Ethics of The Prophets
- The Ethos Of Prophet Daniel ===============================
Introduction
Prophet Daniel was a Prophet of the children of Israel and a contemporary of Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great of Achamenid dynasty and of the generation of David. Daniel was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in 606 B.C. and sent to Babylon with a group of the Bani-Israel. His death year is not known but was a contemporary of Prophet Ezra (Uzayr). Following the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was returned to Baytul-Muqaddas by Bahman son of Esfandiar and from there to Ahwaz and finally to Susa where he passed away. He is known for geomancy and interpretation of dreams. In Nassekh At-Tawarikh his birth has been recorded at 4817 years after the Fall of Adam and he was captivated by Nebuchadnezzar at the age of 12.
Regard For Bread
Imam Sadeq has quoted the holy Prophet as saying: Have a respect for bread, for all factors between the throne and the earth are involved in producing it. Then the holy Prophet turned to those around him saying: shall I inform you of a hadith? They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. May our parents be sacrificed for you. The holy Prophet said: There used to be a Prophet by the name of Daniel. He gave a piece of bread to a man who controlled a passage in order to pass through it. The man threw away the piece of bread saying: What shall I do with this? It is so worthless with us that some people tread it. Seeing this, Daniel raised his hands towards the sky saying: O God! Have you seen what this man has said and done with the bread which is worthy?
عَنْ أَبي عَبدِ اللّهِ عَلَيهِ السَّلامُ قالَ قَالَ النَّبيُّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَليهِ وَآلِهِ: أَكرِمُوا الخُبزَ فَإِنَّهُ قَد عَمِلَ فيهِ ما بَينَ العَرشِ إِلى الأرضِ وَما فيها مِن كَثيرٍ مِن خَلقِه، ثُمَّ قالَ لِمَن حَولهُ: أَلا أُحَدِّثُكُم؟ قالُوا: بَلى يا رَسُولَ اللَّه فِداكَ الآباءَ والأُمَّهاتِ، فَقالَ إِنَّهُ كانَ نَبِيٌّ فيما كانَ قَبلُكُم يُقالُ لَهُ دانيالُ، وَأَنَّهُ أَعطى صاحِبَ مَعبَرٍ رَغيفًا لِكَي يَعبُرُ بِه فَرَمى صاحِبُ المَعبَرِ بِالرَّغيفِ وَقالَ: ما أَصنَعُ بِالخُبزِ؟ هذا الخُبزُ عِندَنا قَد يُداسُ بِالأرجُلِ، فَلَمّا رَأى دانيالُ ذلِكَ مِنهُ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ إِلى السَّماءِ وَقالَ اللَّهُمَّ أَكرِم الخُبزَ فَقَد رَأيتَ يا رَبِّ ما صَنَعَ هذا العَبدُ وَقالَ، إِنَّ بختَ النَّصرِ رَأَى رُؤْيا عَجيبةً فَأفْزَعَتهُ فَسَألَ عَنها السَّحَرةَ وَالكَهَنةَ فَعَجَزوا عَن تَفسيرِها فَبَلَغَ ذلِكَ دانيالَ وَكانَ في السِّجنِ مَعَ أصحابِه وَقَد أحَبَّهُ صاحِبُ السِّجنِ وَأَعجَبَ بِه لِما رَأى مِن حُسنِ سَمتِه وَهدايَتِه فَقالَ دانيالُ لِصاحبِ السِّجنِ إِنَّكَ قَد أحسَنتَ إِليَّ وَإِنَّ صاحِبَكُم قَد رَأى رُؤيا فَدُلَّهُ عَلَيَّ لأُعَبِّرَها لَهُ، فَجاءَ السَّجّانُ وَاخبَرَ بُخْتَنَّصْرَ بِقصَّةِ دانيالَ فَقالَ: عَلَيَّ بِه وَكانَ لا يقِفُ بَينَ يَدَيهِ أحَدٌ إِلا سَجَدَ لَهُ فَأتَوا بِه فَقامَ بَينَ يَدَيهِ وَلَم يَسجُد لَهُ، فَقالَ لَهُ ما الَّذي مَنَعَكَ مِنَ السُّجُودِ لي فَقالَ لَهُ إِنَّ لي رَبًّا آتانِيَ العِلمَ وَالحِكمَةَ وَأَمَرَني أن لا أَسجُدَ إِلا لَهُ فَخَشَيتُ إِن سَجَدتُ لِغَيرهِ أن يَنزَعَ مِنّي العِلمَ الَّذي آتاني وَيُهلِكَني.
He Does Not Prostrate To Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream and when he asked the enchanters and soothsayers about its interpretation, they were helpless. Daniel and his friends who were in jail heard about it. The jailer loved Daniel for his virtues. Daniel said to the jailer: You have been kind to me. The ruler has had a dream. Guide him to me so that I will interpret his dream. The jailer went to Nebuchadnezzar and told him all about it. The ruler said: Bring him to me. Needless to say that no one went to him without prostrating to him. When they brought Daniel to him, he stood before him without making prostration. Nebuchadnezzar said: What kept you from prostrating to me? Daniel said: There is a Lord for me who has given me knowledge and wisdom bidding me not to prostrate to anyone but to Him. Therefore, I feared to make prostration to others lest He might take away my knowledge and ruin me.
Truthful And Wise
Quoting Imam Ja’afar Jaber Ja’afi has reported: I asked the Imam is it true that Daniel knew to interpret dreams? The Imam said: Yes, he was inspired. He was a Prophet and one to whom God had taught the interpretation of dreams. He was truthful, wise and endowed with the love of the household of the holy Prophet. Jaber asked: The love of the household of the holy Prophet? The Imam said: By God, there is no angel or Prophet who is not endowed with the love of the household of the holy Prophet.
عَن جابِرِ الجُعفي عَنِ الباقِرِ صَلواتُ اللَّه عَليهِ قالَ: سَألتُهُ عَن تَعبيرِ الرُّؤيا عَن دانيالَ عَليهِ السَّلامُ أهُوَ صَحيحٌ؟ قَالَ: نَعَم، كانَ يُوحى إِليهِ وَكانَ نَبيًّا وَكانَ مِمَّن عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَأويلَ الأحاديثِ وَكانَ صِدّيقًا حَكيمًا وَكانَ وَاللَّهِ يُدينُ بِمَحبَّتِنا أهلَ البيتِ؟ قالَ جابِرٌ: بِمَحبَّتِكُم أهلَ البيتِ؟ قالَ: أي وَاللَّه، وَما مِن نَبيٍّ وَلا مَلَكٌ إِلا وَكانَ يُدينُ بِمَحبَّتِنا.
Thanking God At The Bottom Of Well
Nebuchadnezzar threw Daniel into a well in which had put two lions. Nevertheless, the lions did not make any attack on him. Daniel stayed there for the period God had willed and had an appetite for food and drink as other human beings. At this time God inspired Prophet Jeremiah (Armiya) in Damascus to prepare food and drink for Daniel. Jeremiah said: O God! I am in the holy Land whereas Daniel is in Babylon in Iraq. God inspired him saying: prepare what We have ordered, I too, send messengers to take you and what you have prepared there. He did so and God’s messenger too arrived and carried it to the top of the well. Daniel asked: Who is it? He said: It is me, Jeremiah. Daniel asked: What has brought you here? He said: My Lord has sent me to you. Daniel asked: Has my Lord Remembered me? Jeremiah said: Yes, he has. Then Daniel said: Praise is due to Allah who does not forget one who remembers Him. Praise is due to Allah who answers those having hope. Praise is due to Allah to whom every trusts will not be abandoned.
Praise is due to Allah who rewards good with good. Praise is due to Allah who has set salvation as a reward for patience. Praise is due to Allah who removes our hardship after our sorrow. Praise is due to Allah who keeps us from doing any acts when we are in doubt. Praise is due to Allah who is our Hope when we are in desperation.
ضَرّا بُختُنَّصرُ أسَدَينَ فَألقاهُما في جُبٍّ وَجاءَ بِدانيالَ فَالقاهُ عَلَيهِما، فَلَم يُهيِّجَاهُ، فَمَكَثَ ما شاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اشتَهى ما يَشتَهي الآدَميُّونَ مِنَ الطَّعامِ وَالشَّرابِ، فَأوحى اللَّهُ إِلى أرمِيا وَهوَ بِالشّامِ أن أَعدَدَ طَعامًا وَشَرابًا لِدانيالَ فَقالَ: يا رَبِّ أنا بِالأرضِ المُقَدَّسةِ وَدانيالُ بِأرضِ بابِلَ مِن أَرضِ العِراقِ، فَأوحى اللَّهُ إِلَيهِ أن أَعدِد ما أمَرناكَ بِه فَأنَا سَنُرسِلُ مَن يَحمِلُكَ وَيَحمِلُ ما أعدَدتَ، فَفَعلَ وَأرسَلَ إِليهِ مَن حَمَلهُ وَحَمَلَ ما أعدَّهُ حَتى وَقَفَ عَلى رَأسِ الجُبِّ فَقَالَ دانيالُ: مَن هذا؟ قَالَ أنا ارمِيا، فَقَالَ: ما جاءَ بِكَ؟ فَقَالَ أرسَلَني إِليكَ رَبُّكَ، قَالَ: وَقَد ذَكَرَني رَبّي؟ قَالَ: نَعَم.
فَقالَ دانيالُ: الحَمدُ للَّه الَّذي لا يَنسى مَن ذَكَرهُ، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي يُجيبُ مَن رَجاهُ، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي مَن وَثِقَ بِهِ لَم يَكِلهُ إِلى غَيرِه، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي يُجزي بِالإِحسانِ إِحسانًا، وَالحَمدُ لَلّهِ الَّذي يُجزي بِالصَّبرِ نَجاةً، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي هُوَ يَكشِفُ ضُرَّنا بَعدَ كَربِنا، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي يَقينا حينَ يَسوءُ ظَنُّنا بِأعمالِنا، وَالحَمدُ لِلّهِ الَّذي هُوَ رَجاؤُنا حينَ تَنقَطِعُ الحِيَلُ عَنّا.