Seeking Elevation

Sub Title:

This text aims to illuminate the depths of the supplication Ya ‘Aliyyu Ya Adhim.

From exploring divine attributes to contextualizing specific prayers, each chapter offers a nuanced analysis of a portion of the du’a aimed at enriching readers' spiritual understanding.

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Miscellaneous information:

Seeking Elevation
 A Short Commentary on Ya ‘Aliyyu Ya Adhim - One of the Regularly Recited Daily Supplications of the Holy Month of Ramadan
 
 Muhammad M. Khalfan
 
 ISBN 978-1-909285-33-0
 © Copyright 2015 The World Federation of KSIMC and Imam as-Sajjad (‘a) Institute for Research and Education
 Published by:
 The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities Registered Charity in the UK No. 282303
 The World Federation is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations
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 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the copyright holder, except in the case of brief quotations quoted in articles or reviews.

Word Of Appreciation

الْمُؤْمِنُ عَلَوِيٌّ لِأَنَّهُ عَلَا فِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ

A mu 'min is 'Alawi because he is high in knowledge. [Imam as-Sadiq ('a)]

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اللهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد

In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful

O Allah, shower Your mercy on Muhammad and his Household.

I wish to humbly thank the following brothers through whose support this work was realised:

1. Dr. Akbar Mithani, a well-known Dhakir-e Husayn (‘a), who requested this nondescript to complete a comprehensive commentary of this du‘a’ that I had begun some years ago. In response to his good suggestion, I tried to write a complete, yet summarised, commentary of this supplication. May Allah perpetually encompass this noble Dhakir with His special mercy.

2. Shaykh Kumayl Rajani, a contemporary scholar residing in Qum, who assisted me in procuring details on the source and authenticity of the du‘a’. His immediate response and thorough research despite his multiple responsibilities, reveals the kind of excellent character this noble Shaykh enjoys. May Allah protect him and enable us to benefit from him more.

3. Mr. Yusuf Datoo & his brilliant family, who were my hosts in Mombasa as I tried to pen down this commentary. May Allah always keep them with Prophet Muhammad (S) and his infallible progeny in this world and the Hereafter.

4. Brother Muhammad H A Jaffer, a well-known and respected Dhakir-e Husayn (‘a), who facilitated for me a trip to Nakuru, the capital city of the Rift Valley Province of Kenya, where I tried to complete this commentary as I enjoyed the heavenly atmosphere of its beautiful air and greenery. May Allah elevate this noble brother as he continues on his journey of utter sincerity.

5. Sayyid ‘Aun Muhammad an-Naqawi, a distinguished teacher in philosophy in the al-Mustafa (S) International University, who assisted this nondescript in some of the most profound discussions of the supplication. We pray to Allah to protect him and uplift him both intellectually as well as spiritually.

6. Al-Hajj Shabbar Dhalla, who showed his readiness in getting this work published and facilitated an agreement between al-Imam as-Sajjad (‘a) Institute and The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities for the publication and printing of this work. May Allah elevate their stations and provide them with abundant support to serve mankind.

Dedication

O Allah, shower Your abundant mercy on Muhammad and his Infallible Progeny.

O Allah, if this little contribution is accepted by Your Exalted & Tremendous Self, then send Your abundant mercy on Muhammad and his infallible progeny, and bestow its reward entirely on them as a token on behalf of my noble parents, paternal and maternal grandparents, my deceased relatives, and all those who can benefit from its reward.

O Allah, shower Your abundant mercy on Muhammad and his infallible progeny.

Proximity of Hazrat Ma‘sumah (‘a)

Qum al-Muqaddasah

Transliteration Table

The method of transliteration of Islamic terminology from the ‘Arabic language has been carried out according to the standard transliteration table mentioned below.

ء

`

ض

ď

ا

A

ط

t

ب

B

ظ

ť

ت

T

ع

‘

ث

Th

غ

gh

ج

J

ف

f

ح

H

ق

q

خ

Kh

ك

k

د

D

ل

l

ذ

Dh

م

m

ر

R

ن

n

ز

Z

و

w

س

S

ي

y

ش

Sh

ه

h

ص

S

Long Vowels

Short Vowels

ا

A

ـــَـــ

a

وَ

U

ـــُـــ

u

ي

I

ـــِـــ

i

(SwT) - Free from imperfections and Exalted is He

(S) - Prayers be upon him and his family

(‘aj) - May God hasten his reappearance

(‘a) - Peace be upon him, her or them

Arabic Text Of The Du’a

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اللهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ، أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ، وَهَذَا شَهْرٌ عَظَمْتَهُ وَكَرَّمْتَهُ وَشَرَّفْتَهُ وَفَضَّلْتَهُ عَلَى الشُّهُورِ، وَهُوَ الشَّهْرُ الَّذِي فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ عَلَيَّ، وَهُوَ شَهْرُ رَمَضانَ، الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ ، هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ، وَجَعَلْتَ فِيهِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ وَجَعَلْتَهَا خَيْراً مِنْ الْفِ شَهْرٍ. فَيا ذَا الْمَنِّ وَلَا يُمَنُّ عَلَيْكَ، مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ، فِيمَنْ تَمُنُّ عَلَيْهِ، وَ اَدْخِلْنِي الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

اللَّهُمَّ صَلَّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّد

Introduction: The Source Of The Du‘a’

Many of our great scholars have narrated this beautiful supplication in their prayer manuals. The following are worthy of mention:

(a) Sayyid Razi al-Din Ibn Tawus al-Hasani (d. 664 AH) in his monumental prayer manual Iqbal al-A‘mal narrates this supplication with his chain of narration from Shaykh Harun Ibn Musa al-Tala‘ukbara (d. 385 AH), a great and trustworthy narrator of traditions, from Imam Abu ‘Abdillah as-Sadiq (‘a) and Imam Abu Ibrahim al-Kadhim (‘a)1.

(b) Shaykh Ibrahim Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Hasan al-Kaf‘ami (d. 905 AH) in his well-known prayer manual al-Misbah narrates this supplication from the book al-Firdaws2.

(c) ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi (d. 1110 AH) likewise narrates this du‘a’ in his prayer manual Zad al-Ma‘ad with a chain of narration leading to Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) and Imam al-Kadhim (‘a)3.

Besides the aforesaid references, if one ponders upon this supplication very carefully, one will realise that it is a Qur’anic supplication. The light of the Qur’an glows throughout the verses.

- 1. Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A‘mal, v. 1, pp. 79-80.

- 2. Shaykh al-Kaf‘ami, al-Misbah, p. 630.

- 3. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Zad al-Ma‘ad, p. 84.

Chapter 1 - A Commentary On: Ya ‘Aliyyu Ya ‘Adhim

A Commentary On The Phrase Ya Aliyyu Ya ‘Adhim

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

“... And He alone is the All-Exalted, the Tremendous” (2:255).

لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the All-Exalted, the Tremendous” (42:4).

*****

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Addressing Allah with the names Ali and Adhim shows a kind of personal distance, which is metaphysical and immaterial: both All (All-Exalted) and Adhim (Tremendous) reveal the extreme remoteness of the servant (‘Abd) from the Master (Mawla). Although Allah says that He is existentially literally with us wherever we are:

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ

“And He is with you wherever you are” (57:4).

And that He intervenes between a man and his heart:

اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ

“Allah intervenes between a man and his heart” (8:24).

Due to our limitations and imperfections, we are extremely remote from His essential and existential exaltedness and tremendousness. Thus, it befits us to call Him and employ the vocative particle ‘ya’. And in doing so we are also expressing our veneration before His infinite reality.

Concerning divine exaltedness, consider the following noteworthy traditions:

In a supplication that Hadrat Fatimah az-Zahra’ (‘a) is reported to have recited after Asr, we read the following:

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْمَكَانِ، وَالرَّفِيعِ الْبُنْيَانِ

And praise belongs to Allah, the Exalted in station, and Lofty in [terms of] reality1.

In a supplication, Imam al-Hasan (‘a) is reported to have said:

يَا ذَا الْقُوَّةِ وَالسُّلْطَانِ يَا عَلِيَّ الْمَكَانِ كَيْفَ أَخَافُ وَأَنْتَ أَمَلِي

O Possessor of power and dominance, O the Exalted in station, how should I fear while You are my hope?2

Observe that although the word al-makan employed in the above verse is normally rendered as a physical place or area of settlement, Allah is beyond time and place and thus we cannot say ‘O High in place’. Rather it is apt to render it as ‘O High in station’, where al-makan is translated as al-makanah (station).

‘Allamah Tabataba’i (d. 1402/1981) when discussing the definition of makan in his magnum opus al-Mizan says:

فالمكان هو مقر الشيء من الأرض .... وربما يطلق المكان المكانة لمستقر الشيء من الأمور المعنوية كالمكانة في العلم

Thus, makan is the place where a thing is settled... and sometimes the word al-makan (place) signifies al-makanah (station) due to it being the place where spiritual things settle, such as station in knowledge3.

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) in his supplication of the Day of ‘Arafah, while praising Allah, says:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ... الْكَرِيمِ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ الْعَلِي فِي مَكَانِهِ

Praise belongs to Allah... the Noble in his domination, the Exalted in His station4.

Here also notice the phrase ‘makani-hi is employed and it apparently signifies ‘God’s station or level of reality’.

Concerning divine tremendousness, Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَظِيمٌ رَفِيعُ لَا يَقْدِرُ الْعِبَادُ عَلَى صِفَتِهِ وَلَا يَبْلُغُوْنَ كُنْهَ عَظَمَتِهِ

Indeed, Allah is the Tremendous and the Lofty; His servants cannot describe Him, nor can they attain the zenith of His tremendousness5.

In conclusion, since Allah is distant in terms of exaltedness (‘uluww) as well as tremendousness (‘adhamah), we call Him.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

These two divine names, according to a hadith, were the first names that Allah chose for Himself; in a lengthy tradition narrated in al-Kafi, Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

فَأَوَّلُ مَا اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ، لِأَنَّهُ أَعْلَى الْأَشْيَاءِ كُلِّهَا، فَمَعْنَاهُ اللَّهُ وَ اسْمُهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ هُوَ أَوَّلُ أَسْمَائِهِ، عَلا عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ ءٍ

Therefore, the first [name] that He chose for Himself was al-‘Aliyyu al-Adhim, because He is the highest of all things. Therefore, He is Allah, and His name is al-’Aliyyu al-Adhim, and it is the first of His names, and He is above all things6.

In fact, according to divine mystics like Ibn al-‘Arabi (d. 638/1240), the name ‘Ah in its real sense can only be attributed to Almighty Allah. In his Kashf al-Ma‘na when discussing the name ‘Ali, he says:

العلي بنيه مبالغه في العلو يكون له بها أقصاها بخلاف الأعلى، فإذا نسب العلي إلى ما دون أقصاها فما انصف

The word ‘ali is a hyperbole that designates exaggeration in highness, the possessor of which has the remotest of all levels. This is contrary to the word al-A‘la (the Most High). Hence if ‘ah is attributed to a level lower than the highest, it is not fair7.

Therefore, as Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a), who knows the intricacies of the Arabic language, said in the aforementioned hadith, Allah selected for Himself the name ‘Ali ‘li annahu a‘la al-ashYa’ (because He is the Highest of all things)’.

Commenting on this beautiful hadith, Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1640) in his Sharh Usui al-Kafi says:

فانه العلي لذاته وكل ما عداه دونه في الرتية وليس لاحد غيره علو الا بالاضافة الى بعض ما عداه، وعلوه الاضافى انما يستفيد منه تعالى ولقربه منه تعالى، وكل ما هو اقرب منه تعالى فهو اعلى رتبة في الوجود

For indeed, He is Exalted due to His [independently existing] Essence, and [thus] everything other than Him is lower in station, and for other than Him there is no exaltedness save in relation to some other [lower] entities; and it [i.e. other than Him] enjoys its relative exaltedness [only] from Him, the Almighty and [only] due to its proximity to Him; and [thus] whatever is nearer to Him, the Almighty, is of a higher station in terms of existence8.

In conclusion: Allah is Exalted in His Essence and thus He enjoys absolute exaltedness. All other entities are lower than Him. Among them, any entity which is closer to Him than others, is more elevated and possesses relative exaltedness. Hence its elevated position is acquired through proximity to Allah, and is not essential.

Mulla Muhsin Fayd al-Kashani (d. 1100/1680) comments on the above-mentioned tradition in a more mystical sense and says:

الله سبحانه العلو الحقيقي كما أن له العلو الإضافي والأول من خواصه سبحانه لا يشاركه فيه غيره ولهذا قال اختار لنفسه العلي العظيم وجعله أول أسمائه لعدم توقف تعقله على تعقل الغير

To Allah, the Glorious, alone belongs the real highness (al-‘uluww al-haqiqi) as well as the relative highness (al-‘uluww al-idafi); and the first kind of highness is restricted to Him, the Glorious, and no one has any share of it, and that is why He said: He chose for Himself al-All al-Adhim and made it the first of His names, because its comprehension does not depend on the comprehension of someone else9.

In attributing relative highness to Allah, perhaps Mulla al-Kashani was trying to point out the fact that all else who apparently possess relative highness are also the manifestations of His attributes, and hence there is no ‘other’ in the existential sense in the realm of existence.

يَا عَلِيُّ …

O All-Exalted…

The word ‘all stems from the infinitive al-‘uluww which means highness or exaltedness. And since the first, highest, and primary cause of everything is Allah, He is ‘Ali (the Highest or All-Exalted).

Abu Hilal al-‘Askari (d. 395/1005) in al-Furuq al-Lughawiyyah defining the meaning of the divine name al-’Ali, says:

الذي رتبته أعلى المراتب العقلية، وهي المرتبة العلية، فإن ذاته المقدسة هي مبدأ كل موجود حسي وعقلي

He is one who enjoys the highest station in intellectual terms, and that is the station of causation, for indeed, His Sacred Essence is the source of every existent, whether sensible or intellectual10.

يَا عَلِيُّ …

O All-Exalted…

In our traditions the word ‘all is also employed to signify the state of being above deficiencies. For example, when the Holy Qur’an glorifies Allah, it says:

سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

“Immaculate is He, and greatly exalted above what they say!” (17:43).

Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said in one of his sermons narrated in the Nahj al-Balaghah as follows:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ عَنْ شَبَهِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ

Praise belongs to Allah who is above the resemblance of the creatures11.

يَا عَلِيُّ …

O All-Exalted…

One should not conjecture that highness (fuluww) signifies physical altitude. In his supplication of ‘Arafah, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) says:

وَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الدَّانِي فِي عُلُوهِ، وَ الْعَالِي فِي دُنُوّه

And You are Allah, there is no god other than You, the Close One in His highness, and the High in His closeness12.

Observe here that although Allah is introduced as High (al-’Ali), that does not make Him really distant. He is near (al-Dani) and High (al-’Ali) at the same time. This is because He is the infinite primary cause who is beyond the limits of matter, where physical distance makes sense. In simple words:

1. Since He is the primary cause, He is All (Highest) and we, His creation, are lower in station of reality, and thus remote from His exalted being.

2. Since He is the primary cause, He is al-Muhltu bi kulli shay’

أَلَا إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُحِيطٌ

“He is the One who encompasses everything” (41:54).

And thus, He is:

أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ

“Closer to us than our jugular veins” (50:16).

… يَا عَظِيمُ

… O Tremendous

The word ‘adhim stems from the word ‘adhamah which signifies largeness (kibar) as well as strength (quwwah). Ibn Faris (d. 395/1004) in his Mujam Maqayis al-Lughah says:

العين والظاء والميم أصل واحد صحيح يدل على كبر وقوة

Ayn, za’, and mim is a single and sound root that signifies largeness and strength13.

Hence when we speak about ‘adhamah we speak of tremendousness, whether material or immaterial. With regard to Almighty Allah however, who is free from the confines of matter and finitude, ‘adhamah signifies limitlessness and infinity.

… يَا عَظِيمُ

… O Tremendous

In his an-Nihayah fi Gharib al-Hadith, Ibn al-Athir (d. 606/1210) defines the divine name al-Adhim as follows:

هو الذي جاوز قدْرُه وَجلَّ عن حدود العقول، حتى لا تتصور الإحاطة بكهنة وحقيقته

He is one whose reality transcends the perimeters of the intellects and is beyond them, such that comprehending His Essence and reality cannot be imagined14.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Ya Aliyyu Ya ‘Adhim (O Exalted, O Tremendous): Both the names al-’Aliyyu and al-Adhim have linguistic intricacies one cannot afford to overlook. They are in the form of fa ‘ll, which signifies:

a. An assimilate epithet (sifah mushbihah) signifying perpetuity, and

b. A hyperbolic form (sighah mubalaghah) signifying abundance.

Allah is always exalted and tremendous because His exaltedness and tremendousness are existentially essential (dhati) and need no cause whatsoever.

Hence Ya ‘Aliyyu Ya ‘Adhim would literally mean: O One -who is extremely and perpetually Exalted, O One who is extremely and perpetually Tremendous.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Calling Allah with specific divine names reveals the following:

• The supplicant is praising Allah, for the meaning of praise is to express and manifest the qualities of perfection of the praised one (izharu kamalat al-mahmud). And by expressing the sublime names al-’Aliyyu and al-Adhim we are praising Him. This is really how every supplication must begin. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

كُلُّ دُعَاء لَا يَكُونُ قَبْلَهُ تَحْمِيدُ فَهُوَ أَبْتَرْ

Every supplication before which there is no praise is abtar (without result)15.

• The supplicant has a specific need. When invoking ash-Shafi, for example, the supplicant seeks cure for himself or someone else, when invoking al-Qawiyyu, he seeks strength for himself or someone else, when invoking the name al-’Alimu, he seeks knowledge from Allah. In our case, we are seeking elevation and tremendousness when we call Allah with the Names the All-Exalted and the Tremendous.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Invoking the divine names al-’Aliyyu and al-Adhim reveals the supplicant’s need for spiritual elevation (‘uluww) and greatness (‘adhamah) in perfection; for the human being has a perpetual path towards absolute perfection (al-kamal al-mutlaq). Perhaps the following verses allude to this fundamental reality:

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

“To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and toward Allah is the destination” (24:42).

…وَمَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

“... Whoever purifies himself purifies only for his own sake, and to Allah is the return” (35:18).

Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 672/1273) in one of his well-known poems of Diwan-e Shams Tabrizi, says:

poems of Diwan-e Shams Tavrızı, says:

ما ز بالاییم و بالا مي رويم ما ز دریاییم و دريا مي رويم

To the exalted realm we belong and to the exalted realm we are heading

To the sea we belong and to the sea we are heading

ما از آن جا و از این جا نیستیم ما زبي جاييم و بي جا مي رويم

Neither do we belong there nor here

We came from no-where and are heading to nowhere

لا اله اندربي الا لله است " همچو لا ما هم به الا مي رويم

There is no god' comes after 'except Allah'

Like There is no god' we also are heading to 'except Allah'

قل تعالوا آیتیست از جذب حق ما به جذبه حق تعالي مي رويم

'Say: come up!' is a sign of divine attraction

We are heading to the attraction of God, the Exalted

كشتي نوحیم در طوفان روح لاجرم بی دست و بی پا می رویم

We resemble Noah's ark in the storm of the spirit

Therefore, we are going stumblingly

And at another point he says:

خوانده اي انا اليه راجعون " تا بداني که کجاها مي رويم

Have you read 'unto Him we are returning' So that you know to which places we are heading

اختر ما نیست در دور قمر لاجرم فوق ثريا مي رويم

Our fortune star is not around the Moon

Thus we are heading beyond the remotest star

همت عالی است در سرهاي ما از علی تا رب اعلا مي رويم

We have exalted aspirations in our minds

From the high ('Ali) to the Highest Lord we are going

Hence it behoves of us not to aspire for lower levels of the Heavenly pleasantries of the Hereafter, but rather to opt for the highest of the levels possible.

One of the manifestations of the divine names al-’Aliyyu and al-Adhim is Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ah Ibn Abi Talib (‘a):

Manifesting The Divine Name Al-‘Aliyyu

In a lengthy tradition, the mother of Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said that after the birth of Imam ‘Ali (‘a), when she wanted to come out of the Ka‘bah, she heard a voice saying:

يا فَاطِمَةُ سَمِّيهِ عَلِيّاً، فَهُوَ عَلِيٌّ وَاللهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْأَعْلَى، يَقُولُ: إِنِّي شَقَقْتُ اسْمَهُ مِنْ اِسْمِي وَأَدَبْتُهُ بِأَدَبِي وَوَقَفْتُهُ عَلَى عَامِضٍ عِلْمًى وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَكْسِرُ الْأَصْنَامَ فِي بَيْتِي

O Fatimah, name him ‘Ali, and thus he is ‘Ali (high) and Allah is All al-A‘la (the Highest of the high), He [Allah] says: Indeed, I drew his name from My name, and fashioned him with My conduct, and taught him the ambiguities of My knowledge, and he is the one who will break the idols in My House16.

Hence, according to the above tradition Imam ‘Ali (‘a) in reality manifested the attribute al-‘Ali in himself.

Shaykh as-Saduq (d. 381/991) in his ‘Ilal ash-Sharayi’ quotes a tradition from Jabir al-Ju‘fi [a companion of Imam al-Baqir (‘a)] who is reported to have said:

وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ عَلِيّاً لِأَنَّهُ أَعْلَى النَّاسِ عِلْمًا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ الله (ص)

And a group of people said indeed, ‘Ah was named ‘All because he was the highest of people in terms of knowledge after the Apostle of Allah (S)17.

Ibn Shahr Ashub (d. 588/1192) in his al-Manaqib says:

وَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ وَسُبِّي عَلِيّاً لِأَنَّهُ عَلَا فِي حَسَبِهِ وَنَسَبِهِ وَعِلْمِهِ وَزُهْدِهِ وَغَيْرُ ذلك

‘Ali was named ‘Ali because he was elevated in terms of lineage, family, knowledge, detachment from the world, etc18.

Describing the exalted state of Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (‘a), Ayatullah Muhammad Ridha Rabbani (d. 1423/2002) in his Jalawat-e Rabbani says:

هُوَ عَلِيَّ فِي ذَاتِهِ، هُوَ عَلِيَّ فِي صِفَاتِهِ، هُوَ عَلِيَّ فِي أَفْعَالِهِ

He is exalted (Ali) in his essence, exalted (Ali) in his attributes, exalted (Ali) in his actions19.

Manifesting The Divine Name Al-‘Adhim

Both the Shia as well as Sunni narrators of tradition have mentioned the esoteric commentary of chapter 78: “an an-Naba’ al-Adhim”, “about the tremendous news” (78:2), that it refers to Imam ‘Ali (‘a): In a beautiful narration from Abu Hamzah, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) explaining the exegesis of al-Naba' al-'Adhim, says:

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ: مَا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ آيَةٌ هِيَ أَكْبَرُ مِنِّي، وَلَا لِلَّهِ مِنْ نَبَا أَعْظَمُ مِنِّي

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) would say: Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, does not have any sign superior than me, nor does Allah have any news greater than me20.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

While invoking the above two divine names and seeking elevation and greatness, we must remember that in the well-known supplication of al-Baha’ of Imam al-Baqir (‘a), we are likewise taught to seek these two names:

two names:

اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَلُكَ مِنْ عَظَمَتِكَ بِأَعْظَمِها وَكُلُّ عَظَمَتِكَ عَظِيمَةُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي اسْتَلْكَ بِعَظَمَتِكَ كُلها

O Allah, indeed, I ask You for that tremendousness of Yours which is the most tremendous, and every tremendousness of Yours is extremely tremendous; O Allah I ask you by Your tremendousness in its entirety.

Likewise, we say:

اللهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَلْكَ مِنْ عُلُوكَ بِأَعْلاهُ وَكُلُّ عُلُوكَ عَالِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَلُكَ بِعُلُوْكَ كله

O Allah, indeed, I ask you for that exaltedness of Yours which is the most exalted, and every exaltedness of Yours is exalted; O Allah, indeed, I ask you by Your exaltedness in its entirety21.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

In the Verse of the Divine Throne (Ayat al-Kursi) both of these names have been introduced as belonging exclusively to Allah:

…وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

“... And He alone is the All-Exalted, the Tremendous” (2:255).

When the article al is prefixed in the predicate of a sentence it signifies restriction and exclusiveness. Hence the last phrase ‘wa Huwa al-’Aliyyyu al-Adhim in Ayat al-Kursi would mean ‘He alone is the All-Exalted and the Tremendous! Obviously, it is only Allah who is Exalted and Tremendous in the primary and independent sense. If anyone therefore has any kind of exaltedness or greatness it is only His manifestation, and nothing else.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

If one establishes the exaltedness (‘uluww) of God and His precedence in existence, one will easily understand His tremendousness (‘adhamah) and infinity, for existential necessity (wujub al-wujud) without infinity and non-compositeness (basatah) is impossible, since compositeness (tarkib) reveals contingence (imkan) and a precedence of nonexistence (‘adam). This philosophical exposition needs some amount of reflection to understand; therefore, the reader is advised to reflect and intellectually soar.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Really seeking exaltedness and tremendousness necessitates action. In a very beautiful poem mentioned by scholars we are told:

بقدر الكد تكتسب المعالي

ومن طلب العلا سهر الليالي

Exalted virtues are attained to the extent of struggle;

whosoever seeks exaltedness must observe night vigil;

تروم العز ثم تنام ليلا

يغوص في البحر من طلب اللآلي

You are after honour, and yet you sleep at night?

Whosoever seeks pearls dives in the ocean?22

Hence, without maximising the precious time at night, in which, according to the Qur’an, action has deeper impression on the soul (73:6), one should not anticipate perfection and greatness. In fact, according to a tradition of Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (‘a):

إن الوصول إلى الله عز وجل سفر لا يدرك إلا بامتطاء الليل

Indeed, reaching [the proximity of] Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, is a journey that cannot be realised except by taking the night as a mount23.

The following are some of the different verses of the Qur’an and traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) that guide us to the path of exaltedness (‘uluww) and tremendousness (‘adhamah):

Verses And Traditions That Allude To Achieving Exaltedness (‘Uluww)

1. The Holy Qur’an says:

…إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ…

“... To Him ascends the pleasant word, and balanced action elevates it...” (35:10).

‘Allamah Tabataba’i24 , while explaining this verse in his monumental Al-Mizan, says that al-kalim al-tayyib (the pleasant word) signifies one’s knowledge and belief [which is united with one’s essence] and ascends to God, whereas that which is responsible to raise al-kalim al-tayyib is al-‘amal as-Salih (balanced action, an action that is free from the extremes of exaggeration (al-if rat) and negligence (al-tafrit)).

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

لا تَرَى الْجَاهِلَ إِلَّا مُفْرِطاً أَوْ مُفَرِّطاً

You will not see an ignorant person save in the state of exaggeration (mufritan) or negligence (mufarritan)25.

Hence any balanced and good action performed with proper belief and knowledge would raise the human being and make him attain elevation.

One of the esteemed scholars who has covered this important principle in a number of his writings, is the contemporary mystic Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli.

In his Ganjine-ye Gawhar-e Rawan he says:

قوه نظری را قوه علامه و نیروی بینش گویند و عملی را قوه عماله و نیروی کنش گویند.

این دو قوه به منزلت دو بال نفس اند که بدانها به اوج حقائق طیران می کنش گویند. کند تا به جنة اللقاء و جنت ذات وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي مي رسد رئیس کمالات معتبر در قوه نظری معرفه الله است و در قوه عملی طاعة الله و به حسب مراتب فعلیت این دو قوه انسان را درجات است…

إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ

The theoretical faculty [of the human being] is called ‘allamah and the power of insight, whereas that of action is called ‘ammalah and the power of action.

These two faculties are like the two wings of the human soul by means of which it flies to the peak of realities until it reaches the Heaven of Meeting Him (Jannat al-Liqd’), the Jannah of the Divine Essence, and [the level of] ‘...then enter My Garden of Heaven.’ (89:30).

The president of the essential perfections in the theoretical faculty is the gnosis of Allah (ma‘rifat Allah) and in the practical faculty is the obedience of Allah (ta‘at Allah). And the human being has degrees [of perfection] in accordance with the levels of the actualisation of these two faculties...

[Allah says:] ‘... To Him ascends the pleasant word, and balanced action elevates it...’ (35:10).26

In his beautiful anthology Hezaro Yeh Nukteh, he says:

و بدانی که بهشت و دوزخ در انسانند به این معنی که علم و عمل انسان سازند و هر کسی زرع و زارع و مزرعه خود است إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ سعى كن تا كلم طيب باشی و عمل صالح تو رافع تو باشد

And you should know that Heaven and Hell are within the human being [himself], for knowledge and action are the things that make the human being; and everyone is the tilling, the tiller, and the tilth of himself:

“... To Him ascends the pleasant word, and balanced action elevates it...” (35:10).

Struggle to be a pleasant word (al-kalim at-tayyib) and that your balanced action is your elevator27.

2. The Holy Qur’an says:

…يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ…

“... Allah will raise those of you who have faith and those who have been given knowledge, in rank...” (58:11).

This verse, akin to the previous verse, informs us that that which is raised is actually one’s knowledge and belief. Here there is no mention of balanced deeds which is known to be the cause of the ascension of the one who has knowledge and faith.

‘Allamah Tabataba’i in his al-Mizan says:

فإن الإيمان هو الذي يصعد بالعبد إلى مقام القرب، وليس للعمل الصالح إلا إعانة الإيمان وإسعاده في عمله كما قال تعالى: يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ - حيث ذكر للرفع الإيمان والعلم وسكت عن العمل الصالح

For indeed, it is faith that rises with the servant to the station of divine proximity; and balanced action does nothing save help the faith and make it successful through action; as He, the Exalted, said: “... Allah will raise those of you who have faith and those who have been given knowledge, in rank...” (58:11) mentioning faith and knowledge as the objects of elevation and being silent about balanced action28.

In conclusion, although balanced and good action (al-‘amal as-Salih), as explained in verse 35:10, is responsible to raise the human being, knowledge and faith united with the essence of human being are actually the ones that are raised and attain proximity. Therefore, knowledge and faith are extremely important for the elevation of the human being.

Mulla Sadra in his Asrar al-Ayat says:

و درجات العارفين غير محصورة كما قال تعالى: يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ إذ الإحاطة بكنه جلال الله غير ممكن و بحر المعرفة ليس له ساحل فكل له درجة بقدر قوة غوصه و خوضه فيه

And the stations of the Gnostics are limitless, as He, the Exalted, said: “... Allah will raise those of you who have faith and those who have been given knowledge, in rank...” (58:11), for the exhaustive comprehension of divine majesty is impossible, and the ocean of gnosis is shore-less; thus, everyone enjoys a level according to the strength of his diving and indulgence in it29.

3. The Holy Qur’an says:

وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَىٰ

“But whoever comes to Him [the Lord] with faith and he has done balanced deeds, for such shall be the highest ranks” (20:75).

Note that this verse is akin to the previous verse (35:10) and emphasises two important elements of elevation:

a) Faith

b) Balanced action

4. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said: On the Day of Judgement Almighty Allah will say:

يا مَعْشَرَ الخَلَائِقِ، هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَحُجَّتُهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ فَمَنْ تَعَلَّقَ بِحَبْلِهِ فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا فَلْيَتَعَلَّقَ بِحَبْلِهِ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ يَسْتَضِيْءُ بِنُورِهِ وَلِيَتْبَعْهُ إِلَى الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجِنَانِ

O group of creatures, this is ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the vicegerent of Allah on His earth and His proof over His servants; so, whosoever clings onto his rope in the abode of the world, must clung onto his rope today and seek light through his light, and follow him to the exalted stations of Heaven30.

Imam al-‘Askari (‘a) is reported to have said that Almighty Allah said to Prophet Musa (‘a):

يَا مُوسَى ... وَأَنَّ شِيْعَتَهُ الْمُنْقَادِينَ لَهُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَهُ وَلَا وَامِرِهِ وَنَوَاهِيْهِ، وَخُلَفَاتِهِ تُجُوْمُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ الأَعْلَى، وَمُلُوكُ جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ

O Musa... and his [i.e. Imam ‘Ali (‘a)’s] followers, obedient to him, submissive to him and his commands and prohibitions, and submissive to his successors, are the stars of the higher Paradise and the kings of the gardens of Eden31.

Clinging onto the rope of Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is to assimilate his life and follow him in his thoughts, words, and deeds. Obviously, due to his infallibility, whatever he did was what Allah desired. He was a model of both towering faith and balanced action. Hence, following him would undoubtedly facilitate elevation in one’s life.

5. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

أَعْلَى النَّاسِ مَنْزِلَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَخْوَفُهُمْ مِنْهُ

One who has the highest station near Allah from among the people, is one who is most fearful of Him32.

In another tradition, the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

أَنَا أَخْوَفُكُمْ لِلَّهِ

I am the most fearful of Allah among you33.

And fear, we must understand, comes about as a result of knowledge and ma‘rifah. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

أَعْلَمُكُمْ أَخْوَفُكُمْ

The most knowledgeable among you is the most fearful of you34.

أَخْوَفُكُمْ أَعْرَفُكُمْ

The most fearful of you is one who enjoys the most recognition35.

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ خَافَ الله

Whosoever comes to know Allah, will fear Allah36.

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) in one of his supplications says:

سُبْحَانَكَ عَجَباً لِمَنْ عَرَفَكَ كَيْفَ لَا يُخَافُك

You are free from imperfections; surprising is he who knows You, but does not fear You!37

One who gains knowledge of Allah and His infinite attributes and realises his utter dependence on Him, will naturally be overcome by awe and fear. Hence in order to attract fear of Allah we should try to seek knowledge of Him, albeit within our limitations.

6. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ فِي أَعْلَى دَرَجَةِ الْآدَمِنِيْنَ مَا خَلَا النَّبِيِّينَ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ

Indeed, those intimate with the Qur’an are in the highest station from among the human beings, save the Prophets and the Apostles38.

In explaining this tradition, Al-Mazandaram in his exegesis of Usui al-Kafi says:

المراد به من تعلمه وحافظه وواظب على تلاوته والعمل بما فيه

[Ahl al-Qur’an] refers to one who learns, memorises, adheres to its recitation and acts according to its instructions39.

There are other narrations also that allude to the fact that reading the Holy Qur’an in the transformative sense elevates a human being: Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said the following to his beloved companion Mufaddal Ibn ‘Umar:

وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِتِلَاوَةِ الْقُرْآنِ فَإِنَّ دَرَجَاتِ الْجَنَّةِ عَلَى عَدَدِ آيَاتِ الْقُرْآنِ، فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ يُقَالُ لِقَارِئِ الْقُرْآنِ اقْرَأْ وَارْقَ فَكُلَّمَا قَرَأَ آيَةً رَقِيَ دَرَجَة

And upon you is to read the Qur’an, for indeed, the levels of al-Jannah are equal to the verses of the Qur’an; and when the Day of Resurrection will come to transpire, the reciter of Qur’an will be told: Read and ascend! So, whenever he would read a verse, he would ascend [one level]40.

This informs us that reciting the Qur’an elevates the human being.

7. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

بِالصَّلَاةِ يَبْلُغُ الْعَبْدُ إِلَى الدَّرَجَةِ الْعُلْيَا

Through prayer, a servant of Allah attains the highest station41.

Another well-known allusion that informs us that prayer elevates a person is the following well-known tradition:

الصَّلَاةُ مِعْرَاجُ الْمُؤْمِنِ

The prayer (salat) is an ascension of the believer42.

The reality that prayer elevates the human being and facilitates the proximity of Allah has been dealt with by many insightful scholars in their works on secrets of prayer, a very good example of which is the Persian masterpiece Adab-e Namaz of Imam Khumayni which has also been rendered into the English language.

8. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَوَادُ يُحِبُّ الْجُوْدَ وَمَعَالِيَ الْأُمُورِ، وَيَكْرَهُ سَفْسَافَهَا

Indeed, Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, loves generosity and exalted matters, and abhors insignificant matters43.

Hence, one who aspires to climb higher must develop attributes of exaltedness, one of which is generosity and open-handedness. The expression employed to describe such attributes is ma ‘ali al-umur (exalted matters); the word ma ‘all originates from al-‘uluww which signifies highness and exaltedness.

In his well-known Supplication of Noble Characteristics, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) seeks for such exalted morals as follows:

وَهَبْ لِي مَعَالِيَ الْأَخْلَاقِ

And gift me with exalted characteristics44.

9. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ السُّفْلَى، وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا الْمُنْفِقَةُ وَالْيَدُ السُّفْلَى السَّائِلَةُ وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُوْلُ

The upper hand is better than the lower hand. The upper hand is the one which spends [in the way of Allah] and the lower hand is one which begs. And begin with the one whom you are [responsible for] supporting45.

10. Imam Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said:

بِالصَّبْرِ تُدْرَكُ مَعَالِيَ الْأُمُورِ

Through patience exalted things are attained46.

In another beautiful tradition revealing the great importance of patience, Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُدْرِكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ مَا تُحِبُّ إِلَّا بِالصَّبْرِ عَمَّا تَشْتَهِي

Indeed, you will never attain from your Lord what you love save through patience from what your Self desires47.

In fact, if one reflects a little, one would understand that the entire spiritual journey to Allah that the spiritual masters teach, can be summarised in what is known as sabr (patience). This is because the entire journey is filled with challenges and requires one to work hard; and working hard is impossible for one who has no patience.

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَصَلَ إِلَيْهِ

Whosoever observes patience for Allah, will reach Him48.

11. Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have addressed his son Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) as follows:

يَا بُنَيْ اعْرِفْ مَنَازِلَ الشَّيعَةِ عَلَى قَدْرِ رِوَايَتِهِمْ وَمَعْرِفَتِهِمْ، فَإِنَّ الْمَعْرِفَةَ هِيَ الدراية للرواية وبالدِّرَايَاتِ لِلرِّوَايَاتِ يَعْلُو الْمُؤْمِنُ إِلَى أَقْصَى دَرَجَاتِ الْإِيمَانِ

O my dear little son, know that the stations of our Shias are to the extent of their narrations and

recognition (ma ‘rifah); for indeed, ma ‘rifah is al-dirayah (understanding) of the riwdyah (narration); and it is by the understandings of narrations that a believer attains elevation to the topmost stations of faith.'”49

12. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

الْمُؤْمِنُ عَلَوِيٌّ لِأَنَّهُ عَلَا فِي الْمَعْرِفَةِ

A believer is high-ranking (‘alawi) because he has risen high in recognition (marifah)50.

13. Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said to Ibn Shabib:

يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ مَعَنَا فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجِنَانِ فَاحْزَنْ لِحُزْنِنَا وَافْرَحْ لِفَرَحِنَا وَ عَلَيْكَ بِوِلَا يَتِنَا

O son of Shabib, if it would make you happy that you are with us in the high stations of the gardens of Heaven then be sad at our sadness and happy at our happiness; and upon you is our wilayah (guardianship)51.

14. Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَمَنْ زَارَنِي فِي غُرْبَتِي كَتَبَ اللهُ لَهُ أَجْرَ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ شَهِيْدٍ وَمَائَةَ أَلْفِ صِدِّيْقٍ وَجُعِلَ فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى فِي الْجَنَّةِ رَفِيقُنَا

And whosoever visits me in my state of ghurbah [being away from my hometown], Allah would write for him the reward of a hundred thousand martyrs, a hundred thousand veracious ones... and he would be made our friendly companion in the high stations in Heaven52.

15. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

الْحُكَمَاءُ أَشْرَفُ النَّاسِ أَنْفُسًا

The wise ones (al-hukama’) are the most exalted of people in terms of self53.

16. Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ أَعَانَ مُحِبًا لَنَا عَلَى عَدُةٍ لَنَا فَقَوَّاهُ وَشَجَعَهُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَ الْحَقَّ الدَّالَّ عَلَى فَضْلِنَا بِأَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ، وَيُخْرِجَ الْبَاطِلَ الَّذِي يَرُوْمُ بِهِ أَعْدَاؤُنَا فِي دَفْعِ حَقِّنَا فِي أَقْبَح صُورَةٍ، حَتَّى يَتَنَبَّهُ الْغَافِلُوْنَ، وَيَسْتَبْصِرَ الْمُتَعَلِّمُونَ، وَيَزْدَادُ فِي بَصَائِرِهِمْ الْعَالِمُوْنَ، بَعَثَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي أَعْلَى مَنَازِلِ الْجِنَانِ

Whosoever helps our lover against our enemy, and strengthens and encourages him until he unravels the truth that reveals our merit in the best form, and unravels the falsehood which our enemies desire for repelling our rights in the ugliest form, until the negligent ones wake up and realise and those seeking knowledge are enlightened, and the insight of the knowledgeable ones increases, Allah would raise him on the Judgement Day in the highest stations of the gardens of Paradise54.

17. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said to Imam ‘Ali (‘a):

mam 'Ali ('a):

يَا عَلِيُّ أَحْسِنُ خُلُقَكَ مَعَ أَهْلِكَ وَجِيرَانِكَ وَمَنْ تُعَاشِرُ وَتُصَاحِبْ مِنَ النَّاسِ تُكْتَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى

O ‘Ali, behave beautifully with your family, neighbours, and whosoever you live with and accompany from among the people, and you would be recorded near Allah in the high stations55.

18. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

دَخَلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَسَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ إِنْسَانٍ، فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ هَذَا؟ قَالُوا: الْحَارِثُ بْنَ النُّعْمَانِ الأَنْصَارِي، كَانَ بَارًا بِوَالِدَيْهِ، فَصَارَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَيَ

I entered the Paradise and heard someone’s voice. I asked: Who is this? They said: He is al-Harith Ibn an-Nu’man al-Ansari. He was virtuous to his parents, and became from among those who enjoy lofty stations56.

19. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَا رَفَعَ امْرَءًا كَهِمَّتِهِ، وَلَا وَضَعَهُ كَشَهْوَتِهِ

Nothing raises a person like his aspiration, and nothing drops him like his base desire57.

20. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

أَعْدَى عَدُةٍ لِلْمَرْءِ غَضَبُهُ وَشَهْوَتُهُ ، فَمَنْ مَلَكَهَا عَلَتْ دَرَجَتُهُ وَبَلَغَ غَايَتَهُ

The worst enemy of a person is his anger and base desires, and whosoever dominates them his station rises and he attains his goal58.

21. Ishaq Ibn ‘Ammar is reported to have heard from Imam as-Sadiq (a):

وَمَوْضِعُ قَبْرِهِ مِنْ يَوْمٍ دُفِنَ رَوْضَةً مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ وَمِنْهُ مِعْرَاجُ يُعْرَجُ فِيهِ بِأَعْمَالِ زُوَّارِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَمَا مِنْ مَلَكِ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا وَهُمْ يَسْأَلُونَ اللهُ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ لَهُمْ فِي زِيَارَةِ قَبْرِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ

And the place of his (Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s) grave from the day he was buried, is an aromatic and beautiful garden from the gardens of Heaven. And from there is the ascension; the actions of his visitors are raised from there toward the higher realm, and there is no angel in the heaven nor in the earth save that he asks Allah to permit him to visit the grave of al-Husayn (‘a)59.

Traditions That Allude To Achieving Greatness (‘Adhamah)

1. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ أَعظَمَ النَّاسِ مَنزِلَةٌ عِندَ الله يَومَ القيامة أمشاهُم فِي أَرْضِهِ بِالنَّصِيحَةِ لِخَلقِهِ

Indeed, the greatest of people in terms of rank near Allah on the Day of Resurrection, is one who walked most in His land with advice for His creatures60.

This reveals how important the state of selflessness is. One who frequents in giving good advice to others is a selfless human being who yearns for their emancipation.

2. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَنْ تَوَاضَعَ لِلَّهِ عَظَّمَهُ اللَّهُ وَرَفَعَه

Whosoever humbles himself for Allah, Allah would make him great and raise him...61

3. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

عَظِمُوا أَقْدَارَكُمْ بِالتَّغَافُلِ عَنِ النَّنِي مِنَ الْأُمُوْرِ

Increase your values in terms of greatness by disregarding insignificant issues62.

4. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ وَعَمِلَ وَعَلَّمَ لِلَّهِ دُعِيَ فِي مَلَكُوْتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ عَظِيمًا

And one who learns, practices, and teaches for the sake of Allah, will be called ‘great’ in the celestial realm of the heavens63.

5. Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far (‘a) is reported to have said to Hisham Ibn Hakam:

يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ لا يَكْذِبُ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِيْهِ هَوَاهُ ... وَإِنَّ أَعْظَمَ النَّاسِ قَدْرًا الَّذِي لَا يَرَى الدُّنْيَا لِنَفْسِهِ خَطَرًا

O Hisham, indeed, one who employs his intellect does not lie, even if his desire is in that... and indeed, the greatest of people in terms of value is one who does not consider the world important for himself64.

6. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), describing the great scholars, is reported to have said to his close disciple Kumayl Ibn Ziyad:

أُوْلَئِكَ وَاللَّهِ الأَقَلُّوْنَ عَدَدًا وَالأَعْظَمُوْنَ قَدْرًا ... وَصَحِبُوا صَفْحَةَ الدُّنْيَا بِأَبْدَانِ أَرْوَاحُهَا مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْمَحَلِ الأَعْلَى أُولَئِكَ خُلَفَاءُ اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَالدُّعَاةُ إِلَى دِينِهِ. آه آه شَوْقًا إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِمْ

Indeed, these are very few in number, but very great in terms of value ... They accompanied the page of the world with their bodies, while their spirits were suspended to the exalted place. These are the vicegerents of Allah on His earth and callers toward His religion; ah, ah, how I yearn to see them65.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Seeking exaltedness and tremendousness is actually aspiring to journey to Allah and His proximity. The Holy Qur’an has beautifully portrayed the fact that the human being, after having been created in the most beautiful mould, has been plunged into the lowest realm:

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ

“Indeed, We created man in the most beautiful of forms” (95:4).

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ

“Then We relegated him to the lowest of the low” (95:5).

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ

“Except those who have faith and do balanced deeds, for them there will be an everlasting reward” (95:6).

Hence it is through belief (al-imari) and balanced action (al-‘amal as-Salih) that the human being can ascend to attain exaltedness and greatness. The Exalted Creator legislated laws of worship that really serve as means of the ascension of the human being.

The best of these acts of worship is the canonical prayer (as-Salah) which some traditions call khayru mawdu’ (the best worship legislated)66, some ‘amud al-din (the pillar of religion)67, and some mi‘raj al-mu’min (ascension of the believer)68.

Hence every human being has the opportunity five times a day to ascend to his Creator and attain elevation.

Fasting likewise is a means to elevate the human being so high that he unites with his Lord. In a beautiful sacred tradition Allah is reported to have said: Fasting is for Me and I Myself am its reward (الصوم لى وأنا أجزي به)69. Hajj, which literally means qasd (intention), is also a journey to the Only Beloved and a path towards elevation and greatness. The Holy Qur’an says:

فَفِرُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

“[Say,] ‘So flee toward Allah. Indeed, I am a manifest warner to you from Him’” (51:50).

Commenting on this, Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

‘It means intend Allah (al hujju ila Allah)70 thus indicating that Hajj is not merely visiting the House of God and circumambulating around it, but rather it is to actually meet the Owner of the House. Although it involves a tiresome physical journey, its fundamental purpose is to be embraced by the Only Beloved. Thus, it is a spiritually upward journey towards exaltedness and greatness.

If a person reflects on all the obligations that Allah has legislated for man, he will come to realise that they are meant to bestow elevation and greatness to him. Hence it is imperative for us to take all the acts of worship very seriously. The insightful scholars through their struggles have guided us to some of the secrets of worship, and hence we must make a point to read their works71 and apply their teachings and examples in our acts of worship.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Unlike many of us who recite supplications and conceptualise their meaning during recitation, the exalted ones who occupy very lofty stations vision and see the reality as they express the same. The infallible Imam (‘a) who has taught us to recite this supplication does not conceptualise it when reciting it, but rather visions the attributes of exaltedness and tremendousness. Hence, he enjoys visioning the two attributes and then he expresses the reality that he beheld.

Of course, we must not be mistaken to think that attributes of Allah which are infinite in nature can be captured and fathomed. Although such kind of knowledge of the divine attributes is presential, it is according to the capacity of the beholder.

In his well-known work on the exegesis of Du‘a’ as-Sahar, Imam Khumayni when explaining the first verse, alludes to the reality that the supplication of the spiritual wayfarer is the outcome of his spiritual intuitions72. Hence expressions of the infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) who enjoy very exalted positions near Allah must not be reckoned to be mere conceptualisations. They express realities that they actually vision and see.

Indeed, how remote are we who just conceptualise and express our feelings from those who vision the reality through their hearts and express the same?

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Seeking superficial exaltedness and greatness is always a negative endeavour, and hence must be distinguished from the positive exaltedness and greatness for which the human being was created. When one, for example, out of arrogance and pride seeks higher worldly positions for the sake of manifesting personal pride, deeper attachment to the world, negative domination, oppression, etc., he is actually seeking a shadow and mirage and not the reality.

The Holy Qur’an condemns such superficial transitory aspirations which represent the scum (az-Zabad) that gathers on the water and fades with time. Pharaoh and his supporters are examples of those who practiced and opted for such worldly exaltedness. In chapter 44, Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ نَجَّيْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ

“Certainly, We delivered the Children of Israel from a humiliating torment” (44:30).

مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَالِيًا مِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

“From Pharaoh; surely he was a high one of the profligates” (44:31).

Observe here that Pharaoh is introduced as ‘innahu kana ‘aliyan min al-musrifin (surely he was a high one of the profligates)’. However, such ‘highness’ is far from being a merit. In chapter 23, Allah says:

ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَأَخَاهُ هَارُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا وَسُلْطَانٍ مُبِينٍ

“Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a manifest authority” (23:45).

إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا عَالِينَ

“Unto Pharaoh and his council; but they waxed proud, and they were a insolent people” (23:46).

Here the phrase ‘and they were a lofty people (wa kanu qawman ‘alm)’ refers to their negative disposition of domination. Mulla FaYa al-Kashani among other exegetes of the Qur’an, explaining the word ‘alm say that it means mutakabbirin (proud people)73.

In chapter an-naml, Almighty Allah informs us that despite having conviction of the truth of His signs, Pharaoh and his supporters rejected them out of pride, a phenomenon that is very astounding. Allah employs the word ‘uluww (highness) to signify their proud character. The Holy Qur’an says:

فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَاتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً قَالُوا هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ

“But when Our signs came to them visibly, they said: ‘This is a manifest sorcery’” (27:13).

وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

“And they denied them, though their souls gained conviction about them [wastayqanat-ha anfusuhum], wrongfully and out of pride [‘uluwwan]. Behold, how was the end of the workers of corruption! ” (27:14).

The Holy Qur’an also mentions the disobedient character of the children of Israel who, despite having been continuously favoured by Allah, behaved arrogantly:

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

“And We decreed for the Children of Israel in the Book: You shall do corruption in the earth twice, and you shall ascend exceedingly high in your corruption [wa lata‘lunna ‘uluwwan kabiran]” (17:4).

Here the phrase ‘...and you shall ascend exceedingly high in your corruption (wa lata ‘lunna ‘uluwwan kabiran)’ refers to their arrogant and disobedient character.

After mentioning the end of Qarun, who tried to defame Prophet Musa (‘a) but by divine command was swallowed by the earth, Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an:

تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“That is the abode of the Hereafter which We shall grant to those who do not desire to domineer in the earth nor to cause corruption, and the outcome will be in favour of the God-wary” (28:83).

In this verse Almighty Allah informs mankind that the Hereafter is for those who do not desire to wrongfully dominate in the earth. Allah employs the expression ‘la yuriduna ‘uluwwan (who do not desire to domineer)’. Hence uluwwin this negative sense is reprehensible.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

In the Arabic language, when we wish to call someone and say ‘come!’ we employ expressions such as ta‘al, aqbil ilayya, halumma, ilayya i’tt, ji’ (huna), etc. Although they seem to be synonyms, they have shades of differences worthy of consideration.

The word ta‘al is worthy of reflection. It does not simply mean ‘come’ but means ‘come up’. Its root is the word uluww (highness)74.

The Holy Qur’an employs this word and actually informs the readers of the means of elevation and highness. Consider the following verses:

In chapter 3, Allah says:

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ…

“Say, ‘O People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you: that we will worship none but Allah, and that we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that we will not take each other as lords besides Allah...” (3:64).

In this verse the Holy Prophet (S) is told by Allah to invite the People of the Book to the common word of worshipping Allah only and not ascribing any partners to Him. The phrase Allah teaches the Prophet (S) to utter is ta‘alaw... which literally means ‘come up!’ thus indicating the reality that accepting Tawhid (oneness of God) elevates the human being.

In chapter 3, Allah says:

وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا قَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُوا قَالُوا لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالًا لَاتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ مَا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ

“... When they [the hypocrites] were told: ‘Come, fight in the way of Allah, or defend [yourselves]] they said, ‘If we knew any fighting, surely we would have followed you.’ That day they were nearer to unfaith than to faith. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah knows best whatever they conceal” (3:167).

In this verse the hypocrites are invited to fight in the way of Allah, but they bring about false excuses. When they are invited, the phrase ta‘alaw is employed which literally means ‘come up!’ and thus reveals that fighting in the way of Allah is a means of ascension and elevation.

In chapter 4, Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْكَ صُدُودًا

“And when they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has sent down and [come] to the Apostle] you see the hypocrites keep away from you aversely’” (4:61).

In this verse we are told that when the hypocrites are invited to what Allah has sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) and to the commands of the Prophet (S), they keep away from the Prophet (S) aversely. Here also the word ta‘alaw (which literally means ‘come up!’) is employed for inviting to the Qur’an and the Prophet (S); this reveals that following the Qur’an and the Prophet (S) is a means of ascension and elevation.

In chapter 5, there is a similar invitation to the disbelievers and polytheists. Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُوا حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ

“And when they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has sent down and [come] to the Apostle; they say, ‘Sufficient for us is what we have found our fathers following.’ What, even if their fathers did not know anything and were not guided?!” (5:104).

Exegetes75 of the Qur’an say that the verse speaks of the Prophet’s invitation to the disbelievers to follow the Book of Allah and His Messenger. Here again observe the word ta ‘alaw is employed for invitation. In chapter 63, Allah says:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُوا حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ

“And when it is said to them, ‘Come now and God’s Messenger will ask forgiveness for you, they twist their heads, and thou see them turning their faces away, waxing proud” (63:5).

Here the hypocrites are invited to the opportunity of the Prophet (S) asking for their forgiveness. Such invitation is made once again by employing the word ta‘alaw thus indicating that if they are truly penitent and the Prophet (S) seeks forgiveness for them, they would be emancipated and thereby ascend.

There are other verses that also employ the same mode of expression. We must therefore try to reflect on them and find the means of elevation and ascension that they clearly display for us.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

A reality that the insightful scholars mention is that the Most High and Tremendous leaves no room for any kind of otherness (ghayr) whatsoever: intellectually speaking, an infinite being cannot accept a second. Hence whatever otherness we behold are loci of manifestation (mazahir) of His attributes and not independent entities as conceived by those who have sufficed themselves with the two eyes76 of the world.

Perhaps a beautiful allusion to this reality of divine infinity, is expressed by Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) in his well-known supplication that he taught to his close companion Kumayl Ibn Ziyad an-Nakha’i. In it he says:

وَبِعَظَمَتِكَ الَّتِي مَلأَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

And by Your tremendousness that has filled everything77.

In other words, “O Allah, You encompass everything in the most accurate meaning of the word”. In the same supplication, Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) alludes to the exaltedness and highness of Allah in terms of ontological and existential sovereignty. He says:

وَبِسُلْطَائِكَ الَّذِي عَلَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

And by Your sovereignty that is above everything78.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Seeking elevation is observed in the different kinds of aspirations expressed by the servants of God.

In worship, for example, some aspire for the pleasures of the Hereafter, some are overtaken with fear of perpetual damnation, and some ardently seek the proximity of Allah. In the expression of the Qur’an, this third category are called muqarrabun (those brought close to Allah). Their exalted aspiration is His proximity (garb) and pleasure (ridha’).

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوا اللهَ رَغْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ التَّجَارِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ رَهْبَةً فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْعَبِيدِ، وَإِنَّ قَوْمًا عَبَدُوا اللهَ شُكْرًا فَتِلْكَ عِبَادَةُ الْأَحْرَارِ وَهِيَ أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ

Indeed, a people worship Allah desirously, and that is the worship of merchants, and indeed, a people worship Allah fearfully, and that is the worship of slaves; and indeed, a people worship Allah thankfully, and that is the worship of freemen, and that is the best kind of worship79.

Mulla Hadi Sabzawari in his Sharh Nibras al-Hudd refers to the third category as arbab al-himam al-‘aliyah (those who possess exalted aspirations)80, who realise that the purpose of creation is attaining divine proximity and the vision of the Beloved. Hence those who really aspire to occupy the most elevated position must struggle to worship Allah only out of love for Him and gratitude to Him.

Other Interesting Allusions To Different Levels

Other noteworthy hadiths that show the different levels of the aspirations of the human beings in terms of exaltedness and greatness are as follows:

1. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

الْقَلْبُ ثَلاثة أَنْوَاعِ : قَلْبُ مَشْغُولُ بِالدُّنْيَا، وَقَلْبُ مَشْغُوْلُ بِالْعُقْبَى، وَقَلْبُ مَشْغُولُ بِالْمَوْلَى، أَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَشْغُولُ بِالدُّنْيَا لَهُ الشِّدَّةُ وَالْبَلَاءُ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَشْغُولُ بِالْعُقْبَى فَلَهُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَى، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَشْغُولُ بِالْمَوْلَى فَلَهُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْعُقْبَى وَالْمَوْلَى

Hearts are of three kinds: the heart that is engaged with the world (al-dunya), the heart that is engaged with the Hereafter (al-‘uqba), and the heart that is engaged with the Beloved (Mawla). The heart that is engaged with the world has severity and trial; as for that which is engaged in the Hereafter, it has exalted stations; and as for the heart that is engaged with the Mawla, it has the world, the Hereafter, and the Mawla as well81.

2. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِذَا تَخَلَّى الْمُؤْمِنُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا سَمَا وَوَجَدَ حَلَاوَةَ حُبِّ اللَّهِ وَكَانَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّهُ قَدْ خُوْلِطَا وَإِنَّمَا خَالَطَ الْقَوْمُ حَلاوَةَ حُبِّ اللَّهِ، فَلَمْ يَشْتَغِلُوا بِغَيْرِهِ

When a believer withdraws himself from the world he soars and tastes the sweetness of the love of Allah, and he is to the people of the world like one who is deranged, and surely only the sweetness of the love of Allah has made them that way. So, they did not engage themselves in anything other than Him82.

3. Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ أَحَبَّنَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَأَعَانَا بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَاتَلَ مَعَنَا أَعْدَاءَنَا بِيدِهِ فَهُوَ مَعَنَا فِي الْجَنَّةِ في دَرَجَتِنَا وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَأَعَانَنَا بِلِسَانِهِ وَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُ مَعَنَا أَعْدَاءَنَا فَهُوَ أَسْفَلِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ بِدَرَجَتَيْنِ، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَلَمْ يُعِنَّا بِلِسَانِهِ وَلَا بِيَدِهِ فهو في الجنة

Whosoever loves us with his heart and assists us with his tongue and fights with us against our enemies, then he is with us in Paradise in our station; and whosoever loves us with his heart, and assists us through his tongue, but does not fight with us against our enemies, then he is two stations lower than that; and whosoever loves us with his heart but does not help us through his tongue, nor with his hand, then he is [merely] in Paradise83.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

It is imperative to know that there is wisdom as to why a specific supplication is given for a specific time. The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), the infallible guardians of religion, are fully cognisant about this important point. Invoking these two divine names daily in the holy month of Ramadan alludes to the reality that this month is a month of attaining spiritual elevation and greatness. Therefore, let us all grab the opportunity at hand, and struggle to soar to the proximity of the Exalted Beloved and get coloured by Him, and how beautiful is His colouring! The Holy Qur’an says:

صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً

“The colouring of Allah, and who colours more beautiful than Allah...” (2:138).

In his Epistle on Whisperings with God, the contemporary mystical scholar, Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli says:

الهی، هم نشین از هم نشین رنگ می گیرد خوشا آن که با تو هم نشین است

)صبغَةَ اللهِ وَمَن أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللهِ صِبغَه(

My God, one who accompanies another assumes his colour; delighted be one who shares Your company! (The colouring of Allah, and who colours more beautiful than Allah!?)84

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

It is noteworthy that we are taught to always call Allah with these two sublime names so many times throughout the day in our daily prayers: The name Adhim always comes in the dhikr of ruku‘, when we say Subhana Rabbi al-Adhimi wa bi-hamdih (Free from imperfection is my Lord, the Tremendous, and I praise Him) and the name All always comes in the dhikr of sujud when we say Subhana Rabbi al-A‘la wa bi-hamdih (Free from imperfection is my Lord, the Most High, and I praise Him).

The insightful scholars believe that those endowed with inner vision behold in the state of ruku‘, the reality that all attributes of perfection solely belong to Allah, and in the state of sujud that there exists only one essence in reality and that is Allah.

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

Invoking the names al-’Aliyyu and al-Adhim, as we said earlier, is due to the human being’s natural inclination to acquire elevation and greatness. We came to realise that besides supplication, one must also seek the causes of elevation and greatness that the Absolutely Exalted & Tremendous Being has taught us through His Apostles, so that one can achieve elevation and greatness.

Another facility that Allah has availed the human being is the atmosphere of the world of creation. Almighty Allah, after creating the universe, has invited us to reflect on the different things that He has created and thereby travel to His proximity. The Holy Qur’an tells us:

وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ

“And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth which they pass by, yet they turn aside from it” (12:105).

The entire world has been created in such a way that a contemplative person can be transported to loftier levels of reality.

Things like the mountains, the sky, the sun, the moon, the stars and the birds, should serve as points of transformation and ascension.

If we look at them with the Qur’anic vision of contemplation, we might resolve to journey to our destination of loftiness and sublimity.

It is interesting to note that authorities of dream interpretation from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) to the likes of Ibn Sirin have thought-provoking interpretations for entities like the mountain. They unanimously say that it refers to lofty and high matters: Imam as-Sadiq (‘a), for example, is reported to have said:

رُؤْيَا الْجَبَلِ تَؤُولُ بِالْمُلْكِ وَالظُّفْرِ وَالرِّيَاسَةِ وَلِقَاءِ الرَّاحَةِ

Seeing a mountain in a dream is interpreted as kingdom, victory, leadership and meeting comfort85.

Therefore, when we see any mountain, we should be led to think of how to elevate ourselves and attain the peak of human perfection. Mountains also allude to firmness, and a believer is in some traditions compared to a mountain. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

الْمُؤْمِنُ كَالْجَبَلِ الرَّاسِجَ، لَا تُحَرِّكُهُ الْعَوَاصِفُ

A believer is like a firm mountain, which the violent winds cannot shake.

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is also reported to have said something interesting in this regard:

ذُو الشَّرَفِ لا تُبْطِرُهُ مَنْزِلَةٌ نَالَهَا وَإِنْ عَظْمَتْ كَالْجَبَلِ الَّذِي لَا تُزَعْزِعُهُ الرِّيَاحُ، وَالدَّنِي يُبْطِرُهُ أَدْنِي مَنْزِلَةً كالكلا الَّذِي يُحَرِّكُهُ مَرَّ النَّسِيم

A sublime human being does not become proud when attaining any station, even if it be great. He is like a mountain that winds cannot shake. The degenerate, however, becomes proud by attaining the lowest of stations, like the grass that the breeze shakes86.

When we behold the sky (sama’) our minds should remind us of sumuww (highness). Just as the sky is high, the human being can attain a level which is high. The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are introduced in some traditions as The lofty sky (as-Sama’ al-marfu‘ah). Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (‘a) is reported to have said in one of his sermons:

آل مُحَمَّدٍ كَالسَّمَاءِ الْمَرْفُوعَةِ

The progeny of Muhammad are like the lofty sky87.

Contemplating upon the stars, the sun, and the moon, should wake us up and teach us the lesson of elevation. We have many traditions that compare sublime human beings with these radiant heavenly bodies. Look at the following traditions:

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

آنا كَالشَّمْسِ وَعَلِيَّ كَالْقَمَرِ وَأَهْلُ بَيْنِي كَالتُجُوْمِ، يَأْتِهِمْ اقْتَدَيْتُمْ اهْتَدَيْتُمْ

I am like the sun, and ‘Ali is like the moon, and my household are like the stars; whichever among them you follow you will attain guidance88.

In another tradition, the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said to Imam ‘Ali (‘a):

يَا عَلى تَخْرُجُ أَنتَ وَشِبْعَتُكَ مِنْ قُبُورِهِمْ وَوُجُوهُكُمْ كَالْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ

O ‘Ali, you and your followers (Shias) will come out from your graves while your faces will be like the full moon89.

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said in one of his sermons:

وَإِنَّمَا الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي النَّاسِ كَالْبَدْرِ فِي السَّمَاءِ ، يُضِيءُ نُورُهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْكَوَاكِبِ

Indeed, the knowledgeable ones among the people are like the full moon in the sky, its light radiates over the rest of the stars90.

Birds, likewise, must remind us of our journey towards the higher levels of existence. The flying bird reveals so many things for the contemplative mind. One should therefore not be oblivious of all these signs that call the human spirit to wake up and think of elevation.

The vastness of the ocean and the sky likewise make our minds transcend towards the reality of ‘adhamah and tremendousness. The human being has an infinite journey of tremendousness to undertake. Tremendous entities should therefore shake the human being and remind him of what kind of tremendousness he can attain.

- 1. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 83, p. 85.

- 2. Al-Qayyumi, Sahifah al-Hasan (‘a), p. 76.

- 3. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan, v. 11, p. 109.

- 4. Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A ‘mal, v. 2, p. 123.

- 5. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 103.

- 6. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 113.

- 7. Ibn al-‘Arabi, Kashf al-Ma‘na, p. 96.

- 8. Mulla Sadra, Sharh Usul al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 252.

- 9. Mulla Fayd al-Kashani, al-Wafi, v. 1, p. 466.

- 10. Abu Hilal al-‘Askari, al-Furuq al-Lughawiyyah, p. 375.

- 11. Imam ‘Ali (‘a), Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 213.

- 12. Imam as-Sajjad (‘a), as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah, Supplication 47.

- 13. Ibn Faris, Mujam Maqayis al-Lughah, v. 4, p. 355.

- 14. Ibn al-Athir, an-Nihayah fi Gharib al-Hadith, v. 3, pp. 259-260.

- 15. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 504.

- 16. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 195.

- 17. Shaykh as-Saduq, ‘Ilal ash-Sharayi, v. 1, p. 136.

- 18. Ibn Shahr Ashub, al-Manaqib, v. 4, p. 246.

- 19. Ayatullah Muhammad Ridha Rabbani, Jalawat-e Rabbani, v. 1, p. 27.

- 20. Sayyid al-Bahrani, al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 3, p. 15.

- 21. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, pp. 325-328.

- 22. Al-Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir, v. 4, p. 661.

- 23. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 380.

- 24. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizanfi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 1, p. 37.

- 25. Imam ‘Ali (‘a), Nahj al-Balaghah, p. 479, Subhi Salih ed.

- 26. Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli, Ganjine-ye Gawhar-e Rawan. p. 16.

- 27. Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli, Hezaro Yeh Nukteh, p. 867.

- 28. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 10, p. 16.

- 29. Mulla Sadra, Asrar al-Ayat, p. 29.

- 30. Al-‘Amili, al-Fusul al-Muhimmah, v. 1, pp. 353-354.

- 31. Al-Abtahi, ash-Shi'ah fi Ahadith al-Fariqayn, p. 534.

- 32. Ayatullah Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 1, p. 824.

- 33. Al-Ghazzali, Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din, v. 13, p. 4.

- 34. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa‘iz, p. 113.

- 35. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawaiz, p. 113.

- 36. Risalah fi al-‘Adalah, p. 75.

- 37. Jannat al-Aman, v. 1, p. 83.

- 38. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 603.

- 39. Mawla al-Mazandarani, Sharh Usui al-Kafi, v. 11, p. 22.

- 40. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 359.

- 41. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Khisal, p. 522.

- 42. Shaykh ash-Shahrudi, Mustadrak Safinat al-Bihar, v. 6, p. 343.

- 43. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 13, p. 57.

- 44. Imam as-Sajjad (‘a), as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah, Supplication 20.

- 45. Al-Ihsa’i, ‘Awali al-La’ali, v. 1, p. 141.

- 46. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 188.

- 47. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 172.

- 48. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 95.

- 49. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. l, p. 106.

- 50. Shaykh as-Saduq, ‘Ilal ash-Sharayi‘, v. 2, p. 467.

- 51. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 193.

- 52. Sayyid al-Bahrani, Madinat al-Ma‘ajiz, v. 7, p. 182.

- 53. Ayatullah Rayshahri, al-‘Ilm wa al-Hikmah fi al-Kitab wa as-Sunnah, p. 108.

- 54. ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 7, p. 226.

- 55. Ibn Shu‘bah, Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. 14.

- 56. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 15, p. 176.

- 57. Ayatullah Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 4, p. 3468.

- 58. Al-Tabrasi, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 12, p. 12.

- 59. Shaykh al-‘Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi'ah, v. 10, p. 400.

- 60. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 208.

- 61. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 122.

- 62. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 11, p. 188.

- 63. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 2, p. 27.

- 64. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 19.

- 65. Imam ‘Ali (‘a), Nahj al-Balaghah, v. 4, p. 37.

- 66. This is a reference to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (S) where, after being asked by his close companion Abu Dharr what Salat is, he is reported to have said ‘the best of what has been legislated (khayru mawdu‘)'. Ref: Shaykh al-‘Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi‘ah, v. 5, p. 248.

- 67. This is a reference to a tradition of Imam al-Baqir (‘a); ref: Ahmad al-Barqi, al- Mahasin, v. l, p. 44.

- 68. This is a reference to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (S). Ref: ash-Shahrudi, Mustadrak Safinat al-Bihar, v. 6, p. 343.

- 69. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 29, p. 259.

- 70. Mulla Fayd al-Kashani, Tafsir as-Safi, v. 5, p. 74.

- 71. Examples of such works are the Adab as-Salat and the Sirr as-Salat of Imam Khumayni and the Adab ash-Shari'ah of Sayyid Haydar al-Amuli. All these have been rendered into the English language and hence it is important for the true aspirants to read and reflect on them so that their devotions turn qualitatively superior and serve as means of elevation.

- 72. Imam Khumayni, Sharh Du ‘a’ as-Sahar, p. 16.

- 73. Mulla Fayd al-Kashani, al-Asfa fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 2, p. 822.

- 74. Al-Isfahani, Mufradatu Alfaz al-Qur’an al-Karim, p. 584.

- 75. Sayyid ‘Abd al-Husayn Tayyib, Atyab al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 4, p. 484.

- 76. There is a beautiful hadith from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) who is reported to have said: Indeed, Allah created four eyes for the people, two physical eyes with which they see the matters of the world, and two inner eyes with which they see the matters of the Hereafter; and indeed our true followers (Shias) possess four eyes, whereas Allah blindfolded the two inner eyes of our opponents.’ [Ash-Shahrudi, Mustadrak Safinat al-Bihar, v. 1, p. 361].

- 77. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Du‘a’ Kumayl, p. 114.

- 78. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Du‘a’ Kumayl, p. 114.

- 79. Ibn Shu‘bah, Tuhaf al-‘Uqul, p. 246.

- 80. Mulla Hadi Sabzawari, Sharh Nibras al-Huda, p. 92.

- 81. Ayatullah Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 4, p. 3473.

- 82. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 130.

- 83. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Khisal, p. 629.

- 84. Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli, Ilahi Nameh, http://www.ghadeer.org [9] [4-11-2013].

- 85. Al-Mawsu‘at al-Jami'ah fi Tafsir al-Ahlam, p. 151.

- 86. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawaiz, p. 257.

- 87. Ash-Shahrudi, Mustadrak Safinat al-Bihar, v. 5, pp. 361-362.

- 88. Al-Ihsa’i, ‘Awali ’ al-La’ali, v. 4, p. 86.

- 89. As-Saffar, Basa’ir al-Darajat, p. 104.

- 90. Shaykh Mufid, Kitab al-Irshad, v. 1, pp. 229-230.

Chapter 2 - A Commentary On: Ya Ghafuru Ya Rahim

A Commentary on the phrase Ya Ghafuru Ya Rahim

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

نَبِّئْ عِبَادِي أَنِّي أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Inform my servants that lam indeed, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful” (15:49).

…إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“... Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful” (39:53).

*****

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

As we said earlier, the literal meaning of hamd (praise) is to manifest the attributes of perfection of the object of praise (mahmud). Here, while we enumerate another two attributes of Allah and thereby praise Him, we also seek pardon and special mercy from Him. We must also understand that the Forgiver and the Merciful always has the upper hand (al-yad al-‘ulya) and is Exalted. Hence employing the vocative particle ‘ya’ is also apt as we call the Exalted Forgiver and Merciful.

يَا غَفُورُ ...

O All-Forgiving …

The trilateral root of the word ghafur, which is ghayn, fa, and ra’, literally signifies the act of concealing (as-Satr) something. Ibn Faris in his etymological lexicon Mu‘jam, defining the root of the word ghafur, says:

فالعمر: الستر والعفران والعفر: بمعنى

Thus al-ghafr means to hide (as-Satr); and al-ghufran and al-ghafr have the same meaning1.

Al-Azhan, in his comprehensive Arabic lexicon Tahdhib al-Lughah, mentioning the original meaning of al-ghafr says:

أصل الغفر الستر والتغطية، وغفر الله كلوية: أي سترها ولم يفضحه بها على رؤوس الملأ

The original meaning of al-ghafr is as-Satr (to hide) and al-taghtiyah (to cover)2, and [when we say] ghafar Allahu dhunuba.hu it means ‘Allah hid his sins and did not defame him through them in front of the masses3’.

According to al-Mustafawi, however, the root meaning of al-ghafr is mahw al-athar (to efface the trace). He believes that other meanings attributed to it such as-Satr (to hide) or al-taghtiyah (covering), etc. are the corollaries of mahw al-athar (to efface the trace)4.

In light of the aforesaid, we say that Almighty Allah is al-Ghafur, because He effaces and covers the sins of the sinful.

In order to know the nature of how He effaces the sins, let us look at an interesting hadith narrated by Shaykh al-Kulayni in his al-Kafi:

عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْن وَهْبٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (ع) يَقُولُ: إِذَا تَابَ الْعَبْدُ تَوْبَةً نصوحاً أَحَبَّهُ اللهُ فَسَتَرَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقُلْتُ: وَكَيْفَ يَسْتُرُ عَلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ: يُنْسِي مَلَكَيْهِ مَا كَانَا يَكْتُبَانِ عَلَيْهِ وَيُوحِي اللهُ إِلَى جَوَارِحِهِ وَإِلَى بِقَاعِ الْأَرْضِ أَنِ اكْتُمِي عَلَيْهِ ذُنُوبَهُ فَيَلْقَى اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ وَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ يَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ

Mu'awiyah Ibn Wahb is reported to have said: I heard Abu ‘Abdillah [as-Sadiq] (‘a) saying: When a servant [of Allah] returns in penitence with sincere repentance Allah loves him and thus, covers him. I asked [the Imam (‘a)]: And how does He cover him? He said: He makes his two angels [the recorders of deeds] forget what they would write against him, and Allah will inspire the members of his body and the places of the earth [informing them that]: hide his sins! Hence, he would meet Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, when he meets Him, in a state whereby there is nothing that bears witness against him with any of the sins5.

يَا غَفُورُ ...

O All-Forgiving …

When discussing the difference between al-ghufran and as-Satr, Abu Hilal al-‘Askari in his al-Furuq says:

الغفران أخص وهو يقتضي إيجاب الثواب

Al-ghufran (to forgive and cover) is more specific [than as-Satr], and it necessitates reward6.

Considering this subtlety, when we say Ya Ghafuru we are seeking more than the effacement of our sins.

يَا غَفُورُ ...

O All-Forgiving …

The word ghafur is also in the linguistic form of fa’ul which is a hyperbolic form (sighah mubalaghah) and hence it signifies abundance. Therefore ‘Ya Ghafuru literally means ‘O One who abundantly forgives’. It is also an assimilate epithet (sifah mushbihah) which signifies perpetuity and continuity, and hence it means ‘O One who always forgives abundantly’. There is another connotation that the linguistic form fa’ul also signifies, and that is excellence, perfection and inclusiveness. Hence, the word ghafuru would mean ‘One who always forgives completely and perfectly’7.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

The word rahim comes from the infinitive rahmah which means mercy. Rahim therefore means ‘the merciful’. And because it is both a hyperbolic form (sighah mubalaghah) and an assimilate epithet (sifah mushbihah), it signifies abundant and perpetual mercy. The mercy that the divine name Rahim signifies is also introduced in some of our hadiths as special divine mercy which only the believers enjoy. This mercy is related to matters such as faith and conviction, guidance, perfection, paradise, etc. It must be known, however, that Almighty Allah spreads His specific mercy to all, but the unbelievers hamper themselves from enjoying the same due to their own limitations.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

Al-Ghafur is a divine name that comes under the divine name ar-rahim, for the former is only one of the extensions (masadiq) of the latter. In simpler words, one of the examples of Allah’s special mercy is that He is al-Ghafur (the Coverer of sins). Hence, the reason for bringing ar-rahim is perhaps to seek more than just covering the sin and protecting the sinful servant from punishment. Perhaps it alludes to the removal of worry of the effects of sin as some scholars have alluded. It can also refer to changing sins into good deeds (tabdil as-sayyi’at ila al-hasanat).

Consider the following noteworthy anecdote:

إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) سَمِعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيْلَ الرَّحْمَنِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقُولُ: يَا كَرِيمَ الْعَفْوِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَوَ تَدْرِي يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ مَا كَرَمُ عَفْوِهِ؟ قَالَ: لَا يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ، قَالَ: إِنْ عَفَا عَنِ السَّيِّئَةِ كَتَبَهَا حَسَنَةً

It is narrated that Jibra’il (‘a) heard Ibrahim, the friend of the All-Beneficent, saying: O Noble Pardoner (Ya Karim al-Afw). So, he said to him: And do you know, O Ibrahim, what is the meaning of the nobility of His pardon? He (‘a) said: No, O Jibra’il. Jibra’il said: It means that if He pardons a misdeed, He writes it as a good deed8.

The Holy Qur’an alluding to this says:

إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

“Excepting those who repent, attain faith, and act righteously. For such, Allah will replace their misdeeds with good deeds, and Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful” (25:70).

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ

O All-Exalted, O Tremendous

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

Seeking pardon and special divine mercy are the foundational stages of attaining elevation (‘uluww) and greatness (‘apamali).

This is because one of the rudimentary levels of the spiritual journey to Allah, the insightful scholars believe, is al-takhliyah, which is to remove the dirt and taint of sin one has accumulated in one’s heart, before one can embellish oneself with divine attributes, which is technically known as al-tahliyah (self-beautification).

Briefly, the fundamental steps of spiritual progress according to the insightful scholars are as follows:

1) Al-Tajliyah (Strictly adhering to the apparent Islamic laws and refraining from whatever Islam has prohibited)

2) Al-Takhliyah (Cleaning oneself through the water of repentance and tawbah)

3) Al-Tahliyah (Beautifying oneself with the perfections of the Absolutely Beautiful according to one’s capacity)

4) Al-Fana’ (Dissolution in the Beloved, such that one visions that no identity exists save Allah)

Hence, by seeking forgiveness from Allah the sinful human being is clearing his heart so that he can beautify it with divine attributes.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

Invoking these divine names in this holy month alludes to the fact that it is a month of forgiveness and special divine mercy. In fact, one who is deprived of divine forgiveness in this holy month is termed ash-shaqi (wretched) in some traditions. In the well-known sermon preceding the holy month of Ramadan the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

فَإِنَّ الشَّقِيَّ مَنْ حُرِمَ غُفْرَانَ اللَّهِ فِي هَذَا الشَّهْرِ الْعَظِيمِ

For indeed, the wretched is he who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great month9.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

Invoking the divine names of forgiveness and mercy requires one to seek the causes that enable one to attract divine forgiveness and specific mercy. Otherwise, our invocation would be the mere movement of our tongues. The following are some of the many causes that the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have prescribed for the repentant ones:

1. Supplication

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

من قال حين يأخذ مَضْجَعَهُ ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ: «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَلَا فَقَهَرَ، وَالْحَمْدُ لله الذي بَعَن فَخَرَ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي مَلَكَ فَقَدَرَ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يُحْيِي السوق ويُمِيتُ الأَحْيَاء وَهُوَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرِ، خَرَجَ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ كَهَيْتَهُ م وكلمته أنه

Whosoever says the following three times when he retires to his bed: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, who is High and hence Dominant, and praise belongs to Allah who is Hidden and hence knows thoroughly, and praise belongs to Allah who owns and hence has power, and praise belongs to Allah who revives the dead and confers death to the living ones, and He is Powerful over everything’ would leave his sins like the day when his mother gave him birth10.

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَصُوْمُ فَيَقُولُ عِنْدَ إِفْطَارِهِ: «يَا عَظِيمُ يَا عَظِيمُ، أَنْتَ إِلهِي لَا إِلَهَ لي غَيْرُكَ اغْفِرْ لِي الذَّنْبَ الْعَظِيمَ إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنْبَ الْعَظِيمَ إِلَّا الْعَظِيمُ إِلَّا خَرَجَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَيَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

No servant of Allah fasts, and then says at the time of his iftar: ‘Ya Adhim Ya ‘Adhim, anta ilahi la ilaha li ghayruk ighfir li al-dhanb al-‘adhima, innahu la yaghfiru al-dhanba al-’adhima ilia al-Adhim (O Tremendous, O Tremendous, You are my God, I have no God other than You, Forgive for me the tremendous sin. Indeed, none forgives the tremendous sin save the Tremendous One)’ except that he leaves his sins like the day when his mother gave him birth11.

2. Washing The Dead

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

كَانَ فِيمَا نَاجَى اللَّهَ بِهِ مُوسَى قَالَ: يَا رَبِّ مَا لِمَنْ غَسَلَ الْمَوْتَى فَقَالَ: أُغَسِلُهُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَمَا وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

Among those things that Musa whispered to Allah was the following: O Lord, what reward is there for one who washes [the body of] the dead? Allah said: I would wash him from his sins, such that he is like when his mother gave him birth12.

3. Performing Hajj

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

الْحَجَّاجُ يَصْدُرُوْنَ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَصْنَافٍ صِنْفُ يُعْتَقُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَصِنْفُ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَهَيْئَةِ يَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَصِنْفُ يُحْفَظُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ، فَذَاكَ أَدْنَى مَا يَرْجِعُ بِهِ الحاج

The hujjaj leave in three categories: one category is that which is emancipated from Hell-Fire; another category is that which leave their sins like the day their mothers gave them birth; and another category is that whose family and wealth are safe; and that is the least that the pilgrim returns with13.

4. Ziyarah Of Imam Ar-Ridha (‘A)

Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said to a group of people from Qum:

مَرْحَبًا بِكُمْ وَأَهْلاً فَأَنْتُمْ شِيْعَتُنَا حَقًّا، وَسَيَأْتِي عَلَيْكُمْ يَوْمُ تَزُورُونِي فِيْهِ تُرْبَتِي بِطُوسٍ ، أَلَا فَمَنْ زَارَنِي وَهُوَ عَلَى غُسْلٍ خَرَجَ مِنْ ذُنُوْبِهِ كَيَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

Welcome, for you are truly our Shias, and you will experience a day when you will visit me in my burial place in Tus. Indeed, whosoever visits me in the state of having performed the major ablution (ghusl), would come out of his sins like the day his mother gave him birth14.

5. Ghusl On Specific Nights Of The Month Of Ramadan

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ اغْتَسَلَ لَيَالِي الْغُسْلِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَان خَرَجَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَهَيْئَةِ يَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ فَقُلْتُ: يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ (ص) مَا لَيَالِي الْغُسْلِ؟ قَالَ: لَيْلَةُ سَبْعَ عَشَرَة وَلَيْلَة تِسْعَ عَشَرَة وَلَيْلَة إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَلَيْلَةُ ثَلاَثَ وَعِشْرِينَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَان

Whosoever performs the major ablution (ghusl) on the nights of ghusl of the holy month of Ramadan, would leave his sins and come into a state like the day when his mother gave him birth. So, I asked: O son of the Apostle of Allah (S), what are the nights of ghusl? He said: the night of the seventeenth, nineteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-third of the month of Ramadan15.

6. Siyam (Fasting)

The following is a tradition from Imam al-Baqir (‘a) worthy of consideration:

عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ أَبَا جَعْفَر عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَالَ لَهُ: يَا جَابِرُ، مَنْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ فَصَامَ نَهَارَهُ، وَقَامَ وِرْدًا مِنْ لَيْلِهِ، وَحَفِظَ فَرْجَهُ وَلِسَانَهُ، وَغَضَّ بَصَرَهُ وَكَفَ أَذَاهُ، خَرَجَ مِنَ الذُّنُوْبِ كَيَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ، قَالَ جَابِرٍ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا مِنْ حَدِيثٍ قَالَ: مَا أَشَدُّ هَذَا مِنْ شَرْطٍا

Jabir is reported to have said: Abu Ja'far [al-Baqir] said to him: O Jabir, whosoever experiences the month of Ramadan, and fasts during its days and stands in remembrance of Allah during the night and protects his private parts and his tongue, and lowers his eyes [from the unlawful], and restrains from disturbing others, comes out from his sins like the day when his mother gave him birth. Thereupon Jabir said: I said to the Imam: May I be made your ransom, how beautiful is this tradition! The Imam (‘a) said: And how difficult are the conditions [to attain such forgiveness]!16

7. Salat (Prayer)

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِذَا قَامَ الْعَبْدُ لِلصَّلَاةِ، فَكَانَ هَوَاهُ وَقَلْبُهُ إِلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى، اِنْصَرَفَ كَيَوْمٍ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

When a servant of Allah stands for prayer, and his desire and heart is towards Allah, the Exalted, he would finish his prayer [and he would be] like the day his mother gave him birth17.

8. Love For Imam ‘Ali (‘A)

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

حُبُّ عَلِي يَأْكُلُ الذُّنُوبَ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ النَّارُ الْحَطَبَ

Love for ‘Ali (‘a) consumes the sins the way fire consumes firewood18.

9. Helping The Troubled

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

مِنْ كَفَّارَةِ الذُّنُوبِ الْعِظَامِ إِغَانَةُ الْمَلْهُوفِ، وَالتَّنَفُسُ عَنِ الْمَكْرُوبِ

Among those things that expiate tremendous sins are: helping the troubled, and comforting the anguished one19.

10. Sujud (Prostration Before Allah)

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ الله (ص) فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ الله (ص) كُثُرَتْ ذُنُونِي وَضَعُفَ عَمَلي، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله (ص) : أَكثر السُّجُودَ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْطُ الذُّنُوبَ كَمَا تَحْطُ الرِّيحُ وَرَقَ الشَّجَرِ

A man came to the Apostle of Allah (S) and said: O Apostle of Allah, my sins have increased and my action is weak. Thereupon the Apostle of Allah said: Frequent prostration, for surely it falls off the sins the way the wind fells the leaves off the tree20.

11. Salawat (Invoking Allah’s Abundant Mercy On Muhammad And His Household)

Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى مَا يُكَفِّرُ بِهِ ذُنُوبَهُ فَلْيُكْثِرُ مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ فَإِنَّهَا تَهْدِمُ الذُّنُوبَ هَدْمًا

Whosoever is unable to do what expiates his sins must invoke blessings on Muhammad and his progeny abundantly, for surely it thoroughly destroys the sins21.

12. Hasanat (Beautiful Deeds)

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إِذَا عَمِلْتَ سَيِّئَةً فَاعْمَلْ حَسَنَةٌ تَمْحُوهَا

If you do a bad deed, then do a good deed and you shall erase the bad deed22.

13. Musafahah (Shaking Hands)

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَيْنِ إِذَا الْتَقَيَا فَتَصَافَحَا أَدَخَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَدَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيَهُمَا وَأَقْبَلَ بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَى أَشَدِهِمَا حُبًّا لِصَاحِبِهِ، فَإِذَا أَقْبَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِوَجْهِهِ عَلَيْهِمَا تَحَانَتْ عَنْهُمَا الذُّنُوبُ كَمَا يَتَحَاتَ الْوَرَقُ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ

Indeed, when two believers meet and shake hands with one another, Allah places his hand between them, and inclines towards the one whose love for his companion is more intense; and when Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, inclines towards both of them, their sins fall off from them, the way leaves fall off from the tree23.

14. Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness)

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ اسْتَغْفَرَ الله مائة مرة حين ينامُ بَاتَ وَقَدْ تَحَاتَتْ عَنْهُ الذُّنُوبُ كُلُّهَا كَمَا يَتَحَاتُ الْوَرَقُ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَيَصْبَحُ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ ذَنْبٌ

Whosoever seeks forgiveness from Allah a hundred times before sleeping, would spend his night while all his sins would have fallen from him, the way leaves fall from the tree, and he would wake up while he has no sin upon him24.

The Importance Of Seeking Forgiveness At Pre-Dawn

The Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) highly emphasise that one should seek forgiveness during the sahr (pre-dawn) moments of every night. Enumerating the characteristics of the God-wary (muttaqun), Almighty Allah says:

الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُلْفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ

“The patient, and the truthful, and the obedient, and those who spend (benevolently) and those who ask forgiveness at the pre-dawn times” (3:17).

وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

“And at pre-dawn times they seek forgiveness” (51:18).

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

خَيْرُ وَقْتٍ دَعَوْتُمُ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيْهِ الأَسْحَارُ، وَتَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ فِي قَوْلِ يَعْقُوْب (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ): سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي قَالَ: أَخَّرَهُمْ إِلَى السَّحَرِ

The best time in which you can call Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, is at pre-dawn. Thereafter he read the following verse about the statement of Ya'qub (‘a): I shall soon seek forgiveness for you from my Lord. He then said: Prophet Ya‘qub delayed them until pre-dawn25.

The following are narratives worthy of reflection:

وروي أن داود (عليه السلام)، سأل جيرَئِيلَ عَنْ أَفْضَلِ الأَوْقَاتِ، قَالَ: لا أعْلَمُ إِلَّا أَنَّ الْعَرْشِ يَهْتَرُّ فِي الأَسْحَارِ

It is narrated that Prophet Dawud (‘a) asked Jibra’il (‘a) about the best of times. He said: I do not know, except that the Divine Throne shakes during the pre-dawn times26.

وَفِي وَصَايَا لَقَمَانَ لابيه: يا بني، لا يَكُوْنُ الدَيْكَ أَكْبَس مِنْكَ، يَقُوْمُ فِي وَقْتِ السَّحَرِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرِ، وَأَنتَ نَائِمُ

And from among the counsels of Luqman to his son is: O my dear little son, let not the cockerel be cleverer than you; it rises at the pre-dawn time and seeks forgiveness while you are asleep27.

15. Ziyarah Of Imam Al-Husayn (‘A)

Muammar reports: I heard Ziyad Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) saying:

مَنْ زَارَ قَرَ الحُسَيْنِ بْنَ عَلِيّ ( عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) لَا يُرِيدُ بِهِ إِلَّا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى غُفِرَ لَهُ جَمِيعُ ذُنُوبِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ، فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا مِنْ زِيَارَتِهِ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ لوبكم

Whosoever visits the grave of al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) and by that he does not desire save Allah, the Exalted, all his sins would be forgiven, even if they would be like the foam of the sea; therefore, frequent in visiting him, and Allah will forgive you your sins28.

16. Lawful Copulation Between A Believer And His Believing Wife

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إذا أقبل الرجل المؤمن على امرأته المؤمنة، الكتلفه ملكان، وكان كالشاهر سيقة في سبيل الله، فإذا فرغ منها تحالت عَنْهُ الذُّنُوبُ، كَمَا يَتَحَاتَ وَرَى الشَّجَرِ أَوَأَنَّ سُقُوظَهُ، فَإِذَا لَهُوَ اغْتَسَلَ السَّلحَ مِنَ الذُّنوب، فقالت إمراء بأبي أَنتَ وَأَتِي يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، هَذَا الرِّجَالِ، فما النساء؟ قال: إذا هي حملت كتب الله لما أخر الصائم القائم، فإذا أخذها الطلق لمْ يَدْرِ مَا لَهَا مِنَ الأَجْر إلا الله إذا وضعت كتب الله لها بكل مصةٍ يعني من الرضاع حَسَنَةً، وَلَهَا عَلها

When a believing man approaches his believing wife, two angels surround him and he is like one who unsheathes his sword in the way of Allah, and when he finishes his engagement with her, his sins fall off from him the way the leaves of a tree fall off during the autumn, and when he performs the ablution (ghusl), he is removed from his sins. [Thereupon a woman who was hearing the Prophet’s words said:] May my father and mother be your ransom, O Apostle of Allah, all this that you said is for men. What is there for the woman? He (‘a) said: If she gets pregnant Allah records for her the reward of the one who fasts and stands in prayer, when she experiences her labour pain, other than Allah no one knows what reward there is for her. And when she delivers, Allah writes for her a good deed and erases a bad deed every time the baby suckles when feeding29.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

By invoking the names al-Ghafuru and ar-Rahim, we seek divine forgiveness and mercy. We must remember, however, that ghufran and rahmah are of different levels. Narrations reveal that the Holy Prophet (S) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) would also seek forgiveness. Their istighfar however cannot be compared to ours. They neither committed major nor minor sins. They would also refrain from acts classified as abhorred (makruh). Furthermore, they would adhere not only to the obligatory acts, but even to the supererogatory acts. Then what is the meaning of their istighfar and their seeking forgiveness?

Scholars of insight inform us that although it was essential for the Holy Prophet (S) and his infallible progeny (‘a) to pay attention to the world and perform their divine duties of guiding the people, it would create a kind of discomfort and turbidity in them. They would seek forgiveness because of not having been able to be totally absorbed in Allah whilst attending to the world.

The late Imam Khumayni alludes to this in one of his sermons: Right from the Holy Prophet (S) until the Imam of the time (‘aj) all were afraid of sinning. Their sin was not what you and I possess. They comprehended such greatness that paying attention to the world of plurality was deemed as a major sin to them30.

The Comprehensive Spirit Of The Imam (‘A)

Some insightful scholars explain that many of the supplications of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are in reality due to the fact that they behold the sins of their nations as their own sins.

They have united with the spirits of their nations, and hence tangibly sense the agony and pain due to what their nations have committed. It is because of this very situation that you find them speaking of the different sins, which obviously is far from their exalted station of infallibility. Explaining this reality, Ayatullah Sa'adat Parwar in his masterpiece Nur-e Hidayat, says:

Imam (‘a) considers himself as the nation of his time, and the nation of his time as himself, and he also considers their conversations as his conversations. In other words, he considers the ummah to be his own spirit; and that is why he utters such expressions [of admitting to sins]31.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

While we recite Ya Ghafuru Ya Rahim and anticipate self-purification in order to be able to receive divine grace, we must also assimilate this attribute and forgive those who have done wrong to us. If we remind ourselves that the fundamental aim of our lives is to manifest Allah’s attributes, we would be convinced that the only right thing to do is to forgive those human beings who have done wrong to us, unless, however, they are antagonists of truth and have lost their aptitude to change and transform themselves. In the Holy Qur’an the expression, ‘...fa hum la yarji‘un [...and they shall not return (2:18)] is employed for them.

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) reminds us of the reality of assimilation in a very beautiful manner. He is reported to have said in a lengthy counsel to his companion, ‘Abdullah Ibn Jundab:

Forgive one who oppresses you the way you love to be forgiven, and take a lesson from Allah’s forgiveness to you32.

يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ

O All-Forgiving, O All-Merciful

When we are taught to invoke these beautiful names in this supplication, we are taught the culture of having hope in Allah. Only one who has hope of being forgiven will call Allah with the divine names Ya Ghafuru Ya. Rahim. Despair, therefore, must never overtake us. The Holy Qur’an says:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Say [that Allah declares]: ‘O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful” (39:53).

The language of this verse deserves meticulous reflection. The usage of ‘ya ‘ibadi (O My servants)’, the clause ‘Indeed, Allah forgives all sins and the clause ‘Indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful’ with their grammatical subtleties of emphasis and perpetuity leave no room for even thinking of despair. This is one verse where the language of divine love can be tangibly felt.

This transports us to the well-known quatrain of Abu Sa‘id Abu al-Khayr (d. 440/1048) when he says the following:

باز آ باز آ هر آنچه هستى باز آ * گر کافر و گبر و بت پرستى باز آ

ین درگه ما درگه نا امیدی نیست * صد بار اگر توبه شکستی باز آ

Come again, come again, whoever you are, come again!

Even if you are a disbeliever, fire-worshipper or idol-worshipper, come!

This portal of ours is not that of despair

Even if you break your penitence a hundred times, come again!33

In this beautiful quatrain, Abu Sa‘id paints a beautiful picture of divine mercy and forgiveness. As long as the human being truly comes to Allah penitently, He will not discard him but forgive him. Therefore, as we say Ya Ghafuru Ya Rahim we must not allow the least kind of despair into our hearts.

The following is an interesting anecdote narrated from volume two of the book Zubdat al-Qisas:

إِنَّ النَّبِي مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ نَادَى رَبَّهُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فِي مُنَاجَاتِهِ مِنْ فَوْقِ جَبَلِ الطُّورِ: يَا إِلَهُ الْعَالَمِينَ، فَجَاءَهُ الْجَوَابُ: لَبَّيْكَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا إِلَّهُ الْمُطِيعِيْنَ، فَجَاءَهُ الجواب: لَبَّيْكَ، ثُمَّ قَال: يَا إِلَه الْعَاصِينِ، فَجَاءَهُ الْجَوَابُ: لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ. فَقَالَ مُوسَى عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا وَعَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِلَهَيْ مَا الْحِكْمَةُ أَنَّنِي عِنْدَمَا دَعَوْتُكَ بِأَحْسَنِ أَسْمَائِكَ أَجَبْتَنِي مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَمَّا قُلْتُ: يَا إِلَهِ الْعَاصِيْنِ أَجَبْتَنِي ثَلاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَجَاءَهُ الْجَوَابُ : يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ الْعَارِفِينَ يَعُوْلُوْنَ عَلَى مَعْرِفَتِهِمْ وَالْمُحْسِنِينَ عَلَى إِحْسَانِهِمْ، وَالْمُطِبْعِينَ عَلَى طَاعَتِهِمْ، لَكِنَّ الْعَاصِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ سِوَايَ، فَإِنْ يَئِسُوا مِنِّي فَبِمَنْ يَلُوْذُوْنَ؟

Once Prophet Musa (‘a) called upon his Lord on Mount Sinai, ‘O God of the universe!’ And Allah responded, ‘Labbayk (Here I am).’ Musa (‘a) continued and called, ‘O God of the obedient ones!’ and Allah responded, ‘Labbayk (Here I am).’ Then Musa (‘a) said, ‘O God of the sinners!’ Upon this Allah said: ‘Labbayk, Labbayk, Labbayk!’ So Musa asked Allah, ‘O God, what is the wisdom behind responding to me only once when I called you with the best of Your names, and thrice when I said “O God of the sinners?” Allah said: ‘O Musa, surely the knowing ones rely on their recognition, the virtuous upon their virtue, and the obedient upon their obedience. But the sinful have none save Me. So if they despair from Me, with whom can they take refuge?’34

69

- 1. Ibn Faris, Mu jam Maqayis al-Lughah, v. 4, p. 385.

- 2. Al-Jawhari in his As-Sihdh also has a similar definition: Ref: Al-Jawhari, as-Sihah, v. 2, p. 770.

- 3. Al-Azhari, Tahdhib al-Lughah, v. 8, p. 112.

- 4. Al-Mustafawi, al-Tahqiq fi Kalimat al-Qur’an al-Karim, v. 7, p. 293.

- 5. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 436.

- 6. Abu Hilal al-‘Askari, al-Furuq fi al-Lughah, p. 230.

- 7. Sayyid ‘Ali Khan al-Madani, Riyad as-Salikin, v. 4, p. 144.

- 8. Riyad as-Salikin, v. l, p. 329.

- 9. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 93.

- 10. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 535.

- 11. Sayyid Radi al-Din Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A‘mal, v. 1, p. 24.

- 12. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 164.

- 13. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 253.

- 14. Shaykh as-Saduq, ‘Uyun Akhbar ar-Ridha’ (‘a), v. 1, p. 291.

- 15. Shaykh as-Saduq, Fada’il al-Ashhur al-Thalathah, pp. 137-138.

- 16. Al-‘Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi'ah, v. 10, pp. 303-304.

- 17. Mirza Nun, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 3, p. 59.

- 18. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 1, p. 136.

- 19. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 2, p. 1001.

- 20. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 2, p. 1001.

- 21. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 2, p. 1001.

- 22. Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v. 2, p. 1000.

- 23. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, pp. 179-180.

- 24. Al-‘Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi 'ah, v. 4, p. 1029.

- 25. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 477.

- 26. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 12, p. 146.

- 27. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 12, p. 146.

- 28. Ibn Qulawayh, Kamil az-Ziyarat, p. 275.

- 29. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 14, pp. 151-152.

- 30. Ayatullah Khumayni, Chehel Hadith, p. 342.

- 31. Ayatullah ‘Ah Sa‘adat Parwar, Nur-e Hidayat, pp. 114-115.

- 32. Ibn Shu‘bah al-Harrani, Tuhafal-'Uqul, p. 305.

- 33. Abu Sa‘id Abu al-Khayr, Ruba‘iyyat-e Abu Sa ‘id Abu al-Khayr.

- 34. Qasas al-Tawwabin, p. 198.

Chapter 3 - A Commentary On: Anta Ar-Rabbu Al-Adhim

A Commentary on the phrase Anta ar-Rabbu al-Adhim

أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

You are the Tremendous Lord

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

“So celebrate the name of your Lord, the Tremendous” (56:74; 56:96).

*****

أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

You are the Tremendous Lord

The definite article al that precedes the predicate Rabb in the sentence above signifies that the predicate (khabar) is exclusively for the subject (mubtada’). In simple words, by saying ‘Anta ar-Rabb al-Adhim we are trying to say that ‘You alone are the Tremendous Lord’.

أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

You are the Tremendous Lord

This verse reveals two important things:

(1) Allah is the Rabb, which lexically is defined as al-Malik al-Mudabbir (the Owner and the Manager)1. And since Allah is proven to be the Creator (al-Khaliq) of everything2; only He can be their Rabb. This is because only a creator can existentially own and manage his creation, for the real meaning of creation is the continual bestowal of the grace of existence. Contrary to the view of a misled group of deviant human beings who conjectured that a created entity can subsist without its creator, every created entity is actually created every moment anew, and hence is always and perpetually in need of its creator. The example of continual creation cited by the Qur’an is worthy of mention here:

وَتَرَى الْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِيَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ

“And you see the mountains, which you suppose to be stationary, while they drift like passing clouds...” (27:88).

(2) He is ar-Rabb al-Adhim (the Tremendous Lord). It must be noted that His tremendousness has no limits and bounds. Hence He is the Most Tremendous. In the well-known supplication of al-Jawshan al-Kabir we say:

يَا أَعْظَمَ مِنْ كُلِّ عَظِيمٍ

O More Tremendous than every tremendous one.

الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

The Tremendous Lord

Perhaps the reason why ar-Rabb was qualified with the adjective al-Adhim was to express the fact that Allah’s Rububiyyah (Lordship) covers everything. The Holy Qur’an says:

Holy Qur'an says:

وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ

“... His sovereignty extends the heavens and the earth...” (2:255).

The phrase ‘ as-Samawat wa al-ard’ actually alludes to the entire realm of creation.

الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

The Tremendous Lord

Some lexicographers like al-Isfahani have translated the word “rabb” to mean trainer. In his well-known Qur’anic lexicon called Mufradat Alfaz al-Qur’an, he says:

الرَّبُّ في الأصل: التربية، وهو إنشاء الشيء حالا فحالا إلى حد التمام

The origin of ar-Rabb is al-tarbiyah and that is to bring about something in gradual states until its level of completion3.

Another reason why ar-Rabb is qualified with the adjective al-‘Adhim can be to reveal the fact that He is a Lord who trains to make people ‘adhim and great. In other words, all His laws and commandments are for rendering the human being great and honourable.

أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

You are the Tremendous Lord

This is a confession on the part of the supplicant, and a confession follows knowledge. The insightful scholars not only mentally and conceptually understand that He alone is the Tremendous Lord, they actually behold and vision the same. The fundamental purpose of creation is to know the Lord (ma‘rifat ar-Rabb). This can be established by the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا

“It is Allah who has created seven heavens, and of the earth [a number] similar to them. The command gradually descends through them, that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends all things in knowledge” (65:12).

This verse clearly informs us that the purpose of creating the heavens and the earth is to realise the absolute knowledge and power of Allah, which actually alludes to divine lordship. Only the absolutely knowledgeable and powerful creates, owns and controls every being. Therefore, human struggle too should be aimed at the knowledge of divine lordship. And the fundamental key towards the knowledge of divine lordship is self-knowledge.

Consider the following noteworthy traditions:

a) The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

أَعْرَفُكُمْ بِنَفْسِهِ أَعْرَفُكُمْ بِرَبِّهِ

The most knowledgeable about himself from among you, has the most knowledge of his Lord4.

b) The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

من عرف نفسه فقد عرف ربه

Whosoever comes to know himself, has known his Lord5.

This hadith alludes to an important subtlety: one who struggles to know oneself will only achieve his ambition after having known his Lord. In other words, self-knowledge is only realised through the knowledge of the Lord.

c) Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

أَطْلُبُوا الْعِلْمَ وَلَوْ بِالصَّيْنِ، وَهُوَ عِلْمُ مَعْرِفَةِ النَّفْسِ وَفِيْهِ مَعْرِفَةُ الرَّبِّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

Seek knowledge even in China, and that is the knowledge of the gnosis of the self; and in it is the gnosis of the Lord, the Invincible and Majestic6.

d) Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

غَايَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةِ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ الْمَرْءُ نَفْسَهُ

The ultimate recognition is man’s recognition of his soul7.

e) Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يَجْهَلُ نَفْسَهُ كَيْفَ يَعْرِفُ رَبَّهُ

I wonder how a person who does not know himself, could know his Lord8.

f) Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ تَجَرَّدَ

Whosoever comes to recognise himself will attain freedom9.

g) Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ جَلَّ أَمْرُهُ

He who recognises his soul, his position will become great10.

It is imperative to know that these traditions are not merely speaking of conceptual knowledge. The fundamental kind of knowledge is knowledge by presence and intuition. And there is an ontological and existential link between the knowledge of one’s self and the knowledge of the Lord. This reality can also be understood by looking at the verse of mithaq (divine oath) as follows:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ

“When your Lord took from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants and made them witness themselves, [He said to them,] ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes indeed! We bear witness.’ [This,] lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Indeed, we were unaware of this.’” (7:172).

In this divine oath taken by Allah in the higher realm the descendants of Adam are made to witness themselves (ashhadahum ‘aid anfusihim) and are asked whether Allah is their Lord. This reveals that there is a close link between the vision of the self and the vision of the Lord. Otherwise, Allah may have said ‘wa ashhadahum ‘aid Rabbihim (and made them witness their Lord)’. Observe how the expression ‘and made them witness themselves’ is followed immediately by the expression ‘Am I not your Lord’, which subtly alludes to the connection between the knowledge of oneself and the knowledge of one’s Lord. The philosophers reckon such a link to be ontological and existential.

Alluding to this subtlety, martyr Murtada Mutahhari in one of his speeches says:

اینقدر خدا با بشر نزدیک است اینقدر خودشناسی و خداشناسی با یکدیگر آمیخته است میگوید بشرا خودت را ببین تا خودش را می بیند می گوید آیا من پروردگار تو نیستم؟ تو خودت را ببینی مرا دیده ای خودت را بشناسی مرا شناخته ای جمله من عرف نفسه فقد عرف ربه هر کس

خودش را بشناسد خدا را شناخته است.... امیر المؤمنین از این تعبیرات زیاد در کلماتش هست در کلمات پیغمبر اکرم (ص) نیز هست ولی به این زیبایی که در این آیه قرآن آمده احدی بیان نکرده است با آن لسان رمز آمیز قرآن بشر را به بشر ارائه داد و گفت خودت را ببین تا خودش را دید گفت مرا خوب می بینی؟ گفت: آری می بینم؛ نمی گوید من عرف نفسه فقد عرف ربه، دو تا معرفت ردیف نمی کند معرفت . خودت تا بعد از آن منتقل بشوی به معرفت خدا اینقدر این دو معرفت به هم نزدیک است که اگر این را ببینی آن را دیده ای تو را خوب

God is extremely close to human beings; the knowledge of the self and knowledge of the Lord are extremely fused with one other. God says: Mankind!

Look at yourself, and the moment he sees himself, God says: Am I not your Lord? If you see yourself, it is as if you have seen Me. If you have known yourself, you have known Me: Man ‘arafa nafsahu faqad ‘arafa Rabbahu (whosoever comes to know himself, has already known his Lord) ...

We find many such expressions in the words of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and we also find them in the words of the Holy Prophet (S). However, no one has expressed it in such a beautiful way as in this verse (7:172) of the Qur’an. It does not say ‘Whosoever comes to know himself, has already known his Lord’; it does not bring two kinds of knowledge side by side... these two are so close to each other that if you see this, you have already seen that11.

Hence, if we truly would like to bear witness and declare that only Allah is ar-Rabb al-‘Adhim, we must have knowledge about the same. And such knowledge must not be limited to conceptual knowledge which is the beginning of the path, but presential knowledge which is attained through self-struggle and self-purification. When one attains this, true and quality declaration can be realised.

أَنْتَ الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ

You are the Tremendous Lord

In the language of religion, expression is not a mere vocalisation. It rather reveals the reality of the state of the one who expresses. When one says, for example, ‘You are the Tremendous Lord’ one actually is a submissive servant, otherwise expression makes no sense. Declaring Allah’s Lordship therefore must not be a mere vocalisation and devoid of any practical representation. We noted earlier that ar-Rabb is also reckoned to have been derived from al-tarbiyah (training). If we declare that Allah is our Rabb, we must follow whatever He says, for every command of His is for our training, development and perfection.

The Holy Qur’an speaks about a group of people who say ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and enumerates some beautiful spiritual states for them. One cannot say that mere vocalisation and verbal expression of ‘Our Lord is Allah’ has made them achieve all that. It is rather their true belief in the Lordship of Allah and their respective actions that has made them enjoy the beautiful states.

Consider the following verses of the Qur’an:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

“Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah!’ and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them, [saying,] ‘Do not fear, nor be grieved! Receive the good news of the Garden of Heaven which you have been promised.’” (41:30).

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’ and then remain steadfast, they will have no fear, nor will they grieve” (46:13).

In short, declaration is only correct when one truly considers Allah as one’s Lord, and that is when one obeys the commands of Allah and accepts His training.

- 1. Ibn Faris, Mu jam Maqayis al-Lughah, v. 2, p. 381; Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-‘Arab, v. 1, p. 399; Ibn Durayd, Jumhurat al-Lughah, v. 1, p. 67; Al-Azhari, Tahdhib al-Lughah, v. 15, p. 128; Ibn Athir, an-nihayah ft Gharib al-Hadith wa al-Athar, v. 2, p. 179.

- 2. Refer to the Holy Qur’an 6:102.

- 3. Al-Isfahani, Mufradatu Alfaz al-Qur’an, v. 1, p. 336.

- 4. An-Nisaburi, Rawdat al-Wa‘izin, p. 20.

- 5. Al-Ihsa’i, Awali al-La’ali, v. 4, p. 102.

- 6. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 2, p. 32.

- 7. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawaiz, p. 348.

- 8. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawaiz, p. 329.

- 9. Al-Wasiti, ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawaiz, p. 452.

- 10. Al-Amadi, Tasnif Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim, p. 232.

- 11. Martyr Murtada Mutahhari, Majmu‘e-ye Athar-e Shahid Mutahhari (A Collection of the Works of Martyr Mutahhari), v. 13, pp. 353-354.

Chapter 4 - A Commentary On: Alladhi Laysa Ka-Mithli-hi Shay’

A Commentary on the phrase Alladhi laysa ka-mithli-hi shay’

الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

The like of Whom there is none

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“... Nothing is like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (42:11).

*****

التي

One who...

Alladhi is a relative pronoun that refers to and speaks about the Tremendous Lord (ar-Rabb al-‘Azlm). We describe Him as He describes Himself. He is one the like of whom there is none. This is because He is Essentially Independent and Infinite while the world of creation is dependent and finite.

الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

He, the like of whom there is none

Hence there is no comparison between Him and any kind of attributive lord that the ignorant ones try to believe in. In fact, since He is the Tremendous and Infinite Lord, no other being can ever be conceived.

In an interesting hadith narrated in al-Kafi of the esteemed muhaddith (narrator of hadith) Thiqat al-Islam al-Kulaynl, Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have asked Ibn ‘Umayr, one of his companions, about his understanding of the expression ‘Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greater)’, and Ibn ‘Umayr responded saying: ‘It means Allah is greater than everything.’ Thereupon the Imam (‘a) said:

وَكَانَ ثَمَ شَيْءٌ فَيَكُونُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ؟

Hence does it mean that there was something, so that He is greater than it?

Ibn ‘Umayr said:

وَمَا هُوَ؟

Then what does it mean?

The Imam (‘a) said:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوْصَفَ

Allah is greater than description1.

Those well-acquainted with subtle allusions comprehend how important and fundamental this tradition is. The Imam (‘a) actually does not conceive a second for God, whether before or after His existence, so that any comparison can be made.

…لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ

... There is none like Him

This phrase refers to the aforementioned Qur’anic verse Laysa kamithlihi shay’un wa Huwa as-Sami‘u al-Basir (Nothing is like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing) which reveals Allah’s transcendental reality.

The anthropomorphists (mushabbihah) overlooked this explicit direction and stumbled to believe that God resembles the human being.

- 1. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 118.

Chapter 5 - A Commentary On: Wa Huwa As-Sami‘U Al-Basir

A Commentary on the phrase Wa Huwa as-Sami‘u al-Basir

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

While He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“... Nothing is like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (42:11).

*****

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

While He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

Scholars of insight1 say that whereas the previous phrase (Laysa ka mithlihi shay’) which forms a part of verse 42:11 of the Holy Qur’an refers to Allah’s transcendence (tanzih), the phrase under discussion alludes to His immanence (tashbih). And this is the balance which true monotheists must observe.

The sentence Huwa as-Sami‘ al-Basir signifies that the two divine names belong only to Allah. This is because, as we came to learn earlier, according to the rules of Arabic grammar, when the definite article al is prefixed to the predicate of a sentence, it means that the predicate is restricted for the subject. In our case here the article al appears on both as-Sami‘u and al-Basir, which are predicates, and hence they are exclusively for the subject Huwa (He) i.e. Allah.

Fakhr al-Din ar-Razi in his exegesis of the Qur’an, Tafsir Mafatih al-Ghayb, when discussing the phrase ‘wa Huwa as-Sami‘u al-Basir says it signifies the restriction of the two attributes for God. Then he continues:

What then is the meaning of this restriction when the servants are also qualified with the two attributes? In response we say: as-Sami‘u and al-Basir are words that allude to [the] possession of these two attributes at their perfect level; and perfection in every attribute is for none other than Allah. This is the meaning of this restriction2.

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

While He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

Esteemed theologians opine that these are names that depict divine knowledge. They should not transport us to conjecture that Allah has ears or eyes as human beings do. In the words of Shaykh Mufid, Allah is:

عالم بالمسموعات والمبصرات

He knows the audibilities and visibilities3.

This is because He is the Primal Cause of everything. The Holy Qur’an says:

أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ

“Would He who has created not know? And He is the All-attentive, the All-aware” (67:14).

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

While He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

A thought-provoking opinion the insightful scholars give is that because whatever exists in the world is a self-manifestation (tajalli) of Allah, no one save He is a hearer and seer. The spiritual wayfarers who attain the peak of divine proximity literally behold this reality. Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ah Ibn Abl Talib (‘a), for example, is reported to have said:

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَقُولُ : عَلِيٌّ ... صِرَادُ اللهِ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ .... وَهُوَ عَيْنُ اللهِ النَّاظِرَة، وَأُذْنُهُ السَّامِعَةُ

I heard the Holy Prophet (S) say: ‘Ali is... the path of Allah, which is straight... He [‘Ah] is God’s eye that sees (‘ayn Allah an-nazirah), and His ear that listens (udhunuhu as-Sami‘ah)4.

In another tradition Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

فَتَحْنُ أُذْنُهُ السَّامِعَةُ وَعُيُونُهُ النَّاظِرَةُ

Thus, we are His [i.e. God’s] listening ear and beholding eye5.

This station of beholding the reality, the insightful scholars believe, is attained through obligatory actions legislated by Allah. In their terminology it is a station of divine proximity that is called qurb al-fara’id (proximity attained through obligatory deeds).

- 1. Ibn al-‘Arabi, Fusus al-Hikam, p. 70.

- 2. Fakhr al-Din ar-Razi, Tafsir Mafatih al-Ghayb, v. 27, p. 154.

- 3. Shaykh Mufid, an-Nukat al-I‘tiqadiyyah, p. 24.

- 4. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 40, p. 97.

- 5. As-Saffar, Basa’ir al-Darajat, p. 82.

Chapter 6 - A Commentary On: Wa Hadha Shahrun ‘Azzam-Ta-Hu

A Commentary on the phrase Wa hadha shahrun ‘azzam-ta-hu wa karram-ta-hu wa sharraf-tahu wa faddal-ta-hu ‘ala ash-Shuhur

وَهَذَا شَهْرُ عَظَّمْتَهُ وَكَرَّمْتَهُ وَشَرَّفْتَهُ وَفَضَّلْتَهُ عَلَى الشُّهُورِ

And this is a month, which You have magnified, ennobled, elevated, and made superior over the rest of the months

*****

وَهَذَا شَهْرُ…

And this is a month ...

The demonstrative noun hadha (this) may depict the month to be something concrete and tangible, and not accidental (‘aradi) in the philosophical sense of the word. In simple terms, a month is a period of time which does not have a concrete existence. It is a derivative of the movements of the earth around the sun, and not palpable like the earth and the sun themselves. Scholars of insight however consider that the higher realities of such accidental phenomena in the Hereafter have tangible existence. The great mystic Ayatullah Mirza Maliki Tabrizi, in his prayer manual al-Murdqabat says:

Know that although time, place and other inanimate objects lack comprehension in this world... all of them possess life, comprehension, speech, expression, love, and hatred in some of the higher realms of existence, as do many traditions about the states of the realms of Barzakh and the Resurrection, and intuitions of the folk of spiritual unfolding unravel1.

وَهَذَا شَهْرُ…

And this is a month ...

The word shahr in the Arabic language refers to a month. According to the authoritative Andalusian lexicographer Ibn Sida (d. 458 AH) it gained such a name due to its fame through the citing of the moon (li annahu yashharu bi al-qamar)2.

Interestingly, its English equivalent - month - has a similar derivation; it also draws its origin from the word moon3.

عَظَّمْتَهُ

which You have magnified ...

The word ‘azzama literally means ‘he made it very big or great’. According to some evidences, the cause of greatness of this month bestowed upon it by Allah, is due to the phenomenon of the Qur’an’s revelation, which transpires during a night that is better than a thousand months! (khayrun min alfi shahr). The Holy Qur’an actually introduces this month not with the act of fasting but with the fundamental phenomenon of the revelation of the Qur’an:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ ....

“The month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed...” (2:185).

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) in supplication forty-four of as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah says:

فَحَرَّمَ فِيْهِ مَا أَحَلَّ فِي غَيْرِهِ إِعْظَاماً

So He [Allah] prohibited in it what He made lawful in the rest of the months, for its magnification4.

Notice the word i‘zaman is employed, which like ta‘zaman signifies magnification.

In the supplication that our Twelfth Holy Imam (‘aj) recited after prayer on the Day of ‘Id al-Fitr, he says:

فَعَظَّمْتَ حُرْمَةً شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ... وَعَظَّمْتَهُ بِتَصْبِيرِكَ فِيهِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، فَقُلْتَ:

And You magnified the sanctity of the month of Ramadan with what You revealed therein of the Qur’an... and You magnified it by placing therein the Night of Determination, and You said:

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ،

“The Night of Determination is better than a thousand months” (97:3).

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ.

“In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every command” (97:5).

سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

“It is peaceful until the rising of the dawn” (97:5). 5

.... وَكَرَّمْتَهُ .

... and You have ennobled ...

Allah made this holy month karim and noble. Karamah according to some lexicographers signifies spiritual greatness. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a), describing how this month is ennobled by Allah, says in supplication forty-four of as-Sahifah:

وَحَجَرَ فِيهِ الْمَطَاعِمَ وَالْمَشَارِبَ إِكْرَاماً

He prohibited foods and drinks in it to ennoble it.

Actually, according to the Qur’an, the foundation and criterion of karamah (nobility) is taqwa (God-wariness). And because it is a month when taqwa is practically implemented it is a month of karamah (nobility).

This indicates that it is due to some of the things that human beings do in the holy month that makes it noble and great.

Another translation for karramtahu can also be ‘You have honoured it’. Thus not partaking of food and drink in the holy month, according to Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a), is to honour it.

... وَشَرَّفْتَهُ

... and elevated it

Allah made this month elevated (sharraftahu). Perhaps it is due to the facilities placed in this month for achieving spiritual elevation.

وَفَضَّلْتَهُ عَلَى الشُّهُورِ

and made superior over the rest of the months.

The well-known prophetic sermon of the holy month of Sha'ban al-Mu‘azzam alludes to expressions that reveal the superiority and excellence of this holy month. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

شَهْرُ هُو عِندَ اللهِ أَفْضَلُ الشُّهُورِ، وَأَيَّامُهُ أَفْضَلُ الْأَيَّامِ، وَلَيَالِيهِ أَفْضَلُ اللَّيَالِي، وَسَاعَاتُهُ أَفْضَلُ السَّاعَاتِ

It is a month which to Allah is the best of the months, its days the best of days, its nights the best of nights, its hours the best of hours.

Akin to the verse under discussion where the phrase ‘faddalta-hu (You made it superior)’ is employed, the word afdal is frequently used in the above sermon of the Holy Prophet (S) to signify the superiority of the month, its days, its nights and its hours.

In reality, the holy month of Ramadan is an opportunity for every penitent human being to progress and soar to divine proximity easily and quickly. Unlike the rest of the months, the holy month of Ramadan facilitates a speedy spiritual uplift for every true aspirant of change and transformation.

Hence, we must always seek divine help and succour to be resolute in utilising every moment of it.

- 1. Mirza Maliki Tabrizi, al-Muraqabat, pp. 409-410.

- 2. Az-Zubaydi, Taj al-‘Arus, v. 7, p. 66.

- 3. http://science.nasa.gov [10] [8/8/2012]

- 4. Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a), as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah, Supplication 44. Online at: https://www.al-islam.org/sahifa-al-kamilah-al-sajjadiyya-imam-ali-zayn-a... [11]

- 5. Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A ‘mal, v. 1, p. 469.

Chapter 7 - A Commentary On: Wa Huwa Ash-Shahru Alladhi

A Commentary on the phrase Wa huwa ash-Shahru alladhi farad-ta siyama-hu ‘alayya

وَهُوَ الشَّهْرُ الَّذِي فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ عَلَيَّ

And it is a month whose fast You have made compulsory on me

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be God-wary” (2:183).

... فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ...

“...So let those of you who witness it fast [in] it....” (2:185).

*****

... فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ ....

...whose fast You have made compulsory...

The phrase ‘farad-ta means ‘You made obligatory’. According to the well-known tradition of qurb al-fara’id (proximity through obligatory deeds) quoted by the insightful scholars, that which Allah has made obligatory makes one attain a higher degree of spiritual elevation than that which is recommended and supererogatory (an-nawafil). The clause mentioned in the tradition that emphasises this point is:

وَمَا يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْهِ

And My servant does not draw near to Me through a thing that I love, more than that which I have made obligatory on him1.

... فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ ....

...whose fast You have made compulsory...

It is important for us to realise that although the words farad-ta (You made [it] obligatory) apparently reveals divine majesty (Jalal) and calls us to be alert, but it encapsulates within itself nothing but divine beauty (Jamal), mercy, love and goodness. This is because there are ample benefits of fasting. In fact, according to a sacred tradition (hadith qudsi) narrated by the Holy Prophet (S), the reward of fasting is said to be Allah Himself:

يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: الصَّوْمُ لِي وَأَنَّا أَجْزَي بِهِ

Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, says: Fasting is for Me, and I am its reward2.

In other words, fasting enables one to soar to the heights of perfection and attain the proximity of Allah. For a detailed exposition of this reality, you may refer to pages 41 and 42 of our treatise: The Divine Invitation3.

... فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ عَلَيَّ

...whose fast You have made compulsory on me

The following verse of the Holy Qur’an alludes to the fact that fasting was made compulsory:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be God-wary” (2:183).

Unless one is faced by internal or external hurdles as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), it is compulsory on every male and female to fast in the holy month of Ramadan. The authorities of Islamic law have explained the details of the rules and regulations of fasting and every believer on whom fasting is obligatory must know them, in order to observe the fast as it must be observed, and to attain its material and spiritual benefits.

... فَرَضْتَ صِيَامَهُ عَلَيَّ

...whose fast You have made compulsory on me

Interestingly, instead of as-Sawm, the word as-Siyam has been employed. This subtlety shows us that what is actually required from us is the result of the action (natijat al-hadath) of sawm (fasting), and not only the act (hadath) of fasting (sawm). The word siyam, being the noun of the infinitive (ism al-masdar) and not an infinitive (masdar), linguistically signifies the result of fasting. And that is what is really important. This is because many of us fast, but reap substantially less than the potential benefits.

In short, what is anticipated from us is not merely the act of as-Sawm, but the state of as-SiYam, which is the spiritual result of fasting.

Small wonder it is that some traditions do not reckon the mere abstinence from food, drink, legal sexual union, etc. as the true act of fasting that is anticipated from a faithful one. Consider the following traditions:

1. Hadrat Fatimah az-Zahra’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَا يَصْنَعُ الصَّائِمُ بِصِيَامِهِ إِذَا لَمْ يَصُنُ لِسَانَهُ وَسَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ وَجَوَارِحَه

What should the fasting one do with his fast, if he did not protect his tongue, hearing, sight and members of his body?4

Hadrat Zahra’ (‘a) informs us indirectly that such a fast that only adheres to the apparent laws has little value.

2. Ibn ‘Ajlal reports from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a):

لَيْسَ الصِّيَامُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَ الشَّرَابِ أَنْ لَا يَأْكُلَ الْإِنْسَانُ وَلَا يَشْرَبَ فَقَطْ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا صُمْتَ فَلْيَصُمْ سَمْعُكَ وَبَصَرُكَ وَلِسَانُكَ وَبَطْنُكَ وَفَرْجُكَ وَاحْفَظُ يَدَكَ وَفَرْجَكَ وَأَكْثِرِ السُّكُوتَ إِلَّا مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَارْفُقْ بِخَادِمِكَ

Fasting from food and drink does not [merely] mean that the human being should not eat or drink; rather, when you fast, then your ears, eyes, tongue, stomach and private parts must [also] fast; and safeguard your hand and private part and observe silence most of the times save from what is good to say; and be kind to your servant5.

Here Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) informs his companion that when one fasts the commonly known physical fast one must understand that there is more to the outer rules and regulations. Fasting requires one to ensure that all the members of one’s body are also fasting.

3. Alluding to the real kind of fast anticipated from the servants of Allah, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) in his supplication on welcoming the holy month of Ramadan says:

وَأَعِنَّا عَلَى صِيَامِهِ بِكَفِّ الْجَوَارِحِ عَنْ مَعَاصِيْكَ، وَاسْتِعْمَالِهَا فِيهِ بِمَا يُرْضِيكَ حَتَّى لا تُصْغِي بِأَسْمَاعِنَا إِلَى لَغْوِ، وَلَا تُسْرِعَ بِأَبْصَارِنَا إِلَى لَهُرٍ، وَحَتَّى لا نَبْسُط أَيْدِينَا إلى محظور، وَلا تَفْعَلُو بِأَقْدَامِنَا إِلَى مَحْجُورٍ، وَحَتَّى لَا تَعِيَ بُطُونُنَا إِلا مَا أَحْلَلْت، ولا تنطق ألسنتنا إلا بِمَا مَثْلَتَ، وَلَا تَتَكَلَّفَ إلا ما يُدْنِي مِنْ ثَوَابِكَ، وَلَا نَتَعَاطَى إِلَّا الَّذِي يَقِي مِنْ عِقَابِكَ

And help us to fast in it by us restraining our limbs from acts of disobedience toward Thee and our employing them in that which pleases Thee, so that we lend not our ears to idle talk and hurry not with our eyes to diversion, we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited, our bellies hold only what Thou hast made lawful and our tongues speak only what Thou hast exemplified, we undertake nothing but what brings close to Thy reward and pursue nothing but what protects from Thy punishment!6

Note that Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (‘a) makes no mention of abstaining from food or drink when mentioning fasting although they are vital conditions for its validity. Rather he seeks the protection of the different members of the body from sin. The reason for this, perhaps, is to draw our attention to the spirit of the true fast.

In conclusion, one must aspire to achieve the fundamental purpose of fasting, and that is divine proximity. And that cannot be achieved save through taqwa (God-wariness) in different dimensions and levels. Hence, in addition to what one has been obliged to abstain from when fasting, one must also refrain from all those things that Allah is displeased with.

- 1. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 352.

- 2. Al-Maghribi, Da‘a’im al-Islam, v. 1, p. 270.

- 3. Available from The World Federation of KSIMC: www.world-federation.org; [12]
www.wfshop.org [13]
Online at: https://www.al-islam.org/short-treatise-divine-invitation-muhammad-m-kha... [14]

- 4. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 93, p. 295.

- 5. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 94, p. 352.

- 6. Imam as-Sajjad (‘a), as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah, Supplication 44.

Chapter 8 - A Commentary On: Wa Huwa Shahru Ramadan

A Commentary on the phrase Wa huwa shahru Ramadan

وَهُوَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ

And it is the month of Ramadan

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ .

“The month of Ramadan is one in which the Qur’an was sent down ....” (2:185).

*****

وَهُوَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ

And it is the month of Ramadan

It is the month of Allah, because Ramadan is one of the divine names. In a hadith narrated in Basa’ir al-Darajat, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said the following to some of his companions:

لا تقولوا هذا رَمَضَان ولا ذَهَب رَمَضَانُ وَلَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فَإِنَّ رَمَضَانَ اسْمُ من أسماء الله لا يجي، ولا يَذْهَبُ وَإنَّما يجيءُ وَيَذْهَبُ الزَّائِلُ وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ

Do not say ‘This is Ramadan’, nor say ‘Ramadan went’ or ‘Ramadan has come’, for surely Ramadan is a name among the names of Allah; neither does it come, nor does it go; and indeed, only one who perishes comes and goes; instead, say: ‘The month of Ramadan’1

Some scholars however opine that what is important here is the intention of a person saying Ramadan. If he were to say it knowing the fact that he is referring to the month of Ramadan, then it would be acceptable.

وَهُوَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ

And it is the month of Ramadan

It is a month that burns off one’s sins. In a hadith, the Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ رَمَضَانُ رَمَضَانَ لأَنَّهُ تُرْمَضُ فِيهِ الذُّنُوبُ أَي تُحْرَق

And indeed, the month of Ramadan was named Ramadan because sins are burned therein.2

In simple words, the word Ramadan is the infinitive of the verb ramada, which means ihtaraqa (it got burnt).

- 1. As-Saffar, Basa’ir al-Darajat, p. 331.

- 2. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 7, p. 484.

Chapter 9 - A Commentary On: Alladhi Anzal-ta Fi-hi Al-Qur’an

A Commentary on the phrase Alladhi anzal-ta fi-hi al-Qur’an

... الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ

in which You sent down the Qur’an

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ

“The month of Ramadan is one in which the Qur’an was sent down ....” (2:185).

*****

الَّذِي

One who…

Alladhi here is a relative pronoun that refers to and speaks about the holy month of Ramadan. In simple words, it reveals that what follows is a description of what precedes it. And since this supplication is taught by our Imams (‘a), it is imperative for us to introduce the holy month in a similar way when we would like to talk about it. Furthermore, the description that is to follow has been taken from the Holy Qur’an, and is therefore the best and most accurate description.

…أَنْزَلْتَ…

... You sent down ...

The infinitive of the past tense verb anzalta is al-inzal (to send down all at once) which refers to the all-at-once revelation that occurred on the Night of Determination. The gradual revelation of the Qur’an, however, is known as al-tanzil which transpired over the course of twenty-three years. The following are references to the two kinds of revelation:

(A) Al-Inzal (Collective Revelation)

The Holy Qur’an says:

وَهَٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنْذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا ۚ وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

“Blessed is this Book which We have sent down, confirming what was revealed before it, so that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are watchful of their prayers” (6:92).

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

“Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that you may apply reason” (12:2).

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

“Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment” (97:1).

(B) Al-Tanzil (Gradual Revelation):

The Holy Qur’an says:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

“Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We will preserve it” (15:9).

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

“The day We raise in every nation a witness against them from among themselves, We shall bring you as a witness against these. We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims” (16:89).

Notice carefully that whereas in the first set of verses the verbs anzalna (We sent down all-at-once) have been employed the second set of verses contain the verbs nazzalna (We sent down gradually).

In the phrase under discussion, as we mentioned in the beginning, what is referred to is the revelation of the Qur’an in its entirety on the heart of the Holy Prophet (S), and not the gradual revelation that occurred over twenty-three years in the Prophet (S)’s life.

الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ

which You sent down...

Note that the phrase ‘anzal-ta (You sent it down)’ signifies that Allah Himself brings down the Qur’an. One must not conjecture therefore that the intermediaries have any kind of independent power, knowledge or volition.

فِيهِ

...in which [You sent down the Qur’an]...

The pronoun hu in the phrase fi-hi refers to the holy month of Ramadan, for the Qur’an was revealed on Laylat al-Qadr which is in the holy month of Ramadan.

أَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ

in which You sent down the Qur’an

We must note that the Qur’an is the most comprehensive message of Allah and thus it requires a heart that is most comprehensive. The Holy Prophet (S) and his infallible progeny (‘a) enjoy the most comprehensive hearts and can thus contain the Qur’an.

No wonder that they are also known to be Laylat al-Qadr themselves. In a beautiful hadith narrated from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a), Laylat al-Qadr is known to signify the blessed being of Hadrat Fatimah Zahra’ (‘a), who, resembling the Qur’anic receptacle of her father, can also contain the Qur’an.

‘Allamah al-Majlisi in his Bihar al-Anwar narrates from Tafsir Furat al-Kufi which narrates a hadith from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) who is reported to have said:

(إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ)

Indeed, We sent it down in the Night of Qadr (97:1)

اللَّيْلَةُ فَاطِمَة الزَّهْرَاءِ وَالْقَدْرُ اللَّهُ فَمَنْ عَرَفَ فَاطِمَةَ حَقَّ مَعْرِفَتِهَا فَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَتْ فَاطِمَة لَأَنَّ الْخَلْقَ فُطِمُوْا عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِهَا

Night here refers to Fatimah (‘a) and Qadr refers to Allah; whosoever knows Fatimah the way she ought to be known has indeed, experienced the Night of Qadr; and indeed, Fatimah was known as Fatimah because the creation were detached from knowledge about her1.

In our epoch, the receptacle is the heart of the Imam of the time (‘aj). The Holy Qur’an is truly comprehended by his lofty heart.

‘Ah Ibn Ibrahim in his exegesis of Qur’an called Tafsir al-Qummi, commenting on the verse ‘the angels and the Spirit descend in it...’ says:

تنزل الملائكة وروح القدس على إمام الزمان، ويدفعون إليه ما قد كتبوه من هذه الأمور

The angels and the Holy Spirit descend on the Imam of the Time; they convey to him what they wrote of these matters2.

In another hadith Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is asked whether he knew when Laylat al-Qadr is, and he said:

وَكَيْفَ لَا نَعْرِف لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ تَطُوْفُ بِنَا فِيهَا

And how can we not know [the Night of Determination] while the angels circumambulate around us therein!3

In conclusion: the following are two kinds of receptacles of the Qur’an:

(1) The receptacle of time which is one of the great nights of the

holy month of Ramadan, and,

(2) The human receptacle, which is the comprehensive heart of the Holy Prophet (S) or that of any of the rest of the fourteen Infallibles of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).

…أَنْزَلْتَ…

... You sent down ...

The scholars of insight opine that the sending down (al-inzal) of the Qur’an should not transport us to the descent of a material entity which transpires by displacement (al-tajafi) signifying that the origin remains empty after the entity has descended. Rather, the descent of the Qur’an is through al-tajalli, which means that that which is received by the heart is a lower manifestation of that which is with God.

…أَنْزَلْتَ…

... You sent down ...

Scholars of insight also inform us that al-inzal or descent of the Qur’an is another expression for the ascent of the Muhammadan heart. This is a Qur’anic and intellectual reality.

... الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ

in which You sent down the Qur’an

The trilateral root meaning of the word Qur’an is jam ‘ (to gather). Some scholars opine that it is known to be so because it gathers in itself its chapters (yajma‘ as-Suwar) or the fruits of the previous heavenly scriptures (yajma‘ thamarat al-kutub as-Samawiyyah).

While elucidating the root word of Qur’an, Ibn Faris, explaining why the Qur’an is called ‘Qur’an’, says:

كأنه سمى بذلك لجمعه ما فيه من الأحكام والقصص وغير ذلك

It seems that it was called that because it gathers what it contains of the [Islamic] laws, stories, and other matters4.

... الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ

in which You sent down the Qur’an

It is imperative to know that the Holy Qur’an has two different levels of existence: the non-composite level (basit) which is with Allah, and the composite and fragmented (murakkab) that was sent gradually in the course of twenty-three years of the Holy Prophet (S)’s life.

With regard to the first reality Allah says:

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ

“Indeed, it is the noble Qur’an ” (56:77).

فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ

“In the hidden book” (56:78).

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

“None save the purified ones touch it” (56:79).

Only those close to Allah whose hearts have been purified like the infallible Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), have access to this high level of the Holy Qur’an near Allah.

In chapter 43, Allah says:

وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ

“And indeed, it [the Qur’an] is with Us in the Mother Book [and it is] surely sublime and wise” (43:4).

This verse, according to insightful exegetes, alludes to the Qur’an in its original station, which is introduced as la-‘aliyyun hakim (sublime and wise) because it is beyond the access of the common intellect, and it has no sections or parts5.

With regard to the second reality Allah says:

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًا

“We have sent the Qur’an in [discrete] parts so that you may read it to the people a little at a time, and We have sent it down piecemeal” (17:106).

Commenting on this verse, ‘Allamah Tabataba’i says:

وهو ظاهر في نزوله تدريجا في مجموع مدة الدعوة وهي ثلث وعشرون سنة تقريبا، والمتواتر من التاريخ يدل على ذلك

And this [verse] apparently signifies that the Qur’an was sent gradually within the total period of the Prophet (S)’s call which is approximately twenty-three years, and successively narrated historical evidence reveals this6.

- 1. ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 43, p. 65.

- 2. Al-Qummi, Tafsir Al-Qummi, v. 2, p. 431.

- 3. Sayyid al-Bahrani, Tafsir al-Burhan, v. 5, p. 715.

- 4. Ibn Faris, Mu jam Maqayis al-Lughah, v. 5, p. 79.

- 5. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 2, p. 17.

- 6. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 2, p. 15.

Chapter 10 - A Commentary On: Hudan li ‘n-Nasi wa Bayyinatin

A Commentary on the phrase Hudan li ‘n-Nasi wa bayyinatin min al-huda wa al-furqan

هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ

A guidance for people and clear proofs of guidance and the criterion

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ

“The month of Ramadan is one in which the Qur’an was sent down as guidance to mankind, with manifest proofs of guidance and the criterion ....” (2:185).

*****

هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ

Guidance for people

Therefore, my duty as a Muslim is not merely to read it with proper pronunciation, but rather to struggle and attain its meaning so that I can follow the same and thus be guided. This is the fundamental purpose of the Qur’an.

هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ

Guidance for people

Qur’an is a guidance for all people (li an-nas). The Holy Qur’an says:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ

“The month of Ramadan is one in which the Qur’an was sent down as guidance to mankind, with manifest proofs of guidance and the criterion... “(2:185).

It informs us that the teachings of the Qur’an are not meant for Muslims only, but are for an-nas which means ‘all the people’ or ‘mankind’ in general. Hence those who have taken the responsibility to spread the word of the truth must try to present it in a way that attracts an-nas (everyone). Furthermore, there are several verses in the Qur’an where Allah, the All-Merciful, addresses the human beings in general, and no specific group of believers is addressed.

The following are some examples worthy of reflection:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O mankind'. Worship your Lord, who created you and those who were before you, so that you may be God-wary” (2:21).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ

“O mankind’. Eat of what is lawful and pure in the earth, and do not follow in Satan’s steps. Indeed, he is your manifest enemy” (2:168).

ا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

“O mankind'. Be wary of your Lord who created you from a single soul, and created its mate from it, and, from the two of them, scattered numerous men and women. Be wary of Allah, in whose name you adjure one another, and the wombs. Indeed, Allah is watchful over you” (4:1).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بُرْهَانٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُبِينًا

“O mankind! Certainly, a proof has come to you from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a manifest light” (4:174).

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ دِينِي فَلَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنْ أَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“Say, ‘O people! If you are in doubt about my religion, then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship besides Allah. Rather I worship only Allah, who causes you to die, and I have been commanded to be among the faithful’” (10:104).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِنَ الْبَعْثِ فَإِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ مُضْغَةٍ مُخَلَّقَةٍ وَغَيْرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ لِنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ ۚ وَنُقِرُّ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ مَا نَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ نُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ۖ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُتَوَفَّىٰ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْلَا يَعْلَمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ عِلْمٍ شَيْئًا

“O people! If you are in doubt about the resurrection, [consider that] We indeed, created you from dust, then from a drop of [seminal] fluid, then from a clinging mass, then from a fleshy tissue, partly formed and partly unformed, so that We may manifest [Our power] to you. We establish in the wombs whatever We wish for a specified term, then We bring you forth as infants, then [We rear you] so that you may come of age. [Then] there are some of you who are taken away, and there are some of you who are relegated to the nethermost age, so that he knows nothing after [having possessed] some knowledge...” (22:5).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ ۖ وَإِنْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَا يَسْتَنْقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ۚ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ

“O mankind! Listen to a parable that is being drawn: Indeed, those whom you invoke besides Allah will never create [even] a fly, even if they all rallied to do so! And if a fly should take away something from them, they cannot recover that from it. Feeble is the seeker and the sought!” (22:73).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ

“O mankind'. Remember Allah’s blessing upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the sky and the earth? There is no god except Him. So where do you stray?” (35:3).

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ

“O mankind! You are the ones who stand in need of Allah, and Allah - He is the All-Sufficient, the All-Laudable” (35:15).

Hence one of the challenges the Muslims face is to present the Qur’an in such a way that non-Muslims are attracted to it and aspire to read it. In our translations for example, a blend of simplicity, clarity and succinctness is essential. The kind of pages, fonts, typesetting, etc. is also another dimension which must not be overlooked. Advertising it in different areas according to the environment and atmosphere is also another issue. In short, the Qur’an is also for Ya ayyuha an-nas (O mankind!), and hence let us not limit it to Ya ayyuha-lladhina amanu (O you who believe!).

Is There Any Contradiction?

It may be argued that this verse contradicts the verse

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“That is the Book, in which there is no doubt, a guidance for the God-wary” (2:2)

which states that the Qur’an is a guidance for the God-wary in particular. In response we mention the following two probabilities:

1. the first verse is general and the second is specific, and hence there is no contradiction, and

2. the first refers to initial guidance which is the conceptual knowledge of the truth, whereas the second refers to existential transformation and change which is belief, action, spiritual elevation, etc. all of which are specific to the muttaqun (God-wary).

وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى…

and Clear Proofs of Guidance...

The Qur’an is a book of clear proofs of guidance. The word bayyinat is the plural of bayyinah which signifies a clear proof. In the verse 2:185 quoted previously, the phrase ‘...with clear proofs of guidance...’ reveals this reality.

…وَالْفُرْقَانِ

...and the criterion

The Qur’an is a criterion that enables us to distinguish between the truth and falsehood. Al-Furqan is another name of the Holy Qur’an. Referring to this name, the Holy Qur’an says:

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ

“He has sent down to you the Book with the truth confirming what was [revealed] before it, and He had sent down the Torah and the Evangel before as guidance for mankind, and He has sent down the Criterion” (3:3).

مِنْ قَبْلُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ

“Indeed, those who defy the signs of Allah, there is a severe punishment for them; and Allah is All-Mighty, Avenger” (3:4).

Shaykh Fakhr al-Din al-Turayhi (d. 1085), the venerable Shia lexicographer, says:

وكل ما فرق به بين الحق والباطل فهو فرقان .....

And that by which is distinguished between truth and falsehood is furqan...1

Explaining the meaning of al-Furqan, Amin al-Islam Shaykh al-Tabrasi (d. 548) says:

ومن أسمائه الفرقان: سمي بذلك لأنه يفرق بين الحق والباطل بأدلته الدالة على صحة الحق فبطلان الباطل

The Qur’an is called that [i.e. al-Furqan] because it distinguishes between truth and falsehood (li annahu yufarriqu bayna al-haqq wa al batil) through its proofs that show the correctness of truth and the invalidity of falsehood2.

- 1. Shaykh al-Turayhi, Majma‘ al-Bahrayn, v. 3, p. 393.

- 2. Shaykh al-Tabrasi, Tafsir Majma‘ al-Bayan, v. 1, p. 41.

Chapter 11 - A Commentary On: Wa Ja‘al-Ta Fi-hi Laylat Al-Qadr

A Commentary on the phrase Wa ja‘al-ta fi-hi laylat al-Qadr

وَجَعَلْتَ فِيهِ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

And You placed therein the Night of Determination

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ…

“The month of Ramadan is one in which the Qur’an was sent down ....” (2:185).

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

“Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Greatness” (42:4).

*****

لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

The Night of Greatness

The word qadr is sometimes employed to signify ‘adhamah (greatness). So great is this night that the human being is challenged about its comprehension. Allah, the Exalted, says in the Qur’an:

“And what will show you what is the Night of Greatness?” (97:2).

In his Qur’anic exegesis al-Mizan, ‘Allamah Tabataba’i commenting on this verse says:

“This is a metonymy (kinayah) signifying the loftiness of the value of this night and the greatness of its station”1

لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

The Night of Greatness

The word qadr is sometimes employed to signify al-taqdir (determination): Allah placed in this holy month a night in which the affairs of people for the entire year are determined. In a Hadith narrated from Fadi Ibn Shadhan, Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) explaining Laylat al-Qadr, says:

وَيُقَدَّرُ فِيهَا مَا يَكُونُ فِي السَّنَةِ مِنْ خَيْرٍ أَوْ شَرٍ أَوْ مَضَرَةٍ أَوْ مَنْفَعَةٍ أَوْ رِزْقٍ أَوْ أَجَلٍ، وَلِذَلِكَ سُمِّيَتْ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

And in it is determined what will happen that year: the good, the evil, the harm, the benefit, the provision and one’s life span; and for this reason it was named the Night of Determination2.

Is Determination Compulsion?

It is imperative to know that when we speak of taqdir and the determination of virtues, evils, rewards, punishment, etc. that will transpire throughout the year, we do not speak of something that evades the volition of the human being and his effects. That which is determined for the year is the result of one’s struggle and achievement on the Night of Determination. And it is drawn from the pre-eternal knowledge of Allah and does not contradict the human will and choice.

Therefore if, for example, one struggles on the Night of Determination, seeks divine forgiveness, prays and asks for material and spiritual advantages of life, Allah will destine for one with whatever one deserves throughout the year. Obviously, that does not mean that his volition will lose its value in that period. Rather, he would have earned a level that would enable him to volitionally perform specific things that would have its respective positive results. Hence, it is incorrect to question that if for example, lots of divine bounties are written for one, but later during the year one performs deeds that deprive one from such bounties, will one’s destiny change?

This is because due to one’s struggle on the great nights one has attained such a level that one would always do things that would facilitate divine bounties. Likewise, is the situation with one who was heedless on the great nights: since one has not acquired a desired level of perfection, one can be inclined to deeds of evil, and of afflictions, etc.

Hence what is given to the divine receptacle is from the pre-eternal source of divine knowledge which completely accords to what will transpire throughout the year. It is not a compulsion and coercion, but a definite foresight provided by Allah who has the Mother of the Book (Umm al-Kitab) which never changes.

لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

The Night of Greatness

In our traditions we are taught to observe night vigil during three specific nights: the nineteenth, the twenty-first and the twenty-third of Ramadan. Which, then, is specifically the Laylat al- Qadr?

According to a tradition, the twenty-third is explicitly known as the Night of Qadr.

Sufyan Ibn as-Simti narrates:

قُلْتُ لأبي عَبْدِ اللهِ (ع) أَفْرِدْ لِي لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، قَالَ: لَيْلَةُ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِين

I asked Aba ‘Abdillah [as-Sadiq] (‘a): Specify for me which night particularly is Laylat al-Qadr? He said: The twenty-third night3.

In another tradition, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is asked: How do I know that Laylatul Qadr takes place every year? And he replied:

إِذَا أَتَى شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ، فَاقْرَأْ سُورَةَ الدُّخَانِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ، فَإِذَا أَتَتْ لَيْلَةُ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ، فَإِنَّكَ نَاظِرُ إِلَى تَصْدِيقِ الَّذِي سَأَلْتَ عَنْهُ

When the month of Ramadan arrives, recite Surat al- Dukhan [chapter 44 of the Qur’an] a hundred times every night, and when the twenty-third night arrives, indeed, you shall behold the verification that you asked about4.

However, this does not mean that the nineteenth and twenty-first nights have no significance. Each of the three nights has a decisive role to play. Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (ع) عَنْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ - قَالَ: فِي لَيْلَتَيْنِ: لَيْلَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَإِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: أَفْرِدْ لِي إِحْدَاهُمَا، قال: وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَعْمَلَ فِي لَيْلَتَيْنِ هِيَ إِحْدَاهُمَا

‘Abd al-Wahid Ibn Mukhtar narrates: I asked Aba Ja‘far [Imam al-Baqir (‘a)] about Laylat al-Qadr and he said: It is in two nights, the twenty-third and the twenty-first.

I then asked: Specify for me which of them is the particular night? He replied: What is the issue if you worship in the two nights, one of which is the [very] night?5

If we look at other traditions we shall come to realise that the nineteenth and twenty-first nights serve as preliminaries to the twenty-third. Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ زُرَارَةً قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (ع) : التَّقْدِيرُ فِي لَيْلَةِ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ، وَالْإِبْرَامُ فِي لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ، وَالْإِمْضَاءُ فِي لَيْلَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَعَشْرِينَ

Zurarah is reported to have narrated from Imam al- Sadiq (‘a): Determination (al-taqdir) is on the nineteenth night, establishment (al-ibrani) is on the twenty-first night, and signing off (al-imda’) is on the twenty-third night6.

This tradition apparently informs us that the twenty-third night is the pinnacle and it is the night when the final resolution is given. Hence one must try to continue one’s struggle before that. In fact, struggle and preparation begins from the very first night of the holy month of Ramadan or even much earlier!

لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

The Night of Greatness

The insightful scholars have written in their works that the reality of Laylat al-Qadr is Yawm al-Qiyamah (the Day of Judgement). The former is the descent of the reality of the latter. In his Forty Traditions, Imam Khumayni, under his discussion on the exegesis of Surat al-Tawhid and some verses of Surat al-Hadid, says:

According to the creed of gnosis, the descending levels of existence until the lowest point - which is the plane of concealment of the sun of existence by curtains of finitude and differentiation (ta‘ayyunaf) - constitute the reality of the Night of Determination and the beginning of the Day of Resurrection is from the first stage of return of mulk (the terrestrial realm) to malakut (the celestial realm) and removal of the curtains of ta‘ayyunat to the ultimate levels of manifestation and return, which is the complete appearance of the Greatest Resurrection (Qiyamat al-Kubra)7.

Comprehension of Laylat al-Qadr therefore is perhaps in appreciating the reality of the Judgement Day.

لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ

The Night of Greatness

In his mystical masterpiece Misbah al-Hiddyah, Imam Khumayni says:

Our Shaykh and teacher in divine knowledge and teachings, the perfect gnostic, Mirza Muhammad ‘Ah Shah Abadi Isfahan!, may God make the days of his blessings last, in reply to my question about the manner of divine revelation in the very first meeting that I was honoured with his presence, said, among other things, thus: the Ha’ (it) in the divine words, ‘Inna anzalnahu fi Laylat al-Qadr (Indeed, We revealed IT on the Night of Determination)’ is an allusion to the unseen reality (al-haqiqah al-ghaybiyyah) sent down in the Muhammadan structure (al-Bunyah al- Muhammadiyyah), which is the reality of the Night of Determination8.

- 1. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan, v. 20, p. 332.

- 2. Shaykh as-Saduq, ‘Ilal ash-Sharayi‘, v. 1, p. 270.

- 3. Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A‘mal, v. 1, p. 206.

- 4. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 196.

- 5. Al-‘Amili, Wasa’il ash-Shi‘ah, v. 10, p. 360.

- 6. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 159.

- 7. Imam Khumayni, Forty Hadtih (Eng. Trans), p. 660.

- 8. Imam Khumayni, The Lamp of Guidance Into Vicegerency & Sanctity, pp. 24-25

Chapter 12 - A Commentary On: Wa Ja‘al-ta-ha Khayran Min Alfi Shahr

A Commentary on the phrase Wa ja‘al-ta-ha khayran min alfi shahr

وَجَعَلْتَهَا خَيْرًا مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

And You made it better than a thousand months

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“The Night of Determination is better than a thousand months” (97:3).

*****

…خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

... better than a thousand months

This portion of the supplication is a reference to chapter 97, verse 3 of the Qur’an, where the Night of Qadr is reckoned to be better than a thousand months:

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

“The Night of Determination is better than a thousand months” (97:3).

…خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

... better than a thousand months

The opportunity of Laylat al-Qadr is matchless and outstanding. In a lengthy tradition, Hamran is reported to have asked Imam al-Baqir (‘a): What is meant by ‘Laylat al-Qadri khayrun min alfi shahr (The Night of Determination is better than a thousand months)? The Imam (‘a) said:

A good action in it such as prayer, paying the poor rate, and different kinds of good deeds, is better than that action in a thousand months in which there is no Laylat al-Qadr1.

…خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

... better than a thousand months

The fruits of years of struggle can be achieved in a single night. Those who are worried for having wasted past opportunities and not having focused on refining their souls, must understand that it is possible for one to cover a substantial part of the spiritual journey in this night. It is therefore important for them to prepare themselves before the occasion through prayer (qiyam) and fasting (siyam).

In a lecture he gave on the twenty-first night of the holy month of Ramadan 1385 AH (solar calendar) in the Haram of Hadrat Ma’sumah (‘a), the contemporary exegete of the Qur’an, Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli, said:

Solomon, the Prophet, had the ability to cover the distance of a month in a single morning. However, the miracle of the Noble Qur’an is in this that a virtuous wayfarer can in a single night on Laylat al-Qadr travel the journey of a thousand months: ‘Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months.’ (97:3). The difference between the two is that whereas Solomon would cover the distance of physical space, the upholders of the Qur’an can cover spiritual distance.

Hence, every alert human being will grab the opportunity and exert himself spiritually to soar to the heights of perfection. May Allah enable us to utilise this invaluable opportunity to the maximum.

… أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

... a thousand months

The Night of Determination is innumerably better. The number thousand (alf) is also employed to signify abundance (kathrah)2 and not the specific number that follows nine hundred and ninety-nine.

Another example of such usage is when Allah reveals the attitude of some deviant Jews who love this corporeal life and yearn to live therein forever. Allah says:

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَاةٍ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَنْ يُعَمَّرَ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

“Surely, you will find them the greediest for life of all people, even the idolaters. Each of them is eager to live a thousand years, though it would not deliver him from the punishment, were he to live [that long]. And Allah sees best what they do” (2:96).

Observe that in the above verse Almighty Allah says: ‘Each of them is eager to live a thousand years’. Exegetes tell us that the number thousand (alf) employed in the verse is not to inform the addressees that the Jews that were attached to the world are only greedy for 1000 years, and not more. Rather it is to inform them that they are very greedy of this life and would like to live for a very long time.

- 1. Shaykh as-Saduq, Thawab al-A‘mal, p. 92.

- 2. Ibn ‘Ashur, al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir. v. 30, p. 405.

Chapter 13 - A Commentary On: Faya Dha Al-Manni Wa La Yumannu ‘Alay-Ka

A Commentary on the phrase Faya Dha al-manni wa la yumannu ‘alay-ka, munna ‘alayya bifakdki raqabati min an-nar, fi man tamunnu ‘alay-hi

فَيَا ذَا الْمَنِّ وَلَا يُمَنُّ عَلَيْكَ، مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ، فِي مَنْ تَمُنُّ عَلَيْهِ

Therefore, O Possessor of weighty favours, upon Whom favours cannot be bestowed, favour me with the release of my neck from the Hell-Fire, from among those whom You favour

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“Allah certainly greatly favoured the faithful...” (3:164).

... بَلِ اللهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ .

... Rather it is Allah who has done you a great favour in that He has guided you to faith ... (49:17).

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ

“And We desire to greatly favour those who are abased in the land ...” (28:5).

*****

يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ

O Possessor of weighty favours

The word mann signifies a weighty favour (an-ni‘mah al-thaqilah). The Holy Qur’an employs it in different places. For example:

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ

“Allah certainly greatly favoured the faithful [laqad manna Allahu ‘ala al-Mu’minin] when He raised up among them an apostle from themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and wisdom, and earlier they had indeed, been in manifest error” (3:164).

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا ۖ قُلْ لَا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُمْ ۖ بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

“They count it as a great favour to you that they have embraced Islam. Say, ‘Do not count it as a favour to me your embracing of Islam. Rather it is Allah who has done you a favour [bal Allahu yamunnu ‘alaykum] in that He has guided you to faith, should you be truthful.’” (49:17).

يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ

O Possessor of weighty favours

If the article al prefixed in al-mann is for genus (li al-jins), it would signify that He is the possessor of all kinds of great favours, which is a reality beyond doubt.

يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ

O Possessor of weighty favours

The definite article al prefixed in al-mann can refer to a specific great favour, which possibly signifies guidance, for according to verse 49:17, mann signifies guidance. And since being released from Hell-Fire is equal to attaining guidance in the true and ontological sense, the context of the verse hints that al-mann is guidance.

…وَلَا يُمَنُّ عَلَيْكَ…

...who is not given any favour...

Whilst Allah is the Possessor of weighty favours, we declare the fact that He is independent in bestowing favours, and receives no favour from anyone whatsoever. Every kind of perfection is from Him and entirely His property. Hence it is impossible for Him to receive any kind of favour, let alone great favours.

…مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ…

...favour me with the release of my neck from the Hell-Fire ...

Here we are asking for the outstanding favour of getting released from the Hell-Fire. So outstanding is this favour that Imam al-Husayn (‘a) in his concluding verses of Du’a’ ‘Arafah says the following:

وَأَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ حَاجَتِي إِلَيْكَ الَّتِي إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَنِيهَا لَمْ يَضُرَّنِي مَا مَنَعْتَنِي، وَإِنْ مَنَعْتَنِيهَا لَمْ يَنْفَعْنِي مَا أَعْطَيْتَنِي، أَسْأَلُكَ فَكَاكَ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ

And, I ask of You, O Allah, my need, which if You grant to me what You hold back from me will cause me no harm, and if You hold it back from me what You grant me will not profit me: I ask You to deliver me from the Hell-Fire1.

On the Day of ‘Ashura’, when we address Imam al-Husayn (‘a) in the well-known Ziyarah al-Ta‘ziyah, we say:

يَا مَوْلَايَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ أَنَا ضَيْفُ اللهِ وَضَيْفُكَ وَجَارُ اللَّهِ وَجَارُكَ وَلِكُلِّ ضَيْفٍ وَجَارٍ قِرَى وَقِرَايَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ أَنْ تَسْأَلَ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَنْ يَرْزُقَنِي فَكَاكَ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ

O my master, O Aba ‘Abdillah, I am Allah’s guest and your guest, and Allah’s refugee and your refugee; and for every guest and refugee there is a banquet; the banquet I need at this moment is that you ask Allah, Immaculate and Exalted is He, to provide me with the freedom of my neck from the Hell-Fire2.

In the well-known supplication of al-Jawshan al-Kabir, we address Allah after every ten names as follows:

خَلَصْنَا مِنَ النَّارِ يَا رَبِّ

Deliver us from the Hell-Fire, O Lord!3

It is noteworthy that seeking the release (fakak) of oneself from Hell-Fire (an-nar) presumes one’s entanglement in the Hell-Fire, otherwise it makes no sense to ask for release, and a different expression instead would be appropriate, for example: ‘Do not place me in the Hell-Fire’.

…مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ…

...favour me with the release of my neck from the Hell-Fire ...

According to the insightful scholars4 the kernel of this world is Hell-Fire. One, therefore, who is attached to this world is entangled in the Hell-Fire. Therefore, releasing oneself from the Fire would require one to struggle to curb one’s inner faculties and bring them into the state of their equilibrium and vanquish any remnant of attachment one has to the world.

…مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ…

...favour me with the release of my neck from the Hell-Fire ...

Seeking the release of one’s neck from Hell-Fire has also been implicitly alluded to in the Holy Qur’an:

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

“Yet he has not embarked upon the uphill task” (90:11).

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ

“And what will show you what is the uphill task?” (90:12).

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

“[It is] the freeing of a slave” (90:13).

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ

“Or feeding [the needy] on a day of starvation” (90:14).

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

“Or an orphan among relatives” (90:15).

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ

“Or a needy man in desolation” (90:16).

Al-Aqabah in verse 11 above that we have rendered as ‘uphill task’ is a difficult path which entails climbing the hill5.

The exoteric and outer interpretation of the abovementioned verses is clear and we would not like to expound more on it. In short, the ‘aqabah which is an uphill path is equated with spending open-handedly in the way of Allah by freeing a slave, feeding the poor on a day of starvation or an orphan from among one’s relatives or a needy man in desolation. One who performs such tasks has really embarked upon the uphill path.

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have also enlightened us with the inner meaning of the verses which are worthy of mention here:

Shaykh al-Huwayzl in his Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn under verse 11 of chapter 90 brings the following noteworthy hadith:

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said about the following verses, ‘Yet he has not embarked upon the uphill task (al-’aqabah). And what will show you what is the uphill task? [It is] the freeing of a slave... ’ that He (Allah) meant by His word ‘fakku raqabah (freeing a slave)’ the guardianship (wilayah) of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), for indeed, that is fakku raqabah (freeing a slave)6.

In another hadith again reported from Imam as-Sadiq (‘a), Aban Ibn Taghlib asks the Imam (‘a) about the verse ‘Yet he has not embarked upon the uphill task (al-’aqabah)’ and he says:

من أكرمه الله بولايتنا، فَقَدْ جَازَ الْعَقَبَةَ، وَنَحْنُ تِلْكَ الْعَقَبَةُ الَّتِي مَنْ اقْتَحَمَهَا جا

Whosoever is ennobled by Allah through our wilayah has indeed, crossed the uphill path; and we are that uphill path upon which if one embarks, he will be emancipated7.

Other traditions also clearly inform us that the uphill path is the guardianship of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). However, they also add that one who follows their wilayah gets freed from Hell- Fire. And that is the inner meaning of freeing a slave.

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said the following about Allah’s words ‘freeing a slave (fakku raqabah):

الناس كلهم عَبِيدُ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَنْ دَخَلَ فِي طَاعَتِنَا وَوَلَا يَتِنَا فَقَدْ فَكَ رَقَبَتَهُ مِنَ النار، والعقبة ولايتنا

All of mankind are the slaves of Hell-Fire save one who enters into our obedience and our guardianship, for verily such a person has freed his neck from Hell-Fire, and al-‘Aqabah [in the verse] is our wilayah (guardianship)8.

Hence, while we say ‘munna ‘alayya bifakaki raqabatl min an-ndr we must resolve to completely adhere to the wildyah of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), for that is the ‘aqabah that would free us from Hell- Fire. It is noteworthy to find the imperative verb munna in this supplication, which tells us that what we are asking is a weighty bounty.

There are other traditions that also teach us acts that would deliver us from Hell-Fire. We must understand them in light of the aforementioned traditions. Examples of these are:

1. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِذَا فَرَغَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ وُضُونِهِ فَلْيَأْخُدُ كَفَاً مِنْ مَاءٍ فَلْيَمْسَحْ بِهِ قَفَاهُ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ فَكَاكَ رَقَبَتِهِ مِنَ النَّارِ

When anyone of you is over with his Wudu he must take a palm of water and wipe with it on the back of his neck; and that would bring about the freedom of his neck from Hell-Fire9.

2. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ (ع) لِلَّهِ وَفِي اللَّهِ أَعْتَقَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ

Whosoever visits Imam al-Husayn (‘a) for the sake of Allah and in the way of Allah, Allah will free him from the Hell-Fire10.

3. Imam al-Husayn (‘a) is reported to have said:

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ (ص) يَقُولُ : مَنْ وَجَدَ لُقْمَةٌ فَمَسَحَ مِنْهَا أَوْ غَسَلَ مَا عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ أَكَلَهَا، لَمْ تَسْتَقِرَ فِي جَوْفِهِ إِلَّا أَعْتَقَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ

I heard the Apostle of Allah (S) say: Whosoever finds a morsel of food, and then wipes over it [removing the dirt on it] or washes what is on it [of dirt], and then eats it, it does not settle in his stomach save that Allah frees him from the Hell-Fire11.

4. Shaykh as-Saduq narrates the following tradition from Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) who narrates it from his grandfathers, regarding Imam al-Husayn (‘a):

أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ الْمُسْتَرَاحَ فَوَجَدَ لُقْمَةً مُلْقَاةً فَدَفَعَهَا إِلَى غُلَامٍ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا غُلَامُ اذْكُرْنِي بِهَذِهِ اللُّقْمَةِ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ فَأَكَلَهَا الْغُلَامُ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ الْحُسَيْنُ (ع) قَالَ: يَا غُلَامُ اللُّقْمَةُ؟ قَالَ: أَكَلْتُهَا يَا مَوْلايَ قَالَ: أَنْتَ حُرُ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ : أَعْتَفْتَهُ يَا سَيِّدِي؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، سَمِعْتُ جَدِّي رَسُولَ اللهِ (ص) يَقُولُ: مَنْ وَجَدَ لُقْمَةٌ فَمَسَحَ مِنْهَا أَوْ غَسَلَ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ أَكَلَهَا لَمْ تَسْتَقِرَ فِي جَوْفِهِ إِلَّا أَعْتَقَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَسْتَعْبِدُ رَجُلًا أَعْتَقَهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ النَّارِ

Imam al-Husayn (‘a) [once] entered the washroom and saw a morsel of food that had fallen. He [picked it up and] gave it to his slave and said to him: O man, remind me of this morsel when I come out. Thereafter the slave [instead of keeping the morsel] ate it. Then when Imam al-Husayn (‘a) came out, he said to the slave: O man, where is the morsel? He said: I ate it, O my master. Imam al-Husayn (‘a) said to him: You are free for the sake of Allah. A person nearby said to the Imam (‘a): You freed him, O my master? The Imam (‘a) said: Yes, for I heard my grandfather the Apostle of Allah (S) saying: whosoever finds a morsel of food and he wipes it or washes it and thereafter eats it, before it settles in his stomach Allah frees him from Hell-Fire. And I cannot enslave a person whom Allah has freed from the Hell-Fire12.

5. Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَمَنْ أَحْيَا لَيْلَةٌ مِنْ لَيَالِي رَجَبٍ أَعْتَقَهُ اللهُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَقُبِلَ شَفَاعَتُهُ فِي سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُذْنِبِينَ

And whosoever keeps awake one night from the nights of Rajab, Allah will free him from Hell-Fire and accept his intercession for seventy thousand sinners13.

6. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَنْ أَعْتَقَ مُؤْمِناً أَعْتَقَ اللهُ عَز وَجَلَّ بِكُلِّ عُضْرٍ مِنْهُ عُضُوا مِنَ النَّارِ ....

Whosoever frees a faithful, Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, will free with every part of his [the faithful’s] body, a part of his body from Hell-Fire...14

We may try to ask ourselves that the opportunity of freeing slaves is not within our reach in the contemporary era, and hence the above tradition is not applicable to us. However, in light of other traditions the above tradition is applicable to us today: Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

سُئِلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٌّ (ع) مَا يَعْدِلُ عِنْقَ رَقَبَةٍ؟ قَالَ: إِطْعَامُ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ

Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali [al-Baqir (‘a)] was asked the equivalent of freeing a slave, and he said: Feeding a Muslim man15.

…مُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِفَكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ…

...favour me with the release of my neck from the Hell-Fire ...

Here we seek release from Hell-Fire, depending on the level we are in. This is because there are different levels of Hell-Fire. One is the well-known level that has been mentioned in different verses of the Holy Qur’an and traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and his infallible progeny. Another is a level of Hell-Fire which is beyond the comprehension of the common servants of God. It requires exalted people to be fearful of such fire. According to the insightful scholars, such fire is more intense than the normal fire. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) is reported to have said:

نَارُ الْفُرْقَةِ أَحَرُّ مِنْ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ

The fire of separation is hotter that the Fire of Jahannam16.

In his well-known supplication that he (‘a) taught to Kumayl Ibn Ziyad an-Nakha‘i, he (‘a) says:

فَهَبْنِي يَا إِلَهِي وَسَيِّدِي وَمَوْلَايَ وَرَبِّي صَبَرْتُ عَلَى عَذَابِكَ، فَكَيْفَ أَصْبِرُ عَلَى فِرَاقِكَ ؟ وَهَبْنِي صَبَرْتُ عَلَى حَرِّ نَارِكَ، فَكَيْفَ أَصْبِرُ عَنِ النَّظَرِ إِلَى كَرَامَتِكَ

Then suppose, My God, my Master, my Guardian and my Lord that I am able to endure Your chastisement, how can I endure separation from You? And suppose that I am able to endure the heat of Your fire, How can I endure not gazing upon Your greatness?17

Hence those who are gifted with high levels of spirituality and can appreciate the higher meanings of the divine attributes, can appreciate what it means to be distant from the Absolute Perfect Being.

فِي مَنْ تَمُنُّ عَلَيْهِ

from among those whom you favour

According to a tradition, every night in the holy month of Ramadan many fasting ones are released from the Hell-Fire. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ عُتَقَاءَ وَطُلَقَاءَ مِنَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَنْ أَفْطَرَ عَلَى مُسْكِرٍ

Indeed, Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, every night of the month of Ramadan, has slaves emancipated and freed from Hell-Fire, except one who breaks one’s fast with an intoxicant18.

The phrase ‘fi man tamunnu ‘alay-hi (from among those whom you favour)’ aptly alludes to this reality.

- 1. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Arabic ed., p.334.

- 2. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 98, p. 224.

- 3. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Arabic ed., p. 127.

- 4. Mulla Sadra, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim, v. 6, p. 344.

- 5. ‘Allamah Tabataba’i, al-Mizan, v. 20, p. 292.

- 6. Shaykh Huwayzi, Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn, v. 5, p. 664.

- 7. Sayyid al-Bahrani, al-Burhan ft Tafsir al-Qur’an, v. 5, p. 663.

- 8. Al-Istrabadi, la’wil al-Ayat az-Zahirah fi Fada’il al-‘Itrah al-Tahirah, p. 773.

- 9. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 72.

- 10. Ibn Qulawayh, Kamil az-Ziyarat, p. 146.

- 11. ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 63, p. 433.

- 12. ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 63, p. 433.

- 13. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v. 94, p. 33.

- 14. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 180.

- 15. Al-Barqi, al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 393.

- 16. Al-Mawa‘iz al-Adadiyyah, p. 61.

- 17. Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Arabic ed., p.102.

- 18. Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 68.

Chapter 14 - A Commentary On: Wa Adkhilni Al-Jannata

A Commentary on the phrase Wa adkhilni al-Jannata

وَأَدْخِلْنِي الْجَنَّةَ

And place me in the Garden of Heaven

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ…

“Allah will indeed admit those who have faith and do balanced deeds into gardens...” (22:14).

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

“And enter My Garden” (89:30).

*****

وَأَدْخِلْنِي الْجَنَّةَ

And place me in the Garden [of Heaven]

The interrogative verb adkhilni here signifies a subtlety worthy of mention: The servant wants the Mawla Himself to make him enter Heaven. Such an expression also appears in the Holy Qur’an as follows:

فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ

“... Whoever is delivered from the Fire and admitted to the Garden of Heaven has certainly succeeded ...” (3:185).

Notice the phrase ‘wa udkhila al-jannah’ is employed, meaning ‘he was made to enter’.

In chapter 3, verse 195, there is a clear mention that Allah Himself makes the good servants enter the Garden of Heaven:

فَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَأُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا فِي سَبِيلِي وَقَاتَلُوا وَقُتِلُوا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ثَوَابًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ

“...So those who migrated and were expelled from their homes, and were tormented in My way, and those who fought and were killed - I will surely absolve them of their misdeeds and I will surely admit them into gardens with streams running in them, as a reward from Allah, and Allah, with Him is the best of rewards” (3:195).

In this verse the phrase ‘wa la-udkhilannahum jannat (and I will surely admit them into gardens)’ is employed which reveals great emphasis in Allah Himself admitting the righteous servants into the Gardens of Heaven.

In chapter 4, verse 13, Allah says:

وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“...and whoever obeys Allah and His Apostle, He shall admit him to gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them [forever]. That is the great success” (4:13).

Here again Allah says that He Himself will admit one who obeys Allah and His Apostle. The phrase yudkhilhu (He shall admit him) refers to this.

In chapter 4, verse 57, we have a similar mention:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا لَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا

“As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, We shall admit them into gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever. In it there will be chaste mates for them, and We shall admit them into a deep shade” (4:57).

In chapter 5, verse 65, Allah says:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَكَفَّرْنَا عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَأَدْخَلْنَاهُمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِي

“And had the People of the Book believed and been God-wary, We would surely have absolved them of their misdeeds and admitted them into gardens of bliss” (5:65).

Other verses likewise have similar expressions, which show that it is the All-Beloved who admits His good servants into the Gardens of Heaven. We would like to suffice ourselves here with the few that have been mentioned.

Hence, when we recite ‘wa adkhilni al-jannah’ we must realise the importance of our expression. O Allah, it is extremely intoxicating when it is You who says that You will place us in Jannah!

وَأَدْخِلْنِي الْجَنَّةَ

And place me in the Garden [of Heaven]

While we seek the Garden of Heaven from Almighty Allah, we must try to understand and seek the causes that facilitate the same. There are so many verses of the Holy Qur’an and narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) that teach us the path towards Heaven. The following are some noteworthy examples:

1. The Holy Qur’an says:

وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ…

“And give good news to those who have faith and do balanced deeds, that for them shall be gardens...” (2:25).

This verse conveys a universal principle that says that one who has proper belief and performs balanced deeds will be availed with Jannah. This actually informs us that Jannah is a place of elevation, for the principle for achieving elevation that we mentioned earlier is the same principle for attaining the Garden of Heaven.

2. The Holy Qur’an, mentioning the same principle, says:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

“And those who have faith and do balanced deeds they shall be the inhabitants of the Garden [of Heaven]; they shall remain in it” (2:82).

3. The Holy Qur’an reckons those who observe God-wariness (taqwa) to be those who would enjoy the Gardens of Heaven:

لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ

“... For those who are God-wary there will be gardens near their Lord, with streams running in them...” (3:15).

4. The Holy Qur’an reckons those who struggle in Allah’s path and attain martyrdom to be among the people of Jannah:

…فَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَأُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا فِي سَبِيلِي وَقَاتَلُوا وَقُتِلُوا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ثَوَابًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ

“... So those who migrated and were expelled from their homes, and were tormented in My way, and those who fought and were killed - I will surely absolve them of their misdeeds and I will surely admit them into gardens with streams running in them, as a reward from Allah, and Allah, with Him is the best of rewards” (3:195).

5. Another verse that speaks of Jannah to be the reward of martyrdom is the following:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ ۚ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ

“Indeed, Allah has bought from the faithful their souls and their possessions for the Garden of Heaven to be theirs: they fight in the way of Allah, kill, and are killed. A promise binding upon Him in the Torah and the Evangel and the Qur’an...” (9:111).

6. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ تِسْعَةُ وَتِسْعُونَ اسْماً مَنْ دَعَا اللَّهَ بِهَا اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ، وَمَنْ أَحْصَاهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ

Allah, the Invincible and Majestic, has ninety-nine names, by which whosoever calls Allah He will respond to him, and whosoever enumerates them will enter the Garden of Heaven1.

Enumeration here does not mean vocalisation, but assimilation and exemplification. In simpler words, it means whosoever acquires them [according to his limit] enters the Garden of Heaven.

7. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have narrated the following:

إِنَّ قَوْماً أَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ) فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اضْمَنْ لَنَا عَلَى رَبِّكَ الْجَنَّةَ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ: عَلَى أَنْ تُعِينُونِي بِطُولِ السُّجُودِ، قَالُوا: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَضَمِنَ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ، قَالَ: فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ قَوْماً مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَأَتَوْهُ، فَقَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اضْمَنْ لَنَا الْجَنَّةَ، قَالَ: عَلَى أَنْ لَا تَسْأَلُوا أَحَداً شَيْئًا، قَالُوا: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَ: فَضَمِنَ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ، فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ يَسْقُطُ سَوْطُهُ وَهُوَ عَلَى دَابَتِهِ فَيَنْزِلُ حَتَّى يَتَنَا وَلَهُ، كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ أَحَداً شَيْئاً،

Indeed, a people came to the Apostle of Allah (S) and said: O Apostle of Allah, guarantee for us from your Lord the Garden of Heaven. He (S) said: On the condition that you assist me with lengthy prostration. They said: We agree, O Apostle of Allah (S); so, the Apostle of Allah (S) guaranteed for them the Garden of Heaven. So, a group of people from the Ansar came to learn of this incident, and they came to him (S) and said: O Apostle of Allah (S), guarantee for us the Garden of Heaven. He (S) said: On the condition that you do not ask anything from anyone. They said: We agree, O Apostle of Allah (S). So, the Apostle of Allah guaranteed for them the Garden of Heaven. Thus, a whip of a person from them would fall while he would be on his mount, whereupon he would come down to pick it up himself, in order not to ask anyone for anything2.

8. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَنْ عَالَ بِنْتَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّة

Whosoever supports one daughter [among the Muslims] will have the Garden of Heaven3.

9. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) in a lengthy conversation with his companion Abu Amarah is reported

وَمَنْ أَنْشَدَ فِي الْحُسَيْنِ (ع) شِعْراً فَأَبْكَى وَاحِداً فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَمَنْ أَنْشَدَ فِي الحسين (ع) شِعْراً فَبَكَى فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَمَنْ أَنْشَدَ فِي الْحُسَيْنِ شِعْراً فَتَبَاكَى فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

And whosoever recites one poem on al-Husayn (‘a) and makes one person cry, will have the Garden of Heaven, and whosoever recites one poem on al-Husayn and cries [himself], will have the Garden of Heaven, and whosoever recites one poem on al-Husayn and makes his face in such a way as if he is crying, will have the Garden of Heaven4.

10. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ زَارَ عَلِيّاً بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ، فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

Whosoever visits Ali after his demise, will have the Garden of Heaven.

11. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

مَنْ زَارَ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ، فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

Whosoever visits al-Husayn (‘a) after his demise, will have the Garden of Heaven.

12. Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far al-Kadhim (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ زَارَ ابْنِي هَذَا وَأَوْمَا بِيَدِهِ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (ع) فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

Whosoever visits this son of mine (and the Imam pointed at Abu al-Hasan ar-Ridha’ (‘a)) will have the Garden of Heaven5.

13. Imam al-Jawad (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ عَمَّتِي بِقُمَّ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

Whosoever visits the grave of my aunt in Qum will have the Garden of Heaven6.

14. Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

السَّخِي قَرِيبٌ مِنَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ قَرِيبٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ بَعِيدُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَالْبَخِيلُ بَعِيدٌ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ بَعِيدُ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَرِيبُ النَّارِ

The openhanded one is close to Allah, close to the Garden of Heaven, close to the people, and distant from Hell-Fire; and the miserly one is distant from the Garden of Heaven, distant from the people, close to Hell-Fire7.

الْجَنَّةَ

Garden [of Heaven]

The definite article al prefixed in al-jannah can be employed to signify something specific and in this case, it can refer to a specific Jannah (Garden of Heaven). And since a believer’s aspiration is always exalted and high (‘all), he would opt for the highest level of the Gardens of Heaven which the insightful call Jannat al-Liqa’ (the Garden of Meeting Allah). It is this kind of Garden that is spoken about in the concluding verses of Surat al-Fajr, where Almighty Allah addressing the serene soul, says:

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

“And enter My Garden” (89:30).

Interestingly, the word ‘jannah’ refers to a specific kind of garden. Its root (Jim, nun) means ‘to hide (as-Satr)8. And Jannah was so called because the trees [in the Garden] hide [and cover] it. Ibn al-Athir, defining al-jannah, says that it is from al-ijtinan which is as-Satr (to hide), and that is because of the thickening of its trees, and because it is overshadowed by the coiling of their branches9.

أَدْخِلْنِي الْجَنَّةَ

Place me in the Garden [of Heaven]

It is possible that the supplicant seeks the Garden of Heaven during his supplication, and does not only ask for the same at a later stage (i.e. during death or Resurrection). The reality, as the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) clearly teach, is that one is either in Paradise while still residing in this world or in the Hell-Fire. If the curtains were unveiled (law kushifa al-ghita) for him he would see other dimensions of his reality (such as the barzakhi reality), which would either depict bliss and paradise or agony and fire.

The following are noteworthy anecdotes:

1) Abu Dharr’s Ailing Situation

Imam ‘Ali (‘a) is reported to have said:

وُعِكَ أَبُو ذَرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (ص) فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا ذَرَ قَدْ وُعِكَ، فَقَالَ: امْضِ بِنَا إِلَيْهِ نَعُودُهُ، فَمَضَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعاً، فَلَمَّا جَلَسْنَا قَالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ (ص): كَيْفَ أَصْبَحْتَ يَا أَبَا ذَرٍ؟ قَالَ: أَصْبَحْتُ وَعِكَاً يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: أَصْبَحْتَ فِي رَوْضَةٍ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ

Abu Dharr [once] became sick; so I came to the Apostle of Allah (S) and said: O Apostle of Allah, indeed, Abu Dharr has fallen sick. He said: let us go to visit him, and so we went collectively to visit him. And when we sat beside him, the Apostle of Allah (S) asked him: O Aba Dharr, how did you confront your morning? He said: I have confronted the morning in sickness. The Holy Prophet thereupon said: Surely you have confronted the morning while you are in a garden among the gardens of Paradise10.

2) Reciting Ziyarah Aminullah

In the introduction to his anthology Shahrullah fl al-Kitab wa as-Sunnah, when explaining the kind of divine banquet that believers should anticipate in the holy month of Ramadan, Ayatullah Rayshahri quotes ar-risalah al-Majdiyyah of Shaykh Ridha al-Isfahani, where the latter explains the kind of divine repast that the believers are invited to. At one point he says:

فقد سمعت مرات وكرات ممن هو أقرب الناس إلي حسبا ونسباء أنه يقول: كنت في أحد أيام شهر رمضان مشغولاً بالزيارة المعروفة بزيارة أمين الله في المرقد الشريف بالنجف، وحين وصلت بعبارات الزيارة إلى وموائد المستطعمين معدةً ... وفيما أنا أتأمل بمعناها وأفكر به، تراءت لي فجأة مائدة مصفوف عليها أنواع الأطعمة والأشربة مما لم أكن أتصوره قتل، وأنا أتناول من طعامها، وفي تلك الأثناء كنت أفكر بمسألة فقهية، إنها حالة عجيبة تبعث على الدهشة الواقع أن هذه هي حقيقة الغذاء، وهي ليست مفطرة للصوم

Indeed, I have heard several times and repeatedly from one who is closest to me in terms of relationship and kinship saying: I was busy reciting the well- known Ziyarah Aminullah in the holy sanctuary in Najaf, and when I reached the verse ‘wa mawa’id al-mustat‘imina mu‘addah (and the banquets of those who seek sustenance are ready)’... and reflected over its meaning and thought about it, I was suddenly made to see a banquet on which lay different kinds of food and drinks, which I had never thought of, and I was eating from them, and in the course of that state I was contemplating about an Islamic ruling. Surely it is an amazing state which renders one perplexed! The truth is that this is the reality of [Heavenly] food, which does not break the fast11.

Al-Isfahani later continues and says:

ولا تظنن أن تعبيرات هذا العبد هي من قبيل خيالات الشعراء وأوهامهم، أو من شطحيات غلاة المتصوفة، فحاشي أن أتجاوز لسان الكتاب والسنة، أو أتخطى في معتقدي غير ما جاء به الله والنبي وأمرا به، وإنما المقصود هو قول الله نفسه في سورة هل أتى حيث يقول وَسَقَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُورًا : يبحانه

Do not think that the expressions of this servant resemble the imaginations of the poets and their vain ideas or the theopathetic utterances (shatahiyyat) of the extremist so-called sufis (mutasawwifah). I dare not transcend the bounds of the speech of the Book of God and the Sunnah, or adopt a course in my belief that is other than what Allah and His Messenger brought and ordered [us to follow]. What I only mean here is the word of Allah in chapter Hal Ata where Allah says: ‘wa saqahum Rabbuhum sharaban tahuran – ‘and their Lord made them drink a pure drink’ (76:21).

These two anecdotes depict the existence of Jannah in Barzakh (the Intermediate Realm). Only those whose visions have no hurdles can easily behold their higher levels. Barzakh, as the insightful scholars explain, is not a separate phase in time that succeeds this world, but rather the higher level or the kernel of this very material world. Hence, while one still inhabits this world, he can be in Paradise in the higher realm of his own existence too. Consider this beautiful saying reported from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) carefully:

وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ صَائِمَكُمْ لَيَرْتَعُ فِي رِياضِ الْجَنَّةِ تَدْعُو لَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِالْقَوْزِ حَتَّى يُقطر

I swear by Allah, indeed, the fasting one among you is enjoying in the gardens of Paradise, and the angels pray for his success until he breaks his fast12.

- 1. Shaykh as-Saduq, al-Tawhid. p. 195.

- 2. Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Amali, p. 664.

- 3. Al-Ihsa’i, Awali’ al-La’ali, v. 3, p. 294.

- 4. Ibn Qulawayh, Kamil az-Ziyarat, p. 105.

- 5. ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar. v. 99, p. 41.

- 6. Ibn Qulawayh, Kamil az-Ziyarat, p. 324.

- 7. Shaykh as-Saduq, ‘Uyun Akhbar ar-Ridha’ (‘a), v. 2, p. 12.

- 8. Ibn Faris, Mu’jam Maqayis al-Lughah, v. 1, p. 421.

- 9. Ibn Athir, an-Nihayah fi Gharib al-Hadith, v. 1, p. 307.

- 10. Mirza Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, v. 1, p. 57.

- 11. Ayatullah Rayshahri, Shahrullah fi al-Kitab wa as-Sunnah, p. 21.

- 12. Shaykh Tabrasi, Mishkat al-Anwar. p. 170.

Chapter 15 - A Commentary On: Birahmati-Ka Ya Arham Ar-Rahimin

A Commentary on the phrase Birahmati-ka ya Arham ar-Rahimin

بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

By Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful ones

فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

“... Yet Allah is the Best of protectors, and He is the Most Merciful of merciful ones” (12:64).

*****

بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The preposition bi in the above phrase is employed for taking an oath. It is technically referred to as ba’ al-qasam (fed’ employed for an oath). Swearing by God’s mercy is for the purpose of attracting His favour.

بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The preposition ‘bi’ in the above phrase can be employed to signify mediation (sababiyyah). In simple words, when we say ‘bi rahmatika, we mean ‘Through Your mercy’ or ‘By means of Your mercy. Hence considering the preceding phrase we are saying ‘... and place me in the Garden of Heaven, through Your mercy... ’

بِرَحْمَتِكَ…

By Your Mercy...

The mercy spoken about here is His special mercy, which comes under the cover of His all-comprehensive mercy (ar-rahmah ar-rahmaniyyah). Emancipation from Hell-Fire and entry into Paradise are among the manifestations of ar-rahmah ar-rahmaniyyah (The special divine mercy signified by the name ar-rahim).

…يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

... O Most Merciful of the merciful ones

Although we say He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones, the insightful scholars know that there exists no mercy other than His, and all other kinds and levels of mercy are the manifestations of His mercy.

May the Almighty enable us understand the depths of this beautiful supplication as we continue our journey to His proximity.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Wa al-hamdu lillahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin

Shahru Ramadan al-Mubarak 1434 AH

Holy Proximity of Hadrat Ma'sumah (‘a)

Qum al-Muqaddasah

Bibliography

Arabic References

1. Al-Qur’an al-Karim

2. As-Sahifah as-Sajjadiyyah by Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a)

3. Tafsir al-Mlzdn by ‘Allamah Tabataba’i

4. Iqbal al-A’mali by Sayyid Radi al-Din Ibn Tawus

5. Basa’ir al-Darajat by as-Saffar

6. Al-Mujam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani

7. Al-Misbah by Shaykh al-Kaf‘ami

8. Zad al-Ma‘ad of ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi

9. Al-Kafi by Shaykh al-Kulayni

10. Al-Furuq al-Lughawiyyah by Abu Hilal al-‘Askari

11. Mujam Maqayis al-Lughah by Ibn Faris

12. An-nihdyah fi Gharib al-Hadith by Ibn Athir

13. Al-Amali by Shaykh as-Saduq

14. Thawab al-A’mali by Shaykh as-Saduq

15. Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an by Sayyid Hashim al-Bahrani

16. Mafatih al-Jinan by Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi

17. Mizan al-Hikmah by Ayatullah ar-Rayshahri

18. Al-Khisal by Shaykh as-Saduq

19. Mustadrak al-Wasa’il by Mirza Nuri

20. ‘Awali al-La’ali by al-Ihsa’i

21. ‘Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa‘iz by Al-Wasiti

22. Bihar al-Anwar by ‘Allamah Al-Majlisi

23. ‘Hal ash-Shardyi‘ by Shaykh as-Saduq

24. Tuhaf al-‘Uqul by Ibn Shu'bah

25. Riyad as-Salikin by Sayyid al-Madani

26. Al-Muraqabat by Mirza Maliki Tabrizi

27. Rawdat al-Wa‘izin by an-nisabtiri

28. Majma ‘ al-Bahrayn by Shaykh al-Turayhi

29. Taj al-‘Arus by az-Zubaydi

30. An-Nukat al-I‘tiqadiyyah by Shaykh Mufid

31. Nibras al-Huda by Mulla Hadi Sabzawari

32. Wasa’il ash-Shi‘ah by Shaykh al-Hurr al-Amili

33. Tafsir Mafatih al-Ghayb by Fakhr al-Din ar-Razi

34. Mishkat al-Anwar by Shaykh al-Tabrasi

Persian References

1. Ilahi Nameh by Allamah Hasan Zadeh Amuli

English References

1. English Translation of the Qur’an by Sayyid Ali Quli Qara’i

Topic Tags:

- Ramadan [7]

- Commentary on Supplications [8]

Author(s):

- Muhammad M. Khalfan [2]

Publisher(s):

- The World Federation of KSIMC - Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities [3]

Source URL: https://www.al-islam.org/seeking-elevation-muhammad-m-khalfan

Links
[1] https://www.addtoany.com/share
[2] https://www.al-islam.org/person/muhammad-m-khalfan
[3] https://www.al-islam.org/organization/world-federation-khoja-shia-ithna-asheri-muslim-communities
[4] https://www.al-islam.org/printpdf/book/export/html/175122
[5] https://www.al-islam.org/printepub/book/export/html/175122
[6] https://www.al-islam.org/printmobi/book/export/html/175122
[7] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/ramadhan
[8] https://www.al-islam.org/tags/commentary-supplications
[9] http://www.ghadeer.org
[10] http://science.nasa.gov
[11] https://www.al-islam.org/sahifa-al-kamilah-al-sajjadiyya-imam-ali-zayn-al-abidin/44-his-supplication-coming-month-ramadan
[12] http://www.world-federation.org;
[13] http://www.wfshop.org
[14] https://www.al-islam.org/short-treatise-divine-invitation-muhammad-m-khalfan