Condolence on Demise of The Prophet Muhammad

Today is Safar 28, the day in where the prophet Muhammad (sawa) passed away:

In the beginning of 11 AH, the Prophet (s) became sick and passed away. Before he passed away, when he was very ill, he gave a farewell speech to the Muslims and advised them to be kind to one other. He also said "If I owe anything to anyone, they should come to me to ask for it or else, they should disregard it. If I have annoyed anyone, I am ready to be punished in retaliation for it"^[70].

The Prophet (s) passed away on the 28th of Safar or on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal 11 AH at the age of 63. It is mentioned in Nahj al-balagha that at the time of his death, the Prophet's (s) head lay on the chest of Ali (a).^[71]

At the time of his death, none of his children were alive except for Fatima (a). All of his other children had passed away, including Ibrahim, who was born one or two years before the Prophet's (s) death. Ali (a), with the help of some others, as per the Islamic tradition, washed the Prophet's (s) body, and shrouded and buried him in his house, where it is now located in Masjid al-Nabi. 

Condolences on death (or martyrdom) of the Prophet (SAWA) and Martyrdom of Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Reza (AS).

In 28th of Safar 632 (11AH Islamic Calendar) the prophet Muhammad (SAWA) was dead. In the same day at 50 AH his grandson Imam Hassan was martyred by poison.

In 30th of Safar 203 AH, Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Imam of Shia Muslims was martyred by Mamun, Caliph of Bani Abbas. Imam Reza was martyred by poisonous grapes

What happened after the death of the Prophet?

How was Abubakr selected as the successor of the Prophet?

While Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and the Banu Hashim were washing the corpse of the Prophet (s) as per Islamic tradition, a few influential Muslims decided to choose the next leader for the ummah-- disregarding what the Prophet (s) had said just two months prior to his demise (see: Ghadir Khum). A number of people from Mecca (the Muhajirin) and Medina (the Ansar) gathered in a place called Saqifa Banu Sa'ida. They wanted a ruler to be chosen for the Muslims as soon as possible.  Finally they choose AbuBakr despite of the Prophet emphasis on leadership of Ali (as) after him several times during his life (See: Hadith Ghadeer, Hadith Manzilat, Hadith AlThaqalayn, Hadith Yawm al Inzar).
 

The holy shrine of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) in Madina

Grave of Imam Hassan (AS) in Baqi'. The holy shrine was destroyed by Al-e-Saud, about 100 years ago

The holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, Iran

Why do Muslims Fast

All Muslims, Shia and Sunni, fast during the month of Ramadan (Ramazan), i.e. they eat something, called Sahari, before Azan of morning prayer (about 1:30 hour to sunshine) and then don't eat anything during daylight hours until Azan Maghrib (about 15 minutes after sunset). They also must not drink, have intimate relations, swim, etc. After Azan Maghrib, they break their fast (Iftar).

Now, the question is Why do Muslims Fast during Ramadan?

Simple answer is that it is Wajib(obligatory) in Islam for healthy adults according to Quran(2:183):

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -

However, it has several advantages which some of them are described in Hadith of Miraj in where the prophet Muhammad(pbuh) ascended to the heaven and talked with Allah:

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked Allah: O God! What is the start of worship? He said: start of worship is fasting and silence. My Lord! What is the effect of fasting? Said: fasting leads to wisdom and wisdom leads to knowledge and knowledge leads to certainty; and when a person comes to the position of certainty, it’s no matter, his life is easy or difficult

Part of Hadith Meraj, BiharAlanvar, V 74, P 27

Arabic and Farsi translations

Congratulations on the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and start of the unity week between Muslims

Today is 12 Rabi'AlAwwal (Arabic Calendar). According to some documents specially from Sunni brothers, in this day, the holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) was born. Shia Muslims however say that the prophet was born in 17 of Rabi'.

Imam Khomeini declared the days between 12 and 17 Rabi' as the week of unity and friendship between Muslims. So accept my deep congratulations on the birth of the Holy Prophet #Muhammad (SAWA) and start of the #unity and #friendship week between Muslims.

Our leader, Imam Khamenei always emphasize on the unity between Muslims and respecting each others. In a lecture at 05/19/2009, Ayatollah Khamenei said:

The enemy is hoping to pitch the followers of different Islamic denominations against one another. Nobody must give in to this spiteful plot of the enemy. They want to incite #Shia against #Sunni and Sunni against Shia. They want to sow spite and suspicion in the hearts of #Muslims. That was why I declared that disrespect for each other's beliefs forms the red lines from an Islamic point of view and from our perspective. Those who disrespect what is held sacred in an Islamic denomination, be it Sunni or Shia #Islam, do not know what they are doing. These acts of desecration provide the enemy with the best means. These are the red lines.

Shia and Sunni Muslims have their own religious ceremonies, rituals, duties, and tendencies, and they must follow their own principles. But under no circumstances should Shia or Sunni Muslims disrespect what the other denomination holds sacred. Some Shia or Sunni Muslims say certain things due to their lack of vigilance and reject one another. That is exactly what the enemy wants.

My Photos of Arbaeen 2014 in Karbala

In Arbaeen 2014, I had the opportunity of traveling to Iraq for the first time and participating in the largest peaceful walking in the world. Definitely this travel was my best journey during my life. A spiritual trip with many hardships but full of love for Imam Hussein (AS). About 20 millions pilgrims, 15 millions from within Iraq and 5 millions from outside, marked this Shia religious ritual. Almost all pilgrims fed up for free by thousands of volunteers in places called Mookeb... Unfortunately, news agencies were absent in this great procession, but in fact every pilgrim was a medium and InshaAllah very soon the whole world will hear the sound of Labbaik Ya Hussein! (O Imam Hussein! we are with you and in your path untill the appearance of Mahdi (ATFS). )

The following photos are taken during my 6 days visit of Iraq and walking in the road of Ya Hussein between Najaf and Karbala with 85 Km length: (Click on images for larger resolution. If you want better resolutions, contact me through comments. For more images see Photos of Arbaeen 2014 in my personal blog)

Inside haram of Amir Almo'menin Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf

 

Millions of pilgrims towards Hussein (AS) 

 

A 100 Years Old Man Walks Towards Imam Hussein (AS) Holy Shrine

Millions of Shia pilgrims outside Haram of Imam Hussein during Arbaeen 2014

Don't Curse Caliphs, Sahabis and Aisha

Dear Shia brothers world wide, Please do not curse (لعن) Caliphs and Other Sahabis that are important among Sunni brothers. Our supreme leader, Imam Khamenei, prohibited this and you must know that: 

EVERY CURSE IN YOUR MEETINGS = BEHEADING OF A SHIA MUSLIM IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ AND SYRIA

Some Takfiris, play recordings of your Majalis in their meetings and at the same time decapitate several Shia Muslims while its playing. So, please don't buy Jahannam for yourself. I heared this statement from an informed source...

We are all Muslims and must respect each others.

العربية:
ايها الشيعة في العالم، لا تلعنوا الخلفاء الراشدين و الصحابة النبي الذين هم محترمون عند اهل السنة. زعيمنا العزيز، آية الله خامنئي، یحرّمون هذا الامر. هو الجيد لنعرف أن:
لأی اللعن تقولون فی مجالسكم الخاصة والعامة  = الحصول على قطع رأس مسلم شيعي في باكستان وأفغانستان والعراق وسوريا
يرجى احترام معتقدات کل المسلمین و نعرف أنه لا ينقلب مسلم سني الی الشيعة، مع لعنة.

ترجمه فارسی:
شیعیان عزیز در سراسر جهان،لطفا خلفای اهل سنت و برخی اصحاب پیامبر را که در نزد اهل سنت محترمند، لعن نکنید. رهبر عزیزمان، آیت الله خامنه ای این امر را حرام کرده اند. خوب است بدانید که :

هر لعنی که شما در مجالس خصوصی و عمومی که ضبط می شود، انجام می دهید = سربریده شدن یک مسلمان شیعه در پاکستان، افغانستان و عراق و سوریه

برخی تکفیریها مثل سپاه صحابه پاکستان، نسخه ضبط شده مجالس برخی مداحان تندرو را در بین جمعیت تکفیریها پخش می کنند و در حین پخش سر شیعیان را می برند، آنقدر که پخش ویدیو تمام شود. دوستان عزیز، جهنم را برای خودتان نخرید. خداوند در قرآن فرموده حتی به بتها و خدایان جعلی کفار دشنام ندهید، چرا که آنها هم به خدا دشنام می دهند. حالا شما چگونه فحش دادن علنی به خلفای اهل سنت و جناب عایشه را حلال می کنید؟ بنده موضوع سپاه صحابه را از یک مسئول رده بالای کشوری شنیدم. لطفا به عقاید و سنتهای یکدیگر احترام بگذاریم و بدانیم که هیچ مسلمان سنی با لعن و نفرین، شیعه نمی شود. 

Hadith: A Believer Doesn't Lie

»Imam Reza (AS)

en: The Prophet (PBUH) was asked, can a believer be a coward? He replied: Yes. Asked, can he be a curmudgeon? He said: Yes. Asked may the believer be a liar? He said: No

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص یَکُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ جَبَاناً قَالَ نَعَمْ قِیلَ وَ یَکُونُ بَخِیلًا قَالَ نَعَمْ قِیلَ وَ یَکُونُ کَذَّاباً قَالَ لا

فارسی: از پیغمبر (ص) سؤال شد، ممکن است مؤمن ترسو باشد؟ فرمود: آری، عرض شد آیا بخیل می‏شود؟ فرمود: آری. عرض شد ممکن است دروغگو باشد؟ فرمود: نه‏

»Mahasen Barghi, P 118