your orphans would be sympathised with.
Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
Below is the sermon (Khutbah) that the Greatest Messenger,
Muhammad peace be upon him and his family (P), delivered on
the last Friday of the month of Sha'bahn on the occasion of the
advent of the holy month of Ramadahn.
The speech contains the loftiest and most noble human values put
in the most beautiful words and elegant phrases. It is presented in
the best style – which is the style and eloquence of prophethood.
We earnestly ask Allah Almighty to help us follow the Prophet
(P) in words and deeds, for Allah is the helper and the supporter.
Al-Imam al-Ridha quotes his fathers who quote Imam Ali, peace
be upon them all, who said:
“On the last of Friday of Sha'bahn the Messenger of Allah (P)
addressed us in a speech saying:
“O people! The Month of Allah is drawing near to you with
Blessing, Mercy and Forgiveness.
It is a month which is the best of the months to Allah . . . its days
are the best days, its nights are the best nights, and its hours are
the best hours.
It is a month in which you have been invited to the Hospitality of
Allah, and you have been assigned to be amongst the dignitaries
of Allah. In it, your breathing is praise (to Allah), and your sleep
is worship (of Allah), and your (good) deeds are accepted (by
Allah), and your prayers are answered. Therefore ask Allah, your
Lord, with honest intentions and purified hearts to give you
success to fast the month and recite His Book.
For the wretched, the most wretched, is he who is denied the
forgiveness of Allah in this Great Month.
By your hunger and your thirst in it remind yourselves of the
hunger and thirst of the Day of Judgement.
Give charity to the poor and the destitute. Revere your elders and
have mercy upon the young. Keep your ties with relatives, and
protect your tongues. Close your eyes from that which (you are)
not allowed to look at and cover ears from that which (you are)
not allowed to hear. Sympathise with the orphans of the people,
MIA
Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands to Him in
supplication during the times of your prayers, for they are the best
hours . . . as during these times Allah looks at his worshippers
with mercy. He answers them if they call Him in their intimate
discourse and He responds to them if they seek Him, and He
gives to them if they request from Him, and He answers their
prayers.
O people! You are bound by your deeds, so release yourselves by
seeking forgiveness (from Allah). Your backs are burdened by
your sins, so lighten their load by prolonging your Sujoud
(prostration).
You must know that Allah has sworn by His Honour that He
would not punish those who perform prayers and prolonged
prostrations, and that He would not frighten them by Fire on the
day people rise to the Lord of the worlds.
O people! He who offers the meal for the breaking of the fast of a
faithful in this month, to Allah it would be equal to setting a slave
free, and it would constitute forgiveness for his past sins.”
It was said: “O Messenger of Allah! Not all of us are able to do
that.” Then he (P) replied,
“Fear Allah (distant yourselves from the wrath of Allah) even by
(giving) a drink of water (to the faithful who is about to break his
fast), and distant yourselves from Fire even by (giving) a portion
of a date (to the faithful who is about to break his fast).
O people! He who improves his manner and behaviour in this
month, that would constitute a permission to pass through the
Sirat (the path to Paradise ) on the day that (others') feet would
slip off (the Sirat). He who lessens the burden upon those under
his authority in this month, Allah would treat him lightly when
called to account. He who prevents his bad deeds or harm from
reaching others in this month, Allah would prevent His wrath
from reaching him on the Day of Judgement. He who honours
and venerates an orphan in this month, Allah would honour him
on the Day of Judgement. He who keeps his (family) ties in this
month, Allah would keep him to His mercy on the Day of
Judgement. And he who breaks his (family) ties in this month,
Allah would break His mercy from him on the Day of
Judgement. And he who volunteers (an optional) prayer, Allah
1|P ag e April 3, 2011
would write for him (a guarantee of) security from Fire. And he Hadith No. 1
who performs an obligatory duty in this month, he would have
Why the name Ramadhan?
the reward for the performance of seventy obligatory duties in
other months. And he who repeats the call for divine blessing
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
and salutation on me, Allah would increase his credits on the day
when the credits (of people) decrease. And he who recites one ُ‫}إﻧﱠﻤﺎ ﺳُﻤﱢﻲ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنُ ﻷﻧﱠﮫ‬
ayah (verse) from the Qur'an in this month, he would have the { ُ‫ﯾُﺮَﻣْﺾُ اﻟﺬﱡﻧﻮب‬
reward of he who has recited the entire Qur'an in other months.

O people! The gates of the paradises are wide open in this month,
so ask your Lord that He would not close them to you, and the
gates of Fire are shut, so ask Allah that He would not open them
to you. And the Satans are tied, so ask your Lord that He would
not enable them over you.”
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
Surely, the month of Ramadhan has been named so because it
scorches away the sins.
Kanz ai-'Ummal, H.: 23688

Amir-ol-Mo'meneen, (Ali) peace be upon him, said I stood up

and said “O Messenger of Allah! What is the best of deeds in this
month?” He (P) replied Hadith No. 2

“O Abal-Hassan! The best of deeds in this month is the fear of The Reverence of the Month of Ramadhan.
(committing) the things Allah has forbidden.”

: ‫ﻗﺎل ﻋﻠﻲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬

Amir-ol-Mo'meneen continues, “then the Messenger of Allah ‫}ﻻ ﺗَﻘُﻮﻟُﻮا رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ وﻟَﻜِﻦْ ﻗُﻮﻟُﻮا ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻓﺈﻧﱠﻜُﻢْ ﻻ‬
wept, and I said, “What makes you weep?” The Messenger of { ُ‫ﺗَﺪْرُونَ ﻣَﺎ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
Allah replied

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

“I weep for declaring as lawful the killing of you in this month . .
. I can see (the day) that you are praying for your Lord while Do not say Ramadhan rather say month of Ramadhan, for surely
most wretched (individual) in the latter days, following the most you know not what (really) Ramadhan is.
wretched (individual) of the earlier days, the brother of the killer
of camel of (the people of) Thamud, follows you and strikes you AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 69
on the head.”

Hadith No. 3
I said to him (P) “O Messenger of Allah! Will that be
(accompanied) with the safety of my religion?”
The Name of God

The Messenger of Allah (P) replied,

: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
َ‫}ﻻ ﺗَﻘُﻮ ﻟُﻮا ھَﺬَا رَﻣَﻀَﺎنُ وﻻ ذَھَ ﺐَ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎنُ وﻻ ﺟَﺎء‬
“Yes, with the safety of religion.” He (P) then continued;
‫رَﻣَﻀَﺎنُ ﻓَﺈنﱠ رﻣَﻀَﺎنَ إﺳْﻢٌ ﻣِﻦْ أﺳْﻤَﺎءِ اﷲِ ﻋَﺰﱠ وَ ﺟَﻞﱠ ﻻ‬
ْ‫ﯾَﺤِﻲ ءُ وﻻ ﯾَﺬْھَﺐُ و إﻧﱠﻤَﺎ ﯾَﺤِﻲءُ وَ ﯾَﺬْھَﺐُ اﻟﺰﱠاﺋِﻞُ وﻟَ ﻜِﻦ‬
“O Ali! You are to me as myself . . . Fighting you is equal to { َ‫ﺷﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
َ ‫ﻗُﻮﻟُﻮا‬
fighting me and making peace with you constitute making peace
with me. Whoever loves you, has loved me and whoever deserts
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said:
you, has deserted me.”

40 hadith

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Say not, "This is Ramadhan" and "Ramadhan has departed" and Hadith No. 6
"Ramadhan has arrived" for surely, Ramadhan is one of the names
of Allah, The Mighty the Glorious, who neither arrives nor departs. The Reward for Recitation of the Qur’an

Surely, arrives and departs that, which is ephemeral. Instead say: : ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺮﺿﺎ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
"The month of Ramadhan". ‫}ﻣَﻦْ ﻗَﺮَأَ ﻓِﻲ ﺷَﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ آﯾﺔً ﻣِﻦْ ﻛِﺘَﺎبِ اﷲِ ﻋَﺰﱠ وَ ﺟَ ﻞﱠ‬
{ ِ‫ﻛَﺎنَ ﻛَﻤَﻦْ ﺧَﺘَﻢَ اﻟﻘُﺮْآنَ ﻓِﻲ ﻏَﯿْﺮِهِ ﻣِﻦَ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮر‬
AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 70
Imam Redha (peace be upon him) has said:

One, who recites one verse from the Book of Allah, The Mighty
Hadith No. 4 The Glorious, in the month of Ramadhan, is like one, who has
recited the entire Qur’an in the other months.
The month of Revelation of the Qur’an
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 93, Pg.: 344
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺮﺿﺎ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
ً‫ل ﻓَﻠِﻢَ ﺟُﻌِ ﻞَ اﻟﺼﱠﻮْمُ ﻓِﻲ ﺷَ ﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺧَﺎﺻﱠﺔ‬
َ ‫}ﻓَﺈنْ ﻗَﺎ‬
ُ‫دوُن ﺳَﺎﺋِﺮَ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮرِ ﻗِﯿْﻞ ﻷنﱠ ﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنُ ھُﻮ اﻟﺸﱠﮭْﺮ‬
{ َ‫اﻟﱠﺬِي أُﻧْﺰَلَ اﷲُ ﺗَﻌﺎﻟﻰ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟﻘُﺮْآن‬ Hadith No. 7

Imam Redha (peace be upon him) has said: The Reward of the Month of Ramadhan

If he asks, "Why is it that the fasts were made obligatory : ‫ﺳﺌﻞ رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
extensively in the month of Ramadhan and not in the other َ‫}ﯾَﺎ رَﺳُﻮلَ اﷲِ ﺛَﻮابُ رَﺟَﺐٍ أﺑْﻠَﻎُ أمْ ﺛَﻮابُ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
months?" it should be said, "(this is) because the month of
Ramadhan is the month in which Allah, The Exalted, had revealed ٌ{‫ﻓﻘَﺎلَ رَﺳُﻮلُ اﷲِ )ص( ﻟَﯿْﺲَ ﻋَ ﻠَﻰ ﺛَﻮَابِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻗِﯿﺎس‬
the Qur’an."
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was asked:
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 18, Pg.: 190
0' Prophet of Allah! Which, of the two months, possesses a greater
reward, Rajab or the month of Ramadhan?

Hadith No. 5 The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) replied:

The Spring of the Holy Our'an Nothing can be compared to the month of Ramadhan in terms of
reward.
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺒﺎﻗﺮ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
{ َ‫}ﻟِﻜُﻞﱢ ﺷَﻲْءٍ رَﺑِﯿ ﻊٌ وَ رَﺑِﯿﻊُ اﻟْﻘُﺮْآنِ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬ Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 97, Pg.: 49

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said:

For every thing there is a (period of) spring and the spring of Hadith No. 8
Qur’an is the month of Ramadhan.
The Month of God
Wasail aI-Shia'h, Vol.: 10, Pg.: 302
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬

MIA 3|P ag e April 3, 2011

 َ‫}ﺷَﻌْﺒَﺎنُ ﺷَﮭْﺮِي وﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ اﷲِ ﺗَﻌﺎﻟﻰ وَھُﻮ‬
{ِ‫رَﺑِﯿْﻊُ اﻟﻔُﻘَﺮَاء‬
Hadith No.11
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
The Chief of the Months
Sha'ban is my month and the month of Ramadhan is the month of
Allah, The Exalted, and it is the springtime for the poor. : ‫ﻗﺎل ﻋﻠﻲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬

Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 97, Pg.: 68 { ِ‫}أَﺗَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ وَ ھُﻮَ ﺳَﯿﱢﺪُ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮرِ وَ أَوﱠلُ اﻟﺴﱠﻨَﺔ‬

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

Hadith No. 9 The month of Ramadhan has approached you. It is the chief of the
months and the beginning of the year.
The Chosen Month
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 42, Pg.: 193
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
ٍ‫}إنﱠ اﷲَ ﻋَﺰﱠ وَ ﺟَ ﻞﱠ أﺧْﺘَﺎرَ ﻣِﻦَ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮر ﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﺟَ ﺐ‬
{ َ‫وﺷَﻌْﺒَﺎنَ وﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
Hadith No. 12
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
The Beginning of the Year
Surely, Allah, The Mighty The Glorious, has chosen from amongst
the months (and granted preference to), the months of Rajab, : ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
Sha'ban and the month of Ramadhan. ُ‫إذا ﺳَﻠِﻢَ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺳَﻠِﻤَﺖِ اﻟﺴﱠﻨَﺔُ وَرَأسُ اﻟﺴﱠﻨَﺔِ ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬
{ َ‫رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 27, Pg.: 53.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

If, the month of Ramadhan remains safe and sound (with respect to
Hadith No. 10 sins), the (entire) year shall remain so (too); and the month of
Ramadhan is the beginning of the year.
The Great Month
Wasail aI-Shia'h Vol.: 10, Pg.: 311.
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
ِ‫}إنﱠ ﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻋَﻈِﯿﻢٌ ﯾُﻀَﺎﻋِﻒُ اﷲُ ﻓِﯿﮫ‬
{ِ‫اﻟﺤَﺴَﻨَﺎتِ وﯾَﻤْﺤُﻮ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟﺴﱠﯿﱢﺌﺎتِ وَﯾَﺮْﻓَ ﻊُ اﻟﺪﱠرَﺟَﺎت‬
Hadith No. 13
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
The Month of Mercy
Surely, the month of Ramadhan is a great month. Allah, multiplies
in it the good deeds, erases in it the sins and elevates in it the : ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
ranks. ٌ‫}وَھُﻮَ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ أوﱠ ﻟُﮫُ رَﺣْ ﻤَﺔٌ وأوْﺳَﻄُﮫُ ﻣَﻐْﻔِﺮَةٌ وآﺧِﺮَهُ ﻋِﺘْﻖ‬
{ ‫ﻣِﻦَ اﻟﻨﱠﺎر‬
Wasail aI-Shia'h, Vol.: 10, Pg.: 312
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said:

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It (Ramadhan) is the month, whose beginning is mercy, its middle, ِ‫}ﯾَﺎ أﯾﱡﮭﺎ اﻟﻨﱠﺎسُ ﻗَﺪْ أﻇَﻠﱠﻜُﻢْ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻋَﻈِﯿﻢٌ ﻣُﺒَﺎرَكٌ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻓِﯿﮫ‬
forgiveness and its end, emancipation from the fire (of helI) Bihar { ‫ﻟَﯿْﻠَﺔُ اﻟْﻌَﻤَﻞُ ﻓِﯿﮭَﺎ ﺧَﯿْﺮٌ ﻣَﻦْ أﻟْﻒِ ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬
al-Anwar, Vol.: 93, Pg.: 342
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

0' People! Surely, a great and blessed month has enveloped you. A
Hadith No. 14 month, in which there is a night; deeds in which are better than that
of a thousand months.
The Excellence of the Month of Ramadhan
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 342.
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬

ُ‫}أﯾﱡﮭَﺎ اﻟﻨﱠﺎسُ إﻧﱠﮫُ ﻗﺪْ أﻗْﺒَﻞَ إﻟَﯿْﻜُﻢْ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ اﷲ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ھُﻮَ ﻋِﻨْﺪَ اﷲِ أﻓْﻀَﻞُ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮر وَ أﯾﱠﺎ ﻣُﮫُ أﻓْﻀَ ﻞ‬
{ِ‫اﻷﯾﱠﺎم وَ ﻟَﯿَﺎﻟَﯿﮫِ أﻓْﻀَﻞُ اﻟﻠﱠﯿﺎﻟِﻲ وَﺳَﺎﻋَﺎﺗُﮫُ أﻓْﻀَﻞُ اﻟﺴﱠﺎﻋَﺎت‬ Hadith No. 17

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: The Gift of Allah's Month

0' People! Surely, the month of God has approached you. The : ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
month, which, in the eyes of Allah, is the most virtuous of the { ٌ‫}أﻧْﻔَﺎﺳَﻜُﻢُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﺗَﺴْﺒِﯿﺢٌ وَﻧَﻮْﻣَﻜُﻢْ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﻋِﺒَﺎدَة‬
months: Its days are the best of the days and its nights, the best of
the nights and its moments, the best of the moments. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 356 Your breath in it is glorification (of Allah) and your sleep in it is
worship (of Allah).

Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 356.

Hadith No. 15

The Best of the Months

Hadith No. 18
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
ُ‫}ﻓَﻐُﺮﱠةُ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮر ﺷَﮭْﺮُ اﷲِ و ھُﻮَ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎنَ وﻗَﻠْﺐُ ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬ The Fasts of the Month of Ramadhan
{ ‫رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔُ اﻟْﻘَﺪْر‬
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: ْ‫}ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻓَﺮَضَ اﷲُ ﻋَﺰﱠ وَ ﺟَﻞﱠ ﻋَﻠَﯿْﻜُﻢ‬
ِ‫ﺻِﯿَﺎﻣَﮫُ ﻓَ ﻤَﻦْ ﺻَﺎ ﻣَﮫُ إﯾﻤَﺎﻧﺎً واﺣْﺘِﺴَﺎﺑﺎً ﺧَﺮَجَ ﻣِﻦْ ذُﻧُﻮ ﺑِﮫ‬
The best of the months is the month of God - the month of { ُ‫ﻛَﯿَﻮْم وَ ﻟَﺪَﺗْﮫُ أُ ﻣﱡﮫ‬
Ramadhan - and the heart of the month of Ramadhan is the Night
of Qadr (Lallatul Qadr) The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 93, Pg.: 386 The month of Ramadhan is the month whose fasts Allah, The
Mighty
Hadith No. 16
The Glorious, has made obligatory upon you. So one, who fasts in
The Night of Qadr this month in a state of belief and with the intention of
recompense, shall become free of his sins just as he was on the day
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬ when his mother gave him birth.

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Tahdheeb al-Ahkam, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 152. The Burning away of Sins

: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬

ْ‫}وإﻧﱠﻤﺎ ﺳُﻤﱢﻲَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻷﻧﱠﮫُ ﺗُﺮْﻣَﺾُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟﺬﱡﻧُﻮبُ أي‬
Hadith No. 19 { ٌ‫ﺗُﺤْﺮَق‬

The Contentment of Allah The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said:

: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬ Surely, the month of Ramadhan has been named so because the
َ‫}ﻣَﻦْ ﺻَﺎمَ ﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻓَﺎﺟْﺘَﻨَ ﺐَ ﻓِﯿﮫِ اﻟْﺤَﺮَامَ واﻟْﺒُﮭْﺘَﺎن‬ sins get burnt away in it.
{ َ‫رَﺿِﻲَ اﷲُ ﻋَﻨْﮫُ وَ أوْﺟَﺐَ ﻟَﮫُ ا ﻟْﺠِﻨﺎن‬
Mustadrak al-Wasail, Vol.: 7, Pg.: 484.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

One, who fasts in the month of Ramadhan and refrains from the
forbidden things and calumny, Allah shall be pleased with him and Hadith No. 22
make paradise mandatory for him.
The Month of Spiritual Striving
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 93, Pg.: 343.
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
ُ‫}إذا دَﺧَﻞَ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻓَﺎﺟْﮭَﺪُوا أﻧْﻔُﺴَﻜُﻢْ ﻓﺈنﱠ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﺗُﻘَﺴﱠﻢ‬
َ‫اﻷرْزَاقٌ وَ ﺗٌﻜْﺘَﺐٌ اﻵﺟَﺎلٌ وﻓِﯿﮫِ ﯾُﻜْﺘَﺐٌ وَﻓْﺪٌ اﷲِ اﻟﱠﺬِﯾﻦ‬
Hadith No. 20 ِ‫ﯾَﻔِﺪٌونَ إﻟﯿْﮫِ وﻓِﯿﮫِ ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔُ اﻟْﻌَﻤَﻞٌ ﻓِﮭَﺎ ﺧَﯿْﺮٌ ﻣِﻦَ اﻟْﻌَﻤَﻞِ ﻓِﻲ أﻟﻒ‬
{‫ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬
Paradise covets one who fasts
In his testament to his sons, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
ِ‫}إنﱠ اﻟْﺠَﻨﱠﺔَ ﻣُﺸْﺘَﺎﻗَﺔٌ إﻟﻰ أرْﺑَﻌَﺔِ ﻧَ ﻔَﺮ إﻟﻰ ﻣُﻄْﻌِﻢٍ اﻟﺠَﯿﻌﺎن‬ When the month of Ramadhan arrives, exert yourselves, for surely
{ َ‫وَﺣَﺎﻓِﻆِ اﻟﻠﱢﺴَﺎنِ وَ ﺗَﺎﻟِﻲ اﻟْﻘُﺮآنِ وَ ﺻَﺎﺋِﻢ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎن‬ it is in this month that livelihood is distributed, the hour of death,
ordained and those arriving for Hajj, decreed. In it is a night, deeds
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: in which are better than deeds in a thousand months.

The paradise is desirous for four persons: AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 66

1. One, who feeds the hungry.

2. One, who guards the tongue. Hadith No. 23

3. One, who recites the Quran. The Month of Good Deeds

4. One, who fasts the month of Ramadhan. : ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
َ‫}إنﱠ ﺷَﮭْﺮَﻛُﻢْ ھَﺬَا ﻟَﯿْﺲَ ﻛَﺎﻟﺸﱞﮭُﻮر إﻧﱠﮫُ إذَا أﻗْﺒَﻞَ إﻟَﯿْﻜُﻢْ أﻗْﺒَ ﻞ‬
Mustadrak al-Wasail, Vol.: 7, Pg.: 400 ِ‫ﺑﺎﻟْﺒَﺮَﻛَﺔِ وَ اﻟﺮﱠﺣْﻤَﺔِ وإذَا أدْﺑَﺮَ ﻋَﻨْﻜُﻢْ أدْﺑَﺮَ ﺑِﻐُﻔْﺮَانِ اﻟﺬﱡﻧُﻮ ب‬
ِ‫ھَﺬَا ﺷَﮭْﺮُ ا ﻟْﺤَﺴَﻨَﺎتُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﻣُﻀَﺎﻋَﻔَﺔٌ وأﻋْﻤَﺎلُ اﻟْﺨَﯿْﺮ ﻓِﯿﮫ‬
{ ٌ‫ﻣَﻘْﺒُﻮﻟَﺔ‬

Hadith No. 21 The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

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This month of yours (Ramadhan) is unlike the other months.
Surely, when it approaches you, it does so with blessings and
mercy and when it turns away from you, it does so with
forgiveness of sins. This is a month in which, good deeds are
multiplied and acts of goodness accepted.
Wasail aI-Shia'h, Vol.: 10, Pg.: 312
The month of Ramadhan is called the month of Emancipation,
because on every day and in every night of it, Allah emancipates
six hundred people (from the fire of hell), and on the last day of the
month, (those emancipated) are equivalent to all those whom He
has emancipated on all the previous days.
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 97, Pg.: 77

Hadith No. 26

The Month of Ramadhan and Seeking Forgiveness

Hadith No. 24
: ‫ﻗﺎل أﻣﯿﺮ اﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﯿﻦ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
The Blessed Month ِ‫}ﻋَﻠَﯿْﻜُﻢْ ﻓﻲ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺑِﻜَﺜْﺮَةِ اﻹﺳْﺘِﻐْﻔَﺎر واﻟﺪﱡﻋَﺎء‬
‫ﻓﺄﻣﱠﺎ اﻟﺪﱡﻋَﺎءُ ﻓَﯿَﺪْﻓَﻊُ ﺑِﮫِ ﻋَﻨْﻜُﻢْ اﻟْﺒَﻼءُ وأﻣﱠﺎ اﻹﺳْﺘِﻐْﻔَﺎرُ ﻓَﯿَﻤْﺤَﻰ‬
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬ { ْ‫ذُﻧُﻮﺑَﻜُﻢ‬
ُ‫}ﻗَﺪْ ﺟَﺎءَﻛُﻢْ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻣُﺒَﺎرَكٌ ﺷَﮭْﺮٌ ﻓَﺮَضَ اﷲ‬
ِ‫ﻋَﻠَﯿْﻜُﻢْ ﺻِﯿَﺎﻣَﮫُ ﺗُﻔْﺘَﺢُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ أﺑْﻮَابُ اﻟْﺠِﻨَﺎنِ وَ ﺗُﻐَﻞﱡ ﻓِﯿﮫ‬ Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
{ ‫ﻦ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﻟَﯿْﻠَﺔُ اﻟْﻘَﺪْر ﺧَﯿْﺮٌ ﻣِﻦْ أﻟْﻒِ ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬
ُ ‫اﻟﺸﱠﯿَﺎﻃِﯿ‬
It is incumbent upon you to seek forgiveness and supplicate
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: excessively, in the month of Ramadhan. As for the supplication, by
means of it the calamities are warded off from you, and as for the
Surely, the month of Ramadhan, the blessed month, has come to seeking of forgiveness, it erases away your sins.
you. The month, whose fasts Allah has made obligatory upon you.
AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 88.
In it, the doors of Paradise are opened up and the Satans fettered,
and in it is the Night of Qadr, which is more virtuous than a
thousand months.
Hadith No. 27
Tahdheeb aI-Ahkam, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 152
The Liberation from Hell

: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬

Hadith No. 25 َ‫}إنﱠ ﷲِ ﻋَﺰﱠ وّ ﺟﻞﱠ ﻓﻲ ﻛُﻞﱢ ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔٍ ﻣِﻦْ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎن ﻋُﺘَﻘَﺎء‬
{ ‫و ﻃُﻠَﻘَﺎءَ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﱠﺎر إﻻﱠ ﻣَﻦْ أﻓْﻄَﺮَ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣُﺴْﻜِﺮ‬
The Month of Emancipation
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
ٍ‫}وَ ﺳُﻤﱢﻲَ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺷَﮭْﺮَ اﻟْﻌِﺘْﻖِ ﻷنﱠ ﷲِ ﻓِﯿﮫِ ﻛُﻞﱠ ﯾَﻮْم‬ Surely, in every night of the month of Ramadhan, there are those
‫وَ ﻟَﯿْﻠَﺔٍ ﺳِﺘْﻤَﺎﺋَﺔِ ﻋَﺘِﯿﻖٍ و ﻓِﻲ آﺧِﺮهِ ﻣِﺜْﻞ ﻣَﺎ أﻋْﺘَﻖَ ﻓِﯿﻤَﺎ‬ whom Allah, The Mighty The Glorious, liberates from the fire (of
{ ‫ﻣَﻀَﻰ‬ hell), except those, who break their fasts by means of intoxicants
(for they are not of the liberated ones).
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:
AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 68.

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 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said:

Hadith No. 28 The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), initially,
observed the itekaaf (spiritual retreat) during the first ten days of
The Opening of the Doors of the Heavens the month of Ramadhan. Later, he observed it during the middle
ten days of the holy month and finally, he observed it during the
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬ last 10 days of the month and then continued to do so in the last ten
‫}إن أﺑْﻮا بَ اﻟﺴﱠﻤﺎءِ ﺗُﻔْﺘَﺢُ ﻓﻲ أوﱠل ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔٍ ﻣِﻦْ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬ days (for as long as he was alive).
{ ُ‫وﻻ ﺗُﻐْﻠَﻖُ إﻟﻰ آﺧﺮ ﻟَﯿْﻠَﺔٍ ﻣﻨﮫ‬
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 16, Pg.: 274.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

The doors of the heavens are opened Li on the first night of the
month of Ramadhan and are not closed till the last night of it. Hadith No. 31

Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 344. The Month of Ramadhan and the Divine Books

: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬

َ‫}ﻧَﺰَﻟَﺖْ اﻟﺘﱠﻮْرَاةُ ﻓﻲ ﺳِﺖﱟ ﻣَﻀَﺖْ ﻣِﻦْ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
Hadith No. 29 ‫وَﻧَﺰَلَ اﻹﻧْﺠِﯿﻞُ ﻓﻲ إﺛْﻨَﺘَﻲْ ﻋَﺸْﺮَةَ ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔً ﻣَﻀَﺖْ ﻣﻦ ﺷَﮭْﺮ‬
ْ‫رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ وﻧَﺰَلَ اﻟﺰﱠﺑُﻮرُ ﻓﻲ ﻟَﯿْﻠَﺔِ ﺛَﻤَﺎﻧَﻲَ ﻋَﺸَﺮَةَ ﻣَﻀَﺖْ ﻣَﻦ‬
The Opening of the Doors of Paradise { ‫ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ وَﻧَﺰَ لَ اﻟﻘُﺮْآنْ ﻓﻲ ﻟَﯿْ ﻠَﺔِ اﻟْﻘَﺪْر‬

: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬ Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
{ ِ‫}ﺗُﻐْﻠَﻖُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ أﺑْﻮَاب اﻟﻨﯿﺮان وَﺗُﻔْﺘَﺢُ ﻓِﯿﮫِ أﺑْﻮَابُ اﻟْﺠِﻨَﺎن‬
The Torah was revealed on the sixth day of the month of
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: Ramadhan, the Bible, on the twelfth night of the month, the Psalms
on the eighteenth night of the month and the Qur’an on the Night
In it (the month of Ramadhan) the doors of Hell are closed and of Qadr.
thedoors of Paradise, opened.
AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 157
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 363.

Hadith No. 32

Eclipses during the Holy Month of Ramadhan

Hadith No. 30
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
The Month of Ramadhan and Itekaaf َ‫}ﺗَﻨْﻜَﺴِﻒُ اﻟﺸﱠﻤْﺲُ ﻟِﺨَﻤْﺲَ ﻣَ ﻀَﯿْﻦَ ﻣِﻦْ ﺷَﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻗَﺒْ ﻞ‬
{ ( ‫ﻗِﯿَﺎمِ اﻟﻘَﺎﺋِﻢِ )ﻋﺞ‬
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
‫}اﻋْﺘَﻜَﻒَ رَﺳُﻮ لُ اﷲِ )ص( ﻓﻲ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻓﻲ اﻟْﻌَﺸْﺮ‬ Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said:
‫اﻷوﱠلِ ﺛُﻢﱠ اﻋْﺘَﻜَﻒَ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺜﱠﺎﻧِﯿﺔِ ﻓﻲ اﻟْﻌَﺸْﺮ اﻟْﻮُﺳْﻄَﻰ ﺛُﻢﱠ‬
ُ‫اﻋْﺘَﻜَﻒَ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺜﱠﺎﻟِﺜَﺔِ ﻓﻲ اﻟْﻌَﺸْﺮ اﻷوَاﺧِﺮ ﺛُﻢﱠ ﻟَﻢْ ﯾَﺰَلْ ﯾَ ﻌْﺘَﻜِﻒ‬ The sun shall be eclipsed, on the fifth day of the month of
{ ‫ﻓﻲ اﻟْﻌَﺸْﺮ اﻷواﺧِﺮ‬ Ramadhan, before the reappearance of the Qaim (May Allah
hasten his reappearance).

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Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 52, Pg.: 207.

Hadith No. 33 Hadith No. 35

The Best Deed of the Month of Ramadhan The Month of Ramadhan and Faith

......‫ﻓﻲ ﺧُﻄْﺒَﺔِ اﻟﻨﱠﺒﻲ ص ﻓﻲ ﻓَﻀْﻞِ ﺷَﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬ : ‫وﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬
: ‫ﻗﺎل ﻋﻠﻲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬ ِ‫}ﻣَﻦْ أﻓْﻄَﺮَ ﯾَﻮْﻣﺎً ﻣِﻦْ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَ ﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﺧَﺮَجَ رُوحُ اﻹﯾﻤَﺎن‬
‫}ﻓَﻘُﻤْﺖُ ﻓَ ُﻘﻠْﺖُ ﯾَﺎ رَﺳُﻮلَ اﷲِ ﻣَﺎ أﻓْﻀَﻞُ اﻷﻋْﻤَﺎلِ ﻓﻲ ھﺬا‬ { ُ‫ﻣِﻨْﮫ‬
ِ‫اﻟﺸﱠﮭْﺮِ ﻓَﻘَﺎلَ ﯾَﺎ أﺑﺎ اﻟﺤَﺴَﻦِ أﻓْﻀَﻞُ اﻷﻋْﻤَﺎلِ ﻓِﻲ ھَﺬَا اﻟﺸﱠﮭْﺮ‬
{‫اﻟﻮَرَعُ ﻋَﻦْ ﻣَﺤَﺎرِمِ اﷲِ ﻋَﺰّض وَ ﺟَﻞﱠ‬ Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

During the course of a sermon of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon One, who does not fast for a day in the month of Ramadhan, the
him and his progeny) upon the virtues of the month of Ramadhan. `Soul of Faith' departs from him.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says: Wasail aI-Shia'h, Vol.: 10, Pg.: 251.

I stood up and said: 0' Prophet of Allah! What is the best deed for
this month?
Hadith No. 36
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) replied:
The Month of Ramadhan and the Satans
0' Abu al-Hasan! The best deed for thL5 month is abstinence from
that which is forbidden by Allah, The Mighty The Glorious. : ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
َ‫}ﻗَﺪْ وَﻛﱠﻞَ اﷲُ ﻟِﻜﻞﱢ ﺷَﯿْﻄَﺎن ﻣَﺮِﯾﺪٍ ﺳَﺒْ ﻌَﺔً ﻣِﻦْ ﻣﻼﺋِﻜَﺘِﮫِ ﻓَﻠَﯿْﺲ‬
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 42, Pg.: 190. { ‫ل ﺣَﺘﱠﻰ ﯾَﻨْﻘَ ﻀِﻲ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ ﻛُﻢُ ھَﺬَا‬
ٍ ‫ﻟِﻤَﺤْﻠُﻮ‬

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

Hadith No. 34 Surely, over every recalcitrant Satan, Allah has appointed seven
angels (to fetter hit), and he shall not be released till this month of
The Battles of the Month of Ramadhan yours (month of Ramadhan) passes away.

: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺮﺿﺎل ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬ Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 372.
َ‫}أنﱠ رَﺳُﻮ لَ اﷲِ )ص ( ﺳَﺎﻓَﺮَ إﻟﻰ ﺑَﺪْرٍ ﻓِﻲ ﺷَ ﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
{ َ‫واﻓْﺘَﺘَﺢَ ﻣَﻜﱠﺔَ ﻓﻲ ﺷَﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬

Imam Redha (peace be upon him) said: Hadith No. 37

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) set off for The Losers of the Month of Ramadhan
(the battle of) Badr in the month of Ramadhan and achieved the
conquest of Mecca in the month of Ramadhan (too). : ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
{ ُ‫}ﻣَﻦْ أدْرَ كَ ﺷَﮭْﺮَ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻓَﻠَﻢْ ﯾُﻐْﻔَﺮْ ﻟَﮫُ ﻓﺄﺑْﻌَﺪَهُ اﷲ‬
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 21, Pg.: 116.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said:

MIA 9|P ag e April 3, 2011

One who perceives the month of Ramadhan and (does not strive in Farewell to the Month of Ramadhan
it and hence) is not forgiven, Allah distances him from Himself
: ‫ﻗﺎل رﺳﻮل اﷲ ﺻﻠﻰ اﷲ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ وآﻟﮫ وﺳﻠﻢ‬
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 74, Pg.: 74. َ‫}اﻟﻠﱠﮭُﻢﱠ ﻻ ﺗَﺠْﻌَﻠْﮫُ آﺧِﺮَ اﻟْﻌَﮭْﺪِ ﻣِﻦْ ﺻِﯿَﺎﻣِﻲ ﻟِﺸَﮭْﺮِ رَﻣَﻀَﺎن‬
{ ً‫ﻓَﺈنْ ﺟَﻌَﻠْﺘَﮫُ ﻓَﺎﺟْﻌَﻠْﻨِﻲ ﻣَﺮْﺣُﻮﻣﺎً وَﻻ ﺗَﺠْﻌَﻠْﻨِﻲ ﻣَﺤْﺮُوﻣﺎ‬

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) prayed:
Hadith No. 38
0' God! Ordain not this month of Ramadhan to be the last one for
Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) and the Month of my fasts. But should you ordain it to be so, then make me blessed
Ramadhan and leave me not, deprived (of Your mercy).

: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺼﺎدق ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬ Aadaabi Az Qur’an, Pg.: 398

ْ‫}ﻛَﺎنَ ﻋَﻠﻲﱡ ﺑْﻦُ اﻟﺤُﺴَﯿْﻦِ )ع ( إذا ﻛَﺎنَ ﺷَﮭْﺮُ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻟَﻢ‬
{ ‫ﯾَﺘَﻜَﻠﱠﻢْ إﻻ ﺑﺎﻟﺪﱡﻋَﺎءِ وَ اﻟﺘﱠﺴْﺒِﯿﺢِ واﻹﺳْﺘِﻐْﻔﺎر وَ اﻟﺘﱠﻜْﺒِﯿﺮ‬

Glossary for some of the Arabic/Islamic terms used.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Ahl-ul-Bayt
"The Household of the prophet". This refers to the Prophet, his
daughter Fatimah and the 12 Imams of his progeny.
With the advent of the month of Ramadhan, Imam Au Ibn al- Ali
Ali is the first of the 12 infallible Imams (leaders) appointed by the
Husain (peace be upon them) would cease to speak out anything Prophet, on Allah's instructions, to succeed him to lead the
except dua, tasbeeh (glorification of Allah), isteghfar (seeking Muslims.

forgiveness) and takbeer (saying `AllahuAkbar). Allah

Allah is the Arabic name (Eloh in Hebrew) for the only creator of
all existents.
AI-Kafi, Vol.: 4, Pg.: 88.
Anfaal
The extra thing above and beyond the required with regard to a
particular aspect. For example the extra prayer offered. Anfaal is
also referred to those items that are not owned by anyone such as
the peaks of the mountains, villages abandoned by its inhabitants,
Hadith No. 39 wealth left behind by a deceased who does not have any inheritors,
etc. These belong to Allah and His messenger - that is to say, to the
State, to be used for the common weal. The spoils of war are also
The Superiority of the Fridays of the Month of Ramadhan classified as Anfaal.

Bayt-el-Maal
: ‫ﻗﺎل اﻟﺒﺎﻗﺮ ﻋﻠﯿﮫ اﻟﺴﻼم‬ The Central Bank. May also be referred to as the Treasury.
ِ‫}إنﱠ ﻟِﺠُ َﻤﻊِ ﺷَﮭْﺮ رَﻣَﻀَﺎنَ ﻟَﻔَﻀْﻼً ﻋَﻠَﻰ ﺳَﺎﺋِﺮ اﻟﺸﱡﮭُﻮر‬
Emeer-ul-Mu'meneen
{ ‫ﻛَﻔَﻀْﻞِ رَﺳُﻮلِ اﷲِ )ص ( ﻋَ ﻠَﻰ ﺳَﺎﺋِﺮ اﻟﺮﱡﺳُﻞ‬ Emeer-ul-Mu'meneen is the title the Prophet Muhammad, PBUH,
exclusively granted to Ali, PBUH, which means Master of the
Faithful.
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) has said:
Fiqh
Jurisprudence.
Surely, the Fridays of the month of Ramadhan possess an
excellence over the Fridays of the other months, just as the Holy Hadd
The punishment that is specifically defined by the Qur'an or the
Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) possesses an prophet.
excellence over the other prophets.
Halaal
Legal, Permissible.
Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 96, Pg.: 376.
Haraam
Illegal, Illicit, Prohibited.

Imam
Leader. In the specific sense, Imam refers to those 12 successors
appointed by the prophet, on Allah's instructions, to lead the
Hadith No. 40

MIA 10 | P a g e April 3, 2011

Muslims after him. The first of them being Imam Ali and the last His Eminence Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi
of them Imam Mahdi, who has been promised by the prophet to
Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you.
emerge to establish peace and justice throughout the world.
What is your opinion about the transitional constitution of the
Infallible
government of Iraq ?
A state achieved by an individual, and through Allah's grace,
which gives the individual complete freedom from the possibility Please give us your Fatwa, may Allah reward you.
of being in error. The prophet, his daughter Fatimah and the 12
A group of the faithful
Imams are infallible.
17th Muharram 1425 (9th March 2004)
Islam
In the Name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate
Islam is derived from the Arabic word for peace, and it is harmony
and submission to the laws of Allah and thus the teachings of Islam Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you.
are based on the nature of mankind. Islam is a set of teachings that
The constitution must be [based on] the law of Islam, for the
has been revealed by Allah to mankind. The revelation of Islam
has taken place, at various times, through different messengers of Glorious Qur'an has rejected any law other than its law, and that to
Allah such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and finally
govern by other than [Islam] is disbelief, wrong and disobedience.
Muhammad peace be upon them.
Jizyah Allah Almighty states:
Under the Islamic system of government, Jizyah is the tax that is
[Truly the rule is none but Allah's.] [1]
paid by the non-Muslims living in the Islamic state. The non-
Muslims do not pay either the Khums or the Zakat taxes. They are [And whoso rules not according to what Allah has sent down,
not obliged to join the armed forces to defend the Islamic state
they are the unbelievers.] [2]
whereas the Muslims are. The defence of the non-Muslims' lives,
wealth, dignity, etc. is the responsibility of the Islamic state. [And whoso rules not according to what Allah has sent down,
they are the evildoers.] [3]
Khiraaj
It is the government's income from letting a particular category of [And whoso rules not according to what Allah has sent down,
land to developers.
they are the transgressors.] [4]
Khums Since the majority of the honourable Iraqi nation is Muslim, who
Khums is the tax of 20% levied on untaxed, superfluous annual
believes in the glorious Qur'an as a constitution and in Islam as a
income. The taxed capital is not subjected to future Khums tax.
Mahdi system and a way of life, it is therefore obligatory that the devised
Imam Mahdi is the last of the infallible Imams promised by the
law [of the land] does not deviate from Islam in any way and on
Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, to emerge to bring peace and justice
to this Earth. every issue no matter how small it may be, for Islam is the
principle source of law and legislation.
Marje'
A Marje' is a Mujtahid who also satisfy other requirements such And since the law will apply to every single individual of this
faith, self-discipline, etc. to be a "mentor" or a "leader".
nation, every Iraqi must be satisfied with it, and that all must vote
Mujtahid on it through a fair referendum – which must take place soon – to
A Mujtahid is a learned scholar of Islamic sciences such as Logic,
determine the decision of the majority. Needless to say the rights
Jurisprudence, Qur'an, Teachings of the prophet, etc. who has the
expertise and ability to derive the appropriate rulings for cases in of the minority must be guaranteed fully and justly.
question.
History proves that the Muslim nation lived in bliss and prosperity
Qur'an under the shadow of Islam, as manifested by the governments of
The Qur'an is the holy Book of Islam and it is the transcript of the
the Prophet Muhammad and Amir al-Mu'minin (Imam Ali), peace
Divine revelations made to the prophet by Allah. After each
revelation, its contents were communicated to the Muslims and be upon them and their families, the like of which humanity has
precisely recorded.
not experienced to date. Two examples of this – from amongst
Sunnah hundreds of them – may be cited here. The Messenger of Allah,
The Sunnah is the "Words & Deeds" or the Conduct and Teaching
peace be upon him and his family, through Islam reconciled
of the prophet that serve as guidelines and a source of legislation to
Muslims. between various sects and groups of the Ommah such that they
considered themselves as brothers, while before they were
Ta'zeer
Any punishment that is not defined in the Qur'an or by the Sunnah constantly engage in destructive feuds and wars which had gone on
but established by the judge.
for hundreds of years. The Almighty states:
Zakaat
Zakaat is the tax on nine items when over certain limit. These [And remember Allah's blessing upon you when you were
items are Wheat, Barley, Dates, Raisins, Gold, Silver, Camels,
enemies, but He brought your hearts together, so that by His
Cows, and Sheep.
blessing you became brothers.] [5]
On the legality of the transitional constitution of the government of The other example is that history fails to record there being even
Iraq one destitute living in the country during the government of Amir
In the Name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate

MIA 11 | P a g e April 3, 2011

al-Mu'minin peace be upon him, despite the fact that his 8 Dhul Hijjah Departure of Imam Hussein from
government then covered vast area, which included some fifty Makkah for Kufa.
countries of today's geography including Iraq.
We pray to Allah to make the hopes and wishes of this oppressed Also Muslim ibn Aqueel's public
nation [of Iraq ] to come true through the laws of Islam, which declaration in Kufah in support of
guarantees the bliss and prosperity for [the nation] in every respect Imam Hussein
in this world and in the hereafter.
Martyrdom of Muslim ibn Aqueel a.s.
Sadiq Shirazi 9 Dhul Hijjah
in 60 Hijrah in Kufah
17th Muharram 1425 (9th March 2004)
9 Dhul Hijjah DAY OF ARAFAH

10 Dhul Hijjah EID AL- HAJJ

15 Dhul Hijjah Birthday of Imam Ali al-Haadi a.s.

EID al-GHADEER - the most

18 Dhul Hijjah
important of all Eids in Islam.

22 Dhul Hijjah Martyrdom of Sons of Muslim a.s.

Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, O'
Members of the Household, and to purify you (with) a though 24 Dhul Hijjah EID AL- MUBAAHILA

purification. Martyrdom of Imam Hussein a.s. -

10 Muharram
The Qur'an: The Clans (33): 33 ASHURA in Karbala in 60 Hijrah.

Martyrdom of Imam Zainul Abedin

MONTH OCCASIONS 25 Muharram
a.s. in 95 Hijrah in Medina
1 Ramadan
Martyrdom of Imam Hassan a.s. in 50
7 Safar
Martyrdom of Lady Khadija a.s. in Hijrah in Medina
10 Ramadan
Makkah
20 Safar 40th Day of Karbala's Martyrs
Birthday of Imam Hassan a.s. in year
15 Ramadan Martyrdom of the Messenger of Islam,
3 Hijrah in Medina 28 Safar
Muhammad in 11 Hijrah in Medina
Assassination of Imam Ali a.s. in year
19 Ramadan Martyrdom of Imam Ali Redha a.s. in
40 - NIGHT OF QADR I 29 Safar
203 Hijrah in Khorasan
Martyrdom of Imam Ali a.s. in year 40
21 Ramadan 4 Rabi' I Martyrdom of Masuma Qum a.s.
- NIGHT OF QADR II
Martyrdom of Imam Hassan Askari
23 Ramadan NIGHT OF QADR III 8 Rabi' I
a.s. in 260 Hijrah in Samarra
1 Shawwaal EID AL- FITR
Birthday of the Messenger of Islam,
17 Rabi' I
Martyrdom of Hamzah, uncle of the Muhammad PBUH
15 Shawwaal Prophet in the battle of Uhud - 3
Birthday of Imam Jaffer Saadiq a.s. in
Hijrah. 17 Rabi' I
83 H in Medina
Martyrdom of Imam Jaffer Saadiq a.s.
25 Shawwaal Birthday of Imam Hassan Askari a.s.
in 148 Hijrah in Medina 8 Rabi' II
in 232 H
Birthday of Imam Ali Ridha a.s. in
11 Dhul Qa'dah 9 Rabi' II Farhat_ul_Zahara' a.s.
148 Hijrah in Medina
5 Jumaada I Birthday of Lady Zaynab a.s.
Martyrdom of Imam Muhammad Al
29 Dhul Qa'dah Martyrdom of Sayyidat-ul-Nisa'
Jawaad a.s. in 200 Hijrah in Iraq 3 Jumaada II
Fatimat-ul-Zahra' a.s.
Martyrdom of Imam Muhammad
7 Dhul Hijjah 20 Jumaada II Birthday of Sayyidat-ul-Nisa' Fatimat-
Baaqir a.s. in 114 Hijrah in Medina

MIA 12 | P a g e April 3, 2011

 ul-Zahra' a.s. 8 years before Hijrah
َ ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ و ر َﺣ ْﻤ َ ﺘُ ُ ﺧ َ ْ ٌ ﻣ ِﻤﺎ ﻳ َﺠ ْﻤ َﻌ ُﻮن‬
Birthday of Imam Muhammad
1 Rajab
Baaqir a.s. in 57 in Medina

3 Rajab
Martyrdom of Imam Ali al-Haadi a.s. ِ ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َ اﻟﺸ ﻮ ْ ك ِ اﻟﺸ ﺠ َﺮ‬
in Samarra in 254

Birthday of Imam Mousa al-Kaadhem

7 Rajab
in 212 H ِ ‫اﻟﺸو َ اﻟْﻮ َ ﺑ َﺮ‬
ِ ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َﻌ ْ ﺮ‬
Birthday of Imam Muhammad Taqi
10 Rajab
a.s. in Samarra in 254

Birthday of Imam Ali a.s. inside the ِ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َ اﻟْﺤ َﺠ َﺮ ِ و َ اﻟْﻤ َ ﺪ َ ر‬
13 Rajab
holy Ka'abah 23 years before Hijrah.

Martyrdom of Lady Zaynab a.s. in

15 Rajab
year 62 H ِ ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َ ﻟَﻤ ْﺢ ِ اﻟْﻌ ُﻴ ُﻮن‬
Martyrdom of Imam Mousa
25 Rajab
Kaadhem a.s. in Iraq in 183 H

26 Rajab Martyrdom of Abu Talib a.s.

َ ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ِ اﻟّﻠَﻴ ْﻞ ِ ا ِذا ﻋ َﺴ ْ ﻌ َﺲ َ و َ اﻟﺼ ﺒ ْﺢ ِ ا ِذا ﺗ َﻨ َﻔ ﺲ‬
Day of MAB'ATH - the start of the
27 Rajab Prophetic mission of the Prophet
Muhammad
ِ‫اﻻِﻻا ِﻟـ َاﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َ د َ اﻟﺮﻳﺎح ِ ِ اﻟْ َ ارى و َاﻟﺼ ﺨُﻮر‬
3 Shabaan Birthday of Imam Hussein a.s. in 4 H

4 Shabaan Birthday of al-Abbaas a.s. in 26 H

. ِ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻣ ِﻦ َ اﻟْﻴ َﻮ ْ م ِا ِ ﻳ َﻮ ْ م ِ ﻳ ُﻨ ْﻔَﺦ ُ ِاﻟﺼ ﻮر‬
Birthday of Imam Zayn al-Abedin a.s.
5 Shabaan
in 38 H
It has been narrated that Amir al-Mu’mineen (as) has said that
15 Shabaan Birthday of Imam Mahdi a.s. in 255 H
whoever says the following Dhikr during the first ten days of Dhul
Hijja, Allah (swt) will give for every declaration, a space in
Paradise with Dur and Rubies and between every two steps (a
‫ﻣﻦ ﻗﺎل ﻞ ﻳﻮم ﻣﻦ أﻣ اﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨ )ﻋﻠﻴ اﻟﺴﻼم( أﻧ ﻗﺎل روي ﻋﻦ ﻣﻮﻻﻧﺎ‬ space) the distance equivalent of 100 years of a fast horse rider,
within every step there is a city which has a palace made out of one

‫ﺷ ﺮ ذي اﻟﺤﺠﺔ ﺬا اﻟﺘ ﻠﻴﻞ ﻋ ﻣﺮات أﻋﻄﺎه اﷲ )ﻋﺰ ﻣﻦ اﻻﻳﺎم اﻟﻌ اﻻو‬ gem stone.

There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of nights
‫اﻟﺠﻨﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺪر واﻟﻴﺎﻗﻮت ﻣﺎ ﺑ ﻞ درﺟﺘ وﺟﻞ( ﺑ ﻞ ﺗ ﻠﻴﻠ درﺟﺔ‬
and days

‫ﺔ ﻋﺎم ﻟ ﻛﺐ اﻟﻤ ع‬Ò‫ﻞ درﺟﺔ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻓﻴ ﺎ ﻗ ﻣﻦ ﺟﻮ ﺮ ﻣﺴ ة ﻣﺎ‬ There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of waves
of the seas
‫واﺣﺪ‬
There is no god but Allah, and his mercy is better than what they
accumulate

ِ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َ اﻟّﻠَﻴﺎ و َ اﻟﺪ ُﻮر‬

There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of thorns
and the trees

ِ‫ﻻ ا ِﻟـ َ ا ِﻻ اﷲ ُ ﻋ َﺪ َد َ اَﻣ ْﻮاج ِ اﻟْﺒ ُﺤ ُﻮر‬

MIA 13 | P a g e April 3, 2011

There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of all 17 The battle of Badr in 2 H
hair strands
Revelation of Suhuf to Prophet Idris (AS)

There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of stones
and pebbles The conquest of Makkah

19
There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the number of blinks
NIGHT OF QADR I
of the eye

Assassination of Imam Ali (AS) in 40H

There is no god but Allah, in the night when it departs, and the
dawn when it shines NIGHT OF QADR II

There is no god but Allah, (as many times as) the winds and plains
21 Declaration of Fasting – and its Zakat – as obligation.
and rocks

Martyrdom of Imam Ali (AS) in 40 H

There is no god but Allah, from this day to the day the trumpet is
blown (day of Judgment)
The Revelation of the Holy Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad

(S)

23
EVENTS & OCCASIONS NIGHT OF QADR III

Day of the
EVENTS & OCCASIONS IN THE HOLY MONTH OF Bay'ah with Imam Hassan (AS) as the Caliph
Month
RAMADAHN
Revelation of the Suhuf to prophet Adam (AS)

The Revelation of the ‘Suhuf' to the Prophet Abraham (AS) 27

1 Night of Qadr – according to some reports

Bay'ah of Imam Ridha (AS) in 201 H

28 The battle of Hunayn in 8 H

The departure of Rasulollah (S)

2
from Medina for the conquest of Makkah in 8 H
4 The digging of the trench in Medina in 5 H
According to the Islamic calendar, the day starts and finishes at sunset (Maghrib
time). So for example the day of Friday begins when Thursday's sets. Needless
the day of Friday starts with its evening and ends when its sun sets.

6 The Revelation of the Taurat to Prophet Moses

Rulings of Fasting
8 Minting of coins in the name of Imam Ridha (AS)
The Sighting of the New Moon
Martyrdom of Seyyida Khadija (AS) in Makkah in year 3
10
BH The beginning of the holy month of Ramadhan (as with any other
month) is established by sighting the crescent of the new moon of
11 Declaration of brotherhood between the Muslims in 1H the new month. This is established by:

12 The Revelation of the Engele (Bible) to Prophet Jesus

1. To sight the crescent oneself, even if not seen by others.
15 Birthday of Imam Hassan (AS) in year 3 H in Medina 2. For the sighting of the new crescent to become common
knowledge.
16 Birthday of Um-Kolthum (AS) in 9 H
3. After 30 days of Sha'bahn.

MIA 14 | P a g e April 3, 2011

 4. Two known faithful to testify that they have sighted the 4. If fasting proves to be harmful to certain individual.
new crescent. 5. Not being on a journey requiring the prayer to be
5. If a religious authority announces the sighting of the shortened.
new crescent. 6. Not being unconscious.

The Intention Those who are Unable to Fast

1. It is obligatory to make the intention to fast, during the
month of Ramadahn, before dawn break. For example
he says ‘I fast tomorrow seeking nearness to Allah'.
One could also make the intention for the whole month.
2. (If one was fasting) but did know that the next day was
Ramadahn (and therefore did not make the intention for
fasting for fasting for Ramadahn) and then it became
evident before noon that it is the first day of Ramadahn,
then one can still make the intention.
3. In voluntary fasting the time for making the intention
extends to just before sunset.
4. If it was not certain whether it is the end of Sha'bahn or
the first Ramadahn, and if one fasted with the intention
of the end of Sha'bahn or with any other intention, but
later became clear that that day was the first of
Ramadahn, that fast is valid and need not be repeated
(Quadha). Quadha means to perform prayers, fasting,
etc. to compensate for any missed obligatory duty.
Category of Fasting
There are four categories of fasting:
1. The obligatory fasting, such as fasting during the holy
month of Ramadahn.
2. The forbidden fasting such as fasting on the Eid of end
of Ramadahn and the Eid of Pilgrimage.
1. Old people who cannot fast, they must give to charity
(to the poor and the destitute) a measure of Mudd of
wheat (for each day of Ramadahn they do not fast).
One Mudd is equivalent to around three-quarters of one
kilogram.
2. One who suffers from the condition of excessive thirst,
to the extent that would not be able to fast without
causing harm to himself. For each day, he must give
one Mudd of wheat to charity. If he was cured from
that condition during the current year, he must do the
Quadha for the missed days.
3. A pregnant woman who's labour is due, or a woman
who is breast-feeding and her milk level is low. If
fasting poses any harm to the mother or the child, the
mother may not fast and instead must give one Mudd of
wheat for each day she did not fast. The woman must
also do the Quadha for those days, if the causes for
concern are no longer present during that year.
4. If someone travelling on a journey did not know that he
should not fast when travelling and did so, his fast is
valid. In the case of women, they must break their fast
immediately if they notice signs of the start of the
monthly menstruation period.
Acts which invalidate the Fast
The acts that 'break' or invalidate the Fast are ten:

3. The desirable fasting, on various occasions such as on

1. Eating
the Day of Ghadeer.
4. The undesirable fasting such as fasting on the Day of 2. Drinking
3. Injection of drips
Ashura.
4. Sexual intercourse
5. Masturbation
The Criteria for fasting being compulsory
6. To stay in the state of Junub until dawn break. [One is
defined to be in the state of Junub after sexual
Fasting is only compulsory when the following are met:
intercourse or, in the case of men, after ejaculation.]
7. To inhale thick smoke or dust
1. Adolescence.
8. To vomit (intentionally)
2. Soundness of mind.
9. To attribute lies to Allah, His Messenger and the
3. (In the case of women) Being free from the
infallible Imams
menstruation monthly or postpartum periods.

MIA 15 | P a g e April 3, 2011

 10. To submerge totally in water.
On the acts that invalidates fasting
1. Sexual intercourse would invalidate the fast of both the
husband and the wife, whether or not ejaculation takes
place.
2. If, after sexual intercourse, or after ejaculation while
asleep (Ehtelam), water were not available for doing the
compulsory Ghusl bathing in time before the dawn
break, and Tayammum is done instead, her/his fast
would be valid.
3. During the month of Ramadahn one should not bet into
the state of Junub if there would not be enough time to
do either the Ghusl bathing or Tayammum before dawn
break. If one gets into the state of Junub (either through
sexual intercourse or by "Ehtelam") and is not able to
do the Ghusl bathing due to lack of time before dawn
break, one must do the Tayammum instead.
4. If Ehtelam occurred during the day, his fast would not
be invalidated and he only needs to do Ghusl bathing
for prayers.
5. Not to do the Ghusl bathing for those who are clear of
the menstruation monthly or postpartum periods in time
for dawn break is of the same ruling as that of the Junub
case.
6. Any kind of smoking invalidates the Fast.
7. If someone ate or drank something, forgetting that s/he
is fasting, her/his fast is not invalidated, but one must
remove any remnants of food from mouth.
8. Any remnants of food, between the teeth, may not be
swallowed as this invalidates the fast.
9. Gargling, tasting of food, etc. does not invalidate the
fast provided nothing is swallowed.
10. Injection of drugs etc. using syringe is permissible
except for drips etc. Also administering drops in ears or
the eyes does not invalidate the fast.
11. If the fast was broken and the fast becomes invalid, one
should still refrain from eating and drinking until
Maghreb.
Conditions where only Quadha is compulsory
If the fasting person commits one of the following, s/he must offer
the Quadha for it.
1. To forget to do Junub Ghusl.
MIA 16 | P a g e
2. To break one's fast for a valid reason, such as
travelling, illness, etc.
3. If one uses one of the items that break the fast without
checking the time of dawn break and then it becomes
clear that the time was past the dawn break.
4. If one uses one of the items that break the fast on the
basis of someone reporting that it is not yet dawn break
whereas it would later prove to the contrary.
5. If one uses one of the items that break the fast despite
jokingly reports that it is dawn break and it becomes
clear that the latter was correct.
6. If one was informed by a person that it is Maghreb time
(i.e. after the sun has set), and therefore breaks his fast,
but later he realises that the information was inaccurate.
7. If one breaks his fast believing that it is time to break
the fast but it becomes evident to the contrary. But if
the sky was cloudy and it was believed that the sun had
set, it is not necessary to do the Quadha for it.
8. If one used water to gargle, but some water was
swallowed, unless this (gargle) was in preparation for
Wudhu for obligatory prayers.
9. If, after fondling and foreplay with spouse, ejaculation
takes place, provided that this was not intended, nor it is
a frequent practice.
Actions which require Quadha as well as Kaffarah
If a fasting person broke his/her fast through one of the ten
categories mentioned earlier, it is obligatory for him/her to offer
the Quadha (of fasting) for the day in which he broke his fast. In
most cases s/he must also pay the Kaffarah (compensation/penalty)
for breaking the fast [with no good reason]. The Kaffarah is one of
the following:
 Fasting for sixty consecutive days.
 Giving meal to sixty poor or destitute individuals.
 Free a Muslim slave.
Actions that would call for Quadha as well as all the Kaffarahs
If a fasting person breaks his fast during the day by committing a
forbidden act such as committing adultery, sodomy, or drink
alcohol (may God forbid), it is compulsory for him to perform the
Quadha and also offer all the three Kaffarahs mentioned above
collectively. This is in addition to that he must repent as well as
receive the punishment as defined in Islamic law (the Hadd).
April 3, 2011
If a fasting man coerces his fasting wife to sexual intercourse, he The Quadha for missed fasting days
would have to do the Quadha as well as offer two Kaffarahs and
must face two sets of punishments as defined by the judge [This It is compulsory to offer the Quadha of fasting for the following:
kind of punishment is known as Ta'zeer.] This is because he is
responsible for a Kaffarah and a Ta'zeer for himself as well as his 1. One who missed to fast one or more of the days of
wife for making his wife to do something forbidden while she is Ramadahn due to intoxication whether because of the
fasting. However if the wife consented to that act, then each of unlawful act of drinking alcohol or due to receiving
them must give Kaffarah, face the Ta'zeer punishment and do the medical treatment.
Quadha. 2. Traveller
3. A woman, during the menstruation monthly period or
The Traveller postpartum period.
4. A woman who is breast-feeding and does not produce
1. If a fasting person went on a journey before noon and sufficient milk.
did not come back to his hometown before noon, he 5. The sick [if the sickness does not continue to the
must break his fast. following year]
2. If one travelled after noon, he must continue and 6. One who broke his fast intentionally
complete his fast. 7. The apostate [for the duration of his apostasy]
3. If one came back to his hometown before noon and he
had broken his fast during his journey, he could use If the above do not offer their Quadha between the current and the
food and drink, and must offer Quadha for the day he Ramadhan, they must also offer Fedyah, which is one Mudd for
travelled. each day.
4. If one came back from his journey in the afternoon, he
must break his fast. As for the days when a person is underage, insane, unconscious
and a disbeliever, there is not Quadha for the missed days because
He must perform the Quadha for that day. The traveller must of the respective reasons.
break his fast if meets the criteria of shortening his prayers as
mentioned in the Fiqh books. Zakat al-Fitrah

Undesirable Acts for the Fasting Individual

Zakat al-Fitrah, also known as purifier of the bodies, is obligatory
upon those who meet the following criteria:
1. To kiss or fondle with one's spouse.
2. To use Kohl, Musk for the eyes or applying anything
 Adolescence
that might be swallowed.
3. To give blood or do Hejamah (cupping) that could
 Sound Mind

bring about weakness in the body of the fasting person.  Freedom

4. To take shower etc. which may make one to get tired.  Financial ability
5. To snuff relevant snuffing substance.
6. To smell flower, but it is desirable for the fasting The Zakat is not obligatory upon the child, the insane, the slave,
person to use perfume (on one's garment, skin, etc.) and the person who cannot make his ends meet.
7. To soak a garment in water and wear it.
8. To taste food even if not swallowed. If an individual meets the above criteria, then the Zakat al-Fitrah
9. For woman to partially submerge herself in water for a becomes obligatory upon himself and those he is responsible for,
period of time. including a visitor who arrives in his house just before sunset on
10. To pull wisdom tooth, especially if this leads to the eve of the Eid. Also if a baby is born just before sunset, then
bleeding. the Zakat due for the baby is obligatory for the parent of or the
guardian.

MIA 17 | P a g e April 3, 2011

The amount of Zakat al-Fitrah is three kilograms of the most
                       ·   ‫ إ‬      
common stable diet (such as wheat, barley, dates, raisins, etc.).
This is given to the poor and the destitute or used for such causes.
 10) .                            
This must be paid out or set-aside before noontime of the day of
Eid. If this was not done by then it must be done with the intention
of seeking nearness to Allah.
(

:   

{                }   ٕ          ‫     ء‬    ‫    ء‬        ·

  ٕ    ٓ       ٕ         ٕ          ٕ  
130 
.   ٓ           ٓ       ٕ  ‫    ء‬

And praise your Lord before sunrise and before it sets.

The Holy Qur'an; Taha (20):130 Transliteration

In the Arabic language, there are a number of letters that do not
have a corresponding equivalent in the English language. As a
              ‫  ء‬   ٕ result the sound or pronunciation of those letters would be
unfamiliar to the English reader who has not come across them
Some of the Dhikrs highly recommended to be recited before. Some of them may easily be pronounced by the English
reader, whereas s/he would find others difficult to pronounce,
before sunrise and before sunset. The first four Dhikrs unless he has already been exposed to the sounds of the Arabic
alphabet.
should be recited 10 times each:
The Arabic consonant characters are given below along with their
equivalent English characters or sounds.
(  10) . ٕ       ‫     إ  إ‬     ·
b=‫ب‬ z=‫ز‬ f= ‫ف‬
t=‫ت‬ s= ‫س‬ q=‫ق‬
th = ‫ث‬ sh = ‫ش‬ k=‫ك‬
                   -           ‫·    إ‬ j=‫ج‬ s} = ‫ص‬ l=‫ل‬
h} = ‫ح‬ d} = ‫ض‬ m=‫م‬
(  10) .  ‫          ء‬      kh = ‫خ‬ t} = ‫ط‬ n=‫ن‬
d=‫د‬ dh = ‫ظ‬ h=‫ه‬
c
dh = ‫ذ‬ =‫ع‬ w= ‫و‬
r=‫ر‬ gh = ‫غ‬ y=‫ي‬
  ‫ إ‬   ٕ     ٕ    ·             ٕ
The Arabic vowel characters are

(  10) .      
Short a=? i=ِ u=ُ
Long a> = ‫ا‬ i> = ‫ي‬ u> = ‫و‬

This presentation is an effort to describe the sounds of these

letters, and or explain how their sounds are generated, hoping that
the reader may obtain some idea about those particular characters,
when they appear in some Arabic terms used in this work.

MIA 18 | P a g e April 3, 2011

To distinguish these letters, either a combination of two letters
are used or, in the case of the majority of the difficult letters, a
normal Latin letter is used in association with a dot below it or a
line or diacritic above as shown in the table above. Furthermore
there are a couple of letters in the Arabic alphabet which are
indicated using the symbols ' and c.
Beginning with the easy ones, there is the letter that is
symbolized as:
th, which sounds like the th in the word ‘three'. The other letter is
symbolized as:
dh, which sounds like the th in the word ‘there'.
As for the difficult ones, they are as follows:
H{ or h}
The sound of this letter resembles the sound of ‘strong, breathy'
H. The sound for h} is generated from the proximity of the throat
that the normal h is, but from an area slightly further up the
throat, with more tension in the local throat muscle, with the back
end of the tongue closing in against the roof of the throat
immediately before the uvula.
Kh or kh
The sound for this is perhaps somewhere between of that of ‘h'
and ‘k', as far as the location of mouth where it is generated is
concerned. It is generated at the back of the mouth, by pressing
the back end of the tongue against the soft palate whilst forcing
the air through in the outward direction, causing the uvula to
vibrate.
Example of the sound of kh found in English or that the English
reader may be familiar with is Loch, the Scottish word for lake,
where the ch in loch is pronounced as the designated kh in
Arabic.
S{ or s}
The sound of this letter resembles the sound of ‘strong' S. It is
generated by involving the main trunk of the tongue, by slightly
curving the centre of the front half of the tongue in the downward
direction. In aid of pronouncing the sound of the ‘strong' S, it
would be helpful if you consider saying the normal letter ‘S',
MIA 19 | P a g e
when the front upper and lower teeth are brought closer together
reducing the airflow, thus producing the sound of the letter ‘S'.
The opposite process is used to generate the sound of the ‘strong'
S, i.e. the sound is produced when slightly moving apart the
upper and lower teeth, thus pronouncing the ‘strong' S.
D{ or d}
The sound of this letter is somewhere near the sound of the
normal D. Whereas the sound of a normal D is generated by
placing the front end of the tongue at the front end of the hard
palate or the roof of the mouth adjoining the top teeth, the sound
of d} is generated by touching, to the same location, more of the
front trunk of the tongue while caving in the middle part of the
tongue.
Dh or dh
The best description of this sound is that it could be the strong
version of the sound of ‘dh' as in the word ‘there'. Whereas ‘dh'
is generated by placing the tip of the tongue between the upper
and lower front teeth, whilst pressing against the upper front
teeth, the sound for dh is generated by pressing more of the front
end of the tongue between the upper and lower front teeth, whilst
pressing against the upper front teeth, and the centre of the tongue
is curved downwards.
T{ or t}
The sound of this letter resembles a ‘strong' T. Whereas a normal
T is generated by involving the front end of the tongue, the
‘strong' T is generated by pressing the front end of the trunk of
the tongue against the front end of the hard palate or the roof of
the mouth. Also when the normal T is pronounced, the lower
jaw does not move, whereas in the case of pronouncing the strong
T, or T{, the lower jaw moves outwards.
' or the hamzah, which is the character representing the glottal
stop.
c
also shown as ‘
This symbol is used to characterize an Arabic alphabet that
represents the sound of a strong ‘throaty' A. Just as the sound for
A is generated at the back of the throat, in the same proximity,
the sound for c or ‘ is also generated with the difference that the
entire throat back is engaged in the process by a stroke of
April 3, 2011
contraction in the muscle there. In this process more of the throat
is blocked, which also involves the back end of the tongue, than
when pronouncing the normal A. Just in the case of the normal
A, the sound is actually generated at the time of the release of the
contraction of the muscles involved.
Gh or gh
The nearest sound for this is that of the French R.
Q or q
The sound for this letter is a short and sharp version of the letter
‘gh' or the French R. Whereas in the process of generating the
sound of ‘gh' the back end of the tongue is pressed slightly
against the uvula, allowing some air to flow, in the case of the
sound of the Arabic alphabet represented by Q, the same process
takes place with the difference that the passage is completely
blocked, and the sound is actually generated by he sudden release
of the passage.
‘Long' a
There are also cases when there is a diacritic or a small horizontal
line above the letter, like a> : this is to represent ‘long' a, an
alternative to writing aa. The nearest example for the long a, or
a>, in English words is case of “far” as opposed to the word
“fat”. In the case of “far”, the ‘a' is elongated in the
pronunciation, whereas in the case of “fat”, the ‘a' is short.
‘Long' i
In the case of i>, it represents the pronunciation of the ee in the
word ‘need'.
‘Long' u
In the case of u>, it represents the pronunciation of the oo in the
word ‘noon'.
‘Double' letters
In the Arabic language, there are many instances where a letter in
a word has double pronunciations with a very slight pause
MIA 20 | P a g e
between the two. The first pronunciation is always the sound of
the letter itself, and the second is the sound of the letter together
with that of the following letter. For correct pronunciation of the
word, it is important that there is a very slight pause between the
sounds of the double letters. Some examples are as follows:
Alla>h, where the presence of ‘ll' indicates the requirement of the
double pronunciation of the letter ‘l'. It may help if the word is
considered as Al-la>h, with the pause due to the hyphen being
very slight. Another example is Muhammad.
N.B.
To emphasise the correct pronunciation of some Arabic words,
the transliteration characters are normally used for words like
Alla>h, Qur'a>n, Muh}ammad, su>rah, a>yah, etc. On the other
hand, to adhere to simplicity it has been decided that diacritics
and other transliteration characters are to be avoided where
possible – in common words – where it is assumed that reader is
or would be familiar with the pronunciation of those words, and
that such characters are only used for less common and
unfamiliar words only. So for such words as the above-
mentioned, they would be written simply as Allah, Qur'an,
Muhammad, surah, ayah, etc.
Along similar lines, names of prophets and messengers are
generally presented in the Latin form in this work, although on
the initial occasion for each case, the equivalent of the Arabic
pronunciation is also given. e.g. in the case of the name of
prophet Abraham, its Arabic equivalent of Ibra>hi>m is also
given for the first time, and subsequently only the Latin form is
used for the sake of ease and simplicity for the English reader.
E for Additives
The ‘E' numbers are frequently encountered as part of the
ingredients of many food stuff, and there usually no indication of
the nature and or source of these additives except the ‘E'
numbers, which normally causes difficulty for the Muslims
individuals who care not to intake any food that may contain non-
permissible animal products. For this reason one of the scholars
began the initiative of investigating these ‘E' numbers to identify
those that may be consumed by Muslims.
Assuming that the product is manufactured in non-Muslim
countries, the criteria for the investigation and labelling process is
as follows:
April 3, 2011
 Any of the additives that does not contain any animal 430 L 431 L 432 L 433 L 434 L 435 L
product is prescribed as Halal or permissible for 436 L 440(a) 440(b) L 442 L 450(a) 450(b)
Muslim consumption and indicated by the letter ‘L'.
L L L
 Any additive that is produced using any animal
product is prescribed as Haram or not permissible for 450(c) 460 L 461 L 463 L 464 L 465 L
Muslim consumption and indicated by the letter ‘M'.
L
 If in the production process of an additive
manufacturers may either use vegetable or animal 466 L 470 L 471 L 472(a) 472(b) 472(c)
products, then the recommendation for its L L L
consumption is prescribed as precautionary, Ihtiyat,
i.e. it is best not to use, and it is indicated by the letter 472(d) 472(e) 473 L 474 M 475 L 476 L
‘T'. L L
477 L 478 L 481 L 482 L 483 L 491 M
E100 L E101 T E101(a) E102 L E104 L E107 L
492 T 493 L 494 L 495 L 500 L 501 L
T
503 L 504 L 507 L 508 L 509 L 510 L
110 L 120 M 122 L 123 L 124 L 127 L
513 L 514 L 515 L 516 L 518 L 524 L
128 L 129 L 131 L 132 L 133 L 140 L
525 L 526 L 527 L 528 L 529 L 530 L
141 L 142 L 150 L 151 L 153 T 154 L
535 L 536 L 540 L 541 L 542 M 544 L
155 L 160(b) 160(b) L 160(c) 160(d) 160(e)
545 L 551 L 552 L 553(a) 553(b) 554 L
L L L L
L L
160(f) 161 L 161(a) L 161(b) 161(c) 161(d)
556 L 558 L 559 L 570 M 572 L 575 L
L L L L
576 L 577 L 578 L 620 T 621 T 622 L
161(e) 161(f) 161(g) T 162 L 163 L 170 L
623 L 627 L 631 M 635 T 636 L 637 L
L L
900 L 901 L 903 L 904 M 905 L 907 L
171 L 172 L 173 L 174 L 175 L 180 L
920 M 924 L 925 L 926 L 927 L
200 L 201 L 202 L 203 L 210 L 211 L
212 L 213 L 214 L 215 L 216 L 217 L
Etiquette of The Wedding Night and
218 L 219 L 220 L 221 L 222 L 223 L
Lovemaking
224 L 226 L 227 L 230 L 231 L 232 L
The following are some of the teachings of the Prophet
233 L 234 L 236 T 237 L 238 L 239 L
Muhammad and his Ma'soom Ahl-ul-Bayt, peace be upon them,
249 L 250 L 251 L 252 M 260 T 261 T
concerning the etiquette of the Wedding Night as well as the
262 T 263 T 270 L 280 T 281 M 282 M
‘timing' of sexual intercourse between husband and wife. They
283 M 290 L 296 L 297 L 300 L 301 L
are reproduced here for their immense importance on the health
302 L 304 L 306 L 307 L 308 L 309 L
of the child and the mother. The first section below deals with
310 T 311 T 312 T 320 L 321 L 322 T
the etiquette of marriage and the wedding night (Zafaaf).
325 L 326 L 327 L 330 L 331 L 331(a)
L
331(b) 331(c) 332 L 333 L 334 T 335 T
L L
336 T 337 T 338 L 339(a) 339(b) 339(c)
The time of performing the marriage contract - the AQD
L L L
340(a) 340(b) 340(c) L 341 L 341(a) 341(b)
L L L L
341(c) 350 L 351 L 352 L 353 L 355 L
Imam Ja'ffar al-Saadiq (AS) said:
L
363 L 370 L 375 T 380 L 381 L 385 L
400 L 401 L 402 L 403 L 404 L 405 L “Do not perform the marriage contract – the AQD – when the
406 L 407 L 410 L 412 L 413 L 414 L moon is going through the scorpion phase, for if you do that, it
415 L 416 L 420(i) L 420(ii) 421 L 422 L will not be a happy marriage.”
L

MIA 21 | P a g e April 3, 2011


In another report from al-Imam al-Saadiq (AS):
“Do not perform the marriage contract – the AQD – in direct
sunlight, for this would lead to the miscarriage of the child.”
Etiquette of The Wedding Night
It is reported that Rasulollah (S) said to Imam Ali (AS)
“After the bride enters your room and sits down, take off
her shoes and wash her feet and pour the water (from this
washing) to the furthest point of your house. For if you do
that, Allah will drive away seventy kinds of poverty from
your house, and He will enter into your house seventy types
of riches, and seventy kinds of blessings, and He will
descend seventy kinds *of mercy upon you, which will
hover over your bride's head until every corner of your
house is filled with blessings. And in doing so the bride
shall be immune from mental illness and leprosy as long as
she is in that house.”
It is reported in the hadith of the Ahl-ul-Bayt that it is Mustahab
and desirable for the newly wed couple to pray two Rak'ah of
prayer and after the prayer the groom should praise Allah and say
the Salawaat of Muhammad and Aal-e Muhammad and say:
Allahummar-Zuqni Ulfaha wa Wuddaha wa Ridhaha be;
wa-Ardhini beha,
Wajma' baynana be-Ahsani Ejtimaa' wa Aysari E'tilaaf,
fa Innaka Tuhibb-ul-Halal wa Takrah-ul-Haram.
{{{O Allah! Give me her affection, love and her acceptance of
me; and make me pleased with her,
And bring us together in the best form of a union and in the best
of harmony,
Surely You like the Halal and dislike the Haram. }}}
Imam Saadiq (AS) said to some of his companions:
“When your bride enters your room both turn to the Qiblah and
say:
MIA
Allahumma be Amanatika Akhathtuha wa be Kalimaatika
Estahlaltuha,
Fa in Qadhayta Li Minha Waladan, faj'alhu Mubarakan
Taqiyyan min Shi'ati Al-e Muhammad (sal-lal-lahu alayhi wa
alihi wa sallam)
Walaa taj-'al Lish-Shaytani fihi Shirkan walaa Nasiba.
‘O Allah with Your trust I have accepted her, and with Your
words I have made her Halaal to myself, so if You decree for me
a child from her, make the child blessed and pious, and follower
of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS), and do not allow for the Shaytaan to
have any share or part in the child.'”
And if the groom wanted to make love with his bride; he should
first read the following Du'a:
“Allahummar-Zuqni Waladan, waj-‘alhu Taqeyyan Zakeyyan;
Laysa Fi Khalqihi Zeyaadatan wa la Nuqsaan,
Waj-‘al Aaqibatahu ila al-Khayr”
{{O Allah! Give me a child who is pious and pure in whose
creation there is nothing missing or overgrown. And make their
fate and destiny good and prosperous.}}}
At the moment of love making one should say Bismillah al-
Rahmaan al-Raheem.
In a hadith from al-Imam al-Saadiq (AS):
“Do not arrange for the wedding night to coincide with the moon
going through the scorpion phase, for would not lead to a happy
marriage.”
During the first week of marriage . . . .
It is reported that Rasulollah (S) said to Imam Ali (AS)
“Prevent the bride from eating four things in her
first week of marriage:
1. Dairy products
22 | P a g e April 3, 2011
 2. Vinegar
3. Coriander
4. Sour apple
Imam Ali (AS) asked for the reason for this, Rasulollah (S)
replied:
“Since these four (could) make the womb cool and
barren, . . . .”
For if she menstruates after consuming vinegar she
will never be entirely clean (from her
menstruation), [i.e. she will continue to experience
minor bleeding outside her normal monthly period.]
And coriander will intensify the bleeding of her
menstruation inside her, and exacerbate her labor if
she were to give birth.
And the sour apple would stop her menstruation
bleeding which would be an illness for her . . .”
Designer Babies . . .
Etiquette and Timing of Lovemaking
There is very important advice that Rasulollah (S) has given to
Imam Ali (AS) which has significant outcomes, and this is given
below in full.
As can be seen from the following hadith, the date and time of the
intercourse and therefore conception has a direct and defining
impact on the character of the child conceived.
(A) Dates and times when lovemaking is Makruh (undesirable)
1. Do not have intercourse with your wife on the First,
Middle, and Last day of the (lunar) month, for it will
hasten mental illness and leprosy for her and her child.
2. Do not have intercourse with your wife in the after noon,
for if a child were conceived at that time, s/he would be
cross-eyed, and the Shaytaan is pleased when a human is
cross-eyed.
3. Do not speak while lovemaking, for if a child were
conceived, he would not be immune from being dumb.
4. One should not look into his wife's vagina for this brings
about blindness (in the child).
5. Do not make love with your wife with the desire of and
MIA
lust for another woman (in your mind), for I fear that if a
male child were conceived at that moment he would be
Mukhannath (one who desires other men to have sex with
him), effeminate, and stupid.
6. One who is in the status of Junub in bed with wife should
not read the Qur'an for I fear that fire might descend upon
them and burn them.
7. Do not make love unless each of you has a piece of cloth
to clean yourselves with. For if you use the same cloth,
enmity would befall between you and this brings about
separation and divorce.
8. Do not have intercourse with your wife standing up, for
this is the conduct of the donkey, and if a child were
conceived (in that state) s/he would urinate in bed, just as
the donkey urinates everywhere.
9. Do not make love with your wife on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr,
for if a child were conceived as a result, that child would
not be but evildoer.
10. Do not make love with your wife on the eve of Eid-ul-
Adhha (Eid-e-Qurban), for if a child were conceived as a
result, that child would have either six fingers or four.
11. Do not make love with your wife under a fruit-bearing tree,
for if a child were conceived as a result, s/he would be
torturer, or a murderer or a spy (for an oppressive
government against the Mu'minin.)
12. Do not make love with your wife under direct sunshine,
unless you set up a screen to cover you up, for if a child
were conceived as a result, s/he will continue to live in
poverty until s/he dies.
13. Do not make love with your wife between the Athaan and
the Iqamah, for if a child were conceived as a result, s/he
would be eager to shed blood.
14. If your wife were pregnant, do not make love with her
unless you have Wudhu, otherwise the child would be
blind-hearted and stingy.
15. Do not make love with your wife on the eve of mid-
Sha'baan, for if a child were conceived as a result, the
child would be disfigured with large spots on his face.
16. Do not make love with your wife if there were two days left
to the (lunar) month, for if a child were conceived as a
result, s/he would be ‘Ashshaar (inspector/collector of tax
(which is illegal from the Islamic point of view)), or an
assistant to the oppressor, and many people would perish
at their hands.
17. Do not make love with your wife on the roof top of a
building, for if a child were conceived as a result, s/he
23 | P a g e April 3, 2011
 would be hypocrite, showoff, and commit Bid'ah.
18. If you have travelled, do not make love with your wife on
that night, for if a child were conceived as a result, s/he
would give his/her money in a false way, [then Rasulollah
(S) recited] {Verily the spendthrifts are the brothers of the
Satans.} (17:27).
19. Do not make love with your wife if you are on a journey of
three days and nights, for if a child were conceived as a
result, s/he would be helper and assistant to ever
oppressor.
(B) Dates and times when lovemaking is Mustahab (desirable)
1. O Ali! You are highly encouraged to make love on the eve
of Monday, for if a child were conceived, s/he would be a
memoriser (Hafiz) of the Book of Allah, and pleased with
whatever Allah has bestowed upon him/her.
2. If you make love with your wife on the eve of Tuesday and
a child were conceived, s/he would be bestowed the
Martyrdom, after the declaration of “There is no god but
Allah, Muhammad is Rasulollah”, and Allah would not
punish him with the polytheists. Her/his mouth would
smell pleasant, s/he would be kindhearted, generous and
freehanded, her/his tongue would be pure from backbite,
lie, and accusation.
3. If you make love with your wife on the eve of Thursday and
a child were conceived, s/he would be one of the rulers, or
one of the scholars.
4. If you make love with your wife on Thursday when the sun
passes the middle of the sky (after noon), and a child were
conceived, s/he would be less prone to the temptations of
the Shaytaan. S/he would be intelligent and Allah Exalted
and Praised is He would bestow upon her/him health and
safety in the Deen and the material life.
5. And if you make love to your wife on the eve of Friday, and
there were a child conceived, s/he would be an eloquent
lecturer / preacher.
6. And if you make love to your wife on Friday afternoon, and
there were a child conceived, s/he would be a renowned
scholar.
7. And if you make love to your wife on the eve of Friday,
after the ‘Eshaa' and there were a child conceived, it is
hoped that InSha'Allah s/he would be one of the ABDAAL
(i.e. those pious individuals that the earth is never without
one, if one of them dies another would replace him.)
8. Do not make love to your wife during the first hour of the
MIA
night, for if there were a child conceived, it is feared that
s/he would be a sorcerer, swindler who prefers this world
to the hereafter.
Remember and keep this advice from me, just as I
have remembered and kept it from my brother
Jibra'il.”
Other hadith on when/where lovemaking is Makruh (undesirable)
Imam Ja'ffar al-Saadiq (AS) said
“Do not have sexual intercourse on the first,
middle, and the last day of the (lunar) month, for if
one does that he should expect the miscarriage of
the child, and if not, it is feared that the child would
be mad. Do you not see that the mad person mostly
suffers from fits on the first, middle, and last day of
the (lunar) month?”
Imam Ja'ffar al-Saadiq (AS) also said
“Do not have sexual intercourse on the eve of Wednesday.”
In another narration from al-Imam al-Saadiq (AS):
“Do not make love with your wife, if there is a child in the house
who can see you or hear you. For if you do that, that child would
be adulterous, and so too the child that is then conceived (as a
result of that lovemaking).”
Rasulollah (S) is reported as saying:
“If one makes love with his wife, and there is someone in the
house that can hear their voice or their breathing, the child that is
conceived would not be pious, but s/he would adulterous.”
Rasulollah (S) is reported as saying:
“If one has sexual intercourse with his wife while
she is going through her monthly menstruation
period, and a child is conceived who happens to
have leprosy, he should blame none other than
himself.”
Someone asked Imam Muhammad al-Baaqir (AS) is there any
time that is Makruh to have sexual intercourse even though it is
Halaal? The Imam replied:
“Yes. (These are:)
1. The duration from Fajr (break of dawn) to sunrise,
2. The duration from sunset to Maghreb (the disappearance
24 | P a g e April 3, 2011
 of twilight),
3. The day in which the sun is eclipsed,
4. The night in which the moon is eclipsed,
5. The day or night in which there is the black wind, the red
wind, or the yellow wind,
6. The day or night in which earthquake occurs.”
Imam Saadiq (AS) also said:
“Do not have sexual intercourse on board a boat,
and do not have sexual intercourse whilst facing the
Qiblah or with your back to it.”
Sexual Satisfaction
It is reported from Imam al-Saadiq (AS):
“One of you may have sex with his wife and satisfy his
desires, (but without her reaching the climax of sexual
excitement and satisfaction). (This could leave her in a state
that) if she comes across even a slave she would cling to him
(to satisfy her sexual need). Therefore if you were to make
love with your wife, make sure there is mutual foreplay, for it
is better and more pleasant for this matter (lovemaking).”
Notes:
1. In Islamic terminology a ‘day' ends with the sunset and
at the same time the following ‘day' begins. As opposed
to the system that has currently become known and
dominant where a ‘day' starts at 00:00, i.e. midnight. So
under this current system a ‘day' consists of a dark part –
from midnight 00:00 to sunrise, the daylight part – from
sunrise to sunset, and the second dark part from sunset
to midnight 00:00.
In the Islamic terminology a ‘day' consists of two parts – the
dark part and daylight part. The ‘day' starts with the dark part
– eve or night – which is from Maghreb to Fajr, and the
daylight part, which is from Fajr to Maghreb . So the Eve of
Friday starts when the sun sets on Thursday. In other words
Thursday ends when the sun sets, while at the same time
Friday begins, starting with its eve.
2. In the above hadith and quotations when the month is
referred to, it is meant the lunar month in the Islamic
calendar – Muharram, Safar, Rajab, Ramadahn ,etc. and
not in any other calendar such as the Gregorian.
Reference
Hadith presented here are mainly taken from the
MIA
book "Makarem al-Akhlaq"
Some of the Detestable (Makruh) Conducts in Islam
The abominable habits and moral traits that should be avoided are
many. The scholars of ethics have mentioned them in their books
and here we shall mention most of them even though some of
them, according to Shari'ah, are prohibited.
 To seek revenge.
 To boast about oneself.
 To be very optimistic about oneself.
 To consider one's own good deeds as great.
 To belittle other's good deeds.
 To consider other's bad deeds as great.
 To belittle one's own bad deeds.
 Not to care about one's own bad conduct and ignore
other's protests against it.
To look down up on people.
 To cause inconvenience to others.
 Hurting others even though an act causing it may not be
unlawful, such as building one's house such that it
blocks light or air from reaching the neighbour's.
 Insulting others even if not in unlawful ways.
 Frightening people even if not to the unlawful degrees.
 Hostility even if less than the unlawful limits.
 The use of bad words even if not unlawful.
Jealousy.
 Wanting.
 To be rancorous and vindictive.
 To be stingy.
 To be malevolent.
 To be greedy.
 To be hasty.
 To cause commotion.
 To be hardhearted.
 To be awkward and not to get on with others.
 To be bad mannered.
25 | P a g e April 3, 2011
  To be arrogant.  To grief about worldly things.

 To show off even in non-worship matters.  To have long worldly hopes.

 To suspect people.  To be unhappy about one's possession in life.

 To be afraid of people.  To be unconcerned about issues of the hereafter.

 Going back on one's promise.  Love of being praised.

 To be excessive in sexual lust.  Love of leadership or high position.

 To have no self-respect.  Love of this world.

 To have a low self-esteem and enthusiasm.  Love of wealth.

 To have no sense of honour.  To be too busy in earning.

 To have eager and fervour unnecessarily.  To be too wealthy that would lead to arrogance.

 Publicising matters that would have been better to be  To be pessimist about Allah.
kept private.  Not to have trust in Allah.
 Lying when joking.  To ignore Allah's guidance, and warnings, etc.
 To accuse someone of something in a joke.  Not to care about the rules of Shari'ah.
 To make fun of others.

 To joke a lot.  Discrimination, fanaticism, and racism.

 Too much laughing.  To get angry without justifiable reasons.

 To rely on others.  To be disrespectful to the elders.

 To burden others.  To be unkind to children.

 Doing useless things.  To be unfair.

 Talking about things that are not one's concern.  To be ungrateful.

 Spying on things that are not one's business.  To be unthankful.

 To be two-faced.
 Taking good deeds lightly.  To be insolent.
 Neglecting desirable acts.  To neglect the believers.
 Persisting on detestable matters.  To sleep a lot.
 To be curious about indecent things.  To have no work or skills.
 Involving one self in undesirable matters, even if they  Not to observe cleanliness.
are not unlawful.
 Scrupulosity and obsession, even in worldly matters.

 To be either extremist in one's affairs or indifferent.

Materialism
 Associating with sinners.

 To confine oneself with material issues, e.g. clothing

Keeping company of contemptible individuals.
and housing, etc. in a similar way to those who lead an
extravagant life.

 To express grief in hardship.

 To complain about life.

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Some of the forbidden (Haraam) Conducts in
Islam
List of Conducts Prohibited In Islam
Allah, the most High says in the holy Qur'an:
"Say (O Muhammad) "Come! I will recite to you what your
Lord has forbidden to you."- The Qur'an: The Cattle (6): 151.
Just as it is compulsory for a Muslim to learn his or her
(religious) obligations and act upon them, it is also compulsory
for the Muslim to learn the forbidden matters and avoid them.
Therefore we have listed here some of the prohibited matters that
one may often come across in every day activities:
Beliefs
 Not to believe in Allah.
 To consider individuals or things as partners of Allah.
 To believe that Allah has children.
 Praying, prostrating or kneeling for something other
than Allah.
 To consider oneself above the worship of Allah.
 To become unconcerned about the wrath of Allah.
 To abandon the practice of remembrance of Allah.
 To protest against Allah on fate and destination.
 Disputing with Allah, the prophets, and the Imams,
peace be up on them.
 To cause difficulties for the Prophet, peace be up on
him.
 Swearing to disassociate oneself from Allah, the
prophets, the Imams and Islam.
Obligations
 Lying against Allah, the Prophet, or Imams.
 To deny one of the principles of religion
 To deny any aspect of the holy Qur'an or the laws of
Shari'ah.
 Blasphemy, especially, in the house of Allah.
 To become hopeless of the mercy of Allah.
 To deny the hereafter
 To deny miracles.
Shari'ah & Religion
 Not to comply with the laws of the Shari'ah.
 Not learning the basic principles of beliefs and the
details of the rules of the religion.
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 Not teaching the principles and rules of religion to
those who are ignorant of them, when they are seen
acting or practicing something, which is wrong.
 Innovating in (the laws and practices of) religion.
 Declaring the lawful as unlawful.
 Declaring the unlawful as lawful.
 Giving judgement not in accordance with Allah's
orders.
 Denying what is due to Allah (e.g. Khums, Zakat).
 To rebel against the Imam, (the leader who is
appointed by divine instructions).
 Refusing to pay religious taxes such as Khums, Zakat,
or other obligatory dues.
 Delaying one's dues.
 Not exercising Taqiyah when in danger. [A Muslim
must exercise all means within his disposal to protect
his life when threatened. Taqiyah is not to disclose
one's belief under certain severe circumstances in
order to protect his life.]
 Migrating to places where one's religion would be
endangered.
 Friendship with the enemies of religion in the absence
of an urgent necessity.
 Swearing in general, especially towards Allah, the
prophets, the Imams, Islam, Qur'an, and other sacred
things.
 To mislead people away from the path of Allah.
 Not practicing the principle of “Enjoining Good and
Forbidding Evil”.
 To break an obligatory fast such as that due to a vow
or fast during Ramadan, without good reason.
 Not fasting for that missed during the month of
Ramadhan before the commencement of the next
month of Ramadhan.
 To delay a prayer until its time is over.
 To discontinue an (ongoing) obligatory prayer.
 To abandon obligatory prayers.
 To abandon any other obligation.
 To delay performing Hajj from the year it becomes
April 3, 2011
 obligatory.  To hurt the neighbours.
 Rejecting the orders of the scholars in their Shari'ah
verdicts. Others' Rights

 Accepting payment for religious obligations that have

to be carried out.  To publicises someone's secrets without his consent.

 Hoarding goods needed by the public.

Jihad
 To falsely suspect others and act up on it.

 To falsely accuse people.

 Not taking part in Jihad.
 Not to answer the Salaam greeting.
 Fleeing from battlefield.
 Looking for others' shortcomings.
 Selling arms to the disbelievers who wage war against
 Wounding or amputating limbs of someone's body.
the Muslims.
 Beating someone for no reason.

Qur'an  Detaining someone for no reason.

 Unlawful killing.
 Touching the holy Qur'an without formal purification,  Denying the rights of people that are due to them.
Wudhu.  Usurping the wealth or property of an orphan.
 Selling the holy Qur'an.  Seizing and confiscating others' property, possession,
or wealth.
Mosques
 Reporting about individuals to oppressors.

 Confining a woman or young people for indecent acts.

 Making the mosque unclean.
 Closing the road of the Muslims.
 Working to destroy the mosques.

 Preventing people from going to mosques. Male/Female Interaction

 Going to or staying in the mosques while in a state of
Junub. [1]  Muslim woman not wearing Hijaab in public.
 The above individuals passing through the two grand  For Muslim women to wear anything, in terms of
mosques in Makkah and Medina .
cosmetics, perfume, clothing, etc. which would attract
 To disgrace the holy Ka'bah or other holy places. the attention of ‘Non-Mahram' men. [‘Non-Mahram'
man is any man whom a woman must wear Hijaab
The Believer from, and this ranges from friends to cousins and
brothers- and sisters-in-law, etc.]
 Animosity towards believers.  ‘Non-Mahram' man and woman kissing one another.
 To defame a believer.  Kissing a person with lust, except for spouses.
 To disgrace a believer.  Touching the body of strangers, male or female
 To hurt or abuse a believer. respectively.

 To threat or terrorise a believer.  Touching others with lust, except one's spouse.

 To make fun of the believers.  Women shaking hands with ‘Non-Mahram' men (and
vice versa).
 To ridicule or demean the Muslims.

 To defame a believer in poetry etc.

 Looking at a non-Mahram woman (or man
respectively).
 Abandoning the believers.
 Looking at boys (or girls) or Mahram relatives with

MIA 28 | P a g e April 3, 2011

 lust. Children

 Going to mixed swimming pools.

 Going to schools that would lead one to corruption.  Not disciplining one's children such that it would lead
them astray.
 Looking at the private parts of others, (except for the
spouses).  Beating one's children in excess of discipline.

 To uncover one's private parts in the presence of  For children to disobey their parents.

others.  To disobey one's parents.

 Adultery.  Relating a child to someone other than his natural

 Sodomy. father.

 Lesbianism.
Personal Conducts
 Paedophilia

 Accusing someone of adultery or homosexuality.

 Lying.

Marriage
 Fraud.

 Cheating.

 Proposing marriage to a married woman or to a  Cheating in weighing and measuring.

woman during the Eddah period (of four months after  Deception.
divorce or after becoming a widow).  Treachery.
 False marriage (e.g. forcing either of the two parties to  Hypocrisy.
marry, or the marriage of a Muslim and a Kafir
 Forging a will.
(excluding People of the Book, i.e. Jews and
 Stealing and robbery.
Christian.))
 Going against one's vow.
 To marry one's Mahram relatives, or relatives by
marriage, or by breast-feeding.  Breaking one's covenant.

 Backbiting or listening to it.

{Mahram relatives, in the case of the male, are those such as his  Slander and defamation or listening to it.
mother, sisters, nieces, and aunts. [In the case of the female, the
 To be jealous and to act up on it.
Mahram relatives are her father, brothers, nephews, and uncles.]
 To be haughty.
Marriage is not allowed between Mahram relatives and therefore
a woman does not wear Hijaab from her Mahram relatives. Non-
 To be extravagant.

Mahram relatives are those such as cousins, brothers- or sisters-
in-law, etc. and a woman must wear Hijaab from her non-
Mahram relatives. Marriage is allowed between cousins. –
Editor's note.}
Marital
 To wear gold or silk (applicable to men only).
 To use gold and silver utensils even for decorating
reasons.
 Not keeping oneself clean from urine and other
unclean substances.

 Endangering one's own life.

 Not having sex with one's wife for more than four
months. Food & Drink
 Masturbation – it is allowed if with spouse.

 For a woman to go out of the house without the  Drinking intoxicating liquors.
knowledge or permission of her husband.  Eating animal flesh not slaughtered according to
 For spouses to publicise each other's secrets. Islamic law, also consuming forbidden animals' flesh
such as pork, etc. [Except in circumstances when

MIA 29 | P a g e April 3, 2011

 one's life is dependent upon consuming such meat.]
 Eating forbidden parts of the animals such as testicles.
 Eating and drinking of the unclean or that which has
become unclean.
 Eating mud or other prohibited things.
 To help others commit sin.
 To persist in committing minor sins.
 To order or encourage others to commit evil or sin.
 Considering ones sins not seriously as such that would
lead to disregarding repentance.

 Promoting indecent acts.

Social

Oppression
 Looking into the houses of neighbours without
permission.
 Oppression and transgression.
 Sitting at a table where wine is served.
 Helping an oppressor and condoning his actions.
 Prevention of good deeds and charitable works.
 To become employees of the oppressors.
 Sitting with people who make innovations in religion.
 Asking for judgment from an oppressor unnecessarily.
 Reaching power by unlawful means (in accordance to
Islamic law). Gambling
 Extracting confessions through torture.

 Playing chess.  Betting or any form of gambling.

 To work as a pimp.  Manufacturing tools of gambling instruments.

 Spreading corruption on earth.  Betting in ways other then those mentioned in the

 To create commotion by setting individuals against section of Islamic laws about archery and horse
one another. racing.

 To praise one in his presence and abuse him in his  Taking part in conventional horseracing, unless they

absence. meet all conditions approved by Shari'ah.

 Exhumation of graves.
Music etc.
 Sitting with those who indulge in meaningless talks
about the signs of Allah.
 Dancing.
 Frolic and frivolity - to engage in useless activities,
which are wasteful and distract from the remembrance
 Singing and listening to it.

and the path of Allah.  Visiting nightclubs, discos, etc.

 To practice astrology or seek the help of astrologers.  Manufacturing, buying, selling, or using musical
instruments.
 To subdue ghosts, Jinns and angles, etc. or seek the
help of those who practice them.
Truth
 Practicing black magic, witchcraft, or seek the help of
those who practice them.
 To accept or give bribe to hide a truth or make
 Hypnotism (except for necessary medical
something false prevail.
requirements)
 Presenting false testimony.

Sin  Destruction of the truth.

 Swearing a false oath.

 To consent in sin.  Hiding a testimony.
 To publicise one's sins.  Hiding the truth.
 To publicise indecency.

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Falsehood
 Accepting false religions, like Sufism, Baha'i, Babi,
etc.
 To become a member of parties of falsehood like
communism etc.
 Keeping, buying, selling, teaching and publicizing
false and misleading literature.
 The learning of corrupting subjects, or teaching them
to other than those who want to refute them.
Miscellaneous
 Making statues, as well as buying, selling, and
promoting them.
 Buying and selling of fighting dogs and swine.
 Taking and giving usury and brokerage about it.
 Shaving one's or others' beards.
 To be self-praising about one's own worships.
 A fury that leads to Haram.
 To break one's bond with relatives.
 Earning by unlawful things and means.
 To write erotic poetry about a chaste woman or a boy,
etc.
 The use of intoxicants, whether drinking, selling,
buying, farming, making, using its money, taking it
from others, renting property for it, or using it in other
ways like for dressing injuries unnecessarily.
Some of the conducts above may be related to others in the list,
but they have been included for the seriousness of the conduct, as
this has been indicated by various Qur'anic verses or Prophetic
Hadiths or traditions.
It should be noted that some of the conducts mentioned above
constitute Kufr (apostasy), some are Shirk (association), some are
Major sins, and some are subject to Kaffarah (payment of fine or
compensation), or subject to Hadd (punishment predefined in the
Qur'an or the Hadith) or Ta'zir (punishment as prescribed by the
judge). These are detailed in relevant jurisprudence texts.
[1] An individual is in a state of Junub after sexual intercourse (or
ejaculation), and therefore an obligatory Ghusl bathing is
required to attain a spiritual purity as well as personal hygiene.
Similarly a Ghusl bathing is also mandatory after the occurrence
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of menses or childbirth.
Mustahab
Some of the Desirable (Mustahab) Conducts in Islam
 To have confidence in the promises of Allah.
 To belittle oneself before Allah.
 To spend for the cause of Allah.
 To take comfort with Allah.
 To repent from unlawful things that Allah dislikes.
 To submit oneself to the orders of Allah in all matters.
 To have trust in Allah.
 To love Allah and those whom He has ordered to love.
 To love because of Allah.
 To dislike because of Allah.
 To have fear of Allah.
 To have hope in Allah.
 To be deliberate in one's affairs.
 To have fairness.
 To be independent of people.
 Altruism or selflessness.
 To help people.
 To train oneself in good matters.
 To encourage others to do good deeds.
 To stop others from doing abominable things.
 To bring reform among people.
 To be sincere in one's deeds.
 To be good to one's parents.
 To be humble.
 To visit friends.
 To be friendly.
 To be steadfast in good deeds.
 To be forbearing.
 To be good mannered.
 To protect the rights of the neighbours.
 To be concerned about one's sins (both past and
possible future ones.)
 Not to have all hopes in deeds.
 To be considerate with people.
31 | P a g e April 3, 2011
 Not to do or practice anything (spiritually or  To give good advise to believers.
materially) to the extent that it results in extreme  To intend to do good things.
pressure on oneself.
 To cleanse one's soul and remove believers'
 To be nice with the family and children. shortcomings from it.
 To be content with destiny.  To be pious.
 To forsake worldly pleasures.  To be God fearing.
 To be respectful.  To avoid doubtful matters (i.e. whether they are halal
 To be protective of people. or haram).

 To correct one's mistakes.  To persevere with avoiding sin.

 To be pleasant in one's speech with others.  To persevere on worship and prayers.

 To be thankful of the bounties.  Remembrance of death and the hereafter.

 To reform people with good language.  To be content.

 To spent much in charity and help the weak.  To be bashful.

 To maintain good relations with one's relatives.

To have a happy face.
 To spread peace and harmony.

 To reach-out for the weak, sick and the orphans. On the Martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra alayhas-salam
 To be clean.

 Not to publicise people's shortcomings.

 To be the same in out side and in side in all matters. On Wednesday 30th of Safar, year 11 Hejri, with only two days

 To be truthful and stay away from lies even in joking. after the martyrdom of the Greatest Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih, the enemies of Allah and
 To have patience.
His Messenger did not waste time to embark on yet another
 To be hospitable to guests.
murderous assault on the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam.
 To accept invitations.

 To give and accept gifts on traditional occasions.

 To forgive people.

 To be chaste.

 To have justice in all matters.

 To have reverence for religious people.

 To stay away from despicable individuals.

 To have courage.

 To love the poor.

"Fatima is part of me, he who hurts her hurts me"
 To strife against one's desires.

 To give loans. This was said by Prophet Muhammad salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-

 To help the believers in need. aalih on numerous occasions.

 To prevent any harm from reaching the believers.

The day after the burial of the body of Rasulollah, the murderers of
 To keep a secret and not to publicises it.
Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih raided the house of
 To mention people with good names. Sayyidaton-Nissa' Fatima al-Zahra' alayhas-salam. In the process
 To hurry in doing good deeds. they set fire to the door of the house, and crushed Fatima al-Zahra'
 To bring one's self into account. alayhas-salam, between the door and the wall. Sayyidaton-Nissa'
Fatima al-Zahra' alayhas-salam, who was heavily pregnant at the

MIA 32 | P a g e April 3, 2011

time, sustained a number of horrific injuries, as a result of which References
she died later. Her unborn baby son – the third Sibt of Rasulollah;
whom Rasulollah had named Mohassen, died instantlyin the course
of the assaultby the "Sahabah"!!! Some of the injuries that the
beloved daughter of Rasulollah sustained were: Bismillah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem

 smashed ribs, Some Strategic Policies to Combat Poverty

By Ayatollah Sayyid Murtada Shirazi

 pierced lungs,

[This paper was presented to the sixth international conference on

 as well as injuries to her unborn baby son, Hazrat-e
Imam Ali pease be upon him - held in London ]
Mohassen alayhis-salam, who was killed instantly.

Praise is to Allah the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings
be upon the trustworthy messenger of Allah and his pure family.

Not being satisfied with all that, on entering the house, the
Almighty Allah states in the holy Qur'an
assailants did not leave the beloved daughter of Prophet
Muhammad alone. They subjected her to a barrage of brutal
{He brought you into being from the earth, and made you dwell in
assaults, by:
it}

 slapping her face,

He also states: {Give full measure and full weight and wrong not
the people in their goods, and do not make mischief in the earth}
 throwing her to the ground,

He also states: {He it is who created for you all that is in the earth}
 repeatedly punching and kicking her
It is also reported that Imam Ali said, “If poverty were to assume

 as well as hitting the heavily pregnant Lady Fatima the form a man I would have killed him.”

with the side of their swords.

What is Poverty?

In order to appreciate the grave consequences of poverty, we must

At the same time as the assault on Fatima al-Zahra', an assault was define poverty in a precise and comprehensive way. Poverty does

also taking place against her husband Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhis- not mean material deprivation only, as imagined by many, but it

salam, who had come to her defence. The attackers eventually has extensive and wide ranging manifestations. Poverty means

managed to disarm and apprehend Amir-ul-Mu'minin, Imam Ali dispossession and deprivation and as such includes all of the

alayhis-salam. As Fatima alayhas-salam lay unconscious on the following categories:

ground, the assailants put a noose around Imam Ali's neck,

violently dragging him through the streets of Medina so as to force 1. Emotional Poverty

him to declare his Bay'ah (the homage of allegiance) to the illegal

and self-declared caliph . . . Emotional poverty is cited in various prophetic hadith, for
example: “and is religion other than love?” ; “have mercy on those

{227/26} َ‫وَﺳَﯿَﻌْﻠَﻢُ اﻟﱠﺬِﯾﻦَ ﻇَﻠَ ﻤُﻮا أَيﱠ ﻣُﻨﻘَﻠَﺐٍ ﯾَﻨﻘَﻠِﺒُﻮن‬ on the earth, and He who is in the heavens will have mercy on
you” , and in the supplication “and have compassion for me

{. . . and the transgressors will surely find out [on the Day of through your glory” .

Judgement] what will be their lot.} Holy Qur'an, 26:227.

2. Educational Poverty

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Educational deprivation, for both material and religious needs. The
significance of these aspects is referred to in the holy Qur'an, {and
he (the Prophet) purifies them, and teaches them the Book and
Wisdom}
3. Deprivation of comprehensive wellbeing
Deprivation of a comprehensive wellbeing for the body soul, and
mind. These issues are given in the hadith “the sciences are four . .
. and the knowledge of protection of the body.”
4. Deprivation of Sport and exercise
Deprivation of exercising sport that an individual needs in order to
keep fit, and to develop his fitness and stamina – physical, mental
and spiritual. Hence the recommendation of swimming, archery
and horse riding in Islam.
5. Deprivation of Suitable housing
. . . where one can see to one's physical, mental, and spiritual
needs. It is narrated in a hadith that “a spacious house is a sign of
a man's happiness.”
6. Poverty in Clothing
About which the Almighty states, {wear your adornment} and {O
Children of Adam! We have revealed unto you raiment to conceal
your shame, and splendid vesture}
7. Poverty in food and drink
By which one acquires his necessary nutritional requirements; as
the Almighty states {let them worship the Lord of this House, Who
has fed them against hunger}
8. Deprivation of a vehicle or a means of transport
9. Deprivation of Adornment and luxury
The Almighty states {Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of
Allah which He has brought forth for His servants}
10, 11, 12. Deprivation of Social, political and economic
security
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The Almighty states, {and gives them security against fear} , and
fear includes all that threatens mankind politically, economically,
and socially. The Almighty states {He releases them from their
heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them} and these
burdens and shackles that the messenger of Allah destroyed are all
the fetters and restrictions that limit man's freedom in all aspects of
life, such as freedom of trade, agriculture, manufacturing,
movement, travel, residence, and even freedom from repressive
customs and traditions.
13. Deprivation of Primary and secondary rights
Such rights as freedom of expression, the right to travel and
residence, the right to own land and property, the right to conduct
trade, business, investment, and a thousand and one other rights in
accordance with the legal principle derived from the teachings of
the messenger of Allah, “the people are masters of their wealth and
their souls” , and the principle “No (one may) harm (anyone) nor
(be) harmed (by anyone) in Islam.” And the Almighty states, {to
you be your religion, and to me mine.}
14, 15. Intellectual poverty
The Almighty states, {We bestowed on Abraham his rectitude of
conduct} and {and he (the Prophet) purifies them, and teaches
them the Book and the Wisdom} .
16, 17. Social and Governmental poverty
Poverty and dispossession is not limited to the individual, but it
includes governmental poverty, and poverty of the society as a
whole. So among the visible manifestations of poverty is that of
the government and society due to lack of constitutional
establishments, fundamental infrastructure, and suchlike.
18, 19. Deprivation of Independence
Furthermore, we have the government's and society's deprivation
of economical and political independence.
These are some of the main categories of poverty. Let us now look
at what Imam Ali said about poverty.
Poverty in the texts of Imam Ali peace be upon him
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib drew our attention to this expansive
meaning of poverty. He points to intellectual poverty saying,
April 3, 2011
“There is no riches like knowledge, and there is no poverty like
ignorance” . Ignorance in itself is a scientific and educational
poverty, and it is one of the most important causes of economical
poverty too.
He also points to poverty from the viewpoint of education, and
intellectual awareness saying, “The greatest poverty is stupidity” .
Citing the lack of security from the social and political viewpoints,
he addresses some of his companions, “And you are not pillars that
can be relied upon, nor the needed supporters of honour and
victory” .
He points to moral and spiritual poverty when he says, “The worst
poverty is the poverty of the soul” , or in another text “the greatest
calamity is the poverty of the soul” .
From a different angle, Imam Ali gives a general definition for
poverty when says, “Many a dispossessed person may be richer
than all the rich” . One may be materially dispossessed but rich
and needless in his health, and thus one is richer than the person
rich in wealth but poor in health, or one who is deprived of his
basic rights – such as freedom of expression, travel, ownership,
investment, and suchlike – even if rich in wealth, for the latter is
worse off than he who enjoys his rights even though he is destitute
in wealth.
Furthermore, the Imam cites the words of Allah's messenger in
relation to religious deprivation, “Poverty is the shame of both
worlds” . By this is meant deprivation from the teachings of
religion such as piety, abstention from wrong, moral values, and
suchlike that result in loss in this world and the hereafter. He who
is deprived from religious teachings may steal, usurp, transgress,
kill, and suchlike, and similarly a government that is deprived from
moral and religious values suppresses people's freedom, imprisons
the free and the innocent, persecutes the masses, and in that is the
shame of both worlds.
The Imam continues, “The most deprived of the people is he who
is tight-fisted against himself when in affluence and prosperity, and
leaves all that behind for his heirs” . So deprivation is not just
dispossession of wealth and riches, but it is deprivation from their
use and facility to meet one's needs; material and spiritual, social
and political, educational and intellectual, from the basic and the
fundamental to the luxurious and comfortable. Thus he who owns
billions [of dollars] but does not use them to defend himself and
his people is ‘deprived' or rather is ‘the most deprived of the
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people' . . . and the government that possesses billions but does not
invest them to create infrastructural institutions or support and
augment constitutional institutions is a poor government.
Why Imam Ali?
Imam Ali is chosen as the starting point to address the means to
combat poverty because:
1. He is the most knowledgeable in the divine teachings.
The prophet Muhammad used to say, “I am the city of
knowledge and Ali is its gate, whoever wishes to access
the city should do so through its gate” ,
2. He was the real embodiment of the divine teachings in
fighting poverty before taking the office of government,
and after ruling a country that encompassed some fifty
of today's countries,
3. He left behind the greatest heritage and legacy, wisdom,
and theoretical and practical solutions to address the
grave problem of poverty,
4. In his speeches and teachings and especially in his
mandate to Malik al-Ashtar – whom he appointed as the
governor of Egypt – there are general guidelines
depicting a clearly defined strategy for the fighting of
poverty throughout time.
5. He was distinguished by an exceptional perseverance
and awesome will to fight poverty. When he was
effectively restricted and denied from all activities for
25 years for his opposition to despotism and to the coup
d'état that was executed against the teachings of the
prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali used to spend prolonged
periods of time reforming the land and educating the
people in various aspects.
6. He became renowned for his policies when the masses
chose him as the head of state of an empire on which
the sun never set. He went on to establish a theoretical
economic programme and implemented it practically,
thus turning the country, within five years, into a utopia
in which not even one dispossessed person could be
found. He used to say, abstaining from luxury and
opulence, “Perhaps there may be an individual in the
Hijaz or the Yemen who has no hope of obtaining a
piece of bread or has not satisfied his hunger fully” ,
and even in Africa there were no dispossessed persons
as has been mentioned by chroniclers .
April 3, 2011
His mandate to Malik al-Ashtar reveals some of his distinguished
and innovative economic policies in addressing poverty.
Among the Strategic Solutions to Combat Poverty
The solutions to combat poverty may be divided to two categories:
those ‘preventative' solutions that relate to the infrastructure or
general policy that contain the problem of poverty, and those
‘curative' solutions that address the problem after its occurrence.
1. Adhering to Allah's philosophy on existence
This is in effect being in harmony with the declaration of the
Almighty {He it is who created for you all that is in the earth} .
All natural resources are for all the people, and this means that the
government does not own the land, the mines, the seas, the
airspace, and suchlike, and all belong to the people directly, and
whoever acquires something it is his, and the government's role is
to manage this process only. This simply means:
A) That colossal expenses will be lifted from the shoulders of the
poor. Thus if a destitute person wants to own a house, he does not
need to buy the land to build the house, for the messenger of Allah
states, “Land belongs to Allah and whoever develops it” , so it
does not cost him other than the building cost.
B) This constitutes a great blow to [high] living expenses and
inflation, for the abundance of the commodity reduces costs.
C) This also brings about an increase in the ability of the deprived
to invest, for the capital required by a person of low income to set
up farm, workshop, etc. is reduced significantly, for he does not
need to pay the government for the land he needs to set up his
business.
2. Giving priority to construction, growth, and investment in
infrastructure
One of Imam Ali's policies was that he established a law stating
that the absolute priority is for construction and development,
growth and production, and it is not for taxes. This is given in the
mandate of Malik al-Ashtar:
“Your attention to developing the land must be greater than that for
collecting revenues” and the reason he gives for this reveals his
penetrative strategic foresight, and holistic economic view: “for
that cannot be realised except through development, and he who
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seeks taxes without seeking development, ruins the land and
destroys the creatures of Allah, and his reign shall not survive
except for a short while”.
So the governments make a double mistake when they concentrate
on taxes, the first being the destruction of the ability of small farms
and businesses, increasing the number of people on a low income
or the unemployed, the results of which the government will face
as the government will have reduced revenues. The second aspect
of concentrating on revenues is the destruction of the creatures of
Allah. This not only damages the economic situation but brings
about social commotion and upheaval, but also causes mental and
psychological illnesses for those affected, not to mention
subsequent physical ones.
3. Calculated Expenditure (Value-for-Money)
Calculated expenditure in the government of Imam Ali was one of
the most important aspects of a healthy economy and combating
poverty.
There are many examples of showing the Imam's endeavour to
instil laws to prevent waste and extravagance. It is needless to say
that if such policies were adopted today, the billions that are
wasted here and there could be saved. To begin with they may
seem trivial but collectively constitute a colossal amount that could
be used for the benefit of the economy and the poor.
The Imam used to go to great lengths to prevent wastage, or avoid
‘illegal use of public funds'. For example:
He used to put out the lamp, which was lit using treasury funds,
when someone came to him to deal with a personal matter.
When writing letters, he did not use to leave too much of a gap
between one line and another, and he used to write them close to
each other.
He was also conscious of and endeavoured to prevent his and his
officials' time being wasted, “prevent from me your unnecessary
talk, and get to the point” , for officials' time constitutes a colossal
wealth for the country and must be best used for strategic and
fundamental issues.
4. Social security
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Social security is one of the most important fundamentals that
Islam defines and Imam Ali implemented in order to overcome
poverty, and amongst the tenets that Imam Ali made and instilled
in this respect were those in his mandate to Malik al-Ashtar:
“I urge you by Allah!, to take [special] care of the lowest class
who have no means [to care for themselves] – the destitute, the
impoverished, and the disabled who are unable to work – for
amongst them are those who ask for help and those who don't –
discharge your duty towards Allah in providing protection for
them, and assign for them from your treasury and from the crops of
the lands under your jurisdiction [i.e. public estates] wherever they
may be, and the furthest should have the same as the nearest, for
you are responsible for each of them, and let not the conceit of
your position and vanity of wealth occupy you to lose sight of
them.”
Social security is provided for all including followers of other
religions, as it is obvious from the reported event of the Imam
assigning benefit from the treasury for the old Christian man who
had no source of income.
Islam has also determined that the treasury pay the debt of one who
is unable pay it back. Furthermore, Islam has also determined that
the treasury pay the expenses of a woman whose husband is unable
to support her, or any children whose father is unable support
them, or indeed any parents whose son is unable to support them.
5. Keeping the economic balance between urban areas and the
countryside
One of the greatest causes of economic imbalance and the spread
of poverty is that governments tend to support urban areas at the
expense of the rural areas, which ultimately causes the migration
of resources and expertise from the latter to the former, and
consequently undermines the production and growth of the rural
areas and increases unemployment and poverty. This of course has
negative effects in terms of the educational and cultural
development of the countryside, which in turn reflects on the
economic growth of these areas.
Imam Ali was the first to call for keeping the balance between the
two urban and rural areas when he wrote to Malik al-Ashtar: “. . .
and the furthest should have the same as the nearest, for you are
responsible for each of them. . .” which means that the economic
rights of the furthest, who are those living in the countryside and
the rural areas, are the same as those living nearest, i.e. those living
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in the cities and urban areas, and the ruler is responsible for both of
them and he may not favour either of them.
He then goes on “Deal with the issue of revenue with a view of the
welfare of those who pay it, for the welfare of the community
relies on its wellbeing and the welfare of them” . For attending to
the countryside is a fundamental cause in preserving a healthy and
developed economy.
6. Social Sponsorship
Imam Ali established the basis of Social Sponsorship, as Islam has
defined the principle of social sponsorship in various dimensions,
and this program is considered to be one of the most important
factors in fighting poverty, as well being a contributing factor for
Social Stability.
The messenger of Allah used to say to his followers, “He has no
faith in me who sleeps with his hunger satisfied, while his
neighbour is hungry” , and “he is not a believer who sleeps with
his hunger satisfied, while his neighbour is hungry” .
One of the most eminent authorities on Islam in recent times, the
late Ayatollah Muhammad Shirazi states in the book of Economics
of his al-Fiqh series, volume 107, p298, “This hadith of the prophet
is either limited to a moral concept in order to bring about a
faultless faith, or it is a legal religious obligation for one to act
upon when necessary; for example at the time of famine, when it is
permissible for him to take the amount he requires, and if he
cannot repay it then it is the responsibility of the treasury.
The Almighty states {Help ye one another in righteousness and
piety}
A Brief Biography of Prophet Muhammad
We have sent thee not except as a mercy to all the Worlds
The Holy Qur'an, The Prophets (21): 107
We have sent thee not except as a giver of glad-tidings and a
warner to all the peoples
The Holy Qur'an, Sheba (34): 28
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The Prophet Muhammad was the son of Abdullah, who was the
son of Abdul-Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim; whose
ancestry reaches the Prophet Ismael son of the Prophet Abraham,
peace be upon them.
Muhammad was born in the city of Mecca , in Arabia , on a
Friday, the 17th day of the lunar month of Rabi‘-I, in the year
570CE into a noble family whose fathers and ancestors were
amongst the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe, and the Bani-Hashim clan.
th
His Prophetic mission began in the year 610CE on the 27 day of
the month of Rajab, when he first received the divine revelation.
Then the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet progressively
according to the circumstances of the time over a period of 23
years.
The Prophet Muhammad was killed by poisoning on the 28th day
of the month of Safar in the 11th year of the Hijrah[1], 630CE.
His Childhood
Muhammad's father Abdullah son of Abdul-Muttalib was the best
and most pious among the sons of Abdul-Muttalib and his most
beloved. Abdullah died while Muhammad was still in his mother's
womb. All that he left behind were five camels and a servant girl
named Barakah, also known as Omm Ayman, who was
Muhammad's nanny. Abdullah was a true believer and a
monotheist.
After Abdullah's death, Muhammad's grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib,
became his guardian. Abdul-Muttalib was one of the chieftains of
the tribe of Quraysh, and a believer in Allah [in the way of Prophet
Abraham], as was Abu Talib, a brother of Abdullah. Abdul-
Muttalib always respected and honoured treaties and adopted the
finest of morals. He loved the poor and helped pilgrims. He would
even feed the wild beasts and the birds of the mountaintops. He
would feed people in times of famine and would restrain
wrongdoers.
Muhammad's mother was Aamenah daughter of Wahab son of Abd
Manaf son of Kilab. She was also a believer in Allah.
When Muhammad was born his mother said: ‘As soon as I put my
child on the ground he leaned with his hands on the ground, raised
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his head to the skies and looked at the horizons all the while
speaking in phrases of monotheism. Then a voice called out to me
saying: ‘The best of mankind has been born so name him
Muhammad.'
Then Aamenah sent for Abdul-Muttalib. He came to her and she
said: ‘A wondrous boy has been born to you.' Then she brought
baby Muhammad to him. Abdul-Muttalib looked at him then took
him and entered the Ka‘bah[2] and prayed to Allah. Then he left
the Ka‘bah and returned him to his mother and named him
Muhammad.
Muhammad was not yet seven years old when his mother died.
After his mother's death, his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib assumed
guardianship of him. Because of his knowledge of the status of the
child and his faith in him he treated Muhammad with more care
and attention than his other children. A group of the Medlaj Clan
came to Mecca and when they saw Muhammad they said to his
grandfather: ‘Take good care of him for we have never seen
another of his station.'
Abdul-Muttalib said to Abu Talib in his will to heed what they say
and take care of him. Muhammad was eight when his grandfather
died, and he was taken into the care of his uncle Abu Talib.
Abu Talib, chief of the Bani-Hashim clan within the Quraysh[3],
then became the guardian of Muhammad from his eighth year. Abu
Talib went on to protect and serve the Messenger of Allah,
defending him and honouring him throughout the testing times of
his Prophethood, until the last breath of his life.
His Adulthood
Muhammad grew up to become a fine young man. He became
known for his excellent manners, and because of the honesty in his
conduct and dealings he was referred to as al-Saadiq (The Truthful
One) and al-Amin (The Trustworthy One).
As a youngster Muhammad used to accompany his uncle on his
business trips to Syria . When the Messenger of Allah reached the
age of twelve he journeyed with his uncle Abu Talib as far as
Busra. There he was seen by a Christian monk named Georges
who recognised him by his description. He took his hand and said:
‘This is the chief of the Worlds, God will send him as a mercy to
the Worlds.' Abu Talib said: ‘How do you know this?' He said:
‘We find mention of him in our books.' He asked Abu Talib to take
him back fearing for his safety.
As an adult, Muhammad worked as a trader between the cities of
Mecca and Damascus , and earned a great reputation in the
process. Having heard of the reputation of Muhammad, Lady
Khadijah, one of the noblest of the Quraysh, on one occasion
commissioned him to take charge of some of her trading business
between the two cities. Lady Khadijah sent one of her servants,
Maysarah, along with him to keep an eye on him and report back
April 3, 2011
to her. Having seen his performance in the business, and the
returns he had produced as well as his honesty, Lady Khadijah put
Muhammad in charge of her business. Although she had many
proposals of marriage from various dignitaries of the Quraysh,
Lady Khadijah declined them all. It is reported that it was Lady
Khadijah who, albeit indirectly and discreetly, made the marriage
proposal to Muhammad. Some historians have reported that when
they married in 595CE they were both 25.
Lady Khadijah gave birth to three children. All of the Prophet's
children were from Khadijah except Ibrahim who was from Mary
the Copt, who was born in Medina and lived for a year and ten
months. The male children who were all born in Mecca were; al-
Qasim which is where Muhammad's epithet (Abul-Qasim;
meaning Qasim's father) comes from, and Abdullah. The boys all
died young during the lifetime of the Prophet. His only daughter
was Fatimah, who married Imam Ali son of Abu Talib, and bore
him Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, Zaynab and Omm Kolthuom,
and another son who was named Mohassen by the Prophet before
his birth. Fatimah was the only one of the siblings to survive the
Messenger of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad used to say Hasan
and Husayn are two Imams (leaders) whether they rise up (against
tyranny) or not.
Ali was born to Abu Talib and his wife Fatimah bint Assad in
600CE. Ali's birth was associated with a particularly significant
phenomenon. When Fatimah bint Assad was in labour she came to
the Ka‘bah pleading to God for help with her labour. It is reported
by various narrators and recorded by many chroniclers that as she
was engaged in her prayers by the southern wall of the Ka‘bah, the
wall split open and she entered the House, whereby the wall
returned to its normal state. Having observed this extraordinary
phenomenon, people who were present tried to follow her into the
House through the opening but did not succeed. They then tried to
go inside the House through its door but could not unlock the
door. Reports indicate that she was inside the House for three
days, and when she left the House with her newborn she did so in
the same manner as she entered the House.
The Prophet Muhammad took particular interest in baby Ali, and
he played a major role in Ali's upbringing and education. Ali
would be the most ardent supporter of the Prophet throughout the
difficult years of the Prophet Muhammad's mission to convey the
divine message and the teachings of Islam to the masses.
Start of His Mission
The Prophet Muhammad used to spend much time in prayer and
worship of the one God. This he used to do in a cave, known as
Hira, in the al-Noor mountain near the city of Mecca .
MIA
In 610CE, at the age of forty, Muhammad received the first of the
divine revelations when he was engaged in devotion and prayer
inside the cave of Hira :
In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate;
Read in the name of thy Lord who created,
Created man from a clot,
Read and thy lord is the most noble,
Who taught by pen,
Taught man what he knew not . . . [4]
The Prophet Muhammad conveyed the news and the Message to
Ali and Lady Khadijah. Ali and Lady Khadijah both embraced the
new revelation instantly and without any hesitation.
Khadijah was thus the first woman to believe in the Messenger of
Allah and the first woman to pray with him. She supported him
wholeheartedly and spent all her wealth in the way of Allah. She
was the first woman that the Prophet married and he married no
other during her lifetime. She was immensely loyal to the Prophet.
The Angel Gabriel ordered him to convey a special greeting and a
blessing from God as well as ordering that he give the land of
Fadak to Fatimah as an appreciation for what her mother had spent
in the way of Allah.
The Prophet Muhammad begins to invite individuals to the new
revelation but in secret. There were very few supporters and
believers. When the Prophet used to perform a congregational
prayer, those who were with him were Lady Khadijah and Ali.
This low-key approach continued for three years.
Afterwards, on instructions from the Almighty, the Prophet's
invitation to Islam started to became more and more public. The
Almighty instructs His messenger to begin with his clan, And warn
your nearest kinsmen[5]. For this purpose the Prophet Muhammad
prepared a banquet and invited the elders and chiefs of the Bani-
Hashim, who totalled forty. After they were served with a good
feast, the Prophet invited them to Islam, called upon them to
support him in his mission, and promised them that whoever does
so would be appointed as his successor, but none took up the offer
dismissing the Prophet and his mission as nonsense, with the sole
exception of Ali. Ridiculing the whole thing, they turned to Abu
Talib saying, “Your son will be your commander, you should obey
him!” Nevertheless the mission continues unabated albeit with
very few supporters.
Resonance of His Call
The followers of the new religion start to grow, and so does the
concern of the Quraysh towards them. The elders of Quraysh send
Abu Talib, the trusted uncle of the Prophet to him, asking him to
stop his call for this new religion, and in return they would give
him whatever he would want. “If you want wealth, we will give
you as much as you want, if you want women we will marry you
39 | P a g e April 3, 2011
the most beautiful women of Arabia, and if you want position and
status we will make you the owner-king over us.” When Abu
Talib conveys the message of the elders of Quraysh to his nephew-
prophet, the Messenger of Allah replies, “I swear by the Almighty
that if they put the Sun in my right hand and the Moon in my left
on condition that I desist from this affair I would not leave it until
Allah causes it to prevail or I die in the process.” Then the
Messenger of Allah began to weep and rose and made to leave, but
Abu Talib called him and said: ‘Come back my nephew. Say what
you like my nephew, for by Allah I will never hand you over to
them ever.'
The Quraysh realised that it is dealing with a true and determined
prophet. From then on, open hostility towards this new religion, its
prophet, and its followers started to increase. Lady Khadijah
dedicates all her wealth and resources for the cause of her prophet-
husband's mission. The extent of this hostility reaches blatant
persecution of the followers of the new religion and its prophet.
‘Neutralise the Messenger and his Message'
Then the Quraysh plotted amongst themselves about the
companions of the Messenger of Allah who had entered Islam with
him from amongst the tribes. Each tribe pounced upon any of its
own who were Muslims by tormenting them and forcing them
from their religion. Abu Talib protected the Messenger of Allah,
and seeing what the Quraysh were doing to the sons of Hashim and
Abdul-Muttalib, he called for them to protect the Messenger of
Allah just as he was protecting him. So they gathered with him and
stood up with him, except for Abu Talib's brother Abu Lahab and
his sons who had assisted the Quraysh against the Prophet.
Then the Quraysh openly decided to kill the Messenger of Allah.
When this news reached Abu Talib he gathered the sons of Hashim
and Abdul-Muttalib and took the Messenger of Allah to his quarter
and protected him from those who sought to kill him.
The Quraysh imposes total and complete embargo against the
Prophet and his followers in all its forms; social, economic,
political, etc. No citizen of Mecca is allowed to buy from or sell to
them, no one is allowed to marry anyone of them, or even befriend
or socialise with them, not even help them. Nor should a peace
settlement be accepted from them ever, nor should they be shown
mercy until they hand over the Messenger of Allah to be killed.
The Quraysh agreed to draw up a document to this effect, and one
of them wrote this document in his own hand, which subsequently
was afflicted by paralysis, and then they hung the document inside
the Ka‘bah.
The Prophet and many of his followers, and members of the
Hashim clan withdrew to Abu Talib and entered the Abu Talib
Quarter known as She'b Abu Talib, which had become their virtual
open-top prison. Their condition deteriorated as time went by, and
MIA 40 | P a g e
although some friends of sympathisers managed to smuggle in
some help to the Muslims, but this was few and far between.
There they remained in the quarter for three years until they were
exhausted. The voices of the children could be heard from the
quarter crying of hunger. They also increased the pressure on those
who had entered Islam but had not entered the quarter. The trials
became grave and the Muslims were severely shaken. It is
reported that Ali son of Abu Talib used to secretly leave the
quarter in disguise and fetch foodstuff to the besieged, carrying it
on his back, into the quarter.
On one of the divine revelations made to him, the Messenger of
Allah informed his uncle Abu Talib that Allah had sent
woodworms to their document that had eaten every word except
the name of Allah. Having heard this Abu Talib said: ‘No by the
falling stars, you have not lied to me.'
Abu Talib set out with a group of the clan of Abdul-Muttalib until
he reached the vicinity of the Ka‘bah, which was full of the people
of Quraysh. He spoke and said to them: ‘Something has occurred
which may be a cause for a settlement between you and us so bring
out your document.
They said: ‘The time has come for you to accept and recant. Only
one man has caused the split between us and you, and you have put
your people in jeopardy because of him.'
Abu Talib said: ‘I propose a matter for you in which there is
fairness. My nephew has told me and he has not lied to me, that
Allah distances Himself from this document and has erased all
your treachery and enmity and all that remains written is His name.
If it is as he has said then by Allah, we will never hand him over to
you until the last of us dies. If what he has said is false then we
will hand him over to you so that you may kill him or spare him as
you wish.'
They said: ‘We agree.' Then they opened the document and found
it as they had been told but some of them clung to their falsehood
and obstinacy and said: ‘This is sorcery from your companion.'
Then some of those who had made the pact spoke and tore up the
document.
Facing the Torments
The clan of Hashim then felt safe enough to emerge from their
quarter and once more mingle with the people. This was in the
tenth year of the noble prophethood, circa 620CE.
It was less than six months after the end of this trial when Abu
Talib passed away. Then the Prophet's wife Lady Khadijah also
died only three days after Abu Talib according to some accounts.
The Messenger of Allah was very saddened and named this year
the ‘Year of Sorrow'.
The loss of Abu Talib and Lady Khadijah dealt a severe blow to
the Prophet at a time when he needed these two most. The death
April 3, 2011
of Abu Talib cleared the last hurdle for the Quraysh, and if the
presence of Abu Talib imposed certain limits and drew some red
lines for the Quraysh that they could not cross, now his death
leaves them free to do what was the unthinkable to the Prophet
while Abu Talib was alive.
With the death of Abu Talib, the trials meted out by his tribe to the
Messenger of Allah grew more naked and audacious.
When the Prophet was praying by the Ka‘bah, one of the idolaters
approached and violently tried to strangle him.
The Quraysh encouraged the foolish ones to throw dirt on the
Prophet's face and head. They used to throw filth and blood and
thorns at his door. Ommayah ibn Khalaf used to insult the Prophet
until his face became red but still the Prophet would not say
anything to him.
When a fool threw the dirt in the face of the Messenger of Allah,
he entered his house with the dirt still on his head. Fatimah began
to clean the dirt from his head and crying and the Messenger of
Allah saying: ‘Do not cry my daughter, for Allah will protect your
father.'
He also said: ‘The Quraysh could not harm me until Abu Talib
died.'
It is related from Khabab who said: ‘I approached the Prophet
when he was reclining in the shade of the Ka‘bah. This when we
had received some harm from the Polytheists. I said to him: ‘O
Messenger of Allah, will you not invoke Allah?' He sat up red of
face and said: ‘Among those who came before you there were
those whose skins would be scraped off with combs of iron down
to the bone and this did not divert them from their religion. Allah
will complete this matter until a rider may travel from San'a to
Hadramaut with nothing to fear but the wolf getting to his sheep.'
Migration of the Messenger of Allah
The Quraysh and their allies make the decision that Muhammad
must be physically eliminated in order to finish with him and his
religion once and for all. But whoever does this would have to
deal with the consequences and face the wrath of the respectable
Bani-Hashim clan. In order to divide the guilt between as many
clans and tribes as possible, forty clans are made to be involved in
the task. The best warrior from each clan is chosen for the task.
They are instructed to storm the house of Muhammad and every
single one of them is to ensure to strike Muhammad with his sword
at least once. This is so that if Bani-Hashim, Muhammad's clan,
were to seek revenge for his blood, they would be confronted with
forty clans, and thus making it impossible for them to seek any
retribution.
The Almighty instructs the Prophet Muhammad to leave for the
city of Yathreb, which later became known as Medinat al-Rasul or
the City of the Messenger, or Medina for short.
MIA 41 | P a g e
In 622CE, after some thirteen years of calling the people to Islam,
the Messenger of Allah left Mecca for Medina. The Prophet
Muhammad asked Ali son of Abu Talib to stay behind to deal with
a number of issues, and Ali volunteered to sleep in the Prophet's
bed acting as a decoy. The Messenger of Allah manages to slip
through those who were surrounding his house just before they
stormed it. When they stormed the house to kill him they found
Ali instead in the Prophet's bed with no sign of their target.
On his way out of Mecca, Abu Bakr came across the Prophet as he
was leaving the city, and asked the Prophet where he was going at
that time. The Prophet Muhammad could not tell him other than
the truth, and thereafter the Messenger of Allah asked him to join
him on his migration to Medina, in order to keep the news of this
mission secret until he is out of danger.
With first daylight, the forty brave warriors set off in pursuit of the
Prophet by following his track. They used an expert guide to help
them track him, and the guide led the warriors to the cave of
Thawr, some five miles outside Mecca, where the Prophet
Muhammad and his companion were actually inside, but the
pursuers did not enter the cave. It is reported that the pursuers did
not enter the cave since by the time they had arrived, through
divine intervention, a spider had spun its web across the opening of
the cave, and a pigeon had placed its nest near there, after the two
had entered the cave. The chasers did not attempt to enter the cave
on the presumption that had anyone entered the cave, the spider
web and the pigeon nest would have been disturbed.
Having failed to capture the Prophet, the Quraysh announced a
reward of 100 camels for anyone capturing him or giving
information leading to his capture.
The Prophet Muhammad left Mecca on the eve of the first day of
the lunar month of Rabi‘-I, and arrived at the outskirts of Medina,
some 400 km north of the city of Mecca, on Monday the 12th day
of the same month.
Another task that Ali ibn Abu Talib had to do when the Prophet
had left Mecca was to return any goods and valuables that people
had given to the Prophet for safekeeping. Many of those who were
the Prophet opponents also used to give their valuables to the
Prophet for safekeeping every time they went on a long journey
and such like. This is because the Prophet was recognised for his
trustworthiness even towards his foes; they could not trust their
best friends for safekeeping of their valuables, but they trusted
Muhammad al-Amin (the trustworthy one). Ali returned all the
goods and valuables that were given to the Prophet for
safekeeping, including those of the Prophet's foes.
When Ali had returned all the goods he was given by the Prophet
Muhammad to their rightful owners, he went to the roof of the
Ka‘bah and yelled at the top of his voice, “if anyone has any claim
April 3, 2011
against Muhammad, or had entrusted him with anything that he has
not got back yet, then they should come forward.” It is reported
that nobody did.
Having discharged all his tasks in Mecca, Ali set off for Yathreb
together with the 'Fatimahs', namely: his mother Fatimah bint
Assad, Fatimah the daughter of the Prophet, Fatimah the daughter
of Zubair ibn Abdul-Muttalib, and Fatimah duaghter of Hamzah.
Messenger of Allah Arrives at Medina
When the news of the Messenger's exodus from Mecca to Medina
reached the Muslims in Medina, they began to go every morning to
the lava fields and wait there until the heat of noon drove them
back. Many days they waited until one day when they had returned
to their houses it so happened that a Jewish man was looking out
from his fortress when he saw the Prophet shimmering in the haze.
No sooner had he sighted him than he hailed the Muslims at the
top of his voice saying: ‘O Muslims, here is your Master whom
you await!'
The Muslims immediately rushed to meet the Messenger of Allah
on the crest of the lava fields. He then kept going until they had
reached Qubaa where he stopped with the clan of Amr ibn Awf.
The Muslims hailed ‘Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest) with joy at
his arrival. The Prophet stopped at Qubaa for three days awaiting
the arrival of Ali. He did not want to enter the Medina without Ali.
The Prophet remained with Ali with the clan of Amr ibn Awf for a
day or two. During his stay in Qubaa he established the mosque of
Qubaa, and thus it was the first ever established in Muslim era.
And on the Friday, the Prophet entered the Qubaa mosque and led
the Muslims in the Friday prayers and gave a sermon. And this was
the first Friday sermon ever given. The Prophet prayed in the
direction of Jerusalem and one hundred men prayed behind him.
After performing the prayers, the Prophet mounted his camel,
along with Ali who never left his side, and the rest of Muslims and
headed towards Medina.
Once in Medina, Muslim families invited the Messenger of Allah
to stay with them. In order not to turn down the request of any one
of them, the Prophet decided that he would stay with the family
that his she-camel would stop by their house. He said: ‘Let her be
for she is being ordered.' The camel kept on walking until she
reached the door of the house of Abu Ayyub, who happened to be
amongst the poorest in Medina. Then Abu Ayyub hurried to the
Prophet's baggage and took it into his house.
Abu Ayyub's mother, who was blind, said: ‘O if only I had sight so
that I could see my master the Messenger of Allah!' The Prophet
Muhammad then called to Allah for her and her eyes opened. This
was the first of his miracles in Medina.
It is said that when the Messenger of Allah entered Medina, it was
the most joyous occasion ever witnessed by the people. One
MIA 42 | P a g e
eyewitness said: ‘I saw the day when he entered Medina and I have
never seen a brighter or better day than that day. And I saw the day
he died and I have never seen a worse or darker day than the day
on which he died.'
First Muslim Community
With a significant number of those who embraced Islam migrating
from Mecca to Medina, as well as the majority of the native
Medinans, it could be said that the first Muslim community began
to take shape in the city of Medina, under the guidance of the
Prophet. Through his teachings, the Messenger of Allah brought
about harmony and peace between the different rivalries and
warring groups and tribes of the city and its surroundings.
Whereas prior to his arrival, greed, enmity and wars prevailed
between the inhabitants, in a short space of time the Prophet
managed to sow the seeds of a peaceful cohesive order to the
extent that they shared everything they had amongst themselves
and with the Muslim migrants from Mecca despite their poverty.
With the city of Medina being some 400 km north of Mecca, some
of the Muslims considered it to be a reasonably safe distance from
the Quraysh who were mostly in Mecca.
However, the Quraysh and their allies did not relent, and they
forced the Muslims of Medina into a number of battles and
skirmishes. These were usually unequal, especially at the early
days, with the Quraysh and their allies being superior in number
and armour. For example at the battle of Badr, which was one of
the early clashes between the two sides, the Muslims combatants
were 313 men, who had seventy camels and two horses, while their
opponents were about one thousand, had seven hundred camels
and one hundred horses.
Peace between the two sides was eventually brought about through
the peace treaty of Hodaybiyah – signed in the eleventh month of
the sixth year after Hijrah – which was highly biased in favour of
the Quraysh and their allies, to the extent that some of the
companions of the Prophet protested to him for agreeing and
signing a treaty that was ‘unfair and unacceptable'. However,
subsequent events after the Hodaybiyah were pointedly in the
interest of the Muslims, which in turn exonerated the Prophet's
judgement and decision, and proved his wisdom and
farsightedness.
Mecca Liberated
Less than two years after the treaty of Hodaybiyah, Quraysh grew
impatient with the environment of peace and security that reigned
in the land. Muslim losses in the battle of Mu'tah in north Arabia –
in today's Jordan – encouraged the Quraysh to stir up unrest in the
land and break the treaty that they had signed with the Messenger
of Allah at Hodaybiyah. They began to distribute weapons to their
April 3, 2011
allies and urged them to attack the allies of the Muslims at night, in
breach of the peace treaty they had with the Muslims.
The Messenger of Allah left Medina on a Friday in the month of
Ramadan in the eighth year of the Hijrah. He took with him all the
Muslim troops which numbered ten thousand and nearly four
hundred horsemen.
Then the Messenger of Allah proceeded until he arrived at Marr al-
Dhahran, the heights of Mecca, in the evening. He ordered his
companions to light more than ten thousand fires. News of his
progress had been kept hidden from the Quraysh who were
concerned and feared that he might attack them.
It is reported that Abu Sufyan, the Prophet's archenemy, was
saying: ‘I have never seen such fires as last night nor such a
camp.' He said: ‘What is the news and what are all these fires?'
The narrator responded to him: ‘The news is that the Messenger of
Allah has arrived here. He has come with a force you cannot
resist; with ten thousand of the Muslims.'
Abu Sufyan said: ‘What is to be done?'
I said: ‘By Allah, if he defeats you he will surely strike your head
off so ride this donkey with me so that I can take you to the
Messenger of Allah and I will ask him for an amnesty for you.' So
he rode behind me.
It is related that Ali ibn Abu Talib said to Abu Sufyan ibn al-
Harith: ‘Go to the Messenger of Allah and say to him what
Joseph's brothers said to Joseph: By Allah, Allah has preferred
you over us and we have certainly been sinful [6] Then the
Messenger of Allah said in answer to him and seeking to best him
in speech: He said: Let there be no reproach upon you this day.
Allah will forgive you and he is the Most Merciful of those who
show mercy [7]
The banner of the Muslims was with Sa'ad ibn ‘Ibadah and when
he passed by Abu Sufyan he said to him: ‘Today is the day of
slaughter, today the women will be captured'. Abu Sufyan heard
him and kept it to himself until the Messenger of Allah passed by
him when he said: ‘Do you know what Sa'ad ibn ‘Ibadah has said?'
The Messenger of Allah said: ‘What he has said is of no
consequence.' Then he sent someone to Sa'ad and took the banner
from him and passed it to Ali and said: ‘Enter with kindness.' Ali
took the banner and began to proclaim: ‘Today is the day of mercy,
today honour will be protected.'
Then the Messenger of Allah turned to Abu Sufyan and said to
him: ‘O Abu Sufyan, proceed to Mecca and let them know of the
sanctuary.'
When the Messenger of Allah entered Mecca, a tent was pitched
for him by the grave of his uncle Abu Talib. He refused to enter his
house or the houses of his companions in Mecca that had been
confiscated by the Polytheists.
MIA 43 | P a g e
Then the Messenger of Allah, after having rested a little in his tent,
bathed and mounted his camel and set out for the sacred mosque.
The Muslims were before him and behind him and all around him
and they were repeating along with the Messenger of Allah the
words of Allah Almighty: The truth has come and falsehood has
perished, indeed falsehood is (by nature) perishing [8]
Mecca resounded with the sound of their voices until he entered
the sacred mosque and approached the black stone at the corner of
the Ka‘bah, and kissed it. Then he circled the House upon his
camel and with a bow in his hand. Around the House there were
some three-hundred and sixty idols and he began to stab at them
with his bow saying: The truth has come and falsehood has
perished, indeed falsehood is perishing and The truth has come
and falsehood will not revive again and will not return [9] while
the idols fell upon their faces. Then he raised Ali upon his
shoulders so that he could bring down the rest of the idols which
were upon the Ka‘bah.
And thus a whole era of idol worshipping in Arabia was brought to
an irreversible end, and Mecca was liberated. The conquest of the
Capital City of the idolaters and the liberation of the holy city of
Mecca at the hands of Prophet Muhammad took place without
bloodshed.
But the Prophet never again took his birth city, Mecca, as his
abode. The Prophet only stayed in the city for fifteen days to
manage its affairs. When he left the city of Mecca for Medina, he
appointed Etab ibn Osayd, 21 years of age, as the city's governor.
Ideal Islamic Order
From early days, the Prophet gradually established an Islamic
system of governance and a way of life. In its first years, the
nascent Muslim community in Medina had to contend with a
number of attacks and onslaughts by the Quraysh and their allies.
The Prophet used every opportunity to teach the Muslims the right
code of conduct for a Muslim in times of war and peace; from
personal and ethical qualities they must aspire to, to social,
political and fiscal policies.
On the political front, the Prophet enjoined the community to avoid
wars and violence as far as possible, and it should only be the
absolute last resort, when all other avenues have been exhausted.
The Prophet Muhammad went out of his way to avoid conflict and
violence, and it is recorded that in the ten years that the Prophet
was in Medina and despite the many battles that the Muslims were
drawn into, a total of some 800 were killed on both sides
throughout the period. The Prophet instructed his army against
destroying houses or pillaging or cutting down fruiting trees. He
ordered them not to draw their swords except in dire need. He
used to rebuke some of his generals and physically put right their
mistakes.
April 3, 2011
Another social-political principle instilled by the Prophet
Muhammad was that “Land belongs to Allah and whoever
develops it” [10]. This had a very significant impact on the
development of the country both socially and politically, not to
mention the economic progress and revival it entailed.
Another socio-economic policy was established by the Prophet's
declaration “I am responsible for them” [11]. He who dies and
leaves family who do not have enough to make ends meet, then the
Prophet would be responsible for them and they should go to him.
On the other hand, “he who dies and leaves a wealth behind, it is
for his heirs” [12]. All that wealth is for the family he leaves
behind, i.e. no inheritance tax in Islam. But this policy did not stop
there, and it went further when the Prophet announced that if a
person dies and leaves a debt behind, then he [Muhammad, and
subsequently the leader of the Islamic state in general] is
responsible for paying it [13].
The Prophetic legislation also addressed the interest of the non-
Muslims living under the Islamic state, referred to as dhimmy;
literally means “the responsibility of” [the Islamic state]: “He who
hurts a dhimmy, then indeed he has hurt me” [14].
Such laws, and the peaceful liberation of Mecca, encouraged many
to come and live under the Islamic State, for there was at least
economic and security guarantees for them and their families,
present and future. People started to embrace Islam as a way of
life en masse. Thus came the divine revelation:
By the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
When came Allah's succour and the conquest,
And thou saw the peoples entering into the religion of Allah in
troops -
So glorify the praise of thy Lord and seek His forgiveness, indeed
He is relenting. [15]
The Two Momentous Things
In the holy city of Medina, Messenger of Allah ensured that he
addresses the two most vital issues during his lifetime, for these
should be the sanctuary, guide and leader for the Muslims after his
departure from this life. These were the compilation of the Holy
Qur'an as a bound copy, and the appointment of his successors to
lead the nation after him, both of which he did on direct
instructions from the Almighty.
The Holy Qur'an
The Prophet ensured arrangements be made to compile a ‘bound'
copy of the Holy Qur'an – known at the time of the holy Prophet,
and also today, as the mus}h}af. The Messenger of Allah
commissioned Ali son of Abu-Talib to gather and compile the
entire Qur'an, which Imam Ali did during the lifetime of the holy
Prophet and under his supervision[16]. The Messenger of Allah
validated and authenticated the end result – the mus}h}af – even
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verifying the order and position of the individual verses within a
given chapter or surah, as instructed by the Almighty. According
to traditions, when archangel Gabriel used to reveal a particular
ayah or verse to the Prophet, the former would also indicate its
position within the surah or chapter of the Qur'an and the surah it
belonged to.[17]
Reports state that during the lifetime of the Prophet, when the
entire text of the Holy Qur'an was committed to writing and it had
been compiled as mus}h}af, people used to come to the mosque of
the Prophet, where the compiled Qur'an – the mus}h}af – was kept
by the pulpit, to make their copies of the Holy Scripture.[18]
It is sometimes stated, through a minor misunderstanding, that the
Holy Qur'an was first compiled during the reign of the third ruler
Othman ibn Affaan, some twenty years after the death of the
Prophet Muhammad. The root of this misunderstanding stems
from the incorrect assumption of the meaning of the Arabic word
jamc that means ‘to collect', but instead it is taken to mean ‘to
compile'. What was in fact commissioned at that time was to
collect the incomplete documents holding some verses or chapters
of the Holy Qur'an and to complete them as copies of the entire
Qur'an. Any compilation that took place during this time was to
reproduce the authentic copy of the Holy Qur'an as per the version
compiled by Imam Ali during the lifetime of the Prophet
Muhammad and under his supervision.
The Ahl al-Bayt
The other fundamental and vital task that the Prophet had to secure
during his lifetime was to address the question of his
successorship. On instructions from the Almighty, the Messenger
of Allah named and appointed the successors who must lead the
Muslim community after him according to the teachings of the
Holy Qur'an and the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad
used numerous occasions to instruct the people to follow and
adhere to his twelve appointed successors, ‘Caliphs' or ‘Imams',
the first of whom was Imam Ali son of Abu Talib, and the twelfth
is the living Imam Mahdi, who is hidden from public view[19]
until such a time when the Almighty instructs him to reappear in
public “to lead the nations of this world from tyranny and
oppression to tranquillity and bliss”. [The Prophet Muhammad,
his daughter Fatimah, his cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali and the
eleven impeccable Imams descendents of Ali and Fatimah form
Ahl al-Bayt as referred to in the holy Qur'an 33:33.]
In 630CE, seventy days before his death, and just after performing
the farewell Hajj pilgrimage, on instructions from the Almighty, at
the location of Ghadir Khum, the Prophet appointed Ali as his
successor and ordered the Muslims who were present there to pay
Ali homage of allegiance as The Commander of the Faithful, and
April 3, 2011
their leader after the Prophet. The revelation from the Almighty on
this day in this particular respect was:
O Messenger! Convey that that has been revealed to thee from thy
Lord, and if thee do not, then thee would have not conveyed His
Message; and Allah will protect thee from the people. Surely Allah
guides not the disbelieving people.[20]
After the revelation of the above instruction, the Messenger of
Allah declared:
“Whoever I am his master and leader, then Ali is his master and
leader too. O Lord support whoever supports Ali, and oppose
whoever opposes him.” [21]
“Ali is my caliph and successor upon ye after me.” [22]
Some chroniclers put the number of those present at Ghadir Khum
who gave the homage of allegiance to Imam Ali as the
Commander of the Faithful and the successor of the Prophet
Muhammad at up to 120,000 men and women.
To confirm and conclude this momentous event, the Almighty then
revealed:
Today I have perfected your religion for ye, completed My favour
upon ye and have sanctioned Islam for ye as a religion. [23]
In order to reveal the station of his successors present and future,
the Prophet frequently used to refer the Muslims to the Ahl al-Bayt
– at the time notably Ali – for they were the most knowledgeable
about the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet himself. To
clarify any possible doubt about his immediate successor, in the
famous tradition of “City of Knowledge”, the final Messenger of
Allah states:
“I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gate, so whosoever
wishes to access this City, then let him do so through its Gate.”
[24]
According to many Prophetic teachings and traditions the Holy
Qur'an and the Ahl al-Bayt are considered as the two inseparable
and complementary components of the divine message. Towards
the end of his life, the Messenger of Allah often used to say:
“I leave with ye the two momentous things – the book of Allah and
my kin the people of my Ahl al-Bayt. As long as ye adhere to
them both ye will never go astray after me.”[25]
However, after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the people
did not honour their pledge of allegiance that they had given at the
time of the Prophet to the successor he appointed on instructions
from the Almighty.
After several failed attempts on his life, and by various means, the
culprits eventually succeeded in assassinating the Prophet
Muhammad - this time through poisoning. The final Messenger of
th
Allah to humanity died on the 28 day of the lunar month of Safar
in the 11th year of the Hijrah, circa 630CE.
The Prophet Muhammad brought about a nation and a civilisation
that in a relatively very short space of time won the prime position
MIA 45 | P a g e
amongst all other nations. The Muslims attained such achievement
so long as they adhered to the teachings of the Prophet
Muhammad. Today although the Muslims are numerous, they do
not occupy the eminent station amongst the nations anymore, for
they did not adhere to “the two momentous things” that the
Prophet Muhammad left behind for them. The Muslim nation may
still be a candidate to lead mankind to bliss and prosperity if they
ensure to adhere to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and
his appointed successors.
[1] The occasion of the Hijrah (literally migration, and by
extension the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to
Medina to thwart those from the Quraysh who had plotted to
assassinate him) marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. The
Hijrah took place around 622CE.
[2] The Ka‘bah is a cubical structure symbolising the House of
God that was built by the Prophet Adam on instructions from the
Almighty God in an uninhabited valley, which in turn brought
about the creation of the holy city of Mecca around it.
[3] The Quraysh is a collection of clans and tribes all of whom are
blood related.
[4] The Holy Qur'an, The Clot (96): 1-5
[5] The Holy Qur'an, The Poets (26): 214
[6] The Holy Qur'an: Joseph (12): 91.
[7] The Holy Qur'an: Joseph (12): 92.
[8] The Holy Qur'an: The Tribe of Israel (17): 81.
[9] The Holy Qur'an: Sheba (34): 49.
[10] al-Ka>fi, by al-Kulayni, vol. 5, p279
[11] Wasa>‘el al-Shica, by Muhammad Hasan al-Hurr al-cA<meli,
vol. 26, p251.
[12] al-Ka>fi, by al-Kulayni, vol. 7, p 167.
[13] al-Ka>fi, by al-Kulayni, vol. 1, p 407.
[14] Bih}a>r al-Anwa>r, by al-Majlesi, vol. 22, p 486.
[15] The Holy Qur'an: The Succour (110)
[16] Bih}a>r al-Anwa>r, by al-Majlesi, vol. 89, p 48, Beirut ed.
See also “The Qur'an: When was it compiled?” by the author.
[17] ibid
[18] ibid
[19] Imam Mahdi lives amongst the public but without being
recognised by them. However, as and when required, he would
make himself recognisable to those who are sincerely pious and
devout.
[20] The Holy Qur'an, The Table Spread (5): 67.
April 3, 2011
[21] Mustadrak al-S{ah}ih}ayn, vol. 3, pp 118, 126, 613. Dar al-
Kotob al-Elmiyah, Beirut;
Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1, pp 84, 88, 118, 152, vol. 4, pp 378, 370,
pub. Cordoba Foundation, Cairo;
Musnad Abi-Yacla, vol. 1, p249, pub. Dar al-Ma'moon lil-
Tura>th, Damascus;
Fad}a>'el al-S{ah}a>bah, by Imam Ahmad ibn H{anbal, vol. 2,
pp 572, 585, 586, 613, 682, 705 pub. al-Risalah Foundation,
Beirut;
Fad}a>'el al-S{ah}a>bah, by al-Nasa>'ie, vol.1, p15, Dar al-
Kotob al-Elmiyyah, Beirut;
Tafsir of Ibn Kuthayr, vol. 2, p15, pub. Dar al-Fikr, Beirut,
al-Sunan al-Kubra>, by al-Nasa>‘ie, vol. 5, pp 45, 130-136, 154,
Dar al-Kotob al-Elmiyyah, Beirut,
al-Ka>fi, by al-Kulayni, vol. 1, p 286. etc.
[22] Bih}a>r al-Anwa>r, by al-Majlesi, vol. 5, p69. Toh}af al-
c
Oquol, p458.
[23] The Holy Qur'an, The Table Spread (5): 3.
c
[24] al-Mustadrak ala al-S{ah}i>h}ayn, by al-H{a>kim al-
Naysa>bouri, vol. 3, pp 137-138, pub. Dar al-Kutub al-cElmiyyah,
Beirut;
c
Majma al-Zawa>‘id, by Nur-ed-Din Ali ibn Abu Bakr al-
Haythami, vol. 9, p114, pub. Dar al-Bayan lil-Turath, Cairo;
Ta>ri>kh Baghda>d, by Abu Bakr Ahmad al-Khat}i>b al-
Baghda>di>, vol. 2, p377, pub. Dar al-Kotob al-Elmiyyah, Beirut,
and also vol.4, p348, and vol.7, p172, and vol.11, p49-50
[25] S{ah}i>h} al-Tirmidhi>, vol. 5, p328, hadith 3874 & 3876,
pub. Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, and vol. 13, p199-200, pub. Maktabat al-
S{a>wi>, Egypt, and vol. 2, p308, pub. Boula>q, Egypt;
Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3, pp 17, 26, 59, and vol. 4, pp 366, 371,
and vol. 5, p181, pub. al-Maymaniyyah, Egypt;
S{ah}i>h} Muslim, Book of Merits, Merits of Ali ibn Abi Talib,
c
vol. 2, p362, pub. Isa al-Halabi, and vol. 7, p 122, pub. S{abi>h},
and vol. 15, p 170 with al-Nuwawi commentary, Egypt;
Dorar al-Semt}ayn, by al-Zarandi al-H{anafi, p231, pub.
Qadha>‘ al-Najaf;
c
Yana>bi> al-Mawaddah, by al-Qundu>zi al-H{anafi, pp 29-31,
36, 28, 41, 183, 191, 296, 370, pub. Istanbul
Tafsir of Ibn Kuthayr, vol. 4, p113, pub. Dar Ih}iya>‘ al-Kutub
al-Arabiyah, Egypt;
Ja>mic al-Os}u>l, by Ibn Athi>r, vol. 1, p 187, hadith 65-66,
pub. Egypt;
Mucjam al-Kabi>r by al-T{abara>ni>, p 137. . .
Brief biography of:
Grand Ayatollah Imam Muhammad Shirazi
MIA
· Grand Ayatollah Imam
Muhammad ibn Mehdi al-
Hussaini al-Shirazi is the
Religious Authority, or Marje', to
millions of Muslims around the
globe. A charismatic leader who
is known for his high moral
values, modesty and spirituality,
Imam Shirazi is a mentor and a
source of aspiration to Muslims;
and the means of access to authentic knowledge and teachings of
Islam. He has tirelessly devoted himself, and his life, to the affairs
of Muslims in particular, and to that of mankind in general. He has
made extensive contributions in various fields of learning ranging
from Jurisprudence and Theology to Politics, Economics, Law,
Sociology and Human Rights.
· Muhammad Shirazi was born in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq ,
in 1347 AH (Muslim calendar), 1928 AD. He belongs to a
distinguished family deeply rooted in Islamic sciences, literature
and virtue. The Shirazi family has produced many great scholars
and Marje's (a Marje' is the highest religious authority) as well as
renowned leaders. Two of the best known leaders are Grand
Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi, leader of the constitutional, also
known as the "tobacco" movement in Iran , and Grand Ayatollah
Muhammad Taqi Shirazi, leader of the 1920 revolution in Iraq ,
which liberated Iraq from colonial powers. The Shirazi's father, the
late Grand Ayatollah Mehdi Shirazi, has been a famous and a
highly respected scholar and the Marje' of his time. He is a
descendant of the holy prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
· Along with his father, Muhammad Shirazi settled in the holy
city of Karbala, Iraq , at the age of nine. After primary education,
the young Shirazi continued his studies in different branches of
learning under his father's guidance as well as those of various
other eminent scholars and specialists. In the course of his training
he showed a remarkable talent and appetite for learning as well as
a tireless commitment to his work and the cause he believed in. His
extraordinary ability, and effort, earned him the recognition, by his
father and other Marje's and scholars, of being a Mujtahid; a
qualified religious scholar in the sciences of Islamic jurisprudence
and law. He was subsequently able to assume the office of the
Marje' at the early age of 33 in 1961. His followers are found in
many countries around the globe.
· Grand Ayatollah Shirazi is distinguished for his intellectual
ability and holistic vision. He is recognized for his clear ideas and
46 | P a g e April 3, 2011
realistic solutions to issues of concern to mankind. He has written
various specialized studies that are considered to be among the
most important references in the Islamic sciences of beliefs or
doctrine, ethics, politics, economics, sociology, law, human rights,
etc. He has enriched the world with his staggering contribution of
more than 1200 books, treatise and studies on various branches of
learning. His works range from simple introductory books for the
young generations to literary and scientific masterpieces. Deeply
rooted in the holy Qur'an and the Teachings of the Prophet of
Islam, his vision and theories cover areas such as Politics,
Economics, Government, Management, Sociology, Theology,
Philosophy, History and Islamic Law. His work on Islamic
Jurisprudence (al-Fiqh series) for example constitutes 150 volumes
which run into more than 70,000 pages. Through his original
thoughts and ideas he has championed the causes of issues such as
the family, human right, freedom of expression, political pluralism,
nonviolence, and Shura or consultative system of leadership.
· Aspects of the Political Theory of Ayatollah Muhammad
Shirazi by Muhammad G. Ayyub, and
· Studies in the Thoughts of Imam Shirazi, by Dr Ayaad
Mousa Mahmood.
Book Review
A new book has recently been published in which the author, Dr
Ayaad Mousa Mahmood, of the University of Sussex , UK ,
evaluates the thoughts and visions of Imam Shirazi in the social,
economical and political domains. In particular the author
investigates the influence of Imam Shirazi's thoughts and ideas on
Western political and social scientists. The title of the book is
"Studies in the Thought of Imam Shirazi"

· Imam Shirazi believes in the fundamental and elementary

nature of freedom in mankind. He calls for freedom of expression,
political plurality, debate and discussion, tolerance and
forgiveness. He strongly believes in the consultative system of
leadership and calls for the establishment of the leadership council
of religious authorities. He calls for the establishment of the
universal Islamic government to encompass all the Muslim
countries. These and other ideas are discussed in detail in his
books.

· As a leader of the world wide Muslim community, Imam

Shirazi has always opposed despotism. In 1971 he was exiled to
Lebanon by the Ba'thist regime of Iraq . He later stayed in Kuwait
until 1979 when he migrated to the holy city of Qum, Iran .

The book, in 475 pages of 23.5 cm x 17 cm size, is published in

· Imam Shirazi has established many Islamic centers, medical
Arabic by Khuddaam al-Mahdi.
and charitable financial services, educational, welfare and social
The distributers are Jenaan al-Ghabeer bookshop, Kuwait
foundations, libraries and Hawzah's, or universities for Islamic
Telphone: 00 965 256 0442.
Sciences, in different regions of the world. These institutions are
found in scores of countries around the globe.
Another author, Muhammad G. Ayyub, examines the political
views of Imam Shirazi in his book. This book has been translated
· Hundreds of individuals have graduated from his school as
into English as:
scholars, lecturers, authors and intellectuals.
Aspects of the Political Theory of Imam Shirazi

· A number of books have been published in which the

Bismillah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem
relative authors study Imam Shirazi's visions as seen through his
vast works and publications. Amongst them are: The Eminent Marje'

Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi

MIA 47 | P a g e April 3, 2011

Praise be to Allah the lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings
be upon Muhammad and his purified progeny.

The noble hadith states,

"Whoever amongst the Fuqaha' (scholars of Islamic sciences)

guards himself against evil, protects (and upholds) his religion,
counters his base desires, and obeys the commands of his Lord,
then the general public should follow his example in religious
matters (taqleed)."

On Monday 2nd
Shawwal 1422, 17th
December 2001 we lost
the most eminent Marje'
of recent history, the
like of which Shi'a will
not see for many
generations to come,
namely Ayatollah al-
Udhma al-Imam al-
Sayyid Muhammad al-
Hussaini al-Shirazi
Ridhwaan Allah Alayh.
He was one of those
divine scholars who
upheld the truthful
knowledge, and correct
vision who were
renowned for their noble
and gracious manners and righteous deeds, excelled in writing and
composition, and spread the knowledge and the teachings of Ahl-
ul-Bayt Alayhim-us-salam. The late Imam has left behind for the
Islamic library a magnificent heritage of more than one thousand
books. He also trained hundreds of scholars, researchers, writers,
and speakers, not to mention the thousands of believers. He also
established hundreds of religious, educational and charity
institutions and organisations around the world.

His loss is an irreplaceable loss not only to the Shi'a, or even the
entire Muslim Ummah, but also to all of humanity, in more than
one way.

We pray to Allah Almighty to bless him, and accommodate him

with his pure ancestors Muhammad and his noble and impeccable
progeny. We also pray to Allah Almighty to protect for us and for
the Muslim Ummah, the brother of the late Imam, his eminence
Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi who succeeded his
late brother as the Marje'. We pray and ask Allah Almighty to help
and support him to make up for the great loss we have encountered
and to help him to carry the banner of the institution of the Shi'a
Marje', and to help him execute faultlessly the duties of the office
of the Marje', for he is prime successor for a good predecessor.
Truly Allah is all-hearing and readily answers.

MIA 48 | P a g e April 3, 2011


A brief look at the life of
Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi
 Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi was born in
the holy city of Karbala on 20.12.1360 H. He started
his studies at a young age and continued his advanced
studies at the hands of the scholars and Maraje' in the
Hawzahs until he attained a distinguished degree in
Ijtihaad.
 He developed the reputation for expertise and
excellence in Fiqh and Ijtihaad such that he became
renowned in the elite circles of top scholar and Ulema
in the holy city of Qum, and before that in the holy
cities of Karbala and Najaf, for his distinction and
brilliance in various fields such as Usul, hadith, logic,
righteousness, piety, etc.
 He grew up in family deeply rooted in knowledge and
Islamic sciences, Fiqh and Ijtihaad, descendant of noble
and honourable ancestry, a family with a history jihad
and self-sacrifice . . . the family of al-Mujaddid al-
Kabir Mirza Hassan al-Shirazi leader of
Constitutional Revolution in Iran - also known as the
'Tobacco Movement' – which fought off the take over
of Iran by the British Empire, thereby creating another
'India' in Iran through economic deals with the then
ruler of Iran. He grew in an environment of
righteousness and piety, and embarked on his studies
and research with all his means and abilities, seeking
the knowledge of Islamic sciences until he attained a
distinguished station in these fields.
 He vowed to totally dedicate himself to seeking
knowledge, and adhere in all aspects of life to piety and
good deed, serving the cause of Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-
as-salam and defending their holy teachings. His
excellence in Fiqh, Usul and other Islamic science gave
him particular prominence amongst the eminent
scholars of today.
 In his pursuit of seeking knowledge and excellence in
the Islamic sciences, he made a point of visiting and
meeting with the top Ulema and Maraje' to engage in
various debates concerning scholarly activities as well
as addressing the affairs of the Muslims and the Shi'a
during the occultation of Imam al-Mahdi alayhis-
salam. In return the Ulema and Maraje' visited him in
MIA
his modest house; raising various issues of concern and
praising him for his dedication to the cause of Islam and
for his distinction in the Islamic sciences.
 Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi has written a
number of specialist books in the fields of Fiqh and
Usul for the Fuqaha' and the Mujtahids, some of which
are “Elucidation of Usul” – 10 volumes,
“Commentaries on ‘Urwatul-Wothqa” – 20 volumes, as
well various commentaries on “al-Rawdhah”, “al-
Lum'ah”, “al-Shara'e”, “al-Tabsirah”, “al-Seyouti”, “al-
Samadiyah”, etc.
 He has decorated the Hawzah – the university for
Islamic Sciences – with his advanced level lecture
programs, known as Dars al-Kharij, for the past twenty
years and throughout this period many of the Ulema
and even some of the Mujtahids attend his lectures
regularly.
The Noble Family
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi is the descendent of
Imam Hussein alayis-salam, the grandson of Rasulollah, Prophet
the Muhammad, Salallah alayhi wa'alihi.
He grew up in a family renowned for its religious leadership over
the past century and a half. Some famous members of his family
are:
1. The supreme Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid
Muhammad Hassan Shirazi, known as al-Mujaddid al-
Shirazi, leader of the ‘Tobacco Movement' in
1.
1. Iran
which resisted the take over of the country by the then
colonial power the British Empire. [Died 1312 H –
murdered by poisoning by British agents.]
2. The supreme Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Muhammad
Taqi Shirazi, leader of the 1920 Revolution in
Iraq
49 | P a g e April 3, 2011
 , which expelled the British Army from the country. Lebanon
[Died 1338 H – murdered by poisoning by British
agents.] , and many African countries. He conducted several
research programs and wrote more than eighty books.
3. The Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Ali Shirazi, the Agents of the Iraqi regime assassinated him on Beirut
cousin of al-Mujaddid al-Shirazi, who was one most in 1400 H.
prominent Maraje' in the holy city of Najaf. He was
one of the favoured students of the renowned Sheikh al-
Ansari. [Died 1355 H] His teachers

4. The Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Isma'il Shirazi.

[Died 1305 H] Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi received his training at

5. The Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Abdel-Hadi the hands of eminent Ulema and Maraje' in the Hawzah of the holy

Shirazi. [Died 1382] city of Karbala, until he attained a distinguished degree in Ijtihaad.

6. The supreme Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Mirza Some of his teachers were:

Mahdi Shirazi, the most eminent Maraje' in the holy

city of Karbala, the father of Sayyid Sadiq. [Died 1380 1. His father Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Mirza Mahdi

H] Shirazi,

7. The supreme Marje' Ayatollah al-Udhma al-Imam 2. His elder brother Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid

Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi, the brother of Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi,

Sadiq, who is mentioned briefly at the beginning of this 3. Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Muhammad Hadi Milani,

document. 4. Ayatollah al-Udhma Sheikh Muhammad Ridha

8. The martyr Ayatollah al-Imam Sayyid Hassan Shirazi, Isfahani.

elder brother of Sayyid Sadiq, who established the

Zaynabeyyah Hawzah in the vicinity of the shrine of
A'lameyyah or Most Knowledgeable
Zaynab alayhas-salam. Sayyid Hassan developed a
close relationship with the Alawi sect in the
On the basis of relevant hadith as well as rational reasoning, it is
accepted amongst the Ulema and scholars that, as a mandatory
Lebanon
precaution, the Marje' should be A'lam or most knowledgeable.
Ayatollah Yazdi, author of ‘Urwatul-Wothqa, states that the A'lam
and
is he who is:

Syria
best familiar with the principles,

and guided them their original roots, which were the

best familiar with the evidence for each case,
teachings of Ahl-ul-Bayt, since they were originally
followers of Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam. Sayyid
best informed with similar cases, precedence, and issues,
Hassan established many institutions in various
countries such as
best informed with various reports and other scholarly expert
views,
Iraq

best understanding of the reports and views,

,

and finally be best in reasoning and deduction.

Syria

Most Fuqaha and Maraje' have accepted and upheld these criteria.
,

MIA 50 | P a g e April 3, 2011

The works of Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi, such as
“Elucidation of Usul”, and “Commentaries on ‘Urwatul-Wothqa”
as well as the standard, level, and quality of his advanced lectures,
Dars al-Kharij, and his debates on various Fiqh issues with other
Ulema provide ample evidence for him being A'lam, and able in
deduction reasoning in Fiqh. His abilities and excellent qualities in
these fields are best evident to the expert Ulema. His extensive
knowledge and comprehensive awareness of the reports and hadith
in the various fields, as well as his thorough reliance on the
Qur'anic ayat and Prophetic rewayat to arrive at the deductions
required, place him in distinguished position in the eyes of the
Ulema. Needless to say this ability has been developed over the
past forty years of daily practice in Fiqh. As a result many of the
experts who are Faqih and Mujtahid have pointed to his
distinguished position, as well as his honesty, sincerity and his
total unreserved dedication and devotion to adhere to the teachings
of Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam. Details will be published
separately in the near future InSha'Allah.
The late Imam, Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi
ridhwanullah alayh, used to refer to his brother Sayyid Sadiq for
his precautionary Fatawa. When the late Imam was asked about
who is the A'lam, the A'lam (i.e. the late Imam) praised his brother
as the most knowledgeable. To the late Imam and his leadership,
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi was the right hand to his
brother the supreme Marje', and he help his brother and provided
all the support his brother needed in various fields, specially in the
fields of scholarly research, the Hawzah affairs and the issuing of
Fatawa, etc.
Social activities
Institutions
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi gave considerable
attention to establishing religious, humanitarian, and educational
and charity institutions. As a direct result of his endeavour and
encouragement many such institutions have been established in
various countries, such institutions as mosques, hussainiyyahs,
religious groups, schools, libraries, publishing houses, clinics
providing free medical care, etc.
MIA 51 | P a g e
Education
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi gives scientific, and
ethical education the utmost importance. He has therefore
organised and delivered many courses – which still run – on moral
and ethical sciences as well as other fields of Islamic sciences
usually taught at the Hawzah. Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid
Muhammad Shirazi first started to deliver these courses in Iraq ,
then continued the delivering of these courses when he was forced
to exile in Kuwait , and he continues to deliver these courses in the
holy city of Qum today. Many of the Ulema, as well as authors
and preachers have graduated from his courses over the years.
Alongside the above specialised courses, Ayatollah al-Udhma
Sayyid Muhammad Shirazi delivers weekly public lectures on
ethics and morality, the true and correct teachings of Islam, etc.
from which thousands of the youth over the years have come to
benefit immensely from these lectures to the extent that their lives
were changed immeasurably.
His sublime moral and ethical values
The exemplary Islamic ethics that Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid
Sadiq Shirazi adheres to distinguishes his personal life as well as
his scholarly and scientific advance for half a century.
it is noticeable to everyone that he has renounced the pleasures of
life, has always lead a simple life, and is content with that
lifestyle. He leads a life of piety and righteousness, reliance on
Allah Almighty and entrusting Him in all issues of life. He is
humble before the people and respected the young and the old.
When faced with the trials and tribulation of life, and the
difficulties he comes across in conveying the message of Islam and
upholding its banner, he displays immense patience and
perseverance. He loves for the sake of Allah, and serves and cares
for the people. He shows immense tolerance and turns a blind eye
upon those who hurt him and cause him harm, and forgives when
he is able to respond likewise.
Writings
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi started writing at an
early age and he still continues this task in the various fields of
Islamic sciences today. He has written more than seventy books,
some of which are written for the Ulema and the Mujtahids; the
most important of which are
April 3, 2011
“Commentaries on ‘Urwatul-Wothqa”, 20 volumes.
Volume 1 “Ijtihaad and Taqleed” is published in 700 pages.
“Elucidation of Usul”, 10 volumes.
Volume 5 “The principle of No Harm” is published in 342 pages.
This book is considered to be one of the finest in the field.
“Commentaries on Shara'e al-Islam”, 4 volumes.
The book was written in Karbala, and it was received with much
appreciation by the Hawzah and it has become a principle
reference for both lecturers and students.
“Commentaries on Tabsiratul-Mutallemeen”, 2 volumes.
Written in Karbala, the book covers various aspects of Fiqh.
Volume 1 is 468 pages, and volume 2 is 534 pages.
“Commentaries on Soyuti”, 2 volumes.
Written in Karbala, the book is used by Hawzah students. Volume
1 is 454 pages, and volume 2 is 444 pages.
“Commentaries on Samadiyyah”,
written in Karbala, and has been published more than ten times.
“Commentaries on al-Awamil”,
this is one of the books studied by Hawzah students, and it is in
183 pages.
“Commentaries on al-Lum'ah al-Demishqiyyah”, 10 volumes
the book is regarded as one of the most important books for
Hawzah studies.
“Logic”
it is an introductory book in field of logic that is studied by
Hawzah studied.
MIA
Books on Islamic Belief
Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi also wrote a number of
important books in the defence of beliefs of the school of the Ahl-
ul-Bayt alayhim-us-salam. Some of the books are as follows:
“Ali alayhis-salam in the Qur'an”, 2 volumes.
In this book the author has identified 711 Qur'anic ayah that have
been revealed in the honour of Amir-ul-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi
Talib alayhim-us-salam, according to reports and commentaries
recorded in the Sunni references and authentic books. The book
was written in the holy city of Karbala, volume one is 404 pages,
and volume two is in 528 pages.
“Fatima al-Zahra' in the Qur'an”
In this book too the author collects the Qur'anic ayat that have been
revealed, according to the Sunni references and authentic books, in
the honour of Fatima al-Zahra' alayhas-salam. The book is in 360
pages.
“Al-Mahdi alayhis-salam in the Sunnah”
In this book the author collects the Prophetic Traditions, which
have been recorded in the Sunni references and authentic books,
about al-Imam al-Mahdi alayhis-salam.
“Ahl-ul-Bayt in the Qur'an”
In this book the author collects the Qur'anic ayat that have been
recorded in the Sunni references and authentic books as having
been revealed in the honour of or about the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhim-
us-salam. 407 pages.
“The Truth about the Shi'a”
In this book the author addresses the beliefs of the Shi'a an in a
style of dialogue between two individuals proving the validity of
the Shi'a beliefs which have been questioned by the Wahhabis.
“The Shi'a in the Qur'an”
In this book the author collects the Qur'anic ayat that have been
recorded in the Sunni references and authentic books as having
52 | P a g e April 3, 2011
been revealed in the honour of or about the Shi'a – followers – of
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib alayhim-us-salam.
Other books
His Excellency has written other books some of which are:
“Quiyas in the Islamic Shari'ah”
In this book the author address the validity of Quiyas or
“Inferring” in the Islamic Shari'ah.
“Congregational Prayer and its status in Islam”
In this book the author cites noble hadith in favour of Jama'ah or
Congregational prayer, and the philosophy behind the favour.
“Fasting”
In this book the author discusses the philosophy of fasting and
briefly presents the rulings concerning fasting.
“Hajj”
“Basics of Islamic Economy”
“Usury - the standing economic problem”
The book addresses the harm of usury on the world economy, and
proposes the measures that are needed to rectify the problem.
“Politics from the viewpoint of Islam”
The book reflects the Islamic view on politics, and presents
examples of the conduct and policies of Rasulollah - the Prophet
Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa'alihi wasallam and Amir-ul-
Mu'minin and the other Ma'soum Imams alayhim-us-salam. 414
pages.
“Wine – the disease of society”
The book addresses the harm of alcoholic drinks on society.
“The harm of not wearing Hijaab”
a discussion on the necessity of Hijaab and the harm of not
adhering to it.
MIA 53 | P a g e
“Inspiring fables”
“Punishments in Islam”
Discusses the philosophy of the Islamic punishments and presents
some of the conditions and pre-requisites that must be met before
any of the punishments can be executed.
“The means to Islamic banking”
The books presents a general outline of the Islamic bank, and
addresses the questions that are raised about abandoning usury in
the banking system. The book presents the main functions of the
Islamic bank in the light of the latest banking systems and
theories. The book was written in Karbala. Published 1972 CE,
1392 H. 104 pages.
“Agricultural reform in Islam”
The author discusses the colonial plan, which has been
implemented in Muslim countries under the guise of “Agricultural
Reform”, to destroy the agriculture of those countries. The book
presents the clear and unambiguous rulings concerning agriculture
in Islam. The book was written in 1380 H, and published in 1383
H in the holy city of Karbala. The book was confiscated by the
authorities in Iraq , imprisoned the publisher and imposed a heavy
penalty on him.
“Malik al-Ashtar al- Nukha'i”
A brief biography of the Malik al-Ashtar al- Nukha'i Ridhwanullah
Alayh. 1387 H.
“Al-Shaheed al-Awwal”
A brief biography about al-Shaheed al-Awwal – the First Martyr –
Sheikh Shams-al-Deen Abi Abdillah Muhammad bin Jamal-al-
Deen Muhammad al-Matlabi al-Dimishqi al-Aamili al-Jizini al-
Hamdani. The book was written in Karbala, published in Najaf,
and it is part of the “Renowned Shi'a” series.
“Al-Shaheed al-Thani”
A brief biography about al-Shaheed al-Thani – the Second Martyr
– Sheikh Zayn-el-Deen Ali ibn Ahmad al-Ju'abi al-Aamili. The
book was written in Karbala, published in Najaf, and it is part of
the “Renowned Shi'a” series.
April 3, 2011
“My father”

A brief biography about Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Mirza Mahdi

Shirazi highlighting some of the notable aspects of his life. The
book was written on the fortieth anniversary of the death of his
father after requests from many of the Mu'minin.

Needless to say many of the books were translated in Farsi and

Urdu.

MIA 54 | P a g e April 3, 2011