Summary
No one (from the creation of Allah-azwj) can be compared with the Ahl Al-Bayt-asws (Prophet-saww and his-saww pure and pious progeny-asws) from all the inhabitants of the earth and skies from the previous ones, present ones as well as those yet to come to the world ‘Awwaleen to the Akhareen’. Merely calling someone an ‘imam’ or ‘imam/Wali of today’ is just political rhetoric, which is echoed from the tongues of their paid agents, who call people to follow and submit to a false imam or wali. How can one recognise a Divine Imam? See for example, Recognition of a Divine Imam-asws | Hubeali.com
Here, we present some Ahadith outlining the incomparable virtues of the Ahl Al-Bayt-asws. To note, these merits of the Ahl Al-Bayt-asws shared below are based on their-asws Divine knowledge, as this is from their virtues which can be found in the Ahadith, but we find, in a hadith, that knowledge is from one of their-asws minor merits, see the Hadith
بصائر الدرجات عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ دَاوُدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ لَوْ أُوذِنَ لَنَا لَأَخْبَرْنَا بِفَضْلِنَا
(The book) ‘Basaair Al Darajaat’ – Abdullah Bin Ja’far, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Dawood Al Nahdy, from Ali Bin Ja’far,
‘From Abu Al-Hassan-asws, he (the narrator) heard him-asws saying: ‘If there was Permission for us-asws, we-asws would inform of our-asws merits’.
قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ الْعِلْمُ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي الْعِلْمُ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ
He (the narrator) said, ‘I said to him-asws, ‘The knowledge is from it?’ He-asws said to me: ‘The knowledge is the least from that (least from our-asws virtues)’’.[1]
Rasool Allah-saww observed Taqeeya in demonstrating the Status of Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws:
Rasool Allah-saww also observed dissimulation (Taqeeya) and did not reveal those merits of Amir Al-Momineen-asws which would constrict the chest of people and they would find it hard to comprehend and may end up spoiling their Hereafter, e.g.,
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ لِأَبِيكَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع لَوْ لَا أَنْ تَقُولَ فِيكَ طَوَائِفُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَا قَالَتِ النَّصَارَى فِي الْمَسِيحِ لَقُلْتُ فِيكَ قَوْلًا لَا تَمُرُّ بِمَلَإٍ إِلَّا أَخَذُوا مِنْ تُرَابِ قَدَمَيْكَ يَسْتَشْفُونَ
(In a lengthy Hadith, it is reported): Prophet-saww said to your-asws father Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws one day: ‘Had it not been for a sect from my-saww community saying regarding you-asws what the Christians are saying regarding Isa-as Bin Maryam-as, I-saww would have said regarding you-asws such words that none from the people would pass by you-asws except that he would take the dust from under your-asws feet to be healed by it’ (an extract).[2]
In another Hadith,
أَمَا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَانَ مَعَ تَفْضِيلِهِ لِي لَمْ يَكُنْ يَقُومُ لِي عَنْ مَجْلِسِهِ إِذَا حَضَرْتُهُ كَمَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُهُ بِبَعْضِ مَنْ لَا يَقِيسُ مِعْشَارَ جُزْءٍ مِنْ مِائَةِ أَلْفِ جُزْءٍ مِنْ إِيجَابِهِ لِي لِأَنَّهُ عَلِمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ يَحْمِلُ بَعْضَ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا يَغُمُّهُ وَ يَغُمُّنِي وَ يَغُمُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ قَدْ كَانَ يَقُومُ لِقَوْمٍ لَا يَخَافُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ لَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِثْلَ مَا خَافَهُ عَلَيَّ لَوْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِي
However, Rasool-Allah-saww was with his-saww preferences for me-asws – (but) he-saww did not use to stand for me-asws from his-saww sitting whenever I-asws presented – just as he-saww used to do with some (others) who cannot be compared by one part from a hundred thousand from his‑saww response to me-asws, because he-saww knew that, that would carry some of the enemies of Allah-azwj upon (doing something) what would grieve him-saww, and grieve me-asws, and grieve the Momineen. And he-saww used to stand up for people, not out of fear upon himself-saww nor upon them, like what he-saww feared upon me-asws, had he-saww done that with me-asws’’ (an extract).[3]
Now, while keeping in mind of the above Ahadith, we turn to the revealed merits of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
No one can be Compared with Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
منتخب البصائر جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمُ السَّيِّدَانِ الْمُرْتَضَى وَ الْمُجْتَبَى ابْنَا الدَّاعِي الْحَسَنِيِّ وَ الْأُسْتَاذَانِ أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ وَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ابْنَا كُمَيْحٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنِ الصَّدُوقِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ حَمْدَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنْ صَنِيعِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُلْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَضَّلَ أُولِي الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ بِالْعِلْمِ عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع وَ فَضَّلَ مُحَمَّداً ص عَلَيْهِمْ وَ وَرَّثَنَا عِلْمَهُمْ وَ فَضَّلَنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي فَضْلِهِمْ وَ عَلَّمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ وَ عَلَّمَنَا عِلْمَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص
(The book) ‘Muntakhab Al Basaair’ – A group, from them being the two seyyids, Al Murtaza and Al Mujtaba, two sons of the Al Daie Al-Husayni, and the two teachers Abu Al Qasim and Abu Ja’far two sons of Kumeyh, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Al Abbas, from Al Sadouq Muhammad Bin Babuwayh, from his father, from Sa’ad, from Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Sa’ad, from Hamdan Bin Suleyman, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Al Yamani, from Sanie Bin Al Hajjaj, from Al-Husayn Bin Ulwan,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Merited the Determined Ones (Ul Al-Azam) from the Messengers-as with the knowledge, over the Prophets-as, and Merited Muhammad-saww over them-as, and we-asws have inherited their-as knowledge, and we‑asws are merited over them in their-as merits, and they-as did not know the knowledge of Rasool-Allah-saww, and we-asws do know the knowledge of Rasool-Allah-saww.
فَرَوَيْنَاهُ لِشِيعَتِنَا فَمَنْ قَبِلَهُ مِنْهُمْ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُهُمْ وَ أَيْنَمَا نَكُونُ فَشِيعَتُنَا مَعَنَا
So, we-asws are narrating it to our-asws Shias. The one from them who accepts it, he is their (adherent previous Prophets-as) superior, and wherever we-asws will happen to be, our-asws Shias would be with us-asws’’.[4]
In another Hadith,
وَ قَالَ ع تَمَصُّونَ الرَّوَاضِعَ وَ تَدَعُونَ النَّهَرَ الْعَظِيمَ فَقِيلَ مَا تَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ
And he-asws said: ‘You are licking from the puddle and are leaving the mighty river!’ It was said, ‘What do you-asws mean by that?’
قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَوْحَى إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عِلْمَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِأَسْرِهِ وَ عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ مَا لَمْ يُعَلِّمْهُمْ فَأَسَرَّ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قُلْتُ فَيَكُونُ عَلِيٌّ ع أَعْلَمَ مِنْ بَعْضِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ
He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Revealed to Rasool-Allah-saww Taught the Prophets-as His-azwj Secrets and Allah-azwj Taught him-saww what they-as did not know. He-saww divulged that, all of it to Amir Al-Momineen-asws’. I said, ‘So Ali-asws happened to be more knowledgeable than some of the Prophets-as’.
فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَفْتَحُ مَسَامِعَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ أَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص حَوَى عِلْمَ جَمِيعِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ عَلَّمَهُ [اللَّهُ] مَا لَمْ يُعَلِّمْهُمْ وَ إِنَّهُ جَعَلَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عِنْدَ عَلِيٍّ ع فَتَقُولُ عَلِيٌّ أَعْلَمُ مِنْ بَعْضِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ
Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Opens the hearing of the ones He-azwj so Desires to. I-asws am saying that Rasool-Allah-saww contained the knowledge of entirety of the Prophets-as and Allah‑azwj Taught him-saww what they did not know, and he-saww made all of that to be with Ali-asws, and you are saying Ali-asws is more knowledgeable than some of the Prophets-as?’
ثُمَّ تَلَا قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى قالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ ثُمَّ فَرَّقَ أَصَابِعَهُ وَ وَضَعَهَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ عِنْدَنَا وَ اللَّهِ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ كُلُّهُ
Then he-asws recited Words of the Exalted: The one with whom was the knowledge from the Book [27:40], then separated between his-asws fingers and placed them upon his-asws chest, then said: ‘By Allah-azwj, and with us-asws is knowledge of the Book, all of it!’’[5]
In another Hadith;
فس، تفسير القمي أَبِي عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ هُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع
Tafseer Al Qummi – My father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Uzina,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘and the one who has Knowledge of the Book [13:43]: ‘He-asws is Amir Al-Momineen-asws’.
وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ
And he-asws was asked about: The one with whom was the knowledge from the Book [27:40], is he more knowledgeable or the one: who has Knowledge of the Book [13:43]?’
فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ عِلْمُ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ عِنْدَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ إِلَّا بِقَدْرِ مَا تَأْخُذُ الْبَعُوضَةُ بِجَنَاحِهَا مِنْ مَاءِ الْبَحْرِ
He-asws said: ‘The knowledge of The one with whom was the knowledge from the Book [27:40], in the presence of (compared to) the one who has Knowledge of the Book [13:43], was not except by a measurement of what a mosquito can take with its wings from the water of the ocean.
وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ أَلَا إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي هَبَطَ بِهِ آدَمُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ جَمِيعَ مَا فُضِّلَتْ بِهِ النَّبِيُّونَ إِلَى خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ فِي عِتْرَةِ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ
And Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘Indeed! The knowledge which Adam-as descended with from the sky to the earth, and the entirety of what the Prophets-as had been Graced with, up to the last of the Prophets-as, is in the family of the last of the Prophets-as’’.[6]
We find in a rare Hadith:
كِتَابُ الْمُحْتَضَرِ لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، نَاقِلًا مِنْ كِتَابِ الْأَرْبَعِينَ رِوَايَةَ سَعْدٍ الْإِرْبِلِيِّ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ الْأَزْرَقِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ: وُجِدَ فِي ذَخِيرَةِ أَحَدِ حَوَارِيِّ الْمَسِيحِ ع رَقٌّ مَكْتُوبٌ بِالْقَلَمِ السُّرْيَانِيِّ مَنْقُولًا مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَ ذَلِكَ لَمَّا تَشَاجَرَ مُوسَى وَ الْخَضِرُ ع فِي قَضِيَّةِ السَّفِينَةِ وَ الْغُلَامِ وَ الْجِدَارِ وَ رَجَعَ مُوسَى إِلَى قَوْمِهِ سَأَلَهُ أَخُوهُ هَارُونُ عَمَّا استعمله [اسْتَعْلَمَهُ] مِنَ الْخَضِرِ ع فِي السَّفِينَةِ وَ شَاهَدَهُ مِنْ عَجَائِبِ الْبَحْرِ
Kitab ‘Al Mukhtasar’ of Al Hassan Bin Suleyman, copying from Kitab ‘Al Arbaeen’ – A report of Sa’ad Al Arbily, from Ammar Bin Khalid, from Is’haq Al Arzaq, from Abdul Malik Bin Suleyman who said,
‘It was found in the hoard (treasured) of one of the disciples of the Messiah-as, a parchment written by the Assyrian pen, copying from the Torah, and what is when Musa-as and Al-Khizr-as quarrelled regarding the issue of the ship, and the boy, and the wall, and Musa-as returned to his-as people, his-as brother-as asked him-as about what he-as utilised from Al-Khizr-as regarding the ship, and witnessing from the wonders of the sea.
قَالَ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا وَ الْخَضِرُ عَلَى شَاطِئِ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ سَقَطَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا طَائِرٌ أَخَذَ فِي مِنْقَارِهِ قَطْرَةً مِنْ مَاءِ الْبَحْرِ وَ رَمَى بِهَا نَحْوَ الْمَشْرِقِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ ثَانِيَةً وَ رَمَى بِهَا نَحْوَ الْمَغْرِبِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ ثَالِثَةً وَ رَمَى بِهَا نَحْوَ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ رَابِعَةً وَ رَمَى بِهَا نَحْوَ الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ خَامِسَةً وَ أَلْقَاهَا فِي الْبَحْرِ فَبُهِتَ الْخَضِرُ وَ أَنَا
He (Musa-as) said: ‘While I-as and Al-Khizr-as were upon the coast of the sea, when a bird fell (came down) in front of us. It took in its beak a drop of water of the sea and threw it around the east, then it took a second and threw it around the west, then it took a third and threw it around the sky, then it took a fourth and threw it around the ground, then it took a fifth and cast it (back) in the sea. So, Al-Khizr-as and I-as descended.
قَالَ مُوسَى فَسَأَلْتُ الْخَضِرَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْ وَ إِذَا نَحْنُ بِصَيَّادٍ يَصْطَادُ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْنَا وَ قَالَ مَا لِي أَرَاكُمَا فِي فِكْرٍ وَ تَعَجُّبٍ فَقُلْنَا فِي أَمْرِ الطَّائِرِ فَقَالَ أَنَا رَجُلٌ صَيَّادٌ وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتُ إِشَارَتَهُ وَ أَنْتُمَا نَبِيَّانِ لَا تَعْلَمَانِ قُلْنَا مَا نَعْلَمُ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمَنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ
Musa-as said: ‘I-as asked Al Khizr-as about that, but he-as did not answer, and there we-as were by a fisherman fishing. He looked at us-as and said: ‘What is the matter I see you-as both in thought and wondering?’ We-as said: ‘Regarding the matter of the bird’. He said, ‘I am a fisherman and I have known its gestures and you-as two are Prophets-as, not knowing’. We-as said: ‘We-as do not know except what Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Teaches us-as’.
قَالَ هَذَا طَائِرٌ فِي الْبَحْرِ يُسَمَّى مسلم لِأَنَّهُ إِذَا صَاحَ يَقُولُ فِي صِيَاحِهِ مسلم وَ أَشَارَ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى أَنَّهُ يَأْتِي فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ نَبِيٌّ يَكُونُ عِلْمُ أَهْلِ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ وَ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ عِنْدَ عِلْمِهِ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الْقَطْرَةِ الْمُلْقَاةِ فِي الْبَحْرِ وَ يَرِثُ عِلْمَهُ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ وَ وَصِيُّهُ
He said, ‘This bird in the sea is called ‘Muslim’ because when it shouts, it says in its shouting, ‘Muslim’, and indicated by that to that there will be coming at the end of times, a Prophet‑saww having knowledge of the people of the east and the west and the sky and the earth. Your‑as knowledge compared to his-saww knowledge is like this drop cast in the sea, and the son-asws of his-saww brother-as and his-saww successor-asws would inherit his-saww knowledge’.
فَسَكَنَ مَا كُنَّا فِيهِ مِنَ الْمُشَاجَرَةِ وَ اسْتَقَلَّ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَّا عِلْمَهُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كُنَّا بِهِ مُعْجَبِينَ وَ مَشَيْنَا ثُمَّ غَابَ الصَّيَّادُ عَنَّا فَعَلِمْنَا أَنَّهُ مَلَكٌ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْنَا يُعَرِّفُنَا بِنَقْصِنَا حَيْثُ ادَّعَيْنَا الْكَمَالَ
So, the quarrelling what we were in was settled, and each one of us-as considered little afterwards, what we-as had been astounded with, and we-as walked away. Then the fisherman disappeared from us and we-as knew that it was an Angel of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic had Sent him to us-as to make us-as recognise our deficiencies when we-as claiming the perfection’’.[7]
In a sermon Amir Al-Momineen-asws says:
كِتَابُ الْمُحْتَضَرِ لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، رَوَاهُ مِنْ كِتَابِ الْخُطَبِ لِعَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْجَلُودِيِّ قَالَ خَطَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ: سَلُونِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تَفْقِدُونِي فَأَنَا عَيْبَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص سَلُونِي فَأَنَا فَقَأْتُ عَيْنَ الْفِتْنَةِ بِبَاطِنِهَا وَ ظَاهِرِهَا سَلُوا مَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْبَلَايَا وَ الْمَنَايَا وَ الْوَصَايَا وَ فَصْلِ الْخِطَابِ
The book ‘Al Mukhtasar’ of Al Hassan Bin Suleyman – It is reported from the book ‘Al Khatab’ of Abdul Aziz Bin Yahya Al Jaloudy who said,
‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws preached saying: ‘Ask me-asws before you lose me-asws, for I-asws am a container of Rasool-Allah-saww! Ask me-asws, for I-asws poke out the eye of the Fitna with its esoteric (Batin) and it’s exoteric (Zahir). Ask the one-asws with whom is knowledge of the deaths and the afflictions and the bequests and the decisive address.
سَلُونِي فَأَنَا يَعْسُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَقّاً وَ مَا مِنْ فِئَةٍ تَهْدِي مِائَةً أَوْ تُضِلُّ مِائَةً إِلَّا وَ قَدْ أُتِيتُ بِقَائِدِهَا وَ سَائِقِهَا وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ طُوِيَ لِي الْوِسَادَةُ فَأَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهَا لَقَضَيْتُ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ التَّوْرَاةِ بِتَوْرَاتِهِمْ وَ لِأَهْلِ الْإِنْجِيلِ بِإِنْجِيلِهِمْ وَ لِأَهْلِ الزَّبُورِ بِزَبُورِهِمْ وَ لِأَهْلِ الْفُرْقَانِ بِفُرْقَانِهِمْ
Ask me-asws, for I-asws am leader (Yasoob) of the Momineen-asws truly, and there is none from a group being guided reaching a hundred, or one hundred straying, and I-asws have been Given (knowledge of) its guides and its ushers. By the One-azwj in Whose Hand is my-asws soul! If the pillow were to be folded out for me, and I sit upon it, I-asws would judge between the people of Torah by their Torah, and the people of the Evangel by their Evangel, and the people of the Psalms by their Psalms, and the people of the Furqan (Quran) by their Furqan!’
قَالَ فَقَامَ ابْنُ الْكَوَّاءِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ هُوَ يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ نَفْسِكَ
He (the narrator) said, ‘Ibn Al-Kawa stood up to Amir Al-Momineen-asws while he-asws was addressing the people, and said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen-asws! Inform me about yourself-asws’.
فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ أَ تُرِيدُ أَنْ أُزَكِّيَ نَفْسِي وَ قَدْ نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ مَعَ أَنِّي كُنْتُ إِذَا سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَعْطَانِي وَ إِذَا سَكَتُّ ابْتَدَأَنِي وَ بَيْنَ الْجَوَانِحِ مِنِّي عِلْمٌ جَمٌّ وَ نَحْنُ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ لَا نُقَاسُ بِأَحَدٍ
He-asws said: ‘Woe be unto you! Do you want me-asws to purify (praise) myself-asws and Allah-azwj has Forbidden from that, along with it, I-asws, when I-asws asked Rasool-Allah-saww, he-saww gave me-asws, and when I-asws was silent, he-saww initiated me-asws, and between the two wings (shoulders) of mine-asws, there is immense knowledge, and we-asws, People-asws of the Household cannot be compared with anyone’’.[8]
Allah-azwj Created Ahl Al-Bayt-asws from His-azwj Noor:
اخْتَرَعَنَا اللَّهُ مِنْ نُورِ ذَاتِهِ لَا يُقَاسُ بِنَا بَشَرٌ بِنَا أَنْقَذَكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ بِنَا هَدَاكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ نَحْنُ وَ اللَّهِ دَلَلْنَاكُمْ عَلَى رَبِّكُمْ فَقِفُوا عَلَى أَمْرِنَا وَ نَهْيِنَا وَ لَا تَرُدُّوا كُلَّ مَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَّا فَأَنَا أَكْبَرُ وَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْظَمُ وَ أَرْفَعُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَا يَرِدُ عَلَيْكُمْ
Allah-azwj Contrived us-asws from Noor of His-azwj Self. No mortal can be compared with us-asws. By us-asws Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Saved you, and by us-asws Allah-azwj Guided you, and by Allah-azwj we-asws pointed you all to your Lord-azwj, therefore stand upon our-asws orders and our-asws forbiddances, and do not reject all what is referred to you from us-asws, for we-asws are greater, and more majestic, and more magnificent, and higher than the entirety of whatever is referred to you (an extract).[9]
The Recognition of the Noor of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
أنت يا علي ذو قرنيها، و كلا طرفيها، و لك الآخرة و الأولى، يا سلمان إن ميّتنا إذا مات لم يمت، و مقتولنا لم يقتل، و غائبنا إذا غاب لم يغب، و لا نلد و لا نولد في البطون، و لا يقاس بنا أحد من الناس، أنا تكلّمت على لسان عيسى في المهد، أنا نوح، أنا إبراهيم، أنا صاحب الناقة، أنا صاحب الراجفة، أنا صاحب الزلزلة. أنا اللوح المحفوظ، إليّ انتهى علم ما فيه، أنا أنقلب في الصور كيف شاء اللّه، من رآهم فقد رآني، و من رآني فقد رآهم، و نحن في الحقيقة نور اللّه الذي لا يزول و لا يتغيّر.
(Rasool Allah-saww said) You-asws, O Ali-asws, are the one with two horns[10] at both ends, and to you-asws belongs the Hereafter and the first. O Salman, if our-asws dead one dies, he-asws does not die, and our-asws killed one is not killed, and our-asws absent one is not absent, he-asws does not disappear.
We-asws do not give birth, nor are we-asws born in the wombs, and no one among the people can be compared to us-asws. I-asws spoke on the tongue of Jesus-as in the cradle. I-asws am Noah-as, I-asws am Abraham-as, I-asws am the owner of the she-camel, I-asws am the owner of the tremor, I-asws am the owner of the earthquake. I-asws am the Preserved Tablet, to me-asws the knowledge of what is in it has ended. I-asws turn in the forms as Allah-azwj Wills. Whoever sees them has seen me-asws, and whoever sees me-asws has seen them, and we-asws are in truth the light of Allah-azwj that does not disappear or change (an extract from the Recognition of an Imam as a Noor).[11]
Allah-azwj did not Create anything but in the Love of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
فقال: يا جابر، إنّ لنا عند اللّه مكانا و منزلة رفيعة، و لو لا نحن لم يخلق اللّه أرضا و لا سماء و لا جنّة و لا نارا و لا شمسا و لا قمرا و لا برّا و لا بحرا و لا سهلا و لا جبلا و لا طائرا و لا رطبا و لا يابسا و لا حلوا و لا مرّا و لا ماء و لا نباتا و لا شجرا، اخترعنا اللّه من نورذاته و لا يقاس بنا بشر،
(Imam Sadiq-asws said) O Jabir, we-asws have a high place and status with Allah-azwj. If it were not for us-asws, God would not have created the earth, the sky, the paradise, the fire, the sun, the moon, the land, the sea, the plains, the mountains, the birds, the moist and the dry, the sweet and the bitter, the water, the plants, and the trees.
Allah‑azwj Created us-asws from the Noor of His-azwj Essence and no human being can be compared to us-asws (an extract).[12]
No Deed will be accepted without the Love of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws:
و في رواية اخرى: ما بال أقوام من قريش إذا ذكر عندهم آل محمّد اشمأزّت قلوبهم و تغيّرت وجوههم، فإذا ذكر آل إبراهيم و آل عمران رقّت قلوبهم و تهلّلت وجوههم و دمعت أعينهم؟ فقال رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و آله: و الذي بعثني بالحقّ يا عليّ لو أنّ عبدا من أمّتي عبد اللّه عبادة سبعين نبيّا ثمّ لقي اللّه عزّ و جلّ يوم القيامة و لم يؤدّ مودّتي و مودّة أهل بيتي لأكبّه اللّه تعالى في النار على وجهه يوم القيامة
In another narration: What is wrong with the people of Quraysh when the family of Muhammad-saww is mentioned to them, their hearts are disgusted and their faces change, but when the family of (Prophet) Abraham-as and the family of Imran-as are mentioned, their hearts soften, their faces light up and their eyes glow up? Rasool Allah-saww said: By the One Who sent me with the truth, O Ali-asws, if a servant of my-saww nation worships Allah-azwj equivalent to the worship of seventy Prophets-as, then meets Allah-azwj, the Almighty, on the Day of Resurrection and does not fulfil (the conditions of) my-saww love and the love of my-saww family-asws, Allah-azwj, the Almighty, will Throw him into the fire on his face on the Day of Resurrection.
.و قال محمّد بن المثنّى، عن إبراهيم بن أبي نجيح، عن صفوان: إنّ رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و آله قال: نحن أهل البيت لا نقاس بأحد، و لا يقاس بنا أحد
Muhammad bin Al-Muthanna said, on the authority of Ibrahim bin Abi Nujayh, on the authority of Safwan: The Messenger of Allah-saww, said: We-asws, the Ahl Al-Bayt (the family of the house), are not to be compared to anyone, and no one is to be compared to us-asws.
و قال رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و آله: لا تزول قدم عبد يوم القيامة حتى يسأل عن أربع: عن عمره فيم أفناه، و عن جسده فيم أبلاه، و عن ماله فيم أنفقه، و عن حبّ أهل البيت
The Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family, said: The feet of a servant will not move on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about four things: about his life and how he spent it, about his body and how he wore it out, about his wealth and how he spent it, ‘و عن حبّ أهل البيت’ and about the love of the people of the house.[13]
Companions of Imam Al-Hussain-asws cannot be compared with people:
The martyrs of Karbala have so high status that even they-as cannot be compared with any one among people, the fallible ones, e.g., no one can be entitled as ‘Hurr of today’[14], see for example the following Hadith:
عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام لي، الأمالي للصدوق مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الرَّيَّانِ بْنِ شَبِيبٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الرِّضَا ع فِي أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ فَقَالَ لِي يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ أَ صَائِمٌ أَنْتَ فَقُلْتُ لَا
(The book) ‘Uyoon Akhbar Al-Reza-asws’, (and) ‘Al Amaali’ of Al Sadouq – Majaylawiya, from Ali, from his father, from Al Rayyan Bin Shabeeb who said,
‘I entered to see Al-Reza-asws during the first day of Al-Muharram. He-asws said to me: ‘O Ibn Shabeeb! Are you fasting?’ I said, ‘no’.
فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الْيَوْمَ هُوَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي دَعَا فِيهِ زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقَالَ- رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعاءِ فَاسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ وَ أَمَرَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ فَنَادَتْ زَكَرِيَّا- وَ هُوَ قائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرابِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيى
He-asws said: ‘This day, it is the day in which Zakariya supplicated to his-as Lord-azwj Mighty and Majetic. He said: ‘My Lord! Grant me good offspring from You, surely You are the Hearer of the supplication’ [3:38]. So, Allah-azwj Answered for him-as and Commanded the Angels, so they called out to Zakariya-as, as he stood praying in the Prayer Niche: ‘Allah Gives you the good news of Yahya [3:39].
فَمَنْ صَامَ هَذَا الْيَوْمَ ثُمَّ دَعَا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ كَمَا اسْتَجَابَ لِزَكَرِيَّا ع
The one who fasts this day, then supplicated to Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic, Allah-azwj would Answer for him just as He-azwj had Answered for Zakariya-as’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنَّ الْمُحَرَّمَ هُوَ الشَّهْرُ الَّذِي كَانَ أَهْلُ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فِيمَا مَضَى يُحَرِّمُونَ فِيهِ الظُّلْمَ وَ الْقِتَالَ لِحُرْمَتِهِ فَمَا عَرَفَتْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ حُرْمَةَ شَهْرِهَا وَ لَا حُرْمَةَ نَبِيِّهَا لَقَدْ قَتَلُوا فِي هَذَا الشَّهْرِ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ وَ سَبَوْا نِسَاءَهُ وَ انْتَهَبُوا ثَقَلَهُ فَلَا غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَبَداً
Then he-asws said: ‘O Ibn Shabeeb! Al-Muharram, it is the month which the people of the Pre-Islamic period in the past used to Prohibit the injustices and the fighting during it due to its sanctity. But this community did not recognise the sanctity of its month nor the sanctity of their Prophet-saww. They killed in this month, his-saww children, and they made captives of his (Al-Husayn-asws’s) womenfolk, and they plundered his-asws belongings. May Allah-azwj not Forgive them that, ever!
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ كُنْتَ بَاكِياً لِشَيْءٍ فَابْكِ لِلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَإِنَّهُ ذُبِحَ كَمَا يُذْبَحُ الْكَبْشُ وَ قُتِلَ مَعَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا مَا لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ شَبِيهُونَ
O Ibn Shabeeb! If you were to cry for something, then cry for Al-Husayn-asws Bin Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, for he-asws was slaughtered like what the ram tends to be slaughtered. Eighteen men from the people of his-asws household, who had no equal on earth, were murdered with him-asws.
وَ لَقَدْ بَكَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَ الْأَرَضُونَ لِقَتْلِهِ وَ لَقَدْ نَزَلَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ لِنَصْرِهِ فَوَجَدُوهُ قَدْ قُتِلَ فَهُمْ عِنْدَ قَبْرِهِ شُعْثٌ غُبْرٌ إِلَى أَنْ يَقُومَ الْقَائِمُ فَيَكُونُونَ مِنْ أَنْصَارِهِ وَ شِعَارُهُمْ يَا لَثَارَاتِ الْحُسَيْنِ
And the seven skies and the earths had cried for his-asws killing, and four thousand Angels had descended to the earth to help him-asws, but they found to have already been killed, so (now) they are by his-asws grave, unkempt, dusty, up to the rising of Al-Qaim-asws, and they would be from his-asws helpers, and their slogan is: ‘يَا لَثَارَاتِ الْحُسَيْنِ’ ‘The revenge for Al-Husayn-asws!’
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ لَقَدْ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا قُتِلَ جَدِّيَ الْحُسَيْنُ أَمْطَرَتِ السَّمَاءُ دَماً وَ تُرَاباً أَحْمَرَ
O Ibn Shabeeb! It has been narrated to me-asws, from my-asws father-asws, from his-asws grandfather-asws that when my-asws grandfather-asws Al-Husayn-asws was killed, the sky rained blood and the soil reddened.
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ بَكَيْتَ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ حَتَّى تَصِيرَ دُمُوعُكَ عَلَى خَدَّيْكَ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ كُلَّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْتَهُ صَغِيراً كَانَ أَوْ كَبِيراً قَلِيلًا كَانَ أَوْ كَثِيراً
O Ibn Shabeeb! If you were to cry upon Al-Husayn-asws until your tears flow upon your cheek, Allah-azwj would Forgive for you every sin you have committed, be it minor or major, whether these were few or a lot.
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَلْقَى اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَا ذَنْبَ عَلَيْكَ فَزُرِ الْحُسَيْنَ ع
O Ibn Shabeeb! If it cheers you to meet Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic and there is no sin upon you, then visit Al-Husayn-asws.
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَسْكُنَ الْغُرَفَ الْمَبْنِيَّةَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ص فَالْعَنْ قَتَلَةَ الْحُسَيْنِ يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَسْكُنَ الْغُرَفَ الْمَبْنِيَّةَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ص فَالْعَنْ قَتَلَةَ الْحُسَيْنِ
O Ibn Shabeeb! If it cheers you to be settled in the constructed lofty place in the Paradise with the Prophet-saww, then curse the killer of Al-Husayn-asws.
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ مِثْلَ مَا لِمَنِ اسْتُشْهِدَ مَعَ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقُلْ مَتَى مَا ذَكَرْتَهُ- يا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً
O Ibn Shabeeb! If it cheers you for there to be Rewards for you like what is for the one who was martyred with Al-Husayn-asws, then say whenever you remember him-asws. ‘I wish I had been with them, then I would have been successful with a great success’ [4:73].
يَا ابْنَ شَبِيبٍ إِنْ سَرَّكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مَعَنَا فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجِنَانِ فَاحْزَنْ لِحُزْنِنَا وَ افْرَحْ لِفَرَحِنَا وَ عَلَيْكَ بِوَلَايَتِنَا فَلَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا تَوَلَّى حَجَراً لَحَشَرَهُ اللَّهُ مَعَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
O Ibn Shabeeb! If it cheers you to be with us-asws in the lofty levels from the Garden, then grieve at our-asws grief and be happy at our-asws happiness, and upon you is to be with our-asws Wilayah. If a man were to befriend a rock, Allah-azwj would Resurrect him with it on the Day of Qiyamah’’.[15]
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْهَمَذَانِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ أَبِي صَفِيَّةَ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع رَحِمَ اللَّهُ الْعَبَّاسَ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَلِيٍّ فَلَقَدْ آثَرَ وَ أَبْلَى وَ فَدَى أَخَاهُ بِنَفْسِهِ حَتَّى قُطِعَتْ يَدَاهُ فَأَبْدَلَهُ اللَّهُ بِهِمَا جَنَاحَيْنِ يَطِيرُ بِهِمَا مَعَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ كَمَا جَعَلَ لِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ إِنَّ لِلْعَبَّاسِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمَنْزِلَةً يَغْبِطُهُ بِهَا جَمِيعُ الشُّهَدَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Ahmad ibn Zyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamedany – may God be pleased with him – narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted Muhammad ibn Isaibn Ubayd, on the authority of Yunus ibn Abdul-Rahman, on the authority of Ibn Asbat, on the authority of Ali ibn Salim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Sabet ibn Abi Sofayeh
Ali-asws Ibn Al-Hussein-asws Al-Sajjad said, “May God have Mercy upon Al-Abbas-asws – that is Ibn Ali-asws – who preferred his-asws brother-asws to himself-asws and sacrificed himself-asws for his-asws brother-asws as a result of which both his-asws hands were cut off (by the enemies). Allah-azwj Granted him-asws two wings so that he-asws can fly in Paradise along with the angels-as. Allah-azwj did the same for Ja’far-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws. Abbas-asws has such a high rank near the Blessed the Sublime Allah-azwj which all the martyrs of Karbala envy on the Resurrection Day.”[16]
Concluding Statement:
Finally, in a Hadith, Rasool Allah-saww Said:
شرف الدين النجفي، قال: و مما ورد في أن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) أفضل من النبيين (صلوات الله عليهم)، روي مسندا مرفوعا، عن جابر بن عبد الله (رضي الله عنه) أنه قال: قال لي رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): «يا جابر، أي الإخوة أفضل؟» قال: قلت: البنون من الأب و الام
Sharaf Al-Deen Al-Najafy said,
‘And from what has been reported regarding that Amir Al-Momineen-asws is superior than the Prophets-as, is a correct report with an unbroken chain going up to Jabir Bin Abdullah who said, ‘Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O Jabir! Which of the brothers are superior?’ I said, ‘The sons from the (same) father and mother’.
فقال: «إنا معاشر الأنبياء إخوة، و أنا أفضلهم، و أحب الإخوة إلي علي بن أبي طالب، فهو عندي أفضل من الأنبياء
Upon that, he-saww said: ‘The group of Prophets-as are brothers, and I-saww am superior than them-as all, and the most beloved of the brothers to me-saww is Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, thus he-asws is superior with me-saww than the Prophets-as.
فمن زعم أن الأنبياء أفضل منه، فقد جعلني أقلهم، و من جعلني أقلهم فقد كفر، لأني لم أتخذ عليا أخا إلا لما علمت من فضله
Therefore, the one who claims that the Prophets-as are superior than him-asws (Imam Ali-asws) so he has belittled him-asws, and the one who belittles him-asws has committed kufr, because I-saww did not take Ali-asws as a brother except that I-saww know of his-asws merits’.[17]
Therefore, to conclude, if one cannot compare ‘a person of today’ with the Spirit of Allah -Prophet Isa-as (e.g., ‘so and so is Isa of today’) then how can one compare a person to the Alh Al-Bayt-asws – who are superior than all the previous Prophets-as?
[1] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 25, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 13 H 21
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 10, The book of Argumentation, S 3 Ch 13 H 18
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 5 Ch 3 H 2
[4] Bihar Al Awaar – V 40, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 95 H 11
[5] Bihar Al Awaar – V 40, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 95 H 12
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 4 Ch 12 H 6
[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 4 Ch 15 H 12
[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 4 Ch 9 H 40
[9] Bihar Al-Anwaar, Vol. 26, Ch. 14, H. 2,
[10] There were two large protruding wound (hypertrophic) scars inflecting during the wars on two side of the head, resembling the head of Prophet Zulqarnan-as who was martyred.
[11] مشارق أنوار اليقين في أسرار أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام، ص: 255
[12]المناقب (للعلوي) / الكتاب العتيق، ص: 122
[13] الدر النظيم في مناقب الأئمة اللهاميم، ص: 770
[14] Hurr Ibn Yazid Al-Riyahi
[15] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 44, The book of History – Al-Hassan-asws, Ch 34 H 23
[16] الخصال، ج1، ص: 68, H. 101
[17] تأويل الآيات 2: 566/ 37