The pure souls of Ahl al-Bayt and their light were created before other creatures; they were placed around Allah’s Throne. They were engaged in glorifying Allah so that He will put each of those pure souls in a body at the proper time and reveal them among people for their guidance as a favor:
خَلَقَكُمُ اللهُ أنْوَاراً فَجَعَلَكُمْ بِعَرْشِهِ مُحْدِقِينَ حَتَّى مَنَّ عَلَيْنَا بِكُمْ فَجَعَلَكُمْ فِي بُيُوتٍ أذِنَ اللهُ أنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ.
Allah created you in the form of light; He then kept you closely attached with his Throne until you were sent down to this world as a favor to us. He allowed you to pronounce and praise His Name aloud in the Houses of Allah.[1]
O Ahl al-Bayt, you were like Noah’s Ark from the time you were placed around Allah’s Throne to save those who have fallen into the whirlpool of tribulation:
فَبَلَغَ اللهُ بِكُمْ أشْرَفَ مَحَلِّ الْمُكَرَّمِينَ وَأعْلَى مَنَازِلِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَأرْفَعَ دَرَجَاتِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ.
Allah made you reach the noblest position of glory, the highest station nearest to Him, and the loftiest status of the Messengers.[2]
O Ahl al-Bayt, you have attained such spirituality through knowledge, faith and offering help to people in this world that you have reached the position of the most honorable prophets.
Authentic books of ¦ad¢th have reported Imam °as¡n `Askar¢ as saying: When Adam fell from heaven, deprived of associating with the angels and losing a garment of dignity which covered his private parts, he said to Allah,
أللَّهُمَّ بِجَاهِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلِيٍّ وَفَاطِمَةَ وَالْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ وَالطَّيِّبِينَ مِنْ آلِهِمْ لَمَّا تَفَضَّلْتَ بِقَبُولِ تَوْبَتِي وَغُفْرَانِ زَلَّتِي وَإعَادَتِي مِنْ كَرَامَاتِكَ إلَى مَرْتَبَتِي.
“O Allah! By the honor of Mu¦ammad, `Al¢, F¡§imah, °asan and °usayn and the purified ones of Ahl al-Bayt, do me a favor by accepting my repentance, forgiving my sin and giving back my dignity.”
Allah answered, “Verily, I accept your repentance, turn to you with pleasure, send my bounties and blessings to you, restore your position by My grace, and make perfect for you your share of My mercy.” This is the meaning of Allah’s words,
“Then Adam received some words form his Lord, So He turned to him mercifully; surely He is oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful. (2:37)”
Ab£-Dharr, touching the door of Ka`bah said: I heard Allah’s Messenger saying:
ألأ إنَّ مَثَلَ أهْلِ بَيْتِي فِيكُمْ مَثَلُ سَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ؛ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا، وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا هَلَكَ.
Beware! The parable of my Ahl al-Bayt among you is like Noah’s Ark. Whoever enters it will be saved and whoever refuses to enter it will suffer perdition.[3]
Imam `Al¢ (a.s) is reported as saying:
Were it not for saving and guiding people, Allah would not send us to this world. We were engaged in glorifying Him around His throne. We are not people of the world; rather, we have been sent to rid you of atheism, carnal desires and ignorance, and to promote you to the zenith of humanity. We have come here to lead you from darkness to guidance. Now that the situation is like that, put your hands in our hands and promise loyalty so that we will save you from this tumultuous sea to the shore of safety.
The Holy Prophet has said:
نَحْنُ سَفِينَةُ النَّجَاةِ؛ مَنْ تَعَلَّقَ بِهَا نَجَا، وَمَنْ حَادَ عَنْهَا هَلَكَ. فَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ إلَى اللهِ حَاجَةٌ فَلْيَسْألْ بِنَا أهْلَ البَيْتِ.
We are the boat of salvation. Whoever catches hold of it will be saved, and whoever keeps aloof from it will meet perdition, whoever has a request from Allah should ask for it through us, the Ahl al-Bayt.[4]
Addressing Kumayl, Imam `Al¢ (a.s) says:
يَا كُمَيْلُ! قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 3 قَوْلاً ـ وَالْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالأنْصَارُ مُتَوَافِرُونَ يَوْماً بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ يَوْمَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ ـ قَائِماً عَلَى قَدَمَيْهِ فَوْقَ مِنْبَرِهِ: عَلِيٌّ وَابْنَايَ مِنْهُ الطَّيِّبُونَ مِنِّي، وَأنَا مِنْهُمْ، وَهُمُ الطَّيِّبُونَ بَعْدَ أُمِّهِمْ، وَهُمْ سَفِينَةٌ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا هَوَى؛ النَّاجِي فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالْهَاوِي فِي لَظَى.
O Kumayl! One day, when Allah’s Messenger was standing on his pulpit and surrounded by the Helpers (An¥¡r) and the Immigrants (Muh¡jir£n) who were following him the Afternoon Prayer in mid-Rama¤¡n, he said:
`Al¢ and his two purified sons are from me and I am from them. They are like a ship; whoever enters it will be saved and whoever refuses will drown. The saved one is in heaven and the drowned will be in Hellfire.[5]
Imam `Al¢ (a.s) has also said:
مَنِ اتَّبَعَ أمْرَنَا سَبَقَ، مَنْ رَكِبَ غَيْرَ سَفِينَتِنَا غَرِقَ.
Whoever follows our command will be successful and whoever enters any ship other than ours will be drowned.[6]
As we know, stars help those traveling by sea to come to the shore of safety. In a narration, the Holy Prophet compares Ahl al-Bayt with stars in terms of safety:
النُّجُومُ أمَانٌ لأِهْلِ الأرْضِ مِنَ الغَرَقِ، وَأهْلُ بَيْتِي أمَانٌ لأُِمَّتِي مِنَ الإخْتِلأفِ؛ فَإذَا خَالَفَتْهَا قَبِيلَةٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ اخْتَلَفُوا فَصَارُوا حِزْبَ إبْلِيسَ.
Stars are a source of guidance for those living on the earth and my Ahl al-Bayt are a source of safety from differences. So, if an Arab tribe challenges them, it will be engaged with discrepancies with each other hence becoming party of Satan.[7]
إنَّمَا مَثَلُ أهْلِ بَيْتِي فِيكُمْ مَثَلُ بَابِ حِطَّةٍ فِي بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ؛ مَنْ دَخَلَهُ غُفِرَ لَهُ.
Verily, the parable of my Ahl al-Bayt is like the gate of °i§§ah (forgiveness) for the children of Israel. Whoever goes through it will be forgiven.[8]
Imam `Al¢ (a.s) says:
نَحْنُ بَابُ حِطَّةٍ، وَهُوَ بَابُ السَّلأمِ، مَنْ دَخَلَهُ نَجَا، وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ هَوَى.
We are the gate of °i§§ah which is the gate of peace and safety. Whoever enters through it will be saved and whoever refuses will meet perdition.[9]
ألأ إنَّ العِلْمَ الَّذِي هَبَطَ بِهِ آدَمُ وَجَمِيعَ مَا فُضِّلَتْ بِهِ النَّبِيُّونَ إلَى خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ فِي عِتْرَةِ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ، فَأيْنَ يُتَاهُ بِكُمْ؟ وَأيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ؟ وَإنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ كَأصْحَابِ الْكَهْفِ، وَمَثَلُهُمْ بَابُ حِطَّةٍ، وَهُمْ بَابُ السِّلْمِ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى:
Beware, the knowledge that Adam brought with him and the knowledge of all Prophets are with Ahl al-Bayt. So why are you bewildered and where are you bound to go? Ahl al-Bayt among you are like the People of the Cave and like the Gate of °i§§ah. They are the gate to peace and safety mentioned in the words of Allah: O you who believe! Enter into submission one and all, and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan (2:208)[10]
Addressing Imam `Al¢, the Holy Prophet said:
مَثَلُكُمْ يَا عَلِيُّ مَثَلُ بَيْتِ اللهِ الْحَرَامِ؛ مَنْ دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِناً. فَمَنْ أحَبَّكُمْ وَوَالأكُمْ كَانَ آمِناً مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ. وَمَنْ أبْغَضَكُمْ أُلْقِيَ فِي النَّارِ. يَا عَلِيُّ: ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ. وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عُذْرٌ فَلَهُ عُذْرُهُ. وَمَنْ كَانَ فَقِيراً فَلَهُ عُذْرُهُ. وَمَنْ كَانَ مَرِيضاً فَلَهُ عُذْرُهُ. إنَّ اللهَ لأ يَعْذُرُ غَنِيّاً وَلأ فَقِيراً وَلأ مَرِيضاً وَلأ صَحِيحاً وَلأ أعْمَى وَلأ بَصِيراً فِي تَفْرِيطِهِ فِي مُوَالأتِكُمْ وَمَحَبَّتِكُمْ.
O `Al¢! The parable of you, Ahl al-Bayt, is like the sacred House of Allah. Whoever entered it was safe. So whoever loves you will be immune from Hellfire and whoever harbors grudge against you will be thrown into it. O `Al¢! Based on the Holy Qur’¡n, “… and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it (3:97)”, there is however an excuse for one who is poor or sick. Nevertheless, Allah will not accept the excuse of neither the poor nor the rich nor the sick nor the healthy who fail to love you, Ahl al-Bayt.[11]
The Holy Prophet (a.s) has also said:
إجْعَلُوا أهْلَ بَيْتِي مِنْكُمْ مَكَانَ الرَّأسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ وَمَكَانَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ مِنَ الرَّأسِ. فَإنَّ الْجَسَدَ لأ يَهْتَدِي إلأ بِالرَّأسِ وَلأ يَهْتَدِي الرَّأسُ إلأ بِالْعَيْنَيْنِ.
Consider my Ahl al-Bayt as the head to the body and the two eyes to the head. The body cannot find the way except by the head and the head cannot find the way except by the eyes.[12]
It now becomes clear as to why the companions of Ahl al-Bayt during their lives considered them as head and eyes without whom life was nothing but blindness, bewilderment and perdition.
Although at the Night of `ªsh£r¡’, Imam °usayn (a.s) gave his companions the choice to revoke allegiance to him and leave him, they unanimously decided to stay with him.
Beyond doubt, if a person loves them truly and invokes them from the bottom of the heart, the Ahl al-Bayt too will respond lovingly and accept him with open arms because they are the manifestation of Allah’s Attributes. They love people and favor them permanently.
It was due to the same love and favor that on the Day of `ªsh£r¡’, Imam °usayn (a.s) was trying to delay his martyrdom so as to have a chance to save a human being from atheism, ignorance, and bewilderment. It was for the same reason that he would kindly address the enemies in the battlefield with his heart broken and his body injured. Impressed by the Divine nature of the Imam, two brothers named Ab£’l-°ut£f ibn °arth and Sa`d who had been in the line of the Khaw¡rij in the Battle of Nahraw¡n and in the army of Yaz¢d, joined Imam °usayn’s camp, fought against the enemies and were martyred.
[1] Al-Ziy¡rah al-J¡mi`ah al-Kab¢rah.
[2] Al-Ziy¡rah al-J¡mi`ah al-Kab¢rah.
[3] Yan¡b¢` al-Mawaddah, 94/1, ° 1.
[4] Far¡'id al-Sim§ayn: 37/1.
[5] Bish¡rat al-Mu¥§af¡: 30.
[6] Ghurar al-°ikam: 16, ° 2028-2029.
[7] Al-Mustadrak: 162/3.
[8] Al-Mu`jam al-¯agh¢r.
[9] Al-Khi¥¡l, 626/2, ° 10.
[10] Tafs¢r al-`Ayy¡sh¢: 102/1, ° 10.
[11] Kha¥¡'i¥ al-A`immah: 77.
[12] Al-Am¡l¢ by Shaykh al-±£s¢, 482, ° 1053.