Shaykh Sadooq (a.r.)
has reported that:
[Whenever
Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (as) recited the Holy Quran and came across the
verse, which begins with
“O you who
have faith!”
Imam (as) would pause and say,
“O Lord! Here
I am responding to your call”.]
(Aamaali
of Shaykh Sadooq)
It is also
reported that Imam Hasan (as) had the habit of reciting Surah al-Kahf
(Chapter 18) from the Holy Quran every night before sleeping.
(Tareekh Ibn Katheer)
Why is there
a particular mention of this Surah? Ayatullah Shaykh Ali Karimi states
that: This
Surah talks about hope of waking up after sleep just as was the case of
‘As-haabe Kahf’ (the people of the cave), which has been described
therein. Perhaps it also directs us to the fact that whether one sleeps
for a short or long time, to wake him up is in the power of Allah (SWT)
alone. Therefore, one should never be negligent about the Manager of all
affairs (Allah) especially because if He (SWT) wills, He (SWT) can make
one sleep for very long and if He (SWT) wills, He (SWT) can take away
one’s soul during sleep such that there is no return into this world
after that. (Quran-o-‘Itrat)
GUIDANCE ON
ISTIGHFAR FROM QURAN
Ibn Rabee’ bin
Sabeeh has reported that:
[A
person came to Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (as) and began to complain about
the absence of rain. Imam (as) told him,
“Seek
forgiveness from Allah”.
Then
a man came and said, “Pray to Allah that he should grant me a son”. Imam
(as) told him, “Seek forgiveness
from Allah”. Then, yet another man came
and complained to Imam (as) about poverty. Imam (as) told him,
“Seek forgiveness from Allah”.
The
narrator asked, “People have come to you with different kinds of
problems and you have offered one solution to all and that is to seek
forgiveness?”
Imam
(as), “I have said nothing from
myself rather I have based my answer on the verse (of Quran) in which
Allah (SWT) says: “I told them: Plead to
your Lord for forgiveness, indeed He is all-forgiver. He will send for
you abundant rains from the sky, and aid you with wealth and sons, and
provide you with gardens and provide you with streams”.
(71:10-12)”.]
(Quran-o-‘Itrat)
It
is also narrated that:
[When
Imam Hasan (as) was going towards Mu’awiya, one of his followers joined
him briefly in his walk and said, “I am a wealthy man but I have not
been blessed with children. Could you please teach me something so that
Allah (SWT) grants me with a child?” Imam (as) said to him,
“Do
Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah)”.
The man returned
and followed the advice of Imam (as) so much as that many a time he
would seek forgiveness seven hundred times a day. Eventually, he was
blessed with ten sons.
When
Mu’awiya was informed about this incident, he said, “Have you not asked
him the reason for it?” He then sent a man to Imam (as) to inquire about
it. Imam (as) said,
“Haven’t
you heard the statement of Hud:
“O my people!
Plead with your Lord for forgiveness, then turn to Him penitently: He
will send copious rains for you from the sky, and add power to your
(present) power. So do not turn your backs (on Him) as guilty ones”.
(11:52)
And the
statement of Nuh:
“I told them:
Plead to your Lord for forgiveness, indeed He is all-forgiver. He will
send for you abundant rains from the sky, and aid you with wealth and
sons, and provide you with gardens and provide you with streams”.
(71:10-12)”.]
(Fusoolul-Muhimmah)
To be continued…