BASED ON THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN 1426 LECTURE # 2

Imam Hasan (a-s)

In his teachings are the solutions to today’s problems.

“In the Name of ALLAH the Merciful, the Compassionate”

By: Brother Ali Ja’afary.

INTRODUCTION:

One of the great social problems that our society is conflicted with is the understanding of freedom. In my own personal case this was both an inner and outer battle that lasted some 30 years until I embraced Islam. The major obstacles that I faced were mainly caused by:

1-  Lack of education.

2-   Media influence and systematic dictatorships.

3-  Irreligious upbringing.

4-  Evil and bad influences.

I later realised as I embraced Islam and began to study its dogma, that Islam had the exact and perfect divinely created programme for the human being’s true freedom. I still remember clearly when I was in my first year of being a Muslim, a brother asked me if I felt the laws of Islam restrictive, I quickly and truthfully answered him, that Islam to me is freedom. He was a born Muslim and a very good believer, therefore he could not imagine how terribly hard life is without Islam, for Islam is the most perfect programme and mission for all mankind, it is essential for all, in order to develop true human virtues that direct man to the nearness and closeness of ALLAH (swt) and a new eternal life full of happiness and bliss.

Imam Hasan’s (a-s) teachings were completely based on “True Freedom” for he was one of the divinely guided Imams (a-s), who was especially created to guide and lead us on the straight path that was laid down by ALLAH (swt), through his Messenger and Prophet Muhammad (saww). It is only through these Infallible Imams (a-s) that we can be lead to eternal happiness and felicity. On this most auspicious occasion of the 15^th of the Holy Month of Ramadan the birthday of Imam Hasan (a-s), I would like to take a brief look at his teachings and how they are of the upmost importance in today’s world.

Imam Hasan a teacher of freedom:

Imam Hasan (a-s) said: “I wonder about the person who contemplates about his nutrition and yet does not reflect and worry about his intellect and soul, so he avoids the harmful foods to enter stomach but he lets his mind and heart to be filled with what destroys him”. (Safina tul Bihar, vol 2, p.84)

Let us take a closer look at these great words of Imam Hasan (a-s) for this Hadith fits our current society perfectly. In our current “Democratic Capitalist” system, where Materialism is its only doctrine, promoting individual desires to an over exaggerated proportion, to the point where corruption and sins are now an acceptable behaviour in many cases. They have shut out religion completely, basing their argument on the corruption found in Christianity, developing masses of hard hearted populations, who have no other care in the world than filling their own corrupt base desires, which in return push them even deeper into doom and desperation. They claim that it’s all in the name of “freedom”, when in fact; it is really a weapon of the extreme rich and powerful, in order to keep their sheep deaf, dumb and blind. The end results are racism, growing crime rates, prostitution, drug problems, violent crimes, murders etc… and all in the name of selfishness and ignorance, this is the true face of “Democratic Capitalism”. Please forgive me if I paint an ugly picture; however, this is the true picture. This is the social consequences when a society bases itself only on material desires and selfish wishes; this is the consequences of those who worry about their stomachs and not their intellects and hearts, as Imam Hasan (a-s) said. Imam Hasan (a-s) gave us warning of the consequences of such actions when he (a-s) said: “Whoever loves this world; the fear of the Hereafter leaves his heart” (Liyal Al Ekhbar vol 1, p.51)

When we reflect on the human being and all of his strengths and all of his weaknesses, at times we, ourselves can be confused about what is best for us, in other words we cannot be the player and the referee at the same time. Let me take an everyday example to explain this point. Say for example you decide to have a special motor vehicle built for yourself, once you have it in your possession, you find the motor is making a ticking sound, perhaps you can try to figure the problem out yourself, however, the best person to turn to is the one who built the vehicle, for surely he will have the solution to eliminate the noise, because no one knows the vehicle more than him, for he’s the builder. We must also turn to our creator for the answers to our problems. Imam Hasan (a-s) said: “O servants of ALLAH (swt), fear ALLAH Azz wa Jall, seek from HIM seriously and escape his punishment. Enter upon acting before the befalling of the punishment and the coming of the destroyer of the pleasures”. (Tuhaf Al-Uquul)

The Noble Qur’an says: “It is HE Who hath created for you all things that are on earth… (The Holy Qur’an, 45-13)

We understand that any question we may have, it is our Creator ALLAH (swt) who has the answers for all questions. It is simple, the secret of “True Freedom” can never be found in our poorly created systems that turn away from truth and ALLAH (swt). In fact, to turn ones’ hopes towards anything else except ALLAH Azz wa Jall is the worst of sins, for it is an act of polytheism. ALLAH (swt) says: “Verily those whom ye call upon besides ALLAH are servants like unto you…” (The Holy Qur’an 7:194)  Therefore to seek and find the “True Freedom” is no secret after all. True Freedom is Tawheed (Monotheism). Belief in ALLAH (swt) as the One and the Only God is the only true liberation of man from the shackles and chains of base desires and futile beliefs. ALLAH (swt) has a great Mercy to all mankind, has sent to us through the master of the Prophets; Prophet Muhammad (saww), by revelation of the Holy Qur’an the absolute perfect Doctrine.

Imam Hasan (a-s) said: “The comfort of this world is not ceaseless, its misfortunes cannot be trusted, and its troubles cannot be avoided. It is surely an unsteady delusion and slanting pillar”. (Tuhaf al-Uquul)  We must understand by this Hadith, that in order to truly be free, we must fill our hearts with the love of ALLAH (swt) and always remember life in this world is only for a short time, we must keep death close to us at all times. This will open the eyes of our hearts to the truth, we will see then that all our pursuits outside the path of ALLAH Azz wa Jall are futile and idle and only at that point will we be truly free.

Our belief in Tawheed is truly our only way to perfect our inner soul and to gain true closeness and nearness to ALLAH (swt), and the only way to do so is to follow the Straight Path laid down for all mankind, for ALLAH Azz wa Jall says: “O you who believe! Obey ALLAH and obey the Apostle and those in authority from amongst you”. (Holy Qur’an 4 Surah An-Nisa 59).  Imam Hasan (a-s) is part of that Straight Path, he (a-s) is one of the Infallible and pure Imams of the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s), ALLAH (swt) says about them: “ALLAH intendeth but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanness, O’ye the people of the house (Ahlul-Bayt) and purify you (with) a thorough purification”. (The Holy Qur’an 33-Al-Ahzab-33). He spent his entire life in the great struggle for Islam and in order to protect the true message of Islam. Imam Hasan’s (a-s) discourses, sermons and teachings are all exact proofs of true freedom found only in Tawheed, the belief in ALLAH (swt) as the One and the Only Creator of all existence, let us reflect on the greatness of this message and thank ALLAH (swt) to have gifted and blessed us with the only true freedom for man, which is without any doubt Islam.

This is one of the great influences Imam Hasan (a-s) had on me, Insha’ALLAH his great teachings have guided me closer to the truth, to freedom and to true Tawheed. I was very surprised when I witnessed on a recent trip to the Middle East, how many people are now fronting Islam only as a name tag and nothing more, however, they do not worry about the fact that all of their actions are being registered for the Day of Judgement, but that is another subject, for another day Insha’ALLAH.

Congratulations to all Muslims on this most auspicious occasion, the birthday of our 2^nd Holy Imam; Imam Hasan (a-s), May ALLAH (swt) bless you all, As-Salam Alaykum wa Ramatullah wa Barakatuh.

BROTHER ALI JA’AFARY.