Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan
Friday Sermon – 16th June, 2023
Sermon 1 : Philosophy of giving righteous witness
Taqwa is for every segment and field of life. One general field of Taqwa mentioned by Quran is of conflicts and disputes between believers. People get into conflicts related to rights of each other. This is an important field man suffers extreme losses and loses his human status and values.
In Surah Maida , verse no 8
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ {8}
O you who believe! Be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice, and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably; act equitably, that is nearer to piety, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Aware of what you do
In this verse a very important principle for preservation of divine Taqwa is specified. This field is of disputes whereby man himself is involved in some dispute or becomes witness to any such dispute. Human beings’ life is full of disputes in which Human being suffers loss on his personality.
When it comes to witness Allah (s) says you should become from those amongst Qawameen. They are those who rise with full strength and conviction. There are some who do not care about giving witnesses as for them it is not something major. If they give witness then also its fine, if they don’t then also they have not abandoned anything major, or even if they give false witness they don’t mind. If our personality is Quranic then this is obligatory on us. Since our upbringing is as per ancestral rituals which has its own foundation of personal gains, self-love, self-interests or interests of relatives, community, tribes etc. These principles are taught to us by ancestral culture and we have been nurtured in accordance to this. We always try to find persons from our community, sect, tribe in gatherings, making relations. In these relations there is no interest yet but if there is some personal benefits involved we always give priority to our relatives, brothers in sect and community. This is our upbringing. If we have to give witness then also we give witnesses in favor of our relatives and community. These are inhuman principles. Like in Jamea there are many guests and you will develop proximity with those who belong to your region. This is not human etiquettes that you do friendship or give respect to those who belong to our region or community. The principles of Quranic society and ritualistic ancestral society are both different.
The Quran principle is that it is obligatory to give right witness irrespective of whether it goes against or in favor of whom. The witness is for the benefit and strengthening of system. We try to run away from such situation to remain neutral. We don’t even name a child who has done mistake. We have made our personality to remain neutral on crimes. Even children’s close eyes and don’t see. This is also criminal act to close eyes as it is cooperation with crime. The Quran says you have to give witness and not that only when you are asked you do it. Quran says become Qawameen means become of those who give more witness, that is do not loose the opportunity to become witness. By becoming witness you will benefit some and harm some but you have stood to establish truth.
In Surah Nisa as well
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَىٰ أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا ۚ وَإِنْ تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا {135}
O you who believe! be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness of Allah’s sake, though it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor, Allah is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely Allah is aware of what you do.
The same order is present in this verse. Here also the order is to rise to give witness against anyone , even if it is against your own self means it gives harm to you. If you have to give witness against parents which generally children would have observed. If the parents have violated the rights of someone the children should give witness that they have done it. If you have to give witness against your relatives then also with strength do it. Do not see with your witness who is benefiting whether he is poor or rich, do it for the sake of Allah. Then clearly do not follow your desires because this happens as man inclines towards his own known ones and gives priority as he desires. Even other than witness the Quran says that you have to act on principles and do not go by desires and relations. You have to make friends as well based on principles. For example in a dispute A is on right and B is false claimant. We know that A is right and gave witness in favor of A. It is not that you have favored A you have instead supported justice. You have given priority to justice and not to a person. When a person follows truth then he does not see who is standing in front whether from my family, community or sect. We have to always give witness for truth.
We take Quran in hand and give witness in favor of relatives falsely to give benefit to our own person. If you swerve and not give witness then Allah knows about you. We are becoming criminals just free of cost. You know who has done this damage but you say I don’t know. You are not criminal in the sense that you have done it, but by saying I don’t know you are accounted as criminal. Here without doing crime you are becoming criminal.
This giving witness has generality. We have been told that witness means only speaking in front of judge but as Quran it not confined or limited to being in court. The subject of witness is much vast as the witnesses are giving outside of courts as well. The things that are done more outside court are in hospitals, schools, organizations, etc. Like those who make false certificates from doctors; it is also a witness. The doctor either by taking money or for any reason just writes in favor of patient , he has given false witness. Many places we make false certificates to solve our problems. In offices as well when a person does not come on duty, the other colleague says he has come. This is false witness. The schools, colleges and seminaries give degrees of scholarship falsely. The order for such acts is same as witness. With this the community , society suffers. There is a loss in reality whereby you have become obstacle in the path of establishing the system of justice. If someone gives witness against us we become his enemy falsely. This person is highly respected. The secondary benefit of giving witness is that one who deserved his rights got it but the primary benefit which is the philosophy behind giving righteous witness is that you have contributed your part in the establishment of system of justice.
In Surah Maida verse one more thing mentioned is that enmity with someone should not become basis while giving witness. It should not be that one whom we love give all witness in their favor whereas due to enmity we either give false witness or don’t give. This is our ancestral culture. Quran says when you have to give witness in favor of enemy then also neither refrain from giving witness nor give false witness. The significance of Kist and justice is such that even if it benefits your enemy you have to give witness. This is because the major benefit has gone towards justice and you have also become amongst those who are rising for the sake of establishing justice. It won’t be written that how many benefitted with your witness or suffered, but instead it would be written that you were amongst those who established justice.
Then Taqwa and justice has a close relationship and this is the exclusive verse where direct relationship between justice and Taqwa gets established. If Justice is established then Taqwa gets established. This is also a separate discussion about relationship between Taqwa and Justice. How justice helps in establishing Taqwa.
SECOND SERMON
Sermon 2: True believers are those who possess Haya and Sabr
In saying number 113, Imam Ali presents a beautiful system for believers.
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 Taqwa, 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.
وَلاَ إِيمَانَ كَالْحَيَاءِ وَالصَّبْرِ
no belief is like modesty and endurance
We have unclear picture about Emaan (Faith) just like for Allah, and the problem is in our understanding. Same applies to Emaan which gets more confused by Scholars. The reality of faith has to be simple as it is the first foundation of religion. It is easy to understand and to specify its objective reference. I have mentioned last time and repeating it that Eman means to be satisfied, trust and feel secure about it. The way we keep certain things safe, secure and are contented without any doubt that we have secured it. This is what is faith presented as contentment and satisfaction is faith. The thing that has given you the assurance that something is safe, secure you have faith on it. The Quran has been descended for everyone and not for special creations. Those who say that Quran has come for Infallible only is denial of Quran which means Quran is not guidance for everyone. Quran itself has specified that it is clear, without doubt and for everyone but still we say it is impossible to understand.
The basis of Quran is faith and if we don’t understand faith then entire structure will become deviated. The thing that develops this confidence, certainty and assurance about safety of something is faith. Like you kept your motorcycles, cars outside mosque and are relaxed, assured that they are safe. This assurance has come from the arrangements made for security by us. This means you have faith on those arrangements. On Friday you have to leave all occupancies at the time of prayers. Anything that conflicts with Friday prayers should be left. So you have closed your shops for coming to Friday prayers with assurance that your shops are safe. That thing which has given you assurance about the safety of your shops is the one on which you have faith. This contentment , comfort you have about safety in your routine affairs is faith. These things on which you have faith on routine affairs secures few things of your life. The actual means by which you can secure every segment of your life is the essence of Allah. You should have trust on Allah that he will secure all your affairs and this trust should be practical whereby once you have faith on Allah that he will secure all your affairs then you don’t go elsewhere.
Amirul Momineen (a) says the best objective reference which are the means to be acquired to establish Faith are Haya (modesty) and Sabr (patience). We have mentioned about Haya in last sermon whereby it gets proven that entire faith lies in Haya (modesty). In one tradition it is mentioned that Allah has packed all virtues, traits in a trunk and the name of that trunk is Haya. This means when Haya leaves man then all human virtues gets lost and man becomes corrupt and cruel. The first attack which Satan does is on Haya and after breaking Haya the Satan leaves because now every good trait will leave this person.
The second things which Amirul Momineen (a) mentions is Sabr which does not mean to remain silent it means perseverance. This implies to remain firm , stable in every situation of goodness, calamities, hardships. This is faith. Allah says we should bring faith on Allah, books, Prophets, book and hereafter. The faith which means trust, confidence, security when it takes the form of Sabr that is perseverance then this is faith. This means when attempts are made to take man away from a path man remains firm. All the human virtues are dependent on patience. Man will get everything through Sabr which means remaining firm. When man leaves Sabr, he runs away from the field, changes intentions, does not remain firm., loose courage , becomes cowardly and man becomes deprived of every good virtue hence becoming useless in life. Those whom you see successful in worldly life, is also due to patience. They remain firm on hardship. If someone wants to make money he has many hardships even more then someone wanting to do research. Man can go forward only by remaining firm on his path. When you have trust, reliance on the essence of Allah then you should possess Haya and demonstrate Sabr. This is the faith of Amirul Momineen
(a). If you possess Haya and Sabr then you are a believer of Allah, Prophet, Imams and specifically of Ali (a). If you do not possess Sabr and Haya and then claim that you are believer then as per Quran Allah says you are not believers, but just false pretenders of faith. You are not even near to be a believer and you can be Faasik, Fajir and faith comes through this.
May Allah (s) grant us to acquire as testified and specified by Amirul Momineen (a)
