Tafsir Du'a Al-Iftitah 3/14 - Ramadan 1433/2012

Sallu 'ala Muhammad wa 'aali Muhammad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. We've been requested to recite Dua for a lady in India who is going through an operation and for all those who are in need, for all those who are ill, please raise your hands. Let us join each other in Dua.

Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62). “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62). “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62). “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62). “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62). Ya Allah, Bi Rahmatika Ya ar-Rahman al-Rahim. Salawat [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].

'A'udhu billahi min al-shaytan al-rajim. Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim. Al-hamdu lil-Laahi, Rabbi Al-'Alameen. Al-hamdu lil-Laahil lazee hadaanaa lihaaza wa maa kunna linahtadiya law laaa ann hadaanal laahu" (7:43). Wa as-salat Wa as-salam 'ala ashrafil Al-Anbiya'i, wa al-Mursaleen, Khaatim min Nabiyyin, Sayyidin-il Mumajjad, Bashirin nil Musaddaq, Al-Mustafa al-Amjad, Mahmood-il Ahmad, Abil Qasimi Muhammad. [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. Wa 'alaa ahli-baytih at-tayyibin at-taahirin, al-ma'soomeen. . Wa La'ana Allahu alladh Dhaalimina min-al Awalina wa-al Akhirin. Amma Ba'ad. Qala Imam al-Hujjah alayhi as-salam [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. "Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdik, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannik, wa ayqantu annaka anta arhamu alrrahimina fi mawdi`i al`afwi wallrrahmah, wa ashaddu almu`aqibina fi mawdi`i alnnakali walnnaqimah, wa a`zamu almutajabbirina fi mawdi`i alkibriya'i wal`azamah." Salawat. [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]

Master of our age Imam Zamana, my respected teachers, brothers and sisters, Salamun alaykum jamee'an wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. [Wa 'alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh]. The section that we have recited is the opening sequence or paragraph from Dua Iftitah, which is narrated to us by the Master of our age, Imam Al-Hujjah ajjal Allahu Ta'ala farajahu ash-Sharif [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].

In which the opening lines state 'Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdik, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannik, wa ayqantu annaka anta arhamu alrrahimina fi mawdi`i al`afwi wallrrahmah, wa ashaddu almu`aqibina fi mawdi`i alnnakali walnnaqimah, wa a`zamu almutajabbirina fi mawdi`i alkibriya'i wal`azamah. These words say to us, 'Oh Allah I begin continuously glorifying you through your praise.

'Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdik, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannik.' Another reason as to why I praise you is because of the guidance that you have set me on this right path 'Wa ayqantu annaka anta arhamu alrrahimina fi mawdi`i al`afwi wallrrahmah' and that I am certain, I have yaqeen, certainty 'Wa ayqantu annaka anta' that you are most certainly The Most Merciful when it comes to the matters of amnesty and mercy.

'Wa ashaddu almu`aqibina fi mawdi`i alnnakali walnnaqimah,' and You are in a superlative manner, You are the strongest when it comes to the conclusion in all matters in deciding on punishment and absolute retribution. 'Wa a`zamu almutajabbirina fi mawdi`i alkibriya'i wal`azamah.' And indeed, wa azam, You are greater, 'Wa a`zamu almutajabbirin,' You are greater than those people who have power, than those with, who are the jabbaru. You are greater than those who have power in all matters of pride and greatness.

When it comes to these particular lines, we stated that this is the opening sequence of the Du'a and therefore when it comes to these words, what we find is the Imam 'alayhi as-salat wa as-salam, seeks to set a precedent for this particular Du'a. As we stated last night, the title, as we know, is Du'a Iftitah. And we stated that Iftitah is this continuous praise, this continuation of glorification to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

But as such, because the Imam is now beginning with this praise and he sequences a number of different praises, we see that the rest of the Du'a conforms to these categories of praise. There are four categories of praise. The first one we stated, is in regards to my own guidance - I praise you by virtue of the guidance that I've seen coming from you. You have set to me on this right path.

The second reason as to why I am praising you, is in regards to Your Mercy. The third reason as to why I am praising you, is in regards to the law that you have set within this universe. And the third and the fourth reason as to why I am praising you, is in regards to how you will deal with those people who are enemies of the religion of Islam. These four are categorizations. And therefore, the first thing we stated is that the rest of the Du'a can be understood in accordance with these categorizations.

When we see the rest of the Du'a, all of the subsequent sequences or the subsequent paragraphs can fall back in within these opening four. Also that these four, seek to set a precedent for this Du'a in regards to relationship. We stated there was four, there was guidance, mercy, the law and also relationship with those people outside of the Ummah and how they are involving with us. Here, what they are is seeking for us is to have an understanding of all these four facets.

We stated last night that when we consider any line within Du'a Iftitah, it needs to be in accordance with two principle factors. The first, is it's author. Why would the Imam of our time write these particular verses for us? Why would he say these lines? Why didn't this Du'a come from example, Imam Baqir Alayhi as-salam? And therefore there is a specific relationship with these lines with the 12th Imam, also in regard to the month of Ramadhan. And therefore, whatever the Du'a is stating, the Imam is hoping that this becomes inculcated within us from this particular month.

What were those four relationships? Guidance for myself, Mercy, relationship with my lord. The third, the relationship with the law of the Ummah. And the fourth was the relationship with the enemies outside of the Ummah. And therefore it seeks that within this month, we are aware of these four particular relationships, that we become adept to all of these four things. When it comes to my personal guidance, I am aware of what it takes for me to become continuously guided. When it comes to the issue of mercy, I must become aware in this month, how best to absorb that mercy that is overflowing within Shahr-ul Ramadhan.

When it comes to the law, I understand how the law of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, in all of its facets envelopes me. And when it comes to my understanding of what the outside world, the enemies of Islam, are trying to perform upon Islam, I must be aware of those as well.

In fact, when you look at this concept of this relationship, this is something that we find within all of the members of the Ahlul Bayt, peace be upon them all. In my humble opinion, maybe one of the grandest times we can see a man with relationship with all of that around him, was Abi Abdillah al-Husayn, salawat Allahi wa as-salamu alayh, [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad], on the night of Ashura. Let us contextualize Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, is the greatest day within the whole year. We don't mean great, in terms of positive, the saddest, the one that moves the heart, the entire Ummah, nay the entire universe is in tandem with the 10th of Muharram. Whether you know it or not, the universe is in tandem with the 10th of Muharram. This is the greatest day within the history of mankind. And therefore, for the night of Ashura to proceed, the day of Ashura, the night of Ashura has its own significance in itself.

Imagine now, that you are also on this battlefield. The darkness of the night has now enveloped you. You are in the camp of the Master of the Martyrs. What would this night have been like? Indeed, the tradition state to us that you could hear the buzzing of the Tashbihat from Ahlul Bayt and their camp. They were in prayer, they were in worship, but when you assess the actions of the Imam on the night of Ashura, you see that he had a relationship in several different areas.

The first was his relationship with himself. He spent time preparing himself for the battle tomorrow. He would introspect. He would take his own sword and mend and clean and prepare his own sword. He would recite lines of poetry in order to prepare himself. He would walk alone in order to conceive what the evening was bringing for him. Another relationship, was between him and his family members. He ensured that on that night, he went to each one of his family members, not just as a group as we hear, but as individuals in order to converse with them.

I am a father and therefore I should consider my son Ali al_Akbar on this night. I am an uncle, therefore I should sit with Shah Qasim upon this night. Another relationship that he had was with his companions. These individuals have left their families. These individuals will be bludgeoned to death tomorrow, to protect me and Islam, I will spend time with them upon this night.

The fourth relationship we see from the Imam was with him and his Lord, even though he spent time for himself, even though he spent time with his family members and with his companions, upon this night, he still worshiped his Lord. 'I will recite Qur'an before I pass from this world, I will perform my Salatul Layl, before I perform, before I pass from this world.' And therefore, the point is that, each of our Imams demonstrated to us that there is always the time within the day to balance how my relationship would be within all of the rest of creation. It is not just the selfish that comes, I must have a balance where I look after my friends, my family and my nation.

This is a huge, huge issue that our youth must be aware of because when they wake up in the morning and they go out to school or university, they come home, indeed they are tired, indeed they have their studies to do, but there is the obligation for you and I in order to become perfect human beings, to ensure that we spend time with those loved ones from around us. I must come, I must sit with Mum and dad, I must spend time with my younger and elder siblings. I must be able to see what is happening in the news in the world. There is a relationship with me and those around me, and therefore when I learn to make this in Shahr Ramadhan, as soon as Shawwal and the rest of the year comes, inshaAllah, I inculcate this throughout the rest of my life.

This is what the Du'a is setting as a precedent. That my first praise to you, my Lord, is the beginning of your glorification. But the next one is I praise you, I thank you for the guidance that you have given to me. I do not forget that you have guided me. The next thing is I praise you for the mercy that is there. The next thing I praise you is for the law that you have established for me as a Muslim. And the fourth one is that I praise you for how you are dealing with the enemies that we are so much encompassed by, especially in the 21st century. There is a wholesome relationship with myself and this world.

We look at this, we find that the Imam is praising all of these issues. It is a continuous hamd and thana of all of these four. I am praising and thanking you for these four categories. When it comes to this particular issue, we see that therefore, praise is something very dear to the realm of spiritual growth and the necessity for you and I in our daily life.

The Imam begins this Du'a by continuously praising Allah Subhana Ta'ala and therefore the emphasis for you and I to also praise Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. There is a Du'a in Sahifa Sajadiyyah, number thirty seven, given to us by our fourth Imam, Imam Zain ul-Abideen salawat Allahi wa as-salamu alayh [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. The whole Du'a is a praise and thanks toward Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Tonight, go home InshaAllah, open this Du'a and read it and see how the Imam constructs his concept of praising Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

He begins in the opening lines, 'My Lord, Oh Allah, the moment I begin praising you, by the time I finish praising you, you have sent so many new blessings upon me, it requires me to thank you again. SubhanAllah. Imagine what is the praise? Let's just say I say the word Alhamdulillah, by the time I conclude those few words Alhamdulillah, you have already sent so many more blessings to me, I already require to have another Alhamdulillah upon you.

Imam once, our fourth Imam once was in sajdah, he was sitting up, someone came to him and gave to him good news. He went down into prostration, his first sajdah, came up again and then again went into a second sajdah. Companion said to him 'Yabna RasulAllah, forgive me, why were there two sajdah? He said 'The first sajdah was the Sajdah of Shukr, you came to me and gave me some good news so I bowed in prostration, thanking Allah Ta'ala. My second prostration was for the Tawfiq, for the opportunity to praise Him from the first sajdah. Sallu 'ala Muhammad wa 'aali Muhammad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].

The Imam continues within this Du'a. He says 'My Lord, when I praise you, the most thankful of individuals within this universe is the one who recognizes that he has no ability to truly thank you.' And then he continues 'You are so grateful when it comes to Shukr. You are so grateful for just the term AlHamdulillah towards you that it is when you reward us for that praise back to you, that it is as if the human being has a choice in thanking you, You are grateful, it is if I don't even need to thank you. But because I have gone out of my way of thanking, you, you continue to reward me.' These are the Imam's words expressing how thanks is in the way of Allah Ta'ala.

The Hadith in the night of Me'raj, our Holy Prophet of Islam was ascending the heavens. He comes to a room, as we can understand it, in context of the heavenly realms. He comes to a room. He is walking with Angel Jibrael Amin, and in this room he sees two groups of angels. The first group of angels in the corner, they are very busy, they are constantly moving, they are constantly having to run errands as such. They are constantly moving and busy.

Second group of angels, they are not working so hard. Every so often they will get up and they would do an action. The Prophet asked 'Oh Jibrael, what is this I am seeing, these two groups of angels. He says this first group of angel, they're the ones who are receiving the Du'a from the Muminin, they're constantly on the go. They receive the Du'a, their job is to present it to Allah Ta'ala and He will accept it. The second group of the angels are the ones who are receiving the thanks from the muminin.

The first group are constantly busy because we're asking 'My Lord, I need better health, my Lord. I need better spirituality. My Lord, I need increase in business, my Lord, I need something for my children.' But when I get it, there is very few that actually respond and say AlHamdulillah wa lahu-sh shukr. And that's why this group of angels, they're not so busy. They don't have so many shukr to take Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala here.

We need to inculcate this, especially within our youth. We have a wonderful tradition that comes to us from the Lady of Light, Tasbih Fatima-tu-Zahra [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. We teach ourselves and our children that at the end of Salah, each Salah, we should be reciting this tasbihat, Allahu Akbar, AlHamdulillah, SubhanAllah. But here we should not be reciting it robotically. We should inculcate within our children that when they sit and they read this Tasbih, 'What am I saying Shukr for?'

When I have the opportunity to say AlHamdulillah thirty three times, each AlHamdulillah should represent something. 'My Lord, I bring to mind thanks for something that you have given to me today. My Lord, thank you for my parents. My Lord, thank you for my community. My Lord, thank you for my education. My Lord, thank you, thank you, thank you. At the end of thirty three thank you's, again, you will not even have touched the tip of the iceberg of thanks, but at least you will have gone some way in order to recognize those things that He has given to you.

The same thing with our Tasbihat of Allahu Akbar and SubhanAllah. They are individuals. It is not a race. I'm not trying to see that my brother Akbar, my brother Ahmad, who I can finish ahead. It's not the Olympics, that if I finish the tasbih first, I get a gold medal. The idea is to really manifest from within what I am saying, Shukr for.

And this is what the Imam alayhi as-salaat wa as-salaam, is prescribing for us in these opening lines of the Du'. I'm continuously praising you, but I have categories of what I'm praising you for. The four categories guidance, the second category, mercy, the third category, religion and its law. The fourth category, how you are supreme in authority over the enemies of Islam. Let us look at these four categories very briefly, InshaAllah.

The first category "Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdika, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannika. The first category of thanks, of Shukr, is I'm praising You for this guidance that you have given to me, for You setting me on this right path.

Now, here, what we are highlighting is that the first Shukr from the Imam of our time, is that I should be thankful for being a Muslim. Not just a Muslim, but a mu'min. I am thankful for being guided upon the Wilayat of Ali Ibn Abu Talib salawat Allahi wa as-salamu 'alayh [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. On the day of Ghadir, our Imams have provided us with that line of Shukr, 'AlHamdulillahi al-ladhee, ja'ala minal mutamassikeena bi wilayah sayyidina wa mawlaya Ali Ibn Abu Talib. My Lord, thank you. Praise be to you for having guided us on the path of the Wilayat of our master, the commander of the faithful.'

Here, the Imam is thanking Allah for having his grandfather as Ali Ibn Abu Talib. We find that this is a precedent within Qur'an. When Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala addresses Banu Israel, how many times do we see in Qur'an when He begins, when Allah Ta'ala begins a section discussing the issues of Banu Israel, "Ya Bani Israel, Az-kuroo ni'matiyal lateee an'amtu 'alaikum" (2:122). 'O Bani Israel, bring to mind, remember my blessings upon you, the favours that I have spread upon you.' The first favour upon Banu Israel was guidance, and therefore, by virtue of these verses, not just addressing Banu Israel, actually addressing the Ummah of the Holy Prophet of Islam, we are required to bring to mind that particular favour that Allah Ta'ala has blessed us with.

How many others have not been guided? How many of our friends, our work colleagues, our university colleagues, do we see who are unfortunate to be away from guidance? They have no clue as to what will take place in the next world, the damage that is being caused upon their own souls and hearts and minds. And therefore, this is a huge lesson that we should be grateful for.

Ayatullah Bhajat, may Allah bless him always, he has a wonderful line. He says, more important, more important than being, more important than asking for the return of the awaited saviour is, Du'a to be continuously kept on guidance. Because if the Imam comes and I'm not on guidance, what goodness is there for me? He will come, I will fall into perdition, I will be destroyed. So my main Du'a, my first request should be, My Lord continuously keep me upon this guidance.

There is this word that the Imam uses. It's a very strong word that the Imam uses. 'Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdika, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannik.' Musaddid, the root word is sadd. Sadd actually means like a wall or it can mean a mountain. For example, in the Holy Qur'an in Surat ul-Kahf, when it discusses Dhul Qarnayn, it mentions the story of Dhul Qarnayn, that he is going on his journeys, hence we know that Dhul Qarnayn is this grand individual who would rule so much of the world. Dhul Qarnayn, on his journey, it is described, that he comes "Hattaaa izaa balagha bainas saddain" (18:93). The same root word is used here. That he was on his travels until he reached between two mountains. Sadain means two mountains.

So when the Imam says I praise you and thank you for musaddid, this guidance that is musaddid, he actually means that the guidance that you have given to me is so strong, it's like mountains, there is nothing can shake me in my guidance. Whatever trial and tribulation you place upon me, however much you have tried me in this world, be it my health, be it may wealth, be it my family, whatever trial and tribulation you send upon me, I am thankful that I was never shaken in my belief system. I turn to you constantly and thank you for whatever you have given to me. What is thanks to give to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

Here, we need to understand something for the time that we live in, especially for our youth, especially for those who are going out engaging in university in those discussions, in the academic environments, in the world of work, we are blessed that we live today in such a pluralistic society. We are living with our Sunni brethren, living with our Christian brothers, living with our Hindu brothers and so on and so forth. We are questioned constantly about our religion, especially in the 21st century when there is so much of an attack upon Islam.

Website, attacking Islam, website, attacking the Prophet of Islam, website, attacking the Holy Qur'an. This guidance that we are thanking Him for, there is a split because we are thankful for the guidance that comes from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, but we need to inculcate our ability to have that guidance within the first place, to be reciprocal of that guidance, to be a receipt of that guidance.

In our world that we live in, we need to demonstrate that level of guidance. We need to have it to hand so that when we are engaged with our brothers and sisters. Especially in the universities, we are ready to demonstrate that guidance that has come upon us. In an example in this community, you have something that is fairly unique. For example, you have the debating society, which means our brothers and sisters come together and they practice the methodology of debate. They will take many topics.

Where we have been in studies, we have also been practicing these debates. I remember in school, this was like our year sevens and eights, there was this competition that we used to have to engage in. Each class, each form, had this competition where someone from within each class would represent their own class. And it was where you would either debate with each other or you would have to speak off the cuff on a particular subject. It would train you to be a confident speaker. So once we entered into this competition and it came to the final of the competition, instead of being given something in advance and knowing that you have to debate on topic X, Y and Z or you have to speak on this particular issue, the crowd, the rest of the people who are watching, they would write down an issue, they would give it to you and there and then you would have to speak off the cuff on an issue. So you open up the paper and the paper said you have to speak on Santa Claus.

Now, the person who is the other person in the final of the competition has his own topic. We need to be a better speaker than them. We need to be able to provide better and make the crowd laugh and make them enjoy and understand. So what do we think about? What do we know? Santa Claus, he's always seen as positive. He's the one that comes and gives you the presents. So here, well, in this particular incident, we changed it. We made it the opposite. Instead of Santa Claus being good, Santa Claus needs to be bad. In order for me to be a good speaker and make you laugh, Santa Claus needs to become bad.

So in Christmas, you know, when you ask for your presents, you ask for a new bike, you ask for a new PlayStation, you ask for a new this and a new that, mum and dad, they actually get you the presents. Santa Claus. He comes down the chimney and he steals the presents and gives them to all of his elves.

Here, these are the things that we used to go through in school to practice, how to learn to talk, to debate, to discuss amongst other peers so we felt comfortable. We have this here within our community. We need to inculcate this and grow this for the need of the 21st century. We need them to be comfortable in the ability to demonstrate our belief system so that when an atheist comes to our young child, Fatima, or comes to our young child Muhammad within the university and says, Why do you believe in God? They are prepared, capable to defend their religion. Not just defend it but promote it actively, have the verses, have the narrations at hand to be able to demonstrate what is God and how He truly exists.

The same way when our Sunni brethren come to us and they say, Why do you believe in Ali Ibn Abu Talib? Surely,it is a bid'ah? The Prophet never Ash-hadu anna Aliyun waliyu Allah in Adhan as an example. This will be their argument. Why do you say Ash-hadu anna Aliyun waliyu Allah? This is a bid'ah. If our youth haven't been trained within these debating societies to actually have the capability to demonstrate why we say Aliyun waliyu Allah from Qur'an, you might find that the shaking begins within their faith. You might just find that they don't have the answer. They will question. And one minute, why am I believing this? If you asking me about matam, why am I believing in matam? If you are asking me about all these different things, why am I believing this?

In our world, the world that we live in today that is so pluralistic, the faith needs to be demonstrated. We need to provide our youth with the techniques to go forth and debate these, present these actively so that we actually have this Du'a, so when we say My Lord, thank you for this guidance, that is unshakable, it is genuinely unshakable. No matter who comes to me, I'm not being shaken within any of my belief system.

There's a hadith that comes from the Prophet, peace be upon him. He takes Ibn Abbas upon a ride. He takes him upon the back of his horse. He says to him 'Oh Ibn Abbas, I'm going to give you some advice about faith, the unshakable faith that you need to have. Listen attentively and take note of what I'm going to tell you.

Oh Ibn Abbas, know that when you ask, ask from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. When you seek, seek sustenance from Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Oh Ibn Abbas, know that if the entire group of mankind comes forward to harm you, they cannot harm you an iota unless it is written by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala to allow as such. And Ibn Abbas, know that if the whole of mankind comes together to aid you, they cannot aid you one iota unless Allah Ta'ala has allowed them to aid you.

This is the faith that the man must have. Ibn Abbas continues when he explains this hadith. He said 'This had such an impact upon me to the extent that we had such faith in Allah Ta'ala, that when we needed anything to the extent of even our shoelaces, I turned to Allah first and asked him for it before I turned to anyone else and asked for my shoelaces.' This was the faith that was being inculcated. They realized what it meant to transcend that faith. Nothing could shake them. They were in the presence of true Iman at all times within their life.

The Du'a continues. 'Allahumma inni aftatihu alththana'a bihamdik, wa anta musaddidun lillssawabi bimannik.' This unshakable faith that you have guided me towards, I thank you for it. 'Wa ayqantu annaka anta arhamu alrrahimina fi mawdi`i al`afwi wallrrahmah.' And I'm certain, I have yaqeen that You certainly are the most Merciful when it comes to matters of amnesty and mercy. 'Wa ashaddu almu`aqibina fi mawdi`i alnnakali walnnaqimah.' This line again, the Imam is now speaking about the realms of what is taking place within the law system of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, I thank you for the law that you have given to me.

Nikal wa naqimah. What are these two? Nikal is specifically punishment. It is a type of punishment that comes from the law system of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala as Muslims. For example, in chapter number five, verse number thirty eight of the Holy Qur'an, Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says "Wassaariqu wassaariqatu" (5:38). The hand should be cut. This is an exemplary punishment, "Jazaaa'am" (5:38). This is an exemplary punishment, "Nakaalam minal laah, nakaalam minal laah" (5:38). This is an exemplary punishment from Allah.

So the first thing I'm praising my Lord for is that there is a divine punishment for the people who transgressed within this world. Once the Commander of the Faithful had a companion, companion was a great companion. He performed something that he shouldn't have done. Law was performed upon him. He had to have his right arm, the right fingers cut. As he had his fingers cut, he took these fingers with his other hand and started to walk off. One of the people from the Kharij, the Kharijiyyah came to him, said to him 'Your hand has been cut by Ali Ibn Abu Talib. What do you think of this man now? The man said 'You are asking me about this man Ali Ibn Abu Talib? You are asking me about the man who is the best in successor of the Prophet, the first person to be able to stand in line with the Prophet? You are asking me about a man who will be the decider between heaven and hell? You are asking me about a particular man who is the bravest of all the people.?You are asking me about a man who is the exemplary from all the people of Mecca and Medina? You are asking me about him who has cut my hand? He says 'Why do you praise him so much when he has cut your hand? He has cut your fingers off. He said 'I am a companion of Ali Ibn Abu Talib, but the fact that I am a friend to him, it now becomes more blessed for me that my blood and my flesh is mixing with his companionship. This is how I feel about the exemplary law Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala.

Sometimes, sometimes there are amongst us people who want to reject the law of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Khums, I don't want to pay Khums. Why should I? Why should I have to pay this khums? It's my money, I have earnt it. Hijab? Why should I have to wear this hijab? As a man as well? For us, the first hijab is mentioned in Qur'an. I don't agree with these. However, the Imam praises the law of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and the true companions of Ahlul Bayt, even if the harshest of law is placed upon them, to the extent that their fingers are cut, they still praise Ali Ibn Abu Talib and the law that is placed upon them. No matter how hard it is, no matter how difficult it is, I continue to uphold the law of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and therefore the Imam praises that law in the opening of Dua Iftitah. In this month, I praise your law, even if it requires to me, to become hungry and thirsty, I thank you for the laws that you have placed within this world.

'Wa a`zamu almutajabbirinain fi mawdi`i alkibriya'i wal`azamh.' And I praise you for the fact that You are Greater than those people who boast all sorts of these pressures, all of these arrogances that they have, You are Greater than in Pride and Might. Here, we recognize that the Imam is expressing these four categories. He is asking us to have a relationship with our own guidance, a relationship with the mercy that is enveloping us, a relationship with the law that is placed upon us, and understanding what happens with those people around us who are enemies of Islam.

In the world that we live in today, it is becoming an increasingly difficult world for a) the Muslim Ummah and b) especially the Shi'i Ummah. The world continues to close in upon us. The Holy Prophet of Islam has a tradition where he says 'He is not from us, he is not from us, the person who wakes up in the morning and does not have a concern for the Muslim Ummah. How many of us, when we wake up, our first thought is towards the incidents in Palestine, in Yemen, in Bahrain? The first thought is to check the website and see what is happening. We praise Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala in the opening of this Du'a, that I know, I recognize that You are Grander than all of them and therefore, no matter what trials and tribulations are taking place, I have full confidence that we will come out victorious upon all of these trials and tribulations.

This is what the Du'a is trying to inculcate in us in this opening lines, this relationship with these four facets. InshaAllah, tonight, when we go home, we can review ourselves and check as to how our relationship is with these four particular facets. So tomorrow, InshaAllah, we continue the Du'a.

Please raise your hands and join us in Du'a. We pray to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala for the hastening of the reappearance of the awaited saviour. Ya Allah, we ask you for the opportunity to be alongside him at all times in our life and in our death. We ask you Ya Allah, if we are to pass away from this world before his coming, to be raised alongside him so we may participate in that victory of our Imam. We ask you Ya Allah, there are many people around the world who are in desperate need. We have people around the world, in Mexico and in Somalia and Nigeria and in Bahrain and in Syria and in Palestine and in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Iraq, Pakistan, who are going through such trials and tribulations, grant them safety, security, education, medicine and victory as they demand.

We ask you Ya Allah through the wasilah of the awaited saviour, forgive our sins, the sins of our parents, all those whom we love, all those that love us, all of our Ulemah, all of our leaders. We ask you, Ya Allah, for the opportunity to die in the love of Muhammad and Aali Muhammad. We ask you to purify this atmosphere and recite one loud salawat in honour of our awaited saviour Imam Al-Hujjah, ajjal Allahu Ta'ala farajahu ash-Sharif [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].