narrated about the Commander of the Faithful that he would fast in the month of Rajab and he is narrated to have said, “The month of Rajab is my month and the month of Shaban is the month of Messenger of Allah and the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah Almighty.” (1)

According to some Islamic scholars, most of the people who wanted to start a special program for refinement of their souls and to purify themselves, implemented a forty day plan within these months.(2)

So the wayfarers towards Allah in the month of Shaban are in the middle of this spring and if they have used the opportunity of Rajab, they have already achieved a certain level of proximity to Allah. They can continue their ways and add to it by prayers, worship and recitation of the Quran. Even if some of us were lazy in the month of Rajab we can make up for our shortage in the month of Shabaan and prepare ourselves for the upcoming month of Ramadan.

The month of Shaban is really valuable and a lot of our Ahadith point to the significance of this great month. Some of our great scholars and narrators of Ahadith like Shaikh Saduq have gathered these Ahadith in a book and in order to remind ourselves of the high rank of this month we narrate some of them here:

الصدوق بسنده عن ابن عباس قال قال رسول الله ص و قد تذاکروا عنده فضائل شعبان فقال شهر شریف و هو شهری

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و حمله العرش تعظمه و تعرف حقه و هو شهر یزاد فیه أرزاق المؤمنین و هو شهر العمل فیه یضاعف الحسنه بسبعین و السیئه محطوطه و الذنب مغفور و الحسنه مقبوله و الجبار جل جلاله یباهی فیه بعباده و ینظر إلی صیامه و صوامه و قوامه و قیامه فیباهی به حمله العرش

فقام علی بن أبی طالب ع فقال بأبی أنت و أمی یا رسول الله صف لنا شیئا من فضائله لنزداد رغبه فی صیامه و قیامه و لنجتهد للجلیل عز و جل فیه

فقال النبی ص من صام أول یوم من شعبان کتب الله له سبعین حسنه تعدل عباده سنه ....

و من صام ثلاثین یوما من شعبان ناداه جبرئیل من قدام العرش: یا هذا استأنف العمل عملا جدیدا فقد غفر لک ما مضی و تقدم من ذنوبک

Sheikh Saduq narrates from Ibn Abbas with the chain of narration, “In the presence of Prophet Mohammad we discussed the greatness of the month of Shaban. Prophet Mohammad said, “It is an honorable month and it is my month. The carriers of the throne of Allah respect it and know its great magnitude. The blessings for the faithful increase in this month. This month is the month of performing actions, so the reward of good actions is seventy times more (than other months). The evil gets cleansed and sins get forgiven and the good deeds are accepted. Allah is proud of his servants. (In this month) Allah looks at the fast of those who fast and the worship of worshipper and boasts about it

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to the carriers of His throne.”(1)

At that moment Ali Ibn Abu Talib stood up and asked, “May my mother and father be sacrificed before you, please tell us some of the virtues of this month so we are encouraged to pray and fast more and strive more in the way of our Beloved Lord.” Then the Prophet started with some of the rewards of fasting in this month and said, “Anyone who fasts on the first day, Allah gives him seventy rewards each equal to the reward of one year of worship….” And at the end he said, “Anyone who fasts all the thirty days of Shaban, Gabriel calls out to him from the front of Allah’s throne and says, “Start your life anew! Allah has forgiven all the sins that you had done!”(2)

الصدوق بسنده عن ابی عبد الله ع سمعت أبی قال :کان أبی زین العابدین ع إذا اهل شعبان جمع أصحابه فقال معاشر أصحابی أ تدرون أی شهر هذا؟ هذا شهر شعبان و کان رسول الله ص یقول: شعبان شهری ألا فصوموا فیه محبه لنبیکم و تقربا إلی ربکم فو الذی نفس علی بن الحسین بیده لسمعت أبی الحسین بن علی یقول سمعت أمیر المؤمنین ع یقول: من صام شعبان محبه نبی الله ع و تقربا إلی الله عز و جل أحبه الله عز و جل و قربه من کرامته یوم القیامه و أوجب له الجنه

In another hadith Saduq narrates from our sixth Imam that he said, “My father told me that his father gathered all of his

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companions on the first of Shaban and he said, “Do you know what month is this month? This month is the month of Shaban. About this month Prophet Mohammad has said, “Shaban is my special month. Be aware and fast in this month to get closer to Allah, for the love of your Prophet.”

I swear by Allah who holds my life in His Hand, I heard from my father, Imam Husayn and he said, “I heard my father Ali Ibn Abu Talib say, “Anyone who fasts in this month for the love of the Prophet and wants to get closer to Allah, Allah will make heaven obligatory for him.”(1)

About the month of Shaban, the great scholar Ayatollah Mirza Javad Maleki Tabrizi in his book of Almoraqebat said,

“This month is extremely valuable for the seekers of Allah. One of the nights that could be the Night of Qadr is in this month. From the time that Adam came to earth, God promised all of His messengers that victory will be in the hands of the man who will be born in this night (the fifteenth night). Also God promised that He will fill the earth with justice after it will be filled with oppression and cruelty.”

About the importance of this month it is enough to know that the Prophet has said,

شعبان شهری، رحم اللّه من اعاننی علی شهری”

“This month is my month and may Allah bless those who help me in this month”

Whoever hears this invitation must strive to respond to

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it and be included amongst the invited ones. His brother and his successor said,

«ما فاتنی صوم شعبان مذ سمعت منادی رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و آله و سلّم ینادی فی شعبان، فلن یفوتنی ایام حیاتی ان شاء اللّه»

“I have not missed the fasting in Shaban from the time that I heard someone calling out at the Prophet’s order (to encourage people for the fasting in Shaban) and I will not miss it until the end of my life Insha’Allah”.

By this hadith you can understand the significance of fasting over praying, donation and other good deeds.(1)

One of the Mostahabaat that are highly encouraged in this month is a Salawat that has been narrated from Imam Zein Al-Abedin. This salawat is not only a religious masterpiece or a lovely supplication with Allah, but it is also a deep sea of theology and knowledge. Its teachings are primarily about the Imamat and its high position in Islam.

I had a chance to speak on Iran’s national TV about the Salawat Shabaniyeh but unfortunately the program was very short and the information that I could gather from the Quran and Ahadith was more than could be delivered in the program. So, I decided to publish it in a small booklet for anyone who wants to take benefit from the seas of the knowledge of the Ahlul Bayt.

The fourth of Shaban 1428 A.H

Seyed Mahmoud Madani

أَهْلِ بَیْتِ الْوَحْیِ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفُلْکِ الْجَارِیَهِ فِی اللُّجَجِ الْغَامِرَهِ یَأْمَنُ مَنْ رَکِبَهَا وَ یَغْرَقُ مَنْ تَرَکَهَا الْمُتَقَدِّمُ لَهُمْ مَارِقٌ وَ الْمُتَأَخِّرُ عَنْهُمْ زَاهِقٌ وَ اللازِمُ لَهُمْ لاحِقٌ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْکَهْفِ الْحَصِینِ وَ غِیَاثِ الْمُضْطَرِّ الْمُسْتَکِینِ وَ مَلْجَإِ الْهَارِبِینَ وَ عِصْمَهِ الْمُعْتَصِمِینَ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلاهً کَثِیرَهً تَکُونُ لَهُمْ رِضًی وَ لِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَدَاءً وَ قَضَاءً بِحَوْلٍ مِنْکَ وَ قُوَّهٍ یَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِینَ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّیِّبِینَ الْأَبْرَارِ الْأَخْیَارِ الَّذِینَ أَوْجَبْتَ حُقُوقَهُمْ وَ فَرَضْتَ طَاعَتَهُمْ وَ وِلایَتَهُمْ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اعْمُرْ قَلْبِی بِطَاعَتِکَ وَ لا تُخْزِنِی بِمَعْصِیَتِکَ وَ ارْزُقْنِی مُوَاسَاهَ مَنْ قَتَّرْتَ عَلَیْهِ مِنْ رِزْقِکَ بِمَا وَسَّعْتَ عَلَیَّ مِنْ فَضْلِکَ وَ نَشَرْتَ عَلَیَّ مِنْ عَدْلِکَ وَ أَحْیَیْتَنِی تَحْتَ ظِلِّکَ وَ هَذَا شَهْرُ نَبِیِّکَ سَیِّدِ رُسُلِکَ شَعْبَانُ الَّذِی حَفَفْتَهُ مِنْکَ بِالرَّحْمَهِ وَ الرِّضْوَانِ الَّذِی کَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ [سَلَّمَ ] یَدْأَبُ فِی صِیَامِهِ وَ قِیَامِهِ فِی لَیَالِیهِ وَ أَیَّامِهِ بُخُوعا لَکَ فِی إِکْرَامِهِ وَ إِعْظَامِهِ إِلَی مَحَلِّ حِمَامِهِ اللَّهُمَّ فَأَعِنَّا عَلَی الاسْتِنَانِ بِسُنَّتِهِ فِیهِ وَ نَیْلِ الشَّفَاعَهِ لَدَیْهِ اللَّهُمَّ وَ اجْعَلْهُ لِی شَفِیعا مُشَفَّعا وَ طَرِیقا إِلَیْکَ مَهْیَعا وَ اجْعَلْنِی لَهُ مُتَّبِعا حَتَّی أَلْقَاکَ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَهِ عَنِّی رَاضِیا وَ عَنْ ذُنُوبِی غَاضِیا قَدْ أَوْجَبْتَ لِی مِنْکَ الرَّحْمَهَ وَ الرِّضْوَانَ وَ أَنْزَلْتَنِی دَارَ الْقَرَارِ وَ مَحَلَّ الْأَخْیَارِ

of the Divine messages, the academy where Angels came to learn and know, the depository of wisdom, the people of the House of "Wahi" (the Divine Revelations).

O my Allah send blessings on Muhammad and on the descendants of Muhammad, an unsinkable sailing ship afloat over the fathomless deep waters of the seas; whosoever gets into it is saved and whosoever stays away is drowned; whosoever steps in front of them misses the aim and goes astray, whosoever lags behind wanders in wilderness. Whosoever holds fast to them reaches the destination.

O my Allah send blessings on Muhammad and on the descendants of Muhammad, a safe sanctuary, a relief for the worried uncared-for destitutes, a refuge for the fugitives running away from tyranny, an asylum for the banished and hunted, seeking shelter.

O my Allah send blessings on Muhammad, and on the descendants of Muhammad, a great many blessings, a stimulation for inner joy and peace of mind to them, a fulfilment of the obligation unto Muhammad and the children of Muhammad, duly decreed as a duty by the authority and power Thou commands, O the Lord of the worlds.

O Allah send blessings on Muhammad and on the descendants of Muhammad, the good, the attested by Thy witness, the high-minded chosen in preference by Thee, whose right has been declared a must for all to accept, to obey them to love them has been made obligatory under Thy commands.

O my Allah send blessings on Muhammad and on the descendants

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of Muhammad and cultivate in my mind and heart obedience unto Thee, do not let me put myself to shame by acts of disobedience, make me feel compassion and assist the unfortunate people who do not receive enough from Thee, with the provisions Thou has made available to me, more than I need, (to justify that) Thou rightly selected me as a channel and has kept me alive under Thy protective cover.

This is the month of Thy Prophet, the Messenger-in-chief, the month of Shaa’baan surrounded by Thy mercy and blessings from all sides, in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be on him and on his children) used to exert himself willingly in the matter of fasting and praying in its days and nights, to show his humility before Thee for the respect and honour Thou bestowed on him, until his last breath.

O Allah help us to model our conduct on his "way of life" and obtain the intercession he is entitled to put forward.

O my Allah select him as my advocate to speak in favour of me, establish him for me a medium unto Thee, the sure and smooth approach; and make me follow in his footsteps till I stand before Thee on the Day of Judgement, Thou pleased with me, my mistakes overlooked, because Thou has found me worthy of Thy mercy and indulgence, and allowed me to take quarters in the eternal land of bliss and happiness in the neighbourhood

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of the select good.

صَلُّوا عَلَیْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلیما

Allah sends His Salawat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salawat on (ask Allah to bless) him and be totally obedient to him. (1)

The prophet has been awarded such a high status, that the Creator of the universe and all the angels who are responsible to manage the orders of Allah in the world send Salawat on him. When the believers send Salawat on the Prophet (and obey his commands), they harmonize with the message of the universe.

We must bear in mind that when we say Allah sends Salawat it means that He is sending blessings, but when creatures send Salawat it means, they ask for blessings.

Also the word "یصلون" indicates Allah and angels continuously send their blessings to his messenger.

الحسن

الطوسی المتوفی 672 .

Al-Salawat va Tahiyat ala Ashrafe Al-Baryyat va Aleh Al-Aemat Al-Sadat by Khajeh Nasir Al-din Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Al-Hasan Al-Toosi passed away in 672

3)

-الصلوات و التحیات تالیف محدث بزرگ فیض کاشانی المتوفی 1091

Al-Salawat va Al-Tahyyat by great narrator Feyze Kashani passed away in 1091

4)

-الصلوات و التحیات تالیف علم الهدی فرزند دانشمندومحقق فیض کاشانی.

Al-Salawat va Al-Tahyyat by Alam Al-Huda the son of Feyze Kashani. In this book he has gathered various kind of Salawat that are narrated from Ahlul Bayt and also the Salawats that other scholars of Shia have invented. He also came up with some Salawat that he invented himself.

5)

صلوات و فضائل آن فارسی للسید محمد بن زین العابدین الرضوی المتخلص بفنائی.

Salawat and its reward in Persian by Seyed Mohammad Ibn Zeyn Al-Abedin Al-razavi with the nickname of Fanayi

6)

- الصلوات المنظوم

تالیف مولی محسن بن المولی سمیع بن المولی حسین بن علم الهدی بن المحدث الفیض

Poetry Salawat by Mohsen Ibn Al-Mola Samie Ibn Al-Mola Husayn Ibn Alam Al-Huda Ibn Al-Mohadeth Al-Feyz. The poem starts with:

رب بحق أحمد سیدنا المقدم مقترب مقرب منتجب و خاتم

O, lord I swear by the right of Mohammad the master, close to you, beloved to you, chosen by you and the last prophet

أطیب نفسا و لا أشد استبشارا منک الیوم

فقال: و ما یمنعنی و قد خرج آنفا جبرائیل من عندی قال قال الله تعالی :من صلی علیک صلاه صلیت بها علیه عشر صلوات و محوت عنه عشر سیئات و کتبت له عشر حسنات9

Allame Tabarsi narrates with the chain of narration from Anas Ebn Malek from Abu Talhe, "I entered in the presence of the Prophet and saw him extremely happy and pleased like I have never seen him before. I told him: I have never seen you this happy before.

He told me, “Why should I not be happy, as Gabriel has just left and (before he left) said: God told me that whoever sends a Salawat on you I will send Salawat upon him and I will purify him from ten sins and I will write ten good deeds for him.”

Salawat on Prophet Mohammad and his Ahlul Bayt, the Angels will send a thousand Salawat on him.

Have you heard the saying of Allah the Almighty, “He it is who sends Salawat (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of Belief and Islamic Monotheism). And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers.”(Al-Ahzab 43).”

فی المیزان شی ء أثقل من الصلاه علی محمد و آل محمد، و إن الرجل لتوضع أعماله فی میزانه فیمیل به، فیخرج (صلی الله علیه و آله) الصلاه علیه، فیضعها فی میزانه فیرجح».12

Alameh Bahrani narrates from Mohammad Ibn Moslem from Imam Baqir or Imam Sadiq with the chain of narration, there is nothing heavier than Salawat in the scale of actions.

بارکت علی ابراهیم و ال ابراهیم انک حمید مجید"

Prophet answered: “O, Allah send your peace and blessings to Muhammad and his Households as you have sent your peace and passage to Abraham and his households. Truly you are the Praiseworthy and Magnanimity. O, Allah send your blessings to Mohammad and his households as you send your blessings to Abraham and his households. Truly you are the Praiseworthy and Magnanimous.”

The author narrated eighteen other Ahadith and in all of them Prophet mentioned and insisted that “his household” must be mentioned in the Salawat. These Ahadith are narrated from the most reliable and famous books of Ahle Al-Sunnat. The great companions of Prophet such as “Ibn Abbas”, “Talhe”, “Abu Saeed Khedri”, “Abu Huraireh”, “Abu Masuod Ansari”, “Burideh”, “Ibn Masuod”, “Kabe Ibn Ajareh” have also narrated such Ahadith. Moreover the Commander of the Faithful also narrated same hadiths. (1)

قال رسول الله: " لا تصلوا علی الصلاه البتراء" فقالوا: "و ما الصلاه البتراء؟" قال: "تقولون اللهم صل علی محمد، و تمسکون، بل قولوا: اللهم صل علی محمد و آل محمد"

Ibn Hajar in the book of Savaaegh narrates, that the Prophet said, “Do not send an incomplete Salawat on me.” Some companion asked, what is the incomplete Salawat? Prophet answered, “When you say Allahuma Sale Ala Mohammad (O, Allah send your peace and passage to Mohammad) and then you stop. Rather you must say Allah huma sale ala Muhammad wa Ale Muhammad”.

Prophet aware of our Salawat and does he respond when we express our love to him, or is it that we just send Salawat to a dead person?’

The Prophet replies to these Salawat and the answer comes from Quran. The Prophet’s life is like what Quran says about martyrs: “They are alive and provided by sustenance from their lord”.

The visiting of the grave of the Prophet and requesting from him in the eyes of Ignorant Wahhabis is a heretical mistake. This ideology contradicts what Quran has told us. On the other hand, the daily prayers in all the Islamic sects have the Salam to Prophet Mohammad. So if saying Salam to Prophet is considered ‘Shirk’ (unIslamic) then even the daily prayer is ‘Shirk’ and Allah Himself has ordered us to do ‘Shirk’. Contrarily, in the Ahadith of the immaculate Imams, the truth of this life is revealed and they have pointed to the bilateral and emotional relationships. Look at this beautiful hadith to understand the depth of this relationship:

البحرانی بسنده عن أبی جعفر (علیه السلام)، قال: «إن ملکا من الملائکه سأل الله أن یعطیه سمع العباد فأعطاه، فذلک الملک قائم حتی تقوم الساعه، لیس أحد من المؤمنین یقول: صلی الله علی محمد و آله و سلم، إلا و قال الملک: و علیک السلام. ثم یقول الملک: یا رسول الله، إن فلانا یقرئک السلام. فیقول رسول الله (صلی الله علیه و آله): و علیه السلام».15

Al-Bahrani narrates with a chain of narration from Abu Ja’far (Imam Baqir), one angel from God’s angels

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asked God to give him the ability of hearing all the sayings of Allah’s servant and God gave him this ability. This angel will last until the end of time. There is no one who says: ‘the peace and the passage of Allah to Mohammad and his households’ unless this angel will say: ‘peace be upon you’. The angel will then convey the peace and greeting to Prophet Muhammad who will reply peace and greetings to him.

The Real Meaning Behind The Salam And Salawat

Sending salutations and obedience

البرقی بسنده عن أبی بصیر، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (علیه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَ مَلائِکَتَهُ یُصَلُّونَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ یا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَیْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلِیماً، قال: «الصلاه علیه، و التسلیم له فی کل شی ء جاء به».16

Al-Barqi narrates with the chain of narrations from Abi Basir that he said: I asked Abu abdu Allah(Imam Sadiq) about the verse, “Allah sends His Salawat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salawat on (ask Allah to bless) him and be totally obedient to him”(1). “Send salutations on him and show obedience to him in everything he brought us,” Imam answered(2).

Loyalty to the promise

البحرانی بسنده عن الصادق جعفر بن محمد (علیهما السلام): من صلی علی النبی و آله فمعناه: أنی أنا علی المیثاق و الوفاء الذی قبلت حین قوله: أَ لَسْتُ بِرَبِّکُمْ قالُوا بَلی اعراف »172.

Bahrani

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narrates from the chain of narration from the Jafar Ibn Muhammad, "whoever sends Salawat on Prophet and his households it means I am standing on the promise that I gave when Allah asked me, "Am I not your lord? And I answered yes you are.(1)"

Blessing, Dua and purification

البحرانی بسنده عن ابن أبی حمزه، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (علیه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَ مَلائِکَتَهُ یُصَلُّونَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ یا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَیْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلِیماً، فقال: «الصلاه من الله عز و جل رحمه، و من الملائکه تزکیه ، و من الناس دعاء، و أما قوله عز و جل: وَ سَلِّمُوا تَسْلِیماً، فإنه یعنی التسلیم له فیما ورد عنه».

Bahrani narrates with the chain of narration from Ibn Abu Hamzeh. He said, “I asked Abu Abde Allah about the verse, “Allah sends His Salawat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salawat on (ask Allah to bless) him and be totally obedient to him” Then he answered, “The Salawat from Allah is a blessing and from angels it is purification and when it is from people it is a supplication but the saying “Send your Salawat on him and be totally obedient to him” means be obedient to whatever he brought from God.(2)

الْوَحْیِ

This phrases points out one of the most important special characteristics of Ahlul Bayt;

The root and the origin of the Ahlul Bayt’s knowledge and that they are the scale for measuring the right and wrong and are the straight path away from the deviation.

Without doubt, we need knowledge and cognition for everything we do and it is attained in three ways:

Experiences

The information that comes through experiences makes up a great part of valuable human knowledge but it has boundaries. For example:

Some of the greatest incidents of the world are not repeatable and we cannot experience them.

Knowledge gained through experience is never flawless or perfect. It has happened many times that after years we reach a point where what we thought was fact turns out to be untrue. There are lots of medicine or chemicals that are tested and recognized as harmless but after years we diagnose their harmful effects. This is because we do not have domination on all the dimensions of an experience. Another example is of medicines that are on the shelves but because of the side effects they have to confiscated or banned.

So, to traverse the way of life we cannot depend completely on our experiences. It does not lead us to the secrets of this world and we cannot search the chambers of this life with this dim light.

and general judgments. The human intellect cannot tell us how we must eat, how we must wear, whom we can have a relationship with, and what kind of economic and political system we must chose. In such uncertain rules and commands we cannot find a common answer because every philosopher and politician gives different solutions. Every philosopher disapproves of the previous one, and so we are unable to find a common ground to answer such questions relating to our life. We also need a foundation that can answer the common aspects of our life and meanwhile it must be adoptive to different special situations of each society. So, with the general rules of wisdom we cannot find our way in the maze of life.

بسنده عن حمران ابن اعین عَنِ ابیعَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ إِنَّ جَبْرَئِیلَ ع أَتَی رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص بِرُمَّانَتَیْنِ

فَأَکَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِحْدَاهُمَا وَ کَسَرَ الْأُخْرَی بِنِصْفَیْنِ فَأَکَلَ نِصْفاً وَ أَطْعَمَ عَلِیّاً نِصْفاً ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص یَا أَخِی هَلْ تَدْرِی مَا هَاتَانِ الرُّمَّانَتَانِ قَالَ لَا قَالَ أَمَّا الْأُولَی فَالنُّبُوَّهُ لَیْسَ لَکَ فِیهَا نَصِیبٌ وَ أَمَّا الْأُخْرَی فَالْعِلْمُ أَنْتَ شَرِیکِی فِیهِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَکَ اللَّهُ کَیْفَ کَانَ یَکُونُ شَرِیکَهُ فِیهِ قَالَ لَمْ یُعَلِّمِ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّداً ص عِلْماً إِلَّا وَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ یُعَلِّمَهُ عَلِیّاً ع22–

Kulayni narrates with the chain of narration from Hemran Ibn Aayun from Imam Sadiq, “Angel Gabriel brought two pomegranates for Prophet Muhammad. Prophet ate one of them and broke the other one in half. He ate one half and gave the other half to Ali. Then the Prophet told Ali, “Oh brother, do you know what these two pomegranates were?” Imam Ali answered, “No”. The Prophet continued, “The first one was Prophethood so you do not have any share of that but the other one was knowledge. You are my partner in this.”

Hemran said “How can Ali can be the Prophet’s partner in knowledge?” The Imam said “God did not give any knowledge to Muhammad unless God ordered the Prophet to teach Ali”.

Prophet, naturally the necessary knowledge of these responsibilities must also be in their hands. This fact is further explained in a Hadith by Imam Sadiq.

جَمَاعَهَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الْخَثْعَمِیِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ کَانَ الْمُفَضَّلُ عِنْدَ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُفَضَّلُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ یَفْرِضُ اللَّهُ طَاعَهَ عَبْدٍ عَلَی الْعِبَادِ وَ یَحْجُبُ عَنْهُ خَبَرَ السَّمَاءِ قَالَ لَا اللَّهُ أَکْرَمُ وَ أَرْحَمُ وَ أَرْأَفُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ أَنْ یَفْرِضَ طَاعَهَ عَبْدٍ عَلَی الْعِبَادِ ثُمَّ یَحْجُبَ عَنْهُ خَبَرَ السَّمَاءِ صَبَاحاً و َ مَسَاءً23

Jamaate Ibn Sade Al-Akhthami said: Mufaddhal was in the presence of Imam Sadiq and he told Imam Sadiq, “May I be your sacrifice. Is it possible that God orders His servants to obey someone but hides the knowledge of the skies from him? Imam Sadiq replied, “No, Allah is more merciful and kind than to obligate on his servants to obey someone and not to give him the knowledge of the skies”.

Of course this equivalence does not mean equivalence in the position of Excellency. The position of the Prophet is higher and greater but because of the same responsibility of guiding the Ummah, the Imams too have the same knowledge.

الکلینی بسنده عن الحارث بن المغیره عن أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ یَقُولُ: رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص و نَحْنُ فِی الْأَمْرِ وَ الْفَهْمِ وَ الْحَلَالِ وَ الْحَرَامِ نَجْرِی مَجْرًی وَاحِداً فَأَمَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَلِیٌّ ع فَلَهُمَا فَضْلُهُمَا24

Kulayni narrates from Hareth Ibn Moghayreh with a chain of narrations that Imam Sadiq said, “The Prophet and we (Ahlul Bayt) in the understanding of

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Halal and Haram are the same and we are on the same track. But the Prophet and the Commander of the faithful have a special Excellency.”

کَانَتْ أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَهِ عَیْنٍ وَ نَحْنُ عِنْدَنَا مِنَ الِاسْمِ الْأَعْظَمِ اثْنَانِ وَ سَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَ حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَی اسْتَأْثَرَ بِهِ فِی عِلْمِ الْغَیْبِ عِنْدَهُ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّهَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِیِّ الْعَظِیمِ 26

Kulayni with the chain of narration narrates from Jabir Ibn Abdullah who narrates from Imam Baqir who said: “The great name of Allah is seventy three letters and Asef (the minister of Solomon who brought the throne of the Queen of Saba in a blink of an eye) knew one letter of that. And with that one letter he travelled the earth and brought the throne to Solomon. However, we know seventy-two letters and Allah chose to keep one letter for Himself as it represents His special knowledge. There is no power and will except almighty God.”

Nofely also narrates a similar Hadith from Imam Askari.(1)

مِنْ کُلِّ بَابٍ أَلْفُ بَابٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ فَنَکَتَ سَاعَهً فِی الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ وَ مَا هُوَ بِذَاکَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا الْجَامِعَهَ وَ مَا یُدْرِیهِمْ مَا الْجَامِعَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ وَ مَا الْجَامِعَهُ قَالَ صَحِیفَهٌ طُولُهَا سَبْعُونَ ذِرَاعاً بِذِرَاعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ إِمْلَائِهِ مِنْ فَلْقِ فِیهِ وَ خَطِّ عَلِیٍّ بِیَمِینِهِ فِیهَا کُلُّ حَلَالٍ وَ حَرَامٍ وَ کُلُّ شَیْ ءٍ یَحْتَاجُ النَّاسُ إِلَیْهِ حَتَّی الْأَرْشُ فِی الْخَدْشِ وَ ضَرَبَ بِیَدِهِ إِلَیَّ فَقَالَ تَأْذَنُ لِی یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا لَکَ فَاصْنَعْ مَا شِئْتَ قَالَ فَغَمَزَنِی بِیَدِهِ وَ قَالَ حَتَّی أَرْشُ هَذَا کَأَنَّهُ مُغْضَبٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ وَ لَیْسَ بِذَاکَ ثُمَّ سَکَتَ سَاعَهً ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا الْجَفْرَ وَ مَا یُدْرِیهِمْ مَا الْجَفْرُ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الْجَفْرُ قَالَ وِعَاءٌ مِنْ أَدَمٍ فِیهِ عِلْمُ النَّبِیِّینَ وَ الْوَصِیِّینَ وَ عِلْمُ الْعُلَمَاءِ الَّذِینَ مَضَوْا مِنْ بَنِی إِسْرَائِیلَ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذَا هُوَ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ وَ لَیْسَ بِذَاکَ ثُمَّ سَکَتَ سَاعَهً ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا لَمُصْحَفَ فَاطِمَهَ ع وَ مَا یُدْرِیهِمْ مَا مُصْحَفُ فَاطِمَهَ ع قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا مُصْحَفُ فَاطِمَهَ ع قَالَ مُصْحَفٌ فِیهِ مِثْلُ قرآنکُمْ هَذَا ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ اللَّهِ مَا فِیهِ مِنْ قرآنکُمْ حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ وَ مَا هُوَ بِذَاکَ

ثُمَّ سَکَتَ سَاعَهً ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمَ مَا کَانَ وَ عِلْمَ مَا هُوَ کَائِنٌ إِلَی أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّاعَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ هُوَ الْعِلْمُ

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قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ وَ لَیْسَ بِذَاکَ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ فَأَیُّ شَیْ ءٍ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ مَا یَحْدُثُ بِاللَّیْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْأَمْرِ وَ الشَّیْ ءُ بَعْدَ الشَّیْ ءِ إِلَی یَوْمِ الْقِیَامَهِ28

Kulayni narrates with the chain of narration from Abu Basir. He said, I told Imam Sadiq: May Allah sacrifice me over you, I want to ask you something. Is there anyone in this room who would hear me? (He was blind and he wanted to ask about eavesdroppers) Imam Sadiq checked behind the curtain in the room and said, “Abu Basir! Ask what you want.” I asked, “May I be your sacrifice; your Shia say that the Prophet opened a door (of knowledge) to thousand doors. Imam said, “Prophet opened thousand doors (of knowledge) to thousand doors.” Abu Basir said, “This is knowledge!” The Imam stared at the earth for a moment and then he said, “It is knowledge but not the one.” Then he said, “O, Abu Basir, We have Jamee and who knows the Jamee!”

I asked, “What is Jamee?” he said, “It is a book (on a roll) and its length is equivalent to seventy arms of the Prophet’s arm and it includes what the Prophet had said which Ali Ibn Abu Talib had written down. This book includes all the Halal and Haram and all of people’s needs, including the mention of even the scathe of a small scratch.” Then he patted me and asked, “If you let me?” I answered, “May my life be sacrificed for you.

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You may do as you wish.” He then squeezed my hand and said, “Even the scathe of this has come in this book.” I said, “This is knowledge.” He said, “This is knowledge but not the one.” Then he was quiet for a moment and then said, “We have Jafr.”

I asked, “What is Jafr?” He answered, “It is a book on leather and in it there is the knowledge of Prophets and their ancestors and the scholars of Bani Esrael that have passed.” Then I said, “This is knowledge.” He said, “This is a great knowledge but not the one.” Then he was quiet for a moment after which he said, “We have Book of Fatima and they do not know what the book of Fatima is.” I asked, “What is the book of Fatima?” He answered, “It is a book three times bigger than the Quran but it does not have even one letter of the Quran”. I said, “This is knowledge” he said, “This is knowledge but not the one.” Then he became quiet for a while and then continued, “Knowledge of what ever has passed and whatever is going to come until the Day of Judgment is in our hand” I said, “This is knowledge.” Then he said, “This is knowledge but not the one”. I said, “May my life be sacrificed for you, but what is knowledge?” he said, “Whatever comes to us, day and night one after another, until the day of judgment”

We also

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have this fact reiterated in the Zeyarat of Jamee Kabireh where it says, “…right is with you and between you and from you and (what) comes to you” and also in the Zeyarat Alyasin, “…right is what you like and wrong is what you dislike”. In these phrases Imam Sajjad says,

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ شَجَرَهِ النُّبُوَّهِ وَ مَوْضِعِ الرِّسَالَهِ وَ مُخْتَلَفِ الْمَلائِکَهِ وَ مَعْدِنِ الْعِلْمِ وَ أَهْلِ بَیْتِ الْوَحْیِ

May Allah send your peace and passage to Mohammad and his households (for they are) the tree of prophet hood and (they are) the location of the message and the resort of the angels, and the mine of knowledge and the household of revelation.

if the path is wrong, all attempts and efforts will create more distance and cause more harm.

It is because of these risks that Quran and Ahadith have paid so much attention to the introduction of the safe path and the true guide. And that path lies in holding the hands of those whom Allah has purified from every evil and uncleanliness.

یرید الله لیذهب عنکم الرجس اهل البیت ویطهرکم تطهیرا29

عَلَی دَرَجَهِ الْکَعْبَهِ حَتَّی أَخَذَ بِحَلْقَهِ الْبَابِ ثُمَّ أَسْنَدَ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَیْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ عَرَفَنِی فَقَدْ عَرَفَنِی وَ مَنْ أَنْکَرَنِی فَأَنَا أَبُو ذَرٍّ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص یَقُولُ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ أَهْلِ بَیْتِی فِی هَذِهِ الْأُمَّهِ کَمَثَلِ سَفِینَهِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَکِبَهَا نَجَا وَ مَنْ تَرَکَهَا هَلَکَ وَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص یَقُولُ اجْعَلُوا أَهْلَ بَیْتِی مِنْکُمْ مَکَانَ الرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ وَ مَکَانَ الْعَیْنَیْنِ مِنَ الرَّأْسِ فَإِنَّ الْجَسَدَ لَا یَهْتَدِی إِلَّا بِالرَّأْسِ وَ لَا یَهْتَدِی الرَّأْسُ إِلَّا بِالْعَیْنَیْنِ 31

Al-Tabarsi in the book of Al-Ehtejaj has written: Salim Ibn Qeyse said, “I and Hamish Ibn Motamar were in Mecca when we saw Abu Dharr. He stood up whilst holding the ring of the Kabeh’s door, and shouted loudly, “O People, those who know me, know me and for those who do not know me, I am Jundab, I am Abu Dharr. O people, I have heard the Prophet say, “Truly my Household among my Ummah is like the ship of Noah for his Ummah. Whoever gets on board will survive and whoever abandons it will be drowned; and it is like the door of Hittah (the door that whoever passes through it has his sins forgiven).” O people I have heard your Prophet say, “I have left two things amongst you. If you hold on to them you will not go astray; The Book of God and my Household.”

When Abu Dharr returned to Medina, Othman called for him and interrogating him, asking him, “What made you give a speech in Hajj?”

Abu

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Dharr replied, “That was the order of the Prophet”.

Othman asked, “Do you have any witnesses?”

Imam Ali and Miqdad testified for him and the three of them left. When they had gone a bit far, Othman said, “This man and his two friends think they hold a high rank.”

This particular event has also been narrated differently with the addition of an important point.

Sheikh Toosi in his book of Amali narrates with a chain of narration from Rafee, the slave of Abu Dharr. Abu Dharr climbed the stairs of the Kabah and held the ring of the Kabah’s door. He leaned to the door and said, “O People, those who know me, know me and for those who do not know me, I am Abu Dharr. I heard from the Prophet that he said, “Truly my Household among my Ummah is like the ship of Noah for his Ummah. Whoever gets on board will survive and whoever leaves it will be drowned.” Also I heard the Prophet say, “Make the position of my Household among you as your head is for your body and like your eyes are for your head. A body is not lead except by the head and the head is not lead except by the eyes.”

Ibn Abbas has also narrated a Hadith that explains the position of the Ahlul Bayt.

المجلسی بسنده عَنْ سَعِیدِ بْنِ جُبَیْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ :قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لِعَلِیٍّ بْنِ أَبِی طَالِبٍ یَا عَلِیُّ أَنَا مَدِینَهُ الْحِکْمَهِ وَ أَنْتَ بَابُهَا وَ لَنْ تُؤْتَی الْمَدِینَهُ إِلَّا

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مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَابِ وَ کَذَبَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ یُحِبُّنِی وَ یُبْغِضُکَ لِأَنَّکَ مِنِّی وَ أَنَا مِنْکَ لَحْمُکَ مِنْ لَحْمِی وَ دَمُکَ مِنْ دَمِی وَ رُوحُکَ مِنْ رُوحِی وَ سَرِیرَتُکَ سَرِیرَتِی وَ عَلَانِیَتُکَ عَلَانِیَتِی وَ أَنْتَ إِمَامُ أُمَّتِی وَ خَلِیفَتِی عَلَیْهَا بَعْدِی سُعِدَ مَنْ أَطَاعَکَ وَ شَقِیَ مَنْ عَصَاکَ وَ رَبِحَ مَنْ تَوَلَّاکَ وَ خَسِرَ مَنْ عَادَاکَ وَ فَازَ مَنْ لَزِمَکَ وَ هَلَکَ مَنْ فَارَقَکَ مَثَلُکَ وَ مَثَلُ الْأَئِمَّهِ مِنْ وُلْدِکَ بَعْدِی مَثَلُ سَفِینَهِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَکِبَهَا نَجَا وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ وَ مَثَلُکُمْ مَثَلُ النُّجُومِ کُلَّمَا غَابَ نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجْمُ إِلَی یَوْمِ الْقِیَامَهِ 32

Allamah Majlisi narrates with a chain of narration from Saeed Ibn Jubair from Ibn Abbas. The Prophet told Ali Ibn Abu Talib, “O, Ali I am the city of wisdom and you are its gate and no one can enter this city unless he passes through its gate. Those who think they love me and they hate you, they are lying. Because you are from me and I am from you. Your flesh is from me, your blood is from my blood, and your soul is from my soul. Your secrets are mine and your apparent is mine. You are the leader of my Ummah and my successor after me. Whoever obeys you is privileged and whoever disobeys you is unfortunate.

Whoever loves you will be benefitted and whoever hates you is a loser. Whoever accompanies you

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will reach the destination and who maintains distance from you will be destroyed. You and the Imams from your descendants are like the ship of Noah. Those who get on board this ship will survive and those who are left out of the ship will perish. And you are like stars. Till the Day of Judgement, whenever one of them sets, another one rises.”

فَقُلْنَا هُوَ ذَا، فَنَظَرَ إِلَیْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ، فَقَالَ لِأَبِی بَکْرٍ خُذْ سَیْفِی هَذَا وَ امْضِ إِلَی هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَاضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ یَأْتِیهِ مِنْ حِزْبِ الشَّیْطَانِ.. فَدَخَلَ أَبُو بَکْرٍ الْمَسْجِدَ فَرَآهُ رَاکِعاً، فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَقْتُلُهُ، فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (ص) نَهَانَا عَنْ قَتْلِ الْمُصَلِّینَ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ، فَقَالَ یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّی رَأَیْتُهُ یُصَلِّی.فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ اجْلِسْ، فَلَسْتَ بِصَاحِبِهِ، قُمْ یَا عُمَرُ وَ خُذْ سَیْفِی مِنْ یَدِ أَبِی بَکْرٍ وَ ادْخُلِ الْمَسْجِدَ فَاضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ، قَالَ عُمَرُ فَأَخَذْتُ السَّیْفَ مِنْ أَبِی بَکْرٍ وَ دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَرَأَیْتُ الرَّجُلَ سَاجِداً، فَقُلْتُ وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَقْتُلُهُ فَقَدِ اسْتَأْمَنَهُ مَنْ هُوَ خَیْرٌ مِنِّی، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ، فَقُلْتُ یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّی رَأَیْتُ الرَّجُلَ سَاجِداً. فَقَالَ یَا عُمَرُ اجْلِسْ فَلَسْتَ بِصَاحِبِهِ، قُمْ یَا عَلِیُّ فَإِنَّکَ أَنْتَ قَاتِلُهُ، إِنْ وَجَدْتَهُ فَاقْتُلْهُ، فَإِنَّکَ إِنْ قَتَلْتَهُ لَمْ یَقَعْ بَیْنَ أُمَّتِی اخْتِلَافٌ أَبَداً. قَالَ عَلِیٌّ عَلَیْهِ السَّلَامُ فَأَخَذْتُ السَّیْفَ وَ دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلَمْ أَرَهُ، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ آلِهِ، فَقُلْتُ یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (ص) مَا رَأَیْتُهُ. فَقَالَ یَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ إِنَّ أُمَّهَ مُوسَی افْتَرَقَتْ إِحْدَی وَ سَبْعِینَ فِرْقَهً، فِرْقَهٌ نَاجِیَهٌ وَ الْبَاقُونَ فِی النَّارِ، وَ إِنَّ أُمَّهَ عِیسَی (ع) افْتَرَقَتِ اثْنَتَیْنِ وَ سَبْعِینَ فِرْقَهً، فِرْقَهٌ نَاجِیَهٌ وَ الْبَاقُونَ فِی النَّارِ، وَ إِنَّ أُمَّتِی سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَی ثَلَاثٍ وَ سَبْعِینَ فِرْقَهً، فِرْقَهٌ نَاجِیَهٌ وَ الْبَاقُونَ فِی النَّارِ. فَقُلْتُ یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ (ص) وَ مَا النَّاجِیَهُ. فَقَالَ الْمُتَمَسِّکُ بِمَا أَنْتَ عَلَیْهِ وَ أَصْحَابُکَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ

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تَعَالَی فِی ذَلِکَ الرَّجُلِ ثانِیَ عِطْفِهِ. یَقُولُ هَذَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ یَظْهَرُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْبِدَعِ وَ الضَّلَالَاتِ. قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَ اللَّهِ مَا قَتَلَ ذَلِکَ الرَّجُلَ إِلَّا أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ (ع) یَوْمَ صِفِّینَ34

Anas Ibn Malik narrates, “We were in the Prophet’s presence and we discussed the prayers, fasts, donations and Zakat of someone. The Prophet said, “I do not know him.” I said, “O, Messenger of Allah, he is one of God’s servants in that he always prays, glorifies, sanctifies and mentions Allah’s uniqueness.” The Prophet again said, “I do not know him”. Suddenly that man entered from the door. We said, “This is the man”. The Prophet looked at him and said to Abu-Bakr, “Take my sword and go to this man and kill him because he is the first man of Satan’s party”. Abu-Bakr followed him and entered the mosque but he saw him in Ruku. He said, “I swear to God that I will not kill him because Our Prophet prohibits killing those who pray” Then he returned to Prophet and said, “He was praying”. The Prophet said, “Sit down! You cannot do it. Omar! Get up, take my sword from Abu-Bakr and kill him”. Omar says, “I took the sword and I entered the mosque I saw him in prostration. I told myself that the one who is better than me did not kill him,” and he returned to Prophet and said, “O, Prophet! I saw him prostrating”.

The Prophet said, “Sit down! You cannot do it. O,

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Ali! You can kill that man. Go and if you see him kill him because if you kill him my Ummah will not diverge. Imam Ali says, “I took the sword and entered the mosque but I did not see him, so I returned to Prophet and I said, “I did not see him”. The Prophet said, “O, Aba Al-Hasan the Ummah of Moses turned to seventy one sects. One of them will survive (from Hell) and the rest of them will be in hell. The Ummah of Jesus turned to seventy two sects. One of them will survive (from Hell) and the rest of them will be in hell. My Ummah will turn to seventy three. One of them will survive (from Hell) and the rest of them will be in hell.” Imam Ali said, “O, Messenger of Allah, which sect will survive?” The Prophet said, “The group that holds on to what you and your followers hold on to.” Allah descended the ninth Ayah of Surah Al-Hajj(1) about that man. He was the first man of companion of heresy. Ibn Abbas says, “I swear to God, Ali killed him in the battle of Siffin”.

عَلِیُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْخَزَّازُ فِی کِتَابِ الْکِفَایَهِ فِی النُّصُوصِ عَلَی عَدَدِ الْأَئِمَّهِ ع عَنِ الْحُسَیْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِیدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الصَّفْوَانِیِّ عَنْ مَرْوَانَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ السِّنْجَارِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی یَحْیَی التَّمِیمِیِّ عَنْ یَحْیَی الْبَکَّاءِ عَنْ عَلِیٍّ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص سَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِی عَلَی ثَلَاثٍ وَ سَبْعِینَ فِرْقَهً فِرْقَهٌ مِنْهَا نَاجِیَهٌ وَ الْبَاقُونَ

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هَالِکُونَ وَ النَّاجُونَ الَّذِینَ یَتَمَسَّکُونَ بِوَلَایَتِکُمْ وَ یَقْتَبِسُونَ مِنْ عِلْمِکُمْ وَ لَا یَعْمَلُونَ بِرَأْیِهِمْ فَأُولَئِکَ مَا عَلَیْهِمْ مِنْ سَبِیلٍ 36

Finding the correct path and holding on to it is a recurrent theme in our Ahadith. Ali Ibn Muhammad Khazaz in his book of Kefayeh narrates from Imam Ali, “The Messenger of Allah said, “My Ummah will be in seventy three sects. One of them will get to salvation and the rest of them will perish. Only those who hold on to your Velayat (successorship) and benefit from your knowledge and do not follow their own opinion will succeed. (Those are the ones who) no one can find fault in them.”

In the Salawat, this phrase tells us the above facts in the form of metaphors:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

الْفُلْکِ الْجَارِیَهِ فِی اللُّجَجِ الْغَامِرَهِ یَأْمَنُ مَنْ رَکِبَهَا وَ یَغْرَقُ مَنْ تَرَکَهَا

الْمُتَقَدِّمُ لَهُمْ مَارِقٌ وَ الْمُتَأَخِّرُ عَنْهُمْ زَاهِقٌ وَ اللاَّزِمُ لَهُمْ لاَحِقٌ

O my Allah send blessings on Muhammad and on the descendants of Muhammad, an unsinkable sailing ship afloat over the fathomless deep waters of the seas; whosoever gets into it is saved and whosoever stays away is drowned; whosoever steps in front of them misses the aim and goes astray, whosoever lags behind wanders in wilderness. Whosoever holds fast to them reaches the destination.

call it Tawhid. This principle means that you must not worship anyone and there is no creator for this world and there is not any power except Allah. (ما شاءَ اللَّهُ لا قُوَّهَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّه ، الکهف ،39)

“It is as Allah has pleased. There is no power save in Allah”(1).

Likewise believing in every indecent power and effect besides Allah is also heresy. However while guarding our thoughts from heresy we must also keep in mind that the wisdom of Allah dictates that He chooses an instrument to get every job done. For example the power of healing is in the Hand of Allah but for curing any diseases we must go to doctors and use medicine. We must keep in our mind that the power of the mind of that doctor and the effect of that medicine is also by Allah. Another example that we must keep in mind is that the Sustainer of all creatures is Allah. “Surely Allah is the bestower of sustenance”(2) But we must strive and work for the attainment of our sustenance.

Similarly, in the spiritual wayfaring there are some spiritual actions that God prescribes for getting closer to Him. Dua is one of the important ones. “Say: My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer; but you have indeed rejected(the truth) so that which shall cleave shall come”(3)

Another one or maybe the most important one is intercession and the phrases from the Salawat mentioned at the beginning of this chapter highlight

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this.

of them.

Hakim Neyshabori in the book of Mostadrak narrates from Omar, “The Prophet said, “When Adam made that mistake, he told Allah, “O My Lord, I ask you by the name of Mohammad to forgive me.” Allah replied, “How do you know him notwithstanding I did not create him yet?” Adam said, “When You created me by Your Mighty Hand and you blew your spirit into my body, I looked to the pillar of Your Throne and I saw these words “There is no lord but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.” So I understood that Muhammad is the most beloved creature to You because You put his name beside Yours” Allah addressed him and said, “You are right. He is the most beloved to Me and because you have asked forgiveness in his name I will forgive you and if Muhammad would not have existed I would not have even created you.”(1)

The matter of intercession is definite and accepted between all Muslims and it is not a recent issue. In history we see when Mansor Al-Abassi went for Hajj, he went to Medina to visit the Prophet’s tomb. Malik Ebn Anas, the leader of the sect of the Maleki, told him, “Reduce your voice because respecting the Prophet is essential whether he is dead or alive.” Al-Mansor asked him, “When I am praying or reciting Dua, should I face the Prophet’s grave or the Qibleh?” Malik said, “Why would you want to turn your face away from the Prophet

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whereas he is your interceder and the interceder of your Father Adam to Allah. Face him and ask him for intercession because Allah has said, “If when they had been unjust to themselves, (they) had come to you (Muhammad) and begged Allah's Forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving (One who accepts repentance), Most Merciful”(1).

Nevertheless, in the Shia theology, the issue of intercession has more depth and is more widely discussed.

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ فَهْدٍ فِی عُدَّهِ الدَّاعِی عَنْ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِیِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّداً ص یَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ یَقُولُ یَا عِبَادِی أَ وَ لَیْسَ مَنْ لَهُ إِلَیْکُمْ حَوَائِجُ کِبَارٌ لَا تَجُودُونَ بِهَا إِلَّا أَنْ یَتَحَمَّلَ عَلَیْکُمْ بِأَحَبِّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَیْکُمْ تَقْضُونَهَا کَرَامَهً لِشَفِیعِهِمْ أَلَا فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَکْرَمَ الْخَلْقِ عَلَیَّ وَ أَفْضَلَهُمْ لَدَیَّ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ أَخُوهُ عَلِیٌّ وَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ الْأَئِمَّهُ الَّذِینَ هُمُ الْوَسَائِلُ إِلَی اللَّهِ فَلْیَدْعُنِی مَنْ هَمَّتْهُ حَاجَهٌ یُرِیدُ نَفْعَهَا أَوْ دَهِمَتْهُ دَاهِیَهٌ یُرِیدُ کَشْفَ ضُرِّهَا بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّیِّبِینَ الطَّاهِرِینَ أَقْضِهَا لَهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا یَقْضِیهَا مَنْ (تَسْتَشْفِعُونَ لَهُ) بِأَعَزِّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَیْهِ وَ رَوَاهُ الْعَسْکَرِیُّ فِی تَفْسِیرِهِ مِثْلَهُ

In a hadith, Ibn Fahd Helly narrates with the chain of narration that Salman says, “I heard from the Prophet, “God says, “My servant, if someone is in great need of you, you will not fulfil his need unless he resorts to your beloved. Then out of respect you give his need. Thus the most beloved and the most preferred people to me in this world are Mohammad, his brother Ali and

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his successors. They are your interceders to your God. So anyone who has a wish to make a profit or has a calamity that he wants to avoid should ask Me by the name of Muhammad. Then I will give him what he wants in the best shape.” This hadith has been narrated in the Tafsir of Imam Hasan Askari(1).

There are other kinds of Ahadith about intercession as well that announce a way of resorting such as the following.

َالکلینی بسنده عَنْ سَمَاعَهَ قَالَ قَالَ لِی أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع إِذَا کَانَ لَکَ یَا سَمَاعَهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حَاجَهٌ فَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّی أَسْأَلُکَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِیٍّ فَإِنَّ لَهُمَا عِنْدَکَ شَأْناً مِنَ الشَّأْنِ وَ قَدْراً مِنَ الْقَدْرِ فَبِحَقِّ ذَلِکَ الشَّأْنِ وَ بِحَقِّ ذَلِکَ الْقَدْرِ أَنْ تُصَلِّیَ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ بِی کَذَا وَ کَذَا"

Kulayni narrates with a chain of narration from Samaeh. Samaeh narrates from Imam Mossa Al-Kazem, “Samaeh whenever you have a request from God, say “O, Allah I ask you to send your peace and blessings to Mohammad -peace be upon him- and Ali because they are have a great place and prodigious excellency before you. I swear by this Excellency, send your peace and blessings to Mohammad and his household and please do this or that for me.(2)

اللَّهِ الرَّاوَنْدِیُّ فِی قِصَصِ الْأَنْبِیَاءِ بِسَنَدِهِ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنِ الرِّضَا علیه السلام قَالَ: "لَمَّا أَشْرَفَ نُوحٌ عَلَی الْغَرَقِ دَعَا اللَّهَ بِحَقِّنَا فَدَفَعَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ الْغَرَقَ وَ لَمَّا رُمِیَ إِبْرَاهِیمُ فِی النَّارِ دَعَا اللَّهَ بِحَقِّنَا فَجَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِ النَّارَ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً وَ إِنَّ مُوسَی لَمَّا ضَرَبَ طَرِیقاً فِی الْبَحْرِ دَعَا اللَّهَ بِحَقِّنَا فَجُعِلَ یَبَساً وَ إِنَّ عِیسَی لَمَّا أَرَادَ الْیَهُودُ قَتْلَهُ دَعَا اللَّهَ بِحَقِّنَا فَنَجَا مِنَ الْقَتْلِ فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَیْهِ"46

Our great scholar Ravandi in the book of Qassas of Al-Ambia (stories of prophets) narrates from Imam Ridha’, “When the ship of Noah was about to drown, he asked Allah by our right and Allah saved him from being drowned. Also when Abraham was thrown into the fire, he asked Allah by our right, so the fire turned cold and safe for him. In addition, when Moses reached the sea, he too asked Allah by our right therefore God dried his way. Indeed when the Jews wanted to kill Jesus, he asked Allah by our right, because of which he was saved from murder and God elevated him to Himself.”

Sheikh Hor Al-Ameli talking about resorting to the Prophet and the Ahlul Bayt says, “Ahadith that are narrated about resorting are many. There are also many AHadith and Duas full of intercession that the Ahle Al-Sunnah narrate.(1)

a stimulation for inner joy and peace of mind to them, a fulfillment the obligation unto Muhammad and the children of Muhammad, duly decreed as a duty by the authority and power Thou commands, O the Lord of the worlds.

As we have already discussed the subject of Salawat at the beginning, it will not be repeated here.

testify that you are His Messenger, and you are Muhammad, son of Abdullaah; and I testify that you had delivered the Message of your Lord, advised and warned your followers (Ummah) like a sincere friend, and strived, leaving no stone unturned, against heavy odds, in the cause of Allah, with wisdom, and good advice. Strong and powerful support, from the Truthful (Allah) was put at your disposal; (and) you had been kind and compassionate to the believers ,(but) were harsh with the disbelievers, and had sincerely served Allah, till the inevitable (what was certain-death) came unto you. So Allah made you reach the highest stage of glory and honor.”(1)

Now it is our turn to know what is the duty of the Ummah towards the Prophet? Also we must ask ourselves if we have put in our efforts towards these duties? Two important duties that have been pointed out by Imam Sajjad in the above phrases of the Salawat are: Velayat (superintendence) and obedience. These two responsibilities have a co-relation with each other, because the effect of accepting the superintendence and of love is obedience, and the true lover obeys all the commands of his beloved. In fact, the Quran calls love for the Prophet’s Household as the recompense of his efforts.

“Say (O Muhammad): "No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you." And whoever earns a good righteous deed, We shall give him an increase of good in respect

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thereof. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most ready to appreciate (the deeds of those who are obedient to Him).”(1)

However it is important to note two important points concerning these two responsibilities. These are, the importance of accepting their superintendence and its effects.

Akhbar Al-Ridha’, Saduq narrates with the chain of narration from Imam Sadiq, and Imam Sadiq narrates from Prophet that: “When I was taken high into the skies God revealed to me, “O, Muhammad, If one of my servants prays to me by all of his strength until he becomes like a worn out and old waterskin and then he comes in My presence while he denies the superintendence of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn, I will not let him enter heaven and I will not let my throne to shadow over his head.”(1)

وَ أَخْبَرَنَا السَّیِّدُ أَبُو الْحَمْدِ عَنْ أَبِی الْقَاسِمِ بِالْإِسْنَادِ الْمَذْکُورِ فِی کِتَابِ شَوَاهِدِ التَّنْزِیلِ مَرْفُوعاً إِلَی أَبِی أُمَامَهَ الْبَاهِلِیِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَی خَلَقَ الْأَنْبِیَاءَ مِنْ أَشْجَارٍ شَتَّی وَ خُلِقْتُ أَنَا وَ عَلِیٌّ مِنْ شَجَرَهٍ وَاحِدَهٍ فَأَنَا أَصْلُهَا وَ عَلِیٌّ فَرْعُهَا وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَیْنُ ثِمَارُهَا وَ أَشْیَاعُنَا أَوْرَاقُنَا فَمَنْ تَعَلَّقَ بِغُصْنٍ مِنْ أَغْصَانِهَا نَجَا وَ مَنْ زَاغَ هَوَی وَ لَوْ أَنَّ عَبْداً عَبَدَ اللَّهَ بَیْنَ الصَّفَا وَ الْمَرْوَهِ أَلْفَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ أَلْفَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ أَلْفَ عَامٍ حَتَّی یَصِیرَ کَالشَّنِّ الْبَالِی ثُمَّ لَمْ یُدْرِکْ مَحَبَّتَنَا أَکَبَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَی مَنْخِرَیْهِ فِی النَّارِ ثُمَّ تَلَا:

(قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّهَ فِی الْقُرْبی .الشوری ،33)

Haskani in the book of Shawahid Al-Tanzil with the chain of narration narrates from Abu Emameh Baheli from Prophet, “Truly Allah created prophets from different trees and created me and Ali from the same tree. I am the root of that tree, Ali is its branches, Hasan and Husayn are the

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fruits and the Shias are the leaves of this tree. Whosoever grasps to any of these branches will survive and whosoever gets deviated will fall down. Also if a servant worships Allah for thousand years and then another thousand years and then another thousand years between Safa and Marveh until he becomes like an old waterskin but he does not appreciate our love, God will throw him by his face into the hellfire. Then Prophet recited this verse, “Say (O Muhammad, "No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you."(1)

قَالَ الْعَلَّامَهُ رَوَّحَ اللَّهُ رُوحَهُ فِی کِتَابِ کَشْفِ الْحَقِّ رَوَی الْجُمْهُورُ فِی الصَّحِیحَیْنِ وَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ فِی مُسْنَدِهِ وَ الثَّعْلَبِیُّ فِی تَفْسِیرِهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَ قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّهَ فِی الْقُرْبی قَالُوا یَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ قَرَابَتُکَ الَّذِینَ وَجَبَتْ عَلَیْنَا مَوَدَّتُهُمْ قَالَ عَلِیٌّ وَ فَاطِمَهُ وَ ابْنَاهُمَا

Also Allameh in the book of Kashf Al-Haq has written, “Ahl Al-Sunna in Sahiheyn and Ahmad Hanbal in the book of Mosnad, Salabi in his Quran interpretation narrates from Ibn Abbas, “When the verse “Say O Muhammad, "No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you” descended, the companions of the Prophet asked, “O, Prophet, who are these relatives of yours that their love is obligated upon us?” Prophet answered, “Ali, Fatima and their two sons”(2). Allameh continues,

نَقَلَ صَاحِبُ الْکَشَّافِ

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عَنِ النَّبِیِّ ص أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ شَهِیداً أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ مَغْفُوراً لَهُ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ تَائِباً أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ مُؤْمِناً مُسْتَکْمِلَ الْإِیمَانِ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ بَشَّرَهُ مَلَکُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْجَنَّهِ ثُمَّ مُنْکَرٌ وَ نَکِیرٌ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ یُزَفُّ إِلَی الْجَنَّهِ کَمَا تُزَفُّ الْعَرُوسُ إِلَی بَیْتِ زَوْجِهَا أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص فُتِحَ لَهُ فِی قَبْرِهِ بَابَانِ إِلَی الْجَنَّهِ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ قَبْرَهُ مَزَارَ مَلَائِکَهِ الرَّحْمَهِ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی حُبِّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ عَلَی السُّنَّهِ وَ الْجَمَاعَهِ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی بُغْضِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَاءَ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَهِ مَکْتُوبٌ بَیْنَ عَیْنَیْهِ آیِسٌ مِنْ رَحْمَهِ اللَّهِ أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی بُغْضِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَاتَ کَافِراً أَلَا وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَی بُغْضِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ لَمْ یَشَمَّ رَائِحَهَ الْجَنَّهِ

“Zamakhshari narrates from Prophet, “Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Households dies as a martyr. Know that if someone truly dies with the love of Prophet’s Households, he is forgiven.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Households, he is repentant.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household, he is the complete faithful.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household, the angel of death and afterwards the Nakir and Monkar will give hime glad tidings of heaven.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household goes to heaven like a

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bride goes to the house of her groom.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household two doors open from his grave to the Heaven.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household God makes his grave a shrine for the Angels of Mercy.

Whoever dies with the love of Prophet’s Household he dies as Ahl Al-Sunna.

Whoever dies with the hatred to Prophet’s Household will rise in the Day of Judgment while it will be written on his forehead: he is disappointed from God’s mercy.

Whoever dies with the hatred to Prophet’s Household dies as a pagan.

Whoever dies with the hatred to Prophet’s Household will not (even) smell the scent of heaven.”

ابن شاذان بسنده عن أبی سلمی راعی رسول الله ص قال سمعت رسول الله ص یقول لیله أسری بی إلی السماء قال لی الجلیل جل جلاله آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَیْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ قلت وَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ کُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَ مَلائِکَتِهِ وَ کُتُبِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ قال صدقت یا محمد من خلفت فی أمتک قلت خیرها قال علی بن أبی طالب ع قلت نعم یا رب قال یا محمد إنی اطلعت إلی الأرض اطلاعه فاخترتک منها فشققت لک اسما من أسمائی فلا أذکر فی موضع إلا ذکرت معی فأنا المحمود و أنت محمد ثم اطلعت الثانیه فاخترت منها علیا فشققت له اسما من أسمائی فأنا العلی الأعلی و هو علی یا محمد إنی خلقتک و خلقت علیا و فاطمه و الحسن و الحسین و الأئمه من ولده من سنخ نوری و عرضت ولایتکم علی أهل السماوات و أهل الأرضین فمن قبلها کان

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عندی من المؤمنین و من جحدها کان عندی من الکافرین یا محمد لو أن عبدا من عبیدی عبدنی حتی ینقطع و یصیر کالشن البالی ثم أتانی جاحدا لولایتکم ما غفرت له حتی یقر بولایتکم یا محمد أ تحب أن تراهم قلت نعم یا رب فقال لی التفت عن یمین العرش فالتفت فإذا أنا بعلی و فاطمه و الحسن و الحسین و علی بن الحسین و محمد بن علی و جعفر بن محمد و موسی بن جعفر و علی بن موسی و محمد بن علی و علی بن محمد و الحسن بن علی و المهدی فی ضحضاح من نور قیام یصلون و هو فی وسطهم یعنی المهدی یضی ء کأنه کوکب دری فقال یا محمد هؤلاء الحجج و هو الثائر من عترتک فو عزتی و جلالی إنه الناصر لأولیائی و المنتقم من أعدائی و لهم الحجه الواجبه و بهم یمسک الله السماوات أن تقع علی الأرض إلا بإذنه.

Ibn Shazan Qomi in the book of Mea Manqabah (Hundred Good Attributes) with the chain of narration from Abi Salma the shepherd who says, “I heard from the Prophet who said: “In the night in which they elevated me, Allah the Almighty told me, “ O Prophet have faith on what God descended on you.” I said, “All faithful have faith in Allah and the angels and the books that descended from the sky and all of God’s messengers.” God said, “You are right. Who have you appointed as your successor in your Ummah? I said, “The best of them” Allah said, “Is it Ali?”

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I said, “Yes my lord” God said, “O, Muhammad, I searched the earth and I chose you and I made a name for you from my name. So I will not be remembered anywhere unless you will be remembered. I am Mahmoud (praised one) and you are Muhammad (Praiseworthy). Then I looked again and chose Ali and among my name, I preferred a name and I branched a name for him. I am the Ali Al-A’la (the highest of the height) and he is Ali (highest). O, Muhammad I created you, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn and your successors from the descendants of Ali from the class of my light. In addition, I offered your superintendence to skies and earths. Therefore, whoever accepted it, I accepted him as a faithful and those who denied it I know him as a pagan. O, Muhammad if a servant of My servants worships Me until his strength ends and turns like an old water skin but he dies while he denies your superintendence, and he enters My presence I will not leave him until he accepts your superintendence. O Muhammad, do you like to see them all (your successors)?

I said, “Yes my lord ” God said, “look at the right side of my throne” I looked and I saw Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, Ali Ibn Husayn, Muhammad Ibn Alil, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Musa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Musa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and Mahdi in a platter

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of Light and they were praying. Also he, I mean Mahdi among them was shining. God told me, “O Muhammad they are the testimonies and he (Mahdi) is revenger of your kinship’s blood. I take oath to my Honor and Excellency that he will serve as an aid to my beloved and the revenger of my enemies. They are the obligated testimonies and by them God keeps the sky from falling.(1)”

بسنده عنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ قَالَ لِی یَا جَابِرُ أَ یَکْتَفِی مَنِ انْتَحَلَ التَّشَیُّعَ أَنْ یَقُولَ بِحُبِّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا شِیعَتُنَا إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّقَی اللَّهَ وَ أَطَاعَهُ وَ مَا کَانُوا یُعْرَفُونَ یَا جَابِرُ إِلَّا بِالتَّوَاضُعِ وَ التَّخَشُّعِ وَ الْأَمَانَهِ وَ کَثْرَهِ ذِکْرِ اللَّهِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الصَّلَاهِ وَ الْبِرِّ بِالْوَالِدَیْنِ وَ التَّعَاهُدِ لِلْجِیرَانِ مِنَ الْفُقَرَاءِ وَ أَهْلِ الْمَسْکَنَهِ وَ الْغَارِمِینَ وَ الْأَیْتَامِ وَ صِدْقِ الْحَدِیثِ وَ تِلَاوَهِ الْقرآن وَ کَفِّ الْأَلْسُنِ عَنِ النَّاسِ إِلَّا مِنْ خَیْرٍ وَ کَانُوا أُمَنَاءَ عَشَائِرِهِمْ فِی الْأَشْیَاءِ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُلْتُ یَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا نَعْرِفُ الْیَوْمَ أَحَداً بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَهِ فَقَالَ یَا جَابِرُ لَا تَذْهَبَنَّ بِکَ الْمَذَاهِبُ حَسْبُ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ یَقُولَ أُحِبُّ عَلِیّاً وَ أَتَوَلَّاهُ ثُمَّ لَا یَکُونَ مَعَ ذَلِکَ فَعَّالًا فَلَوْ قَالَ إِنِّی أُحِبُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص خَیْرٌ مِنْ عَلِیٍّ ع ثُمَّ لَا یَتَّبِعُ سِیرَتَهُ وَ لَا یَعْمَلُ بِسُنَّتِهِ مَا نَفَعَهُ حُبُّهُ إِیَّاهُ شَیْئاً فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ اعْمَلُوا لِمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ لَیْسَ بَیْنَ اللَّهِ وَ بَیْنَ أَحَدٍ قَرَابَهٌ أَحَبُّ الْعِبَادِ إِلَی اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَکْرَمُهُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَتْقَاهُمْ وَ أَعْمَلُهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ یَا جَابِرُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا یُتَقَرَّبُ إِلَی اللَّهِ تَبَارَکَ وَ تَعَالَی إِلَّا بِالطَّاعَهِ وَ مَا مَعَنَا بَرَاءَهٌ مِنَ

“O, Jabir, those who claim to be our Shia and they just claim to love us (without any action), I swear to Allah they are not our Shias unless they start to be pious and obey God. Our Shias cannot be recognized except by their humbleness, their fear of God, being trustworthy, excessive remembrance of Allah, fasts, prayers,

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being nice to parents, taking care of poor, pitiable, caring towards the orphans and neighbors, honesty, reciting Quran and speaking just for the good of people. They (Shia) are known as the (most) trustworthy individuals for the custody of goods among their people.”(1)

Jabir says, “O, son of messenger of Allah we do not know anybody with this characteristics!”

Imam answered me, “Do not get it the wrong way. Whoever claims that he loves Ali but does not act for it (is the same as) someone who says he loves the Prophet but does not follow his way of living and does not act like him. The love of Prophet does not have any benefit for him. So be pious and fulfill your duties to God because there is no blood relation between God and anybody. The most beloved servant to God is the most pious one and the one who strives in His way the most. O, Jabir no one can get closer to Allah just by obeying him, we do not give safe-conduct from hell to anybody, and no one has the excuse. Anyone who obeys God is our beloved and our friend, and whoever sins is our enemy, and our love (Velayat) cannot be earned except by actions and virtue.”

Imam Sajad in these phrases of Dua says,

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

الطَّیِّبِینَ الْأَبْرَارِ الْأَخْیَارِ الَّذِینَ أَوْجَبْتَ حُقُوقَهُمْ وَ فَرَضْتَ طَاعَتَهُمْ وَ وِلاَیَتَهُم

“May Allah send your peace and blessings to Muhammad and his household for they are the righteous

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and chosen (by you) in the world and for you obligate their right, obedience and love upon us.”

that,

اجدر الناس برحمهالله اقومهم بالطاعه

“Those who obeyed God the most, deserve most of God’s mercy”(1)

hearts in their breasts which are blind.”

Thereby they become worse than beasts

وَ لَقَدْ ذَرَأْنا لِجَهَنَّمَ کَثیراً مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لا یَفْقَهُونَ بِها وَ لَهُمْ أَعْیُنٌ لا یُبْصِرُونَ بِها وَ لَهُمْ آذانٌ لا یَسْمَعُونَ بِها أُولئِکَ کَالْأَنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولئِکَ هُمُ الْغافِلُونَ 64

“We have bred many spirits and humans for Hell: they have hearts they do not understand with, and eyes they do not see with, and ears they do not hear with. Those persons are like livestock; in fact, they are even further off the track, they are so heedless!”

وَ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَ اللَّهُ عَلِیمُ بِالْمُتَّقِینَ(44) إِّنما یَسْتَأْذِنُکَ الَّذینَ لا یُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْیَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَ ارْتابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فی رَیْبِهِمْ یَتَرَدَّدُونَ (45 )66

“Those who believe in God and the Last Day do not ask you to excuse them from striving with their property and persons. God is Aware as to who are heedful. (44)Only those who do not believe in God and the Last Day ask you to excuse them. Their hearts are in such doubt that they even waver in their doubt!45”

In another scene of history, Abu Musa Ashary was the governor of Basreh in the time of Ali Ibn Abu Talib. When the war of Seffein occurred, instead of encouraging people to come and help the rightful Caliph, he was in doubt and did not assist in the war. His excuse was that he did not know if they could fight against the Muslims? Or in the same event, Rebie Ibn Kheitham tells Imam Ali, “I have doubt about fighting with Muslims so send me to the border where I can fight against the pagans”

إِلاَّ اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَ هُمْ یَلْعَبُونَ 2 لاهِیَهً قُلُوبُهُمْ وَ أَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَی الَّذینَ ظَلَمُوا هَلْ هذا إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِثْلُکُمْ أَ فَتَأْتُونَ السِّحْرَ وَ أَنْتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ (3انبیا 3406)

“In the name of God, the Mercy-giving, the Merciful! (I)Men turn aside through indifference even though their reckoning approaches. (1)No fresh reminder ever comes to them from their Lord except they listen to it as they play away, (2)their hearts distracted. Those who do wrong consult together privately; "Isn't not this [man] just a human being like yourselves? Will you succumb to magic while you can see it happening?"”.

(5)[It is] God's kindled fire which leaps up (6) To clutch at one's vitals. (7) It will be vaulted over them (8) In outstretched columns. (9)”

Likewise, as an example Quran introduces us to Qaroon and expresses his story in the Surah of Qassas (stories):

فَخَرَجَ عَلی قَوْمِهِ فِی زِینَتِهِ قالَ الَّذِینَ یُرِیدُونَ الْحَیاهَ الدُّنْیا یا لَیْتَ لَنا مِثْلَ ما أُوتِیَ قارُونُ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِیمٍ (79) وَ قالَ الَّذِینَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَیْلَکُمْ ثَوابُ اللَّهِ خَیْرٌ لِمَنْ آمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ صالِحاً وَ لا یُلَقَّاها إِلاَّ الصَّابِرُونَ (80) فَخَسَفْنا بِهِ وَ بِدارِهِ الْأَرْضَ فَما کانَ لَهُ مِنْ فِئَهٍ یَنْصُرُونَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَ ما کانَ مِنَ المُنْتَصِرِینَ (81) وَ أَصْبَحَ الَّذِینَ تَمَنَّوْا مَکانَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ یَقُولُونَ وَیْکَأَنَّ اللَّهَ یَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ یَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ یَقْدِرُ لَوْ لا أَنْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَیْنا لَخَسَفَ بِنا وَیْکَأَنَّهُ لا یُفْلِحُ الْکافِرُونَ (82)

“He went forth to his folk [dressed] in his finery. Those who wanted worldly life said: "If we only had the same as Qarun has been given! He has been extremely lucky!" (79)However those who had been given knowledge said: "It will be too bad for you! God's recompense is better for anyone who believes and acts honorably. Yet only the patient will encounter it." (80)Then We let the Earth swallow up him and his home. He did not have any party to support him against God; he was not supported. (81)Those who longed to be in his place the day before, said the next morning: "Since it is God Who extends sustenance to anyone He

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wishes from among His servants and measures it out, it would have swallowed us up too if God had not cared for us. It seems that disbelievers do not prosper. (82)”.(1)

In these phrases of Dua with the intention that the honor is in the obedience of Allah, we request Allah to not dishonor us with the disobedience. Imam Ali also said,

کل عز لا یویده الدین مذله

میزان الحکمه ج 3 443ص

“Any honor that the religion does not approve of is a dishonor”(2) or in another valuable Hadith it is said,

من اعتز بغیر الله اهلکه العزه70

“Whoever asks honor with something besides Allah, that honor will perish him”(3).

In these phrases our beloved Imam says, “May Allah send your peace and passage to Muhammad and his household and prosper my heart by your obedience and do not humiliate me by disobedience”

be proud and will not regret.

Imam Sadiq, Mufaddhal says, “I asked Imam Sadiq about the minimum right of faithful upon his brother. Imam replied, “He does not prefer his brother’s need for himself.”” (1)

In a comprehensive order, the commander of faithful explains the method for dealing with different group of people.

الخصال أَبِی عَنْ عَلِیٍّ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَمَّنْ ذَکَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ ع فِی وَصِیَّتِهِ لِابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَنَفِیَّهِ :

أَلْزِمْ نَفْسَکَ التَّوَدُّدَ وَ صَبِّرْ عَلَی مَئُونَاتِ النَّاسِ نَفْسَکَ وَ ابْذُلْ لِصَدِیقِکَ نَفْسَکَ وَ مَالَکَ وَ لِمَعْرِفَتِکَ رِفْدَکَ وَ مَحْضَرَکَ وَ لِلْعَامَّهِ بِشْرَکَ وَ مَحَبَّتَکَ وَ لِعَدُوِّکَ عَدْلَکَ وَ إِنْصَافَکَ وَ اضْنَنْ بِدِینِکَ وَ عِرْضِکَ عَنْ کُلِّ أَحَدٍ فَإِنَّهُ أَسْلَمُ لِدِینِکَ وَ دُنْیَاکَ

In a testament that narrates by Imam Sadiq, "Imam Ali advises his son Muhammad Ibn Hanafiyyah. Imam says, “Force yourself to be kind and patient with people and make this as a habit for yourself. For your friend give away your life and your wealth; for your relative give your hospitality; for the public give your cordiality and your kindness; and to your enemy give your justice. However keep your religion and your reputation for yourself because it is better for this world and the hereafter.”(2)

Also Imam Sadiq said, “One of the Prophet’s advice to Imam Ali was, “O, Ali, the best of all actions are three: 1) being just to people; 2) sharing with your brother for the sake of Allah; 3) and the remembrance of Allah at all times.”(3)

that only good people are worthy of help, and helping others in the way of their worldly needs is something in vain. Nonetheless Imam Ridha’ narrates from the Prophet that,

عیون أخبار الرضا علیه السلام بسنده قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص رَأْسُ الْعَقْلِ بَعْدَ الدِّینِ التَّوَدُّدُ إِلَی النَّاسِ وَ اصْطِنَاعُ الْخَیْرِ إِلَی کُلِّ أَحَدٍ بَرٍّ وَ فَاجِر

“The root of wisdom after being religious are being kind to people and being nice to all the people whether they are good or bad” (1)

with the Prophet and God’s appreciation will be obligatory on him. Whoever donates in this month even by half of a date, God will forbid his body to go to hell. Whoever fasts three days of Shaban and connects these days to the month of Ramadan, God will give him the reward for the two complete months”(1).

ثواب الأعمال بسنده عن ُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع یَقُولُ مَنْ صَامَ أَوَّلَ یَوْمٍ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّهُ بَتَّهً وَ مَنْ صَامَ یَوْمَیْنِ نَظَرَ اللَّهُ إِلَیْهِ فِی کُلِّ یَوْمٍ وَ لَیْلَهٍ فِی دَارِ الدُّنْیَا وَ دَامَ نَظَرُهُ إِلَیْهِ فِی الْجَنَّهِ وَ مَنْ صَامَ ثَلَاثَهَ أَیَّامٍ زَارَ اللَّهَ فِی عَرْشِهِ مِنْ جَنَّتِهِ فِی کُلِّ یَوْم

Also Imam Sadiq encourages us by a hadith that says, “Anyone who fasts the first day of Shaban, it is obligated upon him to go to heaven and anyone who fasts two days of Shaban, God will look at him every day and night in this world and he will continuously be under the observance of God’s mercy. Whoever fast three days he will visit God in the heaven in Allah’s throne”(2).

Also in another Hadith Imam Sadiq is not just encouraging the narrator, but also told him to reassure his friends and family to fast in the month of Shaban.

الْإِقْبَالُ، وَ مَجَالِسُ الشَّیْخِ، بِإِسْنَادِهِمَا عَنْ صَفْوَانَ الْجَمَّالِ قَالَ قَالَ لِی أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع حُثَّ مَنْ فِی نَاحِیَتِکَ عَلَی صَوْمِ شَعْبَانَ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ تَرَی فِیهَا شَیْئاً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص کَانَ إِذَا رَأَی هِلَالَ شَعْبَانَ أَمَرَ

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مُنَادِیاً یُنَادِی فِی الْمَدِینَهِ یَا أَهْلَ یَثْرِبَ إِنِّی رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَیْکُمْ أَلَا إِنَّ شَعْبَانَ شَهْرِی فَرَحِمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَعَانَنِی عَلَی شَهْرِی ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ أَمِیرَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ ع کَانَ یَقُولُ مَا فَاتَنِی صَوْمُ شَعْبَانَ مُنْذُ سَمِعْتُ مُنَادِیَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص یُنَادِی فِی شَعْبَانَ فَلَنْ تَفُوتَنِی أَیَّامَ حَیَاتِی صَوْمُ شَعْبَانَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ کَانَ ع یَقُولُ صَوْمُ شَهْرَیْنِ مُتَتابِعَیْنِ تَوْبَهٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ

Safvan Jammal narrates that, “Imam told me to encourage whoever is around you.” I asked, “Is there any (special) reward for fasting in Shaban”. Imam replied, “Yes, whenever the Prophet saw the moon (that shows the starting) of Shaban he ordered somebody to call all the people, and he would say: O the people of Yathreb, I am the messenger of Allah to you. Be aware Shaban is my month and may Allah bless those who help me in this month” Then Imam Sadiq said, “The Commander of the Faithful has said, “From the moment I heard this, I have never missed fasting in the month of Shaban and I will not miss it InshAllah.” Then Imam Ali said, “Fasting two month continuously is the repentance to Allah.”(1)

We must also request God for success and along with Imam Sajjad we must say,

“This is the month of Thy Prophet, the Messenger-in-chief, the month of Sha'ban surrounded by Thy mercy and blessings from all sides, In which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be on him and on his children) used to exert himself willingly in

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the matter of fasting and praying in its days and nights, to show his humility before Thee for the respect and honor Thou bestowed on him, until his last breath.”

فَقَالَ الْمُغِیرِیُّ وَ بِمَا احْتَجَّ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَوْلُهُ الْیَوْمَ أَکْمَلْتُ لَکُمْ دِینَکُمْ وَ أَتْمَمْتُ عَلَیْکُمْ نِعْمَتِی حَتَّی فَرَغَ مِنَ الْآیَهِ فَلَوْ لَمْ یُکْمِلْ سُنَّتَهُ وَ فَرَائِضَهُ وَ مَا یَحْتَاجُ إِلَیْهِ النَّاسُ مَا احْتَجَّ بِهِ

Abi Usameh has said, “I was in the presence of Imam Ja’far Sadiq and someone from the tribe of Moghayreh came and asked Imam about the lifestyle of the Prophet. The Imam answered him, “There is nothing that humankind needs unless the Prophet has some tradition about it. If it was not like that the proofs for our Imamat would be incomplete.” The man asked him, “What proofs?” Imam replied, ”الیوم اکملت” so if what people need does not exist in his tradition this verse will be disproven”(1).

ناشدهم الله و دعاهم إلی حقه و أن یسیر فیهم بسنه رسول الله ص و یعمل فیهم بعمله فیبعث الله تعالی جبرئیل ع حتی یأتیه فینزل علی الحطیم و یقول له إلی أی شی ء تدعو فیخبره القائم ع فیقول جبرئیل ع أنا أول من یبایعک ابسط یدک فیمسح علی یده و قد وافاه ثلاثمائه و بضعه عشر رجلا فیبایعونه و یقیم بمکه حتی یتم أصحابه عشره آلاف ثم یسیر منها إلی المدینه

“Whenever God permits our Mahdi to rise he will climb the pulpit and invite people to pay homage. Imam will make them swear and will invite them to his right. He will deal with people according to the tradition of Prophet and he will act like Prophet. Then Gabriel will come down to him in the place of Hatim and will ask, “What do you invite people to?” Imam will repeat what he initially said, and then Gabriel will say, “I am the first one who makes the homage with you, open your hand”. At that time Gabriel will take Imam’s hand, three hundred thirteen people will make the homage, and Imam will stay in Makah until he gathers ten thousand companions and will then proceed to Medina”.

O Allah help us to model our conduct on his "way of life" and obtain the intercession he is entitled to put forward.

the way of perfection, so the weak can climb the steps to perfection fast and successfully. However, we usually use this word for the intercession for sinners. We must know that intercession includes all the elements of development. As an example: soil, water, air and light are all the four ingredients that help a seed to turn into a complete prolific tree or a beautiful flower. These four are the genetic guides and the intercessors of seed for perfection. If we understand the intercession in this way, we would not see the Intercessors as the restrictions for God’s power. They are the appliances for God to apply his power in this world and all of them get their efficiency from Allah. With this point of view, all of them will be the sign of God’s power and they work only for performing God’s will.

Unfortunately, some of us think about the intercession as an immoral social phenomenon like. Awkwardly it causes some people to think that we can sin as much as we want and as much as we can, and then we can hold onto the intercession of our Imam.

As we have pointed out, intercession for humans is like the seed and its genetic Intercessors. If a seed does not have the potential for growing, the Intercessor of nature cannot help it. The soft bed of soil, life giving sunlight, breeze of spring and the refreshing drops of rain have the same effect on that seed and piece of pebble.

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Intercession of Imams or any righteous will not affect those who did not prepare the basis of development in their soul. Also our wise Imams will not waste their intercession for them.

Intercession needs adequacy between the Intercessor and the one who wants to get the intercession. Those who want to receive the intercession must make a connection of compatibility with their Intercessors. This connection is a tool for preparing the one who will receive the intercession to be more like his Intercessor. In this way, intercession makes us more responsible and gives us hope to get better, and it is not a method of escaping our duty and responsibilities. This also makes it clear that the intercession does not stand against God’s will when he wants to punish the sinner. In the other hand, it gives opportunity to be more like those who God loves and prepares them to be forgiven by Allah’s mercy.

whose word is acceptable to Him.(1)”

“No intercession with Him will be of any benefit except that of those whom He has granted permission. The angels cannot intercede. They are always submissive to their Lord. Fear vanishes from their heart when (they receive a message from their Lord).They ask each other, "What did your Lord say?" Others answer, "He spoke the Truth. He is the Most High and the Greatest."(2)”.

Allameh Majlisi in regards to his discussion about the proofs of intercession and the opinion of other Islamic sects for intercession says, “Whatever we have said proves that all of the Ummah accept the concept of intercession. Though there are some differences in opinion about its condition. In Shia ideology, the effect of intercession is removing the harms and the punishment of sins from the faithful. However the Motazeleh(3) say that the intercession is just for increasing the rewards of good action for the submissive and repentant but it does not benefit sinners.(4)

some that show the important quality of his intercession. In these Ahadith, even other prophets seek the intercession of Prophet Muhammad.

Ali Ibn Ibrahim Qumi in his great and precious interpretation narrates from Samaaeh. He says, “I asked from Imam Sadiq about intercession of Prophet. Imam answered, “On the Day of Judgment people will be drowning in their sweat (they will sweat a lot because of hardships) so they will say to each other to go and ask Adam to intercede for them. They will come to Adam and say intercede for us. Prophet Adam will say, “I have guilt. Go to Prophet Noah.” Then people will go to Noah but he will send them to next prophet and that will repeat until they will come to Jesus and Prophet Jesus will send them to Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad will tell them, “Come with me” then Prophet will take them to the door of Heaven, the door of mercy.

Then the Prophet will prostrate and he will remain in that posture for as long as God’s will. Then God will say, “Lift your head and intercede. We will accept your intercession and ask me to give you” then Imam said, “This is the real story behind the verse, “pray your special (tahajjud) prayer during some part of the night as an additional (obligatory) prayer for you alone so that perhaps your Lord will raise you to a highly praiseworthy position.(1)”.Another interesting point is that even the Ahlul Bayt are included in

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the Prophet intercession. In relation to the interpretation of the verse “Your Lord will soon grant you sufficient favors to please you” Ibn Abbas is reported to have said, “the interpretation is that soon God will accept your intercession about all of your Ahlul Bayt. So they all enter the heaven and you become glad(1)”.(2)

There is also an interesting Hadith about the place of intercession.

عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِیهِ ع عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِیِّ عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ أَبِی طَالِبٍ ع قَالَ قَالَتْ فَاطِمَهُ ع لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص یَا أَبَتَاهْ أَیْنَ أَلْقَاکَ یَوْمَ الْمَوْقِفِ الْأَعْظَمِ وَ یَوْمَ الْأَهْوَالِ وَ یَوْمَ الْفَزَعِ الْأَکْبَرِ قَالَ یَا فَاطِمَهُ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْجَنَّهِ وَ مَعِی لِوَاءُ الْحَمْدِ وَ أَنَا الشَّفِیعُ لِأُمَّتِی إِلَی رَبِّی قَالَتْ یَا أَبَتَاهْ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَلْقَکَ هُنَاکَ قَالَ الْقَیْنِی عَلَی الْحَوْضِ وَ أَنَا أَسْقِی أُمَّتِی قَالَتْ یَا أَبَتَاهْ إِنْ لَمْ أَلْقَکَ هُنَاکَ قَالَ الْقَیْنِی عَلَی الصِّرَاطِ وَ أَنَا قَائِمٌ أَقُولُ رَبِّ سَلِّمْ أُمَّتِی قَالَتْ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَلْقَکَ هُنَاکَ قَالَ الْقَیْنِی وَ أَنَا عِنْدَ الْمِیزَانِ أَقُولُ رَبِّ سَلِّمْ أُمَّتِی قَالَتْ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَلْقَکَ هُنَاکَ قَالَ الْقَیْنِی عَلَی شَفِیرِ جَهَنَّمَ أَمْنَعُ شَرَرَهَا وَ لَهَبَهَا عَنْ أُمَّتِی فَاسْتَبْشَرَتْ فَاطِمَهُ بِذَلِکَ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیْهَا وَ عَلَی أَبِیهَا وَ بَعْلِهَا وَ بَنِیهَ

Imam Sadiq narrates a hadith from Imam Baqir from Jabir Ibn Abdullah from Imam Ali. The Commander of faithful has said, “Fatima Al-Zahra asked the Prophet: “On the day of judgment, in that great place, in that horrifying day where can I meet you?” Prophet said, “O, Fatima at the door of heaven when

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I hold the flag of praise and I intercede for my Ummah.” Fatima said, “If I do not find you?” Prophet said, “On the bridge of Serat while I say, “O, God keep my Ummah safe.” Fatima said, “If I do not see you there?” Prophet answered, “By the scale of justice while I say, “O, God keep my Ummah safe.” Fatima said, “If I do not see you there?” Prophet replied, “At the edge of hell when I keep away the fire of hell from my Ummah.” Then Fatima became happy. May Allah send His peace and blessings on Fatima and her father and her husband and her children”.(1)

Also in Ahadith we find that Prophet Muhammad will use the intercession to save his Umah from hellfire.

عنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِکٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِکُلِّ نَبِیٍّ دَعْوَهٌ قَدْ دَعَا بِهَا وَ قَدْ سَأَلَ سُؤْلًا وَ قَدْ أَخْبَأْتُ دَعْوَتِی لِشَفَاعَتِی لِأُمَّتِی یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَه

Anas Ibn Malik narrates from Prophet, “Every prophet has a demand and request from Allah (that it will not be rejected). All of them asked their request from Allah and I saved that request to intercede for my Ummah on the Day of Judgment.”(2)

أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَنْ لَمْ یُؤْمِنْ بِحَوْضِی فَلَا أَوْرَدَهُ اللَّهُ حَوْضِی وَ مَنْ لَمْ یُؤْمِنْ بِشَفَاعَتِی فَلَا أَنَالَهُ اللَّهُ شَفَاعَتِی ثُمَّ قَالَ ع إِنَّمَا شَفَاعَتِی لِأَهْلِ الْکَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِی فَأَمَّا الْمُحْسِنُونَ فَمَا عَلَیْهِمْ مِنْ سَبِیلٍ

Allamah Majlesi in the great book of Bihar Al-Anwar narrates from Imam Ridha’ that he narrates from his honorable ancestors that Prophet Muhammad said, “Those who do not believe in my pool (of Kawthar) they will not enter it and those who do not believe in my intercession, God will not include them in my intercession”. Then he said, “My intercession is for those who have committed great sins from my Ummah however there is no blame on them”.(1)

Imam Sajjad in his last phrase of this Dua says, “O, Allah make him for me such interceptor that you accept his interception and make my way to you straight and smooth and make me the follower of the honorable man until the day of judgment, when I meet you, you are happy from me and forgive my sins meanwhile you obligate your mercy and grace upon me and inhabit me eternally between the righteous.”

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