4 th Dhil-Qadah 1446 (2 nd May 2025)
May 6, 2025
- In the name of Allah The All compassionate, the All-Merciful 4 th Dhil-Qadah 1446 (2 nd May 2025) Islamic Universal Association 20 Penzance Place, Holland Park London, W11 4 PG www.arafeh.co.uk Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 80 Having discussed the importance of life in Islam, today I will talk about wealth. WealthmaybeablessingifitisusedforpurposesthatarepleasingtoAllah(s.w.t.) and on the contrary it can be a calamity if it is used for evil purposes, or if it distracts onefromobeyingandrememberingAllah(s.w.t)andbysuccumbingtogreed. Wealthcanalsofosterarroganceanddeludeindividualsintobelievingtheyhave complete control over their destinies. Allah (s.w.t.) reminds us in the Quran that our proximity to Him is not determined by theabundanceofwealth.However,wealthcanbeatoolfordrawingclosertoAllah (s.w.t) by spending money in His path. Ayah 37 of Surah Saba reads: “Neither your wealth nor your children will bring you nearerto Us, but those who believe and do good deeds will have multiple rewards for what they have done, and they will live in exalted dwellings of paradise.” Moreover, no matter how much wealth one accumulatesinthisworld,itwillholdnobenefitinthehereafterifitisspentor earnedinwaysthatisdispleasingtoAllah(s.w.t.).Ayah88ofAl-Shu’araprovides: “On the day when no wealth or sons are of avail.” Despite its manifold blessings, wealth serves as a trial for believers. Ayah 15 of Surah At-Taghabun reads: “Your possessionandoffspringaresurelyatrialandverilywithGodisagreat recompense.” Allah(s.w.t.)hasprovideduswithasetofguidelineshowtoacquire,manageand equitablydistributewealthandtherearesomepracticesthatareconsideredunlawful or haram in Islam: • We are forbidden to acquire goods or money through usury. Allah (s.w.t.) permits tradingandbusinessbutforbidsusuryinallforms.Infact,increaseofwealth
- throughusuryincursAllah(s.w.t.)’sdispleasure,whilemoneythatisgivenin charity will attract His pleasure. • Using the law to one’s advantage in a fraudulent or devious way so that one may acquireanotherperson’spropertyisnotlawful.Onlytradingandmutualconsent betweentwopartiesareacceptedinIslam.Ayah188ofSurahAl-Baqarah provides: “Do not swallow other people’s property by wrongful means, nor seek gainingaccesstherebytotheauthoritiesthatyoumayknowinglyswallowupa portion of the property of man wrongfully.” Also Ayah 29 of Surah An-Nisa states: “O you who believe! Do not devour each other’s property among yourselves unlawfully save that it be trading by mutual consent ….” • Taking advantage of the weaknesses of other human beings, through fraudulent or exploitativemeans,suchasorphans,widows,thesick,thepoorandtheelderlyfor one’s own gain is unacceptable in Islam. • It is a mortal sin to usurp the property of orphans. Ayahs 2 of Surah An-Nisa provides: “Give orphans what is theirs and do not substitute your worthless thing fortheirgoodones,anddonotdevourtheirpropertybymixingitwithyourown, for verily it is a great sin.” To be continued Second Sermon Birth anniversary of Imam Ali ibne Al-Musa (a.s.) 11thofDhil-QadahmarksthebirthanniversaryofoureighthImam,AliibneMusa Al-Reza(a.s.),andIcongratulateHazratMahdi(a.j.f.)andtheloversoftheAhlul Bait on this auspicious occasion. AccordingtoatraditionImamReza(a.s.)wasbornonthe11thofDhilQadah,148 HijriinthecityofMedinaandhemartyredinTus(Mashad),Iran,onthe28thof Safar,203Hijri.TheperiodofhisImamatelastedfor20years.Hewasbornone monthafterthemartyrdomofhisgrandfather,ImamJafarAs-Sadeq(a.s.),whowas longingtoseehisgrandson,butitwasnotmeanttobe.Hewasbroughtupand instructedbyhisfather,ImamMusaKazim(a.s.)for31years,untilhisfatherwas takentoBaghdadtosufferthehardshipofimprisonmentfor4yearsuntilhisdeath. He was 35 years old then and the responsibilities of the Imamate devolved on him. At thattimeHarun Al-RashidwastheabsoluterulerofBaghdadandthedescendantsof ImamAliweregoingthroughtrialsandtribulationsbecauseofthetyrannyofthe Abbasid ruler.
- WhenMamuncameintopowerheinvitedtheImamtoMerv,wherehisseatof caliphatewaslocated,toshowhissupportandfriendshiptohimwiththeevil intention of keeping a close eye on him. To accomplish his goals, he sent some of his specialagentstotheImaminMedinatoforcehimtosetonajourneytoKhorasan througharoutethathadtheleastnumberofShiites.Hisagentsalsowatchedhim continuouslyandreportedallhisactivitiestoMamun.HearrivedinMerwonthe 10thofShawwal,201Hijri,viaBasra,Khorramshahr,Ahwaz,Rey,Neyshabur, SanabadandSarakhs.Throughouthislongjourney,hewascordiallyreceivedbythe people in these cities. Mamun’spolicieswerecontrarytotheprinciplesofIslamandtheteachingsofthe Holy Prophet (s.a.). However, on the Imam’s arrival at Merv, he welcomed the Imam with great pomp and ceremony and treated him with great honour and offered him the caliphateinthepresenceofallthekeypersonalitiesofhisgovernmentinorderto gaincontroloftheShiitesandtomaketheImamsettlenearhimtocontrolhimand suppress his followers. The Imam refused and said: “I am the servant of Allah and by my supplications and in obedience to Him I hope to attain the divine status. O Mamun, if Allah has appointed you as Caliph, then you cannot present it to anyone and if caliphate is not yours in the first place, then you are not authorised to offer it to anyone either.” The Imam was finally compelled by Mamun to be his successor.