SERMON 1
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful
Salamun ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
[Praise belongs to Allah, whose laudation is not comprehended by speakers, whose bounties are not counted by reckoners, and whose rightfully due is not discharged by those who strive. Grand aspirations perceive Him not and deep-diving perspicacities reach Him not. His attributes possess no determined limits, no existing description, no fixed time and no extended term. He originates the creatures by His power, looses the winds by His mercy, and fastens the shaking of His earth with boulders.]
Now then, I invite you and myself to observe taqwa [God-wariness, God-consciousness, piety], for indeed it is, (a) the criteria of greatness and nobility, and (b) the source of abundant good in this world and the Hereafter. In endorsing these two characteristics, Almighty Allah says:
(1) "…Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most God wary among you (atqakum). Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware." [49:13]
Here, as can be clearly seen, the yardstick and criterion for judging who is greater and nobler is "taqwa".
(2) "If the people of the towns had been faithful and God wary (wattaqaw), We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied; so We seized them because of what they used to earn." [7:96]
This verse tells us that the key to material and spiritual blessings is taqwa.
Definition of Taqwa
What, however, is taqwa? The word al-taqwa is from the word al-wiqaya (lit. protection). It however refers to specific kind of protection: protection of oneself from all that Almighty Allah detests and abhors, whether in the level of one’s thoughts, words, or deeds.
Since our first sermon will revolve around the axis of taqwa, we would try to discuss a lengthy tradition, which manifests this fundamental theme and teaches us how to go about achieving the same.
I have therefore chosen the well-known tradition of ‘Unwan al-Basri, in which Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) beautifully summarizes the path towards attaining the proximity of Almighty Allah. If we apply that in our lives, we will surely attain its abundant blessings and get emancipated from our wretched states. We seek Allah’s protection to enable us unravel the mysteries and secrets this radiant tradition encapsulates, and request your kind attention and patience to enable you absorb its luminant teachings.
Keep These Instructions in Your Pockets
The late scholar Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tehrani, in his Spirit Immaterial says that the great saint Ayatullah Sayyid 'Ali Qadhi al-Tabataba'i, the mentor of 'Allama Muhammad Husayn al-Tabataba'i, would, for the purpose of transcending the evil-inviting self (al-nafs al-ammaratu bissu') and the requisites of desire (shahwa) and anger (ghadhab), advise to the seminarians and those who are eager to traverse through the journey to Allah, to write this tradition and act according to it. He would also tell them to keep it in their pockets, and read it once or twice every week. He would not accept any student who would not adhere to its contents. [Ref: Ayatullah Muhammad Husayn Tehrani, Ruhe Mujarrad, http://www.maarefislam.com/]
THE TRADITION OF 'UNWAN AL-BASRI (I)
[‘A ninety-four year old man named ‘Unwan al-Basri narrates, saying: “I had been studying under Malik ibn Anas for a number of years. When Ja’far as-Sadiq (AS) came to Madinah, I went to visit him and was interested in learning from him just as I had been learning from Malik. He said to me one day: “I am a man much sought after and am also occupied by various supplications throughout the day and the night so please do not disturb me in my state of supplication and go and learn from Malik and study under him just as you were doing before”. I became sad on hearing this and left the Imam’s presence, and said to myself, “If the Imam had perceived any good in me he would not have prevented me from studying under him and learning from him”. ..]
Seek Knowledge from the Cradle to the Grave
An important allusion we can derive from the above is that acquiring knowledge knows no particular age: A 94 year old man is so thirsty in acquiring knowledge that he frequently goes to Malik first and then to Imam al-Sadiq (‘a). The Arabic expression of the original tradition says “kuntu akhtalifu..” (I frequented) which shows how thirsty this ninety four year old man was at that age when many are bed ridden, and some have feeble minds. The stereotype that one loses his power to focus, gain, or retain knowledge is falsified by this event. Besides, there are many Muslim Jurisconsults who even at the age above 100 years have been announced as a’lam (the most learned). Age is not always a barrier. The Holy Qur’an mentions a universal principle, which we should try to digest and practicalize: ‘If you give thanks, we shall increase you’. Here the word shukr in the phrase “la in shakartum la azidannakum.” (14:7) literally stands for unveiling the blessing. The word shakara means “kashafa” which is “to unveil”. When we use a blessing for the purpose it was created, we practically unveil it and thus thank Almighty Allah. If, however, we were to employ the blessing for something unlawful, we would actually be veiling the blessing. The word “kufr” literally means “to veil” the truth. The verse says: ‘wa la in kafartum inna ‘adhabi lashadid” (and if you veil the blessings, indeed my chastisement is severe [14:7]). Therefore if a human being utilizes the vestibules of comprehension, which are the five senses and the intellect, for the purpose of its creation, employing them for what Allah requires, he should not be surprised if he retains great abilities even after a century. A very lucid example of intellectual power was Ayatullah Araki who was declared the most learned of jurisconsults after he had crossed his nineties.
In order to maintain brevity, we shall stop here, and continue next week with the commentary.
Indeed, the best conversation and the most penetrating of counsels is the Book of Allah. Almighty Allah says:
[In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful’ Say He Allah is Non-composite One, Allah is the All-embracing, Neither does He beget, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him (112:1-4)]
SERMON 2
[Praise be to Allah, Who breaks everything belonging to the oppressors; puts an end to the tyrants; watches over the fugitives; brings assistance to those who cry out for help; meets and clears up the demands of the needy beseechers; supports the faithful.]
Maintaining Our Muslim Identity
The normal trend in the second sermon is to speak about what transpires currently in the world. In order to maintain our identity as Muslims, it is incumbent on us to know what is happening to our Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world. Their problems are our problems, their adversities are our adversities, their mistakes are our mistakes, their laxities are our laxities. We should therefore first of all try to search for the truth of their current situation, for the media, as is well-known, can distort news and events, in the manner that it wants. Therefore we should acquire the principles of sifting between authentic news from inauthentic news, and be able to derive great advantage also from the distorted news with the deciphering spirit that can distinguish the invisible small threads of distortion between the lines penned by the so-called impartial journalists. Having known what happens, we should try to think how we in our capacities as individuals and communities can avoid, hamper, or avert any calamity that the Muslims confront. Otherwise we lose our identities as Muslims. The radiant prophetic tradition that says, “Whosoever wakes up in the morning in a state of indifference with regard to the affairs of the Muslims, is not a Muslim”. In simple words, the spirit of the Muslim is all-embracing. It is not constrained to the individual dungeon, but penetrates every Muslim home. We should, however, remember that a Muslim’s spirit transcends beyond that too. His concern includes every member of the human family. Exceptions are created by those who have tarnished their hearts, and despite “knowing the truth” reject the same. Such people are known as kuffar. They should not be mistaken with those who do not know the truth or cannot understand the truth and thus do not believe in the same. There is a vast difference between the former and the latter.
Tne Dire Need of Unity
When the Holy Qur'an narrates stories to us it does so for a fundamental purpose: to enable us understand its 'particular' as well as 'universal' connotation and meaning. The spirit of the Qur'an is not limited to the past, but as different traditions clearly manifest, it is a perpetual torch of guidance. We should therefore try to understand what message it has for our time. If it speaks of Pharaoh, his pride, and constant oppression and his method of overpowering the people through factions, we must try to search the Pharaoh(s) of our age and how they try to disunite people to maitain their power and hold. in fact it is this very cancerous disease of disunity that has made every Pharaoh of history successful. So powerful is the weapon of unity and fraternity, that all the so-called superpowers with their weapons cannot do anything vis-a-vis a united community and nation.
Invoking Allah's Blessings of the Ahl al-bayt ('a)
[O Allah, send down Thy blessings on the master of your apostles, Muhammad; and send down Thy blessings on the Commander of the faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib, the masters of the successors; and send Thy blessings on the most truthful of women, the pure, Fatima, the radiant and the mistress of the women of Paradise; and send down Thy blessings on al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the two leaders of the youth of Paradise; and send down your blessings on 'Ali bin al-Husayn, the Ornament of worshippers; and send down Thy blessings on Muhammad bin 'Ali, the cleaver of knowledge; and send down Thy blessings of Ja'far bin Muhammad, the veracious, one whose word and deed are approved; and send down Thy blessings on Musa bin Ja'far, the swallower of anger, the door of the fulfillment of needs; and send down Thy blessings on 'Ali bin Musa, one whom Allah is pleased with and He is pleased with Allah; and send down Thy blessings of Muhamad bin 'Ali, the God-wary, the Benevolent; and send down Thy blessings of 'Ali bin Muhammad, the guide, and the immaculate; and send down Thy blessings on Hasan bin 'Ali, the one who has been specifically ennobled by Allah; and send down Thy blessings on the Proof, the One who would Rise.]
Supplication
[O Allah indeed we eagerly seek from Thee a noble state, by which you bestow veneration to Islam and its people, and degrade hypocracy and its people, and you make us in it from the callers to your obedience, and leaders to your path, and bestow us with it the nobility of this world and the Hereafter.]
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