Hopelessness is Haraam

The third point to be noted is that the Almighty Allah has told the sinners, "Do not despair of the Divine Mercy." The use of a negative term signifies the prohibition of hopelessness. Also it means that to lose hope regarding salvation is Haraam.
The fourth point is that Allah did not stop at this, He further adds, "Surely Allah forgives the faults altogether," signifying that the statement covers all the sins.
Fifth Point: The addition of the word 'altogether' at the end signifies that the statement includes all sins without any exception.
Sixth Point: The last point is that at the end of the verse, Allah repeats, "Surely He is the forgiving, the merciful," to stress upon the fact that Allah desires and wishes to forgive those who repent.

Repentance of the Killer of a Prophet is also Acceptable
Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari (r.a.) relates that a woman came to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and asked, "If a woman kills her child can she seek pardon?" The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, "By Allah in whose control is the life of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) even if this woman has killed seventy Prophets and then feels remorse and repents and Allah is convinced of her sincerity and the truth of her statement, upon the condition that she does not repeat the sin, her repentance shall be accepted. And her sins would be pardoned. Surely Allah is oft forgiving and forgives, ever so beyond measure. Verily one who repents (sincerely) is; as if he has never committed that sin." (Liyali Akhbaar)

Despair in the Acceptance of Prayers is Also Improper
If we pray to Allah for some worldly benefits or the Hereafter and our prayer is not answered it raises two noteworthy points. Firstly, we must know that Allah has promised to accept all prayers and Allah never goes back on His word.
As it is mentioned in the Holy book, "And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me." (Surah Baqarah 2:186)
At another place Allah says, "And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you." (Surah Momin 40:60)
The second point is that due to His unlimited wisdom He may delay the acceptance of some prayer. So if we do not get immediate gratification we should not lose hope of having our prayers accepted.

Ref: Greater sins, Vol.1

Every Sin is Pardonable

According to the verse of the Holy Quran and Mutawatir (widely related) traditions all the sins which man commits are pardonable if he repents sincerely. It is wrong to say that such a sin can never be pardoned. The Almighty Allah says in the Glorious Quran, "And He it is who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons the evil deeds and He knows what you do." (Surah Shura 42:25)

Allah has mentioned His names as:

1. Tawwabun (one who accepts Tawbah)
2. Gaffarun (one who pardons)
3. Ghafoorun (one who forgives totally)
4. Ghaaferuz Zanbe (Pardoner of sins)
5. Qaabelut Tawbah (one who accepts repentance)

Allah has given a general invitation to all the people to turn towards Him and seek forgiveness for their sins. If we study the meaning of the 54th verse of Surah Zumar we find that sinners have no cause to lose hope. This Ayat is also known as Ayat-e-Rehmat (The verse of Mercy).
"Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the Mercy of Allah ; Surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." (Surah Zumar 39:53).

Unlimited Grace
A few points must be noted from the above verse. Firstly, Allah says, 'O my servant' and not 'O sinners!' Even though he is addressing the sinners he addresses them as 'my servants'. So that the hopelessness of the servants may be transformed into hope in His Mercy.
Secondly, he says, "Who have acted extravagantly." This denotes a soft approach. Allah does not say 'O you who have acted blatantly,' So that the sinners may not lose hope of obtaining pardon.

Ref: Greater sins, Vol.1

An Atheist in the Woods!

An atheist was walking through the woods.

'What majestic trees!'

What powerful rivers!'

What beautiful animals!
He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground .He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the Atheist cried out, 'Oh my God!'

Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny My existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident.'

'Do you expect Me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?' The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Believer now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Believer'? 'Very Well,' said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke:

'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty O our Lord, Amen’, and he ate the man.

Kindness with wife

Admonishing Strict Men

God's Prophet(MGB) said: مَن ضَرَبَ امْرَأةً بِغَيرِ حَقٍّ فأنا خَصْمُهُ يَومَ القِيامَةِ. لا تَضْرِبوا نِسائَكُم، فَمَنْ ضَرَبَها بِغَيرِ حَقٍّ فَقَد

عَصى اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ.

On the Resurrection Day I am the enemy of any man who unduly beats his wife. Do not beat your wives. Thus whoever unduly beats his wife has surely rebelled against God and His Prophet.[1]

God's Prophet (MGB) said:

لَيسَ مِنّا مَن وُسِعَ عَلَيهِ ثُمَّ قَتَرَ عَلى عِيالِهِ.

"Whoever is affluent but is stingy with his wife does not belong to our nation."[2]

Improving the Spouse's Living Conditions

It has been narrated that Imam Sajj¡d (MGB) said:

أرْضاكُم عِندَ اللهِ أوْسَعُكُم عَلى عِيالِهِ.

"Whoever makes the most improvements in his spouse's living conditions will be the most pleased one near God."[3]

Imam Reza (MGB) said:

يَنْبَغي لِلرَّجُلِ أنْ يُوسِعَ عَلى عِيالِهِ لِئَلاّ يَتَمَنَّوا مَوتَهُ.

"It is best for a man to make so many improvements in the living conditions of his wife that she never wishes him to die."[4]

REFRENCES:
[1] Irshad al-Quloob, v.1, p.175.

[2] Mustadrak al-Vasa'el, v.2, p.643.

[3] Mustadrak al-Vasa'el, v.2, p.643.

[4] Wasae`il al-Shi`ah, v.15, p.249.

Incident of H.Ali (a.s.) and a Jew

Declared Aba Abdillah Imam Ja'far ibn Mohammad al-Sadiq (a.s.):
"When Abu Bakr died and Umar took over, he returned to the mosque and sat down. A man came to him and said, "O Commander of the Faithful! I am one of the Jews. I am one of their scientists. I have several questions to ask you. If you answer them I will become a Muslim."
Umar said, "What are those questions?" He said, "Three, three and one. If you are ready I will ask them, but if there is someone more knowledgeable than you in your tribe direct me to him."
Then Umar said, "Go to that young man - that is Ali ibn Abi Talib (s)."

The man asked him (s) his questions. Ali (s) said, "Why did you say three, three and one? Why didn't you say seven?"
The Jew said, "Since then I would be ignorant. Should you not answer the first three, I will suffice and not ask the rest."

Ali (s) said, "Will you become a Muslim if I answer the first three questions?" The man said, "Yes." Then Ali (s) said, "Ask."
He said, "I want to ask you about the first stone placed on the Earth, the first spring gushed forth and the first tree grown."
Ali (s) said, "O Jew! You say that the first stone place on the Earth is the one in the Holy House of Bayt ul-Maqdis. But you lie. It is the stone that Adam brought down to Earth from Heaven." He said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

Ali (s) said, "You say that the first spring which gushed forth from the Earth was the one in the Holy House of Bayt ul-Maqdis. But you lie! It is the Spring of Life in which Yush'a ibn Noon washed that fish. It is the same spring from which al-Khizr drank. Whoever drinks from it will live forever." The Jew said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

Ali (s) added, "You say that the first tree grown on the Earth was an olive tree. But you lie! That tree was al-Ajwa which Adam brought down with him to the Earth from Heaven." He said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

The Jew said, "And now for the second three. How many Divine Leaders does this nation have to guide them who will not lose anything if all the people stop following them?" Ali (s) said, "Twelve Divine Leaders!" The Jew said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

The Jew asked, "Where does your Prophet reside in Paradise?" Ali (s) said, "In the highmost place and the noblest location in the Eternal Paradise." The Jew said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

The Jew asked, "Who are the people who live with him in the same house?" Ali (s) said, "The twelve Divine Leaders." The Jew said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

Then the Jew said, "And now for the seventh question. For how many years will his successor live after him?" Ali (s) said, "For thirty years." The Jew asked, "What will happen next? Will he die or will he get killed?" Ali (s) said, "He will be killed. He will be struck on the crown of his head with a sword and his beard will be covered with blood." The Jew said, "You are right! By God, Aaron wrote this down which was dictated to him by Moses (s)."

Reference:
Uyun Akhbar Al-Reza, Volume 1, Tradition 6-19

How To Thank The Blessingof Ahl al-Bayt

In the Holy Qur’an, all human beings have been asked to offer thanks for all material and spiritual blessings that Allah has given to them and to avoid being ungrateful to these blessings. Based on narrations related by Ahl al-Bayt, offering thanks means to avoid using these blessings where Allah is not pleased and that blessings must be used in the same way Allah has ordered.There are two Qur’anic verses which make offering thanks obligatory on human beings:وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ (14) وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (15)
And we have enjoined man in respect of his parents – his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years, saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did. (31:14-15)

This holy verse addresses all human beings, man and woman, young and old, scholar and layman and the part which reads, “Be grateful to Me and to both parents” is in imperative form that has to be complied with. Beyond doubt, disobeying such command is a grave sin about which Allah has promised a certain torment.In this holy verse, Allah has not provided any condition for being grateful to one’s parents. In this relation, Imam al-Sadiq is reported as saying: A man came to the Holy Prophet saying, “O Allah’s Messenger! Enjoin me.” The Holy Prophet said:
لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللهِ شَيْئاً وَإنْ حُرِّقْتَ بِالنَّارِ وَعُذِّبْتَ إلاَّ وَقَلْبُكَ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإيمَانِ. وَوَالِدَيْكَ فَأطِعْهُمَا وَبِرَّهُمَا حَيَّيْنِ كَانَا أوْ مَيِّتَيْنِ وَإنْ أمَرَاكَ أنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْ أهْلِكَ وَمَالِكَ فَافْعَلْ، فَإنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الإيمَانِ.
Do not associate anything with Allah and even if they burn or torment you as regards monotheism, endure it while you heart is sure of your faith; be kind to your parents both when they are living or dead and even if they asked you to give up your family and wealth, do so, for acceptance of this shows your faith.
[1]Out of four persons of fighting in the battlefield, Miqdad said to the Holy Prophet, “My father is in the front against us: he has entered battle against you; would you give me permission to attack and kill him?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Let someone else do it, for if you kill your father in the way of Allah, your life will become short!”

Thanking the Blessing of Ahl al-Bayt
When the position of parents—be they Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, or laic—is so high, how higher will be the position of Ahl al-Bayt who have a right of Imamate, loyalty and educational leadership on all human beings? They are Noah’s Ark in this world and the Hereafter and obedience to them will guarantee man’s happiness and prosperity.
To give Ahl al-Bayt’s their due right is to get to know them, to love them, to consider them as Noah’s Ark, and to obey their commands in all aspects of life. This is the way to offer our thanks for the blessing of Ahl al-Bayt.
Al Kafi 158/2 h 2http://www.maaref-foundation.com/english/index.htm

Reward of reciting a coupled regarding Imam Hussain (a.s), crying, making others cry or making a crying face

1. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s) said, "O abu Haroon! Recite a couplet regarding Imam Hussain (a.s)." He recited a few lines. Imam said, "Recite them as they should be recited, i.e. recite them with grief." Then he recited: "When you pass by the grave of Hussain (a.s), say to his pure bones...". Imam cried a lot and said, "Continue reciting." He recited one more poem. Imam cried even more and wails were heard from behind the curtain also. When he finished reciting, Imam said, "O Abu Haroon! one who cried after reciting the poems of Imam Hussain (a.s) and makes ten people cry, Allah would make everyone enter paradise. One who cries after reciting the poem of of Imam Hussain (a.s) and makes five people cry, everyone would get paradise. One who recites the Poem of Imam Hussain (a.s) and makes a person cry, paradise would be made obligatory for both of them. If discussion of Imam Hussain (a.s) is held in front of a person and a tear equal to the wing of a fly comes out of his eyes, his reward is with the Almighty Allah and Allah wont be satisfied without giving him paradise."

2. Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) told Abu Umara, "Recite a poem regarding Imam Hussain (a.s)." He recited the poem and Imam (a.s) cried. He went on reciting and Imam (a.s) cried continuously till the wails started coming out of his house. Then Imam (a.s) said, "O Abu Umara! One who recites a poem regarding Imam Hussain (a.s) and makes fifty persons cry, Paradise belongs to him. One who recites a poem and forty persons cry, Paradise is for them. If thirty persons cry Paradise is for them also. One who recites a poem and twenty persons cry they too will get Paradise. One who makes ten people cry after reciting a poem of Imam Hussain (a.s) they too will get Paradise. One who makes a person cry after reciting a poem of Imam Hussain (a.s) and cries alone he too will get Paradise. One who makes just a crying face after reciting the poem regarding Imam Hussain (a.s) he too will get Paradise. 

3. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s), "One who recites a couplet regarding Imam Hussain (a.s) cries and makes ten persons cry they will get paradise. One who recites a couplet regarding Imam Hussain (a.s) cries and makes nine persons cry they will get paradise." He went on until he said, "One who recites a couplet regarding Imam Hussain (a.s) cries or makes a crying face, he would get paradise."

Ref: Sawaabul A'amaal

A Gift from Imam Al-Husayn (A.S.)

(courtesy - Al Mahdi Center - Wesses - UK)
mulla@almahdi.org.uk
On the 10th day of Muharram, known as the day of ‘Aashura, in the year 61 A.H. when Imam Abu ‘Abdillahil Hussein (as) came into the tent to bid farewell to his family members, he held the hand of his sick son, Ali ibn al-Hussein (as) and pressed it against his chest. He (as) then said,
“O son! I am teaching you a dua’ which you should remember. Angel Jibrael taught it to my grandfather the messenger of Allah who passed it to my mother Fatima. Whenever you have a special need or are faced with any calamity or crises, or are inflicted with any grief or hardship, then recite the following supplication”:

By the truth of Yaseen (a title of the Holy Prophet) and the Quran full of wisdom And for the sake of Taa-haa (another title of the Holy Prophet) and the great Quran O He Who is able to fulfil the desires of those ask. O He Who knows what is in the heart. O He Who banishes sorrow from the sorrowful. O He Who dispels grief from those who grieve. O He Who is merciful to old men. O He Who provides for infants. O He Who needs not to be explained. Send blessings upon Muhammad and his progeny and fulfil for me…(mention your wishes)

Transliteration
BIHAQQI YASEEN WAL QUR-AANIL ‘HAKEEM WA BIHAQQI TAA-HAA WAL QUR-AANIL ‘ADHEEM YAA MAN YAQDIRU ‘ALAA ‘HAWAA-IJIS-SAA-ILEEN YAA MAN YA’LAMU MAA FID-DHAMEER YAA MUNAFFISAN ‘ANIL MAKROOBEEN YAA MUFARRIJAN ‘ANIL MAGHMOOMEEN YAA RAA-‘HIMA SHAYKHIL KABEER YAA RAAZIQAT TIFLIS-SAGHEER YAA MAN LAA YAHTAAJU ILAT-TAFSEER SALLI ‘ALAA MUHAMMADIN WA AALI MUHAMMADIN WAF-‘AL BEE …….(mention your wishes)
Mafateeh al-Jinaan, page no. 380

Ask your Hajaats after reading this Dua'. Insha'Allah your Duas' will be accepted May Allah swt fulfill all your legitimate wishes with the Wasila of this Dua'

Our little azakhana

Tile of Haram-e-Abbas (a.s)

I got this Tile from the Haram of Maula Abbas (a.s). Its simply amazing how an ordinary thing becomes so priceless when linked with the Ahlul Bayt (a.s).

Hussain is the foundation of La-ilah!

Ruler is Hussain,

Emperor is Hussain,

Faith is Hussain,

guardian of faith is Hussain .

Offered his head, and not the hand to Yazid.

Indeed, Hussain is the foundation of La-ilah!

(Translation of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz’s verses on the status of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS))

Reward of Ziyarat of Holy Prophet (s), Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Hussain and the other Imams (p.b.u.t)

1. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (a.s) narrates from his predecessors that Imam Hasan (a.s) asked the Holy Prophet (saw), "O Father! what is the reward of your ziyarat?" He (saw) replied, "One who performs my ziyarat, your father and your brother, it is obligatory for me to do his ziyarat on the day of judgment and free him from sins."

2. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) narrates from his predecessors that Imam Hussain (a.s) asked the Holy Prophet (saw) "O father! what is the reward of a person who does our ziyarat?" He (saw) replied, "One who does my ziyarat, your father and your brother, it is obligatory for me to visit him on the day of judgment, free him from sins and make him enter paradise."
Ref: Sawaabul A'amaal

Reward of mourning over the martydom of Imam Hussain (a.s) and the calamities of Ahlul Bayt (a.s)

Reward of mourning over the martydom of Imam Hussain (a.s)

and the calamities of Ahlul Bayt (a.s)

1. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) narrates that Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) said, "One who cries for Imam Hussain (a.s) and his tears flow from the eyes and fall on his cheeks, Almighty Allah would give him a place on a high apartment where he would live in peace for years. One who cries on the troubles given to us by our enemies in this world and his tears fall on his cheeks, the Almighty Allah would grant him a place in Maqam-e-Side. If a believer bears difficulties and becomes aggrieved for the calamities which we have suffered, his eyes becomes wet, tears flow on his cheeks, Allah would remove sufferings from his face and keep him safe from the diffculties and chastisements on the day of judgment."
Ref: Sawaabul A'amaal.

Iran and Iraq 2008

Iran and Iraq 2008

SUGAR DISEASE' can be cured by the words of "HOLY QUR'AN"

The patients who are suffering from 'SUGAR DISEASE' can be cured by the words of "HOLY QUR'AN" - Parah No. 15, Surah Bani Israel (17), Ayath 80. Rabbi adkhilni mudkhala sidqiuw wa akhrijni mukhraja sidqiuw wa ajal lee milladunka sultaanan naseera 3 times you have to read this aayath. Before and after this aayath, you have to read "DARUD E SHAREEF" for 3 times and spell on water and drink it. By the grace of "Almighty Allah" SUGAR CHRONIC DISEASE would be cured. And I request you to pass this message to others so that they may get benefit

The Concept Of Nazr: 22 of the month of RAJAB

The word NAZR is an Arabic word which means "an offering," in its verbal form it will mean "to offer" or "to make a spiritual vow."
Note that NAZR is used in Arabic in a totally different meaning also ‑ "to warn," that is not in this context. Therefore, we leave that for the time.
The holy Qur'an has used the word "NAZR" in both meanings. We will only discuss here the first usage, i.e, which is relevant to our discussion here.
Sometimes the word NIAZ is also used in this context. This is a word from Farsi which means "need,” and it is its metaphorical use in the sense of an offering.
The basic concept of NAZR is to offer something less valuable in the hope and expectation of receiving something of higher value. The "value" does not have to be material, it could just be honor and dignity. The examples below will explain this notion further.

1. In 5:27-31 the holy Qur'an tells the story of the two sons of the prophet Adam.
The two sons of Adam (Habeel and Qabeel, Anglicized names: Able and Cain) made an offering to their Lord, one was accepted and the other was rejected. The brother, whose offering was rejected, became jealous of his other brother and in a rage of jealousy and frustration he killed him. For that Qabeel's face was darkened, he went crazy and he will bear the burden of every unlawful murder to the Day of Judgement. Note that the word for offering used in the holy Qur'an in this instance is Q-R-B instead of NAZR.
2. In 3:35 the holy Qur'an tells the story of Maryam’s (Mary of the Christian scriptures) mother.

When a woman of Imran said: My Lord, surely I vow to Thee (rabbi inni nazartu) what is in my womb, to be devoted (to Thy service); accept therefore from me, surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.
However, when the child was born, it was a girl (Maryam) and the family was puzzled as to how to send a girl to the Temple. But they fulfilled the vow as they had promised their Lord. And, Maryam was dedicated to serving in the Temple under the guardianship of prophet Zakariyya. Later she gave birth to Jesus.
3. In 19:26 the holy Qur'an tells the story when Jesus is born without a father and the Jews are asking of Maryam about such an implausible situation.

So eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent God (inni nazartu lir-Rahmaani sawman). So I shall not speak to any man today.

4. In the first twelve verses of Sura Dahr (chapter 76) the holy Qur'an tells the story of NAZR by the Ahlul-Bayt (may our salams and Allah's peace be unto them).
The holy Qur'an describes the beginning of man and the attributes of a grateful man in this sura. One of the many attributes of a grateful and faithful person is described in verses 7 & 8:
7.
[76:7] They fulfill their vows, and reverence a day that is extremely difficult.
8.
[76:8] They feed the poor, the orphan, and the captive, out of His love
9.
[76:9] "We feed you for the sake of Allah; we expect no reward from you, nor thanks.
10.
[76:10] "We fear from our Lord a day that is full of misery and trouble."

Because they perform the vow(yufoona bin-nazri) and fear a day whereof the evil is wide-spreading, And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him.

The hadeeth literature indicates that the Ahlul-bayt (peace be unto them) showed the importance of nazr by their acts more than once. The following story is recorded in many tafseer books about the revelation of these verses of sura Dahr.
Once the Imams Hasan and Husayn, who were at that time 5 and 4 years old, fell ill. When the Prophet of Islam missed them in the mosque, he came to Fatima Zahra's house to inquire about them.. When he was told that they were sick, he suggested that both parents should take a spiritual vow (nazr) for the children's recovery. So both Imam Ali and Fatima Zahra prayed to Allah for the recovery of Hasan and Husayn (peace be unto them all) and took a vow to fast for three consecutive days when their health had improved. The children were soon well again. Both parents set about fulfilling their spiritual vow and fasted. When the children saw that, they also decided to fast with their parents and so did the house-maid, Fiddha. But that day there was no food in Fatima's house even for breaking the fast. So Imam Ali went out looking for work. He could not find any. But he was able to get three kilograms of wool to be spun in exchange of three kilograms of barley. Fatima Zahra spun the wool all day. She was only able to dispense with one kilo of it. So she took only one kilo of barley, ground it into flour and prepared five loaves of bread. While they were all ready to break their fast, someone knocked at the door saying: "O people of the house of the Prophet, I am a poor man and I have nothing to eat, is there anything you could do to feed me." At this Imam Ali stood up, went to the door and gave his loaf to the man. Fatima Zahra did the same. Watching this, both children also gave their loaves and so did the maid. They broke their fast by water and retired. The next day Fatima Zahra spun another kilo of wool. So she separated one kilo of barley, ground it into flour and prepared five loaves once again. As they were ready to break their fast, once again, a voice called out from the door: "O people of the house of The Prophet, I am an orphan, I am hungry, could you feed me?" Hearing this, Imam Ali stood up and gave his loaf to the man, so did Fatima Zahra, the children and the maid. They all, once again, broke their fast by water and retired. Came the third day, Fatima Zahra spun the rest of the wool, took the remaining barley, ground it into flour and prepared five loaves. As they were ready to break the fast, a voice called from the door saying: "O people of the house of the Prophet, I am a prisoner, I am hungry, could you feed me?" Hearing this, once again, Imam Ali stood up and went to the door and gave his loaf away to the prisoner. Fatima Zahra, the children and the maid did likewise. Every time the person at the door would want to express his gratitude for the kindness, Ali would say: "No, no, we are not looking for any reward from you for this act, we are doing it out of Allah's love."
Now the children had just been quite ill. And they had not eaten anything in three days. The Prophet of Islam once again entered the house asking about the children. When he looked at them they were shaking like autumn leaves (those are the exact words in the report). Fatima Zahra told him what had been going on in the family. At that time the archangel Gabriel came down with a gift of Allah to the Prophet. That gift was the verses of Sura Insan or Dahr (chapter 76), which we quote below.

They fulfill vows and fear a day the evil of which shall be spreading far and wide.
And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive.
We only feed you for Allah's sake; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks:
Surely we fear from our Lord a stern, distressful day.
Therefore Allah will guard them from the evil of that day and cause them to meet with ease and happiness.
And reward them, because they were patient, with garden and silk. (Q. 76:7-12)

This story tells us that the Prophet of Islam recommended to any family that if and when you are facing a difficult situation or you are distressed, you should do nazr. In other words, take a spiritual vow that when the problem is over you would offer special prayers or invite friends and relatives for food that has been dedicated to the Ahlul Bayt.
The story is the guiding light for us in our lives. The family of Fatima Zahra (peace be unto them all) fulfilled their nazr, but when a more needy person came they gave away their food to him without any regard to their own needs. Qur'an has made it incumbent upon us to love the Prophet of Islam and his holy family and fashion our lives according to how they lived.
23.
[42:23] This is the good news from Allah to His servants who believe and lead a righteous life. Say, "I do not ask you for any wage. I do ask each of you to love teh QURBA." Anyone who does a righteous work, we multiply his reward for it. GOD is Forgiver, Appreciative.

Say, (O Prophet), I do not ask you any recompense for this (the mission of Islam), except that you would love my near ones(QURBA). (Q. 42:23)

The NAZR of the 22nd day of the glorious month of Rajab is done as a result of this love for the holy Ahlul-Bayt.
There is a hadeeth attributed to our sixth Imam, J'afar as-Sadiq (may our salams and Allah' peace be unto them all). Once the Imam was walking in the streets of Madinah with some of his companions. He suddenly stopped and looked to his companions and inquired about the date. They all said that that was the 22nd day of Rajab.. The Imam then said: "If anyone of you is facing a difficulty of any kind in this world, you should prepare some sweets and set them up in a clay pot (koonday in Urdu) and dedicate that in a NAZR to my person. You should then pray to your Lord using my WASEELA. Allah will, if He wills, remove your difficulty. However, if your problem is not resolved then you would come to me on the Day of Judgement and complain to me."

The concept of WASEELA is also Qur'anic:
35.
[5:35] O you who believe, you shall have Allah's TAQWA and seek the WASEELA (ways and means} to Him, and strive in His cause, that you may succeed.





One other story of NAZR must be told here which will explain another point. It is not mentioned in the holy Qur'an but it is well attested by almost all the historians.
The Prophet's grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib lay asleep once in the proximity of the Kcaba. He had a vision that someone was calling on him to dig up the well of Zamzam which had been buried by a previous tribe of Mekkah in the sand. He woke up and called his friends and relatives to come and help him. People just laughed at his "foolish" plan and refused to help. At that time Abdul-Muttalib had only one son named Harith. So he and his son set upon searching for the well of Zamzam. A point came when they were totally exhausted of thirst and fatigue and were on the verge of dying. Abdul-Muttalib thought to himself that if he had more sons to help him, the situation would not have come to that. He then took a spiritual vow (NAZR) that if he had ten sons, he would offer one of them for sacrifice in the holy House of Allah.
Abdul-Muttalib eventually did have ten sons (actually he had four more after the completion of this story, as follows). He remembered his vow. He discussed it with his sons. The youngest at that time named Abdullah, was only sixteen years old. They all agreed with their father that he must fulfill his vow. Lots were drawn on the sons' names. Abdullah's name came out in the draw. Abdullah forthrightly agreed to become the sacrificial son. But his maternal uncles, when heard of this, ran all the way from Madinah and tried to stop Abdul-Muttalib from the slaughter of his son. Lots were then drawn again, this time against Abdullah's name and some camels. Every time Abdullah's name would come out in the draw until the number of camels was gradually raised to one hundred. Finally Abdullah was ransomed by the slaughter of one hundred camels. The meat was left for the people of Makkah to consume.
Soon after this, Abdullah was married to lady Aminah daughter of Wahb. Abdul-Muttalib also married the same night the sister of Wahb. Lady Aminah conceived our Prophet but before he was born, Abdullah suddenly died. Abdul-Muttalib' s latest marriage also produced a son named Hamza, and later three more[1].

CONCLUSION
NAZR is not a wajib act in Islam, rather it is done when a Muslim feels a need for such a thing.
However, once a spiritual vow is taken by a Muslim, it becomes wajib on him/ her to complete the NAZR if his/her wish is granted by Allah. This is proven by the story of Hazrat Maryam's mother. She had to give Maryam up to the temple even though she was a girl and it was against all accepted tradition to let a girl be a maid at the temple.. Same thing is proven from the story of Abdul-Muttalib and Abdullah. Neither the sons felt any qualms about becoming the sacrificial son nor, the father had any doubts in his mind about his convictions.
Abdul-Muttalib' s stance also tells us that food offered for NAZR is basically for others and mostly for the needy.
Qabeel's story tells us that it is a grave sin not to accept Allah's will in the situation of an offering. Habeels' stance teaches us the great virtue of SABR even if one's personal safety and security is threatened.

KOONDAY
Only the plural of this word is used in relation to the NAZR of the 22nd of Rajab. The singular is not used in civilized conversation. In fact, it is a bad word. But that is only its usage; there is no religiosity in it. It is only cultural.
It is true that this custom is very popular among the Muslims of India and Pakistan. There is nothing wrong in its social aspect.. It is better for good Muslims to meet at a NAZR and talk about Allah and the holy Ahlul-Bayt instead of wasting time on movies (if Indian, they are replete with awkward meaning words and horrible music, if western they are mainly full of sex and violence[2]) or playing cards.

It is this concept which has been twisted into 'the worship of the dead.' Yes, some Muslims do spiritual offerings to Allah for their worldly affairs making the holy spirits as the means to reach Allah. Yes, it is the belief of some the Muslims that the Holy Spirits are not dead, they are living in a higher level of existence in nearness to Allah, but they do not worship them. Like all other Muslims, they only worship Allah.

The social custom of Koonday had brought a lot of pluralism among Muslims. Many Muslism of various different sectarian preferance have come together through this custom. It is only recently that some misguided enthusiasts have found fault in this custom and some have even gone on to label the practice as SHIRK and KUFR. Only Allah is the judge of people's faith. WE, the humans, do not have the right to arrogate that responsibility for ourselves.
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _
[1] See Ibn Is-haaq and other Seera books
[2] This is a very general comment. There are films which are educational and informative

But are we with Allah?

“And He (Allah) is with you wherever you may be”. (The Holy Quran 57:4)

Allah is everywhere. No space or time is without Him; yet He is independent of time and space. He is Omnipresent; and His love protects us from harm in this world and in the life hereafter.

But this relationship with Allah should not be one-sided. No doubt, Allah is with us. The vital question is: “Are we with Allah?”

If a grown up son misbehaves and still demands the same parental affection which is enjoyed by his obedient brother, he is just deceiving himself. Likewise, some people fail to realize that there is no such thing as ‘one sided companionship’. And if we want to be sure that Allah is with us, we must be sure that we are with Allah. It means that we have to prove our love towards Allah, if we want to be worthy of the love of Allah. In other words, we must know also our responsibilities towards Allah and His creatures, and try to fulfil them.

As a first step to reach this goal, we must realize that we are too much entangled in our worldly affairs to spare a moment to remember Allah. Sheikh Saduq, one of the greatest Muslim Scholars, has given a very good parable to throw light on this facet of our life.

A man slipped down from the brink of a deep well. Fortunately, a plant had grown in the wall of the well, and while falling down his hands clutched a branch of that plant. After the initial shock, he began looking up and down.

What he saw, was enough to make him scared. A huge serpent, in the depth of well, was waiting for him to fall down. Desperately, he decided to remain where he was; and then saw to his horror, that two mice-one black, another white-were busy cutting the root of that plant. He lost his hope. Then he looked up, and his heart was full of hope. He was not very far from the rim of the well and, by a little judicious effort could reach the safety very easily. Then he saw a beehive in that plant. And forgetting his tragic position, he began eating the honey. Of course, the bees did not like it and began stinging him, but he remained oblivious of all the troubles. A short time after, the mice succeeded in cutting the plant down and he fell in the mouth of the serpent.

We are that man; this world is the well; the plant in the midway is our life; which is being eroded away by every passing night and day-the black and white mice; death is the serpent waiting for us. The honey represents the pleasantries of this world, for which we QUARREL with other people - the bees – and are bitten by them.

What makes our plight more tragic is the fact that rescue is never very far. It just requires a little effort on our part to reach to safety and security provided by the loving care of Allah. We may easily reach Allah and be safe for ever. Or on the other hand, we may be destroyed by death. The choice is ours. Allah is with us. But are we with Allah?

A Brilliant Means of Destroying One’ Sins

Imam al-Ridha (‘a) is reported to have said: ‘Man lam yaqdir ‘alaa maa yukaffiru bihi dhunubahu fal yukthir minassalaati ‘ala Muhammadiw wa aali Muhammad fa innahaa tahdimu al-dhuooba hadman (One who cannot do that which expiates for his sins, he should often send salutations to Muhammad and his progeny, for surely that significantly destroys sins [Al-’Aamili, Wasa’il al-Shi’a, v.7, p. 194]

[Note: Sending salutations must be sincere expression, which involves, belief and expression, and not a mere habitual recitation.]

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE VEIL

There are number of health and moral benefits that wearing the veil (Hijab, Hejab) can provide. The moral duty of wearing the veil (Hijab, Hejab) in Islam is an often discussed topic among Muslim women. However, little has been written about scientific reasons that the veil (Hijab, Hejab) is beneficial for society. There are, in fact, a number of health benefits that wearing the veil can provide, as well as many behavioral science studies that suggest that the veil (Hijab, Hejab) is the best attire (clothes) for women.Protecting the head is very important from a health perspective. Results Of medical tests show that 40-60% of body heat is lost through the head, so persons wearing head coverings during cold months are protected about fifty-percent more than those who do not. Chinese and Muslim medical texts take this concept even further. In the Hua Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Classic on Internal Medicine), wind is said to cause sudden changes within the body and shaking, swaying and other movements that potentially upset the body's equilibrium; thus, creating bad health.These texts attribute the common cold to wind elements entering the body and causing the typical symptoms of sneezing and a Runny nose. In the traditional Islamic medical texts of Al-Jawziyya, we can find numerous references to the "four elements" of fire, water, air and earth and how these affect the body in adverse ways. In particular, we are advised to stay away from drafts and protect our heads in wind, breezes, drafts and cold weather.All outdoor workers should wear some sort of head covering:For this reason, protecting the head is even more important in warm weather. V.G. Rocine, a prominent brain research specialist, has found that brain Phosphorus melts at 108 degrees; a temperature that can be easily reached if one stays under the hot sun for any length of time without a head covering. When this happens, irreversible brain damage, memory loss and loss of some brain functions can result. Although this example is extreme, Brain damage can still be measured in small degrees from frequent exposure to and overheating of the head. Bernard Jensen, a naturopath and chiropractor states that this is because the brain runs on the mineral phosphorus, which is very affected by heat.Hygienic Purposes:All public should wear a veil (Hijab, Hejab) or head-covering workers serving society to ensure cleanliness and purity. Workers in a number of professions wear "veils" - nurses, fast food workers, and deli Counter workers, restaurant workers and servers, doctors, health care providers and many more. In fact, when we compare the number of workers who cover their heads to the number who do not, we find that more people probably cover their heads than do not.Female Psychological Balance:Covering the hair can also have a beneficial effect on the female psyche as well. Studies of women being interviewed for jobs show that there is a high correlation between what they wear and their perceptions of how successful they will be in their interviews. There are many more examples of how what we wear can influence how we act.Wearing a veil (Hijab, Hejab) can serve to remind women of their religious duties and behavioral expectations. It can also serve as a reminder to women that we are not only individuals, but also representatives and diplomats of our "Ummah."__._,_.___

Thought of the week

"Throughout every Thursday night, Allah (swt) orders an angel to call on behalf of the Almighty: Is there any believer who calls Me for this world and the Hereafter so that I grant his exigency? Is there any believer who repents of his sins before the sunrise, so that I forgive him? Is there any believer who asks for the abundance of his sustenance, which I have made scanty, before the sunrise, so that I will expand it? Is there any sick believer who asks me to heal him before the sunrise so that I make him well?Is there any jailed believer who asks me to free him before the sunrise, so that I grant him his demand? Is there any oppressed believer who asks me to take revenge from the oppressor, so that I restore his rights? He will keep saying so until dawn."
(Imam al-Baqir, as)Source: Bihar al Anwar: 86/282, chapter 2, radition 27