Title: Spirituality And Solidarity In The Movement Of Imam Al-Husayn
Speaker: Sh. Mohammed Ali Shomali
Date: Jan/Feb 2011 [Muharram/Safar 1432]
Written By: Haidar Al Haidari
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The Imām and his companions undertook this blessed mission due to having a certain understanding of Allāh, themselves and creation, which is also what caused them to lead lives of piety. `Irfān – the name given to Islāmic Spirituality – is a type of understanding which shapes your life, and shows itself in moral values, such as Solidarity.
`Irfān Comes from the word Ma`rifah, which implies a specific and special type of knowledge, such as knowing a person intimately in such a manner that is possible only through firsthand experience. The reason philosophers have used the word `Irfān to denote Islāmic Spirituality is because it is a type of understanding Him which is such that He is the most obvious thing.
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| "Oh Allāh, make me feel your presence as if I am seeing You... is there anything other than You which has clarity? When were You ever absent that I needed a guide to reach You? When were You ever far from me that I needed to seek signs in Your creation to see You? Blind are the eyes that do not see You... You wanted me to know You in everything, so that I do not neglect You in anything” |
He sees Allāh with the vision of his heart which – unlike physical sight – never confuses, nor becomes weak or unclear.
This is the understanding and closeness to Him that you must achieve.
When you achieve this understanding, then this understanding of Allāh will show itself in all qualities and bring love and mercy to your heart; for one cannot help loving Allāh when one understands Him, because it is impossible for a person not to love Absolute Beauty, Love, Purity and Perfection. Indeed, He will fill your entire heart, as Imām `Ali supplicates in the Supplication of Kumayl “please fill my heart with your love!”.
Those who think that they love Him as well as other things/people next to Him – as a partner with Him – have the wrong understanding.
Dedicate your heart to Allāh and you shall witness a miracle... you will begin to love everyone around you because of Him. Why? Because you know that these are all gifts from Him.
If you know that your children are gifts from God then it would only increase your love for them. For example, suppose one receives a book from a significant personality, it adds to the book’s value. The book may be treasured generations later by virtue of the fact that one’s ancestor received it from a notable personality.
In fact, when you achieve this understanding, you will love your children (and those around you) more than anyone who neglects Him. Indeed, the messenger of Allāh, the best of creation [s], cried when his son Ibrāhīm left this world, despite the fact that a man crying was seen as something negative in that society, and deemed a sign of weakness.
And indeed, the same Ḥusayn who proclaims: “You have removed the love of other than You from the heart of Your lover”, is full of love for `Ali Al-Akbar, and since only Allāh can comfort him when his son heads towards the battlefield, he turns to Him and says: “Oh Allāh, witness that I am sending to the battlefield one who most resembles your messenger”
Verily the love of the Imām for all around him, which is inspired by Allāh’s love, is greater than the love of any other person towards another! His love extends to his enemies, hence he asks his companions to give water to the soldiers of Hurr with their own hands.
For there is an intrinsic value for everything which is created by Him. So love! This approach will change people... as it changed Ḥurr. But one’s intention, of course, must be pure, which means the love must always be inspired by the love of Allāh. This type of love is unconditional. You should show love not because you wish to gain something or you wish for your companion to reciprocate... but show love towards them because they are gifts of Allāh. They will reciprocate eventually... but this is of no interest to you.
Those people who were with the Imām in the land of Karbalā’ were not there coincidentally. They were indeed chosen by Him, for only those answered Ḥusayn’s call who had such an understanding of God and the mission to show these values to others.
Every one of them possessed those qualities which enabled them to be with the Imām; not only that they could give their lives, but that they led lives of piety... so the companions of Husayn are at such a position that 1300 years later we cannot separate them from Ḥusayn, for they were neither separate from Husayn in their lives, nor in their deaths, neither shall they be separate from him in resurrection and judgement, nor when they enter paradise... hence we have been instructed to send peace upon Ḥusayn by saying
السلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّه وَ عَلَى الاَرْوَاحِ الَّتِيْ حَلَّتْ بِفِنَاءِكَ
Peace be upon you oh Abā ‘Abdillāh, and upon those souls which clustered in your presence!
We can also achieve this position, if we attain the same understanding. First, you must empty your heart and kill your ego, for there is no room for selfishness... and Allāh will give you that vision where you see only beauty, and through Him you will love everything.
“Giving water to a thirsty plant is like giving water to a thirsty believer”
True spirituality/mysticism is that which comes with such understanding, where you open up your heart to Allāh and say: Here I am! Please fill my heart with Your light and Your warmth!
Then, you will become an agent of His, and spread this light and warmth to everything and everyone that comes your way. Indeed, it is impossible for one to remain angry, aggressive and hard hearted when you receive His mercy; you must show love to everyone, an inclusive love.
“Because of the mercy of Allāh [Oh Muḥammad!] you have become soft hearted”
Indeed the messenger of mercy [ṣ] prayed for those who attacked him in Badr, those enemies of his who killed his uncle Ḥamzah and also caused some of his blessed teeth to be broken
“Oh Allāh, please guide my people, for they do not know!”
You will reach a position where you wish for everyone to be guided. You must be patient and show love to people, and allow them to understand. Of course, you are not concerned whether they will understand or support you, but your only concern is His pleasure. When you go after God’s pleasure, God pleases you!
The event of the day of `Āshūrā’ began in the land if Karbalā’. It is a chapter which is still open and will continue until those with the qualities of Ḥusayn's companions bring justice and peace for humanity at the call of the Awaited One.
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