origin of royal power in the Muslim world

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Shaykh Nasir Makarim Shirazi
‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (S) say, 'My nation will be divided into three categories in the transient world. The first group are those who do not like to gather (and save) wealth and (also) do not bother in hoarding it. These people are content with the transient world in that amount which will remove the hunger and clothe the nakedness (the bare necessities of life). Their (true) wealth lies in that which makes them reach the next life. These people shall be protected and upon whom (…shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.)
As for the second group, they love to gather wealth from the purest of sources and best of ways (of earning it). They strive to ensure that they maintain family ties, do good deeds to their brothers in faith and that they show consideration to the poor. It is easier for this group of people to chew on hard rocks than it would be to earn even one dirham from prohibited channels or to refrain from paying the obligatory (taxes) from that wealth and to not spend the money in the proper way, and until the time of their death, they hold on to this wealth. Therefore, these are the people who, if He (Allah (SwT)) was to be very strict with (in their accountability), then they would be in torment, and if they were to be pardoned (by Him), then they would remain in a state of security.
The third group are those who love to gather wealth - whether it is from the permissible or the impermissible. They love to withhold it in those areas where it is obligatory to spend. If they spend their wealth, they do so through being extravagant and wasteful and if they withhold their wealth, then they do so through miserliness and hoarding (of their wealth). Surely it is these whose hearts have been taken over by the transient world until the time when they enter into the hell fire due to their sins.”[82]
In this tradition, the Noble Prophet (S) has stated that, his nation would be divided into three groups in the transient world:
1. There is one group who have no love for wealth and do not permit themselves to hoard it. They are content with that amount of wealth which alleviates their hunger and covers their body while their wants (anything above and beyond this), are reserved for the next life. Thus, they come into the world with a light load and leave the world with a light load. These people have no grief or fear of the past or the future.
2. The second group are those who love to collect wealth, however do so from the permissible means. They use the wealth which they earn to strengthen the family bonds and in assisting their brothers in faith. They are vigilant when it comes to the poor and deal with them in the proper manner. It would be easier for this group of people to sink their teeth into a hard rock than to earn one dirham of wealth in a prohibited way. They pay all of their religious dues while the remainder of the wealth is kept with them. If Allah (SwT) was to be strict with them in the accountability of their wealth, then they would be in torment, and if they are pardoned by Allah (SwT), then they will remain in a state of security.
Question: If this group of believers were truly going after the permissible ways of earning wealth and spending it in the right way, then surely their status and rank must be greater than the first group of people who have not earned anything!?
For example, it has been mentioned that Imam ‘Ali (as) freed one thousand slaves with money that he himself earned - is this something bad? Is there any virtue in refraining from earning wealth or does the virtue lie in the fact that one seeks the permissible livelihood and then spends the wealth in the way of Allah (SwT)?
Answer: This is a conclusion drawn from an incorrect understanding of the tradition under discussion. If we properly understood the tradition, then this sort of question would never come up!
If a person was to gather wealth in order to spend it in the way of Allah (SwT), then obviously, such a thing is very good. However, the second group of people love the act of gathering and collecting wealth - meaning that their actual aim is to gain wealth and thus, they end up destroying the outcome of their efforts!
If we were to understand all of the commandments of Islam, then we would definitely conclude that Islam prefers that a person work and then sacrifices the wealth he earns in the way of Allah (SwT). If a person acts in this way and spends any wealth he gains in the way of Allah (SwT) and does not keep it for himself, he would have a rank higher than a Zahid (ascetic)!
3. The third group of people are those who love to collect wealth. For them, it makes no difference if they earn it from the permissible means or the forbidden channels. Both the act of spending the wealth and the way in which they earn it are wrong!
If they spend some of their wealth in the way of Allah (SwT), then they do so in an extravagant manner and with no regard to how much they are spending - meaning that they spend without keeping in mind their needs and also of those who are truly deprived and could use the wealth.
On the other hand, if they do not spend their wealth, then they employ the most extreme forms of miserliness - these are people whose hearts have been enchanted by the transient world and due to their sins, shall enter into the hell fire.
The true meaning of asceticism (Zuhd) is that one does not have an attachment to the transient world - it does not mean that one does not possess anything from the world! If one was to possess the entire world however was not emotionally attached to it, he would be the most ascetic person in the entire world!
When Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (as) was at the head of the government of the entire Muslim world he used to say, “This position is worth less to me than this old pair of patched up shoes.”He was the commander (Amir) of the transient world - not captive (Asir) of it!
Even if a person has so much as a shirt, however has an attachment to it, then that person is considered as one who is inclined to this world![83]!
Notes:
[82] Ibid., vol. 74, pg. 184
[83] There are various opinions which have been offered in regards to the two extremes of extravagance and miserliness with respect to wealth.
There are some people who give such importance to this issue that they feel that wealth is the key to solving all of the troubles! It is amazing to see people who believe that they must gather wealth! For them, it is impossible to sit still and in the pursuit of wealth, they do not believe in following any conditions or rules - the permissible and impermissible are equal!
Contrary to such people are others who do not pay even the least importance to money. They seek poverty and believe that there is esteem and honour in poverty! These people even believe that wealth is an obstruction to attaining Taqwa (consciousness of Allah (SwT)) and closeness to Him!
However in the face of these two beliefs there is a belief which resides inbetween extravagance (Ifrat) and miserliness (Tafrit) which is promulgated by a group of people who make use of the Noble Quraf1an and the Islamic traditions. They deduce that wealth is good to have, however with the following conditions:
1. It should be used as the means and not the goal;
2. Wealth should not make a person an Asir or a captive; rather, it should make a person an Amir or leader.
3. In addition, it must be gained through the permitted means and must also be spent in the pleasure of Allah (SwT).
When one has love and an attachment to such wealth, not only is this NOT considered as having love of the transient world, rather, this is actually proof for one having love and attraction to the next life! (Tafsir-e-Namuna, vol. 27, pg. 219)

History Of Religious Life Ammar bin Yasir

The people in Makkah lived in ignorance and darkness. The strong persecuted the weak and deprived them of their rights. No one supported the weak. The Quraishi leaders were traders. Each year, they had two trade journeys.
In summer, their caravans went to Shaam. In winter they went to Yemen. The people in Makkah were of two classes: one class was rich, the other was poor. The rich persecuted the poor. Some poor people were slaves.They had nothing, not even their freedom.
Our Master Muhammad [s] lived in that time. He went to Mount Hira. There he thought of his people. He felt pain for them because they worshipped idols.
Our Master Muhammad [s] became forty years old. One day, Jibreel came down from the sky. He told Muhammad [s] about Islam. Our Master Muhammad [s] came down the mountain. He was carrying the Mission of Islam.
He intended to spread it among people to live peacefully. The poor and the persecuted listened to the Mission of Islam. They believed in it. So their hearts were filled with love for Islam. The traders and the rich of Quraish heard about Islam.
Thus, they had spite against our Master Muhammad [s]. in the meantime, they plotted against Islam and the Muslims. Abu Jahal was the most spiteful polytheist. He mistreated our Master Muhammad [s] very much.

Al Arqam's House
Our Master Muhammad [s] met the believers secretly in al-Arqam's house. He wanted to keep his religion a secret so that Abu Jahal, Abu Sufyan and other polytheists would not hurt the Muslims. One day Ammar bin Yasir came and saw a man standing at the door. The man's name was Suhaib. Ammar said to him:
Suhaib, what are you doing here?
Suhaib answered:
I've come to hear Muhammad's words. And what are you doing? I've come to hear his words, too. Then Ammar and Suhaib came into al-Arqam's house
They humbly began listening to Allah's words and to the Verses of the Holy Qur'an. Ammar's heart was full of belief as streams are full of rain water. When Ammar and Suhaib wanted to leave al-Arqam's house, our Master Muhammad [s] said to them:
Stay here till evening. Allah's Apostle [s] was afraid that Quraish would hurt them.
Ammar waited until it got dark. Then he left al-Arqam's house and hurried towards his house. His mother and father were waiting for him anxiously. When Ammar entered, the little house was full of happiness. He began telling his parents about Islam, Allah's religion.

Yasir's Family
Ammar belonged to Yemen's tribes, but how did he come to Makkah? Yasir, Ammar's father, and his two brothers al-Harith and Malik looked for their missing brother everywhere. But they did not find him. Therefore, they decided to go to Makkah to look for him. They did not find him there, too.
Al-Harith and Malik wanted to come back to Yemen, but Yasir decided to stay in Makkah to live near Allah's Holy House. Yasir joined the tribe of Bani Makhzoom. Then he became one of its members. He married a female slave. Her name was Summayya. Days passed. Summayya gave birth to a baby. His father named him Ammar.

Ammar
Ammar was born four years before the year of the elephant. Our Master Muhammad [s] was born in that year. When Ammar became a young man, he made friendship with our Master Muhammad [s]. then he became his companion.
Ammar loved our Master Muhammad [s] because of his good behaviour. Ammar was twenty-nine years old. Meanwhile our Master Muhammad [s] was twenty-five years old. One day, while Ammar was walking with our Master Muhammad [s] between al-Safa Mount and al-Marwah Mount, Hala, Khadijah bint Khuwailid's sister came. Hala took Ammar aside and said to him:
Ask Muhammad to marry my sister, Khadijah.
Our Master Muhammad [s] accepted her. Then the blessed marriage took place. When Allah appointed our Master Muhammad [s] as Prophet, Ammar, his father Yasir and his mother Summayya believed in him.

The Revenge
Abu Jahal heard that Ammar became a Muslim. So, he got crazy. Abu Jahal led a group of polytheists and went to Yasir's house. Torches were in their hands. They burnt the house and took Yasir, Ammar and Summayya to a desert outside Makkah.
They chained and began torturing them. First, they whipped them till blood flowed out. Then they brought torches and began burning their bodies. But that small family went on their firm belief.
Abu Jahal brought rocks and put them on their chests. They were breathing hard. Still they were believers. It was noon. The heat was intense. Abu Jahal and the polytheists came back to Makkah.
They left Yasir's family in the intense heat of the sun. In the meantime, our Master Muhammad [s] passed by the family. When he saw them he wept and said:
Yasir's family, be patient! Your reward will be Paradise! Summayya said with belief:
I confess that you're Allah's Apostle. And your promise is true. The criminals came back. Abu Jahal was in advance. There was a long spear in his hand. He began torturing them savagely.
Ammar, Yasir and Summayya were unconscious. So the criminals showered them with water. When they got well again, Abu Jahal shouted at Summayya stormily:
Praise our gods; dispraise Muhammad!
Summayya spat in his face and said:
How bad you and your gods are!
Abu Jahal boiled in anger. Thus, he raised his spear high and it Summayya on the belly. Then he began stabbing her body with his spear until she died.
For this reason, Summayya became the first martyr in the history of Islam. Then Abu Jahal began kicking Yasir on the belly savagely until he died.
Ammar saw what happened to his parents and he wept. Then Abu Jahal shouted angrily:
If you don't praise our gods, I'll kill you! Ammar could not endure that cruel torture. So he reluctantly said:
Hubal (an idol) is great! Ammar praised their idols to save himself from torture. So they unchained and left him.

The Belief in the Heart
Ammar went weeping to our Master Muhammad [s]. He did not weep for his parents or for himself or for the torture he had suffered - he wept because he praised the polytheists' idols.
Allah's Apostle consoled Ammar on his parents martyrdom. Ammar went on weeping. Then he said: Allah's Apostle, the polytheists did not release me until they forced me to praise their gods! Our Master Muhammad [s] said kindly:
Ammar, what about your heart?
Ammar answered:
Allah's Apostle, my heart's certain of faith.
The Prophet [s] said:
Don't worry! Allah sent down a verse concerning you:
"Not, he who is compelled while his heart is at rest because of his faith."

The Migration
The condition of the Muslims in Makkah became critical. So, our Master Muhammad [s] ordered his companions to immigrate to Yathrib. Ammar was one of those who migrated for Allah.
When our Master Muhammad [s] immigrated too, happiness covered al-Madina al-Munawwara. And the immigrants lived peacefully with their brothers in Yathrib.
First, Allah's Apostle [s] thought of building a mosque so that the Muslims would worship Allah alone. In the meantime it would be a symbol for the Muslims strength and a castle for the Muslim nation. With enthusiasm, the Muslims began building the Prophet's Mosque.
Some Muslims were carrying dust. Some were making bricks and some were carrying the dried bricks to make the walls. Our Master Muhammad [s] was working with his companions. Ammar, though covered with dust, was working actively. Each Muslim was carrying a brick.
But Ammar was carrying two bricks. For this reason, our Master Muhammad [s] said to him:
They (the Muslims) will get a reward; you'll get two rewards. To encourage his Muslim brothers, Ammar repeated the following enthusiastic words:
Those who build the mosque do not equal those who avoid dust. Some companions were avoiding dust. They became displeased with Ammar's words.
Uthman came to Ammar and said threateningly:
I'll hit you on the nose with this stick!
Ammar looked at Uthman but did not say a word. Our Master Muhammad [s] heard about Uthman's threat. He felt pain. Then he came to Ammar and said:
You're dear to me! Our Master Muhammad [s] rubbed the dust from Ammar's face. Thus the great companions heart was filled with love for the Holy Prophet.

Jihad (Holy War)
Days and months passed. Allah, the Glorified, wanted to punish those who persecuted the Muslims in Makkah and robbed them of their money. The Battle of Badr took place. Ammar was one of the fighters who went to hinder the Quraishi caravan coming from Shaam. The Muslims heard that the polytheists had formed an army. Abu Jahal headed the army. He was heading for al-Madina al-Munawwara.
The Prophet asked the advice of his companions. Finally, he took a decision to face the polytheists. Our Master Muhammad [s] sent Ammar bin Yasir and Abdullah bin Masoud to get him information about the polytheists' army.
Ammar was brave. He approached the polytheists caravans and went round their camp to collect information. Ammar and his friend came back to our Master Muhammad [s]. Ammar said:
The army is afraid. The horse wants to neigh. But its owner hits it on the face. And its raining heavily. Therefore, they can't move easily. Generally speaking, the polytheists are in low spirits. In the morning, when the polytheists woke, they found strange footprints. Munbih bin al-Hajjaj had a good knowledge of footprints.
He said: By al-Lat and al-Uzza, these are Ammar's and Abdullah's footprints.

The Battle of Badr
On the morning of 17th Ramadan, 2 A.H., the great Battle of Badr, the first battle in the history of Islam, took place. At that battle, Allah granted the believers victory over the polytheists. Ammar was fighting with enthusiasm.
When the polytheists escaped, Ammar saw Abu Jahal. So, he remembered those days when Abu Jahal tortured the Muslims and tortured his parents. Now, the swords of the persecuted got revenge on the unjust. Ammar looked at the sky and thanked Allah, the Glorified, for his victory.

Ammar was with Truth
Ammar was sixty years old. However, he was more eager than the young men to strive for Allah. Ammar deeply believed in Allah. He loved the Apostle of humanity, our Master Muhammad [s]. The Prophet [s] also loved his old friend, Ammar. He praised him on several occasions:
Ammar is with truth and truth is with Ammar. Truth is always with him. Ammar is full of faith. Blessed is Ammar, the unjust group will kill you. Your last food in this world will be a cup of yoghurt. Days, months and years passed. Ammar was always with our Master Muhammad [s] he was always striving for Allah against the enemies of Islam and humanity.
In 11 A.H., our Master Muhammad [s] passed away. On that occasion, all Muslims became sad. Ammar wept over his old friend, Allah's Apostle. He remembered the days of his youth in Makkah and the days of Jihad. Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) stayed loyal to his Islam.
He was always striving for the religion and saying the word of truth. He was not afraid of anyone but Allah. Ammar loved Ali bin Abu Talib because he heard our Master Muhammad [s] always saying: Ali, no one loves you but a believer and no one hates you but a hypocrite. Ali, you are in the same position with respect to me as Harun was to Musa except there is no Prophet after me.
On the farewell pilgrimage, Ammar saw our Master Muhammad [s] taking both arms of Ali and raising them high, he said:
Whoever, I am the master of, this man, Ali is his master. Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, be hostile to whoever opposes him. Support whoever supports him and desert whoever deserts him.
For this reason, Ammar thought that Ali bin Abu Talib would be the Caliph after our Master Muhammad [s]. Anyhow, Abu Bakr al-Sidiq became the Caliph after the Prophet. But some companions opposed his Caliphate. Ammar opposed his Caliphate too. And he stood by Ali bin Abu Talib and Fatima al-Zahra, our Master Muhammad's daughter. After a short while, Fatima al-Zahra, the mistress of the women of the world, died.

Jihad
Ammar devoted most of his time to the life of Jihad. He took part in the Muslims conquest battles. He also fought bravely against the apostasy in Yemen. When Umar bin al-Khattab became the Caliph after Abu Bakr, he appointed Ammar to rule over Kufa. There Ammar treated people according to Allah's law. And the people were pleased with his just, merciful and humble treatment.

Al-Shura (Consultation)
In 23 A.H., Umar bin al-Khattab was assassinated. Some Muslims had come to Umar, earlier, and asked him to appoint a Caliph after him. The Caliph decided that the Caliphate had to be shura (consultation).
So, he elected six persons. They were Ali bin Abu Talib [a], Uthman bin Affan, Talha, Zubair, Abdul Rahman bin Auf and Saad bin Abi Wakkas. Umar ordered the persons to hold a meeting in one of their houses to appoint one of them caliph within three days.
Ammar hoped that they would elect Ali because of his long jihad, his blood relation to our Master Muhammad [s], his knowledge, his outstanding merits and his priority in Islam. One day passed. Then two days passed.
But there was no result. There was serious competition between Ali bin Abu Talib [a] and Uthman bin Affan for the Caliphate. Some companions such as al-Miqdad, Ammar bin Yasir, al-Abbas, and others stood by the house. They hoped that Ali would be elected.
Banu Ummayyah stood by the house, too. They hoped that Uthman would be elected. To make Abdul Rahman bin Auf hear, Ammar loudly said: If you want to see the Muslims in agreement then appoint Ali. To support Ammar, al-Miqdad said:
Ammar has told the truth. If you appoint Ali, we'll hear and obey him. AbdulRahman's ambition was to be a caliph. He refused to appoint Ali because Ali would not hand him the Caliphate later on. So, Abdul Rahman appointed Uthman to hand him the Caliphate after his death.
Thus Uthman became the third Caliph. Imam Ali went out after he had said to Abdul Rahman:
This is not the first day when you support each other against us! But patience is good and Allah is whose help is sought for against what you describe. By Allah, you have appointed Uthman caliph to hand you the Caliphate.
Ammar was very unhappy for the Ahlul Bait because they were worthier of Caliphate than other people and because Allah kept away uncleanness from them and purified them thoroughly.

Deviation
Six years passed after Uthman's Caliphate. Gradually, the Caliph deviated from Islam and from our Master Muhammad's behaviour. Uthman appointed his blood relatives rulers over the cities. They were bad, unjust persons.
For example, Uthman appointed al-Waleed bin Utbah, his half brother, ruler over Kufa. Al-Waleed drank alcohol and went drunk to the mosque.
Uthman made Marwan bin Hakam the real ruler of the Muslim government. He appointed the rulers and dismissed them. He dismissed the great companion Salman al-Farsi from Mada-inn and appointed one of his blood relatives over it. Uthman also dismissed Saad bin Abi Wakkas from Kufa and appointed al-Waleed bin Akabah over it. Uthman spent the Muslims' money on his blood relatives from Bani Ummayyah and left the poor to live in pain.

The Word of Truth
There were jewels in the Muslim public treasury. Uthman divided the jewels among his daughters and wives. The Muslims became angry. They began talking against Uthman's bad behaviour. Uthman went on with his corrupt policy.
One day, he went up the pulpit and addressed the people: We'll take whatever we need from the Public Treasury in spite of all people. Imam Ali bin Abu Talib became sad when he heard Uthman's words.
Ammar bin Yasir aged 90 stood up and said the word of truth: By Allah, I'm the first man to prevent you from that. The Caliph became annoyed and said:
Bin Yasir, how dare you say these words before me! Uthman ordered his guards to arrest Ammar.
The guards respected neither Ammar's old age nor his friendship to Allah's Apostle [s]. They drew him into Uthman's room. They chained his hands and legs. Then the Caliph came and began hitting Ammar on the belly till he became unconscious.
Some Muslims came and carried him to our Master Muhammad's wife, Umm Salama's house. Ammar remembered the days of torture in Makkah. He could endure as many times as what Uthman did because he was a young man. But today he was unable to endure Uthman's torture because he became an old man.
Umm Salama felt pain when she saw Ammar in that bad condition. Yet Ammar said: This is not the first day when we suffer from torture for Allah.

Uthman Banishes Abu
Uthman banished Abu Dhar to al-Rabatha Desert which is uninhabited because of its bad climate. Besides Uthman prevented the Muslims from seeing off Abu Dhar. Any how, some Companions of the Prophet went out to see off the great companion Abu-Dhar.
Ali Bin Abu-Talib, our Master Muhammad's grandsons, al-Hasan and al-Husain, and Ammar went out to see off Abu-Dhar. Then Imam Ali [a] said: May not Allah amuse those who annoy you. And He may not make safe those who have dismayed you. By Allah, if you want their world, they'll make you safe. And if you are pleased with their actions, they'll love you. Abu Dhar, his wife, and his daughter went to al-Rabatha Desert. He remembered the tradition of our our Master Muhammad [s]:
Abu-Dhar, you'll live alone, and die alone!

The Revolution
The Muslims' anger increased because of Uthman's and his rulers' behaviour. The Prophet's Companion's in Madina wrote to people every where: If you want Jihad, then come to it. Because your Caliph has corrupted Muhammad's religion.
For this reason, the delegates from Kufa, Egypt, Basra, and the like came to Madina and went to the Caliph to ask him to change his based policy. But he dismissed them.
So, they went to Ali Bin Abu-Talib, our Master Muhammad's cousin and his successor. Imam Ali [a] hoped that Uthman would come back to the laws of Islam. Thus he went to advise him:
Don't be a tool in Marwan's hand. Don't let him direct you to whatever he likes. Don't forget your position with respect to Allah's Apostle [s].
Uthman agreed to announce his repentance before people. So, he went out and apologized to people for his bad behaviour. Besides he promised them to follow a new policy Allah and his Apostle accepted. But Marwan, who was cunning, said to him:
Don't be weak before people. Threaten them! Nayylah, Uthman's wife, knew that Marwan was a bad man and that he disliked Muslims. For this reason, she said to her husband:
Listen to Ali because people love and obey him: don't listen to Marwan because people hate him. Uthman did not listen to those who advised him. So, people revolted and killed him in his palace.

Imam Ali [A]
The Muslim masses headed for Imam Ali's house. They asked him to be the Caliph. The Imam refused that and said: Look for another man. But people realized that the Imam was the only man who deserved the Caliphate. Therefore, they insisted on their attitude. Finally, the Imam agreed to shoulder this responsibility to deprive the ambitious of it.

Justice
The Muslims revolted for justice. They were angry at persecution. Imam Ali [a] was the symbol of justice. The Imam did not sadden the Muslims. On the first day, he dismissed all the bad rulers Uthman had appointed. Then he appointed good rulers. The Imam dismissed Mu'awiyah from Sham. But Mu'awiyah was always planning to control Sham first. Then he planned to control the Muslim lands in general.
So, he rebelled and announced that he would get revenge on Uthman's killers. For this reason, the Battle of Siffeen took place on the borders between Syria and Iraq. Imam Ali's army included many companions of Allah's Apostle [s]. Ammar bin Yasir, Malik al-Ashter, Abdullah bin Abbas, and others were among them.
Mu'awiyah's army included the enemies of Islam such as Marwan bin Al-Hakam, Amru bin al-Ass, bin Abi-Maayad, and those who escaped from Ali's Justice to Mu'awiyah's world.

The Unjust Group will kill You
The Muslims in both armies were always repeating our Master Muhammad [s] tradition: Ammar, the unjust group will kill you. Ammar was in Imam Ali's Army. He was over ninety years old. Nevertheless, he fought as bravely as the believing young man did. He looked at the sky and said:
Allah, if I know that you are pleased with throwing myself into the Euphrates, I'll do! Allah, I know that you are pleased to see me striving those corrupt people!
Ammar was with truth, and truth was always with him. So, he said: By Allah, if they (Mu'awiyah's Army) defeat and chase us to the Hajar date-palms, I'll say that we're right and they're wrong. When the battle broke out, Ammar addressed the fighters:
Who wants Allah's satisfaction?
Some believers accepted his words. So, Ammar led them towards the enemy. When the companions saw him passing through the enemy army, they followed him.
Although Ammar was fasting, he was fighting with great enthusiasm. In the middle of the battle, Ammar saw Amru bin al-Ass and said to him:
Amru, Woe on you! You've sold your religion for Egypt!
Namely, Mu'awiyah promised to give Egypt to Amru bin Al-Ass if the latter stood by him. Amru bin al-Ass said with trick:
No, I'm requesting Uthman's blood! Ammar said:
I firmly believe that your action is not for Allah. Then Ammar advised him: If you won't be killed today, you'll die tomorrow. And actions are according to intentions. So, correct your intentions because Allah will reward people according to their intentions.

The Trial
The Muslims were in a fix. They did not distinguish right from wrong. Their guide was Ammar because our Master Muhammad [s] said:
The unjust group will kill Ammar. Amru bin al-Ass deceived the people of Sham when he said to them:
Be patient! Ammar will come to your front! The days of the war passed, but Ammar was fighting at the front of right. He was always standing by Ali.
One day, Ammar and a believing group launched an attack. Ammar was fighting bravely. He remembered the days when he fought beside our Master Muhammad [s] . He remembered the Battles of Badr, Uhud and the other Muslims battles. Though Ammar was fasting, he went on fighting.
When the sun set, Ammar asked some water because he was thirsty. A fighter brought him a cup full of yogurt. Ammar smiled. Then he cheerfully said:
Tonight, I may die a martyr. Some fighters asked him about the secret. He said:
My dear Allah's Apostle [a] has told me:
The unjust group will kill you. And your final food in this world will be a cup of yogurt.
Ammar (May Allah be pleased with him) drank the cup of yoghurt. Then he continued fighting till he fell over the ground and became a martyr. Mu'awiyah was about to fly because of happiness. Imam Ali [a] was full of sadness and sorrow. During those moments all Muslims knew the unjust group.
Some soldiers in Mu'awiyah's Army were waiting for Ammar's coming to their front. But they saw him fighting bravely beside Imam Ali [a] till he became a martyr. So, they sneered at Amru bin al-Ass' claim. In the meantime, they took advantage of the dark and began coming to join the Imam's Army. They knew that it was the front of right.

The End
Ammar's martyrdom sounded at both fronts. Imam Ali's Army was in high spirits, but Mu'awiyah's Army was in low spirits. At that night, the Imam's Army launched a wide attack against Mu'awiyah's Army. The Imam's Army was about to win victory. But Amru bin al-Ass created a new trick. He ordered the army of Sham to raise the Koran.
They were demanding the Imam's Army to turn to Allah's Book. The fights stopped. Both armies withdrew from the Valley of Siffeen. The martyrs' bodies stayed on the battlefield. The body of Ammar, aged ninety six, stayed there too. Nowadays, when the Muslims visit that area, they can see the big shrine of that great companion, who spent all his life in striving for Islam. When Ammar became a martyr, the Muslims knew the right front during that bitter war.

Islamic Inspirational Quotations

Whether the day is gray or whether it is sunny, you can make a difference. If others support you or if they conspire to stand in your way, you can make a difference.
If you have plenty of resources available to you or if you have very few, you can make a difference. If momentum is on your side or if it is not, you can make a difference.
You can wait and hope for things to go your way. Or you can get busy and make it happen.
You can complain that life has been terribly unfair. Or you can move ahead anyway and achieve what you intend, no matter what the obstacles may be.
You can plead with others to give you a break. Or you can go ahead and forge your own path to success.
Wherever you may be, whatever may have happened, you can make a positive difference. Live with commitment, decide to move forward no matter what, and you will.

Tafsir Surat Al-Bayyinah (The Clear Proof)

1 Surat Al-Bayyinah (The Clear Proof) - سورة البينة
This sura was descended at Madina and it has 8 aayaat

The contents and the virtues of the Surat al-Bayyinah
It is famous that the Surat Al-Bayyinah is descended in Madina and the contents of the sura confirm it. Since repeatedly discussed in it about the people of the book and we know that the Muslims were mostly in connection with them in the city of Medina.
Besides that it speaks about the namaz (daily 5 times obligatory and recommended prayers) and zakat (giving money in charity) both. It is true that zakat was brought into legislation and law in Mecca city and it spread widely and got the recognition in Medina.
Any way the Surat Al-Bayyinah indicated the universal prophet hood of the great prophet of Islam and its combination with the bright reasoning and signs. The prophecy which was awaited from previous times but when it reached them, a group of people turned their back as their material benefits were reached to endangerment.
Meanwhile it includes the fact that the rules of the prophet’s invitation such as right believe, oneness of God, namaz (worshiping) and fasting, they are the rules which are constant and eternal that includes in every religion.
In another part of Surat Al-Bayyinah mentioned the different dimensions of the people of book and the idol worshipers in front of Islam. The group that brought the faith and carried out the virtues deeds they are the best creatures. And those who stepped into the path of blasphemy, polytheism and sins they are counted up in the category of the worst people
This sura has the various names, they are selected and appropriate to their terms and its most popular names are Bayyinah, Lam Yakun and Qayyima.
Regarding the virtues of the Sura e Bayyinah in a narration from the eminent prophet Muhammad peace be upon him it is quoted: Concerning the virtues of the Sura e Bayyinah if the people got aware about he barkaat (abundant blessings and prosperity) of this sura they will leave the family and wealth and get engaged in learning this sura.
A man from the tribe of Khaza’eh told: O Prophet of Honourer God! What are the rewards and the favours on behalf of the reader of Sura e Bayyinah.
His Excellency replied: The hypocrites and those people who have doubts about the most Glorious God they never read this sura. I swear by the Protecting and Supporting God, the esteemed angels read this sura since the day when the skies and the earth are created and for a single moment they never departed from reading it.
The person who read it in the night the Praiseworthy God appoints the angels to protect his religion as well as his worldly life. And seek forgiveness and mercy for him. If he read it at the day time, he will achieves the virtues equal to the things the day light brightens them and the objects the darkness of the night darkens them.
بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Al-Baiyinah (The Clear Evidence)
لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ
(98:1)
Those who blaspheme from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and among the polytheists (Al-Mushrikun) were not going to leave (their blasphemy) until there came to them clear evidence.
رَسُولٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً
(98:2)
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures (the Quran, purified from falsehood).
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
(98:3)
Containing correct and straight laws from Allah.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ
(98:4)
And the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) become divided, after there had come to them clear evidence (Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him and whatever was revealed to him).
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
(98:5)
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah(charity) and that is the correct religion.

Definition:
This is the eternal religion
In the beginning of this Sura e Bayyinah it defined about the condition of the people of the book (Jews and Christians) and polytheists before the introduction of Islam it said: they were pretending: we will not depart from our religion till a clear sign and a indisputable prophet approach for us.
لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

The prophet appointed by the Mighty God who read for us the pure and unadulterated book of guidance.
رَسُولٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ يَتْلُو صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً

The books which are written properly and correctly and they should be valuable.
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ

Yea before the advent of the prophet of Islam they (Jews, Christians and polytheists) were declaring in such a manner but the scene changed after his arrival and the descent of the divine book and they began to express the diversity of the opinions in the religion of Merciful God, it is told in righteous Quran: And the people of book did not opposed but after the descent of the divine manifestation of his signs and the arrival of true and unmistakable prophet.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ

Like this manner the above ayaat is relating about the argument of the Jews, Christians and polytheists who right from the beginning were affirming that when a prophet is arrived to invite us with the clear proves we will surely accept his invitation.
But they refused after the arrival of prophet peace be upon him and began to confront and fight with him except a group of people who followed the way of the Islamic faith.
Therefore this ayat resembles the ayat 89 in the Sura e Baqara: Al-Baqara (The Cow)
وَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَمَّا جَاءهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّه عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ(2:89

And when there came to them (the Jews)a Book (this Quran) from Allah confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved – but when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers.
We know that the people of book were waiting for this kind of arrival and
before that they were giving themselves the good news of victory and the polytheists were commonly believing that the people of book were more knowledgeable and well-informed than them so in this issue they shouted the slogans similar to them but when the people of book fulfilled their requirements they changed their path and connected themselves to the opponents.
Here there is another definition too and that is: it means that the Majestic God never leaves freely the polytheists and the people of book on their own, till he completely convey his ultimatum and send them a clear proof and shows the right path to them. Hence he sent the prophet of Islam to guide them.
In fact this ayat is indicating the rule of Supreme God’s kindness for every nation and people, he will send the evident signs to convey them ultimatum.
Any way by the term Bayyina
الْبَيِّنَةُ
It means the clear sign.
صُحُفًا
The above term is the plural of the term below
صحيفه
It means the pages upon it is written something. Here it means the contents which are written upon it as we are quite aware that the great prophet peace be upon him never used to read anything from the pages.
By the term
مطهره
It means to be clean from every kind of shirk (polytheism), untruth and unacceptable and negated things. Unsoiled from the interference of the devils among jin (genii) and the human being.
Similarly it is mentioned in the ayat 46 of Sura e Fussilat;
Fussilat (Explained in Detail)
لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
(41:42)
Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
(98:3)
The above ayat is indicating that in these divine books the matters are written which are away from every kind of crookedness and dishonesty
كُتُبٌ
The above term means written or have the meaning of rules and the requirements which are fixed by the Provider God as the meaning of kitabath is to appoint the rule as well. Therefore it is said: Al-Baqara (The Cow)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
(2:183)
O YOU who have attained to faith! Fasting is fixed for you as it was appointed for those before you, so that you might remain conscious of God.
قَيِّمَةٌ
The above term means straight and clear or strong and standing or valuable and expensive or all the meanings are accumulated in it.
Even it is guessed that as the noble Quran consist of all the matters of the previous books hence it is said those books contains the matters of Qayyama.
The interesting thing is that the people of the books are given priority upon the idol worshippers while mentioning. In the fourth ayat only it is speaking about the people of the book and did not speak about the polytheists while the ayat administer the both.
It is apparent that the people of book, in this schedule were performing the main and basic role and the idolaters were following them. So the people of book were appropriate for the additional condemnation. As they were having more scholars and intellectuals for that reason were counted in the upper status compared to the idolaters. Therefore their opposition was more ugly and disgusting appropriate for disapproving.
Then criticises the people of the book and their followers (the idolaters) and said: Why they opposed in this new religion and some of them became believers and a number of them became the unbelievers. Where as in this religion there is no rule except to worship the Honourer God and worship him truly and purely without bringing any partner for him and every type of ‘shirk’ Polytheism only towards the Unique and One God to raise the practice of praying namaz and pay the charity ‘zakat’.
Al-Baiyinah (The Clear Evidence)
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاء وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
(98:5)
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakat. And that is the correct religion.
Then it adds: this is the right and firm religion:
وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
(98:5)
وَمَا أُمِرُوا
What is the meaning of the above term? A group of people stated: It means that in the religion of the people of book there was present the conduct of the unity of Merciful God, namaz, zakat (charity) and these are the stable rules but they remained disloyal to those rules.
Other than this, in the religion of Islam there are no rules other than pure unity of Mighty Allah, namaz and zakat etc. And these are well recognised affairs then why they bring the differences to accept it?
حُنَفَاء
The above term is the plural of
حنيف
The meaning of the above term is to turn aside from disobedience and stepping towards the right path.
The Arabs were following the religion of Ibrahim alaihis salam.
The polytheist society of Arab was giving name of haneef to the person who changes his way towards the other religion. And the Arabs were naming haneef to the people who were performing hajj and circumcision, to indicate them as they are the followers of the religion of hazrat Ibrahim alaihis salam.
وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ
(98:5)
The above ayat is pointing towards the fundamental rule that means the pure unity of Almighty God, namaz (to pay attention to the Majestic God), zakaat (to possess care and kindness for the creation of Protector God). They are the firm basics of all the religions of world. But it can be tell that this character exists in the nature of man.
As from one side the future of man is based upon the matter of ‘tauheed’ the unity of Dominant God and from other side his nature invites him towards the thankfulness for the favours of the Provider God and his knowledge and recognition. From the third side, the spirit of Community and civility in man draw him towards the help to the poor and deprived people.
Therefore the roots of this rules are totally exists in the depth of entire natures. Hence it is customary in the text of all the former prophets and the messenger of Islam.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:6)
Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds - those are the best of creatures.
جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ (98:8

Their reward with Allah will be gardens of everlasting residence under which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they being delighted with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.

Definition:
The best and the worst creatures
In the previous ayaat it is mentioned, the Meccan unbelievers among the polytheists and people of the book were waiting to appear for them the clear signs from the Knowledgeable God. But they dispersed and scattered after the descent of the Sura e Bayyinah and took to their heels.
The ayaat under discussion are defining about the two groups; the deeds of the polytheists and people of the book before the divine invitation and ultimately how each group of them ended up.
First it said: The disbelievers among the people of book and the polytheists refused this new religion, they are in the fire of hell and they will live in it forever. They are the worst creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:6)
كَفَرُوا
The above term is indicating about their mistrust to accept the religion of Islam else their earlier polytheism and blasphemy was not a new matter.
أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:6)
The awful meaning of the above ayat is: They are the worst creatures which is exhibiting that among the living and non living things the most rejected is the person who is after the seeing the evident truth and hearing the ultimatum, left the right path and stepped into the wrong way. And this fact is expressed similar to the ayat 22 of the Sura e Anfal.
Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)
إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابَّ عِندَ اللّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ
(8:22)
Verily! The worst of (moving) living creatures before Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those who do not understand (i.e. the disbelievers).
And defined in the ayat 179 of Sura e A’raaf after the description of the group of hell dwellers, identified these qualities and said:
أُوْلَـئِكَ كَالأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ
(7:179)
They are as cattle, not only that but even they are more astray; these are the careless ones.
The ayat under discussion has the matter more than this as well, for the reason that they are introduced as the worst creatures. In fact it proves that they reach the stage where they enter in the hellfire.
Why they should not be the worst of creatures? While every door of wellbeing was kept wide open before them but they opposed sternly with arrogance, enmity knowing quite well, what is the fact?
Regarding giving priority to the people of book over the idolaters, in this ayat it is possibly for the reason that they were possessed by the divine book, the scholars and the intellectual teachers. And the signs of the prophet were clearly defined in their books. Therefore their opposition was more ugly and terrible.
In the next ayat, the second group who is opposite them, the Supreme God placed them on the ascending arc and said: Those who brought faith and performed the virtuous deeds they are the best creatures of the Praiseworthy God.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
Then likewise in a few short words give details of their rewards and said: Their reward is near the Provider God, there are the eternal gardens of the heaven where they live forever.
جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا

The Compassionate God is also contented with them and they too are pleased with their Lord.
رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ

These high status significant and peerless rewards are for the person who fears his Dominant God.
ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ
(98:8)
Notably, regarding the believers it is stated about their deeds too, in fact it is the fruit of the tree of faith, as only expressing the faith is not enough but the deeds must give witness of its faith. However blasphemy alone, though does not joined with the evil deeds, it too causes the downfall and ill fate. Apart from this, normally blasphemy is the origin of many sins, crimes and misdeeds too.
أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
The above term shows evidently that the believers with the virtues deeds are more superior than the angels as this ayat is absolute and unconditional it has no exception and the other ayat too are the witness of this meaning. Like the prostration of the angels before hazrat Adam alaihis salam and the ayat of
Al-Isra (The Journey by Night)
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً (17:70

And we have certainly honoured the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what we have created, with [definite] preference.
Anyhow in this ayat first defined about the materialistic rewards like the blessed gardens and after that related about their spiritual rewards that is the Compassionate God is contented with them and they too are pleased with the Majestic God.
They are satisfied with the Great Forgiver God as whatever they wanted he granted them. And the Exalted God is pleased with them as whatsoever he wanted (the virtues people) acted upon it. And in the case if their foot slipped he forgives them by his kindness. What enjoyment is more additional joy than he is accepted by his lovable God and He give consent to meet him.
Yea the heaven of the human body is the garden of the Paradise and the heaven of his soul is the consent of the loving Honourer God.
ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ
(98:8)
The above ayat relates that all these barkaat (abundance) is caused by the fear of Allah as this fright motivates the person towards every type of obedience, piety and good deeds.
The difference between ‘khauf’ and ‘khashiyat’ is; the status of ‘khashiyat’ is higher than the ‘khauf’ as khauf is every type of fear but khashiyat is a fear blended with respect and admiration.

The points:
1 Ali alaihi salam and his followers (the shia) are the people who have right believe and do good (khairul bariyah)
In countless narrations from the Sunni sect and their popular source of the information and similarly the famous Shia explanations, it is quoted the ayat:
أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ

“Those are the best of the creatures.”
They are defined as the Ali alaihis salam and his followers.
Hakim Hiskani Neishapuri who was one of the famous Sunni scholar of the fifth century hijri (AH). Stated these narrations in his famous book named Shavahidut Tanzeel
شواهدالتنزيل
With various documents and their number is more than twenty descriptions, some of them are recounting here.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
1- Ibn Abbas said: when this ayat descended the great prophet addressed Ali alaihis salam and said: By this ayat means you and your followers (Shia) on the judgment day when enter the ground of resurrection while the Generous God is pleased with them and the they are pleased with the Majestic God. And your enemy enter the ground of resurrection with great anger and put into the hell by force.
2- In another narration from Abu Barzah it is told: when the great prophet peace be upon him recited this aayat, said: they are you and your followers (shia). O Ali I promise we will meet up at the spring of Kausar.
3- In another hadis from Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari, it is narrated that: we were sitting with the prophet of Allah peace be upon him near the house of Kaa’ba, hazrat Ali alaihis salam came towards us when the magnificent prophet peace be upon him saw him, he said: My brother will come towards you, then turned towards the Kaa’ba and said: I swear by the God of Kaa’ba this man and his followers (shia) on the judgment day, they are the righteous people.
Then the prophet peace be upon him turned towards us and added: I swear by Allah he brought the faith earlier than you and he obeyed the command of God prior to you all and he is more loyal than you towards the divine covenant, he is most prompt in judgment to the people on the divine command and he has highest status near the Beneficient God.
Jabir stated: here the Almighty Allah descended the ayat:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
After that occasion whenever Ali Alaihis salam was coming, the companions of Muhammad peace be upon him were expressing: This is the best of creatures of the Mighty God after the prophet peace be upon him.
A prove of this Sura being Madani is that Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari joined the prophet peace be upon him at the city of Medina as a companion. May be it is descended twice.
4 In the book Almansur it is quoted by Ibn Abbas: When thebelow ayat descended
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
(98:7)
The prophet peace be upon him addressed Ali Alaihis salam: They are you and your followers (shia)
5 In another hadis from Ibn Marduayah, he quoted by Ali Alaihis salam, who said: the prophet peach be upon him who many a times informed: did not you heard from Praiseworthy God who said: Those who bring the faith and performed the good deeds they are best of the creatures. They are you and your followers (shia). Surely we will meet near the spring of Kausar while I come to see the deed accounts of my nation of Islam. You will be invited while you are recognised by the illuminated faces brightened by the divine light.
Many of the scholars of sunni sect related the same definition such as khateeb Khawarzami in the book Manaqib, Abu Naeem Isfahani in the book Kifayatul Kisaam, Allama Tabri in his famous book of interpretation and Ibn Sabah Maliki in the book Fusul Muhimma, Allam Shukafi in the book fat’h al Gadeer, Shaik Sulaiman Qanduzi in the book Yanabi ul Mavadda, Aalusi in the book Ruhul Ma’ani.
To be concise they are a number of narrations by many famous scholars and learned persons and to a great extent this is a virtue for the Ali alaihis salam and his followers.
Meantime the fact is evident that the word shia was circulated by the prophet peace be upon him among the Muslims and it is indicating specifically towards the followers of the Ali alaihis salam and those who think that the word Shia came into existence centuries later they are in complete error.
2 The necessity of the sincerity in worship
Some of the scholars related the principles of the Figh (department of the religious laws) by the ayat below:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

Sincerity is essential for the nearness to Almighty God in the worshipping and adoration. Here worshipping means religion. They are not invited except towards the oneness of God .They proved the unity of god opposite idol worshipping.
3 A strange ascending and descending curvature of man
From the ayat of this surah it is clearly apparent that no creature in the world, whether in the ascension of bow and in its descent form, it is not equal for man and if he possess faith (to be noted that the virtues deeds (amelus salihath are the entire good deeds not some of them) the man is the most superior creature of the Exalter God. And if he steps into the path of the deviation, wickedness, bitterness and rebellion he will collapse in such a way that he transforms into the worst of the creatures.
This immense gap between the ascent and the descent of man though it is very sensitive and dangerous stage but the high status, greatness and his ability in achieving the perfection. It is natural that beside this extraordinary talent and ability there is a possibility of great descent and fall down too.
O Honourer God! For reaching the high status of the khairul bariya (the best of the creatures) we seek help from your kindness.
O Most High and Sublime God! Make us the followers (shia) of that great human being who is the most capable of all human being.
O great Guardian and Sustainer God! Bless us such sincerity that we never worship other than you and never adore and love anybody other than you.
Ameen! O The Feeder and Maintainer of the universe. 

Worship and Prayer

Worship and Prayer
by  (Martyr) Murtadha Mutahari
We sometimes notice points in our Islamic interpretations that raise questions for
some of us in connection with worship. For example we are told in the case of prayer
that either the Prophet or the Imams have said, "Prayer is the pillar of religion," or if
we think of religion as a tent, 'prayer is the pole that keeps it standing." This remark
is also quoted from the narrations attributed to the Prophet, "The requisite for the
acceptance of other human deeds is the acceptance of prayer". In other words, the
good deeds of the human being will be null and void if prayer is incorrect and thereby
unacceptable.
Another Tradition says, "Prayer is the means of proximity of every virtuous being to
God." Another Tradition says that the devil is always uneasy with a believer and
shuns him who is devoted to his prayer. The Quran, too, shows the remarkable
importance of prayer in many verses.
But sometimes it is stated by some persons that all these traditions about prayer
must be forged and unreliable and uttered not by the Prophet and his successors but
by some devotees in order to win more followers particularly in the 2nd and 3rd
centuries of the hegira when the matter of worship had gone to such excess that it
had more or less led to monasticism and Sufism.
We see that some people concentrated all their efforts on acts of worship to such an
extent that they ignored other religious duties. For example there was among Ali's
companions a man called Rabi' ibn Husain, who was later known as Khajah Rabi'
whose tomb is in Mashhad. He was known as one of the eight famous ascetics of the
Islamic world and he went so far in asceticism and devotion that he had dug his own
grave long before his death. (It is said that for twenty years he never spoke a word
about worldly matters). Sometimes he went and lay in it reminding himself that the
grave was his home. The only words he was ever heard to say besides prayer was
on the occasion of hearing of Imam Husain's martyrdom. He said, "Woe upon these
people who murdered the dear descendant of their Prophet." It is reported that
afterwards he repented having uttered a sentence other than the invocation of God.
He was a warrior in the time of Ali, peace be upon him, and one day he came to
Hadrat Ali and said that they had doubts about that war they were fighting, as it
seemed to them to be unlawful, for they were fighting against those who in their
prayer turned their faces to Mecca and uttered the formulas of the Islamic creed. This
man at the same time did not want to abandon Ali, peace be upon him, so he asked
to be given a task in which there was no doubt.


Ali, peace be upon him, agreed and sent him to a frontier again as a soldier so that in
case of fighting he would face non-Muslims or idolaters. This man was a type of
ascetic of the time but of what worth was his asceticism and worship? It is useless to
be the follower of a man like Ali, peace be upon him, and at the same time have
doubts about the way shown by him in a holy war. Sometimes people use the
phrase, "Why should one observe a fast based on doubt and uncertainty? It is
worthless." Islam requires insight combined with practice but Khajah Rabi' had no
insight. He lived in the time of Mu'awiyyah and his son Yazid. He had nothing to do
with the social problems of the Islamic society and he used to retire to a corner
praying day and night and uttering nothing but the Name of God and regretting his
own remark about the martyrdom of Imam Husain, peace be upon him.
This kind of thing does not accord with Islamic teachings and as the saying goes, "An
ignorant person either goes too fast or too slowly." Some may say that the phrase,
"Prayer is the pillar of religion," is not in harmony with Islamic teachings since Islam
pays more attention to social matters than any other. Islam says, "God orders to do
justice and benevolence. " (16:92) We sent our prophets with manifestations
and the Book and justice to make people do justice also." (57:25) It commands
people to direct others to goodness and forbid evil (3:110) Islam as a great religion is
the creed of activity and work. If these matters are important in Islam, then acts of
worship and devotion are not so significant. Thus, according to such people, one
should follow social teachings and leave acts of devotion and prayer to idle people
who have no other task to perform.
But such thoughts are wrong and very dangerous. Islam should be recognized as it
is. I emphasize this point since I feel that our society is suffering from a sickness.
Unfortunately those who have religious ardor are two groups: One group follow the
way of Rabi' and think of Islam only as a creed for prayers, hymns and pilgrimage
and refer to certain standard books of theology to guide them. They have nothing to
do with the world or social regulations or Islamic principles and education.
The reaction to the slowness of this group is the appearance of a second group who
go too fast and move on the path of excess. They pay all their attention to social
matters, which in itself is a worthy attitude, but ignore acts of worship. I have met
people who can well afford to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca, an injunction which is
regarded as an important matter in Islam. They ignore prayers, and put aside the
matter of imitating a religious leader. They believe that problems related to acts of
worship should be solved by oneself, without the need of the guidance of others.
Thus everyone is assumed to be a religious expert or a jurisprudent. One is one's
own physician and has no need of consulting a doctor or a specialist. There are
some who are slack in fasting and its conditions in the case of permanent residence
or on a journey and do not believe in making amends for failure to perform acts of


worship in their proper time and place.
Both groups consider themselves Muslims but they are not wholly so. Islam does not
agree with the phrase, "To believe in some things and disbelieve in other things."79It
cannot agree with the acceptance of worship coupled with the rejection of its moral
and social questions, or vice versa. You notice that whenever the Quran says,
"Perform your ritual prayer," it is followed by, "Pay your alms."
The first injunction concerns the relation between a creature and God and the
second one shows the relation between one creature and others. Thus a true Muslim
has a dual responsibility towards God and towards human beings and to their society
in a permanent way. No Islamic society can be built without worship and invocation
of God and prayer and fasting. In the same way, no pious society can exist without
directing to goodness and forbidding evils and without kindly relations between
individuals, even though a person may be a pious individual.
We see Ali, peace be upon him, as the most exalted, pious man, so much so that his
worship was proverbial, a worship full of terror and love and tears. After his death, a
man called Zirar, who was a companion of his, met Mu'awiyyah who asked him to
describe Ali, peace be upon him, for him. Zirar narrated something he had witnessed
about Ali, peace be upon him. He said, "One night I saw him in his special
worshipping place of worship.' He was twisting with the fear of God like a man bitten
by a snake and weeping with deep sorrow and saying, 'Oh, for the fire of hell'";
Mu'awiyyah wept on hearing this.
Before Ali's death, Mu'awiyyah met Adass bin Hatam and intended to provoke him
against Ali, peace be upon him, so he asked him about his three sons who had been
killed fighting for Ali, peace be upon him. He wished to hear Adass blame Ali, peace
be upon him and so he said, "Was it fair of him to deprive you of your three sons and
save his own sons from death in the battlefield?"
Adass answered, "It was I who was unfair to him. I should not be alive while he is
buried in the earth." When Mu'awiyyah saw that he had failed in his purpose, he
asked Adass to describe Ali, peace be upon him, fully for him, which he did. When he
ended his narration, he noticed tears flowing down Mu'awiyyah's beard and wiping
them with his sleeve, saying, "Alas! Time is too sterile to produce a man like Ali." You
see how truth reveals itself.
But was Hadrat Ali only a pious man of the altar? No. We see him also as the most
social being, well aware of the conditions of the poor and helpless and all who
brought their complaints to him. Though he was a Caliph, he went among the people,
dealing with their affairs. When he met merchants he shouted, "You should first go


and learn Islamic questions of trade." In other words, before engaging in commerce,
they should know divine injunctions about what is lawful and unlawful in every deal.
He is also reported to have used a phrase to a poor beggar who begged him for
something. Ali, peace be upon him, looked at him and saw that he was capable of
working but had chosen begging as a trade. He gave him advice and said, "Follow
your honor and dignity, " a phrase that he addressed to every person. For work
brings dignity and honor.
Ali, peace be upon him, is thus a true Muslim: Pious in worship, a just judge in the
court, a brave soldier and commander on the battlefield, a fine orator at the pulpit, a
remarkable teacher in his chair, and a wonderful and perfect example in every other
accomplishment.
Islam can never approve of half-hearted acceptance of its injunctions or belief in
some of them and not in others. This is a wrong way adopted by some ascetics who
considered Islam to consist of praying, or those who ignored acts of devotion
altogether.
The Quran says, "Muhammad is the Prophet of God and those who are with him
are hard against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves. " (48:29)
In this sentence, the feature of an Islamic community is portrayed. In the first part of
it, the matter of following faith and the Prophet is expressed and in the latter part, the
question of standing firmly against infidels is mentioned. Thus these seeming
devotees who make a mosque their home and say no word when they are driven on
by a single soldier, are not Muslims. The most important quality of a Muslim
according to the Quran is showing firmness and strength against an enemy.
The Quran says, "Faint not, neither sorrow; you shall be the upper ones if you
are believers." (3:133) Islam does not allow weakness in religion. Will Durant says in
his History of Civilization that no religion but Islam calls upon its followers to be so
strong and steadfast.
To bend the neck with helplessness, to dress poorly and in a dirty way, to walk lazily
and to pretend to be forelorn and indifferent to all around you and sigh and groan are
all contrary to Islam. The Quran says, "And as for the favor of your Lord,
announce (it)." (93:11) God has given you blessings like health and strength. Why
do you show yourself so helpless? This is ingratitude. Ali, peace be upon him, was
never such a man. He stood ably and strongly against enemies.
What about being kind to others ? We sometimes meet devotees who are never kind
and are usually glum and unsociable. They never laugh and seldom smile as if the


whole of humanity is indebted to them and yet they suppose themselves to be
attached to Islam. Is it enough to stand firmly against enemies and be kind to
Muslims? The answer is no. The Quran says, "You will see them bowing down,
prostrating themselves, seeking grace from God and good pleasure." (48:29)
This speaks of those who have the two above qualities of steadfastness and
kindness and in their prayers and prostrations sink so deeply in their devotion that
you can see in their faces all signs of chastity and godliness.
It is narrated from the Prophet that the disciples of Christ asked him with whom they
should associate and he answered, "Sit with someone whose sight reminds you of
God, whose speech increases your knowledge and whose conduct persuades you
into doing good." The verse continues, "That is their description in the Old
Testament and their description in the New Testament like a seed-produce that
puts forth its sprout, then strengthens it so it becomes stout and stands firmly
on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers on
account of them." (48:29).
A nation possessing all the above attributes must be a remarkably find nation. Now,
tell me, why should Muslims be so decadent, docile and miserable. Which of those
qualities mentioned before do we possess? What should we expect? Although we
admit that Islam is a social creed, why should we scorn worship and prayer and
communion with God? Let me assure you that taking prayers lightly is a sin as
ignoring them is a sin.
On the death of Imam Ja'far Sadiq, peace be upon him, as Abu Bassir came to offer
Umm ul-Hanida his condolences, the latter wept and so did the former. Umm ul-
Hanida then narrated something that had happened in the last moments of the life of
the Imam. She said that he sank into a trance and then opened his eyes and asked
for all his relatives to be present. After they had all gathered there, the Imam
addressed them the following remark and then died. He said, "Those who take ritual
prayers lightly will never gain our intercession."89You see that he did not speak of
those who ignore ritual prayers altogether, for, the consequence of that is obvious.
What does 'taking the ritual prayers lightly' mean? It means that inspite of having
time, an opportunity, one may postpone them and just before it is getting too late,
perform the acts of devotion hastily and perfunctorily, without giving the mind and
spirit the necessary tranquility before beginning to say the ritual prayer.
Experience has shown that in a household where ritual prayers are taken lightly, no
interest is shown by its members to pray or to pray properly. One should choose a
spot in the house allotted to acts of devotion, or, if possible, a separate room for
them and carry on with ablution without haste and spread a clean prayer-carpet and
accompany all the preliminary acts with the convocation of God. Ali, peace be upon
him, began with, "In the Name of God and with the help of God. Oh God place me


among those who repent; place me among those who cleanse themselves."
Two nights ago I spoke about repentance and explained that repentance meant
purifying oneself. Washing the body is the prelude to purifying the spirit; it refreshens
the face, but since the intention is to cleanse the spirit, too, it gives one a sacred
aspect. Ali, peace be upon him, in his ablution prayed to God to illuminate his face on
the Day of the Resurrection where many faces are black with shame and sin. Then
he said this prayer on washing his right hand, "Oh God, on the Day of Resurrection,
put my book of deeds in my right hand," and on washing his left hand, he said, "Oh
God, do not give me my book of deeds in my left hand nor from behind my back. Oh
God, do not let it be shackled to my neck; I seek refuge from You from the fire of
hell."
Then, on touching his forehead with water, he said, "Merge me into your grace and
blessings." Then on touching his feet with water he said, "Oh God, direct my efforts
towards such a path of your satisfaction."
Such an ablution which is accompanied by so many pleadings is of a different worth
and merit than what most of us are accustomed to perform. We should not lightly
disregard all these rites and confine ourselves only to the absolutely obligatory parts.
Let us see what religious authorities say about this. Should we repeat the following
sentence three times or only once, "Glory be to God, praise be God, there is no god
but God and God is great." An authority may say, "Once is enough, since it is
obligatory but the second and third repetitions are recommended." Should we, on the
basis of this verdict, confine ourselves to saying this prayer only once?
In the same way, fasting may be taken lightly. I am saying this as a joke, but if I were
God I would not accept such fasts. I know some people who stay awake at night in
the month of Ramadhan, not to worship and pray, but to drink tea, smoke and eat
fruit. In the morning, they say their ritual prayers and go to sleep. Some of them
sleep all day and wake up near sunset to say their daily ritual prayers hastily before it
is too late and get ready to break their fast. What kind of a fast is this? When you do
not give yourself the chance of feeling the pain of abstemiousness? This is fasting
lightly and is really an insult to a fast.
Again we go on a pilgrimage to Mecca but perform the rites lightly in the same way
as our prayers and fasts. Similarly the matter of the call to prayer may be taken
lightly; it is said that the call to prayer should be utterest melodiously to attract and
invite people to prayer, in the same way that the Quran should be recited clearly,
fluently and with a fine voice. Some people are gifted witll a fine voice, but if you ask
them to sing out the call to prayer, they consider it below their dignity to be known as


a muizzin. But it is really an honor to be one. Ali himself was one, even when he was
a Caliph. There is no disgrace attached to this task and no nobility to forsake it.
Thus no act of worship should be taken lightly. The merit of Islam is in its
comprehensiveness, not in being so absorbed in devotion as to ignore every other
duty, nor to be so involved in social matters to forget acts of devotion. Although a
prayer is for its own sake and for proximity to God, if we scorn worship, we are
ignoring other duties, too. Worship is the executive and guarantor of other Islamic
injunctions.
Here I end my discourse and pray God to make us true worshippers, to acquaint us
with the comprehensiveness of Islam, to make us whole-hearted Muslims, grant us
pure intentions, forgive our sins in these precious nights, and grant salvation to our
deceased ones.

Nobility and Magnanimity of Spirit

Nobility and Magnanimity of Spirit
by  (Martyr) Murtadha Mutahari

Oh soul at peace return unto your Lord, well pleased, well-pleasing. Enter
among My servants. Enter My paradise. (89:28-30)
On the holy birthday anniversary of Imam Husain, peace be upon him, last Monday I
began a discourse saying that anyone who possessed a lofty spirit must suffer
physical discomfort while only those who have loose spirits live in comfort, sleep
soundly and enjoy delicious dishes and other benefits.
Tonight, I wish to discuss the greatness and nobility of the spirit and show the
differences between the two. Greatness of spirit is one thing but nobility is a higher
quality. In other words, every greatness is not nobility but every nobility is also
greatness.
Determination is obviously a sign of greatness of the spirit and there are different
levels of determination. One person is content to secure a diploma while another
knows no limit to the pursuit of knowledge, and his aim is to make the utmost use of
his life and gain as much knowledge as he can.
You may have heard the well-known story of Abu Rayhan Biruni, a man whose true
worth according to scholars, is not quite known. He was so extraordinary a
mathematician, sociologists and historian that he is considered by some to be
superior to Abu Ali Sina (Avicenna).
These two were contemporaries. Abu Rayhan was in love with knowledge, research
and discoveries. Sultan Mahmud summoned him to attend his court and he had to
obey the call. He accompanied the King in his conquest of India and found a great
treasure of knowledge in that country. But he did not know Sanskrit, so he began
learning it. Inspite of his old age, he learned it to a very high degree and after many
years of study, he produced a book called Tahqiq mal al-Hind min maqulihi marzalah
fi al-aql wa maqbulat, which is a very valuable source of reference for the
Indianologists of the world.
He was on his death bed when a jurisprudent neighbor of his, learning of his serious
illness, went to visit him. Abu Rayhan was still conscious and, in seeing the
jurisprudent, asked him a question of jurisprudence concerning inheritance or some
other issue. The jurisprudent was amazed that a dying man should show interest in
such matters. Abu Rayhan said, "I should like to ask you which is better, to die with


knowledge or without it?" The man said, "Of course it is better to know and die." Abu
Rayhan said, "That is why I asked my first question." Shortly after the jurisprudent
reached home, the cries of lamentation told him that Abu Rayhan had died. This
shows his determination even at the moments of death.
One person is great in gathering wealth, for example, while others show no such
endeavors and are content with earning a simple livelihood by whatever means they
can, whether it is by serving others or begging or submitting to abasement. Are those
two types of effort equal? Not at all.
Sometimes you see the people who lack the resolution to get rich, simply because
they are weak and others scorn and laugh at them. They recite verses of the Quran
about asceticism, based on fallacious reasoning. But they are wrong. The person
who pursues the amassing of wealth, with all his misery, with all his devotion to the
world, is still better than those having a weak determination or no determination, who
resemble beggars and thus, he has more character. This person is not blameworthy
before him.
These persons can be considered blameworthy only before a real ascetic who
himself is a man of determination. Like Ali, peace be upon him, he can gather riches,
not because of his own needs, but to spend on others and help the needy. He is in a
position to reproach another for whom storing and hiding riches have become a goal,
not a means.
Similarly, one may seek high rank and position. Alexander the Great was such a man
who desired to rule the world. He is a superior to a man who lives in servility and has
no determination for feelings of nobility. Nadir Shah is another example of high-
mindedness. These men have great spirits but it cannot be said that they have noble
spirits.
Alexander is an example of a great ambition, and his greatness has developed only
in one direction, in ambition, fame and influence, in being the most powerful man in
the world.
His spirit is noble only to that extent. But did he experience any ease and comfort?
Could Nadir have had an easy life with his tyranny, and his building of minarets with
the skulls of those he had killed, the man who pulled men's eyes out of their sockets,
the man who was madly ambitious? He had no time sometimes to take off his boots
for ten days. A story is told about him that in a very severe winter night he reached a
caravan serai by himself. The keeper was awakened by a loud knock, and when he
opened the gate he saw a burly-looking man riding a big horse. He asked the keeper
what food he had, and the latter said he only had eggs.


He was sharply ordered to fry the eggs and bring it with some bread for him and
some fodder and barley for his horse. The keeper did so and the man rested there an
hour or two and after grooming his horse, he threw some gold coins on to the
keeper's lap and said, "Very soon a column of soldiers will reach here. Tell them
Nadir has gone in that direction and they must follow at once." On hearing the name
of Nadir, the keeper was so frightened that he let the coins fall down. Nadir ordered
him to go on the roof and shout to the soldiers on their arrival not to linger a moment
but to follow him speedily. The men grumbled when they heard the message but
none of them dared to stay a minute to refresh himself.
One may become a Nadir, but he can never enjoy a comfortable bed, fine food and
hundreds of other luxuries. His body can never relax. And eventually he will die.
Whoever has great determination, in whatever area it may be, will have no physical
ease. But none of these men possessed noble souls. Their souls were great but
were not noble. Suppose a man to be a great man of learning without any other good
quality. He has lofty thoughts about human knowledge. Another is skillful in gathering
wealth. Someone else is full of rancour, envy or ambition. All of them are extremely
selfish but none of them is noble and magnanimous.
The point is that from a psychological and philosophical point of view, there is
another kind of greatness which does not depend on selfishness and which is called
humanity.
I have not yet seen how materialists explain away this aspect of the human being.
What makes the human being or, at least, some individuals, have a feeling of honor
in their spirits, something which is beyond and above selfishness? Such a human
being wishes to be noble and great, but not at the expense of another. One's spirit
does not allow one to tell a lie. Nobility is the opposite of baseness and a person
avoids baseness completely.
Mussolini, the well-known Italian dictator, is reported to have said to a friend that he
preferred to live like a lion for one year, rather than like a sheep for a hundred years.
He insisted that his friend should not quote his words to anyone since his being a lion
must mean that other people are sheep and if other people learned what Mussolini
desired, they, too, would want to be lions in which case the dictator could no longer
remain a lion. There is no nobleness in such an attitude.
But what is a noble person like? It is a person who wants all people to be lions rather
than sheep in the world. The Prophet has said, "I was appointed to perfect the
morality of nobility," not "I was appointed to perfect good morals." The latter is not the
correct meaning. Every innovator of a school claims that what he teaches is right.
Even Nietzche who believes in might and has no compassion for the weak, considers


his school as one of the true ethics. His words mean nobleness not mastery over
others.
Ali, peace be upon him, says to his son, Imam Husain, peace be upon him, "Uplift
your spirit above every mean act and think that your spirit is worthier than to be
polluted by meanness." He advises his son to think himself nobler than to demean
himself by lies or by abasing himself before others. Ali, peace be upon him, says that
an honorable person never commits adultery and this is irrespective of the fact that it
is forbidden by the divine law and punishable in both worlds. In the epic of the Nahj
ul-balagha it is said that in the first encounter of Ali, peace be upon him, with
Mu'awiyah, in the Battle of Siffin, the Imam had no desire to fight and wished to settle
matters through letters and emissaries. But when Mu'awiyah seized the access to the
waters of the Euphrates to prevent Ali's army from reaching it, hoping to inflict defeat
on them through lack of water, he wrote a letter asking Mu'awiyah to desist from such
strategy since fighting had not begun yet and there was the possibility of reaching an
agreement.
Mu'awiyah refused to forego his advantage and when Ali found that his insistance
was of no avail, he gathered his men and delivered a discourse saying, "These
people are seeking war like food. If so, do you know what should be done? You are
thirsty and there remains only one way, and that is to quench your swords with their
blood in order to satisfy yourselves. If you die victoriously, you are alive but if you live
in defeat, you are dead."
This is how Ali, peace be upon him, inspired the spirit of nobility and self-respect in
his followers. Ali, peace be upon him, believes that all vices are caused by the
baseness of character. For example, he thinks slandering is the act of a weak
person. A brave person is so noble and magnanimous that he or she expresses the
objections he or she feels for another to that person's face or at least keeps silent.
One who is covetous towards others is making the self contemptuous. One who
laments one's misfortune before others is abasing the self.
Someone came before Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, lamenting his distress and
poverty. The Imam asked an attendant to go and pay him a few dinars. The man said
in apology to the Imam, "I did not intend to ask for anything." The Imam said, "I did
not say that you did but my advice to you is to abstain from narrating your difficulties
before others, for you lose your worth, and Islam does not wish a believer to be
humbled before others."
Ali, peace be upon him, says, "He who describes his helplessness for others is
destroying his self-respect and honor which are the dearest things for a true believer.
And he who lets his carnal desires dominate him is abasing himself." Ali peace be


upon him, believes that all virtues are due to the nobleness of spirit. Being truthful,
honest, perseverant and avoiding all vices are the result of that nobleness. Drinking,
to give an example, causes drunkenness, even though temporarily robbing one of
reason and reducing one to the level of a stupid animal.
He also says, "I do not base my life on excess." The teachings of our gnostics and
Sufis have many exalted thoughts. But one of the problems that Islam suffered
through the teachings of the gnostics and Suifis was that it was influenced by the
teachings of Christianity, Buddhism and Manicheanism. They lost hold of the correct
balance in what they called forgetting the self and killing the self. If they had paid
attention to Islam, they would have realized that Islam is in favor of annihilating one
aspect of the self and reviving another aspect of it. It advises you to forget your
animal self and strengthen your noble spirit. I have come across the same idea in the
works of the poet-philosopher, Iqbal Lahouri.
Islam believes that one of the divine punishments is that the human being is brought
to forget the self altogether. The Quran says,
Be not one of those who forgot God and so He caused them to forget their
souls. (59:19)
Do you know of anyone like Ali who called people to renounce the world? Ali did this
but at the same time he emphasized self respect and magnanimity. He says to his
son, Hasan, peace be upon him, "Do not be the slave of another being. God has
created you free." How is it that Ali, peace be upon him, as the most humble man in
the world, invites people to regard the self? This self that he respects is the noble
side of man kind.
We have in hand many sayings of this kind belonging to Ali, peace be upon him, but
few quotations from his two sons, a result of the despotic conditions of their time. But
in the books containing the words of Imam Husain, peace be upon him, the question
of narrowness of the spirit is noticed abundantly, particularly his sayings in the last
moments before his martyrdom, blaming those who had sold themselves to tyrants.
He says, "If you are not religious and do not fear the Resurrection, at least be free
men in your world." In his discourse in Mecca, he says that his spirit does not allow
him to live and see such corrupt conditions, let alone be a part of it. Again he says,
"Verily I consider death to be nothing but felicity and life with these tyrants to be
anything but misery." By this he means that it is an honor for him not to be amongst
such people who bring nothing but weariness and sorrow to his soul.
To those who advised him to abandon his fight against tyrants, he quoted the
sentence of one of the Prophet's friends, said as an answer to his cousin who wished


to prevent him from fighting. The sentence is, "No. I will go forth. Death is no
disgrace but honor for a free man whose intention is to follow the right path and fight
a holy war. Death in aiding the good and opposing the wicked is an honor." He
continues saying,"You who forbid me this humility is enough for you to live in
abjection. Do you not see that they do not act according to what is right and no one
forbids all this corruption?" Again he says, "A believer must seek death." When it was
reported to Ali that Mu'awiyah's army had plundered the town of Ambar, and seized
the earnings of a Muslim woman, he says, "By God, if a Muslim dies in sorrow for
such a happening, he is not blameworthy."
On the day of his martyrdom (the 10th of Muharram), Imam Husain, peace be upon
him, gives this answer to the messenger of Ibn Ziad who was demanding allegiance,
"I will never offer my hand in humiliation nor confess like a slave (that I have been in
error)." Even in his last moments of fighting when all his relatives and companions
died and he himself, in facing death, and his household is in danger of capture, he
continues to declare his exalted goal of nobility and freedom.
Thus we see that all great men are not noble but all noble ones are great. About
Imam Husain, peace be upon him, we must say that he was great in his good deeds,
his indifference to wealth, his endeavours in enjoining to good and forbidding the
wrong, in his lack of ambition and vengefulness, in his insistance on prayer and
communion with God and in his revival of the noble self in fighting for (God and the
truth. I pray God to grant us such spirits of nobleness and to give us the awareness
of our destiny .

philosophical schools of Spiritual Freedom

philosophical schools of Spiritual Freedom
by  (Martyr) Murtadha Mutahari

And removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them.
(7:157)
Last week I mentioned that our discussion consists of three parts: The meaning of
freedom, the two kinds of freedom, namely social and spiritual freedom and the
dependence of these two types of freedom upon one another, especially the
dependence of social freedom on spiritual freedom.
Tonight, I wish to devote myself to the subject of spiritual freedom, its meaning and
its necessity for mankind. This is particularly urgent since today little attention seems
to be paid to spiritual freedom by human societies, which is the cause of many
present troubles. This is so evident that many people consider spiritual freedom as
something abolished, even though the need for it is much greater than in the past.
What does spiritual freedom mean? Freedom requires two sides so that one side
becomes free of the bond of the other. In spiritual freedom what must the human be
free of? Spiritual freedom is freedom from one's self as against social freedom which
is freedom from the bonds of others. One may be asked whether the human being
can be enslaved by the self.
Can a person be both a slave and a slave owner? The answer is in the affirmative. In
the case of animals this may not be true but what about this strange being called the
human being? How is it possible for it to be at the same time a slave and master?
The reason is that the human being is a complex creature and that is a fact which
has been confirmed by religion and philosophy by scientists and psychologists and
about which no doubt exists.
Let me begin by an interpretation of the Quran on Creation which says, "So when I
have shaped him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall you down, bowing
before him." (15:29) It is not necessary to know what this divine spirit means, but it
is enough to know that this earthly being is granted something else which is
unearthly. According to a Tradition, the Prophet says that God created angels and
granted them only intelligence. He created animals and gave them only appetites
and He created man and granted him both intelligence and appetite; an utterance of
the Prophet that has been used in a poem by Rumi. Now, besides these verses of
the Quran and Traditions and what has been affirmed by philosophers and
psychologists, what does spiritual freedom consist of in simple language. We will
begin with something which everyone would understand. Undoubtedly we need food
to live and the more of it the better, and we need clothing and the finer the better and


we require a dwelling and the more magnificent the better. We desire wives and
children, luxury, money and material things. But at one point we may reach a cross-
road where we should keep our honor and nobility and at the same time put up with
poverty, eat dry bread, wear shabby clothes, live in a poor hut and have no money
and be distressed. If we ignore our honor and nobility and submit to abjection, then
all material benefits will be provided for us. We see that many people are not willing
to suffer abasement for the sake of material things while others readily accept this
exchange, even though they and their consciences are ashamed of themselves.
In the Gulistan, Saidi describes two brothers, one of whom was rich and the other
poor. The former was in the service of the government and the latter was an ordinary
worker who secured a livelihood by manial labor. One day thc rich brother said to his
poor brother, "Why don't you accept government service, to be delivered from
hardship and distress?" The poor brother answered, "Why don't you work to be
delivered from abjection?"
That kind of service with all its accompanying wealth means lack of freedom, for, it
involves bowing to others and being humbled. Sa'di goes on to say that according to
the wise, sitting down to eat your own bread is far better than wearing a golden belt
and standing to serve others.
You may be well-versed about this subject but I wish you to analyze it from a
psychological point of view. What feeling makes the human being prefer pain and
hardship, labor and poverty to humbling himself or herself betore others? He calls it
captivity to serve others though it is not of the type of material slavery. It is not his or
her strength that is enslaved but the spirit. There is a quatrain attributed to Ali, peace
be upon him, saying, "If you desire to live freely, labor like a slave, work and suffer
pain and shut your eyes from Adam's offspring whoever they may be, even from
Hatam Ta'i (a heroic figure famous for his generosity in pre-Islamic Arabia). So have
no expectation not only from mean people but also from the generous."
He goes on to say that when a job is offered to someone, that person considers it
below his or her dignity to accept it. He or she thinks every kind of manual labor as
mean. But Ali, peace be upon him, believes that every kind of work and labor is
better than extending your hand before others begging for something. He says,
"Nothing is worse than going to others to beg for something."
Having no need of others means being superior to them. Once I came across a
remark of the poet Hafiz who was an extraordinarily eloquent man and had a deep
respect for Ali, peace be upon him. He quotes nine sayings of his which are relevant
to our discussion, one of which is, "You may be in need but remember that if you
have need of someone, you still turn yourself into his slave. But if you do away with


that need, you will be his equal and if you show benevolence to someone, you will be
his master."
So you see that your need makes you someone's slave What kind of slavery?
Slavery of spirit. These sayings are fine but today they are disregarded since
mankind prefers to discuss other problems and pays little attention to ethical ones.
Again Ali, peace be upon him, says, "Greed means perpetual slavery." Thus he
considers greed worse than slavery. Here then, spiritual slavery is mentioned as
something worse than physical slavery. There is also slavery to wealth against which
all moralists have warned mankind.
Another saying of Ali is, "The world is a passage not a residence." Again he says,
"There are two groups of people in the world." He continues, "One of these two
groups come and sell and enslave themselves and go and the others come and buy
their freedom and go." These two attitudes can also be applied to wealth, either to be
a slave of wealth or free from it. A person should say that as he or she must not be a
slave to riches, he or she should say, "I am a human being. Why should I make
myself a slave of inanimate things like gold and silver, land and other things?"
But the truth is that when a person thinks the self to be a slave of wealth, that person
is in fact a slave to his or her mental characteristics, a slave to greed and one's
animal nature. For inanimate things like money, land, machine and even animals
have no power to enslave that person. When one ponders deeply over this matter,
one finds the source of slavery to lie in one's own peculiarities such as greed, lust,
anger and carnal desires.
The Quran says, "Have you noticed someone who 11as made his carnal desires his
god?' Wealth itself is not to blame when a person is warned against his or her own
desires. Thus if one liberates oneself from the bond of one's wicked desires, one will
realize that one is not at the service of wealth.
It is then that one finds one's own true worth and understands the significance of this
verse of the Quran, "All We have created on the earth is for you. " Thus riches are
at the service of the human being and not vice versa. If so, then, envy and avarice
have no meaning and if one engages in them, one is enslaving oneself. There are
two stages for the human being: A lower, animal stage and a higher, human one.
The Prophets are sent to preserve the spiritual freedom of humanity. What does that
mean? It means preventing human honor, humanity, intelligence and conscience
from being subjugated to its own lust, passion and love of profits. If you overcome
your passion, you are free. If you conquer your lust and not vice versa, you are free.


If you are in a position to gain an illegitimate profit, but your faith and conscience and
intelligence forbid you to do so, you have overcome your desire and then you can
say that you are really spiritually free.
If you see a woman, but you check your lustful desires and obey your conscience,
then you are a free human being. But if your eyes, ears, and stomach incite you to
satisfy them by whatever means, then you are their slave. The human being is ruled
by two types of ego: An animal ego and a human one. This fact and this contrast are
well illustrated by Rumi in a story of Majnun (in eastern literature, Majnun is the
equivalent of Romeo and Laila is the equivalent of Juliet) and the camel.
The story goes that Majnun was riding a camel intending to visit Laila's home. The
camel happened to have a baby camel and Majnun, in order to ride faster to his
destination, confined the baby camel to the house. He was deep in thought about his
Beloved while the camel was worried about its young. Every moment Majnun
absentmindedly let the reins loose, the camel turned back towards home. This was
repeated several times until the camel collapsed. The poet digresses to say that thc
human being has two kinds of inclinations: that of the spirit and that of the body.
If you wish to be free in spirit, you cannot be a glutton, a woman-worshipper, a
money-lover, a lustful person of passion. I have come across a narrative in the Nahj
ulbalagha which says that one day the Prophet went among the Companions (the
ansar who were the poor followers of the Prophet in Medina who had migrated there.
The Prophet first let them stay in a mosque, but a divine command was issued to him
to find another home for them since a mosque was not a proper place to live in and
they obeyed the order. Subsequently, they lived in a large shelter near the mosque).
One of them said to the Prophet, "I feel as if the whole world is worthless in my
eyes." He did not mean that he made a similar use of stones and gold but that
neither of them had the power to attract him. The Prophet looked at him and said, "
Now I can say that you are free." Thus we can say that spiritual freedom is in itself
something real.
We can give other reasons to show that the human being's personality is complex
and that one can either be spiritually free or a slave. God Almighty has granted this
power to a person to be one's own judge. In society, a judge stands apart from the
plaintiff and defendant. Have you ever heard a person to be his own plaintiff and
defendant and judge, all at the same time?
A person is called just. What is a just human being? Does it not mean that a person
can judge impartially about one's own problems and issue a verdict against one
when guilty? Does this not show the complex nature the human being? Many a time
you have seen people who judge fairly about themselves and prefer the rights of


others to their own. The late Sayyid Husain Kuh Kamari who was a great religious
authority with a following and an uncle o the late Ayatullah Hujjat Kuh Kamari who
was our teacher was such a man. It is narrated about him that he had theological
class in Najaf which had not yet won the reputation it had later on, especially as his
stay in Najaf had not been long for he had been in the habit of travelling here and
there to benefit from the teachings of the great masters in various towns such as
Mashhad, Isfahan and Kashan.
The late Shaykh Ansari who was dressed poorly and whose eyes suffered from
trachoma happened to teach in the same mosque as Sayyid Husain, each in turn,
the Shaykh first and Sayyid Husain next, without meeting each other. One day the
latter happened to arrive an hour earlier than usual. As there was no time to go home
and come back, he thought he would wait there for his pupils to arrive. He noticed a
peculiar looking Shaykh sitting there teaching two or three fellows. He sat in a corner
and could hear the Shaykh's words. He found them to be profound and wise. It was a
strange experience for a great scholar like him to meet an unknown but erudite
teacher. He decided to go earlier to the mosque once more to see how things went.
The second visit proved to be as beneficial as the first and he found the Shaykh very
learned and in fact more of a scholar than himself. On repeating the experience for
the third time, he was fully convinced of the man's profound knowledge. So he
decided to join the small class and when his own pupils arrived, he said to them,"I
have news for you. That Shaykh is much more learned than I am as I have
discovered and I advise you to accompany me to join his class." They arose together
and attended the Shaykh's class.
What is the implication of such fairness? Sayyid Husain turned himself into a pupil of
Ansari and gave up his claim to being an authority. He must have felt, as we do, what
respect and mastership are and must have been pleased at being an authority. And
yet his noble and free spirit allowed him to judge fairly between himself and that man,
and issue a verdict against himself. This is proof of the human being's complex
personality. A person commits a sin and then blames the self. What is this prick of
conscience? Exploiting governments train individuals in such a way as to kill their
conscience . And yet when that conscience is supposed to be dead, a small light is
noticed to scatter its beams at its proper time. The pilot of the plane who bombed
Hiroshima was actually trained for such a crime but when he dropped his bomb and
saw the city burning and the innocent men and women and children who had no
connection with war, being annihilated, he felt spiritually sick. In America they gave
him a fine welcome but they could not check that torture of conscience which led him
eventually to a lunatic asylum. The Quran says, "Nay, I swear by the Self-
reproaching soul ... " (75:2).
Ali, peace be upon him, says, "He who is not granted a preacher within himself by
God, will not be affected by other's preaching." Do not deceive yourself into thinking


that you will be influenced by others if you are not influenced by your own
conscience. One of our religious injunctions is to judge ourselves and issue a verdict
against ourselves when necessary. "Call yourself to account before you are called to
account." "Weigh yourself before you are weighed for your deeds on the Day of
Resurrection."
All these show the human being's complex personality which has a lower animal side
and higher human side. Spiritual freedom means that the higher side is free from the
lower one.
In connection with self-punishment, I remember a case related to Hadrat Ali. A man
came to him to repent, supposing that by saying the sentence of repentance,
everything would be all right. Ali reprimanded him sharply by saying, "May your
mother mourn for you. Do you know what repentance means? It is very much higher
than saying a sentence." Then he told the man that repentance is based on several
things: Two principles, two conditions of acceptance and two conditions of
completion. That is, a total of six points.
He then explained this by saying, "The first principle is that one should be truly
penitent of one's past wicked deeds. The second is to decide never to commit that
sin in the future. The third is to grant people their right if one owes it to them. The
fourth is to perform the obligatory devotions which one may have forsaken." The last
two points, Ali, peace be upon him, mentioned are most relevant to my discourse.
They are: Fifthly, to melt down the flesh that is grown on you by lustfulness through
sorrow and constant grief; and lastly, to give this body which has in the past been
addicted to the pleasure of sin, the pain of worship and devotion.
Have there been people in the past who have reached this stage? Yes. There have.
Today we may forget that repentance exists. But we can cite a fine example of it by
mentioning Mulla Husain Quli Hamadani who was a great moralist of modern times
and a pupil of the great religious scholars, the later Mirza Shirazi and Shaykh Ansari.
A sinful man goes to him to be guided. When the man came back after a few days,
he could hardly be recognized due to his extraordinary leanness. The Mulla used
neither a whip nor a weapon nor a threat. But he could offer true spiritual guidance.
He managed to awaken that man's conscience to fight his lust and passion.
The most significant program of the prophets is to provide spiritual freedom. Self-
purification is in fact spiritual freedom. The Quran says, "Prosperous is he who
purifies it and failed has he who seduces it." (91:9-10)
The greatest damage of our time is speaking of freedom and confining it to social
freedom. Spiritual freedom is never spoken of and, in consequence, social freedom


is not secured. A great crime is committed in our time in the form of philosophy and
philosophical schools totally ignoring the human being, its personality, spiritual honor
and God's revelation, "I breathed into him of My Spirit,"is quite forgotten. They
deny that the human being has two aspects an animal side and a human one. They
claim that this human being is no different from animals and is subject to the survival
of the fittest. This means that each individual' effort is for his or her own interests.
Can you imagine how much damage this attitude has done to humanity? They say
that life is a battle and the world a battlefield. They also say that a right is what one
seizes, not what one ,rants. But the truth is that a right must both be taken and given
and not only something which is snatched by force.
The prophets did not come to make such a statement that a right must be seized by
force. They came to persuade the oppressed to secure their rights. They also
compelled the oppressor to rise against their evil deeds and grant others their rights.
In conclusion I pray God to liberate us all from our carnal desires as he has done for
truly generous beings; and to grant us social freedom and blessings in this and the
next world; to acquaint us with the facts of Islam; to meet our legitimate needs and to
grant salvation to our deceased ones.