Religion

Endowment (waqf) (Arabic: الوقف), to allocate some property to be used — whether the very property or its profit — by certain people or for a public cause. Endowment is among Islamic contracts and is to give a physical property for using its benefits with nothing to receive in return. The word “waqf” is not mentioned in the Qur’an; but, many hadiths have mentioned its recommendation and have explained its rules. Endowment can be made for a certain person or group, or for a general purpose and for all people.

Meaning

In fiqh terminology, it means blocking a property and allowing others to have its benefits or usages without receiving anything in return. Blocking the property here means that after making the endowment, the transfer and wastage of the property will be prevented and its benefits will be used for the intended purpose. Therefore, sometimes, the endowment is called “running charity”, because its benefits remain forever. Endowment has four elements:

• Formula, is the wording which implies the endowment.
• The endower, is the person who endows his property and receives no interest or anything in return for himself.
• A person, persons or purpose for which the endowment is made.
• The physical endowment: is the property or capital which is endowed.

Significance

In the Qur’an, there is no verse implying the endowment. But, in books known as Ayat al-ahkam (verses of ruling), endowment is introduced in the level of sukna (using the benefits of a property for a certain period of time), charity, gift, etc. and it is categorized under general titles of “perfect gifts” (a property given in return for nothing). For example, in verse 92 of Qur’an 3, we read, “You will never attain piety until you spend out of what you hold dear”. For the significance of endowment they also refer to verse 20 of Qur’an 73 and verse 177 of Qur’an 2. In hadiths, endowment is mentioned explicitly; while, in hadith collections, the word “sadaqa” (alms) is common and the word “waqf” is used less. Hadiths about endowment are generally divided in two categories:

• Hadiths about the recommendation of endowment
• Hadiths about the rules of endowment

Types

Based on purposes specified for endowment, it is divided to three types:

• Endowment for specified person or persons
• Endowment for general titles such as poor people
• Endowment for a certain purpose and cause: such as preaching religion and holding mourning ceremonies for the Infallible Ones (a)

In the books of fiqh, endowments are divided into two types of private and general and they put the above examples under one of the two types; because, sometimes an endowments is made for one certain person or group and sometimes for a general purpose or all people.

Rules

Endowments comprise a chapter in jurisprudence, in the section of transactions. Most important rules of endowment are:

• The endower should be mature, free and having free will and should not be prohibited from using his properties.

• Formula of the endowment should be mentioned using words close to the intention of the endowment; and it is to note that, for the formula of endowment, no certain words are instructed.

• Some jurists have regarded endowment in the same level with the acts of worship and have considered the intention to become close to God, a required condition. However, some believe that an endowment can also be accepted from a disbeliever and the intention to become close to God is in order to receive rewards for it.

• The extent of the endowed property should be clarified. Thus, endowing a part of the properties without mentioning its exact amount is not valid.

• The one for whom the endowment is made should be specified; therefore, endowing for some people without exactly specifying them is not permissible.

• Endowment is valid when the endowed property remains for a considerable period of time. Therefore, endowing the fragrance of a flower, etc. is not valid.

• Time-limited or conditioned endowment is void.

• It is permissible to endow books, weapons, etc. in a manner that they remain and their benefits would be used.

• Endowing with the intention of assisting sinning is not permissible.

• If an endowment is made for Muslims, it means that all those who have uttered Shahadatayn can use it. But, if the endowment is made for believers, using it is specific to the Twelver Shi’a.

• If an endowment is made for people such as one’s relatives, close people, etc., their extent is based on the the view of common people.

• Before the endowment is handed over to the one for whom the endowment is made, the property belongs to the endower. If the endower dies before handing over the endowment to the one for whom the endowment is made, what he intended to endow will be held by his heirs and the endowment will be canceled.

• The endower can assign himself or another as the supervisor of the endowment and this person is called “custodian”. Also, the endower can assign a person as the supervisor over the custodian and determines the extent of the supervisor’s privileges.

• If the endower sets the condition that in case of necessity, the endowed property should return to him, the endowment is invalid; but, his action is considered as “blocking the property” and if it is done with the intention of closeness to God, it will have rewards.

• The endowment of a mosque is accomplished when people perform prayer there. Also, the endowment of a grave is accomplished when a dead person is buried there. An endowed property cannot be sold.

• If an endowed property is about to be damaged or is actually damaged, it is permissible to sell and replace it with a better property which has more benefits for the one for whom the endowment is made.

ʿAqīqa (Arabic: العقیقة) is the tradition of slaughtering animals seven days after one’s baby is born in order to protect the baby from possible sufferings and troubles. ‘Aqiqa is a practice recommended by hadiths, though some scholars maintain that it is obligatory. According to hadiths, ‘aqiqa is a tradition practiced by the Infallibles (a). The Prophet Muhammad (s) slaughtered an animal for Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a), and Abu Talib slaughtered an animal for the Prophet (s). There are certain rulings about how to select an animal for ‘aqiqa, how to slaughter it, and how to use the meat.

The Notion

In the terminology of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), ‘aqiqa refers to an animal slaughtered seven days after a baby is born, because on this day, the baby’s hair is shaved.

Hadiths

In his book, al-Kafi, Kulayni cited about 50 hadiths regarding ‘aqiqa. According to a hadith, Abu Talib slaughtered an animal for the Prophet (s), and according to other hadiths, the Prophet (s) slaughtered animals for Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a). The wisdom why an animal should be slaughtered as an ‘aqiqa is, according to hadiths, to protect the baby from possible troubles and sufferings.

‘Aqiqa in the Practice of the Infallibles (s)

There are several hadiths reporting that the Prophet (s) made an ‘aqiqa for Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a): he shaved their heads seven days after they were born, and gave silvers equal to the weight of their shaved hair as alms (sadaqa). He also gave a ram as alms. According to some other hadiths, Fatima al-Zahra (a) was the one who made an ‘aqiqa for Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a) and shaved their heads.

On some hadiths, when the Prophet (s) was first sent by God as a prophet, he made an ‘aqiqa for himself.

Muhammad b. Muslim reported that Imam al-Baqir (a) asked Zayd b. ‘Ali (a) to buy two animals as ‘aqiqa for his two newborn sons who were born at the same time, but since animals were scarce and expensive then, Zayd only bought one animal, and he had hard time finding another one. He asked Imam al-Baqir (a) if he could pay sadaqa instead. The Imam (a) replied: “try to buy one, because God likes to see an animal being slaughtered and its meat distributed among the poor”.

In his book, Kamal al-din, al-Shaykh al-Saduq reported that Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (a) sent a slaughtered animal to someone and told him that this is for his son (Imam al-Mahdi (a)).

Manners of ‘Aqiqa

• It is recommended that a male animal be slaughtered for a boy baby and a female animal slaughtered for a girl baby.
• If ‘aqiqa is not made until the child’s puberty, then it is recommended that he or she makes an ‘aqiqa for themselves then.
• According to the majority of Shiite faqihs (jurists), ‘aqiqa is recommended. But Al-Sharif al-Murtada and, according to Shaykh Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi, Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskafi took it to obligatory. There are hadiths stating that it is obligatory, but most of the faqihs take these to imply that ‘aqiqa is emphatically recommended.
• According to some hadiths, sacrifices suffice for ‘aqiqa. It is taken to refer to slaughtering an animal in hajj.

Rulings and Conditions of ‘Aqiqa

• ‘Aqiqa should be a sheep, a cow, or a camel.
• It is recommended that the general conditions of slaughtering an animal be met.
• Paying sadaqa instead of ‘aqiaq does not suffice.
• It is disliked to break the animal’s bones.
• The slaughtering of the animal and the shaving of the baby’s head should be done in the same place.
• The animal should be slaughtered after the baby’s head is shaved.

Recommended Du’as

It is reported that the following statement should be said at slaughtering the animal that is offered as sacrifice in the name of the newborn:

بسم اللّه و باللّه، اللّهمّ عقيقة عن

new born’s name should be mentioned

لحمها بلحمه،و دمها بدمه و عظمها بعظمه، اللّهمّ اجعلها وقاء لال محمّد عليه و اله السّلام.

According to another tradition, this devotional statement may be said at slaughtering an animal as oblation to Almighty Allah for the newborn:

يا قَوْمِ اِنّى بَرىٌ مِمّا تُشْرِكُونَ اِنّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذى فَطَرَ السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضَ حَنيفاً مُسْلِماً وَ ما اَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكينَ اِنَّ صَلوتى وَ نُسُكى وَ مَحْياىَ وَ مَماتى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ لا شَريكَ لَهُ وَ بِذلِكَ اُمِرْتُ وَ اَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمينَ اَللّهُمَّ مِنْكَ وَ لَكَ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ بِاللّٰهِ وَاللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ تَقَبَّلْ مِنْ فُلانِ بْنِ فُلانٍ

mention the name of the newborn and his father’s name After this, one may slaughter the offered animal.

How to Use the Meat

• It is recommended that the animal’s shank or one fourth of it be given to the baby’s midwife, and if she is unavailable, then the baby’s mother should pay a sadaqa.
• It is disliked for the parents to eat the meat.
• It is recommended that the meat be cooked, and at least 10 Shiite poor people and neighbors be invited to have it.

Al-Nadhr (Arabic: النذر) means that a person makes it obligatory upon himself to do some good actions for the sake of God or abandons some bad actions for the sake of God. Regarding religion, nadhr becomes obligatory when a specific formula in Arabic – or its meaning in another language – is recited. Nadhr is a tradition which has been practiced by all divine prophets (a) and previous nations and in Islam, it has been legitimate and practiced. Making nadhr for Imams (a) is among the most effective kinds of nadhr.

Definition
The word “nadhr” means “making something obligatory for oneself” and in fiqh, it is a practice when a person makes it obligatory for himself to do some good actions for the sake of God or abandons what is bad for the sake of God.[1] The meaning of the Arabic formula of nadhr is that the person says, “I make a nadhr so that if – for example – my sick dear one is healed, for the sake of God, it will be obligatory upon me to give 10 dollars to a poor.”

History of Nadhr
Nadhr is a tradition which has been practiced by all divine prophets (a) and previous nations and in Islam, it has been legitimate and practiced. The glorious Qur’an has mentioned the story of the nadhr of Imran’s wife, Maryam’s mother, and says, “When the wife of ‘Imran said, ‘My Lord, I dedicate to You what is in my belly, in consecration. Accept it from me; indeed You are the All-hearing, the All-knowing.” (Qur’an 3:35)

And the Sura Maryam, after narrating the story of Prophet ‘Isa (a), God the Almighty tells Lady Maryam (a) that when you see any person (with sign language) say to them, “Indeed I have vowed a fast to the All-beneficent, so I will not speak to any human today.” (Qur’an 19:24)

The Qur’an, when mentioning one of the attributes of true servants of God, says,

“They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose ill will be widespread.” (Qur’an 76:7)

In a narration received from Imam al-Sadiq (a) commenting on this verse, he (a) has said, “When Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a) were sick, Prophet (s) went to visit them and told Imam Ali (a), “it is good to make a nadhr in order that your children become well.” Imam Ali (a) said that I will make a nadhr that if they become well, I will practice fasting for three days to thank God.” Then, Lady Fatima (a) and Fidda (servant of Lady Fatima (a)) also did the same nadhr and God the Almighty made the two Imams (a) healthy and they (a) also performed the fasting. Thus, not only nadhr does not disagree with unity of God, contentment, submission and courtesy before God, but commitment to nadhr is also showing mere attention toward God, His Unity, servitude and cause of drawing near Him which has been practiced in the tradition and conduct of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and the faithful.

Conditions of Nadhr
Nadhr is in fact a covenant with God so that as a result of the good actions one makes obligatory for himself, God fulfills a need of him. Making nadhr requires certain manners including the following ones:

Reciting the Formula of Nadhr
Regarding religion, nadhr becomes obligatory when a specific formula in Arabic or in another language is recited so that it includes the following meaning, “For the sake of God, it is obligatory upon me that if such a request of mine and my wish is fulfilled, I will do such an action.” However, if this comes one’s mind or heart and the mentioned formula is not recited, the nadhr does not become obligatory but it is better to be performed.

Subject of Nadhr
The subject of nadhr should be desirable. If one makes nadhr to do a forbidden or disliked action, or abandons an obligatory or recommended action, his nadhr is invalid. If someone makes a nadhr to do or abandon a permissible action, if doing or abandoning is equal, his nadhr is invalid; but, if doing it is better from one aspect and he does that for that purpose, his nadhr will be valid. (e.g. One makes a nadhr to eat a certain food to be strengthened for prayer) and if abandoning something is better from one aspect and the person makes a nadhr to abandon that for that purpose, his nadhr is valid. (e.g. one makes nadhr to abandon smoking because the smoke is harmful.) If one makes nadhr to do his obligatory prayer in a place which in itself does not add to the reward of the prayer, for example, one makes nadhr to do his prayer in the room. But, if the prayer is better to be done there from an aspect, for example, he can have a better presence of heart due to its isolation, the nadhr will be valid.

Possibility of Performing Nadhr
One needs to make a nadhr which he is capable of performing; thus, one who makes a nadhr to go to Karbala on foot, but he is not capable to do so, his nadhr will be invalid.

Nadhr and Incapability of Performing the Action
Incapability of performing an action with regards to the time of making nadhr has two forms:

One who has not been able to perform the action prior to make nadhr.
One who is able to perform the action at the time of making nadhr, but after making the nadhr, he loses his capability to perform the action.
Regarding the first condition, religious authorities say that a person can make a nadhr about an action he is capable to do; thus, e.g. one who makes a nadhr to go to Karbala on foot, but he is not capable to do so, his nadhr will be invalid.

And in the second condition, they have said that, if he has made a nadhr other than performing fast, his nadhr is invalid and he has no obligation with regards to it. But, if he makes a nadhr to perform fasting and unexpectedly becomes incapable of performing it, he has to perform it another time and if he would not become able to perform it even later, he needs to give one “mudd” (specific amount of food, approximately 750 grams of flour or rice or dates etc.) of food to a poor person as alms.

Types of Nadhr
With respect to the intention of the one who makes nadhr, it would be of two types:

Nadhr Mujazati
It is a nadhr in which the person who makes nadhr, consider its fulfillment upon the fulfillment of a happening; e.g. he would say that, “if such happens, I will do such else.” Therefore, fulfillment and obligation of this nadhr is upon the fulfillment of the premise of a conditional statement. Nadhr Mujazati (conditional) is of two kinds:

Nadhr Shukr: in which the person makes a nadhr as a gratitude for fulfillment of a request or wish; e.g. he says that, “if my sick dear one is healed, I will do such for the sake of God.”

Nadhr Zajr: in which a person makes a nadhr because of doing a bad deed as a discipline; e.g. he says that, “If I do such a bad deed, I will do such a good action for the sake of God.”

Nadh Tabarru’i
It is a nadhr fulfillment of which is not depending on another issue; e.g. someone makes it obligatory for himself to do some action.

Rulings of Nadhr
Opposing a Nadhr
If a person makes a valid nadhr and then intentionally stop fulfilling it, he will have to perform the expiation as well.

Changing the Subject of Nadhr
If a nadhr correctly is made, it is obligatory to use the exact subject of nadhr intended; e.g. a person makes nadhr to sacrifice a sheep (and intends or mentions a certain one), then he has to sacrifice exactly that one he intended or mentioned and cannot sacrifice another sheep.

Source

The Speech of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the Day of Ashura refers to the Imam’s speech addressed to the troops of Umar b. Sa’d on Muharram 10th, 61 AH/October 10, 680 CE.

In this speech, Imam al-Husayn (a) introduced himself first and then mentioned that the invitation of the Kufans was the reason why he was headed towards Kufa and mentioned some of those who had written him invitation letters and were present among the troops of Umar b. Saʿd. The Imam (a) also emphasized that he would refuse humiliation and never pledge his allegiance to Yazid b. Muʿawiya.

Importance
The speech of Imam al-Husayn (a) on Muharram 10th, 61 AH/ October 10, 680 CE addressed to the army of Umar b. Sa’d (who were sent by Ubayd Allah b. Ziyad, the governor of Yazid b. Muʿawiya in Kufa, to counter Imam al-Husayn in Karbala). This speech is reported in Sunni and Shiite sources with some variance.[1]

First, Imam al-Husayn (a) asked the army of Umar b. Saʿd to listen to his speech and not to rush and told them to let him explain why he was headed to Kufa.[2]

The Imam (a) then introduced himself and mentioned his relation to Ali (a), the Prophet (s), Hamza b. Abd al-Muttalib, and Jaʿfar b. Abi Talib.[3] He also reminded them that the Prophet (s) had said about him and his brother that they were “the masters of the youth of Paradise.” The Imam (a) said that if they did not accept his words, they should ask the living Companions of the Prophet (s) such as Jabir b. Abd Allah al-Ansari, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, Sahl b. Sa’d al-Sa’idi, Zayd b. Arqam, and Anas b. Malik.[4] Then, reminding them again that he was the grandson of the Prophet (s), he asked them whether he had killed or injured any of them or destroyed their properties to deserve persecution.

Afterward, the Imam (a) addressed Shabath b. Rib’i, Hajjar b. Abjar, Qays b. Ash’ath, and Yazid b. Harith, who had written invitation letters to the Imam (a), and said, “Didn’t you write to me that the fruits have ripened and the gardens have become green, and you will arrive and see a prepared army in your support?”

Then Imam al-Husayn (a) concluded his speech by taking refuge in God from them.

Reactions
Abu Mikhnaf reports that when Imam al-Husayn (a) asked the army of Ibn Saʿd to listen to him, some of the women and children with him started to cry. The Imam (a) asked Abbas and Ali Akbar to calm them and said, “Let them be silent; by my life, their crying will be a lot [in future].”

Moreover, after the Imam (a) asked the enemy’s army to ask the living Companions of the Prophet (s) about the veracity of his sayings, Shimr b. Dhi l-Jawshan interrupted the Imam (a) and accused him of lying. In response, Habib b. Muzahir rebuked Shimr and told him, “God has set a seal on your heart.”

It has been said that Shimr interrupted the Imam (a) so as to prevent his speech from influencing the army of Umar b. Saʿd.

After the Imam’s speech, Qays b. Ash’ath asked the Imam (a), “Why don’t you pledge your allegiance to your cousin [i.e., Yazid]?” The Imam (a) responded, “By God, I will not put my hand in your hands with humiliation, and I will not escape like slaves.”

Second Speech
Another speech by Imam al-Husayn (a) is reported on the Day of Ashura addressing the army of Umar b. Saʿid. The Imam’s famous words, “Your stomachs are filled with the forbidden, and seals have been set on your hearts,” is a part of this speech.

Source