MISHKAT UL-ANWAR

FI GHURAR AL-AKHBAR

THE LAMP NICHE

FOR
THE BEST TRADITIONS
(A Critique)
Tradition 3

Abu Dhar: ... Later, as the Prophet was approaching me I heard him saying: "... and what if he
has committed adultery? And what if he has stolen something?" As the Prophet approached
me, I impatiently asked him: "O' Prophet of God! May God make me your devoted servant!
Who were you talking with over there in Harra? I heard someone answering your questions."
The Prophet said: "(The angel) Gabriel showed himself to me at Harra and said: Give good
news to your nation: whoever dies and has not associated any partners with God (the
Almighty) will enter Heaven. I said: O' Gabriel! And is that so even if he has committed
adultery? And is that so even if he has stolen something? Gabriel answered in the positive.
Again I asked: And even if he has committed adultery? And is that so even if he has stolen
something? Gabriel answered: Yes, even if he has drunk an intoxicating drink."

Tradition 4

Prophet Muhammad: "Whoever leaves this world and has not associated any partners with
God will enter Heaven whether he has done some good deeds or some evil ones."

Tradition 5

Allah said: "Whoever interprets My Words according to his own viewpoint has no faith in Me.
And whoever considers Me to be similar to My creatures does not recognize Me. And whoever
makes comparisons in my religion does not believe in My religion."

Tradition 8

Imam Sadiq: "In fact unity and justice are the foundations of religion. The amount of religious
knowledge is extensive, and every sane person must acquire it. Therefore remember what will
make it easier for you to attain this knowledge, and prepares you to retain it."

Tradition 22

Imam Ali went on the pulpit and said: “No one experiences true faith unless he realizes that
he will obtain only what is destined to be his, and he will not obtain anything that is destined
to belong to others.”

Tradition 23

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “One of the signs of certitude is that you do not displease God to
please the people, and do not admire the people for the daily bread that God has granted you
through them, and that you do not blame the people for God depriving you of your daily
bread. No one's greed will bring him an increase in his daily bread, and no one's jealousy will
stop one's daily bread. If one tries to escape from his daily bread as he escapes from death,
one's daily bread seeks its owner faster than death does. In fact, God the Almighty has
established comfort and peace of mind in certitude and contentment, and has established
sorrow and discomfort in anger and doubt.”

Critique

Just watch the daily news to counter this tradition. The volume of people violating the laws,
kicking people out of jobs, destroying the huge volume of resources to increase the prices and
Allah seems not to care the least for that.

– Companies destroying good products to descrease the supply

– Companies polluting the environment
– People deceiving other people

Here is a short list

Tradition 25

Imam Sadiq: “Imam Ali's servant named Ghanbar really liked him and would always follow
him at night with his sword in order to protect him. One night Imam Ali (a.s) noticed him and
asked him what he was doing. He said: “I am following you.” The Imam (a.s) asked: “Are you
trying to protect me from heavenly or earthly creatures?” He replied: “I am guarding you
against earthly creatures.” The Imam (a.s) said: “Please go home since no one on Earth can
do me any harm unless God' permits so.” Then Ghanbar returned home.

Critique