Every living being
is overwhelmed with emotions of love and attachment. These are
emotions that man is very familiar with, and everyone has
experienced these strong emotions at some stage in his life.
However, those who reflect on these emotions are few. Even fewer are
those who comprehend the reality and foundation of the emotions. We
all understand that love can increase and decrease as well. An
intense feeling of love and attachment can melt the most hardened of
hearts. It can make a person weep and it can also make a person
smile. Love can be witnessed in the battlefield, over there it can
be heard from the resonance of swords and spears striking each
other. It can also be witnessed in more peaceful and secure times.
Indeed love can have a powerful influence on an individual.
An incident in
this regard from the highly acclaimed compilation - Najmus Saqib (by
Muhaddiss-e-Noori) is worth mentioning over here. Once a group of
people belonging to a nomadic Qazaak tribe had lost its way in the
desert. They were totally exhausted from trying to find a way out of
the desert. Suddenly they saw some smoke emanating from a hillock at
a distance. Out of curiosity they went towards the hillock and saw a
caravan on the other side. The leader of the caravan was very
benevolent and generous and seeing their worn out condition invited
them for a meal. When the Qazaaki group had their fill they left.
But seeing the wealth of the caravan, they were tempted and they
turned back in order to plunder the caravan. The leader of the
caravan was quick to discern their intentions and he drew his sword
from its sheath. He drew a line on the ground and announced in an
awesome tone, 'If anyone tries to cross this line, I will behead
him.' His voice was so terrifying, that the group of Qazaakis fell
down from their mounts. May the lives of our parents be sacrificed
upon the benevolent and generous leader of the caravan. O the
avenger of Imam Husain's (a.s.) blood!
Love can be an
overwhelmingly powerful emotion. Love has in it the ability to drown
the person with its intensity and force. However, love has several
levels and grades. It has ways and it has gateways; each gateway has
its own peculiarities and a different approach should be adopted for
every gateway. Likewise, the gateway of Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love has
its own peculiarities and requires a completely different approach.
We must try to discern the path towards Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love and
attachment. We must try to gauge the different levels of his love
and the difficulties involved in the path of his love. We must try
to assess the requirements and prerequisites of the love and whether
we find those criteria in ourselves. Only after understanding all
the prerequisites and conditions involved in Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love,
we might claim - We love Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.). But if negligence
overpowers us, then it can expel us from the domain of Imam's (a.t.f.s.)
love and attachment. That is why it is crucial that we understand
this love and its criteria.
The love of Imam
(a.t.f.s.) resides in the heart. For this love to grow and be
nurtured, the heart must be clean and pure from all corruption. We
have to see how Allah, the Benevolent and the Merciful, has guided
us towards his love. Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) is the last successor and
vicegerent of the Chief of the Apostles (a.s.) and the Seal of the
Prophets (a.s.). He is Allah's Proof upon His creatures. Therefore
we should also assess the relationship between love and the raising
of Prophets (a.s.). We should see how Imam (a.t.f.s.) reminds men of
Allah's signs, how he purifies the souls, how he illumines man's
existence with the radiance of love. We should see how our teachers
and guides have prepared us for purification with love and how they
have awakened us for this love. Only then will we understand that we
can never adequately return Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love for us and fall
woefully short in this regard.
However, history
does throw up instances of several personalities who were from an
immaculate and cultured background, who possessed amazing prowesses
and had remarkable accomplishments to their credit and were
supported by an unseen force in their efforts. These personalities
tread the path of love and affection for Imam (a.t.f.s.). It is not
easy to tread on the path which they strode, however it is not
impossible either. That's why we say - we can never 'adequately'
return Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love.
However, even the
inadequate love and attachment that we have for Imam (a.t.f.s.) is
very powerful and carries tremendous impact. To reach that position
requires a Herculean effort. Let us take a look at what the scholars
have had to say in this regard.
Scholars assert
that love is an emotion that can only be experienced. It is inherent
in man's nature. It is an emotion that cannot be defined by mere
phrases. Love is too profound for that. However for the sake of
litterateurs and writers we can state the definition of love in
dictionary is described as, 'Love is an emotion that introduces
gentleness and harmony in man's nature’. That emotion which
inculcates harshness and severity in man's nature is called hatred,
Love flows from recognition and comprehension. Therefore as
recognition increases, love also increases.
The above
definition outlines the meaning of love and hatred. Both these
emotions are closely linked to man's conscience and heart. It is a
widely accepted fact that Allah has introduced love to the human
heart. Here we are discussing two emotions - love and hatred. To
sustain love it is important that man refrains from certain actions
and performs others. So every despicable act must be condemned and
one must not think of performing such actions, since it will have a
destructive effect on man's ability to love. On the other hand,
every praiseworthy act must be lauded and man must try his best to
rush towards that action, as this will give a fillip to love in his
heart. The illustrious scholar and prolific writer Allamah Murtuza
Mutahhari (a.r.) has dealt with this topic in detail in his renowned
book, "Polarization around the character of Ali Ibne Abi Talib
(a.s.)". However, to discuss details of the book over here is beyond
the scope of this short treatise. In brief, it is imperative for us
to act on the obligations and necessary conditions of love, to
identify the pre-requisites of love and to discharge them in the
best possible manner. Indeed these are the necessary qualifications
of love and we must abide by them if we want love to blossom in our
hearts. At the same time, we must not ignore the other prerequisite
of love - avoiding all such actions that support and give a fillip
to hatred. These actions not only further hatred in a person, but
also inhibit the emotion of love.
Mankind, Allah's
most noble creation has derived its Arabic term - Insaaniyat from
Uns. Allah, Who has created man, has
outlined adequate means for his survival and progress. Let us
glance at the Holy Quran and see what it has indicated in this
regard.
Allah, the
Almighty, has announced in the Quran
"Surely the (true)
religion with Allah is Islam" (Surah Aale Imran,
Verse18)
In order to
proclaim His path and religion, Allah, the Almighty, raised a number
of prophets (a.s.), who guided man towards the divine command.
Finally, Allah raised His greatest Apostle, Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.a.)
and announced in the Quran
"He it is Who
raised among the illiterates an Apostle from among themselves, who
recites to them His communications and purifies them, and teaches
them the Book and the Wisdom, although they were before certainly in
clear error." (Surah Jumah,
Verse 2)
In Islam, it is
important to purify the self by reciting the Quranic verses. If the
self is not purified, then wisdom and Quranic teachings will be of
no benefit. Indeed only if the self is purified, will the brilliance
of wisdom and the Quran will permeate in the self and illumine the
dark recesses of the heart. With this, man's faith and certainty in
Allah increases manifold. With the increase in certainty and faith
in Allah, man testifies to Allah's Word and his nature is
overwhelmed with love for Allah. Allah declares,
"...Those who
believe are stronger in love for Allah." (Surah Baqarah,
Verse 165)
This is the reason
why Imam Husain (a.s.) most willingly sacrificed his life in the way
of his Lord out of sheer love and devotion. His face bore a striking
radiance with the love of his Lord. Since our discussion is veering
from Islam to faith (eemaan) and from faith to love, it is
imperative to see how often Allah has discussed love in the Holy
Quran. Love (Mohabbat) and attachment (Mawaddat) are two words very
closely linked to each other. Both these terms have been used in the
Quran extensively. We see the word love appearing in the Quran 115
times, while attachment is repeated 28 times. And these words are
always used in relation to and as an interpretation of faith and
love. Another version of the love Ishq has not been used in the
Quran at all. However, we see this word appearing in the traditions
of the infallibles (a.s.). For instance, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
declares
'The best of men
is the one who loves worship.' (Usul-e-Kafi, vol.
2, Chapter of Worship, tradition 3)
The word Ishq
means 'excessive love'. Litterateurs believe that this word is more
often used to convey illicit and forbidden love. However, the
prophetic tradition we have narrated earlier negates this view, as
the word has been used to convey love for excessive worship, which
is a commendable action. We have also used this word to convey
similar implications, never alluding to the illegitimate form of
love.
Love for Imam-e-Zamana
(a.t.f.s.) is the cause of our existence, the most important
objective of our lives and the aim of our creation. We love our Imam
(a.t.f.s.) and are intensely attached to him. Indeed this is what
the religion of Islam instructs us. When the early Muslims wanted to
thank the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) for his efforts in the way of
Islam, they approached him (s.a.w.a.) and said, 'O Prophet of
Allah (s.a.w.a.), indeed you have taken us out from the darkness of
ignorance and we had the taufeeq of accepting Islam at your hands
and thereby we were illumined with the light of faith. We were
disgraced but you honored us. We were deviated but you guided us.
With your grace and favors, Allah gave peace to our distressed
hearts. How can we repay you for your efforts in the propagation of
the prophetic message?' Allah revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.),
'Say: I do not ask
of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives' (Surah Shura,
Verse 23)
Then those who
understood the underlying message behind this Quranic verse acted
upon it. There were others who ignored this command.
But the true
lovers did not let anything come in between their love and
attachment for the Ahle Bait (a.s.). One such group of lovers were
in Karbala. They were so intense in their attachment, that Imam
Husain (a.s.) proclaimed, 'I have got companions that neither my
grandfather (s.a.w.a.), nor my father (a.s.) nor my brother (a.s.)
could get.'
These were the
companions who repaid the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) for his efforts
towards Islam, by attaching themselves to his progeny. They acted on
this Quranic verse
'those who believe
are stronger in love for Allah' (Surah Baqarah,
Verse 165)
In fact, they gave
ample proof of this by shedding their blood in the way of Islam.And
Allah addressed their leader (Imam Husain (a.s.)) as Al-Nafsul
Mutmainnah
Allah, the
Almighty, declares in the Quran that a favor can be repaid only with
another favor. The grace and favor of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in his
propagation of Islam is something that can never be truly repaid by
us. Love is the only thing that makes understand the importance of
this favor and helps us adorn our character. The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) used to beseech Allah
'O Allah! Don't
let a transgressor confer a favor upon me, thereby introducing his
love in my heart.'
This tradition
highlights an important fact that conferring a favor leads to love,
even if that favor is from a disbeliever. Indeed humanity and Islam
owe their existence to Imam Husain (a.s.). If the incident of
Karbala had not occurred, Islam's appearance would have changed
completely and it would have been unrecognizable from the Prophet's
(s.a.w.a.) Islam. If Karbala had not been there true faith would
have been considered as what Yazid was observing, Allah forbid! Many
of the prohibited acts would have been made permissible and many of
the permissible acts would have been made prohibited.
Indeed love for
Imam Husain (a.s.) is the reward of the prophethood of the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.). This is because Imam (a.s.) rescued Islam,
Allah's chosen religion, which was propagated by his grandfather,
the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). O lovers of Imam Husain (a.s.)! The
criterion for love is to follow the beloved in letter and in spirit
and to give preference to his wishes and desires over our own. We
should pay attention to what Imam Husain (a.s.) has said concerning
his ninth son, Allah's last proof, and we should try to act upon it.
We should mould our behavior and disposition according to it and we
should be careful that we are not accounted among the ungrateful
ones.
Abdul Rahman bin
Sulait narrates that Imam Husain (a.s.) said, 'There will be
twelve guides from amongst us. The first one is Ameerul Momineen (a.s.)
- Ali b. Abi Talib (a.s.), while the last one is my ninth son the
Qaim (a.t.f.s.). Through him Allah will enliven the dead earth and
will make the rightful religion subdue all other religions even if
this displeases the apostates. There is an occultation for him,
which will be the cause of one group of Muslims rejecting him and
returning to disbelief after belief, while another group will
continue to believe in him and will remain steadfast in their faith.
Those who will remain steadfast will become the target of taunts and
it will be said to them, if reappearance is indeed a promise then
when will the promise be fulfilled. Those who are patient and
steadfast on the intense difficulties of occultation will attain the
status of a warrior who has done jehad alongside the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
against the infidels.”
(Kamaluddin, vol.
1, chapter 30
The above
tradition related by Imam Husain (a.s.) highlights a few very
pertinent points.
a)
Allah's final proof will be the ninth son of Imam Husain (a.s.).
b)
He will rise one day after his occultation.
c)
His occultation will be prolonged.
d)
Allah shall subdue all other religions with the religion of
truth.
e)
He shall enliven the earth after its deterioration.
f)
The nation shall be divided in two sections. One shall
steadfastly believe in him while the other shall reject him.
g)
The steadfast ones shall be subjected to intense difficulties
and calamities.
h)
The steadfast group shall enjoy the same position as that of
the early Muslims who did jihad alongside the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) against the apostates.
This tradition
underlines the importance of love for Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). The
bond of love must be firm and resolute. It should not be that we
accept Imam (a.t.f.s.) by our tongues and fall short in our actions.
It should not be that we become despair about the rise of the
nation. Even if we aren't struck by pessimism and doubt, it should
not be that we believe in Imam (a.t.f.s.) as if it is folklore of a
person who will rise one day and will establish truth and justice
and will usher in an era of goodness where no evil will exist and in
this entire affair we don't have to do anything except sit and
watch.
This is the time
when we should sit back and reflect on ourselves. We should for a
moment consider the loyal companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
who accompanied him (s.a.w.a.) in the battles and willingly gave up
their lives to attain martyrdom. Indeed their character, certainty,
determination, faith, love for Allah and love for His Apostle were
so firm and unshakeable that we get some idea of what is expected
from us. Then we realize that we have not fulfilled the obligations
of love. We have not honored the pre-requisites of attachment. And
if it is not so then why is the occultation of Imam (a.t.f.s.) being
prolonged to such an extent? Imam's (a.t.f.s.) reappearance depends
upon the steadfast ones of the Islamic nation who are being
disgraced but are patient and steadfast on difficulties and everyday
recite the verse
'I bear witness in
letter and in spirit that certainly you are Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).' (Ziyarate
Salaamullahil Kaamil, Mafaateehul Jenaan)
To perform
religious obligations today is a Himalayan task. To strive and
struggle with the self against the calamities and disputes in this
age and to nurture love and affection (for Imam (a.t.f.s.)) is
indeed difficult. We are passing through the era about which Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had said “when the earth shall be filled with
injustice and oppression”. Satan is working overtime to deviate the
people. Man is involved in all kinds of diseases, related to the
body and the soul. There are new calamities emerging every day. The
prophesies of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) about the last era are
unfolding in front of our eyes. There are a thousand means of
deviation and destruction but hardly any source of survival. Man's
intellect is stumped and the whole society is engulfed in this
epidemic and is unable to decide on a particular course of action,
no matter how simple it is.
Let us have a
glance of the past and the present. We are living in an age far
worse than the age of the Ummayyads and the Abbasides. Despite the
torment and persecution of those eras, the people had the good
fortune of witnessing the Imams (a.s.) in their midst. They could
approach the Imams (a.s.) and reap the benefits of their radiant
teachings. The glorious traditions of the infallibles (a.s.) and
their guidance illumined the darkest recesses of their existence.
The love of the Imams (a.s.) in the hearts of the Shias overcame
every other distraction, be it wealth, status or the love of this
world. The Shias ignored everything else in favor of the Imams
(a.s.) and their teachings.
There was a poor
and destitute companion of Imam Sadiq (a.s.). One day in the
presence of Imam (a.s.), he made mention of his poverty and compared
it to the wealth of the attendants of the Abbasides. Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) on hearing of this comparison removed a bag of gold coins and
gave it to the companion and said, 'You can take this, however, I
would like you to return the love and attachment that you have for
me in your heart.' The companion immediately realized the
fallacy in his comparison (between himself and the Abbaside
attendants) and continued to lead the rest of his life in poverty
and thanked Allah for the love of the Ahle Bait (a.s.). Similarly
the companions of Imam Husain (a.s.) must have been deeply stirred
and roused by this statement of their master, 'O Allah! Indeed
what has one gained by losing You? And what has one lost after
gaining You?'
(Dua-e-Arafah)
Today the
comparison between the lovers (of the Ahle Bait (a.s.)) and the rich
will show even more disparity and the lovers will be outnumbered by
the rich by a large margin.
However, the chain
of Aal-e-Mohammad (a.s.) is continuing till date. It is not over as
yet. Not only are the Shias saying this, but even the renowned and
illustrious scholars of the Ahle Sunnah have admitted this in their
compilations. They have recorded thousands of traditions to support
their belief. Today Allah's Proof on the earth exists and is a means
of security from disasters. Those who hold on to his support
understand this only too well. Those who don't understand it can try
taking the name of Imam (a.t.f.s.) and they will also see the
results. Indeed the lovers of Imam (a.t.f.s.) have found a strange
soothing effect in his name that helps them overcome the most trying
of calamities.
The path towards
the love of Imam (a.t.f.s.) is strewn with thorns. It is an
examination for those who claim to tread the path of his love. It is
a path with many temptations and distractions. It is slippery and
beguiling. It has dangerous twists and turns. However, Imam
(a.t.f.s.) has not deserted his lovers. His help and guidance always
helps them negotiate the perils of this path. A small ray of his
light is sufficient to ease the murkiness and gloom of this path.
The strong bond of love can help the lovers overcome every hurdle on
the path. The treaders of this path must understand the
prerequisites and conditions of love so as to reach Imam (a.t.f.s.).
We have only briefly outlined a few of those pre-requisites.
1. Seeking favours
only from the beloved
One of the most
important prerequisites of sincere love is that one does not go to
anyone else to seek his demands. He only approaches the beloved in
this regard.
2. To maintain
contact
We must maintain
close contact with our beloved ones - our relatives, our friends,
our immediate family members, our brethren-in-faith. A companion of
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) asked him, 'One believer is drowning and another
is being deviated by some people. Who should we rescue?' Imam (a.s.)
replied,
'Go to the rescue
of the one who is being deviated.'
Then Imam (a.s.)
elaborated,
'Keep close
contact with the one whose faith is exposed to danger, always
maintain close relations with him. Rescue his hereafter.'
This is the need
of the hour today - to keep in contact with the believers in distant
areas and to introduce the Imam of their time (a.t.f.s.) to them.
This is our most important duty today. It is not a difficult task,
provided we work with dedication and an unshakeable spirit of
sacrifice.
3. Patience and
forbearance
Love is the
greatest test of patience and forbearance. Even death does not act
as a hurdle for the person. Love is such a powerful force that it
takes a person towards his beloved, step by step, ignoring all
obstacles in the path.
4. Maintaining
relations
Maintaining
relations with the relatives is an important duty and benefits the
society as a whole. It is a crucial responsibility in this period
and a fundamental proof of love for Imam (a.t.f.s.).
5. Acquiring
knowledge
Love for Imam
(a.t.f.s.) and ignorance about him are two opposite events. It is
not possible for both these events to occur simultaneously in a
person. Imam (a.t.f.s.) is the pillar of knowledge and invites
others towards knowledge of Allah and His religion. If we call
ourselves his Shias, it is critical for us to acquire this
knowledge. If we fail in this duty then we run the risk of being
termed as “they don't perceive, they don't comprehend’. And
the element of love will subside. Moreover our actions lose their
significance as to act without recognition (marefat) is futile. Even
our love for Imam (a.t.f.s.) will amount to nothing. Therefore we
should struggle and endeavor constantly in our quest for knowledge.
The thirst for this knowledge can be quenched only at the doorstep
of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) otherwise love will be injured and the pain
will be unbearable.
6. Activity
Laziness,
negligence and lethargy are detrimental to love. To reach towards
the object of our love we must be active and energetic. We must
fulfill our religious obligations. We must be cautious of Satanic
whisperings and be vigilant of his devious charms. A believer must
fast in the days and maintain vigil in the nights. Indeed this is
the ascension (Meraj) of a believer.
7. Struggle
(Jihad)
One who loves Imam
(a.t.f.s.) must be prepared to struggle and labor with his self, his
pen and his wealth in the way of Imam (a.t.f.s.).
8. Constant
remembrance (Zikr)
Traditions
highlight that remembrance is the key that increases love and
affection. We should remember and discuss about Imam (a.t.f.s.)
excessively that even if our tongues tire, our hearts should not be
satiated and our thirst should not be quenched.
9. Gifts
To present the
beloved with gifts is a proof of love and attachment. The gift must
be presented keeping in mind the stature, position and preferences
of the person. For instance, we should perform recommended namaz,
fasts, recite Quran, etc. for Imam (a.t.f.s.) with utmost sincerity
and devotion.
10. Charity and
supplications
We should
constantly pray for the protection and security of Imam (a.t.f.s.)
and invoke divine help for his affairs. We must give charity on his
behalf to ensure his safety. To supplicate for his earliest
reappearance must be a part of our daily schedule. We must complain
to Allah about his prolonged absence and must re-affirm our pledge
with him.
11. Awaiting the
reappearance (Intezar)
Imam (a.t.f.s.)
shall spread justice and equity across the length and breadth of
this world. We must await this era eagerly and always endeavor to be
included among the true and sincere awaiting ones. We must never
despair of Imam's (a.t.f.s.) reappearance, as despair and
despondence are satanic traits.
There are other
obligations and duties to be discharged to fulfill the demands of
love and affection, but we have sufficed with the few mentioned
above. Finally we plead with Allah and beseech Him to bestow us with
true recognition of Imam (a.t.f.s.). This recognition alone will
inspire sincere love and attachment for Imam (a.t.f.s.) in our
hearts. We pray to Allah to make steadfast our faith, which is the
root of love as the Quranic verse proclaims
'Those who believe
are intense in their love for Allah.'
