In this part of the article titled “The Charity Givers are Alive even if They Die!”, we shall continue with the discussion on the topic here.
It has been related that during the Abbasid regime one of the cruel rulers used to charge high taxes to the people. The people of Balkh in Afghanistan were subjected to cruelty when they refused to pay taxes to the rulers. When the situation for the people of Balkh became intolerable they went to the wife of the representative of the ruler in Balkh who they knew to be a merciful and considerate lady.
When they asked her to intercede on their behalf, she took out an expensive and glamorous robe of hers, the value of which equalled to the amount demanded of them. The representative of the ruler in Balkh took his wife’s robe and placed it in front of the merciless ruler. The ruler demanded to know whose robe it was, and when the representative informed him of the events, the ruler was touched by the merciful act of the lady and forgave the villagers asking that the robe should be returned to its owner.
The lady on receiving the robe asked whether the ruler had glanced at her robe. “Yes,” said her husband. “Well, I shall not wear a dress on which a stranger’s eye has befallen, so sell this robe and build a mosque from the money you get.” Ibn Batuta in his narrations says that this mosque still stands. The dress was sold but a mosque remains. Good acts remain. A shining reminder that what counts are deeds!
House for this world or Masjid for the Akhirah (Afterlife)!
One of the followers of the great Ayatollah Murtadha Ansaari, donated some wealth to him requesting him to buy a house. Having donated this money, the man went to perform the Pilgrimage. The Ayatullah deemed it more important to build a mosque with this money.
This mosque still stands and so many people have prayed in it and have gained knowledge in it. The man on his return from pilgrimage was surprised to see that contrary to his expectations, the Ayatullah had built a mosque instead of a house to reside in.
When the man questioned, the Ayatullah replied, “Which is better, a house here in this world or a residence in the Hereafter? For we shall soon leave this world and we need a house more in our permanent abode.” The man’s trust and faith increased tenfold in Ayatullah’s wisdom. (1)
Thus a Library was established …!
One prominent scholar and authority on Islam called Sayyid Mar’ashi established a famous library in the city of Qum. He did this with his own personal effort by toiling hard for many years. Libraries play a very important role in causing awareness among people, giving people a good hobby and pass time, spreading good virtues, being a source of pleasure, for the preservation of our culture and for the continuation of our culture and knowledge. It is due to all these reasons that our scholars toiled hard to establish public and private libraries and preserved valuable and ancient manuscripts in them.
I will relate some examples which will touch our emotions and find in front of us a man of great calibre and cause us to question ourselves as to why we don’t exploit our potential.
The doors of this library were opened since 1394 A.H. Sayyid Mar’ashi didn’t get much financial assistance in establishing this library. In many of the books in this library, I have seen a caption in which Sayyid has written that he bought the particular book in question by praying and fasting on behalf of people who had died and whose relatives paid for these acts of worship. This is called ‘Salaat of Istijara’. This prayer is incumbent on the eldest son of a dead man to pray or fast or go on pilgrimage on behalf of his dead father in case the dead man did not perform these acts. The son may pay somebody reliable to perform these acts.
How great are these scholars who used each and every opportunity to do something which would help them in the life Hereafter? Sayyid Mar’ashi bought some great and rare books by praying on behalf of the dead, and sometimes a sum total of two years of prayers in conditions of hunger and extreme fatigue. (2)
He is still alive due to those Masajid
Marhoom Sheikh Abbas Qummi Rahamullah who compiled the book of supplications called Mafateehul Jinaan was a man of great piety and sincerity. People used to throng the mosque when they knew that he was going to lead the prayers because of their respect and love for him. He, however, was not arrogant or proud of this but in fact, using the love of the people for good use.
He chose old mosques which needed repair and construction and prayed in them. He then mobilized the congregation to donate towards its repair and maintenance. Once the mosque was repaired he shifted to another mosque which was in dire need of repair. The masses were sure to follow him to the mosque and once again they would stand up to its repair. In this way, the great sheikh repaired a number of mosques. How many people still pray in these mosques and the reward goes to him? (3)
The ever-continuing charity!
One of the great projects which Ayatullah Golpayeghani took up was the building of a great hospital in the holy city of Qum. The director of this hospital narrates in an interview given by him to Iran T.V. that the late Ayatullah asked him some 27 years ago to leave Tehran in order to manage the new hospital in Qum. The director says that he was hesitant to move from Tehran when one night he dreamt that a holy and dignified personality was escorting him around the wards and various departments of the hospital. This great and holy personality then remarked that indeed his wealth had been spent in a good way.
The director was surprised and asked in his dream: “Your wealth? Who are you?” The great personality replied: “I am Mahdi.” “Which Mahdi?” asked the director. “Why, the same Mehdi you always hear and know about.” When the director came to know that the 12th Imam was blessing the project, his mind about shifting to Qum was made up already.
NOTES:
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1. Al Mubaligh Ar-Risaali, No. 32
2. Qasas Wal Khawatir, page 238
3. Introduction of the book Tohfatul Ahbaab
