Imam Hasan (as), a brief look into his Life

(This is) an account of the Imam after the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, the date of his birth, the evidence for his Imamates the period of his succession, the time of his death, and the place of his grave. (It also provides) a brief outline of the reports about him.
The Imam after the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was his son al-Hasan, the son of the mistress of the women of the worlds, Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, the Lord of messengers, may God bless him and his pure family. (Al-Hasan's) kunya was Abu Muhammad. He was born in Medina, on the night of the middle day of the month of Ramadan, three years after the hijra (624).
His mother, Fatima, peace be on her, brought him to the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, on the seventh day in a silken shawl from Heaven, which Gabriel had brought down to the Prophet, may God bless him and his family. He named him Hasan and sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of aqiqa).
[It is reported by a group (of authorities), including Ahmad b. Salih. al-Tamimi on the authority of Abd Allah b. Isa, on the authority of Jafar al-Sadiq b. Muhammad, peace be on him;]
Al-Hasan, peace be on him, was the most similar person to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in form, manner and nobility.

The Battle of Karbala

A Marthiyaa of Anis, translated into English verse by David Matthews, Rupa Co.
******
The Battle of Karbala
*****
The sun had run his journey o'er the night;
Unveiled, the Dawn revealed her glorious face.
The King who rides the heavens saw her light
And called his brave companions to their place.
'The time has come at last; to God give praise;
Arise! In fitting prayer your voices raise.
Brave hearts! For strife and slaughter dawns this day;
Here the blood of Muhammad's race will flow.'
Zahra's darling, honoured, seeks the fray;
The night of parting fades 'neath union's glow.
'We are those for whom the angels weep;
To live this day we sacrificed our sleep.
This morning brings an evening ever blessed;
We who depart for Paradise will slake
Our thirst by Kawthar's spring, and there find rest.
May God exalt our names for honour's sake.'

Human Reproduction in the Qur'an

In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful
All praise to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and all the blessings of Allah to the head of the messengers and the last of the Prophets, Muhammad, and on his pure and cleansed progeny.
The Qur'an is the holy book for Muslims. It was revealed to an illiterate man, Muhammad, 1400 years ago. This is in itself amazing, that an illiterate man began to recite verses of literary genius. What is more amazing and miraculous is that he pronounced truths of a scientific nature that no other human could possibly have developed at that time (1400 years ago) and without making a single error.
This article will be on a truly exciting, fascinating, and mysterious topic with the fact that this thing happens everyday, every hour, every minute yet every second in all corners of the world and it has been happening since Allah (S.W.T) has created Adam and Eve and it will keep happening until the final hour. This is the story of life, the story of the creation, the creation of the human being.
The Qur'an has many verses regarding the creation of man and many verses which asks us to look and think at what has been created and the complex mechanisms involved. Allah (S.W.T) says in his book:
“ Travel through the Earth and see how God did originate creation” (29:20)
and also:-
“ Now let man but think from what he is created “ (56:5)
and in another verse:
“We will show them our signs in the horizons and in their own souls, until it appears to them that this is the truth”.(41:53)
The Qur'an did not stop at that, but has described many intricate details regarding the topic of this article and that is the creation of man, human reproduction in man.
Let us now go through this mysterious story, and see on one hand, what modern science tells us now and, on the other hand, what the Qur'an has been telling us 1400 years ago.
Human reproduction, as science tells us, happens in many different and unique stages. Did not the Qur'an mention this:-
“ God created you in stages “ (71:4)
“(God) creates you inside the bodies of your mothers, in stages, one after another” (39:6)
The starting point in human reproduction is sexual intercourse. During this act, the male sex organ releases a small quantity of semen into the cervix of the vagina. It has been shown that this semen contains 350,000,000 spermatozoa in one single ejaculation. The spermatozoa is the plural for the word spermatozoon and this is the actual fertilising cell.
This is the male fertilising agent which is also called sperm but the spermatozoon is scientifically more accurate as it is the fertilising cell. Modern Biology has shown that only one spermatozoon out of the 350,000,000 spermatozoa is all that is needed for fertilisation to occur with the female egg, the ovule. Let us see what the Qur'an says:-
“ God created man from a sperm “ (16:4)
and in another verse:-
“ Was (man) not a sperm which has been poured out?. “ (75:37)
The semen, or spermatic liquid, which is ejaculated contains more than just spermatozoa. This liquid is formed by secretions from many glands. They are a) the testicles, b) the seminal vesicles, c) the prostate glands and d) the glands annexed to the urinary tract. All these secretions mix and mingle to form the spermatic liquid. Qur'an mentioned this 1400 years ago:-
“ Verily, We created man from a small quantity of mingled liquids “ (76:2)
After the ejaculation of the semen into the cervix of the vagina, the sperm travels to the Fallopian tube and fertilisation will occur there with the ovule.
Once the ovule has been fertilised, it descends into the womb, or the uterus, via the Fallopian tube and it implants itself there by clinging to the wall of the uterus. This is referred to in the Qur'an in the following verses:-
“ We have created you from...something which cling “ (22:5)
“ We have created the sperm into something which clings “ (23:14)
“ Was (man) not a sperm which has been poured out. After that he was something which clings, then (God) fashioned him in due proportion “ (75:37-38)
The Qur'an calls the fertilised egg “something which clings” because it clings to the wall of the uterus as mentioned earlier.
It is important to note that the implantation of the fertilised egg has to take place inside the womb for pregnancy to occur. If the implantation takes place somewhere else instead of the womb, e.g. in the Fallopian tube, then pregnancy will not take place. The Qur'an tells us the place where the fertilised egg implants itself and the fact that it has to take place there as science tells us now:
“ We cause whom We will to rest in the womb for an appointed term” (22:5)
After the fertilised egg has been implanted in the womb, it begins to evolve into the embryo. The Qur'an describes this evolution by breaking it down into different stages. The description of the Qur'an is brief but very accurate:
“ We have fashioned the thing which clings into a chewed lump of flesh and We fashioned the chewed lump of flesh into bones then We clothed the bones with intact flesh “ (23:14)
As already mentioned, the “something which clings” is the fertilised egg which clings to the wall of the womb.
If you take a piece of meat and chew it once and then take it out of your mouth and look at it, it will look exactly to what the embryo will look like after three weeks of development. This has been shown by a renowned professor of embryology by the name of Keith L.Moore and is shown in his book entitled “The Developing Human” (3rd edition).
On the sixth week of development, the bone structure begins to develop inside the embryo or the “chewed lump of flesh” as the Qur'an calls it. This is called the mesenchyma. Remember what the Qur'an says:
“...We fashioned the chewed lump of flesh into bones...”(23:14)
A week later, the seventh week, the muscles begin to cover the bones which were formed in the previous week:-
“...We clothed the bones with intact flesh...” (23:14)
It is known that the embryo passes through a stage where some parts are in proportion and others out of proportion. Maybe this is what is meant by the Qur'an in the following verse:
“ We created you out of dust, then out of a sperm, then We fashioned you into something which clings into a chewed lump of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed” (22:5)
After four months have passed, the newly formed organs of the embryo, including the heart, begin to operate and the glands begin to secrete. The embryo becomes “alive”. Imam Jaffar Al-Sadiq (A.S) said:
“ When the embryo reaches the fourth month, life has begun in it”
As the embryo develops inside the womb, three layers of protection surround it. These are the maternal anterior abdominal wall, the uterinal wall, and the amnio-chronic membrane. The Qur'an has a verse which may imply to this although the verse may also imply to the distinct embryonic stages. Future discoveries in embryology may be able to shed more light on this particular verse:
“ (God) creates you inside the bodies of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness “ (39:6)
Modern embryology has also shown that the reproductive glands also form during the embryonic stage. They are formed on the upper part of the posterior abdominal below the diaphragm on either side of the vertebral column. Let us go to the Qur'an and see what it says:-
“ (Man) was fashioned from a liquid poured out, proceeding from between the vertebral column and the lower ribs “ (86:6-7)
The embryo, through all these stages, receives it's food from it's mother via the umbilical chord. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in a Hadith, said:
“ Connected by a chord from his bellybutton, and from this he feeds on the mother's food and drink, until the time for his birth has arrived “
I want to sidetrack to the topic of genetics now and what has been said about it through Prophetic traditions. A man went to visit the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) one day. The Prophet said “I have received news that you have a new baby”, the man said “that is correct, messenger of Allah, he was born yesterday”. The Prophet replied “this baby who was born yesterday, eho does he look like, who does he resemble, does he resemble you or does he resemble his mother?”. The man said “messenger of Allah, he will resemble one of the two. He will either resemble me or he will resemble his mother. Isn't that the way?. The Prophet said:-
“ No, do not say that. If the sperm falls into the womb, Allah (S.W.T) brings forth every characteristic between it and between Adam”.(meaning the embryo will inherit characteristics from as far back as Adam (PBUH)).
What does modern genetics say about this?. It tells us that the gene which transmits these characteristics is able to deliver to you these characteristics from your oldest forefathers even if it was 10 million years ago. (Isn't that what this illiterate man said 1400 years ago).
Today's firmly established human reproduction concepts are in total agreement with the Qur'an. But if the Qur'anic verses on this subject are compared with the general theories that were held at the time of the Qur'anic revelation, 1400 years ago, they would be like chalk and cheese.
One of the ridiculous myths that were held at the time of the Qur'anic revelation was regarding vaccination. Whenever we travel anywhere these days, we usually take vaccinations against various types of dangerous diseases before we leave. At the time of the Prophet (PBUH), they also used to have a system of vaccinations but it slightly differed from ours!!!.
The system they used was that whenever you were about to enter a new city, you would stand at the beginning of this city, and make a noise like a donkey. Whenever you were to eat something in that city, you would make a noise like a donkey and this noise-making is what they thought would prevent them of acquiring disease.
See the difference, like chalk and cheese. it was only in the 19th century that science began to have some answers to the mysterious world of human reproduction.
Dear reader. How can you account for the fact that an illiterate man, 1400 years ago, without any scientific background and living in a backward civilisation, predict scientific phenomena which have only now been discovered with the advent of extremely sophisticated and powerful microscopes and with the acquisition of scientific knowledge?. How can you account for all this unless you submit to the fact that Muhammad (PBUH) was a Prophet sent by God, Allah, as a mercy to mankind. There is no compulsion on you to accept the truth, as Allah, says in his book, the Qur'an:-
“ There is no compulsion in religion “ (2:256)
But it is certainly a shame upon human intellect when man is not even interested in finding out the truth. In Islam, we are taught that God has given us a mind and the faculty of reason to look at things objectively and systematically for ourselves. To reflect, then to question, to reach the truth. Religion should not be accepted blindly, as some religions seem to do. In those religions, you are regarded blasphemous to question your own religion. Islam invites you to do that.
It is not right for anybody to force anyone to accept Islam, for Islam teaches that man is given the freedom to choose whatever path he wishes to follow.
Dear reader. Before you form an opinion of Islam, I want to ask you one question. Is your existing knowledge of Islam thorough enough or have you obtained what you know through television, newspapers and non-Muslim third party sources who do not know anything about the real Islam?.
How can you form an opinion about anything from just hearsay?. Is that fair?. Similarly, you should, if you want, find out about Islam through reliable sources. You should not only taste Islam, but digest it as well before you can form any opinions about it.
It is up to you to make the next move. I hope you will eventually find the truth, ISLAM.
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Present what you have just read to your non-Muslim friends. We all have to do the work of dawah, invitation to Islam. It is an order from the creator. Allah (S.W.T) in the Qur'an says:-
“ And who is better in speech than he who invites men to Allah and does good deeds and says I am one of the Muslims “ (41:33)
“ Invite (all) to the way of the Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and reason with them in ways that are best and most gracious “ (16:125)
All that you have to do is pass what you have read to your friends and let them read it, that is all. Let them know about Islam, because there are so many people who still do not know about this great religion. Allah (S.W.T) says
“ We have sent thee (O Muhammad) except as a universal (messenger) to the whole of mankind, as a giver of glad tidings, and as a warner, but still the majority of mankind still do not know” (34:28)
“ …Mankind still does not know”..
What? .
That there is none worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger.
If there are any questions, thoughts or comments regarding what you have just read, please do not hesitate to contact me at fe95rrj@brunel.ac.uk.
Alhamdullilah Rabilalamin wa salat wa salam ala Muhammad wa ala alihi altahirin.

Forty Hadith, An Exposition

An Exposition on Forty Ahadith Narrated through the Prophet and His Ahl al-Bayt, may peace be upon them

Detailed commentary on 40 selected traditions narrated through the Prophet (S) and his Ahl al-Bayt (a) on topics of ethics and spirituality, including jihad al-nafs.

We cry for Husayn (AS) so did the Prophet of Islam (S)

We cry for Hussain (AS) …So did the Prophet of Islam (S)

By Yasser al-Madani

Every year, Muslims around the world commemorate the tragedy of Karbala. They attend mourning meetings and processions in which the story of Karbala is retold, lamentations are held and special poetic readers using dramatic techniques and symbolism recite eulogies to mark the events of the day of Ashura. All these commemorative meetings not only serve to convey the events and message of Karbala but also provide opportunities for us to learn about Islam in general.
We commemorate Ashura’ to symbolise and express our grief and emotions towards the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain (AS), to keep Imam al-Hussain’s (AS) cause alive in our hearts and to be committed to his cause. Also, we want to extract lessons from the tragedy of Karbala and apply them to our daily lives. We want to pay our condolences to the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahlul Bayt (AS). You might then ask why we do not commemorate the death of the Holy Prophet (S) who has a much higher rank than Imam al-Hussain (AS). The answer to this is that although we do commemorate and mourn the death of the Holy Prophet (S), it is the way and circumstance in which Imam al-Hussain (AS) was martyred which makes all the difference, the fact that he was martyred for refusing a government headed by the wretched Yazid, who drank, gambled and indulged in many corrupt practices, the fact that those who savagely slaughtered Imam al-Hussain (AS) called themselves Muslims is what makes us mourn and lament his martyrdom the way we do.
Imagine, it is afternoon on the day of Ashura’. Imam al-Hussain (AS) is standing on the blood-drenched soil of Karbala in the heat of the scorching sun awaiting to meet his beloved. His head is wounded and blood is streaming slowly down his holy face soaking his blessed beard. He looks around, searching for members of his family and his companions, only to find them brutally slaughtered and slain like sacrificial lambs, lying there on the ground soaked in blood. He hears the innocent crying and wailing of the children and the women. Tears flow down his holy face. He takes a piece of cloth to wipe the blood from his face, whereupon an archer from the army of Yazid (may Allah’s curse be upon him) shoots a triple-headed arrow, which lodges into Imam al-Hussain’s (AS) heart.
He pulls out the arrow causing blood to gush out. The Holy Imam is thirsty. He cries: “O Allah, I am thirsty”, in the meantime another man approaches and shoots an arrow which thrusts into Imam al-Hussain’s (AS) throat quenching his thirst. Hilal bin Nafi’ was reported as saying: “By God I never saw a person getting killed with his own blood all over his body in a better state than al-Hussain. I was so overwhelmed by the radiance of his face that I refrained from contemplating killing him.” Even when the accursed Shimr approached Imam al-Hussain (AS) to severe his blessed head, he said: “When I approached Hussain ibn Ali and my eyes fell on him, the light of his face so gripped me that I forgot my intention to kill him.” It is reported that when Imam al-Hussain was killed, the sky rained down blood.1 It has been recorded that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (AS) has said:
“…For no one the heavens wept for forty days save Yahya and Hussain…”2
Show me such a spectacle of human greatness in an event other than Karbala and I will commemorate its memory instead of Karbala! How can someone hear all this and not cry and mourn; even those who are not Muslims shed tears when they hear this tragedy. Even the heavens wept for Imam al-Hussain (AS).3
Let me ask you a question, if a Muslim cries over the passing away of their own relatives, then how can they not cry over the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (S)? As one of the greatest British historians, Edward Gibbon, once said: “In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hussain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.”4
Furthermore, crying for Imam al-Hussain (AS) is considered seeking nearness to Allah (SWT) for the tragedy of Karbala is bound to the great sacrifice which Imam al-Hussain (AS) endured for the sake of Allah (SWT) and for Islam. It is only when your heart is soft and absorbable that you feel the sense of closeness to Allah (SWT). The Holy Qur’an praises crying and those who cry for a legitimate cause. The Holy Qur’an describes many of the Prophets and their followers when they cried, “When the verses of the Most Gracious were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping”5
Moreover, we cry over the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain (AS) for the Holy Prophet (S) wept for Imam al-Hussain (AS) as recorded in many traditions (ahadith):
Ahmed and Ibn al-Dhahhak narrated from Ali (AS): “I entered on the prophet (S) and his eyes were flooded, I said: Oh! Prophet of Allah, anyone made you angry? Why are your eyes flooded? He said: Gabriel just left me telling me that al-Hussain will be killed by the river Euphrates. He (the Prophet (S)) said: So he (Gabriel) said: Do you want me to let you smell his dirt (from his burial pot)? I said: Yes! He reached with his hand and grabbed and handful of dirt and gave it to me. So I could not help it and my eyes were flooded.”6
Ummul Fadhl the daughter of al-Harith said that she entered on the Messenger of Allah (S) and she said: “Oh! Messenger of Allah, I saw a strange dream last night. He said: And what is it? She said: It was difficult. He said: And what is it? She said: I saw, as if, a piece of your body was severed and was put in my lap! The Messenger of Allah (S) said: You saw well - Fatima will give birth, God willing, a boy so he will be in your lap. Then Fatima gave birth to al-Hussain (AS) and he was in my lap - just as the Messenger of Allah (S) said. So I entered one day on the Messenger of Allah (S) and put him in his lap, but I noticed that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (S) pouring tears! So I said: Oh! Prophet of Allah, my parents are your ransom, what is with you? He said: Gabriel (AS) came to me and informed me that my nation (ummah) will kill this son of mine.” 7
Umm Salamah has said: "al-Hussain entered on the Prophet (S), while I was sitting at the door, so I saw in the hand of the Prophet (S) something he turned over while (Hussain) sleeping on his stomach. I said: Oh messenger of Allah, I looked and saw you turning something over in your hand when the kid was sleeping on your stomach and your tears were pouring? He said: Gabriel came to me with the sand upon which he (Hussain) will be killed. And he informed me that my nation (umma) will kill him."8
Ibn Saad, Ali bin Muhammad, Yahya bin Zakariya, a man heard it from 'Amir al-Sha'bi say: “When Ali (as) passed by Karbalaa in his march to Siffien and lined up with Nainawa - a village on the Euphrates - he stopped and called one of them men: Tell aba 'Abdullah (al-Hussain (AS)) what this land is called? He said: Karbala. Then he cried until the earth was wet from his tears. He then said: I entered on the messenger of Allah (S) and he was crying. So I said: What makes you cry?
He said: Gabriel was with me, just now, and informed me: that my son al-Hussain (AS) will be killed at the banks of Furat in a location called Karbala. Then Gabriel grabbed a handful of dirt and let me smell it. So I could not help it, my eyes overflowed.”9
From this tradition (hadith) we can see that Imam al-Ali (AS) also wept for Imam al-Hussain (AS). There are more traditions showing that the Holy Prophet (S) wept for Imam al-Hussain (AS).10
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Holy Prophet (S) also wept for Imam al-Hussain (AS).11
Even the Jinns mourned Imam al-Hussain (AS)'s death, it has been reported that after Imam al-Hussain (AS)'s martyrdom, Umm Salamah said: "I heard the Jinns mourning for al-Hussain (AS).”12
In conclusion, we cry for Imam al-Hussain (AS) because so did the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (S). Every year we continue and revive the message of Karbala by mourning and crying over the injustice which the Ahlul Bayt (AS) suffered on the plains of Karbala, and through this we renew our pledge of allegiance to the Imam (AS) and keep his noble cause alive in our hearts.

• 1. Nadra al-Azdiya, a woman who was contemporary of Imam al –Hussain (AS), is said to have reported: “When al-Hussain b. 'Ali was killed, the sky rained down blood, so that next morning we found our wells and water jugs filled with it.” This hadith is narrated by Ibn Hajar.
• 2. The Holy Qur'an, Aqa Mirza Mahdi Puya, p. 681, pub. Peermohammed Trust (Pakistan). This hadith is recorded under the tafsir of the verse (19:12-15). Aqa Mahdi Puya says that what is meant by “the heavens wept” (in the hadith of Imam as-Sadiq) is that the sun became extraordinarily red.
• 3. al-Suyuti reports in his commentary on the verse (19:13) describing Allah's compassion towards the ancient martyr John son of Zachariah that “The heavens did not weep for the death of anyone except John son of Zachariah and al-Hussain b. Ali. Its redness [at sunset] is the sign of its weeping”.
• 4. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon (1911), v. 5, pp. 391-2.
• 5. The Holy Qur'an, (19:58); also refer to (17:109).
• 6. Thakhaer al-Uqba, Muhibbuldeen al-Tabari, p. 148.
• 7. al-Mustadrak al-Sahih, al-Hafidh al-Hakim al-Nisapouri, v. 3, p. 176, (al-Hakim said: “This is an authentic hadith (Sahih) on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim but they did not print it”); Dalael al-Nubouwa, al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqi under the subject of al-Hussain (AS); Cf. Ibn al-A'tham IV, (Hyderabad, 1971), p. 211-2, the author narrates this hadith using a different chain of narration.
• 8. al-Musannaf, al-Hafidh abu Bakr bin abi Shaibah, v. 12.
• 9. al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Ibn Saad; al-Musannaf, Ibn Abi Shaibeh, v. 12 (with "Patience aba 'Abdullah, patience aba 'Abdullah"); al-Moejam al-Kabeer, al-Tabarani, v. 1; Tareekh al-Shamm, Ibn 'Asakir.
• 10. al-Musnad, Ahmad bin Hanbal, v. 2, p. 60-61; al-Taba'qat al-Kubra, Ibn Saad; al-Moejam al-Kabeer, al-Hafidh al-Tabarani (on subject of al-Hussain); A'lam al-Nubuwwah, al-Mawardi al-Shafi 'I; Kanz al-Ummal, al-Muttaqi al-Hindi.
• 11. al-Khasa'is, al-Suyuti al-Shafi'I, 2:125; al-Manaqib, al-Magazili, p. 313; al-Musnad, Ahmad bin Hanbal, 6:294; Tarikh al-Islam, al-Dimishqi, 3:11; al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, 6:230; al-'Aqd al-Farid, ibn 'Abd Rabbah, 2:219; Kanz al-Ummal, al-Muttaqi al-Hindi; Cf. Ibn al-A'tham IV, 212-4; Sahih al- Tirmidhi; Mishkat al-Masabih, an-Nawawi, English Version, Tradition # 6157.
• 12. Tarikh al-Kabir, al-Bukhari (author of the famous Sahih), v. 4, Part 1, p. 26; Fadha'il al-Sahaba, Amhmad Ibn Hanbal, v. 2, p. 776, tradition # 1373; Tabarani, v. 3, p.130-1; Tahdhib, v. 7, p.404.

Isti'adha: Seeking Allah's Protection from Satan

An explanation of Istiadha through its five aspects namely, piety, remembrance of Allah, resignation on the wishes of Allah, honesty of purpose and humility in supplication.

Commentary on the Supplication of Salawat Sha’baniyyah

Taught by Imam ‘Ali ibn Al Husain Zainul ‘Abideen (AS)

This text is a brief commentary on the famous Supplication of Salawat Sha'baniyyah which has been taught to us by Imam Zainul 'Abideen (peace be upon him). The reader is encouraged to analyze and reflect upon the deeper meanings of each word to better appreciate this precious jewel and recite it with cognition.

Merits of the Soul: Repentance (Tawbah)

A brief text explaining the significance of repentance, exploring into the essence of true, sincere repentance and how it can be achieved.

Repentance (Tawbah)

O you who believe! Turn (in repentance) to Allah with sincere repentance; Perhaps your Lord will remove your evil from you… (Holy Qur'an, 66: 8)
The Prophet of Allah (s) said: There are four signs of one who is repentant:
1) He is sincere to God in his actions
2) He shuns falsehood
3) He is firmly attached to truth and
4) He is eager to do good. [Al-Harani, Tuhaf al-`Uqool, p. 20]
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a) said: “When a servant turns to God with sincere repentance (tawbatun nasuh), God loves him and covers him (i.e. his sins) in the world and the Hereafter.” I said, “And how does He cover him?” The Imam (a) replied, “He makes the two angels (assigned to write his deeds) forget that which they have writ­ten of his sins. Then He inspires his limbs (saying), ‘Conceal his sins,’ and He inspires places of the earth (saying), ‘Conceal the sins that he used to commit over you.’ Then he meets God in such a manner that there is nothing to bear witness against him regarding any sin.”[Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, kitab al‑'iman wa al‑kufr, bab al‑Tawbah, hadith #1]

The reality of Tawbah

Tawbah means return to the soul's initial spirituality after the light of its human nature (fitrah) and its spirit has been covered by the darkness of sins and disobedience. The human soul in its initial state has neither any spiritual virtues nor any vices. It is capable of reaching any station, but in its original state it is pure, sinless and has an intrinsic luminosity.
The perpetration of sins causes obscurity within the heart, and the light of intrin­sic nature is extinguished and converted into darkness. However, before total darkness envelops the heart, if a person awakens from the slumber of negligence and makes repentance, the soul gradually returns from the darkness to the light of its original nature and essential spirituality.
This is mentioned in the famous hadith from Imam Baqir (a):“One who repents from sin is like the one who has not sinned..” [Al‑Kulayni, al‑Kafi, kitab al‑'iman wa al‑kufr, bab al‑Tawbah, hadith #10]

The essentials and conditions required for Tawbah

Tawbah is not accepted from one who merely declares, “I repent.” There are a number of conditions that must be fulfilled before the acceptance of Tawbah. These are mentioned below in the following hadith:
• It is narrated that someone said: Astaghfirullah (I seek God's forgiveness) before Imam ‘Ali (a). He said to him. "May your mother mourn for you! Do you know what istighfar is? Verily istighfar is a degree of the 'illiyyun (people of high station) and it is a word that means six things. First is remorse over the past. Second, the resolution not to return to it ever. Third, to return to creatures their (formerly usurped) rights so that you meet God Almighty in a state of purity in which no one has any claim against you. Fourth, that you fulfil every duty that you neglected in order to satisfy your obliga­tion in respect to it. Fifth, that you attend to the flesh of your body that has grown on unlawful nourishment so that it melts away as a result of grief and mourning and your skin adheres to your bones, after which new flesh grows in its place. Sixth, that you make your body taste the pain of obedience in the same way as it earlier tasted the pleasure of sins. When you have done these things then say Astaghfirul­lah! [Nahj al‑Balagha, saying # 417]
This noble tradition mentions two prerequisites for Tawbah (remorse and resolution), two important conditions for its acceptance (returning the rights of creatures and of the Creator), and finally two points for the perfection of repentance.

Tawbatun nasuh (sincere repentance)

According to great researcher al‑Shaykh al‑Bahai (qs), there are several meanings of tawbatun nasuh. A few of them are mentioned below:
• Tawbah that 'advises' the people, i.e. it invites them to simu­late him (the repenter) on account of the good effect produced in the repenter, or Tawbah that ‘counsels' the repenter to root out sins and never return to them again.
• Tawbah that is done purely for God's sake, similar to the pure honey that is free from wax, and thus called `asalun nasuh. Sincerity requires that the remorse should be on account of the ugliness of sins and the displeasure of God, and not from fear of the hellfire.
• The word nasuh is also related to nasabah which means tailoring, because Tawbah sews together the body of faith which is torn by sin, and because it joins the penitent person to God's awliya' (friends) and His lovers in the same way that separate pieces of cloth are joined together by tailoring.
• Yet another interpretation says that nasuh is an attribute of the penitent and tawbatun nasuh is a Tawbah whose performer admonishes him­self to take part in a perfect repentance until the effects of sins are totally purged from the heart. This task is only attained by causing the soul to taste regret and grief and by clearing its darkness caused by past sins with the light of virtuous actions.

The sooner, the better…

Successful Tawbah is a difficult task. Indulging in sins, especially major and mortal ones, cause a person to become totally forgetful of Tawbah. If the tree of sins growing in the orchard of the human heart reaches maturity and its roots become strong, the results are calamitous, causing a person to turn completely away from repentance.
Even when the thought of Tawbah occasionally comes to his mind, he postpones it from one day to another, and from one month to the next, telling himself, "I will make sound repentance at the end of my life and in old age." This is wishful thinking. Such a person cannot perform Tawbah after the roots of sinfulness have grown deep into his personality. The best time for Tawbah is youth when sins are fewer, the inner dark­ness of the heart is incomplete and all the conditions of Tawbah are easier to fulfil. This God‑given opportunity should be availed at all costs and one shouldn’t pay heed to satanic whisperings to postpone Tawbah. And therefore, one should do Tawbah as soon as possible after a sin is committed. An intelligent person who realizes this fact, abstains from sins, and undoes wrong committed in the past.
His penitent heart filled with remorse, develops a firm determination to quit sinful life. God helps him and if his Tawbah is sincere, he becomes the beloved of God as mentioned in the holy verse: “Verily God loves the repentant” (2: 222)
Imam ‘Ali (a) said: “If you want to win His blessings in the next world, today is the day of preparation while tomorrow is the day of reward. The place to proceed to is Paradise while the place of doom is Hell. Is there no one among you to repent for his deeds before his death, compensate for wrongs he has done, and do good before the calamity of retribution descends upon him?” [Nahj al-Balagha, sermon #33]

A call to awaken the heart for Tawbah

• O man! How sinful and foolish you are not to know the worth of the bounties of your Provider. After having spent years in dis­obedience and after prolonged disloyalty to such a merciful Lord, Who has pro­vided all the means of your comfort and ease ‑ without there being, na`udhu bi Allah, any imaginable benefit to Him ‑ having vio­lated His sanctities and taken shamelessness and recalcitrance to their extreme, now that you are remorseful, penitent and repentant, God Almighty has taken you as His loved one. What an abundance of mercy and plenitude of bounty! O God! We are incapable of thanking You for Your bounties. Our tongues are unable to praise and extol You. All that we can do is to bow our heads in shame and ask Your pardon for our shamelessness. We don’t deserve Your mercy. Indeed, Your mercy is more abundant and Your bounties are more inclusive than can be described.
• A wise man should endeavour to intensify the form of contrition and grief in the heart so that God willing, it sets aflame the fire of remorse. That is, through meditation about the terrible consequences of sin, remorse becomes stronger in his heart, thereby voluntarily kindling the holy fire, the fire about which Qur'an says: The fire of God kindled (roaring) over the hearts, a vault upon them, in outstretched columns (104:6-8).
In his heart, burning the fire of remorse will incinerate all his sins and burn away all its rust and corrosion. He should know that were he not to kindle himself this fire in this world and were he not to open upon himself the door of this hell, he would inevitably pass from this world into the next world to face the terribly cauterizing fire prepared for him there. Thereupon the doors of Hell shall be opened and the doors of Paradise closed to him. A wise person thus realises the grave consequences of his sins.
• O God! Give us a chest lit with the fire of remorse. Set our hearts aflame with the worldly fire and set it afire by throwing into it the sparks of remorse. Remove the rust of our hearts and take us from this world in a state of freedom from the consequences of sins. Surely You are the Lord of bounties. [Adopted from Al-Khomeini, Forty Hadith, chapter 17, ‘Tawbah’]

Conclusion

• Imam Zain al-Abidin (a) said: “My God ! You are He who has opened a door to Your pardon and named it 'repentance' for You said, ‘Repent to God with unswerving (sincere) repentance’ (66: 8). What is the excuse for him who remains heedless of entering the door after its opening?” [al-Sahifa al-Kamilah, The Whispered Prayer of the Repenters]

Du'a

(Supplication)

An elaborate text describing the reality of du`a (supplication), as well as its constituents, categories and effects, and elaborating on the language which is used therein.

Istikhara: Seeking the Best from Allah (swt)

A detail explanation of the true meaning of Istikhara & its proper usage.

Du`a Kumayl, A Translation & Commentary

Arabic text, English translation, commentary, and audio recitation of this famous supplication that Ameer al-Mu'mineen Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) taught to his companion Kumayl ibn Ziyad (r).

Treatise On Rights (Risalat al-Huquq)

Imam Zayn al-'Abidin's `Treatise on Rights' is the only work attributed to him other than supplications or relatively short sayings and letters. The `Treatise on Rights' elaborates on a well-known saying of the Prophet, which has been transmitted in a rather large number of versions, because he repeated it in many different contexts.

As-Sahifa Al-Kamilah Al-Sajjadiyya

                                       The Psalms of Islam

A collection of supplications and whispered prayers composed by the great-grandson of the Prophet (s). Includes supplication for the Coming of the Month of Ramadhan, and supplication for Bidding Farewell to the Month of Ramadhan. At the end there is also the famous Treatise on Rights that explains beautifully the rights in an Islamic point of view.
   

Khums: A Support for Financial Independence

In this paper, the author analyzes the narrations of the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt (a) regarding khums in detail in order to refute objections to it.

Bayt al-Mal and the Distribution of Zakat

In this article, the author discusses the Islamic concept of the Bayt al-Māl, and its objective in reducing inequality between the wealthy and the deprived by distributing wealth with the goal of the society’s financial welfare taken into consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions on Zakat Al-Fitrah

Frequently Asked Questions on Zakat Al-Fitrah (According to Fataawa of Ayatullah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni Seestani)
by Academy of Learning Islam
Reproduced with permission from the Academy for Learning Islam.
Q. What is Zakatul Fitrah?
A: It is religious tax/alms (zakat) paid on the day when Muslims break the fasting period at the end of the month of Ramadhan. This alms is known as Zakat al-Fitrah.
Q. What do the Qur'an and Hadith say about Fitrah?
A: Imams (a) say that the verses: Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success, and glorifies the Name of his Lord and prays (87:14 & 15) refer to giving of Fitrah and saying prayers on Eid al-Fitr. Imam Ja`far as- Sadiq (a) said: for your fast to be accepted, give zakât.
Q. When does Fitrah become wajib?
A. Payment of Fitrah becomes obligatory after sunset on the eve of Eid al- Fitr. The Fitrah should be kept aside and paid on Eid al-Fitr before Eid prayers or before midday for those who cannot say their Eid prayers. It is necessary to have obligatory intention (niyyah) of giving Fitrah for God's pleasure only.
Q. What happens if someone forgets or does not give Fitrah on time?
A. If one does not give out or set aside the Fitrah within the due time, he should give the Fitrah later, on the basis of precaution, without making the niyyah of adaa or qadhaa but only Qurbatan Ilallah.
Q. Can we give Fitrah in advance?
A. Giving Fitrah before the eve of Eid al-Fitr is not permissible. However, if you wish to send Fitrah earlier so that it reaches the needy on time, then you can send it as a temporary loan to the needy and then change your intention from loan to Fitrah on the eve of Eid al-Fitr.
Q. To whom is Fitrah obligatory?
A. Paying Fitrah is obligatory on every Muslim who is mature (baligh), sane, financially able, and conscious on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. Fitrah should also be paid on behalf of all dependents (e.g. wife, children) whom one supports financially.
Q. When is a host required to pay Fitrah for his guest?
A. If a person invites another person to his house on the eve of Eid al-Fitr and if the guest is present at the host's place at the time of the sunset then it is obligatory for the host to pay Fitrah for his guest.
Q. What happens if the guest arrives after the sunset on Eid night?
A. In this case the guest will pay his/her own Fitrah and it is not obligatory on the host to pay Fitrah for the guest.
Q. What happens if a guest comes uninvited and is present at the time of the sunset on the eve of Eid al-Fitr?
A. Ayatullah Sayyid As-Sistani says that the host should still pay the Fitrah as an obligatory precaution. However, Marhum Ayatullah Sayyid al-Khui was of the opinion that is recommended for the host to pay Fitrah of an uninvited guest.
Q. How much should we pay for Fitrah?
A. Fitrah for a person is given on a weight of three kilograms (one sa`a) on any food commodity like wheat, barley, rice, millet, raisins or dates. Ayatullah Seestani is of the opinion that the item that is not a staple food in your town should not be given in Fitrah. Say, for example, if millet is not a staple in Vancouver then Vacouver mumineen should not pay Fitrah on millet.
Q. Can we give cash value of any commodity mentioned above?
A. Yes, cash value in lieu of any foodstuff mentioned can be given as Fitrah. Thus, if a kilo of rice costs $2.00, the cash value of Fitrah on rice per person would be $6.00. We recommend, Fitrah on basmati rice to be Canadian Dollars 7.00 for residents of Canada and US Dollars 6.00 for US residents. (Please check prices for other items in your areas.)
Q. Whom should we give the Fitrah to?
A. It is given to the needy who are unable to meet their own or their dependants annual living expenses, nor do they have the means to do so through earning. Ayatullah As-Seestani says that the needy who is given the fitrah must be a Shi`ah Ithna `Ashari.
Q. Who should not be given the Fitrah?
A. A needy who: consumes alcohol, does not say his daily prayers (salat), commits sins openly, or he who is known to use the Fitrah in sinful way.
Q. Are there any additional rules that we need to be aware of?
A. Following are some important rules:
(i) Fitrah should not be sent outside the town one resides in, if there are deserving mumineen in that town.
(ii) Fitrah from a non-Sayyid cannot be given to a needy Sayyid; the reverse is permissible.
(iii) A needy should be given at least one Fitrah
(iv) Amongst the needy, relatives should be preferred over others when giving Fitrah, next in line are neighbors and then the learned.

The Beauty of Charity

The spiritual and worldly benefits of charity to individuals and society as a whole. Includes stories of Prophets, Imams & Scholars who have sacrificed their wealth for Allah (swt).

The Sublime Purification: Zakat, 40 Ahadith

A short text containing forty ahadith (narrations) about the significance, purpose, and benefits of Zakat.

Khums, An Islamic Tax

This text deals with the Islamic obligation of the payment of Khums, its basis in the Qur'an and tradition, its legal limits, and the modes of its distribution.