Al-Huda
Foundation, NJ U. S. A
the Message Continues ... 4/157
HOME - NEWSLETTERS - BOOKS - ARTICLES
Article 1 - Article 2 - Article 3 - Article 4 - Article 5 - Article 6 - Article 7 - Article 8 - Article 9 - Article 10 - Article 11 - Article 12
KNOWLEDGEABLE DESERVES LEADERSHIP
There is a
well-known saying; Knowledge is
Power. This is evident not only
in modern times but also in
olden days. Let us review the
story of Prophet Sulayman. Allah
(SWT) revealed few questions to
Prophet Dawood and also provided
the answers and commanded him to
test his nineteen sons.
Whosoever answered those
questions correctly will succeed
the father.
One day
Prophet Dawood called all his
sons in the presence of the
scholars and the chiefs of the
tribes of his kingdom. He then
put forward the following
questions:
1.
Which thing
is closest (nearest) to man?
2.
Which is the
farthest thing?
3.
Which two
things are attached to each
other?
4.
Which is the
most awe-creating thing?
5.
Which two
things remain unchanged?
6.
Which two
things are always different?
7.
Which two
things are opposed to each
other?
8.
What is the
action the result of which is
good?
9.
What is that
action the result of which is
bad?
The sons of
Prophet Dawood felt helpless and
could not answer any of these
questions.
Then youngest
of the sons, Prophet Sulayman,
stood up and gave the following
answers:
1.
Death, as a
man can die any moment, hence
death is nearest to life.
2.
The farthest
thing is “the time” which has
gone away
3.
The two
things that are attached
together is “man’s body and his
soul”
4.
The most
awe-creating thing is “the man’s
dead body”
5.
The two
things that remain the same are
“sky and the earth”
6.
The two
things which are different are
“day and night”
7.
The two
things which are opposed to each
other are “life and death”
8.
The action,
the end of which is good, is the
patience and forbearance at the
time of anger.
9.
The action,
the end of which is bad, is
haste at the time of anger.
We should
keep in mind the state of
general knowledge at the time of
Prophet Dawood.
Prophet
Dawood, was very much impressed
by the correct answers and
appointed Prophet Sulayman as
his successor.
During the
period of the second caliph, a
group of Jews came to the caliph
and said “We have few questions.
If we get the answers to these
questions correctly, we will
accept Islamic faith”. They
asked the following questions:
1.
What are the
locks and keys of heaven?
2.
Who was the
messenger who was neither of the
human nor jinn and who warned
his people?
3.
Which were
the five beings who were created
without the aid of ovaries?
4.
What are one,
two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven,
twelve?
The caliph
thought over it and said, “I do
not know the answers to these
questions, but I will take you
to a man who is most
knowledgeable in the commandment
of God and Prophet and the
greatest among us.” The caliph
then brought the Jewish scholars
to Imam Ali (A.S.). They asked
the same questions to him. The
Gateway of Knowledge replied:
1.
The locks of
the heavens are beliefs in more
than one God and its keys are
the letters “La Ilaha Illallah
Muhammad ur Rasululallah.
2.
The messenger
who warned his people is the ant
who, when Prophet Sulayman’s
army was passing by said to his
people, “Enter your houses so
that the army may not stamp you
out (without intention). So
Allah states in Holy Qur’an,
“When they arrived in the valley
of the ants, one ant said to the
others, “Enter your dwellings
lest you be carelessly crushed
by (Prophet) Sulayman and his
army” Surah An-Namal verse 18.
3.
The five
beings who were not born of
ovaries are: Adam, Eve, the
staff (stick) of Prophet Musa,
which used to change into a
python (snake), the camel of
Prophet Saleh, and the sheep of
Prophet Ibrahim (which was sent
by Allah to become a ransom of
the life of Prophet Isma’el.
4.
One is Allah
who has no partners, Two are
Adam and Eve, Three are the
substances (i.e. non-living
matter, plants and animals),
Four are the Heavenly Books:
Tora (Taurait) of Musa, Bible (Injeel)
of Jesus (Eisa), Zubur of Dawood,
and Qur’an of Muhammad (SA),
Five are the daily prayers. Six
are the days (periods) of
creation of heavens and earth as
per the verse of the Holy Qur’an
“We created the heavens, the
earth and all that is between
them in six periods without
experiencing any fatigue.” Sura
al-Qaf verse 38. Seven are the
seven heavens, in the light of
the Qur’anic verse, “Have We not
made seven strong heavens above
you?” Surah An-Naba verse 12.
Eight are those angels who bear
the heavens as per the Qur’anic
verse, “The angels will be
around the heavens and on that
day eight people will carry the
Throne (knowledge) of your Lord
above all the creatures.” Surah
Al-Haqqa verse 17. Nine are the
nine signs given to Prophet Musa
as stated by Allah, “To Musa We
gave nine illustrious miracles.
Ask the Israelites; Musa came to
them. The Pharaoh said to him,
“Musa, I believe that you are
bewitched.” Surah Al-Isra’ verse
101. Ten are the ten days i.e.
Allah had promised Musa that he
would stay for thirty days on
the mountain of Toor, and later
added ten more days to this
duration, as stated in the Noble
Qur’an, “We told Musa to stay
with Us for thirty nights (in
the mountains) but added ten
nights more, so his appointment
with his Lord came to an end
after forty nights….” Surah Al-A’raf
verse 142. Eleven are the
brothers of Yusuf , son of
Prophet Yaqoob, as the Noble
Qur’an states, “When Yusuf said,
“Father, in my dream I saw
eleven stars, the sun, and the
moon prostrating before me.”
Surah Al-Yusuf verse 4. Twelve
are the twelve water-springs
manifested by the staff (stick)
of Prophet Musa, as Allah says,
“When Musa prayed for rain, We
told him to strike the rock with
his staff. Thereupon twelve
fountains gushed out of the rock
and each tribe knew their
drinking place. (The Lord told
them), Eat and drink from
Allah’s bounties and do not
abuse the earth as corrupt ones”
Surah Al-Baqara verse 60.
When the
Jewish scholars heard the
replies of Imam Ali (AS), they
said, “We bear witness that
there is no God but Allah and
that Muhammad (SAWS) is His
Messenger and Ali (AS) is the “Wasi”
and successor of the Messenger
of Allah as Aaron (Haroon) was
the “Wasi” of Moses (Musa).”
They all embraced Islam, went
back to their tribe and
converted all of them to Islam.
It is a point
to ponder that if any one is
forced to convert to Islam under
coercion then he will go back to
his original faith as soon as
the imminent danger to his life
or property is removed. Change
always comes from heart and the
seat of intellect is heart. If a
person is convinced about any
matter like religion then he
converts forever. Is it possible
to collect data about the
Millions of people attracted
towards Islam by the limitless
ocean of knowledge of Imam Ali
(AS). There is well-accepted
tradition of the Prophet (SAWS)
which reads, “I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gateway.” |
DISCLAIMER:
All material published by Al-Huda.com / And the Message Continues is the sole responsibility of its author's).
The opinions and/or assertions contained therein do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of this site,
nor of Al-Huda and its officers.