The speaker discusses the issue of dealing with Israeli products and companies, emphasizing that it is not permissible to deal with products of companies that actively support Israel.

Dealing with Israeli Products and Companies

The speaker clarifies the fatwa, emphasizing that it is not every company that deals with Israel that is forbidden, but rather those that actively donate and support the state of Israel.

Clarifying the Fatwa

The speaker provides a historical perspective on the concept of helping oppressors in Shia fiqh, highlighting the importance of refraining from any job or business that involves supporting the oppressors.

Historical Perspective on Oppression

The speaker shares examples from the lives of the Imams, including the story of Safwan al-Jamal, to illustrate the seriousness of dealing with oppressors and the importance of refraining from such actions.

Examples from the Lives of the Imams

The speaker emphasizes the importance of justice and opposing tyrants, highlighting that supporting the oppressed in any capacity aligns with the teachings of Islam and the Ahlul Bayt.

The Importance of Justice and Opposing Tyrants

The speaker reflects on the lessons from the tragedy of Karbala, emphasizing the need to remember and learn from the oppression faced by Imam Hussain and to support those in need, particularly the Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

Lessons from Karbala

- The speaker discusses the issue of dealing with Israeli products and companies
- Ayatollah Sistani's response to this issue has been available for many years
- The emphasis is on companies that actively support Israel, not just those doing business in Israel
- The speaker clarifies that it is the individual's responsibility to research and identify such companies, as there is no list provided by Ayatollah Sistani
- The concept of "I'anatu Zalama" (helping the oppressors) has been present in Shia fiqh since the time of the Imams
- Any trade or business that involves helping the oppressor is considered a major sin
- The speaker cites an example from the days of the Imam to highlight the seriousness of this issue.

- The person in the video is called Al-Jamal, which means "camel" in Arabic.
- Al-Jamal used to rent out horses and camels for people's use.
- He was trusted by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq and requested to transmit the Ziyarat al-Warisah from the sixth Imam.
- During the time of the seventh Imam, Al-Jamal visited Imam Musa al-Kazim and was advised by the Imam about his business dealings with Harun al-Rashid.
- Al-Jamal justified his decision to rent his camels to Harun for a pilgrimage, but the Imam questioned whether he wanted to be associated with Harun's actions.
- Al-Jamal sold his business to distance himself from Harun and faced suspicions of being a Shia.
- The video emphasizes the importance of dealing with oppressors and the teachings of justice in Islam.
- The video ends with a reminder of Imam Ali's advice to oppose oppressors and support the oppressed.

- Imam Hussain encountered the thirsty Khur army during his journey to Karbala
- Hur, a member of the Khur army, agreed to pray under the leadership of Imam Hussain
- Imam Hussain gave a brief sermon about tyrant rulers who disobey Allah's prohibitions
- The sermon emphasized the importance of taking action against oppressive rulers
- The responsibility of supporting the oppressed varies depending on individual circumstances
- Supporting the oppressed can be done mentally, through information, language, or wealth
- Imam Hussain's martyrdom in Karbala serves as a reminder of the importance of fighting oppression
- The story of Sakeena and the loyal horse highlights the thirst suffered by Imam Hussain
- Prayers are made for peace, security, and the well-being of Palestinians in Gaza Strip
- Prayers are also made for the appearance of the Imam.

The speaker discusses the issue of dealing with Israeli products and companies, emphasizing the importance of researching and identifying companies that actively support Israel. The concept of "I'anatu Zalama" in Shia fiqh considers any trade or business that helps oppressors as a major sin. The video provides an example from the time of the Imams to highlight the seriousness of this issue. It also emphasizes the teachings of justice in Islam and the importance of opposing oppressors and supporting the oppressed. The video ends with prayers for peace and the well-being of Palestinians in Gaza Strip, as well as for the appearance of the Imam.

- Dealing with Israeli products and corporations 
- Discussing an example from Ayatullah Sistani's website regarding a relevant fatwa.
- The concept of "اعانة الطلمة" (helping the oppressors) in Shi'a fiqh.
- Doing business or supporting businesses via spending, with those involving helping oppressors is forbidden (major sin).
- Qur'anic verse: "Do not be inclined towards those who are unjust; otherwise the Fire will get you." (11:113)
- Selling arms, ammunition, or apparatus of oppression to oppressive governments is haram, even Muslim ones.
- Dealing with companies effectively supporting Israel is haram.
- A relevant story of Safwãn al-Jammãl, a companion of the Sixth and Seventh Shī‘ī Imams, and his business dealings with Hãrũn ar-Rashīd, the ‘Abbãsid caliph

Thursday Night Majlis
October 26th, 2023

Donate towards our programs today: https://jaffari.org/donate/

Jaffari Community Centre (JCC Live)

In tonight's Tis the night program, which normally is brief, but also keeping in mind the current situation that we are going through, I would like to talk about 1 of the common questions that I've been getting these days and that is about the issue of dealing with Israeli products and companies.

For example, on the website of the Grand Ayatollah Sistani in the Arabic version, in Farsi, and English.

There are these questions, and his responses have been there for many, many years.

Where basically, for example, 1 question was, and in the English part here says, I know there is a company which is helping Israel monthly on a monthly basis.

What is the fatwa about working in such a company and purchasing its products and the answer given there is that it is not permissible to deal with Israeli products and products of companies which are known to be supporting Israel in an effective way.

Sometimes you know in the social media, or you see a new fatwa of Atul Sistani, or Sistani has said this, this has been there for many many years.

Let me just you know emphasize on 2 points here.

Number 1, if you look at the emphasis that he has in the English version where he says, and this is also in Arabic also, in an effective way.

When I get the question, people already have been getting these in the social media and in emails, a long list of companies and products.

Basically what it means is that everything is around and you have to be careful about it.

Ayatollah Sistani is emphasizing on the point of where a company is supporting Israel in an effective way, or if I may replace that with actively.

What it means is that Not that a company which is doing business in Israel, you're not allowed to buy the products of that company.

Which major company of the West does not do business in Israel?

That even in traveling in planes, Boeing or Airbus will become haram.

Not only that, even using the computers by which you send all these lists to people around, using that tool will become haram.

So the issue is not whether the company works with Israel or has a branch there.

The issue is that is there a company, can you identify the owner or the company which actively gives donation to the State of Israel.

For example, you know, promotes the programs of settlers going into occupied land, you know, which are all, you know, even according to international law, they are illegal, what they do.

So if there is, if you know that there is a company which is actively donating and supporting the state of Israel then its products will become haram, to deal with it will become haram.

You know not that every company which deals with Israel becomes haram.

The second thing is that the merger responds to a question.

He doesn't give you the list of companies and products.

You know, people take that fatwa on 1 side and then they add this whole list of products with it as if it is coming from the office of Atul Sistani or other Maraji.

It is your duty to go and do the research and once you find out and it's not difficult, you know, you can do that and you know, then you would have to refrain from it.

What is the basis, religious basis of this fatwa or this kind of fatwa?

In the Shia fiqh from day 1, there is a concept known as I'anatu Zalama.

I'anatu Zalama, which means helping the oppressors.

This concept has been there in the Shia fiqh from the days of the Imams, and they have strongly asked the Shias that you have to refrain from any job or any business dealing where you become the tool of the oppressors.

And so there is a whole discussion about whether you are allowed to work for the government or not.

And this became a very serious issue when soon during the early era of the Ghaybatists Kubra, when Ali Buya came to power.

Ali Buya were the ministers from Ali Buya family which were Shia.

They became powerful in Baghdad and the Khalifa during those days became like a puppet.

And some of our Shia ulema were kind of cooperating with Al-Buja government.

And this is the days of Sayyid Murtaza, brother of Sayyid Razi who compiled Nahjul Balagha.

And Sayyid Murtaza was a prominent mujtahid of the time.

He ended up writing a Risala, extensive, you know, article, essay on this issue.

Where it is allowed, where it is not allowed.

What are the conditions where you can work with a government which is not legitimate from the Shari'i point of view?

And so any trade or business or profession that involves helping the oppressor is forbidden and considered to be 1 of the major sins.

1 way where we identify a major sin is where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran relates the sin to the fire of Jahannam.

And when it comes to I'anatu Zalama, There is an ayat from surah Hud, surah number 11, ayat 113 Where Allah says Do not be inclined towards those who are unjust Where is the word of choice?

Do not be inclined towards those who are unjust.

You know, the fire will hold you, get you, touch you.

So the issue of fire is being related to this issue of being inclined towards those who are dhalimeen and unjust.

So we have this ayat of Quran and based on that you know, we have this concept of the hurmat of i'anat al-dhalama.

You cannot cooperate and support those who are obviously the unjust ones.

Of course there is a you know very extensive jurisprudential discussion about it.

What are the cases where it's allowed, the examples we have even from the days of the imams, where they would allow some of their companions to work with the government and some they would refuse.

They would say, you are not capable of handling this situation.

And so this is where we have to realize that, you know, this is nothing new.

And so when you hear this kind of fatwa, basically it's saying that dealing with any company that effectively supports Israel, You know, by dedicating, for example, a percentage of its profit to the state of Israel or supporting its illegal settlements in the occupied territory is definitely and absolutely haram.

Let me share with you an example just for this short madrasa about the seriousness of this issue.

You know we have a companion of the sixth and the seventh Imam by the name of Safwan al-Jamal.

We know him, you know every Thursday night we recite Ziyarate Waris.

He's known as, you know, His full name is something else.

First name is Safwan, but he's popularly known as Al-Jamal.

You know, these days you have this car rental business.

But similar business where he would be renting out his horses and camels for the people, you know, for their own purpose.

And that's why he was called Al-Jamal, from Jamal.

Or when you say, Meesam Al-Tammar, another companion of Amir Al-Mu'mineen, Tamar means debt, tamar means somebody whose business is to buy and sell khurma and so you know just in for example in in Bombay we have many Shias also, and Bohoris and Muslims, some of them are known by their profession, Batliwala, you know, Mewawala, and all these, you know, so Wala is basically, that is the profession of that, you know, that person.

a businessman, very much trusted by Imam Ja'far as-Saleh alayhis salam, that ziyarat al-warisah from the sixth Imam has reached to us through him.

And many many Ahadith, very learned person also.

During the days of the seventh Imam, When Harun al-Rashid was the khalifa, a tyrant ruler of the time.

1 day Safwan al-Jamal came to visit Imam Musa al-Kazim.

Imam says, Ya Safwan, kullu shayin minka hasanun jameel.

Remember he's sitting there in front of the Imam Masoom, not a Mawlana.

And if the Imam says everything is good about you except this 1 issue.

And so Safwan says, Oh Imam, may my life be a sacrifice for you.

What is that 1 point that you've considered to be a problematic for me?

And Imam says, Iqra'uka jamalika min hadha rajul.

It says, you know, renting your camels to this man, referring to Harun, Rashid.

Safwan, like any 1 of us, you always would like to justify, I accept it, well you know The circumstances were different.

He says, I swear I did not rent this camel out to him for his arrogance or adventure, seeking trip or for hunting or for entertainment.

He says, no, Harun wanted to go for Umrah or Hajj but he was going from Mecca and you know when the Kings travel, it's a huge entourage, they don't have the animals all the time so they have to hire from others and so he said he was going to Mecca Not for hunting or other business or warfare or anything like that.

Furthermore, he says, just to justify his decision, he says, I did not go with my animals in that trip with him.

O Safwan, is the rental for your animals still due to you from them?

And then Imam asked him, do you want him to be alive until he comes back and gives you the rental money?

So Safwan says, and this is where Imam says, whoever wishes for them to live even for 1 more day, he is from among them, and when he is with them then he is going to go into Jahannam with them.

And when the Imam says that it's a very serious issue, so what does Safwan do?

Immediately he went, he couldn't go to Haroon and say, you know our deal is canceled, give me my animals back.

He actually sold his business to somebody else.

Now Safwan was not an ordinary person, people knew him, even Harun knew him.

When he heard that Safwan has sold his business to somebody else, you know, he sent him.

He says I heard that you sold your business.

He said yes, I'm a great sheikh and the poor don't know how to do business.

I've become old, I can't take the care of my business and the workers are not really efficient and so I just sold it.

Harun always suspected him to be Shia, he was in Taqiyya in a way.

He says, Hayyat, Hayyat, I definitely know who told you to not make deal with me.

You must have been listened to Musa bin Ja'far.

Safwan, as if he pretends, he said, who is Musa bin Ja'far?

And this is what Harun says, just because of our you know, long relationship, I'm letting you go otherwise I would have killed you for that.

And this is where we come to realize that when we talk about this issue of dealing with those who are oppressors, This is part of our teachings from day 1.

This is 1 example just I wanted to share with you about somebody, you know, we benefit from his Ziyarat-e-Waqis every Thursday night.

And this is where you come to realize that, you know, people go through different challenges.

And If you realize you are losing in 1 way Allah will open many more doors for you Because Allah says in the Quran Whoever fears Allah Gives up 1 opportunity Allah will find a way for him out of his problems.

So that you know consciousness of Allah's being is important even when we talk about business dealings and what is halal and what is haram.

Let me end with a reminder of 1 statement from Amir al-Mu'minin.

Between the zarbat and shahadat, there is a will which Imam wanted that to be in a written form.

It is an advice, not a normal will that a person would die before he dies.

This was, this is in the Hijabalagha also where he called his family members.

Initially he addresses in the preamble his sons Hassan and Hussain and so it's in dual tense where he says you know referring to Hassan and Hussain says remember you have to be opponent of the dhalim and you have to be the supporter of the mazloom.

In our Usul al-Deen, Adl is an essential point, which is not there in other Madhab.

All the way from Allah SWT to Anbiya and Imams, to the Marajah and the Mujtahideen, all the way to a simple Imam of the Jamaat.

We give importance to the issue of Adl and justice And the opposite of that is dhulm.

And so these fatawa are there, part of our teaching from day 1.

This comes from the Quran and from the seerah of the Ahlul Bayt, alayhimus salatu was salam.

Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.

When Imam Hussain, when he was travelling from Mecca to Karbala, he reached the destination where he met the Khur army, at that time, the Imam

You have heard the details many times, how the Imam had brought extra water just before reaching 1 destination in the morning.

He took everyone for a stroll and they all went back to their places and settled.

The Imam asked Hur, will you separate the prayer of the congregation from the prayer of the soldiers?

Or will you join us." Hur said, No, we will offer the prayer in your leadership.

This was the first sign that Hur was not a corrupt person internally.

He understood the truth and falsehood to some extent.

There was not yet an opportunity where he had to decide.

After the Zuhr prayer, the Imam led the prayer and then, after seeing the opportunity, he gave a very brief sermon.

In which he narrates a hadith of the Prophet, where he says, I have come

to know that the Messenger of Allah, peace

a tyrant king, a tyrant ruler, who is not worthy of Allah's prohibition, who disobeys Allah's prohibitions, who breaks the covenant of Allah with the rulers that they will do justice and justice, but to break it, against the Sunnah of Allah, which is against the Sunnah of Allah.

He works in the name of Allah with sin and transgression, which is to work with people on the basis of sin and enmity, then does not change the person who sees such a king, a tyrant, a tyrant king, and does not change in action or speech, wa shakhs jo aise badshah ko, jabir zalim badshah ko dekhe, aur walam yughayyir bifi'lin wala qawl aur amal ya qawl mein koi change na laaye, to khudawan de aalam kaana haqiqan alal laahi yadkhuluhu madkhalah.

banta hai, and the world was true to Allah, and He would admit them

So, it is the right of God to keep the indifferent person with the mighty king on the Day of Judgment.

You have seen it in the hadith of Imam Musa Qazim in Safwan.

And that is why you see that when it comes

our religion and our nation has always been with the oppressors.

It has always been against the oppressors.

It depends on the situation, what the people do.

The problem is that some people think this is the only way.

If you don't do the way I am doing, then you are not against the oppressor.

Zaid bin Ali's responsibility was different and Imam Jafar Sariq's responsibility was different.

The circumstances were the same, the times were the same, but both had their own responsibilities.

But, fundamentally, the stages are supporting the oppressed mentally, supporting the oppressed in terms of information,

oppressed in terms of language, supporting the oppressed through wealth, there are different ways that we can still do There are different ways and responsibilities.

As long as you are at any level, when you support the oppressed, you are with Allah, the Messenger and the Imam.

Because whenever there is a question of oppression, all the problems that come up, you will find all of the problems in 1 place, in Karbala.

For Imam Hussain, it is a matter of thirst.

I said in a gathering that there was a very powerful image that someone had sent us that more than a billion Muslims could not even send 1 bottle of water to Gaza Strip.

He did not get cured, but Akbar realized that my father is more thirsty than we are.

But at the same time, that four-year-old girl also realized how thirsty my father is.

This is how Hussain ibn Ali's martyrdom took place.

After his martyrdom, if you see when the horse came to the tents, and

of the Haram heard the sound of the horse, they came running to see if Maula had come.

They saw that the horse was there but Hussain was not.

The conversation of Sakeena and the loyal horse.

He said, O faithful horse, tell me whether my father was given water or not

O Allah, create a state of peace and security in the world in which Islam is facing a great difficulty.

Especially, keep the Palestinians in Gaza

O our Lord, accept from us that You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.


Speaker 0: In tonight's Tis the night program, which normally is brief, but also keeping in mind the current situation that we are going through, I would like to talk about 1 of the common questions that I've been getting these days and that is about the issue of dealing with Israeli products and companies. For example, on the website of the Grand Ayatollah Sistani in the Arabic version, in Farsi, and English. I didn't check the Urdu 1. There are these questions, and his responses have been there for many, many years. This is nothing new.

Where basically, for example, 1 question was, and in the English part here says, I know there is a company which is helping Israel monthly on a monthly basis. What is the fatwa about working in such a company and purchasing its products and the answer given there is that it is not permissible to deal with Israeli products and products of companies which are known to be supporting Israel in an effective way. So the Mas'ala is nothing new. Sometimes you know in the social media, or you see a new fatwa of Atul Sistani, or Sistani has said this, this has been there for many many years. There's nothing new.

Let me just you know emphasize on 2 points here. Number 1, if you look at the emphasis that he has in the English version where he says, and this is also in Arabic also, in an effective way. When I get the question, people already have been getting these in the social media and in emails, a long list of companies and products. Basically what it means is that everything is around and you have to be careful about it. Ayatollah Sistani is emphasizing on the point of where a company is supporting Israel in an effective way, or if I may replace that with actively.

What it means is that Not that a company which is doing business in Israel, you're not allowed to buy the products of that company. Which major company of the West does not do business in Israel? That even in traveling in planes, Boeing or Airbus will become haram. Not only that, even using the computers by which you send all these lists to people around, using that tool will become haram. So the issue is not whether the company works with Israel or has a branch there.

The issue is that is there a company, can you identify the owner or the company which actively gives donation to the State of Israel. For example, you know, promotes the programs of settlers going into occupied land, you know, which are all, you know, even according to international law, they are illegal, what they do. So if there is, if you know that there is a company which is actively donating and supporting the state of Israel then its products will become haram, to deal with it will become haram. You know not that every company which deals with Israel becomes haram. The second thing is that the merger responds to a question.

He doesn't give you the list of companies and products. You know, people take that fatwa on 1 side and then they add this whole list of products with it as if it is coming from the office of Atul Sistani or other Maraji. No, that's not the case. It is your duty to go and do the research and once you find out and it's not difficult, you know, you can do that and you know, then you would have to refrain from it. Is the Masada clear here?

Speaker 1: Is the Masala clear here?

Speaker 0: What is the basis, religious basis of this fatwa or this kind of fatwa? There is nothing new. This is not a new Ijtihad. In the Shia fiqh from day 1, there is a concept known as I'anatu Zalama. I'anatu Zalama, which means helping the oppressors.

This concept has been there in the Shia fiqh from the days of the Imams, and they have strongly asked the Shias that you have to refrain from any job or any business dealing where you become the tool of the oppressors. And this is termed as I'anatul Zalama. And so there is a whole discussion about whether you are allowed to work for the government or not. Amal al-Sultan. This is jaiz or haram.

And this became a very serious issue when soon during the early era of the Ghaybatists Kubra, when Ali Buya came to power. Ali Buya were the ministers from Ali Buya family which were Shia. They became powerful in Baghdad and the Khalifa during those days became like a puppet. And some of our Shia ulema were kind of cooperating with Al-Buja government. And so this question came up.

And this is the days of Sayyid Murtaza, brother of Sayyid Razi who compiled Nahjul Balagha. And Sayyid Murtaza was a prominent mujtahid of the time. He ended up writing a Risala, extensive, you know, article, essay on this issue. Where it is allowed, where it is not allowed. What are the conditions where you can work with a government which is not legitimate from the Shari'i point of view?

Where you have to refrain? So this is not something which is new. This has been there. And so any trade or business or profession that involves helping the oppressor is forbidden and considered to be 1 of the major sins. 1 way where we identify a major sin is where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran relates the sin to the fire of Jahannam.

And when it comes to I'anatu Zalama, There is an ayat from surah Hud, surah number 11, ayat 113 Where Allah says Do not be inclined towards those who are unjust Where is the word of choice? The choice of words here by Allah. Subhanahu wa ta'ala. Wa laa tarkunoo, you know, rukoon here. Do not be inclined towards those who are unjust.

Otherwise, what will happen? La tamassakumun naar. You know, the fire will hold you, get you, touch you. So the issue of fire is being related to this issue of being inclined towards those who are dhalimeen and unjust. So we have this ayat of Quran and based on that you know, we have this concept of the hurmat of i'anat al-dhalama.

You cannot cooperate and support those who are obviously the unjust ones. Of course there is a you know very extensive jurisprudential discussion about it. What are the cases where it's allowed, the examples we have even from the days of the imams, where they would allow some of their companions to work with the government and some they would refuse. They would say, you are not capable of handling this situation. And so this is where we have to realize that, you know, this is nothing new.

And so when you hear this kind of fatwa, basically it's saying that dealing with any company that effectively supports Israel, You know, by dedicating, for example, a percentage of its profit to the state of Israel or supporting its illegal settlements in the occupied territory is definitely and absolutely haram. Salawat. Let me share with you an example just for this short madrasa about the seriousness of this issue. An example from the days of the Imam. You know we have a companion of the sixth and the seventh Imam by the name of Safwan al-Jamal.

He is a very prominent Sahabi. We know him, you know every Thursday night we recite Ziyarate Waris. You know who is the narrator of that? It's Safwan al-Jamal. He's known as, you know, His full name is something else.

First name is Safwan, but he's popularly known as Al-Jamal. Al-Jamal is from Jamal. Jamal means camel. You know, these days you have this car rental business. Those days you didn't have a car.

But similar business where he would be renting out his horses and camels for the people, you know, for their own purpose. And that's why he was called Al-Jamal, from Jamal. Or when you say, Meesam Al-Tammar, another companion of Amir Al-Mu'mineen, Tamar means debt, tamar means somebody whose business is to buy and sell khurma and so you know just in for example in in Bombay we have many Shias also, and Bohoris and Muslims, some of them are known by their profession, Batliwala, you know, Mewawala, and all these, you know, so Wala is basically, that is the profession of that, you know, that person. So al-jamal here is his profession.

Speaker 2: But he was not only

Speaker 0: a businessman, very much trusted by Imam Ja'far as-Saleh alayhis salam, that ziyarat al-warisah from the sixth Imam has reached to us through him. He's the 1 who requested. And many many Ahadith, very learned person also. During the days of the seventh Imam, When Harun al-Rashid was the khalifa, a tyrant ruler of the time. 1 day Safwan al-Jamal came to visit Imam Musa al-Kazim.

He sat down and Imam looked at him. Imam says, Ya Safwan, kullu shayin minka hasanun jameel. Ma khadha shayin wahidun. O Safwan, everything is good about you. Except 1 thing.

Remember he's sitting there in front of the Imam Masoom, not a Mawlana. Huh? And if the Imam says everything is good about you except this 1 issue. You have to seriously think about it. And so Safwan says, Oh Imam, may my life be a sacrifice for you.

What is that 1 point that you've considered to be a problematic for me? And Imam says, Iqra'uka jamalika min hadha rajul. It says, you know, renting your camels to this man, referring to Harun, Rashid. Safwan, like any 1 of us, you always would like to justify, I accept it, well you know The circumstances were different. So he tries to explain.

He says, I swear I did not rent this camel out to him for his arrogance or adventure, seeking trip or for hunting or for entertainment. He says, no, Harun wanted to go for Umrah or Hajj but he was going from Mecca and you know when the Kings travel, it's a huge entourage, they don't have the animals all the time so they have to hire from others and so he said he was going to Mecca Not for hunting or other business or warfare or anything like that. And so I rented out. Furthermore, he says, just to justify his decision, he says, I did not go with my animals in that trip with him. Rather I sent my employees and workers.

And This is where Imam looked at him. O Safwan, is the rental for your animals still due to you from them? He said of course. And then Imam asked him, do you want him to be alive until he comes back and gives you the rental money? Imam knows your mind and heart.

You can't play around. So Safwan says, and this is where Imam says, whoever wishes for them to live even for 1 more day, he is from among them, and when he is with them then he is going to go into Jahannam with them. And when the Imam says that it's a very serious issue, so what does Safwan do? Immediately he went, he couldn't go to Haroon and say, you know our deal is canceled, give me my animals back. He actually sold his business to somebody else.

Now Safwan was not an ordinary person, people knew him, even Harun knew him. When he heard that Safwan has sold his business to somebody else, you know, he sent him. He says I heard that you sold your business. He said yes, I'm a great sheikh and the poor don't know how to do business. I've become old, I can't take the care of my business and the workers are not really efficient and so I just sold it.

Harun always suspected him to be Shia, he was in Taqiyya in a way. He says, Hayyat, Hayyat, I definitely know who told you to not make deal with me. Ashara alayka Musa bin Ja'far. You must have been listened to Musa bin Ja'far. Safwan, as if he pretends, he said, who is Musa bin Ja'far?

I don't know him. And this is what Harun says, just because of our you know, long relationship, I'm letting you go otherwise I would have killed you for that. And this is where we come to realize that when we talk about this issue of dealing with those who are oppressors, This is part of our teachings from day 1. This is 1 example just I wanted to share with you about somebody, you know, we benefit from his Ziyarat-e-Waqis every Thursday night. And this is where you come to realize that, you know, people go through different challenges.

And If you realize you are losing in 1 way Allah will open many more doors for you Because Allah says in the Quran Whoever fears Allah Gives up 1 opportunity Allah will find a way for him out of his problems. So that you know consciousness of Allah's being is important even when we talk about business dealings and what is halal and what is haram. Let me end with a reminder of 1 statement from Amir al-Mu'minin. Between the zarbat and shahadat, there is a will which Imam wanted that to be in a written form. It is an advice, not a normal will that a person would die before he dies.

This was, this is in the Hijabalagha also where he called his family members. Initially he addresses in the preamble his sons Hassan and Hussain and so it's in dual tense where he says you know referring to Hassan and Hussain says remember you have to be opponent of the dhalim and you have to be the supporter of the mazloom. So this issue is very clear. We talk about Adl. In our Usul al-Deen, Adl is an essential point, which is not there in other Madhab.

All the way from Allah SWT to Anbiya and Imams, to the Marajah and the Mujtahideen, all the way to a simple Imam of the Jamaat. We give importance to the issue of Adl and justice And the opposite of that is dhulm. And so these fatawa are there, part of our teaching from day 1. This is not a new ijtihad. This comes from the Quran and from the seerah of the Ahlul Bayt, alayhimus salatu was salam.

Salawat. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Speaker 1: Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Speaker 0: Another hadith. When Imam Hussain, when he was travelling from Mecca to Karbala, he reached the destination where he met the Khur army, at that time, the Imam

Speaker 1: saw that the Khur army was thirsty.

Speaker 0: The Imam saw

Speaker 1: the army of Hur and

Speaker 0: saw that they were all thirsty. You have heard the details many times, how the Imam had brought extra water just before reaching 1 destination in the morning. He took everyone for a stroll and they all went back to their places and settled. The time for Zuhr prayer came. The Imam asked Hur, will you separate the prayer of the congregation from the prayer of the soldiers?

Or will you join us." Hur said, No, we will offer the prayer in your leadership. This was the first sign that Hur was not a corrupt person internally. He understood the truth and falsehood to some extent. There was not yet an opportunity where he had to decide. After the Zuhr prayer, the Imam led the prayer and then, after seeing the opportunity, he gave a very brief sermon.

In which he narrates a hadith of the Prophet, where he says, I have come

Speaker 1: to know that the Messenger of Allah, peace

Speaker 0: and blessings be upon him, was a man

Speaker 1: who sees a tyrant,

Speaker 0: a tyrant king, a tyrant ruler, who is not worthy of Allah's prohibition, who disobeys Allah's prohibitions, who breaks the covenant of Allah with the rulers that they will do justice and justice, but to break it, against the Sunnah of Allah, which is against the Sunnah of Allah. He works in the name of Allah with sin and transgression, which is to work with people on the basis of sin and enmity, then does not change the person who sees such a king, a tyrant, a tyrant king, and does not change in action or speech, wa shakhs jo aise badshah ko, jabir zalim badshah ko dekhe, aur walam yughayyir bifi'lin wala qawl aur amal ya qawl mein koi change na laaye, to khudawan de aalam kaana haqiqan alal laahi yadkhuluhu madkhalah. To phir khudaa ke liye ye haq

Speaker 1: banta hai, and the world was true to Allah, and He would admit them

Speaker 0: to Him. So, it is the right of God to keep the indifferent person with the mighty king on the Day of Judgment. This is the matter. You have seen it in the hadith of Imam Musa Qazim in Safwan. Imam Hussain also made this clear.

And that is why you see that when it comes

Speaker 1: to the oppressors and the oppressed,

Speaker 0: our religion and our nation has always been with the oppressors. It has always been against the oppressors. It depends on the situation, what the people do. The problem is that some people think this is the only way. If you don't do the way I am doing, then you are not against the oppressor.

Or you are not with the oppressed. Everyone has their own responsibilities. Zaid bin Ali's responsibility was different and Imam Jafar Sariq's responsibility was different. The circumstances were the same, the times were the same, but both had their own responsibilities. But, fundamentally, the stages are supporting the oppressed mentally, supporting the oppressed in terms of information,

Speaker 1: supporting the

Speaker 0: oppressed in terms of language, supporting the oppressed through wealth, there are different ways that we can still do There are different ways and responsibilities. As long as you are at any level, when you support the oppressed, you are with Allah, the Messenger and the Imam. Look at the oppression of Imam Hussain. Why are these paths open for us? Why do we we forget his oppression?

Because whenever there is a question of oppression, all the problems that come up, you will find all of the problems in 1 place, in Karbala. For Imam Hussain, it is a matter of thirst. I said in a gathering that there was a very powerful image that someone had sent us that more than a billion Muslims could not even send 1 bottle of water to Gaza Strip. That son, keep it in your

Speaker 2: mind. He did not get cured, but Akbar realized that my father is more thirsty than we are. But at the same time, that four-year-old girl also realized how thirsty my father is. This is how Hussain ibn Ali's martyrdom took place. After his martyrdom, if you see when the horse came to the tents, and

Speaker 1: the people

Speaker 2: of the Haram heard the sound of the horse, they came running to see if Maula had come. They saw that the horse was there but Hussain was not. The conversation of Sakeena and the loyal horse. It was just 1 sentence. He said, O faithful horse, tell me whether my father was given water or not

Speaker 0: in the end. And increase the number

Speaker 1: of people who are in need.

Speaker 0: O Allah, create a state of peace and security in the world in which Islam is facing a great difficulty. Especially, keep the Palestinians in Gaza

Speaker 1: Strip safe.

Speaker 0: And hasten the appearance of the Imam. O our Lord, accept from us that You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

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Boycott Everything? How to Avoid Supporting Oppressors - Maulana Syed Muhammad Rizvi