Written transcript of the lecture
The Meshkat-e Noor teachings series🌻🔆Ali Akbar: The Secret of Youth and Martyrdom🔆🌻
🌼🔆🌼The Secret of a Young Soul: Love and Martyrdom🌼🔆🌼
🌹🔅☘️ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ ☘️🔅🌹
🔅🌹 “The Pure Youth, a Wonder of Creation” “The Secrets of Ali Akbar” “The Story of Struggle and Martyrdom” “The Sweetness of Love and Martyrdom” “The Eve of the Birth of His Eminence Ali Akbar (AS)” and more … Summary with an addendum 1404.11.11 Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141(903) 🌹🔅
✳️✅ ❇️ ✨💫🔆“Ali Akbar: The Secret of Youth, the Ascent of Love”
❇️Youth came alive through Ali Akbar
Ali Akbar made love and martyrdom forever young and vibrant in the world of existence!
Ali Akbar gave love and martyrdom a singular freshness, grace and vitality.
Ali Akbar unleashed a storm of love!
Ali Akbar became the very spirit of martyrdom.
❇️Ali Akbar (AS): The Embodiment of Love and Eternal Youth
💫His Eminence Ali Akbar (AS) brought love to life in this world and kept it forever young and fresh. He made love and martyrdom so youthful in the realm of existence that love would never grow old again. The one who brought this masterpiece of martyrdom to light on the day of Ashura was the blessed Ali Akbar (AS), son of Imam Husayn, who planted the seed of this greatness in the world. The memory and name of Ali Akbar give life to the young and even make the old feel young. Whoever speaks his name finds their spirit and years renewed, and their whole being takes on a fresh radiance—as though Ali Akbar’s spirit were flowing through them.
❇️A Reflection of the Messenger of God (PBUH)
Ali Akbar (AS) brought worship to life. It was as though the Messenger of God (PBUH) walked upon this earth. His character, his words and his luminous countenance all called the Prophet to mind. What a magnificent sight it must have been to see him spend the night in worship and witness those moments of pure devotion. To Imam Husayn (AS), the beauty of Ali Akbar was a sight without equal. If only we could have looked upon his son for a moment through the Imam’s eyes.
By God, the Lord took pride in Ali Akbar and wrought great wonders in the world through him; for God Himself brings forth wonders in honour of young people who remain pure on the path of worship and servitude.
❇️The Rank of a Pure Youth in God’s Presence
A pure youth holds a lofty rank before God. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: “God Most High brings wonders to light in the world for the sake of a young person who casts aside frivolity and play, refuses to give in to ignorance, and does not say, ‘I am young; I must enjoy my youth.’” When God looks upon such a youth, He brings wonders into being. According to a hadith, God— in a manner befitting His majesty—marvels at such a youth, thereby showing his greatness. When a young person masters their carnal desires, God takes pride in them and brings forth wonders.
❇️God’s Pride in the Young Worshipper
God Most High takes pride in the young person devoted to worship. He lines up the angels, shows them that young person and says, “Look at My servant! He has forsaken his desire for My sake alone, because he loves Me.” God loves the young person who repents, and loves no one more than a youth who turns back to Him. By contrast, He abhors no one more than an old man who persists in sin. Great indeed is the rank of one who spends their youth in obedience to God. The merit of a young worshipper over that of an elderly worshipper is like the superiority of the prophets over all other people—a difference beyond measure. Blessed is such a pure, devoted young person.
❇️The Rank of a Young Reciter of the Quran
Whoever recites the Quran in their youth holds a wondrous rank. The Quran becomes woven into their flesh and blood, and God makes them the companion of the noble angels. On the Day of Resurrection, the Quran will stand by them and intercede for them, asking God to increase their reward, until He grants them His blessings in full, clothes them in garments of Paradise, and places the crown of honor upon their head. The Quran will intercede for them again and again until God places eternal security in their right hand and everlasting life in their left, and grants them such abundance that the Quran is content. This is the secret of the young reciter.
❇️The Young Worshipper, a Wonder of Creation
A pure young worshipper who reins in their desires can set the world ablaze with change; they are a source of pride and wonder. God takes pride in them.
Imagine a warrior like Ali Akbar (AS) on the battlefield, and consider how the Lord gazed upon that beloved red rose of Husayn (AS). How did God address the angels, and what mysteries were held in that scene?
The greatest deeds in God’s sight are faith and striving in His way. The greatest form of striving is when a warrior’s mount falls and their blood is shed.
Striving is a mighty force within the human soul, one of the soldiers of reason: when it is active, a person is alive; otherwise, they are dead.
Faith rests on four pillars: certainty, patience, justice and striving. Striving, in turn, rests on four things: enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, steadfastness on the battlefield, anger for God’s sake, and enmity toward the wicked.
When these four spirits are breathed into a person, they become one who strives in God’s path, performing wonders in His way that will adorn the world forever. Whoever is not granted striving and martyrdom has lost.
❇️The Reward of the Martyr who Strives in God’s Way
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: On the Day of Resurrection, martyrs will be so honored that even if the prophets (AS) pass by them, they will dismount out of respect. They will sit at tables of light, and each will intercede for seventy thousand of their relatives. When one who strives in God’s way resolves to fight, God records their deliverance from the Fire. When they take up their weapon, God boasts of them to the angels. When they bid farewell to their family, the walls weep, and their sins slough off like a snake’s skin. God protects them with forty thousand angels and multiplies the record of every good deed. The worship of a thousand people who worshipped God for a thousand years is credited to them. When they face the enemy, God brings the Resurrection to pass, and the angels shield them with their wings. A voice proclaims: “Paradise lies beneath the shade of swords.” Every wound inflicted on a martyr is sweeter than cool water on a hot day. When they fall from their mount, their heavenly spouse embraces them and brings them glad tidings. God becomes their family’s guardian; to show them favor is to show favor to God, and to be angry with them is to be angry with God. Their spirit dwells in the bodies of the birds of Paradise and flies through its gardens. Each martyr is given seventy palaces in Firdaws, whose light illuminates the world from east to west; in every palace are endless delights.
❇️The Boundless Grandeur of Ali Akbar (AS) in the Realm of Love and Martyrdom
Can we now imagine the beauty and perfection of Ali Akbar (AS)? Never! If this is the rank of an ordinary warrior, what human or angel could describe the rank of Ali Akbar (AS)? What a masterpiece Imam Husayn (AS) created on that battlefield! What a selection of love and martyrdom he fashioned—a work of art no one could ever create again. What blossoms he nurtured and sent soaring toward martyrdom. What a constellation he brought into being! He created a gallery of love and martyrdom. The immense art of Husayn must be contemplated for centuries—or even light-years.
From the celestial realm to the realm of divine sovereignty, no being like Ali Akbar (AS) can be found. No one can imagine the scene of his martyrdom, his worship, his beauty, or his character.
Imam Husayn (AS) sprinkled the world with a seasoning that gave it an eternal flavor, and no one can ever detach themselves from that lasting taste.
The Imam’s Ashura art has its own distinctive design, color and rhythm.
❇️Ali Akbar’s (AS) Heroic Challenge on the Battlefield
When Ali Akbar (AS) stepped onto the battlefield, he recited these lines of challenge:
“I am Ali, son of Husayn, son of Ali.
By God, we are closer to the Prophet (PBUH) and more deserving than the son of Sufyan and lowly Shimr.
I will strike you with my sword until it bends.
The young Hashimite Alid, by God, defends my father today
so that the bastard son may not rule over us.”
Had it not been for those blows, Yazid would now rule over our lives
and the vileness of vile Shimr would hold sway over our souls and spirits.
❇️ Ali Akbar (peace be upon him): A Masterpiece of Love and Martyrdom
What a masterpiece Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) has brought forth in the flower garden of existence! No one has ever been able to create anything so wondrous.
Flowers of love, martyrdom, and devotion, raised to the highest delicacy and beauty.
What a magnificent cosmos Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) has set in motion.
Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) has opened an extraordinary atelier of love and martyrdom.
What an art Husayni art is—art within art!
It would take centuries, indeed countless years of light, to attain the virtues and merits of Husayn; even then, one might gain only a few drops of them!
The fragrance of Husayn’s banquet has spread through the earthly and heavenly realms.
The Husayni masterpiece is sublime in both its outward and inward dimensions!
Husayn planted love and martyrdom in the heart of the cosmos, and all existence is still showered with its blossoms!
✳️✅ ❇️ ✨💫🔆
❇️The Salt of Love and Martyrdom
Sublime salt holds a special place in Imam Husayn’s (peace be upon him) art, lending creation a distinctive flavor at every moment.
Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) scattered many kinds of sublime salt across the banquet of existence!
Salt of the kind embodied by Ali Akbar, Ali Asghar, Qasim, Abbas, and …
In his tableau of the art of devotion, Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) drew on every kind of sublime element: colors, patterns, salts, and heavenly lights.
Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) blended divine love with the salt of his soul. What life this elixir gave to the faith of God!
What does an elixir like Ali Akbar do to the soul of creation!
❇️The King of Salt
Heavenly salt, like all beings, comes in many classes and kinds. Each salt has its own distinctive flavor.
There is a salt that reigns as king over all salts.
What astonishing salt Husayn scattered across the banquet of devotion: salt like his Ali Akbar.
Imam Husayn made use of every kind of salt: the salt of Ali Asghar, Qasim, and Abbas.
❇️With Husayn, the standard of the art of devotion was broken
Imam Husayn’s (peace be upon him) Ashura art has its own patterns, colors, and rhythms, woven from a diversity of melodies and voices.
Husayn’s peerless art eclipsed all other arts; he performed his art in the very heart of art—an art that held all others within itself. Husayn cast such a majesty over everything that all things were concealed within him.
One must be Husayn to do what Husayn did. Unless we become Husayn, a Husayni deed is impossible.
❇️With Husayn, love and martyrdom became delectable
How flavorful Husayn’s salt is!
No salt mine can compare with the salt mines of Husayn.
Everything Husayn does has its own taste and colour, its own pattern and rhythm.
The music of Imam Husayn’s devotion is the highest melody of love.
❇️Every moment of Husayn is Husayn
In half a day, Imam Husayn accomplished a masterpiece for the whole world.
🌸🔅Blessed be the birth of the most beautiful child, and the celebration of Prophetic beauty, perfection and eloquence🔅🌸
🌻🔆Imam Husayn: اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ فَقَدْ بَرَزَ إِلَيْهِمْ غُلَامٌ أَشْبَهُ النَّاسِ خَلْقاً وَ خُلُقاً وَ مَنْطِقاً بِرَسُولِكَ ص وَ كُنَّا إِذَا اشْتَقْنَا إِلَى نَبِيِّكَ نَظَرْنَا إِلَيْهِ
🔆🌻O God, bear witness: a young man is going forth to fight them who is the person most like Your Prophet in appearance, character and speech. Whenever we longed to see Your Prophet, we would look at him.
❇️The sweetest jihad
💫🔅 عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ هُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَحْدَهُ فَاغْتَنَمْتُ خَلْوَتَهُ فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ لِلْمَسْجِدِ تَحِيَّةٌ قُلْتُ وَ مَا تَحِيَّتُهُ قَالَ رَكْعَتَانِ تَرْكَعُهُمَا فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ أَمَرْتَنِي بِالصَّلَاةِ فَمَا الصَّلَاةُ قَالَ خَيْرُ مَوْضُوعٍ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَقَلَّ وَ مَنْ شَاءَ أَكْثَرَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَالَ إِيمَانٌ بِاللَّهِ وَ جِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِهِ قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ وَقْتِ اللَّيْلِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الْغَابِرُ قُلْتُ فَأَيُ الصَّلَاةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ طُولُ الْقُنُوتِ قُلْتُ وَ أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ جُهْدٌ مِنْ مُقِلٍّ إِلَى فَقِيرٍ ذِي سِنٍ قُلْتُ مَا الصَّوْمُ قَالَ فَرْضٌ مَجْزِيٌّ وَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَضْعَافٌ كَثِيرَةٌ قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ الرِّقَابِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ أَغْلَاهَا ثَمَناً وَ أَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ الْجِهَادِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ مَنْ عُقِرَ جَوَادُهُ وَ أُهْرِيقَ دَمُه[1]
🔅Abu Dharr said: “I entered the mosque and found the Messenger of God alone there. Taking advantage of his solitude, I asked, ‘O Messenger of God, what respect is due to the mosque?’ He replied, ‘Two units of prayer that you perform there.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of God, you have enjoined prayer upon me, so what is prayer?’ He replied, ‘It is the best deed one can do; whoever wishes may do less, and whoever wishes may do more.’
“I asked, ‘O Messenger of God, which deed is most beloved to Allah, the Mighty and Exalted?’ He replied, ‘Faith in Allah and striving in His way.’
“I asked, ‘Which part of the night is best?’ He replied, ‘The latter half of the night.’
“I asked, ‘Which prayer is best?’ He replied, ‘The one with the longest qunūt.’
“I asked, ‘Which charity is best?’ He replied, ‘A poor person’s effort to help an elderly poor person.’
“I asked, ‘What is fasting?’ He replied, ‘It is an obligation, and it is sufficient; with Allah, it carries abundant reward.’
“I asked, ‘Which emancipation of a slave is best?’ He replied, ‘The most expensive one, and the one most valuable to its people.’
“I asked, ‘Which jihad is best?’ He replied, ‘That of the one whose horse is killed and whose blood is shed.’”
❇️The spirit of jihad
💫🔅 وَ الْجِهَادُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ عَلَى الْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ الصِّدْقِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ وَ الْغَضَبِ لِلَّهِ وَ شَنَئَانِ الْفَاسِقِينَ فَمَنْ أَمَرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ شَدَّ ظَهْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَ مَنْ نَهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَرْغَمَ أَنْفَ الْفَاسِقِ وَ مَنْ صَدَقَ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ قَضَى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ شَنَأَ الْفَاسِقِينَ وَ غَضِبَ لِلَّهِ غَضِبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ وَ ذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ وَ دَعَائِمُهُ وَ شُعَبُهُ [2]
🔅Jihad has four branches: enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, speaking truth in times of trial, and becoming angry for Allah and opposing the corrupt. Whoever enjoins what is right strengthens the believers; whoever forbids what is wrong brings the corrupt low. Whoever speaks truth in times of trial fulfils the duty incumbent upon him. And whoever opposes the corrupt and becomes angry for Allah, Allah too becomes angry for his sake. This is faith, its foundations, and its branches.”
Analysis:
“ الْجِهَادُ عَلَى أَرْبَعِ شُعَبٍ” means “Jihad has four branches.”
The four branches of jihad are:
“الْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ” (enjoining what is right)
“النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ” (forbidding what is wrong)
“الصِّدْقِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ” (speaking truth in times of trial)
“الْغَضَبِ لِلَّهِ وَ شَنَئَانِ الْفَاسِقِينَ” (becoming angry for Allah and opposing the corrupt)
Each of these branches has its own significance and effect: strengthening the believers, bringing the corrupt low, fulfilling one’s duties, and incurring Allah’s anger.
❇️Jihad is a force within the human soul
💫🔆وَ الْجِهَادُ وَ ضِدَّهُ النُّكُول[3]
🔆Among the forces of reason is jihad, and among the forces of ignorance is cowardice.
🌱Cowardice: fear and restraint—holding oneself back and fleeing from jihad.
🌸Unless this inner force of jihad is awakened, outward jihad will be soulless. The spirit of jihad must remain alive within a person.
❇️Jihad is the pinnacle of Islam’s glory
💫🔅 عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: أَ لَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِالْإِسْلَامِ أَصْلِهِ وَ فَرْعِهِ وَ ذِرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ قُلْتُ بَلَى جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ أَمَّا أَصْلُهُ فَالصَّلَاةُ وَ فَرْعُهُ الزَّكَاةُ وَ ذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ أَخْبَرْتُكَ بِأَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ الصَّدَقَةُ تَذْهَبُ بِالْخَطِيئَةِ وَ قِيَامُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ع- تَتَجافى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضاجِعِ.[4]
🔅It is narrated from Abu Ja‘far (AS) that he said: “Would you like me to tell you about Islam—its foundation, its branch, and its pinnacle?”
I said: “Yes, may I be your ransom.”
He said: “The foundation of Islam is prayer, its branch is zakat, and its pinnacle is jihad.”
Then he said: “Would you like me to tell you about the gates of goodness?”
I said: “Yes, may I be your ransom.”
He said: “Fasting is a shield against the Fire, charity wipes away sin, and a man’s rising in the depths of the night is for the remembrance of Allah.”
Then he recited this verse: “Their sides are parted from their beds, in fear of their Lord.”
✅Sanām means the tallest part of a camel—its hump—which has a highest point called dhirwa. Prayer is the root of Islam, for Islam cannot stand without prayer. Zakat is its branch, for without it Islam is incomplete. Jihad is its lofty peak, for jihad is what gives Islam its greatness and elevation.
❇️O Allah, grant us knowledge of the exalted station of Ali Akbar
Seeking to discover the station of Ali al-Akbar (AS) through understanding the station of a pure young man
❇️A young man who masters his desires becomes a wonder of creation
💫🔅إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَيَعْجَبُ مِنْ الشَّابِ لَيْسَ لَهُ صَبْوَةٌ[5]
🔅God looks with admiration upon a young person who does not give in to the ways of youth.
❇️The young are God’s source of pride before all creation
💫🔅إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُبَاهِي بِالشَّابِّ العَابِدِ المَلَائِكَةَ، يَقُولُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى عَبْدِي تَرَكَ شَهْوَتَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي[6]
🔅God, the Exalted, indeed takes pride in a young worshipper before the angels, saying: “Look at My servant, who has forsaken his desires for My sake.”
❇️God loves the young person who seeks Him
💫🔅إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُحِبُّ الشَّابَ التَّائِبَ[7]
🔅God, the Exalted, indeed loves a young person who repents.
❇️When a young person gives their youth to God, it becomes an expression of love for Him
💫🔅إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الشَّابَ الَّذِي يُفْنِي شَبَابَهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ[8]
🔅God indeed loves the young person who spends their youth in obedience to Him.
❇️A pure young man possesses the virtue of the prophets
💫🔅فَضلُ الشَّابِّ العَابِدِ الَّذِي يَعْبُدُ فِي صَبَاهِ عَلَى الشَّيْخِ الَّذِي يَعْبُدُ بَعْدَ مَا كَبُرَتْ سِنُّهُ كَفَضلِ المُرْسَلِينَ عَلَى سَائِرِ النَّاسِ[9]
🔅The merit of a young worshipper who worships in his youth is like the merit of the prophets over all other people.
❇️When the Qur’an makes the soul and spirit young
💫🔅عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: مَنْ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَ هُوَ شَابٌ مُؤْمِنٌ اخْتَلَطَ الْقُرْآنُ بِلَحْمِهِ وَ دَمِهِ وَ جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَ كَانَ الْقُرْآنُ حَجِيزاً عَنْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ كُلَّ عَامِلٍ قَدْ أَصَابَ أَجْرَ عَمَلِهِ غَيْرَ عَامِلِي فَبَلِّغْ بِهِ أَكْرَمَ عَطَايَاكَ قَالَ فَيَكْسُوهُ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ حُلَّتَيْنِ مِنْ حُلَلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ يُوضَعُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ تَاجُ الْكَرَامَةِ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ هَلْ أَرْضَيْنَاكَ فِيهِ فَيَقُولُ الْقُرْآنُ يَا رَبِّ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرْغَبُ لَهُ فِيمَا هُوَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى الْأَمْنَ بِيَمِينِهِ وَ الْخُلْدَ بِيَسَارِهِ ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ فَيُقَالُ لَهُ اقْرَأْ وَ اصْعَدْ دَرَجَةً ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ هَلْ بَلَّغْنَا بِهِ وَ أَرْضَيْنَاكَ فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهُ كَثِيراً وَ تَعَاهَدَهُ بِمَشَقَّةٍ مِنْ شِدَّةِ حِفْظِهِ أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَجْرَ هَذَا مَرَّتَيْنِ.[10]
💫🔅It is narrated from Abu Abdillah (AS) that he said: Whoever recites the Qur’an while still a believing youth, the Qur’an becomes interwoven with his flesh and blood. God, the Exalted, places him among the noble and righteous angels, and the Qur’an will not part from him on the Day of Resurrection. It will say, “My Lord! Everyone who has acted has received the reward for their deeds, except me—I have yet to receive anything. So please complete Your generosity and grace toward this person.”
Then God, Exalted is He, clothes him in two robes from among the garments of Paradise and places upon his head the crown of honor. Then he is asked, “Are you pleased with him?” The Qur’an says, “My Lord, I had hoped for something better for him.” So God grants him security in his right hand and everlasting life in his left, and he enters Paradise. He is told, “Recite and rise; ascend one rank higher.” Then he is asked, “Have we conveyed Our message to him and pleased him?” He replies, “Yes.”
And whoever recites the Qur’an often and memorizes it through hardship and toil, God, Exalted is He, grants them twice the reward of this person.
❇️The Mujahid Warrior and Martyr: The Secret of Creation
💫🔅 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ وَ يَحُضُّهُمْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ إِذْ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ شَابٌّ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ فَضْلِ الْغُزَاةِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع كُنْتُ رَدِيفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص- عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ الْعَضْبَاءِ وَ نَحْنُ قَافِلُونَ مِنْ غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَمَّا سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْغُزَاةَ إِذَا هَمُّوا بِالْغَزْوِ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ بَرَاءَةً مِنَ النَّارِ فَإِذَا تَجَهَّزُوا لِغَزْوِهِمْ بَاهَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ فَإِذَا وَدَّعَهُمْ أَهْلُوهُمْ بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحِيطَانُ وَ الْبُيُوتُ وَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ كَمَا تَخْرُجُ الْحَيَّةُ مِنْ سِلْخِهَا وَ يُوَكِّلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِمْ بِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ وَ لَا يَعْمَلُ حَسَنَةً إِلَّا ضُعِّفَتْ لَهُ وَ يُكْتَبُ لَهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ عِبَادَةُ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ كُلُّ سَنَةٍ ثَلَاثُ مِائَةٍ وَ سِتُّونَ يَوْماً وَ الْيَوْمُ مِثْلُ عُمُرِ الدُّنْيَا وَ إِذَا صَارُوا بِحَضْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمِ انْقَطَعَ عِلْمُ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا عَنْ ثَوَابِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاهُمْ فَإِذَا بَرَزُوا لِعَدُوِّهِمْ وَ أُشْرِعَتِ الْأَسِنَّةُ وَ فُوِّقَتِ السِّهَامُ وَ تَقَدَّمَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمْ وَ يَدْعُونَ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ بِالنَّصْرِ وَ التَّثْبِيتِ فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوفِ فَتَكُونُ الطَّعْنَةُ وَ الضَّرْبَةُ عَلَى الشَّهِيدِ أَهْوَنَ مِنْ شُرْبِ الْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الصَّائِفِ وَ إِذَا زَالَ الشَّهِيدُ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ بِطَعْنَةٍ أَوْ ضَرْبَةٍ لَمْ يَصِلْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ زَوْجَتَهُ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ فَتُبَشِّرَهُ بِمَا أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنَ الْكَرَامَةِ فَإِذَا وَصَلَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ تَقُولُ لَهُ مَرْحَباً بِالرُّوحِ الطَّيِّبَةِ الَّتِي أُخْرِجَتْ مِنَ الْبَدَنِ الطَّيِّبِ أَبْشِرْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ مَا لَا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَ لَا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَ لَا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ وَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنَا خَلِيفَتُهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَ مَنْ أَرْضَاهُمْ فَقَدْ أَرْضَانِي وَ مَنْ أَسْخَطَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَسْخَطَنِي وَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ رُوحَهُ فِي حَوَاصِلِ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَسْرَحُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ تَشَاءُ تَأْكُلُ مِنْ ثِمَارِهَا وَ تَأْوِي إِلَى قَنَادِيلَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ مُعَلَّقَةٍ بِالْعَرْشِ وَ يُعْطَى الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعِينَ غُرْفَةً مِنْ غُرَفِ الْفِرْدَوْسِ مَا بَيْنَ صَنْعَاءَ وَ الشَّامِ يَمْلَأُ نُورُهَا مَا بَيْنَ الْخَافِقَيْنِ فِي كُلِّ غُرْفَةٍ سَبْعُونَ بَاباً عَلَى كُلِّ بَابٍ سَبْعُونَ مِصْرَاعاً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ عَلَى كُلِّ بَابٍ سُتُورٌ مُسْبَلَةٌ فِي كُلِّ غُرْفَةٍ سَبْعُونَ خَيْمَةً فِي كُلِّ خَيْمَةٍ سَبْعُونَ سَرِيراً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ قَوَائِمُهَا الدُّرُّ وَ الزَّبَرْجَدُ مَوْصُولَةٌ بِقُضْبَانٍ مِنْ زُمُرُّدٍ عَلَى كُلِّ سَرِيرٍ أَرْبَعُونَ فَرْشاً غِلَظُ كُلِّ فِرَاشٍ أَرْبَعُونَ ذِرَاعاً عَلَى كُلِّ فِرَاشٍ زَوْجَةٌ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً فَقَالَ الشَّابُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْعَرِبَةِ قَالَ هِيَ الْغَنِجَةُ الرَّضِيَّةُ الْمَرْضِيَّةُ الشَّهِيَّةُ لَهَا سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ وَصِيفٍ وَ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ وَصِيفَةٍ صُفْرُ الْحُلِيِّ بِيضُ الْوُجُوهِ عَلَيْهِمْ تِيجَانُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ عَلَى رِقَابِهِمُ الْمَنَادِيلُ بِأَيْدِيهِمُ الْأَكْوِبَةُ وَ الْأَبَارِيقُ وَ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ قَبْرِهِ شَاهِراً سَيْفَهُ تَشْخُبُ أَوْدَاجُهُ دَماً اللَّوْنُ لَوْنُ الدَّمِ وَ الرَّائِحَةُ رَائِحَةُ الْمِسْكِ يَخْطُو فِي عَرْصَةِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَوَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ كَانَ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ عَلَى طَرِيقِهِمْ لَتَرَجَّلُوا لَهُمْ لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ بَهَائِهِمْ حَتَّى يَأْتُوا إِلَى مَوَائِدَ مِنَ الْجَوَاهِرِ فَيَقْعُدُونَ عَلَيْهَا وَ يَشْفَعُ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفاً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ جِيرَتِهِ حَتَّى إِنَّ الْجَارَيْنِ يَخْتَصِمَانِ أَيُّهُمَا أَقْرَبُ فَيَقْعُدُونَ مَعَهُ وَ مَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى مَائِدَةِ الْخُلْدِ فَيَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي كُلِّ بُكْرَةٍ وَ عَشِيَّةٍ.[11]
The Virtue of Those Who Fight in the Way of God, as Described by Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him)
💫🔅Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) reported that he said: “The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), was addressing the people and urging them to jihad when a young man stood up and said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, tell me about the merit of those who fight in the way of God.’
Ali (peace be upon him) replied: ‘I was riding with the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) on the camel called al-ʿAdbāʾ as we returned from the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil. I asked the Prophet of God the very question you have asked me.’ He said:
“When those who fight in God’s cause resolve and intend to undertake jihad, God decrees their deliverance from the Fire.
When they equip themselves for jihad, God Most High boasts of them before the angels.
When their families take leave of them, the walls and houses weep for them.
And they emerge from their sins as a snake sheds its skin.
God, Mighty and Majestic, appoints forty thousand angels to each of them, to guard him from before and behind, and from his right and left.
Whatever good they do is multiplied for them, and each day they are credited with the worship of a thousand people who have worshipped God for a thousand years—each year consisting of three hundred and sixty days, and each day equal to the span of the world’s existence.
When they stand before the enemy, the people of this world cannot comprehend the reward God grants them.
When they advance to face the enemy, with spears lowered, arrows set to bowstrings and each man moving toward his opponent, the angels surround them with their wings and pray to God to grant them victory and steadfastness.
At that moment, a herald proclaims: ‘Paradise lies beneath the shade of swords.’
Thus, a thrust or a blow is easier for a martyr to bear than a drink of cool water on a hot summer’s day.
When a martyr falls from his horse after being struck by a thrust or a blow, he has not yet reached the ground before God, Mighty and Majestic, sends one of his wives from among the houris to give him glad tidings of the honour God has prepared for him.
As he reaches the ground, [the earth or an angel] says to him: ‘Welcome, pure soul, come forth from a pure body. Glad tidings to you: yours is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived.’
And God, Mighty and Majestic, says: ‘I am his successor, caring for his family. Whoever pleases them pleases Me, and whoever angers them angers Me.’
God places his soul within green birds that fly wherever they wish in Paradise, eat of its fruits and take shelter beneath golden lamps suspended from the Throne.
To each of them He grants seventy chambers in the chambers of Firdaws, stretching from Sanʿāʾ to Syria; their light fills the space between east and west.
Each chamber has seventy doors; each door has seventy golden leaves, with curtains hanging over it.
Each chamber contains seventy pavilions, and each pavilion has seventy golden couches, their legs made of pearls and emeralds and joined by emerald branches.
On each couch are forty carpets, each forty cubits thick; on every carpet is a wife from among the houris, eloquent and of matching age.
The young man said: ‘O Commander of the Faithful, tell me about the ʿurubah—the women of Paradise.’
[The Imam] said: ‘She is a woman who is coy, contented, pleasing and alluring. She has seventy thousand servants and seventy thousand maidservants, adorned with gold ornaments and fair of face. On their heads are crowns of pearls, and in their hands are handkerchiefs, bowls and sprinklers.
On the Day of Resurrection, she will emerge from her grave with her sword bared, her veins streaming with blood; her complexion will be the colour of blood, and her scent the fragrance of musk.’
He walks across the plain of Resurrection. By the One in whose hand is his soul! If prophets were on their path, they would dismount from their horses out of reverence for the awe they saw in these people, until they reached tables spread with jewels and sat at them.
Each of them will intercede for seventy thousand people among their household and neighbours, to the point that two neighbours will dispute over which of them is closer, so that they may sit beside him.
They will sit with Abraham (peace be upon him) at the everlasting table, and morning and evening they will behold God, the Exalted.»
❇️The Secret of Pilgrimage and Martyrdom
💫 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ:
It is narrated from ʿAli ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) that he said:
بَيْنَمَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ وَ يَحُضُّهُمْ عَلَى الْجِهَادِ
While the Commander of the Faithful, ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), was addressing the people and urging them to strive in jihad,
إِذْ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ شَابٌّ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ فَضْلِ الْغُزَاةِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
a young man stood up and said: “Commander of the Faithful, tell me of the merit of those who fight in the way of God.”
فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع كُنْتُ رَدِيفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص- عَلَى نَاقَتِهِ الْعَضْبَاءِ وَ نَحْنُ قَافِلُونَ مِنْ غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ
ʿAli (peace be upon him) said: “I was riding beside the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) on the camel al-ʿAḍbāʾ, as we returned from the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil.
فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَمَّا سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْهُ
I asked the Prophet of God the very question you have asked me.”
فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْغُزَاةَ إِذَا هَمُّوا بِالْغَزْوِ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ بَرَاءَةً مِنَ النَّارِ
He said: ‘When those who fight in God’s way resolve and intend to undertake jihad, God grants them deliverance from the Fire.
فَإِذَا تَجَهَّزُوا لِغَزْوِهِمْ بَاهَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ
When they equip themselves for jihad, God, the Exalted, boasts of them before the angels.
فَإِذَا وَدَّعَهُمْ أَهْلُوهُمْ بَكَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحِيطَانُ وَ الْبُيُوتُ
When their families bid them farewell, the walls and houses weep for them.
وَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ كَمَا تَخْرُجُ الْحَيَّةُ مِنْ سِلْخِهَا
They emerge from their sins just as a snake sheds its skin.
وَ يُوَكِّلُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِمْ بِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ
God, the Almighty and Glorious, appoints forty thousand angels to protect each of them from the front, behind, and on the right and left.
وَ لَا يَعْمَلُ حَسَنَةً إِلَّا ضُعِّفَتْ لَهُ
Every good deed they perform is multiplied for them.
وَ يُكْتَبُ لَهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ عِبَادَةُ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ كُلُّ سَنَةٍ ثَلَاثُ مِائَةٍ وَ سِتُّونَ يَوْماً وَ الْيَوْمُ مِثْلُ عُمُرِ الدُّنْيَا
Each day, they are credited with the worship of a thousand people who have worshipped God for a thousand years—each year consisting of three hundred and sixty days, and each day lasting as long as the life of the world.’
وَ إِذَا صَارُوا بِحَضْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمِ انْقَطَعَ عِلْمُ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا عَنْ ثَوَابِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاهُمْ
When they face the enemy, worldly knowledge is cut off from the reward God grants them—and they cannot perceive it.
فَإِذَا بَرَزُوا لِعَدُوِّهِمْ وَ أُشْرِعَتِ الْأَسِنَّةُ وَ فُوِّقَتِ السِّهَامُ وَ تَقَدَّمَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ
When they set out to confront the enemy, with spears raised, arrows placed in bows, and each man advancing against another,
حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِأَجْنِحَتِهِمْ وَ يَدْعُونَ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ بِالنَّصْرِ وَ التَّثْبِيتِ
the angels surround them with their wings and pray to God to grant them victory and steadfastness.
فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوفِ
At that moment, a herald proclaims, “Paradise lies beneath the shadow of swords.”
فَتَكُونُ الطَّعْنَةُ وَ الضَّرْبَةُ عَلَى الشَّهِيدِ أَهْوَنَ مِنْ شُرْبِ الْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ فِي الْيَوْمِ الصَّائِفِ
Thus, for the martyr, a thrust or a blow is easier to bear than drinking cool water on a hot summer’s day.
وَ إِذَا زَالَ الشَّهِيدُ عَنْ فَرَسِهِ بِطَعْنَةٍ أَوْ ضَرْبَةٍ لَمْ يَصِلْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ زَوْجَتَهُ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ فَتُبَشِّرَهُ بِمَا أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنَ الْكَرَامَةِ
And when the martyr falls from his horse, struck by a thrust or a blow, he has not yet reached the ground before God, Mighty and Glorious, sends his spouse from among the houris to bring him glad tidings of the honor God has prepared for him.
فَإِذَا وَصَلَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ تَقُولُ لَهُ مَرْحَباً بِالرُّوحِ الطَّيِّبَةِ الَّتِي أُخْرِجَتْ مِنَ الْبَدَنِ الطَّيِّبِ
As he reaches the ground, [the earth or an angel] says to him, “Welcome to a pure spirit that has departed from a pure body.”
أَبْشِرْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ مَا لَا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَ لَا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَ لَا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ
“Glad tidings to you, for yours is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever imagined.”
وَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنَا خَلِيفَتُهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَ مَنْ أَرْضَاهُمْ فَقَدْ أَرْضَانِي وَ مَنْ أَسْخَطَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَسْخَطَنِي
And God, Mighty and Glorious, says, “I am his successor among his family. Whoever pleases them pleases Me, and whoever angers them angers Me.”
وَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ رُوحَهُ فِي حَوَاصِلِ طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَسْرَحُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ تَشَاءُ تَأْكُلُ مِنْ ثِمَارِهَا وَ تَأْوِي إِلَى قَنَادِيلَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ مُعَلَّقَةٍ بِالْعَرْشِ
God places his spirit in the bodies of green birds that fly wherever they wish in Paradise, eat of its fruits, and take refuge in golden lamps suspended from the Throne.
وَ يُعْطَى الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعِينَ غُرْفَةً مِنْ غُرَفِ الْفِرْدَوْسِ مَا بَيْنَ صَنْعَاءَ وَ الشَّامِ يَمْلَأُ نُورُهَا مَا بَيْنَ الْخَافِقَيْنِ
And He grants each of them seventy chambers among the chambers of Firdaws, stretching from Sana’a to Syria; their light fills the space between east and west.
فِي كُلِّ غُرْفَةٍ سَبْعُونَ بَاباً عَلَى كُلِّ بَابٍ سَبْعُونَ مِصْرَاعاً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ عَلَى كُلِّ بَابٍ سُتُورٌ مُسْبَلَةٌ
Each chamber has seventy doors; each door has seventy golden leaves, and curtains hang over every door.
فِي كُلِّ غُرْفَةٍ سَبْعُونَ خَيْمَةً فِي كُلِّ خَيْمَةٍ سَبْعُونَ سَرِيراً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ قَوَائِمُهَا الدُّرُّ وَ الزَّبَرْجَدُ مَوْصُولَةٌ بِقُضْبَانٍ مِنْ زُمُرُّدٍ
Each chamber contains seventy tents, and each tent has seventy golden beds whose legs are made of pearls and emeralds and joined by branches of emerald.
عَلَى كُلِّ سَرِيرٍ أَرْبَعُونَ فَرْشاً غِلَظُ كُلِّ فِرَاشٍ أَرْبَعُونَ ذِرَاعاً عَلَى كُلِّ فِرَاشٍ زَوْجَةٌ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ عُرُباً أَتْرَاباً
On each couch are forty carpets, each forty cubits thick. On every carpet is a wife from among the houris, eloquent and of equal age.
فَقَالَ الشَّابُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْعَرِبَةِ
The young man said, “O Commander of the Faithful, tell me about the ʿurba”—the wives of Paradise.
قَالَ هِيَ الْغَنِجَةُ الرَّضِيَّةُ الْمَرْضِيَّةُ الشَّهِيَّةُ لَهَا سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ وَصِيفٍ وَ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ وَصِيفَةٍ صُفْرُ الْحُلِيِّ بِيضُ الْوُجُوهِ عَلَيْهِمْ تِيجَانُ اللُّؤْلُؤِ عَلَى رِقَابِهِمُ الْمَنَادِيلُ بِأَيْدِيهِمُ الْأَكْوِبَةُ وَ الْأَبَارِيقُ
He said, “She is a woman who is graceful, content, pleasing and captivating. She has seventy thousand male servants and seventy thousand female servants, adorned with golden ornaments and fair of face. On their heads are crowns of pearls, and in their hands are handkerchiefs, bowls and sprinklers.
وَ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ قَبْرِهِ شَاهِراً سَيْفَهُ تَشْخُبُ أَوْدَاجُهُ دَماً اللَّوْنُ لَوْنُ الدَّمِ وَ الرَّائِحَةُ رَائِحَةُ الْمِسْكِ
On the Day of Resurrection, she emerges from her grave with her sword drawn, blood streaming from her veins; her complexion is the color of blood, and her fragrance is that of musk.
يَخْطُو فِي عَرْصَةِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَوَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ كَانَ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ عَلَى طَرِيقِهِمْ لَتَرَجَّلُوا لَهُمْ لِمَا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ بَهَائِهِمْ
She strides across the plain of Resurrection. By Him in whose hand is my soul, if the prophets were in their path, they would dismount from their horses out of reverence for the majesty they behold in them.
حَتَّى يَأْتُوا إِلَى مَوَائِدَ مِنَ الْجَوَاهِرِ فَيَقْعُدُونَ عَلَيْهَا
They reach tables of jewels and sit at them.
وَ يَشْفَعُ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفاً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ جِيرَتِهِ حَتَّى إِنَّ الْجَارَيْنِ يَخْتَصِمَانِ أَيُّهُمَا أَقْرَبُ فَيَقْعُدُونَ مَعَهُ
Each one of them intercedes for seventy thousand members of her household and neighbors, until two neighbors dispute over which of them is closer, so that they may sit beside her.
وَ مَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى مَائِدَةِ الْخُلْدِ فَيَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي كُلِّ بُكْرَةٍ وَ عَشِيَّةٍ.
They sit with Abraham (AS) at the table of eternal life, and each morning and evening they gaze upon God, the Exalted.
🌼Ali Saʿi (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141 (903)🌼
✳️❇️✅✨💫🔅🔆🌹🌸
💫Ali Akbar (AS): A Vision into the Mystery of Youth and Martyrdom
Preface: In Search of the Secret of a Name
The name “Ali Akbar” is more than a historical identifier; it is a vision. A vision of how, at the height of youth, one can carry purity to the threshold of companionship with the celestial and divine realms, then melt that pure jewel in the crucible of divine love and transform it into “martyrdom”—not death, but the exaltation of life.
💫Part One: Youth—the Golden Soil of Creation
In Islam’s exalted vision, youth is not merely a stage of life; it is the raw material of extraordinary potential. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَيُبَاهِي بِالشَّابِّ الْعَابِدِ الْمَلَائِكَةَ». This distinction holds a profound secret: youth is the season when physical and spiritual powers reach their peak. When those powers are directed towards worship, the struggle between will and instinct creates a scene beyond even the sinless angels. Angels are sinless because they have no instincts; but the young worshipper lives sinlessly despite having them. This conscious choice makes him a “wonder of creation.” A young person who renounces desire not out of weakness, but out of love for the Beloved, seems to belong to another order of being. His virtue surpasses that of an elderly worshipper as the virtue of the prophets surpasses that of others; for the prophet, too, is a champion in the struggle against the lower self and in the making of conscious choices.
Further reflection: Before this young worshipper becomes a warrior on the battlefield, he is a warrior in the struggle against his own self. Victory in this arena is a necessary condition for victory in the next. His worship is spiritual training for that greater battle.
💫Part Two: The Qur’an—Youth Embraced by the Eternal Word
A noble hadith tells us that when a young believer recites the Qur’an, it mingles with his flesh and blood. This is more than a beautiful metaphor; it expresses an existential truth. Youth is a time of receptivity and identity formation. When God’s word takes root in a person’s soul at this stage, it becomes not an addition to what he knows, but a spiritual gene that shapes his destiny. Such a young person no longer merely reads the Qur’an: the Qur’an breathes within him, thinks through him, and flows from his tongue. On the Day of Resurrection, the Qur’an embodied in him will be not a book but a defending presence, pleading on his behalf for the fullest measure of divine approval. This is the greatest investment one can make in youth.
💫Part Three: Jihad—The Fruit of Faith and the Pinnacle of Servitude
Jihad is the pinnacle of Islam. But why? Because it is the ultimate test of every virtue. Faith is genuine when it stands firm in the face of fear and death. Truthfulness is complete when it holds fast before the spears. Sincerity is pure when there is no material gain to be had. Jihad is the proving ground where a person’s sincerity is tested. Its four branches—enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, speaking truth in times of trial, and making enemies for God’s sake—show that jihad is not merely military combat; it is a comprehensive system of moral formation that transforms a person from within and prepares them for sacrifice. The martyr is the culmination of this system. The astonishing, boundless rewards promised to him in a narration from Imam Sajjad (AS) are not a commercial transaction, but the natural reflection of a sincerity and self-sacrifice that seek no reward. His very essence has been so exalted that the afterlife itself is shaped to match his greatness.
💫Part Four: Ali Akbar—the Full Embodiment of a Truth
Now, with these three foundations in mind—youth, the Quran, and jihad—let us behold the exalted station of Ali Akbar (AS). He embodied all these ideals:
He was wholly devoted to worship in his youth, as Imam Husayn (AS) said: “Whenever we longed to see the Prophet, we would look at him.” This does not refer merely to his outward resemblance; it speaks to the way the Prophet’s character and spiritual way were manifested in him.
He was the supreme reflection of the living Quran; his words and character gave expression to the divine verses.
He was a warrior trained in the school of the Imamate. His battle cry was no mere slogan; it was a declaration of identity: “I am Ali, the son of Husayn … By God, we have a greater claim to the Prophet.” He fought to safeguard this prophetic legacy.
But beyond all this, Ali Akbar (AS) was the meeting point of two forms of greatness: the greatness of devout youth and the greatness of loving martyrdom. He showed that the height of youth lies not in fleeting pleasures, but in offering up that God-given treasure in its entirety. His martyrdom “made love young” because it proved that a love capable of offering up such a precious youth is itself forever young, alive, and ardent.
💫Part Five: Husayn’s Salt—a Metaphor for a System of Moral Formation
The metaphor of “salt” is another key to understanding. Imam Hussein (AS) was not merely a martyr; he was a workshop for the making of human beings. In the workshop of Ashura, he fashioned other perfected human beings from the raw material of his companions’ very being—Ali Akbar, Abbas, Qasim, and others. Each was a salt with its own distinctive flavour, yet all came from the same mine: the mine of devotion to God and love for Him.
Ali Akbar: the salt of a youth offered in sacrifice, the sweet taste of sincerity at the height of beauty and strength.
Abbas: the salt of brotherly loyalty and self-sacrifice, the taste of steadfastness and heroism.
Qasim: the salt of longing for union, a sweetness mingled with the honey of martyrdom.
These “salts” gave history a taste that would never spoil. The art of Husayn (AS) was that he raised the standard of servitude to an unprecedented height. He showed how far servitude can rise: to the point of offering up one’s dearest ones, in the very prime of their beauty and vitality.
💫A model for those who follow the path
For young people today, Ali Akbar (AS) is no distant, unattainable hero. He offers a model of growth through successive stages:
Striving against the self: mastering desires and remaining patient in obedience to God—the devout young man.
Striving in the pursuit of knowledge: embracing the Qur’an and the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS).
Striving in society: enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and speaking truthfully.
Readiness to sacrifice: when these stages have been traversed, the spirit of jihad and martyrdom—the spirit of giving everything for the sake of one’s values—takes root in the soul. Then, should the times one day call for another “Ashura,” one nurtured in this school is ready.
Imam Husayn’s (AS) final prayer for Ali Akbar is the prayer of all faithful parents for their children: “O God, bear witness: a young man is departing who most resembles Your Prophet among all people.” The aspiration of an Islamic society should be to nurture young people who grow in character, appearance, and speech until they call to mind the Prophet (PBUH) and his devoted companions who gave their lives in sacrifice.
The name and memory of Ali Akbar (AS) will forever remain a symbol of youth that is pure, loving, and devoted to sacrifice in the way of God.
🌼Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141 (903)🌼
[1] Al-Khisal, vol. 2, p. 523 Ibn Babawayh, Muhammad ibn Ali, Society of Seminary Teachers, Qom, first edition, 1362 SH.
[2] The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, vol. 2, p. 615 Hilali, Sulaym ibn Qays, al-Hadi, Iran, Qom, first edition, 1405 AH.
[3] Al-Kafi (Islamic edition), vol. 1, p. 22 Kulayni, Islamic Books, Tehran, fourth edition, 1407 AH.
[4] Al-Kafi (Islamic edition), vol. 1, p. 23 Kulayni, Islamic Books, Tehran, fourth edition, 1407 AH.
[5] Nahj al-Fasahah (A collection of the Prophet’s concise sayings, peace and blessings be upon him and his family), p. 302 Payandeh, Abu al-Qasim, Donya-ye Danesh, Tehran, fourth edition, 1382 SH.
[6] Nahj al-Fasahah (A collection of the Prophet’s concise sayings, peace and blessings be upon him and his family), p. 303 Payandeh, Abu al-Qasim, Donya-ye Danesh, Tehran, fourth edition, 1382 SH.
[7] Nahj al-Fasahah (A collection of the Prophet’s concise sayings, peace and blessings be upon him and his family), p. 588 Payandeh, Abu al-Qasim, Donya-ye Danesh, Tehran, fourth edition, 1382 SH.
[8] Nahj al-Fasahah (A collection of the Prophet’s concise sayings, peace and blessings be upon him and his family), p. 316 Payandeh, Abu al-Qasim, Donya-ye Danesh, Tehran, fourth edition, 1382 SH.
[9] Nahj al-Fasahah (A collection of the Prophet’s concise sayings, peace and blessings be upon him and his family), p. 316 Payandeh, Abu al-Qasim, Donya-ye Danesh, Tehran, fourth edition, 1382 SH.
[10] Al-Kafi (Islamic edition), vol. 2, p. 603 Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq, Islamic Books, Tehran, fourth edition, 1407 AH.
[11] Bihār al-Anwār (Beirut edition), vol. 97, p. 12 Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir ibn Muḥammad Taqī, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, Beirut, second edition, 1403 AH.
