ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Muhammad Conclusion It is sincerely hoped that the discreet reader has learned and benefitted from this book, and that it has brought him closer to His Maker, the One Who created him for one and only reason: to worship Him, and only Him.

To be sure, whoever bases his belief in the Almighty on solid foundations will be the winner in this life and in the life to come, and the most solid of all foundations is one built on knowledge and conviction, not on ignorance, nor on taking things for granted.

One authentic adath says, “For everything there is a zakat , and the zakat of knowledge is its dissemination.’ The reader who reads this book ought not keep what he/she has learned to himself/herself but share it with others, believers or non-believers. It will then enhance the conviction of the believers and plant the seed of iman in the hearts of the unbelievers. Who knows? Maybe one day that seed will grow.

It is the Almighty Who permits its growth, and He does so at the right time, the time which He chooses. Pass this book on to a relative or a friend. Translate it into another language. Let on-line computer services benefit from it. Make photocopies of some of its contents and distribute them to others. Write a dissertation or a thesis utilizing its text material. Extract excerpts from it for inclusion in your newsletter or magazine, book or booklet. Or write one like it or better.

All these options are yours; so, do not sit idle. Move to action, and let the Almighty use you as His tool for disseminating useful knowledge. Insha-Allah you will be rewarded by the Almighty in the life of this world and in the Hereafter, Allahomma Ameen . Do you, dear reader, think that you have a choice whether to disseminate the knowledge included in this book with others or not?

If you think that you do, read the following statement made by one of the great grandsons of the Messenger of Allah, namely Imam Mousa ibn Ja’far, who quotes his forefathers citing the Messenger of Allah saying, One who reneges from his oath of allegiance, or who promotes what misleads people, or who hides some knowledge with him, or who confines some wealth with him unjustly, or who knowingly aids an oppressor in committing oppression while being fully aware of his oppression, is outside the folds of Islam.

This tradition is recorded on p. 67, Vol. 2, of al-Majlisi's Biar al-Anwar .