#like the hidden imam

[semperergoveritas2024]

Nobody Cried

Shaheen scrambled into the dark, dusty attic, taking in the musty odor of forgotten boxes and faded memories.

               She and Ibrahim had taken over the house a few weeks ago. He’d been given a promotion at the Home Office and this house came with it. She knew it had been a Jew house as there were still the marks of the things they put on the doors – she had no idea what they were called or what the purpose was other than they easily marked the home of a Jew.

               In the attic she had found the hidden door behind a pile of old boxes filled to the brim with tatty clothes and well-thumbed books. She would have to make sure it all got taken away and destroyed once she told Ibrahim what she’d found.

               She tried to think back to a time when there were Jews in London, perhaps twenty-five years ago? She knew that something had changed back then, first in the ever-increasing protests and then the silent coup of 2025, after which the Grand Imam had proclaimed that the UK was now a part of the greater European caliphate, and everyone was subject to sharia law. She had known no different, it was normal.

               Shaheen had no memory of her parents struggle to accept the new reality or how easily, calmly it had happened. The pro-Palestinian movement had grown and grown until it numbered in the millions and her mother had told her that many of the Jews had escaped to America, where there were still more Jews than Muslims, especially in Southern California. Israel was long gone, torn apart by an unwinnable war and an Iran that had been allowed to build nuclear weapons they were happy to use at the first opportunity. No one blinked an eye.

               Still, she had a good life. There’d been no school to bother with and no one looked at her or bothered her. She only left home fully covered – she could have been a sack of potatoes with legs for all anyone knew.

               And then Ibrahim came into her life when she was 14. Even though her parents tried to soften it, she knew what was happening. Arranged marriages were the norm and she was no different to any of the other girls that gathered in the park near her parents’ house and giggled the day away, being careful to watch out for the Religious Police so as not to get a beating.

               The doorway was more of a small hatch though which a person might just squeeze with a little effort. She peered inside and shone her small torch around the space. It was a room cleverly hidden at one end of the eaves space of the house. Perhaps 3 meters on a side, with a raised, rough wooden floor that had a small rug placed in the far corner. There was yellowing insulation poking up between the floorboards and she spotted a lone light hanging from a rafter. She looked around for a switch. The light flashed on, casting a dim red light that barely touched the corners.

               Then she saw the dark stains on the floor, black at first but then her torch picked out the faded red – it looked like dried blood, she thought. What had happened here? She shivered as she guessed that someone’s life ended here, in this tiny, bleak place.

               Pulling back, she exited the attic, pulling herself quickly through the doorway, and ran to the kitchen, trying to catch her breath as her heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t know how long she sat there, numb, unable to comprehend that someone had died in the house, right above their heads.

               The clock on the wall chimed 11 am and she snapped back to reality. There was only one person she could talk to about this – her mother.

               She quickly dressed, covering her blond, shoulder length hair and leaving only her bright blue eyes as evidence of a human being wrapped in the black swaddle.

               Her cousin, Adeel came as soon as she asked – he was a good man and very protective of her. He walked her to her parents’ house as he talked at her about nothing very much. He couldn’t see that she was upset, and she didn’t betray that feeling, staying silent, as was the custom, on the journey.

               Her mother opened the door to their tidy brick house and Shaheen hurried in. Adeel went into the kitchen and waited for her. He sensed that she’d made it clear she needed some privacy with her mother, and he wasn’t going to get in between those two! He made himself a nice cup of tea, and sat at the ancient kitchen table, munching biscuits, thinking nothing very much at all.

               Shaheen’s mother teased the story out of her as they sat heavily on an old brown sofa that had seen far better days.

               Her mothers old name was Maude, but she’d been given a new name years ago. Aadila. She was told it meant honest and just. The local Imam had been given the job and appeared to get bored very quickly, handing out names at random. Still, she got used to it, eventually.

               “You’re a very lucky person to have been given a husband like Ibrahim, he’s a great provider.”, she said quietly, sipping her tea. “And that house! Well, I’d have killed to get a house like that!”.

               Shaheen was well aware that her mother was just the teeniest bit envious. Her father, a hard worker, never had a chance of promotion after the coup. White men were lucky to have a job at all. It was only his skill that saved him – plumbers were a vital resource.

               “But what about the blood?”

               “Are you sure?” her mother asked.

               “I’m pretty sure,”, she replied, “I just hate to think that anyone could have died in that small space in MY house!”, she emphasized the ‘my’ as if to let her mother know that she knew how she felt.

               “Anyway,” she continued,” I have to tell Ibrahim when he gets home. He’ll know what to do.”

               Her mother looked at her and tears fell from her faded blue eyes. She bent her head and said in small voice, “I know who died in that house. Don’t tell Ibrahim anything, please.”

               “What do you mean? How do you know about a random house? How can you know?”

               “I knew the people that lived there, I visited many times. It was before the coup, when I was a nurse. I often went there to help.”

               “Mum, you’re being crazy. What are you talking about?”

               “There was a time,” her mother wiped her eyes and drank some more tea, “before all of this, when the country was still England and cream teas and days out and the Royal Family.”

               Shaheen stared at Aadila as she became more animated.

               “When we still had Jews and when the police protected all of us from harm until they started protecting those that would harm us. That was when the coup happened – when the police stood by and did nothing!” she spat the last, her voice full of spite and anger.

               “It was a Jew house. Nice people, hardworking, quiet. They had children, a boy, and a girl. Beautiful children. The boy was a typical little scruff, always running everywhere, torn trousers, scuffed shoes. The girl… she really was beautiful, blond curly hair, deep blue eyes, and an infectious laugh. I loved that little girl. I was there when she was born and worked for the family, helping to look after you as the mother became quite unwell. Who could blame her?”, she said bitterly.

               Shaheen had gone silent and sunk back into the sofa, feeling very small – this was all too much.

               “What happened to them?”

               “The blood you saw… it was theirs. They hid in that room because they couldn’t leave, and they weren’t able to get the children out.”

               There was silence for a moment.

               “How... “, Shaheen didn’t finish the sentence, didn’t want to.

               “They shot them, in cold blood, laughing at them as they cowered in a corner, praying, covering the children. I was there, visiting when they came, and they made me stay and watch. Then they told me to get your father and clean up. Perhaps because I was a nurse, they thought I’d know how to do that or perhaps they were just too lazy to do it or simply didn’t care. I was shaking with fear and shame.”

               “Later, maybe an hour or so, we came back. We decided to bury the bodies in the garden, near the end where there are trees now. When we moved the mother and father, we saw that the little boy was dead, but the little girl was not. She was breathing but unconscious, a bullet had grazed her head and there was blood. The men must have thought her dead or they would have certainly finished her off.”

               “Mum?”

               “Yes, you were that little girl. You were theirs and now you are ours. We couldn’t turn you in or say anything.”.              

“Nobody cried for the Jews, and they weren’t going to cry for one little girl”, she hesitated, “but I did”.

[istanbulite]

i went to this course btw in Istanbul abt Istanbul's 'unknown' history which is Like yeah ofc Istanbul has a hidden history duh --- its where my father hangs out, he loves attending these classes n courses which i think is neat everyone should have interests ANYWAYS

i had my... biases since it's set in a mosque - well a class in the mosque grounds —

And in Eyüp sort of a conservative area... in the end I really enjoyed it!!! the guy was so cool we chatted before class, in fact he chatted w all 'students' n bought coffee for everyone... They seemed like friends. This guy:

There was a young imam even idk I never got close to an imam before idk what I was expecting but he seemed like such a nerd lol and overall there was like 10 people maybe...all passionate abt the days topic like apparently they go on field trips etc. too... idk it almost seemed like a different world to me. But in a good way, it was pretty nice (...free tea & simit helps)

I also got some magazines and notebooks which is the way to my heart :>

[tamamita]

Do you have thoughts on the Ismaili? There was an attack on their community center in my country, and it split opinions between islamophobes basically calling then 'the good muslims', others being normal about their existence and now some calling them a cult for following a living Imam, but I'd rather hear about them from you.

The Ismailiyya Shi'a (or Sevener) community, like the Twelver Shi'a community, have always been margianalized and persecuted throughout Islamic history. Although they are split on the issue of the Imamate, both of them share a mutual understanding regarding their respective histories as Shi'as. To call them a cult is nothing but a load of nonsense, they're one of the oldest living Muslim communities who extend back even to the 7th Imam, Ja'far as-Sadiq (a) during the 8th century. Even the Sunni schools weren't established at that time, so to make such an assumptious claim is ignoring their historical development and contribution to the Islamic world.

The Ismailiyya community is split into sub-sects, the Nizaris and the Tayyibis, both of these communities are vastly different from each other, but still hold that the 7th Imam was Ismail ibn Ja'far (a), as opposed to the Twelver claim that his brother Musa ibn Ja'far (a) was the 7th in the line of Imams. The Nizaris are the only sub-branch of Shi'a Islam that follows a living Imam, whereas the other Shi'a sub-branches believe the Imam is still in occultation (hidden).

Most Muslims criticize the Nizaris for their belief in an abrogated Qur'an, that is to say, that the living Imam has the authority to abrogate established Islamic laws, while the Tayyibis don't believe in an abrogated/reinterpretated Qur'an. Due to the esoteric nature of Nizari Ismailism, several rituals have a different meaning. For example, the pilgrimage to Hajj has an estoteric meaning, whereas other branches of Islam hold that the physical Hajj is an obligatory duty incumbent on all Muslims. Due to such contrast in meaning, some Muslims even question whether they are Muslim or not, unfortunately.

Personally, my only issue I have with the Nizari's line of Imams is that that their living Imam, Aga Khan IV, is one of the 15 richest people in the world and whose family has a history of being puppets to the British empire. Regardless of such criticism, the Nizaris are still Muslims.

Hassan ibn al-Sabbah, the founder of the order of Assassins, was also the founder of the Nizari Ismailiyya Shi'a Islamic branch.

[alzaeemadel]

Zuhd - Detachment from the World by the late Murabit Al Hajj may Allah have mercy upon his soul

Translated by Shaykh Haroon Hanif

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْماً كَثِيْراً

يا نَفْسُ قُوْمِيْ فَارْعَوِيْ وَانْزَجِرِيْ وَفَجْئَةَ الحِمَامِ مِنْهَا فَاحْذَرِيْ

O soul, arise, return and be admonished

and from the suddenness of death protect (yourself)

وَلَذَّةَ الدُّنَا جَمِيْعاً فَاهْجُرِ لا سِيَّمَا الهُجُوْعِ وَقْتَ السَّحَرِ

And forsake all pleasures of the world

especially sleep moments before daybreak

وَلِعِبَادَةِ العَلِيِّ شَمِّرِ إِيَّاكِ وَالإِكْثَارَ مِنْ ذا الغَرَرِ

And strive hard in worship of the Exalted One

Beware of taking abundantly from the one of deception

وَالتَشْكُرِيْ آلاءَهُ لِتَشْكُرِيْ وَلْتَقِفِيْ بِالبَابِ وَالْتَدَّكِرِيْ

And be grateful for his favours, be grateful

And stand at the door and reflect

فلا يَغُرَّنَّكِ طُوْلُ الحَضَرِ فَسَتُسَافِرِيْنَ كُلَّ السَّفَرِ

Do not let the length of your residence delude you

for you will have to completely travel

لا تَلْتَهِيْ عَنْهُ بِنَيْلِ وَطَرِ أو اكْتِسابِ إِبِلٍ أو بَقَرٍ

Do not be distracted from it by attaining (your) needs or acquiring camels and cows

ولا بِذِكْرِ البِيْضِ مِثْلَ القَمَرِ نُحُوْرُها تَلْمَعُ مِثْلَ الدُّرَرِ

Nor by the mention of women like the moon

whose necks shine like pearls

وَلْتَنْظُرِيْ قَوْلَ النَّبِيِّ الأَطْهَرِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ وَبِهِ فَاعْتَبِرِيْ

Look at the statement of the purest Prophet

‘If you knew’, and reflect over it

وَإِنَّ فِي المَوْتِ لَدَى ذِي النَّظَرِيْ لَعِبْرَةٌ تَفُوْقُ كُلَّ العِبَرِ

Indeed in death for those of reflection

is an admonition that surpasses every admonition

فَكَمْ نَرَى عَلَى مَمَرِّ العُصُرِ صَاحِبَهُ مُغَيَّباً في المَدَرِ

How often we see with the passage of time

its companion hidden in earth

وَلَيْسَ لِلَّذِيْ أَتَى بِمُخْبِرِ وَهُوَ لَوْ كُلِّمَ جَمُّ الخَبَرِ

Nor will it inform the one to who it came

And it, if spoken to, has much to tell

وَالقَبْرُ رَوْضَةٌ كَمَا في الخَبَرِ مِنْ جَنَّةٍ أَوْ حُفْرَةٍ مِنْ حُفَرِ

And the grave is a meadow - as in the narration -

of Paradise or a pit of the pits (of Hellfire)

فَلْتَتَزَوَّدِيْ نُفَيْسِ وَاذْكُرِ سُؤَالَ رَبٍّ مالِكٍ مُقْتَدِرِ

So take provision O soul and remember

the question of an all-Powerful Lord who Owns

فَإِنَّ أُهْبَةَ الفَتَى المُشَمِّرِ نافِعَةٌ لهُ غَداً في المَحْشَرِ

For the preparation of a young person who strives

benefits him tomorrow at the Gathering

وَمَنْ يُرَى في ذِيْ الدُّنَا ذا بَطَرِ فَسَيُرَى في تِلْكَ ذا تَحَيُّرِ

And whoever is seen in this world exultant

will be seen in that (world) confused

فَهَذِهِ دَارُ الأَسَى وَالقَذَرِ وصاحِبُ العَقْلِ بِها ذُو كَدَرِ

So this is the abode of sorrow and filth

and the possessor of intellect in it is the one who is confused by it

قَدْ فَازَ فِيْها مُدْمِنٌ لِلسَّهَرِ مُسْتَغْفِرٌ إِلَهَهُ فِي السَّحَرِ

The person who is addicted to sleepless nights is successful in it

asking forgiveness of his God before dawn

نَسْأَلُ ذا الفَضْلِ الجَزِيْلِ الأَكْبَرِ لُطْفاً بِنَا عِنْدَ جَمِيْعِ الْقَدَرِ

We ask the possessor of grace and the greatest gifts

for a gentleness with us at all times of decree

صَلَّى وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى المُطَهَّرِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَنْ حَازَ أَعْلَى مَفْخَرِ

May prayers and peace be on the purified one

Mohammad who gained the highest greatness

It was the request of Shaykh Abdul Rahman Ould Murabit al Hajj that this poem be spread as wide as possible for all to benefit

A du a of Imam Abdullah bin Alawi al-Haddad

اَللّهُمَّ أخْرِجْ مِنْ قَلـْبِي كـُلَّ قَدْرٍ لِلدُّنْيا وَ كـُلَّ مَحَلٍّ لِلخَلـْقِ يَمِيلُ بِي إلى مَعْصِيَتِكَ أو يُشْغِلُني عَنْ طاعَتِكَ أو يَحولُ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَ التَّحَقـُّقِ بِمَعْرِفتِكَ الخاصَّة و مُحَبَّتِك الخالِصَة

O Allah rid my heart of: any value for the world, and any place for the creatures that make me incline to disobeying You, or distracts me from obeying You, or comes between me and the realisation of elect Knowledge of You, and true love of You.

[aijamisespava]

1 Eurovision Hot Take Per Year!

Well, well, well. The results are in, and by a rather nice margin, the choice of "1 Eurovision Hot Take Per Year" won. And I just gotta say, this is certainly one way to kick off the new Eurovision Season!

So, with this one, I've picked one unpopular (or maybe even popular) opinion for each Eurovision Year from 2009 to the most recent one in 2023, as those are the ones that I know all of the songs and have seen some other things (like the stage and what not).

Disclaimer for the road: So these opinions could be good or bad! They are 100% my own and may cause some conversation if that does come up. Are we ready? Let's go!

2009: I...really don't like the stage for this year. I'm sure it looked great at the time, but looking at it now, there's just so much empty space. Some of the smaller, more intimate (think one person at the mic like France's entry that year) risk being hidden away from the bigger entries that try to take up more of the space. In hindsight, the songs themselves really helped propel entries to certain positions, but I found the stage just too big.

2010: Moving away from the 13-year-old debate on whether the winner or the 2nd place entry should have won, I would like to bring up another underrated entry that didn't even make the Grand Final. North Macedonia brought a great song with Gjoko Taneski's "Jas Ja Imam Silata." I like the song enough to call it a favorite, but I don't know if I should consider it a guilty pleasure. And since it was an honorable mention, it never would gave gotten a mention had North Macedonia participated in 2023 in my "Favorite From Each Country" series. So that will be my hot take for 2010. North Macedonia underrated.

2011: I actually liked the Top 3. "Running Scared" is rather pretty, I can never say no to the soft jazz grove of "Madness Of Love," and "Popular" is a kick. The top 3 could literally be in any sort of combination and it would be deserved no matter what.

2012: I ranked Euphoria 8th. I'm sorry. I tried thinking of other hot takes that I may have for 2012 that wouldn't seem like "shock value" but this is all I got. It's a good song, don't get me wrong. I like that it won over others, I have it on Spotify, but it's good. *for the record North Macedonia was my winner that year so yeah...*

2013: This year really kind of grew on me. When I was doing a mental ranking of which years were my favorites, I found 2013 really low at first. I found it strange because there were songs I liked, but I caught myself kind of forgetting it existed sometimes. But as time progressed and I was picking out my favorite entries for each country, I found myself looking at 2013 more often than a year I would consider "weak."

2014: I don't know why, but the stage for this year is my favorite. It's so aesthetically pleasing. It's big without being too big, but not too small where nothing could fit on it. The lighting also helped enhance performances I saw on Youtube.

2015: This was literally anyone's year. For those who have been here for a while, you know that 2015 is my favorite Eurovision year. My winner (Belgium's Loïc Nottet) ended up being one of my favorite artists of all time, and the competition was STACKED. This is one of the few years where the song I ranked last is still one I'd listen to. So, while Sweden did deserve the win that year, so did literally everyone else.

2016: This year was probably the hardest year for me to come up with a hot take. As I had to go to YouTube to see if there was anything I could grab. I decided to go with the reveal of the televoting score. While that would be so cool to have again, I can definitely see the problems with it. The suspense is insane and it may play out as predictable if the jury points gap was too big (think if they did that in 2023).

2017: This is a stronger year than I thought. 2017 has the reputation of being one of the weakest, if not the weakest Eurovision year of the 2010s. And...okay, maybe it is a little bit. BUT there are quite a few good songs that really shine. Some of my favorites come from 2017. Maybe it just needs time to grow, but only time will tell.

2018: The year for underrated gems. A lot of people are really hot and cold when it comes to the winner in 2018. You either love it or hate it. For me, I really wasn't fond of it (and the same goes for 2nd place...roast me all you want). HOWEVER, a lot of my favorites ranked rather low. My winner and 3rd place (Belarus and Switzerland, respectively) didn't even qualify while my 2nd place (Ukraine) finished on the right side of the column. This year is certainly a year worth doing a deep dive on as there are even more entries that finished low that are actually pretty awesome!

2019: This was kind of a weak year. Don't get me wrong, I liked a few of the songs, "Arcade" deserved the win, but there's nothing else for me to talk about this year. To me, it just exists (this may be because it was towards the end of my speedruns back in 2021), and I sometimes forget about it when thinking of other songs.

2020: Iceland could've (and had it happened, would have) won this year. Even though COVID rudely canceled the 2020 contest, fans have thought about what would have happened had the contest actually happened. That includes who might have had the chance to win. And my pick in this game of speculation? Iceland. The televote would have easily given Iceland the head on the field. Why I think so? I was getting ads for that EXACT song on social media...in the US. And as we've seen, going viral could be what makes a Eurovision song a winner. But I guess we'll never know.

2021: Both Måneskin and Gjon's Tears deserved to win. Everyone, I present to you my top 2 of 2021. Aside from the fact that this year was STACKED, these two were the winners of the jury and televote, with Måneskin taking the overall victory. And they deserved it. The hardest thing about ranking Eurovision songs is that all the songs could be of different genres, with no guarantee that there would be overlap. So, genre-wise, both Måneskin and Gjon's Tears brought the best, and it wouldn't have mattered if either won in my eyes.

2022: I actually liked Bulgaria's song. I don't know what it is about it (maybe it's rock, maybe this was my first new Eurovision song as a fan, etc.), but I actually liked "Intention" by Intelligent Music Project. I kept seeing it essentially plummet to the bottom on some other fan rankings, which I guess made it my first "underrated gem." But the novelty of it hasn't worn off as I still play it on Spotify and don't want to skip it.

2023: So many robbed entries. Some of it I understand, especially for the Grand Final televote as a LOT of people were voting for "Cha Cha Cha" to hopefully close the gap the jury would give "Tattoo." But OH MY GOD. I'll spare you my rant on Latvia's NQ because you know how much I love that song. But Slovenia 21st? Serbia 24th? Iceland and Georgia NQ? Spain LAST in televote? Also, Australia winning their televote only Semi to only get...not a lot of points? There are plenty others, but I'll stop there.

[loverandservantoftheahlulbayt]

🍂🍁🍂 As for deriving benefit from me during my occultation is like benefitting from the sun when it is hidden behind the clouds.

🍂🍁🍂 Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf) 🍂🍁🍂

🍁 Bihar al-Anwar 🍁

🍂 (vol. 52, pg. 92, h. 7) 🍂

[anotheraldin]

The essence of this is that your heart sees the Lord Almighty and Magnificent settled on His Throne, issuing through speech His command and prohibition, watching the movements of the world higher and lower, individuals and beings, hearing their voices, watching their inwardly states and secrets. The affairs of kingdoms are under His watch, descending from Him and rising up to Him, His possessions stand before Him upholding His commands throughout the kingdoms. 

Characterized by traits of perfection and glory, transcendent above any flaws, deficiencies, and likeness, He is how He describes Himself in His Book, above what His creation attributes to Him. Ever-living, He does not die; Ever watchful, He does not sleep; All-knowing, from whom not the slightest morsel in the heavens and the earth is hidden; All-seeing, He sees the crawling of the black ant, on a fixed rock in a dark night; All-hearing, He hears all voices, despite the differences of languages and varieties of needs. 

His words have attained perfection in truth and justice, His attributes are too far above in greatness to be analogized to the attributes of His creation in likeness or parable; His being, similarly, too lofty to be likened to other beings in essence. His acts have encompassed all creation in justice, wisdom, mercy, charity, and grace. His is the creation and the command, His is all bounty and grace, His is the kingdom and praise, His is all tribute and splendor.

-Madarij As-Salikin by Imam Ibn Qayyim.

[ahlulbaytnetworks]

🍃🕊🍃 It is narrated from Mufaddal bin Umar that Imam al-Sadiq (as) said:

“The Almighty Allah has guaranteed a thing for a believer.”

Mufaddal asked, “O master! What is that?”

Imam (as) replied, “One who has belief in the Lordship of Allah, prophethood of Muhammad (S.), Imamate of Ali (as), fulfills the obligatory deeds Allah would keep him near Himself forever and He won’t remain hidden from that person.”

Mufaddal said, “By God, this grace is not like that of humans.”

Imam al-Sadiq (as) said, “You can earn many rewards even if you perform a few good deeds.”

🍃🕊🍃 Sawab al-A’amal 🍃🕊🍃

(page. 41)

.

[tawakkull]

ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 72

Part 2

The manifestation of the Name the All-Outward as Divine religious commandments finds its greatest representative and implementation in the political leader of Muslims, while that of the Name the All-Inward is represented by the spiritual Pole, who is the commander of the realm of spiritual truths. The outward is the manifestation of the inward in the corporeal realm, and the inward is the inner dimension of the outward. If the “All-Hidden Treasure,” which is inward, had not manifested Itself, It could not have been known, nor would all those dazzling beauties throughout the universe have been observed, nor could the meanings in the horizon of the Name the All-Inward have been read. The Treasure of the inward has breathed itself out through the outward, which has consequently become an ornate envelope for the inward. It is a multi-dimensional, splendid envelope, which is described in Imam al-Ghazzali’s famous saying: “It is not probable that there is a universe more beautiful than the present one.”

Despite the clarity of the matter, some deviating ideologies—which have tried to distort even matters that are so clear that there can be no different understanding or interpretation—have separated the outward from the inward and made strange, unreasonable, and religiously unacceptable interpretations of the inward, thus attempting to muddy Islamic thought. Many such distorted interpretations have their sources in ancient Greek philosophy, Indian belief and thought, Hermeticism, and the doctrines of the Sabaeans. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, many of us Muslims have been influenced by such distorted thoughts and approaches and have suffered doctrinal deviations.

Some among the Muslims have labeled with literalism and belittled the manifest commandments of the Qur’an and the Sunna and the sincere, scholarly deductions concluded from these two basic sources by the profound, righteous scholars in the early centuries of Islam. Carried away by the desire to make fantastic interpretations, they have even attempted to give different, unacceptable meanings to the fundamental, explicit rules and principles of Islam. They have regarded Prayer as the way followed by the common people to reach God and claimed that it is not necessary for those who “have followed the way of inwardness and reached God.” They have also looked upon the Prescribed, Purifying Alms with the same distorted approach, considered the Pilgrimage as an attempt by the common people to be united with God, seen Fasting as meaningless suffering, viewed avoidance of the religiously forbidden things as folly, and tried to drive everyone to what is nearly a bohemian life.

Such approaches and considerations were first produced in such currents or centers as Jami’ism, Adhamism, Haydarism, Babaism, Shamsism, Qarmatism, and certain schools of Ismailism, and then transported, to some extent, into some Sufi lodges and madrasas. They have interpreted the Qur’an and Prophetic Traditions arbitrarily, considering even the explicit verses of the Qur’an and Prophetic Traditions as symbolic expressions, interpreting them like interpreting dreams. Such movements of dissent and corruption, which began with Ibn Saba’, were continued in increasing dimensions by Maymun of Ahwaz, and grew into flames with Barqai; they became so great a problem that they shook Islamic life at its foundations with Hasan Sabbah. Finally, everything ended in complete freedom from religious responsibilities.

According to such approaches, the explicit meanings of the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic Traditions are not valid and should never be followed. Continuing with this argument, what we must regard and follow are the inner, esoteric meanings, and only those who are specialists in the esoteric dimension of the Religion can know them. They also claim that believing that God has Attributes means accepting as many gods as the number of Attributes that have been ascribed to Him. All-Glorified He is, and absolutely exalted, immeasurably high above all that they say (17: 43). They also claim—God forbid such claims!—that God is powerful not because He has Power but because He gives others power—I do not even know what they mean by such assertions. They consider other of His Attributes from this viewpoint.

Like other false beliefs and thoughts which have been inherited from ancient philosophers, the so-called “Doctrine of Ten Intellects” is one of their false doctrines. According to this, God first created a First Intellect, and then, through this, a First Soul. When the Soul demanded the perfection of the Intellect, it needed an action, which, in turn, caused the generation of celestial spheres. The movement of these spheres generated coldness, heat, moisture, and dryness. These “four basic elements” caused the coming about of three earthly classes of existent things and/or beings, namely inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals. According to this view, this process continued until humankind came into existence. We seek refuge in God from such corrupt thoughts.

Referring existence to a First Intellect and substituting the Prophets for what some call the Perfect or Universal Men is something that is common to all false systems of beliefs and thoughts. We should add to these two assertions their fully esoteric interpretation of the Qur’an and the Sunna. Furthermore, some other assertions, or doctrines, or practices, such as giving letters meanings that are incompatible with the Shari’a or sound reason, pursuing wonder through abstruse or ambiguous expressions, giving a sense of mystery to whatever they do with ceremonies resembling those of some secret societies, and pretending to do all such things for the sake of the Religion and religious life have deceived the masses, who are unaware of the essential reality of the Religion and religious life.

Their incorrect interpretation of religious worship and obedience and their attitudes giving the impression that they are encouraging sin and immorality have made many people indifferent to good moral standards and religious rules, finally leading to anarchy. Since such approaches corrupt hearts and spirits gradually, those who are unaware of the spirit of the Religion have fallen into this accursed net unawares, and have not been able to recover. What follows are some indications of this dangerous process:

Recognition and choice: Recognizing and choosing the targeted person well as far as their capacity for understanding is concerned. Simple-minded ones who have no correct knowledge of the Religion and are able to be deceived are chosen. Gradual education and training: Conquering the hearts of the audience through gradual education and training. Throwing into doubt: Causing the audience to doubt the truths and cardinal beliefs of the Religion, and directing them to rituals other than the worship of God. Dependence: Making the acceptance of candidates dependent on certain conditions. Holding one’s tongue: Getting candidates to promise that they will never tell their secrets. Persuasion: Persuading candidates that whatever they hear from the leader is a Divine inspiration. Separation: Causing those who are believed to be fully aware of the “esoteric dimension” of the Religion to ignore the apparent meanings of the Qur’an and to abandon the daily religious practices. Complete freedom: Leading candidates to a belief in complete freedom from religious responsibilities. The truth is that, like creation, the Religion has both outward and inward dimensions for the Unique, All-Absolute One is both the All-Outward and the All-Inward. Nothing in and concerning existence is unknown to Him, because He is the All-Outward; He is also the All-Inward, therefore He has full knowledge of whatever concerns humans during their whole lives, decreeing good for the good, righteous ones, and punishment for the evil, sinful ones as declared in: (The will of) God came upon them from where they had not reckoned (it could come) (59: 2).

As mentioned above, the Religion of Islam has both outward and inward dimensions based on its two basic sources, the Qur’an and the Sunna, and on the principles deduced from them by eminent scholars in the early ages of Islam. The Shari’a has rules and principles for perfect spiritual education, and it disciplines people with respect to their feelings, thoughts, attitudes, and actions. In addition, it contains necessary knowledge for the entire life of humans with all its aspects. For example, it provides sufficient rules for human religious responsibilities, such as physical purification, the Prayer, fasting, the Prescribed Purifying Alms, Pilgrimage, and jihad (striving in God’s cause); in addition, daily acts or transactions, such as buying and selling, employment, commerce, business, building and running companies, and administration are covered by the Shari’a, as well as penalties, whether those established by God Himself in the Qur’an, or by the Messenger in the Sunna, or by scholars based on the unchanging principles laid down by the Qur’an and the Sunna. These constitute the outward aspect of the Shari’a. The Shari’a also has rules and principles for the mental and spiritual education and perfection of humans, expressed in certain concepts such as confirmation, belief, certainty, sincerity, knowledge of God, love of God, submission to God, placing one’s trust and reliance in God, commitment and resignation to God, recitations, repentance, penitence, and contrition for errors, reverence and fear of God, patience, contentment, nearness to God, intense love for God, ecstasy, immersion in God, modesty, exaltation and glorification of God. These constitute the inward aspect of the Shari’a. There is no and can never be conflict between the outward and inward aspects of the Shari’a. Rather, the two are dimensions of a single reality and they complement each other.

On the Sufi way, initiates ignore their existence with respect to their egos or annihilate their egos in God’s Existence. They are content with God’s decrees and faithful to their promises, paying no attention to anything other than God and inwardly burning with the yearning to observe the Divine “Face” in the other world. Nothing here is contrary to the principles that have been established by the Qur’an and the Sunna. On the contrary, these are the rules that ought to be observed so that we can lead a life at the level of the heart and spirit. They are originally based on the Qur’an and the Sunna.

In short, a religious life is incumbent upon every responsible being, and it is only possible by following the Shari’a. Metaphysical discoveries and spiritual pleasures are favors that come in return for the sincerity of initiates without their demand. Following the Shari’a and reaching a certain level of spiritual life or spiritual profundity are not mutually exclusive; rather, they complement one another as two dimensions of the same reality.

What an initiate first feels of the inward is certain manifestations of the Divine Names and Attributes. This has been called “the inward relative.” So long as an initiate advances toward the end of this spiritual journey, manifestations from the Realm of Divine Essence begin to invade their conscience. This state has been called “the most inward within the inward.” There are many who reach the horizon of the inward, but few can go deep into “the most inward of the inward” and, therefore, few have knowledge of the mysteries of Divinity.

Let us put an end to this highly subtle, ambiguous matter with the comprehensive approach of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi. According to him, the outward dimension of creation is called the mulk (the corporeal dimension of the Divine kingdom), while its inner dimension is the malakut (the absolute, incorporeal dimension of the Divine kingdom). The relationship between a human being and his or her heart is an example of these two aspects or dimensions of existence or the Divine kingdom. With respect to the corporeal dimension, a human being is an envelope and the heart is its contents. With respect to the absolute, incorporeal dimension, the heart is an envelope while the human being is the contents. This same relationship also exists between the Supreme Divine Throne and the universe. The Supreme Divine Throne is a combination of the manifestations of the Divine Names the First, the Last, the All-Outward, and the All-Inward. With respect to the Divine Name the All-Outward, the Supreme Divine Throne represents the mulk and is the envelope of creation, while with respect to the Name the All-Inward, It is the malakut or the heart or contents of creation, and the universe is the mulkor the envelope. Considering the Divine Name the First, the Supreme Divine Throne is indicated by His Supreme Throne was upon the water (11: 7), which points to the beginning of existence. In respect of the Divine Name the Last, the ceiling of Paradise is the Supreme Throne of the All-Merciful, which alludes to the finality of everything. As a result, being the combination of the manifestations or the all-encompassing mirror of the Divine Names the First, the Last, the All-Outward, and the All-Inward, the Supreme Divine Throne encompasses the whole universe.

O God, the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Supreme Throne, our Lord and the Lord of everything; the One Who sent down the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur’an; the Splitter of the grain and fruit stone—there is no deity but You! I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything, which You hold by its forelock.

You are the First, without any preceding You; You are the Last, there is none to succeed You. You are the All-Outward, with none being above You; and You are the All-Inward, with nothing more penetrating than You. Forgive us whatever evil we have done, so that You may not call us to account for anything. Surely You are powerful over everything, and ever responsive to calls. And bestow blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad and his Family and Companions, altogether.

[holyhousehold786]

A man came to Imam as-Sajjad (as), and the Imam said to him, "Who are you?"

He (the astrologer) said, "I am an astrologer."

He (the Imam) said, "So, you're a fortune-teller."

He (the Imam) looked at him, and said, "Shall I show you a man who has passed-through, since you came to Us, fourteen worlds -- each world being bigger than this world -- three times, without having even moved from his place?"

He (the astrologer) said, "Who is he?"

He (the Imam) said, "It is Myself; if you like, I can give you the news of what you have eaten, and what you have hidden in your own house."

[Basa'ir ad-Darajaat; Part 8, Chapter 12, Hadeeth 13]

[painting-aphrodite]

Mercury opposing Neptune

Exact on Sunday 21.08.2023

It can be: experienced prior and after the perfection of the aspect.

According to mundane astrology;

The planet Neptune rules over socialism, communism and left-wing political ideas. It is linked with mobs, secret plots, spies, sedition, lies, fraud, all illicit undertakings, bogus companies, loss and vice. Oil and certain chemicals etc,.

Mercury rules over local travel, the literary world, newspapers, publishers, ambassadors, trade/commerce, and the intellectual world. Nations communication and telecom industry. Transport issues.

Many of the happenings will be shadowed by the cloud of Neptune. Unclarity observed around information recieved, words communicated, daily habits, work matters, push towards new collective plans.

•

The intuitive and receptive faculties shall be heightened. Especially in dreams or states similiar to them. Sensitivity may act as a hidden guide.

Be aware of details and double check important documentation before signing. Chances of mistakes and illusion at times.

Like mentioned above - the imaginal realms will have much more significance. A blurring of boundaries, which are either positive or negative dependent on ones own natal chart.

Nothing external can complete us, we are all born complete. Allow the topics which need to dissolve, to do so with least resistance. Visit a beach at night and listen to the tides conversate with your soul. Follow the light piercing through the darkness.

“ Know yourself and you will know your Lord”

• Imam Ali (as)

Any activities which require a translation of sorts, mediumistic engagement - will come naturally / with ease. Such as prayer, meditation, drawing, poetry, writing, interactions with alternative realities or speaking on such themes.

A merging of logic with Spirit. The ego doesn’t want to return to reality but existence never takes a break.

Take advantage of this brief window.

Look out and bring something tangible back.

and Allah (swt) knows best.

• Painting Aphrodite

[wisdomrays]

The Messenger of God: Muhammad: Part 119

Factors in their Greatness: Part 4

Some claim that Imam Abu Hanifa said: "I don't take the opinions of three Companions as evidence in jurisprudence. Abu Hurayra is one of them." This is simply a lie. Allama Ibn Humam, one of the greatest Hanafi jurists, regarded Abu Hurayra as a significant jurist. Besides, there is nothing to prove that Abu Hanifa said that.

Abu Hurayra narrated more than 5,000 Traditions. When gathered together, they make perhaps a volume 1.5 times as long as the Qur'an. Many people have memorized the Qur'an in 6 months or even quicker. Abu Hurayra had a very keen memory and spent 4 years with the Messenger, who prayed for the strength of Abu Hurayra's memory. It would be tantamount to accusing Abu Hurayra of deficient intelligence to claim that he could not have memorized so many Traditions. In addition, all of the Traditions he narrated were not directly from the Messenger. As leading Companions like Abu Bakr, 'Umar, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, 'A'isha, and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari narrated from him, he also received Traditions from them.

While Abu Hurayra was narrating Traditions in the presence of Marwan ibn Hakam at different times, the latter had his secretary record them written secretly. Some time later, he asked Abu Hurayra to repeat the Traditions he had narrated to him earlier. Abu Hurayra began: "In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate," and narrated the same Traditions with exactly the same wording. So, there is no reason to criticize him for narrating so many Prophetic Traditions.

'Abd Allah Ibn 'Abbas was born 4 or 5 years before the Hijra. He had a keen intelligence and memory, and was an inspired man. The Messenger prayed for him: "O God, make him perceptive and well-versed in the religion, and teach him the hidden truths of the Qur'an." During his lifetime, he came to be known as "The Great Scholar of the Umma," "the Sea" (One Very Profound in Knowledge), or "The Translator (Clarifier) of the Qur'an."

He was a very handsome, tall man endowed with great eloquence. His memory was such that he memorized an 80-couplet poem by 'Amr ibn Rabi'a at one reading. Besides his profound knowledge of Qur'anic interpretation, Tradition, and jurisprudence, he also was well-versed in literature, particularly in pre-Islamic poetry. In his Tafsir, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari relates either a couplet or verse from him in connection with the interpretation of almost each Qur'anic verse.

He was greatly loved by the Companions.

Despite his youth, 'Umar appointed him to his Advisory Council, which consisted of elder Companions. When asked why he had done this, 'Umar tested their level of understanding of the Qur'an. He asked them to explain: When comes the help of God, and victory, and you see men entering God's religion in throngs, then proclaim the praise of Your Master, and seek His forgiveness; for He is Oft-Returning [in grace and mercy] (110:1-3). The elders answered: "It orders the Prophet to praise God and seek His forgiveness when he sees people entering Islam in throngs after the help of God and victory came." 'Umar was not satisfied, and so asked Ibn 'Abbas the same question. He replied: "This sura implies that the death of the Messenger is near, for when people enter Islam in throngs, it means that the mission of Messengership has ended." 'Umar turned to the council and explained: "That's why I include him among you."

Ibn 'Abbas was famous for his deep insight, profound learning, keen memory, high intelligence, perceptiveness, and modesty. When he entered a gathering place, people would stand in respect for him. This made him so uncomfortable that he told them: "Please, for the sake of the help and shelter (you gave the Prophet and the Emigrants), don't stand for me!" Although one of the most knowledgeable Muslims, he showed great respect to scholars. For example, he helped Zayd ibn Thabit mount his horse by holding the stirrup steady and explained: "We have been told to behave like this toward our scholars." In return, Zayd kissed his hand without his approval and remarked: "We have been told to behave like this toward the Messenger's relatives."

As noted above, Ibn 'Abbas did not like people to stand for him to show respect. However, when he was buried, something occurred that was as if the dead had stood in respect for him and the spirit beings welcomed him. A voice was heard from beneath the grave: O soul at peace! Return unto your Master, well-pleased, well-pleasing! Enter among My servants! Enter my Paradise! (89:27-30).

Ibn 'Abbas brought up many scholars in every branch of religious knowledge. The Makkan school of jurisprudence was founded by him. Such leading Tabi'un scholars as Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid ibn Jabr, and Ikrima acknowledged: "Ibn 'Abbas taught us whatever we know." He narrated about 1,600 Traditions.

'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar was the only one of 'Umar's nine sons to be called Ibn 'Umar (the son of 'Umar). This shows that he had greater worth to be called 'Umar's son or to be mentioned with the name of 'Umar. Although 'Umar is the second greatest Companion, 'Abd Allah may be regarded superior in knowledge, piety, worship, and devotion to the Sunna. His care in following the Prophet's example was such that Nafi', Imam Malik's tutor, narrates: "While we were descending 'Arafat, Ibn 'Umar entered a hole. When he came out, I asked him what he had done there. The Imam answered: 'While descending 'Arafat, I was behind the Messenger. He went down into that hole and relieved himself. I felt no need to do that now, but I don't like to oppose him.'" Also, no one ever saw him take more or less than three swallows of water, for he saw the Messenger drink water in three swallow.

Ibn 'Umar was born in the early years of Islam. He saw his father beaten severely by the Makkan polytheists many times. When the Muslims emigrated to Madina, he was about 10 years old. The Messenger did not let him fight at Badr because he was too young. When he was also prevented from fighting at Uhud, he returned home so grief-stricken that he spent the whole night asking himself: "What sin have I committed that they did not include me in the army fighting in the way of the Messenger?"

Ibn Khalliqan relates in Wafayat al-A'yan (The Death of the Notables) from Sha'bi:

Once in their youth, 'Abd Allah ibn Zubayr, his brother Mus'ab ibn Zubayr, 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, and 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar were sitting near the Ka'ba. They thought that each should ask God for something special in the hope that the prayer would be accepted. Ibn Zubayr prayed: "O God, for the sake of Your Grandeur, Honor, and Majesty, make me a ruler in Hijaz." Mus'ab stretched out his arms and prayed: "O God, for the sake of Your Honor, Majesty, and Grandeur, of Your Throne and Seat, make me a ruler in Iraq." 'Abd al-Malik raised his hands and prayed: "O God, I ask You to make me a ruler over all the Muslims and secure, through me, Muslim unity even at the cost of some lives." When 'Abd Allah prayed, he asked: "O God, don't take my soul before You guarantee Paradise for me."

The prayers of the first three were accepted: 'Abd Allah ibn Zubayr ruled for a while in Hijaz and was eventually martyred by Hajjaj the Tyrant, the notorious Umayyad governor. Mus'ab ruled in Iraq for a short time. 'Abd al-Malik succeeded his father, Marwan, as caliph and secured Muslim unity of Muslims, though at the cost of many lives and much bloodshed.

As for Ibn 'Umar, Imam Sha'bi remarks: "Whether the Imam's prayer was accepted or not will be clear in the Hereafter." Sha'bi knew something: "Ibn 'Umar never opposed the Prophet's descendants or supported the Umayyads. Hajjaj was afraid of him. Once, Hajjaj gave a sermon before the noon prayer that was so long that the noon prayer's time was almost over. Ibn 'Umar warned him: 'O Governor, time is passing without waiting for you to finish your sermon.' Hajjaj was full of rancor and enmity for Ibn 'Umar. Finally, during a pilgrimage he found someone to prick Ibn 'Umar's heel with a poisonous spear while he was in pilgrim attire. The poison eventually killed him."

'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, one of the first five or six people to embrace Islam, also narrated a considerable number of Traditions. As a youth, he tended the flocks of such Qurayshi leaders as Abu Jahl and 'Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt. After his conversion, he would no longer be separated from the Messenger. He entered the Prophet's house without asking to do so and so frequently that people thought he was a family member. During military or non-military expeditions, he carried the Prophet's water bag, wooden sandals, and mat upon which he slept or sat. Eventually, he became known as "the caretaker of the pattens (sandals-like shoes), couch, and water bag."

[3linaturabi]

Story of a sinner and Imam Husain (as) ❤️ so beautiful story!! Five pieces of Advice

A man came to Imam Hussein (A.S) and said, "I frequently disobey Allah (S.W.T) and cannot prevent myself from sins; therefore, please, give me an advice O son of messenger of Allah (S.W.T) so that I may keep away from sins."

Do you want to stay away from Sins?

Imam Hussein (A.S): "Do five things and then commit sins as much as you want."

Sinner: "Please tell me what those five things are."

Imam Hussein (A.S) said:

1) Do not eat from the provisions of Allah (S.W.T), and then do whatever you like."

Sinner said: "Then what will I be able to eat because whatever there is in his universe is from Allah (S.W.T)?"

Imam Hussein (A.S) said:

2)Then leave the earth of Allah (S.W.T), and then do whatever you like."

Sinner said: "O Imam, this is even more difficult than the first! If I leave the earth, then where would I live? Because all belongs to Allah (S.W.T)."

Imam Hussein (A.S) said:

3)Then find a place where Allah (S.W.T) cannot see you, and then do whatever you like."

Sinner said: "But, O Imam, nothing is hidden from Allah (S.W.T)."

Imam Hussein (A.S) said:

4)Then do one thing, when the angel of death (Izrail) comes to you, keep him away from yourself, and then do whatever you like. And if you cannot do that, then lastly,

5) do not enter the Hell when Allah (S.W.T) sends you into it. If you can do that, then go and commit whatever sins you like."

Sinner said: "That's it, O son of messenger of Allah (S.W.T)! From today, Allah (S.W.T) will not find me in a situation which He dislikes."

Life of Husayn ibn Ali (as) vol. 01

[dailytafsirofquran]

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah An-Nisa Ayah 105-109

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

4:105 Surely, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad ) the Book in truth that you might judge between men by that which Allah has shown you, so be not a pleader for the treacherous.

4:106 And seek the forgiveness of Allah, certainly, Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

4:107 And argue not on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Verily, Allah does not like anyone who is a betrayer, sinner.

4:108 They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah; for He is with them (by His knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve.

And Allah ever encompasses what they do.

4:109 Lo! You are those who have argued for them in the life of this world, but who will argue for them on the Day of Resurrection against Allah, or who will then be their defender.

The Necessity of Referring to What Allah has Revealed for Judgment

Allah says to His Messenger, Muhammad,

Surely, We have sent down to you the Book in truth, meaning, it truly came from Allah and its narrations and commandments are true.

Allah then said,

that you might judge between men by that which Allah has shown you,

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that;

Zaynab bint Umm Salamah said that Umm Salamah said that the Messenger of Allah heard the noise of disputing people close to the door of his room, and he went out to them saying,

Verily, I am only human and I judge based on what I hear. Some of you might be more eloquent in presenting his case than others, so that I judge in his favor. If I judge in one's favor concerning the right of another Muslim, then it is a piece of the Fire. So let one take it or leave it.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Umm Salamah said,

"Two men from the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah with a dispute regarding some old inheritance, but they did not have evidence. The Messenger of Allah said,

You bring your disputes to me, but I am only human. Some of you might be more persuasive in their arguments than others. I only judge between you according to what I hear. Therefore, whomever I judge in his favor and give him a part of his brother's right, let him not take it, for it is a part of the Fire that I am giving him and it will be tied around his neck on the Day of Resurrection.

The two men cried and each one of them said, `I forfeit my right to my brother.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

Since you said that, then go and divide the inheritance, and try to be just in your division. Then draw lots, and each one of you should forgive his brother thereafter (regardless of who got the best share).''

so be not a pleader for the treacherous.

And seek the forgiveness of Allah, certainly, Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And argue not on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Verily, Allah does not like anyone who is a betrayer, sinner.

Allah's statement,

They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah;

chastises the hypocrites because they hide their evil works from the people so that they will not criticize them. Yet, the hypocrites disclose this evil with Allah, Who has perfect watch over their secrets and knows what is in their hearts.

This is why Allah said,

for He is with them (by His knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve. And Allah ever encompasses what they do.

threatening and warning them. Allah then said,

Lo! You are those who have argued for them in the life of this world, meaning, suppose these people gain the verdict from the rulers in their favor in this life, since the rulers judge according to what is apparent to them. but who will argue for them on the Day of Resurrection against Allah,

However, what will their condition be on the Day of Resurrection before Allah, Who knows the secret and what is even more hidden Who will be his advocate on that Day Verily, none will support them that Day.

Hence, Allah's statement, or who will then be their defender!

[gokitetour]

9 of the best places to visit in Uzbekistan

Nestled in the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan is a land of vibrant culture, rich history, and breathtaking landscapes. Bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan to the southeast, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, Uzbekistan holds a strategic position along the ancient Silk Road trade route.

The country's landscape is diverse, ranging from the vast deserts of the Kyzylkum and Karakum in the west to the lush Fergana Valley in the east, surrounded by the imposing peaks of the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains. The Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, once the lifeblood of the region, still carve through the land, sustaining fertile oases amid the arid plains.

Here are nine must-visit places in Uzbekistan:

1.Samarkand: Known as the "Pearl of the Orient", Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Central Asia and boasts magnificent Islamic architecture, including the Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda, and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque.

2.Bukhara: With its well-preserved historic center, Bukhara is like stepping back in time to the Silk Road era. Highlights include the Kalon Minaret and Mosque, the Ark Fortress, and the trading domes of the Old City.

3.Khiva: This ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is renowned for its well-preserved mud-brick architecture. Wander through the labyrinthine streets of the Itchan Kala, visit the Tash-Hauli Palace, and climb the minaret of Islam Khodja for panoramic views.

4.Tashkent: As the capital city, Tashkent offers a blend of modernity and tradition. Visit the Khast-Imam Square to see the ancient Quran of Caliph Uthman, explore the Chorsu Bazaar for a taste of local life, and stroll through the beautiful Amir Timur Square.

5.Shakhrisabz: Birthplace of the great conqueror Timur, Shakhrisabz is home to several historic sites, including the Ak-Saray Palace ruins, the Dorus-Saodat Complex, and the Kok Gumbaz Mosque.

6.Fergana Valley: This fertile region is known for its lush landscapes, traditional crafts, and rich history. Visit the city of Kokand to see the impressive Khudayar Khan's Palace and explore the vibrant markets of Fergana City.

7.Nurata: Nestled amid scenic mountains, Nurata offers a tranquil retreat with its ancient fortress, sacred spring, and nearby petroglyphs. Don't miss the opportunity to experience a traditional yurt stay in the surrounding countryside.

8.Chimgan Mountains: Nature lovers will enjoy exploring the Chimgan Mountains, located just outside of Tashkent. Hike through alpine meadows, take a cable car ride for breathtaking views, or try your hand at skiing during the winter months.

9.Aral Sea: While the Aral Sea has diminished significantly over the years due to environmental issues, visiting its shores provides a sobering reminder of the consequences of human impact on the environment. Explore the eerie ship graveyard in Moynaq and learn about efforts to mitigate the ecological damage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Uzbekistan is a treasure trove of history, culture, and natural beauty, offering travelers a unique and unforgettable experience. From the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, with their stunning architecture and rich heritage, to the serene landscapes of the Nuratau Mountains and the Aral Sea, there is something for every traveler to discover. With the recent simplification of the Uzbekistan visa process, it has become easier than ever to explore this hidden gem of Central Asia. Whether you're drawn to the intricate tilework of mosques and madrasas, the bustling bazaars filled with spices and handicrafts, or the untouched wilderness of its deserts and mountains, Uzbekistan promises to captivate and inspire all who visit. Plan your trip today and unlock the secrets of this enchanting destination.

Read More-: Ireland visa

[loverandservantoftheahlulbayt]

🍃🕊🍃 As for deriving benefit from me during my occultation is like benefitting from the sun when it is hidden behind the clouds.

🍃🕊🍃 Imam al-Mahdi (ajtf) 🍃🕊🍃

🍃 Bihar al-Anwar 🍃

(vol. 52, pg. 92, h. 7)

.