40- THE PASSAGE_WAY, (BRIDGE) AND THE SCALE TO WEIGH DEEDS
WE BELIEVE that in the Doomsday, the PASSAGEWAY (SERØT) and the scale for weighing our deeds do exist. By the PASSAGE_WAY, a bridge is meant, which is laid over the Hell, and every one must pass over that bridge to reach PARADISE! Yes! The bridge or passage way that may lead to Paradise, hangs over the FIRE. "There is not one of you who shall not pass through the confines of the Hell! Such is the absolute decree of your LORD. We will deliver those who fear Us, but the wrongdoers shall be left to endure its torments on their knees."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S19: 71_72
Passing through that hard passage-way, depends on what MAN had done before. We read a famous tradition thus:_ "Some people will pass the bridge as quick as a lightning! Some pass it over as, fast as a speedy horse, others like the pedestrians. A group will go on, leaning on their hands and feet, and some are hanged by their hands, trying to pass over the blaze of Hell. So the Hell catches some and leaves some to go to the gardens of BLISS; As for the SCALE, it is a means by which the human deeds are measured and weighed so as to specify their values.
"We shall set up the scales of justice on the day of judgement, and not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it to account; and enough are We as the accountant."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S21: 47
"Then he whose scales (OF GOOD DEEDS) are heavy, shall dwell in BLISS, but he whose balances (OF GOOD DEEDS) are light, the ABYSS shall be his home."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S101: 6_9
WE BELIEVE that salvation in the next life, depends only on one's deeds and acts and not on his fancies and thoughts. There; No one can be redeemed unless by piety and good deeds, and the Grace of God.
"Every soul will be held in pledge for its deeds."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S74: 38
This is a brief description about the scale, the detail of which we know not, because the world to come is far above the lower world within which we are imprisoned.
41- INTERCESSION IN DOOMSDAY
WE BELIEVE that in doomsday the prophets and the innocent saints might intercede on behalf of some sinners with God, and plea for their forgiveness. We should not forget that such intercession is only permitted for those who have not entirely cut off their relation with God, and His Apostles. Therefore the intercession is not done unconditionally.
"He knows what is before them and what is after them, and they (i.e. the APOSTLES) offer no intercession except for those who are conformed, to the will of God, and they (ALL) stand in awe and reverence of God's GLORY."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S21: 28
As we have already mentioned, intercession is a way to train man, a means of preventing him to drown in the sea of sins, while it may teach him to repent and return to his Merciful Lord from evil. Certainly the highest rank of intercession belongs to the APOSTLES, and then it lowers to the saints, to the learned, the martyrs, and true believers to some relative extents. In a tradition narrated by Imam Sadiq we have:_
"There are none among the first and the last, who are not in need of Mohammad's intercession in doomsday. And also in another tradition we have:_
"There are five intercessors in Doomsday:_1_ QURAN 2_OBSERVATION OF BONDS OF KINSHIP. 3_TRUSTEESHIP 4_YOUR. PROPHET (MOHAMMAD). 5_YOUR PROPHET'S NEAREST KINS."( BIHAR _ Vol.8 _ P.42)
We have also received another tradition from Imam Sadiq:_
"In the resurrection day God raises the Ascetic worshipper and the LEARNED BELIEVER to life. He will say to the ASCETIC WORSHIPPER:_ `Go and live in MY PARADISE.' But He will say to the learned:_ `Stay here, and intercede on behalf of the people.'
This tradition contains a minutely fine point about the philosophy of INTERCESSION.
42- THE WORLD OF THE DEAD (BARZAKH)
WE BELIEVE that between death and resurrection, there is a third WORLD, called BARZAKH, in which the souls of all the human beings who die will live there until they are raised again:_(1)
"When death comes they say:_ "`My Lord! Turn me back to life in order that I may do the good works which I have neglected.' No! BY NO MEANS! (Is the answer to their request?) This is what they ask, but over them is the BARZAKH." (A world in which people shall live ofter death and before judgement.)
THE HOLY QURAN _ S23: 94_100
We know not much about this world which is in between the raise and death and is called BARZAKH,
.- KANZ UL AAMAL_ Vol.14 _ P.390
but we know that therein the sanctified souls, like the martyrs and the pious live a blissful life:_
"Do not think of those who are slain for the sake of God, as deads. No! They are ALIVE, and have their sustenance in the presence of their Lord. They rejoice for what Allah gives them out of His BOUNTY; and with regard to those left behind, (THE BELIEVERS WHO ARE NOT DIED YET) who have not yet joined them, the martyrs give glad tiding, not to fear, nor have they any cause to grieve. They give good news of the BOUNTY of ALLAH, and that God will not leave the rewards of the faithful to be lost."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S3: 169
On the other hand the souls of the oppressors and the rebels and their followers and evildoers are all under torture in their life in BARZAKH. They are brought (i.e. THE PHARAOH'S FOLLOWERS) in front the fire morning, and evening, and when they are raised for the FINAL JUDGEMENT, the companion of PHARAOH are cast into the severest penalty."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S40: 46
A third group with less guilt are neither among the first group nor among the second ones. In the world after death they are some how like a sleeper who sleeps by death and awakes by resurrection.
"When the hour of doom overtakes them, the wrong doers will swear that they tarried not in (BARZAKH) but an hour, and thus they are ever deceived. But those who are endued with knowledge and faith will say:_ `You have stayed till the day of resurrection, as was decreed by Allah, and this is the day of resurrection yet you did not know it."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S30: 56
In an Islamic tradition it is narrated by the prophet who said, "The grave is either a GARDEN OF BLISS OF the Paradise: or AN ABYSS of the Hell."( SAHIH TIRMIDHI VOL.4 _ CHAP.26;BAHAR AL ANWAR_ VOL.6 _ P.2148218
43- THE CORPOREAL AND INCORPOREAL REWARDS
WE BELIEVE that the rewards in Hereafter are corporeal as well as incorporeal; (i.e. SPIRITUAL) because the resurrection is Spiritual as well as PHYSICAL. Whatever is written in the HOLY QURAN about the fruitful Gardens in paradise with streams flowing beneath its trees (S9: 89) with perpetual foods and shades, (S13: 35) and the beautiful clean wives there in, with whom they marry (S3: 15), and also about the penalty and punishments in hell, and that burning fire, are all evidences that the rewards there are corporeal. And more important are the SPIRITUAL rewards that are promised the faithful believer, such as being near to God, and seeing the manifestations of God's GLORY and beauty. These are among the pleasures that no eyes has seen and no tongue can describe. Some of the verses in QURAN that denote the material bounties and Graces of God in the Paradise, end with phrases like:_ THE PLEASURE OF ALLAH:_ "But the greatest of all the bliss, is the PLEASURE of God which is the supreme FELICITY."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S9: 72
There is not an enjoyment higher for a man THAN SEEING that he is accepted by his LORD, and God is pleased with him! A tradition is narrated by Imam Zeinul Abedin saying, "God will say to those in Paradise:_ 'My love and pleasure for you is far above the bounties with which you live in FELICITY.' "(TAFSIR AYYASóHI AND TAFSIR AL-MIZAN S9:72)
What a pleasure can be higher for a man who is addressed by his LORD that:_ "O,YOU SERENE SOUL! Return to your LORD! Joyful, and pleasing in his sight. Enter My Paradise and join My Servants."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S89: 27_30.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 May 2009 06:54 )
CHAPTER FIVE
IMAMAT LEADERSHIP
44- THERE IS ALWAYS AN IMAM
WE BELIEVE that as God has decreed to send His Apostles with divine Guidance, so also for any age or time, God Has appointed an Imam to look after the people, leading them to the righteous path, and to guard the divine Law against ay deviation. Imam has to know clearly, the necessities of the ages, and lead the people to the true path of God. He invites and teaches the people to obey the prophets and to follow the LAW. If not so, man will fail to obtain the goal for which he is created i.e. prosperity and perfection. Then the LAW will be abandoned, and people have to wander! This is why we believe that after our prophet, in any age or time there has always been, and there will be, an Imam to teach and to lead.
"O,You who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S9: 119
This verse of QURAN does not point a certain time or a distinct age. It rather unconditionally orders the people to be the followers of the truthful Imam. All the famous commentators have taken the word:_ TRUTHFUL to mean an innocent Imam who is free of guilt and sin.
45- THE REALITY OF IMAMAT
WE BELIEVE that Imamat is not only the apparent rulership or leadership of a caliph, but rather a high spiritual or religious position. Besides ruling and governing the Islamic society, an Imam has the overall leadership of this mortal life of people as well as that of Hereafter. He guides the Soul and Mind of people, and guards against any deviation to occur in the LAW, meanwhile he drives at the targets assigned by the prophet. This is the same high rank that God gave to ABRAHAM after passing the stages of prophethood and the steps of apostleship and many other exams. When ABRAHAM asked his Lord to assign the position of Imamat to some of his near kins, he was answered that this title or position will not be given to the oppressors or SINNER. "And remember when ABRAHAM was tried by his Lord with certain commandments which he fulfilled. God said to him,"I will make you an Imam to the people." He said," What about making Imams out of my offspring?" God answered, "No! My covenant is not within the reach of the oppressors."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S2: 124
It is evident that such a high moral and religious position cannot be abridged or lowered to the apparent rulership or leadership, or else the verse will not hand over a reasonable meaning or sense. WE BELIEVE that all the Arch Prophets had the dignity and grade of Imamat through their prophethood. This is because whatever they decreed by their prophethood they put it to ACTION as an Imam. So was the great prophet of Islam, when at the beginning of his mission he conveyed the messages of God to His servants, and meanwhile he carried on his leadership teaching people and leading them to the path of truth.
WE BELIEVE that after the prophet Mohammad, his mission was continued by the innocent Imams who succeeded him from among his nearest kins and their offspring. By the definitions given above, to reach the high rank of an Imam, very difficult and heavy conditions are to be observed, such as piety to the level of innocence, having the highest level of knowledge of religion and the LAW, and also full acquaintance with the human needs in any age or time.
