Imam Abu Abdullah Ja`far ibn Muhammad is near.
This day and the one who is commemorated on this day,
comprehension of both these two, (the day and the person,) both in that time and also the event that
occurred in that time,
is beyond the understanding of every mind.
The coming of the day (that commemorates) the event of the martyrdom of the head and leader of the Shi`ah creed,
Imam Abu Abdullah Ja`far ibn Muhammad is near.
This day and the one who is commemorated on this day,
comprehension of both these two, (the day and the person,) both in that time and also the event that
occurred in that time,
is beyond the understanding of every mind.
No one understood the reality of either this sect or
the Master of this sect.
One sentence from him, one word from him,
is a remedy for solving all of humanity's problems.
One narration is enough to save all humanity
from ruin and perdition both in this world and in the hereafter
and let them reach the highest position with God.
Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq will only be truly known when
the depth and substance of his words are understood.
We will explain one narration from his eminence (Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him)
that Sheikh al-Taifah (The leader of the Sect, al-Tusi) has reported in his book Amali.
This is the narration:
"Upon you is (that is to say Ordained for you is) piety, truthfulness in what you say,
to give back what has been entrusted to you, modesty and chastity in regards to your eating and private parts,
so that you can be with us in being near to the Most High.
These sentences are this short
but an entire book is needed to explain each word.
The approach to understanding this narration should begin as such:
In the honourable Qur`an the point has been greatly emphasized that
a person should think about his past and see what was there and what happened.
If we understand this point then, the greatness of those few words will be understood.
Just as in the womb, there is a beginning for
the embryo of this body (of ours), (located) in the darkness inside of the (woman's) body and the womb and the amnion,
creation after creation (of the different stages of human being), until it becomes complete,
and (where) all the abilities and (body) parts (are given to it) as assets to be used for living in this world
are given to this seed,
Similarly, the relationship of the world to the hereafter,
is like the womb of the mother in relation to the ecstasy existing in the world (outside of the womb).
"Is not (the case that) there came over man a period of time when
he was a thing not worth mentioning."
“Surely We have created man from an embryo, mixed:
We mean to try him,
so We have made him hearing, seeing.”
"Is not (the case that) there came over man a period of time when..."
In trying to express the meaning of the words of God, reason becomes astonished.
In an interrogative manner, (the words of God) awakens the minds of human beings.
The result (of such a method) is that all of you will look back,
every human being can see by turning the pages of what has passed in his life
until he reaches the first page.
See what he was before this (being that he is now).
"...he was a thing not worth mentioning." There was no trace of him before; he did not even have a name.
Every person sitting here
should go back and see his past.
Was there any trace of these people a hundred years ago?
What trace was there (of them)? Where were these people?
When He attracts the attention of (people's) heart (and soul), He states,
“Surely We have created man from an embryo, mixed:
We mean to try him,
so We have made him hearing, seeing.”
Every sentence of this verse has a discussion of its own.
Just one of its words bears witness to the aforementioned point.
“Surely We have created man from an embryo, mixed..."
What was this embryo, mixed?
What was this mixed embryo?
A part of it from a woman and a part of it from man, both of which became the origin of this creation.
Then, that same embryo in the darkness of the woman's womb,
became the subject of favour from (that) Unlimited Knowledge and
that Unlimited Power and
that Unlimited Wisdom became:
seeing, hearing, able, knowledgeable,
with a brain that is (made up of) those (extraordinary) neurons and fibres and with such a complicated faculty for understanding.
Eyes with such different levels of complication for perceiving and seeing.
Ears with such organization for hearing.
Faculties and mechanisms that for thousands of years have been the subject of
human intellectual research
and yet still they have not managed to (fully) understand the mechanism of a fibre of skin.
Let alone those mechanisms that form the brain and the heart.
In this way it has such mechanisms and potential in the darkness of the mother's womb.
If in that darkness, that embryo had intelligence and the capability of understanding,
naturally this issue would be clear for him that
why these things are happening to it.
It doesn't need this brain here (in this dark womb) and
what need does it have in this covered womb for eyes?
There is no (clear) sound here for it to (need to have) ears and
there is no food (for eating) here for it to need a digestive system.
There is no air to have a need for lungs.
There is no conversation or (anyone to talk to) to need the use of a tongue.
But it has all of those faculties.
When it comes into this world, it becomes clear that
what kind of a loss it would have been if these eyes were not made there (in the womb).
If ears were not given (to it) there then, what sound could it hear (in this world)?
If this tongue was not placed in this mouth in the womb of the mother then how would he speak here (in this world)?
Our situation in this world (in comparison) to the hereafter is the same:
our soul too, our brain as well, was created from an embryo, mixed.
Reason and desire are both mixed in the substance of our soul.
This world is the womb of the soul just as
the mothers body was the womb of our body.
The world is the womb of our life and soul.
The prophets and messengers are the forces and faculties for training the abilities and parts of the embryo of the soul for the life of the hereafter.
That person understands the statement of the Imam who
comprehends this reality.
Now in this world, they command this embryo, that is, the embryo of the human soul,
to foster and educate your mind and intellect with knowledge and
strengthen your will power with faith and
keep away mean and wicked qualities (from your soul) and
adorn (yourself) with noble qualities.
Just as that child in the womb of its mother would be astonished if it was capable of intelligent thought,
as to what these eyes, ears and tongue are for,
here also he is astonished as to what
is the reason for doing prayers five times a day.
What purpose does keeping away from the filth of a certain sin serve?
For what reason has so much emphasis been placed on the truthfulness of the tongue
and why is it important to return what has been entrusted to anybody.
Until he is in the womb of the mother (which is this) world, he is not informed (of the reasons behind these acts).
The first birth was the birth of our body that
came out of the mother's womb into this world.
Our second birth is our death (in this world) that
transfers us from the womb of the mother (which is this) world to the ecstasy of the world to come.
There we will understand what the reasons for these commandments were.
The person who leaves prayer here (in this world), as soon as
his soul leaves his body, he will be blind and mute.
Why? What is the secret (behind such a thing happening)?
The point is that they who
leaves prayer his soul (is already) blind whether he likes it or not and
the tongue of his soul is (already) mute.
Why is it that when prayer is taken away then, the eyes of the soul are blind?
Why is the tongue of our 'true self' (our soul) mute?
The secret behind this (fact) is that all of creation, all that (God has caused to) exist
with regards to the cells of this body to entire galaxies,
testify to the omniscience, omnipotence and wisdom of the Ever-Living, the Self-Existing and
all of these in their entirety
their design and order
demonstrate the omniscience and omnipotence of the Lord of any master.
The one who does not see even though his physical eyes can see these colours (of the world's beauty and design and order),
it is his spiritual eyes that cannot see the signs of the omniscience, omnipotence and wisdom of God.
Whether they like it or not this is the result that
when he leaves this world and
his soul leaves this (worldly) womb
they will see that they are blind and unable to see.
That prayer is mentioning and remembering God.
Mentioning (remembering) God is the tongue of the soul.
When he does not have this (spiritual) tongue in this world then,
when he leaves this world (his soul) will be mute (and without a tongue).
If the point is comprehended that just as
the mother's womb and these faculties (of the physical body) were necessary,
the womb (which is the) world is also necessary and (so is) the mixing and order of the abilities and faculties of the soul of the human being.
One is the combination of the physical limbs and parts in this world and
the other is the ordering of the (correct) beliefs and (good) ethics and morals for the spiritual life in the world to come.
From this a person comes to understand that
what the Ja`fari sect is and who the leader of this sect is.
Two statements are enough, one from the Seal of the Prophets himself and
the other from his offspring who is commemorated during these days.
But His Excellency (the Prophet) who stated, "Is not from me..."
Pay attention! This is the Seal of the Prophets (we are quoting from)?
He is the one (about whom Allah has stated): "And we have not sent you but as a mercy for all (the creatures of the) worlds."
Such a person and with such emphasis and tone has stated,
"Whoever considers (ritual) prayer to be of little value is not from me."
The next sentence is a backbraking one,
"No! By God he will not meet me near the pond of Kawthar (in paradise)!"
This oath, especially an oath that invokes the divine witness, is from the most prominent of all creatures.
Whoever considers (ritual) prayer to be of little value will not meet me at the pond of Kawthar.
This is the sentence of His Excellency (the Prophet (s)).
This is the statement of the person, whom we commemorate during these days:
Abu Basir said, "After the martyrdom of the sixth Imam,
I went to give my condolences to Umm Hamidah, the first lady of (the Imam's) household.
When I presented my condolences (for the) sixth Imam She stated,
"Abu Basir! If you were there while he was passing away,
you would have seen an amazing incident.
When it was time for him to leave this world, while passing away, Ja`far ibn Muhammad (s)..."
Conceiving the matter is beyond comprehension. That is, in that moment that
the souls of a hundred and twenty four thousand prophets came to take his soul to the place (spiritually) nearest to the Most High (Mal`a `Ala),
at such a time he said, "...call all those who
had any relations with me and (those who) were close to me, call all of them and do not leave anyone out.
We called all of them (to come to the Imam). They all gathered and no one was left out.
He (p) then said the following:
Our intercession will not reach the person who considers (ritual) prayer of having little value!"
That was the words of the Seal of the Prophets and this is the statement of the leader of the sect (Imam Ja'far Ibn Muhammad, peace be upon them).
Who has the ability to understand the greatness of this much enjoinment (to do one's prayers). Why?
What is the expectation that a human being has?
Their expectation is to be able to reach any status they want and acquire any degree of perfection.
Pay careful attention to be able to grasp the secret of these words.
This is the expectation of every human being. It is within the nature of every human being.
They can never be satisfied with any rank, status or degree of perfection.
Once they come into this world, in this world the covetous (nature of human beings) cannot be satisfied.
Whatever the soul of human being finds it still says,
"Is there any more?"
If it reached knowledge and wisdom,
whatever it (the human soul) understands it wants the next level (of understanding).
This is the nature of human beings.
The human soul has been given such a nature so that
it can become near to that Absolute Perfection.
Until it reaches that point (of spiritual nearness to God) it cannot be satisfied.
When it reaches there then the (soul) is at rest (of having reached the status and the degree of perfection that it was capable of achieving).
Read the Qur`an and (have the intention to) understand it.
"Those who believe and whose hearts are set at rest by the remembrance of Allah,
now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest.”
When it reaches that stage it is set at rest. Why?
Because when it reaches God it has served its purpose (for being) created and
has reached the Absolute Perfection (which nothing else is more perfect for wanting to reach).
The Master of Martyrs (Imam Husayn) (s), when speaking with God summarises (the point just mentioned) into two sentences:
"That person who found you did not lose anything and
that person who lost you did not find anything."
This is why the Messenger stated, "He/she who considers (ritual) prayer of little value is not from me."
Also the sixth Imam while on the verge of passing away made the will that
our intercession will not reach those people who considers (ritual) prayer as being of little value.
Its secret is that prayer will allow human beings to reach God and
The purpose of creation becomes fulfilled.
This is why the depth of the Ja`fari sect and the statements of the sixth Imam will only be understood by those who
understand all the minute details and angles and secrets of existence.
Then, they will understand, what such words mean.
At the beginning of our talk we mentioned a few words.
"`Alaykom..." On you be. This is the words of His Excellency. "On you be..."
Just as to the reason why `Ala (on) was used there is an extensive discussion, which there is no time (for explaining) now.
On you be (that is to say ordained for you is) piety. What is piety?
Piety is to protect one's self from
what God has forbidden (in the sense of staying away from them), protect yourself.
This is the first word (of wisdom in the narration). As for the second word (of wisdom):
Take this one narration with you from this gathering and see how much you will gain from it.
The second word (of wisdom), "Truthfulness in what you say..."
Don't let lies come from this tongue (of yours).
Let what you say be only the truth. This is the second word (of wisdom).
The third word of wisdom, "To give back what has been entrusted to you..."
When something is entrusted to you do not betray the one who has trusted you.
The fourth word (of wisdom), "Modesty and chastity in regards to your eating and private parts..."
These four words (of wisdom) are the pillars for human beings to attain (true) happiness.
As for piety, it cleanses the soul of all filth (of wickedness).
Just as there is a need to protect this body from microbes (and viruses)
and safe guard it, piety protects the soul from all corruptions that
burns the roots of eternal (happiness in the) life (to come).
This is the first word (of wisdom) of the (sixth) Imam (p).
His second (word of wisdom) is that you should not contaminate your tongue with lies.
This sentence is extraordinary. If the tongue becomes straightened then the heart becomes straightened.
If the tongue becomes crooked (by becoming dishonest), then the heart becomes crooked (and corrupt).
A corrupt tongue reveals a corrupt heart.
A truthful (and pure) heart yearns for a truthful (and pure) tongue.
The third word (of wisdom), "To give back what has been entrusted to you..."
Let your hands be ones that are trustworthy.
How lovely are the words of the chief of religion.
The fourth Imam (s) stated,
"If the murderer of my father, the Master of Martyrs (Imam Hussein,s), gives me that sword with which
he beheaded my father,
I will not have betrayed his trust (and not return the sword to him).
This is the Ja`fari sect. This was the third word (of wisdom).
The fourth word (of wisdom), "Modesty and chastity in regards to your eating and private parts..."
The soul has a reciprocal relationship with the body (and there is an interaction between them).
The relationship between the body and the soul is so deep that
the soul is the agent of action (that affects the body) as well as the receiver (of the effects of the body).
The body is also both an agent of action (that affects the soul) and the receiver (of the effects of the soul).
The body both affects the soul and is affected by the soul.
In the same way, the soul both affects the body and is affected by the body.
That forbidden food that a person eats produces forbidden thoughts.
This is why he stated as his fourth (word of wisdom), "Modesty in regards to your eating..."
The last word (of wisdom) is, "Modesty and chastity in regards to your private parts..."
If a person manages to leash the desires of the stomach and the private parts,
it is then that (his/her) intellect will be illuminated with the divine light.
A truthful tongue, a trustworthy hand, and
modesty and chastity in regards to eating and private parts,
and piety in regards to all that is forbidden by God. What is the conclusion of (all) this?
Whoever acts according to these four words (of wisdom)
will, "be with us in being near to the Most High," (that is to say,) will be with us in the place (spiritually) nearest to the Most High
It is only one narration. Think about this narration that I just stated.
If this narration is put into action in this country then,
(imagine) how (good) our society will be.
That is, if each individual (in the society) acts (even) in accordance with one of the sixth Imam's statements,
acts in accordance with (just) one (of his) narration(s), then this country will be remarkable.
With piety, truthfulness in (one's) speech, returning of what is entrusted to (one) and
modesty and chastity in regards to eating and private parts will leave no corruption in the country.
All over the Perfect State (Madinatul Fadilah) that was imagined by the likes of Plato,
that perfect state is formed by one narration of Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (s).
This is how the worldly life would be. Then also, in the life to come,
"...so that you can be with us in being near to the Most High."
Whoever acts according to these four points,
will be a companion of Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (s) in the highest of the highest point of paradise (A`la `Alin) and
will be the companion of the Master of the Martyrs (s) in achieving the status of living in the highest paradise (Khulad Barrin).
(Imagine) if one statement from the leader of the sect was as such then, what kind of (astonishing wisdom) is contained in all his statements?
This is why (we say that) Imam al-Sadiq (s) was never understood.
Who he was, what he did and what (the wisdom was in what) he said cannot be put into words.
We will say (just) two words. Go and think about it for the rest of your life.
How did he act in regards to God? And how did he act in regards to the creation of God?
If people understand this on the day (commemorating) the martyrdom of Ja`far ibn Muhammad (s) then,
the entire country should unite and mourn for such a human being.
The entire Iranian nation should be in great sorrow and pain on the day of his martyrdom.
Where can the like of such a person be found in the world?
Someone came to him and asked him to fulfil his (financial) need.
The Imam (s) gave him four hundred dirhams (equivalent to) 400 silver mithqals.
When he took the money and wanted to leave the house, he (the Imam, p) said:
"Come back." He came back. He (then) said:
"Son of the Messenger of Allah! I asked you what I needed and you gave it to me.
Why did you want me back?" He (the Imam) said,
"The best donation is the one that makes the destitute without need (of money)."
This is Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (s)!
The best donation is the one that makes the destitute without need (of money).
"You will not be free from need with only 400 dirhams.
Also take this ring worth ten thousand dirhams and
for the rest of your life you should not (need to) ask for what you need by knocking on anybody's door."
This was his behaviour with the creations of God.
But what was (his behaviour) in regards to God? This was his behaviour in regards to God:
He stood for prayer. He has said it himself, "I said, 'Thee do we worship and Thee do we beseech for help.' so much
until I heard this verse from the one who said it (God)."
That was (his behaviour) with the creation and this (is his behaviour) with the creator.
Such a person is the leader of this creed. The day of his martyrdom is a day that
such a (honourable) human being's soul rested. But where?
Go and have a look now in (the graveyard of) Baqi`. See what a treasure has laid in that ruined (and demolished) grave.
A person who is like this with God and the creation of God,
this person is the commander of the world of creation.
Ibn Shahr Ashub, Thiqqat al-Islam Kulayni narrates from Jamil ibn Darraj who states,
"I was with His Excellency (Imam al-Sadiq) when a woman came and said,
Son of the Messenger of Allah! My son has died what should I do?'
After saying these words, he (the Imam) commanded to that woman,
Go and pray two rak'ah prayer then after the two rak'ah prayer say this prayer:
God! Who have given me this son. Give him to me again.'
He said this sentence to that woman.
(She) said, 'Son of the Messenger of God! I went and did the two rak`ah prayer and said:
Him who gave me, give to me again.
I touched his body and he got up.'"
What does this mean? This is the same thing Jesus son of Mary did.
Jesus, the Spirit of God, "(Allah gives you glad tidings) with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary."
What Jesus did, a woman who
met Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq, also did what Jesus had done.
This is the reason (why we say) that neither the sect was understood nor the leader of this sect.
This is an elixir, not him; he is above all of these statements.
If he wants to, with only one word he can turn the world upside down.
When his soul met that woman, it is like an elixir touching a metal.
If elixir touches metal not only it turns the metal into gold but it turns it into the philosopher's stone.
His soul touched the soul of this woman then, the woman went and brought the dead back to life.
Then the Imam said to her, "Do not let anyone know of this matter."
Allah willing, all the people have to go hand in hand and
no association that (usually) comes out on the day of Ashura should be left out and should
come out into the street on the day commemorating the martyrdom of the sixth Imam,
so that the world can know whose flag this country is under.
He is the person whom the Messenger designated him with the name (given to him) and said,
"He who comes into this world is al-Sadiq."
Imam Zayn al-Abedin has stated, "His name among the people of heaven is 'al-Sadiq'"
The word 'Sadiq' needs an explanation of its own, which is beyond our comprehension.
O Allah, for Your representative, the Hujjat (proof), son of alHasan. Send Your blessings on him and his forefathers in this hour and in every hour. As (our) guardian and protector and a leader, a helper and a proof, and a source of guidance, until You place him on Your earth (as the head of a just government) and bestow him an extended stay.
