Reflections
Today’s waʿaz mubārak commenced with the bayān mubārak of al-Dai al-Ajal al-Fatimi Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in which he asserted that the nubuwwa (prophethood) of Rasul Allah SAW was completed by the waṣāya (legateeship) of Amir al-Mumineen AS. Rasul Allah’s SAW crowning distinction was that Amirul Mumineen AS — his spiritual brother, husband to his daughter, Maulatona Fatema AS, father to his grandchildren, Imam Hasan AS and Imam Husain AS — was his waṣī. Our distinction as Mumineen today is that we are the servants of Panjatan Paak. Syedna al-Muqaddas RA asked, what would remain of Rasul Allah’s SAW honour if his legacy was no longer upheld? However, this is not the case, for Imam al-Zaman AS is present on the face of this earth and during his seclusion, his Dai is their guiding light for humanity.
Al-Dai al-Ajal al-Fatimi Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA narrated that one day Rasul Allah SAW directed Anas bin Malik to bring water for wuḍu. He declared that they would soon be joined by the noblest of all men, the most virtuous of the waṣiyyeen. In his heart Anas hoped that the entrant would be from his people, the Ansar. As Maulana Ali AS entered, Rasul Allah SAW rose to his feet, and welcomed him: “marḥaba marḥaba, ahlan wa sahlan”. Rasul Allah SAW then proceeded to spread his hand over his face and then immediately spread it over Maulana Ali’s AS face. He then proceeded to pass his hand over Maulana Ali’s AS face before then doing so on his own. It couldn’t be determined if he was giving baraka or taking it. Seeing this, Amir al-Mumineen’s AS eyes welled with tears. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA explained that in this manner Rasul Allah SAW gave baraka to the Panjatan AS and made apparent their lofty status. He added that Rasul Allah SAW would accord great honour to Maulatona Fatema AS and take in her fragrance saying that it was that of jannat. Likewise, he would place Imam Hasan SA and Imam Husain AS upon his shoulders showing the entire Umma their preeminence. This baraka continued within the Fatimi Imams. The 20th Imam, Maulana al-Imam al-Aamir AS gave his son, the 21st Imam, the kunya (teknonym) Abū al-Qāsim, the very same kunya of Rasul Allah SAW. Today the Duat Multaqeen RA uphold this legacy of barakat. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA declared that if a Dai were to enter the presence of his Imam, the Imam would rise to receive him, commending him for the great hardship he has braved in ensuring that the legacy of the Fatimi Imams continued even in their absence.
Syedna Burhanuddin RA then narrated how Rasul Allah SAW felicitated Amirul Mumineen AS upon hearing Jibrael addressing him in his salam as ‘Amir al-Mumineen’. Syedna RA went on to state that there is one guidance after another for us in the noble and lofty glories of Maulana Ali AS.
One day, Amir al-Mumineen AS left home in order to secure some food for the Ahle Bayt AS. He sold a piece of cloth, a lungee, for 6 dirhams. After the sale, Amir al-Mumineen AS came across a beggar who appealed to Amir al-Mumineen’s AS ‘beautiful habit’ of generosity entreating that he be given something. Amir al-Mumineen AS handed him all the six dirhams he had just received.
Without means to secure food now, Amir al-Mumineen AS continued his journey when he chanced upon a Bedouin. The Bedouin enquired whether Amir al-Mumineen AS would be interested in purchasing his camel. Open to the possibility, Amir al-Mumineen AS stated, however, that he did not have the money to purchase it. The Bedouin said that he would offer it to him on credit to which Amir al-Mumineen AS agreed enquiring as to how much it cost. The Bedourin informed him that he would sell it to him for 100 dirhams.
Having concluded the transaction, Amir al-Mumineen AS set off once more only to chance upon another Bedouin nearby. Seeing Amir al-Mumineen AS, the Bedouin asked him whether he would be willing to sell him the camel which was with him. Amir al-Mumineen AS stated that he would be happy with such a transaction. The Bedouin asked him how much he would be willing to sell it for. Completely transparent, Amir al-Mumineen AS replied that he had only just purchased the camel on credit for 100 dirhams; ‘feel free to give what you want.’ This transparency and straightforwardness of dealing was, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA explained, an illustration of how Amir al-Mumineen SA was ‘sihl al-bayʿ’ and ‘sihl al-shirāʾ’, i.e. amenable and easy-going when it came to selling and buying. The Bedouin offered to pay him 160 dirhams which Amir al-Mumineen SA accepted. The previous Bedouin, from whom the camel was purchased, was still nearby so Amir al-Mumineen SA handed him his 100 dirhams, leaving him with 60 dirhams in hand.
Amir al-Mumineen AS presented himself before Rasul Allah SAW and placed the 60 dirhams before him. Rasul Allah SAW laughed, exclaiming, ‘What an excellent seller and what an excellent buyer!’ The selling Bedouin was the angel Mikaeel and the purchaser was none other than Jibraeel. Amused by this transaction, Rasul Allah SAW commented that all of Ali’s deeds were such.
Syedna Burhanuddin RA explained that due to the importance and venerated status of this holy month we say ‘Shahr Ramadan’ and not just ‘Ramadan’, unlike other months in which we do not always affix ‘shahr’ such as ‘Rabi al-Awwal’ or ’Shawwal’.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA then spoke of the Layālī Fāḍela, pointing out that each succeeding night is loftier than the previous one. The status of Laila al-Qadr is such that to sleep during it, for even a moment, is haram. The nights of the final daska were those in which Rasul Allah SAW eschewed permissible physical pleasure and dedicated them for worship. The eve of the 30th of Shahr Ramadan is extraordinary and one for which we should specially prepare. During each night of Shahr Ramadan, 70,000,000 souls are granted salvation from hellfire and on the eve of the 30th, the sum total of all the previous nights are set free.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS recounted Rasul Allah’s SAW khuṭba (sermon) in which he exalted Shahr Ramadan. Among its numerous exceptional traits is that it is the month which brings barakat with it and is superior to all other months of the year. During this month, Rasul Allah SAW states, each breath you take is akin to tasbiḥ and sleep is ʿibāda. Accursed is he who renders himself excluded from Allah’s raḥmat in this month. Let your hunger and thirst during this month remind you of the day of qiyāmat and do not let your eyes witness nor your ears hear that which is impermissible. Ask Allah during the hours of namaz and he will surely grant you for He hears those who call out to Him and employ munājāt. He who provides iftar to his brother during this month, his sins shall be absolved and his neck freed from hellfire. He who acquires noble character traits during this month shall traverse the pathway to heaven unimpeded at such a time when others falter. For every obligatory deed you perform, Allah will reward you with seventy and when you pray salawāt He will make heavy your scale pan. If you recite one verse from the holy Quran you will be awarded the divine reward of reciting the Quran in its entirety. The doors of jannat lay open for you, thus be sure to beseech Allah not to close them, just as the doors to jahannam remain closed and so ask Allah never to open them for you. Amir al-Mumineen AS then asked Rasul Allah SAW what the best deed was during this month to which he replied, ‘abstinence from all that which is impermissible’. Having given this answer, Rasul Allah SAW began to cry prompting Amir al-Mumineen AS to inquire what brought him such sorrow. Rasul Allah SAW replied that he (Amir al-Mumineen AS) would be martyred during the month of Ramadan. Upon hearing this Amir al-Mumineen AS asked if his faith would remain safe and sound regardless of what transpired and Rasul Allah SAW replied that it would.
Narrating the heart wrenching events of Amir al-Mumineen’s AS shahādat, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS stated that during the time of iftar on the eve of the 19th of Shahr Ramadan, the eve of shahādat, Maulatona Zainab AS presented him with a roti made of wheat, some salt and a bowl of curd. Amir al-Mumineen AS asked her why she had brought an extra dish: the curd, and whether she would like her father to endure a lengthy inquisition on the Day of Qiyāmat, for all those who live well shall be subjected to scrutiny on that day regardless of whether they acquired their means through halal or haram. Amir al-Mumineen AS then stated that Rasul Allah SAW told him that Jibraeel approached Rasul Allah SAW one day and in his hands he held the keys to all of earth’s treasure troves. If Rasul Allah SAW wished for all the mountains to be transformed into gold and silver so that he may take and give from them as he pleased, Allah would make them so. Rasul Allah SAW asked what would become of him eventually were he to wish for such riches, and Jibraeel replied that death would surely find him as it finds all men. Rasul Allah SAW chose the hereafter and forsook the world’s riches, vowing to eat one day and remain hungry the next and so too did Amir al-Mumineen AS.
On the morning of the 19th, Amir al-Mumineen AS made his way to the masjid and gave azan. At that very moment, came a strong gust of wind extinguishing all the lanterns in the masjid as if signifying that the world would soon be engulfed in darkness. He then descended from the miʾzanat and as was his habit called out to all those who lay asleep in the masjid to rise and partake in salat. He moved a bit further to where Ibn Muljim lay on his stomach. Addressing him, Amir al-Mumineen AS said:
Wake up, why do you sleep so? Allah despises those who sleep on their stomachs. Sleep on your right side for that is the sleep of the learned, or sleep on your left side for that is the sleep of the wise or rather sleep on your back for that is the sleep of the prophets.
Upon hearing this Ibn Muljim made a pretence of arising. Seeing this Amirul Mumineen AS told him:
What you intend shall cause the skies to be rent, the earth to come apart and the mountains to collapse. If I so wished, I could reveal what you hide beneath your clothing.
Amir al-Mumineen AS proceeded to the mihrab and began praying tahiyya al-masjid. The accursed Ibn Muljim stood behind, ready to strike. Amir al-Mumineen AS performed the first sajda and then the second, and in the second sajda, Ibn Muljim struck. Amir al-Mumineen AS proclaimed, ‘I am victorious, by the rabb of the Kaaba.’ Hearing this Jibraeel lamented in the heavens, ‘my mentor has been slain!’
May Allah Taʿāla grant the Da`i of Aale Mohammed, Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS a long life in pristine health until the Day of Qiyāmat.
