Medina tul Ilm

There is a great debate prevalent in the Muslim World related to the ‘literacy’ aspect of the holy Prophet (SAW) since the Quran has referred to him as ‘Ummi’. Some of the Muslims have the audacious view that the holy Prophet (SAW) was an ‘illiterate’- who could neither read nor write and hence Quran has referred to him as ‘Ummi’. This argument loses its steam and can be proved baseless if we take pains to ponder upon the life of our beloved Prophet (SAW). He was a successful businessman and was also referred to as ‘Amin’ for his honest dealings with people. The people of Mecca willingly left their belongings with him while they went out. Had the holy Prophet (SAW) been an illiterate, as claimed by some of our Muslim friends, he would not have won the people’s trust with respect to their belongings. And it is equally senseless to think that a complete illiterate would run the business successfully for so many years as it is a known fact that the holy Prophet (SAW) was an efficient trader prior to the announcement of his Prophethood. 

But before we discuss this issue further, let us understand the meaning of the word ‘Ummi’. As per my research the word ‘Ummi’ has the following meanings: 

• Unschooled and unacquainted with writing
• An inhabitant of Umm-al-Qura
• Arab polytheists who were not the followers of the Book
• As per Lughat-e-Kishwari, Ummi is a person who is deprived of his fatherly love since he has lost his father before his own birth.

Except the first meaning the remaining three meanings relate to the life of the holy Prophet (SAW) and there is no difference of opinion amongst the Muslim Ummah on them:

• He was born in Mecca (Umm al Qura).
• He was born amidst Arab polytheists who did not follow any book prior to Quran.
• He was born after his father Hazrat Abdullah (as) had died.

The difference of opinion among the various sects of Islam starts when the above-mentioned first meaning of the word ‘Ummi’ is taken literally by certain sections of the Ummah, and since it shows the holy Prophet (SAW) in a derogatory light it becomes worthy of logical counter arguments. Arberry translates the expression an-nabiyyal-ummi as “the Prophet of the common folk”. While some have argued that ‘Ummi’ does not mean illiterate but it means scriptureless. Thus the word ‘Ummi’ refers to the Arab polytheists who were scriptureless prior to the Quran and the holy Prophet (SAW) brought Quran for this ‘Ummah’.

*** In the above section, in the light of available research on the word ‘Ummi’ we have tried to counter argue this opinion. Let us look into the Quran for further explanation on this. The Quran has praised the conduct and character of our beloved Prophet (SAW) on so many occasions that it seems illogical that the expression of word ’Ummi’ so referred by Quran is to address him as an illiterate. That is why it becomes mandatory for us to find out what Allah (SWT) says about the knowledge of our beloved Prophet (SAW) by pondering upon various ayahs. 

We start this research by contemplating on the ayahs related to the creation of Aadam (as):

 

• “Aur (Ae Rasool) uss waqt ko yaad karo jab tumhare Parwardigar ne farishton se kaha ki Main (Apna) ek nayab zameen main bananewala hoon (Farishte ta’ajjub se) kehne lage kya Tu zameen per aise shakhs ko paida karega jo zameen main fasaad aur khoonreziyan karta phire hanlanke (agar) Khalifa banana hai (to hamara zyada haq hai) kyonke hum Teri taarif wa tasbih karte hain aur teri Paakizgi saabit karte hain tab Khuda ne farmaya issmain to shak hi nahin ki jo Main jaanta hoon tum nahin jaante.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 30)

• (“Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? - whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not.") – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 30)

The above ayah refers to the incident of creation of Aadam (as) where the angels showed initial reluctance in accepting the supremacy of Aadam (as). They argued that they were more worthy of vicegerency since they had praised and glorified the Almighty.

• “Aur Aadam ko sab cheezon ke naam sikhadiye phir unko farishton ke saamne pesh kiya aur farmaya ki agar tum apne daawe main ke - hum mustahaqe khilafat hain –  sachhe ho to Mujhe inn cheezon ke naam batao.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 31)

• “(And He taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform Me of the names of these, if ye are truthful)”.

Seeing their reluctance Allah (SWT) imparted the knowledge of specific names to Aadam (as) and challenged the angels to inform Him with the same names if they were truthful in regard to their claim for vicegerency.

• “(Uss waqt Khuda ne Aadam ko) hukm diya ke Ae Aadam tum inn farishton ko unn sab cheezon ke naam bata do bas jab Aadam ne farishton ko unn cheezon ke naam bata diye to Khuda ne farishton ki taraf khitab kar ke farmaya:  kyon, Main tum se na kehta tha ke Main aasmanon aur zameenon ke chhipe hue raaz ko jaanta hoon, aur jo kuch tum ab zaahir karte ho aur jo kuch tum chhipate the (wo sab) jaanta hoon.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 33)

•  “(He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names, and when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and which ye hide.)”

And when the angels could not reveal the names as asked by Allah (SWT) and accepted their limitation of not knowing anything beyond what Allah (SWT) has taught them, Allah (SWT) asked Aadam (as) to inform them with those names and thus proved his supremacy. The angels then bowed down in ‘sajda’ infront of Aadam (as) and accepted his supremacy and vicegerency above them. Iblis refused to do so and hence he became ‘Satan’. 

***A strong parallel can be drawn from the above incident of Aadam (as)’s vicegerency with the supremacy of the holy Prophet (SAW) if we properly analyze the above sequence of events. But before doing this let us once again summarize the above-mentioned incident for our better understanding: 

Allah (SWT) informed the angels that He is going to create His vicegerent. Initially there was reluctance from the angels and they argued that they were worthier for the position due their years of glorification and praise of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) did not mind their argument and did not punish them for their reluctance. Instead He imparted the knowledge of certain names to Aadam (as) and proved that Aadam (as) was worthier of vicegerency because of this knowledge. But even after proving this Iblis still remained unmoved and did not accept the supremacy of Aadam (as) and hence he was rejected and became a ‘Satan’.

===> The result which I am trying to derive from the above sequence of events is that Allah (SWT) might forgive the initial mistake of disobeying Him the way the angels were forgiven for their reluctance of accepting Aadam (as)’s supremacy but by punishing Iblis-The Satan Allah (SWT) has conveyed that He would not forgive those who keep on disobeying His Prophets and speak ill about them after Allah (SWT) has already established their supremacy.

The above result needs to be kept in mind while we move to the ayahs that relate with the holy Prophet (SAW) and once we have analyzed the ayahs we would link them with the above results. 

•  “(Aur Ae Rasool (SAW)) iss se pehle na to tum koi kitab hi padhte the aur na apne haath se tum likha karte the aisa hota to ye jhoothe zaroor tumhari nabuwwat main shak karte.” – (Surah-e-Ankabut, ayah 48) 

•  “(You were neither reading any book before this, nor did you write one down with your hand. If you had done so, the followers of falsehood would have had cause to doubt it.)”

Allah (SWT), in the above ayah, has addressed the holy Prophet (SAW) saying that he did not read or write any book before this. Here the phrase ‘before this’ refers to The Quran and hence it can be read as ‘before Quran’ the holy Prophet (SAW) ‘did not read or write’ any other ‘Similar Book’. The explanation can be simplified further that before Quran the holy Prophet (SAW) did not read or write any other ‘Scripture’. The ayah can now be explained that if the Kafirs had seen the Prophet (SAW) reading or writing ‘Scriptures’ before the revelation of Quran they would have doubted the credibility of Quran as being written down by the holy Prophet (SAW) himself rather then it being a Divine Commandment. No where does this ayah or the Quran say that he did not ‘know’ how to read or write. 
 

The above inference can be further substantiated by the following ayahs from Surah-e-Al Alaq:

• “(Ae Rasool (SAW)) Apne Parwardigar ka naam lekar padho jisne (har cheez ko) paida kiya, Uss ne insaan ko jame hue khoon se paida kiya, Padho aur tumhara Parwardigar bada Karim hai jisne kalam ke zariye taalim di Ussine insaan ko wo baatein bataayee jinko wo kuch jaanta hi na tha.” – (Surah-e-Al Alaq, ayah 1-5)

•  (“Read in the name of your Lord Who created. He created man from a clot. Read and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught (to write) with the pen Taught man what he knew not.”)

In the above ayahs, which need no further explanation, it can be clearly seen that Jibraeel (as) addresses the holy Prophet (SAW) asking him to ‘read’ whatever has been revealed to him.

We now move to the ayahs that explain the revelation of Quran:

• “(Aur Ae Rasool (SAW)) beshak yeh (Quran) saari Khudai ke paalne wale (Khuda) ka utara hua hai jise Rooh al amin (Jibraeel (A.S)) saaf Arabi zabaan main lekar tumhare dil per naazil hue hain taake tum bhi aur paighambaron ki tarah logon ko azab e Khuda se darao.” – (Surah-e-Shaura, ayah 192-195)

•  “(And indeed this Qur’an has been sent down by the Lord Of The Creation. The Trustworthy Spirit (Jibraeel (A.S)) brought it down. Upon your heart, for you to convey warning. In plain Arabic language.)

The holy Quran was sent down by the Almighty Allah on the heart of our beloved Prophet (SAW) through the arch angel Jibraeel (as). Thus Allah (SWT) is the only tutor who mentored the holy Prophet (SAW) and He had appointed Jibraeel (as) as the carrier of His Divine Messages to the holy Prophet (SAW). This can be further explained in the light of following ayahs:

•   “Qasam hai sitare ki jis waqt ke woh utra. Tumhara rafeeq na bhatak gaya hai aur na behka hai. Aur wo khwahishe nafasani se kuch nahin kehta. Jo kuch woh kehta hai woh nahin hai magar Wahi hai jo uski taraf bheji jaati hai. Usko badi quwwaton waale aur badi aqal waale ne taalim kiya.”  - (Surah-e-Najam, ayah,1-5 ) 

•  (“I swear by the star when it goes down.  Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray;  Nor does he speak out of desire.  It is naught but revelation that is revealed, The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him”)

The ayah says that The Almighty Allah has taught the Prophet (SAW) in such a manner that never can he make any error and nor can he go astray. Here Almighty Allah is the teacher and the Prophet (SAW), His worthy student who does not speak anything out of his own desire but only that which Allah (SWT) wishes him to speak. 

***Analyzing the ayahs in the above-mentioned sequence we can infer that the world had never seen the holy Prophet (SAW) either read or write any other scripture for 40 years till the Quranic revelations started. The Quran was revealed on the heart of the holy Prophet (SAW) by arch angel Jibraeel (as) on the Command of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) mentored the holy Prophet with such perfection that he would neither go astray nor could he commit errors. Thus he was a worthy student of none less than the Almighty Allah.

===> The above result confirms the perfection of the holy Prophet (SAW) and his supremacy over every other creation of the Almighty Allah. Before the revelation of Quran had somebody doubted his perfection and knowledge Allah might have forgiven him the way He had forgiven the initial reluctance of the angels to accept the supremacy of Aadam (as). But if somebody doubts the knowledge and literacy of our beloved Prophet (SAW) after the Quran was revealed to him, he might never be forgiven and might get a fate similar to Satan. This is because a person who doubts the knowledge and literacy of holy Prophet (SAW) is actually challenging the words of Allah (SWT) since Almighty Allah has mentored and tutored the holy Prophet (SAW). 

After the holy Prophet (SAW), Ibrahim (as) holds prominent position in the history of Islam. Centuries before the birth of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW), it was the efforts of Ibrahim (as) along with his son Ismail (as) which reformed Mecca. They raised the plinth of Ka’aba – The House of Allah (SWT) and in return Allah (SWT) acknowledged their services by referring to Islam as “Millat-e-Ibrahim”. Hence let us mention the prayers he made for the people of Mecca while raising the plinth of Ka’aba:  

•  “(Aur) Ae Hamare Paalnewale Makke walon main unhin main se ek Rasool ko bhej jo unko teri aayatein padhkar sunaye aur Aasmani Kitab aur aql ki baatein sikhaye aur un (unke nafoos) ko pakeezah kar de beshak Tu hi Ghalib aur Sahib-e-tadbir hai.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 129) 

•  “(And send to them, O Lord, an apostle from among them to impart Your messages to them, and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and correct them in every way; for indeed You are mighty and wise.)”

Ibrahim (as) prayed to Allah (SWT) to send an apostle for the people of Mecca to further reform them by imparting them with the knowledge and wisdom of the Divine Book. His prayer was answered by Allah (SWT) in the following manner: 

•  “Humne tum main tum hi main ka ek Rasool bheja jo tumko Hamari aayatein Padhkar sunaye aur tumhare nafs ko pakeezah kare aur tumhain kitab (Quran) ki baatein sikhaye aur tum ko woh baatein bataye jin ki tumhain pehle se khabar bhi na thi.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 151)

• “(Even as We sent a messenger from among you to convey Our messages to you and cleanse you, and teach you the Book and the wisdom, and what you did not know)”

With the birth of the holy Prophet (SAW), Allah (SWT) fulfilled the prayers of Ibrahim (as). It was the efforts of our beloved Prophet (SAW) which reformed the Arab world. He conveyed the Commandments, cleansed their soul, taught them the lessons of Divine Book and imparted wisdom

***The holy Quran has confirmed in the above ayahs that our beloved Prophet (SAW) was not an illiterate - as wrongly claimed by some, but in fact he was the greatest reformer to have ever graced this earth. After having known this, if someone still claims that the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) was an illiterate he is guilty of denying the fulfillment of prayers of Ibrahim (as) and opposing Quran and its Commandments. 

With our efforts we have negated the false claims by certain sections of Ummah on the literacy aspect of our beloved Prophet (SAW). We have also seen and understood what Quran has to say about his knowledge and wisdom. It is not possible to discuss his profound knowledge but let us now try to understand the magnitude of his knowledge in the light of Quran. 

When we assign some work to someone in our day to day life we ensure that the person is capable enough to take the responsibility. If we are so concerned in our mundane work, Allah (SWT) must have been more concerned while appointing the holy Prophet (SAW) as His most revered Messenger. So let us see what measures Allah (SWT) took while appointing the holy Prophet (SAW) as His Apostle: 

• “(Ae Rasool) kya Humne tumhara sina (ilm se) kushada nahin kar diya – (Surah-e-Ash Sharh, ayah 1)

•  (“Have we not expanded your bosom (with knowledge)”)

 Allah (SWT) imparted His Divine Knowledge to our beloved Prophet (SAW) by expanding his bosom. Could the Divine Knowledge so given to the Prophet have any limits?

•  Aur Khuda hi ne to tum per apni kitab aur hikmat naazil ki aur jo baatein tum nahin jaante the tumhain sikha di aur tum per to Khuda ka bada fazal hai - (Surah-e-Nisa, ayah 113)

•  “(And Allah has revealed to you the Book and the wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and Allah's grace on you is very great.)”

The above ayah claims that Allah (SWT) revealed the knowledge of all those things that the holy Prophet (SAW) did not know. The holy Prophet (SAW) is Allah’s greatest Prophet and best of creations on this earth and hence he must have been given the greatest knowledge that nobody prior to him got. Does it mean Allah (SWT) acquainted the Prophet (SAW) with the ‘Unseen’? 

• “(Munafiqo) Khuda aisa nahin hai ke boore bhale ki tameez kiye baghair jis haalat par tum ho ussi haalat par mominon ko bhi chhod de aur Khuda aisa bhi nahin hai ke tumhain ghaib ki baatein bata de magar (haan) Khuda apne rasoolon main jise chahta hai (ghaib batane ke waaste) chun leta hai pas Khuda aur usske rasoolon per imaan lao.” – (Surah-e-Aale Imran, ayah 179)

• “(On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in until He separates the evil from the good; nor is Allah going to make you acquainted with the unseen, but Allah chooses of His apostles whom He pleases; therefore believe in Allah and His Apostle)” 

The ayah says that Allah (SWT) does not acquaint the hypocrites with the knowledge of unseen, but it further adds by saying that Allah (SWT) does acquaint His chosen Apostles with the unseen. This means that there were Prophets who had the acquaintance with the knowledge of ‘Unseen’. Quran has quoted the incident of Khizr (as) foreseeing what was going to happen while Musa (as) could not. For Khizr (as) Quran has said that he was bestowed upon with a small part of ‘Ilm-e-Ladunni’ and some part of Allah’s Mercy and hence he could foresee the future.

Every Islamic sect in unison believes that our holy Prophet (SAW) is the leader of every Prophet. He is ‘Sarwar-e-Ambiya’ and ‘Imamul Mursalin’. Quran also says that he is ‘Rehmat-al-lil-aalamin’ (Mercy to the worlds). Our reasoning says that if Khizr (as) with a part of Allah’s Mercy and small part of ‘Ilm-e-Ladunni’ can get acquainted with the unseen, the holy Prophet (SAW) being ‘Mercy to the Worlds’ and ‘tutored by Allah (SWT) Himself’ would not have a larger magnitude of Divine Knowledge and greater acquaintance with the ‘unseen’ than any other Prophet?

***With this result the debate of the holy Prophet (SAW) being literate or not becomes irrelevant. In conclusion we may summarize that Allah (SWT) appointed the holy Prophet (SAW) as His worthy Messenger by expanding his bosom with the knowledge of all those things which the Prophet (SAW) did not know. Even made him acquainted with the knowledge of unseen and perfected him such that he neither erred nor made any errors and with this Allah (SWT) made him the leader of Prophets and His most revered Apostle.

Allah (SWT) guided the holy Prophet (SAW) so that the ‘Ummah’ gets benefited by his presence. But what would happen after him? The holy Prophet (SAW) was a worthy inheritor of Allah’s Knowledge and the successor after him should be equally capable to imbibe the legacy and hence the holy Prophet (SAW) chose Mawla Ali (as) as his successor to this Divine Legacy:

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:"O Ali! You are the owner of my stream (Al-Hawd), the holder of my banner, my beloved, my custodian, the inheritor of my knowledge, my successor and the holder of the prophets' inheritances before me. You are the guardian of Allah in His land, the argument of Allah for His creations, the basis of faith and the pillar of Islam. You are the Light in darkness, the guiding light and the raised flag for the people of this world. O Ali! He who follows you shall be saved and who leaves you shall be doomed. You are the apparent path and the right way (Al-Sirat). You are the leader of those who shine with light and the King of believers.

(Ref: Amali Al-Sadouq p.382, Al-Bihar vol.38 p.100, Ghayat Al-Maram vol.3 p.78, Bisharat Al-Mostafa p.95, Al-Bihar vol.40 p.53, Yanabe'a Al-Mawadda vol.1 p.39)

***Mawla Ali (as) is the successor of the Divine Legacy and appointed guide over ‘Ummah’. If we wish to understand the Commandments of Quran, the Legacy of the holy Prophet (SAW) and ideology of Islam and if we wish to remain on the straight path we need to follow the guidance of Mawla Ali (as) and the 11 Imams from his lineage and that is why the holy Prophet (SAW) has said that:

(Ana Madinatul-ilm wa Aliyun babuha; Fa-man arada’l-ilm fal-ya til-bab).

I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate; so whoever desires knowledge, let him enter the gate.

(Ref:  Nisaburi, Mustadrak, p. 929, no. 4694 cited in Reza Shah-Kazemi – Justice and Remembrance – Introducing the Spirituality of Imam Ali.)

Ahle Zikr II

While traveling on expressways we see thick white lines or bands which divide the road into different lanes. These white lines are the mark of separation of lanes based on the speed limit. There are fast lanes, medium lanes and lanes for slow or heavy vehicles. In order to remain in the specific lane these lines are to be followed diligently. If a driver follows these lines he is ensured of a safer and smoother journey on the expressway but in case if he fails to remain in his lane and by mistake moves out, the chances of accident with another vehicle increase and the journey might not remain safer anymore. Thus for a good driver it is mandatory not to ignore these lines and follow them with perfection. 

Now relate this example with life. Our life is a journey and we are all travelers, heading towards our final destination in our respective lanes at our respective speed. In such a situation how do we find out that we are in the right lane? We might wonder whether Allah (SWT) has created His Signs which need to be followed diligently to remain in the right lane and avoid getting hit by Satan.

***In this article let us try to understand this phenomenon in the light of holy Quran and try to identify those Signs of Allah which are to be followed throughout our life span to remain on the straight path. 

 

We start our research with the following ayah from Surah-e-Baqra:

• “Aur Shaitan ke qadam ba qadam na chalo woh to tumhara zaahir ba zaahir dushman hai.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 168) 

•  “(And do not follow the footsteps of the Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy).” 

In the above ayah, Allah (SWT) has instructed us not to follow the footsteps of the Satan but the Satan is invisible to us, nor can we see his footsteps and thus unknowingly we are at a risk of following him, giving him the benefit of leading us to the wrong path. So how do we save ourselves from not getting astray by the Satan? Let us see one more ayah in this regard:

• "Beshak ye sarasar nasihat hai to jo shakhs chahe apne parwardigar ki raah le.” – (Surah-e-Insan, ayah 29)

• “(This surely is a reminder: Therefore whosoever desires may take the way to his Lord).”

In the previous ayah Allah (SWT) instructs us not to follow the footsteps of Satan and in the above ayah He reminds us that we should have the desire to take the path that reaches Him. But again the problem persists as Allah (SWT) though Omnipresent is invisible. None is capable enough to grasp His Vision and hence how does one ensure that the path being taken is the straight path that reaches Him? How does one ensure, safety from Satan?  Let us consider one more ayah from Surah-e-Insan:

• “Aur jab tak Khuda ko manzur na ho tum log kuch bhi chah nahin sakte beshak Khuda bada waqifkaar dana hai.” – (Surah-e-Insan, ayah 30)

•  “(But you will not desire except as God wills. Verily He is all-knowing and all-wise).”

Relating the above ayah to the previous one we can see that the previous ayah from Surah-e-Insan (ayah no 29) reminds us to have the desire of taking the path in His direction while the ayah above says that one cannot even have a desire unless He Wills. This means that even in order to have the desire of taking the straight path one needs to earn Allah’s Will first.

***We can thus infer on the basis of the above contemplations on various ayahs that Allah (SWT) does not want us to follow the footsteps of the Satan and He wants us to have the will and the desire to take the straight path in His direction. But further the ayah has clarified that we can’t even hold such a desire unless He Wills. Thus in order to reach the straight path we need to seek Allah (SWT)’s pleasure and only then can we reach the straight path and hence be safe from Satan.
  

Quran is the final commandment of Allah (SWT) and I believe that if we ponder upon various ayahs we would find a definite way to seek Allah’s Pleasure and His Will. Let us move forward in this direction and consider the following ayah from Surah-e-Fateha for this:

•  “Humain seedha raasta dikha, un logo ka raasta jin per Tu ne inaam farmaya…” – (Surah-e-Fateha Ayah 6-7)

•  (“Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace...”)

In the above ayah Allah (SWT) has asked the Muslim Ummah to pray to Him to show them the straight path taken by the chosen ones who were bestowed upon by His Grace. Here, let us go back to the previous ayah of Surah-e-Insan (ayah no. 29), where Allah (SWT) has reminded us to have the desire to take the path in His direction while in the above ayah He has shown us the specific direction to reach Him. The path taken by His chosen ones is the path He wishes us to take. This path would lead us to Him and hence by taking this path we would ensure that we win His Pleasure and His Will. 

The prominent Islamic researchers like Sa’labi and others have mentioned a tradition from Abu Hureira according to which the ‘Straight Path’ mentioned in the above ayah is the path taken by the holy Prophet (pbuh) and his holy Progeny (pbut).  (Ref: Sa’labi in his Tafseer, Waki ibn-e-Jarrah in his commentary). 

Before we carry forward the discussion on this ayah let us consider another ayah from Surah-e-Ambiya:

• “To agar tum log khud nahin jaante ho to ahl-e-zikr se pooch kar dekho.” – (Surah-e-Ambiya, ayah 7)

•  “(Ask the remembrances (ahl-e-zikr), if you do not know)”

In the light of above ayah we can say that there are chosen guides whom we need to follow. These guides are the representatives of Allah (SWT) and His arguments over us and hence we should seek their guidance to reach the Straight Path. The ayah has termed them as Ahle Zikr.

Sa’labi reports from the authority of Jabir Ibn-e-Abdullah Ansari in his tafseer that on revelation of this ayah Mawla Ali (as) said, “We are the rememberancers (ahl-e-zikr)”.

Thus as per Quran the Imams from the holy Progeny of the holy Prophet (SAW) are Ahle Zikr and our guides. Let us now see what our beloved Prophet (pbuh) has said about his holy Ahlulbait:

• "Do not go ahead of them lest ye perish; nor lag behind them, lest ye perish also. And do not teach them for they know more than you.” (Ref: Tabrani as part of Hadees-e-Saqlain, Ibn-e-Hajar Sawaiq-e-Mohraika, vol 24, Chapter 37)

 And Syeda Fatema (S.A) has said: "Verily, Allah made obeying us (Ahlulbait) - the regulation of the nation and our (Ahlulbait’s) leadership - the safeguard from disunity. (Ref: Al-Ihtijaj vol.1 p.97, Bihar Al-Anwar vol.29 p.223)

***It is clear from above Quranic contemplations that the holy Prophet (SAW) and his pious Progeny (as) are the Ahle Zikr, the true guides and rightful representatives of Allah (SWT) on this earth. Seeking guidance from them is to seek guidance from Allah (SWT) Himself and following their footsteps is the doctrine to reach Allah (SWT) and hence a passport of salvation. 
 

The Ahle Zikr are the holy Prophet (SAW) and his Progeny (as) as per the result we just derived. But why did Allah (SWT) choose them to be Ahle Zikr? Is there a reason for that? Let us strive in this direction and seek answers to our queries. 

Striving in the direction of Allah (SWT) is the most important aspect of our faith and religion and that is the reason Allah (SWT) instructed the holy Prophet (SAW) to give his final message to the Muslim Ummah in the following manner: 

•  “Ae Rasool (SAW) un logon se tum kehdo ke main iss tabligh-e-risaalat per tum se kuch mazdoori to maangta nahin hoon magar tamanna ye hai ke jo chaahe apne Parvardigar tak pahonch ne ki raah pakad le.” – (Surah-e-Furqaan, ayah 57)

•  “(Say: "No reward do I ask of you for it but this: that each one who will, may take a (straight) Path to his Lord.")”

‘Each one who will, may take a straight Path to his Lord’ – this is the reward Allah (SWT) instructed the holy Prophet (SAW) to seek from the Muslim Ummah for his labour of Prophethood. Let us see one more ayah from Surah-e-Baqra and then contemplate on both the above ayahs:  

• “Aur Khuda jise chahe rahe raast ki hidayat karta hai.” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah 213)

• “(And Allah guides whom He pleases to the right path.)”                    

The ayah says that Allah (SWT) guides whom He pleases to the right path. While the final message of the holy Prophet to his Ummah as mentioned in the previous ayah from Surah-e-Furqaan is to strive in the direction of the Straight Path that reaches Allah (SWT). But we have concluded that the straight path to Allah (SWT) is the path taken by the holy Progeny (as) of our beloved Prophet (SAW). Thus Allah (SWT) again asked the holy Prophet (SAW) to further clarify his final message in the following manner:

• “Ae Rasool (SAW) tum kehdo ke main apni tableegh-e-risalat ka apne qarabatdaron ki mohabbat ke siwa tumse koi sila nahin maangta” – (Surah-e-Shura, aayat – 23)

• “(‘Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives’)”

Upon the revelation of the above ayah it was asked to the holy Prophet (SAW) as to who were they whose love has been made mandatory for us? To which the Prophet (SAW) replied that they are Ali (as), Fatema (sa), their children Hassan (as) and Hussain (as). (Ref: Tafseer-e-Kishaf, Allama Zamkhashri, Vol 3, P 67)

A similar tradition has been recorded by Sa’labi, Zamakhshari, Suyuti and Baidhavi in which it is mentioned that the above ayah was revealed to make the love of the household of Mawla Ali (A.S) mandatory on the Muslim world.  Even prominent Islamic authorities like Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmed Ibn Hambal and others have recorded traditions to this effect by quoting Ibn-e-Abbas. Thus to take the straight path that reaches Allah (SWT) is to love the Ahlulbait and try to follow their guidance.

Going back to ayah no. 213 from Surah-e-Baqra, which has already been discussed above which says, Allah guides whom He pleases to the right path, here the right path is the love of Ahlulbait. It means that Allah (SWT) instills love of Ahlulbait in the bosoms of people whom He wishes to guide. And this conclusion of ours has been testified by Quran in the following manner in the following ayah: 

•  “Khuda apne Noor ki taraf jise chahta hai hidayat karta hai” – (Surah-e-Noor, ayah 35)

• “(Allah guides to His Noor whom He pleases).”

The above ayah says that Allah guides to His Noor whom He pleases. But Allah (SWT) being invisible, to which Noor shall we be guided? 

Let us see few references on the revelation of the above ayah which would further confirm our inference: 

Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn Shammun from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Asamma from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Qasim from Salih ibn Sahl al-Hamadani who has narrated a tradition from the authority of Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (as) and according to it the Imam has said that in the above ayah:

• ‘Allah guides to His Noor whom He pleases’ means that Allah Guides through the Imams (as) whoever He likes.’  (Ref: Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, H. 513) 

And Hasan al-Basri, Abdul Hasan Maghazil and Shafe’I have mentioned that 

• “Allah guides to His Noor whom He pleases” means the love for descendants of Mawla Ali (as) and Lady Fatema (sa).

***This clarifies why Allah (SWT) chose them as Ahle Zikr. The holy Prophet (SAW) and Imams from his holy Progeny (as) are Ahle Zikr as they are the light of Allah (SWT) created to guide us. Allah (SWT) has kept Himself invisible from our eyes and created this light in human form so that we may understand the Divine Message and remain steadfast on the straight path. If we lose their sight we are at risk of facing the Satan and we might get astray but if we strive in their direction we are ensured of guidance and salvation. Throughout his life our beloved Prophet (SAW) had conveyed the message of importance of love for Ahlulbait (as) in our lives on different occasions and this has been documented in the form of ahadith which find their mention in authentic books of different sects of Muslim Ummah. 

And since they are our guides, the virtues displayed during their lifespan need to be imbibed by us to the best of our capacities. It is impossible for us to emulate them but if we take inspiration from their lives we could be immensely benefited. They have epitomized various virtues which we would see in the light of following ayah: 

• “Aur Hum to kisi shakhs ko uss ki quwwat se badhke takleef dete hi nahin.” – (Surah –e-Momineen, ayah 62) 

•  “(On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear).”

The above ayah says that Allah (SW) does not burden someone beyond his capacity. This means that the larger the atrocity faced by one the greater is his capacity to bear it. Seeing the lives of Prophets who descended on this earth and faced different atrocities it can be said that none had to face the calamity as great as the atrocities of Karbala faced by Imam Hussain (as) and his household. The battlefield of Karbala afflicted countless ruthless atrocities on the innocent children and household of our beloved Imam Hussain (as). This if we see in the light of above ayah showcases his magnitude of Patience and Faith.

During my recent visit to Iraq I saw the place where Imam Musa Kazim (as) was imprisoned for most of his life. The cell was so small and the ceiling so low that the holy Imam could barely raise his head above the ‘ruku’ position. If Allah (SWT) created the Imams as Ahle Zikr then why such atrocities on them, we tend to wonder.

But when we see their lives in the light of above ayah it explains that Allah (SWT) has revealed their strength to mankind in the light of these atrocities. They have epitomized every virtue which Allah (SWT) has instructed in Quran for us to imbibe. They are ‘Quran-e-Naatiq’ and their lives are guidance for us.

•  As per the holy Quran the holy Prophet (SAW) is ‘Mercy’ to the Worlds (Surah-e-Ambiya, ayah 107). Thus he has epitomized ‘Mercy’

• When the Muslim army could not conquer the ‘Fort of Khyber’ and were losing the battle the holy Prophet (SAW) called for the help of Mawla Ali (as) in his prayer to Allah (SWT) by reciting ‘Naade Ali’. Mawla Ali came to the rescue, conquered the Fort and lifted the huge door miraculously on his arm. The Surah-e-Hadid, ayah no. 25 mentions the event of descension of Zulfiqar -  In the battlefield of Ohad, Jibraeel (A.S) brought down the sword ‘Zulfiqar’ and presented it to Mawla Ali (A.S) by saying: ‘La fataah illa Ali La Saif illa Zulfiqar.’ (Zulfiqar is the only effective sword and Ali the unique champion) (Ref: Habib-al-Siyar; Rawdzat-al-Ahbab).Thus Mawla Ali (as) became epitome of  ‘Strength’ and ‘Divine Help’

• Ayah no. 33 of Surah-e-Ahzab (ayat-e-Tatheer) has testified Saiyeda Fatema (sa) as the epitome of ‘Piety’.

• In order to stop the killings of innocent Muslims, our beloved Imam Hassan (as) entered into a treaty with the crafty caliph of that time and curbed his cunning moves and stopped the unnecessary bloodshed, thus epitomizing ‘Wisdom’.

• In the battlefield of Karbala Imam Hussain (as) sacrificed his innocent household for the sake of Islam. Thus becoming the epitome of ‘Patience’ and ‘Faith’

• In the battlefield of Karbala after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (as) Saiyeda Zainab (sa) took care of his household. Her dignified conduct during atrocities to date is an inspiration for women of the Ummah and stands as the epitome of ‘Dignity’.

• The presence of Abbas Alamdar (as) which sent shivers down the spine of enemies in Karbala, was a respite for Imam Hussain (as) and his household. His loyalty and love for Imam Hussain (as) was such that he allowed his arms getting amputated by coward enemies but did not lift the weapons against the wish of Imam Hussain (as). He conquered the river Euphrates but did not drink water as children of Imam Hussain (as) were thirsty. He sacrificed his life for Imam and his children. He is an inspiration for brotherly love. He thus epitomized “Bravery’ and ‘Loyalty’.

The above cited examples are just few of many to explain my point of view. They are ‘Signs of Allah’ and His Identity. We have to see them and their lives to understand Allah (SWT) and His message. The sermon of the holy Prophet (SAW) from the authority of Imam Zainulabedin (as) supports our above claim: 

  Imam Ali Bin Al-Hussein (pbuh) said: "My father narrated to me that his father narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuhp) said: 

When Adam (as) saw our spirits he said: "O Lord! What are these spirits?" Allah, the Most High, said: "O Adam, these are the spirits of my greatest creations and servants.-

o   This is Mohammad and I am Al-Mahmoud Al-Hamid (The Most Thanked) for My actions, I derived this name for him from My Name. 

o   This is Ali and I am Al-Ali Al-Athim (The Most High and the Greatest), I derived this name for him from My Name. 

o   This is Fatima and I am (Fater) the Originator of the skies and earth; I am the One who shall deprive my enemies from My mercy on the day of My judgment and protect my saints from what may harm them; hence, I derived this name for her from My Name and

o   These are Al-Hasan and Al-Hussein and I am Al-Mohsen Al-Mojmel (The Most Charitable and the Most Generous); I derived their names from My Name.

These are My most virtuous creations and My most dignified servants. By them, I give. By them, I punish. By them, I reward. Therefore, plead by them, O Adam, and if you face a hardship, let them be your interceders. For, I swore to Myself indeed to never disappoint anyone who hopes mercy by them and never refuse anyone who asks a request by them." (Ref: Bihar-ul-Anwar, P 327, V 26, P 150, V 11, Tafseer-e-Imam Hasan Askari (as) P 219, Tafseer-e-Saafi, V 1, P 115, Yanabe-ul-Mawadda, V 1, P 288)

***The holy Prophet (SAW) and his Progeny (as) are the “light of Allah (SWT)” created as our guides and our constant source of inspiration. They are the “Straight Path” to be followed as mentioned in Quran. They are “Signs of Allah” which need to be loved. Their ‘Zikr’ is Allah’s Zikr’ and hence they are “Ahle Zikr”. Allah (SWT) instills their love in the bosoms of people whom He wishes. So let us thank Allah (SWT) that He has chosen us by instilling love of Ahlulbait in our hearts and pray to Him to keep us guided and reward us for this in both the worlds. We would finally conclude this article by mentioning Mawla Ali (as)’s instructions to us on this:

“Look at the people of the Prophet's family. Adhere to their direction. Follow their footsteps because they would never let you out of guidance, and never throw you into destruction. If they sit down, you sit down, and if they rise up you rise up. Do not go ahead of them, as you would thereby go astray and do not lag behind of them as you would thereby be ruined.” – (Ref: Sermon 96, Nahjulbalagha)