Now coming to my own topic, Have we (as the followers of Imam Ali (a.s)) ever considered history to solve our problems? Today when people are talking about Shia Waqf Board, I want to ask them is this solution to the problem? No not at all. Now let’s go through the history and see why?
Adv Qumber Rizwan Noori:
After returning from the Battle of Siffin, Imam Ali (a.s.) gave certain advices to one of his sons which have been quoted in letter no. 31 of the glorious Nahjul Balaghah. I would like to mention a small excerpt from the same letter here because I want to make an argument on an important ongoing issue.
“My dear son! Though the span of my life is not as that of some other people who have passed away before me yet I took great care to study their lives assiduously. I went through their activities. I contemplated over their deliberations and deeds. I studied their remains, relics and ruins. I pondered over their lives so deeply that I felt as if I have lived and worked with them from early ages of history down to our times and I know what did them good and what brought harm to them. Sifting the good from bad I am concentrating within these pages, and for your good, the knowledge that I so gathered”.
We, who call ourselves followers of Imam Ali a.s, have ever read Nahjul Balaghah or have we ever even opened it? I am not here to define about the book. What I want to tell my readers are certain important points on which Imam Ali a.s emphasised about the importance and learning about history. It states how we can take lessons from history to protect ourselves from calamites, misfortunes and downfalls. It was asked to Luqman Hakeem that how he became sage. He replied: “I didn’t do things what lunatics used to do”. History also tells us the same thing. If we want to save ourselves from calamites and hardships, then we should go through the historical events in order to find out how people lived in the past and how they became victim of certain disasters. After studying and learning about these happenings, we shouldn’t repeat the mistakes done by the people of past.
Imam Ali (a.s) says to his son: “I know what did them good and what brought harm to them”. After this sentence Imam Ali a.s says that “Sifting the good from bad I am concentrating within these pages, and for your good, the knowledge that I so gathered.” Here Imam Ali a.s clearly tells his son that for your good I gathered all the information so that you should not do what they did to destroy themselves. Imam Ali a.s clearly insists us to read the history in order to save ourselves from the calamities.
Now coming to my own topic, Have we (as the followers of Imam Ali (a.s)) ever considered history to solve our problems? Today when people are talking about Shia Waqf Board, I want to ask them is this solution to the problem? No not at all. Now let’s go through the history and see why?
Shah Bano case is in front of our eyes what did we get? Nothing
Triple Talaq what did we get? Nothing
We should have solved these issues by ourselves, without defaming our religion by dragging outsiders in our matters. It was not an uphill task and we could have solved it but we didn’t.
If my brothers from Sunni school of thought have had taken steps on time to solve these problems within themselves, I don’t think that our matters would have been taken to the courts.
Taking an example of the present condition of Auqaf in the states outside Kashmir which is merely exhausted and ruined, we can conclude that by involving the external authorities not only the problems of the Auqaf did not get solved but also whatever property they had, either got destroyed or encroached gradually.
Dear brothers! I appreciate those people who have taken the steps to protect our community from the sufferings. I am not against board but I just want to ask why can’t we take lessons from history? As the history tells us, 3rd party is not a solution. They have given nothing, instead they bought more calamities. The same way here also, it will give us no benefit but only defamation. So why should ask outsiders to solve our personal and community disputes when we already have the holy Quran and Ahlulbait (a.s). So we should sit and consult one another, keeping Quran and Ahlulbait (a.s) as touchstone to find the best way to solve our problems.
The Holy Prophet Mohammed s.a.w.w says whoever wants to do something and consults about it, God guides him to the wisest deeds. And in the very same way Imam Ali a.s says “Consultation itself is like finding way towards the goal. And anyone who acts arbitrarily is in danger”. Similarly, Quran has proposed the road map for the solution of our problems. Allah (s.w.t.) states in Surah al-Nisa, Verse 65 of the Holy Quran: “But no, by your Lord! They will not believe until they make you a judge in their disputes, then do not find within their hearts any dissent to your verdict and submit in full submission.”
My argument is that when we have these divine authorities to guide us to the straight path, why don’t we follow Quran and Ahlulbait (a.s) to solve our problems!
Author hails from Kashmir has completed Law, contributing his analysis and opinion for Wilayat Times is currently pursuing Islamic Studies at Howza Elmia Qom Iran.
