Ali Imran, Ankabut, Rum, Luqman and Sajdah.

Many interpretations have been forwarded and manipulated by some commentators, but
they are all based upon conjecture, devoid of any definite authority. According to the
holy Imams these letters are a means of reaching the higher realms of true knowledge,
available in the verses of the Quran, but the domain of sublime confidences are reserved
only for the chosen representatives of Allah.

Iblees and Shaitans

Shaytan, a product of fire, not having the qualities of adaptability, nor blessed with the
holy spirit, was the first creature of Allah who resorted to conjecture, therefore was
thrown out, eternally accursed. On his request Allah gave him respite (by saying): Be you
among those who have respite. It implies that there are others, like him, under respite.
Shaytan has a large army of wicked seducers, and those who are their associates, helpers
and deputies.

Quran warns mankind that Shaytan along with his associates and their followers involves
them into conflict and discord because he and his confederates through power, influence
and riches make fair-seeming to them the progress in the field of material gains, having
no trace of godliness, and obtained by total rejection of Allah's commands pertaining to
the lawful and the unlawful. It is a disguise, therefore, man does not see Shaytan's plan of
action. His activities engender willingness to carry out his mischief only in those people
who possess the in-built complex of his characteristics.

Shaytan is also often used in the Quran as evil personified. Hence every evil should be
treated as our enemy and shunned. Shaytan spreads his snare everywhere because he
wants man to share his damnation.

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 Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq

Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq

It is a historical fact that in the days of Ibrahim the patriarch of the family was addressed
as father. The Christians address their priests as father, and in the same sense they refer to
God as the father in heaven. Many traditions say that the real father of Ibrahim died
before his birth and he was brought up by Azar, his uncle, who was the patriarch of his
family. It is also said that Azar, his uncle, married his mother after his father's death,
therefore Azar was also his step-father. The Holy Prophet's claim that impurity of
ignorance and infidelity never touched any of his ancestors from Adam to Abdullah also
confirms the abovenoted fact. The word ab may mean an uncle or an ancestor as Ismail,
the uncle of Yaqub, has been addressed as ab in verse 133 of al Baqarah. According to
Genesis 11 : 27 the name of Ibrahim's father was Terah. In the Talmud his name is
Therach. Azar was his uncle or the brother of his grandfather.

Ibrahim lived among the Chaldeans, who had great knowledge of the stars and heavenly
bodies. The Babylonian religion was an admixture of animism and nature worship. The
two powers most commonly chosen were the sun and the moon. Allah showed him the
spiritual glories behind the magnificent powers and laws of the physical universe. When
he saw the waning of the stars, the moon and the sun, he saw through the folly of idol-
worship and the futility of worshipping distant beautiful things that shine, to which the
ignorant ascribe a power which is not in them. They rise and set according to laws whose
author is Allah. Its worship is therefore futile. Appearances are deceptive. That is not
God. It is a folly to worship created things and beings when the author and the creator is
there. All must turn to the true God, renounce all these follies, and proclaim one true
Allah.

Ibrahim was free from superstitious fears, for he had found the true God, without whose
will nothing can happen. He admonished his people to come in the security of faith
instead of wandering in the wilderness of fear by worshipping the "setting ones" creatures
created by Him. The spiritual education of Ibrahim (given to him by Allah) enabled him
to preach the truth among his people.

Idol-worshippers, in ancient times, revered their kings as the representatives of God.

Nimrud, in the days of prophet Ibrahim, claimed divinity. Boastful of his temporal power,
he disputed with Ibrahim about the authority of the prophethood bestowed upon him by
Allah, since Ibrahim's authority clashed with his absolute sway over the people, whose
lives, he argued, depended on his decision; he could kill them at any time or let them live.
Ibrahim rendered his argument null and void by pointing out his helplessness against the
divine forces working in nature. Although there was no reply, yet Nimrud, an obstinate
disbeliever, could not draw advantage from this clear guidance.

It was a day of festivity. The idolaters were rejoicing in the streets and open fields.
Ibrahim broke all their idols to pieces but left the chief idol intact. When they came back
and found their idols lying broken on the floor they brought Ibrahim on the scene and
asked him if it was he who did that with their gods. Ibrahim pointed to the chief idol, left
intact by him, and asked them to find out the truth from him. It is obvious that the
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question of lying or deceit on the part of Ibrahim rises nowhere in the whole episode.
Ibrahim had the best of the argument. They knew the idols could not speak. They turned
to each other and confessed their folly and hung their heads in shame. When they
admitted that idols could not speak, Ibrahim put forward his decisive argument
mentioned in verses 66 to 67 of surah 21 about the unity of Allah beside whom no one
should be worshipped.

Nimrud ordered Ibrahim to be cast into a furnace. He had a pile of wood set on fire, and
Ibrahim was cast into it. Ibrahim proclaimed the true faith in Allah, knowing full well
that Nimrud, whom the idolaters worshipped as god, would put him to death.

When Ibrahim was being thrown into the fire several angels requested Allah to allow
them to save Ibrahim from the blazing fire. "Help him if he seeks your help" was the
reply. They came to him, but he said: "It is between me and my Lord. Let His will be
done." Jibra-il advised him to beseech Allah for help. Ibrahim said: "My Lord knows that
which is taking place." As the chosen friend of Allah, Ibrahim put his trust in Allah.

When Ibrahim was thrown into the fire, the fire became cool and a means of safety for
Ibrahim under the command of Allah. The persecutors of Ibrahim were the worst losers.
A host of mosquitoes attacked them. One mosquito entered into the brain of Nimrud
through his nostrils and killed him. For the blessings Ibrahim received from his Lord
refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 124.

Ibrahim asked Allah to show him how Allah gives life to the dead, so that his heart may
be at ease. It is narrated that as directed by Allah, Ibrahim took a pigeon, a peacock, a
cock and a crow, cut them into very small pieces, mixed them together and put portions
of the mixture on the top of four separate mountains, and then called out to them; they
came flying to him as individual birds. It became clear to Ibrahim that Allah does what
He wills because He is mighty, wise.

Some spiritualists say that the slaying of the four kinds of birds is meaningful for those
who aspire for a spiritual life.
1. The pigeon stands for social life - the love for family, friends and associates, which
must be sacrificed.
2. The cock stands for animal passion which must be killed.
3. The crow stands for greed which must be destroyed.
4. The peacock stands for worldly adornment which must be smothered.

When all the above four desires are crushed, the soul merits the bliss of the eternal life.

Halim means "ready to suffer and forbear." The quality of forbearance has been
mentioned specially to distinguish Ibrahim and his son Ismail, the ancestors of the Holy
Prophet.

Ibrahim's wife Sarah had borne him no children. She had a handmaid whose name was
Hajirah. She gave her to Ibrahim as a wife.
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 Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq

According to Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq, Prophet Ishaq was born to Sara after
five years of the birth of Ismail to Hajira.

Although Sara had herself presented Hajira to her husband, but after her giving birth to
Ismail, she could not tolerate Hajira with her son Ismail remaining in the same place.

Under these circumstances, Ibrahim had to bring Hajira and his son Ismail to Makka and
left them there entrusting the mother and child to Allah.

Hajirah bore Ibrahim a son. Ibrahim named the child Ismail. After his birth, the peace and
harmony of the family was disturbed. Sarah ill-treated Hajirah. Ibrahim was vexed on
Ismail's account. He sought Allah's help. Allah, in view of Sarah's past goodness, directed
Ibrahim to send away Hajirah and Ismail to a place now called Makka. Ibrahim, with the
help of Jibrail, took Hajirah and Ismail out of the native land and reached Arabia. They
stopped at the place where hajar aswad or the black stone is stationed. Jibrail informed
Ibrahim that it was a land full of Allah's blessings and bounties, and there used to be a
house (known as baytul mamur) in that place, which was held sacred and venerated by
mankind in ancient times, and that it was Allah's will that Ibrahim and Ismail should
rebuild the ruined house again. A shelter was made for Hajirah and Ismail so that they
could live there in Ibrahim's absence because Allah had commanded Ibrahim to go back
to his native land.

At the time of his departure Hajirah said: "O Ibrahim, the devotee of Allah, in whose care
are you leaving us here?"

Ibrahim said: "I leave you in the care of Allah who saved me from the fire in which
Namrud threw me, and gave me all that which I needed and desired."

Hajirah said: "I rely upon Allah. He is sufficient for me and my child."

When Ibrahim reached the mount Zi-Tavi, he stopped and turned towards the place where
he left Hajirah and Ismail and prayed: "Our Lord! Verily I have settled a part of my
progeny in a barren valley near to Thy holy house, our Lord. so that they may establish
prayer; so incline some hearts of men that they yearn towards them, and provide them
with fruits in order that they may be grateful." (Ibrahim: 37)

When the water in the waterskin, Ibrahim left for them, was finished, there was no water
any where near them to quench their thirst. There was no milk in her breasts. The heat in
the desert had dried it. The scorching sun brought the situation from bad to worse. The
child was restless. He cried, cried and cried. The mother ran hither and thither, between
Safa and Marwa.

From Safa to Marwa and Marwa to Safa she ran seven times because when she was on
the mount of Safa she heard a voice from the mount of Marwa, and when she reached
Marwa she heard a voice from Safa. There was no one in sight. Unable to see her son
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dying, she left him where he was lying and stood alone on the mount of Marwa.
Dejected, helpless, yet worried for her son she came back. There she saw a spring of
fresh and sweet water gushing forth from the earth under the feet of Ismail. In her
absence Jibrail, under the command of Allah, came and produced a well full of water
(known as Zamzam) - also recorded in Genesis 21: 14 to 21.

She heard a voice (saying): "Fear not. The Lord has produced this well for you and your
son, but it will also serve the pilgrims who will visit His holy house which your husband
and son shall build."

The flow of water increased day by day and the surrounding land became fertile. People
began to come and settle there. Soon it became a flourishing town. Trade and commerce
developed. When Ibrahim returned he found the wasteland in the desert a busy trade
centre. The running of Hajirah between Safa and Marwa has been prescribed as one of
the essential rites of hajj.

When Ibrahim revisited Hajira, his son Ismail was thirteen years old. Ibrahim saw in a
dream that he was sacrificing Ismail. It was on the 8th of Dhilhajj, known as yawm al
tariwiyah. Next day he saw the same dream again, known as arafat; and was convinced
that it is a command of Allah and decided to act as he was asked by the Lord. Ibrahim
told Hajira to prepare Ismail for a journey to a friend's place and provide him with a rope
and a knife.

When he reached the place Sa-i, between two hillocks, Safa and Marwa, Ibrahim
disclosed his dream to Ismail who bid his father to go ahead and offer the sacrifice.

Shaytan appeared in the guise of an old man and tried to prevent Ibrahim from offering
the sacrifice. Having failed to convince Ibrahim he turned to Ismail and persuaded him to
run away and save his life. Both the prophets of Allah saw through his scheme and as a
sign of repulsing his accursed intrigue Ibrahim threw seven small stones at him.

Sleep is a state of partial consciousness for the prophets of Allah, so their dreams come
true and are fulfilled. What Ibrahim, as a prophet of Allah, saw in his dream was as valid
as an experience in wakefulness.

In the case of Ismail the sacrifice was stopped but the sacrifice Husayn offered was
accepted by Allah as dhibhin azim according to verse 37:107.

Muhammad Iqbal, the poet of the east, has said; "Ismail was the beginning, Husayn was
the ultimate."

Before laying his son on the ground to fulfil what he had been commanded in his dream
to do, on the request of Ismail, Ibrahim tied his hands and legs, and blindfolded himself
and wrapped his cloak, so that at the time of slaughter if Ismail felt pain and became
restless, Ibrahim might not be disturbed; and as a father, Ibrahim would not be able to
witness his son's slaughter if he remained blindfolded; and the cloak was rolled up in
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order to spare Hajirah from seeing the blood of Ismail on Ibrahim's clothes. Then, as
commanded, Ibrahim took the knife and enacted exactly what he had seen in his dream
and thus carried out the command of his Lord. But, when he removed the fold from his
eyes, to his surprise, he found Ismail standing safe by his side and in his place, a ram lay
slain before them.

Any ordinary father would have rejoiced at his son escaping death but Ibrahim stood
disappointed, apprehending if his sacrifice had been rejected by Allah.

A voice from above said: "O Ibrahim you have fulfilled the dream. Thus do We
recompense those who do good."

This was a manifest trial to prove the calibre of Ibrahim and Ismail and the high degree of
their faith in Allah and the extent of their submission to the will of their Lord.

In verse 37:107 the sacrifice with which Ismail was ransomed is described as great by
Allah, therefore it must be great in absolute degree. An ordinary ram by no means, in any
sense whatsoever, can be termed as great; moreover under no circumstances a ram can be
greater than Ismail son of Ibrahim, both the most distinguished prophets of Allah, in
whose progeny Allah had appointed His divinely commissioned Imams (see commentary
of Baqarah : 124). The ransom, therefore, is essentially a great sacrifice Allah had kept in
store for future when the religion of Allah would be perfected and completed after the
advent of the Holy Prophet.

It was indeed a great and momentous occasion when two men of God stood ready to offer
to Allah that which was dearest to them to seek His pleasure, then Allah puts off this
great manifestation of "devotion and surrender to His will" which was the real purpose of
the trial (not blood and flesh) to a future date, so that the "devotion and surrender to
Allah's will" should be demonstrated in a greater style and degree than what Ibrahim and
Ismail could. This type of service Imam Husayn performed, many ages later, in 61 A.H.,
and as he was a descendant of Ibrahim and Ismail the credit of "the great sacrifice" goes
to them also. Where on the lands of kerbala, he held his 6 month old baby in hands, and
saw him getting hit by an arrow on the neck by hurmila, the captain of yazeeds army.
Imam hussain, not only sacrificed his own life but of 72 of his fellow friends, 18 of them
were family members, which included sons, brothers and nephews.

When Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the holy Kabah, they prayed to Allah
to accept their service, make them both Muslims (submissive to Allah), and also make
their descendants Muslims, and raise up in them a messenger who would recite to them
Allah's revelation, teach them the book and the wisdom and purify them.

This prayer shows that there had always been some men and women in the progeny of
Ibrahim who were true Muslims, through whom the divine light of Muhammad and Ali
passed till it reached Abdul Muttalib. Then his two sons Abdullah and Abu Talib carried
it separately. Abdullah transferred it to Muhammad. and Abu Talib transferred it to Ali,
the vicegerent and the successor of the Holy Prophet the first of the twelve Imams the
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divinely commissioned rightly guided guides for mankind. "I and Ali are from one and
the same light", said the Holy Prophet

As said in the commentary of verses 80 to 84 of al Araf the two angels first came to
Ibrahim and informed him that they were sent to the people of Lut. They gave Ibrahim
and his wife, Sarah, the glad tidings from Allah that inspite of their advanced age soon
they would have a son, Is-haq, and a grandson, Yaqub, Is-haq's son.

Sarah was included in the Ahl ul Bayt because firstly she was a cousin of Ibrahim and
secondly she was going to give birth to Is-haq, in addition to her own merits, otherwise a
wife (particularly one who does not possess required merits) cannot be included into the
Ahl ul Bayt, a divinly chosen term to praise and glorify certain persons, because a wife
can be divorced, after which she ceases to be a member of the house.

Ibrahim, kind and forbearing, was disturbed when the angels told him that they were
going to destroy the people of Lut, but after receiving the command of Allah, he readily
acknowledged the necessity of the divine action.

Idris, Prophet

Prophet Idris is mentioned twice in the Quran. In verse 85 of Anbiya he is among those
who patiently persevered. He was the grandfather of the father of Nuh, and son of the
grandson of Shith. He was born a hundred years after the death of Adam. He introduced
the art of writing, weights and measures and tailoring to mankind. He was also well
versed in the science of astronomy.

Idris was also raised to a high position. This raising to the closeness or nearness of Allah
is termed as wilayah, without which no one could be honoured with prophethood.

Iffik

The particular incident referred to here occurred on the return from the defensive
expedition of the Bani Mustaliq in 5-6 Hijra. At one of the halts, A-isha, the Holy
Prophet's wife, withdrew from the camp to cleanse herself in the nearby desert. There she
lost her necklace.

As it was dark there she took time to discover it. In the meantime the march was ordered.
As her litter was veiled, it was not noticed that she was not in it. When she returned to the
camp, she could do nothing but wait. She fell asleep. Next morning she was found by
Safwan who had been left behind to pick up anything inadvertently left behind. He put
her on his camel and brought her, leading the camel on foot. This episode furnished some
malicious enemies of the Holy Prophet, particularly the hypocrites, with an opportunity to
raise a scandalous storm in order to hurt the feelings of the Holy Prophet.

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The ringleader among them was the chief of the Madina hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubay.
Mistah, her uncle, also helped him. Ibn Ubay is referred to as the man who "took on
himself the lead among them" to spread the scandal.

Ali ibn abi Talib knew that it was an obvious lie (as said in verse 24:12), concocted to
hurt the Holy Prophet, so he asked Burayrah, the maid of A-isha, to tell the mischief-
makers the truth about her mistress. On Burayrah's report the scandal was diffused.

Mistah was a sahabi (companion) of the Holy Prophet but because of his role in the
incident he was punished by the Holy Prophet. It shows that every sahabi was not
righteous. According to Allah's law (indallah) four witnesses have to be produced even if
the accusation is true.

People may think it is an insignificant matter to speak lightly of something which

damages a person's character or reputation, but with Allah it is a most serious matter in
all cases, particularly when it involves the honour and reputation of pious men and
women.

Verse 24:22 refers to Abu Bakr, the father of A-isha, and Mistah, his cousin. Abu Bakr
was given ample means by Allah. He used to support Mistah, but after this incident he
withdrew his help. According to the highest standards of Islamic ethics, as said in this
verse, a truly generous patron should not, in personal anger, withdraw his support even
from a delinquent if he is in need. The general application holds good for all time. Those
who desire that Allah should forgive their faults must be forgiving and merciful in their
dealings with men who have wronged them.

Illiyun

Illiyun literally means the high places, in contrast to the sijjin in verse 83:7. It is a place
where the record of the righteous is kept. It contains every detail of the deeds of the
righteous. Those nearest to Allah will be witnesses to the records of the righteous. On the
day of judgement a witness will be called for every people and the Holy Prophet will be
called as witness over all these witnesses.

Ilyas, Prophet

Prophet Ilyas is mentioned in I Kings 17 and 2 Kings 1 and 2 as Elijah. According to it he

lived in the reign of Ahab (896-874 B.C.) and Ahaziah (874-872 B.C.), kings of the
northern kingdom of Israil or Samaria. After Musa, the people began to worship Baal, the
sun-god worshipped in Syria. Ilyas denounced all sins of Ahab and Ahaziah and warned
people to stop the worship of Baal and believe in the true religion of Musa.

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 Illyas, Prophet

As mentioned in history Ilyas or Ilyah or Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind to heaven

when the people planned to kill him. He is still alive; and is represented by Ali ibn abi
Talib.

Inheritance

What one leaves behind should be clearly defined, according to the law of inheritance as
well as one's own wishes. No vagueness is allowed in Islam, because the path is that of
awareness, discrimination, and knowledge.

The distribution of wealth among the heirs is to be effected after taking the will (bequest)
of the deceased into consideration. The Holy Prophet and Imam Ali had clearly, in many
instances, advised those, who sought their guidance, to bequeath or not to bequeath
according to the merits and circumstances of the seekers of guidance. Here the word
kutiba means "laid down". It can be compulsory or optional according to the merits and
circumstances of the case.

This Islamic law of inheritance is a land-mark in the history of legal and social reform. In
pre-Islamic world wives, daughters and sisters were excluded altogether from inheritance.
In Islam both the men and women are given the right of inheritance. The cardinal
principle of inheritance is to distribute the wealth among all near relatives, and not to let
it accumulate in the hands of one person-a wise and effective check on concentration of
wealth in few hands. Distant and remote relatives, who are not legal heirs of the
deceased, have also been accommodated in the most benevolent social order of the
world-Islam.

Injeel

Just as the Tawrat is not the Old Testament, or the Pentateuch, so the Injil, mentioned in
the Quran, is certainly not the New Testament, and it is not the four gospels as now
received by the Christian church, but an original Gospel which was promulgated by Isa,
as Tawrat was promulgated by Musa, and the Quran by the Holy Prophet.

The New Testament as now received consists of

1. four gospels with varying contents (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); and other
miscellaneous matter; viz.;
2. The Act of the Apostles (probably written by Luke and purporting to describe the
progress of the Christian church under St. Peter and St. Paul from the supposed
crucifixion of Jesus to about 61 A.D.);
3. twenty-one letters or epistles (the majority written by St. Paul to various churches or
individuals, but a few written by other disciples, and of a general nature);
4. the book of revelation or Apocalypse (ascribed to St. John, and containing mystic
visions and prophecies, of which it is difficult to understand the meanings).

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 Injeel

As Prof. F C. Burkitt remarks in the (Canon of the New Testament) it is an odd

miscellany. "The four biographies of Jesus Christ are not all independent of each other,
and neither of them was intended by its writer to form one of a quartet. But they are all
put side by side, unharmonised, one of them being actually imperfect at the end, and one
being only the first volume of a large work." All this body of unmethodical literature was
casual in its nature. No wonder, because the early Christians expected the end of the
world very soon. The four canonical gospels were only four out of many, and some
others besides the four have survived. Each writer just wrote down some odd sayings of
the master that he recollected. Among the miracles described there is only one which is
described in all the four gospels, and others were described and believed in, in other
gospels which are not mentioned in any of the four canonical gospels. Some of the
epistles contain expositions of doctrine, but this has been interpreted differently by
different Churches. There must have been hundreds of such epistles, and not all the
epistles now received as canonical were always so received or intended to be so received.
The Apocalypse also was not the only one in the field. There were others. They were
prophecies of "things which must shortly come to pass"; they could not have been meant
for long preservation, "for the time is at hand".

When were these four gospels written? By the end of the second century A.D. they were
in existence, but it does not follow that they had been selected by that date to form a
canon. They were merely pious productions comparable to Dean Farrar's Life of Christ.
There were other gospels besides. And further, the writers of two of them, Mark and
Luke, were not among the twelve disciples "called" by Jesus. About the gospel of St.
John there is much controversy as to authorship, date, and even as to whether it was all
written by one person. Clement of Rome (about 97 A.D.) and Polycarp (about 112 A.D.)
quote sayings of Jesus in a form different from those found in the present canonical
gospels.

Polycarp (Epistle, vii) inveighs much against men "who prevent the sayings of the Lord
to their own lusts," and he wants to turn "to the word handed down to us from the
beginning," thus referring to a book (or a tradition) much earlier than the four orthodox
gospels. An epistle of St Barnabas and an Apoclaypse of St. Peter were recognised by
Presbyter Clement of Alexandria (flourished about 180 A.D.). The Apoclaypse of St.
John, which is a part of the present canon in the west, forms no part of the Peshitta
(Syriac) version of the eastern Christians, which was produced about 411-433 A.D. and
which was used by the Nestorian Christians. It is probable that Peshitta was the version
(or an Arabic form of it) used by the Christians in Arabia in the time of the Holy Prophet.
The final form of the New Testament canon for the west was fixed in the fourth century
A.D. (say, about 367 A.D.) by Athanasius and the Nicene creed. The beautiful Codex
Sinaiticus which was acquired for the British Museum in 1934, and is one of the earliest
complete manuscripts of the Bible, may be dated about the fourth century. It is written in
the Greek language. Fragments of unknown gospels have also been discovered, which do
not agree with the received canonical gospels.

The Injil (Creek, Evangel = Gospel) spoken of by the Quran is not the New Testament. It
is not the four gospels now received as canonical. It is the single Gospel which, Islam
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teaches, was revealed to Jesus (Isa) and which he taught. Fragments of it survive in the
received canonical gospels and in some others, of which traces survive (e.g. the gospel of
childhood or the nativity, the gospel of St. Barnabas, etc.). Muslims therefore do not
accept the present Bible (New Testament and Old Testament), as "the Injil", but as it
contains some portions of "the Injil" revealed to Isa it is paid due respect, yet they reject
the peculiar doctrines taught by orthodox Christianity or Judaism. They claim to be in the
true tradition of Ibrahim and therefore all that is of value in the older revelations, it is
claimed, is incorporated in the teaching of the last of the prophets.

Inna Lillah
This is the attitude of a faithful when a misfortune befalls him or he suffers a loss. It is
the summary of all that which Islam teaches. We are His. We unconditionally submit to
His will. We shall return to Him. He is our destination. Whoso makes his life a true
expression of this description becomes His prime favourite for His grace, blessings and
guidance. The Holy Prophet who stands first and foremost in submission to Allah is the
ideal model of this expression which has further been elaborated in verse 163 of Ali-
Imran.

It is reported that when Ali ibna abi Talib heard the news of the martyrdom of Hamza, his
and the Holy Prophet's dearest uncle, in the battle of Uhad, he said:

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji-un

And afterwards Allah revealed these words to the Holy Prophet in verse 2:156.

Intoxicants
Actions such as taking intoxicants, or seeking quick and easy wealth through gambling,
draw us away from reality and dull our sense of comprehending and distinguishing
things. Man's reason for existence is to grasp reality. All intoxicating substances have
been defined by the Holy Prophet and the holy Imams of his Ahl ul Bayt.

When the harm of a thing is stated to be greater than its advantage, it is sufficient
indication of its prohibition, for no sensible person would take a course which is sure to
bring him a much greater loss than an advantage.

The Holy Prophet said: "Curse of Allah be on liquor, its maker and he who assists him,
bearer, loader, distributor, seller, purchaser, consumer and whoever uses its sale proceeds
and profit."

Imam Ali ibna abi Talib said: If a drop of liquor falls into a well and a minaret is built on
its nearby land I will not recite azan from it; and if it falls into a river and in its dry bed
grows grass, I will not let my horse graze on it.

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 Intoxicants

Liquor is ummul khaba-ith, the mother of all vices. An intoxicated person ceases to be a
human being, becomes a brute and loses the ability to distinguish between good and evil,
right and wrong.

The Holy Prophet said: "Do not visit a sick person if he drinks wine (or any intoxicating
drink), if he dies do not attend his funeral prayers, if he is in distress do not give him
alms; and it is like throwing your daughter into hell if you marry her to a drunkard."

Iram

Iram was a city of lofty structures, known as the "earthly paradise", built by Shaddad son
of Ad. Allah sent a prophet to admonish Shaddad who began to call himself God. When
asked, the prophet gave him the description of paradise, and Shaddad built such a place
and named it Iram. When it was completed Shaddad went to see it. As soon as he entered
the main gate he saw the angel of death standing in front of him. He asked for a few
moments in which he wanted to see the paradise he built but while dismounting from his
horse when he was about to touch the ground his soul was seized by the angel of death;
after which the garden he built had disappeared.

Isa and Mariam (AS), Prophet

There are three persons named Imran:
1. The father of Musa and Harun.
2. The father of Maryam (grandfather of Isa).
3. The father of Ali, the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet, known as Abu Talib.

Imran, the father of Maryam, is referred to in the Quran, not the father of Musa. There is
a long period of time between Musa and Isa, therefore, some of the Christian scholars
wrongly conclude that the Quran and the Holy Prophet (God forbid) made a mistake by
stating that the mother of Maryam is the sister of Musa. The Holy Prophet knew well that
between Musa and Isa there were several prophets of Allah- Dawud, Sulayman, Yunus,
Zakariyya, Yahya. Isa was the last prophet of the children of Israil, after whom none was
sent as a prophet of Allah save Ahmad, the Holy Prophet himself.

When a female was born, Hanna, wife of Imran, was disappointed, because she had
vowed to dedicate her son to the service of Allah, as it was a custom in those days to give
one of the sons over to the temple in Jerusalem. Yet she named her daughter Maryam
which, in Hebrew, means "maid-servant of God"; and brought her to the sanctuary. The
priests unwillingly accepted Maryam on Hanna's plea that her daughter was assigned by
her to God's service before her birth. She entrusted her daughter and her offspring (Isa) to
Allah and invoked Him to keep both of them safe from satanic influence. Zakariyya,
husband of Hanna's sister, and Maryam's maternal uncle, was chosen by casting lots to
take charge of Maryam. As soon as she reached the age of puberty, he erected a high
balcony where she used to stay the whole day, praying; and in the evening, he used to
take her with him to her abode. The room in which she slept and lived during the night
was always locked and its key was kept with him.
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The desire of Hanna was fulfilled in Isa. The miraculous birth of Isa was a clear sign of
the omnipotent will of Allah. As the creator of the laws of nature, He does not depend on
their operation because whatever takes place in nature is an immediate effect of His will

Whenever Zakariyya came to see Maryam in the sanctuary, he found her provided with
fresh fruits and eatables from heaven. This naturally excited wonder in him, since none
could enter her locked chamber except himself. He used to ask, "Where has this come
from?" And always she replied, "From Allah who gives food in abundance to
whomsoever He likes".

Ruhana (Our spirit) refers to angel Jibra-il. Maryam went into privacy, from her people
and from people in general, for prayer and devotion. It was in this state of purity that
Jibra-il appeared to her in the form of a man. It means the spiritual power of Jibra-il made
her see him as a man otherwise he remained a spirit, so as to solace her which he could
not do unless she was able to see him with her own eyes. Also refer to the commentary of
Hud: 69 to 78 for appearance of angels in human form before Ibrahim and Lut.

The birth pangs led her to the trunk of a date-palm tree. It is said that it was a barren tree
but as soon as she rested herself on its trunk it became green and new leaves and fruit
grew on its naked branches. A similar miracle was seen by all when, while migrating
from Makka to Madina, the Holy Prophet rested upon the trunk of a barren tree on a road
side. The leaves of the tree were used by the sick to cure their different ailments.

Maryam was worried about the whispering campaign the people would start when they
would come to know that she gave birth to a child without being married. They would not
believe the truth that the holy ghost caused her conception. Overcome with shame and
pain she cried: "Would that I had died before this and become a thing forgotten, lost in
oblivion!"

Maryam was asked to keep from talking to people so that she might not give her own
answers to the expected censure from the people. The answer was to be given by Isa
himself as a child in the cradle.

Many Christian scholars have failed to understand the term "O sister of Harun", although,
according to the Bible, Maryam and Zakariyya's wife were related to each other, and
Zakariyya's wife was a descendant of the house of Harun. Generally any female
belonging to a family is described as a sister or daughter of the head of the family. The
Quran and the Bible assert that Maryam and Zakariyya's wife were the descendants of
Harun, the brother of Musa, a prophet of God, and through him belonged to the tribe of
Levi, noted for virtue and piety, and not to the house of Dawud. In order to remove the
discrepancies between the two genealogies, given in Matthew and Luke, the Christian
Church wrongly tries to establish that one refers to Maryam and the other refers to
Joseph, the alleged husband of Maryam, which is entirely based upon conjecture and is
against the clear wordings of the Quran and the Bible.

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When Isa was born the people of the town declared that Maryam had fallen and disgraced
the name of her progenitors.

As stated in the commentary of verse 26 the child in the cradle, Isa, was selected by Allah
to give the answer. This verse and verse 46 of Ali Imran clearly say that Isa, lying in the
cradle, spoke clearly to defend his holy mother.

She was asked not to give her own answers, therefore when she brought him to them and
was reprimanded, she pointed to the baby in the cradle as stated in verse 27, 28 and 29 of
Surah 19. The people asked as to how they could talk to one who was a child in the
cradle.

From the cradle Isa says: "Allah has given me a book (Injil) and made me a prophet."
Compare the Quran's declaration that Isa was a prophet of Allah from the day he was
born and the Injil was revealed to him simultaneously with the opinions of the majority of
Muslim scholars and their followers about the Holy Prophet mentioned in the
commentary of verse 12 of this surah and al Baqarah: 97.

The Holy Prophet said:"I was a prophet of Allah when Adam was yet in the making."

Like Isa Ali ibn abi Talib was also a believer in Allah from the day he was born in Ka-
bah, and was the first person to believe in the prophethood of the Holy Prophet, and never
worshipped a ghayrallah. Refer to the commentary al Baqarah: 124; Ali Imran: 52 and 53
and Bara-at: 100.

As a child Isa refutes the charges of illegitimate birth by declaring that Allah has made
him blessed wheresoever he be. The will of Allah, as creator of nature and the laws of
nature, controls their working without any limitation on its independent activity, because
any kind of limitation would circumvent His absolute omnipotence. Leave aside causing
birth of a man without the agency of a father or even without a mother and father
(Dahr:1), Allah has the absolute power to create children for Ibrahim out of stones, as
stated in Luke 3: 8.

Salat and zakat have been enjoined on him by Allah as long as he lived. Salat does not
mean only movements of the parts of the body but it refers here to the spirit or mental
attitude of prayer, because the soul of a prophet of Allah is always in communion with
his Lord who has sent him in the world with a purpose. Likewise zakat here refers to the
generosity a prophet of Allah necessarily displays in his thought and action.

Kalimah means a word. Isa has been described as a word of Allah, which refers to his
birth from a virgin mother, a unique distinction, because he was born at the command of
Allah, when He said: "Be". Allah does what He wills. He can create a being by making
amendments in the laws of nature, created by Himself, which always obey His will.

The first istafaki (selection of Maryam) refers to her apostolical lineage (in the seed of
Ibrahim) and her purification. The second istafaki refers to the fact that she was chosen to
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become the mother of a prophet without a father, remaining a virgin therefore, up to her
time and till the advent of the Holy Prophet, she was the best of the women in the worlds.

The Quran makes it clear that Isa shall speak to people from the cradle in the same style
and manner, containing the same substance and content, which he will convey to them in
his mature age. If it is wrongly presumed that as a child in the cradle he will speak to
people like an ordinary child, not conveying the message of Allah, the information Allah
gives to Maryam becomes unnecessary, because there is no sense in recording this fact, if
it means nothing more than the "ordinary experience of every child who is not dumb".
"And in maturity" confirms that what he will speak to people in maturity, which
undoubtedly was the revealed message of Allah to be conveyed to mankind as a
messenger of Allah, he will speak and make known even as a child in the cradle. It is a
miracle.

Anna means "how", used by Maryam to express her surprise or curiosity as Zakariyya did
in verse 40 of this surah. Lam yamsasni basharun (when no man has touched me) clearly
shows that the news of the forthcoming birth of Isa was given to Maryam in her state of
virginity, which was going to take place without the agency of a male partner, suspending
the natural process necessary for a woman to conceive a child.

The religion of Allah, Islam, emphatically states that Maryam, the mother of Isa, was a
virgin. She did not have any kind of sexual relation with any man before or after the birth
of Isa and remained a virgin in the strict sense of the word till she departed from this
world, as has been mentioned in verse 12 of al Tahrim that Maryam, the daughter of
Imran, guarded her chastity, and Allah breathed into her His spirit (Isa), and she was an
obedient servant of Allah, and she testified the truth of the words of her Lord-she neither
lied nor kept anything hidden, because, as Allah says, she was truthful.

"Allah taught Isa the book and wisdom, and the Tawrat and the Injil" brings up the
question as to when Isa received the education promised in this verse. In the light of verse
46 of this surah, he was sent into this world with the knowledge of the book and wisdom,
the Tawrat and the Injil.

The birth of Isa was a miracle. He lived a godly life, exposed the hypocrisy and
corruption of the Jews, and gave the glad tidings of the advent of the Holy Prophet.

Isa, by Allah's permission, formed, of clay, a thing like a bird and breathed in to it (and
Allah made the thing alive), cured blindness and leprosy, put life into the dead and told
the people their most secret affairs.

In the days of Isa the people to whom he was particularly sent (the Jews) could not be
effectively convinced with the help of arguments based on reason because of their ready
inclination to believe in anything which confounded their raw and undeveloped
intelligence. For example, magic and witchcraft excited their imagination. More often
than not, they responded to suggestions made through either of them, therefore, the

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purpose of the miraculous manifestation of the divine powers at his hands was to make
them believe in him and in that which he preached, as the prophet of Allah.

Isa had no new message. He confirmed that which had been conveyed by Musa. He
preached the unity of Allah, not trinity. See James 2: 19; John 20: 17;Timothy (1) 2: 5;
Jude 25.

According to verse 50, Isa had the authority to repeal or amend the laws of Musa,
therefore, he cancelled some of the laws of Tawrat, but, in the New Testament, a saying
of Isa is reported that: mountains may move but not a word from the Tawrat will be
removed. The Quran presents Isa as a law-giver prophet. He asks people to obey him and
follow his orders in addition to the testament that they already had. He also asks them to
adhere to the right path which implies that adherence is not following a particular
legislation but strict compliance with all the laws issued by Allah.

The Jews disbelieved that which Isa had said and planned to kill him. Hawariyyun refers
to the disciples of Isa, who were usually dressed in white garments, or to those who were
deputed by Isa to preach the unity of Allah, the true gospel. In both cases it may also refer
to the purity of their hearts.

The devoted disciples of Isa bear witness that they have surrendered themselves to His
will. They pray for attaining the quality of the witness referred to in verse 17 of al Hud,
which refers to the Holy Prophet as a clear sign of Allah and to Ali as a witness, a guide
and a mercy, from Allah.

According to some commentators the reference in 36:13 is to Antioch which was a Greek
city founded by Selcucus Nicator, one of the successors of Alexander, in about 300 B.C.
in memory of his father, Antiochus. The city may be a symbolic entity populated by
human society. In line with the style of the Quran whereby stories are forwarded as
example it is told that Isa had sent two of his disciples to preach his message. When they
came to the outskirts of a city, they met a shepherd who asked as to who they were. They
replied that they were the messengers from Isa, the prophet of Allah, and had been sent to
invite people to the religion of Allah. The shepherd wished to see if they had any signs to
prove their bonafide. They said that they could cure the sick and restore sight to the born
blind and cure the born lepers. On this, the shepherd took those men to his son who was
sick for long and no one could help him. They prayed to Allah and the sick son of the
shepherd was cured. The shepherd embraced the religion of Allah preached by Isa.

Hearing about the arrival of these men in the city, the man Habib al Najjar, known as
"mumin of ali Yasin", who believed in the advent of the Holy Prophet, even 680 years
before his coming, came out from his retreat and embraced the true faith, and a great
number of sick in the city were cured by the disciples of Isa. The Roman name of Habib
was Theofulus.

The King, who was a stubborn non-believer, imprisoned those messengers of Isa. On
hearing the fate of his messengers, Isa sent another of his disciple Simon who came to the
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city and pretended to belong to the King's faith (an example of taqiyyah) and gained
influence over him. See Acts 11: 16.

When Simon had gained sufficient influence over the King, he asked the King one day to
bring those two men to be questioned about their faith. The two messengers came but did
not give the indication of recognising Simon who asked them as to who they were and
what was the purpose of their visit to that place. They said that they were the messengers
of Isa, the prophet of Allah, sent to invite the King to give up his idolatry and embrace
the faith in the only true Lord. On being asked about their bonafides they said that they
can cure the sick and even born lepers and could give sight to the blind.

Simon told the king as to why the king and he should not ask the idol gods to show some
kind of miracles The king laughed and replied: "How can we expect these things from
idols which neither can speak nor hear." Then Simon said that they should have also
joined those two men in worshipping Allah who has such powers.

The king agreed and embraced the religion of Allah but the people rejected the truth and
said that the two messengers were only men who were mortals like themselves and called
the disciples of Isa liars.

Since the enforcement of justice by the Almighty does not need the pomp, show and
circumstances which ordinary power and authority of earthly beings manifest to create
terror in the minds of fellow beings in order to establish regard for their strength and
glory, no hosts from heaven were sent to punish the people of Antioch for their conduct
against the messengers from Isa and their killing the mumin of ali Yasin. To punish these
people, a single blast either through the rumbling of an earthquake or a violent stormy
wind with a thunder was sufficient. They became like ashes.

Makr means to employ a plan, not known to the opponent, to outwit and have an upper
hand over him. It is condemnable if employed for an evil purpose. It is commendable if
employed for a good purpose. The Jews plotted to put Isa to death, but Allah saved him
by frustrating his enemies' plot.

The birth of Isa was a miracle. His departure from this world to the heaven, alive, was
also a miracle. It is stated in Minhaj al Sadiqin that Isa was kept in custody in a room
during the night following which he was to be crucified in the morning. At daybreak,
Judas the hypocrite companion of Isa, who had betrayed him to the Roman soldiers, went
into the room to escort Isa to the place of crucifixion. As soon as he entered the room, he
was miraculously transformed into a person who resembled Isa. When he came out of the
room the Roman soldiers took him to the cross and crucified him, in spite of his loud and
desperate protestations.

The Jewish plot to kill Isa was prevented by the best of planners, the almighty Allah.

Tawaffa is to fulfil a promise. Inni mutawaffika means "I will complete your term". The
word may mean death or to take away. It has been used in both its meanings in the Quran.
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The incoherent recording of the events of Isa's crucifixion, burial and resurrection in the
New Testament, proves that the whole story had been fabricated to suit the doctrines of
the Christian church. Paul had distorted the true faith of Isa to accommodate Roman
paganism.

Their story should be judged in the light of the following analysis:

1. Those who came to arrest Isa, in the darkness of night, had never seen his face.
2. It was Judas who, standing beside Isa, identified him.
3. Judas' features were very much like Isa's.
4. As the light was very dim, their faces could not be seen clearly.
5. The soldiers were afraid of the people, who certainly would have started a struggle at
any moment and made their task difficult, so they were in a great hurry.
6. It was Judas who was crucified.
7. The crucified body was brought down from the cross in the early hours of dawn.
8. The disciples ran away from the scene and did not witness the burial.
9. The grave, in which the crucified body was buried, was found empty.
10. The only witness of the resurrection was Mary Magdalene whose versions, given in
the four gospels, differ from each other. In some, she was there when Isa rose from the
grave; and in some, when she approached the grave, she was told by another unknown
witness that her Lord was raised to heaven.
11. Isa was seen by the disciples after the resurrection

It is a fact that it was not Isa who was crucified. He was saved. His disciples gave
currency to the idea of his crucifixion so that the Jews remained assured of his death, else
they would have gone in his pursuit. The Roman soldiers also kept quiet in order to avoid
the blame of killing a wrong person and also the certain punishment for not executing Isa.
As Sale has observed in his above noted explanation, the early Christians did not believe
in Isa's crucifixion.

All the Muslims, in the light of this and other verses of the Quran, do not give any
credence to the false story of Isa's crucifixion and resurrection, fabricated by the Christian
church.

Tawaffa (to take away), tahar (to purify), raf-a (to raise) and nuzul (to descend) are the
four effects of the divine will in connection with Isa, out of which the first three have
already taken place and the fourth is expected to happen, before the final resurrection.

Those who disbelieved in Isa and those who disbelieved in the Holy Prophet shall be
severely punished and there will be no helpers to save them from the hell-fire.

The Christians of Najran came to the Holy Prophet and asked him as to why he had been
abusing Jesus (Isa) by saying that he was a man created by God, when he was born
without a father. The Holy prophet told them that he could not abuse Isa as he was the
"word of Allah" communicated through a purified virgin, Maryam, but the reason (birth
of a man without a father) put forward by them to accept him as a son of God or God was
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untenable because Allah created Adam without a father and a mother. When Allah wills a
thing to "be", it becomes.

Even in the theory of evolution there comes a stage, while backtracking, when one has to
accept the fact that a living being must have come into being without the agency of a
sexual procedure. Whatever once happened in the process of creation can take place any
time, may be once in a great while but not altogether impossible. There are several
examples in nature, which are inexplicable through any law known to man. The only
explanation, as the Quran points out, is the imperative word of Allah.

The likeness of Isa with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. Therefore, as the Christian
church argues, if Isa was a son of God because he was born without a father, Adam
deserved more to be God or son of God as he came into being without a father and a
mother .

Islam
Aslim means to submit. The root of the word is islam (complete submission to Allah).
The literal meanings of iman, islam and din, used frequently in the Quran, are very close
to each other. The submission of thoughts and feelings to the object of belief is iman. To
surrender willingly, inwardly as well as outwardly, to the will (of a supreme being) is
islam. A deeply rooted dutiful, devoted, submissive and abiding approach, by nature and
in appearance, towards "the approved discipline" is din. Din has been used variously to
mean judgement, subjugation, religion, to do good, to obey, to advance a loan, to take
into account, to reward and to punish, but the root is that which has been stated above,
which also implies all the given meanings.

According to verses 14 and 15 of al Hujurat islam is the outward obedience and iman is
the inward submission. Islam and iman become synonymous when islam is used with
reference to inward submission and iman is used with reference to outward obedience.

The religion of Islam is universal, for all people, in every age. Therefore, it is necessary
for every follower of Islam to believe in all the prophets and messengers of Allah and in
what was revealed to them. No other religion besides Islam demands from its followers to
believe equally in the sinless purity of the conduct and character of other prophets of
Allah, and in the truthfulness of other sacred scriptures as the revealed words of Allah.

To frighten with the consequences of wrongdoing is a negative approach, whereas to

invite unto love and attachment with a real beneficent and merciful Lord-sustainer is a
positive step towards a meaningful life, wherein even a wrongdoer can obtain amnesty if
he undertakes to make amends and go straight. The religion of Allah, Islam, grows out of
the divine mercy and attracts universal attention with its references, and relies on it to
give feasible sense and significance to the relationship between the creator and the
created beings.

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The religion sent for mankind is Islam which means peace, and the prophet deputised by
Allah to translate it into action has been made the "mercy unto the worlds".

Several other religions and creeds in the world have tried their best to bring down God to
the level of man to make man god-minded and reform him. But Islam offers guidance to
man to rise unto Allah and get nearer to Him, as nearer as his individual efforts,
strengthened by his personal sincerity, can take him.

Islam wants to make man god-minded, so as to create in him the belief that he is nothing,
can do nothing and can achieve nothing by himself, for himself or for anybody else.

Judaism and Christianity were instituted after the revelation of the Tawrah and the Injil to
Musa and Isa respectively, whereas, according to the Quran, the religion of Allah, Islam,
was preached and practised by all His prophets from Adam to Muhammad. From the
beginning of the world to its end, Islam (total submission to the will of Allah) remains to
be the only religion of Allah. Islam awakens conscience and invites man to use reason for
believing in the signs of Allah so that he finds out the truth.

Jihad

Jihad (from jahada) means to strive, take great pains, and to give away life, property and
everything in the way of Allah. The message of Islam is universal. From early times the
Muslims were only permitted to fight in self defence. When there is no option, and in the
face of persecution, however, the Muslims must fight. The strength of Islam lies in its
certainty of ultimate victory over aggression, transgression, and ascribing falsehood to
Allah and His last prophet. Fitna can mean oppression, persecution, seduction - all
implying the "discord" that attachment with ghayrallah (other-than-Allah) brings about.
War is detestable but fitna is worse than slaughter. Islam promotes peace, order and
harmony in the human society and keeps man on the right path. When the enemies of
Islam found that the light of this message was sweeping darkness from every corner, the
disbelievers vowed to annihilate it. It was only then that, no recourse being left for the
believers, they had to resolutely take up the sword in defence. Verses 39 and 40 of al Hajj
also give permission to fight when any people is wronged, oppressed and persecuted.

So in the way of Allah, the prophets were commanded to put an end to the activities of
the disbelievers who wanted to destroy the true devotees of Allah in order to stop the
advancement and progress of the religion of Allah. The Quran commands the Muslims
not to exceed the limits but to fight evil until its power base is dislodged, and if the kafirs
desist then to show mercy. The role assigned to the Holy Prophet as the "mercy unto the
worlds" was the most benign of all the campaigns undertaken by His messengers to
liberate mankind from the clutches of the enemies of Allah. He fought and killed the
enemy whenever war was imposed on him.

Nobody who has any idea of the miserable conditions of the early Muslims, would for a
moment imagine that this handful of people could have wantonly set themselves to
provoke the active hostility of the whole world about them. They would quietly have
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borne any provocation rather than take the risk of fighting numberless hordes. If they did
engage themselves in this way, one would presume that circumstances had forced them to
it; unless their very existence was in peril, they could not possibly have thought to plunge
themselves into a mortal struggle. This is so clear a priori that even if the initiative did
appear to be taken by Muslims, no sane minded person would for a moment suppose that
they were really offensive wars - they must have been offensive with a defensive import.
The circumstances had forced them to take action, and if the Holy Prophet had not been
quick to it and had waited for a formal assault from the other side, he would only have
given the enemy time to collect their forces; and who can doubt that in that case, the
world would soon have heard the last of this little band of Muslims.

Finally it should be noted that as without jihad correspondence of the Holy Prophet to the
career of prophet Musa would fail to be perfect, Islam would also fail to be a complete
and perfect religion for the world. Fighting has well been said to be the direct necessity of
human nature, a religion that did not provide for it, did not regulate its principles and
define its rightful limits, would not be a perfect religion, much less a final religion for the
world.

As Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir says: "A war may be termed as holy or godly
(jihad) if the object is to make people give up submission to the ghayrallah and to submit
only to Allah's authority and the divine will. But if the purpose is to make them give up
submission to one creature in order to submit to any other, it is the usual war waged for
selfish and worldly gain. Hence it is unholy and thus condemned by Islam." Taking this
definition in view, it is obvious that no war is holy unless it is sanctioned and allowed by
the person who is perfectly pure from every kind of ungodliness and is constantly in
communion with the universal will of the absolute.

However, Islam enjoins on Muslims to be always ready, well prepared and well equipped
to meet all exigencies, or an eventuality which may unexpectedly develop against them,
then they should gather as much strength as they can, so that their opponents, the
opponents of the divine cause, may refrain from any unprovoked aggression. (Anfal: 60).

The order is to kill the enemy (against whom fighting has been enjoined) wherever they
are found, whilst the war goes on. It does not refer to unbelievers in general.

Islam avoids killing and destruction, but when public peace and safety is at stake, prompt
and severe action is taken to bring order and eliminate lawlessness. Islam has no room for
wilful aggressors and cunning mischief-makers. The sanctity of the holy Kabah and the
sacred months is very important, but when attacked all considerations should be kept in
abeyance till the aggressors are destroyed completely.

Showing mercy when one has the upper hand is enjoined. On all occasions, the lover of
Allah attempts to draw near Him by taking on the appropriate attribute of Allah. Mercy
and forgiveness for the enemies if they desist from fighting has been recommended. No
other creed or religion has this provision.

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Rajab, Dhilqad, Dhilhajj and Muharram are the sacred months. The men of Allah are
allowed to inflict injury on those who violate the sanctity of the sacred months and attack
the believers, because under the law of retaliation justice demands that the aggressors be
punished, but when the enemy desist from continued confrontation, peace, bound by
agreement, should prevail and be adhered to.

"In the way of Allah" implies taking part in the holy war with pure heart and clean
motives, not for booty. A believing and devout warrior either wins a victory or gives his
life to attain martyrdom, because ignominy of defeat is not for him. There is a mighty
reward awaiting for him in the hereafter. The primary motive to fight should be to defend
the cause of Allah and also to protect or liberate the oppressed among men, women and
children.

A jihad is fought under strict conditions, under a righteous leader, purely for the sake of
faith and Allah's laws. All baser motives (territory, trade, revenge or military glory-
"temporal goods of this world") are strictly excluded. The greed of gain in the form of
ransom from captives has no place in such warfare.

It is reported that once some people asked Ali as to why he always went in the battlefield
astride a mule when all the great warriors used thorough bred horses, Ali said: "A
thorough bred horse is needed either to run away from the battle when odds against the
warrior are very heavy or to pursue the escaping enemy to collect their possessions-
neither of which I do, therefore I do not need a thorough bred horse."

Jihad, in its total rational perspective, does not mean a war against some enemy. It means
striving, specially against one's own self, which is the greatest jihad. One who strives in
the way of Allah, does it for his own good.

The ordinance to kill the disbelievers is applicable when they launch an attack on the
believers, not when they have surrendered. Islam prescribes effective defence in the event
of an unprovoked aggression.

Jinns

According to the root meaning of jinn (to be covered or hidden) they are invisible beings.
Jinn are stated to have been created from fire. In many verses jinn and men (created from
clay) are spoken of together. The angels are the spirit of goodness and jinn are the spirit
of evil.

This Quran asserts the existence of invisible beings who establish communication with
the human beings and influence the weak-minded among them so as to lead them astray
from the right path. Evil consorts with evil because of their mutual bargains, bound as
they are to each other in the planning and execution of evil.

Minkum (from among you) indicates that messengers of Allah had also been sent to the
jinn (a separate people) because the Quran says: "We have sent a guide to every people."
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As man is superior to all the created beings the messengers sent to the jinn must have
worked under the human-prophets, but the Holy Prophet was the sole guide for all the
created beings, men, jinn and angels, and for this reason the jinn have been addressed in
the Quran - Ahqaf : 29; Rahman : 33; Jinn : 1.

Jinn are also conscious beings. Jinn are made of fire, therefore, more often than not, evil
is associated with them. They can also take any physical form, including debased
animals.

The jinn must naturally be uncontrollable, rebellious beings because the phrase be-idhni
rabbihi indicates that some special control of Allah was needed to make them work
submissively. The punishment mentioned to be waiting for the disobedient among them,
implies that they were by nature liable to revolt and disobey the authority of man. The
first being to disobey Allah in the matter of prostrating before Adam, while all the angels
immediately did so, was neither an angel nor a human being, but a genie. It is said that
Iblis was a genie, made of fire, and he opposed the very first man while the man was yet
in his creation (Araf: 12).

The inability of the human beings, particularly in the earlier ages of ignorance, to
understand the nature of created beings other than themselves, led them to believe in false
notions about the jinn. They thought that the jinn had mysterious powers and could harm
them in supernatural ways, so they began to give undue importance to the jinn, and many
people used to invoke them for protection and safety. This attitude of man made the jinn
proud and they foolishly and falsely assumed the responsibility of guarding and
protecting mankind. Like the disbelievers some among the jinn also thought that there is
no resurrection and judgement, so they became daring and tried to pry higher realms but
their dark plots were defeated by vigilant guards described as the shafts of meteoric light
in the heavens.

Kafir

Sealing of the disbelievers' hearts, who make a willing choice of the life of sin, is a
happening in the usual course. Lack of proper use of the faculties of discernment and
understanding blunts their judgement and reasonableness, a logical penalty, referred to in
verse 179 of al Araf, and verse 5 of Ha Mim, wherein they themselves bear witness to the
penalty they had been inflicted with.

Allah bears witness to the loss of usefulness of the disbelievers' faculties to see, hear and
understand, in order to inform the Holy Prophet that all attempts, howsoever sincere and
eager, will fail to bring them back to the right path, as they are unable to pay attention to
any type of warning.

Those who cover themselves with the dark veil of ignorance (Kufr-infidelity) are deaf,
dumb and blind, therefore, the impact of the call of the message of Allah is lost. There is
no response. The kafir is devoid of understanding.

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 Kafir

Denial of the prophets (succeeding the prophet in whom one believes) is a subversive act
tantamount to disbelief (Kufr). For such disbelievers the requital is the curse of Allah and
the angels and of men. They shall live under it for ever, and their agony shall not
decrease, nor there will be respite for them.

The rebellious heart and the indifferent attitude toward Allah's laws and commandments,
of a disbeliever, render him liable for an everlasting painful punishment, and from him
shall not be accepted an earthful of gold if he were to give it in alms in this world to
ransom himself from punishment in the hereafter. The decree of punishment for him is
final and definite. No amount of charity will be of any use to alleviate the deserved
punishment from Allah.

The believers are warned not to make friends with the enemies of Islam, their associates
and relatives. Tolerance is desirable only when it is known that there is no joining of
hands to launch an offensive against the true faith. It is a wise maxim to preserve the faith
from the contaminating influence of impiety and infidelity. The disbelievers will not fall
short in corrupting or vitiating the true belief of the believers, because they cannot control
their hatred.

The infidels are unclean both literally and metaphorically. It refers to their physical
uncleanliness as well as to their impure hearts and souls. According to the holy Imams
anything wet touched by an idolater should not be used unless properly purified.

According to 9:29 a disbeliever, or a polytheist, or an infidel (kafir) is he who

1.does not believe in Allah, nor in His oneness and unity, but associates other created
beings as partners or co-equals with Him
2. does not believe in the day of judgement
3. does not follow what Allah and His Prophet have enjoined
4. does not accept and submit to the true religion.

Even the disbelievers, if they do good, will be duly recompensed in this life, because the
Quran repeatedly says that Allah never let good deeds remain unrewarded, but they will
have no share of eternal bliss on account of their disbelief.

Kawthar

When the Holy Prophet's son, Tahir, born to Khadijah al Kubra, died, Amr bin As and
Hakam bin As taunted the Holy Prophet by calling him abtar-tail-less, whose progeny has
been cut off. This surah Kauthar was revealed to give glad tidings to the Holy Prophet
that abundance of unbounded grace, wisdom and knowledge, mercy and goodness,
spiritual power and insight, in highest degrees, and of progeny has been given to him.

It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hambal and
other books of renowned Sunni scholars that the Holy Prophet said: "Kawthar is a stream
of super excellence, exclusively belonging to me. Only the righteous believers (among
my followers) will be allowed to drink from it. Ali shall distribute the water from it to
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 Kawthar

them. On the day of judgement I will see some of my companions driven, like cattle,
away from Kawthar. It will be announced that they are those who, after my departure
from the world, deviated from the true religion and introduced innovations (based upon
conjecture) to corrupt the faith."

From that day Ali was known and referred to by the companions as saqi al kawthar.

Kawthar also means abundance of descendants. The countless descendants of the Imams
of the Ah ul Bayt, in the progeny of Ali and Fatimah are known as sayyids. They are the
descendants of the Holy Prophet.

Quran guarantees abundance in every type of growth and profit to the Holy Prophet. In
gratitude of the grant of "abundance", the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt demonstrated
highest standard of devotion in prayers and in giving everything they had in the cause of
Allah. The enemies of the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt will be lost in oblivion. It is
a divine prophesy.

Kerbala

Only once in the history of the world all kinds of trials, mentioned in this verse (2:155),
to the maximum conceivable degree, have been happily and triumphantly endured and
coped with by Imam Husayn and his family and friends in the desert of Karbala. No less
was the situation of the other holy Imams under the tyrannical rule of the Ummawi and
Abbasi rulers.

The event of Kerbala clearly separated and identified the two camps the camp of Allah
and the camp of Shaytan. The Imams in the progeny of Imam Husayn, through piety,
reason and wisdom, preached the true religion of Allah. The hypocrisy of the usurpers,
through ruthless intimidation and shameless treason, opposed them to crush and destroy
the Islam original kept alive by the Ahl ul Bayt. Yet the Islam original flourished. The
severest despots could not obliterate it.

For three days the Imam, his friends and relatives were without food and water. From all
sides they were surrounded by the enemy. At dawn of Ashura the Imam asked his son Ali
Akbar to recite the azan. Tayammum was performed. The Holy Imam led the
congregational fajr salat. The devotees who stood in front of the Imam to guard the
prayers fell on the ground when arrows shot by the enemy hit them. In the evening, the
holy Imam was alone, every pore of his body a bleeding wound, he slid over the burning
sand of Naynawa from his horse, and prayed the asr salat. Swords, arrows, spears,
daggers, lances, stones hit him from all directions. The sacred blood of Muhammad, Ali
and Fatimah flowed (from the Imam's body) in a stream over the sandy soil.

For what pleased Allah most concerning Imam Husayn see commentary of As Saffat :
107 wherein the sacrifice of Husayn has been described as "dhibhin azim" - the greatest
sacrifice.

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 Khalifa

Khalifa

The literal meaning of khalaf is to come after, follow, succeed etcetera. In verse of
AlBaqrah, it has been used in the sense of succeeding, in fact, representing Allah on the
earth, to exercise His authority in terms of "reacting" to His will, as His vicegerent. This
is the basis of prophethood. Some schools of thought hold the view that reason and
intellect, at the disposal of man, are enough to represent Allah, and there is no need of the
delegation of authority. The necessity of a vicegerent of Allah on the earth has been
conclusively proved, appointment of whom cannot and shall not be made by any one save
Allah. Khalifatullah, the representative of Allah, is he whom Allah Himself delegates His
authority.

Neither the consensus of public opinion, nor a group, nor an individual has the right to
represent the will of Allah. Even the prophets or the angels did not have the right to say
anything in the matter of appointment of the khalifa. Allah does not allow any one to
interfere with the execution of His will, nor can any one question Him. Here and in many
other places, dealing with the delegation of authority, it has been asserted that His will
and choice is not arbitrary but is always based on the recognition of merit. Adam was
appointed as His vicegerent, in preference to the angels, on the merit of possessing the
knowledge which they did not have. According to verse 124 of al Baqarah Allah
appointed prophet Ibrahim as the Imam after He had tried Ibrahim with a number of
things which he fulfilled, with the clear provision that although there would be Imams in
his progeny, but those who were unjust would not receive this authority. In verse 947 of
al Baqarah, Saul is appointed as an authority over the people because of his wisdom and
strength, in preference to those who claimed to be more worthy than him on account of
their worldly position. In verses 17 to 25 of al Sad, Allah appoints Dawud as His
vicegerent on the merit of wisdom, power of judgement and obedience to Allah's will.

The most important qualifications, mentioned in the Quran, are given below:

1. Untiring and continuous remembrance of Allah, with no drift or diversion under any
type of circumstance.
2. Never giving in to the demands motivated by self-oriented interests.
3. Following only the divine revelations.
4. Being the first and the foremost in establishing and carrying out every virtue to the
point of perfection.
5. Awareness and wisdom of all laws (physical and moral) made by Allah, and their
operation, so as not to make any mistakes; and for this awareness received no guidance or
education from any one save Allah.
6. No type of adversity, crisis or temptation should affect the tranquillity of the mind and
the heart, described as sakinah in the Quran.
7. The purity of birth, character and conduct because of which they are the most
honoured with Allah (Hujurat:13), the foremost in faith and virtue, in receiving the
rewards, and in their nearness to Allah (Waqi-ah:10,11).
8. Ruling over the people with justice as pointed out in verse 26 of al Sad.

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 Khalifa

The Holy Prophet was the perfector of Adam's mission of khalifatullah on the earth and
the executor of the final will of the Lord of the worlds. Therefore his khalifa was also
chosen and appointed by Allah to carry out the responsibilities of the divine office. The
choice was not left to the fancy of the people, nor was any consultation needed. Inni ja-
ilun fil ardi khalifah is an open declaration of His will and decision. Likewise the
successor of the Holy Prophet could neither be chosen by the companions nor by the
Holy Prophet himself. From the "feast of the near relations" to the event of "Ghadir
Khum", narrated in detail on page 6 on the authority of well-known Muslim scholars, it
was the will and command of Allah which the Holy Prophet had carried out.

Khandaq – The Battle

The verse 2:214 is reported to have been revealed at the time of the battle of Khandaq,
when the restless Muslims kept on asking: "When comes Allah's help?"

The fifth year of Hijra was a critical year in the history of early Islam. The pagans of
Makka, the Jews and bedouin Arabs entered into an unholy alliance against Islam, and
came with a force of 10000 men in the month of Shawwal and besieged Madina. The
hypocrites among the Muslims in Madina were in secret league with the invading army.
As to the battle of Khandaq which took place when the allied forces of the disbelievers
besieged the city of Madina, The huge army of the infidels and the mischief making of
the hypocrites created despondency among the Muslims, so they have been asked to
remain steadfast on the religion of Allah revealed to the Holy Prophet and rely upon
Allah, and not to pay attention to the schemes hatched by the hypocrites in league with
the disbelievers.

The infidels of Makka with a mighty host of twelve thousand warriors encircled Madina
to destroy a few hundred Muslims, including women and children. On the suggestion of
Salman, a ditch was dug around the city in six days. It is reported that at the time of
digging the trench a stone in the earth was found which neither could be removed nor
broken. The people went to the Holy Prophet to seek his help. He came and struck it
thrice with an axe, each time a flashing spark sparkled from the stone and people saw the
glimpses of Syria, Madina and Yeman one after another. The stone was broken. The Holy
Prophet told them Allah would grant the Muslims victories over those towns. The weak
in faith and the hypocrites, who were expecting certain end of the Holy Prophet, openly
accused him of telling morale boasting lies to keep the people in delusion.

The sight of the enemy who surrounded the city round the trench was frightful. All the
Muslims save the Holy Prophet, his Ahl ul Bayt and their followers feared that they
might not be able to stand the trial and would be slaughtered and destroyed. "The hearts
jumped to the throats" is expressive of cowardice. "They came on you from above you"
refers to the heathens and "from below you" refers to the hypocrites and the weak-hearted
wavering converts. (33:10)

The word muminin in verse 33:11 refers to those who posed themselves as believers but
were not in fact true faithfuls. Their insincerity and false guise became known when Amr
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threw an open challenge but none of the companions came forward to meet him in single
combat because they were shaken by a frightening terror.

Most of the companions of the Holy Prophet who were weak in faith fell easy prey to the
machination of the clever hypocrites, as they did in the battles of Badr and Uhad (see
verses of Ali Imran and Anfal noted above) and afterwards in Hunayn (see commentary
of Bara-at: 25 to 27). In times of danger they would look to the Holy Prophet and Ali for
protection, and keep themselves snugly away from the fight. When the danger is past,
they would come and brag and wrangle and show their covetousness and greed for gains.
Even any good they might have done was obliterated because there was no sincere
motive behind it except envy, greed and cowardice.

Verse 33:20 gives a vivid picture of the psychology of the most of the companions of the
Holy Prophet. Even when the enemy had gone they were so much confused in their
minds that they secretly decided to run away from the city and take refuge in the desert if
the enemy made another attack.

"They would fight but little" shows that the companions made almost no contribution to
the mission of the Holy Prophet. Even a commentator like Allama Yusuf Ali (who has
not mentioned the Ahl ul Bayt at all in his entire commentary) admits in his note (3685)
that "Ali particularly distinguished himself in many fights, wearing the prophet's own
sword and armour."

This battle is known as the battle of khandaq (ditch) or ahzab. At length a select party of
the besiegers' horsemen found out a narrow part of the ditch which was not guarded. Amr
bin Abdwud, Nawafal bin Abdullah, Darar bin Khattab and Ikrima bin Abu Jahl
succeeded in leaping over the trench. Amr, reining forward towards the Muslims,
challenged them to single combat. Amr bin Abdwad, a warrior who used to defeat one
thousand soldiers single-handedly, jumped over the ditch and threw an open challenge to
the Muslims. The Holy Prophet turned towards his companions, and invited each of them
to go and fight Amr on behalf of Islam, but there was fear and panic in their hearts, as
some of them had been close to him in the days of their infidelity and had witnessed his
acts of bravery and strength. No one came out at the call of the Holy Prophet. Then Amr
shouted aloud the names of the famous companions, one by one, but each looked aside.
The Holy Prophet repeated his call three times.

There was no response. Each time only Ali came forward and said: "I am ready to fight
him O the messenger of Allah."

After the third call the Holy Prophet put his turban on Ali's head and said: "Verily, here
goes total belief to fight against total disbelief."

When Ali and Amr stood face to face Amr said to Ali: "By God, I do not like to put you
to death because your father was my friend, and I enjoyed many a feast at his dinner
table." Ali replied: "There could be no friendship between belief and disbelief, so by
Allah, I am here to kill you."
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 Khandaq – The Battle

Amr was described by the Holy Prophet as the personification of infidelity, nevertheless
even such a person had a moral sense to give respect and have consideration for the son
of the man who treated him well, but the so-called followers of the Holy Prophet who not
only guided them to the right path but also took them out from the darkness of ignorance
and depths of degradation to the light of civilisation, harassed, persecuted and killed his
children in Karbala and after Karbala till his last son and inheritor Imam Mahdi al Qa-im
was taken up by Allah, as Isa was taken up to heaven, to make him invisible.

"Allahu akbar' said Ali and hit Amr with his sword. It cut his sword, shield, iron head-
gear in half, and Amr's head was lying on the ground.

"Here is the head of the enemy of Allah and Islam O messenger of Allah", Ali said and
put Amr's severed head before the Holy Prophet.

The Holy Prophet said: "One strike of Ali, on the day of khandaq, is superior to all
worship of both the worlds put together."

Then there was a piercing blast of the cold east wind, the enemy's tents were torn up,
their fires were extinguished, the sand and rain beat in their faces, and they were terrified
by the signs against them.

When Ali ibn abi Talib killed Amr bin Abdwud in single combat the whole army of
10000 men went back to Makka without further fighting. This type of unique retreat after
the defeat of one warrior never happened in the history except in the time of Prophet
Dawud when he killed Jalut. Ali's triumph became so decisive that the pagans of Makka
or their allies never made any attempt thereafter to attack Muslims in Madina.

The reference 33:26 is to the Jewish tribe of the Banu Qurayza. As citizens of Madina
they were bound by solemn agreement to help in the defence of the city. But on the
occasion of the siege by the Quraysh and their allies they intrigued with the enemies and
treacherously aided them. The Banu Qurayza were filled with terror and dismay when
Madina was free from the Quraysh danger. They shut themselves in their fortress about
three or four miles to the east of Madina.

Ahul Fida and Tabari in their histories and Hirwi in Habib al Siyar say that soon after his
return from the battle of Khandaq, while laying aside his armour, the Holy Prophet was
washing his hands and face in the house of his beloved daughter Fatimah whom he used
to visit before going to his own quarter on return from an expedition or excursion the
angel Jibrail brought a command from Allah to proceed immediately against the Qurayza
Jews.

The Holy Prophet instantly sent Ali with his standard, and himself following with his
army laid siege to the fortress of the Jews. The Holy Prophet himself went near the gate
of their fortress and asked them to surrender. They did not. Had they done as suggested
by the Holy Prophet they would have enjoyed the fair and lenient terms given to the tribe
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of Banu Quinuqa It is said that at the command of the Holy Prophet the grove of the trees
near the walls of the fortress moved over to a place away from it so as to give shelter to
the Muslim army.

At last, after twenty five days they offered to surrender, if Sad bin Mu-az, the chief of
their allies-the Bani Aws- might be appointed to decide their fate. The Holy Prophet
agreed. Sad decreed that the male captives should be put to sword, women and children
be sold as slaves and their goods be confiscated and divided among the besiegers.

This decision was given by Sad in the light of the verses 13 and 14 of Deuteronomy 20:
"You shall put all its males to the sword, but you may take the women, the dependants,
and the cattle for yourselves."

Khaybar

Soon after his return from Hudaybiya the Holy Prophet decided to proceed against the
Jews of Khaybar, and declared that he would take with him only those who had
accompanied him to Hudaybiya, because those who stayed behind at the time of going on
that journey and now desired to be there when booty could be available, were debarred
from joining the jihad. Jihad is not for personal gain or booty. Jihad is striving hard, in
war and peace, in the cause of Allah.

Since after the Holy Prophet's immigration to Madina, the Jews, jealous and apprehensive
of the evergrowing power and authority of the Holy Prophet were constantly hatching
plots to stop the march of Islam. In Shawwal, 6 Hijra, the Jews of Khaybar began a fresh
campaign to launch an attack against the Holy Prophet and his followers.

Therefore in Muharram, 7 Hijra, he undertook an expedition against them to put an end to

their plots. The Jews rallied round their chief, the king of their nation, named Kinana. He
lived in a strongly fortified citadel of Khaybar named al Qamus. The siege of al Qamus
was the most trying task for the Muslims, who had never before forced their way into
such a stronghold.

Abul Fida writes in Tarikh Abul Fida that the Holy Prophet handed over his standard to
Abu Bakr directing him to lead the assault, but he was vigorously repulsed by the Jews
and forced to retreat. Next the Holy Prophet sent Umar bin Khattab, but the result was no
better than a forced retreat (Tabari; Sirat Muhammadiya, Rawdat al Ahbab; Tarikh al
Khamis). The soldiers, coming back to the Holy Prophet, charged their leader, Umar,
with cowardice, while Umar blamed them of lack of courage (Tabari; Sirat
Muhammadiya).

Then the Holy Prophet said: "Tomorrow I shall give my flag to one who loves Allah and
His Prophet, and who is the beloved of Allah and His Prophet, a fearless constant charger
who never turns his back upon a foe, at his hands the Lord will give victory."

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 Khaybar

Everyone of the Holy Prophet's chief companions was anxious to be signalised on the
morrow as the "beloved of Allah and His Prophet." No one thought of Ali, the ever
victorious hero of all the previous wars, the vicegerent of the Holy Prophet, because,
suffering with sore eyes, he was not present.

The Holy Prophet, however, as commanded by Allah, recited Nadi Ali: "Call on Ali, (He)
is able to bring about the extraordinary. You will find him an effective supporter in all
calamities. (All) worries and sorrows will soon disappear. O Ali, O Ali, O Ali."

As soon as the Holy Prophet called Ali, he appeared on the scene. The Holy Prophet,
taking Ali's head into his lap, applied the saliva of his mouth to his eyes. At once his eyes
become so clear as if he had not suffered from the disease at all.

Then he gave his sacred banner into the hands of Ali, and thus Ali became the beloved of
Allah and the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet told Ali: "Go and conquer the fort".

To provide guidance to the people in every age the Holy Prophet, under the command of
Allah, gave every opportunity to his senior most companions to prove their abilities, but
they failed, and their failure is recorded in the history for ever.

A Jewish monk, when he came to know that the name of the new commander was Ali,
told his men that it was mentioned in their scripture that a man named Elia would
conquer the fort of Khaybar. Harith, a Jewish champion, who had successfully repulsed
the attacks of Abu Bakr and Umar, stepped forward to meet Ali in single combat. Ali
slew him. The brother of Harith, Marhab, was a man of gigantic stature. He was
unequalled in valour among the Jews. To avenge the death of his brother, he came out,
covered with a double coat of mail, with a huge sword and a big spear with triple-forked
sharp pointed heads.

"I am Marhab ," he cried, "as all Khaybar knows, a warrior bristling with arms in a
furiously raging war."

Ali advanced in response to his challenge and said: "I am he whom his mother named
Hayder, a lion of the wilderness."

As they came near each other, Marhab thrust his three-pronged lance at Ali, missed and
lost concentration and balance for a brief moment, and before he could recover, Ali dealt
him a blow with the dhulfiqar, which passed through his iron head-gear, skull, head, chest
and body down to his saddle, severing him in two equal parts. "Allahu Akbar", said Ali
and all knew that Ali was victorious.

When Harith, Marhab, Antar, Rabi-i, Dajij, Dawd, Morra and Yasir, the most
distinguished Jew warriors, were killed by Ali, the Jews retreated into the fort and closed
its huge iron gate. Ali jumped over a trench and wrenched the door of the irongate off its
hinges and used it as a sheild. In some traditions it is reported that he spread the door
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over the trench as a bridge to make easy the entry of the Muslim soldiers into the fort. It
is mentioned in Sirat Ibn Hisham, Tarikh Kamil and Tarikh Abul Fida that, after the war,
several men tried to turn it over but failed. This is the "sign" referred to in 48:20 for the
guidance of the believers unto the right path.

After the conquest of al Qamus, the remaining strongholds capitulated and their lands
were subjected to a tax of half of the produce. When the inhabitants of Fadak gave their
land to the Holy Prophet verse 26 of Bani Israil: "Give to the near of kin that which is
due," was revealed. Ibn Hisham, Tabari, Zarqani and Abul Fida say that as the income
from Fadak belonged wholly to the Holy Prophet on account of its being given to him
without use of force, he gave it to Bibi Fatimah (Kanzal Ammal by Ali Muttaqi).

While the Holy Prophet was at Khaybar, an attempt at his life was made by a Jewess,
daughter of Harith, who dressed a lamb, poisoned it with a deadly poison and sent it as a
gift when the evening repast was being served to him. As soon as the Holy Prophet took a
bite of the meat he knew at once that it was poisoned, so he spat it forth. Bishr bin Bara,
in the meantime, swallowed some of it and at once fell down and died without even
stirring his limbs. The poison was so deadly that, though it only touched the Holy
Prophet's tongue, it slowly spread to his neck.

During his sickness, before his departure from this world, when the mother of Bishr came
to see him, he told her that the same poison, which killed her son, was now killing him.
Thus the death of the Holy Prophet occurred as a martyr.

Khizr

Quran describes the meeting which took place between Musa and a chosen servant of
Allah, whose name, as per Islamic traditions, was Khizr. Allah told Musa that if he
wanted to see a more knowledgeable person then he should go to meet him at the place
where the two seas come together. The sign for that meeting-place was that a fish would
disappear in the water.

Musa was the most learned man of his times, but even his wisdom did not comprehend
everything. Therefore he was commanded by Allah to go in search of Khizr who would
impart to him such knowledge as even he did not possess.

To meet him Musa had to reach the junction of the two seas where he lived. The distance
was very long. Huquba means a long space of time, sometimes it is limited to 80 years.
Musa took Yusha, his attendant, with him. When they reached the junction of the two
seas where the two arms of the Red Sea join together viz., the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf
of Suez, they stopped and took rest. Yusha put the cooked fish on a nearby rock. While
Yusha was looking on, the fish took its way into the sea in a strange manner. When they
had passed the meeting-place, Musa felt hungry and asked Yusha to bring the fish.

Then Yusha cursed the avowed enemy of man, Shaytan, who made him forget the
mentioning of it to Musa. So they immediately turned back retracing their tracks and
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reached the meeting place where they found Khizr, a servant from among the servants of
Allah, whom He had granted mercy and whom He had taught knowledge from Himself.

Verses 66 to 77 of surah Kahf describe the actions of Khizr, during their onward journey,
which baffled Musa and forced him to question Khizr inspite of the warning Khizr gave
to him in the beginning that he would not be able to bear patiently with the events he
could not comprehend. In verses 79 to 82 Khizr explains to Musa the interpretation of his
actions which he could not bear with patience.

Musa learned from Khizr that the mysteries of life are diverse and countless. The finite
mind cannot easily disentangle the web of secrets unless the all-wise Lord shows the way
to have a glimpse of the unknown; that patience is essential to face the vicissitudes of life
and to know the inner meanings of the external manifestations; that the working of the
divine plan always brings good in the end; that in the larger interest of the human society
the loss of a few lives is not a loss at all; and that good deeds should be done for the sake
of good not for immediate return in terms of material gain.

In verse 79 Khizr says: "I intended to damage it (the boat)"; in verse 81 he says: "We
intended that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity"; and in
verse 82 he says: "So your Lord intended that they should attain their maturity." In the
end he says: "I did it not of my own accord."

The reason for taking the responsibility of damaging the boat in verse 79, is not to
attribute such an act to Allah as a matter of courtesy. In verse 81 the slaying of the boy
deprived him of his life but it was a service to his parents, therefore "we" is used. The
deprivation refers to Khizr and the advantage refers to Allah. The act referred to in verse
82 is purely good, so it has been attributed to Allah exclusively. Khizr's statement is
based upon the fact that every manifestation has a cause in the final analysis. In verse 79
he refers to himself as the causative agent; in verse 81 he takes the apparent and the real
causes into consideration; and in verse 82 by stating that "he did not do anything" he
discards human or any created agency and points towards the real author of all events.

Whatever takes place is a divine blessing in disguise even if the manifestation is

apparently not favourable to an individual or a group of individuals. The knowledge of
even those who have received divine revelation is not all-encompassing, and is limited
according to the excellence Allah bestowed on them as mentioned in verse 253 al
Baqarah and explained in the commentary of Bani Israil: 1.

Khums

Khums means one-fifth. Ghanayam means the property, movable and immovable,
surrendered by the enemy in any battle. Verse 1 of surah 8 has already stated that it
belongs to Allah and the Holy Prophet. Although the Sunni jurists have restricted its
meaning to the spoils of war, but actually, according to Shia scholars, on every profit
obtained by trade and labour, or from mines, or from sea or by means mentioned in the
books of fiqh, payment of khums is obligatory, because as per the rules of lexicography
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the word ghanimat applies to all these things. Well-known commentators like Razi and
Qartabi admit that the real meaning of ghanimat does not justify its restriction to the
spoils of war only.

According to 8:41 out of every profit, from wherever it comes, including the spoils of
wars, khums has to be paid, because both ma (a relative pronoun-mawsulah) and shay are
of a general nature and carry no restrictions.

The amount of khums payable is divided into six equal parts to be disbursed as under:
1. Allah's share.
2. The Holy Prophet's share.
3. The Holy Prophet's relatives' share.
(The Holy Prophet used to receive all these three shares).
4. Share of the orphans of Bani Hashim.
5. Share of the poor.
6. Share of the wayfarers.

As sadqa has been forbidden for the relatives of the Holy Prophet, Allah has decreed
khums for them.

The Holy Prophet said: "Recognise the rights of my pious and upright relatives for the
sake of Allah, and as for those among my kinsmen who are less careful in the matters of
religion, pay their dues for my sake, because sadqa has been forbidden to them."

Kill – The Murder

The meaning of wa ma kana li-muminin explained in the preceding verses -the killer of a
believer cannot be a mumin. This verse contains the law for the killer of a believer. If the
punishment for the murder of an ordinary believer is eternal damnation, what will be the
fate of the killers of the Ahl ul Bayt?

Murder of an individual has been compared to "killing all humanity", in order to lay
emphasis on the establishment of peace and harmony on the earth.

Kufr
Kufr means to cover or to conceal. In the Quran covering the truth, or the fault, has been
described as kufr. Covering or concealing the truth is turning the mind from it. Covering
the fault is redeeming or redressing, or wiping it out, as per verse 31 of al Nisa. It is
mostly used in a sense directly opposite to iman.

In the sense of concealment of truth, kufr is a wilful act, (may be) not out of ignorance,
but due to ulterior motives or unreasonable bigotry. Therefore the disbelievers (kafirs),
devoid of faith, do not follow guidance, whether they are warned or not.

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When this biased and prejudiced bent of mind, to reject the real and adopt the unreal,
becomes a rigid habit, "sealing" of hearts takes place.

Kufr is the rejection of truth, wilfully by perversity or indolence, or it is disbelief in that

which is preached by the Holy Prophet. Hell is only for those who wilfully and perversely
reject the truth, or those who have the means to know the truth but do not care to do so.
Those who will be punished will abide in hell according to the state they have reached in
this life, without respite. The chastisement is eternal.

Lawh Mahfuz

In the sacred tablet (lawh mahfuz) the knowledge of every thing (the tiniest of objects) in
the universe is preserved together with the will of the omnipresent and omniscient
almighty Lord. The omnipresent's constant watchfulness embraces all His creatures.

[10:61] And you are not (engaged) in any affair, nor do you recite concerning it any
portion of the Quran, nor do you do any work but We are witnesses over you when you
enter into it, and there does not lie concealed from your Lord the weight of an atom in the
earth or in the heaven, nor any thing less than that nor greater, but it is in a clear book.

The manifest book is inscribed in the lawhin makfuz (Buruj: 21 and 22); and verses 77 to
79 say that its knowledge is with no one except those thoroughly purified (Ahzab: 33).

The maknun (hidden, precious, well-guarded) Quran in the lawh mahfuz is beyond the
reach of earthly understanding, based upon empirical conclusions. Only the thoroughly
purified, mentioned in Azhab: 33, come in contact or achieve real contact with its true
meaning (refer to Ali Imran: 7), sense, grasp and handle (various meanings of the word
mass) the real purport of the word of Allah.

1. According to Buruj: 21 and 22 the Quran has a pre-revealed existence in the lawh
mahfuz (the preserved tablet).
2. This existence is not material or physical, knowable to human senses.
3. The nature of this existence is spiritual and intellectual, so the word mass cannot refer
to the sense of touch. It implies intellectual grasp because the inseparable pronoun in
objective case (yamassuhu) either refers to the maknun book or the Quran which is
hidden in the maknun book.
4. If there is a tradition which prohibits impure persons to touch the revealed version of
the Quran, it should be taken as an imperative based on the indicative preposition as has
been pointed out in the commentary of Saffat: 102-Ibrahim told Ismail his dream in an
indicative form but Ismail treated the indicative as imperative.

Loan

The goodly loan given in the way of Allah:

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1. must have been earned through lawful means,

2. must be free from harmfulness
3. must be needed by the giver, not discarded or unusable,
4. must be given before death occurs because after death he is no longer in need of any
worldly possession,
5. must be given without strings attached, particularly not to promote self interest and
reputation,
6. must be given to the most needy,
7. must be given to please Allah, not for fame or show-off,
8. must be given with the idea that whatever is given is very less.

Lunar Calendar

In Islam religious duties and other prescribed actions like fasts, festivals and pilgrimage,
are carried out according to the lunar calculation. The reasons are given below:

1. Even an illiterate person can determine the day of the month and the month of the year
according to the different shapes and forms of the moon, which cannot be calculated from
the sun.
2. Man can experience the joy and satisfaction of fulfilment in every type of season,
which is not possible if solar calendar is followed.
3. Acts of worship do not become seasonal rituals.
4. The lunar year is shorter than the solar year. So the devotee gets more opportunities, in
his lifetime, to turn to Allah, and obtain more benefits.

The inclination of some to adopt the solar calendar, with reference to acts of worship,
under the influence of Christian propaganda, should be discouraged, because it was Paul,
who, in order to please the pagan Romans, introduced the solar calendar.

Luqman

Luqman, it is said, was not a prophet of Allah but was blessed with wisdom. He was the
nephew of prophet Ayyub. He lived for one thousand years, from the time of Dawud to
the time of Yunus. Once, when he was asleep, angels came and asked if he would like to
be Allah's deputy on the earth. To this, he replied that if it was a command from Allah, he
would accept it, however, if Allah had asked his desire he would like to be excused
because it was a great responsibility to dispense justice among men, and he could not
bear the burden.

Another saying about Luqman is that he was an Ethiopian carpenter whom the Greek
called Aesop. He was a very obedient servant of the Lord, extremely pious and modest
who mostly remained silent, engrossed in higher thoughts. His fear of sins was such that
he never rejoiced over any gain nor grieved over any loss, even at the death of his
children.

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 Luqman

It is said that whenever he passed over any vegetation they used to disclose their
respective properties latent in them. He used to visit Dawud and discuss with him
complicated issues to find out their solution. Refer to Ibrahim: 8. The basis of the divine
laws is man's own good, and not any benefit to Allah who is above all needs. When we
obey His will, we bring our position into conformity with our own nature as made by
Him.

It is said that one of Luqman's wives and some of his children were disbelievers, but he
preached unity of Allah to them and ultimately they became believers.

Polytheism has been described as the greatest iniquity (zulmun azim).

Lut

Lut was a cousin of Ibrahim, his maternal aunt's son. Lut's own sister, Sara, was the first
wife of Ibrahim. He was sent as a prophet to the people of Mutafikat, a complex of five
towns, Sodom being the largest. He was not one of them but looked upon them as his
brethren (Qaf: 13). He was a messenger of Allah, and was therefore free from the
shameful features attributed to him in Genesis 19: 30 to 38.

The people of Mutafikat were wicked and extremely niggardly. The road connecting
Egypt with Syria went through their towns. Those who travelled on this road had to break
journey and stay in their towns which they did not like. It is reported that one day
Shaytan came to them as a male human being and taught them homo-sexuality in order to
stop the travellers from taking shelter with them.

From then on they became so addicted to this unnatural wickedness that the word sodomy
now literally means male homo-sexuality. They turned a deaf ear to all the warnings
given by Lut. Then angel Jibra-il along with some other angels visited Ibrahim and told
him that they were going to Sodom to carry out Allah's command. When they entered the
town in human form, Lut was watering the fields. He warned them to be on guard against
the wickedness of the people and took them to his own house. The wife of Lut was in
league with the people and as their agent at once informed them that Lut had brought
some travellers as guests. They surrounded Lut's house and shouted at him to deliver the
guests to them. Jibra-il made them blind and asked Lut to leave the place along with
those who believed.

After their departure Allah rained down on them a shower of stones. Everything was
buried under the mountain of stones. Nothing was left, no trace of anything could ever be
found. According to verse 84 they were criminals.

Once a slave, charged with the murder of his master, was brought to Imam Ali. The slave
told him that his master copulated with him by force at midnight when they were alone in
the house, therefore, he killed him. When asked by Imam Ali the slave said that his
master neither repented nor asked pardon of Allah when he struck him. It was the Holy
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Prophet who had told him that: "The dead body of a sodomist who had not repented
before death is removed from his grave and thrown into the heap of the sodomists of
Sodom so that they all shall be raised together on the day of judgement." Accordingly
when the grave of the slain master was opened it was found empty. The slave was set
free. Then the people came to know that the jurisdiction of Ali's authority was equally
applicable over the dead and the alive.

For the first time sodomy is declared a crime, a most horrible crime; and capital
punishment has been ordained.

Magians

The Magians (Majus) consider fire as the purest and noblest element, and worship it as a
fit sign of God. Their religion was founded by Zardusht (about 600 B.C.). Their scripture
is the Zend-Avesta. It is believed that like Isa, Zardusht also preached the unity of God
but his followers, like the followers of Isa, gradually corrupted his preachings and began
to worship fire.

Maliki Yawmid Din

Allah is the master of the day of faith, or the day of the final judgement.

He who sits in judgement is known as a judge. The Arabic word is qadi. Here the word
qadi is not used because qadi is not the law-giver or lawmaker, but only an executor of
the law made and enforced by some other authority, and therefore, is restricted by the
judicial system in force. The malik or the master is the law-maker as well as the executor
of His own laws. With the supreme powers of a law-maker He uses His discretion not
only in passing the judgement but also in carrying it out, according to the merits of each
individual case and in view of His own satisfaction, in the light of explanations given by
the accused. When an accused is proved guilty, the qadi cannot grant pardon or remission
of punishment but the malik can grant amnesty to the petitioner at His own independent
discretion which cannot be challenged.

A master, who is also the beneficent, the merciful and the Lord-nourisher, would
naturally be just as well as kind and compassionate when He sits in judgement over His
own created, nourished and protected creatures. The justice, strict application of law to
requite according to the deeds, will be modified by blending mercy with it. Only those,
found unpardonable, not deserving to receive the benefit of His benevolence, will suffer
the penalty. This aspect of the nature of the master of the day of final judgement has been
revealed through the holy name rabb, to keep man alert against the strict justice and at the
same time keep him hopefully expectant of the divine mercy.

The actual malik (master) is He who exercises absolute authority over everything in His
possession. Everything owes its existence to Him He is the absolute. Therefore, the use of
the term "master" for the possession and the right of possession (malikiyyat), or power
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and authority (mulukiyyit) is true and real in the case of Allah only. For others it would
be only figurative and unreal. This is also strictly applicable to all His other attributes.

Marriage

Inter-marriage between the believers in God and the idolaters has also been prohibited by
Tawrat and Injil. According to verse 21 of al Rum, Allah created for us from ourselves
spouses that we may find repose in them, and caused between us love and compassion,
therefore, spiritual affinity is essential between two life-partners, which is not possible if
one believes in Allah and the other is an infidel who, spiritually and intellectually, is on
the animal level, caught in the cobweb of falsehood, wickedness and mental retardness. It
would be an unholy alliance. The infidel partner may draw the faithful away from the
Lord and make him or her worship the imaginary deities and false gods. More often than
not the children are affected by the conflicting beliefs of the parents. The risk is quite
unnecessary, because any adverse response will lead directly to hell.

The wife of a deceased man should keep herself in waiting for four months and ten days,
even if she had no intercourse with her dead husband. If she is pregnant she should wait
upto the prescribed period or the delivery, whichever is later.

There is no harm if some one desires to marry a widow who is keeping herself in waiting
for the prescribed period (iddat), and indirectly speaks his mind, but there should be no
confirmation of the marriage tie until the period of waiting is completed.

"He in whose hand is the marriage tie", according to the holy Ahl ul Bayt, is the wali -
father or grandfather of the wife, and if none of them is available, the legal authority -
hakim sharah. The wife is entitled to receive the amount of dowry directly; but if she is a
minor her guardian (wali), on her behalf, shall receive the payment. It is unreasonable to
say that the husband himself is the wali, because he is the person who must pay the
dowry; and it is the wife or her guardian who is paid, or approached for half refund (if
dowry has been paid in advance) or for foregoing the full amount. The husband cannot
plead for the concessions due to himself.

If a man fears that he cannot; be fair to an orphan girl in regard to her dower and other
conjugal rights, helpless as she is and in his charge, then he may, instead of taking the
orphan-girls in marriage, marry women who are pleasing to him-two, three, or four, but
not more; but if he thinks he cannot treat so many with equity, he must marry only one.
Thus monogamy is the ideal; and polygamy is only allowed as a safeguard against greater
social evils.

The translation itself contains the clear guidance. Payment of dowry, either a sum of
money or other form of property, to the wife is no obligation, prescribed by the law, on
the husband. The right to receive husband's wealth gives the woman an honourable status
as a human being. Also refer to verse 7 of this surah.

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It has been prohibited to marry the women who were the wives of one's father. 4:23
contains the list of women whom one cannot marry.

"Save those whom your right hands own" signifies "such married women as shall come in
your possession as prisoners of war". Such women, when not taken back on payment of
ransom or through negotiation, are lawful as wives, even though their previous marriage
has not been formally dissolved, provided the infidel woman becomes a Muslim.

Those who do not afford to marry a free believing woman and fear to fall into sin of
adultery can marry a believing bondswoman, with the consent of her guardian and after
paying the dowry to her.

Martyrdom

Those, who die and give themselves fully for the sake and in the way of Allah, are not
dead. They are alive, attached and closely connected with the ever-living Allah.
Fisabilillah means "in the way of Allah" or "for the cause of truth".

All the created beings are given the opportunity to prove their potential, therefore,
everyone is tried with something of fear, hunger, and loss of possessions and children.
Those who have attained the highest spiritual maturity through personal virtues, ability to
exercise patience, with faith and reliance upon Allah, face the trials successfully and
reach the highest stations nearest to Allah. Each individual occupies a different status
according to the degree of faith and patience he employs to encounter the test and trial.
Some souls are not considered fit to be tried. It is their misfortune. The exemption may be
to let their infidelity or hypocrisy grow to its full scope for which there is a painful
punishment. (Ali Imran: 178).

In verse 169 of Ali Imran it is advised not to think that those who are slain in the way of
Allah are dead, because they are alive, getting sustenance from their Lord. It means that
they are in direct communion with their cherisher and sustainer. The term shahid, in the
Quran, refers to this state of existence. If campaigning in the cause of Allah brings about
death, it obtains His mercy and forgiveness which is immensely better than what the
others amass of this world and its comforts.

Those slain in the way of Allah are not dead. They are alive, getting sustenance from
their Lord. The unending life or continuous existence of the martyrs has been fully
discussed in the commentary of al Baqarah: 154 and 155.

Death is not the destruction of the ruh (spirit). It applies to all human beings, but as said
in 3:163 "of diverse ranks they shall be with Allah", therefore, the martyrs who are
nearest to Him and occupy highest positions are in direct communion with their Lord.
Their active consciousness perceives that which is happening in this world even after
their departure from here. They can reach us and we can have access to them. Through
the grace of Allah, on account of their direct relationship with Him, they can carry into
effect that which they desire by His permission.
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Masjid Dhirar

Abu Amir was a Christian monk. Before the arrival of the Holy Prophet in Madina, he
used to tell the people of Madina that a promised prophet was about to appear, but when
he came and conquered the hearts of the people, Abu Amir lost his position in the
community and people completely forgot him. He went to Makka and encouraged and
prepared the pagans to fight against the Holy Prophet. He took part in the battles of Uhad
and Hunayn. Then he went to Hercules, the emperor of Byzantine empire, to raise an
army to crush the Muslims. From there he wrote letters to his comrades (hypocrites in
Madina) to build a masjid of their own, so that when he returned it could serve as a centre
from where they could operate their plans against the Holy Prophet. At once the
hypocrites built a masjid in Quba, a suburb of Madina, about 3 miles to the south-east,
known as masjid dhirar (mischief). This place was selected because the Holy Prophet had
rested in Quba for four days before entering the city on his emigration from Makka, and
had built the first masjid there to which he frequently came to pray salat. It is said that
offering of salat in this masjid is equal to one umrah.

By the time masjid dhirar was completed Abu Amir died in Syria. The hypocrites
requested the Holy Prophet to consecrate it by praying therein. He did not, and after his
return from Tabuk it was demolished.

Mecca

Ummul Qura - mother of cities refers to Makka. Bakka is a variant for Makka, either
derived from tabakk i.e. press one another in a crowd, or bakk i.e. break one's neck,
because whenever it was attacked by an invader his neck had been broken-defeated and
crushed. Another version is that Bakka means the holy house of Kabah, a guidance unto
the worlds.

It is reported on the authority of the Ahl ul Bayt that the valley of Makka was the first
part of the earth which emerged above the surface of the water and cooled down when the
heavens and the earth (an integrated mass) were split by Allah's command (Anbiya: 30,
31), in support of which there are a number of geological evidences. Many a non-Muslim
scholar agrees that this holy place, dedicated to the worship of the Lord of the lords, was
not only known to the people of Semitic origin but also to the ancient inhabitants of India
according to the references available in pre-Sanskrit literature. Ibrahim's prayer in
Ibrahim : 37 confirms its antiquity. In Baqarah: 125 and 129, it is implied that Allah
commanded Ibrahim to renew its foundations, purify it and establish it as a place of
worship of the almighty Lord, and settle down there along with his family. The family of
Ismail was chosen as the first human family to inhabit this land with the sole purpose of
dedicating themselves wholly to the worship and the service of the Lord of the worlds.

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Mecca – The Fall

The immediate occasion for the revelation of this (60:1) was a letter, secretly despatched
from Madina, through a slave songstress of Makka who came to Madina posing as a
destitute but was a spy, by Hatib, a muhajir, addressed to the Makkans, giving them
notice of the intended Muslim expedition to Makka, and advising them to arm themselves
to fight against the Holy Prophet. Jibrail revealed the affair to the Holy Prophet who
immediately sent Ali, Miqdad and Ammar after her. The spy, when intercepted, readily
presented herself for a search, denying the charge she was accused of. Having full faith in
the knowledge of the Holy Prophet, Ali threatened her with slaughter if she did not
produce the letter. Then she brought the letter from the long tresses of her hair. On being
questioned, Hatib offered the excuse that it was solely due to his natural desire to save his
unprotected family at the hands of the Makkan pagans. The Holy Prophet, in view of his
past conduct, graciously asked him to seek pardon from Allah.

This was shortly before the conquest of Makka, but the principle is of universal
importance. There cannot be any intimacy with the enemies of your faith and people, who
are persecuting your faith and seeking to destroy you and your faith. You should not do
so even for the sake of your relatives, as it compromises the life and existence of your
whole community. For treachery the plea of children and relatives will not be accepted
when the day of judgement comes. Children, family and friends will be of no avail.

All the conspiracies, intrigues and plots of the Makkans and their allies to destroy the
Holy Prophet and his mission recoiled on their own heads. Gradually all the people of
Arabia rallied round him and the bloodless conquest of Makka was the conclusion of his
patient and constant striving in the cause of Allah-a promise made by Allah ultimately
fulfilled. Those who had hitherto held aloof, then hastened to offer their allegiance to the
religion of Allah. Delegations flocked from near and far to offer obedience to the Holy
Prophet.

Gibbon refers to it as "one of the most memorable revolutions which have impressed a
new and lasting character on the nations of the globe". The expansion of Islam is the most
miraculous of all miracles. Polytheism yielded to monotheism.

After the bloodless conquest of Makka, the Holy Prophet stood at the entrance of Ka-bah
and said: "There is no god save Allah. He has fulfilled His promised and helped His
servant."

Inside the Ka-bah he pointed to each of the 360 idols with his staff reciting: "Truth has
come and falsehood has vanished"-Bani Israil: 82-and the idol fell down on its face. The
great idol named Hubal was fixed on a high position beyond reach. To destroy it, the
Holy Prophet asked Ali to mount on his shoulders. Ali mounted as was desired and
standing over the shoulders of the Holy Prophet wrenched the idol and threw it, to the
ground. It crashed to pieces. Refer to Madarij al Nabuwa, Habib al Siyar; Sharh
Mawahib, Rawdat al Ahbab.

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Messengers

Although all the prophets of Allah are equally truthful and holy, but in the same way that
some signs are clearer and contain deeper messages than others, so Allah's messengers
are of different ranks. The particular mention of Musa and Isa is to point out their
distinguished positions as the reformers. Musa was directly addressed by Allah, and Isa
was assisted by the ruhul qudus (the holy spirit). Both these prophets of Allah glorified
the Holy Prophet and gave to the people the glad tidings of his arrival

A large number of messengers were sent by Allah. He made some of these messengers to
excel others, and some of them He exalted in rank. In the end He sent the best of them all,
the Holy Prophet, to guide mankind on the right path and prevent the people of the world,
in all times, from going astray in the direction of Shaytan, their avowed enemy. There is
no compulsion in religion. It is not the plan of the almighty that guidance should be
imposed upon any individual or community. There is complete freedom to any person
who wants to go astray. Allah does not keep any one on the right path under duress if he
himself, through reason and intelligence, does not make willing efforts to walk on the
right path. The followers of the prophets, including the followers of the Holy Prophet,
fought one another, went astray and followed the path of the devil as soon as the divinely
commissioned guides, with clear signs and arguments, had left them. If Allah had willed,
this straying could be stopped. He brings about what He wills. He could guide the people
without the agency of the prophets, but He has given freedom to man to use reason and
intelligence to distinguish between good and evil and make efforts to do good and earn
reward, or make mischief and collect punishment. The door of guidance is kept open for
those who sincerely seek the true direction.

The individual differences in the prophets of Allah are on account of the level of
intelligence and the needs of the people amongst whom they were sent, to show them
what was right and what was wrong. The manner of receiving the inspiration from Allah
and the nature and limitation of every prophet's mission were determined in accordance
with the ability of the people to understand and grasp the message. The last message of
Allah was perfect, complete, final and conclusive. Therefore, the prophet who was
chosen to deliver the final message was the most superior of all the prophets. He was not
only the last prophet but also the foremost in total submission to the will of Allah.

Musa was honoured with the divine speech, Isa with the holy spirit, Ibrahim with shuhud
(vision), but the Holy Prophet had the distinction of receiving the divine inspiration and
revelation through all the mediums.

Many a prophet has fought, with a number of godly men beside him, against the infidels,
in the cause of Allah, and disasters befell them but their zeal did not diminish in the least,
nor did they humble themselves before the enemy. Therefore, He helped them and
exalted their position.

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As demanded by the infidels, if Allah did send down an angel (who is by nature invisible
to human eye) he would have certainly appeared as a human being, and the paganish
nature would also have rejected him.

Many prophets (Nuh, Lut and Thamud), before the Holy Prophet, were also mocked at,
but the scoffers were subdued and destroyed by the thing that they mocked at.

Nabi (prophet) is he who receives communication from Allah; and rasul (messenger) is
he who is sent to mankind by Allah to convey His message. Every rasul is necessarily a
nabi, but every nabi is not necessarily a rasul. Therefore if nabuwwat ends, there is no
room for any rasul.

Menstruation
The natural cyclical discharge of woman is a purifying process - it removes discarded
cells and purifies her body. So men have been commanded not to approach women,
during the menstrual discharge, until they become clean.

The divine laws had been given to mankind through the Holy Prophet whose life is a
perfect model for the followers of the religion of Allah. In Sahih Bukhari, under the
chapter of menstruation, a false, baseless and disgraceful report has been narrated by one
of the wives of the Holy Prophet to malign him, which, in fact, is a deliberate character
assassination. Such kind of reporting makes clear that the followers of these schools of
thought have failed to understand the true status of the Holy Prophet.

Yat-hurna means cessation of menstruation or the state after ghusl (bath) - for details
refer to fiqh. Min haythu amarakum means "as ordained". Yuhibbul mutatahhirin refers
to the purification of the body as well as the mind. Islamic instructions and restrictions
bring forth mental and physical refinement, both equally important.

Miraj

Miraj- physical ascension of the Holy Prophet to the highest station in the heaven. The
mi-raj; is usually dated to the 27th night of the month of Rajab in the year before hijrat.

While the Holy Prophet finished his night prayers in the house of his cousin, Ummi Hani,
the sister of Ali ibn Abu Talib, the angel Jibra-il came to him with the invitation of the
Lord of the worlds to have a journey to the highest heaven. Jibrail first took him to the
Ka-bah (the Masjid al Haram) and from there he was taken to the farthest masjid in the
heavens.

Although aqsa means "the farthest" but most of the translators and commentators confuse
this word with the name of Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem. Farthest is an adjective used to
refer to the masjid in the most distant heaven. The distance between the Masjid al Haram

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and the Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem is not more than a few hundred miles which cannot
be described as farthest. Moreover, the journey to Jerusalem was meaningless when the
divine purpose was to show the Holy Prophet the wonders of the glory of the kingdom of
Allah. If Allah had selected an earthly place to do this He could have chosen the Masjid
al Hama.

According to the Ahl ul Bayt the mi-raj was a physical ascension, not a vision or dream
in sleep or slumber, because even ordinary men see such things in their dreams. It was no
doubt a spiritual realisation but attained by an actual journey. To bring the position of the
Holy Prophet to the level of ordinary mortals, A-isha and Mu-awiyah had reported that
the mi-raj; was only a vision.

In view of what history and traditions say about the credibility of these two reporters, a
large number of Sunni authorities have rejected their point of view and have accepted the
fact that it was a physical ascension.

Those who doubt the great miracle of the physical ascension of the Holy Prophet wrought
by Allah should also doubt as to how Allah could create the universe out of nothing, or
how He could make virgin Maryam give birth to Prophet Isa, or how could Isa preach the
message of Allah from his cradle as a just born infant, or how could Allah split the sea to
save Musa; and how could the several other miracles mentioned in the Quran take place
if the doubters insist upon empirical justifications.

The physical journey of the Holy Prophet to the arsh in the highest heaven known as mi-
raj; is an unheard of wonder of the world since its beginnings and shall remain so to its
end as the greatest miracle of the Almighty Lord of the worlds.

Among the celestial lights, where he received from Allah order for the five daily prayers,
he saw his own name together with that of Ali inscribed in the kalimah.

In the heaven Allah showed him Ali and said: "O my Prophet Muhammad, I have given
you Ali to be your vicegerent and successor. Peace be on you from your Lord, and His
grace and His bounties."

Then all the secrets of creation and what happened in the world since its creation and
what will take place were disclosed to the Holy Prophet.

The Holy Prophet said: "Peace from the Lord be on all the righteous servants of Allah,
and peace be on all of you (O angels), and His grace and His bounties."

The Holy Prophet held in view the entire universe from the highest position, where he
found Jibrail. The Holy Prophet saw Jibrail at sidratil muntaha beyond which neither any
angel nor any other created being could pass. Then Jibrail told him: "I shall not take
another step from here." The Holy Prophet went ahead.

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In the region of bliss beyond sidratil muntaha the Holy Prophet saw the glory of the
kingdom of Allah, and became fully aware of the wisdom governing it. There were
wonders both spiritual and sensible but the Holy Prophet, neither dazzled nor
confounded, remained firm and self-possessed, engrossed in the unique experience of
beholding the glory of the Lord. There was no visual delusion nor any intellectual or
emotional disturbance.

The arsh or throne (the seat of divine authority) and Allah's presence are figuratively
localised in the highest heaven because human knowledge and imagination are unable to
understand the dimensionless existence and sway of the eternal Lord of the worlds with
the theories of time and space. Verse 255 of al Baqarah: says: "His throne (presence,
wisdom and authority) extends over the heavens and the earth (whole universe)".

The Holy Prophet drew near to Allah "till a distance of two bows or still nearer." The
nearness described by "still nearer" cannot be imagined by human mind. It is the nearest
nearness possible between the finite and the infinite. Arabic idiom qaba qawsayn indicate
extreme nearness. "The drawn bows, with their chords touching," make a circle of union,
yet the Holy Prophet is not to be considered as totally absorbed into divinity. The
nearness stands for the highest position of the Holy Prophet in the order of creation-the
nearest to Allah. It was a custom among the Arabs that when two individuals joined their
bows it implied that both of them were united or bound by an agreement to shoot their
arrows simultaneously in one direction.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: "It was in this state the command relating to
wilayah or imamah with finality was revealed to the Holy Prophet."

The Imam further said that "what he saw" has nothing to do with the ordinary sense of
seeing but it refers to the realisation the cognitive self of the Holy Prophet achieved.
Fatadalla implies that the Holy Prophet brought himself low in utmost humility before the
manifest glory of the Lord of the worlds to express his gratitude for the unique divine
grace bestowed on him.

The nature of communion with Allah at their nearest point is incommunicable and
incomprehensible to any one who is not from the Holy Prophet.

When the Holy Prophet returned to Makka from his journey, before he related his
experience, Ali began to give every detail of his journey, which proves that in every
single step the Holy Prophet had taken during his journey Ali was with him; and this is
the reason on account of which the Holy Prophet said: "I and Ali are of one and the same
light."

In the bygone days ignorance might have prevented people to believe in the physical
ascension of the Holy Prophet as the most beloved friend of Allah-habiballah, and his
having attained the highest and the subtlest realisation of Allah's being, and seeing Ali
face to face in the highest heaven, but there is no ground for the people of this age to
deny it in the midst of advancement of science and technology, the step by step
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awareness of the laws, made by Allah, governing the operation of the universe, with the
help of which man is exploring the so far unknown frontiers in the space.

The terms ascension and descension are used to explain the order of creation and the
movement of cognitive self through the various spheres of finite beings to the absolute
and from there coming down again through the various spheres of abstract and spiritual
beings, of more comprehensive nature, to the lowest finite world. This journey is
intellectual as well as visual.

The intellectual journey is experienced by all seekers of truth with the help of spiritual
faculties, not bound by the physical senses. The visual journey begins from the highest
point of the intellectual achievement, using it as a base, and proceeds upwards through
the various spheres of the spiritual beings to higher and still higher levels till it reaches
the absolute, and again comes down to its base. There was no prophet who did not have
this visual experience of ascension and descension, and, as said in al Baqarah: 253, each
had it in keeping with his potential, during sleep or wakefulness or in a state in between
them, once in a lifetime or often times as the Holy Prophet had done. being the superior-
most of them all. Not only the Holy Prophet but also his divinely commissioned
successors (the Imams of the Ahl ul Bayt) who, in soul and body, were from him and
from them, and all of them were of one and the same divine light and origin, had the
visual experience of ascension to the absolute many a time,

The Quran in verse 33 of Ar-Rahman says that man can cross the bounds of the heavens
and the earth if he possesses the authority and has the power (knowledge of the laws
enforced by Allah) to do so. Therefore the theories based on ignorance from the laws
made by Allah should not be given any importance when they are put forward to deny not
only the physical ascension of the Holy Prophet but also all the miracles wrought by the
prophets of Allah and His chosen representatives .

So far as the physical and the dimensional aspect of the journey is concerned, it was
undoubtedly physical. There is no logical, reasonable and scientific argument to prove its
impossibility. As the end of the ascension was the full realisation of the aosolute, while
passing the boundaries of physical realm, under the influence of divine light, his whole
physical aspect was totally spiritualised and transcended the properties of substance and
corporeality. It was a total transcendence of the Holy Prophet into a spiritual entity.
Descension means his reappearance in his physical form. Only those who know and
believe that he was a light, the first created being, and the last and final messenger of
Allah can understand his ascension to the farthest stage where Allah's cognition is
achieved in the highest realm of creation, referred to in this verse as the masjid al aqsa,
the environment of which is blessed by His signs shown to the Holy Prophet.

Many a traditionists and commentators has dealt with his ascension at length in detail. A
few points discussed by the great scholar Tabrasi in his commentary, Majma-ul Bayan,
are stated below.

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The physical ascension in the state of wakefulness has to be accepted. There is no doubt
in it.

Some of the details given by the traditionists and commentators about what the Holy
Prophet did and said during his ascension journey are not reasonable and in agreement
with the articles of the faith. There is no room for any proper interpretation except that he
visited the heavens, met all the prophets, saw paradise and hell, and fully comprehended
the operation of the absolute omnipotent authority of Allah, but all that which is narrated
about his talking to Allah seeing Him and sitting with Him on the arsh should be totally
rejected because it is out-and-out anthropomorphism which is far from the glory and
absoluteness of Allah.

Neither was his chest opened nor washed, because he was free from all evil (dirt), and if
there was any spiritual dirt, washing with water would have not served the purpose. All
this nonsense was evidently borrowed from anthropomorphist theories of the pagan and
Christian creeds by the thoughtless narrators who thought that they should also attribute
to their prophet all that which the others had done to their religious leaders.

Eyes can see matter. Allah is the creator of matter. He Himself is not matter. No finite
being can ever see the infinite. The Holy Prophet saw the manifestation of His glory and
power in the heaven. The quality of glory the Holy Prophet saw there was different from
any that is visible on the earth, so when he narrated what he saw to the dwellers of the
earth, those among them who did not have the elementary knowledge of the spiritual
existence disputed with him concerning what he saw during his ascension.

Mubahila

The verse 3:61 refers to the well-known event of mubahilah mentioned in every book of
history, traditions and tafsir written by Muslim scholars.

The Holy Prophet was sending invitations to all to accept the true religion of Allah. Tribe
after tribe, region after region, were coming into the fold of Islam. One such invitation
was sent to the Christians of Najran, a town in Yemen, in the 9th year of Hijra. A
deputation of 60 scholars came to discuss the matter with the Holy Prophet. Abdul Masih,
the chief monk, asked him as to who was the father of Isa, thinking that the Holy Prophet
would accept God as the father of Isa. Verse 59 of this surah 3 was revealed and
presented to the Christians as a reply but they did not listen to reason. Then the verse of
Mubahila was revealed to call them to a spiritual contest by invoking the curse of Allah
on the liars, mubahilah. The Christians agreed to this contest.

Early next morning, the 24th of the month of Dhilhijjah, the Holy Prophet sent Salman to
the selected site, outside the city area, to set up a shelter for those whom he would take
with him, as his sons, women and selves.

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A large number of companions assembled in the masjid, making themselves available for
the selection. On the opposite side of the field, selected for the contest, the Christians,
with their selected men, women and children appeared on the scene.

At the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in wait, saw the Holy Prophet coming in,
Imam Husayn in his arms, Imam Hasan holding his index finger, walking beside him,
Bibi Fatimah Zahra, close to his heels and Imam Ali just behind her-as his sons, women,
and selves. It should be noted that although there was provision for "women" and
"selves" the Holy Prophet selected one "woman" and one "self"-Fatimah and Ali, because
there was no woman and no man among his followers at that time who could be brought
into the contest of invoking the curse of Allah on the liars. They alone were the truthful
ones. (see commentary of al Tawbah: 119).

The Holy Prophet raised his hands to the heaven and said: "O my Lord! These are the
people of my house".

The chief monk looked up and down at the faces of the Pure Five (Panjatan Pak), from
whom emanated a radiant and brilliant glow; and this sight filled him with awe and
anguish.

He cried out aloud: "By Jesus! I see the faces that if they turn upward to the heavens and
pray, the mountains shall move. Believers in Jesus of Nazareth, I tell you the truth.
Should you fail to come to some agreement with Muhammad, he, along with the godly
souls with him, shall wipe out your existence for ever, should they invoke the curse of
God on you."

The Christians saw the wisdom of their chief and readily agreed to arrive at a settlement.
As there is no compulsion in religion (Baqarah 256), the Holy Prophet gave them
complete freedom to practise their faith. He also agreed to protect their lives and
possessions; and for this service the Christians consented to pay a nominal fee (Jizya). It
was an extraordinary manifestation of the glory of Islam; therefore, the followers of
Muhammad and ali Muhammad celebrate this unique blessings of Allah (bestowed on the
Ahl ul Bayt) as a "thanksgiving" occasion of great joy and comfort.

Many Muslim scholars, commentators and traditionists whom the ummah acclaim with
one voice, have given the details of this event with following conclusions:
1. The seriousness of the occasion demanded absolute purity, physical as well as spiritual,
to take part in the fateful event.
2. Only the best of Allah's creations (the Ahl ul Bayt) were selected by the Holy Prophet
under Allah's guidance.
3. It, beyond all doubts, established the purity, the truthfulness and the sublime holiness
of the Ahl ul Bayt.
4. It also unquestionably confirmed as to who were the members of the family of the
Holy Prophet.

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The word anfus is the plural of nafs which means soul or self. When used in relation to an
individual, it implies another being of the same identity with complete unity in equality;
therefore, one is the true reflection of the other in thought, action and status, to the extent
that at any occasion or for any purpose, any one of them can represent the other. Even if
the word nafs is interpreted as "the people", it is clear that Ali alone is "the people" of the
Holy Prophet.

Muhammad (SAW)

The Holy Prophet had lived his whole life of purity and virtue amongst his people, and
they knew and acknowledged it before he declared his divine mission. His fair character
and honourable bearing won the approbation of the fellow citizens; and he received the
title, by common consent, of al-amin (the trusted) and al-sadiq (the truthful). The Holy
Prophet's truthfulness was a byword in Makka. Then under Allah's command he preached
the unity of Allah and denounced idolatry.

The messenger of Allah was sent to preach the truth and create discipline by setting
practical examples. He was not responsible for the reaction of the people. He was a
warner. He will not be called upon to answer for the behaviour of the transgressors .

Muhammad (literally means a man praised much, or repeatedly, or time and again;
endowed with divine wisdom) to the end of his life claimed for himself the title of "the
prophet of Allah" only. "Your comrade neither errs, nor is deceived, nor does he speaks
of his own desire, it is but a revelation revealed", says the Quran in al Najm: 2 to 5

All the Muslims know and acknowledge that the Holy Prophet, the seal of prophethood,
is the superior-most prophet of Allah, the chief of all the prophets, whose advent has been
continuously promised by Allah long before the birth of Isa-see Deuteronomy 18: 5, 15,
18 and 19 text of which has been mentioned in the commentary of al Baqarah: 253,
wherein is also mentioned that which Isa said about the advent of the Holy Prophet (the
comforter, the spirit of truth) John: 14: 16, 17; 15: 26; 16: 7 to 13.

Is there any sense in saying that the Holy Prophet was an illiterate who acquired whatever
learning he had from ordinary mortals, when Isa came into this world endowed with
divine knowledge? Please refer to the commentary of al Baqarah: 78. All Muslims should
feel ashamed to believe in the lie that the Holy Prophet took fright at the sight of angel
Jibrail on the mountain of Hira; he returned home scared stiff; his wife, Khadija al Kubra,
consoled him and took him to Warqa bin Nawfil, a Christian, who informed him that
prophethood had been bestowed on him, because it was not a devil that he saw on the
mountain of Hira but an angel. May Allah forgive them for believing in such nonsense
which the devil must have invented to lead the so-called Muslims astray. Please refer to
verses 1 to 4 of al Rahman wherein it is said that Allah, the beneficent, Himself taught
the Quran to the Holy Prophet, the divinely perfected ideal man, to be followed by every
man who desires to be a real human being.

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The Holy Prophet has said: I was a prophet when Adam was yet amidst water and clay.

It is wrong to use this verse to prove that the Holy Prophet did not have the power to
perform miracles. The Quran bears witness that he had rent asunder the moon, yet the
infidels said: "This is the same magic continuing". (Qamar: 1 and 2).

Besides those mentioned in the Quran, a large number of miracles, performed by him,
have been recorded in the books of history reported on the authentic and unbreakable
evidence of the traditions. Not only the Holy Prophet, but also the divinely chosen holy
Imams had performed miracles whenever they deemed it necessary and thought that it
could serve a definite purpose but refused to put them to use as an answer to the
challenge of any antagonistic individual or group, who even after witnessing a miracle
would not accept the truth

The Holy Prophet, in theory and practice, was endowed with the extraordinary power to
perform all or any of the miracles manifested by all the prophets, from Adam to Isa.

The Holy Prophet did not have to resort to miracles on account of the following reasons:
1. His matchless and ideal character before announcing his ministry-His life in Makka
convinced the people, among whom he was sent, that he was trustworthy and truthful;
therefore, they used to address him as al-amin and al-sadiq.
2. His noble lineage-he was a direct descendant of prophet Ibrahim.
3. He had an everlasting miracle with him-the Quran.
4. The Holy Prophet, the last messenger of Allah was commissioned to convey the final
divine message and to invite the people to worship one Allah, at a time when the human
mind was on the threshold of the era of finding out truth through reason and
contemplation. The human mind was ready to listen to rational arguments and reflect,
think and judge. Awesome and wondrous manifestations, to bring home to people the
truth, were a thing of the past. So the Holy Prophet, in spite of having all the powers to
manifest miracles, called mankind unto the way of the Lord with wisdom and fair
exhortation (words of good advice), and reasoned with the people in the best way, as has
been asked by the Lord in verse 125 of al Nahl.

Holy Prophet occupies the highest place in the company of all the prophets of Allah. He
is the superior-most messenger of Allah. The glory of the divinity of the Lord manifests,
reflects and radiates in him to maximum perfection. Endowed with perfection, he was
sent as a "mercy unto the worlds" (Ambia: 107). The other prophets were sent to guide a
particular people in a particular place (Matthew 10: 5 and 6), therefore, in view of their
limited mission, they are not on the level of the Holy Prophet who was sent to guide and
discipline the whole mankind for all times (Saba: 28). As the Holy Prophet is the best of
all the prophets of Allah, a distinguished group among his followers has been raised up
by Allah as khayra ummatin, the best of all the nations.

Shaykh Sadi says: The beauty of Yusuf, the breath of Isa (whereby he resuscitated the
dead), the white hand of Musa, those excellences they had separately, you (O
Muhammad) alone have all of them.
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The Holy Prophet was a teacher, interpreter and expounder of the religion of Allah.
Before him the people, all over the world, were steeped in evil, idolatry and slavery. It
was a great favour of Allah that He sent the Holy Prophet to show them the right path. As
has been made clear in verse 17 of al Hujurat those who became Muslims (submitted to
Allah) should not deem it a favour to the Holy Prophet. It is Allah who conferred a favour
on them, inasmuch as He has led them to the faith.

Allah has decreed that the Holy Prophet's judgements, decisions and directions
(concerning all material, spiritual, personal and public matters) should be accepted and
carried out by his followers, else profession of their faith would not be genuine and
sincere. Fima shajara baynahum gives unlimited powers to the Holy Prophet. Thumma la
yajidu fi anfusihim seals the decisive nature of the Holy Prophet's judgements, decisions
and directions. No one has any right whatsoever to disagree with him in thought and
action. Yusallimu taslima implies total surrender to him without any reservation.
Obedience to the Holy Prophet is not restricted to any people or age but its application is
universal, till the end of this world.

In the end, it makes the Holy Prophet's authority final and decisive- "and when you have
resolved (come to your own decision) put your trust in Allah". As far as the
"consultation" is concerned the Holy Prophet used to hear even Abdullah bin Obay
whenever he came to give him his advice (before the battle of Uhad he advised the Holy
Prophet not to go to Uhad but wait in Madina to fight against the Quraysh).

He was a nadhir (warner) to the sinners-the eternal punishment they will be afflicted with
in the hereafter. He was a bashir (giver of glad tidings) to the virtuous-the reward of
eternal happiness they will enjoy in the hereafter.

In many verses the Quran asserts that the Holy Prophet does not do anything or say any
word on his own authority but he follows that which is revealed to him. All his sayings
are also revelation, though not the part of the Quran, as made clear in verse 101 to 103 of
al Nahl, but equally decisive and binding.

Allah sends His blessings (salawat) on the Holy Prophet. The angels invoke Allah to send
His blessings on him. The believers are also commanded to invoke Allah to send His
blessings on him. The Muslims asked the Holy Prophet: "How are we to seek blessings
on you?" He said: "Say: 'O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and on the al (children)
of Muhammad."

Surah Yasin is devoted to the Holy Prophet and the revelation which was revealed to him.
This surah is considered to be "the heart of the Quran". This surah is regarded with
special reverence, and is recited in times of adversity, illness, fasting and on the approach
of death. Generally Ya Sin is said to be an abbreviation of "0 man!" Even if it is true it
refers to the "perfect man", the leader of men, sent by Allah to guide man in all ages, the
Holy Prophet.

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In the Quran, the Holy Prophet has been mentioned by the names of Muhammad, Ahmad,
Abdullah, Ya Sin, Nur, Ta Ha, Muzzamil and Muddaththir. The Holy Ahl ul Bayt are
referred to as ali Ya Sin, the children of "Ya Sin" (the Holy Prophet)

In the commandment of "Do not be forward or presumptuous", Allah has joined the Holy
Prophet with Himself. This implies that no irreverence should be shown to either Allah or
His Prophet in any matter. The believers must be mannerly, decorous, feeling and
showing reverence in the presence of the Holy Prophet. It is not allowed to give advice in
any matter before the Holy Prophet asks a believer to do so, if he pleases. Obey Allah and
His Prophet in every matter, small or great; in the whole conduct of your life. Judgement
or verdict is given by Allah in all matters through His messenger. So obey and revere the
Holy Prophet as you should obey and revere Allah.

Surah al-qamr is a reference to a famous miracle of the Holy Prophet, recorded in several
authentic traditions of the companions, particularly of the Ahl ul Bayt whose evidence is
always true, performed at the insistent demand of the pagans and the Jews.

The Jews who saw this miracle (division of the moon in 2 parts) became Muslims but
Abu Jahl said: "This is magic continuous".

It is written in the Book of Joshua 10: 13: "So the sun stood still and the moon halted
until a nation had taken vengeance on its enemies." So the Jews and the Christians cannot
deny the possibility of "divine adjustment" in the solar system.

Some commentators think that the past tense is used here for the future-the moon will be
rent asunder at the approach of the resurrection. Firstly authentic traditions relate the
cleaving asunder of the moon, secondly the observation "this is magic continuous" in
verse 2 leaves no room for the speculation of the enemies of the Holy Prophet. Even the
Qadiani commentators, who habitually deny miracles, accept the incident to have taken
place.

The epithets Muzzammil and Muddaththir (the name of the next surah) are used to
address the Holy Prophet. It means "folded in a sheet, as one renouncing the vanities of
this world", or "separating himself from all worldly engagements for the purpose of
meditation."

Verse 93:6 refers to the divine protection arranged for the Holy Prophet when his father
Abdullah died before he was born and his mother died when he was only six years old.
His grandfather Abdul Muttalib died two years later. Thereafter his uncle Abu Talib
loved him, protected him and brought him up as his own son.

Thus the protection given by Allah to the Holy Prophet was through Abu Talib; and so
when the pagan Arabs joined hands to oppose the Holy Prophet, in the process of their
hostile scheming and plotting they included Abu Talib also. In the most adverse
conditions which the Holy Prophet faced in the beginning of his divine mission Abu
Talib stood like a "cemented wall" to protect him and while going away from this world
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gave his son, Ali, to him as the most trustworthy, reliable and unconquerable defender of
the faith and the preacher of the faith. The history of Islam is a witness to the singular
services Ali rendered to protect the Holy Prophet and his mission.

Imam Ali bin Musa ar Rida said that the word yatim, means lonely or unattended.

The character of the Holy Prophet was, even in his childhood and youth, exemplary and
exceptional in the most wayward environment of Makka as is borne out by even his worst
enemies. He remained aloof from the coarse and licentious practices of the young around
him. Living in the midst of the worst idolatry and polytheism of Makka, reserved and
meditative, endowed with refinement, truthfulness and utmost honesty, he earned the
titles, by common consent, of al amin and as sadiq.

He was under the constant guidance and care of Allah. So there is no implication
whatever of error or fallibility on his part. The Arabic root dalla (in verse 93:7) has
various shades of meaning. Here it does not mean astray or ignorant but in view of the
occasion of revelation it should be translated "lost".

While taking the Holy Prophet to his grandfather, his nurse Halimah left him by the
roadside and went inside the desert to clean herself. When she came back the child was
not there. After receiving the news from Halimah, Abdul Muttalib, with his friends and
relatives, conducted a thorough search but the Holy Prophet was not traceable. Halimah,
while making her own queries, met an old man in the precinct of Ka-bah and asked him:
"Where is Muhammad?" It is said that when the name of the Holy Prophet was
pronounced the idols fell on the ground in Ka-bah. In the meantime Abdul Muttalib
arrived there with his men and invoked Allah's help to find out the Holy Prophet.

A voice announced: "Go to the valley of Tahamah. He is there." Then Warqa bin Nawfil
came and told Abdul Muttalib that he saw the boy in the valley of Tahamah. They at once
went there and found the Holy Prophet playing with the branches of a tree. The Holy
Prophet, whom his grandfather had not seen since his birth, told him: "I am Muhammad"
He took him in his arms and embraced him for a long time. This verse refers to the event
mentioned above. Verse 93:7 also implies that the knowledge the Holy Prophet possessed
was perfect because he never acquired knowledge from any mortal but was taught by
Allah Himself.

Imam Ali bin Musa ar Rida said: "The Holy Prophet was lost in the ignorance of the
people, so Allah brought his light among them in order to guide them to have true
knowledge about him."

Munafiqin
Those disbelievers, who put on a show of coming into the fold of Islam in order to avail
safety and security, to serve their self-interest, and to protect their social position, have
been described as the hypocrites (munafiqin).

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Although a large number of commentators find it suitable to point to Abdullah bin Obay
and his comrades, exclusively, as the hypocrites referred to here and in other places, but
the use of the word munafiqin is not restricted to Madani surahs. In verse 11 of al
Ankabut, revealed in Makka, when Abdullah bin Obay and his active partisans did not
appear on the scene, this word was used to identify, in general, one and all, in any age,
who may possess this evil.

Among those who accepted Islam and agreed to follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet,
some were reluctant converts; some were uncertain about the bonafides of the Holy
Prophet as the messenger of Allah; some, under protest and with a heavy heart, followed
the mainstream but at heart were pagans; some only put up a front. Such half-hearted,
unwilling, or deceptive acceptance of faith is devoid of the higher spiritual conceptions,
therefore, sincere and perfect practice of the faith was not possible. And men and women
belonging to this category could never fulfil any of the demands of the faith, particularly
that which did not serve their interest, because, in their minds, something else, not the
faith in Allah and the Holy Prophet, was more likely and feasible. The incident about the
cutting down of trees during the siege of Bani Nadhir, referred to in verse 5 of al Hashr;
the abandonment in time of trouble by running away from the battle of Uhad, referred to
in verses 153 to 155 of Ali Imran; the expression of doubt about the bonafides of the
messenger of Allah, throws light on the conduct of those companions who were weak or
indecisive in their belief.

(i) According to Tabari (Vol. 3, page 21, published from Egypt), Shibli (Al Faruq), Ibna
Kathir (Badayah Wan Nahayah: Volume 4, page 28, published in 1351 Hijra from
Egypt), the second and the third caliphs were among the deserters in the battle of Uhad.

(ii) According to Tarikh Khamis, Vol. 2, page 24, published in 1302 Hijra from Egypt),
Sahih Bukhari (Vol. 2; page 82 published in 1355 Hijra from Egypt), Tafsir Durr
Manthur (Vol.2; page 77 published in 1314 Hijra from Egypt), and Tafsir Kathir (Vol. 3;
page 351 published in 1402 from Beirut), the second caliph Hazrat Umar bin Khattab, as
per his own version, had never before suspected so strongly the bonafides of Muhammad
the true messenger of Allah, as at the time of the treaty of Hudaybiya.

There are different classes of believers. No doubt the types described above are not
hypocrites, but, as pure and perfect faith is a very refined state of mind and heart, they
cannot be counted in the highest category of believers. It is very difficult for an individual
to know the degree of his own faith (verse 9 refers to the self-delusion of such believers),
until he comes across a test and trial. The true quality of the faith of the confused
companions was laid bare whenever tested, yet such indecisive believers, after the Holy
Prophet, were acclaimed as the heroes of Islam.

The Holy Prophet says: A hypocrite is he who lies, breaks promises, and proves himself
dishonest if trusted.

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To obtain wealth and power they try to attract the attention of the people by putting on a
superficial show of virtuousness. They may win the goodwill of the common people but
their expectation of getting a reward from Allah ends in frustration, because He is fully
aware of the intentions of His creatures.

He does not take them out of their delusion. Hypocrisy lurks in the hearts of those who
are not thoroughly purified. Circumstances and lure of worldly gains, and not
independent conviction, motivated many an early convert to come into the camp of the
Holy Prophet

The policy to verbally profess faith in Allah and His messenger, so as to deceive the
faithful, in the hope of getting material gains, is as the "disease of the heart", the result of
which may be disbelief (kufr), or hypocrisy (nifaq). Envy and jealousy took hold of those
who did not sincerely believe in the supreme authority of the Holy Prophet. The disbelief,
the envy and the jealousy of the hypocrites has been termed as a disease. Since it is Allah
who bestowed the supreme authority on the Holy Prophet, therefore, the envy and
jealousy in the hearts of the hypocrites, as a disease, which increased proportionately to
the enhancement in the glory of the Holy Prophet, is the result of Allah's will.

The new mission, Islam, is like a heavy shower coming down from heaven, a promising
event every one welcomes, but the thunder, lightning and darkness, coming along with it,
create fright and make people take precaution against the impending threat. In the days of
early Islam some people anticipated reaping a good harvest if they joined the ranks of the
believers, yet they were reluctant to give up the privileges enjoyed by them under the old
system. For example the Quraysh, as custodians of the Kabah, were respected by the
people of Arabia. This sanctity gave them the opportunity of monopolising the trade from
the Indian Sea to the Mediterranean, and from the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and
Red Sea upto the African coast. By giving up idolatry, they had to renounce class
distinction and agree to the equality of human beings, preached by Islam, which would
have certainly affected their economic interests. On the other hand, they could not close
their eyes to the grand possibility of taking control of the ever progressing active energy
of a highly advanced society, created by the lofty ideals of Islam, which would spread
like a wild fire all over the world, so as to rule over vast lands and countless people and
appropriate the wealth of the nations. The result was a continuous wavering. Neither did
they want to detach themselves from the old order, which appeared to them as a frightful
darkness, nor could they resist the unlimited produce the abundant rain, Islam, would
yield. These wavering hypocrites do not belong to the class of those disbelievers whose
hearts, ears and eyes have been sealed.

If some people's vision and insight have been sealed beyond any hope of their ever
finding the way to truth, then what is the use of addressing such closed minds? The aim
of the Quran is to stimulate reaction, through its message, in all classes, in order to
maintain its universality, since as mentioned earlier none would remain without some
reaction. Some make a willing choice of the right path, and some go in the opposite
direction. In this connection refer to verses 80 and 81 of al Naml.

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According to the Holy Prophet, a man who prays, fasts and behaves like a believer, but
lies when he talks, breaks his promises and cheats if trusted, is in fact a hypocrite.

The Holy Prophet said: Ri-a (hidden polytheism-doing good for show off and not for
Allah) among my followers is more harmful to the religion of Allah than the declared
polytheism, because the concealed infidelity is more deceptive than the progress of a
black ant on a coal-like stone in a dark night."

The wealth and the children of the hypocrites, in reality, were a snare, so the believers
were advised not to envy them. Their wealth filled them with pride, obscured their
understanding and led them to their destruction. Their children either perished like
themselves or adopted the true faith which they had fought against.

Once Ali and Qambar were taking a walk in the city of Kufa after nightfall. Qambar
stopped at the doorsteps of a house in which a man was reciting this verse, but Ali went
ahead. After a few steps he turned and asked Qambar: "Why did you stop?" Qambar
replied: "He is reciting the Quran in a very tender and melodious voice." Ali said: "The
sleep of a person whose mind and heart are ingrained with the conviction of faith is better
than the adoration of a doubting hypocrite."
It is reported by Qambar that he could not grasp the meaning of Ali's observation, so he
recorded the identity of that house in his mind and visited it the next day. He found out
that it was the house of a hypocrite. Then he asked Ali as to how did he know what was
hidden in the heart of the man? Ali said: "How could a guardian remain unaware of that
which is concealed by the people in their hearts?"

Instead of clearly pointing out the hypocrites, following the example of the Quran, the
Muslim scholars invented a paradox by stating that whosoever pronounced the kalimah
by mouth, saw, heard and talked to the Holy Prophet was a sahabi (companion) worthy of
highest respect and honour, although the Quran has clearly refuted this theory. In addition
to several Quranic verses, the surah al Munafiqun is a manifest testimony that there were
many sincere companions among the followers of the Holy Prophet, but a powerful,
scheming and evil group of hypocrites was lurking in the background which seized power
at the opportune time to sow the seed of imperialism, contrary to the teachings of the
Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt, to fulfil their aim of destroying the true religion of
Allah.

Musa

The Moses of Quran is a Muhammad in disguise" is an interesting comment of a

Christian scholar. There is an instructive parallelism in Musa's mission to Muhammad's
mission.

The Quran never mentions the Egyptian king or kings by name. It uses the general
designation, viz., Firawn, a dynastic title. During the time of prophet Yusuf the children
of Israil prospered in Egypt, but times changed and the Egyptians treated them as their
slaves.
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Musa was raised up as one who had been brought up among themselves to preach unity
of Allah to them and to unite and reclaim his own people, rescue them and lead them to a
new life. Astrologers had informed Firawn that a boy would be born among the children
of Israel who would put an end to his life. Firawn issued orders to all midwives to kill the
male babies born to the Israelites but spare the female babies. When Musa was born the
attending midwife was overawed by the light radiating from his face and advised his
mother to hide him. She reported to the king that a dead girl was born and buried.

Allah revealed to his mother. "Suckle him. If you are afraid for him, cast him in the river
without any fear or regret, for We shall restore him to you, and make him a prophet.
(Qasas: 7)

The (Pharoah’s) informers searched (Musa’s) house and finding flames coming out of the
oven did not go near it and went away. When Musa's mother heard of the oven being lit,
she came full of grief to see what had happened to her baby. She found Musa sitting in
the flames and playing with them.

The mother of Musa approached Hazkil, a carpenter, to make a small box for her. He
asked the purpose and was told the plan by Musa's mother who was unable to tell a lie.
Hazkil made the box, but he also went to Firawn's informers to tell them what he had
heard from Musa's mother. However, when he came to them, he turned dumb and on his
attempt to talk by making signs, the informers considered him mad and drove him away.
When he returned to his shop he was not dumb any more. Again he went to the informers
but this time he not only became dumb but also lost sight. This time, again, he was driven
away, but when he returned home he was fit and sound again.

Now, being convinced that the child must be the promised messenger of Allah Hazkil
came to Musa's mother and declared his belief in Allah. Since Musa was the prophet of
Allah Hazkil is called the believer among Firawn's people mumin min ali Firawn.

The mother of Musa did as was directed. Then he was picked up by the family of Firawn
unaware that he was. the boy who would destroy them. Asiya, the wife of Firawn,
requested Firawn not to kill him and let her adopt him as a son. Musa refused the wet
nurse appointed by them. Through his sister his mother was appointed as his nurse. So
Musa grew up in the palace of Firawn.

In verse 20:38 awhayna means "We inspired". When Firawn was told by his courtiers
that a boy would soon be born to an Israelite woman who would cause his downfall and
destroy his kingdom, he ordered Israelite male children to be killed when they were born.
So, as soon as Musa was born, Allah inspired his mother to put her child into a chest and
send the chest floating down the Nile. It flowed on into a stream that passed through
Firawn's garden. It was picked up by Firawn's wife Asiya. Firawn was an enemy to Allah
and an enemy to Musa, but Allah made Musa so comely, attractive and loveable as to be
adopted by Firawn and Asiya. Refer to Exodus 2 : 3 to 9 for these events.

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After the child was floated on the water, the anxious mother sent Musa's sister to follow
the chest from the bank and see where and by whom it was picked up.

One of Firawn's daughters had patches on her body. Scholars of ancient scriptures had
predicted that a creature like a human child would come floating in the river, if the saliva
of that child is applied on the patches, they will be gone.

When Musa came floating in the box, it was picked up and the astronomers were
consulted to know if the baby is the promised deliverer of Bani Israil. They said: "No."
Asi-ya, the wife of Firawn, said that they might be benefited by the child. The child's
saliva was tried and the white patches on the body of Firawn's daughter disappeared.

When it was picked by Firawn's family and they seemed to love the child, she appeared
before them and promised to bring a good wet-nurse for the child. That was exactly what
they wanted. Like that Allah's providence looked after Musa in bringing his mother to
him, and nourishing him on his mother's milk, and thus the mother's heart was also
comforted.

Years passed. Musa grew up. He saw the Egyptian oppression under which the Bani
Israel laboured. One day He saw an Egyptian smiting an Israelite with impunity. There
and then, he smote the Egyptian. He did not intend to kill him, but the Egyptian died of
his blow.

Musa left the palace of Firawn and went to Sinai peninsula. When going away from
Egypt, Musa went towards Midian, and wandering in the desert, arrived at an oasis, weak
and hungry, after a week. He sat under a tree near a well and saw shepherds giving water
to their flocks while two girls waited with their flocks for their turn. The shepherds were
drawing water for their own flocks but none drew water for the girls. These two girls
were Safura and Safra, daughters of prophet Shu-ayb, who was very old and could not
come to give water to the flocks which compelled the young ladies to go out but because
of their modesty and personal nobility they could not thrust themselves into the crowd of
males.

Musa could not tolerate the highhandedness and went over to the girls to help, who stood
quiet and helpless. Musa asked the shepherds to help the young ladies but they told Musa
to draw water for the flocks of the girls himself.

The robust figure and strong arms of Musa kept the shepherds away and he drew the huge
bowl from the well alone which the shepherds used to pull out jointly, several of them,
and gave water to the flocks of the girls.

Another version says that Musa asked the girls if there was another well. The girls
pointed out a well whose mouth a huge rock, almost immovable, had kept shut. Musa, at
once, removed it and took out water from the well.

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News of this event went to Shu-ayb through one of his daughters who invited Musa
home. While walking, he told the girl to walk behind him and in case he needed guidance
she might point the direction by throwing a small stone in that direction before him.

When Shu-ayb ordered food to be served, Musa declined it because he would not sell any
of his good deeds for a profit of this world; he did not give water to his flock for any
return from him. On this, Shu-ayb replied that it was not in return that he served food, but
as his custom to welcome and receive a guest. Musa then accepted the food.

One of his daughters recommended to Shu-ayb that Musa be taken in employment

because he was strong and trustworthy.

Imam Musa bin Jafar al Kazim says that Shu-ayb asked his daughter: "I know by his
removing the huge rock from the mouth of the well that he is strong, but how do you
know that he is also trustworthy?"

Then the girl narrated to her father how Musa had asked her to walk behind him and
point the way by throwing a small stone before him, for he said that he did not belong to
those people who cast their eyes upon the backs of women.

He married the daughter of the prophet Shu-ayb, and was now travelling with his family.
The night was cool in the open desert. He saw a fire and went to bring an ember from it
for his wife and two sons.

When he approached it Allah called him "O Musa" in order to give him heart and
confidence, and announced: "I am your Lord, so take off your shoes." Tuwa literally
means "a thing twice done", or "twice blessed". As a proper noun it is the name of the
valley below mount Sinai. The command "to take off the shoes" is interpreted as a mark
of humility for self and respect for Allah, or to renounce the thought of family, so as to be
present before the Lord in utter devotedness and concentration of heart and mind. Exodus
3: 2 to 5 also relates this event.

The fire Musa saw was a divine manifestation, so whosoever was in it and around it
(Musa and the angels) were blessed. There is no possibility to take it as the identification
or incarnation of God. "Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds" confirms it. It was
Allah (not the fire) who called unto Musa. The voice came from the direction of the fire,
or the right side of the valley, or from the tree (Qasas: 30).

Musa was chosen as a prophet and a messenger of Allah to whom Tawrat was revealed.
He was commanded to worship Allah alone, because there is no god save He, and
establish prayer (salat) for His remembrance. It was made clear to him that the hour of
reckoning would certainly come to pass, but its exact time was kept hidden in order that
every individual may be recompensed according to that which he or she has strived for in
this world. "No one who carries a burden shall bear the burden of another" says verse 15
of Bani Israil.

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Musa, having been prepared, was commanded to go to Firawn, Rameses II, who had
transgressed all bounds. Then Musa requested his Lord to appoint for him another person
like him to strengthen his back and assist him in his task. Refer to the commentary of
Maryam: 53 and Ali Imran: 52 and 53 for parallelism between Musa and Harun and
Muhammad and Ali.

When Musa came before Firawn to tell him that he was a prophet from the Lord of the
worlds, Firawn was sitting in his court with his ministers and chiefs around him relying
upon their own superior worldly power aided by the magic which was a part of the
Egyptian religion. Confronting them stood two men, Musa with his mission from Allah,
and his brother Harun who was his lieutenant.

"I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds", Musa introduced himself to Firawn and
said: "Let the people of Israil go with me; because I have come with a clear sign." Firawn
asked Musa to display the sign. Musa threw down his staff and it became a live serpent.
He also drew forth his hand from his garment, it was shining bright and white. These
miracles were displayed to prove that Egyptian magic was nothing before the true power
of Allah. In Islam the "white hand" of Musa has passed into a proverb, for a symbol of
divine glory dazzling to the beholders. Although the Egyptians were impressed by the
two signs but they thought that Musa was a clever magician, so, on the advice of his
courtiers Firawn summoned the best magicians of Egypt. They cast their spell first. The
ropes they threw on the floor turned into swirling snakes. Their trickery made a great
impression on the people. Then Musa threw down his staff, it swallowed up their
conjurations in no time. The falsehood was exposed and the truth was confirmed.
Vanquished and humiliated the magicians fell down prostrate in adoration and said, "We
believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Musa and Harun." Firawn was furious. He
threatened them with severe punishment. They answered: "We have (in any case) to go
back to our Lord." The same reply the faithful companions of Imam Husayn gave in
Karbala. Along with the magicians a large number of Egyptians also came into the fold of
true faith. Firawn arrested all of them and kept them in captivity. Musa and his followers
camped outside the city.

Allah afflicted the people of Firawn with famine and dearth of everything that they might
take heed, but they did not believe. Then Allah let loose on them floods and locusts and
vermin, but they were a people full of sin.

Musa began to worry with fear when he came to know that Firawn with his hosts was
tracking him and his people in order to wipe them out. They were in a hopeless situation.
There was a desert on one side of them, the Red Sea on the other, and the impassable
mountain chain of the Jabal Attakah in front. Allah commanded Musa to strike the waves
of the Red Sea with his staff. Musa did as was ordered. A broad causeway was formed in
the sea upon which Musa and his followers advanced and crossed the sea. When Firawn
and his hosts reached the spot, his soldiers at once entered the causeway; though Firawn
tried very much to stop his horse but it moved on and they all were in the middle of the

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sea. Then under the command of Allah the parted sea again became one as it was before;
and Firawn and his army were drowned.

In the last moment Firawn said: "I believe that verily there is no god save Allah in whom
the followers of Musa believe, and I am of those who submit to the will of Allah", but it
was too late.

The mummy of Ramesus II, the last Firawn of the eighteenth dynasty, has been found at
Thebes, and is now in a glass case in the museum of Cairo, for every man to look upon
(Encyclopaedia Britannica). This discovery confirms the Quran. The Bible does not
mention this event. It also confirms the fact that the Quran is a revealed book of Allah
otherwise the Holy Prophet would not have known this fact, also the quran promises to
keep firaun as a lesson for the whole world, and there he lies in a meuseum for everyone
to see and fear the punishment.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "Firawn and his army was drowned in the sea,
but the dead body of Firawn was thrown on the shore so that the people who worshipped
him as a god might know that their (false) god was a lifeless decomposed corpse, and
men in every age may draw a lesson."

The cleaving of the (Red) sea was a real occurrence. In this way Allah saved the Bani
Israil because at that time they were in submission to the truth. To escape from the
pursuing Fir-awn and his army Musa and his followers reached the Red Sea. Fir-awn was
almost upon them when the Jews looked up and saw the Egyptians close behind. Then
Allah commanded Musa to strike the water with his rod, as there were no boats to carry
them across the sea. Musa did as was told. A dry path appeared. They easily reached the
other side After their crossing

Fir-awn with his army followed the same path but in midway the water in the sea again
began to flow and the pursuing enemy was drowned, while the Bani Israil were watching
from the shore. Also refer to verse 90 of Yunus.

"When the Bani Israil departed from Egypt towards the Philistine via the Red Sea, the
Lord all the time went before them, by day a pillar of cloud to guide them on their
journey, by night a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel night and
day." (Exodus 13)

Manna and salwa are two heavenly foods not requiring toil to obtain. Traditions confirm
that there was always a similar pillar of cloud over the head of the Holy Prophet during
his journeys to Syria, before he was commissioned to make public his mission of
prophethood.

As commanded by Allah, Musa gave instructions to the Bani Israil to enter the city (of
Canaan/Israel) through its gate prostrating, and saying: "I seek forgiveness of the Lord
and turn repentant unto Him", because therein they would live in peace and harmony with
plenty of provisions.
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Exodus 17: 1 to 6 narrate that when there was no water for the people to drink Allah
asked Musa to take with him some of the elders of Israil and the staff with which he had
struck the Red Sea. When Musa struck the rock, water poured out of it. Twelve springs
for the twelve tribes of the Bani Israil gushed out from that rock, as each tribe wanted to
have a separate spring for its use.

Musa stayed on the mount Sinai for forty days after which the law of Tawrat was given to
him. He observed fast on all the forty days. According to verse 142 of al Araf the stay
was for thirty days, but subsequently the term was extended by ten more days. The delay
created doubts in the minds of the Bani Israil about the genuineness of the prophethood
of Musa, and unjustly they took up the worship of the calf.

Musa had appointed his brother, Harun, as his successor and deputy, during his absence.
Likewise the Holy Prophet, at the time of migrating to Madina from Makka, had chosen
Ali to sleep in his bed, during the night of hijrat, and to return the deposits, kept in trust
with him, to the owners; commissioned Ali to take charge of the administration in
Madina when he went to Tabuk to encounter the enemy; and he had also assigned to Ali
the responsibility of delivering al Barat to the people of Makka, because as per the divine
command only he or Ali could deliver the divine revelation. "Ali is to me as Harun was
to Musa", declared the Holy Prophet.

When Musa was summoned to the mount for forty days (Baqarah: 51), he left Harun
behind him as his representative among the people. While Musa was on the mount his
people were tested and tried, and they failed in the trial. The Israelites had brought from
Egypt jewels of gold and silver and raiments. Samiri, an Egyptianised Hebrew, who came
with them, made a golden calf from the said ornaments. All of them began to worship the
image of the calf which made a hollow sound (see commentary of Araf: 148). Harun
admonished them and made every effort to keep them from worshipping a meaningless
and lifeless object which had no power either to harm them or to do them good. He
warned them that they were being tested by their Lord. They did not listen to him.

The questions Musa asks in Surah 20 verses 92 and 93 and the reply Harun gives in verse
94 are used as a medium to make the position of Harun clear by making known the fact to
the people that Harun prevented them from falling a prey to Samiri's guile and discharged
his duty of guiding them to the right path. He did not want to cause a division among the
children of Israil.

Samiri's answer is an example of mixing truth with falsehood. He says that he took a
handful of dust from the footprint of the angel Jibra-il and threw it into the calf's image.

As the people of Musa violated their oath of loyalty to Harun and followed Samayri the
magician, the ummah of Muhammad also turned their back upon Ali and pursued their
own fancies. In this way the iman of the people was tested, and they were found doing
injustice to themselves.

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The outer meaning (of certain verses) is that the righteous among the Bani Israil should
get rid of the evil ones, the calf-worshippers, even if they were their own beloved kith
and kin. It is stated in the Bible that three thousand persons were killed. The inner
meaning could be the annihilation of selfishness, pride and other base passions. In any
event, as stated here, carrying out Allah's command brings about purity and forgiveness.

If a man was murdered and the people were unable to trace out the murderer, according
to the original law of Musa, 50 men of the suspected tribe had to swear their innocence
and ignorance and pay the blood-money to the inheritors of the deceased. When a case
like this actually took place the Bani Israil rebelled, argued, doubted and rejected the
doctrine of truthful submission and guidance. They insisted that Musa should pray to
Allah to reveal the name of the murderer, which Musa was rightly refusing because it was
contrary to the divine laws in force. In fact it was a conspiracy to test the prophetic
powers of Musa. In answer, Allah commanded them to sacrifice a cow. They were
greatly disturbed by this command because under the influence of the heathen ideologies,
cows and bulls were held in high veneration. They again started to pester Musa with
endless questions. They thought that narrowing down the specification of the cow would
result in non-availability of such an animal. Imam Ali bin Musa al Rida has rightly
observed that any cow would have been sufficient, but the more the Bani Israil made a
fuss, the more did Allah impose restrictions as a punishment to their persistent demands
for unnecessary details. Musa, under the divine command, was able to make them
purchase the prescribed cow by paying a large sum to a very holy and pious man who
owned such a cow. It was a reluctant compliance. The cow was slain and its tail was put
on the sacrum of the dead man. The dead man came to life and pointed out the same man
as the murderer, who had raised the cry for his blood-money. The murderer was his
nephew. The body was concealed in a nearby village. The Bani Israil, as said above,
wanted to test Musa. They were sure that Musa had no means of finding out the murderer
to the full satisfaction of the people. The unfolding event proved their limitations. Allah
brought forth that which they were going to hide.

Even after witnessing the soul-stirring event the Bani Israil lost no time in reverting to
disbelief. They were like stones, worse. than stones, because even a stone follows its
nature. It does not rebel.

The following wonderful events, which became operative as supernatural phenomena, are
narrated in the Quran as the miracles given to Musa to furnish the proof of his
Prophethood:
1. The rod of Musa transformed into a serpent.
2. The brilliance of the palm of Musa.
3. The splitting of the sea.
4. The gushing of water from the rock.
5. The coming of manna and salwa from the heavens.
6. The shadowing of the cloud over the Bani Israil.
7. The raising of the dead.
8. The suspension of the mountain over the people.
9. The transformation of the transgressors into apes.
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After Firawn and his people had been drowned in the Nile, Musa delegated the authority
to Harun. This caused envy in Qarun towards Musa and Harun. To degrade Musa he
employed a woman, bribing her with two purses of gold, and told her to say before public
that Musa had committed adultery with her.

Next day when Musa was preaching to the crowd against adultery, Qarun stood up and
asked if the same punishment would be against Musa also if he committed the crime?
Musa said that it would certainly be, at which Qarun pointed out to the woman and said
that the woman alleged that Musa had committed adultery with her. Musa called the
woman and asked her to tell the truth. When face to face with Musa the woman divulged
the secret plan of Qarun saying that she had been hired by Qarun to lay this false charge
against him.

Musa got angry and prayed to Allah to punish Qarun. Allah responded to Musa's prayer
and asked Musa to order the earth to swallow Qarun and his fellow disbelievers who
were with him.

When the earth had taken up Qarun and his party to their waists they shouted for mercy
but Musa did not stop the earth and they were completely swallowed. Allah addressed
Musa, at this stage, and said to Musa that Qarun and his men cried for mercy several
times but Musa commanded the earth to swallow them completely. "Had they called Me
even once, I would certainly have forgiven them and saved them."

Muta

Famastamta-tum bihi provides for a temporary marriage, known as muta. It has been
specifically made lawful by the Quran and the Holy Prophet, therefore, this provision
subsists as unrescinded.

One day, for no reason at all, and having no authority to amend a law given and practised
by the Holy Prophet, the second caliph declared from the pulpit: "Two mutas (temporary
marriage and combining hajj with umra) were in force during the time of the Holy
Prophet, but now I decree both of them as unlawful; and I will punish those who practise
them."

Therefore the Shia school of thought (Islam-original) holds both the mutas lawful. The
Maliki school of thought also holds muta as lawful.

Nuh

When Nuh tried to put fear of the torment of a dreadful day in the hearts of the people
they laughed at him. Allah's retribution came soon afterwards-the great flood, in which
his unbelieving people were drowned, but he and those who believed and came into the
ark were saved.

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 Nuh

The great flood has been described in verses 37 to 48 of al Hud. Chapters 6 and 7 of
Genesis in the Old Testament describe the great flood.

Nuh literally means one who weeps. He used to weep continuously in fear of Allah.
There were ten prophets between him and Adam. Nuh lived for two thousand five
hundred years. He used to live in a small hut. He never built a permanent dwelling abode
for himself. In spite of his ceaseless preaching the people were corrupt and full of
violence. The men, women and children used to throw stones at him. Whenever he was
buried under the heap of stones, wounded and helpless, Jibra-il was deputed to save him
and nurse him. His preaching of goodness and godliness continued in the face of violent
opposition by his loathsome people. At last the waters of the great flood came upon the
earth. Allah wiped out every thing on the earth, and only Nuh and his companions in the
ark survived.

The people of Nuh lived in a plain, in the higher region of Mesopotamia, hundreds of
miles away from the Persian Gulf. They laughed at Nuh when he began to make an ark.

When the ark was completed, Nuh received Allah's command to bring into the ark every
living thing of all flesh, two of every sort, a male and a female to keep them alive with
him, and his family and believers. Nuh's three sons with their families came into the ark
but Kanan, one of his sons, born to a hypocrite wife, refused to come and was drowned
when the great flood came.

Tanur means oven, or the surface of the earth, or its high lands. The deluge was a wrath
of Allah, so fierce and overwhelming that with the catastrophic downpour of rain, water
simultaneously gushed forth from the underground, even from ovens in the houses of the
people.

A very few believed Nuh and joined him in the ark. The great flood destroyed all save
those in the ark. Keeping this in view the Holy Prophet said: My Ahl ul Bayt are like the
ark of Nuh. Whoso boards on it is saved, and whoso stays behind is drowned and lost.

Nuh made this supplication to make it clear for ever that any relationship to the prophets
without spiritual excellence does not justify the use of the term "ahl" ul Bayt. It is
exclusively restricted to the thoroughly purified (Ahzab: 33) group of the Holy Prophet's
household. Relationship by blood or matrimony is not applicable. True reflection of
character and spiritual attainment is the basis of the thorough purification.

Although Kanan was his son, Allah says to Nuh that verily he is not of his family,
because he was an infidel and did not have the qualities of his father. Birth or ancestry
has no value at all. Salman, an outsider, was accepted as one among his Ahl ul Bayt by
the Holy Prophet on the basis of his faith and piety. It is well known that Salman was a
devout follower of Ali ibn abi Talib. No other companion had achieved such a singular
position except Salman.

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Nuh was standing in the sun when the angel of death came. He asked Izra-il to let him go
into a nearby shade before his soul was taken away from his body. After coming under
the shade he said: "The life of this world is as long as the time he took to come under the
shade from the sun, even shorter."

The people in his time had transgressed all moral bounds. Disbelief, wickedness and evil
had made deep inroads in their social lives. A purge had to be made. So the great flood
put an end to their civilisation.

Before the final punishment prophet Nuh warned them against the consequences of their
ungodliness. Had they availed the respite given to them and repented and reformed
themselves, they would still have obtained mercy.

The five false gods worshipped by the people in the time of Nuh were as follows:
1. Wadd, in shape of a Man reflecting Manly power
2. Suwa, (shape) Woman, representing Mutability, Beauty
3. Yaghuth, in shape of a Lion (Or Bull) representing Brute strength
4. the Horse-shaped Ya-ub for swiftness
5. Nasr, in shape of Eagle or Falcon representing Insight

It is mentioned in Minhajus Sadiqin that these gods were forgotten after the great flood
but Shaytan introduced them again to the idol worshippers.

Oaths

Allah commands man to do good. Therefore, "not to do good" cannot be justified under
any pretext, not even because of swearing by Allah. Allah cannot be made an urdah
(obstacle) in the way of doing good, safeguarding against evil, and making peace
between men. It is an injunction to abstain from making "swearing by Allah" a pretext for
withholding oneself from doing good. Good must be done at all events. For example the
"swearing by Allah" of a husband in anger, that he will not go to his wife, has been
forbidden. (See also al Qalam: 10; al Ma-idah: 89).

Vain oath means unintentional swearing, which is a common habit with most people in
their ordinary conversation. Allah will not hold any one accountable for vain oaths, but
He will call His creatures to account for their real intentions and what they do. Verbal
swearing has no value. However, swearing with full consciousness of the seriousness of
the undertaking, binds the swearer to do as resolved provided the deed to be done is legal
and good.

Allah curses the people who break their pledge. So the Muslims should take precaution
and avoid to act like the Jews.

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 Orphans

Orphans

Acting rightly and generously towards the orphans and those without guardians will not
only directly benefit the giver as well as the receiver, but also be reflected in an improved
human society. Islam allows partnership with an orphan, and guardianship and
trusteeship of an orphan, with strict injunctions to maintain correct separate accounts in
order to safeguard the orphans's interest at all events.

Before handing over the property to an orphan, when he or she attains the age of
majority, it must be positively ascertained that the orphan is not immature, because
property, as a means of support and sustenance, is a thing to be valued, and not to be
spent away wastefully or to be foolishly squandered; otherwise it should be managed by a
guardian. The property of a ward should be managed in a profitable way by investing it in
trade or industry so that from its profit the ward or wards may be properly maintained,
without consuming the capital. "Speaking to them (treating them) with kindness" could
only be prescribed by a religion which has been completed and perfected by a kind and
merciful Lord.

Poetry

Poetry and other arts are not in themselves evil when used in the cause and service of
Allah, His servants and righteousness as mentioned in verse 26:227. If the poets are
insincere and are divorced from actual life, its goodness and serious purpose, they
become instruments of evil, then they seek the dark depths of wickedness rather than the
heights of enlightenment and goodness.

In pagan Arabia they were held in esteem and awe. They were believed to be under the
power of jinn. Before Islam they were the leaders of their tribes. Abdullah bin Zubayr,
Abu Sufyan bin Harith, Zuhayra bin abi Wahab and Sami bin Abd Munaf used to
compose poems in praise of idols and in denunciation of their enemies, always indulging
in fancies and phantasms divorced from truth. They very often painted viciousness so
vividly and alluringly as to excite passions and darken the intellect and erode the power
of reasoning. They used to condemn the Holy Prophet and his faithful followers.

Husayn bin Thabit and Ibn Rawahil, the two famous Muslim poets, came to the Holy
Prophet and sought his advice concerning their future involvement in writing poetry.

The Holy Prophet said: "You compose poetry in praise of Allah and righteousness and in
condemnation of falsehood."

Those poets who remember Allah in their verses, highlight the sufferings of the
oppressed, condemn the persecutors and beliers of the truth and the truthful, have been
excluded from the category of the poets mentioned above.

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 Qadr – The Night

Qadr – The night

The word qadr therefore has been translated as power and not as determination.
Baqarah:185 says that the Quran was sent down in the month of Ramadan, Qadr: 1 says
that it was sent down on the night of Qadr and that it was sent down on a blessed night.
Therefore, the Quran was sent down in the month of Ramadan on the blessed night of
Qadr (power), one of the odd nights in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.

The abovenoted verses clearly prove that the whole Quran was revealed to the Holy
Prophet on the night of Qadr, and the gradual revelation refers to the occasions on which
he was commanded by Allah to recite them to the people. Refer to the commentary of
Baqarah: 2 and Ta Ha: 114. Therefore if any theory, based upon conjecture, is put
forward to state that the Holy Prophet was not aware of the full text of the Quran and
knew it only as and when any portion was revealed to him, should be rejected.

On the night of Qadr the divine wisdom determines the solution of all spiritual pursuits
man decides to undertake, therefore the Holy Prophet has advised the believers to pray
and seek Allah's mercy throughout this night.

Qadr is power, honour, glory, grandeur. Laylatil Qadr means the night of power or
grandeur. As verses 2 and 3 of Surah 97 suggest it is, in the spiritual sense, a secret kept
hidden, and it transcends time because in it Allah's power dispels the darkness of
ignorance through His revelation.

The night of qadr is in the month of Ramadan wherein it is stated that the whole Quran
was revealed in this night. The descension of the angels and the spirit is a regular
occurrence since the creation of Allah till the day of resurrection, and the place of descent
is a thoroughly purified heart (Ahzab: 33). Therefore there should be such a purified heart
in existence at all times.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "Present this surah as a decisive argument for the
continuity of the divine vicegerency on the earth."

The 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night of Ramadan is the night of qadr.

The whole Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet in this night but he used to recite or
convey to the people only such passages or verses as he was commanded by Allah
through Jibrail. It is known as gradual revelation.

Quoting Sajdah: 4, 5 and Ma-arij: 4, Abdullah Yusuf Ali says that "a thousand months"
refers to "timeless time". One moment of enlightenment under Allah's light is better than
thousands of months or years of animal life, and such a moment converts the night of
darkness into a period of spiritual glory.

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 Qadr – The night

The Imams of Ahl ul Bayt have asked their followers to pray to Allah and invoke His
forgiveness and blessings during the night of Qadr.

It is said that angels and holy spirits descend on the earth with peace and special blessings
from Allah for those who seek Allah's mercy and bounties through prayers and
supplications during this night. In the month of Ramadan the believers fast, pray and do
good, therefore Allah sends down His forgiveness, mercy and blessings on those
believers who obey His commands, and the boon of blessings and bounties promised to
the sincere devotees of Allah continues until the rising of the dawn.

When the spiritual darkness is dispelled by the light from Allah, a sense of security and
peace dawns on the soul.

Qayamah

What man today, in this life, believes and disbelieves, will be laid bare on the day of
faith. The believers and the disbelievers will witness the truth manifested before them.
His reward to the righteous believers and His punishment to the wicked disbelievers will
be announced. Both will thereafter live through the recompense requited by the maliki
yawmiddin. Therefore, the day of faith, in fact, is the day of judgement, or the day of
reckoning.

There will be a day of judgement or requital, but it does not exclude Allah's authority to
reward and punish while life, prior to the promised day, goes on. It is one of the aspects
of the infinite mercy that the act of judging is continuous. This aspect serves as a warning
to keep man on the right path, or to encourage him to return to it if he drifts or goes
astray. The day of judgement is the day of final requital.

The life after death is the continuation of the life in this world, to be lived in paradise or
hell, in view of the good or evil done here. As you sow so shall you reap. At every stage
of existence the divine judgement stays operative.

Yawm (day), mentioned in the Quran, is not, on every occasion, the day of the earth,
from sunrise to sunset. It can be a moment or a period of time extending even to fifty
thousand years as per verse 4 of al Ma-arij.

Therefore, according to the context in which it is used, the day may be of an indefinitely
small or long period of time, not what we understand in terms of the orbit of the earth
around the sun.

The blowing of the trumpet (nufkhus sur) will breathe spirits into forms. All the creatures
will take their final shape. The influence of time and space which separate one creature
from the other will be removed. All will be brought together. It was He from whom
everyone had come forth and unto Him every one shall return through the agency of the
grace and guidance of (His) rububiyat. Each shall take up the position he or she is entitled

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on merit. Din is stipulated as such with reference to the yawmid din. Thus the masterdom
of the malik assumes complete manifestation.

Sa-iqa implies "a swoon", loss of all consciousness of being, and cessation of the normal
functioning of the powers of feeling. With the first trumpet the living on the earth will
die, and the souls of the dead will become unconscious. The exception, according to Ahl
ul Bayt, refers to martyrs. There will be a new heaven and a new earth as stated in
Ibrahim: 48. The new earth will be illuminated by the divine light, not by the sun or the
moon. With the second trumpet they will stand in the new world before Allah, then the
judgement will begin.

This day cannot be taken as a day of any duration. It shall be a day which will not be
followed by any night. The word yawm, refers to the life of the hereafter which includes
the term of life beginning with the departure of the soul till the final resurrection. In some
verses of the Quran it is said that every human being will undergo a trial on the day of
final resurrection as an individual, whereas some other verses suggest groups of people,
along with their leaders, will come before the Lord. According to some verses the wicked
will be condemned without being permitted to put forward their lame excuses, whereas
other state that some of the wicked will accuse their leaders for misleading them. There is
no contradiction. In fact there are several varying stages in the intermediary period as
well as in the final phase. The examination of every soul according to its individual deeds
may differ from the accountability of its social behaviour. A man may be condemned as
an individual but on account of his attachment to the divinely chosen wasilah (support
and influence), he may be redeemed

On the day of judgement the face of the believers (who followed the teachings of the
Holy Prophet in letter and spirit) will shine bright with the radiance of joy. And (as Hasan
al Basari has also said) the faces of those turncoats who went back to infidelity after their
profession of faith (by rejecting the teachings of the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt
and introducing their own theories) shall turn black with gloom of fear, because they had
disobeyed the instructions of the Holy Prophet to obey his Ahl ul Bayt and follow their
guidance.

On the day of judgement no soul shall speak without Allah's permission. Verses 35 and
36 of al Murasalat say that they will not be allowed to put forward their excuses. Verse
39 of Ar Rahman says that neither men nor jinn will be questioned. Verse 24 of As Saffat
says that they will be questioned. Verse 21 of Ha Mim says that their skins will bear
witness against them when Allah shall give their skins the power to speak. There is no
contradiction because as the holy Imams have pointed out (refer to Shaykh Saduq's
treatise on the Shi-ah faith) the day of resurrection has many stages each has its own
peculiarity which differs from the other stages and states, and every verse refers to a
different or particular state or stage.

The whole mankind will be divided and kept in two camps on the basis of what they had
done in the life of the world. Those who earned disgrace and doom by their evil deeds
(fa-ammalladhina shaqu has been used for the wretched or doomed which gives no room
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to the doctrine of predeterminism) will be in hell; and those who have earned blessings
and pleasure of Allah by their good deeds (fa-ammalladhina su-idu has been used for the
blessed which gives no room to the doctrine of predeterminism) will be in paradise. If
wretchedness and blessedness were predestined then ammal ashqiya wa ammal sawda or
any other phrase like it would have been used.

Shaqu is the active voice of verb which implies that the wretched willingly and
knowingly walk the path of evil; and su-idu is the passive voice of verb which implies the
doers of good deeds receive Allah's guidance and assistance when they knowingly and
willingly walk on the right path; and when once they are blessed and have obtained the
pleasure of Allah they can never be deprived of it. It is for ever. The punishment awarded
after the final judgement will be permanent.

The Holy Prophet said: On the day of judgement an announcement will be made: "Where
are the unjust and their theoreticians who propagated their ideologies by spoken and
written words, and those who agreed, assisted and followed them? Bring them all
together with their leaders."

According to the holy Imams of the Ahl ul Bayt on the day of judgement an entirely new
and different earth will replace the present once. A thorough study of the verses of the
Quran, read with several authentic traditions, supports the idea that in the evolutionary
course the heavens and the earth will reach a stage known as the day of resurrection when
the laws of time and space shall cease to apply. All the terrestrial and the celestial
distances will disappear. There will be no past, present and future. All will be before the
Lord together to be judged.

When some people asked the Holy Prophet as to what would become of the solid
mountains or the eternal hills, he recited verses 105 to 107: "My Lord will uproot them
and scatter them as dust, and will leave them as plains, smooth and level, without any
crookedness or unevenness," The scene of the day of judgement will be a level plain in
which there will be no places of concealment. The angel Israfil as the summoner will
blow the trumpet to assemble all souls who will follow him.

Verse 20:109 makes it clear that those who have been granted permission by Allah shall
have the authority to intercede and obtain forgiveness for those whom they find suitable
and deserving.

The day of judgement will be a day of terrible hardships for the disbelievers. What we
cannot see now will be clearly visible. The sky, which now appears remote and blank,
will be rent asunder. There will appear the holy spirits of all grades of excellence, and the
true majesty and glory of Allah will be visible as it should be in reality.

Here sama means the various spheres, one upon the other, like the clouds which cover the
space above them. Shaq means the removal of the cover like a cloth is torn asunder. Then
the dwellers of the upper spheres will descend. In verse 104 of Anbiya it is said that the
heavens will be rolled up like a written scroll. In verse 29 of Shura it is said that all the
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living things will be gathered together if He wills. Verses 4 to 6 of Waqi-ah say that the
earth will be shaken up convulsively, the mountains bruised and crushed, turned to dust,
floating in the air. Verses 7 to 9 of Qiyamah say that the eyes will be dazed, the moon
eclipsed, and the sun and the moon are conjoined. Verses 8 to 10 of Mursalat say that the
stars will be obliterated, the heavens split asunder, the mountains will be reduced to dust
and blown away. Verse 19 of Naba says that the heavens will be opened wide as if there
were doors. There are similar descriptions in Takwir, Infitar and Inshiqaq also.

A close study of these verses indicate that just before the day of resurrection all the
barriers of time and space which separate the conscious beings from each other will be
removed.

The day (yawm), mentioned in the Quran, is not, every time, the day of the earth, from
sunrise to sunset. It can be a moment, or a period of 1000 years as in verse 5 below, or
50000 years as in Ma-arij: 4, or a very long period as in Ha Mim: 9 to 12. On the day of
judgement, the restoration of all values shall be so swift that it will occur in the twinkling
of an eye, yet to our ideas it will be as a thousand years.

The Holy Prophet said: "Dukhan refers to the smoke which will be seen on the day of
judgement."

This is a warning to those who reject the true faith. They will see smoke every where on
the day of reckoning. It will envelop them as a grievous penalty.

On the day of judgement a wall or barrier (record of deeds) will divide the true believers
(the good) from the hypocrites (the evil), but the communication between them will not
be cut off, so that the evil doers must realise that the mercy and grace available to those
who do good was within their reach but due to their own rejection of mercy now the
wrath of Allah, would envelope them.

Qariah means "striking calamity", another description of the day of judgement which the
people of Ad and Thamud belied. This word Qariah is also the title of surah 101. The
people of Ad were destroyed by a terrible blast of wind; and the people of Thamud were
destroyed by an earthquake accompanying a terrible thunderstorm. The calamities were
thorough.

The whole visible world will pass away, And a new world will come into being. The
mountains are mentioned because they stand for hardness, size and durability. They will
be crushed to powder. The heavens will be rent asunder.

In Arabic language la, the negative particle, is inserted to lay emphasis on the affirmation
of the oath. Qiyamah means rising which refers to the day of resurrection or the day of
final judgement because on the day of resurrection all the dead created beings will rise
from the graves or from wherever their dead bodies disappeared.

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On the day of resurrection the glory of the Lord will shine. All luminaries will loose their
light. Every individual will be confounded. All reflected and relative phenomena will
sink into nothingness before the true reality of Allah.

The prophets, sent in succession at different times to all nations, will be gathered together
in one place before the seat of judgement to bear witness as to the righteous or the unjust
among their followers and the Holy Prophet as a witness over all the prophets of Allah.

In the house of Abu Ayub Ansari, the Holy Prophet told Ma-adh bin Jabal: "On the day
of judgement the backbiters' faces will be like the monkey; the faces of those who take
forbidden things as food will be like the swine; those who make money by usury will
walk upside down on their heads; the unjust will be blind as a bat, the proud boasters
(inspite of their good deeds, if any) will be deaf and dumb; the tongues of the corrupt
judges and the hypocritic scholars will hang on their breasts polluting the air with foul
smell; those who harassed and annoyed their neighbours will be there without their hands
and legs; the maligners will be hanging in the columns of fire; those who transgress the
boundaries laid down by Allah in order to indulge in carnal passions will emit foul
stench; and like their will be those who obstruct dispensation of justice, deprive others
from their rights; and those who are puffed up with pride and arrogance will be seen in
garments made of qaratan, a kind of sticking matter.

Like the 1 to 13 verses of Takwir the signs which will appear before the day of
resurrection are mentioned in these verses. The heavens will cleave asunder, the stars will
be scattered, the oceans will overwhelm the whole globe, and the graves will throw out
the buried bodies. The physical world as we see it will be destroyed and after the final
judgement a new eternal realm of spiritual existence will begin.

Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "The command on that day (day of judgement)
and today is Allah's, but on that day the subordinate authorities (at a certain stage) will
not be visible."

The manifestation of Allah's absolute authority is like the sun, when it shines all the stars
disappear, though they are there, deriving the light from the sun.

On the day of judgement the tarnished, blackened and sealed hearts of the sinners
because of total loss of reflectivity, will not receive the light of the glory of Allah-a
deprivation of the highest magnitude. The fire of punishment will be to them the only
reality which they will perceive.

On the day of judgement there will be certain persons who will be witnesses, and certain
persons or things which will be the subjects of the witness. The witnesses may be:
1. Allah (All Imran: 81 and Yunus: 61).
2. The prophets (Nisa: 41 ).
3. The recording angels (Qaf: 21).
4. The sinner's limbs (Nur: 24).
5. The records of deeds (Bani Israil: 14).
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6. The sinner (Bani Israil: 14).

7. The Holy Prophet (Barat : 105; Ahzab : 45).

The subject of the witness may be the crimes of the sinners and the sinners against whom
the witnesses bear witness. So the sinner will not be able to escape the consequences of
his crimes, but if he repents, before death seizes him, make amends and lives a life free
from sins, thereafter he may be forgiven.

The literal meaning of shahidin wa mash-hud is clear, but its application has been
explained in a variety of ways by different commentators. Imam Hasan bin Ali al
Mujtaba said: "Shahid is the Holy Prophet and mash-hud refers to the day of
resurrection."

Ghashiyah means that which overshadows or overwhelms-a terrible thing or event which
makes people lose their senses. The day of judgement is indicated as an event when all
that which we have seen and experienced in the life of this world will be lost and the only
reality before us will be the process of reckoning.

As after the terrible disaster the day of judgement will begin, it will be so a far-reaching
convulsion that no earthquake which has taken place before can even be compared to it. It
only gives some idea of the world-shaking event. Having no idea of such a tremendous
convulsion, consequences of which will be totally different from any convulsion
experienced by man, he will not be able to make head or tail of it. He will be in a puzzled
agony of total confusion.

The earth will divulge all the events that ever took place on her. The present order will
pass away, but the deeds done therein, even the most secret, will be made known when
Allah will give the command.

It is written in Minhajus Sadiqin that according to Fatimah Zahra one day an earthquake
sent the people of Madina into a panic, and all of them along with Abu Bakr and Umar
came to Ali. He took them outside the city and addressed them: "The quaking of the earth
has overwhelmed you with fright. What will you do when it will quake before the day of
judgement?"

Then he put his hand on the earth and commanded it to cease quaking. It stopped to
quake. He said: "Do you wonder at what has happened? I am he to whom the earth will
speak on the day of judgement," and recited surah al Zilzal.

The dawn of the day of resurrection and judgement has been described in al Ghashiyah
and al Zilzal. A tremendous stunning noise will be heard before the day of judgement.
The whole of the present order of existence will be overthrown. All our present
landmarks will be lost. It will inaugurate a new existence of true and permanent values, in
which every human deed will have its just recompense as if weighed in balance.

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No one can have the idea of the confusion, distress and helplessness with which men will
find themselves overwhelmed on the day of judgement, because nothing even near to the
terrible convulsion has ever been experienced by man on the earth. Moths are frail light
things. To see them scattered about in a violent storm gives some idea of the nature of
calamity men will encounter on the day of judgement when the mountains will scatter
about like flakes of carded wool.

Qibla

Qiblah is the direction towards which the face is turned. In Makka, the Holy Prophet used
to face Jerusalem at the time of praying salat, but the holy Kabah was always between
him and the first qiblah. Even in Madina, he continued to pray towards Jerusalem for
seventeen months, after which Allah accepted the Holy Prophet's request to change the
qiblah, because the Jews of Madina had been mocking the Muslims for not having their
own qiblah.

Madina is located between Makka and Jerusalem. Facing Jerusalem, standing in Madina,
meant turning the hinder parts of the body towards Makka. Since the Holy Prophet knew
that the holy Kabah in Makka was going to be the ultimate qiblah, he did not like to turn
his back towards it. The Jews knew that the Holy Prophet was the final messenger of
Allah (see verse 40 of this surah). They also knew that the holy Kabah, with the "black
stone" set in one of its corners, was destined to be the qiblah of the true believers.

Allah informed the Holy Prophet that nothing, not even Allah's signs, would make the
Jews and the Christians follow his qiblah, the true religion of Allah - Islam, because, out
of their stupidity and arrogance, they did not like a descendant of Ismail to be the
promised prophet. Also the Jews and the Christians did not follow each other's qiblah or
religion.

In fulfilment of the divine promise to bless Ibrahim and Ismail, it was necessary to make
the house built by them, the final qiblah for the worship of Allah, by the followers of the
perfected and completed religion of Allah, for all times.

Reference to surah al Fil makes it clear that to keep safe the highly venerated house of
Allah, Allah Himself destroyed the army of Abraha who came to demolish the holy
Kabah. This change was also a prophecy that Makka would, one day, come into the hands
of the Muslims, and that it would be cleared of the false gods, because a centre of idolatry
could never have been the qiblah of a thoroughly monotheistic faith.

Qisas

In verse 2:178 the law of qisas (requital, settlement) is set forth in detail. It is enforceable
strictly according to the demands of justice tempered with the spirit of mercy. Allah is the
forgiving, and therefore man must be able to forgive. The heirs of the slain have the
choice to pardon the murderer if someone on behalf of him pays them the blood-price,

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after which brotherhood is again restored among the parties concerned. Before the advent
of Islam, more often than not, the scenario after a murder was a chain of brutal and
bloodthirsty reactions. The families and the tribes of both the slayer and the slain used to
engage themselves into a war of attrition, generation after generation, involving innocent
men, women and children. Islam, through the Holy Prophet, put a stop to this barbaric
collective human behaviour and gave a just and kind system of justice to the human race,
which for the first time, without ignorance and superstition, applied compassion and
understanding in order to live in peace and harmony. "Payment should be made
according to recognised usage in a good manner" is called diyat (blood-money).
Moderation in punishment is an alleviation from the Lord. Verse 92 of al Nisa prescribes
moderation when the murder is not premeditated and intentional. Verse 93 of al Nisa
clearly declares that a great punishment awaits the murderer who kills a believer
intentionally. In addition to the legal penalty, in the hereafter, he will abide in hell for
ever.

"When a man hits you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek too; when a man takes
your coat, let him have your shirt as well. Give to every one who asks you; when a man
takes what is yours; do not demand it back." (Luke 6: 29 and 30)

At no time in history the Christian or any other authority could put this principle into
practice.

Qassa, the root of qisas, means to cut, divide and differentiate. Life is balanced by
discrimination between good and bad, light and darkness, life and death. The proper
justice of retaliation is discrimination without which we become transgressors by not
enforcing Allah's law of balance. Therefore, the guilty should be paid back in the same
coin. The people against whom the crime is committed should know what punishment
has been given and how it is carried out. This way the boundaries of transgression are
clearly marked and made known. La-allakam tattaqun points out that the purpose of
ordaining penalty for the crime is to make people abstain from evildoing.

If a believer takes another believer's life by mistake or mischance, the ransom or

redemption (money) to be paid, in different cases, have been mentioned in this verse.

Quran
Dhalika (that), a demonstrative pronoun, refers to something distant, but, in Arabic,
sometimes is also used to indicate a highly revered object, even if it is close at hand. This
book, the word of Allah, in the sphere of revelation, is complete, comprehensive, sublime
and worthy of reverence, in the highest possible degree. Therefore, here and in many
other sentences dhalika is used to refer to this holy book; and tilka, the feminine gender
of dhalika, is used to refer to its verses. Whether translated as this or that, it refers to that
which is in our hands.

Al kitab, the book, has been named Quran, derived from the verb qura-a, which means to
recite or to read. Therefore, the literal meaning of Quran is recitation, in the light of
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verses 16 to 19 of al Qiyamah, and in view of verse 185 of al Baqarah, it is a guidance

with clear proofs, and a distinction.

It is furqan - that which teaches us to distinguish between good and evil, according to
verse 1 of al Furqan, on account of its containing the principles of good and evil, and also
the conditions of reward and punishment. It is also called furqan because of its gradual
delivery, part by part, according to verses 106 and 107 of Bani Israil. According to verse
9 of al Hijr, it is dhikr, the reminder.

Al kitab is hakim (a decisive book of divine wisdom), aziz (a unique book of natural
beauty), hamid (praiseworthy), majid (glorious), karim (bounteous and honoured) and
mubin (clear and expressive).

It is also ummul kitab, the mother book. The application of this title is with regard to the
clear revelations, beyond all ambiguity (ayat ul muhkamat) - they are the substance of the
book as per verse 7 of Ali Imran, in the light of which the rest of the book is explained.

The Quran is a guidance to those who safeguard themselves against evil with full
awareness of Allah's laws, but it is a plain statement to ordinary human beings.

The Quran has been specified as the book, as well as, the word or sentence of Allah. The
book and the word are the vehicles of thought and will. When the expression of thought
or will, or both, are written, giving stability and simultaneity to the components, it is a
book, whereas the word is only the spoken expression. Although the expression, whether
written or spoken, is attributable to the knowledge and the ability of the author or
speaker, it is absurd to refer to the work of the author or speaker as his attribute, because
knowledge or ability, and not its outcome, is the attribute.

In normal sense, the word is produced by highly organised functions of the vocal organs
of living beings; and a book is the result of the elaborate labour of man's hand, pen, paper
and ink etc. This does not apply to the word and the book of Allah. According to Imam
Ali ibna abi Talib, the word of Allah is not a spoken expression in the sense of sound but
is a divine will.

He said: It is not a sound that strikes the ear, nor a voice to be heard. Verily His words
are His work, originated by Him.

His work, originated by Him, had stability and simultaneity prior to its gradual delivery
to the visible world; and after the appearance in the lowest sphere of manifestation, this
stable and simultaneous work became His book. Therefore, it has continuity, in the order
of descent, by the continuity of His will. In view of these two aspects, all that has been
created (the whole and its parts) is His word, the effect of His creative will. On account
of its stability and the simultaneity of its parts the whole creation is a book of Allah i.e.
the written expression of His will and thought.

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Nazul or the revelation is a term applied in the Quran to the process of descent from the
infinite to the finite, in creation as well as in legislation. The divine revelation, in
legislation, passes through the same stages of intellectual, angelical and non-material
agencies, as it does in creation. In creation, the last stage of revelation is that when it is
exposed to our senses, termed as alam shahadat (the visible world), and alam malak (the
world of cause and effect). In legislation the last stage of revelation is the heart (power to
visualise) of the Holy Prophet, prior to its utterance. Therefore, this revelation
(legislation) is in complete conformity with the revelation regarding creation.

Imam Ali ibna abi Talib says: Although you see yourself as a "nothing to speak of"
origin, in you is summed up the vast universe; and, therefore, you are the meaningful

The Quran is the sum total of the word and the book of Allah. It is the map of the
universe. Its letters, words, clauses, sentences, chapters, parts, and symbols, jointly or
severally, signify the facts of the creation in its circular process. To read and understand
any map, a fixed scale is required, without which it would be a meaningless mass of
unrelated and irrelevant dots and lines having no value or significance. Therefore, in the
case of the Quran, those who do not make use of the "real scale", remain unattached, go
astray and wander in the wilderness of ignorance and confusion. The Quran refers to this
fact.

In view of the explanation of the word and the book of Allah, the opinion held by some
people of importance, as an article of faith, that the Quran is uncreated, eternal and co-
existing with the being of Allah, like His attributes, becomes unacceptable. The word or
writing of Allah is His work, not His essential attribute. The idea of coexistence of His
work with His being was imported from the Christian ideology which was borrowed from
Jewish Alexandrian philosophy. The Quran repeatedly presents the whole creation and its
every part and particle as the word (work) of Allah, the outcome of His creative will and
attention, or His legislative will and attention.

The Quran in full, in parts and in its arrangement, is the work of Allah. There is no doubt
in it. In verses 41 and 42 of Ha Mim, it has been made clear that the book, in our hands,
is the same as revealed to the Holy Prophet, both in its quantity as well as in its
arrangement. It was revealed to him as a complete book. The gradual delivery, part by
part, verse by verse or chapter by chapter to the people, on various occasions, does not
mean that the revelation to him was also gradual or piecemeal. He recited it as and when
necessary, under divine instruction, which only regulated the delivery. It is a historical
fact that the arrangement of the verses was not made according to any chronological
order, but that the passages delivered in the later period were put by the order of the Holy
Prophet, into the respective chapters delivered in the earlier period, because he knew
beforehand, to which chapter each verse belonged. This would not have been possible
unless the whole and complete book, in its present arrangement, had already been with
him, duly revealed, prior to its delivery to the people. For those who treat the Holy
Prophet as an ordinary man who passed his forty years in ignorance, astray and
bewildered, prior to the endowment of the prophetic mission, when the holy ghost, Jibra-
il, taught him bismillah, as in the case of a child, the gradual revelation, scattered and
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with no proper arrangement, may be justified; but for those who see the Holy Prophet in
his true position, which is repeatedly asserted by the Quran; that he never followed, in
any period of his life, any path or creed except the divine religion, rightly know and
believe that he was chosen and commissioned right from the beginning, to deliver that
which had already been revealed to him.

Allah throws an open challenge to mankind for making an effort to compose even one
surah in the style and manner of the Quran, not only to assert the genuineness of the
divine words revealed to a man who did not receive any type of education from any
mortal, but also to put an end to doubts and speculations, for ever, that it could be the
fabrication of any human mind.

This challenge refers to the Quran as a work of literature and wisdom, and not to its
effects as some commentators wrongly try to prove. The inimitable literary excellence
and the pure and perfect wisdom of the Quran has been and will always be beyond the
reach of the literary and intellectual genius of mankind.

Say (O Muhammad); If men and jinn should unite to produce the like of this Quran they
could not produce the like of it though they were helpers one of another. (Bani Israil: 88)

In what respect is the Quran an unchallengable miracle? How is it the proof of its own
truthfulness? Several views have been put forward by both Muslim and non-Muslim
scholars.

1. Eloquence and rhetorical excellence.

2. Prophecies.
3. Precepts and laws.
4. Effect of its forceful and fascinating tone on the human mind and heart.

No attempt has been made to look into the book itself to know why and in what sense it is
a miracle. The book is the book of guidance. The duty of the messenger of Allah was to
convey and preach guidance to mankind. The speaker or author arranges his words and
sentences to make his ideas meaningful to the audience or the readers. In search of the
best way to communicate the ideas, the science of grammar and the art of rhetoric had
been developed. The use of language and style has to be adopted in relation to the class of
people who are addressed. A message or guidance of universal nature, dealing with all
aspects of human life in its manifold dimensions (individual and social, economic and
political, physical and spiritual) not for any particular person or class but for every human
being, community and nation, educated and uneducated, till eternity, must be the work of
a person who knows, inside out, human nature in general as well as the capacity to
understand and the tendencies of different individuals and communities of different
classes and races. In addition, the relation of each individual to the other, the relation of
mankind as a whole to other beings and surrounding nature, the beginning and the end of
human life, the first and the final cause of creation of which man is a part, have to be
taken into consideration. The style and substance of such a message should not only
appeal to the "welfare-oriented" interests of the people but also should be able to refine
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human feelings and emotions. Such a power of expression is beyond the limit of human
ability. Therefore it is true to say that the Quran is a miracle in view of its style and
substance.

Allah's book is true. It contains and encompasses the knowledge of the diversity of
creation. Dispute and difference can only relate to the diversity of creation, not to the
laws that govern it. Those who go against the book doubt the genuineness of the Quran as
the revealed word of Allah. The opponents of the book among the Jews concealed or
misinterpreted the prophecy about the advent of the Holy Prophet, clearly mentioned in
their scripture.

All schools of Islam agree that the whole Quran was sent to baytul ma-mur and thereafter
it was revealed to the Holy Prophet on suitable occasions during a period of 23 years.
Bayt ul ma-mur is said to be the celestial counterpart of the holy Kabah. It is an
allegorical term used for the heart of the Holy Prophet.

Bil haqq means (with) truth, certainty, reason, justice and proof, in contrast to the false
notions and fabricated dogmas of the other corrupted religions and creeds. Musaddiqan
means the Quran verifies and confirms the preachings of the earlier prophets about the
unity of Allah and His demand from man to do good and adopt righteousness. Furqan
means that which teaches us to distinguish between good and evil, truth and falsehood. It
also means salvation. It is another name of the Quran.

Most of the verses of the Quran are clear and decisive. There is no ambiguity in them.
They are known as the muhkamat. They relate to the fundamentals of the faith, such as
the oneness of Allah, the directions pertaining to the practice of the faith and the laws
governing the day to day life of the faithful. They can neither be changed nor modified.
Any man of average intelligence can understand and follow them.

The mutashabihat are the verses which have been composed in subtle and profound
diction and style. They carry implications other than the literal meanings, and therefore,
are capable of giving different significations, like "The hand of Allah is on their hands" in
verse 10 of al Fat-h.

Only the men of understanding who possess a higher level of intelligence contemplate
and find out the meaningful implications of such verses. Average and ordinary minds
cannot figure out or have knowledge of the real purport of such verses, and if they try this
on their own, they are bewildered and go astray. As mentioned in the commentary of
verse 1 of al Baqarah, the huruf muqatta-at are also meaningful but their subtle and
profound meanings are known to Allah and His chosen representatives (Muhammad and
ali Muhammad) only.

Zaygh means disease, perversity, evil, and wicked intention, the inclination to go against
the truth and to blunder, revolt and go astray. Fitna means to create mischief, or to create
difference of opinion and to mislead. "None knows its interpretation except Allah and
those (who are) firmly rooted in knowledge", renders null and void all attempts made by
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scholars to discover the true meanings of the mutashabihat. The firmly rooted in
knowledge are those whom Allah Himself gives the knowledge, as verse 49 of al
Ankabut says: But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given
knowledge.

Ali ibn abi Talib said:"Seek remedy as well as answers to all questions and difficulties
from the Quran. It cures the worst diseases like infidelity, hypocrisy and deviation."

"(This is) a book We have sent down to you (14:1)" implies that the whole Quran was
revealed to the Holy Prophet in a complete book form; it was neither edited nor arranged
nor compiled by any one after its revelation. Allah has taken the work of guarding the
Quran. Allah's pure and holy truth will never suffer tahrif (alteration).

Rabb
Rabb in Arabic stands for nourisher, cherisher, and sustainer. According to Raghib, an
Arab lexicologist, the word rabb signifies "the fostering of a thing in such a manner as to
make it attain one condition after another until its goal of completion".

Our Lord is He who gave unto everything its form, and then guided it aright. (TAHA; 50)

Rububiyat speaks of another attribute - lutf , meaning tenderness and refinement in

diffusing through every one's mind and feelings to know the needs and make available
the necessary means of satisfaction. This position gives authority to exercise legislative
powers which, in fact, justifies the establishment of the office of nabuwat and imamat.

By making Allah known as the rabbul alamin, Islam has disclosed the truth to mankind
that He is the Lord of everything in the universe, be that human, animal, vegetable,
mineral, perceptible or imperceptible, visible or invisible, near or far, in the earth or in
the heavens, or in between them. With infinite power, able to do all things, the all-wise
almighty creator of matter and meaning is a supreme sovereign in every aspect of His
absolute authority. His independent will extends to and covers all kinds of the worlds
created by Him.

The five "mystic" classifications of the worlds are as under:

1. Material or physical NASUT

2. Metaphysical MALAKUT or supernatural
3. Spiritual or JABARUT
4. Divine or LAHUT
5. Imperceptible or GHAYBUL GHAYUB

The rububiyat begins to operate as early as the will to create a being takes effect, and
continues to nurture the created being with love, care and never-ceasing vigilance,
providing all its needs according to the changes it goes through. It is like a self-imposed
duty to guide the creature to make conscious efforts to avoid harm and avail profit.
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Things necessary for the living beings, all over the universe, in all times, are available to
satisfy various wants and needs. The quality and quantity of the "resources" have been
determined according to the collective requirements of all that which has been created.
Some things are rare, some things are plentiful, but at all events nothing is less or more.
A thoughtful study of the complex of "things" brings the obvious fact to light that there is
only one single owner master who has set the wonderfully harmonious working of the
universe in motion, allowed life to be created, and in addition, enabled each and every
creation to put into effect the aim of its being brought into existence.

The heat of the sun changes the water into a mass of fog and the wind takes it to the sky
in the shape of rolling clouds and drives them over various parts of the earth; and when
the stored water in the clouds melts on account of the solar glow, it rains all over the
earth. The earth receives the water and grows "food" for all the living beings. Every being
finds, all that which serves to maintain life on earth, ready, as soon as it comes into being,
duly provided and arranged in the required quantity and quality. The milk, a new-born
baby feeds on, is ready in the mother's breasts well in advance of its birth.

By introducing Allah as the rabbul alamin, Islam has warned and alerted mankind not to
do injustice to any creation of Allah. He will punish the unjust offender because even the
smallest degree of injustice displeases the just Lord of the worlds. Also, this term makes
man realise that Allah is the master not only of mankind or animate and visible objects
but He is the Lord of everything in the universe - human or animal, vegetable or mineral,
visible or invisible, perceptible or imperceptible, near or far.

Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is that in which the complete Quran was revealed to the Holy
Prophet in the night of Qadr (Dukhan: 3; Qadr: I ). Thereafter he was intimated to deliver
it gradually to the people as and when Allah deemed it suitable.

Rass

Commentators have given various accounts of the companions of al Rass. The root
meaning of rass is an old well or shallow water-pit. They were people who disobeyed
their prophet and were destroyed.

Imam Ali bin Musa ar Ridha reported on the authority of Imam Husayn bin Ali that a
man from Banu Tamim came to Ali and asked him as to who were the people of al Rass.
Imam Ali said:

"You have asked a question no one has yet investigated; and there is no one except me
who can give you the answer because there is no verse in the Quran but I know when,
where and why it was revealed. The treasures of knowledge Allah has given me are
inexhaustible, but there are very few who want to know. The seekers of truth and wisdom

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shall miss me when they will not find me among them to know that which is unknown to
any scholar.

The people of al Rass worshipped the pine tree which Yafas, son of Nuh, planted beside a
spring called Dushab, particularly created by Allah for Nuh, after the great flood. After
Sulayman, son of Dawud, there were twelve towns, between Adharbayjan and Arminia
on the river known as Rass, in which these people lived.

The names of the twelve towns were

1. Aban
2. Adhur
3. Day
4. Bahman
5. Isfandar
6. Farwardin
7. Ardi Bahist
8. Khurdad
9. Mardad
10. Tir
11. Mihr
12. Shahryur.

Isfandar was the largest town in which was the pine tree the people worshipped. Tarkuz
son of Ghayur son of Yarishk son of Sazan son of Nimrud son of Kanan was their king. It
was strictly prohibited to use the water of the spring for any purpose because if it dried,
they presumed, their god would die. An Israelite prophet, a descendant of prophet Yaqub,
was sent to show the right path of Allah to them, but they did not give up the worship of
the pine tree. At last Allah made the tree dead. The people, in a fury of revenge, buried
the prophet alive in a well. Then the wrath of Allah seized them. All perished. No one
survived."

Riba

Riba literally means a growth or an addition. The additional amount, collected over and
above the capital given as a loan, is interest or usury. It is an abuse or a misuse of the
power one holds over the weak or the needy, and therefore, strictly forbidden. Spending
in the way of Allah for the welfare of the human society has been prescribed in the
preceding verses. With enough means at one's disposal, it is a sin not to part with some of
it in order to help the needy. When giving in the way of Allah, as a free gift, under such
circumstances, has been prescribed, then those whom Allah has given enough, must at
least lend that which is needed by the needy, without charging any additional payment,
because practising usury is akin to being confounded by Shaytan, and is tantamount to
digging one's own grave. Inherent in a transaction of usury is the element of enslavement
and abuse, because a person who is in need of material help cannot pay back more than
what he had originally taken; therefore Islam has prohibited usury. In the transaction of
usury, both the givers and the takers suffer. The lender, in love of more and more
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material gains, becomes heartless and selfish. Those who take loans become extravagant
and ruin their families. This scenario is diametrically opposed to the very purpose of the
religion of Islam - establishment of a fair, kind and welfare-oriented social order. If there
is no temptation of usury, material help will be given to only those who are really in need
of it.

Mahaq means to blot out, to render unfortunate, to withdraw one's blessings from Allah
does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper. The act of usury itself
lights the fuse of the ultimate destruction of the system that builds, supports and
perpetrates it. According to the Holy Prophet, he who upholds usury as permissible is a
kafir. It is generally known among the Muslims that to use the gains obtained from usury
is as wicked and as satanic as marrying one's own mother.

There is no neutral standing space between good and bad actions. If the faithful do not
desist from usury, they will bear the consequences of making war against Allah and His
messenger. Fadhanu means "be warned of" a war from Allah and His messenger.

Imam Ali ibna abi Talib says: The Holy Prophet not only cursed the giver, the receiver,
and the consumer of the usury but also condemned those who write and witness the
transaction of usury.

Neither lend nor borrow money on interest, simple or compound. Islam has forbidden
usury for all ages and in all circumstances, regardless of any "commercial" consideration.
"Multiplied manifold" implies an unjust economic system by making the rich richer and
the poor poorer. The basis of prosperity and success, both in this world and the hereafter,
is love of Allah and awareness of His laws, not greed of gold.

Righteous

According to the Holy Prophet whoever puts verse 2:177 into practice attains perfection
in faith. The theory and practice of piety have clearly been mentioned in this verse. Faith
in Allah and welfare of the mankind have been founded as the essence of the religion of
Allah, Islam.

Righteousness is this that one should believe:

1. in the unity of Allah with all His attributes;
2.in the last day of judgement;
3. in the angels;
4. in the book of Allah;
5. in all the prophets and messengers of Allah;
6. and give away wealth out of love for Allah to the near of kin, and the orphans, and the
needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the liberation of slaves;
7. and keep up the (obligatory) prayers,

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Those who believe in Allah, do good deeds, keep up the salat, and pay Zakat will have no
fear nor will grieve on the day of judgement.

The Holy Prophet has said: Seven persons shall be allowed to take refuge with Allah
when there will be no other refuge.

1. He who rules justly and judges impartially.

2. He who grows up in a virtuous family as an embodiment of virtue.
3. He who remains attached with the place of worship of Allah, and loves and helps the
worshippers.
4. He who loves people, and hates the evildoers in order to promote the cause of Allah.
5. He who says: "I fear the Lord" whenever a beautiful woman incites him to do that
which is forbidden.
6. He who gives charity in secret by one hand, not letting the other know it.
7. He who prays in secret and sheds tears in fearful awareness of the Lord.

A true believer receives good things lawfully as due return for his labour or services but
keeps them in trust with himself, to be distributed as and when commanded by Allah. He
is always ready to part with them because he does not attach himself to them in the sense
of hubbush shahawati. Being a man he is allowed to desire happiness and satisfaction but
is required to keep his feelings and emotions in check to attain moral and spiritual
refinement which, in return, enables him to make an offering of his means of satisfaction
to the service of the Lord. It is more trying and demanding to control passions than not to
have them at all. Total suppression of feelings and desires and mortification of the flesh
betrays an escapist tendency to avoid test and trial.

You shall not attain to righteousness until you spend (in the way of Allah) of what you
love. (Ali Imran: 92)

The patient, the truthful, the devout and those who spend in the way of Allah are entitled
to receive the grace of Allah.

The reward of the righteous will be far more than in proportion to their merits. While the
blessed will be rewarded beyond their merits, the condemned, who earn evil (bring it on
themselves by the deliberate choice of evil), will receive their punishment only with exact
justice

On several occasions the Holy Prophet had said that every Muslim man and Muslim
woman must cultivate the following virtues:
1. Faith, hope and trust in Allah, and in His benevolent administration of the whole
universe;
2. devotion and service in practical life;
3. love and practice of the teachings of Islam in thought and intention, word and deed;
4. patience in suffering and constancy in right endeavour;
5. humility, the avoidance of an attitude of arrogance and superiority;
6. financial help to the poor and less fortunate fellow-beings;
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7. self denial,
8. purity in sex life, purity in motive, thought, word and deed;
9. constant attention to Allah's commands,
10. safeguarding oneself against evil with full awareness of laws made by Allah.

Romans – The prophecy

During the period 614 A.D. to 616 A.D. the Byzantine emperor Heraclius was defeated
by the Persians and the Byzantine empire lost much of its lands. In Makka, the pagans
were happy about the defeat of the Romans because they were Christians and the people
of the book. But the Muslims were grieved at the defeat of Romans because the Persians
were fire worshippers, and the disbelievers of Makka were taunting the Muslims that
their fate would also be similar to the Romans as this was an omen of their triumph upon
the Muslims.

This verse 30:3 was sent to console the grieved Muslims bringing the prophesy that soon
the Romans will defeat the Persians. Inter alia, this also meant that the pagans of Makka,
who were so happy about the defeat of the Romans, would very soon be disillusioned
both about the fate of the Persian fire-worshippers and their own fate against the
Muslims.

This prophesy of the Quran was fulfilled in 624 A.D. when Heraclius defeated the
Persians; and at the battle of Badr (in 2 A.H.) the disbelievers of Makka were defeated by
the Muslims.

According to Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir, when the Holy Prophet migrated from
Makka and arrived in Madina, he sent out two letters, one to the Byzantine emperor and
the other to the emperor of Persia, inviting them to embrace Islam. The Muslim envoy
received honour in Constantinople and the emperor returned him with valuable gifts
despite his not accepting the invitation to join Islam. While the emperor of Persia insulted
the Muslim envoy and tore the Prophet's letter into pieces.

The Byzantine emperor was rewarded by Allah for the respect he paid to the Holy
Prophet' envoy and to the invitation to Islam whereas the Persian emperor met the return
for his pride and insulting arrogance with which he rejected the divine invitation.

In this way the prophesy that came with the verses of Quran was fulfilled and the
Muslims rejoiced at it.

Ruyat

The reward of spiritual discipline and worship of Allah is the certainty of the knowledge
of the return to Allah. The word liqa (meeting or encounter) has been used in the Quran
many times. It is wrong to interpret it as seeing. The theory of the possibility of seeing
Allah (ruyat) in this world or in the hereafter assumes the personification of God, which

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is a fanciful conjecture against the fundamental article of the faith (the absolute unity),
therefore, has been rejected by the Holy Quran: "vision perceives Him not" (An-am:
103), and the Holy Prophet and the holy Imams.

Ali ibn abi Talib says: I do not worship the God whom I cannot see, not through sight,
(but) through insight.

Therefore, liqa means realisation through insight and not by physical vision.

When a man asked Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq to enable him to see Allah, the
Imam advised him to meet him some other day. On one occasion he met the Imam while
he was standing beside a river, and repeated his request. As directed by the Imam, his
companions tied the hands and legs of the man and threw him in the river. While
struggling to save himself from drowning he solicited help from every man standing there
one by one, but none came to his rescue. Losing all hopes, he cried "O God! Help me",
when he was about to go down under the water. Then the Imam took him out from the
river and asked him "Did you see Allah?" He said: "Yes, my master." The Imam said:
"You cannot see Allah with your eyes. You can see Him through your insight by
realizing His essential existence."

Liqa-ana (meeting with Us) does not mean seeing Allah; it refers to the ultimate return to
Allah for the final accountability.

Saba – The townships

The soil of Saba was very rich and there was an abundant water supply. The whole area
flourished with profoundly yielding fruit gardens and was free from venomous serpents
and insects. The climate was very pleasant. Each of the twelve townships of Saba had its
own prophet of Allah. Each of the prophets called their people to correct belief in Allah,
the true Lord of the universe, and to righteous living. They preached: "Eat of what Allah
from His grace and mercy has provided to you, and be thankful and grateful to Him who
is the most merciful."

It was a happy and prosperous country, amply supplied with canals and roads, and skirted
by gardens to the right and left, but the people became arrogant of their prosperity, their
skills and the achievements of their ancestors. Allah therefore punished them by
destroying their habitations, gardens and cultivated fields. A mighty flood came and the
dam burst.

The French traveller T.J. Arnaud saw the town and ruins of the dam of Ma-arib in 1874,
and described its gigantic works and its inscriptions in Journal Asiatique for January
1874. The dam as measured by Arnaud was two miles long and 120 feet high. The date of
destruction was somewhere about 120 A.D. The flourishing land was converted into a
waste.

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The old Frankincense route was the great highway between Arabia and Syria. Through
Syria it connected with great and flourishing kingdoms of the Euphrates and Tigris (Furat
and Dajlah) valleys on the one hand and Egypt on the other, and with the great Roman
empire round the Mediterranean. At the other end, through Yemen coast, the route was
connected, by sea transport, with India, Malaysia and China. The route was studded, in
the days of prosperity, with many cities close to each other. The close proximity of the
cities prevented the inroads of highway men.

The people of Saba became increasingly covetous and selfish, departing from the path of
righteousness and envying their neighbour's prosperity and happiness. In order to make
more profit the distance between two towns had to be extended, because a few stations
which they could monopolise would bring more money. Their grasping nature put aside
the moral standards of righteousness. Monopoly in trade and industry not only spreads
poverty among people but also destroys the moral fabric of the society. They fell into the
snare of Shaytan, therefore fell from divine grace and declined. They gradually passed
out of history, and became only a name in a story. Prosperity is only a snare unless used
for the highest service of Allah and His servants, an nas (common people).

The people of Saba neglected the bounties of Allah and invited the miseries on
themselves. This is true of the material, as well as the spiritual life of man. Thus Imam
Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq quotes this verse to illustrate that the trouble which
engulfed the Muslims (and will continue until the reappearance of Imam Al Mahdi al Qa-
im) was due to the ingratitude shown by the people concerning Ghadir Khum. They
neglected to pay attention to the covenant of Ghadir (see commentary of Ma-idah: 67).
For a similar example among the chadren of Israil see Ma-idah: 20 to 26.

Sabbath

Sabbath day was reserved exclusively for prayers. To do anything else was forbidden.
The people (Bani Israel) invented crafty methods through which the fish got trapped. In
this way they resorted to fishing which was also forbidden on the Sabbath days. In view
of their persistent violations in spite of the repeated warnings given by the prophets., they
were transformed into apes. After three days all of them died. A powerful wind swept
their corpses into the sea. This incident took place in the town of Elah, on the coast of the
Red Sea, during the time of prophet Dawud. This transformation has again been stated in
verse 166 of al Araf.

Sabeans

Sabeans belonged to Chaldean religion. Their religion was much modified at various
times and places by Jewish, Gnostic and Zoroastrian influences, and so there are
conflicting accounts of them in various Muslim authors. Star-worship was the distinctive
feature of their religion, otherwise they were monotheists.

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Salat
The literal meaning of salat is the middle of the backbone. When used as a verb, it means
the bending and unbending of the backbone. It is particularly employed when an animal
is curved at the time of delivery. Figuratively, it was used for a bending posture at the
time of giving or taking something. From this, it was adopted for prayer, to signify a
submissive attitude. The Quran has drawn on this word to describe man's praying attitude
towards Allah, as well as Allah's turning towards His creatures. Salat (with reference to
the creature) means bending before the creator Lord to express wants and needs for
obtaining fulfilment, and (with reference to the creator Lord) turning towards the
supplicant creature to give that which he deserves.

The natural religious tendency of man, as the result of self-love, makes him bend before
the absolute, in prayer, to express his wants and needs in order to obtain fulfilment. The
bending of the absolute means His turning towards the supplicant to give that which he
deserves.

According to verses 41 to 43 of al Ahzab, for the creature, prayer is the expression of his
quest for the grace of the creator, and for the creator His salat is the bestowal of His grace
upon the creature.

In Islam, the purpose of prayer is to please Allah, and nothing pleases Allah but that
which is the most beneficial to His creatures. Therefore, no prayer is approved by Islam
save that which has been prescribed by Allah, nothing less, nothing more, as man has no
right to add, omit or alter the prescribed prayer.

Qumu lillahi qanitin (stand up with devotion, truly obedient to Allah) prescribes qunut,
recitation of any Quranic dua, while standing and raising both the hands, palms joined
together, in front of the face. Concentration and presence of mind are essential for
praying the salat, a regulated system of worship which gives man the opportunity to
establish communion with his creator, five times a day. Salat prescribed by Islam, is not
the ritualistic movements of the body. Its demand of employing all mental powers
enables man to reflect divine attributes in his character, otherwise mere ritual has been
condemned in the following verses.

Woe, therefore, to such performers of prayer, who are unmindful of their prayer, who
would (pray) to be seen. (Ma-un: 4 to 6)

Salat prayed in danger, is called salat ul khawf. According to the verse salat cannot be
missed under any circumstances, even in danger, other methods of Salat can be adopted
therein.

This verse 4:101 refers to salat ul khawf (offering of salat while facing an enemy in a
battle) and salat ul qasr (offering of salat during a journey)- curtailing the salat (zuhr, asr
and isha) by half. The journey should be for a lawful purpose and for not less than
(nearly) 27 miles.
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In the battle of Uhad, the sharp point of an arrow stuck into the foot of Ali ibn abi Talib
and could not be removed because the head of the arrow broke when it was being taken
out. As advised by the Holy Prophet it was pulled out when Ali was praying salat. He did
not know what took place. After the completion of his prayer he noticed blood on the
prayer-mat and realised that the broken part of the arrow was taken out from his foot. He
used to be so much involved in his communion with his Lord-master that on several
occasions people thought he was dead.

The Holy Prophet said: "In qiyam the prayer must look steadily at the point where the
forehead is placed in sajdah; in ruku at the place between the two feet; in qunut at the
palms of the joined hands; in sajdah at the nose; in qu-ud (sitting position to recite
tashahud) at the thighs. Concentration of heart and mind at the time of offering salat so as
to think nothing but about Allah is essential to acknowledge the presence of the authority
of the Lord-master."

At the time of ablution (wudu) the awe and reverence of the glory of Allah Ali felt was
always visible on his face, because, as he himself explained, he was getting ready to stand
in the presence of the majesty of Allah as a humblest servant should stand before his
Lord-master. Likewise the body of Imam Ali bin Husayn Zayn al Abidin used to shake
from awe and reverence of Allah whenever he went to offer prayers.

Salih

Thamud has often been mentioned along with Ad in the Holy Quran. The people of
Thamud are known as the tribe of second Ad who lived in Ahqaf, from Umman to
Hadhramawt. Their prophet and warner was Salih. Their territory included both rocky
country and fertile valley of Qura, and the crisis in their history is connected with a
wonderful she-camel.

The dwellers of hijr were the Thamud the people of Salih. They lived in houses that had
been hewed out in the mountains. Jabl Hijr is about 150 miles from Madina. The rocky
tract of land known by this name lies in the north of Arabia on the highway to Syria.

They were also, like the tribe of Ad, godless and idol worshippers. They used to worship
a part of a mountain and offer sacrifices on it. There was scarcity of water and the
arrogant privileged classes tried to prevent the access of the poor or their cattle to the
springs, while Salih used to intervene on their behalf (Shu-ara: 155 and Qamar: 28), also
they tried to monopolise the pasture, a free gift of Allah as per verse 73 of this surah. This
particular she-camel was made a test case (Qamar: 27) to see if the arrogant people would
see light and come to reason. On their demand Salih, with the pemmission of Allah, made
a she-camel come out from the mountain with a baby camel. It was decided that one day
the she-camel would drink water from the spring and on the next day the people would
take it. The she-camel, after drinking the water, gave as much milk as the whole town
could drink, but in spite of Salih's warning that the she-camel was a sign of Allah and if
they let her come to any harm, they would be seized with a grievous punishment, they
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hamstrung her, and insolently defied the order of their Lord. Consequently they were
destroyed by a dreadful earthquake, which threw them on the ground and buried them
with their houses and their buildings. Salih was saved by Allah's mercy. There was no
survivor. His speech is a warning as well as a reference to the sin and folly of the people
who belie the signs of Allah in any time.

Thalabi writes in his Tafsir that the Holy Prophet said to Ali: "The worst of men in the
days gone by were those who killed the she camel of Salih. The worst men among the
present generation are those who will slay you." Thalabi says that the name of the killer
of the she camel was Qaddar and his mother's name was Quttama. So also Qaddar was
the name of Ibn Muljim and Quttama was his mother's name .

In verse 74 it is said that the people of Thamud had hewed the mountains to make houses,
which shows that they were a nation of architects, well versed in the art of masonry. They
also built palaces in the plains as their abodes but used the houses in the mountains after
nightfall to protect themselves, and also kept there those among them who were about to
die. Professor Nicholson says that according to the monuments found in Madayan al
Salih in the mountain-houses the people of Thamud buried their dead. It does not
disprove the Quran. Obviously when the sick died they must have been buried there.

Sects

The Muslims are warned not to split into sects, hostile to each other, like the Jews and the
Christians, who, moved by self-interest and other ignoble motives, made amendments
and corrupted the words of Allah and His messengers, Musa and Isa, but the Muslims
paid no attention, and, after the departure of the Holy Prophet, instead of following the
Quran and his Ahlul Bayt, relied upon the guidance and leadership of those who neither
were chosen by Allah and His Prophet, nor deserved to lead the ummah on the strength of
their learning and character, otherwise they would have been selected in the party of
Allah which represented Him in mabahilah (Ali Imran: 61), or would have been included
in ayah al tat-hir (Ahzab: 33). It is a historical fact that such self-proclaimed leaders
enacted laws and made judgements, in the name of ijtihad, against the teachings of the
Holy Prophet and the book of Allah, because of which the Muslim ummah was divided
into many sects. There is a great punishment for such mujtahids and their followers on
the day of judgement.

Shafa-at

On the day of resurrection absolute justice will prevail. The chosen people also will be
judged in view of their actions. The verses, which make certain that in the divine scheme
of reward and punishment the "institution" of intercession has been firmly established,
are quoted below:

Who can intercede with Him, except by His permission. (Baqarah: 255)

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They shall have no power of intercession, save he who has taken a promise from the
merciful. (Maryam: 87)

There are several such verses in the Quran which prove untrue the theory of non-
availability of intercession propagated by a misguided school of thought among the
Muslims. The Holy Prophet and the thoroughly purified Imams (Ahzab: 33) are those
upon whom Allah has bestowed (an-amta alayhim - Fatihah :7) the power of intercession.

The word shafa (to pair or to join a thing to its like) is the root of shafa-at, which means
intercession. It can be favourable or unfavourable, as per verse 85 of al Nisa. It signifies
the loving attachment of a person with his ideal or model whom he follows. On the day of
judgement the wicked and the virtuous will be separated, therefore, it will be a day of
pairing of the souls according to their affinity and attachment in this world - "remember
the day when We will summon every people with their Imam (leader)", says verse 71 of
Bani Israil.

The Quran, in many places, asserts the effectiveness of intercession, therefore, the
negation here either refers to a particular condition or to the fact that no intercession
offered by a soul on its own behalf shall be accepted. Only those who have been
authorised by Allah shall have the right to intercede.

"Who can intercede with Him, except by His permission?" implies that though Allah is
the almighty and the absolute sovereign but as He is also the merciful, the compassionate,
He has given permission to "Muhammad and Ali Muhammad", the thoroughly purified,
to intercede on behalf of the sinners.

To pretend that there are other powers than Allah is to invent lies. The idolaters shut their
eyes to the goodness and glory of Allah, and go after false gods, and say by way of
excuse that their (false) gods will intercede for them and save them from eternal
punishment on the day of judgment. Even the noblest cannot intercede as a right, but only
with His permission.

Shirk

The word mala-ik is derived from the Arabic malk, not from the Hebrew root alaka. The
meaning of malk, mulk, milk and malakut is possession, which is also ownership or
holding. The holding authority is malik or maalik or malak, who is also the owner or the
sovereign, exclusively used by the Quran to refer to Allah. The whole universe is milk or
mulk and the holder is the absolute owner, Allah. Between the absolute owner and the
held mulk there are dominions over which the intermediary authorities exercise control,
with Allah's consent, in relation to the dominion above them. Each of these dominions is
termed as malakut and each holding authority is called malak. The pagans worship these
mala-ik, under misconceived conclusion, as the independent authorities, either the sons or
the daughters of the absolute authority, who can speak or advocate on their behalf to the
king of kings. It is because they do not have the insight, or true guidance, to view the
spiritual world, as pointed out by verses 26 to 31 of al Najm.
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Allah alone holds the authority. No interceding authority shall be accepted by Him, save
those to whom He Himself has delegated the authority, according to verse 87 of Maryam
and such other verses in the Quran. Therefore worship of no one is acceptable, in Islam,
save the worship of Allah. There are three type of shirk:

1. JALLIYY - evident.
2. KHAFIYY - concealed.
3. AKHFA - most concealed.

The Holy Prophet has compared the shirk, hidden in the hearts of men, to the movement
of a black ant on a black stone in the darkness of the night. Everyone is involved with
shirk of one kind or another, in the heart of his hearts. Strictly speaking, trying to assert
one's own wish against a decree of Allah is no less than a shirk of equalising one's self or
ego with the authority of the divine will.

The Holy Prophet says: Every human child is born with the Adam's nature; it is the
"parents" (the environment) which turns the child into a Jew, a Christian or a Magian
.

The most loathsome heresy is shirk, giving to Allah a partner. The exposition of the
existence of Allah should be set forth in such a way as always to emphasise His absolute
unity.

"Giving currency to an innovation (in the sense of alteration and deviation) and praising
those who follow it and condemning those who oppose it" is the starting point of shirk, in
the opinion of Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al-Sadiq, according to Umdatul Bayan by
Sayyid Ammar Ali.

Inatha (females) refers to the historical motive of idolatry. In primitive ages man could
not understand any productive action except the sexual relationship. The pagans thought
that their idols were the daughters of God. The cult of goddesses had been almost
universal, partly through the association of maternity. The goddess was the fountain and
source of human life. Inatha also signifies inanimate things as trees, stones and wood.
The idolworshippers, in fact, submit to Shaytan who, devoid of good, invites his
followers to lawlessness, anarchy and evil.

The argument of the preceding verses continues that a created being who has no power
over loss or gain cannot be worshipped as God. The pagans, who believe in false gods,
must call upon the imaginary deities whom they worship, but instead they cry out to
Allah in moments of extreme helplessness, danger and affliction.

In utter helplessness, unable to find help from any quarter, the "inner self" of every
human being, be he an unbeliever, is liberated from the obstinacy of personal views, and
commands to cry for the help of the omnipotent and omniscient Lord.

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To ascribe daughters to Allah was particularly abominable and blasphemous because the
pagans used to hold the female sex in contempt. The disbelievers used to wince when a
daughter was born to them and hanker after sons. What they hated and were ashamed of
for themselves they attributed to Allah. The description of those lifeless objects which
were adorned with ornaments and could neither speak nor do anything refers to the idols
the disbelievers used to worship.

The false gods the polytheists worship either do not exist, or they are ordinary mortals.
They neither create or originate anything on earth, nor have they a share in the creation
and working of the universe, nor do they have a book from the supreme Lord to guide
mankind. The prophets or messengers of Allah have such authority, and they bring
evidence of the true God.

If man worships his own self, his faculties will bear witness against him (Ha Mim: 20 to
22), if he worships men of God like Isa, they will disown him (Ma-idah: 11 and 117), if
he worships angels, they will disown him (Saba 40 and 41); and even Shaytan will refuse
to accept that it was he who led them astray.

Shuaib

Aykah means thicket, forest. The dwellers of the aykah were the people of prophet Shu-
ayb. Madyan was the name of one of the sons of Ibrahim. Madyan was married to one of
the daughters of Lut. The land Midian takes its name from him. Shu-ayb, a descendant of
Ibrahim, was sent as a prophet by Allah to guide the people of Midian and A-ikah.

Giving short measure or weight, depriving people of rightful dues, creating mischief and
disorder, taking to highway robbery, cutting off people from access to the worship of
Allah and abusing and exploiting religion itself for their crooked ends, were some of their
sins which Shu-ayb wanted to eradicate. The gentle and persuasive arguments of Shu-ayb
fell on hard hearts.

The fate of Midian people was the same as that of the people of Thamud. A shower of
ashes and cinders accompanying a volcanic eruption seized them, and then an earthquake
by night buried all of them in their own homes.

The miraculous staff, which Musa had, is reported to have been given to him by Shu-ayb.
Another miracle associated with him was that whenever he wanted to climb a mountain
to reach its peak, it used to lower itself for him.

Sibgh

Sibgh means dye-colouring or immersion in water. The Christian church has adopted it as
a religious ceremony of baptism. By immersion in or sprinkling water on every convert,
he or she is admitted to their faith. The Christian baptism, does not really introduce a man
to the true faith. The true faith is universal. The Christian baptism rejects and denies all

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prophets and messengers of Allah. The divine baptism inspires love for goodness
(tawalla) and dislike for evil (tabarra) which is the true nature of man. It colours or
conditions the mind and behaviour of the believers so that he or she should adhere to
godliness and reject godlessness. The dye-colouring of Allah means to take on the colour
of the attributes of Allah and involve the soul deeply in the divinity of the Lord. It
inspires the believer with the conviction that the Lord of the universe is one. He loves
every created being. Those who love Allah must love every thing Allah loves.

Signs

The literal meaning of ayat is sign. Every verse of the Quran is a sign (ayat) because it
draws the attention of the reader to its meaning. But Allah's signs, in the perfect sense,
are those beings whose holy personalities draw the attention of the human beings to the
glory of Allah. Every prophet of Allah, during his time, was a sign of Allah, and the Holy
Prophet, the Twelve Imams and Bibi Fatimah are the conclusive signs of Allah. Allah
gives a fair warning to those who, under the influence of the eternal enemy of man,
Shaytan, go astray from the right path, the path of "Muhammad and Ali Muhammad",
that their abode will be the fire.

The verses of the Quran are clear signs. "Signs" also refer to the miracles which the
messengers of Allah put into operation. Covered with ignorance, the perverse unbelievers
disbelieve in the "signs" of Allah.

Sha-a-irillah means signs of Allah, which remind a person of Allah or a representative of

Allah - a prophet or an imam, whose remembrance itself would be an act of virtue or
devotion to Allah. It is in this sense that the followers of Muhammad and Ali Muhammad
give respect to alams, tazias, zarihs, associated with the holy Imams.

The harmony in the working of the universe is referred to in the Quran as a sign of the
unity of the maker. Man is asked to reflect over this creation and realise the divine unity
in the midst of diversity and amongst the various forces of nature that work in perfect
harmony.

Those who disbelieve in Allah's signs shall be severely punished. The verses of the Quran
are His signs. Signs also refer to the miracles the messengers of Allah and His chosen
representatives (the Ahlul Bayt) put into operation under

Sijjin

The record of the wicked is preserved in Sijjin. The root word sijn means "a prison"
which suggests that everything done by the wicked is "imprisoned" (recorded) in a
register from where nothing can ever escape (be found missing).

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Sins

It is said that to a true lover of Allah it is an "open sin" if he is mentally engrossed all the
time in the bounties of Allah available in this world, and it is a "secret sin"' if he spends
much time in visualizing the blessings he will get in the hereafter, because in both
situations he detaches himself from the remembrance of Allah. In both cases "sin" has not
been used in the sense of transgressing the limits of shariah.

Imam Ali bin Husayn al Zayn al Abidin has said that the bounties, Allah bestows on any
person, are never taken away, but in consequence of certain sins:
1. Disobedience to the virtuous, pride, ridiculing others, (these result in withdrawal of
bounties and turn the sinner into a hardened transgressor.)
2. Going to bed before praying Isha salat, sleeping at the time of Fajr salat, thinking
lightly of the bounties of Allah, complaining to others against Allah. (these reduce the
means of sustenance to the minimum.)
3. Swearing false oaths, uttering lies, adultery, obstructing the way of the Muslims, false
claims, misappropriation of a trust, not helping the aggressed and oppressed, not
preaching pursuance of good and abstinence from evil. (these bring down calamities.)
4. Practising iniquity and wickedness, legalising that which is forbidden, obedience to the
wicked and revolting against the virtuous, drunkenness and gambling, using jests and
jokes to stimulate ridicule of others. (these give an upper hand to the enemies.)

To slander a chaste woman, who is not even aware of the sin she is accused of, is the
gravest moral offence. Such slanderers are cursed in this life and in the hereafter where
they shall be severely punished.

If Allah had dealt with all the sinners on earth with His strict justice, everyone would
have long since perished. It is only His mercy that allows mankind time to repent and
mend their ways.

That is why the holy Ahl ul Bayt have taught us to be continuously praying: "O Lord,
show us Your mercy, do not let us face Your justice."

Sins bind the sinner in a chain of causes and effects, due to which he loses his free will to
repent, amend and follow the right guidance and ultimately destroys himself in the
blazing fire of punishment.

Slavery

Of all the religions, only Islam condemns slavery. It treats liquidation of the institution of
slavery as a prime virtue. In verse 13 of al Balad freeing a slave has been highly praised.
In verse 89 of al Ma-idah and in verse 3 of al Mujadalah the liberation of slaves has been
prescribed as kaffarah (expiation).

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 Slavery

The Holy Prophet said:"For the love of Allah give away your wealth for freeing those
enemies whom you have captured in war."

Once the Holy Prophet gave a slave to Abu Dhar with instructions to treat him kindly and
to do with him as he would with himself. As soon as Abu Dhar brought the slave home,
he set him free. "Allah will bless you", said the Holy Prophet when he heard the news.

Sorcery
Prophet Sulayman was endowed with extraordinary powers to control the forces of
nature. To discredit him in the eyes of the people the devils had forged a book in the
name of Sulayman on the art of sorcery in order to give currency to the idea that it was
witchcraft, not divine endowment, through which Sulayman directed the operation of
created phenomena and exercised various super natural acts. As sorcery demands belief
in ungodly agencies and false deities, he who makes use of witchcraft is an infidel. To
cast aspersion on the prophet of Allah was a blasphemy. Sulayman worshipped the true
God (Yahweh). He was not an unbeliever. It was the devilish beings who disbelieved .

Though it cannot be directly observed. the good and evil spirits are capable of corporeal
manifestation. To invoke the agency of evil spirits in order to effect magic is infidelity,
and is therefore condemned by Islam. In Babylon and other centres of old civilisation
sorcery was in vogue. It was used to confuse the people because they could not
distinguish between witchcraft and genuine miracles. To counter this devilish scheme two
angels, Harut and Marut, were sent down by Allah to help the prophet of that time. By
providing him with the means of undoing the effects of sorcery, the people were properly
equipped to discriminate between right and wrong, truth and falsehood. During the time
of the Holy Prophet a large number of Jews practised sorcery and adopted it as their creed
by setting aside the Tawrat.

1. Sorcery is not altogether ineffective.

2. Sorcery can do no harm if Allah so wills.
3. To learn witchcraft or sorcery is not profitable, but harmful.
4. Those who go after the art of sorcery and witchcraft will have no share of good in the
hereafter, because it is as bad as mischief-making. To dispel the effects of witchcraft and
sorcery people are allowed to learn the art of defending themselves.

Soul
The human spirit (ruh) is the reflection emanated directly from the absolute (min ruhi),
according to verse 29 of al Hijr. It does not mean separation because the absolute is
indivisible. It refers to His direct attention or command. The other beings in the "arc of
ascent" are also the reflections of His attention or command but through angelic medium.

Ruh, according to the Quran and the Holy Prophet's sayings refers to that which proceeds
from the absolute through the "arc of descent". The nafs (soul, ego or self) is the

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corresponding reflection or the reaction in the "arc of ascent". As this reflection is

conditioned by the tinat, it cannot have any existence prior to the development of the
tinat. On the contrary, the ruh or the corresponding action in the arc of descent has its
existence prior to the reflection in the arc of ascent. If the reference is to the radiation or
the acting source in the "arc of descent", it exists before the body, and is eternal with the
eternity of the source. If the reference is made to the reflection (human ego, or self) it
comes into being after the formation of the tinat. Therefore, the nafs of each individual is
developed after the preparation of the body. It depends on the matter for its development
but becomes independent in the process of growth. The ruh exists independently before
the matter and remains so, for ever. It, the ruh, never joins the matter and never becomes
dependent on it. It acts on the matter. The nafs, with no prior existence as it is only a
reaction of the ruh, acts through the body, and when it develops into a state, free from the
influence of matter, the ruh operates and makes it independent. Thereafter it neither
deteriorates nor becomes dependent again. Through progress and development into a
higher state of spirituality, passive matter reaches the condition of a conscious active
form.

It is not true that the body is blind and the soul is light, and, joined together, they help
each other temporarily, but after separation each remains as before, devoid of any
progress and development, as the theory of transmigration tries to make man believe.

Ruh has been used in the Quran in various meanings:

1. The life or spirit breathed into Adam (Hijra: 29).
2. The life in every conscious being.
3. Isa is a word of Allah and a spirit (proceeding) from Him. (Nisa: 171).
4. The Quran as mentioned in Shura: 52.
5. The spirit which comes down in the night of qadr with the angels (Quran: 4).
6. The spirit which will stand with the angels on the day of resurrection. (Naba: 38)
7. The holy ghost (Ma-idah: 11).
8. The spirit sent to Maryam which appeared before her as a man. (Maryam: 17).

Besides the Quranic use, the word spirit was in vogue among the pagans of Arabia, India,
Europe, Africa and other places, attributing to the spirit all the aspects and happenings
they could not explain in terms of cause and effect. The reference here is not particular
but to that which is unseen and immeasurable but present in human body as an active
agent which gives awareness to man, not obtainable through observation and experiment,
or produces extraordinary happenings in human society and other physical realms .

The ancient philosophers had diverse opinions about the spirit in its general sense and did
not have a clear definition. They were not sure whether it is created or uncreated. Some
Indian and Greek schools of thought expounded the idea that both spirit and matter are
uncreated, therefore the existence of a third agent, who controls these two as God, was a
disputed issue among them. They also disputed whether there is one spirit manifesting in
various ways in the nature, or every individual or every species has a spirit of its own;
and whether it is an undimensional conscious entity influencing the dimensional relation,

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or it is also dimensional but not having the characteristics of matter-a very fine ethereal
objective reality.

The issue has been dealt with by the various schools of thought in Islam by relying, more
or less, on the theories of Greek, Indian and Persian philosophers. According to some
commentators the answer is evasive because Allah says in this verse that the spirit is a
matter of concern for Allah only and human knowledge is not sufficient to understand it.
Some commentators say that the answer is there because as an outcome of Allah's
command spirit should be treated as created, and its nature is all-pervading like the nature
of the divine command, assuming appropriate form and character in every stage and
every realm, sometimes dimensional and sometimes undimensional. In other words the
spirit, the active agent in the universe and in the order of creation, is the outcome of the
divine will, not conditioned by any particular character or limitation, like the radiation
coming from its source, which is not conditioned at all by the character of the ground on
which it falls, but the reflection or the effect produced by the radiation is conditioned by
the character of the ground, material or non-material. It is from this viewpoint the spirit
has been termed by the scholars as material or non-material.

What proceeds from Allah is undimensional and non-material, which, when produces
effect in material beings, becomes material; and, when produces effect in non-material
realm, becomes non-material. The factor responsible for animal function is termed
"spirit", and the mind itself is termed "spirit" because it produces effects and reflections
known as knowledge; and what proceeds from Allah to give knowledge and awareness to
human mind is also "spirit". Any effect or reflection produced by the agencies other than
material factors, can be termed as spirit, or angels, or the hand of Allah. This is the
interpretation of this verse in view of the traditions narrated from the Holy Prophet and
his Ahl ul Bayt. Human knowledge is not sufficient to understand the true nature of
"spirit"

Spending In Way Of Allah

Spending in the way of Allah, as prescribed by Him pleases Him because it is a source of
great benefit to His creatures. The giving away to others from that which has been
provided is not confined to the material possessions, but it includes every thing which
comes under the term provision, like knowledge etc.

Islam does not demand indifference to worldly possessions but makes it obligatory to
subordinate the love of possession to the spirit of giving it away in the name and cause of
Allah, the real owner of the bounties, which are given to some of His servants as a
favour. They should hold these bounties as a trust to be distributed according to His
command. Emancipation of the captives or liberation of slaves is an essential condition of
the genuine faith in Allah.

Islam is the only religion which makes spending (in the way of Allah) obligatory. Every
Muslim must follow the divine commandments as to how the bounties of Allah, given to
him, should be shared with his less fortunate relatives and fellow-creatures.
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First, in the list, are the parents, then the near kindred, the orphans, the needy and the
wayfarer. There is no reward if parents and the nearer kindred are overlooked in order to
meet the demands of others. The needs of the parents should be cared for as a duty
without the embarrassment of their having to ask for the same.

The Holy Prophet advised his followers to take care of the parents, brothers and sisters,
and the nearest relatives first, and then the others. It must also be noted that wars (in self-
defence) require funds. To finance such wars is as important as spending for the helpless
relatives, because it is in the interest of the whole community that the invaders should not
be allowed to destroy the polity of the faithful.

What should be spent in the way of Allah? Whatever good that may benefit others is the
answer. As Zakat (the poor-tax) is compulsory, it cannot be made a part of "whatever
good you do", which has no connection with Zakat. Also, Zakat cannot be spent on the
members of the family. The word afwa in verse 219 of this surah makes it clear that only
surplus should be given. The Holy Prophet has defined the surplus, and how much and to
whom it should be given. In all events moderation is the guideline.

It is mentioned in the Minhajus Sadiqin that when Imam Ali ibna abi Talib asked Prophet
Khizr to say something good, Khizr said: "To give in the way of Allah to please Allah is
the best charity."

"Do you know that which is better than this?" Ali asked him.
"No", Khizr replied.

Ali said: "The self-respect of the poor, who depends on Allah, is better than the charity
the wealthy give to the needy."

Spending and giving of what one wants to keep, benefits man twice over; it speeds up the
process of inner purification as well as promotes the welfare of the human society. Islam
lays special stress on the spending in the way of Allah because it is a universal religion,
perfected and completed by Allah who has prescribed mercy for Himself in verses 12 and
54 of al An-am. Islam, when translated into action, takes the form of salat, Zakat and
sadqa. And faith, unless proved by actions, is a bogus claim. Neither Allah accepts it nor
His servants give it any importance.

If the spirit or the intention behind the spending is to seek pleasure of Allah, then. if the
means are large the corresponding spending will also be substantial and big-hearted and
if the means are moderate, even then the spending will be sufficient. When heavy rain
falls the tall trees of a garden bring forth their fruit twofold, but even light rain is
sufficient, because rooted very deep, they draw adequate nutrition from the soil.

Islam prescribes spending in the way of Allah, but does not treat it as a tax to be collected
by the government. It is a moral responsibility to carry out the religious duty. It develops

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conscientiousness to observe the obligations prescribed by religion voluntarily to our

utmost feasibility.

"And this will do away with some of your evil deeds" indicates that there are some good
deeds, like spending in the way of Allah, which earn forgiveness from the Lord for the
sins so far committed.

This verse implies that even if the disbelievers give charity it cannot be termed zakat
because unless alms are given for the sake and in the way of Allah it does not become an
act of righteousness. The ungodly motives of the disbelievers make their alms-giving a
pretence or a trick to hoodwink people and exploit them for their material gains.

Imam Ali said: "Allah told the Holy Prophet: "Wealth is Mine. The possessor of it is a
trustee. The poor and the have-nots of this world are My family. Woe unto those
possessors of wealth who do not discharge their duty concerning My trust."

Spoils Of War

The root of anfal is nafl which means addition or accession-of the property, movable or
immovable, for which there is no owner or claimant, particularly the spoils of war, at the
end of a battle.

Anfal means:
1. Enemy's property, movable or immovable, abandoned by the enemy soldiers.
2. The movable or immovable property of those who have migrated to another place,
leaving behind no owner-known as fayi (Hashr: 6 and 7).
3. The inheritance of a person who has left no inheritor.
4. The land which is owned by no one.

Anfal belongs to Allah and the Holy Prophet, who is authorised to distribute or dispose it
as he likes. It is because Allah is the absolute sovereign. He owns everything. He has
delegated His authority to the Holy Prophet. In this way the discord, cropped up among
the people, has been solved. It is a permanent principle and a guideline for all times to
come.

On the authority of Bukhari, Nisa-i and other traditionists, it has been reported in Tafsir
Durr al Manthur that while the Holy Prophet was distributing some spoils of war a man
from the Banu Tamim, Dhul Khuyasarah, came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, please
do justice." The Holy Prophet replied: "Woe to you. Who would do justice if I am doing
injustice?" Umar bin Khattab said: "O Messenger of Allah, give me permission to kill
him." The Holy Prophet said: "Leave him alone. There are men like him among you
whose observance of prayers and fasting will make you feel small, but one day they will
go out of the faith as an arrow leaves the bow. They are called mariqin. There will be
discord among the Muslims and these men will revolt under the leadership of a man with
one breast like a woman." Abu Sayeed Khudhri says: "When Ali killed such people in the

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battle of Naharwan, I was with him. I saw the slain body of the man described by the
Holy Prophet lying on the ground."

Spouses

Sexual relations among the human beings is a very delicate matter. The Quran deals with
it in a manner which not only takes into consideration the physical sensuality but also
makes certain that man should rise above the animal level and temper his sensual urges
with moral and spiritual discipline. Even the language used to provide the essential
guidance in this connection has been very carefully worded so as not to let the issue be
described in a lewd style - the literary way and technique of the then Arabic poets.

Woman is compared to tillage. The real object of conjugal union should be for the
reproduction of human life for the service of the Lord. "Do with your tillage as you like"
explains "Do with them as ordained" of the previous verse, but keep in mind that women
are a tillage, therefore, dealing with it in a wasteful or unnatural way is foolish and
detestable.

Qanitatun means devoted to Allah, therefore, a woman who obeys Allah must accept His
command and acknowledge her duties she has to perform to please her husband who
spends of his wealth to provide for her. She must also watch over his property and his
interests, attend to his needs, and above all guard her chastity.

In case a perverse woman (wife) refuses to mend her ways (very common among the
low-bred and ignorant women of easy virtue) then the husband can admonish her, and
even stop sleeping with her, but if the corrective measures fail to refine her, he can take
harsher steps to make her qanitatun (devoted and obedient to Allah). Fala tabghu
alayhinna is a warning to the unscrupulous husbands not to seek an excuse for resorting
to the conditional provision allowed to discipline the depraved women only.

The Holy Prophet has strongly disapproved the women who do not keep their bodies
clean and attractive for their husbands, or give false excuses to avoid the fulfilment of
their husband's desires. He has also condemned the husbands who allow their wives to
display the beauty of their bodies to others. In another tradition it is stated that the Holy
Prophet has advised all wives to obey the instructions of their husbands, no matter what
the circumstances are, because obedience and faithfulness unto their husbands would earn
forgiveness of the sins they have committed.

Sulaiman

Sulayman had miraculous power over the winds and he could make them obey his orders.
This power was from Allah, the omnipotent author of nature. Also refer to Saba: 12 and
Sad: 36.

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Allah also gave Sulayman power to tame the devilish forces of evil; and to make them
serve him in the cause of righteousness.

When Sulayman with his large army of men, jinn, spirits and animals entered a valley
where several thousand ants were carrying on their daily routine on the surface of the
earth, they at once decided to enter into their holes inside the earth so that they might not
be inadvertantly crushed by the hosts of Sulayman. According to Imam Jafar bin
Muhammad as Sadiq there were large deposits of gold, silver and other very useful
metals in that valley.

As Sulayman was given supernatural powers, he understood the language of the ants and
ordered a halt to his hosts till the ants clear the way.

The ant is a very small and humble creature, yet they are given necessary intellect to
manage their lives in orderly manner by doing that which is useful and avoiding that
which is harmful. In spite of his great kingdom and supernatural powers, Sulayman
humbly prays that his power and wisdom and all other gifts may be used for
righteousness and for the benefit of all around him.

These verses narrate the story of Saba or the queen of Sheba of the Bible (refer to
chapters 10 and 11 of I Kings) whose Arabic name was Bilqis. Hudhud (hoopoe) is a
light, graceful bird, with a yellow crest on its head. This bird served Sulayman as an
efficient scout, and also used to discover water beneath the surface of the earth, as if a X-
ray device was fixed in its eyes.

Tafaqqad literally means to find out a defect, but in verse 27:20 it is used for making an
enquiry.

When Sulayman took a muster of the birds, he did not find the hoopoe, because he had a
good reason for his absence. At that time he was surveying the vast realm of Saba, the
queen of Sheba, where he went along with another hoopoe who met him while he was
flying to report to Sulayman and (the other hoopoe) gave him an explicit description of
the grandeur of her dominion, after hearing the might and glory of Sulayman's kingdom.
Sulayman's hoopoe came back and told him what he saw, particularly about their religion
that she and her people were the worshippers of the sun.

To test the hoopoe's report Sulayman wrote a letter to Saba; and asked the hoopoe to go
and deliver his letter to her and bring her reply.

Sulayman expressly began his letter with bismillahir rahmanir rahim, on which is based
the true religion of unity of Allah, and invited her and her people to the true faith, not for
worldly conquest but for the spreading of the light (guidance and wisdom) of Allah.

The queen, after consultation with her courtiers, decided to send a few gifts to Sulayman
in order to find out that Sulayman was not like ordinary kings who conquer by violence.
When her embassy came to Sulayman with the gifts, he refused to accept them because
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firstly Allah had given him better than that which He had given her, and secondly he was
expecting her submission to the true religion. He told the embassy that soon his army
would drive them forth from there, disgraced and humbled. After the embassy had
departed he asked his chiefs: "Who can bring me her with her throne, before they come to
me in submission."

A large, powerful jinn offered his services and assured Sulayman that he would do it
before he would rise from his council. However strong and big a creature might be, it was
not possible for him to go to a distant land and bring her and her throne in a few
moments, unless the jinn had supernatural powers to do it. Although the jinn had boasted
of his strength and supernatural power, yet when a man who had knowledge of the book
said that he would bring them to him within the twinkling of an eye, Sulayman gave him
permission.

Soon the Queen, with her throne, was before him. See commentary of Rad: 43 to know
about him who had the knowledge of the book. It is reported by Abu Ishaq Thalabi that
Abdullah bin Salam asked the Holy Prophet to give the name of the man who had
knowledge of the book and brought the queen of Sheba with her throne within the
twinkling of an eye. The Holy Prophet said: "It was Ali."

It is stated in Minhaj al Sadiqin and Umdat al Bayan that then the Holy Prophet said to
Ali: "O Ali, you helped all the prophets of Allah incognito (concealed from view), and
you help me in propria persona (in person) manifestly."

The queen was lodged in another building of the palace. To make the queen see the
fallacy of outward appearance the floor of the palace was made of slabs of smooth glass
that glistened like water. When she was brought into the palace she thought it was water,
and tucked up her clothes to pass through it, showing her bare feet and ankles. Sulayman
told her the real fact. She then realised that she had been wrongly worshipping the
creation of God, the sun, deceived by outward appearance, instead of worshipping the
creator. At once she submitted herself to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, whom Sulayman
worshipped.

Imam Ali bin Musa Ar Ridha said: "Once Sulayman told his courtiers: 'Allah has blessed
me with the greatest kingdom such as no other man ever possessed, and has favoured me
with unique gifts of control over men, jinn, animals and birds, and has even taught me the
language of the birds; but I have to give account of every moment of this great
responsibility He has given me. I want to view the whole of Allah's kingdom around me
from the top of my palace, so let no one disturb me.' He climbed to the top with his staff
in his hand, and while he stood viewing the kingdom around him a beautifully dressed
young man appeared from a corner of the palace.

Sulayman asked him: 'Who are you? Who gave you permission to come here? I had
ordered that none should be allowed to enter.' The visitor replied: 'The owner has given
me permission.' Sulayman said: 'I am the owner.' The stranger said: 'Allah is the owner of
the universe. I am the angel of death and I have been sent to take your soul from your
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body.' Sulayman said: 'Then go ahead, and fulfill the duty for which the Lord has sent
you.' While Sulayman stood leaning on his staff, his soul left his body, but the staff
supported the body in that posture a full year. The people below could see him standing
and thought him to be alive. When some considerable time had passed many people
began to worship him as a god. Some people said that he was a magician, with the power
of control over their perception, so as to make them see him standing there. Allah
commanded the white ants to chew his staff, then it collapsed, and the body of Sulayman
fell on the ground, and at that time the people came to know that he was dead. Until that
moment they had believed him to be living and therefore continued to perform the duties
entrusted to them by him."

The event has several factors of guidance for mankind which are given below:
1. No amount of power, however great, possessed by anyone in this world, is permanent,
and power and glory, however great, enjoyed by man comes to an end.
2. None, not even the prophets of Allah, are exempted from undergoing the reality of
death.
3. Great events like the death of Sulayman could be manifested by unseen agencies as
commanded by Allah.
4. Even the smallest creatures can destroy strong, hard structures like Sulayman's staff,
which had born the weight of his body for a long time.
5. A man, who unconditionally submits himself to Allah's will, like Sulayman, could
have control over all Allah's creatures in order to fulfill His will. Any body can survive
and remain stationary, for any period beyond the ordinary limits of our limited
knowledge in accordance with Allah's will. The forces of nature are always subservient to
the chosen servants of Allah.
6. Things people regard impossible to achieve, Allah effects with ease through His will.
7. A true and godly responsibility to control men, materials and matters is given to a
chosen individual endowed with divine wisdom, not to ordinary men who are either
elected by the people or usurp the authority by force.
8. The knowledge of the unknown is with Allah only and not with men or jinn.
9. The greatest and most magnificent structures designed by men or jinn decay and
ultimately perish.
10. Death is decreed by Allah and could not be avoided or delayed. It is effected
immediately as Allah wills.

Tabarra
In verses 86 and 87 of al Nisa also the angels and the believers join Allah to curse the
wicked. In verse 56 of al Ahzab, Allah and His angels bless the Holy Prophet; and Allah
commands the believers to send blessings on him. Unless we join Allah and His angels to
curse the enemies of the Holy Prophet, our asking Allah for sending blessings on him will
be incomplete. Therefore, the followers of Muhammad and Ali Muhammad bless the
Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt and curse their enemies. Justice demands that we
identify the devil as a devil, and curse him even if he is disguised in the garb of a Muslim
like Yazid and others. Cursing and expression of dislike and disgust for any evil or
evildoer is essential to remain on guard against wickedness, as has been made clear in the
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above-noted verse and verse 7 of al Fatihah, therefore, tabarra has been prescribed as one
of the fundamentals of the religion.

Those who recognise falsehood and condemn it, undoubtedly revert to the path of reality
through repentance and true submission. Allah is ever-available for those who turn away
from their nafs. As a consequence of this real repentance, they will be mending their way
of life, that is, unifying their intentions and actions along the path that will bring them the
promised bliss and mercy.

Quran orders us to not make the disbelievers and hypocrites your friends or allies. This
justifies the article of tabarra (avoiding evil and evildoers and expressing dislike for
them).

Tubuk – The Expedition

The verse 9:38 is a reference to the defensive expedition of Tabuk in 9 Hijra, to counter
the aggression by the Byzantine empire.

The people who hesitated to follow the call of Tabuk were deterred by:
1. a very long journey in the heat of the summer,
2. the fear of losing the fruit harvest, which was ripe for gathering,
3. the dread of a highly organised, large and formidable foe.

The Sahabis have been reminded that the comforts of this life are little as compared with
the hereafter. Those who hesitated on account of clinging to worldly gains were suffering
from a spiritual disease, therefore they have been warned of severe punishment if they
failed to obey the Holy Prophet. If a nation receives favours and fails to deserve them, it
will be replaced by another, as has often happened in history.

In 9:42 the arts and excuses of the hypocrites (who either watched the battles as
unconcerned spectators from a safe distance or took to flight when, in their opinion,
defeat was certain) have been exposed. If there had been booty in sight or an easy walk-
over, they would gladly have come. All their oaths were false, and by taking the false
oaths they destroyed their souls. They planned to stay in Madina to plunder the city and
enslave the women and children in the absence of the Holy Prophet. When the Holy
Prophet came to know their plot, he left Ali in Madina as his deputy.

In utter frustration the hypocrites spread the vile rumour that Ali was not found suitable
to accompany the Holy Prophet in the battle of Tabuk because he had started disliking
Ali. Ali at once went to meet the Holy Prophet outside the city and informed him about
the vilifying whispers of the hypocrites.

The Holy Prophet replied: "O Ali! You are to me as Harun was to Musa, save that
prophethood has terminated with me. You are my successor. Your flesh is my flesh, your
blood is my blood, you and me are created from one light."

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Those who can rightly be exempted from going to war are not classified as hypocrites.
There were seven men of the ansar who came to the Holy Prophet and told him that they
did not have suitable provisions for going with him on the expedition of Tabuk. On
hearing from the Holy Prophet that there was nothing left with him after providing others,
they went away weeping.

The expedition of Tabuk ended without a fight, because the enemy forces did not come to
the battlefield.

Talaq

Talaq means letting a woman free from the bond of marriage or dissolution of the
contract of marriage. Talaq should be put to use only when reconciliation is not possible
in spite of best efforts. To warn the husbands who, unjustly and without reason, divorce
their wives, the phrase "Allah is surely hearing, knowing" has been added. Only Islam
safeguards the interests of women. According to the Holy Prophet, of all the permissible
acts, divorce is the one most disliked by Allah, so as to keep in check any indiscriminate
use of this pragmatic sanction. Therefore, in Islam, divorce is the most loathsome of the
permitted acts. Marriage is an alliance of two individuals who love each other. Without
love and understanding, it becomes a soulless body. In this situation, the sooner it is
undone the better. If due to events and reasons, beyond control, day to day life of a
married couple becomes a burden and a misery, separation is necessary and is an act of
charity. Islam has the essential and elastic laws to deal with every type of case and
circumstance and to control the harmony of the society as well as to safeguard the interest
of every individual.

Divorce, though legalised by Islam, has been so controlled and restricted through the
observations of the Holy Prophet that its indiscriminate use is not possible by those who
sincerely believe in Allah and follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet and his holy Ahl
ul Bayt. For them it is almost impossible to resort to divorce.

Quru means menstrual period. The divorced woman is required to keep herself in waiting
for three menstrual periods, during which the husband has to support and care for her. In
the course of these three months, if it is found out that she is pregnant, then the parental
propriety of the offspring is established. Above all, the door of reconciliation remains
open. If there is real love between them, the husband can take the wife back before the
expiry of iddat (prescribed period of waiting). Such a practical arrangement is not
available in any religion except Islam.

Allah is all-wise, therefore, particularly in the case of divorce, man can initiate the course
of divorce, but a woman cannot. She, no doubt, can go to a qadi to obtain separation on
the ground of unbearable maltreatment and demand dissolution of marriage by
surrendering her right to mahar (dowry). This provision is reasonable because it prevents
women from obtaining separation on flimsy grounds.

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Islam gives women the right of choosing her life-partner. No one can compel her to
accept any man as her husband. The matter lies entirely on her independent judgement.
So she does not have the right to take the initiative for annulment of wedlock. Yet she has
a recourse. She can go to a mujtahid or hakim sharah and obtain separation and then
marry again whomsoever she likes.

"Divorce may be pronounced twice". These two pronouncements can be revoked. It is an

effective check to prevent divorce on account of emotional outbursts and high-
handedness of a husband who may recover his balance of mind and reconsider his
unreasonable pronouncement. Before Islam, a man could divorce his wife as many times
as he liked and take her back. To stop this absurd farce, only two revocable
pronouncements of Talaq have been prescribed by Islam. After the third announcement,
the Talaq is complete and becomes irrevocable. Even after Talaq the husband has to treat
the divorced wife with kindness. It is not lawful for the husband to take back or withhold
any part of what he has given to his wife or promised to give her as mahar (dowry).

"What she gives up to become free" refers to khula or mubarat, the recourse a wife can
avail to obtain separation, explained above, by the arbitration of the hakim sharah or
mujtahid, by returning the dowry if she has taken it in advance, or by foregoing it.

The pronouncement of Talaq more than once at a time is meaningless in view of the
"divorce may be pronounced twice" (the opening words of this verse) because it
stipulates chances of reconciliation after the first, and if not, after the second
pronouncement.

After the third, final and irrevocable pronouncement of divorce the husband cannot take
his divorced wife back until she marries another man and the next husband agrees to
divorce her. This is a sufficient reason to conclude that all the three pronouncements of
Talaq cannot be said at one time. The consequences of the third pronouncement check
indiscriminate pronouncement of Talaq.

A husband has the right to divorce his wife but he cannot abuse her or refuse to pay her
dues. Whoever does this, exceeds the limits (disobeys Allah's commandments). He must
set her free with kindness and give her all her entitlements. The laws of Allah should not
be taken in mockery. It shows how serious is the matter of divorce. There are prescribed
laws in Islam, yet people (men and women) have the freedom to act according to their
conscience; and if they are mindful of the fact that Allah is the knower of all things, they
shall not go astray and do injustice to their own souls.

The non-Shia schools do not observe the restrictions given in the verses in the matter of
divorce. No doubt the Islamic law of divorce has been criticised as contemptible and
ridiculous.

The Shia school condemns all irregular forms of divorce. For Shias it is necessary that the
man who pronounces a divorce be an adult, sane and free in his choice, will, design and
intention. It does not take effect if given implicatively or ambiguously, even if there is
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intention. According to the teachings of the holy Imams, it is also absolutely necessary
that the pronouncement must be made by the husband in the presence of two just
witnesses; non-fulfilment of this condition renders the divorce null and void. If the
husband pronounces the divorce, in an irregular manner, even a hundred times, the
woman remains his wife.

After the first or second Talaq, if both the husband and wife agree to be reunited, in a
lawful manner, they are allowed to do so. The woman has a right to take her own
decision. Her relatives or guardians are warned not to prevent her in any way from
exercising her rights. Even though the period of waiting may elapse, the husband can
marry the divorced wife, if the third irrevocable Talaq has not been pronounced.

Faridah is the dowry known as mahar. Even if the marriage is not consummated the
husband must make provision for the divorced woman, according to his means, whether
he is rich or poor.

If the wife is at fault, then it is she who must relinquish her dower, whole or in part, to
obtain separation. It is prohibited to falsely accuse a woman of adultery to obtain a
divorce by forfeiting her dowry.

If reconciliation between the husband and the wife cannot be made by themselves, the
matter should be referred to the arbiters-one from the husband's family and one from the
wife's family. Reconciliation through compromise and settlement is better than separation
(divorce). Allah desires harmony among the husband and wife.

Iddat, a prescribed period to be observed after the divorce, is a technical term in divorce
law, and has been explained in the Surah 65. Iddat is in the interest of the wife, the
husband, the unborn child (if there is any) and sexual relationship, therefore is essential to
maintain a civilised, balanced and orderly human society.

It is commanded to divorce a woman at a time when she is not in the period of

menstruation while no cohabitation had taken place.

Abdullah bin Umar made a mistake in divorcing his wife. Bukhari and Muslim narrate
that he divorced his wife when she was in menstruation. Knowing this the Holy Prophet
asked Abdullah to withdraw his divorce and keep her as a wife till she was free from the
monthly course, then wait for her next menstruation and when she became clear again he
could divorce her without cohabitation.

The concluding words give the reason for the iddat. It also makes it clear that three
pronouncements of divorce in a single space of time is illegal. This portion says that a
reconciliation is possible, and is recommended, at any stage, which is not possible if three
announcements as above are made.

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Taqdir
Taqdir means "consider a thing well; fix in measure and quantity, render possible".

Imam Ali ibn abi Talib had said: Allah had conditioned and circumstanced the operation
of all that has been created under precise (self) regulating laws, in the sphere of time and
space, made their unlike, complex and diverse dispositions agree and fit well together,
implanted and infused rhythm and balance and co-ordination in their nature, to give them
the inbuilt discipline that follows an orderly system.

The appropriate assignment of a prescribed condition is taqdir, a precise system of laws

which cannot be tampered with or led astray outside its logical course by any force
except by almighty Allah, who is omnipotent and able to do all things. The perfect
working of the well defined plan under definite laws depends upon His justice. As the
26th verse of Ale Imran says: "In Thy hand is all good", the almighty Lord through these
precise laws, governing the operation of creation, has provided the living beings all the
opportunities to make effort and win success by relying upon them.

The arguments that man has no personal responsibility, that he is the victim of a
determinism against which he is helpless. and that he may therefore go on doing what he
is doing, have been attributed to the polytheists in this verse. Therefore those who believe
in determinism and reject freedom of action and the responsibilities thereof, unwittingly
join the camp of the polytheists who will be the fuel of the hell-fire. Allah is omnipotent.
He does what He wills. But He, in His universal plan, has given man the freedom of
choice and action. He has helped man to find the right path by sending His messenger -
guides. It is His mercy and grace. Man can thankfully accept Allah's guidance or
ungratefully deny it to go astray.

Imam Ali said: "People wrongly imagine that destiny is abiding and fate is certain. If it
were so the idea of reward and penalty becomes meaningless, promise and threat a hoax.
Allah, the most praised, has given man freedom of thought and action."

Imam Ali clears this as under: He said: "While standing, if you want to lift one of your
legs you can, and you are free to lift the second leg also, but as soon as your second leg
leaves the ground you will fall down, because you have broken the law Allah has so
precisely put in operation."

Taqiya

16:106 clearly enjoins taqiyah-concealing belief in Allah under compulsion or duress but
heart remaining firm in faith. Taqiyah is not hypocrisy. Once the infidels of Makka
subjected Ammar Yasir to unspeakable tortures for his belief in Islam and forced him to
utter a word construed as recantation, though his heart never waved and he came back to
the Holy Prophet at once, who consoled him for his pain and confirmed his faith.

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Tawba

Sincere repentance followed by efficient improvement is the key to open the doors of
forgiveness beyond which a new life, full of promised blessings, awaits the deviators.

Tawba means "return penitently to God" with reference to the creature, and "admit the
penitent to God's mercy" with reference to the creator Lord.

He who does not carry out Allah's command, disobeys Him. It is a sin which earns
punishment. Although there are various degrees of disobedience, minor sins lead to major
sins. Infidelity (denial of Allah's absolute sovereignty) is the worst sin. Punishment of
each sin differs according to its degree.

Of whatever degree the sin is, if the sinner turns repentantly to Allah, sincerely seeking to
amend his ways in future, Allah will admit him to His mercy. Tawba is a cleansing
procedure to remove ignorance and obstinacy from the heart and the mind and to wipe
out the dirt of theoretical and practical "deviation from the right path".

Allah may admit the sinner to His mercy at any time before the punishment comes upon
him when no one will come for his help (Zumar: 54); or He may admit the sinner to His
mercy if he does evil in ignorance (and) then turn quickly (in repentance) to Allah (Nisa:
17). But repentance is not (profitable) for those who do ill deeds until, when death comes
to one of them (Nisa: 18), and shall not benefit them their faith when they see His
punishment (Mu-min: 85). The doors of repentance are open till the agony of death
overcomes the body.

In Yunus: 98, the removal of punishment at the last moment shows that sincere
repentance is effective, but Mu-min: 85 makes it clear that repentance to avoid
punishment brings no result.

Imam Ali bin Muhammad al Naqi gave his decision when Mutawakkil referred the case
of a Jew who committed adultery with a Muslim woman and recited kalimah as soon as
he was brought in the court of the ruler. The jurists of the court had wrongly advised him
to acquit the Jew on the basis of a tradition which states that when a man becomes a
Muslim his past is separated from him. But as, in this case, the Jew accepted Islam to
avoid punishment, therefore the holy Imam judged him guilty.

Unacceptable is the repentance of those who, having once come to faith, disbelieve and
persist in their apostasy, like the Jews who believed in Musa and the Tawrat but
disbelieved in Isa and the Injil, and then continued and aggravated their disbelief by
denying the Holy Prophet, or also like those who believed in the Holy Prophet, but after
his departure, turned on their heels, went astray and persisted in their deviations. They
shall remain unredeemed in spite of their repentance.

Those who do ill-deeds, in fact, wrong themselves. Every sinner corrupts his own soul
and deserves punishment. If by remorse and making amends in the way prescribed by the
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divine law he turns repentant to Allah, his sins may be forgiven. It is Allah who alone can
forgive those sinners who do not persist in that which they have done.

Repentance has for its elements:-

1. no premeditation but ignorance,
2. immediate realisation of the offence,
3. enlightenment of the heart,
4.detestation of the sin,
5. a resolve to avoid it in the future,
6. an earnest craving for Allah's forgiveness.

It is stated that a faithful commits a sin, inspite of the knowledge of the law, under the
satanic influence, in a fit of passion or in a moment of forgetfulness. Allah does not
accept the repentance of those who continue indulging in sin until death draws near, nor
of those who die disbelieving.

Sin, committed at the spur of a moment, or in a heat of passion without the thought of
Allah in the mind, are pardonable; but if at any moment the thought of Allah comes into
mind as a punisher or pardoner, while committing the sin, yet carried out, then the sin is
grave and deadly, and therefore, unpardonable.

Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari relates an incident in which it is said that a man came into the
masjid, prayed a two rak-at salat, and then said: "O Lord, I seek Your pardon." Imam Ali,
who was there, said: "Your repentance is unacceptable. Tawbah (turning repentant unto
ADah) should come together with a sincere determination to avoid sinning in the future."
If any duty has been neglected it should be at once carried out. He who turns in
repentance to Allah must feel sorry for the enjoyment of the sinful deed and humiliate
himself before Allah for revolting against His command.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: "Just as a flutter of wind or a strong shaking
brings the dried leaves of a tree on the ground, istighfar helps man to get rid of sins."

Istighfar is a request made to Allah to keep the supplicant free from sinning by His grace
and mercy. It is the highest form of worship. Every true servant of Allah uses this means
to stay away from falling unintentionally into the pit of sin and evil, but a divinely
commissioned leader (Imam) not only prays for himself but also for those who follow
him, because their welfare is his responsibility.

Imam Ali said: "A sincere repentant

1. is ashamed of his past sins,
2. takes up the duties overlooked and fulfils them,
3. makes good the wilfully ignored conditions of a trust managed by him,
4. forgives those who provoke him,
5. does not demand repayment of loans from those who are in financial distress,
6. makes firm determination not to sin ever again,

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7. surrenders his self to the adoration, devotion and service of Allah when it had swelled
to the point of exploding due to inordinate consumption of worldly pleasures,
transgression and disobedience."

Tawheed
There is no god but Allah. There is only One God, and all attributes belong to Him. His
main attribute is an all-encompassing beneficence and mercy. The "unity of God" is the
main and single fundamental upon which the whole structure of the religion of Islam
rests, through which all guidance and enlightenment emerge.

The word wahid (one) is not used in any numerical sense, nor in the sense of order (the
first of any second), nor in the sense of the oneness of a genus or a specie, nor in any
other general term, but it is used in the sense that He is indivisible, unanalysable
organically, chemically, geometrically, logically, mentally or physically, or in any sense
whatsoever. This unity, in essence, does not correspond to any limitation. Since He is
unlimited, a second, an equal, or an opposite to Him is not conceivable.

Having said that there is only one God, the e creation and its duality is described.
Nature's diversity is caused by one source and it will revert to the same source. There are
heavens and earth, day and night, land and sea, dryness and wetness, life and death; and
man, who is the highest form of creation, is given the consciousness to experience all of
these, to explore the meaning behind them. Whoever contemplates on the nature of
creation, will reach the conclusion that it is one divine power that activates and enlivens
all the diverse manifestations.

As has been pointed out by Imam Musa bin Jafar al Kazim to his disciple, Hisham bin
Hakam: Verily Allah perfected His arguments with reasoning, assisted His messengers
with miracles, and proved His rububiyat with His signs.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq has explained the part reasoning plays in
determining the relationship between man and God and its limitations. Reasoning (the
internal) and the prophet (the external) are the two proofs Allah puts forward to let the
people, who understand, have unshakeable faith in Allah. There is no use of the external
proof (the prophet) if the heart and mind are not convinced through the internal proof (the
reasoning). There may be religious doctrines beyond the grasp of limited human intellect
but there should be no religious assertion contradictory to rational thinking. This shows
that the only medium for understanding the absolute and securing nearness to Allah is
sound logical reasoning. After reaching the final stage of the realisation of His existence
and unity, the medium between him and the absolute becomes the divine revelation.

It is reported that there are three kinds of existence;

1. Wajib Ul Wujud: The self-existing existence. The primal cause. There can never be
any effect without a cause. The universe, therefore, was created by the self-existing
creator, the primal cause.

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2. Mumkin Ul Wujud: The creatures or created beings whose creation is possible only if
the creator so wills.
3. Mumtani Ul Wujud: The impossible existence. The existence of another being like
Allah is not possible because there cannot be two equals in the sense of oneness. If there
are two equals in this sense, then there is no meaning in their being two, separated from
each other. They must be one. If there are two such beings then there must be a dividing
factor which makes the two as two and maintains their two separate entities, in which
case the dividing factor will be the wajib ul wujud, therefore, such an existence is neither
possible nor real.

Wajib ul wujud, therefore, means the self-existing existence of the ever-living and self-
subsisting creator. To maintain His self-existing existence He must be an omnipotent
authority who not only owns absolute knowledge of the existence but also the will that
does what it wills. His control is absolute. His attributes are His self, inseparable from
Him from any point of view or in any imaginable meaning or sense, as the meaning is
inseparable from a word or as equiangularity is inseparable from an equilateral triangle.
As the limited knowledge of the finite being cannot conceive of anything without
referring to its attributes, we give names to the attributes of Allah, with the help of our
visualisation, to have a suggestive idea of His absolute existence. Therefore, the Shia
school holds it as a cardinal doctrine of faith not to think of any of His attributes as a
separate entity from His existence. All the attributes of Allah are one absolute unity,
because, if they are not, then it would mean complexity, which negates the absolute
independence of the omnipotent authority. His existence means His authority, His
authority means His knowledge, and likewise all His attributes are so linked together that
they are one indivisible unity. Allah is a transcendental reality. He is unknowable. He is
an infinite being, beyond the conceivability of our finite consciousness. He is
inconceivable. He is hayyul qayyum, the ever-living, the self-subsisting.

Tawrat

The Tawrat is mentioned with honour as having been, in its purity, a true revelation from
Allah. To translate it by the words "The Old Testament" is obviously wrong. The "Old
Testament" is a Christian term, applied to a body of old Jewish records. The Protestants
and the Roman Catholics are not agreed precisely as to the number of records to be
included in the canon of the Old Testament. They use the term in contradiction to the
"New Testament" whose composition shall be discussed in "The Injil". Nor is it correct to
translate Tawrat as the "Pentateuch", a Greek term meaning the "five books", known as
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. A great part of the Jewish law is
embodied in these books, which are traditionally ascribed to Musa, but it is certain that
they were not written by Musa or in any age contemporary with Musa or within an
appreciable distance of time from Musa. They were probably compiled sometime after
the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. Some new books such as Haggai,
Zechariah and Malachi were admittedly written after the return from captivity. The
statement in 2 Esdras (about the first century A.D.) that the law was burnt and Ezra
(about 458-457 B.C.) was inspired to rewrite it, is probably true as to the historical fact

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that what is available now is no earlier than the time of Ezra, and some of it a good deal
later.

The Jews divide their scripture into three parts:

1. the law (Torah)
2. the prophets (Nebiim)
3. the writings (Kethubim).

The corresponding Arabic words are

1. Tawrat
2. Nabiyin,
3. Kutub.

In Luke 24: 44 Jesus refers to the law and the prophets and psalms. In the Old Testament
(2 Chronicles 34: 30), the reference to the "book of the covenant" must be to the Torah or
the original law. The Quran frequently refers to the covenant with reference to the Jews.
The modern Christian terms "Old Testament" and "New Testament" are substitutes for
the older terms" "Old Covenant and "New Covenant". The Samaritans, who claim to be
the real children of Israel and disavow the Jews as schismatics, only recognise the
Pentateuch, their version is slightly different from The Old Testament.

In view of the school of higher criticism, two versions of sacred history existed, different
in language, style and spirit, and they were combined together into a narrative in the reign
of Hezekiah (B.C. 727-697). This forms the greater part of the Pentateuch as it exists
today. In the reign of Josiah about 622 B.C., certain priests and scribes (with Jeremiah)
promulgated a new code, pretending that they had found it in the temple (11 Kings 22: 8).
This law (Torah) was the basis of Judaism, the new religion then founded in Palestine.

The primitive Torah must have been in old Hebrew, but there is no Hebrew manuscript of
the Old Testament which can be dated with certainty earlier than 916 A.D. For historical
purposes the Creek version, known as the Septuagint, and the Latin version, known as the
Vulgate, were the most important versions. Therefore there is no standard text of the Old
Testament in its Hebrew form. The Pentateuch includes the laws and regulations
associated with the name of Musa, but probably compiled and edited by Ezra or Esdras
(Uzayr) in the 5th century B.C.

In its original form "The Law" (Tawrat) was promulgated by Musa, and is recognised in
Islam as having been a revealed book; but it was distorted or lost before Islam was
preached. What passed as "The Law" with the Jews in the Holy Prophet's time was a
mass of traditional writing, as explained above.

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Tayammum

A total ablution or bathing is obligatory before praying the salat. Physical cleanliness, in
Islam, is a sine qua non for moral and spiritual purification. If water is unobtainable (or
injurious to health) tayammum should be performed.

Trade

Trade, on the other hand, is a mutual transaction in which both parties feel satisfied, in
which both either hope to gain or run the risk of a loss. If financial help is required for
business or trading, a different relationship can be structured between the two parties,
such as a partnership or some form of sharing profit and loss.

Those who say usury is only like trading will rise on the day of resurrection in a state of
insanity, as those rise whom Shaytan has prostrated by his touch.

Fairplay and honesty in trade has been emphasised, and dishonesty has been described as
killing one another.

Tubba

Tubba was an appellation of each of the kings of Yemen, known as Himayarite kings. A
one time the Himayarite kingdom extended over: all Arabia and beyond. First they were
Sabians then professed the Jewish and the Christian religion. Among the embassies sent
by the Holy Prophet in 9-10 Hijra was one to the Himyar of Yemen, which led to their
coming into Islam.

It is mentioned in Minhaj ul Sadiqin that about 1000 years before the advent of the Holy
Prophet, Asad bin Malka abu Ayub, the then Himyarite king, after conquering many
lands invaded Madina to take revenge of his slain son. He was a noble and God-fearing
man. He used to begin all his letters with "in the name of Allah, the Lord of the land, the
seas, the sun and the wind." To prevent him from destroying the city of Madina two men
from the tribe of Bani Qurayza went to him and said: "Do not destroy this city because
the last prophet of Allah, one day, will come here to preach the divine religion." He not
only spared the town but also wrote a letter of felicitation and welcome to the Holy
Prophet and handed it over to a Jew named Shamul with instructions to deliver it to him
if he comes in his times, or let it be given to him by whosoever be his heir in the times of
the Holy Prophet. Abu Ayub Ansari, the 21st offspring in the progeny of Shamul, gave
this letter to the Holy Prophet who said: "Thank you O righteous Tubba."

Uhud, The Battle Of

Twelve months after the battle of Badr, when the third year of the Holy Prophet's stay at
Madina was drawing to a close, there burst out a storm of unprecedented violence. Abu
Sufyan, a zealous votary of the idols, a mortal foe of the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul
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Bayt, the chief of the pagan Makkan tribes and head of the brand of Umayyah, had
mobilised an army of 3000 warriors to avenge the defeat at Badr. He secretly negotiated
an alliance with the Jews of Madina who agreed to attack the small band of Muslims
when the major offensive would begin. After exceedingly elaborate preparations, the
Quraysh commenced their march, 3000 strong; 700 were mailed warriors, and 200 well-
mounted cavalry; the remainder rode on camels. Women were allowed to accompany
them. Taking timbrels in their hands, they sang to their wild cadence songs of vengeance
for kinsmen slain at Badr.

The Muslims, able to fight, all told, were one thousand. To confront the enemy in an open
field, the Holy Prophet reached Uhad. At the last moment on the pretext that his advice to
wait and offer defence in Madina was not accepted Abdullah bin Ubay along with his 300
followers suddenly turned round and, deserting the Muslims, took the road back to
Madina. Thus the Holy Prophet was left with 700 followers, facing a well-equipped army
four times their number.

There was a pass in the hills of Uhad through which the enemy soldiers could come and
attack, so, the Holy Prophet stationed 50 archers under the command of Abdullah bin
Jubayr at the mouth of the pass with strict instructions not to leave the post at any event.

All the authentic books of history record that as soon as the fight began Ali and Hamza
slashed the rows after rows of the enemy soldiers and sooner than expected the enemy
took to their heels. Fascinated by the abrupt flight of the Makkan pagans, the
unscrupulous companions of the Holy Prophet went in for loot and plunder. The archers
also yielded to temptation and left their post by disobeying the orders of their
commander. Khalid bin Walid, who was yet an unbeliever, with his men, attacked the
unwary Muslims busy in collecting the booty from this opening and caught them off their
guard. There was confusion and disorder. The pagans availed the opportunity and
surrounded the Holy Prophet. He was wounded and fell into a pit. At this time Shaytan
raised the cry "Muhammad has been killed." On hearing this cry even some of the closest
companions of the Holy Prophet (who later became the leaders of the Muslims) also took
to flight. The whereabouts of some of them became known after three days. One deserter
suggested to send a messenger to Abdullah bin Obay so that he might obtain amnesty
from Abu Sufyan. Tabari, Ibn Hisham and Tarikh al Khamis report that the second caliph
was also among the deserters. Shibli says desperate despondency had seized the
companions.

Because of their long association with idolatry, the deserters, who either had embraced
Islam under unavoidable circumstances or with ulterior motives, fell an easy prey to the
satanic promptings.

All deserted the messenger of Allah except Ali, Abu Dajjana and Sahl ibn Hunayf. The
hand of Allah (yadullah), Ali, unsheathed his sword; the fearless, unconquerable and
ever-overpowering strength of Allah (asdadullah), Ali, demonstrated his singular prowess
as the executor of wonders {mazhar al aja-ib). Ali put so memorable a fight that Jibrail
gloried Ali's action with the celebrated sentence: "la fata illa Ali" (there is no man save
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Ali) and "la sayf illa dhulfiqar" (there is no sword save dhulfiqar). The scene again
changed and the three thousand proud warriors of Arabia ran from the battlefield like
frightened rats, with Abu Sufyan in the front, and stopped at Hamra ul Asad, 8 miles
away from Uhad. There he reviewed his misadventure to know the reason which changed
certain victory into humiliating defeat. He was planning to launch another attack, but,
before he could regroup the disheartened soldiers, the news of a possible pursuit by Ali
ibn abi Talib broke his spirit and he at once took the road to Makka.

Hamza, a valiant warrior, the uncle of the Holy Prophet, was martyred in this battle.
Hinda, the wife of Abu Sufyan, the mother of Mu-awiyah, had hired an Abyssinian slave
to kill the Holy Prophet, Hamza and Ali. He took out the liver of Hamza and gave it to
Hinda. She chewed it and tried to eat it but could not. Then she washed the pieces, made
a garland and wore it around her neck.

The Holy Prophet, as he sat wounded in his face and as the blood was being wiped off
him, reflected on the conduct of his close companions who deserted him in the hour of
need, as their conduct exposed their uncertain faith and hypocrite tendency, and so he
wondered as to how such people would behave after his departure from this world. It
showed how much he was concerned with the future of his people.

Allah knew that as the "mercy unto the worlds" the Holy Prophet was very much
interested in the welfare of the people, thus Allah put him at ease by saying that it was He
who might open their (companions) hearts to true faith or inflict immediate punishment.

The deserters who had caused a disaster at Uhad deserved to be punished but the leniency
shown to them did not wipe out their evil deed of desertion. If the Holy Prophet had been
stern and hard of heart they would surely have broken away from him. So he was asked
to pardon them in order to prevent them from making mischief and let the divine mission
of guidance and salvation progress unhampered.

After the battle of Uhad 3:139 was revealed to create confidence in the Muslims so that
they might not grieve excessively for the loss of relatives and lose heart because of a
partial set back in the battlefield (due to their own greed and lack of discipline).

Persons who were not at Badr desired to be present with the Holy Prophet at another
battle in order to gain the distinction (of being known as victors or martyrs) obtained by
the heros of Badr. When they had seen the battle of Uhad and brought back their slain
and wounded relatives, they indulged in lamentation and felt miserable.

Those who had run away from the battlefield returned to Madina after three days and told
the Holy Prophet that they took to flight because they heard a cry announcing his death.
In reply 3:144 was revealed. Truth, at all events, remains positive and reliable. Therefore,
if the messenger of Allah departs from this world there is no excuse to turn on one's heels
and forsake his teachings. He who does so hurts himself.

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The infidels ridiculed the deserters when they reached Madina for having lost their
friends and relatives in the battle of Uhad and assured them that if they had been with
them (the infidels) they would not have suffered the misfortune. The ignorant infidels and
"their brethren" did not know that Allah is the giver of life and death and that ultimately
the infidels themselves had to regret for not becoming Muslims, because finally Islam
was to emerge victorious.

In view of verses 2 to 4 of al Ankabut it can be stated that the battle of Uhad was a trial
and a test for those who professed to believe in Allah and His messenger. That which
befell the Muslims was by Allah's will so that the believers and the hypocrites could be
identified openly, and the faith of the one group and the hypocrisy of the other made
clear. Allah knew best that which the hypocrites concealed. When they were asked to
come and fight in the way of Allah, they thought that it was not a fair fight (because the
enemy was killing them, therefore, they took to flight). Nearer were the hypocrite
deserters on that day to infidelity.

After the battle of Badr, the Jews of Bani Nadir accepted the fact that the Holy Prophet
was the messenger of Allah whose advent has been clearly mentioned in their scripture
and made a pledge not to help or abet the enemies of Islam.

The hypocrites had sympathized with the Jews of Bani Nadir, whose opposition had
grown strong since the Muslim reverse at Uhad (when many well-known companions had
fled), and had promised to side with them if it came to a collision with the Muslims; and
to emigrate with them if they were forced to emigrate.

When the Holy Prophet visited their habitation after Uhud to conduct an inquiry
concerning of killing of some Muslims, they tried to kill him. Then, because of their
treason and projected murder of the Holy Prophet, they were asked to leave the strategic
position which they occupied, about 3 miles south of Madina, endangering the very
existence of the Muslims. At first they disagreed, relying on their fortresses and their
secret alliances with the pagans of Makka and the hypocrites among the Muslims. When
the Muslims marched against the Bani Nadir and besieged them while they were in their
strong towers, the hypocrites did nothing; and when at length they were exiled, the
hypocrites did not go with them into exile. Some went to Syria and some joined their
brethren in Khaybar. The Bani Nadir deserved punishment for treason and projected
murder of the Holy Prophet, but their lives were spared, and they were allowed to carry
away their goods and chattels.

Ulil Amr

"Obey Allah and obey the messenger and the ulil amr (those vested with authority
through His messenger)." 4:59

The command to obey is infinite-total obedience in all material, religious and spiritual
matters, therefore, as this verse clearly signifies, the ulil amr must also be as just, wise
and merciful as Allah and the Holy Prophet are, and he who - administers the affairs of
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mankind should be the khalifatullah (vicegerent of Allah) and the waliallah

(representative of Allah whom He chooses after equipping him with His wisdom).

It is irrational and senseless to accept any ruler as ulil amr, otherwise men like Yazid bin
Mu-awiya will have to be included in the category of ulil amr; and no sane person would
say that Allah has enjoined to obey men like Yazid (prototypes of whom were and are
many and in abundance since the departure of the Holy Prophet till today) just as one
obeys Allah and the Holy Prophet.

Today the Muslim ummah (from Indonesia to Morocco) is in a quandary, because the
theoreticians who directly or indirectly served the interests of the despotic rulers, have
presented "the obedience to ruler" (even if he is an usurper, a rogue or a ruffian) as a
fundamental of religion (known as the theory of ghlu and ghalba-violence and conquest)
by misinterpreting this verse. Such theoreticians are their Imams. There is no way leading
to emancipation from terror and exploitation if this theory is not rightly rejected once and
for all. It is not possible unless the sincere Muslims submit to the teachings of the Ahl ul
Bayt.

Ummul Momineen

As the wives of the Holy Prophet they were expected not only to display refinement,
decency and decorum but also imbibe moral and spiritual excellence in their character
because of their close and constant association with the Holy Prophet; and if they did not,
their punishment in the hereafter would be doubled (greater in degree), because as the
wives of the Holy Prophet they should have been models of piety for other women. Refer
to the commentary of Nur: 26.

To the good and obedient wives Allah will give double reward and a honourable
sustenance.

It has been made clear to the wives of the Holy Prophet that mere association with him
does not give them any privilege unless they obey the Holy Prophet and safeguard
themselves against evil. Although they have been declared "the mothers of the believers",
yet they are warned not to be too friendly lest some one is moved with desire. In this
there is guidance for all women that they should keep all men at arm's length-not to give
even a slight unconscious indication of possible complaisance.

The only youthful marriage of the Holy Prophet was his first marriage to Khadija, mother
of Fatimah, the noblest of women and the best of wives. He married her fifteen years
before he made known his prophetship; their marriage life lasted for twenty five years,
and their love and harmony was ideal. During her life he had no other wife. When she
died the Holy Prophet observed "the year of grief". He would probably never have
married again, as he was most abstemious in his physical life, but for two considerations
which governed his later marriages-(i) compassion and clemency; (ii) help in his duties of
prophetship.

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Some of his wives were gentle and faithful; some were envious and avaricious, whom the
Holy Prophet, as commanded by Allah in this verse, offered to set free in a goodly
manner. (33:28)

After hearing the Holy Prophet's declaration Ummi Salima stood up and said: "I have
chosen Allah and His Prophet". Then verse 33:29 was revealed. It refers to those wives
who did not covet for worldly gains but rejoiced in the honour they had as the wives of
the Holy Prophet. For such wives there is a great reward from Allah in the hereafter.
Most of the commentators say that this verse was revealed because of the persistent
demand of his wives for a high standard of living which was beyond the means of the
Holy Prophet.

According to Irshadus Sari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, volume 7; page 314, the following
wives of the Holy Prophet were divided in two groups, one of which including Hafsa,
Sawda, Safiya, was dominated by A-isha.

It is reported that Abu Bakr and Umar bin Khattab had expressed their displeasure to
their daughters and reprimanded them for their unjustified demands and their insolent
behaviour. Once Ali tried to put fear of Allah in their hearts but A-isha lost her temper
and used harsh words to insult him. Then and their the Holy Prophet gave authority to Ali
to divorce any of his wives on his behalf. See commentary of At Tahrim: 1 to 5.

Bukhari in his commentary of Tahrim in his Sahih record several traditions as related by
Umar stating that the two women who were insolent and haughty towards the Holy
Prophet were A-isha and Hafsa. It refers to her address to the Holy Prophet: "I smell
maghafir (a kind of flower having a very bad odour) from you." She said this in order to
prevent him from visiting the house of Zaynab and eating honey there.

When some malevolent persons falsely accused Mariyah mother of Ibrahim, A-isha
supported the accusers and tried in vain to confirm the false blame, but Allah absolved
them (the Prophet and Mariyah) and saved them from injustice through Imam Ali. Those
who want to know the details of the unhappy incident should refer to the account of
Mariyah in Hakim's Mustadrak, vol. 4, p. 30; or Dhahabi's Talkhis al Mustadrak.

Bukhari has recorded in the chapter "What happened in the houses of the Prophet's
wives" in the book "Jihad and Travel" of his Sahih, vol. 2, p. 125, that while delivering an
address from the pulpit, the Holy Prophet pointed towards A-isha's house and said: "Here
lies the scandal; here lies the scandal; here lies the scandal, where the horn of Shaytan
would be rising." In the words of Sahih Muslim: "The Prophet came out of the house of
A-isha and remarked: "Here is the head of infidelity where the horn of Shaytan will rise."
Refer to Sahih Muslim, vol. 2,0.502.

The Holy Prophet used to drink a glass of honey-syrup whenever he visited the apartment
of Zaynab. A-isha and Hafsa became resentful, and A-isha devised a plot. Knowing the
Holy Prophet's dislike of unpleasant smells she held her nose when he came to her
apartment after drinking a glass of honey-syrup prepared by Zaynab, and accused him of
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having eaten the produce of a very ill-smelling tree. When she accused him of having
eaten maghafir (a nauseating herb) the Holy Prophet said that he had taken only honey.
She said: "The bees had fed on maghafir." When he visited Hafsa she also acted just like
A-isha. Displeased with their obnoxious behaviour the Holy Prophet vowed not to eat
honey any more. This is recorded by Bukhari in his commentary on Tahrim, in his Sahih,
Vol. 3, p. 136. In the same place are recorded several traditions as related by Umar bin
Khattab stating that the two women, A-isha and Hafsa were insolent and haughty towards
the Holy Prophet.

On a day assigned to Hafsa, when she was not found in her apartment as she went to her
parent's house, the Holy Prophet spent the night with Marya, the coptic girl, presented to
him by the ruler of Egypt, who became the mother of his son, Ibrahim. To calm the
quarrelsome bad temper of Hafsa he vowed that he would have no more to do with
Marya.

The wives of the Holy Prophet were expected to show a higher standard in behaviour, as
they were in the company of the superior most teacher of manners, social behaviour and
etiquette.

The Holy Prophet's mind was sorely distressed by the obnoxious behaviour of A-isha and
Hafsa and he renounced the society of his wives for one month. Verse one was revealed
to say that as Allah has allowed him honey and Marya, he did not have to forsake any of
them.

If any vow prevents from doing good or acting rightly one should expiate the vow, but
not refrain from doing good deeds.

Verses 3 to 5 of surah 66 refer to A-isha and Hafsa who were envious and jealous to the
point of sickness against the Holy Prophet's refined and highminded wives. Once Hafsa
came to know about a very personal matter concerning the Holy Prophet which he
thought should not be made public, therefore he asked her not to publish it. But she at
once rushed to her friend A-isha and whispered to her a version which was in great part
untrue. Hafsa who betrayed confidence and A-isha who encouraged the betrayal were
commanded to turn in repentance to Allah. If they were to resist repentance and amends,
they would be abetting each other's crime but could not harm the most perfect messenger
of Allah whom all the spiritual forces always surrounded to protect from every type of
slander and falsehood. Please refer to Kanz al Ummal, vol. 6 p. 294 and Ibn Sad's
Tabaqat, vol.8, p. 115.

The Prophet had discretionary power to divorce any or all his wives, and if he did so
Allah would give him good women as his wives in place of the existing wives, who were,
in view of verse 5, ordinary women harbouring envy, jealousy, and ill-will against others;
particularly A-isha's hostility towards Ali Ibn abi Talib has been recorded by all the well
known historians.

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Usool e Deen
Justice is one of the 5 fundamental doctrines of Islam-Original, Shi-aism. It distinguishes
Shi-a faith from other schools of thought. The 5 roots of the faith (usul al din) are given
below:

1. Tawhid: There is no god save Allah.

2. Adl: Allah is all-just.
3. Risalat: The prophets or messengers of Allah, appointed by Him, were truthful, holy
and infallible. The last messenger of Allah, the seal of prophethood, is Muhammad al
Mustafa.
4. Imamat: After the Holy Prophet, the office of the prophethood was terminated, but the
divine guidance continued, for which Allah appointed the twelve Imams in the progeny
of the Holy Prophet.
5. Qiyamat: The day of final judgement.

Uzayr, Prophet
It is not Ezekiel but Ezra who is referred to as Uzayr. It was prophet Uzayr who, like
Ibrahim, prayed and asked Allah to show him how the dead are brought back to life
again.

Nebuchadnezzar conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. The corpses of the inhabitants were
left to be eaten by the wild beasts and birds of prey. When prophet Uzayr passed by the
ruins of the city, he wondered if the people whose desiccated bones were lying on the
ground could ever be brought to life again so as to rebuild the devastated town? So Allah
caused him and his donkey to die. After seventy years, Cyrus gave permission to rebuild
Jerusalem. Within thirty years Jerusalem was an active city again. When Uzayr died, it
was morning. After hundred years he was brought to life again. The sun had not yet set.
"How long have you tarried?" the angel, who was sent to meet Uzayr, asked him.

I have tarried a day, or part of a day," he replied.

No! You have tarried a hundred years," the angel informed him. He also asked him to
look at his food and drink in his bag. It was as fresh as it was a hundred years ago. He
looked at his donkey. There were only its bones lying beside him. As he was looking at
his donkey, its scattered bones were joined together and it stood before him, alive and
breathing. The purpose of this miracle was to make prophet Uzayr an instructive example
to those who either do not know how the dead will be brought to life again on the day of
resurrection, or who disbelieve in Allah's warning. So when it became clear to Uzayr, he
said: "I know that Allah has power over all things."

At home he found his son, born after his departure, one hundred years old; his young
maid one hundred and twenty years old, and all his grandchildren older than him. They
looked at the fifty year old Uzayr and wondered. Uzayr became a living sign of Allah's
omnipotence.
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 Wasila

Wasila

Wasilah is a means of access to a thing or a being. If Allah had willed He could have
guided mankind directly through inspiration, but in His infinite wisdom, He had not
deemed it desirable. He selected and appointed His representatives to convey His
message and laws to people and administer their affairs in every age. Thus wasilah or
means of access to Allah is to faithfully follow the Holy Prophet and the holy Imams of
his holy house, who have been thoroughly purified by Allah (Ahzab: 33).

Yunus

Dhun-nun, "the man of the fish", is the title of prophet Yunus.

Yunus' mission was to the city of Nineveh, then steeped in wickedness. The people
rejected him. He departed in anger without the permission of his Lord, so his departure is
described as if a slave runs away from captivity. The cause of anger Yunus felt was the
disobedience of his people who did not respond to his preaching, so Allah tested him by
putting him in the belly of a huge fish.

He boarded a fully laden boat which met stormy weather. The sailors, thinking that the
ill-luck was caused by some fugitive, wanted to discover him by casting lots. The lot fell
on Yunus, so they took up him and cast him forth into the sea. A great fish swallowed up
Yunus. He was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. When he was engulfed
with the darkness of the night, the sea and the belly of the fish, he cried to his Lord and
accepted the fact that he should have not gone away in anger breaking off from his
people, though they refused to believe in him and Allah.

Then he prayed unto the Lord through the depths of darkness in the fish's belly: "There is
no god but You. Glory be to you. I am indeed of the unjust." (Anbiya: 87).

By the command of Allah the fish vomited out him upon the dry land. He was in a state
of sickness. Allah caused to grow gourd plant there whose large leaves he used to protect
his body from the hot sun, flies and other insects which were preying on his wounded
body. Then he was commanded to return to the city of Nineveh. The people repented and
believed, and Nineveh got a new lease of life.

The spiritual force of the prayer- "There is no god but Thou. Glory be to Thee. Verily I
have been of the wrong-doers"-has been confirmed by the Holy Prophet and the holy
Imams.

All the prophets of Allah were aware of the fact that every human being is likely to make
mistakes and it is Allah alone who can save him from wrong-doing, so every one of them
always prayed to Allah that he might keep himself away from mistakes.

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 Yusuf and Yaqub, Prophets

Yusuf and Yaqub, Prophets

The story of Yusuf son of Yaqub son of Is-haq son of Ibrahim as given in the Quran is
not identical with the Biblical story. The atmosphere is wholly different. The Biblical
story is a folk-tale in which morality has no place. It exalts the clever and financially-
minded Jew against the Egyptian, and to explain certain ethnic and tribal peculiarities in
later Jewish history, Yusuf is shown as buying up all the cattle and the land of the poor
Egyptians for the state under the stress of famine conditions, and making the Jews
"rulers" over the Firawn's cattle.

The Quranic story, on the other hand, is less a narrative than a highly spiritual sermon or
allegory explaining the seeming contradictions in life, the enduring nature of virtue in a
world full of flux and change, and the marvellous working of Allah's eternal purpose in
His plan as unfolded to us on the wide canvas of history.

It is the most detailed of any story in the Quran and is full of description of vicissitudes of
human life, and therefore deservedly appeals to men and women of all classes. It paints in
vivid colours, with their spiritual implications, the most varied aspects of life-Yaqub's old
age and the confidence between him and his little beloved son, the elder brothers'
jealousy, their plot, Yaqub's grief, the sale of Yusuf into slavery for a petty price, carnal
love contrasted with purity and patience and fortitude, chastity, false charges, prison, the
divine gift of interpretation of the dreams, evil life and spiritual life, innocence raised to
honour, forgiveness and benevolence, matters of administration, humility in glory, filial
love, and the ultimate triumph of piety and truth.

When the tribal chiefs of the Quraysh asked the Holy Prophet about the cause of the
migration of the children of Yaqub to Egypt from Syria, surah Yusuf was revealed.
Except four verses (the first three and the seventh according to Ibn Abbas) this surah was
revealed in Makka on the eve of the Holy Prophet's migration to Madina. If true, it proves
that the date and the sequence of the revelations were not taken into consideration by the
Holy Prophet.

It must be noted that like Yusuf the Holy Prophet also had to leave his birth place on
account of the conspiracy of his near relatives. This surah gave confidence and hope to
him that they would also encounter the same fate as the brothers of Yusuf met. Like
Yusuf the Holy Prophet also declared clemency for his relatives and tribesmen. After the
fall of Makka he said: "I say that which my brother Yusuf said to his brothers in the end."

Yusuf son of Yaqub was a very beautiful youth. The truth, which Yusuf, the prophet of
Allah, saw in his vision, was unpalatable to his half-brothers, who plotted against him
and sold him into slavery to a merchant for a few pieces of silver. Yusuf was taken by the
merchant into Egypt, was bought by a great Egyptian court dignitary, Aziz. The beauty of
Yusuf was so irresistible that the dignitary's wife fell in love with him on first sight and
sought to entice Yusuf to the delights of earthly love, but Yusuf, a faithful servant of
Allah and His prophet, did not yield to the temptation. His self-control and faith in Allah
could not be shaken just for the pleasure of a fleeting moment. He preferred the misery of
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imprisonment to the disgrace he would have to face if he had succumbed to the lure of
Shaytan.

Although some commentators have given many notes of mystic nature connected with
the story of Yusuf, yet it is advisable to rely upon that which has been narrated in the
Quran.

Yusuf, born of Yaqub's beloved wife Rachel, occupied the first place in his father's
affections. Rachel gave birth to another child, Benjamin, Yusuf's real brother, after which
she died. When Yusuf was about twelve years of age he dreamed a dream in which he
saw a light had enveloped the whole environment. Every creature was singing the song of
Allah's glory. Then the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to him. As
soon as Yaqub, also a prophet of Allah, heard this dream, he knew its interpretation
immediately.

It is reported on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that one day Bashan, a Jew of
Madina, came to the Holy Prophet and asked him whether he knew the names of the stars
which Yusuf saw in his dream.

The Holy Prophet gave him the following names:

1. Hurban
2. Turaq
3. Zi-al
4. Zulkitfani
5. Qabisth
6. Wathab
7. Amud
8. Faluq
9. Masbah
10. Saduh
11. Zul Qarh

Yaqub advised Yusuf not to relate his dream to his brothers who hated and envied him
because they saw that their father loved him more than all of them, and that Yusuf was a
very beautiful boy, a gift of Allah bestowed on him as a distinctive excellence.

There was a tree in Yaqub's house. Whenever a son was born, a new branch used to grow
on the tree. As soon as that son reached puberty, Yaqub would cut the branch and give it
to the boy to be used as a staff. On the birth of Yusuf no such branch grew. Yaqub prayed
to Allah. In reply Allah sent a heavenly branch for Yusuf. The brothers envied him for
this divine favour. Yusuf dreamed another dream that all the brothers planted their staves
in the earth, but his staff grew higher and higher and reached the sky. Then a violent
storm destroyed the staves of his brothers, leaving his staff intact. Yaqub told him that the
dream showed his high position near Allah. His brothers became furious with jealousy
and hatred-all negative and wicked characteristics are the promptings of Shaytan, an open
enemy of man.
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As a chosen prophet of Allah Yusuf had to understand and interpret signs and events
aright. The dreams of the righteous prefigure events correctly. Yusuf could look back to
his fathers upto Ibrahim, the upright, who through all adversities kept his faith pure and
won through.

The brothers of Yusuf proposed to kill him so that the favour of their father might be
given to them alone, but one of them suggested to throw him in a well, in which case
some travellers passing by would pick him up and remove him to a far country and they
would be free from the charge of murder. The plot having been formed, they approached
their father to let Yusuf go with them to play and enjoy. Yaqub had strong misgivings
and apprehension. He told them that while they were attending to their own affairs a wolf
might devour him. In the end they prevailed upon him and took Yusuf with them, and
threw him into a well. Allah was with Yusuf in his sufferings and sorrows and reassured
him that one day they would stand before him, seeking his help, not knowing that he was
their betrayed brother. They stained Yusuf's shirt with the blood of a goat and showed it
to their father to convince him that while they were playing a wolf had devoured Yusuf
who was guarding their things. Yaqub did not believe them. He saw that there had been
some foul play.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq has said that while Yusuf was in the well, Jabra-il
advised him to invoke Allah in the following words:

ALLAHUMMA INNI AS-ALUKA - BI-ANNA LAKAL HAMDU - LA ILAHA ILLA

ANTAL MANNANU - BADI-US SAMAWATI WAL ARD - DHUL JALALI WAL
IKRAM - AN TUSALLIYA ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALI MUHAMMAD - WA
AN TAJ-ALLI MIN AMRI FARAJAN WA MAKHRAJAN - WA TARZUQNI MIN
HAYSU AHTASIB WA MIN HAYSU LA AHTASIB
(O Allah, I beseech You, praise be to You, there is no god save You, the benign, the
originator of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of grandeur and honour, send Your
blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad, and make my affair easy,
and let it find a way-out, and provide me from wherewith I reckon, and from wherewith I
do not reckon.)

A caravan of merchants pulled Yusuf up with a bucket which was let down to bring water
from the well. For the merchants Yusuf was an item of merchandise. The brothers, who
were visiting the well daily, came to claim his price as a runaway slave, but dared not
haggle over the price, lest their plan, to get rid of him, should be defeated. The shrewd
merchants bought Yusuf for the paltry sum of a few dirhams. In Egypt, a high court
official purchased him when he was put for sale in a public auction. He took him to his
house and instructed his wife to make his stay honourable so that they might adopt him as
a son. So Allah firmly established Yusuf in the land and taught him the interpretation of
dreams, and when he reached the prime of life He gave him wisdom and knowledge,
because Allah rewards those who are good. The wife of the high official, Zulaykha, tried
to seduce him. She desired him very much. As Yusuf was one of Allah's chosen devotees,
He enabled him to avert both evil and lechery from himself. She grabbed and rent his
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shirt from behind. Both of them raced to the door. There they met her husband outside the
door. At once she saw the trouble and put the blame on Yusuf and said: 'There is no other
penalty for a man who wanted to outrage your wife but imprisonment or grievous
punishment."

Yusuf said that it was she who wanted to seduce him. He had to tell the truth. A witness
from her family testified. Yusuf's shirt was torn at the back, he must obviously have been
retreating and Zulaykha must have been tugging from behind. Everybody knew the guilty
party. The husband was convinced that indeed it was a woman's ruse-the wiles of women
are terrible. He asked Yusuf to ignore the affair and ordered his wife to ask forgiveness
for her sin.

In the city the women gossiped. When she heard their slanderings, she invited them to a
sumptuous feast and gave each of them a knife and called Yusuf to come out before
them. When they saw him, the women were so wonderstruck with his beauty that they cut
their hands.

Hasha lillah is a phrase which denotes remoteness from imperfection or the like, or
freedom therefrom; generally implying wonder or admiration-How far (or how free) is
Allah from every imperfection! It implies wonder at the power of Allah as manifested in
the creation of a beautiful person like Yusuf.

The women all agreed that no man had a right to resist their solicitations, so Zulaykha, in
her tragic guilt, threatened Yusuf with imprisonment and disgrace. Yet, inspite of having
seen the clear proofs of his innocence, the men, as a political move, sent him to prison for
a time, until the scandalous gossip of the town regarding the high official's wife had
ceased.

There came into the prison two young men with him. They were employed in the court of
Firawn. One was a cup-bearer, and the other was a cook. They were both in disgrace. The
former dreamed that he was pressing grapes, the latter that he was carrying bread, but the
birds ate of it. They saw in Yusuf a man of Cod endowed with His wisdom, therefore told
him their dreams and asked him to interpret them. First Yusuf taught the truth of Allah
and the faith in the hereafter to both men. It was his mission, his duty. The highest good
he could do to them was to teach the polytheist Egyptians the gospel of unity of Allah. He
had the heritage of great men renowned for wisdom and truth such as Ibrahim, Is-haq and
Yaqub, whose faith he followed, and all of them never associated anyone with Allah-
belief in one Allah is a grace of Allah to mankind. All false gods are nothing but names
that polytheists have named for which there is no divine sanction. Sovereignty belongs to
Allah alone, therefore, worship none but Him-this is the right religion.

The word sahibi (my companion) has been used by Yusuf to address the two fellow-
prisoners who were polytheists. Likewise it is not necessary that all the companions of
the Holy Prophet were sincere believers. Many of them were hypocrites.

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Then Yusuf told them that the cup-bearer would again serve wine to Firawn, while the
cook will be crucified and the birds would peck at his brain. He asked the cup-bearer to
mention him to his master, but Shaytan made him forget to mention this to his master,
and Yusuf remained in prison for a few more years. One day the king told his courtiers
that he saw in a dream seven fat cows being devoured by seven lean ones, and seven
green ears of corns and seven others that were withered. None of the courtiers knew how
to interpret dreams. The cup-bearer told Firawn that he would give him its interpretation
and went to see Yusuf in prison. He asked him to tell him the meaning of the dream.

Yusuf, the prophet of Allah, was a siddiq-truthful, who from his childhood worshipped
no one save Allah. From this it follows that those who had worshipped a ghayrallah for
the most part of their lives cannot be addressed as siddiq.

Yusuf the truthful said that there would be seven years of abundant harvest. Of them they
should take a little for their sustenance and store the rest in the ears. There would follow
seven years of dreadful famine which will consume all the stores which were saved in the
good years. That would be followed by a year of rain in which people would press wine
and oil.

The king sent a messenger to bring Yusuf. Yusuf told the messenger that his innocence
was well-established before Allah, but before he came out of the prison there should be a
public inquiry. Then the king sent for the ladies concerned. Among them came Zulaykha.
The king demanded the whole truth. Zulaykha confessed that it was she who attempted to
seduce Yusuf but undoubtedly he was a truthful man of virtue.

Ammarah refers to the urge which commands man to do evil, but if he sincerely believes
in Allah and resolves to do good at all events, Allah gives him power to control this urge
and always keeps his conscience awake to safeguard himself against evil of Shaytan. The
conscience which censures and holds in check the urge to do evil is called lawwamah (Al
Qiyamah: 2). When he controls the ammarah, and abides by the dictates of lawwamah he
is blessed with peace of mind, joy and fulfilment and deserves to be called nafs mutma-
innah, the ultimate destination of which is that which has been promised in verse 8 of al
Bayyinah.

The king was much impressed, and appointed Yusuf as his confidential wazir. Yusuf
wanted to do real service to the people. He undertook the hardest task of organising
reserves in times of plenty, against the lean years to come. He was put incharge of the
granaries and store-houses. So Allah gave Yusuf authority in the land and bestowed His
favours on him. He does not allow the reward of those who are good to go waste.

There was a wide spread famine in all of Arabia, Northern Africa, Syria, Iraq and
Palestine. On account of Yusuf's foresight and his able administration bread was
available in Egypt only. So the brothers of Yusuf also came to Egypt and called on him.
He (Yusuf) recognised them, though they did not recognise him. He treated them
liberally. The ten brothers had come. Yusuf asked them to bring their brother, Benjamin,

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 Yusuf and Yaqub, Prophets

whom they said his (they did not say their) father had kept with him, so that they would
be able to get his share also.

They went back to Yaqub and asked him to send Benjamin with them so that they could
bring more grain. Yaqub said he could not trust them with Benjamin after what they did
to Yusuf. Yaqub knew that Yusuf was alive, so he said Allah was the best of guardians.

Yaqub wanted his sons to know that their undertaking to guard Benjamin had no
credibility in his opinion, as was in the case of Yusuf aforetime. On both occasions
Yaqub did not trust his sons; he put his faith in Allah alone. When they unpacked their
goods they found the money which the servants of Yusuf had put there on his orders, so
that greed might bring them back again with Benjamin.

Yaqub, a man of wisdom and experience, aware of the possible suspicions the people of
Egypt might have about eleven strangers parading in the city, advised them to enter from
different gates. Although they did as advised by Yaqub but it did not profit them against
the plan of Allah - reunion of the whole family and shaming the ten brothers into
repentance. The men of Allah are full of knowledge, not as men, but as taught by the
grace of Allah.

Yusuf was delighted to see Benjamin, his own brother. He told him not to worry as he
was going to keep Benjamin with himself. After taking the provisions, when they were
departing Yusuf asked a steward to put his own drinking silver cup in Benjamin's saddle-
bag; and then it was announced that Yusuf s silver cup had been stolen. As they were
about to leave a steward stopped them and searched their bags, and found the silver cup
in Benjamin's bag. So he was detained. It was Allah's plan to allow Yusuf to keep his
brother with himself because under the law of the land he could not detain his brother.

Above every knowing there is a knower who knows all and more than all the knowing-
Allah. The brothers said that if Benjamin had stolen, it was no wonder, his brother had
stolen before. Yusuf knew well his half brothers were worse in the degree of evil.

One brother stayed there, and the others went back to Yaqub and told him what had
happened. Yaqub was greatly disturbed. His eyes became white with sorrow and he fell
into silent melancholy, yet he hoped that it was all being done so that Allah the all-
knowing, might bring his sons back to him. He asked his sons to go in search of Yusuf
and Benjamin and advised them to have faith in the mercy of Allah, because those who
did not believe in Allah despaired and lost hope.

They returned to Yusuf, offered him what little they had and begged for his favour. Yusuf
could no longer hold himself. He said: "I am Yusuf and this is my brother Benjamin.
Allah has been gracious to us; for Allah verily does not deprive those who obey and
follow His laws and commands and endure." The half brothers confessed their sin and
wickedness. Yusuf at once forgave them and prayed to Allah to forgive them. Allah is the
most merciful of all.

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When the Holy Prophet entered into Makka, after its fall, in identical language he freely
forgave the whole population of his worst foes who were entirely at his mercy.

Yusuf gave them his shirt and asked them to put it on his father's face to restore his
eyesight, and then to bring the whole family to him. Far-tadda basira means (Yaqub)
forwith regained his sight. It implies that he had lost his sight and then regained it.

When the garment was put over Yaqub's face his eyesight was restored. He said: "Did I
not tell you? I know from Allah what you do not know." The sons asked their father to
pray for them that their sins be forgiven. Yaqub said: "Allah will forgive you. He is oft-
forgiving and kind."

When they went back to Yusuf, he gave his father and mother a place of honour, and
seated them by his side on the throne; and they fell before him in homage. Sajada-falling
down in prostration. The father, the brothers and the aunt fell down in prostration before
Yusuf. There are two types of sajdahs-one is that which is for Allah in total submission to
His will, and the other is done in reverence to pay homage to a divinely chosen
representative of Allah (see commentary of al Baqarah: 34).

The sajdah by the father and the brothers was the interpretation of Yusuf's dream. In
keeping with his character as a prophet of Allah, Yusuf, in all humility, attributes
everything good and worthy not to himself but to the grace of Allah. The divine grace is
always based on knowledge and wisdom.

Then Yusuf said: "O my father, this is the meaning of my earlier dream. My Lord has
made it come true. He was gracious in getting me out of prison, and bringing you out of
the desert to me after the discord created by Shaytan between me and my brothers, for my
Lord is gracious to whomsoever He pleases. He is indeed all-knowing and all-wise. O my
Lord, You have given me dominion and taught me the interpretation of dreams; O creator
of the heavens and the earth, You alone are my saviour in this world and the hereafter,
take my soul as one submitting to Your will (as a Muslim) and unite me with the
righteous."

In the story of Yusuf, and all the events narrated in the Quran pertaining to the prophets
of Allah there is a lesson for those who can study and obtain guidance from the history.

Zakarriya and Yahya, Prophets

The clear evidence of Allah's extraordinary benevolence prompted Zakariyya to pray for
a son he longed all his life. Tayyab means virtuous, blessed, pure and good. Prophet
Zakariyya's prayer makes it clear that Maryam received her sustenance direct from Allah,
the miraculous nature of which made Zakariyya turn to Allah to beseech Him for a son he
could not have since his wife was barren; and as a prophet he knew that only a miracle
willed by Allah could give him a son.

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In Luke 1: 5 and 13, it is stated that an angel appeared to Zakariyya on the right of the
altar of incense (mihrab-the private chamber of a prayer house, partitioned and kept
hidden from the eyes of the people) and said to him: "Do not be afraid, your prayer has
been heard, your wife will bear a son, and you shall name him John (Yahya)."

Quran signifies the events of the births of Isa and Yahya as miracles effected by the will
of Allah. Owing to his curiosity to know as to when a son will be born in spite of their
natural disability, Zakariyya had asked the Lord to appoint a sign for him.

"You will not speak to men for three days" was the sign given to him.

In reply to Zakariyya's request for a sign which could let him know that his wife was
blessed with a child, the almighty Lord gave him the sign that he would not be able to
talk to the people whilst being fully occupied with remembrance and praise and
glorification of Allah, day and night. The command was to remember Allah and glorify
Him all the time. So it was obvious that a prophet of Allah, while carrying out his Lord's
command, would not find time to speak to the people at all, otherwise there was no
restriction on uttering words from the mouth. Praise and glorification of Allah takes man
into the pure domain of spiritualism through which he overcomes physical disabilities
and obstacles, and obtains grace and blessings of Allah. The laws of nature, known to
man, can be controlled, modified or altered by the spiritual and divine agency.

Yahya (John) was the cousin of Isa, six months older than Isa, who was the first person to
believe in Isa as a true prophet of Allah, sent to revive the faithful practice of the law of
Musa. Yahya was killed before Isa's ascension to the heavens.

Zakariyya invoked Allah to give him a son, not only as the inheritor of his family but also
as an upholder of his mission and the mission of his ancestors. These verses (19:2) prove
that the prophets of Allah inherit and leave inheritance.

To interpret "Warith" as reference to knowledge and wisdom only is a deviation from the
real, direct and plain meaning of this word, without any external or internal evidence. If
inheritance of personal belongings is excluded, the repetition of the verb becomes
meaningless because Zakariyya himself was a descendant of ali Yaqub, who inherited the
prophethood and wisdom of his ancestors, and his son would do the same if Allah so
willed as He chooses whomsoever He wills as His messenger (An-am: 124), therefore
Zakariyya said: "inherit me and inherit ali Yaqub". Zakariyya is referring to his
belongings and the belongings of the posterity of Yaqub separately. The first verb refers
to the inheritance of his property which Zakariyya thought would be appropriated by his
relatives if he remained childless; and the second verb refers to the prophethood, he
wanted for Yahya, for which there was no need to fear that it would be taken by any one.
Verse 16 of An Nahl confirms that which has been explained here.

The mother of the son given to Zakariyya was a born barren woman, so he was named
Yahya, derived from hayat (life), a name which was given to him for the first time. The

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Hebrew form of Yahya is Johanan which means "Jehvah (God) has been gracious".
Hananan (see verse 13) means compassion.

Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said: "Before Yahya and Husayn, no one was ever
named by either of their names.

The murderers of Yahya and Husayn were illegitimate. The heads of both of them were
severed from their bodies and displayed in the streets and the courts which (according to
Imam Husayn) prove the worthlessness of this world in the estimation of Allah. The head
of Yahya was presented before the depraved wife of the Egyptian king and her pervert
daughter and the head of Husayn was presented to the sons of whores."

Verse 19:12 says that hukm (strength, power of judgement and prophethood) was given
to Yahya in his childhood. Likewise Isa was also appointed as the prophet of Allah while
he was in the cradle. Therefore there is no justification for the misconceived idea
propagated by a large number of Muslims that the Holy Prophet was an illiterate person
(see commentary of al Baqarah: 97).

Ayyashi quotes Ali bin Asbath as under: "While going to Egypt I met Imam Ali bin Musa
in Madina. Then he was a five year old boy. I was greatly impressed by his knowledge
when we talked about on various topics. I had decided to tell everyone in Egypt about his
extraordinary wisdom and judgement. As soon as the idea came into my mind, he recited:
'We gave him (Yahya) wisdom, while yet a child.'"

Yahya boldly denounced sin. He had pity and love for all creatures of Allah, lived among
the humble and lonely, despised worldly comforts, and never used violence nor
entertained a spirit of rebellion against human or divine law.

He did not live long. He was beheaded by Herod, the provincial ruler under the Roman
empire, at the instigation of the woman with whom Herod was infatuated. Peace and
Allah's blessings were on him when he was born; they continued when he was about to
die an unjust death at the hands of a tyrant; and they will be manifest at the day of
resurrection.

Zihar

Khula hint Thalaba, wife of Aws bin Thamit, had complained to the Holy Prophet that
her husband had put her away for no good reason by employing an old formula of the
pagan Arabs, known as zihar, which consists of the words: "You are to me as the back of
my mother."

This was held by pagan custom to imply a divorce and freed the husband from any
responsibility for conjugal duties but do not leave the wife free to leave her husband's
home, or to contract a second marriage. She pleaded that she had little children whom she
had no means to support, and, under zihar, her husband was not bound to support. Her

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prayer to Allah containing her just plea was accepted, and this brutal and unjust custom
was abolished through these quran.

The penalty prescribed for the husband, who repents his hasty act, is to set a slave free.
Then only he can claim his conjugal rights. Such laws served the abolition of slavery in a
rational and evolutionary way without creating chaos and disorder in the society.

Zodiac
In the countless stars in the universe there is a marvellous order, beauty and harmony, on
a scale which man is appreciating more and more as his knowledge is increasing. The
first distinct belt is the Zodiac, which marks the position of the sun with reference to the
movement of various constellation of stars of the solar system. Its twelve divisions are
called the signs of the Zodiac. Through them we can mark off the seasons in our solar
year, and express in definite laws the most important facts in meteorology, agriculture,
seasonal winds, and tides. All these are vitally important and affect our physical life on
the earth. The most important lesson we draw from them is that the author of the
wonderful order and beauty is One, and He alone is entitled to our worship.

The Zodiac belt is the lowest heaven. The heavens above it are more spiritual than
physical. Celestial factors effect the terrestrial events. Some of the determinative
occurrences of the celestial realm manifest themselves before they produce an effect upon
the terrestrial world. Those who delve in occult sciences rely upon these manifestations to
foretell the future. Such attempts are not reliable because the radiating celestial bodies
(shihabun mubin or shahab thaqib) prevent them from reading the actual consequences.
The shooting star or flaming fire, most probably, is the continuous radiation from the
celestial bodies which pierces into the terrestrial hemisphere. It may mean that the
conjunctions of radiations from different celestial sources neutralise the effect of each
other and it becomes immeasurable and incomprehensible to those who try to foretell the
future.

Spiritually speaking, order, beauty, harmony, light and truth are repugnant to evil.
Therefore the bliss of the heavens are denied to the forces of evil. It is reserved only for
the virtuous. The crooked nature of evil try to gain access by fraud or stealth but a
flaming fire stops them from even hearing the sound of harmony ringing in the land of
eternal bliss.

Qummi in his commentary says that when the Holy Prophet was born a mass of shooting
stars was seen in the sky. A Jew named Joseph came to Makka and asked the Quraysh if
a male child was born in their tribe. They did not know, but when he told them that it was
written in Pentateuch that when the last prophet of Allah would be born the devilish
forces will be driven away from the heaven by the shooting stars and their access to the
higher regions would be blocked for ever, they made inquiries and found out that in the
night before a son was born to Abdullah bin Abd al Muttalib. In the same night the palace
of Kisra in Persia was cracked and the fire burning in the temple for a thousand years was
extinguished.
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 Zodiac

In astronomy, Sirius is the highest star, also called day star, in the firmament. It was
worshipped by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and the pagan Arabs. Allah is the
creator, the Lord-nourisher of the most magnificent creation, therefore worship is due to
Him alone.

Buruj, the imaginary belt of the constellations marking the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
The constellations are as follows:
1. Aries (Ram)
2. Taurus (bull).
3. Gemini (Twins)
4. Cancer (Crab).
5. Leo (Lion).
6. Virgo (Virgin).
7. Libra (Balance).
8. Scorpio (Scorpion).
9. Sagittarius (Archer).
10. Capricorn (Goat).
11. Aquarius (Water-bearer).
12. Pisces (Fishes).

Tariq means "who knocks or hammers or beats". It is also used for a nocturnal traveller
who tramples the ground. Here it is used as a star of piercing brightness (see verse 3).
According to the Ahl ul Bayt it refers to a star which traverses all the spheres in the
universe and returns to its starting point. It can be applied figuratively to the Holy
Prophet whose wisdom and mercy encompassed all the physical and spiritual spheres of
the universe.

Zulqurnain
Qarn literally means a distinctive mark in a man, animal or thing which is distinguished
and known by it. Therefore any person who possesses two such distinctive qualifications
is described as dhul qarnayn. Whether Dhul Qarnayn was Alexander or Darius or some
one else is not the issue in these verses but the Quran aims to provide guidance to man
through the narrative of a man who possessed two qualities, knowledge and strength, like
Talut.

Dhul Qarnayn was an upright and righteous king, a true servant of Allah, whose sway
extended over east and west, and over people of diverse civilisations. His first expedition
was to the west. A spring of murky water refers to Lychintis (now Ochrida). There he
protected the weak and punished the unlawful and the turbulent.

He possessed the qualities, a god-fearing man must own, to administer the affairs of men.
Great was his power and great were his ways and means which he used for justice and
righteousness, but he always remembered that his power and capabilities were given to
him by Allah. He never said like Firawn: "I am your Lord, most high." He declared that
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his punishment to the wicked was tentative to preserve the balance of this life as he could
appraise it but the real consequences of the evil-doing will be encountered by the
evildoers on the day of judgement.

Then he went to the east. Those who lived there were a primitive but simple people. The
climate was hot, and they required neither roofs over their heads, nor much clothing. He
did not disturb their simple mode of living. He left them as they were. Dhul Qarnayn was
a man of God. He was not a despot who would forcibly change that which he did not find
agreeable to him. He knew his limitations in the sight of his Lord.

Then he reached a tract between two mountains (most probably Armenia and
Azerbaijan). The people of this land did not understand the speech of the conqueror. Dhul
Qarnayn was now among a people who were different in speech and race from him. They
were a peaceable and industrious race, much subject to incursions from wild tribes who
were called Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog). Against these tribes they were willing to
pay him tribute in return for protection. The permanent protection they wanted was the
closing of a mountain gap through which the incursions were made. Dhul Qarnayn was
not greedy. He did not impose any tribute, nor was he in need of monetary help or
subsidy from them. He had the organising skill. He only asked for material and labour. A
barrier was constructed with blocks or bricks of iron, and the cracks were filled up with
molten lead, so as to form an impregnable mass of metal. After all the effort which he
made for their protection, he claimed no credit for himself beyond that of discharging his
duties as a ruler. He turned their attention to Allah who provided the ways and means by
which they could be helped and protected, but a time would come when all their
precautions would crumble into dust, because it was a promise of Allah.

Zu-Nuwas
Another case cited is that of Zu-Nuwas. The true events concerning him and those whom
he persecuted have been narrated by Imam Ali as follows: "Allah sent a prophet to the
people of Abyssinia. Zu Nuwas, the king, was a pagan and asked the people to worship
him as their god. The prophet prevented the people from worshipping him. The king
killed many of the companions of the prophet and arrested him along with a few
remaining believers. A huge pit of burning fire was prepared and it was announced that
whoso believed in the God whom the prophet worshipped should jump into that pit.

A believing woman came with a baby in her arms but stopped at the eleventh hour on
account of her love for her child. The child cried (as Allah willed so): "Mother, jump into
the fire with me. It is a test to prove our faith in Allah." She jumped and the prophet
along with his remaining followers also jumped into the fire. By Allah's command all of
them were saved from the fire.

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