What is The Aim of the Verse: He Deviates Whomsoever He Likes And Guides Whomsoever He Likes?

Question: The Justice of Allah is a principle of our faith and we believe that Allah does everything on the basis of Justice and equity. Then what is the aim of the 93rd verse of Surah Nahl that: He causes to err whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases, and other such ayats and traditions? If guidance and error is from Allah, how for is it related to divine justice that we should be punished for error and rewarded for being guided?

Answer: Some Qur’anic verses explain others. There are many ayats, which should be studied along with other ayats in order to reach the correct interpretation.

The captioned ayat which mentions error and guidance is also this type. Therefore in order to understand it correctly we have to refer to other ayats that also mention error and guidance.

This ayat says that Allah guides whom He likes. In another ayat, for example in the 26th ayat of Surah Baqarah it said:

He does not cause to err by it (any) except the transgressors.

In addition to this the 34th ayat of Surah Mo-min says:

Thus does Allah cause him to err who is extravagant, a doubter.

These two ayats explain how some people become deprived of the mercy and favors of Allah and how they deviate from the straight path of life and righteousness. Keeping in view these two verses we can understand the meaning of the ayat in question. When we study this ayat with other ayats of the same topic we realize that those who are deprived of divine mercy are none but transgressors, extravagant and unjust people.

Therefore we must keep it in mind that the deprivation of sinful people from Divine mercy is a natural thing. The goodness of every person is related to the fact that he must train all his physical and spiritual capabilities in the proper way. According to literary terminology these capabilities are termed as action.

And the best way of achieving this is to act on the law sent by the Almighty on the Holy Prophet (S) for the humanity. Those who ignore these laws and teachings and fall into sinful deeds. They are deprived from goodness. They do not remain eligible that Allah should bestow His mercy on them and that they should be guided. They lose their eligibility for getting Tawfiq (Divine assistance) and in the previous ayats mention that they are left in error due to their sins.

In the 79th ayat of Surah Nisa this is mentioned in another way. The Almighty Allah says:

“Whatever benefit comes to you, it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself…”

In other words this means that the deeds of man himself are responsible for his deviation and deprivation from Divine mercy.

The ayat in question mentions the guidance (He guides whom He pleases) in the same sense. This guidance denotes the same favor and mercy of Allah which are for the righteous servants. These people act upon the heavenly laws and teachings and day by day they increase their ability and eligibility for receiving these bounties and they become more and more deserving of them.

The conclusion of this discussion is that divine guidance means divine assistance (Tawfiq) in good actions and righteousness. And it is only for those who tread the path of truth and those who strive in this way.

“And (as for) those who strive hard for Us. We will most certainly guide them in Our ways.”1

Error means depriving from Tawfiq and the breaking off of the Divine help and this is only for the sinful, the oppressors and the faithless people. Otherwise the Almighty Allah neither guides anyone nor deprives anyone of His guidance without any reason.

• 1. Surah Ankabut 29:69

Philosophy of Islamic Laws:Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Ayatullah Jafar Subhani

An Overview of The Mahdism (atfs) Government

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The Shi‘ah is waiting for the Living Imam (‘atfs) for waiting for his advent is one of the highest forms of worship. From the Shi‘ah viewpoint of history, the world will certainly witness the government of justice of the Imam of the Time (‘atfs) and tyrannical systems will cease to exist. In An Overview of the Mahdi’s Government, the esteemed author deals with an issue that is rarely discussed in the study of Imam al-Mahdi (‘atfs). He delves into the manner of the Imam’s uprising, government system and method of rule.

WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM/Death

Death means separation of the soul from the body; Islam tells us: A human being is not annihilated through the means of death; instead it is transferred to another world and from this life enters into another form of life. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “You have not been created for annihilation instead for eternal life; it is not but your transfer from this world to another world.

From the Islamic point of view the separation of the soul from the body is not done for all human beings in a similar manner; individuals who are sinners, their inclination is more towards the world are not linked with the hereafter are hopeless, and give up their soul with hardship and difficulty. But the individuals whose deeds are decent and do not have much attachment with this world, instead they have more inclination and attachments towards God and hereafter give their soul comfortably and with ease.

WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM/Interval between Death and Resurrection

Regarding the basic reality of Resurrection and life after death, our faculty of reason proves it for us however regarding the quality and how it is supposed to be, the reason cannot be our guide; instead we are helpless but to benefit from verses of the Holy Qur’an and sayings of divine messengers and religious saints. It could be understood from the Holy Qur’an, traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) that before the Day of Judgment and general resurrection, another world exists where human souls live between death and resurrection called barzakh which is a means between the world and hereafter.

When a person dies in the beginning he enters into barzakh, where he would have some sort of special life. In the beginning of the spiritual life that starts from the grave an overall questioning is conducted in which a person’s faith and belief are reviewed; if his beliefs were true and he had righteous deeds, a door from paradise opens and he is assigned on the path of paradise. He utilizes bounties of paradise and remains in waiting for the occurrence of resurrection and to receive eternal heavenly bounties.

If a person happens to be with bad belief and deeds he is assigned to the path of hell and a door from the door of hell opens for him. He would remain in punishment and torture until the occurrence of the resurrection and would suffer a bitter and unpleasant life and have fear of the arrival of the Day of Judgment and severe punishment of hell; he would remain in anxiety and horror.

WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM/General Resurrection

The Holy Qur’an and traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) describe the Day of Judgment in the following manner: “The sun and moon would become dark and without illumination, mountains would become scattered, oceans would become burnt and without water; the solar system would be annihilated; the earth and heaven would be changed into a different form; then all dead would be resurrected alive and would be brought to accounting of their deeds. All accounts of deeds of the people are proven and recorded in a book of deeds; even a tiny act of theirs would neither be forgotten nor removed.

On the Day of Judgment curtains would be rolled up from human eyes, they would witness their character and deeds personally; then the accounting of deeds would begin and would be scrutinized with precise accuracy. Unbelievers and sinners who are not pardonable would be sent to hell. The believers and righteous persons would go to paradise.

“The sinners who are illegible for pardon, since they were under punishment in the barzakh and have already tasted the result of their evil deeds; through means intercession of the prophets and infallible Imams would be pardoned, eventually the illumination of monotheism would remove the darkness of their sins and they would enter into paradise.

For believers and righteous persons the accounting of deeds would be done easily and they would be sent to the paradise sooner; but with respect to the unbelievers and a majority of sinners, it would be very hard. Even the smallest of their deeds and actions would be severely scrutinized; they would remain stopped in resurrection for a prolonged period and with a great deal of hardship and after passing through various stages, would end up in their accounting.”

WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM/Intercession

The issue of intercession has been mentioned in Holy Qur’an and plenty of narrations have been issued by the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) about it. In a manner that the reality of intercession cannot be denied; in general it could be concluded from narrations that the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) would act as an intercessor with respect to some of the sinners and say: “O God! Although this person is a sinner and deserves punishment but because of the means of that particular outstanding virtue and goodness that he has or through Your Own forgiveness and benevolence or through the dignity that we have near You, we request to consider his sins as unseen and delete the crime of his deeds with Your compassion.”

Their request of his intercession would be accepted and the relevant person would be blessed with Compassionate God’s forgiveness and benevolence. Because of the verses of the Holy Qur’an and narrations, the reality of basic intercession cannot be denied, however some of the points should not be neglected as follows:

1. The intercessors would not offer intercession without permission and command of the God of the Worlds.

2. The place of intercession is at resurrection and after the accounting of deeds. It is here that since the file of deeds is scrutinized its obligation should be explicitly declared, and due to this reason the intercessor requests for his intercession and sends him to paradise, who was otherwise destined to go to hell because of his sins.

But in the barzakh, any intercession is not available and the sinning person inevitably must see torture and punishment in accordance with his deeds; although it is possible that there too due to intercession of the Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) he might be given some sort of reduction in his punishment, but this does not constitute as an intercession.

3. The intercessors themselves have said: “You should try your best to appear in resurrection in the form of a human being so that we could do intercession for you. Therefore, if the beastly sins reach to a point that would metamorphose human essence entirely, thus making his appearance in the form of a wild beast, there is no room for his intercession. Anyhow for intercession merit and worthiness are essential.”

4. Regarding some of the sins the intercessors, like renunciation of prayers, have said: “Our intercession would not include this group.”

5. Therefore on the basis of the above mentioned matters a human being should not feel proud because of the promise of intercession and do sins; because someone who indulges in sinning with the hope of intercession is like an individual who is poisoned and exposes himself to the danger of hoping that the doctor and medicine would be able to save him.

WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ISLAM/Repentance

It could be understood from the verses of the Holy Qur’an and narrations of the Infallible Imams (a.s.) that a sinner, if before his death repents and is ashamed of his evil deeds, his sins are forgiven and wouldn’t be scrutinized for his deeds on the Day of Judgment.

Therefore, the door of repentance and return remains always open for all sinners and none should be hopeless of God’s blessing; but lest we think that whoever simply recites the phrase of: “O God forgive me (Astaghfirullah)” and through the pressure of nerves sheds a tear from his eyes, repents and would be blessed with forgiveness; instead, real repentance requires conditions that Imam Ali (a.s.) has pointed out. Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “There are six things necessary for repentance:

1. He must be really ashamed from the past sins.

2. He must seriously be determined that he would not commit sins in the future.

3. If people owe something upon you; you must pay them all of their dues.

4. The mandatory obligations not offered must be offered as make up (Qad’a).

5. The flesh that has been grown upon the body through utilization of illegitimate (har’am) food should be melted down completely through means of sorrow and grief about the committed sins.

6. As you have tasted the sweetness of sinning, should also tolerate the bitterness and hardship of worshipping, then you must recite the phrase of forgiveness: O God forgive me (Astaghfirullah).

What is the Quranic perspective about the People of the Book?

The Quran, like many other eloquent speeches, have organized its words on the basis of their audience’s needs. In this connection, the personality, conducts, belief etc. of the audience have been taken into consideration.

The Holy Quran has addressed the People of the Book in the same manner. Hence, the verses regarding them have different literatures depending on the type of the audience and the occasion in which the verses have been revealed.

Now, in order for us to draw out a general rule from those verses, we must examine all the verses. The details and conclusions can be read in the detailed answer

Why Husayn (a.s.) Is Not Forgotten?

The importance of the history of life of Imam Hussain (a.s.) which has been converted to one of most sensational epics of human history is not only because of arousing most powerful waves of sensations of millions of people around itself every year and creates a ceremony which is more sensational than other ceremonies, but its importance is mostly because that: It has no “motive” other than pure religious and humanly and popular sensations and feelings and this magnificent ceremony that observes in respect and commemoration of this historical incident has no need to preliminaries and advertisements and it is unexampled in its kind in this aspect.

Most of us know this truth, but the point which has not been truly cleared for lot of people (especially non-Muslim thinkers) yet and still is remained like a puzzle in their minds is that:

Why is this historical incident which has several similar examples in “quantity and quality” emphasized so much? Why does the ceremony which is observed in respect and commemoration of this memory set up more magnificent and more sensational from the last year?

Why today that there is no sign of “Umavi (related to Umayya) party” and their companions and heroes of this incident must have been forgotten, the incident of Karbala has become eternal?!

The answer to this question should be sought among the main motives of this revolution; we assume that analyzing this matter is not so hard and complicated for persons who are familiar with the history of Islam.

In more clear way, the bloody incident of Karbala is not a chart of a battle between two political competitors for achieving the throne of leadership or estates or lands.

Also, this incident has not been emanated from the explosion of hatreds of two hostile tribes which begins for gaining tribal privileges.

In fact, this incident is a clear scene of the battle between two doctrines related to individuals and beliefs that its blazing fire has not been extinguished during the adventurous history of mankind, from the farthest times to today; this fight is the continue of the fight of all prophets and reformer men of the world and in other hand it is the continue of the battles “Badr and Ahzab”.

We all know that when Prophet of Islam (S) arose as the leader of an intellectual and social revolution, for saving the mankind from all kinds of idolatry and superstitions and saving people from the claws of ignorance and oppression and collected the oppressed and truth-wanting groups of people who were the most important elements of evolution around himself, at this time oppositions of this reforming movement who were rich idolaters and usurious persons pf Mecca as their heads used all of their forces for repressing this voice of freedom and creativity of these anti-Islamic acts was in hands of “Umawyi party” and their leader Abu Sufian.

But at the end their organization came to dissolution and kneed in front of magnificence of amazing influence of Islam.

Obviously, this dissolution was not in the meaning of their annihilation and deracination, but it considered as a starting point in their lives, which means they converted their apparent and explicit anti-Islamic acts in to gradual and hidden acts, which is the program of any obstinate, weak and defeated enemy, and waited for an opportunity.

Bani Umayya tried to create a reactionary movement and bringing back people to the time of before Islam after the departure of Prophet (S) in order to penetrate in any leading Islamic system and as far as Muslims went farther than the time of Prophet (S) they saw condition more favorable.

Especially, some of “traditions of ignorance” which revived by other than Bani Umayya due to several reasons prepared conditions for an “ignorant revolution”.

For instance:

1- The matter of racism that Islam had red lined that revived again by some of caliphs and “Arab” race gain superiority to “Mawali” (non-Arab).

2-Different discriminations appeared which was not compatible with the soul of Islam in anyway and “Bait Al-Mal” that had prorated evenly between Muslims converted in to another shape and some inappropriate privileges had gave to some persons and privileges of different classes of people revived again.

3- Places and position that had been gave to people according to their abilities and scientific, moral and spiritual values had shared between the relatives of some of caliphs.

During these changes, “Muaviya” son of Abu Suffian found his way in to the Islamic government and gained the governorship of one of most important Islamic regions (Shaam) and from that place flattened the road for conquering the Islamic government and reviving all traditions of ignorance by assistance of remaining persons of parties of ignorance.

This wave was so much strong that got a pure man like Ali (a.s.) busy during all the time of caliphate to itself.

***

The appearance of this anti-Islamic movement was so much apparent that even their leaders were not able to hide that.

If Abu Suffian says that historical sentence with complete obscenity when he was transferring the caliphate to Bani Umayya and Bani Marwan:

“O Bani Umayya! Try and steal the ball of leadership from the field (and pass it to each other); I swear to the thing which I swear to there is no heaven and hell existed! (And the rise of Mohammad had been a political movement)”.

And if “Muaviya” says in his sermon in Kufa after dominating Iraq that:

“I have not come for you to perform prayer and fasting, I have come to rule you; anyone who opposes me I will destroy him!”

And if Yazid says when he is watching the heads of freemen who drank the juice of martyrdom in Karbala that:

“If my ancestors who had been killed in the field of Badr were here to see my revenge scene from Bani Hashim …!”

All these were proofs of the nature of this “reactionary and anti-Islamic” movement and as it advanced, it became more apparent and severe.

***

Could Imam Husayn (a.s.) keep silence and stay calm against this great danger which was threatening dear Islam and was raised to its top in the time of “Yazid”? Did Allah and Prophet (S) and all pure arms which had made him grow want that?

Didn’t he have to break the deadly silence which was dominating the Islamic society by an extraordinary devotion and absolute self-sacrifice, and show the evil movement of this party of ignorance from behind the curtains of propagandas of “Bani Umayya” and write shining lines on the forehead of history Islam with his pure blood in order that an eternal and sensational epic remains for future?

Yes, Husayn (a.s.) did this and performed his great and historical duty for Islam and change the way of the history of Islam. He destroyed the anti-Islamic cabals of Umawyi party and neutralized their last tyrannical efforts.

This is the real feature of rise of Husayn (a.s.) and it clears from this point that why the name and history of Imam Husayn (a.s.) is not being forgotten. He has not been belonged to one age and one century and one time, but he and his goal are eternal.

He drank the juice of martyrdom in the way of truth and justice and freedom, in the way of Allah and Islam, in the way of freeing humankind and reviving human values; Do these concepts ever becoming old and forgotten? No… Never …!

What is the philosophy behind the importance of being awake in the time between morning Azan to the sunrise?

In Islam it is recommended so much to be awake between the time of morning Azan(call to prayer) and the sunrise.

It has been described in the Narrations as an hour from the hours of paradise, and many benefits and consequences have been mentioned in them for it, and as summary we can say that if someone wants the blessings of this world and the hereafter, he/she should be awake in that specific time.

It might seem for some people that there is no any difference between different times of the day, but according to the Quran, it is not so, so we see that for example midnight is a time in which the night prayer and repentance is recommended.

Another recommended time is the time which is our subject.

Allah said in the holy Quran chapter Taha verse 130:

وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّکَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا وَمِنْ آنَاء اللَّیْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّکَ تَرْضَى

“And exalt with the praise of your lord before sunrise and before sunset. And in the watches of the night and at the edges of the day, exalt him, so that you will be pleasing.”

Or in chapter Qaf verse 39, Allah said:

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا یَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّکَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ

“Bear then with patience what they say. Exalt with the praise of your lord before sunrise and before sunset.”

Another point which can be another base for our discussion is this point that the angels of Allah have different duties, for example some of them are assigned for the fertilization of the clouds, plants and humans, the other are assigned for division of the sustenance and livelihood, some other angels have the duty of divisions of the affairs of the people, etc.

As some Narrations describe, the divisions of the sustenance and the affairs of people by angels are done in this specific time i.e. between the morning Azan till the sunrise.

Allah said in chapter Zariyat verse 4:

فَالْمُقَسِّمَاتِ أَمْرًا

“Then by the distributors (angels), ordered.”

There is a Narration as the exegesis of this verse, that says:

“The angels divide the sustenance of human in the time between the morning Azan and sunrise, so the one who sleeps in this time; in reality he/she has slept from his/her sustenance.”

When we refer to the exegesis of the verse in chapter Ghafir verse 55 in which Allah said:

وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِکَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّکَ بِالْعَشِیِّ وَالْإِبْکَارِ

“And ask forgiveness of your sins, and exalt with the praise of your lord in the evening and at dawn.”

We see that the exegesis says that the meaning of the word  “ابکار” is this time.

This time is recommended for performing prayer and reciting the holy Quran.

Allah said in chapter Isra verse 78:

أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ لِدُلُوکِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ اللَّیْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ کَانَ مَشْهُودًا

“Establish the prayer at the decline of the sun till the darkening of the night and the Quran recital at dawn. Surely, the Quran recital at dawn is witnessed.”

Imam Baqir peace be upon him in a debate with the Christian bishop said about this time:

This time is from the times of paradise, so in this time the patients get cautious and the pains get calmed and the one, who did not sleep in night, falls asleep and Allah has made this time beloved in this world for those who are eager to the hereafter.”

The same Imam said:

“Satan spreads his army in two times, the time of sunrise and the time of sunset, because these two times are the times of negligence.”

Let me briefly mention some of the benefits of being awake in this time according to the Narrations:

-The division of the sustenance.

-Escaping from calamity.

-Being safe from the financial damages and losing the capital (if we recite the Doa which is mentioned for this time)

And now let me mention briefly some of the disadvantages for sleeping in this time:

-Poverty and distress.

-Calamity.

-Blindness of heart.

-Being in need for sustenance to others.

-Negligence.

-Being a cause for yellow face.

Some people think that it is just moral prescription, but the physical benefits of being and remaining awake are something that have been proved by scientific researchers.

For example there is a hormone by the name of “Somatotropin” which in known as the hormone of growth, the time in which this hormone is produced and discharged, is during two hours after sunset, and it is recommended in the Narrations to sleep in this time.

But on the other hands there are a series of hormones that they increase stress by the name of “Corticosteroid”, the time in which these hormones are produced and discharged, is two hours before sunrise or let’s say the time about which our subject is.

If someone is asleep when the discharge of these hormones gets most, he/she is more exposed to heart attack, and also it is said by the researchers: the time in which most of deaths in dream happen, is this time.

And as the last point it must be said that the sustenance is not just financial aspects, but rather it includes spiritual aspects as well, that are so much more important than material benefits, like finding the chance to visit the holy shrines of infallibles or finding the good friends, or being the neighbor of a good family, or having the chance to have more precious lifetime with the opportunity of doing more good deeds etc.

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Sources:

Samamos.com narrating from the newspaper of Kayhan