Examples of his Interpretations
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, was among the most eminent interpreters of the Holy Qur'a`n. The interpreters quoted many of his wonderful interpretations. The historians said: "He had a school for interpreting the Qur'a`n.
1" His martyr son, Zayd, learned from him the interpretation of the Qur'a`n.. Also his son Ima`m Abu` Ja'far, Mohammed al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, learned from him some interpretations narrated by Ziya`d b. al-Mundhir, the spiritual leader of the Ja`ru`di sect.
2 Any how, we will mention some brief examples of his interpretations on the Holy Book of Allah. They are as follows:
1. Ima`m Mohammed al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his father the interpretation of this Holy verse: "Who made the earth a resting-place for you,
3" that he said: "Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, made the earth appropriate for your natures and agreeable with your bodies. He did not make it very hot lest it should burn your, nor cold lest it should freeze you, nor intense in sweet-smelling wind lest it should make you suffer headaches, nor very bad-smelling, lest it should ruin you, nor very soft like water lest it should drown you, nor very solid lest it should be difficult for you to build your houses and the graves of your dead, but He, the Great and Almighty, created in it solid, high lands, that you may avail yourselves of them, you hold fast to them, your bodies and your
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1 There is a copy of it in the Library of the American Congress, as an Iraqi newspaper said.
2 Haya`t al-Ima`m Mohammed al-Ba`qir, vol. 1, p. 11, quoted from al-Fihrast of al-Shaykh al-Tu`si, p. 98.
3 Qur'a`n, 2, 22.
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houses cling to them, and He made in it (the earth) that which yields to your houses, your graves, and your numerous profits, hence He made the earth a resting-place for you. Then He, the Great and Almighty, said: 'and the heaven a canopy', meaning a preserved ceiling over you, where He turns for your benefits the sun, the moon, and the stars. Then He, the Great and Almighty, said: 'and (Who) sends down water from the heaven,' meaning the rain which He sends down from above, that it may reach the tops of your mountains, your hills, your plateaus, and your lowlands, then He divided rain into drizzle, heavy, weak, and continuous, that your lands may absorb it. He does not send down rain upon you all at once lest it should spoil your lands, your trees, your plants, and your fruits. Then He, the Great and Almighty, said: 'then brings forth with it subsistence for you of the fruits,' meaning what He brings forth from the earth is your subsistence. 'Therefore, do not set up rivals to Allah,' meaning the likenesses of the idols that neither understand nor hear nor see nor able (to do) anything. 'While you know,' that they (the idols) are not able (to create) any of these great boons which your Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, bestows upon you.
1" This valuable part of the speech of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, is full of wonderful and trustworthy proofs for the Unity of Allah. It gives a brilliant, perfect picture of how Allah, the Exalted, created the earth, for He created it in a wonderful quality which is neither very solid nor very soft in order to enable man to live on it and avails himself of its countless boons and fruits. The wonders on the earth such as mountains, valleys, minerals, seas, rivers are great and most reliable proofs for the existence of the Creator, the Great, the Wise.
Besides, the Ima`m, peace be on him, produced evidence in support of the might of Allah, the Exalted, through His creating the heaven and what is within it such as the sun, the moon, and all the stars which supply the earth with their rays. This is because the sun's rays play an important role in forming plant life, the moon's rays have
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1 'Uyyu`n Akhba`r al-Rida`, vol. 1, pp. 137-138.
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a great effect on the tide and ebb of the seas, and the stars' rays give life to animal and plant beings on the earth. These cosmic phenomena were not discovered but in these modern times, but the Ima`m, peace be on him, mentioned them in his speech, hence, indeed, he and his infallible fathers and children were the first to raise the banner of knowledge and to contribute in forming human civilization.
The Ima`m, peace be on him, gave a distinguished picture of rain when he showed that rain fell in a routine manner and during certain times to enliven the earth and to bring forth its fruits. If rain continued and fell all at one, it would ruin plants and men.
After the Ima`m had given material proofs for the existence of the Wise Creator, he summoned (men) to worship Him, to confess His Unity, and to abandon idols and rivals that caused the degradation of thinking and the inactivity of awareness, for they neither harmed nor profited them, nor had they any ability to arrange the affairs of this universe.
2. It is reported on his authority that he interpreted this Holy Verse: 'and recite the Qur'a`n as it ought to be recited'
1 with these words of him: "Explain it (i.e. the Qur'a`n) completely when you recite it. Scatter it not as you scatter seeds and recite it not as you recite poetry. Consider carefully its wonders in order to move your hearts with them. Let not your aim be completing the Su`ra.
2"
3. He interpreted this Holy Verse: 'Enter into peace one and all'
3 with these words of him: "Peace means the authority of Ima`m ('Ali), the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him.
4" Without doubt, the authority of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, the Gate of the city of knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, is the true peace through which men find security, welfare, and tranquillity. If the Muslims had adopted it after the death
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1 Qur'a`n, 73, 4.
2 Al-Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, p. 279.
3 Qur'a`n, 2, 208.
4 Tafsïr al-Burha`n, vol. 1, p. 129.
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of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, crisis would not have attacked their social and political life.
4. A person asked Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, about the interpretation of this Holy Verse: 'Lest a soul should say: O woe to me for what I fell short of my duty to Allah.
1" Hence he, peace be on him, said: "The Duty to Allah is 'Ali b. Abi Ta`lib, who is the proof of Allah over the creatures. On the Day of Judgment, Allah will command the gatekeepers of Hell to give its keys to 'Ali, peace be on him, hence he will cause to enter whom he wants and save whomever he wants. Surely, Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'O 'Ali, whoever loves you loves me, and whoever hates you hates me. O 'Ali, you are my brother, and I am your brother. O 'Ali, you will (raise) the banner of praise on the Day of Judgment and be ahead of my community and the callers be on your right hand and your left hand.'
2"
Allah endowed Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, with every noble position with Him, of which is that he is the partner in the Garden and the Fire, as the traditions have unanimously mentioned this. Allah granted 'Ali this great position because of his great struggle for Islam, his strong pity, and his firm clinging to the religion.
5. Thuwayr b. Fa`khta asked Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, about the interpretation of this Holy Verse: "And the earth shall beam with the light of its Lord, and the Book shall be laid down, and the prophets and the witnesses shall be brought up.
3" Hence the Ima`m gave him a long answer about the terrors on the Day of Judgment. We will mention some of it. He, peace be on him, said: "On the Day of Judgment, Allah will resurrect men naked from their graves on one level. The Light will drive them and the Darkness will gather them until they stop at the threshold of the place of gathering. Hence they
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1 Qur'a`n, 39, 56.
2 Tafsïr Fura`t, p. 3.
3 Qur'a`n, 39, p. 69.
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will crowd at it and will be prevented from going away. Their breaths will be intense, their sweat will be abundant, their affairs will be narrow, their noise will be intense, and their voices will raise up. This will be the first one of the terrors of the Resurrection. Then the Almighty (Allah), the Blessed and Exalted, will look down upon (them) from the Throne and say: 'O creatures, listen and hear the Caller of the Almighty (Allah).' The first and the last of them will hear. Their hearts will be humble. They will shake all over and look at the direction of the Voice and hurry to the Caller. Hence the unbelievers will say: 'This is a difficult day!' The Call will come from the Almighty (Allah): 'I am Allah, there is no god but I. I am the Judge who does not wrong. Today, I will judge among you with My justice and fairness. None shall be wronged before Me. I will take the weak one's (right) from the strong one through (taking his) good deeds (and adding them to the weak one's good deeds or taking his evil deeds and adding them to the strong one's) evil deeds. I will repay you. No wrongdoer will pass this difficulty. If any one was subjected to a certain injustice and forgives its doer, I will repay him for it and punish its doer on the Day of Judgment. Request your injustices from those who had wronged you in the world. I am as a witness for you, and I am a sufficient witness.
1"
6. Ima`m al-Sa`diq narrated on the authority of his grandfather Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, the interpretation of this Holy Verse: "He accepts repentance from His servants and takes alms.
2" He, peace be on him, said concerning the interpretation of: "and takes alms. I guarantee (you) before my Lord, the Exalted, that the alms falls into the Hand of the Lord, the Exalted before it falls into the hand of the servant." He would say: "Every thing is entrusted to an angel except the alms, for it falls into the Hand of Allah, the Exalted."
3
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1 Tafsïr al-Burha`n, vol. 2, p. 95.
2 Qur'a`n, 9, 104.
3 Tafsïr al-Burha`n, vol. 1, p. 441. Tafsïr al-Sa`fi, p. 223.
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7. Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, interpreted: "And they sold him for a small price, a few dirhams,
1 that the small price for which they sold Yousif was twenty dirhams.
2"
8. Thuwayr b. Fa`khta reported that Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, interpreted the Holy Verse: "And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering
3" with his words: "Abel sought nearness to Allah through (sacrificing) the fattest ram which he had, and Cain sought nearness (to Him) through (offering) a handful of ears (of corn). Hence Allah, the Exalted, accepted (it) from Abel but did not accept (it) from Cain. Hence Satan instigated to Cain that Abel's children would boast of this against your children and say: 'We are the children of him whose offering Allah had accepted.' This imagination controlled him to the extent that he envied his brother Abel and decided to kill him lest he should have children. He did not know what to do. Satan taught him to place his (brother's) head between two stones and kill him, and he did this. He did not know how to bury him until two crows came and one of them killed the another. Then it dug (the ground) and buried the other. Cain was looking at (them), hence he stood, dug (a grave) for Abel and buried him, and became among the remorseful. This has become the law of burying the dead.
"When Adam asked Cain about his brother Abel, he said to him: 'Did you appoint me as a shepherd for him?' Then he brought him to the place of offering. Adam knew that Cain had killed his brother, so he cursed him and ordered him to be cursed. Then he wept for his son (Abel) for forty years until Allah revealed to him: 'I will give you a male to success Abel.' Eve born him a pure, blessed boy. On the seventh day, Allah revealed to him to name him Hibat Allah (the Gift of Allah), and he named him so.
4"
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1 Qur'a`n, 12, 20.
2 Majjma'' al-Baya`n, vol. 5, p. 221.
3 Qur'a`n, 5, p. 27.
4 Tafsïr al-Burha`n, vol. 1, p. 280.
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9. Sa'id b. Jubayr said: [I questioned Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, about the relations in this Holy Verse: Say I demand not, of you any reward for it (the toils of preaching) except the love of my relation,
1 and he, peace be on him, answered:] "The relations of ours, the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt).
2"
10. A man questioned Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, about the fixed portion in these words of Him: [And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion,
3 and he, peace be on him, replied:] "The fixed portion is the thing which you bring forth from your wealth and is not of the obligatory Zaka`t and alms." The man asked the Ima`m: "What shall I do with it?" He, peace be on him, answered: "Give it to your womb relations, strengthen a weak person with it, give it to your brother in Allah, and (spend) it on the disaster which afflicts you." The man admired the knowledge of the Ima`m and said: "Allah knows better where to place His message.
4"
11. Interpreting this Holy Verse: "Hence turn away with kindly forgiveness,
5" Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, said: "It is the forgiveness with out blame."
6
These are some Holy Verses whose interpretations have been narrated on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. Whoever reads the books of interpretation will find numerous views and words of the Ima`m on this subject.
Jurisprudence
As for Jurisprudence, it is among the greatest and most important Islamic sciences, for takes care of the acts of Muslims in the light of what has been codified in the Islamic Law. Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin,
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1 Qur'a`n, 42, 42.
2 Al-Jassa`s, Ahka`m al-Our'a`n, vol. 3, p. 475.
3 Qur'a`n, 70, 24.
4 La'a`li' al-Akhba`r, vol. 3, p. 3. Wasa`'il al-Shï'a, vol. 6, p. 69.
5 Qur'a`n, 15, 85.
6 Wasa`'il al-Shï'a, vol. 5, p. 519.
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peace be on him, took great care of Jurisprudence when he spread and proclaimed it among men. He was the only specialist in this science in his time. The historians said: "He was similar to his grandfather Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, in his capability of encompassing all the jurisprudential problems and their branches.
1" He was the only authority to whom all the religious scholars and scientists referred concerning the most important religious problems. The historians narrated that al-Zhuri, who was among the most famous and greatest jurists of Medina, referred to the Ima`m concerning the most important religious precepts. The narrators said: "Al-Zuhri saw in his sleep that his hand was covered with blood. His vision was interpreted for him that he would be afflicted by manslaughter. In that time he was the governor of the Umayyads. He tortured a man to the extent that the man died of torture. He was afraid of Allah, hence he escaped and entered a cave to serve Allah in it. The Ima`m went to the Sacred House of Allah to perform the hajj. He passed by the cave where al-Zuhri was. He was asked: 'Have you any need with al-Zuhri?' He responded to them and went to meet him in the cave. He found him frightened and hopeless of Allah's mercy. Hence he said to him: 'I fear for your despair more than I fear for your crime. Send blood money to his family and go to your family and your religion.' Accordingly, al-Zuhri became happy and said to him: 'You have relieved me, my master. Allah knows better where to place his message.'
2" Now, we will mention some religious precepts which the Ima`m stated.
The Parts of Fast
Al-Zuhri and a group of jurists came to Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. The Ima`m questioned al-Zuhri about what he discussed and he replied: "I and my companions discussed fast, and we have unanimously agreed that no part of fast is obligatory."
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1 Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, p. 33.
2 Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 36, p. 16. Al-Majjlisi, Biha`r al-Anwa`r, vol. 46, p. 7.
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The Ima`m blamed them for having no knowledge of the religious affairs, and then he explained to them the parts of fast, saying: "(The answer) is not as you say. Fast is forty parts: Ten parts of them is as obligatory as the (fast in) the month of Ramada`n. Ten parts of them is prohibited. Fourteen parts is optional; you are free to fast or to break fast. Three parts of fast needs permission. (There are other parts of fast such as) the fast of education, the lawful fast, the fast of journey, and the fast of illness."
Al-Zuhri and the jurists admired the Ima`m's abundant knowledge and his inclusive capability of the religious precepts. Then al-Zuhri asked the Ima`m to explain to him those parts of fast and he, peace be on him, answered: "As for the obligatory (parts of fast), they are: the fast of the month of Ramada`n, the fast of two successive months when one intentionally breaks fast in the month of Ramada`n, the fast of two successive months when one kills some one by mistake and is unable to release ( a slave), for Allah, the Exalted, said: and whoever kills a believer by mistake, he should free a believing slave and blood-money should be paid to his family... but he who cannot find (a slave) should fast successively for two months.
1), the fast of two successive months as an expiatory gift for an injurious assimilation of wife to mother, al-zaha`r, when one cannot find (a slave), for Allah, the Exalted, said: And (as for) those who put away their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers then would recall what they said, they should free a slave before they touch each other; to that you are admonished (to conform); and Allah is Aware of what you do. But whoever cannot find (a slave), let him fast two successive months before they touch each other
2, the fast of three days as an expiatory gift for making an obligatory oath when one cannot find food, for Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: Whosoever cannot find (food) then fasting for three days; this is the expiation of
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1 Qur'a`n, 4, 92.
2 Ibid., 58, 3-4.
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your oaths when you swear
1( all these parts of fast are successive and not separated( the fast of ailment of shaving (the shaving of head), for Allah, the Blessed and Exalted said: But whoever of you is sick or has an ailment of the head, he (should effect) a compensation by fasting or alms or sacrificing
2 (the doer is to choose between fasting for three days or alms or a sacrifice( the fast of blood of al-mut'a when one cannot find an offering, for Allah, the Blessed and Exalted said: Whoever profits by combining the visit with the pilgrimage (should take) what offering is easy to obtain; but he who cannot find (any offering) should fast for three days during the pilgrimage and for seven days when you returns; these (make) ten (days) complete
3, the fast of the punishment of hunting, for Allah, the Blessed and Exalted said: O you who believe, do not kill game while you are on pilgrimage, and whoever of you shall kill it intentionally, the compensation (of it) is the like of that he killed, from the cattle, as two just persons of you shall judge, as an offering to be brought to the Kaaba or the expiation (of it) is the feeding of the poor or the equivalent of it in fasting.
4" Then the Ima`m, peace be on him, asked al-Zuhri: "O Zuhri, do know how this is equivalent in fasting?" "I do not know," replied al-Zuhri. Hence the Ima`m, peace be on him, explained: "Evaluate the game completely. This evaluation should be equivalent to wheat. Then this wheat should be measured. Hence you should fast a day for each half of a measure." Then the Ima`m continued: "the fast of a vow, and the fast of al-i'tika`f (prayer in seclusion)."
Then the Ima`m continued: "As for the prohibited parts of fast, they are: the fast on the day of 'I#d al-Fitr, the day of 'Id al-Addha`, three of the days of al-Tashriq
5, the fast on the day of doubt
6, we are
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1 Ibid., 5, 89.
2 Ibid., 2, 196.
3 Ibid.,
4 Ibid., 5, 95.
5 The days of al-Tashrïq are the days of Mina`, which are the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteen after the day of al-Nahr.
6 The fasting of the day of doubt is prohibited when it is intended as one of the month of Ramada`n.
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commanded (to fast on it) and prevented from it: We are commanded to fast on it as a day of the month of Sha'ba`n, and we are prohibited from fasting on the day which men doubt." Al-Zuhri turned to the Ima`m and asked him: "May I be your ransom, if he did not fast any of Sha'ba`n, what would he do?"
Al-Zuhri had a doubt in the answer of the Ima`m, hence he asked him: "How does voluntary fast replaces a religious duty?"
The Ima`m, replied him: "If a person voluntarily fasted a day of Ramada`n while he did not know that the day was not of it and knew that afterwards, it would suffice him, for the religious duty occurred on the day itself."
Then the Ima`m continued his talk about the parts of fast, saying: "The continuous fast is prohibited.
1 The fast of silence is prohibited.
2 The fast of a vow for an act of disobedience is prohibited, and the fast of time is prohibited.
"As for the fast whose doer is free, it is the fast in the days: Monday, Thursday, and Friday, the fast in the white days
3, the fast in the six days in (the month of) Shawwa`l after the month of Ramada`n, on the day of 'Arafa, and on the day of 'Ashura`'. In all these parts of fast, the doer is to chose between fasting and breaking fasting.
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1 The continuos fasting means that the person fasts by day and night, Hence it is religiously prohibited.
2 The fasting of silence means that the person refrains from speaking. In the bygone religions it was prohibited for the fasting to speak, as the Qur'a`n mentioned in the story of Maryam. He, the Exalted, said: “Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent Allah, Hence I shall not speak to any man today.” But the Holy Islamic Religion has abrogated this part of fasting.
3 The white days are the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of every lunar month. They are called Hence because the moon remains shining from beginning to end. This has been mentioned in Majjma' al-Bahrayn, item Bïd.
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"As for the fast which needs permission, it is that the wife does not perform a voluntary fast except with the permission of her husband, the slave does not perform a voluntary fast except with the permission of his master, and the guest does not perform a voluntary fast except with the permission of his host. Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'Whoever stops at people should not perform a voluntary fast except with their permission.'
"As for the fast for education, it concerns the boy when he becomes a teenager, the one who breaks his fast for a certain illness at the beginning of daytime and gets well afterwards(he is ordered to fast for the rest of his day, and the passenger who eats at the beginning of daytime and returns to his family( he is ordered to fast for the rest of his day. Such a fast is for education, not a religious duty.
"As for the lawful fast, it concerns the one who unintentionally eats, drinks, and vomits; yet Allah makes it lawful, and it is sufficient.
"As for the fast of journey and illness, the non-Shi'a are different over it: Some of them say that he should fast; some of them say that should not fast; some of them say that he is free to fast or to break fasting. As for us, we say that he should break fasting in both states. If he fasts during a journey or an illness, he should repeat fasting, for Allah, the Great and Almighty says: but whoever of you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days.
1"
With this we will end this jusrisprudential research which the Ima`m delivered before the religious scholars and jurists, and which shows that the Ima`m's knowledge embraced the precepts of Islamic Law and the branches of Islamic jurisprudence. This is because the Ima`m divided fast into these important parts of which the religious scholars were heedless. It is worth mentioning that the Ima`mi jurists depend on this narration when they give religious opinions concerning fast.
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1 Al-Khisa`l, pp. 501-504. Furu`' al-Ka`fi, vol. 1, p. 185.
al-Maqqna'a, p. 58. al-Qummi, Tafsïr, pp. 172- 175. Al-Tahdhib, vol. 1, p. 435.
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Bringing together Sunset and Night Prayers
As for bringing together sunset and night prayers, it is permissible. As for separating them is not obligatory, though it is better. The proof for this is this tradition of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him: "Youths had better bring together sunset and night prayers than sleep and leave them." Some connected traditions on the authority of the pure Ima`ms, peace be on them, show that is permissible to bringing together sunset and night prayers. According to these traditions the Ima`mi jurists said that it was permissible to bring them together. This narration indicates that it is permissible to bring them together, but concerning the evening and night prayers for youths only. It is sure that the act of bringing together is not confined to the evening and night prayers nor is it confined to youths, namely the Ima`m mentioned them as an example, for the question was about them.
Intention Obligatory in the Acts of Worship
Intention is obligatory in all the acts of worship, and the acts of worship are not right without intention. The proof for this is what was reported on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, who said: "No act (of worship is accepted) except with intention.
1"
Crossing Arms in Prayer Impermissible
The Shi'ites believe that it is impermissible to cross arms or to put one arm on the another during standing in prayer, for they depend on a group of traditions among which narrated on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, who said: "The man's putting one of his hand on the other in prayer is an act but is not an act of prayer.
2"
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1 Wasa`'il al-Shï'a, vol. 4, p. 711.
2 Ibid., p. 1264.
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Purchasing Slave Girl as Singer
It is prohibited to buy a slave girl as singer, but it is not prohibited when she is bought as reciter of the Holy Qur'a`n. The jurists depended on a tradition reported on the authority of Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, when a man questioned him about purchasing a slave girl as singer and he answered: "It is not prohibited for you to buy her to remind you of the Garden." He meant that it was not prohibited for the man to buy a slave girl to remind him of reciting the Qur'a`n, renouncing this world, and clinging to virtues which had no act of singing. As for singing, it is prohibited.
1"
Punishment for Committing Fornication with
Sister
As for committing fornication with sister, it is among the most unlawful acts. Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, was questioned about the penalty for him who commits fornication with his sister and he, peace be on him, replied: "He is struck a heavy blow with sword. If he remains alive, he is imprisoned for death.
2"
With this we will end our speech about the juristic problems which the Ima`m, peace be on him, answered. Whoever studies the books on deductive jurisprudence and encyclopedias on aha`dith (traditions) will find a large group of the Ima`m's juristic verdicts. The Ima`m's verdicts have included all the juristic affairs such as acts of worship, religious precepts, contracts, and unilateral obligations. The Ima`mi jurists depend on his verdicts in giving religious opinions.
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1 Ibid., vol. 12, p. 86.
2 Men La` Yahdarahu al-Faqïh, p. 244.
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Theological Researches
Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, was the only authority to whom the religious scholars referred concerning complicated theological problems. The following is some of the theological researches about which he was asked:
Allah's Decree and Determination
As for research on Allah's decree and determination, it is among the most vague and complicated theological problems. A man questioned the Ima`m, peace be on him, about them: "May Allah make me ransom for you, do misfortunes befall people according to Allah's decree and determination or according to their own acts?"
The Ima`m answered the man with an answer in which he analyzed the dimensions and realities of misfortunes in the light of the Islamic thought, saying: "Indeed, determination and act are like the soul and body. The soul can perceive (nothing) without the body, and the body without the soul is a motionless form, but when they come together, they become strong and righteous. Such is determination and act. If determination does not befall act, the Creator is not distinguished from creature, and if act (takes place) without approval from determination, it is not accomplished and is not perfect. When they come together, (they become strong and righteous), and Allah (repays) His righteous servants through determination."
The Ima`m added, saying: "However, the most unjust one of the people is he who regards his injustice as justice and the justice of the rightly guided ones as injustice. Indeed, every servant has four eyes: two eyes through which he sees the affairs of his life in the next world, and two eyes through which he sees the affairs of his life in this world. Hence if Allah, the Great and Almighty, wants to do good for His servant, He opens for him the two eyes which are in his heart and he sees through them the unseen things. If He wants other than this, He leaves the heart with what is in it." Then the Ima`m, peace be on him, turned to the man and said to him: "This is from Him. This is from Him." The Ima`m, peace be on him, analyzed and explained the realities of Allah's decree and determination.
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Allah is Light
The Ima`m, peace be on him, entered the mosque of his grandfather, Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and saw some people disputing with each other. Hence he asked them: "What are you disputing about?"
They all replied: "About the Unity of Allah."
The Ima`m blamed them for discussing such a matter, for they had no knowledge of it, and said to them: "Refrain from these words of yours."
Yet, one of them said: "Indeed Allah is recognized through creating His heavens and His earth, and He is everywhere."
The Ima`m guided them to the right words, saying: "Allah whom nothing is like, and Who is All-hearing and All-seeing, His description is not like the description of anything, so He such.
1"
His Wonder at the Doubters in Allah
The Ima`m, peace be on him wondered at those who doubted Allah, the Creator of the heavens and earth, and those who denied the latter creation. He, peace be on him, said: "I wonder very much at him who doubts Allah while he sees his creatures, and I wonder very much at him who denies the latter creation while he sees the former creation.."
Indeed one wonders at him who denies the existence of the Great Creator for Whom all beings are proofs. It is impossible for all these beings to exist without a creator. If man carefully considers Allah's creatures, he will conclude that they are proofs for His existence. The poet said:
There are signs in the earth, so be not a denier,
Wonderful things are some of His signs.
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1 Al-Tawhïd, pp. 366-367.
2 Bala`ghat al-Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, p. 5.
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One wonders at him who denies the latter creation while he sees the former creation, for the act of creation and existence is more important than the act of repetition. Allah, the Exalted, said: "He says: Who will give life to the bones when they are rotten? Say: He will give life to them Who brought them into existence at first, and He is Cognizant of all creation."
2
It is Impossible to define Allah by any Finite
Thing
It is impossible to define Allah, the Exalted, by any finite thing, hence the Ima`m, peace be on him, said: "Verily, Allah cannot be defined by any finite thing. Our Lord is too far above such an attribute. How can the infinite be defined by the finite. The eyes attain Him not, but He attains the eyes. He is the all-subtle, the All-aware.".
Man's reason cannot encompass Allah, the Exalted, as well He cannot be attained by the eyes whose sight is finite. How can the perishable, possible man encompass the Powerful One who originated these worlds before whose existence and creation intellects are perplexed? How can he recognize the Great Creator?
With this we will end our speech about Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin's ideological, scientific wealth, which he inherited from his fathers.
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1 Saffwat al-Safwa, vol. 2, p. 3.
2 Al-Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, p. 219.
