Wilayat The Station Of The Master

Wila', walayah, wilayah, wali, mawla. The real, original meaning of all of these words comes from the root-word "waliya" (waw-lam ya). This root-word is among those which ap- pear with the greatest frequency in the Qur'an, being used in various forms: it appears in the Qur'an in 124 places in the noun form, and in 112 places in the verb form.

The original meaning of this root-word, according to the famous Qur'anic lexicon Mufradatu 'l-Qu'ran, is "the being situated of something beside something else, in the sense that there is no separation between them", that is to say that if two things are so contiguous one with the other that there is nothing between Wilayah - The Station of the Master them, the root-word "waliya" is used. As a result of this, the word has come to be used in the sense of nearness and affinity, usually to mean a special or spiritual affinity.

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Seeking The Straight Path Reflections Of A New Muslim

Common challenges and issues faced by converts,the reasoning behind conversion, analysis from a Western view of many controversial or misunderstood topics in Islam, and basic information needed by new converts. Spanish translation is also available.
It is a long time now that I have wanted to write regarding my conversion to Islam. My problem has been that I did not know what to write or how to write it. One of my main con-cerns now is that I want to write something that is of value to someone other than me.


I can remember a few times when I was asked to speak at a masjid and I was a little bit horrified, because I had come to learn from the people there and, in turn, they wanted to learn from me. What could I say that they didn’t already know or that would be of use to them? Whenever I’ve asked myself that, the answer has always been that I could speak only of my own experiences. Well, it seems arrogant to think that other people would want to listen to me talk about myself. But, perhaps there is some value in the tale of the experience of someone who chose to become Muslim.


In the past, I have written a few very brief accounts of how I came to be Muslim and I got tremendous feedback. People wrote to me who were investigating Islam and could relate to my story or wanted information. Other people who wrote to me were born Muslim and had found inspiration in the stories of converts. I have really enjoyed meeting so many people through those brief accounts. It made me realize that something in my story must be of value to other people, so that by telling my story I may be able to improve someone’s situ-ation...

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Islamic Factsheet Shiite Beliefs And Practices Explained

One Messenger, Proclaim what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don’t do it, you
have not delivered His Message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people[1]
The Shi’ah believe that the proclamation mentioned by the Qur ’anic verse was fulfilled by the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) when he appointed Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) as his successor on the day of
Ghadir Khumm.

Ghadir Khumm is a location some miles from Makkah on the road to Madinah. When the Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) was passing by this place on 18 Dhu’l Hijja (10 March 632) on his return from the Farewell
Pilgrimage, the verse “O Messenger, Proclaim what has been sent down… ” was revealed. He
therefore stopped to make an announcement to the pilgrims who accompanied him from Makkah and
who were to disperse from that junction to their respective destinations. By the orders of the Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) a special pulpit made of branches of trees was erected for him. After the noon prayer the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) sat on the pulpit and made his last public address to the largest gathering before his
death three months later.
The highlight of his sermon was when, taking Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) by the hand, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
asked his followers whether he was superior in authority (awla) to the believers themselves. The
crowd cried out in one voice: “It is so, O Apostle of Allah”.
He then declared:
“He of whom I am the master (mawla), of him ‘Ali is also the master (mawla). O God, be the friend
of him who is his friend, and be the enemy of him who is his enemy.”
Immediately after the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) finished his speech, the following verse of the Qur ’an was
revealed:

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Imam Mahdi (Atfs) The Spring Of Life

There i s a very important ziyaarat of Imam-e-Zamaana (a.t.f.s.) called Ziyaarat-e-Aale Yaaseen. Renowned traditionalist Shaikh Abbas Qummi (ra) has mentioned it as the very first ziyaarat of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) in his celebrated work, 'Mafaateeh al-Jenaan'. It is highly recommended to recite this ziyaarat on Mondays and Fridays. These beliefs have been stated in this ziyaarat as well and Imam-e-Zamaana (a.t.f.s.) himself is made as a witness over these beliefs. "Then you be a witness on what I have made you as a witness."

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A Brief BiogrAphy of BIBI FATIMA (S.A.)

This short biography of Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) was written essentially as a part of a course work for those enrolled in the correspondence with Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania.
The major concern has been to provide brief and introductory notes on the main aspects of the illustrious life history of our “Lady of Light”, Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) for readers who have had no previous understanding of the role of this great personality in Islamic history.
In no way therefore should this work be taken as a comprehensive and complete study on Hazrat Fatima (s.a.). As a matter of fact, circumstances under which this work was prepared may necessitate extensive additions and/or deletions in future, God willing.
In the preparation of this booklet I found the following works very useful: Fatima, The Gracious By: Odeh A. Muhawesh Fatima Al-Zahra By: Al-Balagh Foundation Fatima Zahra



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Islam and Democracy

Democracy is determined by many different elements: culture, wealth, equalities, education, and some will say, religion. Religion as a determinant of democratic development has been extensively studied and many arguments have been presented supporting the claim that religion hinders democracy, while others are less convinced. Since Samuel P. Huntington published his book, Clash of Civilization, there has been an increased focus on the relationship between Islam and democracy. Huntington argued that the world order in the 20th century has shifted into a clash between the West and the East, specifically between the West and Islam.

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The Rights of Women in Islam

Outlines general rights of women with special emphasis to marriage. Some of the areas covered are marriage proposal, engagement, temporary marriage, modernity, dowry, inheritance, divorce and polygyny.
The Ahlul Bayt DILP team wishes to inform the reader of some important points regarding this digitized text, which represents the English translation of a work originally written in Farsi. Whereas no one can doubt the best intentions of the translator and the publishers in making this title accessible to an English speaking audience, the editing and digitization process of this book (carried out by the DILP Team) has revealed issues in the quality of translation. Based upon this fact, the DILP team has taken the liberty to make grammatical corrections to make the text more readable and less ambiguous; spelling mistakes and typographical errors have also been corrected and an attempt has been made to improve the highly non-standard use of transliteration of Arabic names and terms. The online text is not an exact reproduction of the original translation. Users wishing to see the translation as it was published should refer to printed copies available in bookshops. Those who understand are advised to refer directly to the original text.

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Islamic Culture and Religious Studies Book-1

A Human being is constantly in search of knowing the Truth. He explores different ways in which to confirm his beliefs and when he succeeds in going back to his FITRA (Nature), he eventually reaches the point where he realises the need of a Master and Creator - Allah (S.W.T.). In the Islamic beliefs ( Aqaidi-Islami ), ‘ To Know God’ is one of the fundamental issues for Muslims. It is only after proving His existence that a Muslim can believe in His divine system of Law and Order. All other moral, spiritual and religious values are included in the essence of Tawheed (Oneness) of Allah (S.W.T.).
In order to understand Tawheed and be able to submit to Him, it becomes necessary for us all to undertake the spiritual journey towards Imaan (Faith) and Taqwa (Piety). A person might believe that this is a difficult path to walk on but it not impossible. All it requires is a strong urge to know the great Maker of the Universe!
We must remember that by learning the true Islam, we will be able to practise its valuable teachings. It is necessary for us to understand that if we want to reach perfection in both Imaan and Amal-e-Saaleh (Good Actions), we have to study the lives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w.) and Infallible Aimmah (a.s.).
In this book, each and every chapter is directed towards appreciating the deeper meaning of Tawheed (Absolute Oneness of Allah (S.W.T.)). The ideas and rules we will study are all ways in which to discover the truth and when we learn Akhlaaq (Moral Excellence) it is because our good conduct will allow us to reach out to other people around the world and call them back to the Truth.

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Bibi Fatema (sa)

Bibi Fatima was created by Allah tobe a perfect example of a human being for us to follow. She was noble, kind, generous and always truthful. She was also known by other names like Butool, Insiya,Azraa, Masumah, Sayyedah,Siddiqah, Tahirah, Tayyibah,Radhiyah, Mardheyyeh, Zakeyyah,Umma Abeehaa and Zahraa. Fatima AS was the only daughter of the holy Prophet Muhammad SAW and Hazrat Khadija AS. He used to say “Fatima is part of me.” She was the wife of our first Imam Ali AS.She had four children: two sons,Imam Hasan AS and Imam Hussain AS and two daughters Hazrat Zainab AS and Hazrat Kulsoom AS. Bibi Fatima was an excellent daughter, a wonderful wife, and a loving mother. She is the leader of all the women in the uni- verse, Syedatun nisa al aalameen and the Lady of Paradise, Khatoon e Jannat. She was extremely intelligent, learned,gentle, generous, pious, beautiful,pure and free from every fault. The Prophet Muhammad SAW called her Umme Abeehaa, the mother of her father. Through her words and actions she has shown us how to live as a true Muslim, following the laws of Islam.

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Lady Khdija (AS)

Khadija, the first wife of Muhammed Mustafa, the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and his Ahlel-Bayt), and the first Believer, evokes a most extraordinary personality. She played a stellar role in the history of nascent Islam. She was, with Abu Talib, one of the two greatest benefactors of Islam and the Muslims. At a time when Islam was under unremitting predation pressure; and was, for three years, in a state of unrelenting siege, she bailed it out, by her incredible sacrifices. Her constancy, her tenacity, her vision, and her indomitable faith in Allah, and in the mission of Muhammed Mustafa - His Last and the Greatest Messenger - were the sine qua non as the underpinnings of Islam during the first ten years of its existence. For some mysterious reason, Khadija's role - so central in shaping the destiny of Islam - has not received the recognition to which it is entitled, from most of the Muslim biographers and historians. Such recognition as they have given it, is, at best, perfunctory and tentative. To the best of my knowledge and belief, a standard biography of Khadija has not been published yet. This is a most lamentable lack in the inspirational literature of Islam, especially at a time when, in the West, there is growing interest in Islam as a creed, and in the story of the respective roles of its various protagonists in its early days.

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Beacons of Light: Muhammad the Prophet and Fatima the Radiant

It has been our intention for a long time to translate into Eng- lish a book that would narrate the lives of the fourteen ma`sumin (sinless ones) ‑ the Prophet, peace be upon him and the people of his household, his righteous and pure daughter Fatimah az‑Zahra', peace be upon her, and the Twelve Imams, peace be upon all of them. Such a book would, it was hoped, discuss the circumstances of the Prophet, his daughter Fatimah and the Imams of his descendants. It would present proofs of their special favor with Allah, and the exalted status with which He favored them. The book would also present proofs of the obligations with which Allah has charged all men to obey and follow them. When Kitabul‑Irshad ila Hujaj Allah 'alal-'Ibad (The Book of Guidance to the Proofs of Allah over Mankind) of ash‑Shaykh al‑Mufid was recently translated into English by I. K. Howard, we felt that it had largely fulfilled our hopes for the author, Abu `Abdillah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn an‑Nu'man al‑`Ukbari al‑Baghdadi, known as ash‑Shaykh al‑Mufid (336‑413/948‑1022), was one of the foremost scholars of the Imami Shi`i community, and one of its greatest jurists and theologians. We therefore decided to republish the book ourselves with a special introduction, which is now in the pro- cess of being translated. As soon as this introduction is ready, we shall, with Allah's help, proceed with our task

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A Brief Biography of Imam Hasan

This has been a wish of Allama Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi, for a number of years now, to include biographies of 14 Maasumeen in our International Correspondence Course but his multifarious activities around the world prevented him from undertaking the work. Mission is grateful to Dr. Mohammed Raza M. Dungersi, of New York who volunteered to undertake this arduous work. No historian or writer, however dexterous he may be, can draw a true picture of the life of Maasumeen (a.s.). However we con- gratulate Dr. Dungersi for this gallant endeavour and pray to Almighty Allah to reward him in this world and in the hereafter. Lives of great men remind us how to make our lives sublime. History of great men is a fountain of knowledge, faith and as- piration which will never dry up. Lives of these great men are like light houses, which keep darkness away and show right path to the wayfarers in search of knowledge, better living and service to mankind. Had these great souls not left their footprints on the sands of time, the world would have been groping in darkness and would have fallen pray to despair while combating with unseen and intelligible forces

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The Life of Fatima az Zahra (sa)

This is a study on the highest lady in the history of Islam at all. She is Fatima az-Zahra‟ (peace be on her), the daughter of the Prophet (a.s.), the part of him, and his trust to his nation. He was utmost loyal in his love to her. He fed her with his talents, geniuses, and mentality. 
The messenger of Allah (a.s.) put Fatima (a.s.) in the highest place, and most honorable position in Islam to be the highest example for the women of his nation, not in chastity and abstinence only, but to play her role in the inclusive reformation if his umma (nation) would go astray. And indeed, the principal of women (a.s.) undertook her positive role when the umma deviated from its spiritual and worldly leadership that the Prophet (a.s.) had assigned to be in the people of his house who were the centers of knowledge and intellect in the world of Islam. She, peace be on her, set stably, bravely, and loftily against the rulers and invited them to straightness and to the very principles of Islam. She asked them to return the caliphate to the master of the pure progeny Ameerul Mo'minin, Imam Ali (a.s.) whom the messenger of Allah (a.s.) had appointed as his successor, the caliph, and the leader over the umma.

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The famous KHUTBA of Syeda Fatima Zahra

Fatima (A.S.) felt grieved by Abu Bakr’s actions, and was so displeased with him that when she knew of his attempt to seize Fadak, she accom- panied a group of women to themosque. There she sat down and de- livered the following speech:
Praise be to Allah for that which He bestowed (upon us); and thanks be to Him for allthat which He inspired; and commended in His Name for that which He Provided: Formprevalent favours which He created, And abundant benefactions which He offered and perfect grants which He presented; (such benefactions) that their number is much too plentiful to compute; Bounties too vast to measure; Their limit was too distant to realize; He recommended to them (His creatures) to gain more (of His benefaction) bybeing grateful for their continuity; He or- dained Himself praiseworthy by giving generously to His creatures; I bear witness that there is no God but Allah Who is One without partner, a statement which sincere devotion is made to be its interpreta- tion; hearts guarantee its continuation, and illuminated in the minds is its sensibility. He Who cannot be perceived with vision; neither be de- scribed with tongues; nor can imaginationsurround His state.

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What is Islam ?

Praise be to God the Lord of the Worlds and peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure progeny and may God curse their enemies until the Day of Judgement. In today‟s world we see that materialism has rushed in from all sides and spurious values prevail in every quarter and peace of mind and tranquillity now barely exist. Revolution and wars throughout the world have caused everyone to be apprehensive and people feel that they have been robbed of their security and sense of stability. Many are beginning now to seek a way-out from this state of anxiety and alarm which would bring them contentment and inner peace and are looking for a cure to this all- pervasive disease and a way to rid themselves of mental and spiritual pain and disquiet. For a long time I have been thinking that if people only lived according to Islam as it has been revealed by the God of the Universe, they would find therein a complete cure which would remove every anxiety and unease and quench this thirsting for inner serenity. Islam is indeed a way of life, a religion of light, equanimity and peace, for the Almighty says in the Holy Qur‟an: “ when He calls you to that which gives you life” [8 : 24] and speaks of those who follow “the light which has been sent down.
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Fatimiyyah is Ashura

What can be said when trying to express the status of the Ahlul Bayt, peace be upon them, specifically the eminence of Sayyidah Fāṭima Zahrā, peace be upon her, and the blessings which emanate from all of them – and from where shall we start!? These people are individuals whom God, the Most High, had created the entire world of existence for, just as the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, had stated: Had it not been for us (the Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt), God would not have created Adam nor Eve nor the paradise nor the hell-fire nor the sky nor the earth.2 In addition, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, had written the following in his letter to Muʿāwiyah in regards to the status of the Ahlul Bayt, peace be upon them: The wordings of this passage are extremely important.3 There are some people who claim that the meaning of this statement is that “The people have been trained or have had their nurturing and upbringing under our school of teachings (the Ahlul Bayt)” however there is no problem in stating that the meaning of this statement is (also that), “The ultimate purpose of creation is the manifestation and existence of Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, peace be upon all of them.” There is also a sacred tradition (ḥadīth al-qudsī) in which God has said: I created you (Muḥammad – and as an extension the Ahlul Bayt) for Me (God).

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Syeda Fatima(sa) The Most Paramount Lady of Islam

I was requested to deliver a speech on the honored character of Fatima (peace be upon her). Granting this request would show my impotence to the utmost, because knowing Fatima (peace be upon her) and naturally, introducing her is a demanding task. What could I say about the one, whom no one really has known her save Allah; and indeed, no one has discovered her real character except Prophet Mohammed (a.s) and Imam Ali (peace be upon him). The limit of my mind and knowledge does not allow me to describe her as she really is. In addition, any debate on the character of Fatima (peace be upon her) needs courage, rhetoric, full knowledge, and above all, thorough conversance with the celestial world, because she is the “Lady of the heavenly wOmmen”. Only he who has got a real understanding of the heaven would characterize her. Right now, Fatima (peace be upon her) is not physically present among us, but her extensive aspects of her life, thoughts, and policies affect our minds and lives. Who is that does not know a brief of Fatima (peace be upon her)’s life and wishes not to follow her way? She has passed away, but the rich facets of her life get more extensive as time goes by. Moreover, I consider it a great honor to introduce Fatima (peace be upon her) from the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him and his descendants), Imam Ali (peace be upon him), and the Imams’ words, and talk about her various roles, her life and purity, her seeking for administering justice, lending the people a helping hand, and, at last, her martyrdom. Although our speech does not really characterize her, it has the great value to remind us for sOmme hours of Fatima (peace be upon her), Allah’s pure servant and the Prophet’s esteemed daughter.

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World S Most Outstanding Lady Fatima Zahra

The historical proceedings of the Prophet's (s) daughter Fatima Az Zahra, from childhood until marriage. Then an account of the sufferings and hardships after the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s), till the moment of her martyrdom.


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FATIMA The Gracious

In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
All praise is due Allah who created mankind and made for them an example to follow throughout their fierce battle with evil.
Prophet Muhammad (S) was the last apostle sent by Allah to commu- nicate to mankind His Divine code (i.e. Islam). Because this code was a comprehensive one, it also dealt with the needs of women throughout history, and assigned a perfect example for them to prove beyond doubt that what Islam preaches is practical and, if properly followed, leads to everlasting felicity. This example set by Islam to women was manifested in the person of Lady Fatima Zahra (A), daughter of Allah's Messenger.
Yet, the English Library lacks a comprehensive book in regard to her life; so I was asked to take upon myself the duty of translating the work of a profound Shiite speaker - Muhammad Kazim Qazwini- entitled Fatima Zahra Min Al-Mahde Ila al-Lahd, into English. As I was translat- ing, I found the book to be in the form of speeches regarding the success- ive events of Fatima's life; therefore I decided to depend mainly on the said book for recording Fatima's biography until the time of the Prophet's death. Because of the extremely sensitive period which fol- lowed his death, and the everlasting effects which the events thereafter left upon the Islamic ideology and the structure of various Muslim sects and issues, I deemed it necessary to study various historical books, espe- cially those which dealt with Lady Fatima Zahra's life, to come up with the most accurate information regarding the prime of the post-period of the Prophet's death. Moreover, various sermons, which were delivered during those events, were intentionally included in the book-especially Fatima's speeches-so as to allow researchers to study the said historical events independently.

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shia in Islam

This book, which we have called Shi'ite Islam, seeks to clarify the true identity of Shi'ism which is one of the two major branches of Islam - the other being Sunnism. It deals in particular with the way Shi'ism originated and later developed, with the type of religious thought present in Shi'ism, and with Islamic sciences and culture as seen from the Shi'ite point of view.

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