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BASED ON THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN 1426 LECTURE # 4
OUR LOVE FOR THE AHLUL-BAYT (A-S):
A
FAIRWELL TO THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN.
“In the Name of ALLAH the Merciful, the Compassionate”
By: Brother Ali Ja’afary.
INTRODUCTION:
During this holiest of months I based most of my discourses on one
Particular theme.
Good
moral and ethical behaviour and self sacrifice in the way of ALLAH (swt),
during my first speech we looked at the outstanding support and
behaviour of Abu Talib (a-s) and Sayeeda Khadija (s-a), during the
second speech we looked at the great teachings of freedom from Imam
Hasan (a-s) and how through our love of ALLAH (swt) and a good moral and
ethical behaviour, we may Insha’ALLAH, attain true freedom and a lofty
place in paradise. During the third speech, we looked at the great
sacrifice that was made at Badr in the way of ALLAH (swt) and the
outstanding behaviour and ethics of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww).
Tonight, as a farewell to this most holy month of Ramadan, I will speak
of our love for the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s), why?
You may ask?
Because the Holy Month of Ramadan is the month of the Noble Qur’an and
the Qur’an is our source of moral and ethical conduct and it is our
guide to sacrifice and closeness and nearness to ALLAH Azziz-ul-Hakim.
And we cannot celebrate, reflect and believe in the holy Qur’an without
celebrating, reflecting and loving the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s). For the Holy
Qur’an and the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) is one of the same. The Holy Prophet
(saww) said:
“I am leaving for you a thing which if you will keep hold of, you will
never go astray after me and those two things which are greater and
higher than one another. One of them is the Book of ALLAH which is a
rope drawn from earth up to the sky and another one is my progeny who
are my Ahlul-Bayt (a-s). These two will never separate from one another
until they arrive to me on the Hauz of Kauthar. So just think how you
will act for me on their matter”.
(Zaid
bin Arqam – Sahih Tirmidhi).
But first let’s look at man’s faculty of love and how it is an essential
tool to bring man closer to ALLAH (swt).
MAN’S FACULTY OF LOVE:
One of the great faculties, exclusive to the human being, is his
capacity to love. Man has the capacity to love in many different ways,
for example he loves his children in a certain way, he loves his wife a
certain way, he loves his parents a certain way, he loves his brothers
and sisters a certain way, he loves his friends a certain way, he loves
certain foods a certain way, etc… None of these kinds of love prevent
him from loving in other ways, for example man’s love for his children;
don’t prevent him from loving his parents. Man loves what brings him
pleasure and happiness. His love for eating certain foods is not as
strong or as deep as his love for his children.
For man must develop this faculty in a very precise way, for his love
for ALLAH (swt) must be above all things. ALLAH (swt) the Most Merciful
and the Most Wise, as well as gifting us with this faculty, has also, in
HIS endless Generosity and Kindness given us thousands of links to
achieving this most high station. For our love for all things can be
made to be love for ALLAH (swt), for example you can love your parents
and be kind to them with a pure intention in your heart for closeness
and nearness to ALLAH (swt) and this will bring you closeness and
nearness to HIM. ALLAH (swt) says:
“And serve ALLAH, and do not associate anything with HIM, and be good to
parents”.
(The Holy Qur’an 4 An-Nisa-36)
To love your parents, your children, your wife, your brothers and
sisters, your friends is a natural thing for all human beings and above
enjoying their presents and the happiness you share with them, you can
actually achieve closeness to ALLAH (swt) when you are realising that
they are blessings to you from ALLAH (swt) in this transient life and
perhaps with the right intentions and the realization that ALLAH (swt)
gave you this gift to seek HIM and not only for material and desiring
purposes, then perhaps, you and all of them will be in the Gardens of
Paradise forever.
So, with this pure intention of loving these regular people in order to
achieve the satisfaction of ALLAH (swt), can bring us closer to Paradise
on the Day of Judgement, then imagine what loving the purest, Holiest,
righteous and most infallible guides ever created can bring us?
We can surely say that the treasures and blessings from such pure and
sincere acts are unimaginable.
Now that we understand the different dimensions of the faculty of love
and how can it not only bring us comfort in this transient life, it can
also bring us happiness and comfort in the Hereafter. Who are the
Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) and why is our love for them our key to salvation?
THE AHLUL-BAYT (A-S):
ALLAH (swt) created the Prophet Muhammad (saww) from the most special of
lights, in the creation of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww); ALLAH (swt)
did not allow any of his angels to participate in the creation, for
ALLAH (swt) wanted all living things to know the high importance of the
creation of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww). Amongst all the creatures
created, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) was the very first and all
else was created for and around this great creation, ALLAH (swt) chose
to send Prophet Muhammad (saww) as a mercy to all mankind after a long
line of Prophets and Messengers (a-s). This was as a proof to all
mankind of the importance of the seal of the Prophets; Prophet Muhammad
(saww). ALLAH (swt) chose to introduce this, the most special of
creations as; the last Prophet with the final Message of salvation for
all mankind. Also a pure and infallible line of Holy Imams would be
created as his progeny and would be the guides and protectors of all
humankind until the Day of Resurrection, 11 of them would be introduced
to this life through the Divine command of the Marriage between Imam Ali
(a-s) (the most saintly of men behind the Holy Prophet (saww) and
Sayeeda Fatimah Az-Zahra (s-a) the Mistress of all women. ALLAH (swt)
gave a unique and special attention when creating each and every one of
them. Their souls were created from the purist of lights from a place
that only ALLAH (swt) knows about. They, the Prophet Muhammad (saww),
his daughter Fatimah Az-Zahra (s-a) and Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a-s),
their sons Imam Hasan (a-s) and Imam Hussayn (a-s) and 9 from the
progeny of Imam Hussayn (a-s) would be known as the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s),
for they are those who have the highest of positions near ALLAH (swt).
We understand by all these proofs that to follow the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) is
to be on the Straight and pure Path;
ALLAH (swt) says about the Ahlul-Bayt
(a-s): “ALLAH intendeth but to keep off
from you (every kind of) uncleanness, O’ye the people of the house
(Ahlul-Bayt) and purify you (with) a thorough purification”.
(The
Holy Qur’an 33-Al-Ahzab-33).
Also we find the following command to love
the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) in the Holy Qur’an:
“Say: I do not ask of you any
reward for it but love for my nearest relatives”.
(Qur’an 42-23)
They are those who are born and blessed with all the great knowledge and
secrets of the holy Qur’an. Proper administration of mankind can only be
achieved through them, they are in fact our ropes to salvation, our
ropes to freedom, our ropes to Paradise and our ropes to ALLAH (swt). In
the Holy Qur’an we are commanded to follow their way;
“O you who believe! Obey ALLAH and obey the apostle and those in
authority from amongst you”.
(Holy Qur’an 4-An-Nisa 59).
Our
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww) taught us the importance to follow his
Ahlul-Bayt (a-s), in order not to get lost and drift away from the
Straight Path and towards Hell Fire.
It says in the Holy Qur’an about Prophet
Muhammad (saww):
“Your companion does not err, nor does he
go astray; nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation
that is revealed”.
(The Noble Qur’an 53-2 to 4)
The
messenger of ALLAH (swt) said:
“The likeness of my Ahlul-Bayt amongst
my Ummah (followers) is similar to Noah’s
Ark. Those who embarked on it were rescued and those who rejected it
perished….”
(Bihar-Ul-Anwar,
vol. 27 p. 113).
“By ALLAH (swt) faith cannot enter the heart of anyone if he does not
love my nearest relatives for the sake of ALLAH (swt) and for the sake
of the nearest relatives”.
(Durre
Manthoor and Zakhairul Uqba, Ihya-il Mayyit be Fazaile Ahle-Bayt, hadith
4 Shaykh Jalaluddin Suyuti).
“The stars are the safety for the inhabitants of the sky and my
Ahlul-Bayt is the safety for my Ummah”.
(Quazi
Shustari in Ahqaaqul Haq, vol. 9, pg. 297, Ihya-il Mayyit be Fazaile
Ahle Bayt, hadith 21 Shaykh Jalaluddin Suyuti).
If we, as the true followers of Islam and the true believers in ALLAH
(swt) and Tawheed (Monotheism) love the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) so much, it is
because we believe, without any doubts, that the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) are
the only living guides for the Holy Qur’an. We cannot think of the
Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) and not think of the Holy Qur’an and we cannot think of
the Holy Qur’an without thinking of the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s), not only in
their words but also because of their immaculate behaviour. Even their
worst enemies cannot succeed in slandering them, even when they tried so
hard and invested all of their lives in this most evil purpose.
When we make Du’aa on the Holiest night of Lalitul-Qadr, we are
naturally overcome with visions and thoughts of the great glow of piety,
infallibility and pureness of their faces and we get overwhelmingly
emotional when we reflect on their sacrifice. We understand that through
the commands of the Holy Qur’an to love and follow them, through the
Divine guidance and revelation in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad
(saww) to hold to them for safety and by the great sacrifices in the way
of ALLAH (swt) and the pure lives they lived, that not following such
chosen guides would be a great and destructive error.
MORE PROOFS OF THE SPECIAL STATUS OF THE AHLUL-BAYT (A-S):
As well as all the Qur’anic ayahs and all the Hadiths about the special
status of the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) and the vital importance to love them and
follow them; we also have learnt by our Holy Prophet (saww) that they
all have special positions and stations in the Hereafter, which confirms
that they are most certainly not ordinary people. For example:
“I am the master of the first and the last, and you, O Ali, are the
master of the creation after me. I am just like you and you are just
like me.”
(Bihar V.12 p.360 H.17, Ghayatol Maram p.450h.14 and 610 h17, Khawarazmi
in Manaqeb p.31 and in Maqtal V.1 p.39, Misbah Al-Anwar p.61).
“I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate”.
(Hussayn p.100)
The Prophet Muhammad (saww) said:
“As for my daughter Fatimah, she is the mistress of all women; from the
beginning of history until the end. She is part of me; she is the light
of my eye and the fruit of my heart. Fatimah is my spirit which I hold
in me; she is a human huri. Whenever she keeps up prayers in her Mehrab
before her LORD, her light illuminates the angels in the Heaven just as
a star shines to mankind on Earth. So ALLAH, Exalted is HIS name, says
to the angels:
‘My angels, look at my servant, Fatimah, who is the mistress of all my
female servants, keeping up prayers before ME. Her limbs shake from fear
of ME and she worships ME wholeheartedly. Bear witness that I have
safeguarded her Shiites (followers) from Hellfire…’”
(Bihar Al-Anwar vol.10)
The Prophet Muhammad (saww) said:
“Hasan and Hussayn are the two masters of
the youth of Paradise; Hasan and Hussayn are Divinely commissioned
Imams, standing or sitting”.
(Hussayn p.50)
The Prophet Muhammad (saww) said:
“Hussayn minni wa ana min-al-Hussayn”
(Hussayn is of me and I am of Hussayn).
(Hussayn p.45)
Also we find in history that the Imams (a-s) had special events and
remarkable behaviour traits that differentiated them from all other
people for example if we look at some of the events in Imam Ali (a-s)
life:
1- He was born in the Kaba.
2- He was the first to offer prayers after the Prophet (saww).
3- Ali was the only one (except the Holy Prophet (saww)) who ALLAH (swt)
inspired with divine secretes.
4- He was the first to compile and codify the Holy Qur’an.
5- Ali was given the title of brother by the Holy Prophet (saww) both
before and after Hijrat in Mecca and in Madina.
6- Ali was the only one named to by the Holy Prophet (saww) to perform
Ghusul on his body after his death.
7- He was the only warrior to stand at his post in all the battles and
he never turned away.
8- Imam Ali (a-s) door was left open along with the Prophets (saww) when
all doors were ordered shut on the Masjid.
9- The holy Prophet said to Ali: you are to me as Haroon is to Nabi
Musa, except after me there will be no more Prophets.
10- Through Divine decree Imam Ali (a-s) was married to the mistress of
all the women; the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (saww); Fatimah Az-Zahra
(s-a).
11- At Ghadir-Khum Imam Ali (a-s) was announced as the successor of the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saww). The Prophet (saww) said:
“Man Kuntu Maulahu fi hatha Ali-yun Maulahu”.
THE
AHLUL-BAYTS CONNECTION WITH MAN’S PROGRESS TOWARDS ALLAH (SWT):
What does all of this extraordinarily Divine news mean to mankind?
How can loving the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) improve man’s position with ALLAH
(swt)?
Simple, since we understand without doubt that Prophet Muhammad (saww)
and his Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) have such a divine position and are an
authority over all mankind, it is then very obvious that by following
their lead and teachings we will most certainly benefit. For as we said
the Prophet and Imams are the living proofs of the Holy Qur’an, they are
exactly these teachings in there pure, perfect and infallible way.
This is why, as I said when I started this discourse that I based these
Holy Month of Ramadan speeches on the theme of:
Good moral and ethical behaviour and self sacrifice in the way of ALLAH
(swt)
and to follow and love the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) sincerely and wholeheartedly
is perhaps the most important key to attaining human perfection,
purifying of the heart and achieving eternal happiness and bliss. For
truly the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) are our ropes to Paradise.
To
give what I would like to call a popular example, let us say that ALLAH
(swt) is our destination, all of our efforts are to achieve our
destination. Therefore we need a vehicle in order to arrive at this
destination; our vehicle is the Holy Qur’an. So we know our destination
and we now have the perfect vehicle to attain this destination, however,
our vehicle has no fuel and without fuel we are going nowhere. The Holy
Prophet Muhammad (saww) and his Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) are our fuel; they are
the perfect source of energy to move our vehicle in order to arrive at
our destination. In other words only through the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) can we
properly understand the Noble Qur’an and with this knowledge we learn
from them, we can achieve eternal happiness in Paradise. In other words,
only through our love for the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) and their teachings can
we ever expect solace and felicity. For only through them can we learn
good moral and ethical behavior and how to sacrifice our idle desires in
order to reach perfection and to purify our hearts, for ALLAH (swt) will
only accept us if our hearts are pure.
This is why our every day struggle on the path of ALLAH (swt) is the
great Jihad, our everyday sacrifices and our steadfastness is the true
struggle, not only a temporary effort. Our duty as Muslims is to follow
our Imam; Imam Al-Mahdi (a-s) and to struggle and to educate ourselves
in order to reach our final destination in peace and true happiness.
We must always remember this important duty put upon us in our everyday
lives, we must never forget or turn away from this Divine command to
follow the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s), for they are the Siratul-Mustaqim.
In fact all of the lives of these great infallibles are full of such
miracles, therefore we cannot deny them. They truly are all living
examples of what Islam truly is. Their sacrifices were great and they
lived only for the Path of ALLAH (swt), they are the only pure examples
of human perfection and they are our only guides to achieving human
perfection and closeness and nearness to ALLAH (swt). Imam Ali in his
declaration tells us this when
the cursed Ibn
Muljam had strike the holy head of Imam Ali (a-s) with a poisonous
sword. The blood from the head of Imam Ali (a-s) poured down onto his
beard making it red; Imam Ali (a-s) raised his hands and said:
“By the lord
of the Kaba, I have succeeded!”
His words and his claim were a warning and lesson to all mankind that
his life was truly a complete worship and dedication to ALLAH Azizul-Hakim.
CONCLUSION:
As
this most Holy and blessed occasion nears its ending, we must not forget
even after this most special Holy Month of Ramadan, that our moral and
ethical conduct is our only way to the straight path to ALLAH (swt). And
the only straight path is to follow the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and
the Ahlul-Bayt (a-s) for they are one of the same and they are our only
salvation.
Brother Ali Ja’afary. |