The Ahlul Bayt (AS)

Issue #1 2010

The Ahlul Bayt (AS) are an integral part of conscientious pure one who worship Allah
Shia Islam. In this issue we discuss various through prayer, fasting, prostration, speaking
Hadith regarding these holy personalities. It is of His Glory and the acknowledgment that He
essential to understand who they are and what is the only Lord. They perform prayers,
their status is. It is our belief as shia that we perform Hajj and fast."
will be greeted by them on our death, they will H , Ch. 111, h 7
visit us in Barzakh, they are the meezan or the from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Ali
scale and they will help us cross the seerat into ibn Ibrahim from Ali ibn Hammad from al-
heaven where we will join them. Mufaddal who has said the following. "I asked
Al Kafi , H Ch. 111, h 10 abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), "How did you exist when
you existed in the shadows?" The Imam (a.s.)
http://ia311316.us.archive.org/2/items/ShiaLib said, "O Mufaddal, we were in the presence of
rary/Al-Kafi.pdf our Lord and there was no one else in the
green shadow. We would speak of His Glory,
Holiness, ack-nowledge Him as the Lord and
speak of His Majesty. There was no angel even
of the ones
close to Dua Nudba
Allah or a
living being And said: "I and Ali
except us in are (one basic root
His presence of) a tree, and the
Illustration 1: Allah created the Noor of the until He rest of mankind are
Prophet first and split it into the Noor of the decided to from various trees”
Ahlul Bayt create all
things. He
Al-Husayn has narrated from (Muhammad) then created
ibn ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Sinan whatever He
from al-Mufaddal from Jabir ibn Yazid who wanted, in
has said the following. "Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said the He
to me, ‘O Jabir, the first thing that Allah wanted of
created was Muhammad (s.a) and his the angels
offspring who are the rightly guided guides. and others.
They existed in ’Ashbaah (form ) of light in The
the presence of Allah." I then asked, "What is knowledge
’Ashbaah?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "It is the of that then
shadow of light, the lighting bodies without came to us."
the spirit. It was supported by one spirit which Al Kafi H
is the Holy spirit. In that state he and his 499, Ch.
offspring worshipped Allah and for this reason 13, h 5
He created them forbearing scholars,
Ali ibn Muhammad which there is a lamp stands for Imam al- His light who ever He
and Muhammad ibn placed in a glass. The Hassan (a. s.) and the wants’ means that
al-Hassan have glass is like a shining glass stands for Imam Allah guides through
narrated from Sahl ibn star which is lit from a al-Husayn (a.s.). The the Imams whomever
Ziyad from blessed olive tree that shining star stands for He wants." About
Muhammad ibn al- is neither eastern nor the Holy lady Fatima ‘God uses various
Hassan ibn sham?? western. Its oil almost (a.s.) who shines metaphors’ I said, "Or
From ‘Abdallah ibn lights up even though among the ladies of it (the deeds of the
‘Abd al-Rahmanal- it has not been the world. The blessed unbelievers) are like
Asamm from touched by the fire. It olive tree stands for the darkness of a deep,

[38:71] When thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am

about to create a mortal out of mire,
[38:72] And when I have fashioned him and breathed
into him of My Spirit, then fall down before him
prostrate,
[2:31] And He taught Adam all the names, then
showed them to the angels, saying: Inform Me of the
names of these, if ye are truthful.
[2:32] They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge
saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only
Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.
[2:33] He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names,
and when he had informed them of their names, He
said: Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the
heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye
disclose and which ye hide.
Illustration 2: In this series of ayats we see man [38:73] The angels fell down prostrate, every one,
created from mire, angels and jinn from smokeless fire [38:74] Saving Iblis; he was scornful and became one
and the Ahlul Bayt from Noor and they are the exalted of the disbelievers.
ones [38:75] He said: O Iblis! What hindereth thee from
falling prostrate before that which I have created with both My hands? Art thou too proud or art thou
of the high exalted?
[2:35] And We said: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat ye freely (of the
fruits) thereof where ye will; but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers.
‘Abdallah ibn al- is light upon light. Prophet Abraham. stormy sea with layers
Qasim from salih ibn God guides to His Neither eastern nor of giant waves,
Sahl al-Hamadani who light whomever He western means not covered by dark
has said that abu wants. God uses Jewish nor Christian. clouds. It is darkness
‘Abdallah (a. s.) has various metaphors. He ‘Its oil almost lights upon darkness
said the following has the knowledge of up’ means that it whereby even if one
about the verse of the all things." (24:35) almost bursts up with stretches out his hands
Holy Quran below. The Imam (a.s.) said knowledge. ‘Light up he can not see them.
"God is the light of the that the lantern on light’ means that One can have no light
heavens and the earth. metaphorically stands there will one Imam unless God gives him
A metaphor for His for the Holy lady, after the other Imam light. (24:40)
light is a lantern in Fatima (a.s.), the lamp (a.s.) ‘God guides to
H 350, Ch. 22, h 5 way leading to Him.
He made us His Existence of things
His reality has worn treasurers in the All things have four 'realities'. You see a thing,
out the ability of sight heavens and on earth. you conceive it in your brain, you write down its
and His Own- self has Through us the trees name and you say its name. Allah cannot be seen
uprooted the give fruit and the fruits and cannot be comprehended. The Ahlul bayt
(spreading) vines of ripen and the canals were the first ones to call Allah 'Allah' and the
imaginations. Whoever flow. Through us the first ones to write down the name 'Allah'.
tries to describe Allah skies send rain and
has thought of Him as plants grow on earth.
limited and whoever Through our worship
considers Him limited Allah is worshipped
he has enumerated and were we not there
Him and whoever Allah would not have
enumerates Him he been worshipped."
has invalidated His
eternity. [5:15] O People of the
Scripture! Now hath
H 357, Ch. 23, h 5 Our messenger come
Muhammad ibn abu unto you, expounding
‘Abdallah ibn unto you much of that
Muhammad ibn which ye used to hide
disguised others. There Muhammad. Through
Isma‘il has narrated in the Scripture, and
were also other truths, the Holy Prophet and
from al-Husayn ibn al- forgiving much. now
concealed by them, his Ahl ul Bayt and
Hassan from Bakr ibn hath come unto you
which have been again the Quran Allah guides
Salih from al-Hassan light from Allah and
revealed in the Quran, those who follow His
ibn Sa‘id from al- plain Scripture,
omitting those which pleasure to the path of
Haytham ibn [Pooya/Ali
pertained to the peace, out of darkness
‘Abdallah from Commentary 5:15]
particular age of their into light, by His will
Marwan ibn Salih who "Hide" implies both
earlier prophets, and (bi-idhnihi).
has said that Imam abu suppression or
were not needed for
‘Abdallah has said the concealment and
mankind any more. [5:55] Your guardian
following. "Allah distortion or
can be only Allah;
created us and made it misinterpretation,
The "light" stands for and His messenger
well. He gave us our which the Jews and the
that light about which and those who
form and formed it Christians employed to
the Holy Prophet had believe, who establish
well. He made us His deny the prophethood
said: worship and pay the
eyes among His of the Holy Prophet;
poordue, and bow
servants and His and "you" refers to
"I and Ali are of one down (in prayer).
speaking tongue in His them and their
and the same light [Pooya/Ali
creatures. He made us forefathers.
which Allah created as Commentary 5:55]
His open hands over the first creation." All the commentators
His servants with In their books there
unanimously hold, as
kindness and mercy. were many clear
Kitabun mubin refers Qushaji admits in the
He has made us his prophecies of the
to the samit (silent) as Sharh al Tajrid on the
face through which He advent of the Holy
well the natiq subject of imamat, that
is approached and his Prophet, but they
(speaking) Quran- this verse refers to Ali
door that shows the changed some and
Muhammad and ali when he gave his ring
to a beggar while used in the meaning disbelieve, their authority.
bowing down in the of guardian or patrons are false Zulumat means the
course of his prayers. master or who holds deities. They bring darkness of the
Nasa-i has also authority superior to them out of light into disbelief in Allah or
recorded this tradition others. Please refer to darkness. Such are the ignorance and
in his Sahih An- the origin of the word rightful owners of the uncertainty about
Nisaai, and so has the wali in Sihah or Fire. They will abide Allah.
author of Al-Jaame Mukhtar al Sihah or therein. [Pooya/Ali Conclusion
Bayn al Sihah al Sittah any other good Commentary 2:257] Allah has created men
(corroboration of the dictionary. The Wali literally means from mire, jinn and
six authentic books) in lexicographers have "be close to or stand angels from smokeless
discussion of the explained that he who immediately by" - a fire. The noor of the
commentary on al Ma- manages the affairs of nearness or contact ahlul bayt was created
idah, and so does Tha- and exercises between two objects first. Everything else
labi in his Tafsir authority for another without any was created in their
Kabir, and al Balkhi in person is the wali of intermediary. It is used love. Allah cannot be
his Yanabi has copied that person. This to refer to such seen nor can He be
it from Ahmad bin verse, therefore, closeness as exists comprehended. We
Hanbal's Musnad, vol. means that those who between brothers, can only write His
5, margin of p. 38. manage the affairs of friends, neighbors and name and speak His
Please refer to the the people (mankind) helpers. A master is name. The Ahlul Bayt
commentary on this are superior to all also called wali were the first to speak
verse in Wahidi's book men, and certainly because of his hold and write Allah. They
Asbab al Nuzul (the they are Allah, His over his slaves - the were the ones to do
circumstances of messenger, the Holy hold brings the slave His tasbeeh for
descent) which Prophet, and Ali, who close to the master. thousands of years.
contains the tradition possesses all the Any one who The angels learned
related by Ibn Abbas. qualifications exercises authority how to praise Allah by
Al Khatib has enumerated in this becomes a wali of observing the Ahlul
recorded the tradition verse. Allah has those over whom the Bayt. When Adam
in Al Muttafiq, and simultaneously authority is exercised; was created Allah
Ibn Marduwayh and confirmed His therefore, a guardian, taught Adam and the
Abu Shaykh in their wilayah (superior an administrator or a angels all the names.
Musnads. It is authority), that of His ruler is also called On being tested Adam
mentioned in Kanz al prophet and his wali wali. Here, it means could identify the
Ummal, vol. 6, p. 391, (Ali) in unbroken that Allah is the names of the noor of
tradition no. 5991. In succession. Allah's nearest authority over the Ahlul Bayt
Ghayat al Maraam, wilayah is universal, the faithful; and the however the angels
chapter 18, there are so likewise, the false gods the were unable to deduce
twenty four traditions wilayah of the Holy authorities over those this. Allah then chose
from sources other Prophet and his wali who disbelieve, and Adam as His caliph on
than the Ahl ul Bayt, (Ali) must be so. who push them into earth and in obedience
all supporting the [2:257] Allah is the hell for ever. of His command the
above statement about Protecting Guardian Nur means the light angels fell in
the descent of this of those who believe. of the faith or the prostration. Iblis didn't
verse. He bringeth them out true awareness about and by Allah's mercy
In this verse the of darkness into light. Allah and firm is allowed to live till
word wali has been As for those who conviction in His the day of judgment.