Sermon 1: Mujtahid’s error in estimating Reb
I invite you all, myself and emphasize you to acquire Taqwa and live your lives in accordance with Taqwa which is a divine protection plan for human life. Humanity is preserved through Taqwa only and outside this also life is possible but not humanly which we can see in various forms today. There is more beastliness than humanity seen today in human life. Taqwa is for every field of human life where Taqwa has to be applied and one important segment is economy which is the fundamental dimension of life. The economic life is the most important means and not purpose of life but its significance lies in fact that man has to reach his purpose of life through means. Those means are precious which help in delivering its esteem purpose and objectives. Since the purpose of life is to reach the status of humanity, Khilafat and Liqaullah where we need economy for this. It is present in traditions as well that one who is not having an economic life has no religion or life. Ma ’ash is the means for living life. In today’s era money is considered as Ma ‘ash because all means of life are acquired through money. In the past there was exchange of means but today all trading, exchanges are done through money hence it is termed as wealth.
Ma ‘ash in terminology is general and applies to all means of life whether it is individual, family and social. In Ma ‘ash Quran says that Taqwa is mandatory and protection should start from here. It should not happen that the system of Ma ‘ash is without Taqwa and we expect life established on this economy to possess Taqwa. For a life of Taqwa the Ma ‘ash also has to be with Taqwa.
In verse 278 of Surah Baqarah.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ {278}
O you who believe! Acquire Taqwa from Allah and relinquish what remains (due) from usury, if you are believers.
The believers are told to acquire Taqwa and leave Reba. Here order is for Taqwa and object of Taqwa is Reba which should be forsaken for two cases. One is to not take Reba at all and second is if you have agreed on a deal in the era of ignorance they should forego what is not yet taken as Reba and that what you have taken before there is no accountability. If you are believer then forego Reba. The Reba in terminology means to extend or stretch something. This word is Rabawa and from this root other words are made. Rabawa is that plain land where one hill stands out. There are many things which extend beyond their normal natural state and Arabs term such things as Reba.
In wealth there are two types of extensions; one is profit and second is Reba (interests). The money that increases with legitimate justification is profit whereas that money which is enhanced without legitimate justification is Reba. In trading if you take legitimate increase in investment then it is profit else it is Reba. Since the trader has put efforts in business he has the rights to increase the value of the product and sell it. But if he extends beyond legitimate value then it would be also termed as Reba as per Quran even though not in Fatwas. Every increase in wealth which is beyond illegitimate range will fall into Reba.
Every other thing which is increased illegitimately will be termed as Reba only. There is one more thing similar to this is Aql e Maal bil Baatil. This means to acquire wealth of others through void means. Reba is that money which is taken from someone against some money or assets illegitimately. Like A gives money to B and has not done anything else, but has placed a condition that when B returns it he should do with increase. The current situation which Mujtahid’s should consider but they do not when things are exchanged for things. If someone gives wheat of 10 kgs to someone he should take 10 Kgs back, if he takes extra then it is Reba. Wheat against Wheat value does not change as they are same commodity. But when currency is in between it keeps on changing. Since our Ijtihad is also Taqlidi which means the verdict issued 800 years before when currency was not present the same is applied now. At that time coins were there but the coins possessed its own value but not like paper notes which in absolute form has no value of paper. If there are notes of 5000 rupees which you weigh it has no value but if you see the value is more. This value does not remain the same value and it goes up and down. When you have given 5000 to someone it has X value but when he returns that 5000 to you then the value does not remain the same. So if he takes 6000 back then scholars say this is also Reba, but this is not Reba. This is because when he gave 5000 as an example at that time he could purchase 20 kgs of wheat but now when he is getting return he can only purchase 15 kgs of Wheat. This is oppression on the person, as he is not getting 5000 practically he is getting 4000. The Mujtahids do not consider this but consider the verdicts of the past Mujtahid who gave Fatwas related to Dinars. The value of Dinar is gold which does not change but the value of currency change. I have not seen this in the verdicts of Mujtahids. The Banks make noise about this but the scholars do not pay any attention to this. If the Mujtahids consider this many issues of Reba can get solved.
If someone has taken 100,000 from you 10 years before and he is expected to return the same ? the value of 100,000 today would be 30,000 but I cannot take more because Mujtahid says this falls under Reba, though this is not Reba even though verdicts are not present. Reba is taking extra against the value without any additional efforts of value addition done by lender. If you add additional efforts value on something then it is permissible to take extra money and not Reba. This point should be kept in mind that in chapter of Reba currency devaluation is not considered as per conventional verdicts which creates a negative opinion that the one who lends is getting into loss. Like if you deposit 1 million in bank, it will return you the same in 10 years even though they recover the depreciation on that money and keep it for themselves. The Bank should also return the money as per current value which might be 3 million today due to devaluation of currency. This argument needs a separate discussion and here we are only discussing that Reba is big threat to the economy of life and we can see the efforts of this destruction in our society today.
In Verse 275 Quran presents the threats of Reba.
الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا ۗ وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا ۚ فَمَنْ جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَانْتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ {275}
Those who swallow down usury cannot arise except as one whom Shaitan has prostrated by (his) touch does rise. That is because they say, trading is only like usury; and Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury. To whomsoever then the admonition has come from his Lord, then he desists, he shall have what has already passed, and his affair is in the hands of Allah; and whoever returns (to it)– these arc the inmates of the fire; they shall abide in it.
Those who eat Reba whenever they stand it would be like that person who have been embraced by Shaitan and has made him victim of Khabt means one who has lost complete senses cannot figure out what is in front of them like the drunkards or one who gets inflicted some serious wound on that instance all his senses gets disturbed. When the senses leave the capability to sense in Arabic that state is known as Khabt. The one who eats Reba his state would be like this only whereby he is the person who does not understand anything. If you take the outcome of Khabat it is craziness. He does not figure out what is meant for what like a mad person. Quran says why this state comes on person who takes Reba. This is because they say that there is no difference between Reba and trading. It is only a crazy , mad person who cannot figure out the difference between trading and Reba. In Trading you have purchased something with your money, you bought it, kept on your shop, sold it where you have put efforts. In trading you don’t take compensation for money but you take for efforts. Reba is you gave money to someone and take more in return without any return. Since Satan has overcome this person he finds no difference between trading and Reba. Allah has made Reba as prohibited and trading as Halal. Quran says one who gets admonition and stops from eating Reba, whatever he has done before would be forgiven but if anyone continues even after clear guidance his permanent abode is Hell. Allah dissolves Reba whereas nurtures charity.
This point has to be understood in its own place that Reba will get dissolved and it is present in its essence. And Allah does not like one who is stubborn on sin.
يَمْحَقُ اللَّهُ الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ أَثِيمٍ {276}
Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper, and Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ {277}
Surely they who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ {278}
O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and relinquish what remains (due) from usury, if you are believers.
Since we are not attentive towards Reba, those who are cautious in religion, doing prayers, Azadari, Hajj, Ziarat but their economy is destroyed because Taqwa is not present in it. May Allah protect us from the curse of Reba and all those calamities which Allah considers as evil.
SECOND SERMON
Sermon 2: Iconic Mosque of Jamea needs completion by believer
In saying no 108
وَ قَالَ عليه السلام: لَقَدْ عُلِّقَ بِنِيَاطِ هَذَا الْإِنْسَانِ بَضْعَةٌ هِيَ أَعْجَبُ مَا فِيهِ وَ ذَلِكَ الْقَلْبُ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُ مَوَادَّ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَ أَضْدَاداً مِنْ خِلَافِهَا فَإِنْ سَنَحَ لَهُ الرَّجَاءُ أَذَلَّهُ الطَّمَعُ وَ إِنْ هَاجَ بِهِ الطَّمَعُ أَهْلَكَهُ الْحِرْصُ وَ إِنْ مَلَكَهُ الْيَأْسُ قَتَلَهُ الْأَسَفُ وَ إِنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ الْغَضَبُ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ الْغَيْظُ وَ إِنْ أَسْعَدَهُ الرِّضَى نَسِيَ التَّحَفُّظَ وَ إِنْ غَالَهُ الْخَوْفُ شَغَلَهُ الْحَذَرُ وَ إِنِ اتَّسَعَ لَهُ الْأَمْرُ اسْتَلَبَتْهُ الْغِرَّةُ وَ إِنْ أَفَادَ مَالًا أَطْغَاهُ الْغِنَى وَ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ فَضَحَهُ الْجَزَعُ وَ إِنْ عَضَّتْهُ الْفَاقَةُ شَغَلَهُ الْبَلَاءُ وَ إِنْ جَهَدَهُ الْجُوعُ قَعَدَ بِهِ الضَّعْفُ وَ إِنْ أَفْرَطَ بِهِ الشِّبَعُ كَظَّتْهُ الْبِطْنَةُ فَكُلُّ تَقْصِيرٍ بِهِ مُضِرٌّ وَ كُلُّ إِفْرَاطٍ لَهُ مُفْسِدٌ
Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: In man there is a piece of flesh attached to him with a vein and it is the strangest thing in him. It is the heart. It has a store of wisdom and things contrary to wisdom or various states of wisdom. If it sees a ray of hope, eagerness humiliates it and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it. If disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it. If anger rises in it, a serious rage develops. If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be cautious and protective. If it becomes fearing, it becomes heedless of precaution. If peace extends all round, it becomes neglectful. If it earns wealth, freedom from care puts it in the wrong. If trouble befalls it, becomes impatient. If it faces starvation, distress overtakes it. If hunger attacks it, weakness makes it sit down. If its eating increases, heaviness of stomach pains it. Thus, every shortness is harmful to it and every excess is injurious, corruptive to it.
وَ إِنْ غَالَهُ الْخَوْفُ شَغَلَهُ الْحَذَرُ وَ إِنِ اتَّسَعَ لَهُ الْأَمْرُ اسْتَلَبَتْهُ الْغِرَّةُ
Fear as mentioned previously is the sate of threat which has not yet come. The threat, calamity, loss that has happened and the state that develops due to that is Huzn in Arabic. But the loss that has not taken place but man develops this feeling in heart about this loss prediction is known as Fear. At times fear is high but at times there is a light doubt. At times there might be not the slightest certainty but still doubts come about loss, man starts to take precautions and in precaution starts to make loss. Like someone fears that this food might be adulterated and avoids food which can be more dangerous. To take certain losses out of doubts is dangerous. You might have seen clips that to avoid hitting a dog on street , drive hits people around and creates more damage. Ali (a) says that man develops this state that to protect from small threat buys bigger dangers and ends up into destruction.
If you take example of scholars, they have this fear specifically those scholars who believe that their sustenance is with people and not with Allah. If they speak truth, religion and reveal the truth to people they will become upset and hence people will not invite them , pay them and they have this fear. Since people will not give donations, funds to them if they speak truth. For the sake of risk of sustenance they stopped delivering truth. They destroyed their hereafter due to the risk of reduced sustenance. Ali (a) says remove this risk from heart. There are certain threats which are certainly not going to come and some others might not be so dangerous due to which you are getting int Hazar. There are objective references for all categories of people.
The opposite state of this is when man feels that he is peaceful and no fear, threat from everywhere and I am secure from all perspectives, then in this condition man gets besieged by Guroor. In Arabic Takabbur and Guroor are different. Takabbur means to consider others lowly and inferior. Satanism starts from here. Guroor means deception, someone who has been trapped with deception. Those who are indulged into fear they step out of religion due to precautions. Those who consider themselves peaceful they get into losses. Those who consider themselves to be highly secure they are actually under danger. They are deceived due to which they feel they are secure. There are many examples of this.
When I used to travel outside Pakistan, in one city I asked the youths what topic should I recite. They told me that we have ethical, moral issues more in youths so if you can guide regarding that. One believer invited me one day for dinner. He objected to me a lot on this topic as there is no need for this. I told him that your children have told me to recite this. He said look at my children they recite Tahajjud and very religious. I told him you might be fine, but the others might have problems. Then we did a camp for the children without elders. We asked them to come personally and ask question. The same believer who was taking pledge of sincerity of his children, his children came and mentioned about the ethical problems they are facing and don’t know how to come out of this. Whatever evil you can think we are indulged into this. Then I returned back and told their father to review this. This person is in under Guroor, that is deception whose children are corrupted and he is thinking that everything is fine.
Ali (a) says that do not get into deception from the outward peace. You are under threats and be cautious under the days of peace and during the time of fear do not be cautious to the level that you leave religion. This is the practical Taqwa which Ali (a) is preaching us and I will stop here and will continue next week.
I want to give certain admonitions.
The month of Rabi ul Awwal has started and I express my greeting on this month on the birth anniversary of Holy Prophet. In this month three big programs would be done. One would be a Unity of Ummah Rally, one Milad of Naat and Qaris and third would be Unity Conference.
For the sake of information to believers, I am mentioning this that our mosque is the biggest mosque as per covered area in Pakistan. There are much bigger mosques in Pakistan but the capacity which this mosque has under constructed area is not like this. The mosque is built but not in a position to be utilized completely where it gives a peaceful atmosphere to the believers, as the windows, doors are still not covered and well done.
Some believers object to this but I say that you should get this all fixed. The believers who have taken the courage to bring this till here and the rewards for construction mosque is mentioned in Quran as well as in hadith. There are many work remaining in this mosque to complete it. Those who come here they see and all those who see pictures outside that major part of the mosque is not worth using, because if rain comes the water falls from all over. We are constructing this mosque and believers have this enthusiasm to do this. Once I just made a comment that there are no fans for mosque and immediately believers sent fans. It looks like the believers think that Jamea does not need anything. Our own friends say that when we visit and see that kitchen and everything is running, hence there is no need. It is blessing of Allah that this system is working by his grace. The believers should be aware about the facts. It is a fact that the entire system is working but the way it is working is a special grace of Allah. If the believers become attentive then we can complete this mosque in this year only where a good atmosphere is done, whereby women can also participate.
The sponsors of Jamea are doing whatever they can do. The believers realize this in their homes but not for Jamea is about inflation. The price for everything has increased and this applies for Jamea as well. The electricity cost has gone up for Jamea as well. Since believers see that the system is working they don’t help and the burden comes on few believers. If the believers can distribute the work amongst themselves then the load will not come on some.
Such an esteemed Arbaeen took place that pleased believers, but all these programs, work demand resources. The specifics for Jamea is that it is all public money. First of all there is no representative of Jamea, the believers should not send any contribution to the personal account of anyone of Jamea. The account which are formally informed to you , just send money in that account only specially the fees of students. We have a banking system inside Jamea. People complain that we have transferred fees of students but it has not reached because you have sent it to someone personal account. On one hand is inflation and other hand there is a expansion of work only. Entire world praised the Arbaeen program apart from Bats who cannot see light. These Bats are to take lessons that you should be thankful that you can see the light. Now the Unity conference is coming up, it is a prestigious work for Jamea where the maximum sects’ scholars and elderly people come under one roof. The believers have done all this with their own courage and they will continue.
When I look at the mosque, that such a big place this building is standing and I feel grieved that hence I am going beyond my way for appealing. Even now I am not appealing, I am informing that believers should get the remaining things done. God willing believers will take courage and I personally believe that one person is enough to complete this work. Those believers in the past have done their work. Syed Mohammad Taqi Shah started this mosque and wanted to complete this himself, he contributed his share and passed away. When a believer made the intention, Allah took some work from him and then he passed away. Hence one believer can get this done, and this mosque is where there is worship 24 hrs. Here there is not just prayers, gatherings, programs and you can see once it is done then for round the clock this mosque will glitter with worship and would be the most active mosque in Pakistan. There are examples of such mosques presented where people come from various cities for programs overnight and this mosque will also become a source of guidance for believers. All the points which I have made about inflation, the believers should realize that entire burden has come on few believers and Allah should give Taufeeq to others as well and it is not such a big task to be done. Those who have established this great center, and participated from all perspectives may Allah grant them great rewards. This center is worth prestige for entire world.
