Message of Thaqalayn
Volume:18 Issue: 2, Summer 2017

An analysis of the Qur’an verses and Islamic traditions displays principles and rules that aim to preserve the dignity of humankind. Among the list of ethical concepts in Islam, dignity is one of the most—if not, the most— important concept. Using references from the Qur’an and hadith, this series offers the instructions God gives us to appreciate, safeguard, and add to the dignity we were initially given, and then how to extend this dignity to others. This article describes the dignity that God gives to humankind, as well as the extra dignity that God grants to the angels, the prophets, the people of heaven, and the pious.

Prophet Abraham is recognized as the patriarch of the three Abrahamic religions, as well as the prophet and messenger of God, and leader to all the nations of the world in Islam. This part of this series offers an account of Prophet Abraham’s early life, specifically about his youth, his search for the truth, and his family and community. This article further explores Prophet Abraham’s patience with his father, his uprising, his biological parents, and his deep insight. Despite the ongoing oppression towards him from his idolatrous father and idol-worshipping community, as well as the additional trials he faced, Prophet Abraham’s unwavering faith earned himself the title of being one of the five Prophets of Determination.

Munajāt is the Arabic word for “whispered prayers to God in solitude,” while du’a, or “supplication” is the general meaning that refers to a request to God in any manner, whether it be long or short, loud or quiet. Summoning to God is highly encouraged by the Ahlul Bayt, and hence, they left people with a rich corpus of supplications to God, including whispered prayers (munajāt ). This article covers an introduction to the meaning of whispered prayers as found in Islamic traditions, the internal need for people to whisper to God, and the factors that deprive one from praying to Him.

Silah Rahim, or “keeping good relations with family and relatives,” is one of the factors, and indeed, mandatory practices in Islam to help people attain wellbeing in this world and salvation in the next. Moreover, sin is anything against the natural course of creation, that which has harmful effects on both individuals and society. This article tackles the importance of keeping good relations with family and relatives as that which can assist people in preventing sinful actions, hence providing an effective solution to prevent mental health issues, wrongdoing, and corruption. The terms silah rahim and sin and its importance in the Qur’an and hadith, as well as the relationship between silah rahim and abandoning sins will be explored.

Insulting or disrespecting other religions and their sacred figures and places is a broad and significant subject in Shi‘a jurisprudence. The question often arises as to whether insulting sanctities is legally prohibited or not. Using the Qur’an and hadith as sources, this article—an abridged transcript of Ayatullāh Lankarani’s lecture— clarifies the meaning of insult, and covers the consensus in Shi‘a jurisprudence with regards to the prohibition of insult to divine hurumāt (sanctities), that is, God, angels, prophets, the Qur’an, divine books, mosques, temples, and shrines.

The Shi‘a are those who follow Ali—the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad—and believed in his Imamate and caliphate according to the explicitly teachings and testament of the Prophet Muhammad. In this article, Imam al-Sadiq, the sixth Shi‘a Imam, gives advice to his companion Abd-Allah ibn Jundab on the features of a true Shi‘a, some of which are those who know God, heed the hereafter, constantly engage in self-reckoning (muhasabah ), being generous, and treat wrongdoers with respect and forgiveness.

Having a shared identity that works towards a collective cause is vital for a healthy community, and in doing so, a community must share specific qualities to be successful. This series of papers offers a glimpse into the importance of community-building and Prophet Muhammad’s efforts to implement it. Character traits such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, justice, and unity were illustrated. The previous article touched upon two topics: 1) our love for God’s creation as that which extends to non-human beings, such as animals, plants, and natural resources, and 2) and the importance of marriage and family life in the formation of a stable Islamic community. This article expands on the concept of peace in Islam—as the term Islam is derived from the Arabic root word silm (peace)—and the importance of submission to God as a means to achieving peace for ourselves and the entire society.