Eid alFitr Purpose

Eid Al-Fitr is the most important festival in the Islamic calendar (Muslim Holiday). The day does not mark any historical event or episode; but its existence provides the Muslim for an occasion to offer thanks to Allah for having given him the strength and the will to observe fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

It is also an occasion for prayers when the Muslims gather in large congregations, standing shoulder to shoulder, to demonstrate the equality and equity which is the inherent feature of Islamic society all over the world.

But the greatest significance of this day of rejoicing lies in the fact that on this day every Muslim is enjoined to give the needy food at the rate of the prescribed weight per every member of his household, including servants and guests who were sheltered under his roof the preceding evening.

Eid Al-Fitr then serves a three-fold purpose: It places upon every Muslim the obligation to remember Allah and offer Him thanks; it affords him an opportunity of spiritual stock-taking in that he can now ponder over the strength of his will or the weakness of his character, as the case may be, which manifested itself during the preceding month (Ramadan); it also is the day for the haves to share a portion of what they have with the have-nots.

And, for those persons who disobeyed this command of Allah this is the day of an end to the month-long pangs of conscience, inner struggle and continuous realization of the feebleness of their character. No more will they have to argue, without much conviction, against fasting. No more will they have to think up an excuse every morning for not fasting. No more will they have to say "Oh, but fasting is old-fashioned; it was not meant for the modern world."

It is not my object here to explain the philosophy of fasting. Almost everyone realizes the spiritual, social, scientific and medical benefits which are derived from fasting. But so far as a Muslim, a true believer, is concerned, it should be sufficient that fasting is prescribed in the Holy Book of Allah, and as such is the command of Allah. Should one seek to justify Allah's commands?

The measure of a man's love for his Creator is his unquestioned obedience to the commands of the Creator. When for whole month a Muslim has obeyed Allah, unquestioningly, without complaint, without regret, and when he has spent his time in prayers, in humility and in charity, should one wonder, if at the end of this period, the Creator may Himself turn to such creature of His and say: "It is now for thee to ask for Me to give."

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is the period when man is subjected to a supreme test. Without compulsion, without coercion, the Muslims throughout the world obey Allah; and every day from dawn to sunset abstain not only from sensual pleasures but even from the necessities of life like food and drink. Some do this in shivering cold, some in burning heat, some do it where days are short and others where days are interminably long. The rich fast as well as the poor, the master as well as the servant; the parents as well as the child; the ruler as well as the, subject. They all fast, regardless of the colour or their social position.

Having done this, for one whole month, today on this auspicious day of Eid Al-Fitr, every Muslim should be ready to face the year that lies ahead with renewed strength, greater understanding and universal goodwill. He has fasted to acquire piety, discipline and self-control. Now the habit of unquestioning obedience to Allah is cultivated in his heart and mind. He is now trained to accept the commands of Allah, in the remaining eleven months of the year, with the same unwavering loyalty. He has emerged from the month of Ramadan with a new personality and a stronger character, confident of his ability to subordinate his desire to his will, his emotion to his intellect.

No longer will it be difficult for him to refrain from intoxicating drinks; no longer will he turn away from his less fortunate brethren; no longer will he fail to understand and appreciate the pain of hunger, the pangs of thirst.

So the training period of Ramadan has come to an end. Now we are entering the era of normal activities of life. If the lessons learnt in Ramadan have left their marks upon our character, we are entitled to enjoy Eid Al-Fitr.

The Sermon of Imam Ali (A.S.) on the day of Eid alfitr

Eid-ul-Fitr is a great day of festival for Muslims. It is a day of rejoicing and being happy. But for whom? Is it the day of rejoicing for those who simply put on new perfume and wear clothes? Or is it the day of being happy for those who were eagerly waiting for the release of the greatest enemy of mankind, Satan, from his captivity so that they all revert to committing sins?

Unfortunately, many Muslims abstain from sins during the month of Ramadan, but come Eid-ul-Fitr, they go back to what they were before! Cassettes of prayers, which were in their cars during the holy month of Ramadan, are thrown back into their cases and replaced with those, which are unlawful, by Shari'ah. The forbidden places from which they had abstained for month long, are infact the same places they go to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.

Just as, when a person goes to a college, or a university and at the completion of his course, he receives his award marking his achievement, we must understand that, the holy month of Ramadan is a spiritual university where we are being trained to achieve Taqwa i.e. piety. The day of Eid-ul-Fitr is when Allah (SWT) is awarding us for our achievements.

On the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, Imam Ali (A.S.) delivered a sermon in which he said:

"O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the righteous are awarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day which is similar to the one on which you shall be standing (before your Lord). Therefore, when you come out of your homes to go to places of your prayer, remind yourselves about the day when you (your souls) shall come out of your bodies to go to your Lord. When you stand on places of your prayer, remind yourselves of your standing in presence of your Lord (on the day of Judgement). And when you return to your homes (after prayer), remind yourselves about your returning to your homes in Paradise. O Servants of Allah! Verily the minimum reward for those men and women who fasted (during Ramadan), is an Angel, who calls out to them on the last day of the month of Ramadan (saying): O SERVANTS OF ALLAH! REJOICE THE GLAD TIDING THAT ALL YOUR PREVIOUS SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN. Therefore, watch out in those things which serve as your re-creation (on this day and days to follow)" (Nahjul-Balaghah)

Source : Al-Maaref

Imam Khamenei: Sanctions Cannot Last Long

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has downplayed the impact of the Western-backed anti-Iran sanctions, rejecting them as counterproductive.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and members of his cabinet Sunday evening, the official website of the Leader reported.

The Leader emphasized that the enemy launched an all-out campaign to destroy the Iranian economy but their sanctions only reinvigorated the nation's sense of determination to achieve self-sufficiency, noting that “considering global realities, the long-term lasting of these sanctions is not possible.”

"The enemies were speaking of clever and crippling sanctions at the beginning of the year (March 21, 2011); but not only they lacked any crippling impact, thanks to the prudence of Iranian officials and the nation, they rather led to extra vigor, self-sufficiency and major efforts in the country," said the Leader.

Lauding the huge turnout of people on Quds (Jerusalem) Day rallies on Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei went on to state that all-out presence of the Iranian nation on Quds Day demonstrations would inspire the entire region and further motivate other nations to lend major support for Palestinian resistance against the Israeli regime.

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the government's commitment to principles and values of the Islamic Revolution and noted that seeking justice, resisting against global arrogance, leading simple lifestyles, combating aristocracy and extending honest public services were among the government's most attractive mottos.

"Principles and values declared by Imam Khomeini... have been among the most fundamental mottos to which the government has totally committed itself to," the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed out that the low-key role of academic and clerical scholars in the government was a problem and that the president and cabinet ministers should make further efforts to discuss government policy in various fields, particularly economic issues, with relevant scholars.

The Leader reiterated that criticism raised by elite and scholarly circles should be welcomed, adding that the government should not be deprived of constructive critical views of Iranian scholars due to certain issues.

"While explaining your achievements and strengths, tell people frankly that you have not been able to do certain things and be sure that people will not take to task those who have tried to do something, but have failed," the Leader argued.

Underlining the need to correctly handle criticism of the government in mass media or legal centers, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the only correct approach to criticism was an explanatory one because hostility and counterattack will not get anywhere.

The Leader suggested to the government to set their priorities diligently and make serious efforts to meet them, adding, "Keeping commitments that government gives to people is both desirable and necessary as it strengthens public faith in the administration. Conversely, if such commitments are not kept, it would create uncertainties in public minds.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also insisted that economic jihad (major struggle) was a vital imperative that paves the way for economic progress and prosperity of the Islamic Republic.

The Leader also called for better cooperation among the three branches of the government.

The Important Letter of Imam Ali's to Malik Ashtar

The Richest Treasure

Be it known to you, O, Malik, that I am sending you as Governor to a country which in the past has experienced both just and unjust rule. Men will scrutinize your actions with a searching eye, even as you used to scrutinize the actions of those before you, and speak of you even as you did speak of them. The fact is that the public speak well of only those who do good. It is they who furnish the proof of your actions. Hence the richest treasure that you may covet would be the treasure of good deeds. Keep your desires under control and deny yourself that which you have been prohibited from, for, by such abstinence alone, you will be able to distinguish between what is good to them and what is not.

Develop in your heart the feeling of love for your people and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing to them. Do not behave with them like a barbarian, and do not appropriate to yourself that which belongs to them. Remember that the citizens of the state are of two categories. They are either your brethren in religion or your brethren in kind. They are subject to infirmities and liable to commit mistakes. Some indeed do commit mistakes. But forgive them even as you would like God to forgive you. Bear in mind that you are placed over them, even as I am placed over you. And then there is God even above him who has given you the position of a Governor in order that you may look after those under you and to be sufficient unto them. And you will be judged by what you do for them.

Do not set yourself against God, for neither do you possess the strength to shield yourself against His displeasure, nor can you place yourself outside the pale of His mercy and forgiveness. Do not feel sorry over any act of forgiveness, nor rejoice over any punishment that you may mete out to any one. Do not rouse yourself to anger, for no good will come out of it.

Do not say: "I am your overlord and dictator, and that you should, therefore, bow to my commands", as that will corrupt your heart, weaken your faith in religion and create disorder in the state. Should you be elated by power, ever feel in your mind the slightest symptoms of pride and arrogance, then look at the power and majesty of the Divine governance of the Universe over which you have absolutely no control. It will restore the sense of balance to your wayward intelligence and give you the sense of calmness and affability. Beware! Never put yourself against the majesty and grandeur of God and never imitate His omnipotence; for God has brought low every rebel of God and every tyrant of man.

Let your mind respect through your actions the rights of God and the rights of man, and likewise, persuade your companions and relations to do likewise. For, otherwise, you will be doing injustice to yourself and injustice to humanity. Thus both man and God will turn unto your enemies. There is no hearing anywhere for one who makes an enemy of God himself. He will be regarded as one at war with God until he feels contrition and seeks forgiveness. Nothing deprives man of divine blessings or excites divine wrath against him more easily than cruelty. Hence it is, that God listens to the voice of the oppressed and waylays the oppressor.

The Common Man

Maintain justice in administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the people, for, the discontent of the masses sterilizes the contentment of the privileged few and the discontent of the few looses itself in the contentment of the many. Remember the privileged few will not rally round you in moments of difficulty: they will try to side-track justice, they will ask for more than what they deserve and will show no gratitude for favors done to them. They will feel restive in the face of trials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. It is the common man who is the strength of the State and Religion. It is he who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.

Keep at a distance him who peers into the weaknesses of others. After all, the masses are not free from weaknesses. It is the duty of the ruler to shield them. Do not bring to light that which is hidden, but try to remove those weaknesses which have been brought to light. God is watchful of everything that is hidden from you, and He alone will deal with it. To the best of your ability cover the weaknesses of the public, and God will cover the weaknesses in you which you are anxious to keep away from their eye. Unloose the tangle of mutual hatred between the public and the administration and remove all those causes which may give rise to strained relations between them. Protect yourself from every such act as may not be quite correct for you. Do not make haste in seeking confirmation of tale-telling, for, the tale-teller is a deceitful person appearing in the garb of a friend.

The Counselors

Never take counsel of a miser, for he will vitiate your magnanimity and frighten you of poverty. Do not take counsel of a coward also, for, he will cheat you of your resolves. Do not take counsel of the greedy too: for he will instill greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Miserliness, cowardice and greed deprive man of his trust in God.

The worst of counselors is he who has served as a counselor to unjust rulers and shared their crimes. So, never let men who have been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counselors. You can get better men than these, men gifted with intelligence and foresight, but unpolluted by sin, men who have never aided a tyrant in his tyranny or a criminal in his crime. Such men will never be a burden on you. On the other hand, they will be a source of help and strength to you at all times. They will be friends to you and strangers to your enemies. Choose such men alone for companionship both in privacy and in the public. Even among these, show preference to them who have a habitual regard for truth however trying to you at times their truth may prove to be, and who offer you no encouragement in the display of tendencies which God does not like his friends to develop.

Keep close to you the upright, and the God fearing, and make clear to them that they are never to flatter you and never to give you credit for any good that you may not have done: for, the tolerance of flattery and unhealthy praise stimulates pride in man makes him arrogant.

Do not treat the good and the bad alike. That will deter the good from doing good, and encourage the bad in their bad pursuits. Recompense every one according one's deserts. Remember that mutual trust and good will between the ruler and the ruled are bred only through benevolence, justice and service. So, cultivate good-will amongst the people; for their good-will alone will save you from troubles. Your benevolence to them will be repaid by their trust in you, and your ill-treatment by their ill-will.

Do not disregard the noble traditions set by our forbearers which have promoted harmony and progress among the people; and do not initiate anything which might minimize their usefulness. The men who had established these noble traditions have had their reward; but responsibility will be yours if they are disturbed. Try always to learn something from the experience of the learned and the wise, and frequently consult them in state matters so that you might maintain the peace and good-will which your predecessors had established in the land.

The Different Classes of People

Remember that the people are composed of different classes. The progress of one is dependent on the progress of every other; and none can afford to be independent of the other. We have the Army formed of the soldiers of God, we have our civil officers and their establishments, our judiciary, our revenue collectors and our public relation officers. The general public itself consists of Muslims and Zimmis and among them of merchants and craftsmen, the unemployed and the indigent. God has prescribed for them their several rights, duties and obligations. They are all defined and preserved in the Book of God and in the traditions of his Prophet.

The army, by the grace of God, is like a fortress to the people and lends dignity to the state. It upholds the prestige of the Faith and maintains the peace of the country. Without it the state cannot stand. In its turn, it cannot stand without the support of the state. Our soldiers have proved strong before the enemy because of the privilege God has given them to fight for Him; but they have their material needs to fulfil and have therefore to depend upon the income provided for them from the state revenue. The military and civil population who pay revenue, both need the co-operation of others -the judiciary, civil officers and their establishment. The Qazi administers civil and criminal law; the civil officers collect revenue and attend to civil administration with the assistance of their establishment. And then there are the tradesmen and the merchants who add to the revenue of the state. It is they who run the markets and are in a better position than others to discharge social obligations. And then there is the class of the poor and the needy, whose maintenance is an obligation on the other classes. God has given appropriate opportunity of service to one and all; and then there are the rights of all these classes over the administration which the administrator has to meet with an eye on the good of the entire population, a duty which he cannot fulfill properly unless he takes personal interest in its execution and seeks help from God. Indeed it is obligatory on him to impose this duty on himself and to bear with patience the inconveniences and difficulties incidental to his task.

The Army

Be particularly mindful of the welfare of those in the army who in your opinion, are staunchly faithful to their God and Prophet and loyal to their chief, and who in the hour of passion can restrain themselves and listen coolly to sensible remonstrance, and who can succor the weak and smite the strong, whom violent provocation will not throw into violent temper and who will not falter at any stage.

Keep yourself in close contact with the families of established reputation and integrity with a glorious past, and draw to yourself men brave and upright in character, generous and benevolent in disposition; for such are the salt of society.

Care for them with the tenderness with which you care for your children, and do not talk before them of any good that you might have done to them, nor disregard any expression of affection which they show in return; for, such conduct inspires loyalty, devotion and goodwill. Attend to every little of their wants not resting content with what general help that you might have given to them, for sometimes, timely attention to a little want of theirs brings them immense relief. Surely these people will not forget you in your own hour of need.

It behooves you to select for your Commander-in-chief one who imposes on himself as a duty, the task of rendering help to his men, and who can excel in kindness every other officer who has to attend to the needs of the men under him, and look after their families when they are away from their homes; so much so, that the entire army should feel united in their joys and in their sorrows. The unity of purpose will give them added strength against the enemy. Continue to maintain a kindly attitude towards them so that they might feel attached to you. The fact is that the real happiness of the administrators and their most pleasant comfort lies in establishing justice in the state and maintaining affectionate relations with the people. Their sincerity of feeling is expressed in the love and regard they show to you, on which alone depends the safety of the administrators.
Your advices to the army will be of no avail, unless and until you show affection to both men and officers, in order that they might not regard the Government as an oppressive burden or contribute to its downfall.

Continue to satisfy their needs and praise them over and over again for what services they have rendered. Such an attitude, God willing will inspire the brave to braver actions and induce the timid to deeds of bravery.

Try to enter into the feelings of others and do not foist the mistake of one over another and do not grudge dispensing appropriate rewards. See to it you do not show favors to one who has done nothing but merely counts on his family position; and do not withhold proper rewards from one who has done great deeds simply because he holds a low position in life.

The Real Guidance

Turn to God and to His prophet for guidance whenever you feel uncertain as to what you have to do. There is the commandment of God delivered to those people who He wishes to guide aright: "O people of the Faith! Obey God and obey His prophet and those from among you who hold authority over you. And refer to God and His prophet whenever there is difference of opinion among you. To turn to God is in reality to consult the Book of God; and to turn to the prophet is t follow his universally accepted traditions.

Chief Judge

Select for your chief judge one from the people who is by far the best among them -one who is not obsessed with domestic worries, one who cannot be intimidated, one who does not err to often, one who does not turn back from a right path once he finds it, one who is not self-centered or avaricious, one who will not decide before knowing full facts, one who will weigh wit care every attendant doubt and pronounce a clear verdict after taking everything into full consideration, one who will not grow restive over the arguments of advocates and who will examine with patience every new disclosure of fact and who will be strictly impartial in his decision, one who flattery cannot mislead or one who does not exult over his position. But it is not easy to find such men.

Once you have selected the right man for the office, pay him handsomely enough, to let him live in comfort and in keeping with his position, enough to keep him above temptations. Give him a position in your court so high none can even dream of coveting it and so high that neither back-biting nor intrigue can touch him.

Subordinate Judiciary

Beware! The utmost carefulness is to be exercised in his selection: for it is this high office which adventurous self-seekers aspire to secure and exploit in their selfish interests. After the selection of your chief judge, give careful consideration to the selection of other officers. Confirm them in their appointments after approved apprenticeship and probation. Never select men for responsible posts either out of any regard for personal connections or under any influence, for, that might lead to injustice and corruption.

Of these select for higher posts men of experience, men firm in faith and belonging to good families. Such men will not fall an easy prey to temptations and will discharge their duties with an eye on the abiding good of others. Increase their salaries to give them a contented life. A contented living is a help to self-purification. They will not feel the urge to tax the earnings of their subordinates for their own upkeep. They will then have no excuse either to go against your instructions or misappropriate state funds. Keep to watch over them without their knowledge, loyal and upright men. Perchance they may develop true honesty and true concern for the public welfare. But whenever any of them is accused of dishonesty and the guilt is confirmed by the report of your secret service, then regard this as a sufficient to convict him. Let the punishment be corporal and let that be dealt in the public at an appointed place of degradation.

Revenue Administration

Great care is to be exercised in revenue administration, to ensure the prosperity of those who pay the revenue to the state; for it is on their prosperity depends the prosperity of others, particularly the prosperity of the masses. Indeed, the state exists on its revenue. You should regard the proper upkeep of the land in cultivation as of greater importance than the collection of revenue, for revenue cannot be derived except by making the land productive. He who demands revenue without helping the cultivator to improve his land, inflicts unmerited hardship on the cultivator and ruins the State. The rule of such a person does not last long. If the cultivators ask for reduction of their land cess for having suffered from epidemics or drought or excess of rains or the barrenness of the soil or floods damaging to their barrenness of the soil or foods damaging to their crops, then, reduce the cess accordingly, so that their condition might improve. Do not mind the loss of revenue on that account for that will return to you one day manifold in the hour of greater prosperity of the land and enable you to improve the condition of your towns and to raise the prestige of your state. You will be the object of universal praise. The people will believe in your sense of justice. The confidence which they will place in you in consequence will prove your strength, as they will be found ready to share your burdens.

You may settle down on the land any number of people, but discontent will overtake them if the land is not improved. The cause of the cultivator's ruin is the rulers who are bent feverishly on accumulating wealth at all costs, out of the fear that their rule might not last long. Such are the people who do not learn from examples or precedents.

Clerical Establishment

Keep an eye on your establishment and your scribes; and select the best among them for your confidential correspondence such among these as possess high character and deserve your full confidence, men who may not exploit their privileged position to go against you and who may not grow neglectful of their duties and who in the drafting of treaties may not succumb to external temptation and harm your interests, or fail to render you proper assistance and to save you from trouble, and who in carrying out their duties can realize their serious responsibilities, for he who does not realize his own responsibilities can hardly appraise the reprehensibilities of others. Do not select men for such work merely on the strength of your first impressions of your affection or good faith; for as a matter of fact; the pretensions of a good many who are really devoid of honesty and good breeding may cheat even the intelligence of rulers. Selection should be made after due probation which should be the test of righteousness. In making direct appointments from people, see to it that those selected possess influence with the people and who enjoy the reputation of being honest; for such selection is agreeable to God and the ruler. For every department of administration, let there be a head, whom no trying task might cause worry and no pressure of work annoy.

And remember that every weakness of any one among your establishment and scribe which you may overlook will be written down against you in your scroll of deeds.

Trade and Industry

Adopt useful schemes placed before those engaged in trade and industry and help them with wise counsels. Some of them live in towns, and some move from place to place with their wares and tools and earn their living by manual labor. Trade and Industry are sources of profit to the State. While the general public is not inclined to bear the strain, those engaged in these professions take the trouble to collect commodities from far and near, from land and from across the sea, and from mountains and forests and naturally derive benefits.

It is this class of peace loving people from whom no disturbance need be feared. They love peace and order; indeed they are incapable of creating disorder. Visit every part of the country and establish personal contact with this class, and inquire into their condition. But bear in mind that a good many of them are intensely greedy and are inured to bad dealings. They hoard grain and try to sell it at a high price; and this is most harmful to the public. It is a blot on the name of the ruler not to fight this evil. Prevent them from hoarding; for the Prophet of God -Peace be upon him - had prohibited it. And see to it that trade is carried on with the utmost ease, that the scales are evenly held and that prices are so fixed that neither the seller nor the buyer is put to a loss. And if inspite of your warning, should anyone go against your commands and commit the crime of hoarding, then deal him appropriately with severe punishment.

The Poor

Beware! Fear God when dealing with the problem of the poor who have non to patronize, who are forlorn, indigent and helpless and are greatly torn in mind -victims of the vicissitudes of Time. Among them there are some who do not question their lot in life not withstanding their misery, do not go about abegging. For God's sake, safeguard their rights; for on you rests the responsibility of protection. Assign for their uplift a portion of the state exchequer (Baitul-mal), wherever they may be, whether close at hand or far away from you. The rights of the two should be equal in your eye. Do not let any preoccupation slip them from your mind; for no excuse whatsoever for the disregard of their rights will be acceptable to God. Do not treat their interests as of less importance than your own, and never keep them outside the purview of your important considerations, and mark the persons who look down upon them and of whose conditions they keep you in ignorance.
Select from among your officers such men as are meek and God fearing who can keep you properly informed of the condition of the poor. Make such provision for these poor people as shall not oblige you to offer an excuse before God on the Day of Judgment; for, it is this section of the people more than any other which deserves benevolent treatment. Seek your reward from God by giving to each of them what is due to him and enjoin on yourself as a sacred duty the task of meting the needs of such aged among them as have no independent means of livelihood and are averse to seek alms. And it is the discharge of this duty that usually proves very trying for ruler, but is very welcome to societies which are gifted with foresight. It is only such societies or nations who truly carry out with equanimity their covenant with God to discharge their duty to the poor.

Open Conferences

Meet the oppressed and the lowly periodically in an open conference and, conscious of the divine presence there, have a heart-to-heart talk with them, and let none from your armed guard or civil officers or members of the police or the Intelligence Department be by your side, so that the representatives of the poor might state their grievances fearlessly and without reserve. For I have the Prophet of God saying that no nation or society will occupy a high position in which the strong do not discharge their duty to the weak. Bear with composure any strong language which they may use, and do not get annoyed if they cannot state their case lucidly, even so, God will open you his door of blessings and rewards. Whatever you can give to them, give it ungrudgingly, and whatever you cannot afford to give, make that clear to them in utmost sincerity.

There are certain things which call for prompt action. Accept the recommendations made by your officers for the redress of the grievances of the clerical staff. See to it that petitions or applications that are submitted for your consideration are brought to your notice the very day they are submitted, however much your officers might try to intercede them. Dispose off the day's work that very day, for the coming day will bring with it its own tasks.

Communion with God

And do not forget to set apart the best of your time for communion with God, although every moment of yours is for Him only, provided it is spend sincerely in the service of your people. The special time that you give to prayer in the strict religious sense is to be devoted to the performances of the prescribed daily prayers. Keep yourself engaged in these prayers both in the day and in the night, and to gain perfect communion, do not as far as possible, let your prayers grow tiresome. And when you lead in congregational prayer, do not let your prayer be so lengthy as to cause discomfort to the congregation or raise in them the feeling of dislike for it or liquidate its effect: for in the congregation there may be invalids and also those who have to attend pressing affairs of their own.

When I had asked of the Prophet of God on receiving an order to proceed to Yaman, how I should lead the people there in prayer, he said -perform your prayers even as the weakest among you would do; and set an example of consideration to the faithful.

Aloofness not desirable

Alongside of the observance of all that I have said above bear one thing in mind. Never for any length of time keep yourself aloof from the people, for to do so is to keep oneself ignorant of their affairs. It develops in the ruler a wrong perspective and renders him unable to distinguish between what is important and what is not, between right and wrong, and between truth and falsehood. The ruler is after all human; and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of sight. There is no distinctive sign attached to truth which may enable one to distinguish between the different varieties of truth and falsehood. The fact is that you must be one of two things. Either you are just or unjust. If you are just, then you will not keep yourself away from the people, but will listen to them and meet their requirements. On the other hand, it you are unjust, the people themselves will keep way from you. What virtue is there in your keeping aloof? At all events aloofness is not desirable especially when it is your duty to attend to the needs of the people. Complaints of oppression by your officers or petitions for justice should not prove irksome to you.

Make this clear to yourself that those immediately about and around you will like to exploit their position to covet what belongs to others and commit acts of injustice. Suppress such a tendency in them. Make a rule of your conduct never to give even a small piece of land to any of your relations. That will prevent them from causing harm to the interests of others and save you from courting the disapprobation of God and Man.

Deal justice squarely regardless of the fact whether one is a relation or not. If any of your relations or companions violates the law, mete out the punishment prescribed by law however painful it might be to you personally; for it will be all to the good of the State. If at any time people suspect, that you have been unjust to them in any respect disclose your mind to them and remove their suspicions. In this way, your mind will get attuned to the sense of justice and people will begin to love you. It will also fulfill your wish that you should enjoy their confidence.

Peace and Treaties

Bear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of peace which your enemy may himself make. Accept it, for, that will please God. Peace is a source of comfort to the army; it reduces your worries and promotes order in the State. But Beware! Be on your guard when the peace is signed; for, certain types of enemies propose terms of peace just to lull you into a sense of security only to attack you again when you are off your guard. So you should exercise the utmost vigilance on your part, and place no undue faith in their protestations. But, if under the peace treaty you have accepted any obligations, discharge those obligations scrupulously. It is a trust and must be faithfully upheld and whenever you have promised anything, keep it with all the strength that you command, for whatever differences of opinion might exist on other matters, there is nothing so noble as the fulfillment of a promise. This is recognized even among non-Muslims, for they know the dire consequences which follow from the breaking of covenants. So never make excuses in discharging your responsibilities and never break a promise, nor cheat your enemy. For, breach of promise is an act against God, and none except the positively wicked acts against God.

Indeed divine promises are a blessing spread over all mankind. The promise of God is a refuge sought after even by the most powerful on earth; for there is no risk of being cheated. So, do not make any promise from which you may afterwards offer excuses to retract; nor do you go back upon what you have confirmed to abide by; nor do you break it, however galling it may at first prove to be. For, it is far better to wait in patience for wholesome results to follow than to break it out of any apprehensions.

Beware! Abstain from shedding blood without a valid cause. There is nothing more harmful than this which brings about one's ruin. The blood that is willfully shed shortens the life of a state. On the Day of Judgment it is this crime for which one will have to answer first. So, beware! Do not wish to build the strength of your state on blood; for, it is this blood which ultimately weakens the state and passes it on to other hands. Before me and my God no excuse for willful killing can be entertained.

Murder is a crime which is punishable by death. If on any accord the corporal punishment dealt by the state for any lesser crime results in the death of the guilty, let not the prestige of the stage stand in any way of the deceased relations claiming blood money.

Last Instructions

Do not make haste to do a thing before its time, nor put it off when the right moment arrives. Do not insist on doing a wrong thing, nor show slackness in rectifying a wrong thing. Perform everything in its proper time, and let everything occupy its proper place. When the people as a whole agree upon a thing, do not impose your own view on them and do not neglect to discharge the responsibility that rests on you in consequence. For, the eyes of the people will be on you and you are answerable for whatever you do to them. The slightest dereliction of duty will bring its own retribution. Keep your anger under control and keep your hands and tongue in check whenever you fall into anger, try to restrain yourself or else you will simply increase your worries.

It is imperative on you to study carefully the principles which have inspired just and good rulers who have gone before you. Give close thought to the example of our prophet (peace be upon him), his traditions, and the commandments of the Book of God and whatever you might have assimilated from my own way of dealing with things. Endeavor to the best of your ability to carry out the instructions which I have given you here and which you have solemnly undertaken to follow. By means of this order, I enjoin on you not to succumb to the prompting of your own heart or to turn away from the discharge of duties entrusted to you.

I seek the refuge of the might of the Almighty and of His limitless sphere of blessings, and invite you to pray with me that He may give us together the grace willingly to surrender our will to His will, and to enable us to acquit ourselves before Him and His creation; so that mankind might cherish our memory and our work survive. I seek of God the culmination of his blessings and pray that He may grant you and me His grace and the honor of martyrdom in His cause. Verily, we have to return to Him. I invoke His blessings on the Prophet of God and his pure progeny.

Imam Ali (AS) Left to His love Allah, The Orphan are left alone

Tired and exhausted with the water-skin on her back, she was gasping and going towards her house where innocent children, their eyes fixed at the door, were eagerly waiting for the arrival of their mother. On her way, an unknown man approached her. He took the water-skin from her and placed it on his back. The door opened and the children saw their mother entering the house with a stranger. He placed the water-skin on the ground and said:

"Well, it seems you don't have anyone to fetch water for you; how come you are so forlorn?"

"My husband was a soldier; Ali sent him to the frontier where he was killed. Now I am alone with these small children."

The stranger said no more. Bowing down his head he went away. But the thought of the helpless widow and orphans remained in his mind. He could hardly sleep in the night. Early in the morning he picked up a basket; put some meat, flour and dates in it; went straight to her house and knocked at the door.

"Who are you?"

"I am the man who brought your water yesterday. Now I have brought some food for the children."

"May God bless you and judge between us and Ali"

She opened the door. Entering the house he said: "I wish to do some good acts. Either let me knead the flour and bake the bread or allow me to look after the children."

"Very well, but I can do the job of kneading and cooking better than you. You take care of the children till I finish cooking".

She went to knead the flour. Immediately he grilled some meat, which he had brought and fed the children saying to each child while putting morsel in his mouth: "My son, forgive Ali if he has failed in his duty towards you"

The flour got ready; she called: "Gentleman! Put fire in the oven". He went and put fire in the oven. When flames rose up, he brought his face near the fire and said, "Taste the heat of fire. It is the punishment for those who fail in their duty towards orphans and widows."

By chance, a woman from the neighboring house came in. Recognizing the stranger, she cried: "Woe, don't you recognize the man who is helping you? He is Ameer- ul-Momineen (commander of the faithful), Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S.)."

The widow came forward and shamefacedly cried: "Curse and shame to me. I beg your pardon."

"No, I beg your pardon for I failed in my duty towards you."
Source : Al-Maaref

Martyr of Amr bil Ma’roof and Nahy an il Mun

It could be said that "Amr bil Ma'roof and Nahy an il Munkar", were reflected in the most perfect form in the character and personality of Imam Ali (A.S.). He made sure that he followed whatever he enjoined on others and firmly avoided whatever he dissuaded others from doing. He was very critical of such people who did not observe "Amr bil Ma'roof and Nahy an il Munkar" and has said:

"Woe upon those who simply exhort others to `Amr bil Ma'roof' while being oblivious of it in their own lives and woe to those who warn others through `Nahy an il Munkar', while yet ignoring those warnings in their own lives." (Nahjul Balagha).

This great follower of the message of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his household) was the first and firmest in following all great virtues and divine recommendations. Let us now study some aspects from the life of Imam Ali (A.S.) that reflect on the importance of this fundamental Islamic virtue.

a- The Asceticism of Imam Ali (A.S.) and his warnings against undue attachment to worldly matters:

Ali's (A.S.) simplicity and honesty as well as his clean and sincere life-style was the best form of inviting and attracting others to `Amr bil Ma'roof'. Although he was one of the most eloquent speakers of all times, his actions spoke even more outstandingly than his words. In one of his letters to Amr ibn Al-`As, Imam Ali (A.S.) writes:

"The world and getting unduly attached to it keeps one away from other things. This attachment to the world, makes him greedy and the more he gets, the more he wants. Never does he get fully satiated. And yet one day, he will be forced (by death), to leave everything behind." (Nahjul-Balagha)

History has recorded that even after being appointed as Caliph, in spite of having large amounts of wealth, power and property under his direct command, nothing changed whatsoever in the personal life of Imam Ali (A.S.). Regarding the life of Imam Ali (A.S.), a Sunni scholar writes thus:

"He never overate or filled himself with food. His food and clothing were the most modest among all and he could often be seen wearing patched clothes. His shoes were made from the shaft of the date-palm and his clothes were coarse. If ever he found that his sleeve was longer than necessary, he would trim it off. He (A.S.) had divorced the world and in spite of large amounts of wealth reaching him from different parts of the Islamic world (except Sham), he lived in utter simplicity, distributing all the wealth among the needy." (The Exegesis of Nahjul Balagha, Ibn Abil-Hadid, vol. 1, p. 22)

b- Ali's (A.S.) purity of faith (taqwa) and his warnings against lack of taqwa:

Purity of faith and staying away from sinful acts top the list of virtues because the very base or the very root of every virtue is taqwa. Imam Ali (A.S.) enjoined great attention and importance to be given to taqwa and considered it to be the dearest virtue in the eyes of Allah. He said:

"I invite all you worshippers of Allah to taqwa and abstention from evil because these virtues are the best of `Amr bil Ma'roof' that believers can invite each other to, and very dear to Allah." (Nahjul Balagha)

All the sermons and even the official correspondence of Imam Ali (A.S.) exhort towards purity of faith and intention and warn against the evil of succumbing to carnal whims and fancies. He is known to have said thus to Ibn-e Abbas:

"Keep away from carnal whims and fancies and the whisperings of the devil because they will keep you away from the path of Truth. Know well then, that whatever takes you closer to Allah, also keep you away from the fire of hell... . Remember Allah at all times and do not be of the unconscious ones." (The Battle of Jamal, Sheikh Mufid, translated by Mahmud Mahdavi Damghani, p. 251)

Imam Ali's (A.S.) entire life, all his deeds and actions always reflected the highest level of taqwa and anyone who studies his life can only be left astounded at his resistance to all the lure and attractions of worldly-life. Many non-Muslim orientalists and Islamologists have described the unique personality and characteristics of Imam Ali (A.S.) with great admiration - among them is the Lebanese Christian scholar George Gordan, the author of the famous book called, "Imam Ali (A.S.), the Voice of Human Justice."

History has recorded the utter simplicity of the life of this great man and the following incidents highlight his lack of attachment to worldly pleasures and his contentment in frugal living.

"One day, during the month of Ramadan, Imam Ali (A.S.) was invited to his daughter Umm-e Kulthum's house for iftar. For iftar, she had served two loaves of barley bread, a bowl of milk and some salt. As Imam Ali (A.S.) saw the iftar that was served, after finishing his salat, he said to his daughter: `You have served two kinds of dishes for me. Don't you know that I follow my cousin, the Messenger of Allah's (peace be upon him and his household) path? Don't you know that we are all accountable for the halal (permitted) of this world and that there is torment in the haram (forbidden) of this world? I swear by Allah that I shall not break my fast until you take one way.'" (Al-Futuh, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn A'asam Kufi, translated by Muhammad ibn Ahmad Mustowfi, p. 747)

Yet another incident has been narrated by Abul Aswad Doeli regarding the sincerity of Imam Ali (A.S.). He writes:

"Following the victory of the Battle of Jamal, I saw Imam Ali (A.S.) enter the public treasury of Basra. As soon as he saw what was in there, he said: `O the yellow and the white (the gold and silver) go and deceive someone else. Worldly wealth leads towards darkness and I am the leader of the faithful.' I swear by Allah that neither did Ali pay any attention to what was present in the public treasury nor did it attract him even for a single moment. All that wealth and treasure, in the eyes of Ali, was as unworthy as dust." (The Battle of Jamal, Sheikh Mufid, translated by Mahmud Mahdavi Damghani, p 174)

Not only in his personal life, but even in his political life, Imam Ali (A.S.) manifested the highest levels of taqwa. He (A.S.) strictly adhered to the laws of the Shariah in all his political moves, even if it did not appear to be to his immediate benefit. When he heard that some of his enemies had commented that Ali (A.S.) has no political acumen, he said:

"If religion and taqwa were of no significance to me, and if cunningness and scheming were virtuous actions, I would have been the shrewdest of all people." (The Exegesis of Nahjul Balagha, Ibn-e Abil-Hadid, vol. 11, p. 211)

Imam Ali (A.S.) never neglected the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, even in the most difficult and trying times like war. During his battles, Ali (A.S.) would advise his soldiers: "O creatures of Allah pay great attention to purity of faith and intention." (The Battle of Siffin, Abul Fadhl Nasr ibn-e Muzahim al-Monghari, translated by Karim Zamani, p. 120)

c- Remembering Allah and Staying Aware: According to Imam Ali (A.S.), one of the main pillars for the spread of good or ma'roof in a society is the remembrance of Allah and the spread of munkar in a society is because of neglect of the remembrance of Allah. The "remembrance of Allah" does not mean paying mere lip-service or hollow sermonizing but actually calls for a deep love and obedience to Him and His Prophet (peace be upon him and his household), the most essential key to personal and social success. Regarding this, Imam Ali (A.S.) says:

"The remembrance of Allah has some special supporters who have remained loyal to the remembrance of Allah instead of being tempted by worldly matters. Trade and business do not keep them away from remembering Allah. All through their lives, their closest companion has been the remembrance of Allah and they repel all forbidden (haram) acts, with this remembrance of Allah. They strive tirelessly in spreading the Message of Allah to the ignorant, establish justice and act in a just manner and enjoin good and forbid evil." (Nahjul-Balagha)

Imam Ali (A.S.) considered man's forgetfulness of Allah as the root of all evils. The cause for this is that anyone who becomes forgetful of Allah and His power and mercy, revolves his whole life around the material world. The Imam (A.S.) says:

"The obedience of Allah, in the eyes of such (materialistic) people, is a loss; and the forgetfulness of Allah (to them) appears to be gainful. They deeply fear death and yet they do not use the time that is at their disposal today. They consider the sins of others as great and no matter how big their own sins are, they relate to them as insignificant; and they consider their own worship as great, no matter how insignificant it is. They criticize others but take their own matters very lightly. They think their vain acts around the wealthy is more beneficial than the remembrance and worship of Allah. They fear people, even at the cost of disobeying Allah but they do not fear Allah." (Nahjul Balagha)

According to Imam Ali (A.S.), the world is actually only a place for the remembrance and worship of Allah. He says:

"If one wishes to believe this transient world as the only reality, the world is a deception for him but it is a safe place for the one who understands it. It is a preparatory stage (for the Hereafter), for the one who knows what is needed for his onward journey. The world is the place of prostration for the friends of Allah; the landing ground for the inspiration (wahy) of Allah; the place of worship for the angels; and the friends of Allah attain the mercy of Allah in this very world and enjoy its benefits in Paradise." (Tarikh-e Yaqubi, Ahmad ibn Ishaq Yaqubi, translated by Muhammad Ibrahim Ayah, vol. 2, p. 129)

d- Obeying the Divine Commanders and Avoiding Disobedience: It is not always very simple to know clearly what is considered as `good' or ma'roof by Allah and often one finds himself on confusing crossroads. Thus, it is very necessary to have divine commanders like Prophets (peace be upon them), Imams (A.S.), and their authentic representatives, who can guide mankind on the path of Truth and salvation and to avoid whatever they have forbidden. Imam Ali (A.S.) says:

"Protecting the sanctity of divine commandments and obeying the divine Prophets (peace be upon them), lead to deliverance and salvation. Thus, be very attentive to obeying the divine laws and remember that it is to your own benefit in both this world and the Hereafter to obey the divine commanders." (Al-Futuh, ibn-e A'asam Kufi, p. 411)

On the other hand, the Imam (A.S.) considers standing up against despotic and unjust rulers (like Muawiyah) as part of one's duty to enjoin good and forbid evil. Interestingly, years later when Imam Hussain (A.S.) revolted against the despotic Yazid, he (Imam Hussain), declared his aim to be the bringing of reform in the deviated community of his grandfather [the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household)] and to establish "Amr bil Ma'roof and Nahy an il Munkar" in the community has severe consequences. In the view of Imam Ali (A.S.), the neglect and abandoning of observing "Amr bil Ma'roof" and "Nahy an il Munkar" has severe consequences. In his own words:

"Do not abandon enjoining of good and forbidding of evil, failing which, despotic elements will dominate you. After that, no matter how much you would supplicate, your supplications will go unanswered. (Nahjul Balagha)

Imam Ali (A.S.) also highlights on the importance of leadership in Islam because only under the leadership of worthy leaders does good prevail in the society and evil leave. In Imam Ali's (A.S.) words:

"I am amazed at why people who are in dispute over religious matters, do not refer to the clear ordinances of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) and his (true) successor. They follow their carnal inclinations and think that they know what is good and define `evil' in their own distorted terms. In difficulties, they rely on their own weak selves (instead of Allah) and insist on depending on their own judgements, even in very important matters. It seems as though each one has become his own leader!" (Nahjul Balagha)

Thus we can see clearly that all of Imam Ali's (A.S.) life revolved around serving Allah and establishing and spreading His message brought to mankind by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his household). He strictly believed in and followed `Amr bil Ma'roof and nahy an il Munkar' in his personal, social and political life and thus had attracted some very faithful friends and followers. However, he had also attracted many enemies from among the selfish and evil elements of society who plotted to assassinate him since they saw him as a major obstacle to their evil desires for power and wealth.

Ultimately, this great friend and supporter of Allah, Ali (A.S.), who had the most unique blessing of being born in the holy Ka'ba also attained to martyrdom as the guest of Allah - this time in the Mosque, while in prostration for his morning salat.

On the 19th of Ramadan, Imam Ali (A.S.) came to the mosque in Kufa for his morning prayers. As he was leading the congregational prayer, Ali (A.S.) was dealt with a heavy stroke by the evil venomous dagger of a Kharijite tool of Muawiyah, Abdur Rahman Muljim, who struck Ali (A.S.) on his head, as he crouched in prostration to His Beloved Allah. Ali (A.S.) was crowned with martyrdom two days later, on the 21st Ramadan, 40 A.H. and was buried in Najaf al-Ashraf.

﴾And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead, nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive.﴿ (Qur'an, 2:154)

* By: Dr. Sayyid Alauddin Sharokhi.

Source : Al-Maaref

Self-Sacrifice and Devotion of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS)

There is no doubt to it that every body loves his soul and very rarely gets ready to sacrifice it for another person but because of the fact that Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) loved the soul of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) even more than his own one, he got prepared to lay his life for him.

The event takes shape like this. When the polytheists saw that they are in danger, they jointly made a firm determination to take the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) by surprise and martyr him. So all of them gathered in "Dar un Nadva" and choose one person from each family so that every tribe gets involved in getting Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) killed and then no one could take the revenge of him.

The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had come to know about this conspiracy through revelation. God ordered him (pbuh) to migrate from Macca in the darkness of the night. The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) needed someone, prepared to sacrifice his life and must be a trustworthy secret holder.

Hence, there was no one else except Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) in whom he confided, and told him "God has informed me that the infidels will break through the house to kill me so today you sleep on my bed."
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) smilingly accepted it, because he (as) knew that the life of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) would be saved by his action. In fact, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) used to say later that the best sleep he had ever had was on that night (Shab-e-Hijrat).

Then the time came when the darkness of the night covered everything and Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) was sleeping on the prophet’s (pbuh) bed calmly and peacefully and the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came out of his house and started proceeding towards the Cave of Saur with Abu Bakr. The infidels besieged the house and got prepared with their swords and spears to attack it. The sooner they were instructed to make it, they break through the house rushing with naked swords. But when they found Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) laying on the bed of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) they immediately moved out of the house desperate and astonished, and sent a few horsemen to search the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). But not very long afterwards they too returned defeated and hopeless.

Allah liked this action of Imam Ali so much that HE(God) revealed this verse in the Holy Quran: ﴾And among men is he who sells his NAFS (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah...﴿ (Surah 2: Baqarah / Verse 207)

Source : Al-Maaref

Ali (AS) will be the Distributor of Kausar Saqiye Kausar

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) told Ali (A.S): "O Ali! verily you are the distributor of (the water of) Kausar". It is related in khisaal of Shaikh Sadooq that the Commander of the faithful Ali (A.S) said, "I along with my progeny (Ahlulbait) will be standing besides the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) near the spring of Kausar".

Whoever wishes to meet us should strive to emulate our actions and words. For every house has some generous and noble people. Intercession (Shafa'at) is surely there for our friends. Hence strive to meet us there. For we shall shun away our enemies from there and give our friends to drink from it. And whoever drinks a sip from that blessed water will never become thirsty.

It is written in the Sahih of Bukhari that when some of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) will be removed from the Kausar, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) will say, "O my Lord! these are my companions Allah will reply, "You do not know what they did after you.

They spread false traditions and made changes in religion (Bid-at) This tradition is also quoted in the ninth volume of the saheeh of Muslim.

The pulpit of praise (Maqame Mahmood).

In the Tafseer of Furat bin Ibrahim kufi Imam Ja'far-al Sadiq (A.S) quotes a lengthy Hadees from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) that He said: As Allah has promised me, He will surely fulfill it. ﴾May be your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory﴿. (Surah- al- Bani Israil: 79).

He will gather all the people on the day of Qayamat, and will erect a Pulpit (Mimbar) for (zabro Jad), emeralds (zamrood), rubies (Yaqoot) and gold.

I will mount on it and sit on the highest step. At that moment Jibra'eel will bring the Standard of praise (Liwaul Hamd), and handing it over to me will say, "O Mohammad (peace be upon him and his household)! verily this is the praiseworthy position (Maqame Mahmood) about which Allah had promised you Then I will tell Ali (A.S) to mount the Pulpit, He shall do so and sit one step after me. Then I will hand over the Standard to him.

Ali (A.S) will be the Distributor of Heaven & hell (Kaseemill Jannate wan Naar).

The gate-keeper of Paradise (Rizwan) will bring the keys of Paradise and hand them over to me. Likewise the Keeper of hell (Malik) will also come and hand over the keys of hell to me. Then 1 in turn will give the keys to Ali the son of Abu Talib (A.S) [ O Ali ! You are the distributor of Paradise and hell -Holy Prophet]. And at that time Paradise and hell will be obedient to me as a bride is to her groom. And this is the interpretation of the Verse (Ayah): ﴾Do cast into hell every ungrateful., rebellious one﴿. (Surah al-Qaf: 24).

From : Manazileh Akhrirah.
By: Shaykh Abbas Qummi
Source : Al-Maaref

The Excellence of the Month of Ramadhan

He said: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Umar al-Je'abi reported to me from Muhammad b. Yahya b. Sulaiman b. Ziyad al-Maruzi, who reported from Ubaidullah b. Muhammad al-Ayshi, who reported from Hammad b. Salemah, from Ayyub, from Abu Qalabah, from Abu Hurairah, who reported that:

The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "This is the month of Ramadhan, a blessed month, in which Allah has made its fasts obligatory. In it, He opens the gates of Paradise and in it, Satan is put into shackles. There is a night in it, which is worthier than thousand months; whoever misses it he is indeed deprived." He used to repeat it three times.

The Month of Ramadhan
He said: Abu al-Tayyib al-Husain b. Muhammad al-Tammar reported to me from Ja'far b. Ahmad al-Shahid, who reported from Abul Husain Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abi Muslim, who reported from Ahmad b. Jalees al-Razi, who reported from al-Qasim b. al-Hakam al-Irniy, who reported from Hisham b. al-Waleed, from Hammad b. Sulaiman al-Saddoosi, who reported from Abul Hasan Ali b. Muhammad al-Sayrafi, who reported from al-Dhahhak b. Mazahim, from Abdullah b. Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib, who heard that:
The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, say: "Every year, when the month of Ramadhan enters, the paradise arrays itself ornately and beautifies itself.
So when the first night of that month falls, a gentle wind blows from under the Throne, called al-Mutheerah; and the leaves of the heavenly trees flap and the door shutters clank, to produce a melodious tune, the like of which the hearers have never heard. And then the houris with beautiful eyes appear, standing on the balcony of the heavenly abode, exclaiming: 'Is there anyone to propose to Allah, so that He may marry him (to the houris)?'Then they say: 'O Ridhwan, what night is this?' He answers them in all readiness and say: 'O good and beautiful ones, this is the first night of the month of Ramadhan. The gates of Paradise have been opened for those who keep the fasts in the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny."
(He said): Then Allah, Most High, will say: "O Ridhwan, open the gates of Paradise. O Malik, shut the gates of hellfire from those who observe the fasts in the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny. O Jibraeel, descend to the earth and put every rebellious Satan into the shackles, fetter them by their necks and throw them into the depth of the seas, so that they may not spoil the fasts of those from the Ummah of My beloved."
He said: And then Allah, Most High, will say three times every night in the month of Ramadhan. "Is there anyone who seeks so that I may bestow? Is there any repentant, so that I may pardon him? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness so that I may forgive him? Who is there to lend a soft loan (alms and charity for the poor) to One Who is Sufficient, Everlasting and One Who is Just and wrongs no one?"
He said: "In the evening of every day of the month of Ramadhan, Allah frees a million souls from hellfire at the time of Iftar. And when the night of Friday and the day of Friday enter, He frees a million souls every hour. Those were the wretched souls who deserved chastisement. And when the month of Ramadhan ends, the number of souls freed on that day equals the total souls released from hellfire by Allah during the whole month.
And when it is night of Qadr, Allah, Most High and Mighty, commands Jibraeel to descend to earth, with a phalanx of angels, carrying a green standard. He fixes it at the rear of al-Ka'bah. And he has six hundred wings, two of which he never spreads except on the night of Qadr. He spreads those two wings on that night, till they go beyond the East and the West. Then Jibraeel disperses the angels in that night, so they greet everyone who is standing, sitting, praying and chanting (remembering Allah). They shake hands with them, and say Amin to their prayers, till the day breaks.
And when the day breaks, Jibraeel, peace be upon him, proclaims: 'O group of angels, it is time to depart.' They say: 'O Jibraeel, how has Allah responded to the supplications of the believers in the Ummah of Muhammad?' Jibraeel says: 'Allah has looked upon them in this night and has forgiven them all except four.' He said that then the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: 'These four are: persistent boozers of alcoholic drinks, and the one who has incurred displeasure of his parents, and the one who has severed relations with his consanguinal kith and kin, and the one whose heart is filled with rancour and bitter hatred.'
And when the night of al-Fitr enters, the night which is called the night of rewards, Allah bestows His rewards upon the worshippers, without measure. And when the day of al-Fitr dawns, Allah sends His angels to every part of the earth, so they descend and stand at the opening of every lane, saying: 'O Ummah of Muhammad, proceed towards the Benevolent Sustainer, for He (Alone) gives in abundance and forgives the grievous sins.' So when they advance towards the prayers, Allah, Most High and Mighty, addresses the angels: "O My angels, what is the reward of a hired one when he has completed his task?" They reply: "O our Lord and our Master, the reward is to pay him full for his labour."
He said: Then Allah, Most High and Mighty, would say: "Be My witness, O My angels, that as a reward for their fasts and prayers during the month of Ramadhan, they have earned My Pleasure and Forgiveness." Then He would say: "O My servants, seek from Me whatever you wish, for by My Honour, there is nothing which you will seek for the sake of your hereafter or for this world, but that it will be granted. And by My Honour, I shall conceal your shameful parts, the way you guarded them for My sake. By My Honour, I shall save you and shall not put you to shame before the people of Eternity. Go, with all your sins forgiven, for you have indeed pleased Me, and I am pleased with you."
He said: The angels will rejoice and express felicitations to each other, for what Allah will bless this Ummah, upon breaking the fast.

Month of Ramadhan and the Night of Qadr
He said: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Umar al-Je'abi reported to me from Muhammad b. Yahya Ibn Sulaiman Al-Muruzi, who reported from Abdullah b. Muhammad al-Ayshi, who reported from Hammad b. Salemah, from Ayyub from Abu Qulabah, from Abu Hurairah, who reported that:
The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "This is the month of Ramadhan, the blessed month whose fasts Allah has made obligatory. The gates of Paradise are opened in this month and the Satans are shackled in it. In this month, there is a night, which is better than a thousand months. Whoever preserves its sanctity is indeed saved." The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, repeated it three times!

Source:
Al-Amali: The Dictations of Sheikh al-Mufid

Some Comments on the Blessed Surah of al-Qadr

He, the Exalted, says : " We revealed it on the night al-Qadr." Lofty matters are there in this noble ayah, to refer to some of which is not without advantage.

The first matter is that this ayah and many of noble ayahs ascribe the revelation of the Qur'an to the Sacred Essence of Allah Himself, as He says: "We have revealed it in a blessed night, " [533] "We have revealed the Reminder and We will be its guardian," [534] and similar noble ayahs. In some other ayahs it is ascribed to Gabriel, the Faithful Spirit, as He says: "The Faithful Spirit descended with it." [535]

The literalist scholars in these instances say that this is metaphorical, similar to: "O Haman! build for me a tower...", [536] Ascribing the revelation, for example, to Allah is because His Sacred Essence was the cause and the one who commanded it to be revealed, or the ascription of the revelation to Allah is real, and as the Faithful Spirit is the means, it is metaphorically ascribed to him. This is because they regard ascribing Allah's act to the creatures to be like ascribing a creature's act to another creature. Thus, the tasks of Izrael and Gabriel are ascribed to Allah, the Exalted, as the task of Haman is ascribed to Pharaoh, and the tasks of the builders and the constructors to Haman. But this is an analogy which is completely false and differential. Comprehending ascribing (a creature's) creation to Allah, and the act of a creature to the Creator is among the important branches of theology and philosophy, through which a lot of problems are solved, including fatalism and free will, of which this matter is a branch.
It must be noted that it has been proved and confirmed in the high sciences that all the House of Realization and phases of existence are the image [surat] of the Holy Emanation, which is the luminous manifestation of Allah. As the Luminous Relation [idafa-i ishraqiyah] is mere relation and pure dependence [faqr] its individuations and images are mere relations, too, having neither identity [haithiyat] nor independence of their own. In another expression, the whole House of Realization is, essentially, attributively and actually, vanished in Allah, because if a being was independent in a personal affair of his, whether in the existential identity or in any of its other affairs, he would be out of the limits of possibility, and would be changed into essential necessity, which is an obvious falsity. If this divine grace is implanted in the heart and the heart tastes it as it deserves, a secret of Qadar [qadr] (fate, predestination) will be exposed to him, and a delicate aspect of the truth of "a matter between two matters" (amr-un baynal amrayn) will be disclosed to him.
So, the effects and the acts of perfection can be attributed to the creature as they similarly can be attributed to Allah, without resorting to metaphor on either side, and this is realized in the view of Unity [wahdat] and multiplicity [kathrat] and joining between the two matters. But, the one who is in mere multiplicity [kathrat] and veiled off Unity, ascribes the act to the creature, heedless of Allah, as we, the veiled, are. The one in whose heart Unity [wahdat] is manifested, will be veiled against the creatures, and will ascribe all acts to Allah, while the gnostic researcher joins between "Unity" and "multiplicity": At the same time of attributing the act to Allah, without resorting to the blemish of metaphor, he also attributes it to the creature, without the blemish of metaphor, too. The noble ayah: " ... And you threw not when you did throw, but Allah threw," [537] in which, while confirming the throwing, negates it, and while negating the throwing, confirms it, is a reference to the way of the great gnostics and their strict faithful method. Our referring to the acts and effects of perfection, excluding the shortcomings, was because the shortcomings' recourse is to the privations, which are of the individuations [ta`ayyunat] of existence, and are not attributed to Allah, except accidentally [bil'arad]. Going into the details of this subject is not possible in these papers.
Now that this introduction has been understood, the attribution of "revelation" [tanzil] to Allah and Gabriel, and the "bringing to life" [ihya] to Seraphiel and Allah, and the "bringing death" [imatah] to Izrael and the angels in charge of the souls and to Allah, can also be easily understood. There are many references to this matter in the noble Qur'an. It is one of the Qur'an's Knowledge [ma`arif] of which there was no trace in the books of the wise men and the philosophers before this Glorious Book, and the human family is indebted to the gift of this Divine Book in this respect, like other divine, Qur'anic Knowledge [ma`arif].
The second matter is the use of the plural pronoun: "We revealed". The point here is to aggrandize the state of Allah, the Exalted, as the revealer of this noble Book. It may be that this plurality refers to a nominal plurality denoting that Allah, the Exalted, with all the affairs of His Names and Attributes, is the originator of this noble Book. For this reason, this noble Book is the image of the Collective Oneness of all the Names and Attributes, and is the introducer of the Holy state [maqam] of Allah in all affairs [shu'un] and manifestations. In other words, this luminous Book is the image of the Greatest Name, as is the Perfect Man, or rather, the truth of these two, in the Unseen [hadrat-i ghaib], is the same, while in the world of separation they separate in respect of the image, although in respect of concept they do not separate. This is a meaning of: "They would not separate until they come to me at the Pool." [538] As Allah, with the hands of Majesty and Beauty fermented the clay of the First Man, the Perfect Man, He, with the hands of Beauty and Majesty, revealed the Complete Book, the Comprehensive Qur'an. Probably it is for this reason that it was called the Qur'an, because the state of Oneness [ahadiyat] is the Union of Unity and multiplicity, [jam`-i wahdat u kathrat], and it is for this reason that this Book can neither be abrogated nor ruptured, because the Greatest Name and its manifestations are eternal and everlasting, and all Shari`ahs call to this Muhammadan Shari`ah and guardianship [wilayah].
It is probable that as it is said: "We revealed", on the same basis: "We offered the trust ..." [539] is said in the first person plural, since "the trust", according to its inside, is the truth of guardianship, and, according to its outside, is the Shari`ah, Islam Qur'an or the salat.
The third matter is a brief about the revelation of the Qur'an. It is of the delicacies [latayif] of divine sciences [ma'arif] and of the secrets of religious facts that only few can scientifically get some information about them, except the perfect godly men, at the head of whom is the very person of the Seal of the Prophets (SA), and then, with his assistance, the others of the godly men and the people of knowledge. No other one can, by way of intellectual intuition, know this divine delicacy [latifa], because this truth cannot be discerned except by attaining to the world of inspiration and getting out of the limits of the worlds of possibility. We shall, in this stage, refer to this truth by way of hints and expressive allegories.
It must be noted that the hearts which travel to Allah by way of spiritual suluk and internal journey, and migrate from the dark station of the self and from the house of 1-ness and selfishness, are, generally, divided into two groups.
First, those who, after finishing their travel to Allah, death overtakes them, and they remain in the state of attraction, annihilation and death. The reward of this group is with Allah, and it is Allah. They are the beloved who perish under the "domes [qibab] of Allah". No one knows them, and they have connection to nobody. They know none but Allah: "My friends are under My domes, no one knows them other than Me." [540]
The second group are those who, having completed their journey to Allah and in Allah, became fit to return to themselves and be subject to a state of sobriety and intelligence. They are those whose aptitude, according to the manifestation by the Holiest Emanation, which is the secret of qadr, has been predetermined, and they have been chosen for perfecting the servants and engendering prosperity in the regions. Having communicated with His knowledge [hadrat-i `ilmiyah] and returned to real entities, they disclosed the journey of the entities and their communication [ittisal] with His Holiness [hadrat-i quds], and their travel to Allah and to happiness, receiving the honorable robe [khal'at] of prophethood. This disclosure [kashf] is a divine revelation [wahy], before descending to the world of Gabrielic revelation. After turning from this world towards the descending worlds, they disclose what is in the High Pens and Holy Tablets, in proportion to their comprehension of knowledge and growth of perfection, which belong to the Names [hadarat-i asmaiyah]. The difference of Shari'ahs and prophethoods, or rather all differences, stem from there.
In this stage it sometimes happens that the Unseen Truth and the Holy Secret, proved in His Knowledge [hadrat-i `ilmiyah] and the High Pens and Tablets, descend, by way of the unseen of their souls and the secret of their honourable spirits, by means of the Angel of Revelation, Gabriel, into their blessed hearts. Sometimes Gabriel appears in an "ideal image" [tamaththul-i mithali] in the "Ideal" [hadrat-i mithal] to them, and sometimes he takes a "worldly image", appearing from the hidden place [makan] of the Unseen, by that truth to the scene of the world of visibility, bringing down that divine delicacy [latifah]. The receiver [sahib] of the revelation, in each of the emergences [nasha'at], understands and discerns in a certain way: in a way in His Knowledge [hadrat-i `ilmiyah], and in different ways in the entities [hadrat-i ay'an], in the Pens [hadarat-i aqlam] in the Tablets [hadrat-i alwah] in the "Ideal" [hadrat-i mithal], in the Common Sense and in the absolute visibilities [shahadat]. These are the seven stages of descension, which may be related to the hadith that the Qur'an has descended on "seven letters", [541] which does not contradict the hadith: "The Qur'an is one, revealed from the One", [542] as is known. This state, however, requires to be expanded upon, but not here.
The fourth matter concerns the secret of the third person singular pronoun "it" [ha] in "we revealed it." As is known, the Qur'an has passed, before being descended to this emergence [nash'ah] through stages and entities [kainunat]. Its first stage was its entity in the Knowledge [kainunat-i `ilmiyah] in the Unseen by the speaking of His Essence and by His Self-arguing [muqari`a-i dhatiyah] by way of the "Collective Oneness" [ahadiyat-i jam']. And the said pronoun may be a reference to that state, as, in order to show that percept, He used the third person pronoun, as if to say that this very Qur'an which was revealed on "the night of qadr" is the same scholarly Qur'an, in the unseen secret hidden in the emergence of Knowledge [nash'a-i `ilmiyah], and which was descended from those stages, in one of which it was united with the Essence and was of the manifestations of the Names. This apparent truth is that divine secret, and this Book, which has appeared in the uniform of words and expressions, in the stage of Essence is in the image of the Essential manifestations, and, in the stage of Action, is the very manifestation of Act, as the Commander of the Believers ('Ali) (AS) said: "His talk is His act. [543]
The fifth matter concerns "the night of qadr", about which there are many discussions and uncountable pieces of information, which have been expanded upon by the great scholars (may Allah be pleased with them) according to their diverse ways and methods. In these pages we shall briefly relate some of them. As to the matters which they did not mention, we shall refer to them within our relating other matters.
As regards the naming of "the night of qadr", the scholars have different opinions. Some say that as it is honourable and great, and as the Qur'an is great, brought down (in it) by a great angel, to a great Messenger, for a great ummah, it was called "laylatul Qadr" (the night of greatness).
Some say that it is called "the night of measure" because the affairs, the life-terms and the provisions of the people are "measured" in that very night. Some say that as the angels on that night are so numerous (in the earth) that as if the earth is strictly "measured" for them, it is called al-qadr, and that is like: "and he whose provision is measured." [544]
These are some of the opinions concerning this subject. About each of them there have been researches, a hint at which is not without advantage.
As to the first opinion, i.e. that night being honourable and great, know that many things are said in this respect, to the effect that, as regards time and place in general, some are honourable and some are not, some are lucky and some are unlucky. But is this a natural and intrinsic characteristic of time and place, or is it because happy and unhappy events happen in them, and, consequently they are so described? Although this is not a noble and important topic, and to expand upon it is not advantageous, yet, we shall briefly refer to it.
What gives priority to the first possibility is that some narratives and ayahs which apparently regard time and place either honourable or unlucky, confirm this to be intrinsic, not a characteristic belonging to the particular condition. So, as there is no rational objection, they can be taken according to their apparent meanings.
What gives priority to the second possibility is that the truth of time and place is a single one, or even their entity (personality) is one, too. Such being the case, it will not be possible that a single person can be divided and be different in status [hukm]. Therefore, it is inevitable to take what is said about time and place as lucky or unlucky as caused by the events and happenings taking place in them. But this is not prove-able, because although time is a single entity, yet, as it gradually expands and is measurable, there can be no objection that some part of it be different in status and effect from another part. There is no evidence that a person, whoever he may be, cannot enjoy two status and two effects, rather the contrary is apparent. For example, the human beings, although every one of them is a single person, yet, there are many differences in their corporeal features, like the skin, the brain and the heart, as these are more delicate and honoured than the other organs. Similarly, some of the internal and external powers are more honourable than others. This is because man, in this world, is not apparently known as to have a complete unity, though single in person. But as apparently he is known of multiplicity, he can have different status.
The priority of the first possibility is not, however, an agreeably correct one, because this opinion is based, for example, on "the originality of appearance" [isalatuz-zuhur] and "the originality of the truth", [isalatul haqiqah], whereas methodically it is known that "the originality of the truth" and "the originality of appearance" are used when there is a doubt in the objective for the purpose of making sure of the objective, not that they should confirm the objective after that it had already been known. So, consider. [545]
Therefore, both aspects are possible, but the second aspect seems preferable. Consequently, "the night of qadr" was described as "the honoured night" because it was the night of the meeting of the Sealing Prophet, the night on which the real lover reached his Beloved. In the former discussions it was noted that the descension of the angels and the revelation was after the annihilation and the real proximity. From many narratives and noble ayahs it can be gathered that the luckiness and unluckiness of times and places are because of the events which take place in them. This can be realized by referring to them, although some of them also denote their intrinsic honour.
The other possibility for naming "the night of qadr" is because the affairs of the days of the year are measured on that night. So, know that the truth of "Fate" [qada] and "Destiny" (Divine Decree = qadar), its quality and its stages of appearance, are of the greatest and noblest divine knowledge, and it is because of their extreme exactness and nicety that deeply thinking about them is not allowed for the human race as it causes bewilderment and straying. Therefore, this truth is to be regarded of the religious secrets and the deposits of Prophethood, and one is to refrain from conducting scrutinizing research about it. We refer here only to a subject suiting this stage. That is, although the measurement of the affairs has been estimated from the very beginning in the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted, and it is not of the gradual matters in respect of the pure state of the divine knowledge, then, what does "taqdir" in every year and in a particular night mean?
Know that "Fate" and "Divine Decree" are of degrees, and according to those degrees and emergences [nasha'at] they differ in their status. The first degree is the facts which are judged (evaluated) and measured in His knowledge by the manifestation in "The Holiest Emanation" in the wake of the appearance of the Names and Attributes. Afterwards, by the High Pens and in the High Tablets, according to the appearance, and by the manifestation of the Act, they are ordained and confirmed. No changes and alterations may happen in these degrees. The inevitable and unchangeable decrees [qada] are the abstract facts happening in the entities [hadarat-i ayan] and in the emergence [nash'ah] of His Knowledge and descending to the abstract Pens and Tablets. Afterwards , the facts appear in isthmus [barzakhiyah] and ideal [mithaliyah] images in other Tablets and in a lower world, which is the world of "the distinct imagination" [kh'iyal-i munfasil] and "the universal imagination" [khyalul kull] - the world which, according to the method of the illuminationist philosophers, is called " The World of the Suspended Ideas " [`alam-i muthul-i mu'allaqah]. In such a world changes and differences are possible to happen, or actually they do happen. After that, the evaluations [taqdirat] and measurings take place by means of the angels in charge of the world of nature. In this Tablet of Fate there are continual changes and alterations, or rather it is, in itself, a flowing form and a passing, gradual fact. In this lauh (Tablet) the facts can be strong or weak, and the movements may be swift, slow, accelerated or decreased. Nevertheless, the "near-to-Allah" [yalillahi] aspect, the unseen aspect, of these very things,-which is the aspect of tadalli (suspension) to Allah, and it is the form of the appearance of the "Spread Emanation" [faid-i munbasit] and the "Extended Shade" [zill-i mamdud], and the truth of Allah's "Active knowledge" - there can occur in it no change or alteration.
In short, all the changes, alterations, additions to the lives, and measuring (the peoples') provisions are, as the philosophers believe, in the lauh of "the qadr of knowledge" [qadr-i `ilmi], which is "the world of ideas"-while to the writer, they are in the lauh of "the qadr of objectivity" [qadr-i `ayni], which is the very place of the measurements-done by the angels in charge of it. Therefore, there is no objection [mani`] that, as "the night of qadr" is the night of full attention of the "perfect guardian" [wali-i kamil] and of the appearance of his heavenly sovereignty, changes and alterations may happen, in it, in the world of nature through the honourable person of the "perfect guardian" and the Imam of each era and the pole [qutb] of the time-who, in our time, is "Allah's Remainder" [baqiyatullah] in the worlds (earths, lands = aradin), our Master, Patron, Imam and Guide, the Proof, the son of al-Hasan al-`Askari, may our souls be ransom for his coming. So, he may accelerate or slow any individual part of nature that he desires, and enlarge or straiten any provision he wills. And this will is that of the Haqq, and is the shadow and the rays of the Eternal Will and follows the Divine commands, as the angels of Allah, too, can do (change) nothing by themselves. Every act (change =tasarruf), rather every particle of existence, is of Allah and of His unseen grace [latifah]: "So keep straight as you are commanded." [546]
As to what has been said concerning the other possibility of naming "the night of qadr", i.e. it was so called because the earth seems too much narrow with the throng of the angels on that night, this point is a far-fetched one, despite the fact that Khalil ibn Ahmad, [547] the wonder of the time, may Allah's pleasure be upon him, says that what can be discussed is that the angels are not of the kind of the world of nature and matter, so what does it mean to say that the earth seemed narrow? However, such matters have been related in some noble narrations, like the case of the funeral procession of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, [548] may Allah be pleased with him, or the angels' spreading their wings for the students of knowledge. [549] This is when the angels appear in the assimilation [tamaththul] of "Ideal images", descending from the unseen world to the "World of Ideals" [ alam-i mithal] and narrowing the dominion of the earth, or it is probably their worldly assimilation in the kingdom of the earth, although this still cannot be seen by the natural animal eyes. However, the narrowing is on the basis of "Ideal" [mithaliyah] or "worldly" [mulkiyah] assimilation.
The second matter concerns the truth of "the night of qadr". Know that every spiritual grace has a reality, and for every worldly form there is a heavenly and unseen interior. People of knowledge say that the stages of the descension of the truth of the existence, in respect of the setting of the sun of the truth in the horizon of individuations, are "nights", whereas the stages of ascension, in respect of the rising of the sun of the truth in the horizons of individuations, are "days". Hence, the honour and the unluckiness of the "days" and the "nights" are, accordingly, clearly known.
According to another aspect, the arch of descension is the Muhammadan "night of qadr", and the arch of ascension is the Ahmadan "Resurrection Day", because these two arches are the extension of the light of the "Expanded Emanation" [faid-i munbasit], which is "the Muhammadan Truth" [haqiqat-i muhammadiyah], and all the individuations [ta`ayyunat] are of the First Individuation of "the Greatest Name". So, from the point of view of Unity [wahdat], the world is the "night of qadr" and the "Day of Resurrection", and it is no more than a single night and day, which is the entire House of Realization, the Muhammadan "night of qadr" and the Ahmadan "Day of Resurrection". The one who is assured of this truth will always be in the "night of qadr" and in the "Day of Resurrection", and these two become united.
From the point of view of multiplicity, there will be nights and days. Some nights have qadr (greatness, dignity) and some have not. Among all the nights, the Ahmadan constitution [bunyah], the Muhammadan individuation (SA) - into whose horizon has set the light of the truth of existence, with all the affairs, Names and Attributes, and with full luminosity and entire truth - is the absolute night of qadr, as the Muhammadan day is the absolute Day of Resurrection. Other days and nights are limited ones. The Qur'an's revelation [nuzul] to this noble constitution [bunyah] and pure heart, is the revelation [nuzul] in the "night of qadr". So, the Qur'an was revealed both in full in "the night of qadr", by way of complete and absolute disclosure, and in parts along twenty-three years in "the night of qadr."
The gnostic Shaykh, the Shahabadi [549a] (may his prosperity by lasting), used to say that the Muhammadan period is "the night of qadr", that is, all the periods of existence are the Muhammadan period, or it is because in this period the perfect Muhammadan poles, the infallible guiding imams (AS), are "the nights of qadr". What proves our suggested possibility concerning the truth of "the night of qadr" is the lengthy noble hadith which is quoted by al-Burhan Exegesis from the noble al-Kafi, in which it is said that when a Christian asked Imam Musa ibn Ja'far about the hidden explanation of "Ha Mim! (I swear) By the explaining Book. We revealed it on a blessed night - Surely We are ever warning. There in every wise affair is made distinct," [550] he replied: "As to "Ha Am", it is Muhammad (S. A.) "The explaining Book' is Amirul Mu'minin 'Ali (AS), and "the night" is Fatimah (AS)". [551]
In another narrative it is said that "the ten nights" are interpreted to be the pure Imams from al-Hasan to al-Hasan. [552] This is one of the degrees of "the night of qadr " to which Imam Musa ibn Ja'far referred, testifying that "the night of qadr" was the entire Muhammadan period.
In Al-Burhan Exegesis there is a narrative from Imam al-Baqir (AS). Being a noble hadith referring to several pieces of information, disclosing important secrets, we, owing to its blessedness, relate it in full:
The author (may Allah have mercy upon him), quoting Shaykh Abu Ja'far at-Tusi, from his men, from `Abdullah ibn `Ajlan as-Sakuni, said: " I heard Abu Ja`far (AS) say: The house of 'Ali and Fatimah is the room of the Messenger of Allah (SA), and the roof of their house is the Arsh of the Lord of the worlds. And at the bottom of their house there is an uncovered opening to the Arsh, the mi'raj of revelation; and the angels bring down revelation upon them in the morning and in the evening and every hour and twinkle of an eye. The angels are in ceaseless groups, some descending and some ascending. And Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, disclosed to Ibrahim the heavens till he saw the Arsh and He increased his seeing power. And Allah increased the seeing power of Muhammad, 'Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS). They used to see the Arsh and they found no roof over their houses except the Arsh.
Their houses were roofed with the Arsh of the Beneficent, and the ascensions of the angels and the Spirit in them, with the permission of their Lord, `for every affair in peace. 'I said: "for every affair'." Ile said: `In every affair.' I said: `Is that revelation?' He said: 'Yes"'. [553]
Contemplating this noble hadith will open doors of knowledge in the face of the deserving people and discloses parts of the truth of guardianship and of the hidden inside of "the night of qadr".
The third matter: Know that as "the night of qadr" has a truth and an inside, as it has been mentioned, it also has a form and an appearance, or even appearances in the world of nature. But as appearances can differ in respect of their shortcomings and perfections, form the narratives and hadiths about specifying "the night of qadr" can be gathered that all the noble nights specified in those narratives are of the appearances of "the night of qadr", except that they differ from one another in respect of their honour and perfection of appearance, while that noble night, which is the full appearance of "the night of qadr", the night of the complete joining [wasi] and the perfect attainment [wusul] of the Last Prophet, is hidden in the whole year, in the blessed month of Ramadan, in its last ten (nights) or in the "three nights". The narratives of the Elite [khassah] and the public ['ammah] also differ. The Elite narrate, with uncertainty, that it is on the nights of the nineteenth, twenty-first and twenty-third (of Ramadan), and sometimes they waver between the night of the twenty-first and the twenty-third.
Shihab ibn `Abd Rabbih says: I asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (AS) to tell me about "the night of qadr". He said: "the night of the twenty-first and the night of the twenty-third." [554]
'Abdul Wahid ibn al-Mukhtar al-Ansari says: "I asked Imam al-Baqir (AS) about `the night of qadr'. He said: 'it is on two nights: the night of the twenty-third and the night of the twenty-first: I said: `Name only one of them.' He said: `What if you do something on the two nights of which one is `the night of qadr?"' [555]
Hassan ibn Abu 'Ali says: "I asked Imam as-Sadiq (AS) about `the night of qadr' He said: "Get it on the nineteenth, twenty-first and twenty-third." [555a]
The devotee and pious "Sayyid" (may Allah be pleased with him) in Iqbal says: "Know that it is the night of the twenty-third of the month of Ramadan. There are explicit narratives that it is `the night of qadr' by revelation and declaration. Of that I relate , on my authority up to Sufyan ibn as-Sit (or as-Simt) who said: "I asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (AS.) to tell me which was `the night of qadr' exactly." He said: "The night of the twenty-third". Another is to narrate, on my authority up to Zurarah, quoting 'Abdul Wahid ibn al-Mukhtar al-Ansari, who said: "I asked Imam al-Baqir (AS) about `the night of qadrl. He said: "By Allah I tell you with no ambiguity, it is the first night of the last seven nights." Zurarah was further quoted to have said that the month which the Imam mentioned had twenty-nine days. [556] After that other narratives are related to the effect that "the night of qadr" is the night of the twenty-third (of Ramadan), such as the case of Juhani, [557] which is known.
A Gnostic Note
As it has been said in respect of the two previously explained blessed surahs, it is more obvious that the bismillah of each surah belongs to it. Therefore, in the blessed surah of al-Qadr it means: "We revealed the noble Qur'anic trurh, the Sacred Divine Grace [latifah], in the Name of Allah, which is the `Collective Truth of the Names' and the Greatest Name of the Lord, individuated by the absolute mercy of Rahman and Rahim, on the Muhammadan night of qadr." That is, the appearance of the Qur'an follows the "Collective appearance" [zuhur-i jam i] of the Divinity and the "Contraction" [qabd] and "Expansion" [bast] of "Mercifulness" [rahimiyat) and "Beneficence" [rahmaniyat]. Rather , the truth of the Qur'an is the state of the appearance of the Greatest Name of Allah through the appearance of the "Beneficence" and the "Mercifulness", and is the "collector of the union and distinctness" [jami'-i jam' u tafsil). Consequently, this noble Book is "Qur'an" and "Furqan" (distinguisher), similar to the spirituality of the Seal of the Prophets and his sacred state of guardianship, which are also "Qur'an" and "Furqan" and the state of the "oneness of collectivity and distinctness" [ahadiyat-i jam` a tafsil]
So, it seems that the Sacred Essence, according to this possibility, says: "We have-with the manifestation of the state of the Greatest Name, which is the state of the "Oneness of Collectivity and Distinctness" [ahadiyat-i jam` u tafsil], with the appearance of the mercy of the Beneficent and the Merciful -revealed the Qur'an on the Muhammadan night of qadr. And as in the world of distinction [farq], or rather, the distinction of distinction, there was a distinction [furqaniyat] between the two "Qur'ans", i.e., the revealed and written Qur'an, and the Qur'an revealed to him, that is, the "Divine Book" and the "Muhammadan truth", we united between the two Qur'ans and joined the two Furqans in the night of union [wisal], and on this consideration, this night was called `the night of qadr', but its actual meritorious status, as it is, cannot be recognized by anybody except by the very Seal of the Prophets (SA), who is the owner of `the night of qadr' in person, as well as his infallible successors, who are its owner, too, through him."
Completion
Some Narratives Concerning the Merits of "the Night of Qadr"
Among them are those narrated by the knower of Allah, Sayyid ibn Tawus (may Allah be pleased with him) in his noble Book Iqbalul A`mal. He says: "I found in the book, called Yawaqit, by Abul Fadl ibn Muhammad al-Harawi, some narratives on the merits of "the night of qadr". Then he quotes from it a narrative from the Messenger of Allah (SA) as to have said: "Moses said: `O Allah! I desire Your proximity'. Allah said: "My proximity is for the one who keeps awake on `the night of qadr'. He said: `O Allah! I wish for your mercy.' Allah said: `My mercy is for the one who shows mercy to the poor on `the night of qadr'. He said: `O Allah! I want to cross the Sirat [the (Right) Path]'. He said: `That is for the one who gives out a sadaqah on `the night of qadr'. He said: `O Allah'. I want of the trees and fruits of Paradise'. Allah said: `They are for the one who glorifies (Me) on `the night of qadr'. He said: `I want to be delivered'. Allah said: `From the Fire'" `Yes,' he said. Allah said: `It is for the one who asks forgiveness on `the night of qadr'. He said: `O Allah! I ask for Your pleasure.' Allah said: `I would be pleased with the one who performs two rak`ahs of salat on `the night of qadr".
The same book, quoting the Messenger of Allah (SA), also says: "The doors of the heaven are opened on `the night of qadr. No servant may perform the salat on it unless Allah, the Exalted, writes down for him, for every sajdah a tree in Paradise, such that if a horseman rides under its shadow for a hundred years he will not finish it, for every rak`ah (or ruku`) a house, in Paradise, made of quartzes, rubbies, chrysolites and pearls, for every ayah a paradisiac crown, for every glorifying one of the precious birds, for every sitting one of the paradisiac degrees, for every tashahhud a paradasiac room and for every taslim a garment from paradise. And when the column of dawn bursts out, Allah will grant him (in Paradise) sociable women (wives) whose breasts bulge out from behind the dress, educated and good-behaving maids, eternal boys, noble birds, fragrant flowers, flowing rivers, pleasing graces, gifts, presents, coats of honour, wonders and whatever the heart desires and pleases the eye, in which you will eternally live."
Quoting Imam al-Baqir (AS), the same book says: "Whoever lives `the night of qadr' awake, his sins will be forgiven, even if as many as the stars of the sky, and as heavy as the mountains or the weight of the seas." [558] The narratives about its merits are too many to be included in these papers.
His saying: "And how do you know what the night of qadr is!" is a construction intended to denote honouring, tributing and paying homage to the greatness of the subject and the truth, especially when considering the addresser and the addressee. Although the addresser is Allah, the Exalted, and the addressee is the Messenger of Allah (SA), yet, the subject is sometimes so glorious that it is impossible to contain it with the construction of words and expressions. It is as if He says: You know not how great the truth of the night of qadr is! It cannot be explained in arranged words and letters, as they are incapable of containing it. Therefore, He just used "How" [ma] to denote that greatness, trying not to describe it, only saying that "the night of qadr is better than a thousand months", that is, He introduces it by referring to its characteristics and effects, since telling its truth is not possible. Hence, one may well guess that the truth of the night of qadr and its inside are different from its external form, though its external form is great and important, too, but not to the extent of addressing the Messenger of Allah, the absolute guardian and the informed of all worlds, in this way.
If you say: On the basis of the said possibility that the inside of "the night of qadr" is the very truth and constitution of the Messenger of Allah (SA), in which the sun of truth, in all its affairs, is hidden, then the objection will be higher, because it will not be possible to tell him: "How do you know what `the night of qadr', which is your own visible form, is?"
I will say: This subject has a secret. This delicate point has an inner meaning "for him who has heart or gives ear and is a witness". [559] Know, dear, that in the inside of the real "night of qadr", i.e., the constitution and the visible form, or the immutable essence of Muhammad [`ayn-i thabit-i muhammadi] (SA), there is manifested the Greatest Name and the Divine Collective Oneness. Therefore, as long as the travelling-to-Allah servant, that is, the Sealing Messenger (SA), is still inside his own veil, he will not be able to witness that inside and truth, as the same was said about Moses, the son of `Imran, (AS) in the Glorious Qur'an: "You will never see Me", [560] despite the fact that Moses witnessed the manifestation in Essence or in Attributes, as in: "When his Lord manifested (His glory) to the mountain, He made it crumble to dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon", [561] or in the great noble invocation of simat, as is quite obvious. There is also the note that: "O Moses, as long as you are in your Musawiyan veil and in your concealment [ihtijab], you will have no chance of witnessing. Witnessing the Beauty of the Beautiful is possible for the one who has come out of himself, because having come out of himself, he would see with the Haqq's eye, and the Haqq's eye would be seeing the Haqq. So, the manifestation of the Greatest Name, which is the perfect form of "the night of qadr ", cannot be seen through one's concealment [ihtijab]. Therefore, this expression is, according to the mentioned verification, correct and fitting.
If you say: "the night of qadr is the very Ahmadan constitution in view of the fact that in him the sun of the truth is hidden, not the sun itself that the said justification may be correct."
I will say: "According to the people of insight, the thing-ness of a thing depends on its form of perfection, and that the things with reasons, [asb?b] especially divine reason [sabab] their truth cannot be recognized without recognizing their reasons. In view of the people of knowledge, the correlation between the outside and the inside, manifestation and the manifesting, is not like that of two separate matters, because a truth may sometimes have an external manifestation, and sometimes an internal manifestation, as the well-known gnostic says:
We are non-existents showing existence,
You are the Absolute Being and our existence.
As the gnostic Rumi says, this talk has no end and it is better to forgo it.
His saying: "The night of qadr is better than a thousand months." If we note the worldly appearance of the external form of the night of qadr ", we realize that its goodness is more than a thousand months which have no night of qadr in them, or the night of qadr and the acts of devotional worship on it are better than thousand months in which the Israelites used to carry their weapons and fight for the sake of Allah, or the night of qadr is better than the thousand months of the rule of the Ummayids (may Allah curse them), as is stated in the noble narratives. [562]
If we note the truth of the night of qadr, "a thousand months" may be an allusion to all beings, as "a thousand" is a complete number, and by "months" the kinds are intended. That is, the respected Muhammadan constitution, who is the perfect man, is better than the thousand kinds which cover all beings, as has been said by some people of gnosticism. [563]
Another possibility occurs to the writer, that is, the night of qadr may be a hint at the manifestation of the Greatest Name, i.e., the complete Muhammadan (SA) mirror, and "a thousand months" may be the manifestations of the other Names. And, as Allah, the Exalted, has one thousand and one Names, and as one Name is especially hidden in the unseen world, similarly, the night of qadr is hidden, too, and the night of qadr of the Muhammadan constitution is also a hidden name. Thus , this especially hidden name is known to nobody except to the sacred essence of the Sealing Messenger (SA).
A Gnostic Note
It must be noted that as the perfect guardian, the Seal of the Prophets (SA), is the night of qadr because of the interiority [butun] of the Greatest Name in him and the occultation [ihtijab] of the Haqq with all affairs in him, likewise he is the day of qadr, too, since the appearance of the sun of the truth and the projection of the all-embracing Name appear from the horizon of his individuation. Similarly, the "Day of Resurrection" is his person, too.
In short, that sacred essence is the day and night of qadr, and the Day of Resurrection is the day of qadr, too. Therefore, the point that, out of all phenomena, the "month" is referred to, and from this complete and sacred phenomenon it is referred to "the night", is, perhaps, because the beginning of the months and years is the day and night, like the "one" being the beginning of the numbers. That master [sarwar] in the inside [batin] of the truth, the Greatest Name, is the beginning of the other names; and, in his individuation [ta'ayyun] and immutable essence [`ayn-i thabit], he is the root (origin = asl) of the "Good Tree" [shajara-i tayyibah] and the beginning of the individuations [ta'ayyunat]. Consider, so that you may know, and seize the opportunity!
His saying: "The angels and the Spirit descend in it, by the permission of their Lord, for every affair." In this noble ayah there are points, to some of which we shall refer briefly.
The first point is about the ranks of the angels of Allah, the Exalted, and their reality in general. Know that there are differences among the traditionists and researchers concerning the angels whether they are abstract or corporeal. All the Philosophers and researchers, and many of the juristic researchers, believe in their abstraction and in the abstraction of the rational soul, which they prove by strong evidences. There are also many noble narratives and ayahs from which (their) abstraction can be understood, as the traditionist and researcher, our master Muhammad Taqi Majlisi, the great father of the late Majlisi, says, in Sharhul Faqih, commenting on some relevant narratives, that they confirm the abstraction of the rational sou1. [564]
On the other hand, some of the great traditionists believe in their non-abstraction. Their utmost proof is that to believe in their abstraction is contrary to religion, and they add that there is no abstract except the Sacred Essence of Allah, the Exalted. This, however, is a very weak argument, because their most attention is probably directed to only two points: the first is the case of the temporal contingency [huduth-i zamani] of the world, as they think that the existence of an abstract other than Allah contradicts it. The second point is the case of the free will of Allah, the Exalted, in His acts, as they think that this contradicts the abstraction of the world of intelligence and the angels of Allah, the Exalted. Both these cases are of the insane [ma`nunah] affairs within the High Sciences. The non-contradiction of such cases with an abstract being is quite obvious. Even to believe in the non-abstraction of the rational souls, the world of intelligence and the angels of Allah, is contrary to many divine affairs and true beliefs, which cannot be explained for the time being. The temporal contingency of the worlds, as is interpreted by this group, is contrary to the principle of the temporal contingency, besides being in opposition to many divine rules, too.
To the writer, the truth, which agrees with reason [`aql] and tradition [naql], is that the angels of Allah are of different types. Many of them are abstracts and many are intermediate [barzakhi] corporeal: "No one knows the host of your Lord save Him". [565] As to their types, according to their general division, it is said that the heavenly beings are of two types: Type one has nothing to do with the corporeal world, belonging to neither incarnation [hulul] nor management [tadbir]. The other type belongs to one of the said two aspects.
The first type consists of two groups.
The first group are those who are called "the Passionate [muhayyimah] Angels". They are those who are infatuated with the Beauty of the Beautiful, absorbed in the Essence of His Majesty, unaware of all other creatures, paying no attention to other beings.
Among the friends of Allah [auliya'ullah] there is a group like them. While we are indulged in the dark sea of nature, and are completely unaware of the unseen world and the Essence of His Majesty, despite the fact that He is apparent by His Essence [bidh-dhat] and that every appearance is a reflection of His appearance, they are unaware of the world and of whatever is in it, and are engaged only in the Haqq and His Beautiful Beauty. A narrative says that Allah has some creatures who know nothing of His creating Adam and Iblis. [566]
The second group are those whom Allah, the Exalted, has made the means of the mercy of His Being. They are the beginning of the series of the beings and the goal of their longings. They are called ahlul jabarut (the Owners of Power), and their chief and leader is "the Greatest Spirit". It may be that "The angels and the Spirit descend," is a reference to this group of the angels of Allah. Describing him as "the Spirit", though he is an angel, is a hint at his greatness, as is in the noble ayah: "On the day when the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed." [567] From a point of view, the Spirit is called "the Highest Pen" [qalam-i a`la], as it is said that: "The first that Allah created was the Pen". [568] According to another point of view, it is called "the First Intellect" [`aql-i awwal], as it is also said that: "The first that Allah created was the Intellect". [569] Some others take "The Spirit" to be Gabriel. Some philosophers consider Gabriel to be the last of the Cherubic angels; some call him "The Holy Spirit"; and they regard the "Spirit" to be the first of the Cherubic angels. The noble narratives also state that "the Spirit" is greater than Gabriel. The noble al-Kafi, quotes Abu Basir, who said: "I asked Abu `Abdullah, as-Sadiq, (AS) about the words of Allah, the Exalted" 'They will ask you concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is of the bidding of my Lord' (surah as-Isra': 85). He said: `(It is) a creature [khalq] greater than Gabriel and Michael. It was with the Messenger of Allah (SA), it is with the Imams (AS), and it is from the heavenly kingdom."' [570] Some narratives say that the Spirit is not of the angels, it is greater than them. [571]
Probably "The Spirit" has two meanings in terms of the Qur'an and the Traditions, as it has its meanings in other terms. A Spirit is of the angels' type, since it was said to be of "the heavenly kingdom". Another Spirit is that of the holy men [auliya'], which is not of the angels, but greater than them. Therefore, the Spirit in the noble surah of al-Qadr may refer to "the Faithful Spirit" [ruhul amin] or "the Greatest Spirit", because the surah was revealed on "the night of qadr " . In the noble ayah : " They will ask you about the Spirit ", [571a] the reference may be to the spirit of the human beings, which, in its perfect degree, is greater than Gabriel and other angels. It is of "the World of Command" [`alam-i amr], and sometimes combined with His "Will" [mashiyat] which is absolute command.
Another group of the angels of Allah are those who are in charge of the corporeal beings and of managing them. These are of so many types and uncountable kinds, because for every being, high or low, celestial or terrestial, there is a heavenly aspect [wijhah] through which it is connected to the world of the angels and the host [junud] of Allah, the Exalted, as Allah refers to the heavenly domain of the things in the noble ayah: "Therefore, glory be to Him in Whose hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be brought back. " [572]
The Messenger of Allah (SA), concerning the host of the angels, say (as it has been narrated): "The heaven clamored, and it had the right to do so, as there was no place for a foot without there being an angel bowing or kneeling down." [573] Noble narratives speak much of the multitude of the angels and their numerous ranks. [574]
The second point concerns the descent of the angels upon the walayul amr (the legal guardian).
Know that the Greatest Spirit is the greatest creature among the angels of Allah, i.e. it is placed in the first rank of the angels of Allah, and is the greatest and most honourable of all. The immaterial (abstract) angels of Allah, confined to the world of power [`alam-i jabarut], would not forsake their states, as for them ascending and descending, as done by the material bodies, is impossible, because the immaterial (abstract) is innocent of the material requisites. Therefore, their descending will be in heavenly or worldly resemblance [tamaththul], whether in the heart, the bosom and the common sense of the guardian [wali], or in edifices of the earth, in the ka bah, around the grave of the Messenger of Allah (SA), or in the Populous House [baytul ma `mur]. Allah, the Exalted, concerning the descending of "The Faithful Spirit" to Mary (SA), says: "... it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man" [575] It is also possible for the holy men [auliya] and the perfect to assume heavenly resemblance and spiritual likeness of sovereignty. Therefore, the angels of Allah have the power and ability to enter the visible and invisible worlds assuming likenesses, and the perfect holy men [auliya] have the power to enter the heavenly world [malakut] and the world of power [jabarut] assuming spirituality, and to return from the exterior to the interior. To believe in this is quite easy for the one who understands the realities of the abstracts, whether heavenly and powerly abstracts or the rational souls, which are also abstracts of the worlds of jabarut and malakut, and who can imagine the stages of their existence and appearances, and the correlation [nisbat] of the outside to the inside, and the inside to the outside.
One must know that the assumption [tamaththul] of the "beings of jabarut" and the "beings of malakut" in the heart, bosom and sense of the human being is not possible except after his coming out of the apparel of humanity and being connected with those worlds. Otherwise, as long as the soul is engaged in the mundane preparations and is unaware of those worlds, it is impossible for it to witness those scenes or assumptions. Yet, it is sometimes possible that, with a gesture of a holy man, the soul comes out of this world, and, according to its deservedness, it may get a spiritual or formal [suri] understanding of the unseen world. And sometimes it happens that, due to some stupendous event, the soul is directed away from nature and perceives an example of the invisible world, such as the episode of that naive man who, on his pilgrimage, received an acquittance from the fire of Hell, as related by Avicenna. The gnostic Shaykh, Muhyiddin, also relates a story like this one. [576] Such stories are due to the souls turning away from the mulk to the malakut. It sometimes happens that the souls of the perfect holy men [auliya] after detachment from the worlds and witnessing the Greatest Spirit or other angels of Allah through the power of soul, come to themselves, keeping the power of witnessing the invisible and the visible. In such a case they simultaneously, and in all emergences (growths = nasha'at ), witness the truths of the beings of jabarut. It may also happen that the perfect wali, through his personal power, will be able to have the angels descend. And Allah is the Knower!
The third point is that since the night of qadr is the night of disclosure [mukashafah] to the Messenger of Allah (SA) and the Imams of guidance (AS), all the worldly affairs are uncovered by the unseen malakut to them, and the angels in charge of every affair appear to them in the invisible world and the world of the heart, and all the affairs which are prescribed for the creatures during the year in the high and low lauhs (tablets), appear to them, heavenly writ and covertly existed, in a disclosure. And it is a malakuti exposure [mukashafah] covering every particle of the world of nature, and no affair of the people's is hidden from the wal'iyul amr. There is no discrepancy in their knowing, in a single night, the affairs of a whole year, or, in an instance, the entire affairs of the world, or, in a single moment, all the measured assignments [muqaddarat] of mulk and malakut. Also during the days of the year, all the daily affairs may gradually be disclosed to them, both in general and in details. For example, it is in the hadith, concerning the revelation of the Qur'an, that it was revealed in general (in the whole) in "The Populous House" [baytul ma mur], then it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah in details within twenty-three years. [577] And its revelation in "The Populous House" was a revelation to the Messenger of Allah (SA), too.
In short, sometimes the waliyul amr may become connected to the High Council [mala'-i ala], the High Pens and the abstract lauhs, where to him will be exposed all the beings, from the beginning to eternity. Sometimes the connection is with the low lauhs, and for a period he uncovers the assignments [muqaddarat)], and the whole page of the universe is present before his guardian-like presence, and whatsoever affair happens will pass before his eyes.
Some narratives refer to the exposition [`ard] of the acts to waliyul amr. They are exposed every Thursday and Monday to the Messenger of Allah and the Imams of guidance (AS). Other narratives say that the acts are exposed every morning, or every morning and night. These exposures are also in general and in details, collectively and distinctly. In this respect, there are noble narratives from the infallible and pure Ahlul Bayt, mentioned in the books of exegeses, such as al-Burhan and as-Safi. [578]
His saying: "Peace it is till the break of the dawn" means that this blessed night is safe from Satanic evils, calamities and misfortunes till the break of the dawn. Or it is peace upon Allah's friends [auliya'ullah] and the worshipping people [ahl-i ta`at]. Or the angels of Allah who meet Allah's friends and the worshipping people greet them on the part of Allah, the Exalted, till the break of the dawn.
A Gnostic Note
As it has formerly been said concerning the truth of "the night of qadr", the degrees of existence and the visible and invisible individuations [ta `ayyunat] are regarded "night" because the sun of the truth has set in their horizon. Consequently, "The night of qadr"is the night in which the Haqq (Allah), the Exalted-according to all the affairs and the "Collective Oneness of the Names and Attributes", which are the truth of the "Greatest Name" - is veiled [muhtajib]. That is the individuation [ta`ayyun] and the constitution [bunyah] of the perfect wali, who was the Messenger of Allah (SA) in his life, and then the Imams of guidance, one after another. Therefore, "the dawn" of "the night of qadr" is when the first rays of the rising sun of the truth shine from behind the veils [hujub] of the individuations [ta `ayyunat]. The rise of the sun from the horizon of the individuations is "the dawn" of the Day of Resurrection, too. As from the time of the setting and veiling [ihtijab] of the sun of the truth in the horizon of the individuations of these perfect walis [auliya'], till the time of the break of the dawn, which is the period of "the night of qadr ", that night full of honour is absolutely safe from the Satanic intrusions, and since the sun rises as it had set, blemishless and free from the Satanic intrusion, thus, He says: "Peace it is till the break of the dawn". As to the other nights, they are either completely peaceless, such as the nights of the Umayyads and their like, or they have not peace in all its concepts, and these are the nights of the common people.
Conclusion
From the gnostic statements and faithful revelations [mukashafat], which, with the help of the great walis (AS), dawned upon the luminous hearts of the "people of knowledge" [ahl-i ma`rifat], it is obvious that if the noble surah of at-Tauhid is related to the Sacred Essence of Allah, the noble surah of al-Qadr is related to the great Ahlul Bayt, as is stated in the narratives concerning the mi`raj.
Muhammad ibn Ya'qub, on the authority of Abu `Abdullah [as-Sadiq] (AS), concerning the performance of the Messenger of Allah (SA) his salat in the heaven, in the hadith of al-Isra', said: "...Then Allah, the Most High, revealed to him: Read, O Muhammad, the lineage [nisbat] of your Lord, the Blessed and Most High: `He is Allah, the One. He is Besought by all. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is comparable to Him.' This is in the first rak`ah. Then, Allah, the Exalted and Most High, revealed to him: Read: `All praise is for Allah: He read it as he did first. Then Allah revealed to him: Read: `We revealed it' which is your lineage [nisbat] and your offspring's till the Day of Resurrection." [579]
The noble narratives concerning the merits of the blessed surah of al-Qadr are numerous. Among them is a narrative in the noble al-Kafi, from Imam al-Baqir (AS) who said: "Whoever recites `We revealed it on The Night of Qadr' openly (with a loud voice), he is like the one who unsheathes his swords for the sake of Allah. And whoever recites it secretly, is as if he rolls in his blood shed in the way of Allah, and Whoever recites it ten times, a thousand of his sins will be forgiven." [580]
In Khawassul Qur'an, the Messenger of Allah (SA) is quoted to have said : " Whoever recites this surah, he will have the reward of the one who has fasted the month of Ramadan , attaining " The night of qadr ", and he will have the reward of a fighter in the way of Allah." [581] Praise is for Allah, at the beginning and at the end.
An Apology
Despite the fact that the writer's intention in this thesis was to refrain from referring to those gnostic topics unfamiliar to the common people, and keep only to the hearty disciplines of the salat, yet, I realize now that the pen has exceeded the proper bounds, and particularly in commenting on the noble surah I have surpassed my own decision. Now I have but to apologize to my brothers in religion and spiritual friends. At the same time, if they found in this thesis a subject not conforming with their taste, they may not unthoughtfully label it as false, because each knowledge has its people, and each road has its treaders. "May Allah have mercy on the person who knows his worth and does not go beyond his status." [582]
It is also possible that some neglect the reality of the condition, and, as they have no information of the Qur'anic knowledge and of the minute details of the divine laws, they take some matters of this thesis as to be interpretation according to one's opinion. This is sheer mistake and a grave falsity, because:
Firstly, these knowledge [ma`arif] and subtleties [lata'if] are all taken from the noble Qur'an and hadiths, and they are proved through heard evidences, some of which have been referred to in the discussions, and most of them. were left out for brevity.
Secondly, all, or most of them, agree with the rational or gnostic proofs, and such a thing cannot be interpretation according to one's opinion.
Thirdly, most of the subjects which we mentioned, or we relate in explaining the noble ayahs, are of the kinds of stating the "evidences of the concepts" [masadiq-i majahim]; and explaining the evidences and degrees of the facts has nothing to do with interpretation, let alone its being according to one's opinion.
Fourthly, after all stages, we tried with utmost religious precaution - though unnecessarily - to relate any unnecessary subject by way of being possible and as one of the possibilities. It is clear that the door of possibility is not shut, and it can have no connection to interpretation on one's opinion. Here there are other subjects which we refrain from mentioning, in our attempt to be short.
Notes:
[533]. Surah ad-Dukhan: 3.
[534]. Surah al-Hijr: 9.
[535]. Surah ash-Shu'ara': 193.
[536]. Surah Mu'min: 36.
[537]. Surah al-Anfa1: 17.
[538]. "The Book of Allah and my 'itrat (progeny) will not be separated from each other until they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar)." This is a part of a well-known and successively related hadith called Hadithuth-Thaqalayn. Usulul Kafi, vol. 1, page 299, "The Book of Divine Proof', ch. "Concerning What Allah and His Messenger Imposed of Being with the Imams (AS)", hadith 6; and vol 4, p. 141, "The Book of Faith and Disbelief', ch. "Concerning the Least by which a Servant may be a Believer", hadith 1.
[539]. Surah al-Ahzab: 72.
[540]. Ihya'u 'ulumiddin, vol. 4, p. 256. A Divine utterance. In some edition it is "qibabi" (my domes) and in some other edition it is "qiba'i" (my cloak).
[541]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 89, p. 83.
[542]. Usulul Kafi, vol. 4, p. 438, "The Book of the Merits of the Qur'an", ch. "The Rarities", hadith 12.
[543]. Nahjul Balaghah, edited by Faydul Islam, p. 737, sermon 228.
[544]. Surah at-Talaq: 7.
[545]. It demands consideration because this allegation can be claimed here from another aspect, and it is that the appearance in ascribing a predicate to a proposition is that the proposition itself has the same status and it is the proposition in complete, as the Shaykh, our teacher in the conventional sciences used, concerning generalization [itlaq], to call this statement, without needing preliminaries, to prove the generalization.
[546]. Surah Hud: 112.
[547]. Khalil ibn Ahmad ibn `Umar ibn Tamim, Abu Abdur-Rahman al-Bahili, al-Basri, the grammarian and prosodist, born in the year 100 or 105 H. in al-Basrah, and died in 160, 170 or 175 H. He was a famous linguist and a writer. He discovered the meters of poetry. He was an Imami and, as some say, he was a companion of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (AS) and quoted him in his narrations. He wrote many books on diverse arts, including Zubdatul Arud (the Gist of Prosody), al-Ayn, a book on Imamate, al-Iqa' (rhythm), an-Nu'm (tone or softness), al-Jumal [syntax], ash-Shawahid (ancient verses as evidences), an-Nuqat wa ash-Shikl (dots and form), and a book on the meanings of the alphabetic letters. For further information bibliographies and books on rijal such as Ayanush-Shi ah, vol. 30, p. 50, may be consulted.
[548]. Furu'ul Kafi, vol. 3, p. 236, the "Book of Funerals", ch. on "Questioning in the Grave", hadith 6.
[549]. This concept is referred to Imam as-Sadiq (AS) through several channels in Ma'alimul Usul, p. 7.
[549a]. Refer to footnote No. 97.
[550]. Surah ad-Dukhan: 1-4. Al-Burhan Exegesis, vol. 4, p. 158.
[551]. Usulul Kafi, vol. 2, p. 326, the "Book of the Proof', ch. on "The Birth of the Prophet (SA), hadith 4.
[552]. Al-Burhan Exegesis vol. 4, p. 457, "Surah al-Fajr", hadith 1.
[553]. Al-Burhan Exegesis vol. 4, p. 487, "Surah al-Qadr", hadith 25.
[554]. Majma `ul Bayan, vol. 10, p. 519. Nuruth-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, P. 628, "Surah al-Qadr", hadith 71.
[555]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 95, p. 149.
[555a]. Majma'ul Bayan, vol. 10, p. 519. Wasa'ilush-Shi`ah, vol. 7, p. 263, "Book of Fasting", ch. 32, hadith 21.
[556]. Iqbalul A`mal, p. 206.
[557]. Ibid., p. 207.
[558]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 98, p. 168.
[559]. Surah Qaf: 37.
[560]. Surah al-A'raf: 143.
[561]. Ibid.
[562]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 94, p. 8, quoting Majalis-i Shaykh, the Tafsir of Ali ibn Ibrahim, p. 732. Al-Burhan Exegesis, vol. 4, p. 486. Raudatul Kafi, p. 222, hadith 280.
[563]. Source unknown.
[564]. Such as the narrative quoted from Imam as-Sadiq (AS) to the effect that: "When the soul is taken (in death), it remains hovering over the body..." On this he comments: "This narrative and the one after it, and the many other similar narratives, and the other successive narratives, as well as the apparent literal meanings of the Qur'anic ayahs, all prove the spiritual resurrection, i.e. the survival of the soul after the destruction of the body..." Raudatul Muttaqin, vol. 1, p. 492.
[565]. Surah al-Muddaththir: 31.
[566]. Ilmul Yaqin, vol. 1, p. 250. Al-Kafi (ar-Raudah), p. 231, hadith 301.
[567]. Surah an-Naba': 38.
[568]. Nuruth-Thaqalayn Exegesis, vol. 5, p. 389, hadith 9. Ilmul Yaqin, vol. 1, p. 154.
[569]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 1, p. 97.
[570]. Usulul Kafi, vol. 2, p. 18, "The Book of Divine Proof', ch. on "The Spirit by which Allah Directs the Steps of the Imams" (AS), hadith 3.
[571]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 25, p. 64, "The Book of the Imamah", chs. on "Their Creation, Nature and Spirits", ch. 3, hadith 45.
[571a]. Surah Isra': 85.
[572]. Surah Ya-Sin: 83.
[573]. Ilmul Yaqin, vol. 1, p. 259.
[574]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 56, p. 144 ff. ch. on "The Angels".
[575]. Surah Maryam: 17.
[576]. Source unknown.
[577]. Usulul Kafi, vol. 4, p. 437, "The Book of the Merits of the Qur'an", ch. on "Rarities", hadith 6.
[578]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 23, pp. 338, 346 and 347. And as-Safi Exegesis.
[579]. Al-Burhan Exegesis, vol. 4, p. 487, "Suratul Qadr", hadith 22.
[580]. Usulul Kafi, vol. 4, p. 427, "The Book of the Merit of the Qur'an", ch. on "The Merit of the Qur'an", hadith 6.
[581]. Al-Burhan Exegesis, vol. 4, p. 480, "Suratul Qadr", hadith 1. From Khawassul Qur'an.
[582]. Ghurarul Hikam, ch. 3, letter R, hadith 1.

Source: Adabus Salat: The Disciplines of the Prayer

By: Imam Khomeini (R.A.)