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Ahl al-Bayt, The Celestial Beings on the Earth

Author(s): Allama Husayn Ansariyan

Translator(s): Ali Akbar Aghili Ashtiani

Publisher(s): Ansariyan Publications - Qum

Miscellaneous information: ISBN: 978-964-438-873-6

www.alhassanain.org/english

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Translator’s Note 12

Character of Ahl Al-Bayt 13

The Necessity Of Getting To Know The Ahl Al-Bayt 13

The Meaning Of Ahl Al-Bayt 15

Ahl al-Bayt in the Holy Quran 15

The Meaning Of Ahl Al-Bayt In Narrations 15

Narration One 16

Narration Two 16

Narration Three 16

Narration Four 17

The Necessity Of Getting To Know Ahl Al-Bayt In The Narrations 17

Ahl Al-Bayt, The Best Creatures 18

The Best Places 18

Kabah And Its Vicinity 19

The Best Days And Nights 19

The Grand Night 19

The First ten Nights of Dhu’ l-Hijjah 20

Days of Allah 20

The Best Human Beings 20

People of knowledge 21

People of Piety 21

Ahl al-Bayt, the Best Creatures 22

The Truth Of Ahl Al- Bayt 22

The Light Of The Ahl Al-Bayt 25

The Truth of the Holy Prophet 25

Light 26

Pen 27

Intellect 27

Spirit 28

The Perfect Light of Ahl al-Bayt 29

The Ranks Of Ahl Al-Bayt 31

Man’s Descent And Ascent 31

Stages of Man’s Descent 31

Ahl al-Bayt’s Distinction 32

The Capacity Of Ahl Al-Bayt 33

Ahl Al-Bayt, The Holy Quran’s Counterpart 34

Ahl Al-Bayt And Knowledge 35

Ahl Al-Bayt And Devotion 37

The Meaning of Devotion 38

Stages of Devotion 39

Ahl Al-Bayt And Absorption In Allah 41

Ahl Al-Bayt, The Whole Truth 43

Ahl Al-Bayt; Ark of Salvation 45

Ahl Al-Bayt And The Straight Path 49

Followers of the Right Path 51

Ahl Al-Bayt, Allah’s Viceregents 52

The Universe’s Need for Allah’s Vicegerent 52

Features of Allah’s Vicegerent 53

Merits of Allah’s Vicegerent 53

Ahl al-Bayt, Allah’s Most Perfect Vicegerents 54

True vicegerents; Means of Grace 54

Ahl Al-Bayt, Successors Of The Prophet 56

Ahl Al-Bayt And Contentment 58

Ahl Al-Bayt And Submission 60

Ahl Al Bayt And Infallibility 61

Ahl al-Bayt’s Infallibility 61

Man's Knowledge and Act 62

Allah’s Knowledge and Act 62

Ahl al-Bayt’s Knowledge and Act 62

Why Are Ahl al-Bayt Infallible? 62

Infallibility, the zenith of Piety 63

The Infallibles Are Not Tempted by Satan 63

The Infallibles’ Knowledge and Act 64

Infallibility; Not Exclusive 64

Allah is the True Agent 64

Self-Purification; Premise of Infallibility 65

Prophethood and Imamate Are Exclusive 65

Ismah Can Be Acquired 65

Sin From The Viewpoints of the Infallible 66

Those who can really see are not ignorant 66

Human Power and Ismah 66

Ahl al-Bayt, at the zenith of Ismah 67

Ahl Al-Bayt, Allah’s Favourite 67

Self-Purification Makes Ahl al-Bayt Allah’s Favorites 67

The Favorites with the Holy Prophet 68

Obeisance to Ahl al-Bayt Makes you Allah's Favorite 68

How To Be Allah’s Favorite? 69

To please Ahl al-Bayt is to please Allah 70

Ahl Al-Bayt, Source Of Mercy 70

Mercy in the Holy Qur'an 70

Source of Mercy 72

Manifestations of Ahl al-Bayt’s Mercy 73

Ahl Al-Bayt, Pillars Of The Heavens And The Earth 74

Ahl Al-Bayt, Character Builders 75

Ahl Al-Bayt, Model For Wayfarers 75

Models for Human Beings 76

Worldly People Fail To Understand Ahl al-Bayt 77

Truth is Not Hidden 77

Ahl Al-Bayt, Means Of Perfection 77

Ahl al-Bayt’s Mediation 78

Ahl Al-Bayt, A Link To Allah 80

Notes 81

Ahl Al-Bayt In Divine Books 85

Ahl Al-Bayt from the Quran’s View Point 85

The Holy Prophet's Character in the Holy Qur'an 85

Obeying Allah and the Holy Prophet 85

Ahl al-Bayt in The Holy Quran 86

Ahl Al-Bayt In The Bible 88

Jesus Christ and Paraclete 88

The Gospel According to John 88

The Book of Enoch (Andreas) 89

The Gospel of Barnabas 89

Allah’s Promise to Abraham 90

A Very Important Event 91

Ahl Al Bayt In The Psalms Of David 92

The Rule of Imam al-Mahdi 92

What Is God’s Message in the Psalms Of David? 92

Notes 93

Ahl Al-Bayt From The Viewpoint Of Mystics 94

Merits And Virtues Of Ahl Al-Bayt In Mystics’ Narrations 94

Note 94

Abul - Fadhl Meybody And Khajeh Abdullah Ansari 94

Conquest of Khaybar 96

Imam Husayn and a Beggar 96

The Marriage of Imam Ali and Lady Fatimah 96

Imam Ali’ s Knowledge 97

In praise of Ibn Muhammad, Jafar al-Sadiq 97

In praise of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s) 98

Abul - Qasim Al-Qushayri 98

Muhammad Al-Ghazzali 99

Abu - Said Abul - Khayr 100

Mustamli Bukhari 100

Abul Hasan Hajwiri Ghaznawi 101

A few words in praise of Ahl al-Bayt 101

Sa’di Of Shiraz 103

Sayyid Haydar Amuli And Sheikh Muhyo Al-Din Ibn Arabi 103

Purification - A Heavenly Food For Devoted servants 104

Ahl al-Bayt, A Paragon of Purification 105

Love for Ahl al-Bayt; Desire of the Messenger 105

Love for Ahl al-Bayt Is Love for Allah 105

The Secret of Ahl al-Bayt and Some of Their Features 105

Notes 106

The Culture Of Ahl Al-Bayt 107

Morality Of Ahl Al-Bayt 107

Morality of the Holy Prophet 107

Five Moral Habits of the Holy Prophet 108

A Jew Becomes Muslim By the Holy Prophet 108

Interest-Free Loan For The Needy 109

Eating with the Poor 109

Piety and Contentment 109

Amazing Humbleness 109

Sympathy with People 109

Kindness against Ingratitude 110

Devotion 110

A Permanent Cure 110

Honoring A Nobleman 111

Great Forbearance 111

Courtesy towards the community 111

Honoring a Guest 112

Respect for Kindness 112

Forgiving the Enemies 112

A Graceful Generosity 112

Helping a brother-in-faith 113

Forgiving a Foulmouthed Man 113

Behavior towards the Chief of Hypocrites 113

Behavior towards the Companions 114

Helping a Mother! 114

Sublime Morality 114

Tolerating Hardships 115

Never Annoy People 115

Nobility 116

Asking For Fair Price 116

Gathering Wood For Making Fire 116

A Gracious Generosity 116

Examples Of Imam Ali’s Moral Virtues 117

Imam Ali (a.s) Intervenes 117

A Beautiful Pardon 117

Another Example of Pardon 117

Pardoning Talhah 118

Helping the Orphans 119

Carrying a Heavy Load 119

Bare-Food on Five Occasions 119

Moral Behavior In The Market 120

Those On Foot Not To Follow Riders 120

A Jew Becomes Muslim 120

Justice in The Court 120

Contentment 121

Generosity 121

No Desire For Wealth 121

Justice 121

Public Fund 122

Old Garment 122

No Love Of Wealth 122

Giving Clothes To The Naked 123

Charity 123

Charity Changes People 123

Altruism 124

An Extraordinary Example of Altruism 125

The Battle Of Camel 125

The Battle of Siffin 127

The Battle Of Nahrawan 127

A Light Diet 128

One Of The Days 129

Recompense 129

The Blazing Iron Bar 130

An Extraordinary Example of Piety 130

Dry Bread And Sour Yoghurt 131

Self-Sacrifice and Generosity 131

Pardon 131

A Model Of Generosity 131

Favoring A Servant 131

Guidelines to rulers 132

Fighting Oppression 133

Moral Virtues Of Lady Fatimah 133

Enduring Hardships 134

Charity 135

Ask More Questions 135

Neighbor First! 135

Intimacy With The Holy Quran 136

The Blessed Necklace 136

Fatimah’s Bequest 138

Said about Lady Fatimah 138

Morality Of Imam Hasan 138

Generosity 139

Humbleness 139

Write Down Your Needs 139

Extraordinary Example of Generosity 140

Giving Away All Savings 140

Feeding A Hungry Dog 140

Morality Of Imam Husayn 140

Helping The Needy 141

Honoring A Teacher 141

Seek My Pleasure 141

Liberality 141

Better Greeting 141

Man’s Value 142

Morality Of Imam Zayn Al-Abidin 142

The Lepers 143

Forgiving A Neighbor 143

A Hidden Charity 143

Prayer And Charity 143

A Quranic Pardon 143

Day of Loss 143

Unknown Among Travelers Kindness To A Camel 144

Giving Away His Food 144

Helping The Needy 144

The Story of Grapes 144

Nobility in Childhood 144

Asking For Forgiveness 145

Retaliation 145

Mother’s Right 145

Security Against Loan 145

An Extraordinary Example of Forbearance 146

Reaction To Backbiting 146

Forgiving The Child’s Killer 146

Devotion 146

Morality Of Imam Muhammad Baqir 146

Charity 147

Benevolence 147

Forbearance With A Christian 147

Hospitality 147

Wife’s Rights 148

Praying Together 148

Surrender To Allah 148

Prayer At Night 148

Morality Of Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq 149

Helping Non-Shiites 149

Helping The Relatives 149

Generosity 149

Say Your Request 149

An Extraordinary Example of Kindness 150

Do Not Disclose Your Poverty 150

Honoring A Guest 150

Attitude Towards Two Needy Persons 150

Praying To Allah 151

Patience In Hard Conditions 151

Paradise, A Reward For Prayer 151

Kindness To Servants 151

Working Hard For Living 151

Worker's Wage 152

Lawful Profit 152

Morality Of Musa Al-Kadhim 152

Worshiping Allah and Serving The People 152

Contentment and Generosity 152

An Extraordinary Example of Generosity 153

Morality Of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Al Rida 153

Feeding The Needy 153

Honoring All Human Beings 154

Helping A Needy Traveler 154

A Worker's Wage 154

Devotion 155

A Letter to His Son 155

Giving Away His Shirts 155

Paying off a Heavy Loan 156

Morality Of Imam Al-Jawad 156

A Blessed Letter 156

Protecting the Oppressed 157

Dignity of Imam al-Jawad 157

Mamun’s Trickery 158

A Shafiite’s Opinion about The Imam 158

Morality Of Imam Al-Hadi 158

Sanitation and Climate 159

Special Favor Towards Shiites 159

Healing a Leper 159

Kindness To Relatives 160

Generosity 160

Choosing A Name For A Child 160

Morality Of Imam Hasan Al-Askari 160

Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil 161

Charity 162

Morality And Character Of Imam Al-Mahdi 162

Resemblance To The Holy Prophet 163

Dispensing Justice 163

Peace and Security 164

Public Welfare 164

Removing Harms From Shiites 166

Promoting Intellect, knowledge and Morality 166

Final Rule 167

Ahl Al-Bayt And Altruism 167

An Extraordinary Example of Altruism 168

Generosity under the hardest conditions 168

Forgiving The Guilty 169

Forgive Me for the Sake of Hasan and Husayn 170

Forgiving the corrupt on the Earth and Anti-Islam Fighters 170

Ahl Al-Bayt And Humbleness 170

Culture Of Ahl Al-Bayt: Excerpts 171

Ahl Al-Bayt And The Holy Quran 175

Ahl Al-Bayt, The World And The Hereafter 176

Notes 180

Followers Of Ahl Al-Bayt 185

Love For Ahl Al-Bayt 185

Signs of Love For Ahl al-Bayt 186

Requirements of Love for Ahl al-Bayt 187

1. Acting according to the decrees 187

3. Disavowal of Ahl al-Bayt’s enemies (Tabarri) 188

4.Tribulations and Calamity 188

Difficult Test 188

Imam al-Baqir visiting Muhammad ibn Muslim 189

5. Mutual Love 189

6. Love for Ahl al-Bayt eases agony of Death 190

7. Presence of Ahl al-Bayt at the point of death 191

8. Immunity from Chastisement 191

9. Passing The Sirat 192

10. Ahl al-Bayt and Forgiveness 193

11. Associating with Ahl al-Bayt 193

12. Paradise, Reward of Love For Ahl al-Bayt 195

Keep Company With Ahl al-Bayt 195

13. Love For Ahl al-Bayt Put s Hearts at Rest 196

Resort To The Ahl Al-Bayt 197

Holding Mourning Sessions For Ahl al-Bayt 197

Weeping For Ahl Al-Bayt 198

The Question of Transformation in the Holy Quran 200

In Material Field 200

In Spiritual Field 201

Visitation On To The Graves Of Ahl Al-Bayt 202

How To Thank The Blessing Of Ahl Al-Bayt 204

Thanking the Blessing of Ahl al-Bayt 205

Notes 205

Conclusion 207

Exaggeration - A Threat To Faith 208

Notes 209

Translator’s Note

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad and his pure progeny.

I would like to thank the honorable manager of Ansariyan Publication, Mr. Tajj Muhammad Taqi Ansariyan, who commissioned me to translate this book into English - a book that gave me a better understanding of the purified household of the Holy Prophet.

I have intentionally chosen a simple style and diction for the translation of this book so that it can be communicated easily to the dear readers.

The translation of this book is dedicated to two honorable ladies who were gracious to me in my life: the late Hajiah Massoomeh Hazrati Ashtiani, may her soul rest in peace and Parvin Dokhat Nooraee Ashtiani, as well as my dear son, Arya and my dear daughter, Aida, who have been intimately connected to the Holy Quran.

I beg to Allah Almighty to help me to be a true follower of Ahl al-Bayt (a.s).

I would also like to thank my dear friend, Mr. Badr Shahin for editing this book. I owe him a lot.

Ali Akbar Aghili Ashtiani