Hussein the Saiviour of Islam

Respect, Regard and Reverenece To the Sacred Emblems

Alams (the Emblems of Husain, Abbas and The other A'imma), The Zarees, Mimbers, Imambadas and the other things dedicated to the sacred memory of the Holy Ones of the Ahlul-Bait, held with feelings of sanctity by the Shias (the devotees of the Holy Ahlul-Bait).

SOME GUIDING CLARIFICATIONS

OF LATE, IT iS frequently preached by some ill-informed people against paying respect, regard or reverence to Alams, Zarees, Mimbers, Imambadas or any such things dedicated to the sacred memory of the members of the Holy Ahlul-Bait, terming it, 'Shirk' or 'Bid'at or 'Kufr'. Since there is the possibility ofsome innocent and ignorant Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, not knowing the difference between 'Mawaddat'(i.e.,love or faithfulness), and, 'Oboodiat' (i.e., Worship), getting astray, it has become necessary to issue the following clarifications.

Be it known that the move to criticise the expressions of Respect, Reaard and Reverence to the Holy Ahlul-Bait and the things dedicated to their sacred memory, is nothing new. Such criticisms and accusations against the devotees of the holy ones, the Shias, have been in vogue since centuries having their start immediately following the departure of the Holy Prophet.

'Mawaddat' (i.e., love or devotion) practised by those attached to the Holy AhluI-Bait has always been misrepresented as 'Oboodiat' (i.e. worship), just to condemn attachment to the Holy Family, terming the love and the devotion to the Holy ones, as ' Shirk' (i.e., Polytheism) or 'Kufr' (i.e., infidelity). This was done to stop people]s attachment to the Ahlul-Bait, and to enlist strength against those who, inspite of the vicious propaganda against them and even suffering the miserable persecution, remained devoted to the Holy ones of the Prophet's family. The first of such a cry, motivated with the vicious object mentioned above, was raised by some opportunists aspiring for power and authority, immediately as the Holy Prophet departed from this world, saying:- "Man kana Ya'budu Muhammadun faqad maat." 'Let every one who was worshipping Muhammad now know that he is dead (and gone).' This satiric cry was raised against the devotees of the Holy House, to declare them as 'Kafirs' Infidels i.e., those who worship-

ped the Holy Prophet instead of God, terming their 'Mawaddat' to the holy ones, which means only love and devotion, as 'Oboodiat' i.e., worship, and thus to declare the attachment to the Ahlul-Bait as 'Shirk' or 'Kufr', whereas only the devotees to the Ahlul-Bait are muslims in the true and the strict sense of the term, as they wor- ship none but the One and the Only True God, and love the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul-Bait and remain devoted to them under the divine ordinance:-

"Say unto the people o' Apostle Muhammad! 'I seek not of you any 'Ajr' (compensation)for it (the service of the apostleship) save love of my relatives." 42:23

Under the above ordinance from the Lord, none who does not pay the Holy Prophet the 'Ajr' (i.e., recompense) in the love and devotion to the Ahlul-Bait, demanded him, can never be a muslim at all.

In short, 'Mowaddat' i.e., the love towards the Holy Ahlul Bait, is purposefully termed as 'Oboodiat' , i.e., worship, to blackmail their devotees, the Shias as 'Musrikeen' (i.e., the Polytheists) and 'Kuffar' (the infidels), and to dissuade people from attachment to the Holy Ones.

lt must first be remembered that 'Shirk' means associating any thing with God, and these things which are held sacred by the Shias are never at all held as God, or gods, or in place of God, or that of holy ones to whose memory they are thededicated. They are mere Emblems and Memorials, dedicated to their memory. This fact has already been made clear and it is once again re- peated here for the information of the new uninformed or misin- formed critics.

The move against respecting these sacred memorials of the dedicated tokens, is only to dissuade the public from their devotion to the Ahlul-Bait, in the guise of preaching 'Tauheed', i.e., the Unity of God, and warning against 'Shirk' which is the most abhorred thing in Islam, particularly in Shia ism which is the Islam-Original.

Let the misinformed advocates of 'Tauheed' and the Warners against 'Shirk' rest assured that the Shias , in particular when they pray for any divine boon or mercy in the name of the Holy Imams, they never imagine for a while that the actual giver or the bestower of the boon or the giver of the help prayed for, is any one other than the Almighty Lord of the Universe, and the prayer in the name of the holy ones is only to invoke the mercy of the Lord through the medium of these holy souls who have been declared as God's chosen ones and the nearest and dearest ones to Him.

The misleading question which the critics raise, in that way should not one seek the help he needs directly from God ? This question has in itself the answer that when such great devotees of God (i.e., the critics) get ill, why do they go to the doctor ? Who is the actual Curer, God or the doctor ? Why not they depend upon God for the cure and avoid the means of the doctor, when the doctor is not the actual curer ? No, they do it because they have to seek a means or a medium and they do it for they cannot avoid it. This is quite in accordance with the divine guidance from the Lord:-

"Seek ye the means to reach Him (God).5:35

None can reach God without the proper means to the end. God Himself has enjoined the Holy Prophet to seek his 'Ajr' or recompense in the love and devotion to his Ahlul-Bait (See 42:23) and the 'Ajr' in the love and devotion to the Holy Ahlul-Bait has been made the way to the Lord (See 25:57).

I ask not any 'Ajr'(recompense) for it (i.e., apostleship) save ye take the way to the Lord (25:57).

And what the 'Ajr' (recompense) is, has been mentioned in 42:23.

The reverence and the regard for things dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy ones, is clearly warned by the verse 2:158 in which the Muslims have been ordained to run between the hillocks 'Safa' and 'Marwa' while performing the 'Haj'. And the following verse of the Holy Qur'an clearly declares the regard for any signs of God (i.e., anything by means of which man re- members Cod's Glory, His Authority or His Existence) as the piety of the heart of the individual:-

"And whosoever respects the signs of God, it surely is of the piety of the heart." 22:32

Shias go to the 'Imambadas', the 'Mahfils', the 'Mimbers' and recite there 'Fateha' (i.e., Ist Sura of the Holy Qur'an), and the masterly edited prayers of the great divines viz., Ameerul-Momineen Ali ibnul Husain and the other Imams. Let the advocates of 'Tauheed' and the warners against 'Shirk' go through the 'Dua'-e- Mashlool' or the 'Dua-e-Komail or the 'Joshan-e-Kabeer' or the 'Joshan-e-Sagheer' or any other prayers 'Dua' prescribed by the Holy Imams and then say if there can be a greater and a surer source of approaching God or invoking His mercy, than these mediums. People ignorant of these great things, arc those who speak against the heavenly means to get nearer to the Lord to be blessed by Him.

It is also necessary to inform the advocates of 'Tauhecd' and the warner against 'Shirk' that it is the declared faith and the convic- tion of every Shia that nothing without the compulsory Salat or Namaz, duly performed, can ever benefit any one in approaching God or getting any boon or help from Him or from any one of the holy ones, and the Mosque is the holiest place with nothing to be compared to it.

Sajdah

WHO SAID SAJDAH or prostration in obeisance to any one besides God is allowed. Sajdah to 'Ghairallah' or 'Masiwallah'(i.e.,other than God) is'Haram' , i.e., strictly prohibited, and Shia'ism the Islam-Original, more than any other school of faith, abhors it, and guards its adherents against it, both from the pulpit and the press. The critic should first know that Sajdah to God differs from the act of merely laying the head on the ground which also is termed as Sajdah. the Sajdah to God is not only laying the head on the ground, but submitting one's self wholely to God with the realisation of one's negation of his finite existence granted to him, before the infinite. Almighty and the Absolute Existence of the Only Self Existing One, with the intention of worshipping Him as the only Creator, Sustainer, Lord of the Universe.

Mere laying of the head on the ground before any one in any ceremonial way of paying any conventional regard or formal reverence to any one other than God, can never be the 'Sajdah-e-Oboodiat'(the prostration of subservience). It will be a 'Sajdah-e-Tazeemi' (i.e., the prostration or regard) which was demanded of the angels for Adam:-

"(Sajdah) (Prostration) to Adam, they did offer (Sajdah) Prostration save 'lblees' (the Devil)?" 2:37 and 7:11 This is what God Himself ordered the angels to do:- "When I have made him (Adam) complete and breathe into him spirit of Me, fall ye all down (offering Sajdah) Prostration to him."15:29

If Sajdah in any sense whatsoever was prohibited save to God, the stars would not have been caused to appear to Joseph in his vision, offering 'Sajdah' or prostration to him.

" When Joseph said to his father, 'o' My father : verily I saw eleven stars and the sun and the moon, I saw them, offering Sajdah (prostration) to me. 12:4 And why did Yacoob (Jacob) an apostle of God, offer 'Sajdah' to his son Joseph:-

"And he (Joseph) raised his parents to the throne and they offered Sajdah (Prostration) to him." 12:100 It is sufficiently clear if one wants only to know the truth that Sajdahby way of worship to any object besides God, is strictly prohibited as 'Haram' and abhorred by Shia'ism which is Islam- Original, whereas the act of mere laying of head before anybody in any conventional or ceremonial way of paying the regard, or expressing one' s humility to any greatness, or excellence parti- cularly the case of any divine object, which was expected of the angels even by God Himself, and was practised even by a prophet of God like Jacob, is not worship, and hence not objectionable.

Prayer Before Any Object

IN SHIA'ISM, NAMAZ (or prayer or worship) is due to none but to God, and God alone. If any one prays before any object of His worship, it is not objected by Islam. One can offer his prayers before anything even a grave, if the individual does not mean the object as the object of his worship. It is in this spirit and with this point of the faith in view that prayers in the Holy Shrines of Najaf Karbala, Mashhed etc., are offered, and offering prayers in such sacred places, though they are not mosques, or in places sanctified by dedication to the memories of the godly ones, is definitely com- mendable and has its 'Fazeelat' or the Grade of Excellence, is without the least opposition or prejudice to the excellence of thc prayers offered in a mosque.

Dedication of any Place as Memorial with Regard for it

ERECTING A MOSQUE or any such premises in memory of any sacred object or event, has been allowed by the Holy Qur'an. See about the Mosque commanded to be raised at the spot where lay the 'As'haabe-Kahf' the Sleepers of the Cave (18:21). Holding such places in sanctity with regard and reverence for them, is certainly the sign of piety of the heart, and devotion to God Him- self. To preach against offering prayers before graves or in any shrines quoting the Hadith or the saying of the Holy Prophet pro- hibiting making any grave or a shrine a mosque, withbut the context in which it was said is nothing short of betraying one's ignorance of the Islamic History. Omme Salma the virtuous wife of the Holy Prophet on her return from the Abyssinian Exile, reported to the Holy Prophet that she had seen in Abyssinia the Christians worshipping the images of Jesus and Mary and the graves of their saints.

The Holy Prophet issued the ordinance or the Hadith prohibiting prayers on the graves as the object of worship. The point underlying in the saying is against a prayer being offered before or around any grave or graves. This point is clarified in the verse 18:21 which commands building of mosque on the grave by which the object is not to start worship of the grave hut to con- secrate the place by dedicating it to the worship oft he Lord, to Whom the departed soul had been devoted, and had itself surrendered.