Conclusion

Perfect recognition of Ahl al-Bayt is beyond human capacity. With numerous translations and interpretations of the Holy Qur’¡n throughout centuries, every new generation realizes that there are concepts in the Holy Qur’¡n which have not been discussed as yet. The same thing can be said about Ahl al-Bayt; throughout the past fourteen centuries, many books and dissertations have been written on them; yet, there are still many things which have not been written or said. From narrations related by Ahl al-Bayt, we infer that getting to know Ahl al-Bayt has many stages.

The Holy Prophet has said:

يَا عَلِيُّ! مَا عَرَفَ اللهَ إلاَّ أنَا وَأنْتَ: وَمَا عَرَفَنِي إلاَّ اللهُ وَأنْتَ: وَمَا عَرَفَكَ إلاَّ اللهُ وَأنَا.

O `Al¢! No one knows Allah save you and me; no one knows me save Allah and you; no one knows you save Allah and me.[1]

The Holy Prophet has also said:

مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ إمَامَ زَمَانِهِ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً.

One who dies and does not know his Imam has died the death of one who lived in the era of ignorance (i.e. has not recognized Islam).[2]

The Holy Prophet has introduced dying without knowing the Imam as dying in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance on the one hand and has counted the knowing of Ahl al-Bayt at a very limited level and at the level of knowing Allah and Ahl al-Bayt on the other.

From these narrations, we infer that human beings have different capacities in getting to know Ahl al-Bayt.

Salm¡n the Persian is quite different from Ab£-Dharr in terms of knowing Ahl al-Bayt. Ab£-Dharr’s knowledge of Ahl al-Bayt is different from that of Miqd¡d.

Quoting his great grandfather `Al¢ ibn °usayn, Imam al-¯¡diq has reported:

وَاللهِ، لَوْ عَلِمَ أبُو ذَرٍّ مَا فِي قَلْبِ سَلْمَانَ لَقَتَلَهُ! وَلَقَدْ آخَى رَسُولُ اللهِ 3 بَيْنَهُمَا، فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِسَائِرِ الْخَلْقِ؟ إنَّ عِلْمَ الْعُلَمَاءِ صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لاَ يَحْتَمِلُهُ إلاَّ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ أوْ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ أوْ عَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ إمْتَحَنَ اللهُ قَلْبَهُ لِلإيمَانِ. وَإنَّمَا صَارَ سَلْمَانُ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ لأنَّهُ امْرُؤٌ مِنَّا أهْلَ الْبَيْتِ، فَلِذَلِكَ نَسَبْتُهُ إلَى الْعُلَمَاءِ.

By Allah (I swear), if Ab£-Dharr knew what was in the heart of Salm¡n, he would kill him, though Allah had made a contract of brotherhood between them. How would you then judge about other people? Surely the scholars’ knowledge is hard to understand and burdensome! No one can endure it but a Prophet, an archangel or a believing servant whose heart Allah has tested with faith. Only Salm¡n became a man of knowledge, for he was from us, Ahl al-Bayt. That is why I attributed him to the scholars.[3]

On one occasion, Imam `Al¢ said to Ab£-Dharr:

إنَّ سَلْمَانَ لَوْ حَدَّثَكَ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ لَقُلْتَ: رَحِمَ اللهُ قَاتِلَ سَلْمَانَ!

If Salm¡n informed you of what he knew, you would say: May Allah have mercy on Salm¡n’s killer.[4]

It has been reported that faith has ten ranks: Salm¡n was in the tenth rank, Ab£-Dharr in the ninth and Miqd¡d in the eighth.[5]

As it is seen, faith is based on knowledge. Therefore, ranks of faith are deeply rooted in the ranks of knowledge.

Exaggeration a Threat To Faith

Throughout history of Sh¢`ism, exaggeration has been a potential danger threatening the Sh¢`ah faith. We can say that there has never been an epoch in the history of Sh¢`ah without exaggerators being there. There has never been a time when the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt have not resisted against this destructive current of exaggeration and have not condemned it. Surprisingly, we still witness exaggerators here and there in our time which is the age of the technology of data and advanced sciences.

Exaggeration has its roots in two factors: lacking sufficient capacity for learning the knowledge of Ahl al-Bayt and overflowing of emotions and its dominance over intellect.

The Holy Prophet has said:

لَوْلاَ أنْ يَقُولَ الضَّالُّونَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَا قَالَتِ النَّصَارَى فِي عِيسَى بْنِ مَرْيَمَ، لَقُلْتُ فِيكَ قَوْلاً لاَ تَمُرُّ بِمَلإٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ إلاَّ أخَذُوا التُّرَابَ مِنْ تَحْتِ قَدَمَيْكَ يَسْتَشْفُونَ بِهِ.

Were it not for fear that exaggerators of my ummah say about you what Christians said about Jesus, son of Mary, I would say something about you that you would not pass by any people unless they would take the soil under you feet to be healed therewith.[6]

A man by the name of Sa`d asked Imam al-B¡qir, “Who is an exaggerator?” The Imam said,

(الغَالُونَ) قَوْمٌ يَقُولُونَ فِينَا مَا لاَ نَقُولُهُ فِي أنْفُسِنَا. فَلَيْسَ أُولَئِكَ مِنَّا وَلَسْنَا مِنْهُمْ.

“They are people who say something about us which we do not say about ourselves. They are not from us and we are not from them either.”[7]

Imam al-Sadiq has said:

شِيعَتُنَا مَنْ لاَ يَمْدَحُ بِنَا غَالِياً.

Our followers are those who do not eulogize us exaggeratedly.[8]

In another narration, Imam al-¯¡diq is reported as saying:

وَأحِبُّوا أهْلَ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّكُمْ حُبّاً مُقْتَصِداً وَلاَ تَغْلُوا.

Be moderate in loving the Household of your Prophet and do not exaggerate.[9]

Evidently, the young generation who are the great support of every school of thought, every society and every culture, if exposed to exaggerators’ inroad, the biggest blow will be dealt to the Muslim society, the school of thought and culture.

The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, with their Divine insight, have warned the new generations against the blight of exaggeration. In this relation, Imam al-¯¡diq has said:

إحْذَرُوا عَلَى شَبَابِكُمُ الغُلاَةَ لاَ يُفْسِدُوهُمْ، فَإنَّ الْغُلاَةَ شَرُّ خَلْقِ اللهِ.

Beware of exaggerators who might ruin the youngsters, for exaggerators are the worst creatures.[10]

In another ¦ad¢th, after speaking about Allah’s attributes, Imam al-Ri¤¡ says:

نَحْنُ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّمَطُ الأوْسَطُ الَّذِي لاَ يُدْرِكُنَا الْغَالِي وَلاَ يَسْبِقُنَا التَّالِي.

We, the family of Mu¦ammad, are moderate people. Those who overstate our position do not understand us and those who understate our position fail to supersede us.

No that the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt have made the right path distinct from the wrong, no excuse is accepted from anyone.

اَللَّهُمَّ أحْيِنَا حَيَاةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَأمِتْنَا مَمَاتَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَارْزُقْنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا زِيَارَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَفِي الآخِرَةِ شَفَاعَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَلاَ تُفَرِّقْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ شِيعَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.

O Allah, make me live as Mu¦ammad and his household lived and make me die as Mu¦ammad and his household died. And make available for us the visitation of the grave of Mu¦ammad and those of his household, and the intercession of Mu¦ammad and his household in the Hereafter. And make no separation between us and Mu¦ammad and his household and place us among the followers of Mu¦ammad and the household of Mu¦ammad.