Bismillah.
Abū ‘Abdillāh al-Sādiq (a) reports from his father Imam al-Bāqir (a) saying: When Sha‘bān arrived, my father Zayn al-‘Ābidīn (a) used to gather his companions and say, ‘O my companions! Do you realize which month this is? This is the month of Sha‘bān, and the Messenger of Allah (s) used to say: Sha‘bān is my month, so fast in this month as a sign of love for your Prophet and to get closer to your Lord; by the One in whose hand is the life of Ali b. al-Husayn (a) that my father al-Husayn b. Ali (a) said that he heard Amīrul Mu’minīn (a) saying: One who fasts in Sha‘bān out of love for the Messenger of Allah (s) and to get closer to Allah – the Mighty and Sublime, Allah loves him and showers His generosity upon him on the Day of Resurrection and makes Paradise obligatory for him (Majlisī, Bihār 94: 82; taken from Academy for Learning Islam, Forty Hadith: Rajab and Sha‘baan, Hadith 35).
Have you registered for our online course ALI 697 on Ramadan?
اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ
Insert your hand into your shirt. It will emerge white, without any fault, and keep your arms drawn in awe to your sides
(Sūrat al-Qasas No.28, Āyat 32)
The story of Prophet Mūsā ‘alayhis-salām is frequently recounted in the Noble Quran; it is a powerful narrative of an oppressed community persevering through hardship until their awaited saviour returns to lead them to salvation. This story holds valuable lessons and continues to inspire us today, as the eternal struggle between good and evil persists.
One verse from the story of Prophet Mūsā (a) that has posed challenges for scholars to interpret is the one quoted above from Sūrat al-Qasas. It captures Allah’s words to Prophet Mūsā (a) when He first speaks to him on Mount Tūr, appointing him as a prophet and granting him two miracles: his staff and his shining hand. This episode in the story of Mūsā is repeated three times in the Quran, each with slight variations in wording. For instance, in Sūrat Tāhā, it states: وَاضْمُمْ يَدَكَ إِلَىٰ جَنَاحِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ – Now clasp your hand to your armpit: it will emerge white (Q 20:22). While the verse from Sūrat al-Qasas uses similar Arabic phrasing—wadmum ilayka janāhak—it cannot be referring to the miracle of Mūsā’s hand, as that miracle had already been mentioned earlier in the verse when Allah says, usluk yadak fī jaybik. Furthermore, this phrase in Sūrat al-Qasas is followed by min al-rahb, a term that requires clarification. In Arabic, rahb generally means “fear,” but it can also signify “humility”—which is why a monk is referred to as a rāhib.
Due to this linguistic nuance, scholars (may Allah bless them all) have offered
different interpretations of the phrase wadmum ilayka janāhak min al-rahb. Shaykh Rizwan Arastu interprets rahb as “fear” and translates the phrase as “keep a stiff upper lip,” suggesting that Allah was advising Mūsā to remain steadfast in the face of his difficult mission. On the other hand, Āyatullāh Jawādī Āmulī understands rahb as “humility” and translates the phrase as “lower your wing out of humility.” This interpretation aligns with other Quranic verses (e.g., 26:215) that use similar expressions to encourage prophets to adopt humility in their interactions with their communities.
Despite these differences in interpretation, there is no doubt that Āyatullāh Jawādī’s explanation highlights an essential Islamic value—one that we should reflect upon and strive to embody. Humility is a virtue emphasized by both reason and religious tradition. Intellect teaches us that human existence is entirely dependent on Allah ‘azza wajall; anyone who sees themselves as self-sufficient or superior is merely ignorant of this reality.
Humility is highly praised in numerous narrations, including these words from Amīr al-Mu’minīn ‘alayhis-salām: I exhort you to acquire humility, for it is one of the greatest acts of worship (Majlisī, Bihār, 75:119). He also said: None acquires humility except a noble person (al-Āmūdī, Ghurar, H 10541).
We ask Allah to grant us the ability to remain humble, even when entrusted with responsibility and leadership. In a world where many leaders have abandoned such values, competing instead in arrogance and self-importance, we pray that Allah blesses true Muslim leaders—those who embody the spirit of humility and uphold the principles of Islam.
Resources: Āyatullāh Jawādī Āmulī, Sīreh-ye Payambarān dar Qur’ān (Tafsīr-e Mawdu’ī, vol 7), Shaykh Rizwan Arastu, God’s Emissaries.
ALI 697: Merits of Sahar and Suhūr in Ramadan
In this online course, we will inshāAllah discuss the ādāb of how to spend the time of sahar in Holy Ramadan. We will cover a few passages from the Du’ās of sahar and discuss Hadith on taking suhūr before dawn.
Instructor: Sh Hasanayn Kassamali
Cost: No fees, but donations are welcome
Schedule: March 3 – 7, 2025 at 6 am in NY, 11 am in UK, 2 pm in East Africa
March 10 – 14, 2025, at 7 am in NY, 12 noon in UK, and 2 pm in East Africa.
Registration: www.academyofislam.com/registration