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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Food for Thought: - Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.) 02

2 Your Daily-Life Questions Answered 03

3 Knowledge of Ahl ul-Bayt (A.S.) 04

4 Short Biography of Imam Hussain (A.S.) 08

5 The Blessed Birth of Imam Mahdi (ATFS) 23

6 Imam Mahdi, the Herald of Divine Justice 30

7 Zainab bint Ali (SA): The woman who saved Islam 35

8 Whispered Prayers and Understanding the Essence of

Forgiveness 38

9 Marriage and its Merits 43

10 Those Who Are Disobedient to Their Parents 48

11 Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19) 52

12 US, Israel waging biological warfare on massive scale 58

Kids’ CornerKids’ CornerKids’ CornerKids’ Corner

13 Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) Forgiveness 61

14 Imamat is Guidance We Need 62

THE MESSAGE

Editor: Hujjat-ul-Islam Wal Muslimeen Sheikh Shabbir H. Lakhani (Maisami)

Editorial Board: Mr. Mazher Ali Jumani, Molana Sajjad Qaimi, Dr. Hussain Kanani,

Mr. Hasnain Nanjiani.

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Disclaimer: The Editor does not necessarily agree with the views expressed in the matter published herein. The views and opinions presented in the Journal reflect the views of the authors

and not of the Journal or its Editorial Board or the Publisher.

Published by

Zahra (S.A.) Academy Institute of Islamic Education, Development & Relief

The Message Shaban-ul-Moazzam 1441 AH

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1. Hasten [to do good] with

your wealth before your

deaths come upon you, so

that it may purify you, set

you aright and bring you

closer [to Allah].

2. Reduce your hopes, fear

the suddenness of death

and hasten towards per-

forming good deeds.

3. You must be diligent even

if you are not assisted by

[good] fortune.

4. Wake up early [in the

morning] for there is

blessing in early rising;

and consult each other,

for success is in consulta-

tion.

5. There is no substitute for

the Hereafter; and this

world is not the price of

one’s soul.

6. A believer is one who

bears with the harm that

people inflict [on him] but

nobody is ever harmed by

him.

7. There is no victory for the

one who has no patience.

8. Eating less food is more

honorable for the soul and

makes good health last

longer.

9. Abandoning sins is better

than seeking repentance.

10. One who seeks guidance

from those who do not

possess it is led astray.

11. Whoever hides a pain that

has afflicted him for three

days and complains of it

[only] to Allah, the Glori-

fied, then Allah will be the

one who restores his good

health.

12. By Allah! Allah, the

Glorified, will not punish a

believer after he believes

except because of his

thinking ill [of others] and

his bad character.

13. No agony intensifies but

that Allah brings its relief

closer.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Sayings of Imam Ali (A.S.)

Shaban-ul-Moazzam 1441 AH The Message

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Q.1: If a person dies of a contagious disease such as COVID19, which, according to experts, spreads rapidly, what is the duty regarding Ghusl, Kafan and Namaz of such a deceased?

Ans.: Mere infection with such a disease does not cancel the obligatory duties regarding the dead; therefore by observing proper hygiene and using protective equip-ment - albeit at a cost - obligatory bathing, shrouding, prayer and burial should be performed. Ghusl by way of Irtimasi must be performed. If Tartibi Ghusl is not possible, Ghusl by way of Irtimasi should be performed. And if Ghusl is not possible, then with the hand of the dead, the dead should be given Taya-mmum in this order: one for Ghusl with water mixed with Sidr, one for Ghusl with with water mixed with Kafoor, and one for Ghusl with pure water. After that, the dead should be given Hunoot and

shrouded even over the dress, and buried.

Q.2: If someone who is infected with a contagious disease such that any contact with him is dan-gerous and can cause spread of the disease even after death, what is the ruling regarding Ghusl, Kafan, Namaz and Dafn?

Ans.: If there is a serious risk according to the expert physicians, it is necessary to skip ceremonies such as Ghusl and the like that cause contamination; and if giving Tayammum and shrouding do not cause any problem even over the plastic, it must be done; and if it also poses a danger, a quick and simple prayer would suffice.

Q.3: Is it wajib for medical staff and doctors to treat patients with coronavirus?

Ans.: Safeguarding a Muslim's life is a mandatory obligation that should be observed and serving patients is one of the best noble practices.

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Your Daily-Life Questions Answered


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Knowledge is of two types, one is natural and the other acquired. The former is bestowed by the Almighty to His exalted servants by revelation. There is no chance of error in this because the Teacher here has knowledge in His essence. There is no scope of loss because the recipient is infallible. He is free from error and forgetful-ness. In the worldly life the knowledge of the teachers is itself incomplete. Therefore such an education is not reliable. Human views keep on changing every day. Conclusions based on conjec-tures, which prove wrong, create a lot of mistakes.

The knowledge of all our Imams was naturally gifted. They had not received instruc-tions at any of the schools in this world because their nature was perfect, that is why the rays of divine en-dowments had begun to fall

on them right from the time they were in the wombs. They had come from the Almighty with the radiance of belief and divine recognition in their hearts. And whatever they had brought with them it was from those sources of perfec-tion whose bodies were shaded by infallibility, whose wombs were truth personified. Thus their knowledge had no scope of satanic instigations. Neither was there any use of philosophy nor analogy. They were having the sea of truths and divine recognition raging in their hearts. There were many divine sciences that passed on from one breast to another. The real interpreta-tion of the Holy Quran was present in those very illumi-nated hearts.

In this connection it is neces-sary to mention that in Islam the knowledge whose acquisi-tion is given top priority is the knowledge of religion. That is

Knowledge of Ahl ul-Bayt (A.S.)

Edited excerpts from the book, “Akhlaqe A'imma, Morals and Manners of the Holy Imams” by: Maulana Sayyid Zafar Hasan Amrohi


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the knowledge of all those laws that the Holy Prophet (S) related upon revelation from Allah or in the form of tradi-tions. This includes the roots of religion, branches of religion (practical laws), laws of transactions and Hereafter. After this is the acquisition of other sciences depending upon the need, but it is not obligatory. It is permissible, those who require may obtain it and if there is no need, one does not have to acquire it. But it is compulsory to acquire religious knowledge.

In the science of religion the most important is the aware-ness of the secrets of divinity and heavenly sciences so that one gains divine recognition, otherwise without having divine recognition all the worship acts and deeds are useless. That is why Imam Ali (a.s) said, “The first thing in religion is divine recognition.” It is the reason why our Imams have emphasized on sciences related to religion though they knew all the

sciences better than even the prophets through direct revelation from the Lord. However they did not consider it necessary to teach them to the people while they consid-ered the imparting of religious training obligatory upon themselves in all circumstanc-es. After the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S) Muslims were caught in the quagmire of materialism and day by day they began to become igno-rant of religious knowledge.

Firstly, these teachings had not become fully rooted in their hearts, and then military conquests had taken away their remaining attention. Thus they remained complete-ly blank. The result was that scholars of other religions created tremors in their Islamic beliefs through their philosophical discourses. It was necessary to prevent this. Therefore our Imams spent a great deal of their time in the corrections of the distorted beliefs and presented the philosophy of Islam in the


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true form. That is why their sermons, supplications and advices are replete with the problems of divine sciences so as to halt the penetration of false ideas in the beliefs of Muslim people. It is a pity that the narrow-minded view of the people ignored their teachings and no one was given a chance to give an ear to what they said.

Severe opposition of the ruling powers, enmity of the contemporary rulers and bigotry of the general public continued to hinder the dispersal of their teachings. Even then they fulfilled each duty in every age, whenever and wherever they got the opportunity to do so.

Ahl ul-Bayt, True Bearers of Wisdom

In fact, wisdom is another name of knowledge. If the knowledge is not right or it has not reached its perfection, the theoretical and practical wisdom becomes meaning-less. The thoughts of man are expressed in the form of

knowledge and action. A person without knowledge cannot be wise and a wise person cannot be without knowledge.

Wisdom is having the highest status in morals. That is why it comes first in the form of good qualities. The Holy Prophet (S) was the city of knowledge and the abode of wisdom, and he had named Ali to be the door of this city or house. Just as a magnifi-cent door or gate gives respect to a house or city, the sciences of the Holy Prophet (S) have got enduring honor in the world due to Ali (a.s). One who did not obtain knowledge from this door remained ignorant of authen-tic knowledge, and the true facts of Islam remained veiled for him.

Because wisdom is the first pillar of morals, as soon as false sciences gained currency in Islam, there was an earth-quake in the pillars of morals and the right path or the straight line, that has been


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explained before, went away from below the feet of the people and they began to run helter-skelter in the thorny deserts of extremism and conservativeness. In compari-son to extremism there was more conservatism and this ignorance then proved to be so powerful that the face of true Islam underwent a drastic transformation.

The morals of Muslims changed completely. There were numerous rulers but not a single Islamic thinker available. This was the first calamity that befell the Muslims.

Intellectual Accomplish-ments of Imam Husain (a.s)

Once when Muawiyah had come to Medina he requested Imam Husain (a.s) to go on the pulpit and give some admonitions. Thus he went to the pulpit and after praise of Allah and blessings on the Prophet, he said, “People, know that we are that divine group which is going to be

victorious over the deviated people. We are the progeny of the Prophet and his closest relatives. We are his purified and clean Ahl ul-Bayt and one of the two weighty things. The Messenger of Allah (S) has referred to us as the second book of Allah; it is the book having details about everything. Neither falsehood is before it or after it. We are the ones who know its interpretation and explana-tion. Its realities are hidden in our hearts. Our obedience is obligatory. Our obedience is connected to the obedience of Allah. Ask us whatever you want to ask about the Holy Quran. We are the shoreless oceans of sciences.”

The sermons and sayings of Imam Husain (a.s) regarding divine sciences quoted in books like Biharul Anwar, Nurul Absar and Irshadul Quloob show eloquence and how beautifully he has solved the problems of religious sciences.

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Dream of Ummul Fadl

Lady Ummul Fadl, the daugh-ter of Harith had a strange dream and she did not have any idea about its interpreta-tion. Thus she came to the Messenger of Allah (S) and asked His Eminence: “I had a very strange dream: that a piece of your flesh fell into my lap.”

The Messenger of Allah (S) dispelled her fears and gave her good news saying:

“You have seen something good! Allah willing, Fatima (‘a) will give birth to a boy that shall be given in your arms.”

Days passed swiftly and Fatima (‘a), the chief of the ladies, gave birth to Imam Husayn (‘a) and the newborn child was given in the lap of Ummul Fadl just as the Messenger of Allah (S) had informed.

The Holy Prophet (S) re-mained waiting for the rise of the newborn star as the life of

his beloved child was being illuminated by it. He was his favorite grandchild and the most beloved of those whom he left behind.

The Blessed Birth

The Chief of the ladies of the world gave birth to such a great child that no daughter of Eve had ever done either before the time of Prophethood nor after him. He was the one who reached such heights of greatness that no one bestowed greater blessings or grace on humani-ty more than him. Thus there was none purer, cleaner and more prominent than him.

The world became illuminated with him and the humanity, along with its whole progeny, became blessed. Muslims were proud of him and considered his remembrance worthy and every year they express pride in him.

This joyful news spread over the horizon of Medina. Moth-

Short Biography of Imam Hussain (A.S.)

Edited excerpts from the book, “The Life of Imam Hussain (‘a) Research and Analysis”, By: Allama Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi


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ers of the believers (wives of the Prophet) and other Muslim ladies hastened to the resi-dence of the chief of the ladies and congratulated her about the newborn child and participated in her joy.

Grief and weeping of the Holy Prophet (S)

When the news of his grand-son’s birth was conveyed to him, His Eminence, immedi-ately hastened to his dearest Fatima (‘a) in such a condition that his steps were heavy and grief and sorrow had envel-oped him. Then in a choked voice he called out: “O Asma! Get me my child!”

Asma handed over the child to him. The Holy Prophet took him in his arms and kissed him again and again while all the time he was weeping. Asma became worried and asked: “May my parents be sacrificed on you, why are you lamenting?”

The Holy Prophet (S) replied with his eyes filled with tears: “I am weeping for this son of mine.”

She was astonished to hear this and she could not under-stand the motive behind this. She asked: “He has just stepped into the world!”

The Messenger of Allah (S) replied to her in an aggrieved tone: “An unjust group shall slay him after me, may the Almighty Allah deprive them of my intercession.”

After that he stood up in a sad mood and told Asma secretly: “Do not convey this to Fatima as she has just come out of labor.’”

The Holy Prophet (S) emerged from the house in a sorrowful mood because he had re-ceived the information from the unseen about the calami-ties that were to befall the child in the future; such calamities as could shake the complete life of every living person.

Year of Imam Husayn’s (‘a) birth

The grandson of the Prophet (S) was born in the 4th year of the Hijri calendar and


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elsewhere the year is also mentioned to be the 3rd year of the Hijri calendar.

Narrators also differ as to the month of his birth and most of them consider it to be the month of Shaban and on the 5th day of the month. Some of them have not specified the day of his birth and said he was born after a few nights of Shaban had passed. While some historians have ignored this and just state that he was born in Shaban and they are all unanimous in this.

Birth ceremonies of Imam Husayn (‘a)

The Messenger of Allah (S) personally performed the religious ceremonies of the blessed newborn child and carried out following rituals:

First: Azan and Iqamah

The Messenger of Allah (S) took the blessed child in his arms and in his right ear recited the Azan and in his left ear recited the Iqamah. And it is mentioned in narrations that: “This ritual protects the

newborn child from the accursed Shaitan.”

The first voice to reach the ears of Husayn (‘a) was that of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S) who was the first to have turned towards God and called the people towards Him and his slogan was: “Allah is the Greatest. There is no god except Allah’”

The Holy Prophet (S) inculcat-ed these words into the soul of his grandson; words, which were the essence of faith and reality of Islam and he imbibed these things into the newborn child and taught him about them. They became a part of his elements and basics of his existence. He became absolutely devoted to these concepts in every aspect of his life. Thus he hastened towards the field of Jihad and sacrificed every-thing so that this formula of faith may be exalted on the earth and powers of right-eousness and goodness may become dominant and signs of apostasy of ignorance that


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were trying to put out the divine light may be subjugat-ed and destroyed.

Second: Naming

The Holy Prophet (S) named the child ‘Husayn’ just as he had named his brother, ‘Hasan’. Historians state that Arabs were not aware of these names during the period of ignorance till the Prophet named his grandsons thus. Rather the Holy Prophet (S) gave them these names on the basis of divine revelation.

Later this honorable name became synonymous for one who spread knowledge and faith on the earth and his remembrance enveloped all languages of the world and people became devoted to him. So much so that in their view it become a holy slogan for all the high examples and a slogan for every sacrifice that was based on truth and justice.

Third: Aqiqa Ceremony

Seven days, after the birth of the grandson of the Prophet

(S), His Eminence issued instructions that a sheep be sacrificed in Aqiqa for him and its meat be distributed to the poor people and also ordered that a leg of mutton be given to the midwife and this ritual became a recommended act of Islamic faith.

Fourth: Shaving of the head of Imam Husayn (‘a)

In the same way, the Holy Prophet (S) ordered to shave the head of his newborn grandson and in proportion of the hair shaved equivalent weight of silver be distributed among the poor. The weight of it came to be one and a half dirham, on the basis of what has come down in traditional reports. Then his head was anointed with perfume of saffron and other materials. The Prophet (S) prohibited the ritual of apply-ing the blood of the slaugh-tered animal to the head of the newborn child.

Fifth: Circumcision

The Holy Prophet (S) instruct-ed his Ahlul Bayt to have the


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newborn child circumcised on the seventh day of its birth. The Prophet (S) has recom-mended circumcision in this young age because it is purest and cleanest for him.

Attention of the Prophet (S) towards Imam Husayn (‘a)

The Holy Prophet (S) person-ally took up the rearing of Imam Husayn and gave him a lot of attention and mingled his feelings, emotions and aspirations with that of his own. On the basis of what historians state, he used to place his thumb in the mouth of the child. His Eminence took him in his arms and placed his tongue in his mouth so that the exudation of Prophethood may be fed to him in the condition that he used to tell him: “Behold O Husayn! Behold O Husayn! The Almighty Allah has not accepted for you except what He intended, that is Imamate that shall be for you and your descendants.”

Regarding this Sayyid Tabata-bai says:

“They kept him away from water, thirsty. The one whom his grandfather Mustafa gave him his fingers to suck.

Sometimes he gave him his thumb to suck and sometimes his tongue so that his nature may be inculcated into him.

The child whom the Prophet himself reared and after his basic goodness there sprouted out from him branches of righteousness (other Imams).”

The Prophet (S) imbibed in the personality of the new-born his personal virtues and excellence so that he may be an exemplar of greatness and this may continue even after he has passed away, and that he may become his successor in spreading his aims and in defending his principles.

Amulet of the Holy Proph-et (S) for Imams Hasan and Husayn (‘a)

Among the compassions of the Prophet (S) towards his


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grandsons was his extreme love of the two and his seeking their protection from every evil and calamity by seeking Allah’s refuge for them, and he used to often do this for them.

Ibn Abbas has narrated that: “The Holy Prophet (S) sought protection of Hasan(‘a) and Husayn(‘a) as follows: ‘I seek by the perfect words of Allah from all devils and poisonous creatures and from all the envious eyes.’ And he used to say: ‘Ibrahim (‘a) used to invoke protection in this way for his sons, Ismail and Ishaq.’”

This proves the intense love that the Holy Prophet (S) has towards the two Imams and that he feared that evil eyes may strike them; thus he sought their protection through these supplications and amulets.

Appearance of Imam Husayn (‘a)

The signs of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S) became

apparent in the face of Imam Husayn (‘a), because in his characteristics he resembled His Eminence and he also had the same morals due to which the Holy Prophet (S) had precedence over the other Prophets.

Muhammad bin Zahhak has described him saying: “The body of Husayn resembled that of the Messenger of Allah (S).”

His Eminence, Imam Ali (‘a) said: “One who likes to see the person most closely resembling the Messenger of Allah (S) from neck to the face should look at Hasan (‘a). And one who desires to see the person most closely resembling the Messenger of Allah (S) from the neck to the feet, in shape and complex-ion, should look at Husayn bin Ali.’”

Signs of Imamate became apparent on the blessed face of His Eminence, and his face was most luminous of the people and it was such that Abu Kabir Hazali says: “When


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you look at the face it seems to be a flash of lightning.”

Some writers have described the physical appearance of His Eminence as follows:

“He had a fair complexioned face and in whichever dark place he used to sit it was illuminated by the brilliance and elegance.”

Others have said: “He had great elegance and a lumi-nous forehead, his cheeks glowed in the darkness of the night and he was the one most closely resembling the Prophet (S).”

One of his companions, who was also martyred along with him on the day of Ashura, has said as follows describing His Eminence:

“He had the brilliance of the midday sun and the glow of his forehead was like the luminous moon.”

Awe of Imam Husayn (‘a)

His Eminence had the quali-ties of the Prophets. In his awe he resembled his grand-

father that people used to humble before him. A merce-nary of Ibn Ziyad has said regarding the great awe of the Holy Imam (‘a): “The brilliance and luminosity of his face compelled me to have second thoughts about killing him.”

On the day of Ashura, the strikes of the swords and the wounds of the spears did not conceal the luminosity of his face. He was like a full moon in his elegance and hand-someness. Regarding this Kabi says:

“The wounded one whose elegance the spears could not dissipate and they could not make his freshness fade.

He was a full moon that it changed into a sun at its zenith.

From the time when blood smeared hands put coverings over it.”

When the blessed head of His Eminence came to Ibn Ziyad he remarked, “I have not seen anyone more handsome.”


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Anas bin Malik objected to him saying, “But, is it not that he is the one most closely resembling the Holy Prophet (S)?”

When the blessed head was presented to Yazid bin Muawi-yah, he was astonished and perplexed by his awe and elegance and he said, “I have indeed never seen such a beautiful face.”

One of those present said, “He was the image of the Messenger of Allah (S).”

Traditional reporters are unanimous that he was just like his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S), in physical appearance and gestures and in resemblance and qualities he was the image of the Prophet. Such that when Ubaidullah bin Hurr Jofi got the honor of his audience his being was filled with his greatness and awe and remarked, “I have never seen anyone as elegant and attractive as Husayn’”

Gestures of the Prophets and signs of the pious became

obvious on his face and therefore, the eyes of the audience were filled with his vision and they used to become subservient before him.

Titles of Imam Husayn (‘a)

The titles of His Eminence and the lofty qualities that he possessed are as follows:

1. Martyr (Shaheed),

2. Pure (Tayyib),

3. Chief of the youths of Paradise,

4. Grandson (Sibt).

According to a saying of the Holy Prophet (S): “Husayn (‘a) is my grandson from among the grandsons.”

5. The Rightly guided one (Rashid), 6. Wafi (Loyal), 7. Blessed (Mubarak), 8. Follow-er of Allah’s will (At Taabe le marzillah), 9. Proof for the True entity (Ad-Daleel Alaa Zaatullah), 10. Most Purified (Mutahhar), 11. Birr (Right-eous), 12. Ahadul Kazmain (one of those who swallowed the Anger).


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Characteristics of the Personality of Imam Husayn (‘a)

Those incomparable qualities that were present in the personality of the leader of the noble men and the elements and basic matters were present in the being of His Eminence in incalculable quantity as follows:

1. Firm Determination

Of the personal qualities of the father of the martyrs is a firm determination and a strong will that this valuable condition he had inherited from his respected grandfa-ther. A Prophet who had changed the course of history and had transformed the meanings of life and alone he stood against the great powers who stood in his way of spreading the word of God. And he did not care for them and told his uncle, Abu Talib, the believer of Quraish:

“By Allah, if the sun is placed in my right hand and the moon in the left and I am

asked to refrain from this (Prophethood of Islam) I shall not do so till I die, or that the Almighty Allah may make them successful.”

By this powerful determina-tion he confronted the powers of polytheism and was able to dominate the direction of the events. In the same way the eminent grandson of His Eminence arose against the Umayyad kingdom and without any doubt and announced his denial to pay oath of allegiance to Yazid, and in spite of the scarcity of his helpers he left for the battlefield of the holy war, so that he may bestow loftiness to the word of truth and destroy falsehood, while the large number of Umayyad fighters were mobilized to confront him. However, His Eminence did not worry about it and he announced his intention and aim in his immortal words, saying,

“I don’t see death but as success; and life with the


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oppressors as nothing but a deviation.”

He moved towards the field of honor and respect with his family members of Ahlul Bayt (‘a) and his companions so that he may hoist the flag of Islam and obtain a great success and victory for the nation of Islam till he finally reached martyrdom. Peace of Allah be on him as he was the strongest person with regard to determination and foremost with regard to will and intention. He did not mind bearing all those circumstanc-es that make the intellects and minds bewildered.

2. Refusal to accept Injus-tice

Among the characteristics of Imam Husayn (‘a) was the illuminated quality of: Refusal to accept oppression. So much so that he earned the title of ‘Abi Dhayyem’ (One who refuses to be oppressed). This is one of the most well-known titles of the Holy Imam, because His Eminence

was a lofty example of this quality. It was he who raised the slogan of human great-ness and constructed the path of honor and respect. Thus he did not bend before the monkeys of Bani Umayyah. He preferred death in the shade of spears.

Abdul Aziz bin Nubatah As-Sa’di says:

“And Husayn (‘a) considered death with honor as life and considered life with degrada-tion as death.”

The famous historian Yaqubi has described His Eminence as the ‘Shaheedul Izza’ (Most respectable martyr).

The leader of the nobles restrained his self from increasing oppression and taught sacrifice to the people.

The words of His Eminence are the most prominent compositions that became established in Arab literature whenever there is mention of honor, sanctity and pride is explained he says, “Indeed, these ignoble sons have put


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me between two choices. Either I kill myself with the sword or accept dishonor. Far be it, that we accept degrada-tion, because the Almighty Allah, the Prophet and the believers would not accept it for us. Those who are pure, incomparable, self-respected and souls of the oppressed ones do not consider it lawful that we prefer the debased ones to a death of honor’”

On the day of Taff, he stood like a strong mountain against the Umayyad soldiers of apostasy and taught future generations the lesson of nobility, self-respect, great-ness and destroying injustice:

“By Allah, I shall never give you the hand of humility and I would not accept slavery. I seek refuge from my Lord and yours that you may stone me’”

These brilliant words show to what extent the great Imam was rich with nobility and unlimited virtues; whose best example is the everlasting

valor that shall remain forever that the History of Islam has kept recorded in it.

3.Valor

No personality braver, deter-mined and more valiant than Imam Husayn (‘a) is seen throughout all the stages of the history of humanity. Because His Eminence on the day of Karbala was in such a position that the intellects are perplexed and minds are bewildered at it. The genera-tions venerate his memory and regard his bravery with absolute astonishment, and people have considered his valor higher to that of the well-known valor of his father.

His cowardly enemies were shocked by the strength of his determination and aim because the Imam did not step back due to the continu-ous horrible strikes that befell him one after the other; and the more the difficulties increased and the calamities intensified the more steadfast he became and the more his


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face shone. And when all his followers and his Ahlul Bayt were martyred; all the armies consisting of thirty thousand mercenaries, according to some reports, surrounded the Imam (‘a) from all sides. The Imam, though the lone survivor attacked the hordes with ferocity of a wolf attack-ing a herd of goats and the enemies dispersed in fear and trepidation. They were fleeing in front of him in all directions and he was like a firm moun-tain. And he faced the swords from all sides in such a manner that there was no sort of laxity on his part. He did not care for death with all his bravery.

The Ahlul Bayt and his follow-ers had also obtained this bravery and valor from him and therefore they moved towards with great fervor and spirit. No kind of fear or awe they ever found in their hearts, while even their enemies have confessed to their valor and steadfastness. Because a person who had

accompanied Umar Ibn Saad in Karbala was told: “Have you massacred the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (S)?” And he replied:

“Keep quiet! Even if you had seen what we witnessed and did what we performed. A group attacked us such that they were holding their swords in the hands and falling upon us like hungry lions from all sides and were killing us. They were putting their lives on the mouth. Neither they pleaded for peace nor had any inclination towards any material wealth. There was nothing that served as obstacle between them and the pool of death and the spiritual kingdom. Even if we had refrained a bit from confronting them they would have terminated the life of all the army. Hence what we could have done under those circumstances? May your mother die!”

The father of the martyrs whose valor is unequalled, has challenged the nature of


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humanity for a contest. Thus he has made fun of death and humiliated life.

4. Firmness on the Path of Truth

Steadfastness on the path of truth was one of the most prominent qualities of the father of the martyrs, Imam Husayn (‘a), because for the establishment of truth and for the destruction of the facts of falsehood and centers of oppression he exhibited unequalled perseverance.

The Holy Imam (‘a) had in his view, truth with all its vast-ness and meanings and he set out for the field of contest so that truth may be established in all Islamic lands and that people may be released from atrocities meted out to them by tyrannical rulers of the time and dispel forces that had besieged him and the events that had subjected people to deep pits of igno-rance where they were thrashing their limbs for survival.

Imam (‘a) saw that the community was sinking in falsehood and deviations and people were not having any values in their life. Therefore he proceeded towards the field of confrontation so that he may sacrifice everything for the sake of hoisting the flag of truth. The Imam (‘a) has mentioned this same illuminated aim in his address to his companions:

“Do you not see that truth is not being practiced and falsehood is not being avoided so that a believer may be eager to meet the Lord’?”

5. Patience

Among the unequalled qualities in which the chief of the martyrs had no peer was that of patience on the calamities of the world and the difficulties of the time. His Eminence, had tasted the bitterness of patience during his childhood when had sat in grief of his grandfather’s and mother’s demise and wit-nessed the horrifying events


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that were encountered by his respected father. He saw the atrocities and problems borne by His Eminence and during the tenure of his brother also he experienced the bitterness of patience in the condition that he saw how his soldiers betrayed him. And when he wanted to bury his brother next to his grandfather, the Bani Umayyah disallowed it and this was extremely painful for Imam Husayn (‘a).

And the greatest calamity in front of which His Eminence exhibited patience was that right before his very eyes the lofty principles of the Islamic religion were been trampled upon and inappropriate sayings were fabricated and falsely attributed to his grandfather, which were changing and distorting the Law of God. The most painful thing was that his venerable father was being denounced and imprecated from the pulpits and how the tyrant Yazid was busy in extermina-tion his Shias and followers.

He assumed patience and forbearance in all these atrocious circumstances.

6. Kindness and Affection

Among the qualities of the father of the martyrs was that he had great affection for the people and offered his help to those in need. He used to reach for the assistance of all those who needed it and for anyone who sought his refuge, he used to accord it to him.

Marwan, after defeat in the episode of Jamal sought refuge from himself and his brother, though he (Marwan) was one of the staunchest opponents and he requested him to intercede on his behalf with his venerable father. The brothers went to their father and petitioned him regarding and Marwan said: “O Amirul Momineen! He would pledge allegiance to you.”

His Eminence said: “Did not pay allegiance to me before the killing of Uthman? I have no need of his allegiance, as it


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is the hand of a Jew. If he gives allegiance to me with his hand he would be betraying the trust with his fingers. While he would obtain a kingdom, like a dog licks at its nose and he is the father of four rams and the nation would see the light of the day from his sons.”

They pleaded so much with their father that at last he gave him amnesty, but Marwan never acknowledge this favor of Imams Hasan and Husayn (‘a) and he did all he could to trouble the two grandsons of the Messenger of Allah (S). He was the one who prevented Imam Hasan (‘a) from being buried next to his grandfather and it was he who told Walid that if Imam Husayn refuses to give allegiance for Yazid he must be killed. Also he celebrated in joy when he heard about the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (‘a). For Marwan, it is suffi-cient that he is a tree, which puts forth nothing except evil and harms to one and all.

Among the obvious examples of the Imam’s kindness is the episode concerning Hurr Ibn Yazid Riyahi who was accom-panied with 1000 soldiers and they had been sent to con-front the Imam (‘a), but when they came face to face with the Holy Imam (‘a) they had already run out of drinking water and were all on the verge of death due to extreme thirst. When the Holy Imam (‘a) saw their serious condi-tion, he supplied all of them with water and even provided it to their mounts. Among the forces of Hurr was an old man, Ali bin Taan Maharabi who was so shaking so violently that he could not hold the mouth of the water bag steady to drink the water so the Imam held the water bag for him and made him steady with his own hands. These actions were the most prominent examples in the culture of humanity that are recorded in the pages of history.

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Imam Mahdi (atfs) was born in overwhelming and encum-bering circumstances which surrounded his father, Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as). The ruling system placed Imam Hassan under full and strict surveillance which lasted for five years and which is the time Imam Mahdi (atfs) lived with his father.

This was the reason that Imam Ali Al-Hadi and Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as) em-ployed an indirect method to communicate with the Islamic Nation through appointing agents and representatives to pave the way for the Absence of Imam Mahdi (atfs) and to make the Islamic Nation used to this.

The Abbasid Plot and the False Claim

The Abbasid Caliphs noticed how Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad and Imam Ali Al-Hadi (as) dealt with them and this

inspired their fear. This is the reason why they intensified the observation of the Imams and placed spies in proximity to the family of Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari in anticipation of the birth of the Promised and Awaited Mahdi. All Shiites were waiting for the Imam because he was the one to establish the state of Divine Justice. This is why the Abbasid authority supported the son of Imam Ali Al-Hadi (as) who was known as Jafar the Liar and they strove to place him in the position of his brother, Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari, after the death of the Imam.

The Frustration of the Abbasid Plot

Imam Mahdi (atfs) assumed Imamate in the year 260 of Hegira after the death of his father, Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as). He was sur-rounded by full secrecy and was concealed from the

The Blessed Birth of Imam Mahdi (ATFS)

Source: https://shiitenews.org/


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Abbasids who were striving to eliminate him. His birth was kept secret even from the servant in the home of Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as).

When Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as) died, his brother Jafar came forth to lead people in prayer for the soul of his brother and he assumed this role because he feigned being the heir of the Imam. Howev-er, to the great surprise of everyone, a boy five years old came out of the house and pulled at the garment of his uncle. He said to him: “Go back. I am more entitled than you to pray for my father.”

Thus, Jafar withdrew without even slightly opposing the Imam. The efforts of the Abbasids became in vain and the Imam frustrated their plot to debase his Imamate.

The Minor Absence

Due to the insistence of the Abbasid authority on pursuing the Imam, he went into absence. This absence was called the Minor Absence

because during this absence the Imam communicated with his followers through his representatives. These representatives administered the affairs of the Islamic Nation for seventy years. They were four in number, and they were known as the Intermediaries. They were: Othman son of Sa’id Al-‘Amri, Muhammad son of Othman son of Sa’id Al-‘Amri, Abul Qassem Hussein son of Rouh Anawbakhti, and Abul Hassan son of Ali son of Muhammad As-Samri.

The Great Absence

The Minor Absence lasted from the death of Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari in the year 260 of Hegira until the year 329 of Hegira. The aims of this Absence- which were the protection of Shiites from deviation and making them accept the idea of Intermedi-aries between them and the Imam- were accomplished. When the Minor Absence ended, the Great Absence commenced. The representa-


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tives of the Imam ceased to be specific individuals but became the sources of emulation. This Absence will last until God wants it to end.

The Signs which will Prelude the Emergence of Imam Mahdi (atfs)

Narrations specify some signs which will prelude the emer-gence of Imam Mahdi (atfs) in order to inspire hope in the hearts of Shiites and to make them steadfast in their anticipation of his emergence no matter the events which might occur or the intensity of oppression and corruption. These signs are the following:

1-The emergence of the Sufyani who is a descendant of the Umayyad dynasty

2-The emergence of the Yamani, who is a descendant of the Hashemites

3-The emergence of black flags from Khorasan carried by the supporters of the Imam

4-The murder of the Pure Person in Mecca

5-The collapse in Al-Bayda’ (a desert region near Medina)

6-The shrill cry from the sky announcing the emergence of the Imam

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) said: “A crier from the sky will shout the name of the Riser and those in the east and west will hear.”

Imam Mahdi’s State

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) said: “When the Riser will rise, he will judge justly. There will be no tyranny in his time, and all roads will become safe. The earth will push forth its blessings and every right will be returned to its owner. There will be no people of other religions and only Islam will prevail. He will judge between people by the judgment of David and Muhammad. Then shall the earth uncover its treasures and expose its blessings. A man will find no place to


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spend his alms and benevo-lence. You will be granted wisdom in his time; even a woman will judge in her home according to the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Mes-senger (S).”

Awaiting Respite

Shiites have been awaiting the emergence of Imam Mahdi (atfs) since the time of his absence in the year 329 of Hegira. They have been counting the hours, days, and years in anticipation of his blessed and promised arrival so that he will “fill the earth with justice just as it was filled with tyranny and injus-tice.”

God said in the Holy Quran: {We have written in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants.} (The Prophets, verse 105)

They ask God to be among his companions, those who fight under his command, and those who are martyred in a

battle led by him against the unjust.

However, the duration of the period of absence is unknown. The Imams falsified anyone who gives a certain time for the end of the absence. It has been transmitted that one of the companions of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) asked him: “Is there a certain time for this absence?”

The Imam (as) answered: “Those who appoint a certain time lie, those who appoint a certain time lie, those who appoint a certain time lie.”

Thus, the time the Absence will end is unknown and the duration of absence will be long. Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (as) said: “By God, your Imam will be absent for years in a long era. You will be tested until [some] will say: ‘He was killed! He perished! Which valley did he go to?’ Verily, the eyes of the believers will be wet with tears for him.”

During the period of Absence, many generations will live and


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they are responsible for the fulfillment of Islamic laws and contribution to this Divine Plan. What is the role of the believer in the Era of Ab-sence?

The duty of the believer in the Era of Absence may be summarized in one phrase: “Waiting for respite”. Imam Hassan Al-‘Askari (as) said: “You have to be patient and wait for respite, for the Prophet (S) said: “The best of my Ummah’s deeds is waiting for respite.”

What is the true meaning of waiting for Imam Mahdi (atfs)?

1-Negative waiting: A foolish notion is to believe that waiting for Imam Mahdi (atfs) means to stand aside without doing anything or acting in a way which brings upon change. This is similar to a person who is drowning and hoping that a rescue team will arrive before he perishes and thus does not struggle to remain alive.

The essential duty of believers in the Era of Absence is not

only to live in the hope of the emergence of Imam Mahdi (atfs) while doing nothing to change the current social and political reality. The role of believers is not merely to hope and anticipate the signs of emergence which are mentioned in narrations and it is not to become more hopeful when one of these signs is fulfilled without doing anything to bring upon change.

2-Positive waiting: Oppo-site to negative waiting for Imam Mahdi (atfs), there is positive waiting. This is similar to fighters in the field of battle waiting for a large army to come to their support. They fight and achieve victory in some positions, and while they are fighting they are hoping for the arrival of the large army which will van-quish the enemies. They believe that their stand is a prelude to the coming of the large army and even that their struggle plays a role in the summoning of that army.


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When they witness tidings that the army will soon arrive, they become more deter-mined to fight the enemy.

This is the state of those who are waiting for their absent Imam and striving to pave the way for his emergence. They are truly pavers for the emergence of Imam Mahdi (atfs), and some narrations have referred to this such as the narration about the party which will fight the enemies of the Imam: “…until it reaches Jerusalem paving the way for the dominion of Al-Mahdi.”

The Preparation of Indi-viduals Awaiting the Imam

Those who are waiting for Imam Mahdi (atfs) have prepared themselves to be worthy of paving the way for their Great Imam who will accomplish the aim of Proph-ets and Successors all throughout history. When they pray to God for his sake they say: “And make me one of those who come to his victory”, and when they salute

their Imam they say: “I am ready to come to your victo-ry”.

Preparing oneself may be achieved through a number of matters, some of which we shall mention as follows:

1-Sincere devotion to God: This is the most essential issue in preparation. He who is not sincere is not worthy of waiting for the Imam, and this is why sincerity is a main condition for waiting. Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad (as) said: “…the Sincere await his emergence.”

2-Strength: Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (as) clearly stated that his descendant, the Awaited Mahdi (may God hasten his blessed arrival) will “only emerge among those who possess strength”. Even though strength is achieved through being trained in the usage of weaponry and combat skills, but essential strength is that of the heart and which results in stead-fastness in the face of all


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afflictions. This is why those who will participate under the command of Imam Mahdi (atfs) in the enterprise for all-inclusive change have been described as strong. “The heart of a man among them is stronger than pieces of iron that if they were to pass by mountains of iron they would be leveled to the ground! They do not sheath their swords until God- the Exalted and Glorious- is satisfied”.

3-Wish for martyrdom: Those who are waiting for Imam Mahdi (atfs) possess the true belief in Resurrection Day and the reward in heaven which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no one has imagined. They yearn to join the procession of martyrs on Judgment Day in an awe-inspiring image. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “[It] causes the Prophets to stand if they see them due to witnessing their magnifi-cence.”

Imam Jaafar As-Sadiq (as) described those who are

waiting for the emergence of the Imam, saying: “They pray to become martyrs, and they wish to be slain in the cause of God.”

4-Obeying the Supreme Leader during the Absence of Imam Mahdi (atfs): Those who are truly waiting for the Imam are those who follow his authority which is represented by Supreme Leadership. Imam Mahdi (atfs) said: “As for incidents that occur, then resort to those who have recited our narrations, for they are my authority over you, and I am the authority of God [over people].”

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his House-hold) said: “Great bliss for he who reaches the time of the Riser of my Household and had taken him as his role model before he rose; pledg-ing allegiance to his ally and renouncing his enemy.”

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15th Sha'ban is the birth anniversary of the Promised one, the only Real Savior of all mankind, the only Hope in this depressed age, the 12th infallible Imam of the house-hold of Prophet Mohammad (S), Imam Mahdi (as) whose followers look forward to his Reappearance day and night.

Majority of the world religions, irrespective of their being divine or earthly, believe in the advent of a Savior. The spiritual leaders of different religions have discussed and debated this subject. Savior is described as deliverer of mankind, who will appear at the ultimate stage with justice and Equity after it has been filled with tyranny and op-pression, eradicate deviation, ignorance and atheism and disseminate moral and spiritual guidance and mono-theism.

Such idea can be found in various religions and in their books one can even find the

various attributes and charac-teristics of their Savior. It also becomes clear that the belief in the savior is based on instinct, since everybody hopes that world will culmi-nate in good rather than evil.

The occasion offers a good opportunity to have a glance at him through the verses of the holy Quran and tradition received from the holy proph-et Mohammad (S) and his infallible House hold.

A) Importance of Subject

Holy prophet (S) said: "who-ever dies without recognizing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance." It clearly indicates that cognition of the infallible Imam is compulsory for each and every one.

Holy prophet (S) is reported to have said: "there will be twelve caliphs' successors after me. Verily the proofs of Allah on the creatures are twelve of them, the first will be my brother and the last of

Imam Mahdi, the Herald of Divine Justice By: Dr. A.R. Ghavidel


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them will be my son." They asked "which of your brothers and which son?" He replied: "My brother Ali, son of Abi-Taleb. My son Mahdi, the one who will fill the world with justice and equity when it is fraught with injustice and oppression." (Faraed us Simtain, Vol.2, Page 226)

Holy prophet (s) said: "Even if a single day remains from the eve of dooms Day, Allah the Almighty will prolong that day till He raises a man from my progeny."

B) Who Is Mahdi (A.S)?

After clarifying that cognition of Imam is a must and there will be twelve successors after the Holy prophet (S), now it is better to know him as it is found in Islamic Traditions. According to many authentic documents available in Islamic sources, the following identifi-cation has been found for Imam Mahdi (as).

Name: Mohammad

Agnomen: Abul Qasem

Title: Mahdi

Birth: Friday, 15 of Sha'ban 255 AH

Father's name: Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s)

Mothers' name: Nargis Khatoon

Commencement of minor occultation and Imamat: 260 AH

Commencement of major occultation and Imamat: 239 AH

Similarity with prophet Noah (A.S): Longevity

Similarity with prophet Moses (A.S): Concealed birth

Similarity with prophet Job (A.S): Patience

Similarity with prophet Jesus Christ (A.S): Brilliance

Place of reappearance: the holy Kaba

Time of reappearance: No one knows except Allah.

C) Bright Future of Peace and Happiness

The holy prophet said: "Glad tidings are to you about Mahdi (as)". Thereafter he said: "The inhabitance of the


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heavens and the inhabitance of the earth are happy with him. He shall distribute the wealth equally, free Moham-mad’s nation from need or want and comfort them with his righteousness."

Islamic scholars, based on the infallible saying of the opinion that the sign of Mahdi (as) is that he shall be harsh with rulers, generous with people in distributing wealth, and gentle with the helpless in easing their pain. The master of the faithful Imam Ali (as) says about Mahdi's character-istics: At the time when they (people) shall suit the guid-ance to follow the desires, Mahdi (as) shall alter the desires to follow the guidance.

The holy prophet said: there shall emerge a person from my progeny who will speak only my Sunnah. Allah shall throw out its bounties for him from heavens and the earth. He shall fill the earth with equity and justice just as it had been filled with cruelty and oppression.

Furthermore, the holy prophet (S) while mentioning the injustice and seditiousness of despotic rulers, said: "if there remains not more than one day for the earth, Allah will prolong the day until a person from my progeny comes and rule. The great events shall take place through his hands and Islam shall manifest itself…" Hence, not Only Shia people but all people throughout the world expect him to establish peace and mercy for human kind.

D) Awaiting in the Per-spective of Responsibility

Awaiting (Intezar) is a result of two conditions. Firstly, he is not satisfied with the present situation and secondly, he expects the improvement in his circumstances. If either of these conditions are not fulfilled, then it is not await-ing.

The awaiting of Imam Mahdi (as) also holds the same distinct characteristics. Even here awaiting purports that an awaiter is not satisfied with


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his present circumstances and is hoping for a bright and better future. The believer is a witness to the assault of the enemies of Islam which they are inflicting of Islam with their full might and munitions.

The geniuses of belief and deeds are not judged as per criterion set by the Holy Quran and traditions. Instead they are examined through the clannish prejudice and norms set by their forefathers, in such circumstances a genuine awaiter should not sit idle. Rather the holy Quran has instructed him in these words: ''and say to those who do not act as much as you can, we are also trying. You all await and surely we all are awaiting''. (Holy Quran chap. Hud:122)

It is open challenge for the enemies that let them make their best efforts. In the light of this challenge, can anyone say that awaiting implies sitting idle and remaining oblivious? Or awaiting means to remain always alert and

defeat enemies on every front. Of course, it necessi-tates that a believer should never exult on his strength but Household of Prophet Mohammad (S) said: "the one who desire to be among the companion of Hazrat Qaem (as), then he must wait, adopt piety and behave courteously.

If he dies in such a condition before the advent of Qaem (as), then his reward will be similar to the one who attains his Qaem’s era should always rely on Allah."

Because reliance on Allah gives victory to weaklings over their stronger adver-saries.

He is a true awaiter who always seeks to please his Imam (as). His every effort is directed at achieving the invaluable pleasure of Imam (as) and it is but evident the pleasure of Imam is in abiding by the tenets of Islam and not in its sacrilege.

Out of many responsibilities which a true awaiter has to


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reserve for himself, is to build his character. Character building implies following the tenets of Islam, developing good traits and purify his self in such a way that every aspect of his personality should reflect the teachings of the progeny of the Holy Prophet (S). Often the friends and the helpers of Imam Mahdi (as) are described with such superlatives;

'those who will believe in hidden Imam, they are the most pious one and their faith is of the highest degree. They will establish prayers and spend generously in the way of God. They believe firmly in the Holy Quran and other divine scriptures and they are certain of the Day Resurrec-tion.'' (Tafsir-e-Nor Saqlain, vol.1, chap. Baqara)

"They will be braver than lions and sharper than spears.'' (Behar-ul-Anwar, vol. 52, chap. 27. Tradition no. 17)

''In the period of occultation, they will hold religious convic-

tions and will not allow the devil to meddle with their faith''. (Kamaluddin, page 51)

These excerpts were extract-ed from various traditions which clarifies that in the period of major occultation, one of our pivotal responsibili-ties is to absorb the teaching of progeny of Holy Prophet (S) in our character and personality so that we may not wander hither and thither while our beloved Imam Mahdi (as) is far from our eyes.

It is a proven fact that as much as a man holds Imam Mahdi (as) dearer that much he will be attracted towards good deeds.

And he will cleanse his self from bad habits and vices. Numerous such incidents can be found in the books, particularly youth who felt the Love of Imam Mahdi (as) in their hearts which changed their entire lives. "Wish you a happy 15th Sha'ban".

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“O the people of Kufah! Woe be upon you! Do you know which part of the Messenger of Allah (SWT) you have cut? And which vow you have broken? And whose blood you have shed? And which respected family you have brought to the public (as captives)? And whose sanctity you have violated? You have done that, which could tear down the skies, open the earth, and make the mountains vanish. As far as the earth goes and as deep as the skies go, your obvious deed has similarity and no decency. Indeed you have done the ugliest, the most grievous and gruesome deed.”

With these words, Hadhrat Zainab bint Ali (SA) confronted the people of Kufa who betrayed their Imam in Karbala. There is no doubt that Hadhrat Zainab (SA) is the shining sun in the history of Islam and of humanity. Her

brother’s name “Imam Hussain” (AS) and Karbala associate the idea of freedom, justice, humanity, virtue, fighting against despotism, with the realization of the sovereignty of Allah.

Hadhrat Zainab (SA) became famous for her virtuous life. In her character, she reflected the best attributes. In sobriety and serenity she was likened to her grand-mother Umm-al-Mumineen Hadhrat Khadija (SA), in chastity and modesty to her holy mother Hadhrat Fatima (SA) and in eloquence to her holy father Imam Ali (AS).

Hadhrat Zainab (SA) pro-claimed to the world the greatest sacrifices made by her brother Imam Hussain (AS) and other members of the family of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) who were brutally martyred at Karbala in 61 A.H by the forces of Yazid. On the other hand, the women and

Zainab bint Ali (SA):

The woman who saved Islam

By: Marwa Osman


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children witnessed the very inhumane and merciless violence that took place in Karbala, yet they were not desperate, depressed, they did not collapse, despite all the pain and challenges, they were contrary the opposite. They stood up, spoke up and held Yazid responsibly. They had no fear or anxiety but rather were very strong and decisive in their stances.

A part of the sermon Hadhrat Zainab (SA) gave with utmost bravery in the gathering of Yazid in Syria shook his Majlis (gathering) and still echoes through time and space:

“By Allah (SWT), you cannot remove us from the minds (of people), and you cannot fade our message. You will never reach our glory and can never wash the stain of this crime from your hands. Your decisions will not be stable, your period of the ruling will be short, and your population will scatter. On that day, a voice will shout: “Indeed may the curse of Allah (SWT) be

upon the oppressors…”

Righteous people should not at all be affected by the harsh circumstances they undergo, that is exactly what Hadhrat Zainab (SA) stressed in her speeches. She reiterated they (Ahlul Bayt) are the people of strong presence, strength, confidence, and faith despite the drastic and harsh calamity that fell upon her and her family. The prophet’s house-hold turned this threat into an opportunity and made use of the entire situation and the circumstances they went through lead by the coura-geous Hadhrat Zainab (SA).

A model of defiance against oppression and injustice. A woman of patience and endurance. There was no act of worship greater than continuing the rising of her brother, delivering fiery sermons in the path of Kufa and Syria, and awakening ignorant people who were deceived by poisonous propaganda of Yazid and martyred Imam Hussain (AS)


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as a man who was out of Islam. Her sermons created a movement in Kufa and Damascus which shook the bases of Yazid’s kingdom and even Yazid’s son refused to replace his father as the king, and after a while, quit the government while disgracing the oppressing dynasty of Umayyads.

In her lifetime, Hadhrat Zainab (SA) had endured immense pain from witnessing her loved ones martyred before her eyes, but she never objected to the destiny decreed upon her by Allah. The grief she expressed was an outpouring of her incredible humanity.

Hadhrat Zainab’s (SA) role was exemplary. It showed how bold Muslim women were and how they played a key role in consolidating Islamic teachings. Today, despite so much progress and the spread of education, so many Muslim women are suppressed. In some alleged Muslim societies, a woman’s voice is

banned from even being heard in public; and here was Zainab (SA) from the Imam’s family who became a public speaker to save Islamic values. The leadership of the family fell to Hadhrat Zainab (SA) after Karbala, and she proved to be more than what was expected of her.

Today, women have to learn much from her example and leadership qualities. Her public role in the battle of Karbala has much to teach us both Muslim men and women. The only way for women in general and Muslim woman, in particular, could pay respects to her sacrifice is by being inspired by her life to be courageous in the face of tyranny, patient in times of trouble, and submissive to the will of God. Hadhrat Zainab bint Ali (SA) the role model for the righteous will forever teach us all that when we undergo countless trials in our lives, we should see nothing but beauty in them.

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There is a beautiful “whis-pered prayer” known as Munajat Sha’baniyyah, also referred to as the Munajat of Imam Ali, peace be upon him. It was recited by him and all of the other Imams and ranks amongst the most sublime of their prayers.

Before we delve into the discussion on this beautiful whispered prayer, we must first understand that in Islam, we have various methods of communication and commun-ion with Allah – we have the recitation of the Noble Qur’an, we have the supplication (du’a) and we have the whispered prayer (Munajat).

The whispered prayer is different from du’a in that du’a is a general and encom-passing term which literally means “to call upon [some-one]”. It can be recited in a multiple ways: from far away or close by, loudly or quietly,

from a known person or a stranger – all of these kinds of sounds can be referred to as a du’a. In the Islamic tradition, such an appeal forms an inner connection between the finite and the Infinite – the servant and Allah, the Most High.

However, the Munajat or whispered prayer, and its source word in Arabic, which is najwah, is a whisper or secret talk – a specific com-munication with someone such that no one else hears the one making such a petition – in essence, it is a form of spiritual intimacy between two individuals.

In a Munajat, therefore, sometimes Allah talks to an individual while at other times, one talks to Allah - and this is what is known as a reciprocal dialogue or form of communication.

In this regards, there is a beautiful statement from the

Whispered Prayers and Understanding

the Essence of Forgiveness

By: Arifa Hudda


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Creator of the World - Allah – in which He has stated the following: “When a person has no other aim except for My pleasure, then I love him and in the darkness of the night, and the quietness of the day, I enter into intimate discourse (Munajat) with him.”

Therefore, the Munajat is such that one speaks knowing that Allah has spoken to him, but no one else knows about this conversation. Indeed when this occurs, it can be said that it is the words of Allah coming out of a serv-ant’s mouth!

There are many ‘well-known’ whispered prayers that have been conveyed to us through the endless teachings of the Ahlul Bayt, peace be upon them; some examples of these are the fifteen whis-pered prayers (Munajat) of Imam Ali b. al-Husayn Zaynul Abideen, peace be upon him, which can be found at the end of as-Sahifah as-Sajjadiya; the Munajat of Imam Ali, peace

be upon him, that he used to recite and is famously known as the “Munajat of Imam Ali in Masjid al-Kufa”; and the Munajat Sha’baniyyah which was a personal favorite of the late Ayatullah Khomeini who even recommended its recitation when he wrote his final will and testament.

The late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran is quoted as having said that it is not known to him if there is any other intimate whispered prayer or supplication that has been recited by all of the 12 Imams, other than Munajat Sha’baniyyah.

Thus, Munajat is an expres-sion of our love to Allah; it is the language of love - not the language of logic.

It contains many different etiquettes of invocation to Allah – how to ask Him for forgiveness and reach out for His mercy.

Turning our attention to Munajat Sha’baniyyah, one part of this intimate whis-


40

pered prayer deals with a servant pleading for for-giveness from Allah for his wrong doings and evil deeds.

When it comes to asking for forgiveness, there are many different methods and the manner of seeking pardon varies.

For example, let’s say that one has an argument with a friend and says something bad to them. Shortly after-wards, one regrets what transpired and resolves to ask him or her for forgiveness.

The method of doing this is not to say to oneself that, “I did not do anything bad,” rather one must acknowledge the fact that something was done wrong, then we seek forgiveness by humbling ourselves until they accept our words of repentance. In this situation, one will be forgiven by their friend, God willing.

Another kind of seeking forgiveness is that a person understands the fact that in

order to reach “perfection” they have to ask for for-giveness for their evil actions with humility and the proper etiquette. However it does not matter for this person if the other side accepts one’s repentance or not, they just want to be content that they have very crucial that his forgiveness is accepted by the other party, and therefore he will plead and plead with the family and beg them to pardon him, because he realizes that it is a life and death situation that he is in.

When one is seeking for-giveness from Allah for the many sins that we commit, it should like this last manner that we plead to Him - meaning that it is very crucial that our apology be accepted by Allah and we make our-selves worthy of attaining His forgiveness. In one part of Munajat Sha’baniyyah, we are taught to recite:

“My God! My offering excuses to you is the offering of not, they just want to be content


41

that they have “fulfilled their obligation”; and this is all that is important for them - nothing else matters. They feel that they are not really in need of having their excuses of one who cannot do without the acceptance of this excuse – so accept my excuse – O the Most Generous of those to whom the evil doers offer excuses.”

Therefore as we mentioned, our asking for forgiveness from Allah must be such that we plead with Him until He accepts our apology – for-giveness accepted, they just want to say sorry as a duty that needs to be done.

A third instance is when a person has killed another individual and a ruling has been passed that unless the family of the dead person forgives that killer, he must be put to death. For him it is for there is no other choice that we have in the matter. If He does not forgive us then we are doomed in this world and in the next.

When it comes to the ac-ceptance of an apology, there are many different dimensions to it:

1. Sometimes the other party may only say “I accept your apology”;

2. Some people may console you and respond by saying, “I know that you did not do this bad thing intentionally”;

3. A greater person may actually remind the other person how to ask for for-giveness;

4. Another one may respond back by also saying sorry and even console them for the bad action that was committed by the culprit.

Therefore an “ordinary person” will just accept the apology, a “spiritually higher person” would indirectly teach them how to ask forgiveness and the individual who is standing at the “highest spiritual level” would be the one who forgives beforehand and even consoles the wrong doer for their evil action!


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Different reasoning for why people accept apolo-gies from one another

When it comes to us human beings, there are various different reasons that we accept apologies from other people – some of them include the following:

1. One may accept the apology of another person with the intention or hope that if one day they are need of something or require help, then they can remind that person and almost in a way, make them feel obliged to help them out – just because they had accepted their apology previously.

2. Some people may forgive another person because they too in turn want to be forgiv-en by them;

3. Often times, friends may forgive each other because they want their friendship to take on a new or greater form and in turn they want to benefit from that personally;

Another situation is that one

wants to be forgiven by Allah, and we know that if one wants the forgiveness and mercy of Allah to be showered upon us, then we need to manifest this trait of Allah – The Oft-Forgiving within ourselves; and in order for Allah to forgive us, we need to forgive others as well.

In all of these above scenari-os, one is looking at the rewards involved – be it from other people or from Allah. There is some aim in mind for which one is willing to forgive the other party for their shortcomings. However when Allah accepts our apologies – provided that we plead to Him and beg Him in the right way – then it is not for any reward or any benefit that He gets or is looking for, rather, He forgives us out of His great-ness and exaltedness. In fact, not only does He accept our apology and forgive our lapses, but He even teaches and guides us on HOW to go about doing this.

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The family is a small social unit that begins with the union of husband and wife and is fortified with the birth of children. Marriage is a natural need for humans, which is sanctioned by pronouncing the formula of the marriage contract (the marriage vows).

Islam assigns great im-portance upon establishing the family and regards it as a holy event. Various Hadith consider family the finest institution in existence. Imam Muhammad Baqir (‘a) has cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): No institution has been established in Islam that is more loved by Allah, the Honored, the Glorified, than marriage.[1]

Imam Sadiq (‘a) has cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): Nothing is more loved by Allah than a house that is populated through marriage and nothing is more hated by Allah than a

house that is broken through separation (i.e. divorce).[2]

Marriage is an invaluable Islamic tradition, the necessity of which the Holy Prophet (S) and Immaculate Imams (‘a) have emphasized. Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) has declared: Marry because the Prophet of Allah (S) has stated: Those who wish to follow my tradi-tions must know that mar-riage is one of them.[3]

The Prophet of Allah (S) has stated: Marriage is my tradi-tion and whoever forsakes my tradition is not of me.[4]

Islam does not regard mar-riage (and procreation) as an animalistic deed and it does not enjoin its followers to monastic existence and abandonment of marriage. On the contrary, it regards it as a way of purification (tazkiyah) and edification (tahdhib) of the soul, abstinence from sin, and proximity to Allah. Imam Sadiq (‘a) has stated: Two

Marriage and its Merits

By: Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini


44

rak‘ats[5] prayer of a married person is superior to seventy rak‘ats prayer of an unmarried person.[6]

The Holy Prophet (S) has stated: Two rak‘ats prayer of a married person is superior to the worship of an unmar-ried man who spends his nights in prayer and his days in fast.[7]

Imam Sadiq has cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): The worst of your dead are those who die without marrying.[8]

Marriage and establishing a family is valuable according to Islam and has many merits, some of which are explained below.

1. Instrument of Love and Friendship

In this turmoil imbued life we humans require peace, tranquility, and love. We all need a sympathetic confidant, supporter, and well-wisher who we can love and enjoy his or her sincere love, aid, and support in return. We each need a person who can

be our partner in life—someone who is loyal, kind, and sympathetic in health and sickness, in prosperity and hardship, in happiness and despondency, in wealth and poverty, and by and large in all circumstances.

Who is better for meeting this need than a spouse and what place is better than the warm camaraderie of family. Allah, the Exalted, states in the Quran: “And of His signs is that He has created for you, from yourselves, spouses that you may gain peace through them and He has set among you love and compassion. Surely in this there are signs for thoughtful people.”[9]

2. Instrument of Conti-nence and Immunity from Sin

Humans naturally require sexual relations and release. Controlling sexual desires is challenging if they are not satisfied legitimately and they draw a person to deviation and sin. Thus, marriage is the best and healthiest implement


45

for satisfying natural sexual instincts and immunization against deviation. The Prophet of Allah (S) has stated: Whoever wishes to meet Allah pure and immaculate must marry.[10]

The noble Imam Sadiq (‘a), has cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): Whoever gets married has guarded half of their religion.[11]

The noble Imam Musa ibn Ja‘far (‘a) has cited from his forefathers who cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): When someone marries when they are young, their devil cries: ‘Woe unto me! Woe unto me! This youth has protected two thirds of his religion from me. So for the remaining third this person must fear Allah and be His devout servant.’[12]

3. Instrument of Physical and Mental Health

Sexual desires and release are natural needs that bring about physical and mental health. Control and suppression of these needs strain the psyche

and damage one’s equilibri-um. The origin of many mental disorders such as depression, despair, anxiety, phobia, pessimism, nihilism, distrust, and anger may be suppression of sexual in-stincts. Thus, timely marriage and legitimate sexual fulfill-ment can be considered a key factor in physical and mental health. The Prophet of Allah (S) has stated: Wed unto each other your unmarried men and women; for then surely Allah shall improve their behavior, expand their livelihood, and increase their humaneness.[13]

4. Increase in the Well-being of the Social Envi-ronment

If individuals marry at the outset of their maturity, they shall love and depend on their families and become immune to many types of moral corruption. As a result, the statistics relating to rape, taking advantage of girls and women, fornication, sexual acts with members of the


46

same sex, masturbation, and even addiction, murder, theft, and many other crimes will plummet. Timely marriage has a great effect upon the health and security of the environ-ment. This is why Islam advises parents and caregiv-ers to prepare the means of marriage for those who have not yet married. The Quran states: “And join your single men and women and your righteous bondservants in matrimony. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them of His bounty. And Allah is the Facilitator, the Omnisci-ent.”[14]

The Prophet of Allah (S) has declared: A father has three duties toward his children: he must give them worthy names, teach them literacy, and wed them when they mature.[15]

5. Procreation

Islam favors procreation and regards it as an important objective of marriage. Imam Muhammad Baqir (‘a) has

cited from the Prophet of Allah (S): What is wrong with a believer taking a spouse; it may be that Allah provides them with a child that vitalizes the world with (speakers of the adage of monotheism:) la ilaha illallah.[16]

The Prophet of Allah (S) has stated: Marry so you increase because surely I shall take pride in you, among the civilizations, on the Day of Judgment, even (counting) miscarriages.[17]

6. Pleasure and Sensuality

An important merit of mar-riage is legitimate sexual pleasure and gratification. Sexual acts bring about one of the highest of worldly pleas-ures and, according to Islam, are not only decent and legitimate acts if done with the intention to become closer to Allah [qasd-e qurbat] but also good deeds that have rewards [thawab]. Further-more, sexual relations are even obligatory in some circumstances.


47

Conditions of the Marriage Contract

Marriage is a sacred contract that is realized with the synthesis of several factors:

1. Consent of the man and woman

2. Permission of the woman’s father or grandfather (assum-ing that she is previously unwed)

3. Determination of the Mahr (Mahr can be real estate, cash, credit, or any other type of property, whether abun-dant or meager)[18]

4. Vocalization of the marriage formulas (by the man and woman or their representa-tive—someone who is ac-quainted with the Arabic language)

After vocalization of the marriage formulas (marriage vows), the individual lives of the woman and man turn into familial life, and thus the man and woman gain new respon-sibilities.

References:

1. Wasa’il ush-Shi‘ah, vol. 20, p.

15.

2. Ibid, p. 16.

3. Ibid, p. 17.

4. Bihar, vol. 103, p. 220.

5. Rak‘at is the basic unit of

Salat, the compulsory daily

Islamic prayer. [trans.]


18.

7. Wasa’il ush-Shi‘ah, p. 19.

8. Ibid, p. 19.

9. Surah Rum 30:21.


18.


17.

12. Bihar, vol. 103, p. 221.

13. Ibid, p. 222.

14. Surah Nur 24:32.

15. Makarim al-Akhlaq, vol.1, p.

253.


14.

17. Bihar, vol. 103, p. 220.

18. Mahr is a specified (at time

of marriage) amount that a

man must pay his wife as a

wedding gift.

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The sixth Greater Sin is to be disobedient to one’s parents as expressly mentioned in the traditions from the Holy Prophet (S) and the Pure Imams (as). These have already been quoted in the first chapter. A tradition of the Prophet (S) says that the greatest sins are Shirk and to be disobedient to one’s parents. The seriousness of disobedience to parents as a Greater sin can be gauged from the fact that the Holy Prophet (S) has mentioned it along with Shirk which is the greatest of all Greater sins, and unforgiveable. “Āq” is a sin, the punishment of which is promised in the Qur’an and the traditions.

Tradition Regarding Āq al-Walidayn

The Holy Prophet (S) says: “Beware! Abstain from angering the parents. The fragrance of Paradise is perceived even at a distance of a thousand years, but

those who are disobedient to parents and those who cut off ties with relatives will not be able to smell it.”

The Holy Prophet (S) also said:

“One who displeases the parents, (it is as if) he has displeased Allah. One who angers both his parents (it is as if) he has angered Allah.”

Elsewhere, it is mentioned, “One who hurts his parents, hurts me and one who hurts me has hurt Allah. And the one who hurts Allah is accurs-ed.”

The Prophet (S) has also stated:

“Allah will not speak to Three kinds of people on the Day of Qiyāma. Neither will He have mercy upon them, nor will He purify their sins. There is for them a horrible chastisement. The Three types of people are the believers in destiny, the drunkards and those who disobeyed their parents.”

Those Who Are Disobedient to Their Parents

By: Ayatullah Abdul Husayn Dastaghaib Shirazi


49

Prayer is Not Accepted

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Allah will not accept the Salāt of the person who stares angrily at his parents. Even though they (parents) may be unjust.”

A Young man is interceded by the Holy Prophet (S)

A young man was on his deathbed when the Holy Prophet (S) came, sat near him, and told him to recite two kalimas (Shahadatain). But the youth could not speak. The Holy Prophet (S) enquired if his mother was present? A woman sitting near his head said, “Yes, I am his mother.”

The Holy Prophet (S) asked, “Are you displeased with him?”

‘Yes, O Prophet (S), we have not spoken to each other since the last six years.’

The Holy Prophet (S) asked this woman to forgive her son. Thus at the Prophet’s instance she forgave his

mistakes and was reconciled. At once the young man was able to recite the Kalima al-Shahadat.

The Holy Prophet (S) asked him, “What do you see, at this moment.” “O Prophet of Allah a dark and smelly man has got hold of me and is not leaving me.”

The Holy Prophet (S) told him to recite the following Du’a,

“Ya man Yaqbalul yasīra wa y’afo ‘Anil Kathīra Iqbal minnil Yasīra Wa ‘Āfo ‘Annil Kathīra.”

Then asked, “Now what do you see?” He replied, “A fair complexioned man, handsome and fragrant, is moving towards me.”

The Holy Prophet said, “Keep repeating this Du’a.” When the youth repeated this Du’a he said “O Prophet of Allah (S) both of them have disap-peared from my sight.” After this the face of the Holy Prophet (S) was illuminated with joy. He said, “O Allah forgive the sins of this young


50

man.” Then the youth passed away.

This tradition shows how difficult are the last moments of the Āq al-Walidayn. He leaves this world in disbelief and remains, forever, in Divine punishment. The tutor of Kalima for this young man was the Holy Prophet (S). In spite of this his tongue did not move till his mother forgive him. The blessings of the Holy Prophet (S) and the for-giveness of his mother brought salvation for this youth.

What is Āq al-Walidayn?

Allama Majlisi (r.a.) writes in his commentary on al-Kāfi: Āq al-Walidayn means that the son or the daughter cause disrespect to parents by speech or actions. Or they do not obey them in matters which are within reason and matters which are not in any way against religion.

Āq al-Walidayn is absolutely Harām. The books of tradi-tions of both the Shias as well

as the Sunnis validate this fact.

To look at the parents with anger is Āq, to cause unhap-piness to the parents results in Āq. It is Harām to take any step, which one is sure, will displease the parents.

Service to Parents is Better Than Jihad

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) narrates that a young man presented himself to the Holy Prophet (S) and said that he wanted to participate in Jihad. The Holy Prophet (S) told him: “Certainly, go for Jihad in the way of Allah. If your are killed you will be alive near Allah and be provided suste-nance from Him. The recom-pense for your sacrifice would be with Allah. If you return alive your sins would be washed off as if your were a newborn child.”

This man said: “O Prophet of Allah, my parents are alive and they are aged and have great expectations from me.


51

They do not like me to be away from them.”

The Holy Prophet (S) said: “If that is so, then stay behind to serve your parents. By Allah in whose hands is my life, to serve parents for a day and night is equal to a year of Jihad.”

Evil Consequences of Āq al-Walidayn

Āq al-Walidayn brings dis-grace in the Hereafter, and goodness to parents brings honour and glory. As Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has said, “Those who wish an easy death should do good to the relatives and be kind to parents. When one does this, Allah will make easy the agony of death. In this world he will not face difficulties and poverty.”

Prayers of the Parents Are Accepted Soon

The supplication of parents for the welfare of the child are quickly answered by Allah (S.w.T.) and in the same way

their ill wish (curse) due to displeasing them also takes quick effect. Numerous traditions have been recorded in this connection. One such tradition is connected with the merits of Du’a al-Mashlūl. It is said that a young man had lost the use of his right hand which was paralysed due to the curse of his father. After his father’s death, the man prayed the entire night, continuously for a period of Three years in Masjidul Haram. One day Hadhrat ‘Ali (as) saw him and took pity upon him. He taught him Du’a al-Mashlūl. By the virtue of this Du’a the young man was cured.

The Mother Has More Rights than the Father

Goodness towards the mother is more rewarding. The Holy Prophet (S) emphasized that benevolence shown to the mother should be three times the magnitude of that shown towards the father.

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What is a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respirato-ry Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently discovered corona-virus causes coronavirus disease COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered corona-virus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.

Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

How does COVID-19 spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person

Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19)

Source: https://www.who.int/


53

through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales drop-lets. This is why it is im-portant to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

Can CoVID-19 be caught from a person who has no symptoms?

The main way the disease spreads is through respiratory droplets expelled by someone who is coughing. The risk of catching COVID-19 from someone with no symptoms at all is very low. However, many people with COVID-19 experience only mild symp-toms. This is particularly true

at the early stages of the disease. It is therefore possi-ble to catch COVID-19 from someone who has, for exam-ple, just a mild cough and does not feel ill.

Can I catch COVID-19 from the feces of someone with the disease?

The risk of catching COVID-19 from the feces of an infected person appears to be low. While initial investigations suggest the virus may be present in feces in some cases, spread through this route is not a main feature of the outbreak. Because this is a risk, however, it is another reason to clean hands regular-ly, after using the bathroom and before eating.

What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease?

Protection measures for everyone

You can reduce your chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19 by taking some simple precautions:


54

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Because washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can

enter your body and can make you sick.

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect


55

you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infec-tions.

How likely am I to catch COVID-19?

The risk depends on where you are - and more specifical-ly, whether there is a COVID-19 outbreak unfolding there.

For most people in most locations the risk of catching COVID-19 is still low. Howev-er, there are now places around the world (cities or areas) where the disease is spreading. For people living in, or visiting, these areas the risk of catching COVID-19 is higher. Governments and health authorities are taking vigorous action every time a new case of COVID-19 is identified. Be sure to comply with any local restrictions on travel, movement or large gatherings. Cooperating with disease control efforts will reduce your risk of catching or spreading COVID-19.

COVID-19 outbreaks can be contained and transmission

stopped, as has been shown in China and some other countries. Unfortunately, new outbreaks can emerge rapidly. It’s important to be aware of the situation where you are or intend to go.

Who is at risk of develop-ing severe illness?

While we are still learning about how COVID-2019 affects people, older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes) appear to devel-op serious illness more often than others.

Are there any medicines or therapies that can prevent or cure COVID-19?

While some western, tradi-tional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including


56

antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19. However, there are several ongoing clinical trials that include both western and traditional medicines.

Should I wear a mask to protect myself?

Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. Dispos-able face mask can only be used once. If you are not ill or looking after someone who is ill then you are wasting a mask. There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so WHO urges people to use masks wisely.

WHO advises rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of precious resources and misuse of masks (see Advice on the use of masks).

The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands,

cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people who are coughing or sneez-ing.

How to put on, use, take off and dispose of a mask?

Remember, a mask should only be used by health workers, care takers, and individuals with respiratory symptoms, such as fever and cough.

Before touching the mask, clean hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water

Take the mask and inspect it for tears or holes.

Orient which side is the top side (where the metal strip is).

Ensure the proper side of the mask faces outwards (the colored side).

Place the mask to your face. Pinch the metal strip or stiff edge of the mask so it moulds to the shape of your nose.


57

Pull down the mask’s bottom so it covers your mouth and your chin.

After use, take off the mask; remove the elastic loops from behind the ears while keeping the mask away from your face and clothes, to avoid touching potentially contaminated surfaces of the mask.

Discard the mask in a closed bin immediately after use.

Perform hand hygiene after touching or discarding the mask.

How long does the virus survive on surfaces?

It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Studies sug-gest that coronaviruses (including preliminary infor-mation on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temper-

ature or humidity of the environment).

If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.

Is it safe to receive a package from any area where COVID-19 has been reported?

Yes. The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and ex-posed to different conditions and temperature is also low.

Is there anything I should not do?

Avoid smoking, wearing multiple masks and self-medications.

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The Israel-supported group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is pressuring the big pharmaceutical companies to end their Iran business at the exact moment that Iran is the second hardest-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic after China.

The group United Against Nuclear Iran has paid John Bolton a quarter of a million dollars, which (money) is coming from Israel, which of course gets that money by raiding the United States Treasury to the tune of well, one estimate published in Christian Science Monitor two decades ago was that Israel had already stolen trillions, literally trillions of dollars. That’s what it cost the United States. So Americans have allowed Israel to colonize them and raid them and rape and pillage them.

And this UANI group is just one of the many Israel

pressure groups running United States foreign policy. It’s just an outrage. And now they’re trying to amplify the plague of coronavirus in Iran, which one suspects that they themselves may have actually engineered, because other-wise how could an Israeli company claim that they’ll have a vaccine against coronavirus in less than two weeks when all scientists say that if there’s a novel out-break like this, it would take at least a year to have a vaccine.

A recent article by former CIA officer Philip Giraldi suggests that probably the US and Israel are working together. They’re the same people who used Stuxnet against Iran, endangering the nuclear facilities not only in Iran, but all over the world because it got loose and nearly created horrible nuclear accidents all over the world. And apparent-

US, Israel waging biological warfare on massive scale

By: Kevin Barrett - March 8, 2020


59

ly now they’ve done the same thing with this coronavirus.

Philip Giraldi’s article is called, Who Made Coronavirus? Was It the U.S., Israel or China Itself?, and he strongly suspects the US and Israel, with China being America’s biggest geostrategic antago-nist and Iran being Israel’s biggest problem.

The head of Iran’s Civil Defense Organization Briga-dier General Gholam Reza Jalali just said the same thing. He said this looks like a biological warfare attack against Iran and China. And a new study coming out of China from Tongji University in Shanghai, entitled Single-cell RNA expression profiling of ACE2, the putative receptor of Wuhan 2019 coronavirus shows that this virus has been engineered to target East Asians, and presumably a version of it has been perhaps released and developed by the Israelis to target Iranians.

So we are seeing biological warfare on a massive scale.

The United States is the country that has been waging biological warfare on and off ever since it exterminated Native Americans by giving them smallpox blankets, during the Korean War, the United States dropped literally hundreds of thousands of bombs bearing plague… and other diseases on China and North Korea and covered it up. And the book “This Must Be the Place” gives the details on that.

The United States waged biological warfare against its own Congress in 2001 with the anthrax component of the 9/11 anthrax false flag operation, which terrorized Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy, the leaders of the movement that blocked the Patriot Act, into giving up and allowing the Patriot Act.

So the United States is run by lunatics, by psychopaths who are entirely capable of launch-ing World War 3 by way of a biological warfare attack on China and Iran, with the Iran


60

component presumably led by Israel. That’s the most likely explanation for what we’re seeing.

In that context, this move by these Israel lobbies that are presumably behind this biological warfare attack, and this launching of what could become World War 3, are pressuring United States to try to help this plague spread in Iran as much as possible by preventing Iran from getting any of the medicines and medical equipment that would need to fight this virus.

And the United States is pursuing this kind of policy right now. Trump has not allowed medical equipment and supplies to go through to Iran. It’s absolutely disgust-ing. We’re seeing more smallpox blankets from the psychopaths in charge and the people of the world need to rise up and overthrow these people as soon as possible.

��

Coronavirus in the

Middle East

Medical workers in Iran said that

their equipment is badly outdat-

ed, a situation made worse by

the U.S. sanctions on the Iranian

economy. Although the U.S.

administration says “humanitari-

an and medical needs” are

exempt from sanctions, few

European companies dare to do

business in Iran in fear of

potential retribution from the

U.S. Moreover, sanctions on

Iranian banks make it highly

complicated to carry out trans-

actions with Europe.

One Iranian entrepreneur who

imports and sells medical

respiratory equipment told TIME

that it takes three times longer

to make a simple banking

transaction with Europe under

the newly imposed sanctions.

The doctor in Masih Daneshvari

hospital said the scarcity of U.S.

dollars limits purchasing power.

Right now he is in dire need of

the antiviral medicine

Remdesivir, he adds. But despite

all the limitations, he says he is

doing what he can to fight the

coronavirus.

��


61

Kids

Corner

Imam Hussain’s (A.S.)

Forgiveness

Dear kids, in the 4th year of

Hijra, on the 3rd of Shaban,

the 2nd grandson of Prophet

Muhammad (S) and the 2nd

son of Ali and Fatima was

born. The Holy Prophet (S)

came, took the infant in his

arms, kissed him, read adhan

in his right ear, and iqama in

his left, and called him

Hussain (A.S.). There was

never a day when the Proph-

et did not visit the house of

his daughter to see her

children. They were the

apples of his eyes, and the

joy of his heart.

‘Usaam Ibn Mustalaq nar-

rates: In one of my journeys

to Medina, I saw Hussain

Ibn Ali (A.S.), and became

fond of his attractive face

and kind gesture. The

hatred that I had kept deep

within me towards his

father increased my jeal-

ousy, so I went toward him

with every intention of bad

mouthing. I asked him: “Are

you the son of Abu Turab

(Ali)?” He confirmed.

And then began cursing him

and his father as much as I

could. As soon as I became

exhausted and paused from

cursing, he looked at me

kindly and recited the

following verse:

“O Our Messenger! Have

forgiveness, preach the

truth, and keep away from

the ignorant ones.” (7:199)

He then continued: “Take it

easy upon yourself. I ask

Allah’s forgiveness for you

and myself. If you want any

help from us, we will be

happy to help you. If you

need anything (in Medina) we

will be glad to provide it for


62

you. If you need guidance,

we will guide you to your

destination (without any

hesitation).”

Shame filled my body as I

remembered what I had

done. The Imam however,

reminded me of the verse

about Joseph’s brothers,

and how they were regretful

of their actions. Then

Hussain (A.S.) asked: “Are

you from Shaam?” I said:

“Yes.” He said: “…may Allah

(SWT) protect us and you.

Now, without hesitation and

fear, ask us your requests.

God-willing you will find me

in the best state (of hospi-

tality).

I was so ashamed because of

his generous reaction that I

felt the whole earth had

tightened around me, and I

had wished it could swallow

me down. I then slowly

distanced myself from him,

while I had come to realize I

loved no other more than

Hussain and his father.

��

Imamat is Guidance We Need

Basra is a big city and the

main port of Iraq. It is

situated at the mouth of

river Euphrates. There, in a

big mosque, people used to

assemble to discuss various

subjects on Islamic rules and

laws. A famous learned priest

of Sunni sect by name Amr

Bin Ubeid was once preaching

on the subject of Imamat.

He was surrounded by a big

crowd of people who were

asking various questions on

the subject. Suddenly, a

young student by name of

Hesham, entered the gather-

ing and sat down in the first

row. He addressed the priest

saying that he was a stranger

and would like to ask some

questions. On getting the

permission to do so, he asked

the following:

Hesham: First, Sir! May I

please know if you have eyes?

Amr: Young Boy! Is this a

question to be asked?


63

Hesham: Whatever it may

be, this is my question to

which I shall appreciate your

answer.

Amr: Alright! You are at

liberty to ask, even though it

is a foolish question.

Hesham: As I have already

asked, Sir, may I please know

if you have eyes?

Amr: Yes, I have.

Hesham: For what use are

they?

Amr: With eyes, I can see

faces of people and colour of

various things.

Hesham: And you have a nose

also?

Amr: Yes, I do have one.

Hesham: What is its func-

tion?

Amr: I smell the scent and

odour by it.

Hesham: And do you have a

mouth?

Amr: Yes I do have.

Hesham: For what use is it?

Amr: I can talk to people or

taste food and drinks with it.

Hesham: And do you have a

mind?

Amr: Almighty has bestowed

me with that also.

Hesham: What is its use?

Amr: With that I am able to

distinguish things whatever

is felt by the other senses

like hands, eyes, ears, nose,

tongue etc. In case of a

difference, I am able to

solve with its help. In case of

doubt, I can dispel with it

and be sure.

Hesham: So, does it mean

that despite being sound and

healthy, all these organs

cannot function independent-

ly without the help of the

mind.

Amr: No, No! None of the

organs can function inde-

pendently without the help

of the mind.

Hesham: Why is it so? After

all, are the organs perfect

and strong enough to differ-

entiate between things?

Amr: Young Boy! When any

organ has some doubt about


64

a thing which it smells, sees

or tastes, it brings the

matter to the mind and it is

the mind which confirms the

truth and removes the doubt.

Hesham: So, from what you

have said, do you want me to

understand that God Al-

mighty has created and

designed the mind to guide

the organs and remove

doubts.

Amr: Yes! It is so.

Hesham: So the mind is a

necessity, otherwise the

organs could not work inde-

pendently.

Amr: Yes.

Hesham: Please Sir! Proclaim

your opinion with fairness

and justice on this point also.

If Almighty has not left the

organs of man's body without

the guidance of the mind,

how is it possible that

Almighty God could leave

millions of His creatures

without an IMAM to guide

and solve their problems

arising out of doubts and

conflicts? Should not our

common sense accept this

fact?

On hearing this logic argu-

ment and having no answer to

give, Amr Bin Ubeid kept

silent and went into deep

thinking.

Hesham was a deeply learned

person and one of the closest

companions of Imam Ja'far

Sadiq (a) from whom he had

obtained his knowledge.

'IMAM' is an Arabic word

which literally means 'Lead-

er' or 'Guide'. Any leader or

guide can be good or bad,

true or false. Therefore, it is

essential for every Muslim to

know who is a true and good

Imam. It is of utmost im-

portance that the Imam

must be appointed by a

Prophet under the command

of God, nobody can be an

Imam either by claiming to

be so, by inheritance or by

the wealth or power which he

may have.

��


66

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