The Truth of Ahl al-Bayt

In view of Qur’¡nic verses and narrations previously mentioned and based on the Qur’¡nic verse, Mub¡halah (mutual curse), which reads:

“But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars (3:61)”

 In this holy verse, Imam `Al¢ (a.s) is interpreted as ‘self’—it is proved that the light of Imam `Al¢ (a.s) who is the root of the eleven infallible Imams is the same as the light of the Holy Prophet with only a physical difference.

Imam al-¯¡diq (a.s) in an important narration has said:

إنَّ اللهَ كَانَ إذْ لأ كَانَ، فَخَلَقَ الكَانَ وَالْمَكَانَ، وَخَلَقَ نُورَ الأنْوَارِ الَّذِي نَوَّرَتْ مِنْهُ الأنْوَارُ، وَأجْرَى فِيهِ نُورَهُ الَّذِي نَوَّرَتْ مِنْهُ الأنْوَارُ، وَهُوَ النُّورُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنْهُ مُحَمَّداً وَعَلِيّاً.

Allah existed when ‘existence’ was not there. So He created the existence and space and created the light from which other lights were illuminated and that is the light from which Mu¦ammad (¥) and `Al¢ (a.s) appeared.[1]

In another narration, Imam al-¯¡diq (a.s) said:

O `Al¢, you and me were created from the same light. Then, that light was placed on the loins of Adam until it was divided into two parts on the loins of `Abd al-Mu§§alib, one part was placed on the loins of `Abdull¡h and the other part on the loins of Ab£-±¡lib.[2]

For this reason, there is no light or soul nearer to the Holy Prophet than the light and soul of Imam `Al¢ (a.s). It is due to the same intimacy that on the Ascension Night (Nocturnal Ascent), Allah spoke to the Holy Prophet with the voice of Imam `Al¢. There was also a covenant of brotherhood between Mu¦ammad and `Al¢ so that this unity and brotherhood will become manifest outwardly. It is for the same reason that the Holy Prophet has said:

إنَّكَ تَسْمَعُ مَا أسْمَعُ وَتَرَى مَا أرَى.

You hear whatever I hear and you see whatever I see.[3]

Based on authentic narrations, `Al¢ is the inner part of Mu¦ammad and Mu¦ammad is the Divine emanation. It is Allah’s will that Imamate is the inner part of Mu¦ammad’s Prophethood so that the inner part will be with Mu¦ammad wherever he is present. Therefore, the Holy Prophet’s mission would not be perfect without the Imamate of Imam `Al¢. The Holy Qur’¡n says:

If you do it not, then you have not delivered His message. (5:67)

The rank of Imam `Al¢’s Imamate is such that with the permission of Allah he can dominate the universe by witnessing what is visible or invisible; therefore, without love for `Al¢ we cannot attain the love for Mu¦ammad and Allah, for `Al¢ is Allah’s gate and the light of Mu¦ammad and `Al¢ is the beginning and conclusion of universe:

بِكُمْ فَتَحَ اللهُ وَبِكُمْ يَخْتِمُ، وَإيَابُ الْخَلْقِ إلَيْكُمْ.

Allah began with you and concludes with you and the return of creation is towards you.[4]

It is worth mentioning that narrations in all the most reliable Islamic reference books consider the features of the Twelve Infallible Imams as the same in all areas, for their creation is from the same light of the Holy Prophet.

We should say that with the exception of Prophethood, all the features of the Holy Prophet have manifested themselves perfectly in the infallible Imams and all of them, as they themselves have said, are Allah’s Attributes:

نَحْنُ، وَاللهِ، أسْمَاؤُهُ الْحُسْنَى.

By Allah, we are the Most Excellent Names (al-asm¡’ al-¦usn¡).[5]

It is for the same reason that the people of the world are indebted to Ahl al-Bayt who have right over them, and observing that right is incumbent on them. In this relation, one of the infallible Imams has been reported as saying:

الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا للهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَلِرَسُولِهِ؛ فَمَنْ غَلَبَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا فَلْيَتَّقِ اللهَ وَلْيُؤَدِّ حَقَّ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَلْيَبُرَّ إخْوَانَهُ، فَإنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَاللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَنَحْنُ بُرَاءُ مِنْهُ.

The world and whatever is therein belongs to Allah, the Blessed and Almighty, His Messenger and us. Therefore, whoever obtains something from it should be most careful of his duty and be benevolent to his brothers. If he fails to do so, Allah, His messenger and we hate him.[6]

At any rate, the root of Ahl al-Bayt is the Holy Prophet who gave his light to `Al¢ and F¡§imah and with the matrimony of these two wonderful seas of spirituality, there appeared eleven Imams to guide the world nations.

J¡bir Ibn `Abdull¡h An¥¡r¢ who was favored by Ahl al-Bayt until the end of his life, says: When Allah revealed the following verse:

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you…

I said to the Holy Prophet, “O Allah’s Messenger, we know Allah and the Messenger, but who are those in authority the obedience to whom is equal to the obedience to you?” The Holy Prophet said,

هُمْ خُلَفَائِي، يَا جَابِرُ، وَأئِمَّةُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِي. أوَّلُهُمْ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أبِي طَالِبٍ، ثُمَّ الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ، ثُمَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، ثُمَّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍ الْمَعْرُوفُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ بِالبَاقِرِ، وَسَتُدْرِكُهُ يَا جَابِرُ، فَإذَا لَقِيتَهُ فَأقْرِئْهُ مِنِّي السَّلأم،َ ثُمَّ الصَّادِقُ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، ثُمَّ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، ثُمَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى، ثُمَّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، ثُمَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، ثُمَّ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، ثُمَّ سَمِيِّي وَكَنِيِّي، حُجَّةُ اللهِ فِي أرْضِهِ وَبَقِيَّتُهُ فِي عِبَادِهِ، اِبْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، ذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَفْتَحُ اللهُ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ مَشَارِقَ الأرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا، ذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَغِيبُ عَنْ شِيعَتِهِ وَأوْلِيَاءِهِ غَيْبَةً لأ يَثْبُتُ فِيهَا عَلَى الْقَوْلِ بِإمَامَتِهِ إلأ مَنِ امْتَحَنَ اللهُ قَلْبَهُ لِلإيمَانِ.

J¡bir, they are my successors and leaders of Muslims after me. The first of them is `Al¢ ibn Ab¢-±¡lib, then °asan and °usayn, then `Al¢ ibn °usayn, then Mu¦ammad ibn `Al¢, known as B¡qir in the Torah. You will see him. When you see him, greet him on my behalf. Then comes Ja`far al-¯¡diq and after him M£s¡ ibn Ja`far and after him Mu¦ammad ibn `Al¢ and finally one who has my name and will be Allah’s Argument (¦ujjat all¡h) on the earth, the son of °asan, the same Imam whom Allah has appointed to conquer east and west, the same Imam will be hidden from the eyes of the Sh¢`ites and his friends. At that time, no one will be firm in his belief in his Imamate unless those whom Allah has purified their hearts for faith.

Another noteworthy point about the truth of Ahl al-Bayt in narrations related by the holy Imams is their resemblance to a good tree. Answering a question asked by `Amr ibn °urayth about the good tree mentioned in the Holy Qur’¡n, Imam al-¯¡diq (a.s) says:

رَسُولُ اللهِ أصْلُهَا، وَأمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَرْعُهَا، وَالأئِمَّةُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا أغْصَانُهَا، وَعِلْمُ الأئِمَّةِ ثَمَرَتُهَا، وَشِيعَتُهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَرَقُهَا. وَاللهِ، إنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيُولَدُ فَتُورِقُ وَرَقَةٌ فِيهَا، وَإنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَمُوتُ فَتْسُقُطُ وَرَقَةٌ مِنْهَا.

Allah’s Messenger is the root of tree, Am¢r al-Mu’min¢n its trunk, the Imams from his issue their branches, the recognition of the Imams its fruit and the believing Sh¢`ites their leaves. By Allah (I swear), when a believer is born, the tree gives a new leaf; and when a believer dies, a leaf falls off.