Bismillah In the sixth lecture which was delivered on the 10th November 2013, the following points were discussed: 1. Serving the truth leads to unity and indeed it is the only way to get united. The truth is always one and if we dedicate ourselves to the truth and try to serve the truth we will be united, but if we go after our own selfish interests or opinions we will be divided. 2. According to the Qur’an, people were first united and formed one community, but they were later divided. Allah swt sent the Prophets and the Book to guide them and bring them back to unity, but then they started disagreeing and differing about the message given to them. The Qur’an says: Mankind were a single community; then God sent the prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He sent down with them the Book with the truth, that it may judge between the people concerning that about which they differed, and none differed in it except those who had been given it, after the manifest proofs had come to them, out of envy among themselves. Then God guided those who had faith to the truth of what they differed in, by His will, and God guides whomever He wishes to a straight path. (2:213) Mankind were but a single [religious] community; then they differed. And were it not for a prior decree of your Lord, decision would have been made between them concerning that about which they differ. (10:19) 3. Thus, people were first united, but then they were divided because they were ignorant and in need of guidance. When guidance was given to them and they knew the truth they were again divided because of envy among them and injustice. 4. Ignorance and injustice are two major problems and this is why Allah swt says that after accepting the trust (amanah) man has been “very unjust and very ignorant” (33:72). 5. According to the Qur’an, people keep dividing unless they receive mercy from God and God has created them in order to give them mercy so that they would be united. The Qur’an says: Had your Lord wished, He would have made mankind one community; but they continue to differ, except those on whom your Lord has mercy —and that is why He created them— and the word of your Lord has been fulfilled: ‘I will surely fill hell with jinn and humans, all together!’ (11:118 & 119) 6. Imam Sadiq (a) said that “that is why He created them” means that God created them for mercy and that is to be united. So those who are divided are denied this mercy and they are indeed cursed and damned. Such people who divide the community should be expecting punishment of hell. 7. Allah’s plan was to have a united community of all the prophets and their followers, but unfortunately they were divided. The Qur’an says: Indeed this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so be wary of Me. But they fragmented their religion among themselves, each party exulting in what it had. (23:52 & 53) 8. To unite people is an act of God and to divide people is an act of Satan and Pharaoh (28:4). The Qur’an says: … It is He who strengthened you with His help and with the means of the faithful, and united their hearts. Had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but God united them together. Indeed He is all-mighty, all-wise. (8: 62 & 83) Hold fast, all together, to God’s cord, and do not be divided [into sects]. And remember God’s blessing upon you when you were enemies, then He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers with His blessing. And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, whereat He saved you from it. Thus does God clarify His signs for you so that you may be guided. (3:103 & 104) 9. To divide is a very great sin and to unite and reconcile is a very great good deed. Imam Ali (a) in his final will quoted the Prophet (a) as saying that reconciling between two people is better than one year of prayer and fasting. 10. Once Mu‘alla b. Khunays asked Imam Sadiq about what one Muslim owes another. Imam replied: “There are seven duties incumbent upon him. Should he neglect but one of them, he is not a friend or a servant of God, and truly he has done nothing for the sake of God”. Then Imam mentioned the following: a) Wish for your brother what you wish for yourself, and wish that what you do not desire for yourself should not befall your brother. b) Do not make your brother angry, but seek to please him and obey his wishes. c) Help him with your soul, your property, your tongue, your hands and your feet. d) Be the eye that he sees with, his guide and his mirror. e) Do not eat your fill when he is hungry, nor drink and clothe yourself when he is thirsty and naked. f) If he has no servant, but you do, it is incumbent on you to send your servant to him to wash his clothes, cook his food and spread out his mattress. g) Accept his promise and his invitation; visit him when he is sick, attend his funeral, and see to his needs before he asks you, hurrying to do them if you can. 11. Imam Sadiq (a) at the end said: “If you do this you have connected your wilayah to his wilayah and his wilayah to your wilayah. 12. Collective nature of wilayah was mentioned and the audience were referred to the lecture on collective nature of wilayah by the speaker. 13. Hadiths from Al-Kafi about the merits of helping believers and meeting their needs were mentioned. 14. It was explained that in the community of the Ahlul Bayt (a) people are very reluctant to ask for help, but very prepared to offer help. Reference to dua nudbah was made: هَلْ مِنْ مُعينٍ فَاُطيلَ مَعَهُ الْعَويلَ وَالْبُكاءَ “Is there any helper with whom I may prolong my lamentation and weeping?” The Dua continues: هَلْ مِنْ جَزُوعٍ فَاُساعِدَ جَزَعَهُ إِذا خَلا The Dua continues: هَلْ قَذِيَتْ عَيْنٌ فَساعَدَتْها عَيْني عَلَى الْقَذَى “Is there any eye in pain for you (from crying), such that my eye may help it by taking away part of its pain?” 15. So believers are to treat each other like brothers and sisters. 16. Hadith from Al-Kafi about the great reward for helping believers and meeting their needs were mentioned. For example, Ali ibn Jafar quotes Imam Kazim as saying: “Whoever his brother in faith comes to him and asks him for a request indeed a mercy from God has come to him and if he accepts this mercy it connects him to our wilayha and he will be connected to the wilayah of Allah swt, but if he rejects his request while he is able to help, a branch of fire of hell will punish him in his grave till the Day of Judgement. 17. Finally the story of martyrdom of Hazrate Qasim was mentioned. To watch the video, please follow this line: youtu.be/JeuVd1Cgras Eltemase dua
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 01:04:12 +0000
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