The Prophet Muhammad the Best Leader for Mankind by Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

8/7/2019 The Prophet Muhammad the Best Leader for Mankind by Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

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The Prophet MuhammadThe Best Leader for Mankind

by

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi


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In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, theMerciful

The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his pure family, remained in the city of Mecca for approximately thirteen years when he was sent as amessenger. He then migrated to the city of Medinaand re mained there until his death on the 28 th of Safar 1. During the thirteen years that the Prophet

remained in Mecca, historians report that the number of converts to Islam was less than two hundred.

In Medina, the Prophet implemented the teachings of Islam practically (through devising laws and policies

based on those teachings), and thereafter throngs of people started to join Islam such that Almighty Allah

states in the Holy Quran,And you s ee people entering the religion of Allah

in troops .2

During the short period that the Prophet was inMedina, hundreds of thousands of people convertedto Islam, most of which occurred during the last twoor three years of the holy Prophets life. How, onemight ask, did the Prophet achieve such a goal?

The Prophet Mohammad is the greatest and mosthonourable person that Allah has ever created. ImamAli was once asked if he was superior to ProphetMohammad. Imam Ali r eplied, I am but one of theservants of Mohammad 3. Moreover, the quality of


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the traditions, laws, and the system that ProphetMohammad chose for Muslims are in line andconsistent with his character and merits. There is adirect relationship between his personal, intellectual,and spiritual qualities and those of the laws he brings.Just as the Prophet is the best of creation, his laws tooare the best and most perfect of laws and regulations.

Throughout his stay in Mecca since the start of hisProphetic mission, the Prophets plans and policiesdid not materialize; his teachings were notimplemented or practiced as the right environmentwas not yet available for them to be implemented, nor did he have the necessary means to do so, such that itwould become known how he would deal with

people:

How will he deal with his supporters andopponents?

What is his monetary policy? What are his policies for a war and its

aftermath? What type of government would he create? What is his personal lifestyle and practice?

All of these questions were addressed [when theProphet established his base] in Medina. Almosttwenty-five years after the death of the Prophet, whenImam Ali assumed the office of government, herevived and implemented the same policies and


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principles that the Prophet had, during his reign of less than five years.

The life of Prophet Mohammad contains great manyexamples of his conducts and policies that if theywere collected and presented to humanity, many

people would be so impressed by them that theywould ultimately adopt Islam as a way of life. If wetruly follow the genuine laws and traditions of theHoly Prophet and Imam Ali in every aspect of our lives, then what occurred fourteen centuries wouldhappen again, which is what Allah states in theabovementioned verse in the Holy Quran. Then youwould see millions of non-Muslims would willingly

join Islam.

What Was the Prophets Policy?The Prophets history reveals many lessons andexamples that elucidate the matters we previouslydiscussed. My brother, the late Grand AyatollahSayyid Mohammad Shirazi, may Allah elevate his

status, always encouraged his audience and students,

through his lectures, teachings, and books, to studythe history of Prophet Mohammad. Examining thehistory of the Prophet allows us to see what he wasand why he was so, such that Allah states in theQuran,

And you see people entering the religion of Allahin troops .


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The reality is that this event was not a miracle, but itwas rather a natural outcome emanating from theProphet's policies and conduct.

So who were the people that embraced Islam in hugenumbers during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammad?A great number of those converts were idolworshippers, but Christians, Jews, and the citizens of the city of Medina were also among the converts toIslam. These people did not adopt Islam individually,

but they became Muslims in large groups. How was itthat these people embraced Islam en masse, as Allahdescribes in the aforementioned verse? What did theysee, and what did they hear [to go through suchtransformation]? What beliefs did they adopt?

If today the conduct, teachings and policies of theProphet were to be made available in any corner of the world, then people would embrace Islam enmasse, with conviction and enthusiasm. Furthermore,Muslims would also acquire a greater confidence toguide others to Islam.

The life of Prophet Mohammad is filled with greatmany examples. If these were to be presented toChristians, Jews, and atheists, we will witness their conversion to Islam. Furthermore, the faith of Muslims would strengthen after learning about theProphets way of life and his teachings and the

principles he upheld.


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It is mentioned in a narration that a day will comewhen a phenomenon opposite to that observed in theholy verse aforementioned above would occur, Andyou see people renouncing the religion of Allah introops. This comes about when the people abandonthe Prophets teachings, and stop believing in them.

If you implement the genuine teachings of Islamwithin your families, your neighbours and relatives,then they would gradually come to believe in thoseteachings this is because the system of Islam is themost harmonious way of life known to humankind.

Laws of the Islamic GovernmentI will give one example of the Prophets policy,which is referred to in various historical reference

books compiled by Muslim and non-Muslim authors.This widely accepted narration states that when theProphet was in Medina and was Head of State, hedeclared,

Whoever dies and leaves a wealth behind, it

belongs to his or her heir.4

If this narration is presented to any nation, state, of any country or religion, it will certainly change its

peoples [perception of Islam] once they areconvinced of its authenticity.

The imposition of taxes on inheritance is commontoday in most countries, even in the countries that


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claim to have the best laws. The inheritance tax isnot a new law. It dates back to pre-Islamic eras, as itwas common amongst the pagans. In the laws of thePre-Islamic pagans, as well as those that weredeveloped in the course of history of Jewish andChristian faiths inheritance tax was upheld. So, if a

person dies and leaves some wealth behind, thegovernment or the dominant tribe, or those inauthority, would usually take a part of the money in

the form of inheritance tax. In Islam, however, as theProphet states, there is no such law that imposes anytaxes on inheritance.

The Prophet Muhammad further states,

Whoever dies and leaves a debt or a poor family

behind, then it is to me and upon me.5

This means that if a person dies and leaves behind a

poor family with no money, then they should cometo me for they are now my responsibility, i.e. theProphet Mohammad would be responsible for the

poor familys expenses. But, naturally, the Prophet

of Islam went even further than that by extending hishand to those who were in debt. I believe that such alaw does not exist anywhere in the world. Today,even the rich countries that claim to be civilised donot have laws such as these.

Is there a law today in any country in the world that

the Head of State pays off the debt of a deceased?Sometimes it may happen, but not before the


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inheritors spend endless hours going through so many bureaucracies when they might receive some of themoney to pay off a fraction of the debt. However,there is no such law in any country that provides debtassurance. 6

It is noted that some countries today do offer welfaresupport. Some rich countries have laws that allow

poor families financial support, but not enough to

meet the families needs. Now lets suppose that a country declares thefollowing laws

1. No inheritance tax,

2. If a person dies and leaves a poor family

behind, the government will take care of thefamily's expenses, and if he was in debt, wewill pay off his debt.

Don't you think many people from around the worldwould leave their countries and migrate to such acountry to be its citizens? Even though there is no

such law today, you still notice that many peoplemigrate from Islamic countries and less developedcountries to countries that enjoy only partialeconomical comfort and safety, regardless of statereligion there.

In general, what is certain is that in Islam, the leader

of Muslims must take care of, up to sufficient level,the expenses of a poor family, and pay off its debt.


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Imam Sadiq states, It is upon the Imam (leader or Head of State) to pay it off [the debt], and if he doesnot, the n upon him is the sin [of not paying off thedebt]. 7 However, the word Imam in this narrationrefers to any head of state that has the capability to dosuch things.

The Prophet of Islam did indeed give this great gift tothe world a gift that truly carries with it the

prosperity for mankind. Similarly, this is what willhappen again after the appearance of Imam Mahdi,when Allah's promise will b e f ulfilled, To proclaim[Islam] over all religions .8

There is a narration from Imam Sadiq, which followsthe Prophetic tradition, that can be found in our

books, and this is a source of pride for us, for the Ahlal-Bayt 9 are bestowed with knowledge that others donot have, alas some of our people are not aware of what our Imams posses. Imam Sadiq states, Thereason behind the conversion of most Jews to Islamwas none other than this saying of ProphetMohammad. 10 When Prophet Mohammad was incharge, as the Head of State, in Medina, he madethose declarations and set them as legal laws. As anoutcome of these laws, many Jews joined Islam asthey realised that Islam was a good religion, andembracing it as a way of life was a sensible idea.Perhaps they thoughts that:


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1. If we die rich, then the Islamic government willnot take anything from our wealth that we leave

behind. Thus, our sons/daughters would receiveall of our wealth.

2. On the other hand, if we die poor, then theIslamic government will provide for our families necessary needs. Moreover, if we diewhile we are in debt, our families would notcarry the burden of our debts, for the Prophet of Islam would take care of our debts.

Thus, the Jews [who were opposed to Islam such]that the Quran said about, Certainly you will findthe roughest of people in enm ity to those whobelieve, (to be) the Jews 11 joined Islam

individually, as whole families, and in groups.While most Jews converted to Islam for economicincentives, their children and grandchildren saw thelight of Islam by living amongst Muslims andgrowing up in the haven of Islam. Hence, it is

possible that some of our Muslim scholars might

have been the descendants of early Jews whoembraced Islam.

This is but one example of hundreds of examplesfrom the history of Islam that portray its beauty.

If Christians come to realize that Islam is the true, practical religion that is not merely the utterance of words and phrases, but is applied in practice the


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way the Prophet Muhammad and Imam Aliimplemented it would they not embrace Islam?Wouldn't the Jews join Islam if they were to know thetruth about this great religion? Isnt this examplealone enough for the Christians, Jews, Buddhists andother non-Muslims to adopt Islam as a way of life?How did Prophet Mohammad change and guide somany people to Islam, such that Allah said, Andyou see people entering the religion of Allah in

troops ? Why was this phenomenon not realisedduring the thirteen years Prophet Mohammad stayedin Mecca, but rather they joined Islam in large groupsduring the nine or ten years he spent in Medina?

Prophet Mohammad was able to guide so many people to Islam because the proper grounds and

circumstances were available in Medina, but theywere not in Mecca. Therefore, if such condition

becomes available anywhere in the world, includingin non-Muslim countries, and the laws of Islam aretaught and implemented, the majority of the peoplewould join Islam.

The world has not witnessed a person more superior than the Prophet Muhammad who had the best of teachings and policies for mankind. Who wouldchoose not to follow and emulate someone who hadthe best policies? The elevated dignity and noblehonour for a human being offered by Islam, and the

social welfare system that Prophet Mohammad andImam Ali implemented have not been matched


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anywhere in the world. No laws exist that surpass the pristine and ideal laws of Islam.

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari was a young polytheist. Whatinspired him to embrace Islam? What did he see andwitness that motivated him to become a Muslim andultimately an exceptional exemplar? His influencewas so great and resonant that there have hundredsgreat Muslim scholars who are the direct results of his efforts.

Imam Alis Management of GovernmentFor a few years, the government was in the hands of Imam Ali when he was in the city of Kufa. Kufa was

a large city, and according to some chroniclers, itsarea exceeded 500 squared kilometres. Kufa was alsothe capital city of Imam Ali. History has recordedthat during Imam Alis reign of four years and fewmonths, an unprecedented incident took place.Closely examining history, no other accounts similar to this incident ever occurred during Imam Alisreign. One day Imam Ali was crossing a street inKufa and noticed someone begging. Imam Ali asked,What is this? Someone, who was not well versedwith Islam, replied, This beggar is a Christian manwho has grown old and can no longer work, so he

begs. Perhaps the man might have thought it made a

difference to the Imam if the beggar was non-Muslim, whereas from Islams perspective, this made


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no difference. Some people today might not knowthese things; and seeing the negative actions of Muslims and how they treat peoples of other faiths,might not believe such historical incidents that

portray the beauty and tolerance of Islam. Theywonder that if such accounts did occur, why Muslimsdo not act accordingly.

Imam Ali, disturbed by the Christian mans conditionand the reply he received, admonished hiscompanions, and said, You took advantage of him(during his youth), and when he grew old anddisabled, you abandoned him!

Is there a country in the world today that is free of beggars? If we look at the richest country in theworld, we would still find many beggars and poor

people. While the degree of poverty and the proportion of impoverished people vary from onecountry to another, poverty exists everywhere. Somecountries have many poor people and beggars, othershave less. As we all know, even in the most advancedcountries and under the most sophisticated laws of our time, we still find beggars. Meanwhile in Islam,

beggars and poverty, amongst other social problems,are not (pushed aside because they are) considered

personal problems, for there is no room for beggingin an Islamic country.


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Islam: For This Life and theHereafterIslam is not only concerned about the Hereafter.Islam is also concerned about conferring humankindwith the felicity of this life as well. Islam means:

Peace and security Healthy economy Healthy politics Clean and orderly society The well-being of everything

When Prophet Mohammad was in Medina, and evenwhen he was in Mecca but did not have authorityover the people, he called onto the people, Heed my

call and yo u w ill be kings in this world and in thehereafter. 12 The Prophet meant that if you adoptIslam as a way of life, you will find the felicity of thislife and the hereafter. This world will be as a paradiseto you, and in the hereafter you will end up heaven.

Similarly, Imam Alis government represented the

authentic and accurate form of Islam, theoreticallyand practically, it was not an Islamic government byname only, as the Prophet described the Islamicfaith of some peoples when he said, There will comea time upon my natio n in which nothing of Islam willremain but its name. 13

Therefore, practicing the genuine Islam, Imam Aliordered that the Christian beggar be paid a salary


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enough for his living from Bayt-al-Mal , or theMuslim treasury.

The Prophet of Islam did indeed present the worldthis gift that carries with it the bliss for humankind.When Imam Mahdi will reappear, Gods promise will

be fulfilled, as stated in th e Quran, To proclaim it(Islam) over all religions. 14 At that time the banner of Islam will spread across the entire world, and all

will join Islam.

Two Pieces of AdviseI leave two recommendations for my brothers andsisters, and I hope they seek to act upon them by thewill of God.

1. The first recommendation is what my late brother used to emphasize upon continuously. In fact it isactually the recommendation of God before Hecreated humankind. We must all strive to conductmajalis for Imam Hussein. We should all attend these

programs from the beginning of the month of

Muharram until the end of the month of Safar, andthroughout the entire year as well. This blessedendeavour will never go in vain, not even the smallestmeasure of it. Furthermore, it will be a saving for youand will be recorded as a good deed for you. Once themonth of Safar ends, try to achieve this great successduring the following months. I hope that you willdeliver this message to others and act upon it


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yourselves. We must all, whether were are young or old, have families or are single, give an hour or two,or even a half an hour to Imam Hussein. In our

private homes we should conduct majalis for ImamHussein, beginning in Safar. If someone is less welloff, he can do as much as his financial state allows,even if it means lighting a candle in the name of Imam Hussein for a few minutes each week in the

presence of his friends and family. If a better

opportunity is available, you can invite your neighbours, relatives and friends to such gatherings.Try to maintain these programs such that a week doesnot pass in which the tragedy of Imam Hussein is notmentioned in your homes, for in this there is the

blessing of this life and the Hereafter. Even if you are

a member or a supervisor of a Hussainiya and youhold majalis regularly at the Hussainiya , do not leaveyour house without a candle for Imam Hussein. Themajalis for Imam Hussein may serve as the main

pathways that lead us to success in life.

2. The second recommendation concerns the

endeavour to protect our youth, and try to keep themfirmly fastened on the path of Allah, ProphetMohammad, and Ahl al-Bayt peace be upon them .

No matter how firm is their faith, never stop theendeavour to strengthen their faith. If you cannot dothat yourselves, you can facilitate the means requiredto guide them, such as providing them with books or lectures. We must teach our youth about Prophet


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Mohammad and his family the way that they presented themselves and the way that the Quran presents them. We should not introduce them in waysthat either underestimate their status or overestimateit. There are certain groups that intend to misguide

people by altering the reality about them, either bydegrading their status or highly exaggerating it. So,for example, we may not ascribe any of Godsexclusive attributes to the Imams. We should teach

our youth about the infallibility of the Imams or anyother matters or facts concerning them.

Imam Sadiq Disavows ImpostorsIt has been related that a man named Mohammad binMiqlas, also known as Abul-Khattab, used to feign

himself as a Muslim while in reality he was not aMuslim. He would gather with the companions of Imam Sadiq and listen carefully until he learned someof their words. After some time passed, this manstarted to introduce himself as the representative of Imam Sadiq. One day he claimed that Imam Sadiq

was God, and that he was Imam Sadiqs prophet.Upon learning about Abul-Khattabs mischievousclaims, Imam Sadiq cursed him. On severaloccasions, Abul-Khattab was informed that the Imamhad cursed, but it did not seem to matter to him thatthe Imam cursed him. He used to say, this is ashow, and in doing so the Imam wants to achieve(something more) important.


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What should Imam Sadiq do with such a person?Things usually do not work by miracles, for peoplemust be tested. Miracles are only performed in order set the proof for the truth. 15 In fact, the mere presenceof Imam Sadiq sets the proof for the truth. TheAlmighty states, That he w ho would perish mightperish by clear proof .16 And if there are no clear

proofs, miracles are performed.

Meanwhile, Mohammad bin Miqlas went to Mecca to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. A man came to ImamSadiq and said, O son of the Messenger of God!Mohammad bin Miqlas went to p erform the Ha jj, a nd

before observing t he ihram 17 at the miqat, 18 he recitedthe talbiya 19 in your name. Tears streamed downfrom the Imams blessed eyes, and his facialexpressions changed. He then raised his hands towardthe sky and humbly addressed the Almighty, MyLord! It is not II ask for your forgivenessmyLord, I apologize to you! Then he prostrated inhumbleness to Allah.

One might ask: What harm do the actions of Mohammad bin Miqlas have on Imam Sadiq? Doesnot the Qur'an state, and no b ear er of burden shallbear the burden of another 20 Imam Sadiq knowsthis verse better than you and I, and it wasMohammad bin Miqlas that claimed those lies aboutthe Imam after all. The Imam himself did not claimthose lies, so why did the Imam cry and worry?


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Furthermore, doesnt God know that the Imam didnot say those words?

Mohammad bin Miqlas committed a sin when hedeclared talbiya in the name of Imam Sadiq. Godknows that when Imam Sadiq declares talbiya whichmeans Oh Allah, I heed your call, a disturbanceinterrupts his looks, he begins to shake, and he doesnot rush in saying the talbiya . We, on the other hand,rush to declare the talbiya because we do notunderstand the real meaning of it, while the Imamunderstands it completely.

Some of the people around the Imam might have been surprised seeing the Imam ask for forgiveness inthis manner. Imam Sadiq says to Zaid al-Narsi, thenarrator of this hadith , I a sk A llah for forgiveness sothat I settle in my grave, 21 meaning that I can beconfident and assured in my grave. Does this meanthat the Imam will be questioned in his grave? Of course not, and the Imam himself knows that he willnot be questioned. So what does his statement sothat I settle in my grave mean?

Throughout history some people have claimed thatJesus is God. The Quran says that on the Day of Judgment, at the vast justice court of Allah, theAlmighty will ask Jesus in the presence of all thecreations, O Jesus son of Mary! Did you say to thepeople: take me and my mother as two godsbesides Allah ? 22 Allah knows that Jesus did not


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claim that he was God, but perhaps Allah wants toadmonish the people who perpetrated those falseclaims about Jesus, as a result of their ill souls.

Some scholars say that probably the meaning of Imam Sadiq's anguish and his repentance to Allah,and the meaning of his words so that I settle in mygrave is that: I ask Allah for forgiveness so that Iwould not be questioned in my grave as if I wasresponsible for the actions of Mohammad binMiqlas. The Imam did not want to be asked thisquestion because merely being questioned in thegrave is stressful and difficult.

There is no need to exaggerate and unjustly elevatethe status of the Imams. Such statements, such as theone of Mohammad bin Miqlas, disturb and hurt theImams, for they have said, relegate us fromdivinity. 23 Exaggerations do not serve as the right

paths to knowing our Imams. This type of actionmay bring upon us the curse of the Imams. ImamMahdi might curse those who assign him a statusabove his actual status.

The characteristics of God are for Him alone, and the Names of Allah are strictly reserved for Him. ImamAli is quoted as saying, Two people will bedestroyed because of me: a zealous one whoexaggerates, and an enemy who disdains. Thishadeeth means that the one who overestimates thestatus of Imam Ali by rendering him as a divine


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figure, and the one who carries contempt against himwill be destroyed on the Day of Judgment.

ConclusionIt is our obligation to protect our youth. Thisobligation lies primarily on the shoulders of mothers,fathers, uncles, aunts and those youths who

proactively participate in promoting observance of and adherence to Islam and its teachings. Organisereligious gatherings and promote them. Holdgatherings about Ahl al-Bayt and the discussion of the holy Quran, and always endorse these types of meetings. Dissemination of booklets and pamphletsabout God, the Hereafter, and other tenets of our faithis very important, for they rectify the faith of our

youth. Try to protect the youth in every proper way,and speak with them in a gentle, kind, and peacefulmanner. No matter how many times you fail in tryingto guide a young man, never give up. Every youthwho is guided to the right path can guide many othersto the right path in the future. Likewise, a youth who

has deviated from the right path might cause other youths to deviate too. In conclusion, I re-emphasizeon the two recommendations that I mentioned:

First: Hold weekly majalis for Imam Hussein in your homes.

Second: Our youthprotect them and secure their faith.


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I hope, by the grace of Prophet Mohammad and Ahlal-Bayt, all your good deeds are accepted andrecorded for you. By the will of God, you will all besuccessful in acting upon the two recommendations.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be on ProphetMohammad and his immaculate progeny.

Notes

1. Safar is the second month in the Islamic lunar calendar.2. The Holy Quran, The Succour (110): 23. al-Kafi vol. 1, p 894. al-Kafi vol. 7 p.1675. Kanz al-Ommal vol. 11 p106. In some countries there are life cover policies, but they requirea monthly payment for the rest of a person's life as a condition for the insurance.7. al-Kafi vol. 1 p. 4078. The Holy Quran, Repentance (9): 339 Literally means members of the household [of the Prophet]and this term is used in reference to the Prophet Muhammad, hisdaughter Fatima, his successor and son-in-law Ali, their sonsHasan and Husayn, as well as the nine impeccable imams

descendents of Husayn. They are also referred to as the 14Masoom (impeccable).10. al-Kafi vol. 1 p. 40711. The Holy Quran, Table Spread (5): 8212. Bihar al-Anwar vol. 18, p 185, hadith 1513. Bihar al-Anwar vol. 36 p 28414. The Holy Quran, Repentance (9): 3315. So that people would not have a pretext before God for disobeying him after the miracle.


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16. The Holy Quran, Public Estate (8): 4217. ihram is the rite of declaring the state of Ihram by wearingtwo pieces of cloths, hence initiating the Hajj.18. miqat is the place where one performs the Ihram for Hajj.19. talbiya literary means compliance. After performing ihram ,one must recite a few words as a compliance with God'sinvitation to Hajj.20. The Holy Quran, The Cattle (6): 16421. Mostadrak al-Wasael vol. 9 p 198

22. The Holy Quran, The Table Spread (5): 11623. al-Lom'a al-Baidha' p. 64

The Prophet Muhammad the Best Leader for Mankind by Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

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