There is a rule of business transaction – if one avails any kind of service or buys a product he has to pay the value as demanded by the seller in exchange of the product/service he bought to be called a rightful owner of it. Failing, it would be considered as if he has wrongfully robbed the seller without paying him the dues. And the product/service which he has so availed could be taken back from him in such a case.
Is there a price which Allah (SWT) and our beloved Prophet (SAW) have
attached for bestowing us with a message of Islam? Are offering regular
prayers, performing Hajj and fasting in the month of Ramzan the only parameters
we are expected to follow or is there something beyond this which is expected
as a right value to be offered?
***Is it not
then essential for us to introspect whether we are doing enough to be the
rightful acquirers of Islam? Have we paid the Prophet (SAW) the dues for his
efforts in bringing us the benevolence of Islam or are we the usurpers of
Islam?
In the light of holy Quran let us begin our introspection with the
following ayah from Surah-e-Aale Imran:
·
“Aur tum main se ek giroh aise logon ka bhi to hona chahiye jo logon ko neki ki taraf bulaye aur achhe kaam ka hukm de aur bure
kamon se roke aur aise hi log aakherat main apni dili muradein payenge.” – (Surah-e-Aale Imran, ayah 104)
“(And
from among you there should be a group who invite to good and enjoin what is
right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful.)”
Allah (SWT) addresses the Muslim World in the above ayah and Announces
that from amongst them there should be a group who invite to good, enjoin what
is right and forbid the wrong. And He (SWT) further informs that these
people are the successful ones. Thus they are the true and rightful
guide and following them would lead us to success. Now let us see the
following ayah from Surah-e-Tawba:
·
Ae imandaro
Khuda se daro aur sachhon ke saath ho jao.” – (Surah-e-Tawba, ayah 119)
“(O
believers, do not stray from the path of God, and be with those who are
truthful.)”
Here
Allah (SWT) has commanded the believers to enjoin the truthful ones.
Contemplating on both the ayahs we might conclude that Allah (SWT) has
created a group of truthful people who
are the true guides to Muslim Ummah. As commanded it is our religious
duty to be with these truthful guides to succeed.
***Which then is this group of
truthful guides? The answer surely lies within the Quran:
·
“Phir jab tumhare paas ilm (Quran) aa chuuka us ke
baad bhi agar tum se koi (Nasrani) (Isa (a.s) ke baare main) hujjat kare to
kaho ki achha maidaan main aao Hum apne
beton ko bulaayen tum apne beton ko, Hum apni aurton ko bulaayen tum apni
aurton ko, Hum apni jaanon ko bulaayen tum apni jaanon ko, uske baad Hum sab milkar Khuda ki baargaah main gid
gidaayen aur jhooton per Khuda ki la’anat kare..” –
(Surah-e-Aale-Imran, ayah 61)
“(…If any one disputes
in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge hath come to thee say:
“Come! Let us gather together, - our
sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves.
Then let us earnestly pray and invoke the curse of God on those who lie.)”
As per the traditions mentioned by
various historians the above verse was revealed when the Christains of Najran
had challenged the Prophethood of the holy Prophet (SAW). The above ayah is a
Divine Order to the holy Prophet (SAW) to call both the parties of Muslims and
Christains for a ‘Mubahela. As instructed in the verse, each party was
to bring their women, their sons and themselves. While the Christians brought a
great delegation of learned scholars, the
holy Prophet (SAW) summoned Hasan (as) and Hussain (as) in place of his sons.
Fatema (sa) represented women of his house and Mawla Ali (A.S) represented part
of his soul. Both the parties then were needed to
pray and invoke curse of Allah on the liars.
The fact that the Christains backed out of ‘Mubahela’ proves that
they were convinced that the Muslim delegation comprising of the family of the
holy Prophet (SAW) – Imam Ali (as), Janabe Fatema (sa), Hassan (as) and
Hussain (as) were the truthful ones.
Thus the above ayah and the incident of Mubahela is the Quranic
evidence of the truthfulness of Panjetan
Paak (as).
And the ayah from Surah-e-Baqra says:
·
“Aur jis tarah tumhare qible ke bare main hidayat ki
ussi tarah tum ko aadil banaya
taake aur logon ke muqable main tum gawah bano aur Rasool (SAW) tumhare muqable main gawah bane….” – (Surah-e-Baqra, ayah
143)
“(And thus We have made you a just nation that
you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the
Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you)”
It has been recorded by Salim-bin-Qais that Mawla
Ali (A.S) has mentioned that we are ‘Just Nation” (Ummat e Aadil) and bearer of witness to the people.
And the Prophet (SAW) is the bearer of witness to us. (Ref: Shawahid Tanzil,
Hakim Abul Qasim).
The ayah from Surah-e-Ambiya says:
·
“To agar tum log khud nahin jaante ho to ahl-e-zikr se pooch kar dekho.” –
(Surah-e-Ambiya, ayah 7)
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)”.
And
our beloved Prophet (pbuh) has said about his holy Progeny:
· “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)
Keeping in mind the ayah no.104 of Surah-e-Aale Imran, which
we discussed earlier, in which Allah (SWT) has hinted that there should
be a group of people who invite to good, enjoin what is the right and
forbid the wrong, let us see the following ayah from the same Surah:
·
“Tum kya achhe giroh ho ke logon ki hidayat
ke waaste paida kiye gaye ho. Tum logon ko achhe kaam ka to hukm karte ho aur
bure kaamon se rokte ho aur Khuda per Imaan
rakhte ho aur agar ahl-e-kitab bhi isi tarah imaan laate to unke haq main
bahot achha hota un main se kuch to imaandar hain aur aksar badkaar”. – (
Surah-e-Aale Imran, ayah 110)
“(You are the best of the nations raised up for (the benefit of)
men; you enjoin what is
right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah; and if the
followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them; of them
(some) are believers and most of them are transgressors.)”
In
the above ayah Allah (SWT) has addressed them directly and praised their
virtues saying that they are the best nations raised to benefit the
mankind. They enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong. Thus Allah
(SWT) has identified these true guides for us in this ayah and has simpliefied
our quest for finding them.
Explaining the above ayah Ibn-e-Abi
Hakim has quoted Hazrat Abu Ja’far stating that they are none other than the Ahl-ul-bait of the holy Prophet (SAW).
(Ref: Tafseer-e-Suyuti, Vol 2, P 64)
This further proves that the creation of Ahlulbait is for the
guidance of believers towards the right
path. Following them would lead towards goodness and abstinence from evil. Allah
(SWT) has praised them as the best of the nations, this confirms that they are
purified with a thorough purification (leaving no impurity or imperfection)
and hence Allah (SWT) says in the following ayah:
“Ae Paighambar
ki Ahl-ul-bait Khuda to buss yeh chahta hai ke tum ko har tarah ki burai se door rakkhe aur itna paak rakkhe jitna paak rakhne ka haq hai” - (Surah-e-Ahzab, Ayah 33)“(Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O Ahlulbait ! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.)”
Most of the
commentators have unanimously agreed that this verse is revealed to showcase the ‘piety’ and purity of Ahl-ul-bait
(Ref: Tafseer Dhur Mansoor, Mulla Jalaluddin Suyuti, Vol 5, P 198-199).
***The crux
of our contemplation is that Panjetan Paak (as) and the subsequent Imams
(as) after them from the progeny of the holy Prophet (SAW) are the truthful
guides, just nation, the most knowledgeble and the most purified of Allah’s
creations. They have been created as an example for us to follow and learn from
them. It is our religious duty to strive on the path shown by them and to
be amongst their ardent followers.
Let us see Allah’s Commandment which endorses our above inference in the
following ayah from Surah-e-Shura:
قُل
لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ
“Ae Rasool (SAW)
tum kehdo ke main apni tableegh-e-risalat ka apne karabatdaron ki mohabbat ke siwa tumse koi sila nahin
maangta” – (Surah-e-Shura, ayah 23)(‘Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives’)
As
per the traditions mentioned by different commentators the
love of the relatives of the holy Prophet (SAW) is love for Fatima (S.A), Ali (A.S) and
their children Hassan (A.S) and Hussain (A.S). (Ref: Sa’labi, Suyuti, Baidhavi, Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmed ibn Hambal,
Allama Zamkhashri Vol 3, P 68).
A
similar tradition has been recorded by Sa’labi,
Zamakhshari, Suyuti and Baidhavi in
which it is mentioned that the above ayah was revealed so that it becomes clear
to the Muslim world that the love of the household of Mawla Ali (as) is mandatory on them.
Thus if one claims to love our Prophet
(SAW) and wishes to be grateful to him, it will be obligatory on him to love
the nearones of the holy Prophet (SAW) – the Ahlulbait. Failing
which he will have failed to pay the value of the efforts of the holy Prophet
(SAW) in bringing us the benevolence of Islam .
***This article opens with an example of a buyer paying the right value to the
seller against the product or a service purchased. Taking this example further
it can be said that if a person dies without paying his dues to the seller it
is his heir who will be held answerable till the time the transaction is
settled. Similarly if a person dies without paying his dues to the holy
Prophet (SAW) would he remain indebted to Allah (SWT) till the day of
judgement and would he be held answerable for not carrying out this religious
duty of Ajr-e-Risalat? We will see the following ayah from Surah-e-Sa’affat:
·
“Khuda ko chhod kar jin ki parastish karte hain unko
sabko ikattha karo phir unhain Jahannum ki raah dikhao aur haan zara unhain thehrao to un se kuch poochna hai.” –
(Surah-e-Sa’affat, ayah 23-24)
“(Gather together those
who were unjust and their associates, and what they used to worship besides
Allah, and lead them to the Way to the (Fierce) Fire! “But stop them, for they must be asked.)”
Abu Saeed Khudri on the authority of Ibn-e-Abbas
has quoted a tradition that the holy Prophet (SAW) has stated that on the
day of Judgment people would be
questioned about their faith in Wilaya of Ali Ibne Abi Talib (as) and their
love for him. (Ref: Sawaiqe Mohraiqa
P 503, Allama Ibn-e-Hajar, Riyadh al Nadira Volume 2 page 116,
Mohib Tabari).
Shah Ismail Shaheed of the Deobandi Movement in his Mansab e Imamat says: “Imam has such
authority in this world and the next that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) once said
‘Don’t I have more rights over the people than they have over themselves, to
which the people replied in affirmative. The Prophet then said ‘Of whomsoever I
am Mawla, Ali is his Mawla.’ And this is why Allah says in the Quran that on
the Day of Judgment you will be summoned with your Imam and questioned (Surah-e-Sa’afat)
and the Prophet said that we will be asked about the Wilayat of Ali.” (Ref: Mansab-e-Imamat, Page 109-110, Shah
Ismail Shaheed).
There is a prominent hadith of the holy Prophet (SAW)
supporting the above references:
·
“No
one shall be able to move from his place of reckoning on the Day of Judgment
until he has stated four things: how he
spent his life and his wealth, and where he got it from --- and he shall also be asked about the
love of the Ahl-ul-bait.”
And before we
finally conclude this article let us ponder upon the validity of our prayers in
the absence of the love of the Ahlulbait. In case of Hajj a the debtor whose loan is due or
will become due before he returns from Hajj cannot perform Hajj without the
consent of his creditor so without repaying the debt of the holy Prophet (SAW)
by way of loving the Ahlubait can we expect our Hajj getting accepted by
Allah (SWT)?
On the acceptance of
our Salat Ibn Hajar, (Al‑Sawaa'iq, Page 88) quotes the well‑known poem
composed by Al‑Shafi'i (head of Shafi'i Madh'hab), and so does Suyooti,
in his interpretation of Ayah of Tat'heer, as follows:
يا آل بيت رسول الله
حبكم فرض من الله في
القرآن أنزله
كفاكم من عظيم الشأن
انكم من لم يصلي
عليكم لا صلاه له
Al‑Shafi'i
says:
Oh loving
you Ahlulbait is such
That it
is a duty the Quran had established
Suffice
it that so privileged your distinction is
That
Salat becomes invalid if Salawaat is not invoked for you.
è As a final conclusion to our introspection we can say
that we
will be considered ungrateful wretches, not deserving to be called Muslims, if
we do not adhere to the path of the Ahlulbait. Allah (SWT) has made it
clear to us that loyality and love towards the Ahlulbait and acceptance
of their leadership is the only way for our progress in this world and our
salvation in the hereafter.
