DR. KIRMANI’S CORNER

This section is developed through the weekly reflections of Dr. Sayed Shabbir Kirmani, our respected resident scholar. Each week, Dr. Kirmani will share his thoughts on faith, current affairs, and community matters, offering valuable insights on how Islamic teachings relate to both global and local events.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

In Light Of Tafsir Al-Mizan and the Legacy of the Seventh and Ninth Imams

In a time marked by a hermeneutical crisis—where material plenty often coexists with spiritual emptiness—many people respond with anger and social division. To navigate this, we draw on Allamah Tabatabai’s Tafsir al-Mizan. Using his method of Tafsir al-Quran bi’l-Quran (interpretingthe Quran by the Quran), we see the lives of the Imams not as fixed history but as livingexamples that clarify the Quran’s moral teachings. This approach becomes a practical guide for preserving spiritual balance.

Al-Kazim — The Alchemy of Emotional Sovereignty

The title of the Seventh Imam, Al-Kazim — “the one who swallows anger” — offers a corrective to today’s culture of instant outrage. The Quran praises those who restrain anger, but Tabatabai warns that simple suppression is not enough. Untransformed anger becomes a buried fire that clouds conscience and eventually harms the person who holds it.

True freedom requires turning that fire into light. When a farmer in Medina repeatedly insulted Imam al-Kazim, the Imam did not respond with force. He showed radical empathy: he visited theman’s farm and paid his debt. That act of compassion defused hostility and turned an enemyinto a friend.

Practical application — Pause Protocol: When you feel provoked online or at work, delay your response. Pray for the person who upset you; this protects your heart from carrying their toxicity and helps you stay emotionally sovereign rather than reactive.

Al-Jawad — The Strategy of Generosity

While Al-Kazim teaches inner mastery, Imam Muhammad al-Jawad models how to shape the outer world through generosity. In a system that encourages closed circles and private privilege, the Imam followed a “main gate” practice: he entered and left his home through the public door so he stayed accessible to those in need. This broke down barriers between wealth and poverty.

Modern research on generosity supports this: hoarding raises stress, while giving activates pleasure centers in the brain. The Imam did not give randomly; he kept a steady budget for family and community, showing that wealth should connect people rather than separate them.

Practical application — Main Gate Budget: Set aside a small daily amount—cash orresources—for others. Making yourself accessible counters pride; opening your hands helps free you from the anxiety of accumulating more.

Conclusion

Spiritual balance depends on this two fold practice: regulate inner volatility like Al-Kazim and remove outer barriers like Al-Jawad. Together these habits help us move beyond modern chaos.

We become more than survivors; we build an inner sanctuary of peace and live as freer, more humane people.

May we have the ability to receive the Divine Mercy and extend it to others!

With Duas,

Dr. Kirmani