Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 20th January, 2022
Sermon 1: Rabetu – Imam the most important but abandoned relationship.
Allah has established Taqwa for protection of human life as a divine plan from creator of human beings for every segment of life where there is specific Taqwa. The most important segment of life is social under whose laps the other segments of life gets nurtured. If the social life is not secured then the individual life and other dimensions of life would become insecure.
As regards to social life Quran has discussed Taqwa in details and most important verse in discussion if verse 200 of Surah Ale Imran.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ {200}
O you who believe! be patient and support others for patience and remain connected, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful
Allah has ordered the entire society of believers to form a society of believers whose example is mentioned in this verse. Where believers are socially asked to demonstrate patience, perseverance and then support the society as well to develop perseverance. Musabera means wherever you find weakness in society you should strengthen it. They should acquire Social Taqwa which also carries an element in development of Ummah. Human being is social in his creation and the religion which Allah has ordained for this type of creation is also social. Neither the life nor religion of man is individual. This mistake has happened in the stage of understanding and preaching religion whereby we have considered religion as individual and the consequences are in front of us, whereby we don’t see religion around us as developed, dignified, honored and believers are backward in every social field. The reason for this is that the part of the religion which they have studied is present but the part that gives results is abandoned. That is not the subject of syllabus, preachers and neither are people oriented towards this. This is the forsaken part hence despite of religion being present we are abandoned. Those who consider themselves on religion are distanced from, religion. Imam Khomeini (r.a) says Islam has lost and you should find it. Imam (r.a) is saying that it is being lost by religious people, scholars and Mujtahidin. It has been lost in madrassas and seminaries. It should be found in its sources like Quran, Sunnah and wherever Allah has guided us on religion. Do not follow blindly the past generations where you will not get guidance. The way in science and technology you have left your ancestors hence you are benefitting from technology. You have not followed blindly your ancestors hence you saw development. We should do the same in this segment as well which you did in science and technology. Today there is a new field of science similarly we need a new understanding of religion. Allama Iqbal has proven this on academic basis that the current generation need to understand the religion in a new manner. The understanding of past does not help the current generation apart from creating confusion. The same religion towards which we have to return is present in the Quran. The same Quran has the guidance and that guidance is open and clear.
In this verse of Surah Ale Imran, Allah is commanding to demonstrate patience and cooperate with each other. Then do Murabeta which is an essential element in forming a society of believers. We make mosques to form a society of believers which is a sign of Muslim society and then we make graveyard, then by making these two we think we are a Muslim society. From these two buildings a Muslim society does not come into existence. The map which Quran has presented for Muslim society has to be followed. The foundation on which other elements will come up is Murabeta, which means relationship and connection with essential affairs of society. For this in traditions there are orders in Hadith and in Quran.
Ahlulbayt (a) , the purified Imams have specified about this and some Hadith of Prophet (s) are also present. The Holy Prophet (s) asked Abuzar, that O Abuzar, do you know about this verse and what is meant by Murabeta in this? He answered Allah and his messenger knows better. Prophet replied this means congregational prayers.
As said we don’t gain spiritual benefits of prayers, but we can definitely get social benefits of salaat easily by doing congregational prayer. The word Namaz comes from Persian and actually it is Salaat. The Salaat is comprehensive. It means to find a point of action and then follow that point. Prophet is saying Rabetu means Salaat ul Jamaat. When the time of Salaat comes, you gather on one point, this is what is Rabetu. To establish relationship with each other Allah has ordained this worship which gathers us together for 5 times. This is not found anywhere where entire community gathers for 5 times. We have removed salat from religion and found its alternative hence we do not even gather for once. And those who gather as well took advantage to do this 3 times, as we have to sit on shops as well. They do not even come for three times. They do not do Iqamatus Salaat. This is one objective reference of Murabeta and not the meaning. Rabt means to tie something so tightly that it does not open. This Rabt should be established amongst believers whose one Misdaq is Salaat. The Hajj is also having the same philosophy whereby all the people of Ummah should come to Kaaba, the center. One Murabeta is to keep remain connected with the center. This is present in traditions. The community that does not remain connected to center is a dead community and they are not a living community. The center is of Kaaba. One Murabeta has to be kept with mosque and second is with believers. The Friday prayers is also a system for connected Ummah. This Murabeta itself is a big objective of religious worship, then the Imams have also said that connection of believers are all Murabeta and then the most esteemed connection is with the leader. The same relationship you have to establish with your Imam.
The subject of Imamat is highly abandoned in Ummah and specifically in Shias because they identity themselves with Imamat. But in Shias as well the subject of Imamat has remained doubtful and could not get clarified. It is essential because to connect people together is Ummah and they will become guided only when they are connected with Imam. The Imamat which we have presented is not social Imamat; it is Imamat of seclusion. The Imam like Ummah is a social reality and subject but we have given it a color of Sufism and expressed in that sense. The Sufi Imam means a personality who with worships has reached the highest level of spirituality, nearness with Allah, his prayers are accepted and he has no connection with people, remains isolated from people and is away from practical life. So that he can reach that spiritual status. Ten people should come to him for fulfillment of their desires. This is Sufi Imamat and Quranic Imamat because that is in field, society. The way Allah told to Ibrahim that we are making you an Imam for people, that is for Ummah in field. Our elders did not express this meaning.
One thing which I always felt till today that our elders are afraid of their own people when presenting the Quranic facts, and the truth. They are concerned that people will leave our taqlid, they will mind, will not donate, not invite us, and will not see us as good. For the fear of people they have left religion hence they could not express the religion facts. In personal gathering we have seen many elders talk about these realities but they do not talk in public. They always take into consideration the choice of people. To not open Imamat is due to remaining secure from Ummah. If the scholars do not present that Imamat it is due to fear of people. Allah has told Prophet to not follow the desires of people. Do not prepare a speech, fatwa while considering the desire of people. Many people do not like these things, but even if the people like what do you lose? If Allah disliked then you have hell. The way Imam sajjad said to the courtyard scholar, that you have displeased Allah for the sake of pleasing Yazid. What kind of animal you are that you have displeased Allah for Yazid. Such orators are many who displease Allah and please people. What do the people give? A small gain for which you mislead people and displease Allah. If this one word of Imamat gets expressed correctly then at least those who believe and accepted Imamat they will get the starting point of guidance if you remove them out of confusion.
The Imamat which we have understood is very difficult to keep relationship with Imamat. How can you get connected with Imam when Imamat is in Ghaibat. On other hand we have order that one who dies without connection, recognition of Imam dies a death of Jahalah. This is something towards which we are not attentive. This Imamat is a system, and the Imamat we have is of Sufism. The Quranic Imamat is political and it is without break. There cannot be break in Imamat, it can be in prophethood. In the era of Prophets, the breaks have come like after Prophet Isa there was a break till the Holy Prophet, which Quran has termed as the era of Fatrat. But there is no break in Imamat. The tradition also ways that the land cannot remain without Imam for even a second. Not that the planet, but every country. If they are living without Imam then that is life of Jahalah and the era before Prophet.
One imp subject of Murabeta is connection with Imamat. We have explained this in various places under the light of Imam Raza’s Hadith of Marv. Imam Khomeini (r.a) expressed Imamat but others are afraid of people, that if we mention this people will become upset from us as they have considered people as God. We need to have right perception of Imam so that we remain connected. There has to be a Rahbar, if there is no Rahbar then wolves would be born in that society. About this Murabeta, there is one Hadith from Imam Sadiq (a.s) as to who has given this responsibility if Infallible Imam is not present.
This is present in Al Ihtijah, in arguments of Imam Sadiq (a) , hadith no 270
“The scholars within our Shias are Ulama e Murabit. They are protectors of borders, they are connected with each other and with their Wali. They are scholars who are protecting the borders. Which borders? Those borders which are close to Satan and its disciples. The borders of believers are not geographical, there is a border after which faith ends and the area of Satan begins. These Scholars protect these borders. Imam Sadiq (a) is declaring the duties of Shia ulama that you have to protect the visionary, religious borders after which there are forces of Satan. These scholars have to stop the Satan’s attack on our weak Shias. This term is from Imam, Shia e Zohfa, means Weak Shias. This weak Shias is not in terms of weight of body. The weak Shias are those who are weak in their ideology. In Pakistan the Shias are highly weak in ideology and satanic forces are attacking them. This is where imam says that the Ulama should come at this time and protect them. Those Shias who are weak in beliefs, intention, ideology, economy and this is where Satan becomes successful. The ulama e murabit would protect them. They who are connected with their leader, religion and amongst themselves they are standing alert on the border to stop the Satan’s whenever there is an attack.
At that time the Islamic forces were removing towards the borders of Rome and Persia and at that Imam Sadiq (a) said that those ulama defining ideological border are greater than those fighting on borders. This is because the border fighters are defending the land and life of believers, but these scholars are defending the religion and ideology, faith of believers.
Imam Sadiq (a) has used the term that our scholars are Murabit. They should sit on the border of ideology and fight the Nasibis. We have confined Nasibis. The Nasibis are those who are enemies of Imamat. We think that Nasibi is one who have enmity of Infallible imam. One who is frustrated, not interested, possess enmity with system of Imamat as well are Nasibis.
This subject of Murabeta will continues and this is order of Quran. Rabeta means one relation of Ummah with each other, one with center like mosque, Kaaba, one is for Friday prayer and then one murabeta is with Leader. This is the map which Quran has presented that forms a society of believers.
SECOND SERMON
Sermon 2: Imam Kazim (a) Tradition on Aql to Hisham
In saying number 113, Imam Ali presents a beautiful system for believers.
113. وقال عليه السلام : لاَ مَالَ أَعْوَدُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ، وَلاَ وَحْدَةَ أَوْحَشُ مِنَ الْعُجْب، وَلاَ عَقْلَ كَالتَّدْبِيرِ، وَلاَ كَرَمَ كَالتَّقْوَى، وَلاَ قَرين كَحُسنِ الخُلْقِ، وَلاَ مِيرَاثَ كَالاْدَبِ، وَلاَ قَائِدَ كَالتَّوْفِيقِ، وَلاَ تِجَارَةَ كَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَلاَ رِبْحَ كَالثَّوَابِ، وَلاَ وَرَعَ كالْوُقُوفِ عِنْدَ الشُّبْهَةِ، وَلاَ زُهْدَ كَالزُّهْدِ فِي الْحَرَامِ، ولاَ عِلْمَ كَالتَّفَكُّرِ، وَلاَ عِبَادَةَ كَأَدَاءِ الْفَرائِضِ، وَلاَ إِيمَانَ كَالْحَيَاءِ وَالصَّبْرِ، وَلاَ حَسَبَ كَالتَّوَاضُعِ، وَلاَ شَرَفَ كَالْعِلْمِ، وَلاَ مُظَاهَرَةَ أَوْثَقُ مِن مُشَاوَرَةٍ
113. Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said: No wealth is more profitable than wisdom, no loneliness is more estranging than vanity, no wisdom is as good as tact, no honor is like fear from Allah, no companion is like the goodness of moral character, no inheritance is like civility, no guide is like promptitude, no trade is like virtuous acts, no profit is like Divine reward, no self- control is like inaction in time of doubt, no abstention is like that (which is) from prohibitions, no knowledge is like thinking, no worship is like the discharge of obligation, no belief is like modesty and endurance, no attainment is like humility, no honor is like knowledge, no power is like forbearance, and no support is more reliable than consultation.
Ali (a) has pointed towards a pure, sincere life principles. The first principle mentioned is that most beneficial wealth is Aql. In Usool al Kafi, there is a detailed tradition from Imam Moosa Kazim (a), where he gave this lecture to one student Hisham ibn Hakam.
Hisham was a very profound and capable student of Imam Sadiq (a) and Imam Moosa Kazim (a) mostly. He gained more from Imam Sadiq (a) and Imam nurtured him personally whereby he gave specific lectures to Hisham only. Imams would give general teachings to some students and to some specific training.
“Abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far stated the following to me. ‘O Hisham, Allah has given good news to the people of reason and understanding in His book in the following words, ” Give the good news to those of My servants who hear certain words but follow only the good words. These are the ones whom Allah has given guidance and they are the people of understanding. 39:20
“O Hisham, it is certain that Allah has established complete (legal) authority for people (to refer to) in the form of intelligence, supported the messengers through the (ability) to communicate and has guided them to His own Lordship with proofs. Saying, “Your Lord is the only Lord. There is no God but He, the Beneficent, the Merciful (2:163) “(Of the signs of His existence are the creation of heavens and earth, the alternation of nights and days, the ships that sail in the sea for the benefit of the people. (Also of such signs are) the water that God sends from the sky to revive the dead earth where He has scattered all kinds of animals, the winds of all directions and the clouds that are rendered for service between the sky and the earth. Such are evidence (of His existence) for those who use their intelligence. (2:164)
“O Hisham, Allah has mentioned the above facts as proof of His existence and that such facts depend upon the will of one who has designed them saying:
“God has made the day and the night, the sun and the moon, and all the stars subservient to you by His command. In this there is evidence of the truth for people of understanding. (16:12)
“It is He, Who created you from clay, turning it into a living germ, then into a clot of blood, and then brings you forth as a child. He then made you grow into manhood and become old. He causes some of you to live for the appointed time and some of you to die before so that perhaps you may have understanding (40:67).
“In the heavens and the earth there is evidence (of the Truth) for the believers (45:3).
In your creation and in that of the beasts living on earth there is evidence of the Truth for the people who have strong faith (45:4).
In the alternation of the night and the day, the sustenance which God has sent down from the sky to revive the barren earth, and in the changing of the direction of the winds there is evidence of the truth for the people of understanding (45:5).
“Know that God brings the dead earth back to life. We have explained Our revelations to you so that you may perhaps have understanding (57:17).
“In the earth there are adjacent pieces of land, vineyards, farms, date-palms of single and many roots which are all watered by the same water. We have made some yield a better food than others. All this is evidence (of the existence of God) for the people who understand. (13:4)
“Also, of the evidence of His existence are His showing you lightening which gives you fear and hope and His sending water down from the sky which revives the earth after its death. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding. (30:24)
“(Muhammad), say, “Let me tell you about what your Lord has commanded: Do not consider anything equal to God; Be kind to your parents; Do not murder your children out of fear of poverty, for We give sustenance to you and to them. Do not even approach indecency either in public or in private. Take not a life, which God has made sacred except by way of justice and law. Thus does He command you that you may learn wisdom. (6:151)
“God has told you this parable about yourselves: Could your slaves share your wealth equally with you and could you fear them as you fear yourselves? Thus, do We clarify the evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding (30:28).
“O Hisham, Allah then has given good advise to the people of intelligence and has encouraged them to become interested in the life to come saying, “The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter which is far better and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand? (6:32)
“O Hisham, Allah then has given warnings to those who do not think about the punishment that may come upon them from Allah saying, “Then We totally destroyed the others (37:136). You pass by (their ruined town) in the morning and at night (37:137).
Will you then not understand? (37:138)
“We will bring torment from the sky on this town because of the evil-deeds of its inhabitants” (29:34). We left manifest evidence (of the truth) there for the people of understanding. (29:35)
“O Hisham, intelligence comes with knowledge.” Allah has said, “These are parables which, We tell to human beings, but only the learned ones understand them. (29:43)
“O Hisham, Allah has then expressed dislike towards those who do not understand in the following words: “When certain people are asked to follow the revelations of God, they say, ‘We would rather follow what our fathers have followed,’ even though their fathers had no understanding and could not find the true guidance (2:170)
“Preaching to unbelievers is like talking to someone who cannot hear anything except yells and shouts. They are deaf, dumb, and blind; they have no understanding. (2:171)
“Some of them will look at you, but are you supposed to guide the blind even if they have no vision? (10:43)
“Do you think that most of them listen and understand? They are like cattle or even more, straying and confused. (25:44)
“They will not fight you united except with the protection of fortified towns or from behind walls. They are strong among themselves. You think that they are united, but in fact, their hearts are divided. They are a people who have no understanding (59:14)
“Would you order people to do good deeds and forget to do them yourselves even though you read the Book? Why do you not think?” (2:44)
“O Hisham, Allah then has expressed dislike towards the multitudes saying, “Most of the people in the land will lead you away from God’s guidance if you follow them; they only follow their own conjecture and preach falsehood (6:116)
“If you ask them, “Who has created the heavens and the earth,” they will certainly say, “God has created them.” Say, “It is only God who deserves all praise, but most of them do not know” (31:25)
“If you ask them, “Who has sent down water from the sky to revive the dead earth?” They will say, “God has done it.” Say, “It is only God who deserves all praise, but many of them do not understand.” (29:63)
“O Hisham, Allah then has praised those fewer in numbers saying, “Only few of my servants are grateful.” (34:13)
He has said, “How few are they?” “A believing person from the people of the Pharaoh who concealed his faith said, “Would you kill a man just because he says God is my Lord?” (40:28)
“No one believed in him, except a few. (11:40)
Tell them, (Muhammad), “God certainly has the Power to show such miracles but many of them are ignorant.” (6:37).
“Many of them have no understanding. (5:103)
Many of them do not realize.” “O Hisham, Allah has mentioned the people of intelligence in the best manners with the best of characteristics saying, “God gives wisdom to the ones whom He wants. Whoever is given wisdom, has, certainly, received much good. Only people of intelligence can grasp this (2:269). ” . . . those who have a firm grounding in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All its verses are from our Lord.” No one can grasp this fact except the people of Intelligence . . .” (3:7)
“The creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and the night are evidence (of the existence of God) for people of Intelligence. (3:190)
“Can a person, who knows that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be considered equal to a blind person? Only those who have understanding take heed (13:19).
“Can this one be considered equal to one who worships God during the night, prostrating and standing, who has fear of the Day of Judgment, and who has hope in the mercy of his Lord? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only the people of Intelligence take heed” (39:9).
“It is a blessed Book which We have revealed for you so that you will reflect upon its verses and so the people of understanding will take heed (38:29).
“To Moses We had given guidance and to the children of Israel We had given the Book (40:53) as their inheritance and as a guide and a reminder to the people of understanding (40:54)
“Keep on reminding them. This benefits the believers” (51:55).
“O Hisham, Allah says in His book, “This is a reminder for the ones who understands, listens, and sees.” (50:37)
It means intelligence. “We gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would give thanks to God . . . .” (31:12) Understand is intelligence.
“O Hisham, Luqman said to his son, ” Venerate the truth you will be the most intelligent among man. Cleverness before intelligence has a very small value. My son, the world is a very deep ocean in which many people have drowned. You must take piety before God as the ship, faith as supplies therein, trust in God as the sales, intelligence as the captain, knowledge as the guide and patience as passengers.”
“O Hisham, for everything there is a guide. The guide for intelligence is thinking. The guide for thinking is silence. For everything there is a means for mobility the means of mobility for intelligence is humble attitude. To disobey a prohibition is enough proof of ones ignorance. “O Hisham, Allah send His messengers to people for no other reason but that they would have understanding about Him. Those who obey Him better have better understanding about Him. Those who are more knowledgeable in the commandment of Allah are the ones who have more powerful intelligence and those who have more powerful intelligence are at a higher degree of excellence in this world and in the next life.
“O Hisham, Allah has placed two kinds of authority over man. 1 The apparent and manifest authority and the internal and hidden authority The prophets and messengers are the apparent and manifest authorities and intelligence is the hidden and internal authority.
“O Hisham, a man of intelligence is one whose thankfulness doe not diminish because of a large wealth and prohibited matters can not overpower his patience.
“O Hisham, one who would support three things against an other three kinds of things he would be leading to the destruction of his own intelligence. (1) Darkening of one’s ability to think with day dreaming, (2) the abolishment of the sparks of one’s wisdom with excessive bluffs and (3) the extinguishing of the lights of the lessons from experience by the desires of one’s soul. It would be like supporting ones desire to destroy ones own intelligence. One who would destroy his own intelligence he has destroyed his own worldly life as well as the life to come.
“O Hisham how would you expect to have pure deeds before Allah when you have such things that keep you away from the facts that matter to Allah, your Lord, and you have obeyed your desires against your own intelligence. “O Hisham, maintaining patience in loneliness is a sign of the strength of intelligence. One who has understanding about Allah he keeps himself aside from the people of this world and those interested in it. He becomes interested in what is with Allah. Allah then gives him comfort in his fear and company when he is lonely. Allah gives him riches in his poverty and honor without the existence of his tribesmen. “O Hisham, truth is set up so that Allah is obeyed. There is no salvation without obedience to Allah. Obedience comes only from knowledge, which comes from learning that receives strength from intelligence. The only knowledge of value is that of one who knows about the Lord and intelligence discerns the valuable of knowledge.
“O Hisham, smaller degrees of deeds with knowledge are accepted with double value and large amounts of deeds from those who follow their desires and ignorance are rejected. “O Hisham, a person of intelligence is pleased with little things of the world with wisdom but he does not agree with a little wisdom with all of the world and, thus, such people strike a gainful bargain. “O Hisham, the people of intelligence stay away from what is more than the basic necessities of life how then they would not stay away from the sins in this world. To stay away from what is more than the bare necessities is only extra virtue but staying away from sins is obligatory.
“O Hisham, a man of intelligence observes the world and the people of the world and finds out that the worldly gains come only through hard works and labor. He finds out that gains of the life hereafter also come through hard work and labor he then accepts the one that is more durable. “O Hisham, people of intelligence hold themselves back from the worldly things and strengthen interest in the gains of the life hereafter. They have learned that the worldly gains are sought after and are wanted and so also are the gains of the lifer hereafter. One who seeks the gains of the life hereafter the world will seek him to deliver to him his livelihood but one who seeks the worldly gains the hereafter would also seek to find him. Death will then approach him and it will destroy his world and leave him with no opportunity in the life hereafter (because he had gained nothing).
“O Hisham, one who wants self-sufficiency without property, comfort for his heart from the evil of jealousy and the safety of his religion he should pray to Allah, the Most Glorious, to perfect his intelligence. The person of intelligence is satisfied with the basic necessities and one who agrees with basic necessities he is self-sufficient and free of needs and one who is not satisfied with basic necessities he is never free from wants. “O Hisham, Allah has stated the following on behalf of the people of virtue, “They say, “Lord, do not cause our hearts to deviate from Your guidance, and grant us mercy. You are the Most Awarding One.” (3:8) They know that hearts may deviate and turn towards blindness and destruction. It is certain that those who do not fear Allah have no understanding about Him. One who does not have proper understanding about Allah one’s heart does not establish any stable gnosis about Allah with clear awareness of such gnosis that one would find in his heart. No one can be as such except those whose deeds would confirm their words and their privacy would agree with their public activities. This is because Allah, Sacrosanct are whose names, has not shown what is private and unknown form intelligence except through what is public from it and speaks for it.
“O Hisham, the commander of the true believers, Imam Ali (a.s) has said, “Allah is worshipped better by no means other than intelligence. No one’s intelligence reaches perfection until therewith is found various qualities. Disbelief and evil should not emerge therefrom. Wisdom and goodness should be expected to exist therewith. The extra of the property of a person of intelligence is given in charity, the extra of his words is restrained and his share of the worldly things is only the basic necessities. He never considers himself as to have learned enough. To be with Allah, although in a very humble state, is far better to him than to live very much honored with others. Humbleness is more beloved to him than being taken as a dignitary. He considers virtuous deeds of others a great deal and his own virtuous deeds as insignificant. He considers all the other people better than his self and his own self as the worse of all and this is the totality of all things.”
“O Hisham, a man of intelligence never speaks a lie even though it may satisfy his desires.” “O Hisham, one who does not maintain honorable kindness he has no religion and one can not have such noble character without intelligence. A person of the greatest value among people is one who does not consider the worldly gains his fortune. Nothing can become an adequate price for your bodies other than paradise. Do not sell it for any thing other than paradise.
“O Hisham, the commander of the true believers, Imam Ali (a.s) has said, “Three noble qualities in man are of the signs of the existence of intelligence. He replies when questioned and he speaks up only when everyone else fails to speak and offers his advise when it is beneficial to his people. One who has none of these qualities is a fool.” He also has said, “No one other a person who has all of the above or some of such qualities should chair a gathering and if one does so without any of such qualities he is a fool.” Imam Hassan ibn Ali (a.s) has said, “If you would ask for help do so from a proper source.” He was asked, “O grandson of the holy Prophet, ‘Who are the proper sources?” He replied, “They are those about whom Allah has spoken in His book saying, “Only those who have understanding will take heed and they are the people of intelligence.” Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s) has said, “Sitting in the company of virtuous people leads one to virtue and association with the scholars is a means of strengthening one’s intelligence. Obedience to the authorities that practice justice is an honor. The investment of wealth for profit is a dignifying practice. Guiding one who asks for guidance is an expression of gratitude. To restrain ones harmful manners and deeds is because of the perfection of one’s intelligence in which there is comfort for the body in the short and long terms.” “O Hisham, a man of intelligence does not speak to one who is feared to call him a liar. He does not ask those that he fears may deny him. He does not count on what is not within his abilities. He does not maintain any hope in that which may involve severity and harshness. He does not take any steps towards which he fears may not be achieved due to his inability.”
There are various traditions on Aql in this. Then that Hadith of army of intellect and ignorance comes. We have done Tafsir of these Hadiths in Qom.
Here we have spoken in contact to what Ali has said, that there is nothing precious than intellect. In non-Shias there are enemies of Aql, but in Shias as well there are scholars who have written books on intellect.
