Kashaful Salat

Beliefs of Shia

Shia religion is based upon certain beliefs and ideologies. Anyone having these beliefs is a Shia even if he does not call himself "Shia . One not having these beliefs can never be Shia even if he calls himself "Shia . Allah, His Messenger, and Masoomeen (as) did not separate the beliefs and acts of Shia from each other. They are one and the same. Because beliefs are acts themselves. Acts are beliefs themselves. Because beliefs are exposed through one s actions, and one s actions exposes one s beliefs.

Beliefs and actions cannot be separated from each other. The people themselves divided the Shia religion into two parts, usool e deen and furoo e deen.

Usool e Deen (Principles of Religion)

Asal means root. Its plural is usool. Usool means roots. So the meaning of usool e deen is "roots of religion . According to the scholars, there are five usool e deen.1. Tawheed (oneness) 2. Adl (justice) 3. Nabuwiat (prophet hood) 4. Imamate 5. Qiyamat (Day of Judgment). We will discuss this later on in our book Furoo e Deen Fara means branch. Its plural is furoo. Furoo means branches. The meaning of furoo e deen is "branches of religion . Because usool and furoo were established by non masooms, there is a dispute regarding this issue. In the beginning, there were six furoo e deen.

  1. Namaz (prayer) 2. Sawm (fasting) 3. Hajj (pilgrimage) 4. Zakat (poor tax) 5. Khums 6. Jihad (struggle in the way of Allah), but later they included four more branches. 7. Tawalla (love of Ahlul Bayt as) 8. Tabarra (disassociation from the enemies of Ahlul Bayt as) 9. Amr bil maroof (enjoining the good) 10. Nahi anil munkir (forbidding the bad)

The people take the meanings of "amr bil maroof nahi anil munkir to be enjoining the good and forbidding the bad. Due to this explanation, there are many Islamic missionaries busy in this act. However, we will find its true meaning based solely upon the sayings of Masoomeen (as).

Someone asked Imam Jafar Sadiq (as), "Moula (as), who is "maroof which we must invite the people towards?" ( Maroof means one who is recognized) Moula (as) replied, "This is one who is "maroof on the earth as well as in the heavens." Then the person said, "Moula (as), please explain in detail.

" Imam (as) replied, "Maroof is My Grandfather Ali (as) ibn Abi Talib (as), and munkir is His enemy." So the real explanation of "amir bil maroof nahi anil munkir is to invite people towards the wilayat, imamate, and love of Moula Ali (as) and disassociate ourselves from the enemies of Moula Ali (as).

Love

We must know and remember the true root of the Shia religion, its spirit, purpose, destination, beginning, end, apparent, and hidden, is only one thing and that is love. In Usool e Kafi Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) says, "Religion is nothing except love and hate". It means loving Ahlul Bayt (as) and being an enemy of Their enemies is the true religion. After delivering the whole religion, RasoolAllah (saw) asked for the reward of His prophecy to be the love of Ahlul Bayt (as). Quran says, "O Prophet! Say I do not ask an y reward from you except to love My Beloved Daughter Syeda Fatima Zahra (sa)."

Love has been proven to be the true religion. Without this all other things, regardless if they are usool or furoo, are worthless. They can only be of benefit to you if your foundation is the love of Ahlul Bayt (as). In reality this whole universe was created for love. Its end is also based upon love.

The purpose of the creation of the universe is revealed in this Hadith e Qudsi where Allah says, "I was a hidden treasure. I decided to be recognized. There fore, I created an essence."

Allah says on another occasion, "O Ahlul Bayt (as) of Muhammad (saw)! I created this whole universe in Your love. If it had not been for You, I would not have created anything."

The purpose of creating this whole universe is the love of Ahlul Bayt (as). This universe is worthless without the love of Ahlul Bayt (as). W e have looked at the beginning. Now let us look at the end and see what will decide whether one goes to jannah (paradise) or jahannum (hellfire).

Ameerul Momineen (as) says, "I will be standing at the door of jahannum (hell). I will ask it to catch this person because he was My enemy. And to leave that person because he was My lover in this world." The jannah and jahannum will be divided upon the basis of love. Our beginning is love and our end will also be love. If someone from their beginning till their end is neglectful of the love of Ahlul Bayt (as), then he should know what his place is.

When it has been decided the center of the beginning and end is the love of Ahlul Bayt (as), it is our duty to make the love of Ahlul Bayt (as) the center of our life. W e should only love those who love Ahlul Bayt (as) and hate those who are enemies of Ahlul Bayt (as). As Ameerul Momineen (as) said in " Mani ul Akhbar", " Be friends to My friend even if he is the murderer of your father and brother. Be enemy of My enemy even if he is your father or brother."

Marifat (recognition)

From our writing you can ascertain the importance of the value of love, but one can only love that which he recognizes. This recognition is called marifat.

Description of Marifat (recognition)

The description of marifat is to recognize one with those attributes which are only associated to him and not with any other. W e will make you understand by this example. Suppose two people are standing. Both are wearing black dress. One is wearing white c ap and other is wearing a red cap. Both are wearing the same dress, but their caps are different. If you want to call one of them, you will have to call him through such an attribute which is not present in the other. If you say "Oh Mr. W earing Black Dress", both of them will look at you.

Because they both are wearing black dress, but if you say "Oh Mr. W earing White Cap", then only that person who is wearing a white cap will look at you, not the other. This is marifat. So if you want to gain the marifat of Hz Muhammad (saw), then you cannot gain His marifat through those attributes which are common to all Masoomeen (as). You will gain His marifat through the seal of prophecy because He is the only one that has this attribute. There is no seal other than Him.

Importance of Marifat

How much you love another depends on how great your marifat of that person is. If a scholar dies who lives far away, then you will feel a little grief. If your neighbor dies, you will feel intense grief even if your ne ighbor is an ordinary person. The reason is you have no marifat of the scholar, but you have the marifat of your neighbor. Likewise, however the more marifat a person gains of Ahlul Bayt (as), the more he will love Them.

Because it is the desire of Allah that His slaves, servants, and the whole of creation should love Ahlul Bayt (as), then certainly we must love them fiercely. Ordinary love will not be acceptable to Allah. This is why Allah made this wajib (compulsory) upon His creation to gain the marifat of the Imam of their time. Our love for Ahlul Bayt (as) must reach its ultimate pinnacle.

Never consider marifat to be an ordinary act because religion, iman (faith), and the Day of Judgment are all completely dependent upon marifat. This is why RasoolAllah (saw) said, "Anyone who dies without gaining the marifat of the Imam of his time dies the death of an ignorant (jahil), kufr (disbeliever), and nifaq (hypocrite)." Now you can understand the importance of marifat that even if a person, who has prayed his whole life, fasts everyday, has performed hajj will die as a munafiq simply because he did not gain the marifat of the Imam of his time.

If someone asks you how marifat begins, the brief answer is it begins from three things; knowledge, deep reflection, and connecting with your Imam (as) through your heart. However much your knowledge increases, however much time you spend reflecting upon, and however much strong your connection with your Imam (as) is in your heart is how much your marifat will increase. When the marifat increases, your love automatically increases. This is the real purpose of your life.

If you do not achieve this, then your whole life becomes worthless. Every passing moment should cause your love to increase. Because RasoolAllah (saw) did not ask for mohabbat (love) as the reward of His prophecy, He asked for muwaddah. Muwaddah is such a love which gets stuck in one s heart in such a way that if this love is removed from your chest, then the heart will come out with it. In order to have such intense love, one must struggle intensely.

Even the smallest negligence in the marifat of Imam (as) can take one far from his purpose.

Azadari

Every child must keep in his mind that azadari of Imam Hussain (as) is the life of the Shia religion, and a symbol of the Shia religion throughout the world. Gham e Hussain (as) (grief of Hussain as) is the right of His Holy Mother, Mistress of the Whole Universe, Syeda Fatima Zahra (sa). Even the smallest of negligence can destroy all you have gained. If Syeda (sa) becomes angry, then your place can only be jahannum. The greatest reason of Her anger is neglecting the azadari of Imam Hussain (as).

This is a very famous narration. When Imam Hussain (as) came into this world and Ras oolAllah (saw) heard the news, He went to Syeda (as) with tears streaming from His eyes. Syeda (sa) asked, "Father, are you not happy by the birth of Your Grandson (as)? RasoolAllah (saw) said, "My Beloved Daughter (sa), who can be more joyful than Me? I shed tears because My ummah (nation) will martyr My Grandson while He is thirsty on the plains the Karbala.

" Syeda (sa) asked "Oh Father, will You be present at that time?" RasoolAllah (saw) replied, "No, My Beloved Daughter (sa), I will not be in this world." Syeda (sa) asked, "Will Ali (as) be present?" RasoolAllah (saw) replied, "No, My Beloved Daughter (sa), Ali (as) will not be present at that time." Then Syeda (sa) asked, "Will Hasan (as) be present there?" RasoolAllah (saw) replied, "No, My Beloved Daughter (sa), Hasan (as) will also not be present there."

Then Syeda (sa) asked, "W ill I be present at that time?" RasoolAllah (saw) replied, "No, My Beloved Daughter (sa), You will also not be present there."

Upon hearing this, the heart of Syeda (sa) shattered with grief. Syeda (sa) asked Her Father, "Oh Father, then who will mourn My Hussain (as)?" RasoolAllah (saw) said, "Allah will create a nation whose elders will mourn over the elders of Hussain (as). Their youth will cry on the youth of Hussain (as). Their women will cry for the women of Hussain (as). Their children will cry for the children of Hussain (as)." Upon hearing this, Syeda (sa) became joyous, and said, "Then I promise I will not enter into jannah until every mourner of My Hussai n (as) has entered into the jannah."

We wrote this hadith to make you aware Allah named the nation He created for Syeda (sa) "Shia . Their purpose is to mourn Imam Hussain (as). One who neglects this duty will destroy his whole life. It has been proven fr om Quran that the most wajib act is one which is done for the sake of Syeda (sa). Every sin can be forgiven, but the angering of Syeda (sa) will never be forgiven by Allah. Even if someone has crushed his forehead while performing acts of worship for Allah.

Rules of Azadari

If someone s relative dies in this world, then he leaves aside all other matters, i.e. work, job, etc. and goes immediately to the home of the one who has died. His face shows his grief, and he gives his condolences to the family members of the one who has died. While he is there, his only concern is in his mourning. He does not pay any attention to any other matters. Now imagine who is closer to us than Imam Hussain (as)?

How should we express our grief for Imam Hussain (as)? Is it according to the status of a momin to sit in the majalis of Imam Hussain (as) to discuss worldly matters or make jokes? Never. This is not according to the status of a momin. One who does this is not an azadar. He is one who is standing and watching only not one who is participating. Do you know who the W aris (inheritor) of Imam Hussain is (as)?

Who is the one who will come and take the revenge of Imam Hussain (as)? Certainly He is the Imam of Our Times (ajf) who sheds tears of blood nonstop in His grief for Imam Hussain (as). Who can have this courage to behave with such non serious behavior in the gathering of Imam Zamana (ajf)?

How can one leave the majalis of Imam Hussain (as) where Syeda (sa) Herself is present to go and perform any other wajibats (compulsory acts)? Only one who has no respect in his heart for Imam Hussain (as) and the Mother of Imam Hussain (as) can do such an act. According to him, the majalis of Imam Hussain (as) is simply a ritual. Children must understand all the wajibats are only wajib (compulsory) after reaching adulthood.

Gham e Hussain (as) is wajib (compulsory) upon children the same way it is wajib upon adults. According to the sayings of RasoolAllah (saw), the Shia children must mourn for the children of Imam Hussain (as) because this is the purpose of their creation. In regards to the rules of azadari, you must remember the saying of Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) in which He says, " Cry on Imam Hussain (as) in the way an old mother cries over the dead body of her young son."

Wilayat

You consistently hear this word. You also have heard about wilayat e Ali (as) from different scholars and your parents. Not a single principle of religion can be proven without the presence of wilayat; whether it is tawheed (oneness), adl (justice), nabuwiat (prophet hood), imamate, or qiyamat (day of judgment). The center of the religion is wilayat. One will remain kafir (disbeliever) until he understands what wilayat is. As Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said, "Wilayat is religion."

Because wilayat is of such great importance, we thought we should inform you of a few certain things so that when you become an adult, you will not feel as if you are a stranger with this word.

What is wilayat?

The literal meaning of wilayat is to have full command/authority over another, but this explanation is incomplete.

Wilayat is a combination of three things. If only one of the three is missing, then it is an incomplete wilayat.

  1. Knowledge
  2. Power
  3. Commandment

We will explain what wilayat is by using a very simple example so the true meaning of wilayat will become stuck in the minds of the youth.

A person s job is making pots. Every intellect will agree that first of all he has to have the knowledge of how to make the pots. If he is unaware of the method of how to make pots, then he will never be able to make pots. Here the first condition is fulfilled, and he has full knowledge of how to make pots.

Now this person has knowledge, but he is paralyzed. His hands and legs are non functioning. In this case even though he has knowledge, he cannot do the work because he does not have the power/ability to do so. If he is not paralyzed, then he will be successful in his purpose, and the second condition will be fulfilled. Now he has knowledge as well as power, but still he cannot make pots because he does not have command over the soil used for making pots. When he gains command over the soil for making pots, then all three conditions will be fulfilled, and he will be able to make pots.

We gave this simple example so you would be able to understand the initial aspects of wilayat. If we had given an illogical and very difficult example, then certainly it would be difficult for you to understand. A vast majority of people think wilayat is also a designation or title like nabuwiat (prophet hood) or imamate. This is a major misconception. If wilayat was a designation, Allah would never have called Himself "wali because He is the one who appoints others as prophets and imams. You must believe wilayat is not a designation. It is the highest level of authority and command.

We have given you the basic information regarding wilayat, but the most important thing is that giving life, death, rizq (sustenance), children, health, and help are all under the scope of wilayat. So the essence which is the absolute Wali of Allah (as), whose wilayat is the wilayat of Allah is the creator, the one who gives life, who gives death, who gives rizq (sustenance).

Without this essence no one would be able to recognize Allah. T hat essence is our Moula Ameerul Momineen Ali (as) ibn Abi Talib (as) who is mahzer (manifestation) of all the attributes of Allah. Our Moula (as) is our destination. W e are His Shia. Whatever we ask, we ask it from Him. This is why we read Nade Ali (as) all the time.

True Nade Ali (as)

"O Rasool (saw)! Call upon Ali (as) for all the wonders are revealed from Him. You will find Ali (as) to be Your helper in every hardship. All the sufferings and worries will be removed by th e help of Ali (as). With the help of Ali (as) ! With the help of Ali (as) ! With the help of Ali (as) !"