Why Arba'een? Significance of Arba'een and the Performance of the Ziyarat of Arba'een

Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.) includes the performance of Ziyarat-e-Arba’een as one of the five marks for a believer, in addition to reciting 51 raka of sala, audible recitation of Bismillah, wearing a ring on one’s right hand, and doing sajda on dust.  (This hadith has been narrated by Sheikh Tusi in the book Tahthib).

Why is so much importance given to the performance of the Ziyarat of Arba’een and the observance of Arba’een (40 days of mourning)?

Ziyarat, as we all know is a visitation, which in essence, is the act of speaking with and visiting our role models.  Of course the physical manifestation of the ziyarat is actually being present in Kerbala to perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een, but, in reality, that is not possible for every believer.  So does making ziyarat while not in Kerbala give one the same benefits?  Ahadith tell us that performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s.) far from Kerbala would hold the same significance as being in the land of Kerbala, as long as the person performing the Ziyarat has truly understood the status of the Imam and seeks to emulate him.

Imam Muhamed al-Baqir (a.s.) states that the heavens wept over Imam Hussain (a.s.) for forty mornings, rising red and setting red.  As we complete 40 days of remembrance of our Imam, we re-assert our pledge of obedience and loyalty to him,

“I bear witness that you are the Imam (who is) the upright, the pious, well-pleased (with Allah), the pure, the guide and the rightly-guided.
I bear witness that you fulfilled the pledge of Allah and you struggled in His way…I am a friend of whoever befriends him ...”

By performing the Ziyarat of Arba’een, we pledge that we will continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and will reject injustice and speak up against the oppressors of the time,

I am an enemy of whoever is his enemy

In essence, we make a promise to continue to mold our lives according to the teaching of Imam Hussain (a.s.). 

But why is it that we mourn and remember Imam Hussain (a.s.) for a period of forty days and then move on? 

Our Prophet has said, “The earth mourns the death of a believer for forty mornings.”   Therefore it appears that the deceased should be remembered and mourned over for a period of forty days.  Performing an act for a continuous period of forty days is also known to help one to not just form a habit, but also to carry on the practice for the rest of his life. 

If we look at studies dealing with bringing a lifestyle change, we notice the time period emphasized to bring about a change is usually 6 weeks which is about the same time period as 40 days (to be exact it is 42 days).

In the book 40 Days to Personal Revolution: A Breakthrough Program to Radically Change Your Body and Awaken the Sacred Within Your Soul, the author Baron Baptiste explains the significance of forty days:

Why forty days? Because the number 40 holds tremendous spiritual significance in the realm of transformation. Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days in order to experience purification and come to a greater understanding of himself and his mission. Moses and his people traveled through the desert for forty years before arriving at their home in the holy land. Noah preserved the sacredness of life by sailing his ark for forty days and forty nights. According to the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text, it takes forty days to ingrain any new way of being into our system….

Reciting particular duas for a period of 40 days is highly recommended in our practices as well.  The unit 40 (forty) is said to be very effective. If a particular Duaa is recited 40 times, or 40 people gather to recite it, or it is recited for 40 days then its effectiveness is highly increased. (Duas.org)

It is reported from Imam Ja'fer Sadiq (a.s.) that whoever recites Dua-e-Ahad for forty days, after morning prayers will be amongst the helpers of the 12th Imam (a). Visitation of the shrine of Imam Hussain (a.s.) as well as Masjid-e-Sahla for 40 consecutive Thursdays is also very highly recommended and is one of the acts that promises a visit from the 12th Imam (ajtf).

Thus, as we perform the Ziyarat of Arba’een and commemorate the Arba’een, 40 days of mourning of Imam Hussain (a.s.), we hope and pray that this forty days of remembrance of Imam Hussain (a.s.), brings about a transformation in us by which we can continue to follow the path of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and carry on his message of upholding justice with true faith and a strong sense of sacrifice!

Refs:
A’maal of Muharram and Safar (Tayyiba Publishers)
Kerbala and Beyond by Yasin T. Al-Jabouri
The Miracle of Ziyarat-e-Ashoora
Commentary on Ziyarat Ashura, translated by Saleem Bhimji from the work of Ali Asghar Azizi Tehrani
Kitab al-Irshad, translated by IKA Howard, authored by Sheikh Al-Mufeed

Alam, Taboot, Zuljanah, Zanjeer-Zani allowed in Azadari

Question: 

Are the practices of Alam, Taboot, Zuljanah, Zanjeer-Zani allowed in Azadari?  Can you please elaborate?  Under the current circumstances are these things in Azadari allowed or not, when others are getting the wrong impression about Islam?

Thanking you in anticipation.

Answer

Practices such as Alam, Taboot, Zanjeer-Zani, are allowed in AZADARI.  This is because there is nothing illegal or Haram in these practices.  If something is abused, then this abuse does not make it illegal, but the abuse must be eliminated, or if there were any wrong or illegal – Haram - practices then those Haram practices must be eliminated not the AZADARI.

You had mentioned that these things in AZADARI, or the AZADARI itself, are giving others the wrong impression about Islam, or false impression about Fiqh. 

In Islam, the legal or the illegal – the Halal or the Haram– are not based upon the impression others get, otherwise there are a lot of people who consider the Hijaab which Islam has made obligatory for women as oppressive, and they go on to condemn Islam for this as being an oppressive religion towards women.  Does this mean that we should abandon Hijaab because of the impression others have got about Islam or should we try to make them understand the wisdom and philosophy of Hijaab, which the people in the West have started to appreciate and praise these days?

Source: http://imamshirazi.com/ashura.html#ashuramisuse

Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani in picture frame

Special People for Special Tasks

Everybody cannot do all kinds of work. Admission into a prominent college is not the only criterion for success in any field; rathr,’ it is also requires natural disposition and innate inclination. Harmony between the selected course and the student’s natural disposition is of paramount importance. If he is not naturally inclined towards complex mathematical calculations and figures, pushing him for a course in engineering or accountancy will not guarantee success.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) advised,
“All of you should act, but you should remember that only those works are easy for you for which you are created.”
(Safinatul Behaar. the word Yasr. page 732)

In this regard, the experts are of the view that,
“There is consensus on the fact that potentialities open up after maturity. Youngsters should select only those fields that are compatible to their potential and talent. This is even more applicable for the youth who need to get immediate employment. Being attentive to these potentialities and talents is extremely important. To detect one’s aptitude and talent, aptitude tests developed by modern social scientists are quite useful. Of course, it should be borne in mind that in some special and selected cases, these tests may not be 100% beneficial and may even limit the fields of potentialities.”
Hence, before securing admission into a particular course in a college, either the parents or the youth himself, goes for an aptitude test and then selects the suggested course, success will not be far and will also manage to get quick employment. They will also be saved from the frustration and disappointment of unemployment and job-hunting.
It is an established reality that everybody cannot be a doctor or an engineer. If everybody becomes a doctor, engineer or a C.A., the system of the world will be disrupted in its entirety. An ordinary labour or a technician is as important to this world as a doctor or an engineer.
Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a.s.) informs,
“As long as people are different it’s good for them. if they all become the same, they will be destroyed.”
(Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 77, page 385.)

Jashne Ghadeer LIVE from Kesar Baug (Mumbai, India): www.almuntazar.com (8:30 pm)

MEANING OF IMAMAT AND KHILAFAT, ETC.

IMAMAT literally means to Lead; IMAM means Leader.

In Islamic terminology Imamat means 'Absolute command of the Muslims in all religious and secular affairs, in succession to the Prophet.'

IMAM means 'The man who, in succession to the Prophet, has the right to the Absolute Command of the Muslims in all religous and secular affairs.'

The word 'man' signifies that a woman can not be Imam.

'Absolute command' excludes those who lead in the prayers: they are also called 'Imam of prayers', but they do not have absolute authority.

'In succession to the Prophet' denotes the difference between a Prophet and an Imam. The Imam enjoys this authority not directly, but as the sucessor of the Prophet.

The world KHILALAT means 'to succeed' and KHALIFA means 'successor'.

In Islamic terminology KHILALAT and KHALIFA signify the same meanings as IMAMAT and IMAM respectively.

WISAYAT means 'the Executorship of the Will', and WASI means the 'executor of the Will.' Their significance in Muslims' writings is the same as that of Khilafat (Caliphate) and Khalif (Caliph).

 It will be interesting to note that many previous prophets were also the Caliphs of their predecessor prophets. Thus they were 'Nabi' and 'Khalifa' both; while other prophets (who brought new Sheriats) were not Caliph of any pervious prophet; and there were Caliphs of the prophets who were not prophet

themselves.

The question of Imamat and Caliphate has ripped the Muslim community as under and has effected the thinking and philosophy of the different group so tremendously that evens the belief in God and the prophets could not escape from this divergence of views.

This sub]ect is the most debated one of Islamic theology. Muslims have written thousands upon thousands of books on Caliphate. The problem before me is not what to write; it is what not to write.

In a small booklet like this one I cannot touch all the topics of this subject; nor can I give all the details of even those topics which will be described herein.

This booklet will be just a brief outline of the differences about the Caliphate.

It will be of help to mention here in the beginning that on this question, the Muslims are divided into two sects:

                  The Sunni, who believe that Abu Bakr was the Caliph of the

                  Holy Prophet of Islam;

                  And

                  The Shia who believe that Ali Ibin Abu Talib (as) was the

                  Imam and Caliph.

Manqabat: Hum Ali(a.s) Kay Diwanay , Har Adaa Ghadeeri hai!