1. Meeting of the Iranian Ambassador with Representatives of Arad Branding in Dakar
⏳ 1 minute
2. Special Article for Newcomers
3. Price Determination in Trade
⏳ 21 minutes
4. The Evolution and Progress of South Korea's Economy
⏳ 21 minutes
5. Presence of the Turkish Representative in Iran
⏳ 1 minute
6. Family, the Best Creation of God
On my behalf, I extend heartfelt congratulations to you, dear Aradi members, on the birth anniversary of the Pillar of the Earth and Heavens, the Successor of the Prophet of God, Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
Last night, many of you esteemed individuals were present in the holy city of Qom, participating in the grand and spiritual gathering of Arad members to celebrate the joyous occasion of the Kaaba's blessed birth.
I express my gratitude to the honorable President and senior managers who make it possible for us Aradi members to come together for such celebrations. Allow me to reference a verse mentioned in the President’s brief yet profoundly moving speech, where he stated that the love and allegiance to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) have fostered a sense of unity among us Arad members. Without this bond, we might have become adversaries.
The President recited the following verse from the Quran:
"And remember the favor of Allah upon you—when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together." Surah Al-Imran, Verse 103
It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) who said: "Do you know the root of this harmony among believers?"
The audience responded: "No, O son of the Messenger of Allah."
The Imam replied: "It is the guardianship of Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), and their descendants."
This is even more evident among the community of traders.
In trade, the discussion often revolves around money, which, as Mr. Vahid describes, is inherently "rough."
When you observe the community of traders outside Arad, you will clearly realize that they cannot stand to see each other.
Rarely do they gather even to share a cup of tea.
When they do come together, it is typically in small numbers and primarily to finalize a trade contract.
Even then, each person remains highly vigilant, ensuring they are not deceived, that their share of profits is not diminished, or that their rights are not infringed upon.
If you believe that the atmosphere among traders outside Arad resembles last night’s celebratory harmony, you are mistaken. Take a look around among traders and market merchants, and you will quickly realize that the reality is entirely different.
We, like many others, enjoyed watching the live broadcast of this magnificent celebration from our television and mobile screens, gaining ample joy and benefit from it.
The fact that Arad has been committed to holding the celebrations for the births and martyrdoms of the Ahl al-Bayt since the early years, even before this year, is deeply significant. I personally recall when I first joined, and I clearly remember how dedicated Arad has always been to this cause. One of the key reasons for this is that all of us Aradis are guests at the table of our Father.
This is the saying of the Prophet of God, who said: "Ali and I are the fathers of this Ummah (Islamic holy community)."
With this in mind, believers are brothers and sisters to one another, and how beautiful it is that we, the Arad members, gather as a family on occasions related to the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt, becoming guests at the house of Ahl al-Bayt.
It is not so far back in time when, every week or month, the entire extended family would gather at the home of the grandparents.
It was a strange, indescribable joy, and there were no conflicts or disputes—if any existed, they would be resolved in those family gatherings.
Our gatherings as Aradis at the celebrations of the Ahl al-Bayt are like those family gatherings, and perhaps even more meaningful, because while gathering in the physical home of our grandparents relates to the body, gathering in the house of the Prophet and Imam Ali (peace be upon them) relates to the soul. Everyone knows that the soul is superior to the body.
So, we thank God profusely for granting us a leader and senior managers who make us guests at the house of our Father, the Prophet and Imam Ali, so that our love and bond with one another grows stronger day by day. All praise is due to Allah.
However, when we speak of the Prophet and Imam Ali, we must understand who these figures are.
The same Prophet to whom Allah revealed through Jibril, saying:
"O Ahmad! If it were not for you, I would not have created the heavens and the earth."
And which Ali?
It is the same Ali mentioned in the continuation of this divine hadith:
"And if it were not for Ali, I would not have created you."
But the story does not end here. Allah continues by saying:
"And if it were not for Fatimah, I would not have created both of you."
And here, the hadith concludes.
This means that the essence of creation, the reason for the creation of the Prophet, Imam Ali, and the entire universe, lies in her existence.
Today is Father's Day, and we extend our congratulations to all the honorable fathers who sacrificed their lives for the comfort and well-being of their children.
However, when we look at the matter from any angle, the mother is something entirely different.
God has tied the ultimate reason for creation to a woman—Fatimah (peace be upon her).
Today, I want to reflect on the fact that God placed the reason for the creation of the entire universe within a particular family.
Her father was Muhammad ibn Abdullah, and her mother was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.
Abdullah, Fatimah's paternal grandfather, was a well-known trader from the Quraysh tribe. He fell ill on his return from a commercial trip to Syria and passed away in Medina. (Reference: Wikipedia with link)
Khuwaylid, Fatimah's maternal grandfather, was a prominent figure from the Asad tribe, which was also known for its trade. Khuwaylid was considered one of the renowned traders and merchants of the Hejaz region. (Reference: Wikipedia with link)
So, both of Fatimah’s grandfathers were traders.
However, in pre-Islamic Arabia, it was considered disgraceful and shameful to give money to daughters, whether as inheritance or a gift. By gifting Fadak to Fatimah, the Prophet broke this unjust tradition. Despite Khuwaylid being one of the noble men of his time, he did not grant wealth to his daughter, Khadijah.
Nevertheless, Khadijah (peace be upon her), according to some historians, began trading at the age of 12, while others say 18, with the first account being more accurate.
In less than ten years, she accumulated such immense wealth that, according to Wikipedia, her trading caravan alone was equal to all the caravans of traders that gathered during the winter journeys in Yemen. (Reference: Wikipedia with link)
Imagine, in today’s terms, one of the largest trade exhibitions in the world is being held in Dubai.
All the traders gathered there have products to offer.
Now, imagine a single trader having as many products as all those traders combined.
This was Khadijah (peace be upon her).
She had 80,000 camels to transport her commercial goods.
This is the mother of Fatimah (peace be upon her).
Her father was Muhammad al-Amin (the Trustworthy).
My heart aches for those who think the Prophet of God was a shepherd.
Is it really because someone is entrusted with a few sheep that they are given the title of "The Trustworthy"?
To the point that when a dispute arose among the leaders and dignitaries of the Quraysh regarding the reconstruction of the Kaaba, which in the days of ignorance was the center of the idols of the world, they decided to entrust the task of placing the Black Stone back in its position to Muhammad al-Amin.
Did they entrust the task to him because he was a shepherd?
Do we really not use our intellect and say such things?
Would the leaders of the Quraysh, with all their pride and arrogance, have entrusted the decision-making to a poor shepherd?
If you are from an Arab background, you would understand this better because, among the Arabs, the honor of a tribe and clan is more important than the individual’s credibility.
Even today, after 1,400 years, this remains true.
If an Arab is highly skilled but does not come from a well-known tribe or family, he is often not given much respect.
The reason the leaders of the Quraysh decided to let Muhammad al-Amin resolve their dispute was because the Quraysh were the greatest family of the Arabs, and within the Quraysh, the Banu Hashim were the elite.
Muhammad was the jewel of the Banu Hashim.
He had earned his title of "Amin" (The Trustworthy) through his honesty in trade, to the extent that anyone with wealth who wanted to increase it would entrust their capital to Muhammad for partnership (Mudarabah).
His trustworthiness and professionalism in trade became so well-known that Khadijah (peace be upon her) requested him to take part of her wealth and trade with it.
It is reported that through this venture, Khadijah received several times the profit.
And Khadijah (peace be upon her) fell in love with him, not for material gain, but because of his trustworthiness—her heart, not just once but a hundred times, was captivated by him.
When they married, the Prophet’s house was much smaller than Khadijah’s, as she lived in a house where, according to historians, all of Makkah would gather, and Khadijah would feed them.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Khadijah (peace be upon her): "I will go and prepare a house worthy of you, and then I will bring you to my home."
At this, Khadijah replied: "O Muhammad, I and all my possessions belong to you, so do not stay away from me."
Let’s not lose track of the main point.
We were talking about Fatimah (peace be upon her) and the family she was born into, which was the reason for the creation of the entire universe.
Her paternal and maternal grandfathers were both traders.
Her parents were both traders as well.
Allah’s will was for the reason behind the creation of the heavens and the earth to be born into such a family.
Now, some might ask, "Why does the writer want to link everything to trade?"
Well, what can I do if their profession was trade?
If historians had written that Abdullah was a baker and Khuwailid was a carpenter, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Or if the historians had said Khadijah was a housewife who occasionally taught, and Muhammad drove people with his horse or carried goods with his camel, then we wouldn't have said anything.
But they didn’t write that. They all unanimously mentioned that the entire family was involved in trade.
This is not my fault as the writer.
Go ask the likes of Tabari, Ya'qubi, Zamakhshari, Madelung, and other historians why they didn’t mention a single virtue or distinction for the occupations of those who were not traders.
If someone were to ask me why Allah chose Khadijah (peace be upon her) among all the women of the world to have the honor of being Fatimah’s (peace be upon her) mother, I would say, based on my limited understanding:
Because she gave all the wealth she earned from trade, wholeheartedly and with strong faith in the Messenger of Allah, to support the cause of Islam and she never placed any obligation or burden upon the Prophet.
Allah, in return, bought this wealth from her and set up a trade with her, saying:
"O Khadijah, you gave all your wealth for my Prophet and my religion.
In return, I will make you the mother of Fatimah, who is the reason for the creation of the entire universe.
You gave all your wealth to me, and in return, indeed I have granted you abundant goodness."
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