1

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

[031:022 Waman (and whosoever) yuslim (submits) wajhahu (his face) ila (to) Allahi
(Allah) wahuwa (while he is) muhsinun (good doer) faqadi (then indeed) istamsaka (he
has grasped) bialAAurwati (hand-hold) alwuthqa (the most trustworthy) wa-ila (and
to) Allahi (Allah) AAaqibatu (return) al-omoori (all matters)] Surah Luqman

Translation
[031:022 And whosoever submits his face to Allah, while he is a Muhsin- good doers, ie
performs good deeds totally for Allah’s sake without any show-off or to gain praise or
fame and does them in accordance with the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger Muhammad
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam),then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold La
ilaha illallah – none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. And to Allah return all
matters for decision. ]

Exegesis
I would like to begin with the message of the holy Quran that each and every thing has to
return to Allah for its requital. This system and concept is very important because we all
have to maintain the civil attitude with law and justice in this world according to the holy
Quran. That’s why the Day of Judgment prevails and we have to show our firm belief in
it. On this special day there would be rewards and regards and also there would be
punitive measures and punishment for the disbelievers and sinners of the world. Allah
also says to Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that if someone denied and did
Kufer, he should not feel and sad emotions for him. How perfectly it is right! There is a
 2

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

message that all have to come to Allah for their results so the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) should not feel any sorrow for such personalities. Subhan Allah (all glory to
Allah). There is no escape for them. They would be shown their all sins. Every that act
is sin which is against the holy Quran. Nothing is hidden from the Law of Requital of
Allah. Allah also says to Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that such people
would be given wealth in order to live in this world. Also there is a message to
Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) from Allah that he should not feel sorrow
that despite the fact of being disbelievers he is being given wealth by Allah. It means that
actually it is a kind of test of Allah on him that how does he spend the blessings of Allah.
In the end there is a big torment of punishment for them in the fires of the hell. So we
should avoid the pagan views of such people. Also t is a message for us that we should
take pain only for the moumin but not for the kafir people. So we should have no concern
with them. No moumin can be friend or ally to the person who is a direct enemy to Allah
or who does not believe in the divinity. It is pre-decided. So why Allah said it all to
Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam)? Actually Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) has a heart for all the people. He thinks that all should go in the paradise of
Allah. But, Allah advises him not to take tension about them. This is the noblest
emotion for the humanity in the heart of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
Allah mitigates the emotional sad views for the kafir people in the heart of Muhammad
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). It was the main and sole purpose of this verse. In order
words Allah reminds Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that there is no fault of
you in giving them training and guidance, fault lies on the part of the non believers.
Allah also said to prophet Nooh that he should have let his son go where he wished.
Allah said that he was not his son. Because he did not heed to the advice of you what
was beneficial to him.
This is a hadith that on the Day of Judgment on Hauz-e-Kauser Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) would be standing. Some people would have been being taken to a
certain kind of direction by the angels. Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
would ask them that where they are being dragged? The angles would tell Muhammad
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that he did not know what these noble person did after
him. Then Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would surrender and would allow
them to take them to hell. Net result is that Allah has forbid us not to establish any link
with a kafir. Link means the effect and impact of their teachings: one should not accept
their false views of the wrong teachings against holy Quran.
And the person who would direct his face towards Allah – it means that the person, who
accepts and believes in all the divine laws from the deepest possible core of their heart,
he would be called a pious person. In other words he has caught the rope of hope of
Allah tightly. Such person would get its high success in this world and in hereafter
world. Actually in all the ages of the time when people wanted to go up high they would
use a rope to tie high. Then they would climb through the rope. That’s why Allah has
used this figurative example for us that we should seize the rope to go high. So in the
form of rope we see the process of slow but sure evolution toward to pinnacle of any
achievement. There is also a process to make a rope. A rope is made of two strands and
 3

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

these are woven against one another. Every strand is individual. So the rope of Allah is
the strands of two different paths. They both weave the rope of Allah. A rope may be
weak or it may be strong. But the rope of Allah is always strong and it would ever take
you to the peak of eloquence.
It is mentioned in all reliable books of Sunni schools of thought and other schools of
thought that Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said the rope of Allah means the
holy family – Ahlul Bayt. There might be some other interpretation other than that. But
one thing is clear that the life pattern of Ahlul Bayt is a true reflexion of the practical
pattern of holy Quran. Even after Quran if we follow them, which is hundred percent
Quran, we may achieve our noble purpose. There are no two opinions in this regard.
Even at the time of the departure from the world Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) said that a book of Allah and Ahlul Bayt has been left among you for the
guidance and further light. In the world the holy family Ahlul Bayt acted upon the holy
Quran in true letter, as Allah wanted to have it to be practiced.
Mechanical performance of ibadat is not a worship of Allah. We have to understand the
contents and context of the holy Quran. And for this we need to have the services of a
noble scholar of Islam. So, people say that they don’t need to have the services of any
Islamic scholar, they are wrong. Islam is not a religion to be taken for granted. It needs
to be understood with full faculties of senses and by the help of latest knowledge of
phycology. Mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, and biology etc. Without Islam life is
barren. So one should learn it. It could not be the precedent that our ancestors followed
this and that and we would follow the same. It requires research with the help of Islamic
scholars. Otherwise by mere reading with translation every person may claim himself to
be a scholar like personality.
And when some does the worship of Allah one should know clearly what is forbidden in
Islam and what is allowed in Islam. Without knowing it Islam can not be practiced. So
when we direct our face towards Allah, it means we have come to know the true
meanings of the holy Quran with practical demands of the acting upon.
These lectures are for the global audience. So we are very careful in presenting the literal
and figurative meanings of the verse of the holy Quran so that they could also understand
what is our Din. Not only Muslims are the readers of our sites but also non-Muslims are
the readers of our lectures on net. That’s why we are careful in disseminating the
knowledge of Quran to them. Our Quran is near to the logical and common sensical
demands of the nature and universe. Some portions are far from the human senses; we
can not get the answers of them. For example; where from Allah came? But Allah is
present we do have logical proofs. Read my previous lectures please. And likewise other
matter you may find in my other lectures.
When on Miraj Allah talked to Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) he talked to
him in the tongue of Ali. The astronomical research or intellectual research may tell you
more about it. Miracles are the part of the high-energy universe. The miracles are those
incidents, which are not acceptable to the common faculties of senses of the human brain.
It needs time. And the human brain can not exist suspended in the vacuum. It needs
religious thoughts and network of beliefs. It is the research which purifies which is false,
 4

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

true, or overstated, or entirely wrong. It is not bad to have ideas in mind. These are the
ideas, which take the caravan of humanity to its destinations of high success.
One more important issue that the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) does not do
any work on his own. His every move is the move of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. Allah
says to him that you did not through stones, it was We. The people do no show
allegiance on your hand it is Our hand. What Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) speaks is the talk of Allah. What Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
does is the move of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. So if we do follow Muhammad (Salla
'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) we are actually following Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala.
Now Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is not with us. Then where from we
may get the authenticity of the Islam practices and values? That is Imam Ali (AS).
We are under the impact of our self – nafs. It is the self of us what we do. So self is the
nucleus of all the actions and moves of us. So nafs is the thing. When Ali laid on the bed
of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam), Allah said he sold his nafs to Him. Rest
of the matter is clear. Now Ali’s every move is the move of Allah. Every talk is the talk
of Allah’s. What Ali did in his life that was the true reflexion of prophet (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam). And what prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) did that was the
true reflexion of Allah. Now we have to follow Ali. The obedience to Ali is the rope of
Ali.
In Ghadeer Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) had the nafs of Ali recognized
completely by others. Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) got Ali in his lap and
said listen to him and do obedience to him (Ali). Because "Of
whomsoever I am the master, Ali is his master too." Wilayat-e-Ali does not accept
every heart. Only one that heart where it may find the taqwa. Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) proved that the entity of wilayat does have no concern with a
hypocrite. When in order to give Khutba Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
stood he also got Ali to stand in Ghadeer. All people turned their attention on the
incident. Actually to see the holy face of Ali is also a kind of ibadat. That’s why it was
done intentionally. Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said “"Of whomsoever
I am the master, Ali is his master too.". Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
when spoke these words, he also spoke “this Ali”. Why? So that the blind may also get
the confirmation that only that Ali is their Maula whom Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi
wa sallam) was carrying on his hands. It was the confirmation of the attestation of the
fact.
Ali was born and came into the lap of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). He
got the youth by being on the shoulders of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) to
do the noble task. And in the last age of Ali he was carried by Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) in his hands. Ali was in the lap of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) and on the back of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Subhan Allah
(all glory to Allah).
Haris Ibn Nauman was in Gahdeer. When he heard about this incident he came to meet
Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in Madina. He was on his camel and
 5

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was also on his camel. Both were entering
Madina. He asked Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that he told that Allah is
one, he accepted, he said that we should offer the prayer of Allah, he also did that. He
said to Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) that they did what they were told by
him. Now Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was saying about the obedience
to his cousin, why? Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said it was also the
commandment of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. Allah sent a verse

when it was demanded to send the torment (whereas it was not

decided by Us to send the torment) We sent on him, because he demanded himself.
Actually he suspected about the act of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Then
he prayed to Allah that if Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was wrong – the
torment be sent on him. And if he was wrong the torment be sent on him. Then a
boulder came from sky and killed him there and then. So it proved that the denial of
wilayat is the asking for trouble in this world and in the hereafter world.
Ali used to offer one thousand rikaats of namaz in a night. But when he laid on the bed
of Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) he did not ask about his namaz.
If Allah put seven skies in one platter of the scale and in other platter He put the iman
(faith) of Ali, despite the fact the platter of the iman of Ali would be heavier than other
platter. This is the glory of Ali.
One more glory of Ali is that once in a battle when he threw his opponent on the ground,
and sat on his chest to send him to the hell. He spit on the holy face of Ali. Ali calmed
down and dismounted and left him. Ali told the reason that because the act of him
aggravated his anger that’s why in the attack to kill him would be the part of his anger.
That would not be the purpose of Islam. A great glory of Ali is it!
Carlyle wrote in his book that Ali should be loved and followed. He writes in his book
that Ali was stronger than iron and milder than wax. It was the justice of Ali due to
which he was martyred. Carlyle writes that on the sword was laced with poison of
thousand Dinnars.
The murderer of Ali was brought before him. By that time Ali was drinking sherbet. He
gave him his sherbet. It is the proof of the kind heart of Ali. Once a man came to meet
Ali. He was doing official work. And that person had come to meet him personally. Ali
put off the lamp, because it was the property of Baitul Maal (government treasury).
After the attack on Ali, he was brought his home. He was put in the courtyard of his
home. He was immensely wounded by that time. Many relatives and friends came to see
him. Amer Ibn Qureshi told he went near Ali and paid his salaam. Behind the curtain
was Hazrat Zainab. He told that Ali was tying a dressing on his head. The color his
dressing was yellow. When Ali opened the dressing of his head, he wrote that he began
feeling fear and tremble. Ali told him that before him there messengers, and angles were
standing before him. They were congratulating him. It was the glory of Ali. As and
when Ali told him that, Zainab began weeping behind the curtain.
Poison was so fast that it spread in the body of Ali. Ali said his son Hassan to ask others
to leave them. All met him. At the end family members came to say him Allah Hafiz. In
 6

By
Hujjatul Islam Moulana Muntazir Mehdi Rizvi (Lecture 21- 2007)

children Zainab came and caught feet of her father – Ali. She sobbingly uttered the
words of Allah Hafiz to her father. She would sob and ask that after him who would do
take care of her? Ali used to feel a great shock, and ask Hassan to take care of those
children. Moment by moment the life was oozing out of the body of Ali. In the
meanwhile Hussain proceeded ahead. Ali embraced him. Hussain put his head on the
holy chest of Ali and both father and son were weeping. Ali hardly opened his eye and
gave a holy kiss on the cheek of Hussain. Hussain gave a tender kiss on the cheek of his
father. At these last moments he advised Hussain to take extra care of his brother
Hassan. And asked Hassan to take extra care of Hussain.
Suddenly he saw Zainab. Ali called her. Ali advised Hussain to take extra care of
Zainab. And asked Zainab not to leave to company of her brothers.
Dear readers further I do have no strength to mention what happened afterwards.

Allah Hafiz!