THE PROFESSION OF FAITH OF THE TWELVER SHI'I

I bear witnessthat there is no god but Alláh and that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and Messenger, and that 'Alí, the Commander of the Faithful, and the Chief of the Deputies of Alláh, is the Imam whose obedience has been made incumbent by Alláh on all people; and that Hasan and Husayn, 'Alí ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn 'Alí, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Ja'far, 'Alí ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn 'Alí, 'Alí ibn Muhammad, Hasan ibn 'Alí, and the Living One, the Mahdí (the blessings of Alláh be upon them all), all the Imams of the believers and the Proofs of Alláh for the whole of creation are my Imams, the rightly-guiding and the pious. I bear witness that: Alláh is my God, Muhammad is my Prophet, Islam is my religion, the Qur'án is my scripture, the Ka'aba is my qibla, 'Alí ibn Abú Tálib is my Imam, Hasan ibn 'Alí is my Imam, Husayn, the Martyr of Karbala, son of 'Alí, is my Imam, 'Alí Zayn al-'Ábadín is my Imam, Muhammad al-Báqir is my Imam, Ja'far al-Sádiq is my Imam, Musa al-Kádhim is my Imam, 'Alí al-Ridhá is my Imam, Muhammad al-Taqí is my Imam, 'Alí al-Naqí is my Imam, Hasan al-Askarí is my Imam, and al-Huja al-Muntazar is my Imam. They, upon whom be peace, are my Imáms, Masters and Intercessors before Alláh. I love them, all of them, and shun their enemies in this life and the next.

I bear witness that: Alláh, the Almighty, the Exalted, is the best Lord; that Muhammad, the blessings of Alláh be upon him and his Family, is the best Prophet; and that the Commander of the Faithful, 'Alí ibn Abú Tálib, and his offspring, are the best Imams; and that the message Muhammad brought from Alláh is true, death is true, the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakír is true, the Resurrection of the dead is true, the appearance before Alláh is true, the Bridge (al-sirát) is true, the Divine Scales are true, the dissemination of the book of one's deeds at Doomsday is true, paradise is true, and hell is true; and that there is no doubt about the coming of the inevitable Hour of Reckoning; and that the rising of the dead from their graves is true.

THE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES OF ALLÁH

1) Qadím:Alláh is eternal. He has neither a beginning nor an end.
2) Qadir: Alláh is omnipotent. He has power over all things.
3) 'Alim: Alláh is omniscient. He is all-knowing.
4) Hai: Alláh is living. He is alive and will remain alive forever
5) Muríd: Alláh has his own discretion is all affairs. He does not do anything out of compulsion.
6) Mudrik: Alláh is all-perceiving. He is all-hearing, all-seeing, and is omnipresent. Alláh sees and hears everything though he has neither eyes nor ears.
7) Mutakalim: Alláh is the Lord of the Worlds. He can create speech in anything: the burning bush for Musa and the curtain of light for Muhammad.
8) Sadiq: Alláh is truthful. His words and promises are true.

THE NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES OF ALLÁH

1) Sharík:Alláh has no partners.
2) Murakab: Alláh is neither made, nor composed, of any material.
3) Makán: Alláh is not confined to any place and has no body.
4) Hulúl: Alláh does not incarnate into anything or anybody.
5) Mahale hawadith: Alláh is not subject to changes. Alláh cannot change.
6) Marí: Alláh is not visible. He has not been seen, is not seen, and will never be seen, because he has no form or body.
7) Ihtiyaj: Alláh is not dependant. Alláh is not deficient, so he does not have any needs.
8) Sifate zayed: Alláh does not have added qualifications. The attributes of Alláh are not separate from His being.

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam 6

1) Imam 'Alí ibn Abu Talib al-Murtadha (The Satisfied One) 600–661

2) Imam Hasan ibn Ali al-Mujtabah (The Chosen One) 625–669

3) Imam Husayn ibn Ali Sayyid al-Shuhudah (The Lord of the Martyrs) 626–680

4) Imam 'Alí ibn Husayn Zayn al-Ábidín (The Jewel of the Believers) 658–713

5) Imam Muhammad al-Báqir (The Spreader of Knowledge) 676–743

6) Imam Ja'far al-Sádiq (The Truthful One) 703–765

7) Imam Músa al-Kazim (The Patient One) 745–799

8) Imam 'Alí al-Ridhá (The Accepted One) 765–818

9) Imam Muhammad al-Taqí (The Pious One) 810–835

10) Imam 'Alí al-Naqí (The Pure One) 827–868

11) Imam Hasan al-Askarí (The One with an Army) 846–874

12) Imam Muhammad al-Mahdí (The Rightly-Guided One) 868—

The Twelth Imam is still alive. He is in a state of occultation. He will reappear at a moment determined by Alláh. He is the Awaited One who will spread justice throughout the world.

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam 5

1) Adam
2)Idrís (Idrees)
3) Núh (Noah)
4) Húd
5) Sálih
6) Ibráhím (Abraham)
7) Ismá'íl (Ishmael)
8) Isháq (Isaac)
9) Lút (Lot)
10) Ya'qúb (Jacob)
11) Yúsuf (Joseph)
12) Shu'aib
13)Ayúb (Job)
14) Músa (Moses)
15) Hárún (Aaron)
16) Dhu l-kifl (Ezzekiel)
17) Dawúd (David)
18) Sulaimán
19) Ilyás (Elijah)
20) al-Yasa' (Elisha)
21) Yúnus (Jonas)
22) Zakaríya (Zakariyah)
23) Yahyá (John the Baptist)
24) 'Ísa (Jesus)
25) Muhammad

In a famous hadith (prophetic tradition), the number of prophets given was 124 000. May the blessings of Alláh be upon them all. Prophethood ended with Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny). Then, Alláh deputed Imams to guide us.

THE LAW-BRINGING PROPHETS

1) Núh
2) Ibráhím
3) Músa
4) 'Ísa
5) Muhammad

THE BOOKS OF ALLÁH
1) Sahífa(scroll revealed to Nuh)
2) Sahífa (scroll revealed to Ibráhím)
3) Taurat (the book revealed to Músa)
4) Zabúr (the psalms revealed to Dawúd)
5) Injíl (the gospel revealed to 'Isa)
6) Qur'án (the Koran revealed to Muhammad)

THE PANJATAN: THE FIVE HOLY ONES
Muhammad,Fátima al-Zahra, 'Alí, Hasan, Husayn

THE FOURTEEN MASUMIN: THE RIGHTLY-GUIDED
Muhammad,Fátima al-Zahra and the Twelve Imams

THE TWELVE IMAMS

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam 4

FUNDAMENTALS OF FAITH OF THE SHI'Í IMAMÍ ITHNA ASHARÍ

Compiled byIlyás Islám

THE SHAHADAH: THE DECLARATION OF FAITH

La iláhail Alláh, Muhammadan Rasúl Alláh, Alíyun Walí-Alláh, Wasíyu Rasulillah, wa Khalífa tuhu bila fasl. There is no god but Alláh, Muhammad is the Messenger of Alláh, 'Alí is the Friend of Alláh. The Successor of the Messenger of Alláh And his first Caliph.

USUL AL-DÍN: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ISLAM

1) Tawhíd(The Oneness of Alláh)

2) 'Adl (Divine Justice)
3) Nubuwwah (The Prophethood)
4) Imámah (The Imamate)
5) Qiyámah (The Day of Judgement)

FURU AL-DIN: THE MAIN BRANCHES OF ISLAM

1) Salat (Prayer)
2) Sawm (Fasting)
3) Zakát (Poor-due of 2.5%)
4) Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah)
5) Khums (The Charity of 20%)
6) Jihad (To Struggle in the Path of Alláh)
7) Amr bil ma'ruf (To Promote the Good)
8) Nahy 'an al-munkar (To Forbid the Wrong)
9) Tawalla (Loving the Prophet's Family)
10) Tabarra (Shunning the Enemies of the Prophet's Family)

THE PROPHETS OF ALLÁH (mentioned in the Holy Qur'án)

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam 3

Al-Azhar Verdict on the Shia

What follows is the Fatwa (religious verdict/ruling) of one of the Sunni world's most revered scholars, Sheikh Mahmood Shaltoot with regard to the Shia. Shaikh Shaltoot was the head of the renowned al-Azhar Theological school in Egypt, one of the main centers of Sunni scholarship in the world. It should be of interest to know that a few decades ago, a group of Sunni and Shia scholars formed a center at al-Azhar by the name of "Dar al-Taqreeb al-Madhahib al-Islamiyyah" which translates into "Center for bringing together the various Islamic schools of thought". The aim of the effort, as the name of the center indicates, was to bridge the gap between the various schools of thought, and bring about a mutual respect, understanding and appreciation of each school's contributions to the development of Islamic Jurisprudence, among the scholars of the different schools, so that they may in turn guide their followers toward the ultimate goal of unity, and of clinging to one rope, as the well-known Quranic verse, "Hold fast to the Rope of Allah and do not diverge" clearly demands of Muslims.

This massive effort finally bore its major fruit when Sheikh Shaltoot made the declaration whose translation is appended below. It should be made unequivocally clear as well, that al-Azhar's official position, vis a vis the propriety of following any of the Madhaahib (schools of law), including the Shi'ite Imami school, has remained unchanged since Shaikh Shaltoot's declaration.

For the readership's reference the phrase "al-Shia al-Imamiyyah al-Ithna 'Ashariyyah" means the Twelver Imami Shi'ite School of thought which comprises the overwhelming majority of Shi'ites today. The phrase "Twelver Shi'ites" is used interchangeably with "Ja'fari Shi'ites" and "Imami Shi'ites" in various literature. They are merely different names for the same school of thought.

"al-Shia al-Zaidiyyah" are a minority among the Shi'ites, concentrated mainly in Yemen located in the Eastern part of Arabian peninsula. For a more detailed description of the Zaidis vs. the Twelver Shi'ites, please refer to the book, "Shi'ite Islam" written by the great Shi'ite scholar, Allamah Tabataba'i, and translated by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and published by the State University of New York Press (SUNY).

And as for ShaikhShaltoot's declaration ...

Fatwa (ruling) of Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot

Head Office of al-Azhar University:

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam 2

Theological Differences and Attempts at promoting Unity

The line of Mohammed (pbuh) through Ali and Hussein became extinct in 873CE when the last Shia Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who had no brothers disappeared within days of inheriting the title at the age of four. The Shias refused, however, to accept that he had died, preferring to believe that he was merely "hidden" and would return. When after several centuries this failed to happen, spiritual power passed to the ulema, a council of twelve scholars who elected a supreme Imam. The best known modern example of the Shia supreme Imam is the late Ayyatollah Khomeni, whose portrait hangs in many Shia homes. The Shia Imam has come to be imbued with Pope-like infallibility and the Shia religious hierarchy is not dissimilar in structure and religious power to that of the Catholic Church within Christianity. Sunni Islam, in contrast, more closely resembles the myriad independent churches of American Protestantism. Sunnis do not have a formal clergy, just scholars and jurists, who may offer non-binding opinions. Shias believe that their supreme Imam is a fully spiritual guide, inheriting some of Muhammad's inspiration ("light") . Their imams are believed to be inerrant interpreters of law and tradition. Shia theology is distinguished by its glorification of Ali. In Shia Islam there is a strong theme of martyrdom and suffering, focusing on deaths of Ali and, particularly, Hussein plus other important figures in the Shia succession. Shi`ism attracted other dissenting groups, especially representatives of older non-Arab (Mawali) civilizations (Persian, Indian, etc.) that felt they had not been treated fairly by the Arab Muslims.

Sunnis and Shias agree on the core fundamentals of Islam - the Five Pillars - and recognize each others as Muslims. In 1959 Sheikh Mahmood Shaltoot, Head of the School of Theology at Al Azhar university in Cairo, the most august seat of learning of Sunni Islam and the oldest university in the world, issued a fatwa (ruling) recognizing the legitimacy of the Jafari School of Law to which most Shias belong. As a point of interest, the Jafari School is named after its founder Imam Jafaf Sidiq who was a direct descendent through two different lines of the Sunni Caliph Abu Bakr. And Al Azhar University, though now Sunni, was actually founded by the Shia Fatimid dynasty in 969CE.

However, there remain significant differences between the two forms of Islam and these are what tend to be emphasized. Many Sunni's would contend that Shias seem to take the fundamentals of Islam very much for granted, shunting them into the background and dwelling on the martyrdoms of Ali and Hussein. This is best illustrated at Ashura when each evening over a period of ten days the Shias commemorate the Battle of Karbala, with a wailing Imam whipping the congregation up into a frenzy of tears and chest beating. It is alleged that instead of missionary work to non-Muslims, the Shia harbor a deep-seated disdain towards Sunni Islam and prefer to devote their attention to winning over other Muslims to their group. There is ongoing violent strife between Sunnis and Shias in Pakistan. On the other hand, in recent years there has been signification co-operation between the two groups in the Lebanon. And some of the most dynamic developments in Islam today are taking place in Shia-dominated Iran.

Practical Differences

On a practicaldaily level, Shias have a different call to prayer, they perform wudu and salat differently including placing the forehead onto a piece of hardened clay from Karbala, not directly onto the prayer mat when prostrating. They also tend to combine prayers, sometimes worshipping three times per day instead of five. The Shias also have some different ahadith and prefer those narrated by Ali and Fatima to those related by other companions of the Prophet (pbuh). Because of her opposition to Ali, those narrated by Aisha count among the least favored. Shia Islam also permits muttah - fixed-term temporary marriage - which is now banned by the Sunnis. Muttah was originally permitted at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and is now being promoted in Iran by an unlikely alliance of conservative clerics and feminists, the latter group seeking to downplay the obsession with female virginity which is prevalent in both forms of Islam, pointing out that only one of the Prophet's thirteen wives was a virgin when he married them.

ShiasToday

Iran is overwhelmingly Shia - 89%.Shias also form a majority of the population in Yemen and Azerbaijan, Bahrain and 60% of the population of Iraq. There are also sizeable Shia communities along the east coast of Saudi Arabia and in the Lebanon. The well known guerilla organization Hizbollah, which forced the Israelis out of southern Lebanon in 2000, is Shia. Worldwide, Shias constitute ten to fifteen percent of the overall Muslim population.

Within Shia Islam there are different sects. Most Shias are "Twelvers", i.e. they recognize the 12 Imams. There are also Sevener and Fiver Shias who don't recognize the later Imams.

Please find below a commentary from a Shia encyclopaedia concerning Sheikh Shaltoot's fatwa plus the English translation of the fatwa itself. Both were originally posted on the One Ummah site where the original Arabic version of the fatwa is also available.

The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam

Introduction

The Shia shahadah (declaration of faith) states:

"There is no god but Alláh, Muhammad is the Messenger of Alláh, Alí is the Friend of Alláh. The Successor of the Messenger of Alláh And his first Caliph."

If you are already familiar with standard Sunni beliefs, you will immediately notice the addition to the shahadah regarding Imam Ali (ra), cousin of the Prophet (pbuh), husband of his daughter Fatima, father of Hassan and Hussein and the second person ever to embrace Islam. The term Shia or Shi'ite derives from a shortening of Shiat Ali or partisans of Ali.

History

Ali is the central figure at the origin of the Shia / Sunni split which occurred in the decades immediately following the death of the Prophet in 632. Sunnis regard Ali as the fourth and last of the "rightly guided caliphs" (successors to Mohammed (pbuh) as leader of the Muslims) following on from Abu Bakr 632-634, Umar 634-644 and Uthman 644-656. Shias feel that Ali should have been the first caliph and that the caliphate should pass down only to direct descendants of Mohammed (pbuh) via Ali and Fatima, They often refer to themselves as ahl al bayt or "people of the house" [of the prophet].

When Uthman was murdered while at prayer, Ali finally succeeded to the caliphate. Ali was, however, opposed by Aisha, wife of the Prophet (pbuh) and daughter of Abu Bakr, who accused him of being lax in bringing Uthman's killers to justice. After Ali's army defeated Aisha's forces at the Battle of the Camel in 656, she apologized to Ali and was allowed to return to her home in Madinah where she withdrew from public life.

However, Ali was not able to overcome the forces of Mu'awiya Ummayad, Uthman's cousin and governor of Damascus, who also refused to recognize him until Uthman's killers had been apprehended. At the Battle of Suffin Mu'awiya's soldiers stuck verses of the Quran onto the ends of their spears with the result that Ali's pious supporters refused to fight them. Ali was forced to seek a compromise with Mu'awiya, but this so shocked some of his die-hard supporters who regarded it as a betrayal that he was struck down by one of his own men in 661.

Mu'awiya declared himself caliph. Ali's elder son Hassan accepted a pension in return for not pursuing his claim to the caliphate. He died within a year, allegedly poisoned. Ali's younger son Hussein agreed to put his claim to the caliphate on hold until Mu'awiya's death. However, when Mu'awiya finally died in 680, his son Yazid usurped the caliphate. Hussein led an army against Yazid but, hopelessly outnumbered, he and his men were slaughtered at the Battle of Karbala (in modern day Iraq). Hussein's infant son, Ali, survived so the line continued. Yazid formed the hereditary Ummayad dynasty. The division between the Shia and what came to be known as the Sunni was set.

An opportunity for Muslim unity arose in the 750's CE. In 750 except for a few who managed to flee to Spain, almost the entire Ummayad aristocracy was wiped out following the Battle of Zab in Egypt in a revolt led by Abu Al Abbass al-Saffah and aided by considerable Shia support. It was envisaged that the Shia spiritual leader Jafar As-Siddiq, great-grandson of Hussein be installed as Caliph. But when Abbass died in 754, this arrangement had not yet been finalised and Abbas' son Al Mansur murdered Jafar, seized the caliphate for himself and founded the Baghdad-based Abbassid dynasty which prevailed until the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258.

Quotations about Imam Hussain (A.S.) by Non-Muslims

Mahatma Gandhi (Indian political and spiritual leader): “I learnd from Hussein
how to achieve victory while being oppressed.”

Thomas Carlyle (Scottish historian and essayist): “The best lesson which we get
from the tragedy of Cerebella is that Husain and his companions were rigid
believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not
count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain,
despite his minority, marvels me!”

Edward Gibbon (English historian and member of parliament): “In a distant age
and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Hosein will awaken the
sympathy of the coldest reader.” (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London,
1911, volume 5, p. 391-392)

Charles Dickens (English novelist): “If Husain had fought to quench his
worldly desires…then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children
accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for
Islam.”

Antoine Bara (Lebanese writer): “No battle in the modern and past
history of mankind has earned more sympathy and admiration as well as
provided more lessons than the martyrdom of Husayn in the battle of
Karbala.” (Husayn in Christian Ideology)

Dr. K. Sheldrake: “Of that gallant band, male and female knew that the
enemy forces around were implacable, and were not only ready to fight, but
to kill. Denied even water for the children, they remained parched under the
burning sun and scorching sands, yet not one faltered for a moment. Husain
marched with his little company, not to glory, not to power of wealth, but to
a supreme sacrifice, and every member bravely faced the greatest odds
without flinching.”

Ignaz Goldziher (Hungarian orientalist): “…Weeping and lamentation over
the evils and persecutions suffered by the ‘Alid family, and mourning for its
martyrs: these are things from which loyal supporters of the cause cannot
cease. ‘More touching than the tears of the Shi’is’ has even become an
Arabic proverb.” (Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law, Princeton, 1981, p.179)

Edward G. Brown (Professor at the University of Cambridge): “…a reminder of
that blood-stained field of Karbala, where the grandson of the Apostle of
God fell, at length, tortured by thirst, and surround by the bodies of his
murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then, sufficient to evoke, even
in the most lukewarm and the heedless, the deepest emotion, the most
frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger, and death
shrink to unconsidered trifles.” (A Literary History of Persia, London, 1919, p.227)

Sir William Muir (Scottish orientalist): “The tragedy of Karbala decided not
only the fate of the Caliphate, but also of Mohammadan kingdoms long after
the Caliphate had waned and disappeared.” (Annals of the Early Caliphate,
London, 1883, p.441-442)

“Though Imam Hussain gave his life years ago, but his indestructible soul rules the hearts of people even today.”Dr. Radha Krishnan

Mahatma Gandhi
“My faith is that the progress of Islam does not depend on the use of sword by its believers, but the result of the supreme sacrifice of Hussain (A.S.), the great saint.”

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
“Imam Hussain’s (A.S.) sacrifice is for all groups and communities, an example of the path of rightousness.”

Reynold Alleyne Nicholson
“Hussain (A.S.) fell, pierced by an arrow, and his brave followers were cut down beside him to the last man. Muhammadan tradition, which with rare exceptions is uniformly hostile to the Umayyad dynasty, regards Hussain (A.S.) as a martyr and Yazid as his murderer.”
[A Literary History of the Arabs, Cambridge, 1930, p197]

Rabindranath ***************ore
“In order to keep alive justice and truth, instead of an army or weapons, success can be achieved by sacrificing lives, exactly what Imam Hussain (A.S.) did

Dr. Rajendra Prasad
“The sacrifice of Imam Hussain (A.S.) is not limited to one country, or nation, but it is the hereditary state of the brotherhood of all mankind.”

Dr. Radha Krishnan
“Though Imam Hussain (A.S.) gave his life almost 1300 years ago, but his indestructible soul rules the hearts of people even today.”

Swami Shankaracharya
“It is Hussain’s (A.S.) sacrifice that has kept Islam alive or else in this world there would be no one left to take Islam’s name.”

Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
“I congratulate Muslims that from among them, Hussain (A.S.), a great human being was born, who is reverted and honored totally by all communities

Quotations of Hazrat Imam Hussein (AS)

1- Almighty Allah bestows His bounties on a person over & above his needs if he offers his prayer & worships Allah in letter & spirit.

2- When other people turn to you in need, consider it a favour of Allah. Do not be wearied of this favour, or it will move on to someone else.

3- O God, I have left the world in Your love, am ready to make my children orphans in Your love, my heart could not divert towards anyone but You, even if You cut my body into pieces in Your love.

4- I am not taking up arms in order to make merry, or be ecstatic over what I possess. I am not making mischief, nor exercising oppression. But I am ready to fight for the sole goal of seeking reform of the ummah of my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah (saw). I want to enjoin good and forbid evil and guide the affairs of the people as my grandfather, and my father, Ali Bin Abi Talib , were doing.

5- Person, who ignores worldly wealth irrespective of possessor thereof, gathers highest respect.

6- Beware of your apologies; for a true believer doesnot sin and does not have to apologize, whereas the hypocrite commits sins every day and apologizes everyday.

7- Neighbourhood is best kind of kinship.

8- Helping others stands for goodness at heart.

9- Practice brings experience and experience enhances the intellect.

10- Hospitality promotes worship.

11- Cordiality proves wisdom.

12- O Son of Adam! Your life extends over days, so that passing of every day shortens your life.

13- Do not be aggressive towards a person who has nobody to defend against u except Allah.

14- Do not act in a manner that sequels an apology .It is not the practice of a man of faith.

15- A wise person eradicates sorrow & grief sequel to calamities with strength of his will & utilizes his reason for solving his difficulties.

16- A person not trapped in chains of wish & desire & contented with what Allah has bestowed on him, is wealthy in true sense.

17- Experience is a sufficient teacher and old age a sufficient warner.

18- The biggest pardoner is he who forgives in spite of being strong enough to retaliate.

19- A man’s grace lies in independence from other people.

20- Remember! Your souls have no value less than the paradise; do not sell them cheaper.

21- A person happy over worldly belongings pleases himself with nothing but trifles.

22- Being thankful for what u have already had, paves way for future blessing from Allah.

23- Almighty Allah brings insult on a tyrant, makes him a victim of His displeasure & will depute on him bigger tyrant to impose on him disgrace & insult.

24- Do not say a word, which may make you repent and force you to make excuse.

25- A man’s merit lies in not interfering with what he is not concerned with.

26- Speech is like medicine; a small dose of which cures and excess kills the patient.

27- With virtue one can enslave the free.

28- Greatness lies in the nobility of aspiration and not in the decaying bones of ancestors.

29- Silence is graceful.

30- Keep your tongue tied. Excellence lies in obliging others.

31- Tolerance is the biggest quality. Keeping your word firm shows real manliness.

32- When you have to depart from this world and have to meet death (eventually), then why wish delay (why feel nervous about death).

33- Kind treatment towards relatives is a virtue while true friendship is a blessing.

34- Pride is undesirable attitude & impetuosity is stupidity.

35- Company of transgressors & impious results in slander.

36- Almighty Allah promotes insight & reserves dwelling in paradise for a person who sheds tears over our sufferings.

37- Make efforts to achieve excellence & proceed to earn pious living.

38- It is blessing on u from Allah if somebody begs of u something with humility.

39- Most generous is he who obliges a person expecting favor.

40- Almighty Allah eliminates sufferings from a person in this life & the hereafter who supports a man of faith in trouble & difficulty.

41- He who is greedy is disgraced; he who discloses his hardship will always be humiliated; he who has no control over his tongue will often have to face discomfort.

42- Fighting against self is the biggest crusade, which, in other words, amounts to abstinence from disobedience of Allah.

43- It is better to die gracefully than to live in insult.

44- Do not talk about anything not useful for you; it is possible mention of such a thing may lead you to sorrow & repentance.

45- Piety is the best weapon of defense.

46- Submission to Allah’s Will is the best companion.

47- Wisdom is the noblest heritage.

48- Theoretical and practical knowledge are the best signs of distinction.

49- Avoid speaking until there is reasonable occasion; those who enter into useless talk, even if expressing truth, are found reprehensible.

50- Avarice is disgrace; cowardice is a defect; poverty often disables an intelligent man from arguing his case.

51- All greatness & magnificence stands for the Almighty Allah & it adorns none else.

52- A poor man is a stranger in his own town; misfortune and helplessness are calamities; patience is a kind of bravery.

53- To sever attachments with the wicked world is the greatest wealth.

54- Deep thinking will present the clearest picture of every problem.

55- The mind of a wise man is the safest custody of secrets.

56- Cheerfulness is the key to friendship.

57- Do not be cause of breach of trust by injuring confidence of others.

58- Truth is a proof for grace & falsehood a sign of weakness.

59- Keeping secret is a sacred trust.

60- Patience and forbearance will conceal many defects.

61- A conceited and self-admiring person is disliked by others.

62- Overlook and forgive the weaknesses of the generous people because if they fall down, Allah will help them.

63- The best form of devotion to the service of Allah is not to make a show of it.

64- Self-importance leads to indignity.

65- Following are bad qualities of men in power; a) Fear from enemies, b) Cruelty towards weak & helpless c) Stinginess in favoring somebody.

66- Make no efforts for un gain able matter.

67- Never wish to have a return better than your action.

68- Salutation is crowned with 70 virtues, 69 of them belong to the initiator & only 1 remains for him who responds.

69- Beggar stakes his prestige by begging. Do not stain your personality by refusing him.

70- Man of trust always stays in safety.

71- Man of pious heart is always bold.

72- Man at fault is always worried & in chaos.

73- Charity and alms are the best remedy for ailments and calamities.

74- One has to account in the next world for the deeds that he has done in this world.

75- When some blessings come to you, do not drive them away through thanklessness.

The Kingdom of Solomon

The Kingdom of Solomon is an Iranian Religion/Historical film , produced by Mojtaba Faravardeh and directed by Shahriar Bahrani who has made Saint Mary before. The Kingdom of Solomon is going to release international on November 2010 after its screening in Iran. This film tells the life story of Prophet Solomon, King of Israelite tribes. It is based on Muslim beliefs about him extracted from Qur'an verses and some Jewish Historical texts.

Plot

Solomon is a wise, sage and intellectual person selected as crown prince by his father Prophet David (Davud Nabi) (‘a) at the age of 9. Following the death of Davud , Solomon takes succession to the crown and God appoints him as the prophet. Requesting from God the establishment of a divine kingdom, Solomon (‘a) takes the wind under his command and jinns and demons under his control and as such forces them to build altars and Sculptures for him. Inviting rulers of the neighboring countries to the monotheistic religion, the Prophet Solomon (‘a) continues his divine mission in as much as Belkeis the queen of Sheba acknowledges her faith to the monotheistic religion. At the end, while leaning on his cane, Solomon (‘a) bids farewell to the world, and the jinns and demons come out of his control and return to their own world.

Part one

Solomon, Prophet and king of Judea asks God to grant him the ideal kingdom, that promised paradise which won’t be given to anyone until the world comes to the end! But to reach this, he should face the world of the devils (jinns and Satans), their materialization and the imminent and cruel war with them. The heads of the tribes reject his cries for help with disbelieve. When disaster struck and people get crazy, Solomon barely controls the crisis. But when the creatures are going to materialize, he needs Gods favors to overcome their attack.

Part two

This Part is not filmed yet but we will watch these next hopefully nex year: Solomon was announcde by God in the Qur'an to have been given control over various elements, such as the wind to use it for transportation. He travels to many other countries and he made many tall building by jinns power. He also made a Crystal Palase in quds. Then he meets the queen of sheba and bring her into Islam(resign god).