notifications_active Weekly Meshkat-e Noor Session: Thursdays at 20:30 at Haj Reza Mosque
Hello, and I hope you’re well. Professor, thank you for all your efforts.
In section 14 of Supplication 27 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, Imam Sajjad (AS) says:
... وارم بلادهم بالخسوف
That is, “Visit the lands of the polytheists with the calamity of khusūf.”
Why is khusūf called a calamity in the words of Imam Sajjad (AS)?
َّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ
In the words of Imam Sajjad (AS), khusūf means being swallowed up and disappearing. In Supplication 27 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, he asks God to destroy and erase the lands of the polytheists. The Quran also conveys this meaning by referring to the people of Lot and Korah being swallowed up by the earth, as well as to the moon’s eclipse on the Day of Resurrection.
« وَ ارْمِ بِلَادَهُمْ بِالْخُسُوف»
We can translate this passage from the Imam’s curse simply as follows: “Swallow up the lands of the polytheists.”
To bring the beauty of the translation closer to the extraordinary beauty of the Imam’s words, we might render it this way:
“Destroy their lands by making them disappear.”
“Sink the lands of the polytheists into the earth.”
“Make the lands of the polytheists vanish from existence.”
“Let the lands of the polytheists be swallowed up.”
“Destroy the lands of the polytheists by swallowing them up.”
The simple meaning of *khasf* is “to sink” or “to be swallowed up.”
Just as an arrow is released from a bow and flies away from its center, vanishing into the distance, Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, asks the All-Compelling God to wipe the lands of the polytheists from the face of the earth—with force, awe, and speed: like a stone hurled with such force that it shatters.
**Khasf in the Divine Word**
**النحل : 45 أَ فَأَمِنَ الَّذينَ مَكَرُوا السَّيِّئاتِ أَنْ يَخْسِفَ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَشْعُرُونَ **
Do those who plot evil feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them, or that punishment will not come upon them from where they least expect it?
**القصص : 81 فَخَسَفْنا بِهِ وَ بِدارِهِ الْأَرْضَ فَما كانَ لَهُ مِنْ فِئَةٍ يَنْصُرُونَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَ ما كانَ مِنَ المُنْتَصِرينَ **
Then We caused him and his dwelling to be swallowed up by the earth. He had no group to help him against God’s punishment, nor could he help himself.
**الملك : 16 أَ أَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّماءِ أَنْ يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فَإِذا هِيَ تَمُورُ **
Do you feel secure that He who rules over the heavens will not cause the earth to split open and swallow you, as it goes on shaking?
**القيامة : 6 يَسْئَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيامَةِ **
He asks, “When will the Day of Resurrection be?”
**القيامة : 7 فَإِذا بَرِقَ الْبَصَرُ **
Then, when the eyes are fixed and stare in terror,
**القيامة : 8 وَ خَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ **
and the moon is swallowed up (sinks, is destroyed, vanishes, comes to an end).