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The life of this, the greatest of Prophets, not only was a series of mira- of the desert to teach them appreciation for nature, to keep away from
cles but even prior to His birth was something that the universe was the ills of society in addition to teaching them the skills of eloquence
in anticipation of. The word ‘Yatim’ in the Arabic language is a homo- in the Arabic language. At the time of the Prophet, there happened to
nym, one being addressed to a person who is fatherless and the sec- be a drought and in such seasons a number of ladies from the rural
ond being something that is quite unique. The Holy Prophet (P) of areas would come into the city for this reason to make some money.
Islam was not only physically fatherless or rather parentless (latim), There are two seemingly contradictory narrations of how the Prophet
but he was a unique gem gifted to humanity by the Almighty. The got a wet nurse.
following will be a critical analysis of the childhood and adolescence
of this unique personality, the Holy Prophet of Islam based on a ser-
mon by Imam Ali (AS) in Nahjul balagah. In this sermon Imam Ali
(AS) says “From the time of his (H. Prophets’ (P)) weaning, Allah had
put His mightiest angels with him to take him along the path of high
character and good behaviour throughout the day and night” (Sermon
192- Sermon of Qasia)
It is very clear from the above hadith, that the Almighty, protected the
Prophet from a very early age from committing a sin or making a mis-
take and therefore from shaitan. It is a widely accepted fact that Ab-
dullah, the father of the H. Prophet (P) passed away in Yathrib
(Madina) upon returning from a trip to Damascus, when the Prophet
(P) was very young, only 2 months of age. His mother was very ill
upon the birth of the Prophet and therefore could not breastfeed her
baby for a long period of time. It was for this reason that she went
about looking for a suitable wet-nurse (Murdh’a). It was an Arab cus-
(Continued on page 2)
tom at the time to send their newborns to be brought up in the middle
Editorial………………………....…….. 2 From time to time we like to feel sorry for Today I must be greedy and use this article
ourselves. Have a whinge, maybe a cry or to reflect on my experience over the last
Feature Article..………………………. 4 even throw a tantrum at people we care few months. I have a new addition to the
and love for, forgetting our common sense family, a little baby girl sister who arrived
History feature…………………….….. 5 in the moment of heat. But every once in a in this world just under 3 months ago. Be-
while we are brought back to our deep ing the eldest, I have seen all of the young
Tafsir of Qur'an …..…...…..……….. 6 senses and remain mystified and mesmer- ones grow up since they were little babies,
ised for weeks on end. “The circle of life” but this one is different. It is with greater
Our Ulamaa …………………………… 8
as famously said by Mufasa to his child understanding of life and the world
Carwash ……………………………….. 8 Simba in the Lion King, continuing and tell- around me that I can hold and look into
ing his young son “one day you shall rule the baby eyes and simply sigh in the bril-
DISCLAIMER AND CAUTION this land” inferring that one day he shall liance and magnificence of the Creator.
The articles published in this paper are die. It is a notion that is common to all liv-
not the views of Al-Fajr or any particu- Meanwhile 1000’s of kilometres away in a
ing things in this vast and amazing world.
lar Islamic centre but of the Author. land washed with its sons’ blood for thou-
It is the concept of life and death.
Please handle with care as it contains
(Continued on page 7)
names of Allah and His Prophet
1
Editorial...
Halima the Wet-nurse of the Prophet (P) said: ‘this was the share of Satan from you. He
Salaam Alykum!
then washed his heart in a golden container
The majority of historians have mentioned that,
with the water of Zamzam and stitched his
due to the fact that the Prophet was fatherless, chest…. I saw the marks of stitches on the chest
Welcome once again to a brand
and since they were doing this for the money, of the Prophet.” (Muslim 1:101). Some say that
new Al-Fajr! After a short sabbati- most nurses did not even approach Aminah for this incident took place when the prophet was 5
cal, we are back with a more fea- the fear of having to do the task for charity. Theyrs of age while others claim that it happened 4-
ture packed new volume of the Shi’a narration states that the Prophet was re- 5 times in the lifetime of the Prophet before he
newsletter. We have continued on fusing all the nurses brought to him. This is became the Prophet. Others such as Suyuti in
more plausible as the grandfather of the his Durrul Mansur have gone so far as to say
the spirit of the newsletter with the
Prophet, Abdul-Muttalib, was a noble man and that the first ayah of chapter 94 of the Qur’an
cover story, viewpoint, and biogra- far from being poor. It is narrated that the “Have We not expanded for you your breast”
phies of some of the Shi'a world's Prophet refused 460 wet-nurses! This made his also refers to this incident. It is unfortunate that
most eminent scholars. In addition mother and grandfather very anxious and wor- some Shi’a scholars have also narrated this inci-
we have introduced new sections of ried for the health and well being of the new- dent but as a miracle. Ayatollah Tabatabai also
born. It was not until Bibi Halima came in, that refers to this incident but concludes that it’s
feature articles and history features
he accepted her. Years later the Prophet was more of a simile (tamathul barzakhi) than a lit-
that will inshallah encourage us to asked as to why he refused so many and chose eral fact. There are several reasons why this is
know and appreciate this pristine bibi Halima, he replied “Be selective for your utter fiction.
and beautiful Religion we have wet-nurse as you are selective for your mar-
been gifted. riage, for surely breastfeeding changes the na- 1. This story is not mentioned in any of the
ture”. It is therefore clear that the other women ahadith of the Ahlul Bayt (AS) including the
This short break has seen numerous were not deserving of the stature being a further H. Prophet (P) whether from the Shi’a and
events pass us by with the situation indication of the divine protection from Allah. Sunni perspective. Even Anas is not narrat-
in Iraq worsening to lighter issues ing it from the Prophet but merely stating
Halima, was from the tribe of Bani-Sa’d and had
such as the extraordinary experi- his interpretation of his observation. Such a
come to Makkah with her husband and her
significant miracle would surely have been
ences of millions of people this Hajj newborn child she was nursing. She knew that
mentioned by some of the Ahlul Bayt.
season. The events of the last few the right breast did not produce any milk and
the left one produced very little, barely enough 2. There are many faults in the chain of trans-
weeks beginning with the destruc-
for her own child. But nevertheless, due to the mitters of this hadith. The technical ap-
tion of the Al Askari Mosque, drought, she decided to try her luck. She went proach to the analysis of hadith not related
eclipses all the sad experiences of to many houses but was turned away as the to jurisprudence is of a very poor calibre and
many. Not only did it feel like a parents were concerned for their children until thus perhaps the acceptance of this falsified
stake to the heart to every lover of she approached the house of Abdul Muttalib hadith.
and because they were desperate, accepted any-
the family of the Prophet (P) it also 3. There is a large amount of disparity between
one. The Prophet did not accept her left breast
ensured the frustration of not being different narrations on the same topic again
and by touching her right breast, a fountain of
able or knowing the most effective suggesting its weakness.
milk erupted at which point The Prophet began
way to respond. Despite this atroc- to suckle, much to the delight of his entire fam- 4. The heart operation such as this does not
ity, we have to remain strong and ily and Halima herself! This miracle continued give or take spirituality. The heart is just a
even when the she camel they were riding on metaphor for the human condition. The ig-
steadfast and as Dr. Ali Shariati
their way back home with the new born child norance of the physical anatomy of the hu-
says in this issue's feature article, gave an abundance of milk for sustaining man body suggests its very weak nature.
"Islam is a revolution”. We hope Halima when before due to the drought not a
5. Why was the operation repeated! Did this
you enjoy reading this months is- single drop was being produced. Halima imme-
‘cancer’ regrow?! Was the prophet yet in-
sue and please comment on what diately knew that she was in the presence of a
clined toward sin that he needed numerous
blessed child. The Prophet lived with Halima
you would like to see more or less operations! This is unfathomable!
and treated her like a mother and her children
of. Contributions such as view- like his own siblings even when he was an 6. If this ‘operation’ was a simile as pro-
points and feature articles will also adult. The initial contract was for 2 years but pounded in Al-Mizan, how could Anas see
be greatly appreciated. due to a cholera plague that afflicted Makkah,
Bibi Aminah extended the contract for a further
Wassalaam
3 years making a total of 5 years with his foster A critical analysis of
Abidali Mohamedali - Editor family.
Islam is a revolution. Islam is not a safety- world shall be elevated - in time - to a state those slain in the name of Truth and Justice.
net for the masses, to keep tucked away as of Islam. For the Muslim, there is no doubt
"The history of Islam follows a strange path;
spiritual insurance in the event that iniqui- as to the Reality of this.
a path in which gangsters and ruffians from
tous come to face the consequences of their
the Arab, Persian, Turk, Tartar and Mongol
deeds. Islam is an active, vibrant way of life;
dynasties all enjoyed the right to the leader-
the Din. Islam is not a religion for those The Shi'a
ship of the Moslem community and to the
content to listen to a speech that pats them
There is no God save Allah, there is no re- Khalifatate of the Prophet of Islam, to the
on the back and allows them to feel con-
ligion save Islam, there are no believers exclusion of the family of the Prophet and
tented until their nagging conscious deterio-
save the Partisans of Allah, His Prophets, the rightful Imams of Islam. And Shi'ism
rates to the callous placed over their heart.
and the Ahl al-Bayt. This is affirmed by begins with a "No"; a "No" which opposes
Islam is not for those with such a covering
both Sunni and Shi'a Ahadith. To be of Al- the path chosen by history, and rebels
over their hearts, enjoying them so much
lah's "Partisans" or "Shi'a" means to be an against history. It rebels against a history
ease at living a life of inaction and complic-
active "Participant" in the revolution of Is- which, in the name of the Qur'an, Kings and
ity in the face of a world ridden with injus-
lam. Islam is not Faith for the bystanders Caesars, follows the path of ignorance, and
tice. Islam is a revolution.
who would wish to sit by and cheer on the in the name of tradition, sacrifices those
Those who are Muslim are called in the Mujtahideen. Islam is a revolution. brought up in the house of the Qur'an and
Qur'an and Ahadith the "Shi'a," the the Traditions!
It is a testimony to the craftiness of the de-
"Partisans" of Muhammad (peace be upon
ceiver (Iblis) that throughout the past 1,400 "Shi'ites do not accept the path chosen by
him and on his pure progeny), the Ahl al-
years we have seen the rise and fall of so history. They deny the leaders who ruled
Bayt. Those who are Muslims are ones who
many Infidels masquerading in the name of the Muslims throughout history and de-
"Submit" to the Will of Allah, even in the
Islam, while carrying out the most grievous ceived the majority of the people through
face of dire oppression and seemingly terri-
oppressions in the name of our Holy Faith. their succession to the Prophet, and then by
ble consequences. For the Muslim, Faith,
From the time of the betrayal of Imam Ali their supposed support of Islam and fight
Love and Servitude of Allah are the pri-
(peace be upon him) - when even some well against paganism. Shi'ites turn their backs
mary goals of living one's life. Concern is
meaning Muslims were turned to the fire of on the opulent mosques and magnificent
given to personal comfort, safety and the
their nafs - to Mu'awiyya, the Khawarij, and palaces of the Khalifats of Islam and turn to
like. However, when faced with the Islamic
the Umayyads all the way to the Salafi/ the lonely, mud house of Fatima. Shi'ites,
obligation to "oppose evil and enjoin what
Wahabi acts of terror perpetrated against who represent the oppressed, justice-
is right" then it becomes the moral impera-
our own Muslim brethren and sisters, Shai- seeking class in the Khalifatate system, find
tive of all Muslims to take a stand in the
ytan has throughout these centuries elected in this house whatever and whoever they
face of the opposition, no matter how un-
his emissaries of kufr to wage internal war have been seeking."
even the odds may seem.
within the Ummah to degrade it and per-
For unlike the kaffirun, we as Muslims, vert the Qur'an to say what their itching
have a Power on our side that not even all ears want to hear.
the forces and legions of Shaiytan could
Shi'a Islam - the Only Islam that Allah or
muster any true competition against. Allah
His Messengers ever spoke of - takes the
is the best of Knowers and the best of Plan-
Path of Truth, the Path that sometimes
ners. Enacting the Will of Allah does not
brings us face to face with the oppressor,
always guarantee comfort, safety or ease in
and demands that we bring an end to his
this world, but it promises us fulfilment of
reign of terror, or we die as Shuhada
our Master's wishes, and Paradise in the
(Martyrs/Witnesses) in our attempts. And
Hereafter. If Allah chooses that we should
Allah will bear Witness to the Truth
die in the hands of the infidels, or that we
through our shed blood.
should be imprisoned in the cages of Baby-
lon, then this is Allah's Plan, and by it we For even as the letter "Mim" is as a seed, a
shall be saved. And through this, the whole single sperm cell, so too through the Seed of
Musa (peace be upon him), Muhammad
“We Muslims have a (peace be upon him and on his pure family),
Mahdi and Masih shall the blood of the
martyrs - from the Righteous Abel (peace be
Power on our side that upon him), to Yahya (peace be upon him),
to Ali (peace be upon him), to Husayn
not even the all the (peace be upon him) to the Mujahideen of
today and into the reign of Imam Al-Mahdi
forces and legions of - be poured over the Seal of the planted
Shaytan could muster Seed of Islam. And in this very generation,
we will see the fulfilment of the rule of
any true competion Imam Al-Mahdi as that Seed breaks forth
through the Seal placed over it by Muham-
against” mad (peace be upon him and on his pure
family), and blossoms into a Tree of Life,
nourished and fertilized by the blood of
AH CE Events
61 1 Oct 680 Imam Hussain (A) was buried at this sacred spot.
65 18 Aug 684 Mukhtar ibn Abu Obaidah Thaqafi built an enclosure around the grave, in the form of a mosque and erected
a dome over the grave. There were two entrances to this building.
132 12 Aug 749 A roof was built over a part of this mosque and two entrances were added during the reign of as-Saffah.
140 31 Mar 763 The roof was demolished during the reign of al-Mansur.
158 11 Nov 774 During the reign of Mahdi the roof was reconstructed.
171 22 Jun 787 During the reign of Al-Rashid the dome and the roof were demolished and the plum tree which stood near
the grave was cut down.
193 25 Oct 808 During the reign of Amin the building was reconstructed.
236 15 Jul 850 Mutawakkil demolished the buildings and ordered that the land should be ploughed.
247 17 Mar 861 Muntasir built a roof over the grave and set up an iron pillar near it, to serve as a landmark for the pilgrims.
273 8 Jun 886 The roof was demolished again.
280 23 Mar 893 The Alid representative built a dome in the centre, with two roofs, on either side and an enclosure with two
entrances.
307 19 Aug 977 Adzd ibn Boweih rebuilt the dome, the surrounding galleries and constructed a screen of teak wood around
the sepulchre. He also constructed houses all round the shrine and erected the boundary wall of the city. At
the same time Imran ibn Shahin built a mosque adjacent to the tomb.
407 10 Jun 1016 The buildings were damaged by fire and the Vizier, Al-Hasan ibn al Fadi rebuilt them.
620 4 Feb 1223 Nasir le-din-Illah reconstructed the screens of the sepulchre.
757 18 Sep 1365 Sultan Owais ibn Hasan Jalairi remodelled the dome and raised the walls of the enclosure.
780 24 Feb 1384 Ahmad ibn Owais erected two minarets covered with gold and extended the courtyard.
920 26 Feb 1514 When Shah Ismail Safawi visited the holy shrine he built a sacrophagus of the inlaid work over the grave.
1032 5 Nov 1622 Shah Abbas Safavi constructed the screens (darih) of brass and bronze and decorated the dome with Kashi
tiles.
1048 15 May 1638 Sultan Murad IV, when he visited the holy shrine, whitewashed the dome.
1155 8 Mar 1742 Nadir Shah visited the holy shrine and decorated the building and offered valuable presents to the treasury
of the shrine.
1211 7 Jul 1796 Shah Muhammad Qachar covered the dome of the shrine with gold.
1216 14 May 1801 Wahhabis attacked Kerbala, spoiled the screens and portico and looted the shrine.
1232 21 Nov 1817 Fateh Ali Shah Qachar repaired the screens and plated them with silver. He also plated the centre of the main
portico with gold and repaired the damage done by the Wahhabi robbers.
1283 16 May 1866 Nasiruddin Shah Qachar extended the courtyard of the shrine.
1358 21 Feb 1939 Dr. Syedna Taher Saifud-din, 51st Dai-el-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community offered a set of screens of
solid silver which are fixed in the shrine.
1360 29 Jan 1941 Dr. Syedna Taher Saifud-din, 5lst Dai-el-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community rebuilt the western mina-
ret.
1367 20 Dec 1948 Syed Abdul Rasul Khalsi, Administrator of Karbala acquired the houses in the neighbourhood of the court-
yard according to the price fixed by the government, to build a road around the holy mausoleum and to ex-
tend the courtyard.
After the event that destroyed the Holy Shrine in Samarrah by the enemies of Ahlul Bayt, it is very evident form the above
chronology, that the enemies of Islam that existed then exist to date. O my Allah condemn and damn the first ty-
rant who unjustly and wrongfully usurped that which rightly belonged to Mohammad and the children
of Mohammad, and bring curse upon those who, after him, followed in his footsteps. O my Allah con-
demn and damn those conspirators who vexed and harassed Husayn, showed eagerness, agreed mutu-
ally, and joined hands to kill him. O my Allah bring curse upon all of them. (Ziarat Ashura)
sands of years is raging away in a spiritually. Only when it is taken away human, for this small human to clutch
deadly circle of violence. Where thou- that we notice the beauty of it. Yet it my finger with its whole hand and
sands of Ahlul-Bayt followers are being also should be remembered that death smile is simply breathtaking. The mira-
massacred by terrorists, the land of Iraq in itself is a hidden beauty for the be- cle of life with all honesty should make
exemplifies the living hell. And during liever, the one who seeks nearness to atheists into die hard believers/ mono-
the same time when my little baby sister God, the Holy prophets and the Imams theists (or intelligent design as they call
was born we also received the sad news is not fearful of departing this world. it these days). How can mankind turn
that a distant relative had been killed, The only problem is that we must be away from the Creator, when the Crea-
gunned down in his own home. Such is certain of our actions and deeds to be in tor has given the miracle of life?
life, a man, a son, a brother, a husband, such a privileged position to
a father taken away forever in brutal wish death so gracefully.
manner. Meanwhile back in Down un-
But today is not about death, it
der, a bundle of joy has arrived and
is about the miracle, and that
nothing can better explain it than that.
miracle being life. Can one
It is those moments when we feel down imagine not to have been born,
and dejected, living with the false feel- not to exist? What a blessing in
ing of emptiness and the sense of noth- itself is to exist, that God gave
ing to live for, that we must take the you and I the chance to live, to
example and learn of the gift that has experience, to learn, to com-
been given to us. The gift of life is so municate, to excel, to make
precious, yet we abuse it and mistreat it mistakes and to be human. To
in all aspects physically, mentally and look into the eyes of this small