Without any doubt one of the main\ncharacteristics of an Imam is his eminent position of Knowledge and Wisdom. An\nImam has to be the wisest among the people of his time; otherwise it would not\nbe logical for people to rely on a leader while better and more knowledgeable\nintellectuals live among them. While the scientific eminence of prophets and\ntheir successors is a matter of fact, the life of Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP) and his progeny in wisdom is ever more evident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The history witnesses that the\nProphet\u2019s progeny (PBUT) did not need to pause prior responding to a\nquestion. Their response surpassed the\nresponse of others in logic and elaboration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This characteristic is more obvious\nduring Imam Hadi\u2019s (PBUH) lifetime; since he reached the stage of Imamate\nbefore his adulthood; Imam Hadi (PBUH) was far more knowledgeable than the\nscholars of his time and they too had testified his eminence and greatness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many debates and dialogues on a number\nof subjects have been narrated from Imam Hadi (PBUH) and history has repeatedly\nstated that whenever Imam was involved in a debate, the opponent had clearly\nuttered the Imam\u2019s deep knowledge of the subject, proficiency and wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been narrated that a Roman\nemperor sent a letter to one of the Abbasid caliphs, stating,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe bible has\nstated that whoever recites a chapter that does not have seven letters, will\nnot have hell-fire on his body(1). The seven letters are, “tha”,\n“jim”, “kha’ “, “za'”, “shin”,\n“dha'”, “fa'”. But no matter how much we have searched the\nold and new testament, and Zabur, we have not found a chapter that doesn\u2019t include\nthe seven letters. Do you have such a\nchapter in your holy book?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Abbasid caliph gathered all the\nscholars and asked them the question. In that gathering, none other than Imam\nHadi (PBUH) had been capable of replying to the question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Imam responded: \u201cChapter 1, Surah\nFatihah\/Hamd is indeed the chapter that does not contain any of the seven\nletters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reply of Imam Hadi (PBUH) was sent\nto the Roman emperor. Upon arrival of the answer, the emperor came to such joy\n(2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been stated that the absence of\nthe seven letters carry the following wisdom:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTha’\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cthabur\u201d (meaning destruction)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJim\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cjahim\u201d (meaning Hell-fire)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKha\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cKhabith\u201d (meaning ill-intentioned and evil)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cZa\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cZaghum\u201d (meaning a bitter and ignited tree in Hell)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShin\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cSheqawah\u201d (meaning ill-doom)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDha\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cDhulmah\u201d (meaning darkness)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFa\u201d is the\nbeginning of the term \u201cFurqah\u201d or \u201cAfah\u201d (meaning separation or distance)(3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from \u201cLife and history of Imam Hadi (PBUH)\u201d, by Dr. Ali Mousa\nal-Ka\u2019bi)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd Website congratulates all\nMuslims, especially you dear friend, on 15th of Dhul Hijjah, coinciding the\nauspicious birth anniversary of leader of the pious, guardian of the servants,\nand the tenth Imam of the Shia, Imam Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Without any\ndoubt, just by reciting a particular chapter regardless of its magnificence and\nvalues will not cause one to enter paradise and achieve the mercy of Allah\n(SWT). The matter requires certain conditions and criteria. Just as when a\ndoctor\u2019s prescription will not be of much use if prevention of some sort for an\nillness is not met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Sharh Shaafi\nAbi Feraas, p. 563<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Sharh Shaafi\nAbi Feraas, p. 563; however, there are different opinions over this wisdom\nbeing related to Imam Hadi (PBUH).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Without any doubt one of the main characteristics of an Imam is his eminent position of Knowledge and Wisdom. An Imam has to be the wisest among the people of his time; otherwise it would not be logical for people to rely on a leader while better and more knowledgeable intellectuals live among them. While […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[23082,23080,18914,23006,17964,20800,17990,18418,18838,19994,21894],"class_list":["post-4625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2013-10-21","tag-chapter-of-guidance","tag-history","tag-imam-hadi","tag-knowledge","tag-knowledgeable","tag-muhammad","tag-occasion-letters","tag-prophets","tag-scientific","tag-wisdom"],"yoast_head":"\n