Day: October 16, 2021

We have already learned in the section titled ‘Mua’awiya Part 6: The rebellious group‘ that Mua’awiya was the leader of the group (al-Fi-at al-Baghiya) that rebelled against Imam Ali (the legitimate Imam at the time), and the leader of the group that invited Ali and his followers to Hell:

Here is an interesting narration (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Imarat, in-book reference: Book 33, Hadith 74) that points out the misdeeds of Mua’awiya who is considered by the Sunnis a companion of the prophet and pray that Allah be pleased with him. A man who ordered the people to unjustly consume their wealth among themselves and to kill one another, an act that is against the Quranic ordinance.

He who swears allegiance to a Caliph should give him the piedge of his hand and the sincerity of his heart (i. e. submit to him both outwardly as well as inwardly). He should obey him to the best of his capacity. If another man comes forward (as a claimant to Caliphate), disputing his authority, they (the Muslims) should behead the latter. Should not the Muslims have beheaded Muaawiya for not giving the pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali and for trying to take away the caliphate from him and for fighting the Imam of his time!!! What would you have said if someone tried to take away the reign from Abu Bakr or Umar and tried to fight either one of them??? Would you not have despised him??

In Sahih al-Bukhari (In-book reference: Book al-Maghazi, Hadith 152):

Here you have Mua’awiya saying that he and his son were more rightful to the caliphate than ibn Umar and his father. Those who love Mua’awiya so much and are pleased with him and pray that Allah be pleased with him, here he is demeaning Umar ibn Khattab. If a Shia’a says that Imam Ali is more rightful to this matter than anyone, you will bring down the heavens on him!!!

Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 32:
Praying at Night in Ramadaan (Taraweeh)
Volume 3, Book 32, Number 226:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

I heard Allah’s Apostle saying regarding Ramadan, “Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 227:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” Ibn Shihab (a sub-narrator) said, “Allah’s Apostle died and the people continued observing that (i.e. Nawafil offered individually, not in congregation), and it remained as it was during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and in the early days of ‘Umar’s Caliphate.” ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Abdul Qari said, “I went out in the company of ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found the people praying in different groups. A man praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, ‘Umar said, ‘In my opinion I would better collect these (people) under the leadership of one Qari (Reciter) (i.e. let them pray in congregation!)’. So, he made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubai bin Ka’b. Then on another night I went again in his company and the people were praying behind their reciter. On that, ‘Umar remarked, ‘What an excellent Bid’a (i.e. innovation in religion) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.’ He meant the prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night.”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 228:
Narrated ‘Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah’s Apostle used to pray (at night) in Ramadan.

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 229:
Narrated ‘Urwa:

That he was informed by ‘Aisha, “Allah’s Apostle went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Allah’s Apostle came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, “Amma ba’du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on.” So, Allah’s Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually). “

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 230:
Narrated Abu Salama bin ‘Abdur Rahman:

that he asked ‘Aisha “How was the prayer of Allah’s Apostle in Ramadan?” She replied, “He did not pray more than eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four Rakat —- let alone their beauty and length—-and then he would pray four —-let alone their beauty and length —-and then he would pray three Rakat (Witr).” She added, “I asked, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the Witr?’ He replied, ‘O ‘Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 231:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven .”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 232:
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

Some men amongst the companions of the Prophet were shown in their dreams that the night of Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Allah’s Apostle said, “It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to search for it (i.e. the Night of Qadr) should search in the last seven (nights of Ramadan).”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 233:
Narrated Abu Salama:

I asked Abu Sa’id, and he was a friend of mine, (about the Night of Qadr) and he said, “We practiced Itikaf (seclusion in the mosque) in the middle third of the month of Ramadan with the Prophet . In the morning of the 20th of Ramadan, the Prophet came and addressed us and said, ‘I was informed of (the date of the Night of Qadr) but I was caused to forget it; so search for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water (as a sign). So, whoever was in l’tikaf with me should return to it with me (for another 10-day’s period)’, and we returned. At that time there was no sign of clouds in the sky but suddenly a cloud came and it rained till rain-water started leaking through the roof of the mosque which was made of date-palm leaf stalks. Then the prayer was established and I saw Allah’s Apostle prostrating in mud and water and I saw the traces of mud on his forehead.”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 234:
Narrated ‘Aisha:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 235:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf (in the mosque) in the middle third of Ramadan and after passing the twenty nights he used to go back to his house on the 21st, and the people who were in Itikaf with him also used to go back to their houses. Once in Ramadan, in which he practiced Itikaf, he established the night prayers at the night in which he used to return home, and then he addressed the people and ordered them whatever Allah wished him to order and said, “I used to practice Itikaf for these ten days (i.e. the middle 113rd but now I intend to stay in Itikaf for the last ten days (of the month); so whoever was in Itikaf with me should stay at his place of seclusion. I have verily been shown (the date of) this Night (of Qadr) but I have forgotten it. So search for it in the odd nights of the last ten days (of this month). I also saw myself (in the dream) prostrating in mud and water.” On the night of the 21st, the sky was covered with clouds and it rained, and the rain-water started leaking through the roof of the mosque at the praying place of the Prophet . I saw with my own eyes the Prophet at the completion of the morning prayer leaving with his face covered with mud and water.

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 236:
Narrated ‘Aisha:

The Prophet said, “Look for (the Night of Qadr).”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 237:
Narrated ‘Aisha:

Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan ,”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 238:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet said, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan ,’ on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan (i.e. 21, 23, 25, respectively).”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 239:
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

Allah’s Apostle said, “The Night of Qadr is in the last ten nights of the month (Ramadan), either on the first nine or in the last (remaining) seven nights (of Ramadan).” Ibn ‘Abbas added, “Search for it on the twenty-fourth (of Ramadan).”

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 240:
Narrated ‘Ubada bin As-Samit:

The Prophet came out to inform us about the Night of Qadr but two Muslims were quarreling with each other. So, the Prophet said, “I came out to inform you about the Night of Qadr but such-and-such persons were quarreling, so the news about it had been taken away; yet that might be for your own good, so search for it on the 29th, 27th and 25th (of Ramadan).

Volume 3, Book 32, Number 241:
Narrated Aisha:

With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.

Adultery

Adultery and its Seriousness
Hazrat Ali (A) has reported from the Holy Prophet (SA) who said,
“When the crime of adultery in my followers will be appalling, the number
of premature deaths will be on increase.” (Wafi, vol. 9, p. 34)
Imam Jafar Sadiq (A) has said, “A man who indulges in adultery must be
ready for six things, he will face three things in this world and the other
three in the world hereafter.
The three things he will face in this world are:
1. His face will become ugly
2. Will be penniless
3. Will die soon
The three things he will face in the world hereafter are:
1. The rage of Allah
2. Very hard questioning.
3. Will remain in the hell forever

Adultery by an Unmarried Person
Hazrat Ali (A) used to punish those unmarried men who committed
adultery by hundred whips and exile. (Wafi, vol. 9, p. 39).

 If a Married Man or Woman Committed Adultery
If a married man or woman committed adultery Hazrat Ali (A) awarded
them the punishment of stoning to death. (Wafi, vol. 9, p. 39).

 Rajm (Stoning to Death) Purifies the One Who Committed Adultery)
When Hazrat Ali (A) went to see Sharaha Hamadania (a woman who
committed adultery) being stoned to death there was such a huge crowd that
it was feared that people would be trampled by one another.
Hazrat Ali (A), therefore, ordered the closure of the City gates. When the
punishment was over and the gates were reopened for the people who had
accompanied Hazrat Ali (A) to the scene to come in, people started passing
remarks on th decased. Hazrat Ali (A) said to them, “Hold your tongue now,
the deceased has been purified by the punishment awarded to her.”

Adultery With a Woman Who Agrees to the Crime Under Adverse
Circumstances
It has been related from Arbaeen Khateeb Baghdadi that a woman was
brought to Hazrat Omar (RA). She was found committing adultery on the
banks of a certain river of Arbistan. After examining the witnesess Hazrat
Omar (RA) awarded her punishment of stoning to death.
Hearing this judgement of Hazrat Omar (RA), she uttered the following
words, “O God! Thou knoweth that I am not guilty.”
These words of her enraged Hazrat Omar (RA) further. He said to her,
“You committed adultery and still you dare belie the witnesses.”
When she was being carried to the place where she was going to be
stoned to death, she met Hazrat Ali (A) who was passing by that way.
Seeing her, he asked the executioners to take her back to Hazrat Omar
(RA) for further investigation. When she was taken back to Hazrat Omar
(RA), Hazrat Ali (A) asked her to relate her story to him (Hazrat Ali (A)).
The woman in question related her story to as follows:
“My family has some camels. Yesterday, I took them out to the desert for
grazing. At about noon I felt thirsty, but I had no water with me to drink,
neither there was any water in the vicinity with which I could quench my
thirst.”
“A little way off from there,” she continued, there was another man, who
had water with him. But when I asked him for a little water to drink, he
refused to give a single drop of it to me unless I agreed to commit adultery
with him, but I refused.”
“When I felt very thirsty and was about to die of thirst,” further
continued the woman, “I agreed, under compulsion though, to allow him to
fulfil his carnal desire.
Having heard the story of the woman Hazrat Ali (A) exclaimed, “The
one who is compelled by circumstances in case he or she is not disobedient
and does not exceed the limits of law and go beyond the restrictions put on
him or her by Allah they are not responsible for any crime committed under
such circumstances.” Hearing this Hazrat Omar (RA) released the woman.
(Manaqib, vol. 2, p. 190, Biharul Anwar, vol. 9, p. 484, Riaz, vol. 2 p.
259; Zakheeratul Uqba, p. 81, Turuqi Hikmia by Ibne Qaiyum).

Different Punishments For One and the Same Crime
Asbagh bin Nabata has reported that five persons who were accused of
adultery were once brought to Hazrat Omar (RA). He ordered for their
punishment by stoning them all to death.
Hazrat Ali (A) when heard of that, said that the judgeent was wrong.
He then heard them separately and awarded them different punishments
as follows:
To the first he awarded the punishment of beheading, stoning to death to
the second, whipping to the third and half of the full punishment to the
fourth. He set free the fifth after awarding him an ordinary punishment.
When Hazrat Omar (RA) asked Hazrat Ali (A) to explain his above
decision, he (Hazrat Ali AS) said to him.
“The first of them is a Zimmi (the one who pays a certain amount to an
Islamic State for the safety of his life) who has committed adultery with a
Muslim woman; the second is a married man whose punishment under the
religious law is stoning to death; the third is an unmarried man, who stands
to be punished under the same law by whipping; the fourth is a slave whose
punishment in case of adultery as fixed by the religious law is half of the
full punishment fixed by the religious law for that crime; the fifth of them is
half-mad and has therefore, been awarded an ordinary punishment for one
and the same crime committed by others as this punishment has been fixed
for such men and women by the religious law.”
Hazrat Omar (RA) while accepting the above judgement of Hazrat Ali
(A) said, “May I not live in the nation wherein there is no Abul Hasan for
solving such problems.”
(Manaqib, vol. 2, p. 183; Nasikhut Tawarikh, vol. 2, p. 732, Biharul
Anwar vol. 9, p. 478)

. If Adultery is Committed by a Man Whose Wife is Away From Him
Hazrat Ali (A) was on pilgrimage to Mecca when a man who accused of
adultery was produced before him. The judgement by Hazrat Omar (RA)
who was a caliph then, was to stone the man to death. On hearing of the
above judgement delivered by Hazrat Omar (RA) in the case in question,
Hazrat Ali (A) said to him;
“The total punishment fixed by the religious law in such a case is
whipping and not stoning to death, because the wife of the man involved in
it is away from him.”
Hearing this decision by Hazrat Ali (A), Hazrat Omar (RA) said, “May
not Allah allow me to survive the time when I am in a difficulty and Abul
Hasan is not there to solve it.”
(Manaqib Khawarzami through Bihar vol. 9, p. 478; Manaqib Shehr
Aashob vol. 2, p. 183).

Adultery With a Christian or a Jewish Woman
Hazrat Muhammad bin Abubakr once wrote to Hazrat Ali (A) asking him
that if a male Muslim commits adultery with a Christian or a Jewish woman
what punishment should be awarded to them.
Hazrat Ali (A) wrote back to him, “If the Muslim male is a married one,
stone him to death, if unmarried, he should be punished by hundred whips.
The Christian or Jewish woman, if involved in such a case should be
deported to their people to treat her as they liked. (Wafi, vol. 9, p. 39).
20. If Adultery is Committed by Those Who are Dangerously Ill
A man was once brought to Hazrat Ali (A) who was to be punished under
the religious law for committing a certain crime, but as he had several
wounds on his body, Hazrat Ali (A) said that he should be spared for some
time till he recovered from those wounds. when his wounds healed, Hazrat
Ali(a) ordered for his total punishment. (Wafi, vol. 9, p. 45).
It has been reported by Imam Jafar Sadiq (A) that a man was suffering
from dropsy was presented before the Holy Prophet (SA). He was accused
of adultery. The Holy Prophet (SA) asked the woman involved in the case
as to whether she had agreed to the crime to which she replied that she
became aware of the fact when he had attacked her and overpowered her.
Thereafter, the Holy Prophet (SA) asked the man as to whether he admitted
his crime, to which he replied in the affirmative, but he was not a married
man. The Holy Prophet (SA), therefore, sent for a branch of the palm tree.
Then, He (S) caught hold of a hundred thin straws from that branch and
beat the man therewith. From both the above reports, if taken jointly, it
would be clear that a Muslim judge has the discretion of awarding either of
the two punishments in such cases, i.e., he may award the punishment there
and then as was done by the Holy Prophet (SA) or he may wait till the
person recovers from illness. In case the one and the only way adopted by
the Holy Prophet (SA) is followed by the judges in all such cases the fear of
punishment would vanish from the minds of the peopleHowever, the judge
must decide each case on individual merits and award the required
punishment accordingly. In case there is no hope of the survival of the
person from that disease as was surely in the case decided by the Holy
Prophet (SA), he may follow the Holy Prophet (SA) in his judgement, but in
case there is hope of survival of the accused from a certain disease or
wounds as in the case decided by Hazrat Ali (A) wherein there was a
certainty that the accused would servive his wounds which were expected to
heal sooner or later, the judge may follow the latter with discretion which is
allowed to him in such cases. (Note by Allama Jazairi; Abu Turab, (Urdu)
vol. 2, p.88).

If Adultey is Committed With an Insane Woman
A question was put to Hazrat Ali (A) about an insane woman with whom
adultery was committed and she had become pregnant , to which the Holy
Imam (A) replied.
“An insane woman is just like an animal and is out of the control of her
mind. Therefore, there is no punishment for her if she is involved in a case
of adultery i.e., neither stoning to death nor even whipping or exile.” (Wafi,
vol. 9, p. 46).
Allama Jazairi in his collection of judgements of Hazrat Ali (A) titled
‘Abu Turab’ (Urdu) vol. 2, p. 89) has added the following note to the above
judgement.
“The above judgement is particularly meant for an insane woman. If an
insane man who is either completely mad or his brain is slightly deranged is
involved in such a case he cannot escape the punishment fixed for adultery
for the reason as explained in the following tradition of Imam Jafar Sadiq
(A) who has said .”
“If an insane man or a woman? whose brain is half deranged indulges in
adultery, he would be stoned to death, provided he has a wife, otherwise he
would be whipped.”
The person who has reported the above tradition of the Holy Imam (A)
proceeding further says as under:
“When I asked the Holy Imam (A) as to why there were two different
punishment for an insane man and an insane woman, he replied.”
“It is because the man involved in such a case commits the crime
deliberately and sensibly i.e., with full knowledge of his sensual feelings
and as to how he should do it, whereas the woman with whom the crime is
committed and who is only an object in the case and has no sense at all as to
what is being done with her but at times she is totally ignorant of it.” (Wafi,
vol. 9, p. 46).

Adultery In Dream
A man brought another man, holding him by the opening in his shirt, to
the first caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA), and said to the caliph, “This man
says that he was discharged by dreaming adultery with my mother last
night.”
The caliph wondered as to what he should say in the matter. Hazrat Ali
(A) who was also present in the mosque at the time said to the caliph. “In
such a case the justice is this that the man who has described his dream to
the other man should be made to stand in the sun-shine and the punishment
orders should be carried out on his shadow as he dreamt adultery only in a
dream and the man should also be struck with one or two whips, so that he
should not trouble people with such loose talk in future.”
(Manaqib Shehr Aashob vol. 2, p. 179)