The Scholar/'ulamaa Appreciation Thread

[habib e najjaar]

(bismillah)

(salam)

In my experience(s) and those I have heard from others, almost every Muslim I know has had their life positively impacted upon by a scholar/scholars. Be it in the form of a teacher, or an inspirational ancestor, or a person who inspired you to change for the better, or made you see things very differently, or was the reason for an improvement of your faith, or that of your parents/family, etc, this thread is for you to share your story/stories you have heard of people/communities whose lives where improved, whose destinies and paths were affected by a scholar/scholars. I will start the thread off:

Ayatullah Ruhullah al Musawi Khumayni (qas)

The Holy Prophet said: "There are two groups of my Ummah that when they are pious, my Ummah will be upright and when they are immoral my Ummah will be corrupt."

The Messenger of Allah was asked who they were, and he answered: "The religious scholars and rulers."~Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 49

Imam Rida, the eighth Imam, [a] said: "Beware that surely a (true religious) jurist is he who pours forth his benediction unto people, saves them from their enemies, multiplies the blessings of Heaven for them, and earns the Pleasure of Allah the Exalted, for them (through guidance)."~Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 5

These statements have been very true in the lives of the Muslims of East Africa. For a long time, trade between the East African coast and the Middle East flourished, and the coastal communities flourished along with it. They were able to benefit from scholars from Yemen (of the Shafi'i school of thought) who opened centres of learning (e.g in Faza and Lamu). In this way, the religious of education of the natives was improved, and the "islamic" culture was prevalent in the society, e.g the non-interaction of genders, respect for hijaab etc. Then came the wave of colonialism and later independence, and for a couple of decades, the system was interrupted.

By the 60's and 70's, hijaab had become a cultural thing and had broken all the boundaries of religion. For example, it was very common to find a woman (from all ethnic backgrounds and Islamic sects) to be wearing a very exposing 'Abaya outdoors, and in the house (and the presence of male servants and other na mahram) to walk around without any hijaab. When people from the smaller towns would visit the large developed cities, they would remove their hijaab, as it was a sign of backwardness. A lot of people were into nationalism and "Arab Pride" and thus, were proud of all that was deemed "Arab" even if it came in the face of a lewd leader of an Arab state.

When the Islamic revolution in Iran happened, most people were not aware of it, and only saw it in the eyes of the western media: a mullah taking over a state with no plan for the future. A few people were however prompted to think, and it led to a lot of research on shi'ism (which until that point in time was seen as mainly a tribal grouping [Khoja shia ithna'asheris]. But the questioning and the reading started, and by the grace and mercy of Allah (swt) , Imam Khumayni and the scholars of the revolution led to the revival of religion in East Africa. Today, the number of muhibbe ahlulbayt is growing significantly alhamdulillah, and as a result of that, other sects of Islam have been kept on their toes too! :D Hijaab came back into fashion, this time on the proper grounds of understanding what hijaab is, and why hijaab should be worn. The women who had become so used to exposing themselves while still in "hijaab" suddenly became aware of how naked they had actually become. I know a person who told me how (this person was one who wore above average, excellent by relative measure, hijaab at the time) a non Muslim workmate told them: 'Oh see how this bearded men wants to oppress you women and make you cover up!" She says this statement was like a slap in her face, awakening her to how decadent society had become, till a person could stand up and tell a Muslim woman that being covered up was an extreme position.

Today, I wish I could meet Imam Khumayni (qas) and thank him for enabling me to practise hijaab in my society without being ostracised for it. I would also want to thank him for being the reason for my family researching into the way of the ahlulbayt (as) and alhamdulillah, choosing the path of being muhibbe ahlulbayt.. and insha'Allah Shia of Ahlulbayt (as) :cry:

He, and many other scholars have gone ahead of us. This is my small way of saying: Thank you, and may Allah reward you abundantly for your efforts in the revival of Islam!

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ {1}

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {2}

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ {3}

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ {4}

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ {5}

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ {6}

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ {7}

(wasalam)

Edited July 28, 2011 by habib e najjaar

[-SeeKeR-]

Grand Ayatollah Shaikh Behjat

He is a truly an inspirational figure. Just seeing his pictures and videos act as a motivational means. Anyone who has ever met him or seen him can never forget the experience. One girl i know who had the pleasure of meeting him said that when he smiles at you, it was truly as if the gates of blessings had opened up. Even saying salat behind him was an experience in itself and those who had the opportunity to experience it say it changed their life.

Sheikh Musbah says, "Ayatollah Bahjat used to quote the late Qadi saying, 'If one of you performs the obligatory prayer in its early time and does not reach high stations, let him curse me!' Or, according to another version of the narrative, he said, 'Let him spit in my face.'" ref:USWAT AL-AARIFEEN

He is truly a reflection of a true follower of Islam and an example of teh heights one can reach. I am grateful to him for acting as a source of motivation in these dark times....

Edited July 28, 2011 by -SeeKeR-

[Maula Dha Mallang]

i have a few stories.

ayatollah e uzama langroudi

stayed in my house on numerous occasions. absolutely fascinating guy, told us stories of his experiences with the awaited imam (atf), and his life when he was younger. he is the reason my brothers kept beards (i only started keeping one about a year and a half ago, never felt better cant believe i didnt do it sooner). i love him for his akhlaaq, humour and patience. the worst chain smoker i have ever seen, but he was absolutely passionately in favour of zanjeer zani (specifically paki style) and tatbir, although he said it was only jaiz for imam hussain (as) on ashura and arba'een, and the martyrdom of bibi paak (sa). he was like a playful kid when babies were around, he always preferred sitting on the floor instead of sofas, and when a baby/ toddler would walk past him, he would poke or push them gently then look away and pretend that it wasnt him when they turned around. may Allah grant him the highest place in heaven, ameen.

ayatollah ghadiri

taught our family quran along with maulana abu yasir (may Allah grant him the highest place in heaven, ameen). just a generally all round nice guy. all the mallangs accused him of being a wahabbi/ zionist spy, he never bothered arguing or defending himself. instead he wrote my dad a poem in urdu, which made no sense to me at all but my dad said was a code explaining that he doesnt need to defend himself because his imam was witness.

Dr (ayatollah?) mohammed ali shomali

when he was much younger, he used to live near us in manchester. lovely guy but dont get him started on WF or azadari. he used to argue with my uncles non stop about stopping azadari but apart from that i like him a lot. couldnt handle his spices, it became a tradition that he would visit my uncles house every saturday after zuhr for lunch, and each time would bring one or two different people to discuss things. hes mash'Allah i believe a dean at tehran university now? he used to read jummah at 404 and give nightly lessons and speeches.

maulana raza hussain

i think he is the current imam at the hussainia in watford? he used to live in our house for approx 3 months at a time when we were kids. he taught us namaz, and used to sometimes take us with him to munazaras at local sunni masjids.

maulana ameer hussain

another maulana who used to stay in our house with his son for months at a time, usually over summer. lovely guy and has a brilliant son mash'Allah

Edited July 28, 2011 by Maula Dha Mallang

[Socrates]

Ditto on Ayatullah Ghadiri and Sheikh Shomali. Both top, top guys. Very good sense of humour too.

[Philip]

(salam)

In the blessed kafi in the beginning Sayidna Aly as describes how important scholars are. In numbers how the life of a Muslim scholar is worth many times more than ordinary Muslims. Kind of makes sense, because saying shahada and following traditions is not as important as having knowledge and understanding base. One can say that scholars are the heart of islam .. The chosen few who carry the banner of their people .. Metaphorically speaking.

Allah protect and guide our scholars of the Truth

(salam)

[Jihad-Fadak]

Asalamou 'aleykoum,

#Cheikh Yassir Al-Habib (ha) :

After escaping from Kuwait when having been miraculously released from the Kuwaiti prison in 2004, His Eminence Sheikh Yasser al-Habib and his companions from Khoddam Al-Mahdi migrated to Iraq and stayed there in a short period. During this period they had the great blessings of visiting the Holy Shrines of the pure Infallibles of Ahlul-Bayt (as).

When in prison, Sheikh al-Habib supplicated by asking Hadhrat Abal-Fadhl al-Abbas (as) from help in escaping prison, and he gave an oath that if he's released from prison, he would personally give the Adhan in the Holy Abbasid Shrine.

The very same day he was taken by guards to the prison office, and was released days before the Kuwaiti National Day because of "pardon by the Kuwaiti prince". Later on, the Kuwaiti Intelligence Services discovered this "mistake" in releasing them, and therefore ordered an immediate arrest of Sheikh al-Habib and his companions. Fortunately, they managed to escape them, and till this very day, the Kuwaiti Intelligence Services cannot understand why and how this "mistake" of them could ever happen.

Finally, that very same year, His Eminence gave the Adhan (call for prayer) in the Holy Abbasid Shrine.

[Maula Dha Mallang]

^^ my god :o i never knew this! yet another reason why i love him!

[Abu Izrael]

Say what you want about the guy, but admit S. Yasser's got a pro voice :P

Edited July 29, 2011 by HassoonBazoon

[baradar_jackson]

Unfortunately, I have never met a major scholar in person. (I know some lucky folks on SC who have met Sheikh Behjat twice)

So I will recount a story of someone else who had the great privilege of meeting Imam Seyyed Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini.

Toward the end of the Imam's life, the USSR became a preoccupation of his. Mikhail Gorbachev had come to power in 1985 and shortly thereafter began implementing his perestroika reforms. Imam Khomeini, with his astute political knowledge and unparallel foresight, recognized that Gorbachev's reforms were bringing about the collapse of the Soviet Union as a global superpower, and a dissolution of the Union which held together the various republics.

Imam Khomeini had many concerns: What would be the status of the Muslim republics? In the post-Soviet power vacuum, would Wahabis/Salafis gain influence there (as has happened in the North Caucasus)? Would anti-Islamic secularists take power and continue (or even intensify) the repression against Islam (as has happened in Azerbaijan)? What would happen with the largest and most important republic, Russia? Would it liberalize its economy and society and follow in the path of the US and Europe (as it attempted, under Yeltsin)? Would the former anti-American superpower ("super-criminal," to use the terminology of the Imam) now become an outpost for the US?

Many things were uncertain. What the Imam was certain of (which only a man of his political foresight could predict) was that the Soviet Union would dissolve. The question remained, what would happen in its aftermath?

Imam Khomeini wanted the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He had been clear on this position for his entire career as a political activist. But he was not a cheerleader for death and destruction. You see people today clapping and whistling at what is happening in Syria, when in fact the livelihood of the Syrian people is being destroyed and the unity of this people is being destroyed. The same thing happened with Yugoslavia: people clapped and cheered when they saw ethnic civil war tear the fabric of that country apart. This is all because these events helped their political aims and desires.

Imam was not like this. He understood fully well that the situation in the Soviet Union was a fragile one. It was fragile from a number of perspectives: economic problems made people dissatisfied with the Soviet system and call for the liberal system. These economic problems heightened tension between the various republics (Ukraine: "Why should we be the lone source of bread for the almost entire USSR? Let's keep it for ourselves!" Azerbaijan: "Why should the other republics benefit from our oil wealth? Let's keep it for ourselves!"). These resulted in ethnic tensions within the republics as well; the Russian-speaking Ukrainians of East Ukraine were scapegoated by West Ukrainians, Armenians who had migrated to Azerbaijan were targeted as subversives, etc. And of course, these matters were all intensified by American propaganda. Ten or so years ago, during the "reformist golden age" in Iran, the Honorable Leader of the Revolution Seyyed Ali Khamenei gave a brilliant analysis of the collapse of the Soviet Union and how it was in fact the first-ever velvet revolution.

So Imam Khomeini knew that there would be a lot of bloodshed. Indeed, try to name a former Soviet Republic that did not plunge into violence and bloodshed after 1991. Tajikistan had a civil war. Armenia and Azerbaijan went to war. Moldova fought a civil war. Even today, we see that the former Soviet space is still wrought with tensions and conflict. Russia lays claims to South Ossetia; NATO gives Georgia assurances that it will support her but doesn't really have the fortitude to stand up against Russia. These events are ongoing, and many have suffered as a result.

Imam Khomeini knew that these conflicts were unavoidable, and he knew that the West would exert its full efforts to benefit from them.

He also knew that he had to take action so that the post-Soviet era would not become an era of people in the post-Soviet space becoming pawns in a grand imperial war. But the factors were already in play. The wheels were already in motion. In Soviet society, in Soviet politics, and in the propaganda environment, there seemed to be an unchangeable progression toward this horrible outcome.

Imam Khomeini's action came in the form of a letter; addressed to then President of the Soviet Union and General-Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Mikhail Gorbachev. The contents of this letter concretely prove all of the political foresight and wisdom which I have alluded to in this post. While applauding Gorbachev for recognizing that the Soviet system was inherently flawed and needed deep, structural changes, he warned him of going down the Western path: "The basic problems of your country is not the issue of ownership, economics, or liberty. Your problem is a lack of true faith in God; the same problem that has driven, or will drive, the West to worthlessness and dead end!" At this time, Gorbachev was being praised non-stop in the West, while his popularity in the USSR kept plummeting. This caused Gorbachev to perhaps become increasingly West-leaning. Imam correctly recognized the problems that would face post-Soviet space, and tried to convince Gorbachev of the seriousness of this issue.

After this, without much elaboration, he invited Gorbachev to do a serious study of Islam. In particular, he recommended the works of Ibn Sina and other classical Islamic philosophers and gnostics. The letter was not very long or wordy. But it contained so much wisdom and foresight.

In response, Gorbachev sent a delegation to Iran. The leader of this delegation -- Eduard Shevardnadze, Gorbachev's foreign minister -- visited Imam's house in Jamaran, Tehran.

It is interesting to note that at the time of deliverance of Gorbachev's response to Imam Khomeini, Shevardnadze, Soviet foreign minister was surprised to see that the man who had warned and sent a message to world's number 2 nuclear power, was sitting in a 3x4 meter room of a small adobe house in Jamaran, with utmost simplicity and without the least vestige of ordinary ceremonies, and quite calm and, as solid as a mountain with a Qoran, a namaz rug and rosary by his side, plus some newspapers and an ordinary radio.

Shevardnadze's astonishment increased when he noticed that a second wooden chair was not available for the high ranking Russian who accompanied him, and perforce he had to experience sitting on the floor, if it were only for one time! Perhaps, when an old pious man who was serving the Imam handed, as the only catering to the guests, a cup of tea and two cubes of sugar to Shevardnadze, the Foreign Minister of the World's Eastern Pole, he may have thought that all this was uncommon and intentional; but that was not true.

During his entire life, whether alone, in estrangement or in exile or, during his religious and political leadership, until the moment of his heavenly departure, the Imam did not abandon his simple and pure living, and never thought of changing his way of life in respect to this world's high positions, no matter how great these might have been.

Source: The Narrative of Awakening: Imam Khomeini's Biography

And this is the story of pir-e Jamaran (the old man of Jamaran); the statesman who was also an arif. The revolutionary who was also a philosopher. The man who, while sending a letter of advice to the head of state of the world's largest country, sat on the floor of his simply unadorned home and ate bread and yoghurt. This is where Imam's uniqueness lied: few other leaders in modern history had such a detachment from material things.

[habib e najjaar]

Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari (qas)

"Let the evil-wishers know that with the departure of Mutahhari, his Islamic personality and his philosophy and learning have not left us. Assassinations cannot destroy the Islamic personality of the great men of Islam. Islam grows through sacrifice and martyrdom of its cherished ones. From the time of its revelation up to the present time, Islam has always been accompanied by martyrdom and heroism."

~Imam Khumayni

The noble martyr's endeavours towards propagating the message and teachings of the ahlulbayt can be seen in his numerous works [ Available Online] . Not only do his works portray a depth and beautiful understanding of the holy family, they are in a format that is easy to digest and understand even for the lay person. So caring was this man that he made the focus of his work the majority of the ummah i.e. the lay persons. In addition, a trend you will find in his works is the practical solutions he offers for one wishing to understand and follow the ahlulbayt I will quote one of his advices to us in our following of Imam Ali :

We, the Shi'ah Muslims, must confess that we have been unjust in regard to our duty with respect to the man whom we, more than others, take pride in following; or, at the very least, we must admit falling short in our duty towards him. In substance, any kind of failure in fulfilling our responsibility is an act of injustice on our part. We did not want to realize the significance of 'Ali ('a), or we had been unable to. All our energy and labour were devoted to proclaiming the Prophet's statements about 'Ali and to denouncing those who ignored them, but we failed to pay attention to the intellectual side of Imam 'Ali's personality.

Sadi says: The reality of musk lies in its scent, Not in the perfumer's advice.

Applying Sa'di's words to our attitude regarding Imam 'Ali's personality, we did not realize that this musk, recommended by the Divine Perfumer, itself carried its pleasant aroma, and before everything else we should have tried to know its scent and become familiar with it. That is, we should have familiarized ourselves and others with its inner fragrance. The counsel of the Divine Perfumer was meant to acquaint the people with its pleasant redolence, not for the purpose that they may believe that it is musk and then devote all their energies trying to convince others by arguing with them, without bothering to acquaint themselves with its real fragrance.

Ya Shahid, may Allah (swt) grant you the loftiest positions in jannah, in the company of your noble ancestors the Holy Ahlulbayt .

Kindly recite Suratul Fati7a for this noble soul.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ {1}

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {2}

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ {3}

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ {4}

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ {5}

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ {6}

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ {7}

Allahumma salli 3la Muhammad wa aali Muhammad, wab3ath thawaabaha ilaa qabri Shahid Murtadha Mutahhari [daama dhillahu].

Edited July 29, 2011 by habib e najjaar

[baradar_jackson]

^

"I hope that the sisters and brothers attending this school -- the Shahid Motahari (ra) Superior School -- who are engaged in studies and in propaganda work, remember that the school bears the name of a martyr who was indispensable to Islam. His writings and his speeches are the guider and administrator of our youth, and indeed this is the way it must be. You sisters and brothers must plan and coordinate so that from among you, one or many Motaharis are produced."

(Emam Khomeini)

Edited July 29, 2011 by baradar_jackson

[Gypsy]

(salam)

Please see post #62 here

[habib e najjaar]

(salam)

Thanks Zareen! I took the liberty of copy pasting them here:

Sayyid Ali al Sistani (ha)

(bismillah)

Alhamdulilah, I managed to meet with the Sayyid himself (albeit after lengthy negotiations) but it was quite brief as the Sayyid had much demand on his time. I did manage to ask him quite a lot of questions, those that I couldn't, I asked from the committee of Istifta (a council of scholars) from his office. I was told signed fatwas would take a couple of weeks (which I didn't have), but I have the telephone number of the Najaf office for those wishing to confirm the answers. Some of these I have answered in the Laws and Jurisprudence forum, so check there if you don't see your question answered here.

Regarding tatbeer, the Sayyid was rather evasive and initially said 'it is under review, but the fatwas given previously should be acted upon'. When I asked him to clarify the issue of damage to the view of Islam (the damage to personal health is obvious), he said 'anything in which the bad outweighs the good is not permissible'. Again, I asked if Tatbeer had this effect but he replied 'it is to be judged by the people'. So, I really couldn't get a straight answer.

As for being a lawyer in the West, he said it is not permissible to lie nor defend/prosecute someone whom you knew to be guilty/innocent.

The question about educating children with music, the Sayyid said 'you cannot educate a child with immoral music, because no education is possible from it, and the music is haram'. When I gave the scenario, the Sayyid said 'in these instances, the music used is not of the corrupt type, since nursery rhymes are not used by the immoral people'.

Concerning the questions on khums, the Sayyid said 'it is only the duty of the husband to pay the khums, and during his lifetime or after, it is not obligated on his wife or children to pay it, but they can if they want to'. The office of the Sayyid said that khums must be paid on the value of the item purchased from money intended for khums.

Regarding Sachedina, the Sayyid only said that his view on the matter still stands.

About copyrights and pirated software, the Sayyid said 'if when you purchase an item, you make an agreement you will observe the relevant stipulations (eg. copyright, non-distribution, etc) with the vendor, then you must. However, there is no harm in purchasing software copied without the owner's permission, but it is best to seek permission if the owner is a Muslim'.

Regarding the Pharmacist, the Sayyid said 'the blame of a subsequent act such as abortion is not shared by the pharmacist who provided the drugs'.

The Sayyid and his office were both adamant that a fatwa prohibiting the marriage of alawi (sayeda) women with non-sayyids was never issued and anyone asserting so is a liar.

As for Sayyid Fadhlallah, the Sayyid was again very evasive. He would only say that he does not have a fatwa on the matter, nor does he express his view on it. After I pressed him for an answer on the permissibility of doing Sayyid Fadhlallah's taqleed, he would only say that the muqallid should follow the common laws on taqleed and abide by them. His office said that the Sayyid does not comment on another person's marjai'iyah and that he does not have an opinion or fatwa on it.

About the women wanting a divorce in a remote area, the Sayyid said 'all efforts must be exerted to make contact with the mujtahid and since someone knows of her situation, they should be the intermediary and use the available means of communication'.

Concerning the sunni Nikah, the office said that 'seeking permission of the father is paramount, if unintentionally it was not sought and the permission can be sought now, even after marriage, the marriage will be valid, otherwise a marriage without the permission of the guardian is void.

His office stated that 'poetry is permissible provided that it does not contain immoral speech or lies or things damaging to Islam or Muslims'.

About the hawzah and its lack of standardised teaching, the Sayyid said 'as long as the school of the Ahlulbayt is taught properly, there is no harm in it being taught differently'. His office agreed that it had been hoped for a while that the Hawzahs would become more structured, but that the political situation had put progress back several years.

The Sayyid was in good health, he smiled frequently and focused his attention entirely on what the speaker was saying. He never turned away when I was speaking and would not interrupt me until I finished talking. He does have a thick Iranian accent, but he does understand Iraqi slang and his replies in Arabic, whilst formal, were quite clearly said. He understood immediately what the question was and his replies were without hesistation. He was quite astute and his replies were said in certainty. He was seated on the floor and invited me to sit next to him. His voice was soft and his face quite warm and friendly. Even though this feeling of overwhelming respect was hovering inside, his humbleness relaxed me throughout the meeting. His house was very simple, we were served some traditional tea and offered biscuits. The only sight of furniture was chairs for those in the waiting area. I conveyed the greetings of all ShiaChatters to the Sayyid who told me he was very proud of those who did not let distance stop them from gaining Islamic knowledge. I asked him a few personal questions such as his newfound voice in politics and his keeping himself in his house, and the Sayyid replied with a smile and short answer that 'you do what is best at the time'. The people at the office were equally friendly and were impressed that brothers and sisters all over the world had such deep questions and observed Islam so well.

Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, spiritual guide to millions of Iraq’s Shiite majority, called eight local journalists to visit him Sunday as he sought to dispel rumors published in a Jordanian newspaper that he was seriously ill. Sistani, a reclusive cleric, has been one of the most influential voices in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. He used his moral authority to push the United States to allow elections in Iraq in January 2005 when U.S. officials had originally envisioned a longer timeframe. Sistani helped bring an end to the uprising waged by young radical cleric Muqtada Sadr in Najaf in August 2004. The frail cleric, who seldom leaves his house in Najaf, is a force to be reckoned with, whether by Americans or by politicians in Baghdad, who curry his favor.

Saad Fakhrildeen, The Times' special correspondent in Najaf, writes below about meeting the cleric in Sistani's office, located in an anonymous alleyway in the pilgrimage city.

By Saad Fakhrildeen in Najaf

All eight of us were called in the morning to visit the grand ayatollah’s bureau. We were met by his son, Mohammed Ridha, who serves as his father’s top advisor. He welcomed us and said the media needed to dispel the rumors that crop up from time to time about the grand ayatollah, in particular the latest one that he was ill. Mohammed Ridha entered his father’s office first while we waited in a guest area drinking tea. He then left and beckoned for us to go inside. We thought it would be the same as in the past, where we would grip his hand and kiss it and then leave.

Sistani sat on a mattress, dressed in his black robes and matching turban. He shook our hands and we wished him success. He beckoned us to sit with him. We sat on both his left and right. The room had about seven thin mattresses and one large rug. A small plastic bag held coins. The lights went out briefly and then a generator started up and emitted a steady roar. Sitting with him, I was so happy, I wanted to cry.

Sistani smiled and his voice sounded normal. The oldest reporter in our group asked the grand ayatollah about the rumors that he was sick. Sistani told us: “It was circulated recently some news about my health, which was not correct. It caused some anxiety to the believers in Iraq and the world. I advise journalists to deal with the news honestly.”

He let us know how much he valued our profession and told us he was upset over how many reporters had been killed and harassed in Iraq. “I am proud of you and your work, your work is important in transferring the truth to the people,” Sistani said. Listening to him, I felt such words from such a man meant journalists are important.

He then complimented the people of Najaf, his adopted home since he moved here as a young man from his birthplace near Masshad in eastern Iran. “I have lived in Najaf for more than 50 years since before Saddam came, and I lived here during the reign of the monarchy and the regimes that followed it, and I witnessed the courage of Najaf people in particular and the sons of Iraq in general. I wish you success,” he said. We had spent 10 minutes in his office. When he finished speaking, that was a signal it was time for us to leave. We told him: “Excuse us, Sayed.” He motioned as if he wanted to stand up to say goodbye, but we didn’t wish to burden him. Outside his office, others were waiting their turn.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbey...eting-with.html

(wasalam)

[habib e najjaar]

(salam)

Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai (qas)

"Indeed this Qur'an guides to the path which is clearer and straighter than any other" [surah 17:9].

"We have revealed to you the book which clarifies every matter" [surah 16:89]

The Holy Qur’an is our living miracle, and provides a complete pattern/guideline for the life of a Muslim. Indeed, it is from the holy book that both moral, spiritual and practical laws are derived. It is a book we should make our constant companion, and a source of teachings for ourselves and others.

One of Allama Tabatabai’s greatest contributions to Shia academia came in the form of his exegesis of the Qur'an. When he arrived in the Qom seminary, he found that teaching Tafsir was viewed as a sign of incompetence. Therefore, he took it upon himself to revive that field. After several years of devoted scholarship, he completed his acclaimed Tafsir al-Mizan, considered the greatest commentary on the Qur'an written in the last few centuries. Whereas previous commentators, such as Shaikh Tabarsi and Shaikh Qummi, had used narrations of the Infallibles (peace be upon them) as the primary mode of interpreting the Qur'an, Allama Tabatabai used the unique method of exegesis by using one verse of the Qur'an to explain the other or, as he called it, "permitting the Qur'an to speak for itself". The 20-volume Arabic work has since been translated into many languages, and a partial English translation is also available Online

His other work on the Qur’an (The Qur'an in Islam) [ Available here ] is also a beautiful read.

As shahr Ramadhan approaches, and our companionship with the Qur'an increases, let us remember to say a prayer for those who helped open our eyes to the beauty and miracle of the Qur'an.

ÈöÓúãö Çááóøåö ÇáÑóøÍúãóٰäö ÇáÑóøÍöíãö {1}

ÇáúÍóãúÏõ áöáóøåö ÑóÈöø ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó {2}

ÇáÑóøÍúãóٰäö ÇáÑóøÍöíãö {3}

ãóÇáößö íóæúãö ÇáÏöøíäö {4}

ÅöíóøÇßó äóÚúÈõÏõ æóÅöíóøÇßó äóÓúÊóÚöíäõ {5}

ÇåúÏöäóÇ ÇáÕöøÑóÇØó ÇáúãõÓúÊóÞöíãó {6}

ÕöÑóÇØó ÇáóøÐöíäó ÃóäúÚóãúÊó Úóáóíúåöãú ÛóíúÑö ÇáúãóÛúÖõæÈö Úóáóíúåöãú æóáóÇ ÇáÖóøÇáöøíäó {7}

(wasalam)

[habib e najjaar]

Excerpts of the impressions of Robin Woodsworth Carlsen when he 'met' Emam Khumayni (qas) for the first time:

For once the door opened for him I experienced a hurricane of energy surge through the door, and in his brown robes, his black-turbaned head, his white beard he stirred every molecule in the building and riveted the attention in a way that made everything else disappear. He was a flowing mass of light that penetrated into the consciousness of each person in the hall. He destroyed all images that one tried to hold before one in sizing him up. He was so dominant in his presence that I found myself organized in my sensations by that which took me far beyond my own concepts, my own way of processing experience. I had expected-no matter what the apparent stature of the man to find myself scrutinizing his face, exploring his motivation, wondering about his real nature. Khomeini's power, grace, and absolute domination destroyed all my modes of evaluation and I was left to simply experience the energy and feeling that radiated from his presence on the stage. A hurricane he was, yet immediately one could see there was a point of absolute stillness inside that hurricane; while fierce and commanding, he was yet serene and receptive. Something was immovable inside him, yet that immovability moved the whole country of Iran This was no ordinary human being; in fact even of all the so called saints I had met-the Dalai Lama, Buddhist monks, Hindu sages-none possessed quite the electrifying presence of Khomeini. For those who could see (and feel) there could be no question about his integrity, nor about the claim, however muted by people like Yazdi, by his people that he had gone beyond the normal (or abnormal) selfhood of the human being and had taken residence in something absolute. This absoluteness was declared in the air, it was declared in the movement of his body, it was declared in the motion of his hands, it was declared in the fire of his personality, it was declared in the stillness of his consciousness. There was no mystery about why he was so loved by millions of Iranians and Muslims throughout the world and he demonstrated, to this observer at least, the empirical foundation for the notion of higher states of consciousness. Yes, the severity, the humourlessness, the absolutist judgement was apparent; yet given the circumstances within which he was placed, there was the affirmation of appropriateness in his every gesture and aspect. This was the most extraordinary person I had seen.

At first he did not speak; another religious leader addressed the audience, Khomeini sitting in a kind of immaculate silence and perfect equilibrium. He was motionless; he was detached; he was in an ocean of peacefulness; and yet something was in pure motion; something was dynamically involved; something was ready to wage constant war. He dwarfed all those people whom I had met in Iran; he dominated the stage even while the other mullah spoke. All eyes were on Khomeini, and there was not the slightest trace of egotism, of self-consciousness, even, if I can say it, of inner dialogue or random thinking. His whole being focused relentlessly yet spontaneously on the point of concentration that aesthetically and spiritually fitted into the dramatic scene we were witnessing. Despite the fierce intention, the absolute sense of uncompromising rectitude, there was yet the sense of something perfectly effortless and smooth that dictated the manifest movements of his hands, the sound of his throat clearing, the focus of his attention. Here hundreds of patriots and Muslims had shouted his greatness, had sworn their love, their absolute adulation; yet while receiving all this he remained within himself, he remained unmoved; he remained in the dignity of some imperturbable inner state that was beyond the boundaries of a causation that I was familiar with.

The reader may wince at the extravagance of my description of this man; he must know, however, that despite everything that I had heard, despite the contradictory evidence I had received before (the seeming violence of the rhetoric, the lack of creative playfulness and so on), the actual and immediate impression of what Imam Khomeini was had nothing to do with some sort of idea or concept. The experience was too overpowering for that. Imagine for a moment the pushing of the body of oneself out of one's mother's womb, or the moment when one might awaken to the fact that one was being created inside a foetal body, or the moment when one was conscious of dying, or the moment when one first discovered the power of egos: these experiences have as their basis a primary determinant outside of the frame of reference the individual; what is dominant is the intrinsic nature of the reality which is giving birth to the experience. Such is what happened on the morning of Wednesday, February 9th, 1982 in North Tehran. The subjectivity of the experience seemed to be objectified by something that was at the very basis of my consciousness; I transcended the mode of experience that normally determined what sensations, thoughts, feelings constellated into my awareness of self. Khomeini was that powerful; Khomeini was that strong; Khomeini was that egoless and invincible

In a moment I saw all the impulses of the revolution, the whole history of the overthrow of the Shah, the rhythms of martyrdom, the bygone Islamic civilization that had temporarily overshadowed the West: all of this was contained in the presence of this man. He was the source of the revival of Islam, he was the source of the revolution, he was the source of whatever power this revolution and Islam represented to the world. Without him I am certain the monarchy would still be in place and Islam would be effectively eliminated as a factor in the political destiny of the Middle East. Once seeing Khomeini I questioned whether even the revolution in Iran would survive in its vitality and coherence for it seemed pretty obvious that all inspiration was derived from Khomeini's leadership. Khomeini was the revolution. Those given the awareness or feeling to know what he represented (the wholeness of life biased through Islam) could not help but be filled with the fervour of Islam, the blessed confidence of martyrdom, the determination to spread Islam to the world. He uplifted and transformed; this was done not through some projected idea of his charisma; it was done by the actual material of life; it was accomplished through the intention of that which had created this whole drama. No, Khomeini was at the centre of this Islamic eruption; Khomeini was the fountainhead of the spiritual power that flowed into the hearts of Muslims throughout the Middle East-at least those Muslims who instinctively were close to the heart of Islam.

He did not smile once; his face was implacably set in the resolution of his will; God demanded everything from him; he had given his life to serving God. There was nothing to laugh at, to be amused at, to wonder about; his course had been set and he was in the determined consequences of that course: to bring Islam into the prominence which its divine genesis had portended. He lived for Islam; he had become the instrument of Islam; he had no purpose but the enactment of Islam. His individuality seemed merged with the universality of his higher purpose. I detected no mental entropy, no inner reactions to his environment; no, there was only the inevitable pattern of duty that placed him into the servitude of Allah. Of course neither science nor psychology could verify these observations; they entirely escaped the instruments, the diagnosis of experiential reality; nevertheless one might suspect that his brain waves would yield readings of hemispheric coherence not typical of those of us still in the normal grip of conflict, ambivalence, and insecurity. Physiologically, octogenarian that he was, there was the impression of soundness, of efficiency, of non-wasted energy and performance. Everything he did-from the motion of his hands to the opening of his mouth to the sound of his words-was under the aegis of one ordering intelligence. He was totally non-divided; he gave the sense of someone who had not only mastered himself but was himself now the servant of another master, and one can only assume that he had either hallucinated himself into the experience of submitting to God, or that indeed he had achieved that permanent grace that was the subject of my controversial discussion with Ebrahim Yazdi and the Lebanese professor. Here he was, perhaps the most hated man of post Hitler civilization, yet one saw him as being utterly undemagogic; one saw him as-at the very least-an Old Testament prophet, an Islamic Moses come to drive Pharaoh from his lands (Pharaohism being expressed in all those values and activities that ignored the reality and pre-eminence of Allah).

Despite the hatred (and I thought of all the millions of people who had gone through many days of their lives during the hostage crisis filled with negative thoughts about "The Ayatollah"-how the most powerful hostility had focused itself on him) he yet appeared untouched by this destructive energy. He had been strong enough to survive it; he had been perhaps strong enough to be chosen to release it; now he was hated even more for thousands, perhaps millions, of his countrymen- not to mention Saddam Hussein and the monarchs of the region-now turned against him. I intuited that the very hatred directed against him had in fact strengthened the revolution, had in fact made him that much more powerful; he did not live for the approval of others, he did not live to be a hero; he did not live for any personal satisfaction; he lived for the truth he experienced in the laws of Islam, in the revelations of the Prophet, in the happiness and immortality that could be achieved through Islam.

...

The powerful concentration of compassion, vitality, and, yes, bliss that radiated from Imam Khomeini kept this writer bathed in a purifying energy and feeling that expressed itself in the most profound sense of vulnerability and gratitude. I felt I was being given more of the ocean of existence and within the form of that ocean (as flowing through the Imam) was the clarity of the divine; it was in these thirty minutes that the Imam was on stage that I experienced all the cells in my mind and in my heart bursting with healing love and appreciation. I was being given everything that perhaps could be given to someone, just because it was only through another human being that God Himself could concentrate his intention, his presence, his most perfect meaning. I felt even that my whole life was being clarified, that knowledge about my own destiny, my own unused power and integrity was awakening, that I would henceforth be a better, deeper, and more expanded human being. The feelings that surged through me had a strangely objectifying influence; this was not sentimental gushings; it was as if the Imam's wholeness was able to move towards everything in Creation in rivers of tenderness and meaning that opened up, refined, and glorified the heart.

You can read the rest of his description of 'A meeting with the Imam here .

(wasalam)

[Replicant]

I've shared this story before, but I'll do it again as this thread calls for it:

In Iraq last year, we had this pregnant sister in our group, but she was very early in her pregnanancy so she didn't have any of the signs (like a bump). Only a few of us knew she was pregnant (me included as her husband was rooming with me so he had told me).

Anyway, it was time to leave our meeting with Ayatollah Sistani. When it was the ladies' turn to leave, each lady walked past him and Ayatollah did not look at any of them and kept looking at the floor. When this pregnant lady walked past him, as she approached, he raised his head and looked up at her and told his assistant (I think it was his son) to tell her to sit down, he wants to pray for her baby. So he put his hand above her head and did a dua for the baby.

The question lies as to how he knew she was pregnant without even looking at her, let alone ever meeting her before. True story.

The man overall has such an aura around him, I cannot explain it. You just can't stop looking at him. He is very softly spoken and just so humble. Such a great person.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Replicant

[baradar_jackson]

Followers of the leader continuing their chanting even though it will delay his speech (and thus, keep them under the rain for a longer time).

They sing chants such as khooni ke dar rag e maast, hediye be rahbar e maast ("The blood that runs through our veins, is our gift to our leader").

The leader stops them and says "How long must I keep you under this rain?"

They continue chanting and expressing their love.

He then says "Well this shows your kindness. I never doubted this. But I am sitting here under a roof while you all are under the rain. This, for me, is unacceptable and intolerable."

They continue chanting.

Then the clip cuts to when they stop chanting and he starts speaking. He says a dua: "O God, pour your mercy, greatness, and guidance upon all of us just as the rain is falling upon these people's heads right now!"

[yassameen]

I just learnt about a great man and felt guilty by not knowing him before

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Abul Ma'ali Shahab ad-Din Muhammad Hussain Mar'ashi Najafi (July 1, 1897 - August 31, 1990) (Arabic: اية الله العظمى السيد شهابالدين الحسينى المرعش‎) was an Iraqi born Marja-i Taqleed. A prominent jurisprudent and Islamic scholar, he was also the founder of the Grand Library of Mar'ashi Najafi in Qom, Iran. He is widely credited within the Shia world for having selflessly salvaged many thousands of rare, near destroyed or lost Islamic books an manuscripts.

Today, this library contains the largest collection of Shia manuscripts in the world.^[1]

http://www.marashilibrary.com/english/index.html

His library is considered the third largest one in middle east

Whilst studying in Najaf, Sayid Najafi became growingly concerned with the immense wealth of Islamic knowledge that was being lost in the displacement and destruction of Shia texts. He took it upon himself to purchase as many rare books and manuscripts that he could on his modest clerical stipend in order to preserve them. When his stipend was exhausted, he took a job at a rice cleaning factory in Najaf,^[4] performed Qada prayers and fasts on behalf of others, and ate only one meal a day in order to raise enough money to purchase these books.^[5]

Sayid Najafi continued to collect these rare Shia manuscripts once he migrated to Iran. In 1965, he presented 278 rare manuscripts in Arabic and Persian to the University of Tehran College of Theology and Divinity.^[6] He would continue to donate many of these books to libraries across Iran.

In 1965, he was able to found the Marashiyah Islamic Seminary in Qom, where he allocated a number of rooms for the purpose of housing these books. It was not long before these rooms were formally designated as a library.

The large number of visitors to this library soon required that it be expanded. For this purpose, 1,000 square feet (93 m²) of adjoining land was purchased in order to expand the existing library in 1970.^[6]

In 1974, the reference section of this library was inaugurated. 1,600 rare Shia manuscripts were added to this collection, which was followed by a further 500 manuscripts that were donated to the library's treasury.^[6]

In 1989, the supreme guide of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Grand Ayatollah Sayid Mostafavi Mousavi Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree ordering that the library be built an extension of 16,000 square feet (1,500 m²). At present both the old and the new buildings of the grand library occupies a total area of 21,000 sq. meters.^[6] Sayid Najafi laid the first stone of the foundation of the new library.

from wiki

just a little about a great man

[habib e najjaar]

just a little about a great man

Wow beautiful! jazakillah khayr for sharing..I have heard random tidbits about him, but I was not aware of this beautiful contribution.

[Aly ReZa]

The 1 who have the treasure of faith will understand shaukat raza shaukat

The mindblowing poet

[baradar_jackson]

This video was posted in the Sadr thread and it is wajib to repost it here:

[habib e najjaar]

^^ Love it :D thanks for sharing!

[Replicant]

This video was posted in the Sadr thread and it is wajib to repost it here:

What's happening in this video? Was that one of Saddam's men who he pushed away with his stick? If so, that is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[habib e najjaar]

What's happening in this video? Was that one of Saddam's men who he pushed away with his stick? If so, that is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

Yes, that is exactly what was happening ^_^ :D

Mullah Ahmad Naraqi

Source: http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/history/mullah-ahmad-naraqi.html

Very rarely in Shia history has it happened that both father and son have been the leading Religious Authorities of their times. One such example were Muhaqqiq al-Naraqi and his son Mullah Ahmad Naraqi.

He was born Ahmad ibn Muhammad Mahdi ibn Abi Dhar al-Naraqi in Kashan, Iran, in 1185 AH. He started his religious education at the age of five, and only ten years later, he had received permission to perform Ijtihad (derivation of Islamic law) from his father, Muhaqqiq al-Naraqi, who was the leading scholar and teacher of the seminary in Kashan. He then traveled to Iraq and spent a great deal of time studying under Allama Waheed Behbehani, Sayyid Mahdi Bahrul Uloom, and Shaikh Ja'far Kashif al-Ghita.

In 1209 AH, his father passed away, and Mullah Ahmad was forced to return to Kashan in order to lead the seminary. Only a few years later, Shah Muhammad Khan Qajar was assassinated, and Fath Ali Shah seized power. Fath Ali Shah asked Mullah Ahmad to write a book detailing Islamic rules and guidelines on the issue of just governance and civil management. His Wasilat al-Najaat andAwaid al-Ayyam were among the earliest works done on the subject and are still considered masterpieces on the issue of Islamic government. The latter in particular is the first book in Shia jurisprudence to specifically discuss the concept of Wilayat al-Fuquha (guardianship of the jurists) in detail.

In 1219 AH, and again in 1228 AH, Russian armies invaded and occupied parts of Iran, unleashing terrible acts of tyranny against the population. Mullah Ahmad Naraqi, along with Sayyid Muhammad Mujahid, Sayyid Nasrallah Istarabadi, and Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Qazwini, declared Jihad against the occupiers and made it mandatory for every believer to partake in rising up against the occupiers. Although the rebellion was brutally crushed, the event had far-reaching implications about the role of scholars in the affairs of governance and social order.

Like his predecessors, Mullah Ahmad was renowned for his leadership and knowledge. He authored several books on theology, spirituality, jurisprudence, including Ar-Risa'il wal Masa'il,Me'raj as-Sa'adat, Mustanad ash-Shia, and Al-Khazain. He also trained dozens of scholars and jurisprudents. Among his most notable students were his brother Shaikh Abul Qasim al-Naraqi, his son Shaikh Muhammad al-Naraqi, and the legendary Shaikh Murtadha al-Ansari.

In 1245 AH, Mullah Ahmad passed away in Kashan. His body was taken for burial to Iraq, and he was interred in the shrine of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in Najaf. After him, the helm of Shia leadership would soon be taken over by the legendary jurisprudent and genius Shaikh Murtadha al-Ansari.

[Replicant]

Yes, that is exactly what was happening ^_^ :D

That is just.....inspiring.

[Maula Dha Mallang]

This video was posted in the Sadr thread and it is wajib to repost it here:

shahid sadr = utter legend :huh:

[Patient Warrior]

I hope im not outta topic! But one man i highly Respect is

Sayed Mustafa Al-Qazwini

I hope i didnt mis spell it!

he came all the way out here to seattle and giving a lecture! like that other brother (especially in the west!) I hated keeping my beard cause of how people would say "just shave it etc" but he reminded me of the greatest men to walk on this earth and how we are to follow in there example and grow beards! and his humor is incredible how he can be so serious yet funny :D

Once again sorry if im outta topic!

Thank you :D

[Maula Dha Mallang]

i like him too. he comes on ahlulbayt tv?

do you know he speaks almost accentless urdu? he had a show called alim online n used to take questions and answer in urdu. sick guy.

[Socrates]

i like him too. he comes on ahlulbayt tv?

do you know he speaks almost accentless urdu? he had a show called alim online n used to take questions and answer in urdu. sick guy.

Sayed Moustafa Qazwini speaks Urdu? You sure?

[Replicant]

Sayed Moustafa Qazwini speaks Urdu? You sure?

I think MDM might be confused with Sayed Muhammed Musawi - I've seen him speak Urdu a lot.

[Socrates]

I think MDM might be confused with Sayed Muhammed Musawi - I've seen him speak Urdu a lot.

yeah thought so. Sayed Mousawi lived in India for 12 years as Sayed Khoei's representative, so his Urdu is really good.

[Maula Dha Mallang]

lol...too many qazwinis mash'Allah i get confused easily

[habib e najjaar]

(salam)

I wanted to take a pic of just about every 3alim i saw in Iran and stick it on here and appreciate their presence, but that may have come off as a tad touristy, so I let it go.

:no:

[habib e najjaar]

WAHID BEHBAHANI

An incident is related from the life of the great faqih Wahid Behbahani, may God be pleased with him. One day he observed one of his daughters-in-law wearing a garment made of a fabric usually worn by women of rich families of those days. He reproached his son (the late Aqa Muhammad Isma'il, the lady's husband) in that regard. The son recited this verse of the Quran in reply to his father's remarks:

Say: 'Who has forbidden the ornament of God which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of His providing? (7:32)

The father said: "I don't say that putting on good dress, eating good food, and making use of God's bounties is forbidden. Not at all. Such restrictions do not exist in Islam. However, there is one thing to be remembered. We are a family charged with the duty of the religious leadership of Muslims and have special responsibilities. When the people of poor families see the rich live luxuriously, their frustration is aggravated. Their only consolation is that at least the 'Aqa's family' lives like they do. Now if we too adopt the life-styles of the rich, that will deprive them of their only consolation. However, we cannot practically change the present social condition, but let us not grudge at least this much of sympathy."

SOURCE

Allahumma Salli 3la Muhammad wa aali Muhammad ^_^

[baradar_jackson]

WAHID BEHBAHANI

An incident is related from the life of the great faqih Wahid Behbahani, may God be pleased with him. One day he observed one of his daughters-in-law wearing a garment made of a fabric usually worn by women of rich families of those days. He reproached his son (the late Aqa Muhammad Isma'il, the lady's husband) in that regard. The son recited this verse of the Quran in reply to his father's remarks:

Say: 'Who has forbidden the ornament of God which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of His providing? (7:32)

The father said: "I don't say that putting on good dress, eating good food, and making use of God's bounties is forbidden. Not at all. Such restrictions do not exist in Islam. However, there is one thing to be remembered. We are a family charged with the duty of the religious leadership of Muslims and have special responsibilities. When the people of poor families see the rich live luxuriously, their frustration is aggravated. Their only consolation is that at least the 'Aqa's family' lives like they do. Now if we too adopt the life-styles of the rich, that will deprive them of their only consolation. However, we cannot practically change the present social condition, but let us not grudge at least this much of sympathy."

SOURCE

Allahumma Salli 3la Muhammad wa aali Muhammad ^_^

Beautiful.