Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 8th September, 202
Sermon 1 : Fundamental task of Ibrahim (a) and Hussain (a) was to give direction to humanity
Sermon 2: Arbaeen Ziarat to Karbala is to revive the pain of Imam Hussain (a)
Allah has ordained prophets, books and Seerat of Prophets for acquisition of Taqwa. Allah nurtured the personality of Prophet Ibrahim (a) and then declared him as Uswa (role model). Uswa is that model which is kept in front to make another model. This means to follow a model and man develops himself in accordance with that.
Sayyadus Shohada (a) is also that esteemed role model which is the best model of Taqwa for human being. There have been role models before as well but Prophet whom Quran has presented exclusively as role model is Prophet Ibrahim (a). He was made as Uswa and then he delivered all the affairs which have to be followed by entire humanity. He is not just an Uswa for his era but instead Allah has made him Uswa for entire humanity. The Seerat of Prophet Ibrahim (a) has been presented by Quran and a big arrangement of Hajj which was the Seerat of Prophet Ibrahim (a) has been transformed as obligatory ritual. This means the upcoming generations should adopt the style, behavior and character of Prophet Ibrahim (a). They should mound themselves in the character of Prophet Ibrahim (a) so that their personality also becomes like Prophet Ibrahim (a).
Then after Prophet Ibrahim (a) with continuity in his progeny this custom has been going on. After him the personality which became Uswa in the same manner is Imam Hussain (a) who is made Uswa for entire humanity. The entire humanity has been made attentive towards Imam Hussain (a). The first order given to Prophet Ibrahim (a) was to change your direction towards Allah that is Deen e Hanif in which there is no deviation, distortion and no orientation towards anything else. Hanaf means something that is inclined inside and if something is outside inclined than it is Janaf. While walking if the orientation of man is towards the road then it is Hanaf else if outside road it is Janaf. First you need to set your direction and orientation. It should not be that your direction has become straight so your obligations are completed, now as an Imam you need to give direction to the Ummah in the same direction where Allah has ordered to turn. Hence Allah made the Kaaba through the hands of Prophet Ibrahim (a) and then ordered him to announce to people to travel , turn towards this house. Those who are not coming and worshipping Allah in their homelands or anywhere, they should turn towards this House as Qiblah. There is a difference between Kaaba and Qiblah. The Qiblah means direction where man turns his face whereas Kaaba is the house. Qiblah is the act of man and Kaaba is the house of Allah made by Ibrahim. The Kaaba is made by stones but it becomes Qiblah when Ummah turns towards it. This Qiblah is symbolic because the actual order to all Prophets to turn the direction of you and your followers towards Allah, his religion and system. It is not necessary that when man comes to the world he might be in the right direction. If we ponder over our society many things which we see as corruption, the biggest corruption is that this community and the people living inside do not have the right direction. They have not found the direction, established the right direction, neither they have been told and their faces have not been turned towards the right direction, hence they turn in every direction. The way Ali (a) says people are of 3 types, one are divine scholars, second are those in quest of Knowledge and third are flock of sheep who follows every whistle blower. Those whose directions are clear they do not turn in every direction. Their direction is towards their purpose that is the point for which they have come into existence. Those who do not have purpose, goal or they are not aware about the purpose they cannot establish their direction. The direction is for those who are aware as to what purpose we have been created, we have come to acquire what and where we have to reach. As Ali (a) says, May Allah have mercy on that person ,who knows where he has come from , where he is going and at present where he is standing. Is he in standing in the right direction or in some other direction. The one who knows where he has to go he has a direction. The one who has no direction is bewildered. Today he would be going in one direction, second in some other direction and every day he will on a new path and direction. He will always remain confused.
Allah has given an example of such community as Bani Israel the community of Moosa. When Allah delivered them from Pharaoh and came to Palestine. They did all forms of disobedience and it went on to peak at the time of Saamri. He made a calf through the people’s contribution and got the people after the calf as God. When Moosa returned from Meeqat the entire community was after a calf. Then Allah punished them, one was to kill each other and second was to remain bewildered. They got a leader whom they were not following. Then Allah indulged them into “Tih”, which means a life of no direction. For forty years they remained in this state. They were removed from their homes and placed in dessert. Then they were asked to do forgiveness and turn towards Allah. But they did not do repentance but instead tried to act smartly. They would travel at night due to heat in day. When they would walk at night and when it would be morning, they would see that they are in the same place where they started. In this state of bewilderment, this is the state of “Tih” in which they remained like this due to their misguidance. Today we can see the same life in the current human generation and specifically in our country. When we don’t know the direction , purpose, goals the nation is bewildered and they follow every whistle blower. There is no clear direction, and just have to spend life somehow.
Allah for the sake of saving man from this bewilderment has ordained Imams and leaders, who can set the direction of Ummah. Prophet Ibrahim (a) made Kaaba so that it can become Qiblah. The stones have no specialties and this has been mentioned by Imams as well. If there was guidance in stones, then the stones in walls, idols would do more guidance. Neither carved or raw stone has any guidance. This house was made with stones to make it a Qiblah, to change the direction of humanity towards it. Symbolically the Qiblah gives direction. Whenever we stand for Salaat, the Quran says you have to do Iqamus Salaat, that is to establish Salaat and we turned it into Namaz. We have to read Namaz but for Salaat we have to establish it. The first step of Salaat is to set the direction that is to turn towards Kaaba as Qiblah. At present you are busy in the sermon and sitting in the direction of Kaaba. The first thing everyone is doing on Jumah is to sit facing Kaaba. Then after that Sermons, Takbir, Rakats etc. are there. First we have to find the direction. If you recite everything facing somewhere else it would be all void. To change face towards Kaaba is not that Allah is in this direction. Allah has clarified wherever you turn Allah is there. This direction of Qiblah is part of your Ummat Saazi. The Kaaba is made Qiblah for direction. There is a real Qiblah behind this symbolic Qiblah. When you do Iqamus Salaat, you are facing in two directions, one is Kaaba and second is when Ibrahim was made to do Azaan so that people can come towards you and face this direction. First Ibrahim was told to set his direction towards Allah and when you have done this then you have to turn towards humanity. The fundamental point in guidance is to find direction, establishing it and giving a direction to the humanity. If this is not done then they become dispersed flock of sheep and move wherever they find grass. As Quran says when Iqama is done, and hawkers call they leave Salaat and run towards trading. Wherever there is announcement of food, play, politics, desires, field of power they run towards them and leave their direction. The first practice in Salaat done by man is to find the direction and need to be firm in that direction. You cannot change the direction in any worse situation as well. You have to preserve your direction till end. Even if you are humble, dedicated in Salaat but if your direction changes then everything gets wasted. You will get calls for trading, useless things but you should not reject Salaat and got towards the call. This is the fundamental point related to Ummat Saazi. This is the role of Prophets, Imams and Ulama to give direction to humanity. But first they have to find and set their own direction, like Prophet Ibrahim (a) has been told to set his direction and if that gets set then Ibrahim will set the direction of Ummah., This is for every generation.
The significance of Sayyadus Shohada (a) in Imams is same as uniqueness of Prophet Ibrahim (a) In Prophets. The Holy Prophet (s) despite of having all privileges has been declared as the real followers of Ibrahim. The same way is the path of Imam Hussain (a) In Imams. Imam Hussain (a) himself says that I wish I would be amongst the soldiers of Imam Mahdi (a). Despite of this the Uswa for Imam Mahdi (A) Uswa is Imam Hussain (a). The Prophets who came after Prophet Ibrahim (a) did the same what Prophet Ibrahim (a) did. There were Ulul Azam Prophets like Moosa and Isra, they were followers of Prophet Ibrahim (a). Their role was to give the same direction to Ummah which Allah gave to Prophet Ibrahim (a). The Imams who came after Imam Hussain (a) did the same thing. The direction which Imam Hussain (a) adapted and gave to Ummah; the Imams continued the same. The way Prophet turned the face towards Kaaba of the Ummah, the Imams also turned the face of Ummah in the direction which Imam Hussain (a) gave to Ummah. The humanity has also done various efforts to turn the face of Ummah towards Imam Hussain (a), but not that away from Allah. Imam Hussain (a) gave the direction to humanity on the order of Allah. The lesson which every generation has to learn and deliver was done by Imam Hussain (a). He did not leave anything incomplete for others to come. Whatever Prophet Ibrahim (a) Allah said that you have delivered your promises sincerely and it was this much only. Then he was said, you leave it and we have kept it further for your progeny. When humanity has left direction then again Imam Hussain (a) ordained the same direction which Prophet Ibrahim (a) had given and Prophets continued on it. When the humanity despite of lifting the standard of religion, doing worship, good deeds they forgot the direction. Here again the direction was given to humanity by Imam Hussain (a) so that the entire humanity turns in that right direction.
Now Azadari is amongst those arrangements where the direction of people should turn towards Imam Hussain (a) and Imam Hussain (a) turns them towards Allah. Else people will go to Allah with their own way and those directions are not accepted by Allah. Aza means mourning for Imam Hussain (a) is the attention towards Imam, Ashura and Karbala. The actual mourning is to change the direction of Ummah towards Karbala, so that Karbala turns their face towards Allah,
Today if you see the situation of country, then you can see the actual problem of Pakistani community. They have made all faces, but are following every direction like flocks. They keep on changing Saamri and keep on changing calf’s and Samri. They will not give you salvation unless you change your direction away form these Saamri, calf and towards the direction which Imam Hussain (a) and Prophet Ibrahim has turned. The Arbaeen is the part of the same.
Whatever is done in the name of Arbaeen is Aza of Imam Hussain (a), that is revive and keep alive the mourning of Imam Hussain (a). When people understand what is this mourning then they will realize the secret of salvation present in this mourning. May Allah turn the face of humanity with this mourning in the direction in which Imam Hussain (a) wanted to change the direction.
SECOND SERMON
Allah has established Uswa’s (role models) whom human being has to follow and establish the system of life in the same pattern as theirs. Imam Hussain (a) is one of the most esteemed role model like Prophet Ibrahim (a). These two personalities have been made to deliver most fundamental task which is to give the right direction to humanity. If man has forgotten direction and he is doing good deeds they all get wasted. I have mentioned this before that Pakistani community is the leader in charity and good deeds. They have utmost orientation towards charitable things, whether they are religious, social, sectarian. But you can see the state of such good people . their country , religion, education ethics should be not what it is now of such good people. If you see in Hajj, Ziarat the Pakistanis are forward from all in doing good deeds. In Ramazan you can see how they do charity with such high passion, sincerity and good deeds is not comparable with any community, but still their situation is worse. Three are reasons and one big reason is that they don’t have direction. They do not consider direction as condition for doing good deeds. They don’t give importance to direction but to good deeds. You can see those who came to Karbala to kill Imam Hussain (a) also did not leave good things. At Zohr of Ashura they used to call to kill Imam Hussain (a) early as the time for prayers is passing away. This was the passion they had for good deeds. We are also amongst those good deeds people, but neither work of their is going in the right away and they are getting into worse sates. One fault is they don’t have the direction ,hence the sincerity, spending in the way of Allah all gets wasted. The money spent on religion is not to the extent done in Pakistan but there is no outcome. Things when they are not in the right direction it will not give result. You cannot give seeds to a good person or throw it anywhere and then you are expecting crops come out. Then you will know later that he has thrown the seeds on street or some canal. These good people throw away goodness’s in any field because from them doing goodness is necessary. The direction is necessary. To give direction Allah has kept Hajj and Azadari. The soul of these acts is to give direction. If you see the acts of Hajj you can see them to be purposeless. The actual theme of Hajj is to put on Ihram then circle Kabala. Why? What will these circles give me? Then you run between the two mountains. Why? When you go to the plains of Arafah and just sit. Why? Then at evening leave for another field of Mashar, there also sit. Then leave there and in morning reach Mina, then hit seven pebbles on a pit which is a wall now. And do this for three days. Why? Then everyone should slaughter animals. Why in such big numbers? Then shave your head. For what? Then from worldly perspective if you see there seems to be no purpose. Man would think that how much time I am sitting here, if I could have sat at shop would have earned more. And even business is prohibited at Hajj. This means just sit. All these tasks which seems purposeless , the fundamental purposes are there, and one of the purpose is to give direction and practice direction to those who have lost direction. You have to find direction and all should move together.
Same is with Azadari that is to mourn on Imam Hussain (a). We have made many occupancies and businesses in Azadari like Hajj. This was not included in Azadari to do this as trading. These clever businessman have taken opportunity for this. Today the biggest business is done at Hajj. The mourning of Aza and amongst them one is Arbaeen. First we have to understand what is sorrow and grief. Our pain is the atrocities done on Imam Hussain (a). This our pain, grief and not of Imam Hussain (a). If Imam Hussain (a) would not have been martyred in Karbala, then today no Shia would have any pain in their heart. IF you see other topics where such level of oppression is not done we don’t have any grief. What was the pain inside the heart of Imam Hussain (a)? One pain is which takes us out to Ashura, Majalis, Maatam and even Karbala. Which pain took Imam Hussain (a) out from home to mecca and then Karbala. Then which pain got him martyred. It was not the pain which we have. He did not leave home with the pain that Yazid has done oppression which was not the case at that time. Imam Hussain (a) pain was that the humanity does not know the direction, they are not concerned about Yazid becoming Hakim and they are just into their good deeds. The bewilderment of Ummah was the pain, grief of Imam Hussain (a). To study, adapt this pain and establish the direction of ours on this pain we have been given the orders of Azadari. If this pain was not present in the heart of Imam Hussain (a) then many suggestions, advices were given to him to save life. We have recited all these suggestions from the book in our Majalis. They were all valuable suggestions for us, where you can save yourselves from prison, pressure, hardships, calamities, accusations, family becomes secure, then would be a better person than him. Today if someone suggests to leave the country and go to America, Australia, Canada we pray for him. His brothers, well-wishers and others were given these suggestions to go to Yemen, take refuge in some cave or go somewhere else. If Imam Hussain (a) would have trodden on the advices, then everyone would have been secure. Imam Hussain (a) knew that these people did not have the pain for the misguidance of humanity, transgression of limits of Allah, Yazid being ruler over Muslim Ummah. They had no pain, no worries hence Imam distanced from them and he did not even like their Hajj. Imam rejected Hajj and said to live with such people is disgrace. To live life with painless, careless people itself is a calamity. Those who are not concerned with anything itself is a trauma to live with the. Though most of them like to live with such people. Imams have oriented our direction towards Karbala to develop this pain and not for Ziarat. The best Ziarat is of Prophet (s) but the emphasis of ziarat is on Imam Hussain (a). The Ziarat of Imam Hussain (a) is to revive this pain of Imam Hussain (a) and when this gets revived man gets direction of life form this pain. The Hajj and Karbala have the same [purpose to give direction to man. In Hajj one element dominates and in Karbala another element dominates. In Hajj by thinking man is made to understand direction and in Karbala man is made to understand direction through heart.
Today Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (a) has established a unique position globally. There is no emphasis of Chehlum for deceased in any sect, this is our culture of making a good thing. For Imam Hussain (a) Chehlum it is been said as per one narration, that the Ahlulbayt (a) reached Karbala after being released from captivity. Some Ulama says this narration is not authentic as they did not go to Medina through Karbala. The second narration is where Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari (r.a) went to Karbala on this day and was a companion of Holy Prophet (s). Imam Hussain (a) recited the tradition of youths of paradise and referred to three companions , one was Jabir and asked the Kufis to refer to him and ask about his status. He came to the Karbala on the 40th day of martyrdom to the grave of Imam Hussain (a). Then there are other versions that Ahlulbayt (a) were also present. These differences in history are there.
But today the Arbaeen is not due to sunnah of Jabir Ansari or because Ahlulbayt (a) came on this day. This custom has been set that believers across the world teach Karbala on 20th Safar. This is from the chapter that Ahlulbayt (a) has turned the direction of Ummah towards Karbala and then Karbala has to give direction towards the life. Today the direction of Ummah has turned towards Allah. The Shias, Sunnis and even non-Muslims turn towards Karbala and this was the desire of Ahlulbayt (a) that the direction of Ummah should change towards Karbala. But there are other threats as well like Hajj got into the hands of Ale Saud and they do Hajj the way Ale Saud wants, not the way the Prophet did. In Arbaeen the direction changed and Allah will increase this. The dangers are there in this as well, the way various sects have found this Arbaeen as an open field. Some are trying to change the direction towards trading, some towards politics. Arbaeen is not an event where the global and regional Satan’s are neglecting this. They want to change the direction of Arbaeen. They would not keep Jews over Kaaba, but Aale Saud. They are doing the same in Arbaeen as well to change its directions. There are such elements also active who are trying to not allow the direction of Arbaeen to change in the direction where Imam Khomeini and Rahbar has changed towards Imam Hussain (a). They want to change towards Sectarianism. We can see in Pakistan to raise Yazidiat how much efforts are being made. They are doing it successfully to revive Yazidiat. You can see all these pilgrims who go to Arbaeen how much Sense they bring back. They curse Yazid and then come back again to be in the party of Yazid. This means you have not taken sense from Karbala. They went on the ticket of Yazid and came back to stand with Yazid. The purpose of Hajj is to return back as Ibrahima and not party with azar or do idol worship. When a pilgrim of Imam Hussain (a) goes to shrine of Imam Hussain (a), develops the soul of Imam Hussain (a) then he will not tolerate any Yazid in his country. He will not become party to any Yazid. He is that righteous person. It is not that you go there, and return back to pray for the Yazid party. Then you tell them that they are Hussain? Ibn Ziad came to Kufa alone and Kufis were waiting for Imam Hussain (a), they welcomed him. They were asking to do Bayat on his hand. When Ubaidullah removed his face veil, they saw that he is Ibn Ziad and then the Kufi’s ran away. If today’s Yazid puts on a veil you will consider them as Hussain and misguide people? You are giving titles of Hussain to Yazid, this means you are also traders, politicians who want to take political gains from Arbaeen. If the Arbaeen was Hussaini and Yazidi then this was enough. Today if 100,000 pilgrims return back to Pakistan with the sense of Hussain and then deliver this to the 250 million then Pakistan can come out of misguidance and get the direction, other nations can also take the same advantage but this is only if this sense gets develop. The leadership of revolution does but there are opponent groups as well who take advantage. We pray to Allah that this mourning should get transformed into sense (Sha’oor) and this sense give direction to the Ummah and then Yazidiat will end and then that Imam who is in occultation will come out and fill the entire earth with the soul and Imamat of Ibrahim.
