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PART II - SIGNIFICANCE OF VISITATION OF THE AHLE BAIT (A.S.)

In the dua that we recite at the time of entering the shrine of Hazrat Imam Husain (a.s.) we read,

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هَذَا مَقَامٌ كَرَّمْتَنِي‏ بِهِ وَ شَرَّفْتَنِي بِه‏

“O Allah! Surely this is the place where you have honoured me and dignified me”.1

The blessed journeys undertaken for the visitation of the purified Ahle Bait (a.s.) are amongst the choicest blessings and good fortune that Allah, the Almighty bestows upon His chosen servants.

The holy and purified Ahle Bait (a.s.) are the best creations of Allah and the lands which contain their tombs or are associated with them are the best and the most blessed amongst the lands.

Let us acquaint ourselves on the significance of these blessed journeys so that we are mindful of our actions, conduct and the manner in which we spend our time in these journeys.

We present below few narrations and traditions of the holy and pure Ahle Bait (a.s.) to enlighten us in this aspect.

We beseech Ahle Bait (a.s.) themselves to help us understand their stature, their position, their unfathomable virtues, and the significance of their visitation.

VISITATION AFTER PASSING AWAY IS LIKE VISITATION IN LIFETIME

Section titled “VISITATION AFTER PASSING AWAY IS LIKE VISITATION IN LIFETIME”

Abdul Rehman bin Muslim narrates from Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.),

مَنْ زَارَنَا فِي مَمَاتِنَا فَكَأَنَّمَا زَارَنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا

Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said,

One who visits us after our passing away is like the one who visited us in our lifetime.2

There are numerous traditions and parts of supplications which clearly state that visiting the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.) after their passing away is like visiting them in their lifetime.

There are many incidents, where we see that the companions of the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.) were able to visit the noble Ahle Bait (a.s.) in their lifetime, to convey their salutations upon them, seek their blessings, ask them questions, clarify their doubts, present their beliefs to them, seek help from them in their lifetime, in the very same manner we can also present ourselves in front of these holy personalities in their shrines and near their tombs and graves, convey our salutations to them, converse with them, seek guidance from them and seek the best of the Hereafter and the world from them.

Yazid bin Abdul Maik narrates from his father, from his grandfather who said,

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى فَاطِمَةَ ع فَبَدَأَتْنِي بِالسَّلَامِ ثُمَّ قَالَتْ مَا غَدَا بِكَ

قُلْتُ طَلَبُ الْبَرَكَة

I went to see Janabe Zahra (s.a.). She initiated the greetings to me and asked, what has brought you here?

I replied, to seek blessings”3

Indeed, we can do the same upon reaching the blessed shrines of our masters and beg to them that we have come to seek blessings from them. They are indeed as capable and worthy of bestowing us with their blessings after their passing away as they were in their lifetime.

The above narration further continues,

قَالَتْ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي وَ هُوَ ذَا مَنْ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ عَلَيَّ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْجَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ الْجَنَّةَ قُلْتُ لَهَا فِي حَيَاتِهِ وَ حَيَاتِكِ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ وَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِنَا

She (a.s.) replied, ‘My father (s.a.w.a.) informed me, that the one who greets him and greets me for three days, Allah would obligate the Paradise for him’.

I asked her (s.a.) : ‘During his lifetime and your lifetime?’

She (s.a.) replied: ‘Yes, and after our passing away’’.4

The second part of this narration further confirms the tradition from Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) quoted earlier, that visitation of these holy personalities and conveying salaam to them after their passing away is like conveying salaam to them in their lifetime.

Another important actionable lesson from this tradition is that in our journeys to these blessed lands, even though we may be visiting other Aimmah (a.s.) we can still convey our salutations to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Janabe Zahra (s.a.) from their shrines and gift the sawaab to the holy personality in whose shrine we are conveying the salaam from.

Furthermore, even if one is unable to go to visit the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.), they have advised to send salutations to them from our hometowns and it will reach them.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) says in this regard,

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرِي بَعْدَ مَوْتِي كَانَ كَمَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيَّ فِي حَيَاتِي فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا فَابْعَثُوا إِلَيَّ السَّلَامَ فَإِنَّهُ يَبْلُغُنِي

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, one who comes to the Ziyarat of my grave after my passing away is like one who has migrated to me during my lifetime. Then if you cannot come for my Ziyarat, convey your salutation to me, for it is sure to reach me.5

Lastly, we are also reminded of this fact in the Izn Dukhool which is recommended to be recited before we enter the holy shrines of the purified and noble Ahle Bait (a.s.).

اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَعْتَقِدُ حُرْمَةَ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الْمَشْهَدِ الشَّرِيفِ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ كَمَا اَعْتَقِدُهَا فِي حَضْرَتِهِ وَ اَعْلَمُ اَنَّ رَسُولَكَ وَ خُلَفَاءَكَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلامُ اَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَكَ يُرْزَقُونَ يَرَوْنَ مَقَامِي وَ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلامِي وَ يَرُدُّونَ سَلامِي وَ اَنَّكَ حَجَبْتَ عَنْ سَمْعِي كَلامَهُمْ وَ فَتَحْتَ بَابَ فَهْمِي بِلَذِيذِ مُنَاجَاتِهِمْ ۔۔۔

“O Allah, I believe in the sanctity of the owner of this holy shrine in his absence as same as I believe in it in his presence. I also know for sure that Your Messenger and Your Representatives, peace be upon them, are alive, sustained in the Your presence; they can see my place, hear my words, and respond to my greetings, but You have veiled their words from my hearing and You have opened the door of my understanding to taste the fine flavour of my confidential speech…”

VISITATION WITH RECOGNITION

Section titled “VISITATION WITH RECOGNITION”

Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says,

لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ عَمَلًا إِلَّا بِمَعْرِفَةٍ وَ لَا مَعْرِفَةً إِلَّا بِعَمَلٍ وَ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ دَلَّتْهُ الْمَعْرِفَةُ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ فَلَا مَعْرِفَةَ لَهُ

‘Allah does not accept an action except that it is accompanied with recognition (marefat), and there is no recognition except that it is accompanied with action. For the one who acts, the recognition directs him to action and the one who does not act, there is no recognition for him.6

In the first part of the above tradition, Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says, Allah does not accept an action except that the action is performed along with recognition or marefat.

In the book ‘Dar Zeyafat e Zareh’, the author Sayed Mohammed Bani Hashmi while discussing the above tradition says that,

No action has any value unless it is accompanied with recognition and is not worthy of been accepted by Allah, the Almighty. Similarly, if one does not possess the jewel of recognition with him, the visitation of the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.) will bear no fruit and he will not benefit from it.

But when the greatness of the person he is visiting is realized and the honor of his tomb is understood, the value of visiting him will become apparent and the importance of this journey and this visitation will become apparent for him.

In this way, a pilgrim with recognition, prepares with the prerequisites essential for the acceptance of the visitation and hopes that his visitation is accepted, and he is able to benefit from it.

It is after this that the pilgrim considers the opportunity to be in the presence of the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.) as a Divine Grace and Mercy. When he realizes that this visitation is a blessing, in the light of his intellect he affirms the need to be thankful for it with his heart, tongue and action and to act in gratitude for this great blessing during the journey.7

In the light of the tradition mentioned earlier and the importance of recognition quoted above, let us look briefly at few aspects of recognition with regards to the recognition of the holy and purified Ahle Bait (a.s.).

THE LEAST WHICH IS NECESSARY FROM RECOGNITION OF AN IMAM

Section titled “THE LEAST WHICH IS NECESSARY FROM RECOGNITION OF AN IMAM”

In a tradition narrated from Janabe Hisham, he says that he was in the blessed presence of Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) when Moawiya bin Wahab and Abdul Malik bin Ayn came to meet him and asked him (a.s.) a question.

While replying to their question, Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) clarified their doubts and then further spoke to them concerning the aspects of recognition of Allah, he (a.s.) explained the importance recognition of Allah thus,

ثُمَّ قَالَ ع إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْفَرَائِضِ وَ أَوْجَبَهَا عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ مَعْرِفَةُ الرَّبِّ وَ الْإِقْرَارُ لَهُ بِالْعُبُودِيَّةِ وَ حَدُّ الْمَعْرِفَةِ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ وَ لَا شَبِيهَ لَهُ وَ لَا نَظِيرَ وَ أَنْ يَعْرِفَ أَنَّهُ قَدِيمٌ مُثْبَتٌ مَوْجُودٌ غَيْرُ فَقِيدٍ مَوْصُوفٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ شَبِيهٍ وَ لَا مُبْطِلٍ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِير

Then he (a.s.) said: ‘The most superior of the obligations and the most obligatory of these upon the human being is recognition of the Lord and confessing for Him the servitude. And the minimum limit of recognition is that he recognizes that there is no god other than Him, nothing resembles Him, nothing is similar to Him, and that he should recognize that He is Eternal, Firm, Existing and not non-existing. He is the ascribed One without any resemblance nor any invalidator, there is nothing like Him and He is All Hearing and All Seeing.

And then explained to them the significance of recognition of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in these words,

وَ بَعْدَهُ مَعْرِفَةُ الرَّسُولِ وَ الشَّهَادَةُ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ وَ أَدْنَى مَعْرِفَةِ الرَّسُولِ الْإِقْرَارُ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ وَ أَنَّ مَا أَتَى بِهِ مِنْ كِتَابٍ أَوْ أَمْرٍ أَوْ نَهْيٍ فَذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

And after it is the recognition of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the testimony with the Prophethood; and the least of the recognition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is the testifying and accepting his Prophethood and that what he (s.a.w.a.) brought with him from the book or from the commands and prohibitions that all these things are from the side of Allah Mighty and Majestic.

‏And then further explained the minimum level of recognition of an Imam (a.s.) in these words,

وَ بَعْدَهُ مَعْرِفَةُ الْإِمَامِ الَّذِي بِهِ تَأْتَمُّ بِنَعْتِهِ وَ صِفَتِهِ وَ اسْمِهِ فِي حَالِ الْعُسْرِ وَ الْيُسْرِ

And after it, is the recognition of the Imam. The one through whom you will follow His attributes, His characteristics, His name in difficulty and ease.

وَ أَدْنَى مَعْرِفَةِ الْإِمَامِ أَنَّهُ عِدْلُ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا دَرَجَةَ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ وَارِثُهُ وَ أَنَّ طَاعَتَهُ طَاعَةُ اللَّهِ وَ طَاعَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ التَّسْلِيمُ لَهُ فِي كُلِّ أَمْرٍ وَ الرَّدُّ إِلَيْهِ وَ الْأَخْذُ بِقَوْلِهِ

وَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ بَعْدَهُ الْحَسَنُ ثُمَّ الْحُسَيْنُ ثُمَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ثُمَّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ثُمَّ أَنَا ثُمَّ بَعْدِي مُوسَى ابْنِي وَ بَعْدَهُ عَلِيٌّ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ عَلِيٍّ مُحَمَّدٌ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلِيٌّ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ عَلِيٍّ الْحَسَنُ ابْنُهُ وَ الْحُجَّةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحَسَن

And the least recognition of the Imam (a.s.) is that, he is an equal of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) except for the rank of the Prophethood, and the Imam is the inheritor of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and that obedience to him is obedience of Allah and obedience to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and one needs to submit to him in all affairs and refer to him in every matter and take all matters from them.

And he should know that the Imam (a.s.) after Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s.), and after him is Imam Hassan (a.s.), Imam Husain (a.s.), then Imam Ali ibn Husain (a.s.) , then Imam Mohammad Bin Ali (a.s.), then I (a.s.), then after me would be Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.) my son,then after him is Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) his son, then after him would be Imam Mohammed ibn Ali (a.s.), then his son Imam Ali ibn Mohammed (a.s.), then his son Imam Hasan ibn Ali (a.s.) then the Hujjat from the progeny of Imam Hasan (a.s.).8

WILAYAT CRITERIA FOR GRACE OF ALLAH

Section titled “WILAYAT CRITERIA FOR GRACE OF ALLAH”

Hazrat Imam Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his forefathers that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, Jibrael informed me that Allah, the Almighty says,

مَنْ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا وَحْدِي أَوْ شَهِدَ بِذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ أَ نَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدِي وَ رَسُولِي أَوْ شَهِدَ بِذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَلِيفَتِي أَوْ شَهِدَ بِذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ أَنَّ الْأَئِمَّةَ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ حُجَجِي فَقَدْ جَحَدَ نِعْمَتِي وَ صَغَّرَ عَظَمَتِي وَ كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِي وَ كُتُبِي إِنْ قَصَدَنِي حَجَبْتُهُ وَ إِنْ سَأَلَنِي حَرَمْتُهُ وَ إِنْ نَادَانِي لَمْ أَسْمَعْ نِدَاءَهُ وَ إِنْ دَعَانِي لَمْ أَسْتَجِبْ دُعَاءَهُ وَ إِنْ رَجَانِي خَيَّبْتُهُ وَ ذَلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُ مِنِّي وَ ما أَنَا بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيد۔۔۔

As for one who does not witness that there is no god but Me alone; or bears this testimony but does not bear witness that Mohammad (s.aw.a.) is My servant and My messenger; or testifies for the above two but does not acknowledge that Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) is My caliph; or witnesses for all the above but refuses to confess that the Imams (a.s.) from his progeny are My proofs, then indeed he has denied My bounties, belittled My greatness and disbelieved in My signs and My books. If he desires Me, I will veil Myself from him. If he asks Me, I will deprive him. When he calls Me, I will not hear his call. When he invokes Me, I will not accept his invocation. If he hopes from Me, I will disappoint him. This is my retribution for him and ‘I am not unjust unto My servants’.9

GOOD DEEDS ARE CONVERTED TO SINS WITHOUT WILAYAT AND BARAA’AT

Section titled “GOOD DEEDS ARE CONVERTED TO SINS WITHOUT WILAYAT AND BARAA’AT”

Below is an extract from a lengthy tradition in which Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) asked his companions if they wanted to know about a person whose condition would be the most evil in the Hereafter. They companions replied in the affirmative, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) explained about the condition of the most unfortunate person in Hereafter thus,

قَالَ رَجُلٌ حَضَرَ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقُتِلَ مُقْبِلًا غَيْرَ مُدْبِرٍ والْحُورُ الْعِينُ يَطَّلِعْنَ إِلَيْهِ وَ خُزَّانُ الْجِنَانِ يَتَطَلَّعُونَ وُرُودَ رُوحِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ أَمْلَاكُ الْأَرْضِ يَتَطَلَّعُونَ نُزُولَ حُورِ الْعِينِ إِلَيْهِ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ خُزَّانِ الْجِنَانِ فَلَا يَأْتُونَهُ

He (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘A man attends the Jihad in the way of Allah, he is killed (facing the enemy) while he did not turn back. The maiden houries are aspiring to him, and the keepers of the Paradise are aspiring for his soul to reach them. And the angels of the sky and the angels of the earth are aspiring at the descent of the maiden houries, and the angels (who are the) keepers of the Paradise towards him but they are not descending towards him!

فَتَقُولُ مَلَائِكَةُ الْأَرْضِ حَوَالَيْ ذَلِكَ الْمَقْتُولِ مَا بَالُ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ لَا يَنْزِلْنَ إِلَيْهِ وَ مَا بَالُ خُزَّانِ الْجِنَانِ لَا يَرِدُونَ عَلَيْهِ فَيُنَادَوْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ يَا أَيَّتُهَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ وَ دُوَيْنِهَا

The angels of the earth surrounding that killed one are saying, ‘What is the matter? the maiden houries are not descending towards him, and what is the matter that the treasurers of the Paradise are not descending to him?’ They are calling out from above the seventh heaven, ‘O angels! Look at the horizons of the sky and below it!’

فَيَنْظُرُونَ فَإِذَا تَوْحِيدُ هَذَا الْعَبْدِ وَ إِيمَانُهُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ صَلَاتُهُ وَ زَكَاتُهُ وَ صَدَقَتُهُ وَ أَعْمَالُ بِرِّهِ كُلُّهَا مَحْبُوسَاتٌ دُوَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ قَدْ طُبِّقَتْ آفَاقُ السَّمَاءِ كُلُّهَا ۔۔۔ تُنَادِي أَمْلَاكُ تِلْكَ الْأَثْقَالِ الْحَامِلُونَ لَهَا الْوَارِدُونَ بِهَا مَا بَالُنَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَنَا أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ لِنَدْخُلَ إِلَيْهَا بِأَعْمَالِ هَذَا الشَّهِيدِ

Then they look towards it (and see) the belief of Tawheed of this servant, the killed one, and his faith in Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and his Salat, and his Zakat, and his charities, and his righteous deeds, all of them are being withheld below the sky and the horizons of the sky have shut… the Angels carrying those deeds, (the ones trying to ascend to the sky with them) call out, ‘What is the matter? Why are the gateways of the sky not opening for us, so that we can enter with the deeds of this martyr?

فَيَأْمُرُ اللَّهُ بِفَتْحِ أَبْوَابِ السَّمَاءِ فَتُفْتَحُ ثُمَّ يُنَادِي يَا هَؤُلَاءِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَدْخِلُوهَا إِنْ قَدَرْتُمْ فَلَا تُقِلُّهُمْ أَجْنِحَتُهُمْ ولَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى الِارْتِفَاعِ بِتِلْكَ الْأَعْمَالِ فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبَّنَا لَا نَقْدِرُ عَلَى الِارْتِفَاعِ بِهَذِهِ الْأَعْمَالِ

Allah will order to open the gateways of the sky. Then they will be opened. Then a caller says to these angels, ‘Enter if you are able to’. But they will not be able to ascend with their wings and are unable to ascend with those deeds. They are saying, ‘O our Lord! we are unable to ascend with these deeds!’

فَيُنَادِيهِمْ مُنَادِي رَبِّنَا عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ لَسْتُمْ حُمَّالَ هَذِهِ الْأَثْقَالِ الصَّاعِدِينَ بِهَا إِنَّ حَمَلَتَهَا الصَّاعِدِينَ بِهَا مَطَايَاهَا الَّتِي تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى دُوَيْنِ الْعَرْشِ ثُمَّ تُقِرُّهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِ الْجِنَانَ

Then a caller of our Lord calls out to them, O angels! You are not the carriers or ascenders of these loads. Surely its carrier and ascender (that which will enable it to raise it) are their “runners” who would raise these deeds to the base of the Arsh and then settle it in levels of the Paradise.

فَيَقُولُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا رَبَّنَا مَا مَطَايَاهَا فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَ مَا الَّذِي حَمَلْتُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَيَقُولُونَ تَوْحِيدَهُ لَكَ وَ إِيمَانَهُ بِنَبِيِّكَ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَمَطَايَاهَا مُوَالاةُ عَلِيٍّ أَخِي نَبِيِّي وَ مُوَالاةُ الْأَئِمَّةِ الطَّاهِرِينَ فَإِنْ أَتَتْ فَهِيَ الْحَامِلَةُ الرَّافِعَةُ الْوَاضِعَةُ لَهَا فِي الْجِنَانِ

The angels will ask, O our Lord! What are their “runners”?’ Then Allah, the Exalted will reply, “what is it that you are carrying from him?’ They reply, ‘His belief in Tawheed and his faith in Your Prophet (s.a.w.a.)’.

Allah, the Exalted will reply, then its “runner” is the Wilayat of the brother of My Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and the Wilayat of the purified Imams (a.s.). If the actions are accompanied with it, then it would be the carrier, the lifter, the placer of these actions in the Paradise”.

فَيَنْظُرُونَ فَإِذَا الرَّجُلُ مَعَ مَا لَهُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءِ لَيْسَ لَهُ مُوَالاةُ عَلِيٍّ وَ الطَّيِّبِينَ مِنْ آلِهِ وَ مُعَادَاةُ أَعْدَائِهِمْ

Then the angels look around at the man, but he does not possess the Wilayat of Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s.) and Imams from his progeny (a.s.), and the enmity of their enemies.

۔۔۔ ثُمَّ يُنَادِي مُنَادِي رَبِّنَا عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَا أَيَّتُهَا الزَّبَانِيَةُ تَنَاوَلِيهَا وَ حُطِّيهَا إِلى‏ سَواءِ الْجَحِيمِ لِأَنَّ صَاحِبَهَا لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهَا مَطَايَا مِنْ مُوَالاةِ عَلِيٍّ ع وَ الطَّيِّبِينَ مِنْ آلِهِ

… then a caller of our Lord, Mighty and Majestic will call out, ‘O you Zabaniyya (angels of Hell)! Grab it and place it amid the Blazing Fire, because its owner did not make for it a carrier (that which would enable the actions to ascend) from the Wilayat of Ali (a.s.) and Imams from his progeny (a.s.)!

قَالَ فَتُنَادِي تِلْكَ الْأَمْلَاكُ وَ يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ تِلْكَ الْأَثْقَالَ أَوْزَاراً وَ بَلَايَا عَلَى بَاعِثِهَا لِمَا فَارَقَهَا عَنْ مَطَايَاهَا مِنْ مُوَالاةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘then these Angels would grab (those deeds) and Allah would transform those loads as burdens (of sins) and afflictions due to their separation of their runner which is the Wilayat of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).10

HEARTS OF AIMMAH (A.S.) ARE PLACE OF DIVINE WILL

Section titled “HEARTS OF AIMMAH (A.S.) ARE PLACE OF DIVINE WILL”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَعَلَ قُلُوبَ الْأَئِمَّةِ مَوْرِداً لِإِرَادَتِهِ فَإِذَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ شَيْئاً شَاءُوهُ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ وَ ما تَشاؤُنَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّه

It is narrated from Imam Hadi (a.s.) that he (a.s.) said,

Allah has made the hearts of the Imams (a.s.) to be the recipients of His will. So, whenever Allah desires anything, they desire it and this is the words of Allah, “and you do not will except that which Allah wills11”12

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his successors, the holy Imams (a.s.) have a special position from the side of Allah, the Almighty. Allah has made these blessed personalities the containers or recipients of His Divine will.

They are the containers of His pleasure & displeasure, satisfaction and dissatisfaction and orders & prohibitions. Allah has made the hearts of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) as the place of entry and descent of His will. And He has linked the path to truth and salvation through them.

In this manner, the basis and foundation of religion are the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.).

NO COMPARISON OF AHLE BAIT (A.S.) WITH ANY CREATION

Section titled “NO COMPARISON OF AHLE BAIT (A.S.) WITH ANY CREATION”

It is narrated from Hazrat Imam Mohammed Baqir (a.s.) that he (a.s.) said,

۔۔۔ لَا يُقَاسُ بِنَا أَحَدٌ يَا جَابِرُ بِنَا وَ اللَّهِ أَنْقَذَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ بِنَا نَعَشَكُمْ وَ بِنَا هَدَاكُمْ وَ نَحْنُ وَ اللَّهِ دَلَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَى رَبِّكُمْ فَقِفُوا عِنْدَ أَمْرِنَا وَ نَهْيِنَا وَ لَا تَرُدُّوا عَلَيْنَا مَا أَوْرَدْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنَّا بِنِعَمِ اللَّهِ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُرَدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَ جَمِيعُ مَا يَرِدُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَّا فَمَا فَهِمْتُمُوهُ فَاحْمَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَا جَهِلْتُمُوهُ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَيْنَا وَ قُولُوا أَئِمَّتُنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا قَالُو۔۔۔

Do not compare us with anyone! O Jabir! By Allah! Through us Allah saved you, through us He has sustained you, through us He guided you and by Allah we point you towards your Lord. Therefore, stop at our orders and our prohibitions, and do not rebut upon us whatever we refer to you all, for we, by the favour of Allah, are more majestic and mightier that it should be rebutted to us and the entirety of what reaches to you from us. Then you praise Allah for what you understand and return back to us what you do not understand and say, ‘our Imams (a.s.) are more knowing of what they have said’.13

The holy Ahle Bait (a.s.) are possessors of special characteristics, distinctions, and favours from the side of Allah. These special excellences, distinctions, and characteristics which Allah, the Almighty has bestowed to the purified Ahle Bait (a.s.) are confined only to them and are not shared with anyone other than these blessed personalities.

They therefore cannot be compared to anyone, nor can any mortal be compared to them. They are superior and much more exalted than any other mortal or creation of Allah.

WILAYAT TAKVEENI OF THE HOLY AHLE BAIT (A.S.)

Section titled “WILAYAT TAKVEENI OF THE HOLY AHLE BAIT (A.S.)”

Allah has made all creations subservient, submissive, and obedient to the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.). All creations have been ordered and commanded by Allah, the Almighty to be obedient and dutiful to these exalted personalities.

We read in Ziyarat e Jameah,

وَ ذَلَّ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ لَكُم

“And all things are made subservient to you”

There are many traditions which prove the Wilayat and rulership of the Prophet and the Holy Imams (a.s.) on all creatures.

Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) said:

“When the polytheists requested the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) to split the moon, Jibraeel came down and said: O Messenger of Allah, your Lord sends greetings to you and says: I have commanded all the things of the universe to be obedient to you. Accept the request of the polytheists.

So, the Prophet of mercy raised his blessed head and ordered the moon to split into two.

Suddenly they saw it split into two and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) performed prostration of thanks.14

In another tradition, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.):

“O Ali, The Almighty Allah has bestowed you merits: among them is that He has made pains and illnesses obedient to you; thus there is nothing, which you may forbid, but that by the permission of God, it becomes submissive to you and gets removed.”

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said this when Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was going to a person suffering from fever. He went and said to the fever, leave the body of this one. Immediately the fever left his body and the sick one regained health.15

In another tradition, Hazrat Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) says,

“All things: heavens, earth, sun, moon and stars, mountains and trees, animals, seas, Paradise and Hell obey us. All this power and Wilayat is because of the great name, which Almighty Allah bestowed us and endowed us with it specially.”16

These are just few aspects of recognition of an Imam. The reality of their excellences, virtues and status is beyond the domain of human intellect.

Hazrat Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) exclaims that man does not even have the capacity to understand and fathom one single virtue from the galaxy of virtues which Allah has conferred upon the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.)!

He (a.s.) says,

۔۔۔ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَبْلُغُ مَعْرِفَةَ الْإِمَامِ وَ يُمْكِنُهُ اخْتِيَارُهُ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ ضَلَّتِ الْعُقُولُ وَ تَاهَتِ الْحُلُومُ وَ حَارَتِ الْأَلْبَابُ وَ حَسَرَتِ الْعُيُونُ وَ تَصَاغَرَتِ الْعُظَمَاءُ وَ تَحَيَّرَتِ الْحُكَمَاءُ وَ تَقَاصَرَتِ الْحُلَمَاءُ وَ حَصِرَتِ الْخُطَبَاءُ وَ جَهِلَتِ الْأَلِبَّاءُ وَ كَلَّتِ الشُّعَرَاءُ وَ عَجَزَتِ الْأُدَبَاءُ وَ عَيِيَتِ الْبُلَغَاءُ عَنْ وَصْفِ شَأْنٍ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ أَوْ فَضِيلَةٍ مِنْ فَضَائِلِه

‏

So, who is that who can reach the recognition of the Imam or is able to choose him?

Far be it! Far be it! The intellects have strayed, and the tolerances are lost, and the understanding ones are confused, and the eyes are dulled, and the great ones are belittled, and wise ones are confused, and the tolerant ones are deficient, and the preachers are restricted, and the intelligent ones are ignorant, and the poets are scarce (of words), and he writers are frustrated, and the eloquent ones are wordless from describing one merit from his numerous merits, or one virtue from his numerous virtues.17

We conclude this discussion on recognition of an Imam, with the below points summarized by Allamah Majlisi (a.r.).

He says, we are mentioning few of merits, perfections, and virtues of the holy Ahle Bait (a.s.).

  1. The do not cast shadow in the sun despite clothes on their body.

  2. They are able to see what is behind them just as they see what is in front of them. Hazrat Imam Baqir (a.s.) says, the Imams can see behind him, like he sees what is in front of him.18

  3. Water emanating from their blessed fingers

  4. They can see everything which is in between east and west, and there can be no obstruction for their seeing.

  5. Travelling great distances even quicker than a blink of an eye.

  6. They can hear even in their sleep.

  7. They can see angels, Jinns and Shaitan.

  8. They can hide themselves from others despite not having any apparent obstacles or obstructions.

  9. They can walk on water like they walk on firm ground.

  10. Ability to move about in the skies.

  11. Ability to lift heavy objects, which all men cannot lift together.

  12. Being as aware of their surroundings and the whole universe in their sleep, like in their wakefulness since they are the witness of Allah upon the creations.19

Footnotes

Section titled “Footnotes”

  1. Kamiluz Ziyaraat, Chp. 79, Tradition 1 ↩

  2. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 100, page 124, Kitab al-Mazaar of Sheikh Mufeed, page 201 ↩

  3. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, page 185 ↩

  4. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, page 185 ↩

  5. Kamiluz Ziyaraat, Chp. 2, Tradition No 17 ↩

  6. Al-Mahasin, Vol.1 , page 198; Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, page 44 ↩

  7. Dar Zeyafat e Zareh, Chapter 1 ↩

  8. Bihar al-Anwaar, Vol. 36, page 407; al-Burhaan Fi Tafseer al-Quran, Vol. 2, page 573 ↩

  9. Kamaaluddin, Vol. 1, Chp 24, Tradition 3 ↩

  10. Bihar al-Anwaar, Vol. 27, page 188 ↩

  11. Surah Takveer (81): Verse 29 ↩

  12. Bihar al-Anwaar, Vol. 5, page 114 ↩

  13. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 46, page 278 ↩

  14. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 17, page 352 ↩

  15. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 41, page 203 ↩

  16. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 26, page 7 ↩

  17. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 25, page 124 ↩

  18. Basair al-Darajaat, page 421, tradition 12 ↩

  19. Sharh Wa Risala Iteqadaat e Allamah Majlisi (a.r.), published by Daleel e Ma Publications, Qum – Iran ↩