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God (S.W.T) - Islam Guidance

  • Ka'ba, the center of monotheism

    The journey of servitude and love to Mecca has started. It's a fascinating journey. In this journey, the holy Ka'ba, the symbolic House of God, as the focal point of monotheism, is the center of gravity for all pilgrims.
    It attracts hearts like a powerful magnate to such an extent that the pilgrims circumambulate it like moths going round the lamp. This is indeed a lively sight and a spectacle of Islamic unity. It is the House which God has decreed as the heart of the world. As God says in ayah 96 of Surah Aal-e Imran:
    "Most surely the First House to be set up for mankind is the one at Bekka, blessed and guidance for all nations."
    Historical resources are unanimous that the Ka'ba was built by the Father of the human race, Adam. We read that after building the Ka'ba, on God's command, Adam circumambulated around it. In the subsequent centuries or millenniums, the Prophets of God would make the journey to the holy Ka'ba. In the great flood of the times of Prophet Noah, the Ka'ba was damaged. Centuries later, God assigned Prophet Abraham to reconstruct the Ka'ba as the manifestation of monotheism and to invite people to worship God. Ka'ba has been the symbol of monotheism throughout history. Abraham left his wife and firstborn son, Ishmael beside this supreme symbol of monotheism for holding prayer in order to be a base for the world monotheists.
    As is evident by its name the Ka'ba is a cubic edifice. It stands about 15 meters high; it is 12 meters long and 10 meters wide in the middle of a spacious courtyard which has been surrounded by the Masjid al-Haram. It is a very simple edifice without any decoration, yet it is very glorious, and has withstood the ravages of time.
    The Ka'ba is indeed the source of guidance. After Abraham and Ishmael the sanctity of the Ka'ba was violated by the infidel Arabs. With the advent of Islam the Ka'ba again regained its prominence, especially after the peaceful surrender of Mecca to the Prophet and Muslims in 8 AH when it was cleansed of the filth of idols. Some years earlier, God decreed that the Ka'ba ought to be the Qibla of Muslims. The commandment came while Prophet was praying in Medina with face turned towards the direction of the al-Aqsa Mosque in Bait al-Moqaddas. In Surah Baqara, verse 144, we read:
    "We certainly see you turning your face about to the heaven, so we shall surely turn you to a qiblah of your liking; turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it…"
    The Ka'ba is the axis of Islamic worship. Muslims turn to it from all over the world at least five times a day for the daily prayers. The most important message of circumambulating the Ka'ba is Islamic solidarity and humbleness towards the Unseen and Omnipotent God.
    Ka'ba has been decreed to be a safe and secure place for all people. It is the source of spiritual perfection. Those who tried to violate the sanctity of the Ka'ba were themselves destroyed. For instance, when Abraha, the Abyssinian governor of Yemen came to the Ka'ba at the head of elephant led corps, he was struck by divine wrath and his elephantine horde was destroyed. That was the year of the birth of the Prophet, and the custodian of the Ka'ba then was the Prophet's grandfather, Abdul-Mutallib.
    The miraculous destruction of Abraha's elephantine army by a flock of birds carrying pebbles in their beak is mentioned in the holy Qur'an.
    After the heartrending tragedy of Karbala and martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S), the tyrant Yazid sent an army from Syria which attacked the holy Ka'ba and damaged it with fire and catapults. Even as the attack was underway, news reached from Damascus of the mysterious death of Yazid while on a hunting trip. Only his severed leg atop at horse was found and the whole body went straightaway into hell.
    It is also worth mentioning that the Ka'ba is the place where the one and only person born in its sacred precincts, was none other than the Prophet's cousin, ward, son-in-law, and vicegerent, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (A.S).

    Taken from: Iran English Radio

  • Knowledge of Allah (S.W.T)

    It is mentioned in reliable traditions that Imam Jaafar as-Sadiq (A.S) said, Dawood (David) arrived for hajj, attended Arafat, saw the huge gathering of people there and went on top of a hill and engaged him in supplication in solitude. When he concluded the hajj rituals, Archangel Gabriel came to him and asked, “Why had you gone to the hill? Your Lord asks did you think that your voice would not reach Him due to the noise of the multitude.” Then Archangel Gabriel took Dawood to Jeddah and therefrom made him reach the bottom of the sea and to the depth of a 40 day journey, on land. Then they reached a rock. They split it and found a worm in it. Archangel Gabriel told Dawood, “Your Lord says, ‘I hear the voice of this little insect in the rock at the bottom of the sea and am not unconcerned of his needs (condition) and you imagined that I might not hear your voice due to the amalgamation of the voices of others!’”

    This article was borrowed from Al-islam.org

  • On the Knowledge of God

    A Bedouin approached Imam Ali (A.S) in the Battle of Camel and asked if he asserted that God was one. In answer, Imam Ali (A.S) said:
    To say that God is one has four meanings; two of these meanings are false and two correct. As for the two incorrect meanings, one is that one should say 'God is one' and be thinking of number and counting. This meaning is false because that which has no second cannot enter into the category of number. Do you not see that those who said that God is the third of trinity [i.e., the Christians] fell into infidelity? Another meaning is to say that so and so is one of this people, namely as a species of this genus or a member of this species. This meaning is also not correct when applied to God, for it implies likening something to God and God is above all likeness.
    As for the two meanings that are correct when applied to God, one is that it should be said that God is one in the sense that there is no likeness unto Him among things. God possesses such uniqueness. And one is to say that God is one on the sense that there is no multiplicity or division conceivable in Him, neither outwardly nor in the mind nor in the imagination. God possesses such unity.
    Also Imam Ali (A.S) said:
    To know God is to know His Oneness.
       
    Ref: Al Islam.org

  • The Historical Event

    On the 24th of Zul Hijjah 10 A.H., the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) came out for Mubahila.
    Early next morning the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) sent Salman al Farsi to the open place, fixed outside the city for the historic event, to erect a small shelter for him and those he intended to take along with him for the contest.
    On the opposite side appeared the Christian priests, while at the appointed hour the Christians witnessed the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) entering the field with Imam Hussein (A.S) in his lap, Imam Hassan (A.S) holding his finger, and walking beside him, Lady Fatima (S.A) and followed by Imam Ali (A.S).
    The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) on reaching the appointed spot stationed himself with his daughter, her two sons and her husband, raising his hands towards the heaven said:
    Lord these are the People of my House. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) said to them: "when I pray you should say Ameen."
    In obedience to the verse of Mubahila sent by Allah , the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) had brought Imam Hassan (A.S) and Imam Hussein (A.S) as his "sons", Hazrat Fatima (S.A) as his "women" and Imam Ali (A.S) as his "self".
    The Chief Pontiff on knowing that the baby in the lap of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) was his young grandson, Imam Hussein (A.S), the child walking holding the Prophet's (P.B.U.H&H.P) hand was his first grandson, Imam Hassan (A.S), the Lady behind him was daughter, his only surviving issue was Fatima (S.A) the mother of the two children and the one who followed the Lady was his son in law, the husband of Fatima (S.A), addressed the huge crowd of the people who had gathered on the spot, and addressed them saying:
    “By God, I see the faces which, if they pray to God for mountains to move from their places, the mountains will immediately move!”
    O believers in the Jesus of Nazareth, I will tell you the truth that should ye fail to enter into some agreement with Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) and if these souls whom Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) has brought with him, curse you; ye will be wiped out of existence to the last day of the life of the earth!
    The people readily agreed to the advice counseled by their Leader.
    They beseeched the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) to give up the idea of the agreed Mubahila and requested for themselves to be allowed to continue their faith, offering to pay ' Jizya '.
    [Al Tabari, Commentary of the Quran, v 2 p 192 – 193]

    When the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) heard these words he remarked:
    “By God, had the Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been transformed into monkeys and swine. Fire would have rained over them.”

    Source: ahl-ul-bayt.org

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