Year Nineteen
Issue No. 919 - 29/Muharram/1432 AH
Corresponding to January 04, 2011 AD
Contents:
* Mihrab Platform:
Contemplating on: “This life, the afterlife, and the calls of the prophets (pbut)”
Mihrab Platform
Contemplating on: “This life, the afterlife, and the calls of the prophets (pbut)”
Main axes of the subject:
- Principles of contemplation and submission to Allah (The Exalted)
- Contemplating on: “This life, the afterlife, and the calls of the prophets (pbut)”
Purpose:
Contemplation is the only method for knowing Allah (The Exalted).
Exporting the subject:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the
night and the day are signs for those of understanding.”
A man named Ata’a said that Obaid Bin Omeir asked Aisha to tell us about the
most amazing thing of the messenger of Allah (a.s.). He said: She cried and
said: His affair in its entirety was amazing. One night he approached me until
his skin touched my skin and said: let me worship my lord (The Exalted). Hence,
he took the bottle and performed the ritual purification (Wudu). Next, he stood
up and started praying and cried until he soaked his beard after which he
prostrated and soaked the ground. Then, he lay down on his side until Bilal came
asking his permission to call for the morning prayers. He said: O messenger of
Allah, what made you cry knowing that Allah has forgiven you for your past and
future sins? He said: Woe unto you Bilal! Nothing can stop me from crying
because Allah inspired me this night saying: “Indeed, in the creation of the
heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for
those of understanding.”
Then he said: “Woe unto he who reads it without contemplating on it.”1
There is no doubt that contemplation is the shortest and quickest way for us to
reach the knowing of Allah and the remaining necessary parts of knowledge that
will lead us to human perfection. Therefore, this issue was stressed
continuously by the holy Quran. This includes the following words of his
Exaltedness: “Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on
their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth,
[saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above
such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”2
This perhaps indicates to contemplation as being the fastest way and method to
knowing Allah (The Exalted). The narrations that mentioned comparison between
worship and contemplation rendered one hour of contemplation as better than one
year of worship, other narrators went even beyond this level.
How do we practice contemplation?
Al Hassan al Saiqil was quoted as saying: “I asked Abu Abdullah (a.s.) about the
peoples’ saying that (one hour of contemplation is better than staying awake a
full night in prayers), he said: yes, Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) said: one
hour of contemplation is better than one night in prayers. I asked: how does
one contemplate? He said: He passes by the graveyard and by the houses, hence
contemplating by saying to them: Where are your residents? Where are your
builders? Why don’t you speak?”3
Issues upon which one contemplates:
One can contemplate upon the signs of Allah. This issue was indicated by several
verses of the holy Quran such as:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of
the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.” “Who remember Allah
while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the
creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create
this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the
punishment of the Fire..”4
This reflection leads to the knowing and unification of Allah as well as reminds
us of the tasks and the necessity of obedience and belief to be salvaged from
damnation.
- Sometimes meditation can be upon the graces of Allah and his generosities such
as the following verse of his exaltedness: “And of His signs is [that] He
shows you the lightening [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain
from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed
in that are signs for a people who use reason.”5
- In other cases, contemplation can be upon the holy book of Allah or upon
supplication and prayers. This issue was indicated in the commandment of the
prophet (a.s.) to Abi Zar (RIP): “O Aba Zar, two short prayers in
contemplation are better than a full night in prayers with absentmindedness.”6
- In other cases, contemplation can be upon the soul and the reasons for its
damnation and the methods for its cure and salvation. For example, Habba al
Arrani said: “While Nauf and I were asleep in the courtyard of the palace,
suddenly we saw commander of the faithful (a.s.) in the remaining time of the
night placing his hand on the wall saying: “… Indeed, in the creation of the
heavens and the earth …” He said: he began reading these verses and said to me:
Are you asleep O Habba or awake? I said: awake. He said: this is you performing
this issue. What would be of us? And his eyes watered and started crying. Then,
he said to me: O Habba, there is a stance before Allah and we will have a stance
before him; nothing of our deeds will be concealed from him. O Habba, Allah is
nearer to you and me than that of our jugular veins. O Habba, nothing will
conceal you or me from Allah.
He said: then he asked: are you asleep Nauf? He said: No O commander of the
faithful. Also this night I cried for long. He said: O Nauf, if you’re crying
for long this night in fear of Allah (The Exalted), then your eyes will find
happiness tomorrow when you stand before Allah (The Exalted)…”7
Conclusion about the aim behind contemplation:
Most of the illnesses that strike mankind in this world are the psychological
and spiritual illnesses. The holy Quran stated that the survivors and winners
are the owners of the sound hearts that are clear of these illnesses, as in the
words: “But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." The illnesses of
the hearts are the worst followed by the cruel hearts and inadvertence. The
benefit of contemplation is that it works as a warning that alarms the heart out
of its inadvertence. Vigilance is the first of such behavior. This issue was
pointed out by commander of the faithful (a.s.) when he said: “Alarm your
heart by contemplation.”
1- Al Mahajja al
Baida'a, Vol. 8, P. 194
2- The Holy Quran, Surat A'l Imran (Family of Imran): verse 191. Also see verses
21-224 of surat Ar-Rum (the Romans).
3- Al Kafi, Vol. 2, P. 54. H. 2. Also Mishkat al Anwar, P. 81
4- Surat A'l Imran (Family of Imran), verses 191-191.
5- Surat Ar-Rum (the Romans), verse 24
6- Al Bihar, Vol. 77, P. 82.
7- Al Bihar, Vol. 41, P. 22.