5th al-Muharram al-Haraam
Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS commenced today’s waʿz mubarak by addressing the congregation as those who recognise that Imam al-Zaman’s AS existence is essential, and as such his presence is Allah Taʿala’s greatest hujjat (proof and argument).
Allah Taʿala states:
قُلْ فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ فَلَوْ شَاءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Say, “Allah has the most conclusive argument. Had it been His Will, He would have guided all of you.” (6:149)
The very presence of Awliya Kiraam AS amidst us is a source of guidance. Rasul Allah SAW brought with him the Quran — the greatest argument ever presented. He challenged all of Creation to produce something comparable: a complete Quran, then ten surahs, then even a single surah. Their failure to meet any of these challenges established the inimitability of the Quran.
Rasul Allah SAW declared that Amirul Mumineen AS was the most fair and judicious of all, his judgement defining the boundary between truth and falsehood. Maulatona Fatema AS, through her embodiment of Lailatul Qadr, established Amirul Mumineen’s AS rightful status with overwhelming effect. Their two sons are the rightful Imams AS. Imam Hasan AS prevailed over Muʿawiyya through his peace agreement, while Imam Husain AS defied Muʿawiyya’s son, the cursed Yazid, through his shahaadat.
After completing the khitaab, Mufaddal Maula TUS recalled the topics of the three preceding days which covered clothing, food, IT, architecture, and engineering, and were correlated with Nabi Adam AS, Nabi Nuh AS, and Nabi Ibrahim AS, respectively. With today’s waʿz mubarak being dedicated to Nabi Musa AS and Nabi ʿEesa AS, the traits of lawyers and judges were connected with the zikr of Musa AS, and those of doctors connected with the zikr of ʿEesa AS. Each of the names Musa AS and ʿEesa AS comprises four letters in Arabic, and so Syedna al-Dai al-Ajal TUS chose four characteristics of each profession to expound upon.
The first letter of Musa AS is meem, م, which represents mantiq – logic. The staff of Musa AS dispelled the deception of Pharoah’s magicians. The staff, Maula TUS explained, represents a logical argument — one that is sound, reasoned, and acceptable. It was Musa Nabi’s AS argument that vanquished Pharoah’s falsehood. Which is why any argument must be based on reason and logic, not in the way of the Sophists of ancient Greece, who used ‘baseless’ discussions to distort the truth, presenting fiction as fact and fact as fiction.
Awliya Kiraam AS teach their disciples how to reason soundly and argue logically. Each Mumin should possess logical, reasoned arguments that he or she is on the path of haqq, and that they are followers of haqq na saheb. These arguments protect them from doubt and uncertainty, and are not to be employed as a means of engaging with others in conflict and debate.
To illustrate the importance of hujjat, Syedna al-Minʿaam TUS made reference to an incident during the time of Imam Muʿizz AS. Prior to the conquest of Misr, Imam Muʿizz AS gathered the Berbers in his court in Tunisia. He told them of his intention to relocate the seat of the Fatimi empire to Misr and encouraged them to migrate East towards Egypt. Seeking to enlighten them, Imam AS asked the Berbers gathered, how they would respond to the question of why they had returned when Dawood Nabi AS had exiled the Berbers from Egypt. One of the gathered answered that they would enter Egypt with Imam AS which is their strongest argument. However, as Imam AS noted, that would not satisfy a disbeliever. “Whoever this does not satisfy, we will rise up in arms against them” another responded. Imam AS explained that the might of the sword can be employed equally by both those who are right, and those who are wrong, and as such, does not establish righteousness. Imam AS expressed his wish that the Berbers successfully argue their right to return using logic and reason, for that is the hallmark of the truthful. The Berbers turned to Imam AS for his guidance. For a moment, Imam Muʿizz AS remained silent and then proceeded to explain the logical premise on which their return was valid. Nabi Adam AS was expelled from jannat for his transgression, yet upon seeking redemption, he was allowed to return and so are his descendants. Similarly, the Berbers were expelled from Egypt by Dawood AS for their wrongdoing, not simply because they were Berber. “You are free of any wrongdoing, and as such are free to enter Egypt.”
Logic underpins the guidance of Awliya Kiraam AS. If one were to question why we congregate during Ashara Mubaraka and shed tears mourning Imam Husain AS, there is a logical answer. Nabi Adam AS was expelled from jannat for his sins. He sought forgiveness through the intercession of Panjatan AS and found redemption and was able to re-enter jannat. In the same way, we are the children of Adam AS, and we too sinned in the spiritual realm, in jannat, and as such, fell. In order to return, we must do what Adam AS did. Remember the Panjatan AS, remember Imam Husain AS and weep. This absolves us of our sins and enables our return.
The second letter of Musa’s AS name is waaw, و, which stands for the Arabic word wazeer, also known as vizier in English. Rasul Allah SAW outlined four vizier in succession: the vizier of imaan is knowledge; the vizier of knowledge is hilm (forbearance with understanding); the vizier of hilm is rifq (awran; competence) and the vizier of rifq is leen (tenderness). Each supports the one above it.
Drawing on this four-fold sequence, Syedna TUS outlined the qualities a Mumin requires when engaging in argument. First, he must possess knowledge of sound, logic-based arguments. Second, he must have the discernment to know who is worth engaging in debate. Third, he must judge how much to say and when. Fourth, he must argue in a way that is clear, and determine whether firmness or softness is called for.
The encounter between Imam Sadiq AS and Abu Hanifa illustrates all four. When Abu Hanifa saw the Imam AS carrying a cane, he questioned his need for it, snarkily remarking that the Imam was not of an age where he required the support of a walking stick. Imam AS responded, saying that it was Rasul Allah’s SAW cane, and he held it seeking its blessings. Questioning the Imam’s veracity, he remarked that if he were to know that it was indeed Rasul Allah’s SAW staff, he too would seek its blessings. Upon hearing this dismissive remark, Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq AS raised his sleeve, revealing his arm and delivered what Maula described as a “crushing” response (dandaan shikan, lit. teeth-breaker in Persian), “Granted that you may doubt that this staff belongs to Rasul Allah SAW, do you doubt that this blood and flesh is not of his as well?” Shamed by this response, Abu Hanifa reached out to take the Imam’s blessed hand to kiss it; however, Imam AS walked away. In this single exchange, Imam AS demonstrated all four: the logical soundness of his argument, the discernment to engage an opponent seen as an authority to the people, the precision to say only what was necessary, and the firmness to walk away when Abu Hanifa reached for his hand.
The Duat Mutlaqeen AS bear this same likeness. When opponents of the nass on Syedna Abdulqadir Najmuddin RA sought to draw Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA into a late-night debate at a private residence, he refused their terms. He would debate in Darse-Saifee, in broad daylight — for truth shines as daylight shines, and falsehood belongs to darkness. His opponents let the matter rest.
The third letter in Nabi Musa’s AS name is seen, س, which alludes to sehr (magic). When two men from the Tameem qabila came before Rasul Allah SAW, one demonstrated that his speech alone could make a man praiseworthy or loathsome in the eyes of people. Rasul Allah SAW responded,
اِنّ مِن البَيانِ سِحرًا
“Indeed, some forms of speech are magical.”
Syedna TUS then explained that sehr-e-halal is akin to licit magic involving speech: the power to invert what people hold true. This quality of sehr-e-halal is best exemplified by Awiya Allah AS. Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq AS was once asked about the nature of khair (good) and sharr (bad). He responded that these two concepts are among the least understood by man, emphasising that Allah has not created sharr. He then asked the person who had made the initial inquiry what his understanding of sharr was. He responded by asking Imam Sadiq AS whether wheat, a source of nourishment and sustenance, could be considered khair. Imam responded in the affirmative. The man went on to ask whether pests such as weevils, which infest wheat stores and granaries, could therefore be considered sharr. Imam AS disagreed and maintained that even weevils were khair. He then explained that if Allah had not created pests, rulers and those in positions of authority would hoard grain to the point where it would be sold at the price of gold, making it inaccessible to the masses. It is precisely because such rulers fear that their grain stores will perish and be infested with pests that they refrain from hoarding, and the price of essentials remains low and accessible. He then asked the man whether he agreed, and in response, the man rose to his feet and kissed Imam Sadiq’s AS hand in reverence. This narrative demonstrates the power of sehr-e-halal and how the Imam’s speech inverted the man’s firmly held, albeit erroneous belief about the nature of khair and sharr. The same sehr-e-halal could be witnessed in the mawaʿiz, asbaaq and discourses of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, whose power of speech transformed innumerable lives, cleared doubts, and rectified beliefs, especially through the zikr of Imam Husain AS.
The last letter in Nabi Musa’s AS name is alif maqsura, ى, an allusion to akhlaaq (noble character). (Though written in the form of a yaa, alif maqsura functions as an alif — hence its name, the ‘restricted alif’). Often, one’s character itself speaks with such clarity and force that there is no need for verbal argument. Syedna TUS elucidated this notion through the example of Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah RA. When Sulayman launched his false claim in the court of Akbar, Akbar decreed that Syedna RA be brought before him since he had never seen him nor heard from him. When he beheld Syedna’s RA radiant countenance and noble personality, he immediately consoled Syedna RA not to worry about his adversaries and reassured him that he would soon issue a farman (edict) in his favour, allowing him to return to his home unhindered. Syedna Dawood’s RA character and piety spoke volumes and became a hujjat on his adversaries, silencing them and crushing their baseless claims.
Building upon these aforementioned concepts, Syedna TUS counselled those of the legal profession to always have the best interest of their clients at heart and not to be swayed by ulterior motives, advising them unfavorably and dragging their cases on, so as to maximise their own gains.
Imam Husain AS exemplified all the above hallmarks of hujjat.
- Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA stated that on the day of Ashura, Imam Husain AS mounted his steed and approached the foes. He presented them with a litany of logical arguments, beginning with the fact that they had invited him to Kufa and had written to him repeatedly. He even showed them the letters he had received from the people of Kufa. If, however, their intention had changed, he asked them to leave him be, that he may seek out another land, for Allah’s Earth is vast and extensive. He then asked them to introspect and to ask themselves why they were keeping him and his young children from food and water. He called them towards the Quran, and asked them to consider what Rasul Allah SAW had said of him and his beloved brother Imam Hasan AS; “has he not stated that Husain is of me and I of him?” He counselled them to ask those from amongst the surviving companions of Rasul Allah SAW, such as Zaid bin Arqam and Abu Saʿeed al-Khudri, whether what he said was true, if they were in doubt. Ultimately, he presented them with the most forceful argument of all, reminding them that even if they searched throughout the world, holding up lanterns to help them see and discern, they would find no other grandson of their Nabi Mohammed SAW.
Syedna TUS explained that a lantern provides light and allows things to be visible. Using the analogy of a lantern, Imam Husain AS alluded that the intellect provides light, and if the foes used logic and reason to search the furthest recesses of the world, they would understand that there was no second to Imam Husain AS.
- In this manner, Imam Husain AS presented his hujjat in the most apt manner and at the most opportune time and place.
- His sehr-e-halal was such that it transformed Hur AS. His entire perspective changed, and he sought repentance at Imam Husain’s AS feet, securing his salvation.
- In addition to his logical arguments, Imam Husain’s AS radiant countenance and character were such that he conquered his foes. During his last moments, as he rested against the date palm, one foe after the next would advance and then retreat in fear. Ibn Saʿad, exasperated, asked whether they considered themselves warriors at all? His men replied that when they neared Husain AS, he looked at them with Rasul Allah’s SAW eyes. “Do you send us to slay Rasul Allah SAW?”
Even in such a state, Imam Husain AS conquered his foes. His zikr and matam likewise overcome and surmount all odds.
The zikr of ʿEesa Nabi AS was connected with the medical profession. Just as argument overcomes intellectual obstacles, medicine overcomes illness. Syedna TUS correlated each of the four letters of ʿEesa - عيسى - with the traits of a doctor. The first letter, ʿayn, ع, stands for ʿabd, عبد, (servant). A doctor must recognise that he is ultimately a servant and instrument of the Almighty. Even ʿEesa Nabi AS is mentioned in the Quran Majeed as being Allah’s servant:
لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِّلَّهِ
“Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah.” (4:172)
In Nabi ʿEesa’s AS time, medical knowledge was spreading and increasing, and it was in this era that he demonstrated, with Allah’s power, the miracles of curing illnesses for which there was no cure, such as leprosy, restoring sight to the blind, and bringing the dead back to life. In demonstrating these miracles, ʿEesa AS considered himself Allah’s vassal through whom Allah Taʿala cured and healed, and this humility is how he maintained his proximity to Allah Taʿala. As such, humbleness and humility are essential qualities of those in the medical profession.
Arrogance not only detracts from the ability to heal but also leads to illness itself. Syedna TUS gave the example of Sulayman, a false claimant, who succumbed to a variety of illnesses and whose behavior revealed his evil and wicked ways. To distance oneself from Allah’s wali is the worst form of arrogance and the source of all ills, for they are the atibbaa al-nufus (doctors of souls) who cure the ills of the spirit. They prescribe acts of shariat which heal, namaz being one of them. It imbues humility and restrains one from depravity, which is why it has been made obligatory. Hence, it is known as qurbaan (nearness) to Allah, as well as being the last will of all of the prophets.
The second letter of ʿEesa is yaa, ي, denoting yaqaza, يقظة, (alertness). For a doctor, this means staying current with advances in medicine and knowing when to change course if a treatment is not working. Awliya Allah AS embody this same quality: successive prophets adapted their shariat to address the afflictions of each age, until the final prophet brought the final shariat, which remains unchanged until Qiyamat. In elaborating this, Mufaddal Maula TUS emphasised the importance of recognising that there can never be any benefit in what is haram, and no harm can ever come from what is halal. After referencing an anecdote from Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA previous visits, he reminded Mumineen to remain vigilant about what they consume wherever they live in the world.
The letter seen, س, in ʿEesa stands for the Arabic word saʿye, meaning to strive and endeavour. Medical practitioners strive hard to give relief to their patients and should do so. Syedna TUS narrated the parable of the hakeem (physician) who came upon a town where the entire populace was afflicted by the same ailment. With kindness and skill, the hakeem convinced one person to take the medicine required for the cure. Upon taking the potion, he sneezed and felt relief from the affliction. Eternally grateful, he asked what service he could provide the hakeem. The hakeem instructed him to help him administer the potion to another resident. Together, they both helped another individual, and the initiative snowballed until, willingly or unwillingly, the whole town recovered. It was the hakeem’s perseverance that brought about such a positive change.
Just as doctors should work hard to treat their patients, so too should patients work hard to listen to their doctors’ instructions. It does not matter how well-versed and proficient a doctor is if their patient doesn’t heed their instructions as prescribed. The same applies to the ruhaani atibba who have been tasked by the Almighty to cure spiritual ailments. Their prescription is the shariat, and just as a patient must follow a prescription precisely, deviation from the shariat’s teachings carries serious consequences.
When it was revealed that sawm should be deferred during travel, Rasul Allah SAW broke his fast and instructed those with him to do the same. A group refused. Rasul Allah SAW did not declare their fast null and void — he called them ʿusaat, the disobedient. The validity of their fast was not the issue; obedience to the ruhaani tabeeb was.
Beyond basic obedience is the need to follow the prescription in the order it is given. In namaaz, the sequence is not incidental — one cannot perform all four rukuʿ together and follow them with all eight sujood. The benefit of namaaz depends on the pattern being observed as prescribed.
The mawaʿiz of Ashara Mubaraka reflect this same discipline. Mumineen close their businesses, arrive on time, dress appropriately, adorn their masjid with tazyeen, and offer niyaaz and other khidmat — each act in its proper place, part of a sequence observed in full, so that the saʿye of Ashara Mubaraka yields its divine reward.
The word ʿEesa culminates with the letter alif maqsura, which connotes asraar - secrets. A doctor must guard his patients’ confidences; to breach them is to lose their trust entirely. Awliya Allah AS are custodians of a far greater order of secrets — the secrets of Creation itself, known to none other — revealed only to those who are tested and found worthy.
Syedna TUS illustrated this with an incident related by Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA. In an informal gathering, each person present agreed to name one of their own virtues. When it was Syedna Saifuddin's RA turn, he said, "My virtue is that I am a keeper of secrets. What is said to me in confidence, I never disclose."
Relating what transpired within Imam Husain’s AS encampment, just before he rode into battle, Syedna TUS painted a vivid picture of his wadaʿ manzar (the spectacle of his farewell). Imam Husain AS went to his shahzada, Imam Ali Zainul Abedeen AS, who lay gravely ill. He instructed Maulatona Umme Kulthum AS to care for his son, for the sum of the tortures endured by all seventy-two shohada would soon fall upon him alone. He would be forced to lead the caravan across the scorching desert, shackled and chained, a collar around his neck, not permitted to stop even to remove the thorns piercing his bare feet.
He left him a letter: “Go to Madina and convey my salaams to my beloved. Tell them that I gave my life for them. And know that my right upon you is this — whenever you eat and drink, remember my hunger and my thirst.”
Maulatona Zainab AS assisted Imam Husain AS in mounting his steed for the last time. They all watched him as he rode away, until they could see him no more — gone, never to return.
May Allah Taʿala, the ultimate healer, grant our beloved Maula — our ruhaani tabeeb — a life of health and happiness until the Day of Qiyamat.