User:Mohammed-Mehdi-Naqvi/sandbox

The House of Mohammed ( Ahl al-Bayt )

On the morning of September 9 in the year 680 a small caravan set from Mecca heading for Iraq and its head Imam Hussain younger son of Imam Ali Grandson of prophet Ahmed ( Mohammed) pbuh its almost 19 years passed since both both brothers had buried their father in Kufa then Imam Hussain made the long dispiriting trek across northern Arabia to the shelter of the Hijaz mountains waited almost impossible patience as Muawiya consolidated his unethical rule over the Empire people were getting upset and wanted Ahl al-Bayt the house of Mohammed pbuh to bring back Islam which belongs to the prophet grandson Imam Hussain. Many in western cultures image Imam Hussain as Jesus Christ of Nazareth in resemblance is striking. Muawiya appoints his son Yazid as a successor just before his death. On April 22 in the year 680 quickly appointments Ziyad son of Ubaydallah to control and capture who were helping uprising for Ahl al-Bayt. Yazid ordered Governor of Medina to arrest Imam Hussain the condition was if Imam give public allegiance to me openly and agreed with my system and caliphate if imam refuses execute him and flowers of Imam. Governor of Medina didn’t like Yazid order because he had already done wrong order by Muawiya to not allowing Imam Hasan buried alongside prophet was thing but to kill imam Hussain prophet only remaining grandson people of Medina see in the passion of prophet grandson as they had witnessed the passion of human rights in Jesus Christ grandson of Al-Imran. Both were prophet Al-Imran and prophet Mohammed Moses father name was also Al-Imran. The people of Mecca, Medina and Iraq always give examples of two brothers Mohammed and Ali are like Moses and Aron of Arabia especially immigrants and poets who know history of the family of Al-Imran ( the Ahl al-Bayt the people of house of God ) Governor of Medina warned imam of what Yazid is up to and perhaps someone from within his flowers or employee is reporting the activities to Yazid. That night Imam gathered together all his family members and fled from Medina to Mecca. That’s what they began to arrive letter after letter messenger after messenger assuring him trust to rise up against dictatorship of Yazid. The prince of Martyrs believed Kufans who lied to Muslim bin eakil cousin of Imam. He was captured by the Governor and taken in chains to the mansion in the evening of Monday, September 8, 680. Imam small caravan slowly moving from Mecca to Iraq. This story was even told by Prophet Abraham and prophet Mohammed that 90 % of monotheistic believers will melt away into darkness only Imam, his family and the original seventy two warriors against the army of more then ten thousand. In 2018 the dispute is why it happened to John the baptist, Jesus Christ and Imam Hussain. This issue is not the Shias or Sunni, Judaism or Christianity ,Islam or non Muslims it is the issue of Human right and Justice. We must not forget crimes against humanity no matter where it happens. Every time I notice abuse of power and Freedom it reminds me dust of Karbala Iraq. The crisis of power grabs by assassination and by other means continues since the two sons of Adam who’s mission it was to make human beings for human faith. Perhaps the ideal humanity is achieved by teaching about one God, unfortunately Faith took many twists and turns of confusion in this short journey. The creator kept sending messengers time and time again to bring back human fealty, it’s all begins with Nimrod who started following Satan and challenged the creator to introduce his knowledge through prophet Abraham with his nephew Lot to elevate justice. Over time different cultures and people with differing languages tell the same stories in distinctive versions along with different locations, it is true that human truth is always flawed. The stories are numerous and almost every religion in history has some degree of bias, until today except human faith for Humanity. My family tree which comes from Bani Hashim and Bani Asad reminds me of the voices of the seventh century tragedy in the months of Ramadan that took the life of Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib. It happened at dawn on Friday January 26, in the year 661 Islamic date 19th of Ramadan. Imam Ali had walked to the mosque in Kufa to fast for Ramadan, the assassin was hiding in the mosque and as soon Imam Ali started the first prayer of the day the assassin cowardly attacked from the behind as the Imam shouted slowly while laying down “do not let that man escape” so other worshipers rushed behind the assailant and held him. Imam Ali said there would be no revenge, no mutilation. Imam Ali’s wound was not been fatal but the poison smeared on the sword had done its work. Imam Hasan and Imam Hussein washed their fathers body, rubbed it with herbs and myrrh and shrouded it in three robes. Imam Ali had instructed them to do so as they set his body on his favorite riding camel and gave it free reign. Perhaps forty years before Prophet Mohammed had given his camel free reign to determine where the mosque would be built in Medina, where it halted, that would be where the mosque was constructed. Now another sainted animal would determine where Imam Ali would be buried and a new City would be recognized in the world. The camel was walking slowly as though it knew its burden and was weighed down by grief. It knelt six miles east of Kufa atop a barren sandy rise meaning Najaf in Arabic. Najaf was to be only the first of Iraq’s twin holy cities. As the Muawiya assumed uncontested power, the second city was still just unknown by many except Prophet Abraham and Mohammed who had mentioned about the land of trial in Iraq to save monotheistic religion. Karbala would be fifty miles to the north from Najaf. , it would be twenty years until Imam Ali’s younger son Imam Hussein would meet his test from the God of Abraham. The place of trial and tribulations would be Karbala.

What is Imamat (Ledership )

Syed Mohammed Hussain Tabataba’i argues that humans have a god given nature that requires them to have proper leadership in the form of an Imam and that imam Ali was the natural choice to be the first Imam.

Within Shia Islam, it is a belief that society in general needs some sort of supervision. If it is left to fend for itself with no form of set government or leader, then it will inevitably collapse. This is seen among many societies that don’t have good leadership and as a result rebellions ensue such as current condition of Pakistan. There is also the case when there’s absolutely no leadership, causing anarchy to have complete reign what we observe many nations in 2016 under the rubber stamp of democracy or republics of anarchy. Syed Mohammed Hussain Tabataba’i emphasizes this notion on his book of Shiite Islam page 173 when he states that Islamic society is in dire need of guidance and the person who occupies the function of giving that guidance and is the leader of the community, must be appointed by God and the Prophet. Naturally, he is describing the Imam Ali. The Imam is not only a guiding figure, but also a sinless, inerrant individual who preserves the divine message and saves everyone from sin. Clearly this is unlike most leaders today.The imam not only has a leadership role in the political sense but also one in the religious. While he maintains an orderly society, he also has to maintain the religiosity within it. His people must not falter from the Islamic path.

To Tabataba’i the Imam is on the same level as the prophet in that they are both perfect not only spiritually but also in their religious preaching’s. They are however different in the sense that while there doesn’t always have to be a prophet, an Imam is constantly here. The idea that there is always a sinless individual among us who is the ideal example of man in his virtues, actions and religious duties is rather hard to believe. This is mainly because a human who is perfect in every sense sounds too good to be true. We strive for this level of perfection but we are aware it is unattainable. This is most likely why the current Imam isn’t even technically visible. Imam Mahdi is in this occultation state that allows him to spiritually be present on earth at all times but not physically. As a result, it is easier to believe in him. It’s only in human nature to have faith in something we can’t see or prove. And this blind faith is what’s keeping Shia Islam strong.

Syed Mohammed Hussain Tabataba’i strongly believes that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first imam appointed by the prophet Mohammad to be in charge after he passed. Along with various Quranic verses, he also utilizes basic logical reasoning to defend this view. For example, on page 175 on his book it is mentioned how the prophet believed in the idea of succession. Whenever he left Medina, he made sure to appoint someone to be in charge while he was away. If he did this for the small periods of time he was away, it only makes sense for him to have chosen someone for the longest one too: his death. Clearly the prophet agreed with the notion that society at all times needs a leader to keep the faith alive. It is illogical to think that the prophet would have died without choosing a successor mainly because the faith was not supposed to die with him. It would have lived by the hands of the appointed individual. This appointed individual was Imam Ali. Imam Ali had always been the prophet’s right hand man and was chosen by him to be in charge during his absence on multiple occasions. He was among the first family of Ahlalbayt and a guardian of the faith with Syeda Fatima. On the night of the migration from Mecca to Medina, Imam Ali put his life on the line and slept in the prophet’s bed so the prophet could escape for Miraj. This shows just how deeply his existence was devoted to the service of prophet Muhammad PBUH and the defense of Islam that we see all over Pakistan Naturally, the duty of keeping the faith alive would fall to him. It is also important to note that Imam Ali was the prophet’s cousin and son in law. Bloodline holds great importance in Abrahamic faith ,If not Ali, who was blood related and married to Prophet Muhammad’s favorite daughter Syeda Fatima.

This logical reasoning is perhaps the strongest defense for Syed Mohammed Hussain Tabataba’i argument of Ali being the prophet’s successor. A much weaker defense was his use of Quranic verses. This is mainly because the verses utilized to prove Ali’s caliphate are almost too convenient. They can easily tie into any issue if read from a specific perspective, not just the issue of succession. For example, the verse “Your friend [wali] can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poor-due, and bow down (in prayer)” is connected to Ali’s action of giving charity to a poor man. When Imam Ali witnessed a person in need asking for assistance during prayer time, Imam gave away his ring in an effort to help the poor man. The prophet observed this, compared Imam Ali to Aaron, Moses’s brother, and announced Imam Ali to be his vizier/helper. It is quite possible that Imam Ali wasn’t the only good soul helping out the needy during the prayer. More than likely, other people also gave charity during prayer but remained unnoticed by the prophet. Even if the prophet did witness other chartable deeds, he didn’t openly praise the various donors and claim them to be the Aarons to his Moses due to their keen nature. They also all weren’t Allah’s messengers. This verse could be applied to anyone who gives charity during prayer but it is only specific to Ali mainly because he was the prophet’s favorite.

Although there are many arguments in favor of Imam Ali being the first Imam and many against it, the strongest ones are those based off of basic logic. It only makes sense for Imam Ali to be the first Imam because he was the closest to the prophet. It only makes sense for there to be an Imam because humans always need a leader.

by Ajmal Mehdi