Many times in our lives, we have regretted what we do not have and we might have complained about it; however, have we ever thought about what we do have? In fact, some of the things we have are extremely greater and worthier than what we anxiously strive to achieve. But how do we treat them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If\nwe think more carefully, we realize that all the blessings of Allah (SWT) are\nnot equal in terms of their value and importance; rather they have different\nvalues based on their impact on the true life of human. For example, some of\nthe blessings of Allah (SWT) specify the path and way of life for us. Recognizing\nthe guide and submitting to his teachings, which is referred to Wilayat in\nIslamic context, is one of the blessings that have a significant role in\nspecifying the correct way of life for mankind. Indeed, which of the things we\ndo or do not possess have a significant role in our destiny as knowing the true\nguide and obeying him? Do we really appreciate this blessing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nthis regards, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) has notified us of this issues in a\nletter he has written in response to a letter from Ishaq ibn Ishmael\nal-Nisaaburi. There, he addressed Ishaq ibn Ishmael by saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026 May Allah be your master in all your\naffairs. I received your letter. May Allah bless you with His mercy. We are, by\nthe blessing of Allah, a family who are compassionate towards their friends,\nand are pleased with Allah\u2019s continuous beneficence upon them\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
O\nIshaq! Rest assured that whoever is blind in this world will be blind in the\nHereafter. O Ishaq! It is not the eyes of face that go blind; rather the eye of\nheart goes blind, as in a firm verse of His Book, Allah has said about an\noppressor that he will say (on the Day of Judgment), “O my Lord! Why have\nyou gathered me blind, while I had sight (before)?” And Allah will reply,\n“So (it must be). Our signs came to you but you neglected them; even thus\nshall you be forgotten this day (1)”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After\nthe forefathers of arguments of Allah, namely the prophets, and the fathers of\nthe arguments of Allah, namely the successors \u2013May Allah’s mercy be upon them\nall- which sign of Allah is greater than the Argument of Allah on mankind, His\ndepository (of religion) on the Earth, and the witness of His servants’ deeds?\n(So failing to know the Imam of time, who is the greatest sign of Allah (SWT),\ncauses blindness in the Hereafter)\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allah\nhas made some duties obligatory on you not because He needs you, but due to His\nmercy and kindness towards you\u2026 He has made Hajj, Umrah, prayer, paying alms,\nfasting, and Wilayat obligatory on you, and has made His arguments available to\nyou as doors to the obligatory deeds and keys to findings His way\u2026 And when He\nindebted you to Himself by appointing the successors after the prophets, he\nrevealed this verse, “This day have I perfected for you your religion and\ncompleted My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as the (permanent) religion\n(2)”. And He has put some rights on your neck for His successors, and has\nordered you to fulfill those rights\u2026 He has ordered His messenger to say,\n“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives\n(3)”. And know that, \u201cAnd whoever is niggardly (in fulfilling their rights),\nis niggardly against his own soul; and Allah is Self-sufficient and you are all\nin need (of Him) (4)” and there is no God but Allah\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do\nnot be negligent of Allah (and His religion) so that you become amongst the\nlosers. May those who turn away from obeying Allah and do not accept the\nadvices of His successors be away from His mercy. Allah has ordered you to\n“Obey Him, His messenger, and the “Ulul-Amr (those in authority)\n(5)”\u2026” Allah will see your acts and (so will) His Messenger and the\nbelievers; and you shall soon be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and\nthe seen; then He will inform you of what you did (6)”. And praise is only\nto Allah, and may His mercy be upon Muhammad and his household”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So\nhave we thanked Allah (SWT) for this great blessing as it deserves?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken from “Tuhaf\nal-Uqul”, by Hassan ibn Shu’ba Harraani)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nRoshd Website offers condolences to all Muslims, especially you dear friend,\nupon 8th of Rabi al-Awwal, the anniversary of the martyrdom of master of the\nbelievers and the father of the hidden Imam, Imam Hassan ibn Ali al-Askari\n(PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. The Holy Quran, (20:125-126)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. The Holy Quran, (5:3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The Holy Quran, (42:23)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. The Holy Quran, (47:38)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. The Holy Quran, (4:59)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. The Holy Quran, (9:105)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many times in our lives, we have regretted what we do not have and we might have complained about it; however, have we ever thought about what we do have? In fact, some of the things we have are extremely greater and worthier than what we anxiously strive to achieve. But how do we treat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[23608,23607,17778,22210,23610,23365,18391,19902,17978,18200,18418,23609],"class_list":["post-4697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2008-03-16","tag-a-great-blessing","tag-allah","tag-forgotten","tag-guide","tag-imam-hasan-askari","tag-judgment","tag-lives","tag-lord","tag-love","tag-occasion-letters","tag-recognizing"],"yoast_head":"\n