AlMujtaba Islamic Articles > Imam Ali (AS)
 

THE HOLY QURAN – PART 18

IMAM ‘ALI BIN ABI TALIB (A.S.) & THE HOLY QURAN (SECTION 4)

 

HIS ADVISES TO HIS SON FROM THE HOLY QURAN –con’t

 

ABOUT EYES:

 

And the responsibility of the eyes is to refrain from looking at things that have been forbidden by Allah (SWT), because Allah, the Almighty says: ‘Tell the faithful men to cast down their looks and to guard their private parts”. (24:30)

 

According to Imam ‘Ali (a.s.), this verse refers to prohibition of looking at the private parts of other people (men & women). Our ‘Ulama (Scholars) have clearly stated that it is Haraam (forbidden by the Shari’ah) to look at the private parts of other people regardless of whether they are of the same sex or opposite gender. Infact, looking at the other parts of one’s body with the intention of lust and sexual pleasure is also Haraam. However, a husband and wife can look at each other and there is no problem in this.

 

ABOUT THE HEART & THE TONGUE:

 

And the responsibility of the heart is to remain steadfast in faith. Allah (SWT) says: ‘Say: We have faith in Allah, and that which has been sent down to us…’ (2:136)

 

After believing in One God, the heart of a faithful must remain steadfast in belief and faith, and submit itself totally to the will of Allah (SWT). In other words, one must strive to abstain from ideologies and practices that pollutes and creates adverse effects on one’s Imaan.

 

At another place Allah (SWT) says: ‘And speak kindly to people’. (2:83) The tongue is considered as the spokesman of one’s heart. It therefore must represent the true nature of what is hidden in the heart. Belief and faith in Allah (SWT) dictates the tongue to be polite and offer kind words. Simply put, all the vices of the tongue such as rudeness, abusiveness, false accusations, slanders etc denotes weak faith in Allah (SWT) and such people have been condemned. Allah (SWT) says: ‘He who disbelieves in Allah after he has believed – save he who has been forced (to do so), while his heart remains firm in faith – and opens (his) breast for disbelief, upon such shall be Allah’s wrath and there is a great punishment for them’. (16:106)

 

When it became apparent that some people had declared ‘Imaan’ (faith) by their tongues yet their hearts were void of same, Allah (SWT) said, “…such as those who say, ‘We believe’ with their mouths, but whose hearts have no faith…” (5:41) At another place, He (SWT) says, “…and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah”. (13:28) Yet at another place, He (SWT) says, “…and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whomever He wishes and punish whomever He wishes.” (2:284) It is important that the tongue translates the true feelings of the heart. Any contradiction between them denotes existence of ‘Nifaaq’ i.e. Hypocrisy. Therefore, if we verbally claim belief in Allah (SWT) and in His message, our hearts should be at conformity with the same and through actions of other organs, we must prove that we believe in Allah (SWT) with all sincerity.

 

 

ABOUT THE HANDS & LEGS

 

The duty of the hands is to restrain from extending to unlawful things. However, if the hands are used in accordance to the commandments of Allah (SWT) then there is no problem in it. Allah (SWT) says, “O you who believe! When you stand up for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe a part of your heads and your feet upto the ankles…” (5:6)…The duty of the legs is that they should be used to walk in the obedience of Allah (SWT) and they should NOT be used to walk on paths of His disobedience. This is because He (SWT) says, “Do not walk exultantly on the earth. Indeed you will neither pierce the earth, nor reach the mountains in height. The evil of all these is detestable to your Lord.” (17:37-38) Allah (SWT) says, “Today We shall seal their mouths and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bare witness concerning what they used to earn”. (36:65) From all these it becomes known that on the Day of Judgement, the bodily parts and organs will testify against its owner.

 

These are the duties that Allah (SWT) has made incumbent upon all your bodily parts and organs. O my son! Fear Allah (SWT) and use your bodily parts in His obedience and to acquire His pleasure. Beware! Lest Allah (SWT) sees you disobeying Him and absent from His obedience. If you do this then most certainly you will be among the losers!

 

Keep reciting the Holy Quran and act upon its teachings. Whatever has been made obligatory therein, fulfil them and follow its laws. Be particular about lawful and unlawful stated therein; its enjoinment to good and forbiddance to evil; Perform the ‘Tahajjud’ (night prayer) and keep reciting from it (Quran).

 

All these are acts that Allah (SWT) has commissioned His servants with. It is therefore obligatory upon all Muslims to glance at their commission (Quran) and if possible, recite atleast fifty verses from it every day. Know that the stages of Paradise are in accordance to the verses of the Holy Quran. On the Day of Judgement, people shall be told to recite the verses and progress through its different stages until they attain the highest stage of the prophets afterwhich there shall be none”. (Man Laa Yahdhuruhul-Faqeeh / Quran-o-‘Itrat)

 

mulla@almahdi.org.uk


Source: http://www.almahdi.org.uk