Some rulings on Usurpation by Ayatullah al Seestani

Posted on February 6, 2011 by admin

Usurpation means that a person unjustly seizes the property or right of another person. This is one of the major sins and one who commits it will be subjected to severe chastisement on the Day of Judgement.

2554. * If a person does not allow the people to benefit from a mosque, a school, a bridge and other places which have been constructed for the use of the public, he usurps their right. Similar is the case of a person who reserves a place in the mosque for himself and does not allow any other person to use it. And also one who drives that person out from that place commits a sin.

2557.* If a person usurps a property, he should return it to its owner, and if it is lost he should compensate him for it.

2558. If some benefit accrues from a thing which has been usurped, for example, if a lamb is born of a sheep which has been usurped, it belongs to the owner. Moreover, if, for example, a person has usurped a house, he should pay its rent even if he does not occupy it.

2559. * If a person usurps something belonging to a child or an insane person, he should return it to his guardian, and if it has been lost he should replace it.

2563. * If a person changes a usurped thing into something better than before, for example, if he makes an earring from the gold usurped by him, and the owner asks him to give it to him in the same (i.e. changed) form, he should give it to him in that form. He cannot claim any charges from the owner for his labour. Similarly, he has no right to give him the thing in its original form without his permission, and if he gives the thing in its original form without his permission, or changes it into another shape, it is not known whether he will be responsible for the difference in the value.

2564. If a person changes the thing usurped by him in such way that it becomes better than its original form, but its owner asks him to change it back to its original condition, it will be obligatory on him to do so. And if due to the change, its value decreases, he should pay the difference in the value to the owner. Therefore, if he makes an earring from the gold usurped by him and its owner asks him to change it back to its original shape, and if after melting it, its value becomes less than what is originally was before making the earring, he should pay the difference.

2565. If a person usurps a piece of land and cultivates or plants trees on it, the crop and the trees and their fruits are his own property, and if the owner of the land is not agreeable to the crops and the trees remaining on his land, the person who has usurped the land, should pull them out immediately even if he may suffer loss for that. Also, he should pay rent to the owner of the land for the period the crop and the trees remained on his land, and should also make up for the damage done to the land, like, he should fill up the holes from which the trees are pulled out. And if the value of land decreases because of that, he should compensate. Moreover, he cannot compel the owner of the land to sell it or lease it out to him, nor can the owner of the land compel him to sell the trees or crops to him.

2571. If one of the conditions of transaction is not present at the time of sale; for example, if a thing which should be purchased and sold by weight is sold without being weighed, the contract is void. And if the seller and the buyer accept the deal irrespective of the mode of transaction, there is no harm in it. Otherwise, the things taken by them from each other will be treated as usurped property and should be returned to each other. And if the property of each of them perishes while in the custody of the other, he should pay compensation for it regardless of whether or not he knows that the transaction was void.

2572. * If a person takes some thing from a seller so that he may see and check it, or may keep it with him for sometime so that he may purchase it, if he likes it, and if that property perishes, he should pay compensation for it to its owner.

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Treaty of Hodaibiya

Posted on February 6, 2011 by admin

After the battles of Badr, Ohud and Khandaq the infidels of Makka avoided any further military ventures. The Prophet decided to perform Umra in the 6th year of Hijra (628) AD.

As the Muslims approached Makka, the infidels of Makka did not like this and stopped the Muslims entering Makka. Seeing them bent on aggression, the Messenger of Allah agreed to a treaty with the Makkans. It was wisely drafted by Imam Ali (A.S.), the terms outwardly looked humiliating to Muslims that if a Muslim was taken captive by the infidels he will not be returned but if an infidel comes to the hands of the Muslims he will be released immediately.

When the Holy Prophet signed the treaty, Umar Ibne Khattab disliked it so much that he uttered the words,” I have never doubted about the Prophethood of Hadhrat Muhammad (saw) this much as I did today.” He questioned the Holy Prophet about this humiliating agreement to which the Holy Prophet replied, “I am the Messenger of Allah and all my acts are on the orders from Allah.”

But it is evident that this deviation from the path of the Holy Prophet was later to become an acceptable norm rather then an off the cuff event. Later you will see how this misconceived habit of contradicting the infallible Holy Prophet of Islam created divisions within the religion itself. Those who followed Ali as the follower of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet became the partisan of Ali, others followed Umar ibn Khattab.

(see Saheeh Bukhari, Kitab-al-Kholafa)

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Torah and Qur’an: Interesting Statistics

Posted on February 6, 2011 by admin

In response to an ad in the NY Times that Jerusalem was mentioned more than 600 times in the Torah and none in the Quran, I have volunteered to do some interesting work on the my father’s computer. Thanks to the age of computer and CDs that makes the search process so easy. Here is some interesting findings based on The Old Testament [American Standard Version 1901] and the Quran:

 
Frequency in: Word
(Derivative)
Torah
Quran
1 Blood 280 14
2 Destroy/Destruct 271 75
3 Fire/ Hell 426 201
4 Sword(s) 358 1
5 Kill 65 13
6 Battle/Fight 246 89
7 Hope 60 41
8 Faith 3 268
9 Peace/Peaceably 7 62
10 Justice/ Right 379 424
11 Compassion/Mercy 22 288
12 Forgive 30 56
13 Grace/Love and Compassion 160 209
14 Hate 74 19

Peace. Abuesneinah Jr.

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Theory of Matter and Anti-Matter

Posted on February 6, 2011 by admin

One of the unique theories of Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) is that everything except Allah has its opposites, but this does not result in a conflict, otherwise the whole universe would be destroyed.

This is the theory of matter and anti-matter. The difference between matter and anti-matter is that in matter the electrons are negatively charged and protons are positively charged. But in anti-matter, the electrons are positively charged and protons are negatively charged. Scientists have concluded that if one kilogram of matter collides with one kilogram of anti-matter, so much energy will be released that the whole world will be destroyed.

Professor Alfven is of the opinion that there is no other source in the universe, which can generate so much energy as quasars, except explosion of matter with anti-matter.

Just as uranium was used for exploding an atomic bomb, helium would be used for exploding matter with anti-matter. Russian scientists have already obtained anti-matter of helium.

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The Secret Birth of Hadhrat Mahdi (a.s.)

Posted on February 6, 2011 by admin

Shaykh Mufid, a distinguished Shi’ite scholar, also wrote in al Irshad: “When Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.), passed away, the caliph of that time, pursued his son because the Shi’ite Imamiyyah’s belief was famous and was spread about that the Shi’ites were awaiting His Eminence.”

Mu’tadid, one of the tyrant ‘Abbasid caliphs who ruled from 279 to 289 A.H., decided all at once to destroy the entire family of al ‘Askari when he heard that more than twenty years had passed since the birth of the son of Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.), and that he was still living in spite of the attempts of the preceding caliph to kill him. One of Mu’tadid’s officers said: “Mu’tadid has ordered me and two other persons, each of us to mount a horse and to proceed to Samarra’ in full speed without even stopping for prayer. He gave us the address of (Imam) al-’Askari and instructed us to enter his house without his permission and to bring him the head of whoever we find there.” As a matter of fact, they were unaware that the same power which had protected the Imam from the former caliphs would give him protection from his evil, because:

“Allah disdains (nothing) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse” (IX 32).

Indeed what an immature thought and foolish act it was! If the Divine Will bears on some matter, can a person revolt against it and combat it? Is it possible that definite Divine Promises may not be compiled with? Or is it possible that the reins of oppressive imposters who fight against the Divine decree will not cut? Is it not more amazing that Peerless, Almighty Allah has shown His power many times before, so that after that all men should know that if He wishes to give His chosen servant government and sovereignty and to destroy infidelity and irreligiousness through him, then there is no one who can disrupt His rule? Fortunately, this sensational story is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

Pharaoh, the great emperor of Egypt, who had great power and pride, claimed the divinity for himself. He determined to Kill all the youths and boy children of Bani Isra’il as a result of what he had heard about a son being born who would destroy his empire and divinity. He shed the blood of innocents, and banished many persons to unknown regions; but see how Almighty Allah restored His Prophet and how the Divine Will worked to protect the life of Musa(a.s.), and destroy Pharaoh:

“And We revealed to the mother of Musa, saying, “Give him suck; and if you fear for him, launch him on the river; and fear not, nor grieve; for We will return him to you and make him one of the Messengers.” And took him up Pharaoh’s people, that he might be to them an enemy and a (cause of their) grief, (for) verily Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were sinners …So We did restore him to his mother that her age might be refreshed and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is (always) true, but most of them know not”. (XXVIII 7-13)

Yes, Allah will protect His Proof (Hujjah) and will fulfil His promises and glad tidings because His decision is based on its execution, although most people do not know it. Would Allah wish to save the life of Prophet Musa (a.s.), who was only a messenger to a certain nation and tribe, and yield the Imam of the Age (Imam-e-Zamana) into the hands of Mu’tamid and Mu’tadid?

Would Allah protect the life of Musa (a.s.) while he was in the middle of the roaring waves of a river, and give no security to the Imam of the Age who was in the house of his father, Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.)? Would the Sustaining Allah of the Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.),protect Ibrahim (a.s.), in the middle of the flaming fire, but allow the Last Pearl of the Prophet’s progeny to be a victim of the lust and anger of the ‘Abbaside caliphs?

At dawn, on the middle day of Sha’ban in the year 255 A.H., Imam Hasan al Askari (a.s.), beheld the heavenly, shinning face of his son who was to fulfil all Divine promises and glad tidings. Not more than three days had passed after his birth when the Eleventh Imam took the holy child to his companions and told them: “After me this will be your master of authority and my successor, and he is the ‘Support ‘ (al-Qa’im) for whose appearance all people will wait; when the earth is full of injustice and tyranny, he will fill it with peace and justice.”

Read carefully these words of Shaykh Mufid,

“Imam Hasan al-’Askari, peace be on him, prepared a true Government for his fruitful son. He kept secret the birth of his son and other related matters, because His Eminence was living in a difficult time when the caliphs were intensively searching for his son and were keeping a close eye on the affairs of Imam al-’Askari. This is because the Shi’ite Imamiyyah belief about the Imam al Mahdi (a.s.), had become so current they were waiting for His Eminence. Hence, Imam Hasan al-’Askari (a.s.), did not show his, and, therefore, the enemies could not recognize Imam al-Mahdi, (a.s.), after the demise of His Eminence (father).

Although the affairs of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.), were unknown to his enemies and opponents, the sincere Shi’ites gathered the news of this important event. Some of them were informed by Imam al-’Askari (a.s.), through a letter. One of the sincere Shi’ites, Ahmad ibn Is’haq, received a letter from the Imam written in his own hand writing, saying: “A son is born to me. Therefore, keep secret the news of it from people and inform only his near relatives and particular friends.” Some of the Shi’ites used to pay private visits to Imam al-’Askari (a.s.), who would take them into the presence of the Twelfth Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.), who would guide them. Abu ‘Umari and Ahwazi reported: “Abu Muhammad (Imam Hasan al-’Askari) showed me his son (the Twelfth Imam) and told me, ‘This is your Master (Sahib).” Some other Shi’ites used to visit Imam al-’Askari(a.s.), in a group, and if the Imam trusted in them that they would faithfully keep their visit secret, he would show them his beloved son.

Yes, in this manner was the Imam of the Age (Imam-e- Zamana) born and kept hidden from the reach of strangers. On some occasions only were virtuous Shi’ites allowed to see him, until the year 260 A.H, when the Eleventh Imam expired, and by Divine decree the office of Divine Leadership (Imamate) was vested in the Master of the Authority (Sahibu’l-Amr).

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