Dec 05
26
Quote of the night – Politics
I write as I ponder. So well said by the master of the mightiest emperor and conqueror of the world, Aristotle. Alexender, the great was nurtured by the wonderful wisdom of Aristotle and learnt the lessons of life from him. He was the youngest and mightiest emperor of the world. From Macedonia and Rome to India and China, he led an army of th victorious and the bravest of all soldiers. Surely such a success must have required politics to flow in his blood and nerves.
What Aristotle said still holds true. Syedna al-Qadi Noman has written an entire chapter in Kitaab al-Himmah on how one should manage and control those who are under him. A man is the master of his family and will be questioned of how he educated and brought up his children and family. He will be questioned about how he governed their livelihood. Similarly every person is a governor in himself and will be questioned about his governance of his resources and his very own life. The responsibility increases as the status and the position of a person rises to kinghood or whatever level by which he has a say in other people’s lives. He needs to be political at birth. Infact his being ‘political’ makes him a ‘social animal’ a term used commanly today in civics.
We have always seen kids and even elders throw stone at the fruit bearing tree while it hangs its branches down and lowers itself in humbleness to part with its fruit. My teacher marhoom Shk Yusuf bhai Moayyadi (May Allah bless him with his rehmat and shafa’at of Daiz Zaman always used to portray a very natural example saying the the sky bends down on the earth with all its love and kindness and showers its bounty on it while the earth stands proundly and in its own ego centric way, its chest pulled high up, in ignorance.
It is very neccesary to keep not a silent mouth and tongue but a silent mind clear of astray thoughts to listen to the bliss of knowledge. That is why I think that both ‘listen’ and ‘silent’ have the same alphabets.
It is a season of Imtehan in Jamea and I have spent years listening at all classes in Jamea before I even learnt to speak a word. Maybe thats why I havent learnt to speak or have been thought numb. The library was my favourite spot of silence and that silence has filled me with the thrust and energy which keeps me going.
Those days are always remembered as of bounty and bliss, the happiness of picturizing the world with a different perspective everyday. The life and its blessings counted and accounted for each time a new point of knowledge popped up. I am so much in love with learning but have forgotten the art of silence as I speak. Or is it lost in the hush and fuss of life.
We all need to review on this side of life where we need to keep silence as we listen to our inner selves.
Dec 05
21
The Imtehan of Jamea Saifiyah
The Imtehan is so unique that the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University during his visit at Jamea in 1420 H was a witness to the unique event himself and a participant as well. A Scholar himself sat in the Shafahi Imtehan before Moula (TUS) who was in the Gurfah Mubarakah and proclaimed that this is the only examinations he has ever seen around the globe where the examiners themselves are also tested.
The rectors of Jamea Saifiyah, Omora al-Jamea, Shz Qasim BS Hakimuddin, Shz Abbas BS Fakhruddin, Shz Qaid Joher BS Izzuddin and Shz Mufaddal BS Saifuddin (DM) examine the students orally while Huzurala (TUS) himself presides over the event and overlooks the preceedings of the Shafahi Imtehan from the Gurfah Mubaraka (A Special room above from where the session is heard and visible.
The orals are held for the senior students from Year 7 to Year 11. At times Khidmat Guzaars from various departments of Dawat are also called by Huzurala (TUS) for the Imtehan. Certain Mumineen also get the oportunity to avail this barakat.
The written papers are also taken by many Khidmat Guzaars along with the students. Huzurala (TUS) has granted permission to for all Mumineen to partake in the Barakaat of Jamea by attending the Imtehan and also taking the papers. A special category for such Mumineen is created. These Mumineen are called Mustafideen.
The events of Karbala were recorded via Imam Zaynul Abidin and Sayyidna Zaynab binte Ali. The events were publically presented when they arrived back in Medina from Sham (Damascus).
“Purjosh Matam” is translated as intense matam with feeling and meaning. Imam Jafar Sadiq coined the saying “every day is Ashura and every place is Karbala”. This is meant metaphorically to live and practice life as such. To recount the events of Karbala and the sacrifice of Imam Husayn daily in our hearts. The Imam Sadiq states in tradition that no event, whether joyous or sad, should go without recounting the events of Karbala, because they are a blessing and are barakat.
Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain (A.S) used to say: Every Mu’min, whose eyes shed tears upon the killing of Husain Ibn’ Ali (A.S.) and his companions, such that the tears roll down his cheeks, Allah shall accommodate him in the elevated rooms of paradise.
Imam Muhammad Baqir (A.S.) said: He who remembers us, or in whose presence, we are remembered, and (as a result) tears flow from his eyes, even though they may be in the measure of a wing of a mosquito, Allah shall construct for him a house in paradise and make the tears a barrier between him and the fire (of hell). Al-Ghadeer, Vol.: 2, pg.: 202
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: He in whose presence we (and our miseries) are mentioned and, as a result, his eyes pour out tears, Allah shall make his face forbidden upon the fire of hell. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 44, Pg., 285.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said (to Masma’, one of those who mourned over Imam Husain (A.S.)): May Allah have mercy upon your tears! Do know that you are regarded as being of those who are deeply concerned about us and of those who are happy at our happiness and aggrieved at our sorrow. Do know that you shall witness the presence of my fathers near you at the time of your death. Wasail al-Shia’h, Vol.: 10, Pg.:397
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: There is none who recites poetry about Husain (A.S.) and weeps and makes others weep by means of it, except that Allah makes Paradise incumbent upon him and forgives his sins.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) (while sitting on the prayer mat prayed for the mourners and those going for the ziarat of the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) as follows): O’ Lord, have mercy upon those eyes, which have shed tears in compassion for us; and upon those hearts, which have been restless and blistered for us; and upon those wailings, which have been for us. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.:98, Pg.:8.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: One who weeps for Imam Hussain (A.S.), surely, the Imam (A.S.) observes him and seeks forgiveness for him and requests his holy fathers to (also) seek forgiveness for him.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A.S.) said: He whose eyes shed tears for our blood which has been shed, or for our rights which have been usurped, or for the humiliation meted out to us or to one of our Shi’ites, Allah shall accomodate him in paradise for a long time. Amali al-Shaikh al-Mufid, Pg.: 175.
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Not all posts on this blog are my own words. Nor are all articles written by me. The blog is intended serve as my journal and dairy of interesting reading I have enjoyed and want to share. Some write-ups do not have the name of its author, the reason behind it is that I do not know the original source nor the author. If someone knows it they can add it to the comment box.
