Mouood Mouood English Edition
Muhammad al-Ghazzali
Abul-Hasan Madaini reports: Hasan, Husayn and Abdullah ibn Jafar -may Allah be pleased with them all – were on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Leaving their camel load in a place, they went to an Arab old woman when they were hungry and thirsty. They asked her, “Do you have anything for drink?”
She said, “Yes, I do.” She milked her sheep and gave them milk. Again they asked, “Do you have anything to eat?” The old woman said, “I have no food but you can slaughter the sheep and eat it.” So, they slaughtered the sheep and ate of it, saying, “We are from the tribe of Quraysh. When we go back from pilgrimage, come to us. We will treat you nicely.” Then they left.
When the old woman’s husband came home, he became angry saying,“You have given the sheep to people you do not know.” After a while, the old woman and her husband came to Medina out of poverty. They had to pick up droppings of camels and sell them to make their ends meet.
One day when the old woman was passing through the alley, Hasan who was sitting at the door noticed her and said, “Do you know me?” She said, “No, I do not.” Hasan said, “I am the one whom you hosted.” He then ordered a thousand sheep and a thousand Dinars to be given to her and then he sent her along with his servant to Husayn.
“What did my brother give to you?” Husayn asked. She replied, “A thousand sheep and a thousand Dinars.” Husayn gave her the same. (Muhammad al-Ghazzali, Kimyaye Saadat: 167/2)
Addressing Lady Fatimah, the Holy Prophet once said, “I give you the good news that you are the doyen of the women in Paradise.” Fatimah said,“What are Asiyah and Mary then?” Allah’s Messenger said, “Each of them was the doyen of the women of her time; but you are the doyen of all women in entire world of all times. All of you are in houses, adorned with precious stones with no suffering or preoccupation.” Then, Allah’s Messenger said, “I have given you in marriage to my cousin who is a master in this world and the master of my ummah in the Hereafter.” (Muhammad al-Ghazzali, Kimyaye Saadat: 186)
Whenever Ali ibn Husayn performed ablution for prayer, he would look pale in face. When he was asked about it, he would say, “Do you not know before whom we are standing?” (Muhammad al-Ghazzali, Kimyaye Saadat: 414/2)
One day when Ali ibn Husayn was on his way to mosque, a man swore at him. The servants made an attempt to do something but the Imam said, “Stop it! What is hidden to you from us is more! Are you in need of anything?” The man was ashamed. So Ali ibn Husayn gave him a thousand Dirhams and a garment. The man was going away saying, “I bear witness that he is but the son of Prophets.” (Muhammad al-Ghazzali, Kimyaye Saadat: 421)
Abu – Said Abul – Khayr
Baba Hasan was prayer leader of our spiritual guide (Sheikh), Abu-Said. Under the Sheikh, Sufis followed his leadership. One day when he was performing the Morning Prayer, he came to qunut (Communion) saying, “Blessed and Exalted is our Lord, greetings be upon Muhammad.” He went into prostration. When he completed his prayer, our Sheikh asked him, “Why did you not send greeting upon the Household of Muhammad, and why did you not say: O Allah send greetings upon Muhammad and upon the Household of Muhammad?” Baba said, “The companions have divided opinion as to whether or not to say ‘The Household of Muhammad’ in the first tashahhud and qunut and so to be on the safe side, I did not say it.” Our Sheikh said, “We will not attend any assembly where the names of Muhammad’s Household are no mentioned.” (Asrar al-Tawhid: 204/1)
Our Sheikh has reported: A Jew came to Amir al-Muminin Ali (a.s), asking, “Who is Allah the glorified?” At this question, the Imam’s face turned pale saying, “Allah existed without the attribute of ‘existence’ and without the quality as He exists forever. Nothing precedes Him, for He is before everything. He is infinite. He exceeds all extremes. Did you understand, Jew?”The Jew said, “I bear witness that whoever says anything but this is false. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.” (Asrar al-Tawhid: 248/1)
Our Sheikh, Abu-Said, said: I saw in dream that whoever sends greetings upon Allah’s Messenger a thousand times every Friday night will see him in his dream. We repeatedly did so and saw the Holy Prophet in our dream with Fatimah sitting near him. He was rubbing his hand on the head of Fatimah saying, “This is the doyen of the women of the worlds.” (Asrar al-Tawhid: 268/1)
Mustamli Bukhari
Ali ibn Abu-Talib is the master of the mystics. The ummah unanimously agree that he has the authority of all prophets, because he has said that which no one has ever said and no one will ever say.
Hasan ibn Ali was given poison six times. On five occasions, the poison was not effective but on the sixth time, it was when Husayn ibn Ali came to his bed saying, “O brother! Tell me who has given you poison, so that I will take complete vengeance on him!” Hasan said, “O my brother! Neither my father Ali nor my mother Fatimah nor my grandfather Muhammad nor my grandmother Khadijah nor any of our Household was talebearer. If Allah forgives me on the Judgment Day, I will not enter Paradise unless I forgive one who gave me poison.”
One day, Hasan was eating a piece of bread. At this moment, a man came to him saying, “I have a debt of ten thousand dirhams.” Hasan said, “Give him ten thousand dirhams to pay his debt.” They gave the money to the man and he went away.
To say something about the morality of Husayn, one day when he was having his food, a slave girl was standing over his head with a bowl in her hand. Suddenly, the bowl fell off her hand. Husayn had a look at her. The slave girl quoted a section of the holy verse, “Those who restrain the anger.” Husayn said, “I forgive you.” The slave girl added, “And Allah loves the benefactors.”Husayn said, “You are free for the sake of Allah.”
What can we say about the virtues and excellent qualities of those who are parts of the Holy Prophet?
Abul Hasan Hajwiri Ghaznawi
A few words in praise of Ahl al-Bayt
Ahl al-Bayt enjoy a high rank for having been purified. Each of them has an excellence in spirituality and they are all models among their own tribe. Allah willing I wish to mention some of their virtues here.
The dear one of the Holy Prophet, the sweet basil of the well-pleased Imam, the apple of the eye of the Luminous Lady, Abu-Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ali – May Allah honor his dignity – was well-versed in the spiritual path and interested in its fine points. When determinists took over and people of seclusion were dispersed across the world, Hasan al- Basri wrote a letter to Hasan ibn Ali (a.s) saying:
Peace of Allah be to you, son of Allah’s Messenger and apple of his eye. Mercy and blessing of Allah be to you. You – members of Banu-Hashim – are like ships afloat on seas and you are like shining stars and guidance. Whoever follows you will be rescued, like those who were aboard Noah’s Ark. O son of Allah’s Messenger, we are at a loss and we would like to know what you think on this issue, for you are from the issue of the Prophet and your link will never be cut off. Your knowledge comes from that of Allah Who is your protector.
Receiving the letter, Hasan (a.s.) wrote back:
Whoever does not believe in destined good and evil on the part of Allah is an unbeliever; and whoever attributes his sins to Allah is wicked; that is to say, denying the fate. What we have accepted in our religion is fate. Attributing sins to Allah is determinism. Therefore, a servant is free in acquisition to the extent of his capability given by Allah. Thus religion lies in between determinism and fate.
It is reported that a Bedouin was passing by while Hasan (a.s.) was sitting at the threshold of the house. A Bedouin started swearing at him and his parents. Hasan rose up, saying, “O Bedouin! If you are in need of food, I will give you food and if you are thirsty, I will give you water. What is the matter with you?” The Bedouin kept on abusing Hasan and his parents. Hasan told his servant to bring a purse of golden coins and said, “O Bedouin! I beg your pardon, this is all we have at home and I offer it to you.”
Hearing this, the Bedouin said, “I bear witness that you are the son of Allah’s Messenger and I have come here to test your forbearance. This is the virtue of the great ones for whom praise or blame is equal and they never change because of unkind words.”
The candle of the Muhammad’s Household and the master of his time –Abu Abdullah al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s.) – may Allah be pleased with them, was Allah’s favorite, the center of the people of tribulation, and the one slain on the plains of Karbala. Those who have heard this story unanimously agree that as long as the truth was manifest, he was a follower of truth but when truth was missing, he drew out his sword and did not find comfort until he had sacrificed his dear life for the sake of Allah. His virtues are too well known to be mentioned here.
