Message of Thaqalayn
Volume:15 Issue: 3, Autumn 2014

This series explains the merits and consequences of piety (taqwa) as seen in the Qur’an, hadith, and the lives of the Ahlul Bayt. Piety is one of the most important concepts in the Qur’an by which people are ranked before God as it goes beyond the actions of the body, and is related to the intention behind all actions and is required to reach salvation. In Part I, the merits of piety according to the Qur’an were studied. The previous part explored the definition of piety along with the factors that contribute to its formation. This part further illustrates the qualities of the pious according to the Qur’an, that the pious are those who have faith in the unseen, establish prayer, give charity, believe in the hereafter, and have faith in what has been revealed to the Prophet as well as the previous prophets.

In all the events that occurred before, during, and after the Day of Ashura, the role of the women was especially remarkable as they were exemplars in demonstrating how to resist against oppression. There were wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters in the camp of Imam Husayn who displayed love and self-sacrifice, and fought cruelty, worldliness, and materialism. In the small desert of Karbala, people of all ages displayed facets of religion such as wilayah, hijab, patience, faith, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, tawalli and tabarri. The following article offers an account of the women’s unwavering support of Imam Husayn and his cause before Ashura, in the Battle of Karbala, and after the massacre.

Ibn Nama' Al-Hilli, a great Shii scholar of the 6th and 7th centuries, composed his Muthir Al-Ahzan on the description of the events before and after the events of Karbala. As a reliable maqtal, Muthir al-Ahzan offers a detailed account of the martyrdom of nine members of Banu Hashim. Introducing the book and its author, this article offers a description on the martyrdom of the following members of the Banu Hashim: the brothers of Abbas, Ali al-Akbar, Qasim, Abdillah ibn al-Husayn, Abdillah ibn al-Hasan, Abbas, and Imam Husayn. Moreover, the description portrays some inaccuracies available in several accounts on the Battle of Karbala.

On the day of Ashura, Shi‘a Muslims all over the world commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala, in protest against the oppressive ruler Yazid who ordered the massacre of Imam Husayn and his family members and companions given their refusal to accept Yazid’s allegiance. In mourning on this day, the tradition of matam, or beating one’s chest as a sign of grief for the Imam, became common. Moreover, tatbir, a more serious form of displaying one’s sorrow, was also practiced, and then afterwards banned in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This article provides an analysis as to why the ban occurred using the Qur’an, hadiths, and consensus of Shi‘a scholars to verify the forbiddance of this act.

Sheikh Tusi, known as Sheikh al-Ta’ifah, was a renowned Shi‘a scholar recognized for his hadith compilations Tahdhib al-Ahkam and al-Istibsar, two of the four major works of Shi‘a Islamic traditions. Having closely studied under and associated with prominent Shi‘a leaders and scholars such as Sheikh al-Mufid and Sharif al-Murtadha, Sheikh Tusi became the leading spokesperson of Shi‘ism, one of his greatest roles being the founder of the Seminary of Najaf, which marked the city of Najaf as the leading centre of Shi‘a scholarship. This article studies the status, jurisprudential initiative, and religious authority of Sheikh Tusi, including a list of his teachers, students, and works on subjects such as hadith, exegesis, jurisprudence, supplication, and theology, and a description of the political situation during his time.

mam Husayn’s refusal to accept the tyrant Yazid’s allegiance triggered the Battle of Karbala on the Day of Ashura. Imam Husayn, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, along with his family members and companions, were martyred on the plains of Karbala, and this marks a turning point for Shi‘a Muslims. Year after year, millions of people worldwide commemorate this tragedy to express their sorrow and remind themselves to firmly stand against oppression as Imam Husayn did. This article focuses on the Imam’s bravery and steadfastness as seen in his encounters with the enemy, his sermons to all people, and on the battlefield.

God answers our prayers when we sincerely plead, and He has approved of people asking for His help through a mediator. Tawassul is the practice of using an intermediary to approach God with a request, and is a source of achieving closeness to Him. Though topic of tawassul has indeed raised questions and includes in-depth discussions on its validity, this article offers a brief explanation of tawassul, its levels, and focuses on examples of scholars’ emphasis on calling on to the Infallibles as a source of spiritual upliftment and a key solution to their problems by visiting their shrines, holding occasions on their births and mourning sessions on their death anniversaries. Some of these scholars include Ayatullah Baha’ul-Dini, Allamah Tabataba’i, Ayatollah Boroojerdi, and Ayatullah Bahjat.

Although there are similarities between all members of Ahlul Bayt and they are from the same light, there is a special link between Imam Husayn and Imam Mahdi. In this paper, verses from the Qur’an and hadiths of the Ahlul Bayt will be used to demonstrate this connection. Indeed, Imam Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husayn who will rise on the Day of Ashura and will speak of his grandfather’s oppression. Imam Husayn also spoke of Imam Mahdi avenging for him, and helping Imam Husayn is similar to helping Imam Mahdi. Moreover, one of the best deeds on the birth of Imam Mahdi is to recite Ziyarah of Imam Husayn, as renewing one’s allegiance with Imam Husayn is renewing it with Imam Mahdi.