Imam Sadiq (AS) is the sixth Shiite Imam after his father Imam Baqir (AS). The Shiite school is mostly famous as “Jafari School” because Imam Sadiq (AS) played the most important role among the other Imams in explaining and spreading the Shiite teachings. Most of the Shiite hadiths are narrated from Imam Sadiq (AS).
Some Islamic teachings and practices are considered as the outer aspect of Islam, like praying, Hajj, Zakkat and stuff like that. These are the practices which any Muslim should do and respect but all of them have a deeper meaning and a concealed message that people mostly do not get. Sometimes people get so much used to do these practices and conduct ceremonies that they forget about the original meaning of them.
The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) says:
O Aba-Zar! (One of the companions of the Prophet) Allah almighty doesn’t care about your faces or your wealth, but he cares about your hearts and your actions (1)
When you pray or pay your Zakkat, it must change you and teach you that praying is for getting closer to Allah and Zakkat is for helping the needy.
In this regard the holy Quran says:
Did you see him who denies the Religion? That is the one, who drives away the orphan, and does not urge the feeding of the needy. Woe to those who pray but are heedless of their prayers —who show off but deny aid. (The Holy Quran 107:1-7)
Imam Sadiq (AS) in different prayers says that if you pray but still feel pride and vanity, it will be useless for you because the Satan himself prayed for Allah for 6000 years but due to his vanity and jealousy, he couldn’t stand the greatness of Adam and tried to deceive him and Allah cursed the Satan.
Once Mufazzal ibn Umar (One of the brilliant pupils of the Imam) was sitting in the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) in Medina. Then he saw Ibn Abi al-Ouja (one of the Atheist Philosophers) who was insulting the Prophet in the mosque and telling lies to the people saying that there is no god.
Mufazzal says that this made him so angry and he couldn’t control himself so he shouted: “O enemy of Allah! Have you become atheist and denied the God who created you?”
Ibn Abi al-Ouja replied: “If you are one of the religious scholars, I will have debate with you and if you are not, our discussion will be in vain. But if you are one of the companions of Jafar ibn Muhammad (Imam Sadiq) you must know that he wouldn’t talk to us like that and he wouldn’t have discussion with us in this way. He has heard so many more disgraceful words from us but he never has insulted us. He is so knowledgeable, patient and wise and he wouldn’t lose his control out of anger, ignorance or animosity. He always listens to us.” (2)
Imam Sadiq (AS) is famous for his numerous debates with the Sunnis, Atheists, Jews, Christians and so forth, but he would never insult them. He always would order his followers to be kind with the people.
For example about the Sunnis Imam Sadiq (AS) says:
Participate in their funerals and visit them when they are sick, and give them their rights because if a person among you is pious, honest, trustable and good-tempered, people would say “this is a follower of Jafar” and this makes me happy! (3)
Once Imam Sadiq (AS) asked one of his pupils who had gone to Basrah (a city in Iraq):
“How was the enthusiasm of the people for our message and converting to Shia?” Imam Sadiq (AS) asked.
He said: “The ones who want to listen to our message are so few. Some of them did but they are few”
Imam Sadiq (AS) said: “You must talk to the young ones, because they are more eager for finding everything good.” (4)
Imam Sadiq (AS) also says:
“Teach hadiths to your young children from their childhood before the time that others beat you in training them” (5)
Young Shias must set Imam Sadiq (AS) as a pattern for themselves and follow him. They should learn more and more so that the different people who have gone astray can’t deceive them.
Resources
- Al-Amali, Sheikh Toosi, Pg.536
- Tohid al-Mufazzal
- Kafi, Koleini, vol.2, pg.636
- Vasail ash-Shia, vol.11, pg.448
- Kafi, Koleini, vol.6, pg.47
Islam's history from the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) until now has witnessed many challenges that were overcome through the flexible and rational set of rules offered by Allah. The way Islam deals with the requirements of each era and how its principles and rules can be applied to new cases are among the reasons for the quick spread of Islam during ages, which are addressed in this part of the topic.
Islam is basically sensitive to the evolutions and the requirements of each epoch. This is not the case for many religions and sects, especially those founded by humans. Imam Ali (AS) has advised: “not to impose the customs and traditions of your time on your children because they belong to a different era from yours” [1].
Unlike other creatures of the world such as animals, plants and inanimate objects, humans have memory, tradition, and history; animals might have memory, but not tradition nor history. This makes it possible for humans to compare different periods of their life and form the concept of progression and retrogression; which is not the case for animals and plants.
And, that is the reason why the specifications and the requirements of each time become meaningful; e.g., old vs. new, classic vs. modern, etc. This makes one pause once in a while to ask him\herself: am I going forward or actually taking a step back? And undoubtedly, getting advanced would be the most pleasant reflection that one can have. But, how can one be on an ever progressive path?
For self-development, one needs a set of values, disciplines, and rules with the help of which he\she can define a structure for his\her life that will consequently guarantee his/her success and advancement over time. This also applies to social development.
On the other hand, every human being is not able, nor has time, to contemplate every detail and strategy about life and to establish his\her framework. Hence, one usually relies on the teachings and instructions of a specific sect, religion or ideology. But, how is it possible? How can one select the best framework and then adjust it according to the specifications of each era such that it can apply to every period? That is possible with the help of wisdom.
Among various ideologies and religions known in the course of time, those who are more rational can be adapted better to the requirements of each period and are consequently more understandable and acceptable by humans. Such a religion or ideology provides the principles and rulings which can be perceived by the human’s wisdom and from which humans can conclude and extract the guidelines and codes that are exclusive to each era.
Among different religions, Islam is really the only one that is rational and is based on wisdom; So are the divine guidelines. Every good act and deed ordered to is rationally and truely useful in nature, not because it is a divine order. And something known devilish in Islam is intrinsically wrong; it is not wrong because God has told us so. In other words, it is not Islam who renders something good or bad, it rather provides the rational tools to identify what is wrong and what is right. That is the reason why Islam is more compatible with the specifications of each time, i.e., it provides the axioms and frameworks and leaves the rest to the human’s wisdom. This takes place through a process called Ijtihad.
Using Ijtihad, Islamic jurists (Faqih) derive the guidelines and regulations from the principles of the Quran, the narrations, and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and the Infallible Imams (AS). In this regard, Imam Sadiq (AS) said that the Infallible Imams had introduced the Islamic axioms and it is a duty over Muslims to deduce the details and rules [2].
This is the Islamic jurisprudence which is a unique characteristic that enables Islam to propose rational solutions, to respond to new issues and questions at each time. It also facilitates for human beings the application of the Islamic axioms to their activities and dealings. Otherwise, religion or ideology that is limited to the text, and has no solution to become updated in the course of time, will be a temporary time-dependent one that cannot survive through the time evolution.
According to what has been mentioned above, Islam as a whole guide and roadmap is able to consider new situations, and issues raised at different periods and propose relevant solutions for them. Islam's history has shown it as a dynamic religion whose guidelines are not limited to the cases in a thousand years ago but meets the requirements of all time. Of course, it should be noted that being ever up to date does not mean to welcome every new change and circumstance; it rather means to derive the relevant Islamic orientation and ruling by considering the Islamic axioms.
References:
- Ibn Abi l-Hadid, “Comments on Nahj al Balaqa”, vol. 20, p. 267, T. 102.
- M. Al-Hili, "Al-Saraʼir Al-Hawi Li-Tahṛir Al-Fatawi", vol. 3, p. 575.
We live in a diverse world with people of varying backgrounds and differences. People have different looks and colors, different cultures and traditions, thoughts and viewpoints, religions and beliefs, etc. However, they all live together on planet Earth where they need to have social connections, relationships and more importantly a sense of togetherness. In fact, the need for belonging to a society or community is the main reason why people seek friends.
However, finding a good friend and building a healthy and strong relationship is not always an easy task. Many factors influence the choice of friends with religion and beliefs being particularly important to people. It becomes even more significant when it comes to Islam, as we have a few verses in the Quran about friendship. These verses have raised the question of whether Muslims can be friends with non-Muslims.
In this text we will go through the verses of the Quran and some narrations to find the answer to the question mentioned above.
The fact that the Quran emphasizes the issue of friendship in different verses and from different aspects shows the importance of friendship and how friends can influence each other’s lives and destinies.
There is a verse in the Quran that talks about the regrets of people who end up in hell saying:
“Woe to me! I wish I had not taken so and so as a friend! Certainly, he led me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me, and Satan is a deserter of man.’” (25: 28-29)
When the Quran talks about the huge shock that disbelievers go through in the hereafter it says:
“Now we have no intercessors, nor do we have any sympathetic friend.” (26: 110- 101)
Theses verses show that having a friend is a real need for human beings, even in the next life, and emphasize the fact that friends can either be misleading or genuine. Since the influence of friends is so important on human beings, Allah (SWT) advises us on the characteristics of good and bad friends and guides us on who to befriend and who to avoid.
There are some verses in the Quran in which Allah (SWT) guides us not to take specific people as friends:
“O you who have faith! Do not take your confidants from others than yourselves; they will spare nothing to ruin you. They are eager to see you in distress. Hatred has already shown itself from their mouths, and what their breasts hide [within] is yet worse. We have certainly made the signs clear for you, should you exercise your reason.” (3:118)
Confidants are close friends with whom we share secrets. In the above verse Allah (SWT) advises us not to take our close friends from among those who are not faithful to us, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, since these types of people will try their best to endanger and harm us in any possible way. [1]
However, the verse emphasizes close friends with whom we share secrets, and does not forbid normal friendship with people to whom we don’t share secrets and have routine conversations in which we can teach them and learn from them.
“Allah does not forbid you from dealing with kindness and justice with those [polytheists] who did not make war against you on account of religion and did not expel you from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves the just. Allah forbids you only in regard to those who made war against you on account of religion and expelled you from your homes and supported [the polytheists of Makkah] in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them—it is they who are the wrongdoers.” (60: 7- 8)
Therefore, living a peaceful life alongside those non-Muslims who respect you and your beliefs is not forbidden; rather, it is recommended to have communication with these type of moral and just non-Muslims so that you may convey the words of Allah (SWT) to them in words or by your actions.
“If any of the polytheists seeks asylum from you, grant him asylum until he hears the Word of Allah. Then convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.” (9:6)
But let’s study the verses of the Quran that seem to be in contradiction with what we just said, where Allah (SWT) commands us not to befriend a group of people.
“O you who have faith! Do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends, [secretly] offering them affection, if you have set out for jihad in My way and to seek My pleasure, for they have certainly denied whatever has come to you of the truth, expelling the Apostle and you, because you have faith in Allah, your Lord. You secretly nourish affection for them, while I know well whatever you hide and whatever you disclose, and whoever among you does that has certainly strayed from the right way.” (60: 1)
The phrase “my enemy and your enemy” in the above verse shows that the enemies of Allah (SWT) are, in fact, the enemies of believers, too. The logical reason for which Allah (SWT) forbids us from befriending His enemies is that they are not well-wishers for Muslims and try their best to ridicule, humiliate, and weaken the believers. What they wish for the believers is explained in different verses of the Quran:
“Neither the faithless from among the People of the Book nor the idolaters like that any good be showered on you from your Lord” (2: 105), “They are eager to see you in distress” (3: 118), “The faithless are eager that you should be oblivious to your weapons and your baggage, so that they could assault you all at once” (4: 102), “Indeed they are devising a stratagem” (86: 15).
These verses explain the reasons why Allah (SWT) prohibits us from befriending His enemies and because they try their best to harm us, and the reason for that as explained in the Quran is:
“Satan has prevailed upon them, so he has caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. They are Satan’s confederates. Look! Indeed, it is Satan’s confederates who are the losers!” (58: 19)
These verses that advise Muslims to avoid befriending non-Muslims or idolaters are mostly about political relationships between countries where these friendships may endanger the interests of Muslim countries. And if a Muslim befriends non-Muslims or idolater who do not care about the interests of his/her country, they need to be cautious not to share secrets with them and keep their friendship in a level where they are not influenced by those friends. Rather they can affect them positively, because:
“Allah will never provide the faithless any way [to prevail] over the faithful.” (4: 141)
References:
- Qara’ati, M. Tafseer-e Nour, vol. 1, p. 591