The Fourth Flash

The name “The Highway of the Sunnah” is deemed worthy of this risale.

[Although the matter of Imamate1 is a secondary matter, it is, in part, discussed here regarding its connection to our fundamental service to the Qur'an and îmân, since it has entered among the matters of îmân and became a subject of discussion in Ilm al-kalâm and Usul ad-din because it has been given excessive importance.]

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ اَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُفٌ رَحِيمٌ ٭ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ٭ قُلْ لاَ اَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اَجْرًا اِلاَّ الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى الْقُرْبَى2

With Two Stations, we shall point out one or two of the many sublime haqiqahs of these sublime âyahs.

The First Station

It consists of Four Subtle Points.

First Subtle Point: The âyah expresses the perfect compassion and mercy of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm towards his ummah. Yes, according to sahîh riwâyât, when, at the terror of the assembly for the last judgment, everyone, even the prophets, will say, “Nafsî! Nafsî!”3 Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm will demonstrate his kindness and compassion by saying, "Ummatî! Ummatî!4" It is also affirmed by the people of kashf that when he was born, his mother heard among his supplications, "Ummatî! Ummatî!" Furthermore, just as the whole history of his life and the kind and compassionate conduct and virtues that he spread demonstrate his perfect compassion and kindness, so he showed his boundless compassion through his concern for every kind of happiness of his ummah out of his perfect compassion by displaying an infinite need for the innumerable salawât of his ummah. Thus, consider how ungrateful and lacking conscience it is to not follow the Sunnah as-Saniyyah of such a kind and compassionate guide!

Second Subtle Point: Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm displayed great compassion in certain special, particular matters within his universal and general duties of nubuwwah. Outwardly, his spending such great compassion on those special, particular matters seems not appropriate to the great importance of the duty of nubuwwah. However, in haqiqah, that particular matter was the tip and representative of a chain, which would be the source of the universal and general duty of nubuwwah. Therefore, on account of that mighty chain, the greatest importance was given to its representative.

For example, the great importance and extraordinary compassion that Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm showed towards Hazrat Hasan and Husain in their childhood were not only a love arising from innate compassion and sense of kinship, but rather because each of them was the tip of a luminous chain of the duty of nubuwwah and the source, representative and index of a greatly significant jamâ’ah of the legacy of nubuwwah. Yes, out of his perfect compassion, Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm took Hazrat Hasan (ra) into his arms and kissed his head on account of Mahdî-like personages, the inheritors of nubuwwah and the bearers of the Sharî'ah of Ahmad (asm), like Shâh Jîlânî, who was Ghawth al-Â'dham from among the luminous and blessed descendants that sprang from Hazrat Hasan (ra). With the eye of nubuwwah, he saw the sacred service that those personages would perform in the future, appreciated and approved it, and kissed Hazrat Hasan's (ra) head as a sign of appreciation and encouragement. Also, the compassion and importance that he showed to Hazrat Husain: he kissed Hazrat Husain’s neck on account of the religion of Islam and the duty of risalah, and on behalf of the illustrious Imams, like Zayn al-Âbidin and Jâ'far as-Sâdiq, and the numerous Mahdî-like luminous personages, like those true inheritors of nubuwwah, who sprang from Hazrat Husain’s (ra) luminous chain; he demonstrated Hazrat Husain’s importance and his (asm) perfect compassion.

Yes, the heart of Ahmad (asm), which was informed of the ghayb, his eyes seeing the future and his luminous vision, which, in this world, from the Era of Bliss, watched the assembly for the last judgment at the side of eternity, saw Jannah from the earth, witnessed the malâikah in the sky from the ground, saw events that were concealed in the veils of the darkness of the past since the time of Âdam and are even honoured with the ru’yat of the Zuljalâl One, surely saw the inheritor Imams, Aqtâb and Mahdîs, whose chain succeeded after Hazrat Hasan and Husain; he kissed their heads in the name of all of them. Yes, Shâh Jîlânî has a great share in his kissing Hazrat Hasan's (ra) head.

Third Subtle Point: According to one opinion, the meaning of the ayah اِلاَّ الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى الْقُرْبَى : "Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm wants no reward for carrying out the duty of risalah; he only wants love for his âl al-bayt."

If it is said that, according to this meaning, it seems that a benefit arising from kinship is sought, whereas, according to the mystery of 5 اِنَّ اَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ اَتْقَيكُمْ , the duty of risalah does not continue through kinship but through proximity to Allah (Qurbîyyah6). 

The Answer: With his vision that was informed of the ghayb, Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm saw that his âl al-bayt would be a luminous tree within the world of Islam. In every class of the Islamic world, the absolute majority of those personages who will fulfil the duty of being murshid and guide instructing the perfection of man will emerge from âl al-bayt. He saw through kashf that his ummah's du'â for his family (âl) in tashahhudاَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ عَلَى آلِ اِبْرَاهِيمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ7 would be accepted, that is, just as, in the people of Ibrâhîm (as), the absolute majority of luminous guides were the prophets from among the family (âl) of Hazrat Ibrâhîm (as) and his descendants, so he saw that, in the ummah of Muhammad (asm), the Aqtâb of âl al-bayt of Muhammad (asm) would perform the great duties of Islam and would be leaders in most of the paths and tarîqah, like the prophets of the son of Israel. Therefore, he was commanded to say, 8 لاَ اَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اَجْرًا اِلاَّ الْمَوَدَّةَ فِى الْقُرْبَى , and sought the ummah’s love for âl al-bayt. In other riwâyât confirming this haqiqah, he decreed, "I leave you two things. If you adhere to them, you will find salvation. One is Allah's Book, the other is my âl al-bayt." For, it is âl al-bayt who are the source and guardians of the Sunnah as-Saniyyah and are responsible for having iltizâm with it in every aspect.

Thus, because of this mystery, this haqiqah of hadith was described with the title “Following the Book and the Sunnah.” It means that what he intended with âl al-bayt regarding the duty of risalah was his Sunnah as-Saniyyah. Just as someone who abandons the Sunnah as-Saniyyah cannot be a true member of âl al-bayt, such a person cannot even be a real friend of âl al-bayt.

Furthermore, the mystery of his desire to gather his ummah around âl al-bayt: with Allah's permission, he knew that âl al-bayt would become very numerous over time and understood that Muslims would fall into weakness; therefore, a powerful and numerous mutually supportive jamâ’ah is necessary so that it can be the means to and centre for the ma’nawî progress of the world of Islam. He thought of this with Allah's permission and desired to gather his ummah around his âl al-bayt. Indeed, even though the members of âl al-bayt are not greatly ahead of others in matters of îmân and faith, they are still greatly ahead of others regarding submission, iltizâm and support because they are supporters of Islam by fitrah, lineage and innate disposition. People do not give up their innate partisanship, even if it is weak, lacking honour, or even unjustifiable. Supporting a haqiqah to which all his extremely powerful, truthful and glorious forefathers bound, through which they won glory, and for which they sacrificed their lives, is so firm and fitrî. So would the one who felt it clearly give this support up? Due to this intense iltizâm and fitrî Islam, ahl al-bayt accepts the least proof in favour of the religion of Islam as though it were a powerful proof because they are supporters by fitrah, but others gain iltizâm after some powerful proof.

Fourth Subtle Point: In connection with the Third Subtle Point, we shall briefly indicate a matter that is the cause of dispute between the Shi'a and Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah and has been exaggerated to such an extent that it has even entered the books on the aqâid of îmân and among the fundamentals of îmân. It is as follows:

Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah says, "Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) was the fourth of the four khalîfah. Hazrat Siddîq (ra) was superior and was more deserving of the khilâfah; therefore, he became the first khalîfah." While the Shi'a says, "The right belonged to Hazrat ‘Ali (ra). An injustice was done to him. The most superior of them all was Hazrat ‘Ali (ra)." A summary of the arguments for their claims is this:

They say, "The hadiths of the Prophet that are narrated about Hazrat ‘Ali (ra), his extraordinary attributes concerning ‘ilm, shajâ'ah and ‘ibâdah, his attribute of being the source of the absolute majority of the awliyâ and tarîqah with his title “Shah9 of Walâyah,” and the intense concern of Hazrat Prophet ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm for him and towards âl al-bayt that succeeds from him show that it was he who was the most superior; the khilâfah was always his right; it was seized from him."

The Answer: Hazrat ‘Ali’s (ra) repeated declaration of approval, following the three khalîfah for more than twenty years and holding the position of their Shaykhu'l-Islam refute these claims of the Shi'a. Furthermore, the victories of Islam and jihâd against the enemies of Islam in the time of the first three khalîfah and the events in the time of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) also refute the Shi'a's claims about the Islamic khilâfah. It means that the claim of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah is rightful.

If it is said that the Shi'a are two, one is Shi'a the walâyah, and the other is Shi'a the khilâfah. The second group is wrong since they mix grudges and politics in their claim, but the first group does not possess grudges and politics. However, Shi'a the walâyah joined Shi'a the khilâfah. That is, some of the awliyâ of the tarîqah consider Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) to be superior and they approve the claims of Shi'a the khilâfah concerning politics.

The Answer: It is necessary to consider Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) from two aspects. One is from the point of his personal perfection and rank. The second is from the point of his representing the ma’nawî collective personality of âl al-bayt. As for the ma’nawî collective personality of âl al-bayt, it displays a kind of essence of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm.

Thus, regarding the first point, all the people of haqiqah, foremost Hazrat ‘Ali (ra), give precedence to Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat ‘Umar (ra). They saw their (ra) ranks as higher in the service to Islam and proximity (Qurbîyyah) to Allah. Regarding the second point, Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) cannot be compared with anyone in respect of being the representative of the ma’nawî collective personality of âl al-bayt since the ma’nawî collective personality of âl al-bayt represents a haqiqah of Muhammad (asm). Thus, the extraordinary praising hadiths of the Prophet about Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) look to this second point.

There is a sahîh riwâyât corroborating this haqiqah that Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm decreed, “The descendants of all prophets were from themselves. My descendants are those of ‘Ali (ra).”

The mystery of the praising hadiths about the personality of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) becoming so widespread more than the other three khalîfah: the people of haqq, that is, Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah, spread many riwâyât about him in response to the Umayyads and Kharijites attacking and decreasing his value unjustly. Since the other Rightly-Guided khalîfah were not subject to such criticism and denigration, no need was felt to spread hadiths about them. Furthermore, with the eye of nubuwwah, he (asm) saw that, in the future, Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) would be exposed to grievous events and internal fitnah, and in order to save him from despair and his ummah from false ideas about him, he consoled ‘Ali (ra) and guided his ummah with important hadiths like, مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلاَهُ فَعَلِىٌّ مَوْلاَهُ10.

The love of Shi'a the walâyah towards Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) at the degree of ifrât and their deeming him superior, which arises from tarîqah, cannot make them responsible to the degree of Shi'a the khilâfah because the people of walâyah look towards their guides (Murshid) with love as a consequence of their way. The necessary result of love is ifrât; he wants to see his beloved as greater than his rank, and that is how he sees him. Awliyâ, who possess ecstatic love for Allah, are excusable for their overflowing love. But they can only be excused on the condition that their deeming Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) superior, which arises from love, does not exceed the degree of denigration and hostility towards the other Rightly-Guided khalîfah and does not go beyond the fundamental principles of Islam. As for the Shi'a the khilâfah, since political grudges are mixed into it, they cannot be saved from grudges and transgression; they lose their right to be excused. Even, by confirming the phrase,لاَ لِحُبِّ عَلِىٍّ بَلْ لِبُغْضِ عُمَرَ11, since Persian nationality was wounded at the hand of ‘Umar (ra), they demonstrated their revenge in the form of love for ‘Ali, and the rebellion of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âs against Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) and the grievious war of ‘Umar ibn al-Sa'd against Hazrat Husain also aroused intense anger and enmity towards the name ‘Umar in the Shi'a.

Shi'a the walâyah has no right to criticise Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah because the Sunnis do not decrease the value of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra), and they love him earnestly, but they avoid a love at the degree of ifrât that is described as dangerous in the hadiths. The Prophet's praise of the Shi’a12 of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) in the hadiths belongs to the Sunnis. Because the Shi’a of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) who possess love in istiqâmah are Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah, who are the people of haqq. Just as love for Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) at the degree of ifrât is dangerous for Christians, it has been made clear in sahîh hadiths that such a love for Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) at the degree of ifrât is also dangerous.

If Shi'a the walâyah says, “Once the extraordinary perfections of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) are accepted, it is not possible to prefer Hazrat Siddîq (ra) to him.”

The Answer: If the personal perfections of Hazrat Siddîq al-Akbar and Fâruq al-Â'zam (ra) and their perfections arising from the duty of the legacy of nubuwwah during the time of their khilâfah had been placed on the scale of the balance and, on the other scale, the extraordinary personal perfections of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) and the struggles of khilâfah, which are subjected to false judgements and arise from the excruciating events that he was compelled to enter during his khilâfah, certainly the Sunnis saw that the scale of Hazrat Siddîq (ra), Fâruq (ra), or Dhi'l-Nurayn (ra) weighed heavier, and they preferred them to ‘Ali (ra). Moreover, as is proved in the Twelfth and Twenty-Fourth Words, the degree of nubuwwah is so high in comparison to walâyah that an iota manifestation of it is preferable to the greatest manifestation of walâyah. From this point of view, the successes of Hazrat Siddîq al-Akbar (ra) and Fâruq al-Â'zam (ra) during the time of their khilâfah became evidence for Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah that their share in the legacy of nubuwwah and the establishment of the laws of risalah had been abundantly bestowed on them by Allah. Since the personal perfections of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) cannot invalidate such a great share arising from the legacy of nubuwwah, at the time of the khilâfah of Shaykhayn al-Mukarramayn13, Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) accepted to be their Shaykh al-Islam, and he esteemed them. I wonder: how should the people of haqq and sunnah, who love and esteem Hazrat ‘Ali (ra), not love and esteem the Shaykhayn, whom Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) loved and esteemed earnestly? Let us explain this haqiqah with an example:

For example, from the legacy of a very rich man, twenty kilos of silver and four kilos of gold are given to one of his children. Five kilos of silver and five kilos of gold are given to the other one. If three kilos of silver and five kilos of gold are given to another child, the last two will surely receive less in quantity but more in quality. Thus, like this example, the Shaykhayn's share of the gold of the haqiqah of closeness (Aqrabîyyah14) to Allah, which manifests from the legacy of nubuwwah and the establishment of the laws of risalah, being a little more prevails over the great amount of proximity (Qurbîyyah) to Allah and the perfections of walâyah originated from the jewel of walâyah and personal perfections. These points should be considered when comparing them. However, if they are compared with one another from the point of view of personal shajâ'ah, ‘ilm and walâyah, the form of haqiqah would change. Furthermore, Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) cannot be compared with anyone regarding the ma’nawî collective personality of âl al-bayt that takes form and appearance in his personage and the haqiqah of Muhammad (asm) that manifests in that ma’nawî personality from the aspect of absolute legacy because the immense mystery of the Prophet ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm is there.

As for the Shi'a the khilâfah, they have no right over Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah other than shame because they decrease the value of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra), and their madhab necessitates accusing him of immorality, although they claim to have tremendous love for him. Because they say, “Although Hazrat Siddîq and Hazrat ‘Umar (ra) were wrong, Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) made concessions to them. He dissembled according to the Shi'a terminology, that is, he was frightened of them and behaved hypocritically.” I wonder: is it love to see a person who was such a hero of Islam, won the title “Asadullah15” and was the commander and guide of the siddîqîn as a person having riyâ and showing feigned love for people he did not love out of fear, making concessions to them in fear for more than twenty years, and accepting to follow the unjust? Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) would reject a love of that sort. Thus, the people of haqq's way in no way decreases the value of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) or levels accusations of immorality against him. They do not attribute cowardice to such a wondrous shajâ'ah; they say, "Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) would not have acknowledged or obeyed the Rightly-Guided khalîfah for even a moment if he had not considered them to be rightful. It means that since he considered them rightful and superior, he subjugated his endeavour and shajâ'ah to the path of worshipping the haqq.”

In Short: Ifrât or tafrît of anything is not good. Istiqâmah is the way of wasat, which Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah have chosen, but, alas, the ideas of Wahhabism and Kharijite have entered under the veil of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah to an extent, and the lovers of politics and some mulhids also criticise Hazrat ‘Ali (ra). Hashâ! They say that since he did not know politics, he was not entirely worthy of the khilâfah and could not govern. And because of these unjust accusations of theirs, the Alawis16 feel offended by the Sunnis, whereas the principles of the Sunnis and the fundamentals of their madhab do not require these ideas but rather prove the opposite. The Sunnis cannot be condemned because of ideas such as those that are propagated by Kharijites and mulhids. Rather, the Sunnis are the followers of Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) more than the Alawis. They mention Hazrat ‘Ali (ra) in all their khutbas and du’âs with the praise he deserves. Especially, the absolute majority of awliyâ and asfiyâ of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah, accept him as their guide (Murshid) and Shah of walâyah. The Alawis should leave aside the Kharijites and mulhids who have deserved the enmity of both the Alawis and the Sunnis, and not take a stand against the people of haqq. Some Alawis even abandon the Sunnah out of spite for the Sunnis. Anyway, we have said too much on this matter because it has been excessively discussed among the ‘ulamâ.

O Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah, who are the people of haqq, and the Alawis, who accept the love of âl al-bayt as their way! Quickly put an end to this meaningless, wrong, unjust and harmful dispute between you. Otherwise, the current of zandaqa that powerfully dominates now will make one of you a tool against the other and use the one to crush the other. After defeating the one, the current of zandaqa will destroy the tool. While there are a hundred fundamental sacred bonds between you that command brotherhood and unity, it is necessary to abandon unimportant matters that result in division because you are the people of tawhîd.

***

Second Station

The Second Station will be about the second haqiqah of the ayah:

فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ اللّٰهُ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ17

{[*]: This Second Station was written as The Eleventh Flash.}