FRIDAY LEARNING ZONE FROM WESSEX JAMAAT
22nd Jamadi al-Awwal 1428 AH / 8th June 2007
No. 23
AL-MEEZAN –CON’T
We are not infallibles; therefore we are bound to commit errors that will affect our Meezan ‘weighing scales of deeds’ and make us liable for the punishment in the Hereafter. However, Allah (SWT), out of His grace and mercy, has kept certain deeds that will increase the measure of good deeds in our scales. We must identify those deeds and perform them as much as possible in our lives.
One of the deeds that has been specifically mentioned in the traditions, that will be extremely useful at the time when our deeds are being weighed is: RECITATION OF SALAWAAT ON THE HOLY PROPHET (SAWW) & HIS PROGENY (AS). Reciting of SALAWAAT is the command of Allah (SWT) to us. “Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who have faith! Invoke blessings on him and invoke peace on him in a worthy manner”. (33:56)
When this verse was revealed, Muslims asked the Holy Prophet (saww) as to how should they invoke blessings on him? The Holy Prophet (saww) asked them to recite: ALLAHUMMA SALLI ‘ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ‘ALA AALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA SALLAYTA ‘ALAA IBRAHEEMA WA ‘ALAA AALA IBRAHEEM, INNAKA HAMEEDUN MAJEED “O Allah! Bless Muhammad and his progeny, in the same manner as you blessed Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Verily You are most praiseworthy, most glorious”. (Al-Bukhari)
Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi writes that the method of reciting Salawaat by our 12th Imam (AJ) is by saying: ALLAHUMMA SALLI ‘ALAA MUHAMMADIN WA ‘ALAA AALI MUHAMMADIN, WA ‘AJJIL FARAJAHUM “O Allah! Send Your blessings on Muhammad and upon the progeny of Muhammad; and hasten in their joy”. (Manazil al-Aakhirah)
On the night of Me’raj, the Holy Prophet (saww) came across an Angel who had one thousand hands, and in each hand one thousand fingers. So he (saww) asked Jibrael who the Angel was? Jibrael said, “This Angel has been appointed by Allah to count the drops of rain that fall on earth”. The Holy Prophet (saww) turned towards that Angel and asked, “Do you know the total amount of rain drops that have fallen on earth from the time Allah created the world till now?” The Angel said, “O Prophet of Allah! I swear by my Lord Who has chosen you as a blessing for mankind, indeed I know the total amount of rain-drops fallen on the earth till now. I also know how many drops have fallen in the wilds, in the prosperous lands, in the gardens and also in the cemetery”. The Holy Prophet (saww) then told the Angel how much he (saww) was surprised by his intellect and ability to remember, to which, the Angel replied, “O Prophet of Allah! There is only one thing where my ability to count becomes futile”. The Holy Prophet (saww) asked him what that thing was? And the Angel replied, “When people of your Nation gather at one place and send Salawaat on you – it is beyond my ability to count the rewards for it”. (Manazil al-Aakhirah)
SALAWAAT DURING MEEZAN
The Holy Prophet (saww) has said,
“On the Day of Qiyamah, I will be present at the time when the deeds are being weighed. If a person’s bad deeds will weigh more than his good ones, I will bring along SALAWAAT which he sent upon me and add to the good deeds thereby increasing its weight”. (Manazil al-Aakhirah)
It is also reported from Imam al-Baqir (as) who said:
“For increasing the measure of good deeds in the scales, no other deed carries more weight than sending SALAWAAT on Muhammad (saww) and his progeny. A person’s deeds will be weighed and when his good deeds seems less, SALAWAAT will be brought and placed, and lo the good deeds will increase”.
(Manazil al-Aakhirah)