يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰه، إِنِّي أَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَى اللّٰه ِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ وَإِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِلَى فَاطِمَةَ وَإِلَى الْحَسَنِ وَإِلَيْكَ بِمُوَالاتِكُمْ، وَبِالْبَرَاءةِ مِمَّنْ قَاتَلَكُمْ وَنَصَبَ لَكُمُ الْحَرْبَ وَبِالْبَرَاءةِ مِمَّنْ أَسَّسَ أَسَاسَ الظُّلْمِ وَالْجَوْرِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَى اللّٰه ِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ مِمَّنْ أَسَّسَ أَسَاسَ ذَلِكَ وَبَنَى عَلَيْهِ بُنْيَانَهُ وَجَرَى فِي ظُلْمِهِ وَجَوْرِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَلَى أَشْيَاعِكُمْ

O Aba ‘Abdillah, Indeed, I seek nearness to Allah, His Messenger, Amir al-Mu’minin, Fatimah, al-Hasan and to you, through my love for you, and by staying away from the one who fought against you and made war against you, and from the one who established the foundation of wrongdoing and injustice against you, and I take recourse in Allah and His Messenger while detaching myself from those who established that and built on it its edifice and continued their wrongdoing and injustice against you and your followers.

يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰه ِ، إِنِّي أَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَى اللّٰه ِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ وَإِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِلَى فَاطِمَةَ وَإِلَى الْحَسَنِ وَإِلَيْك

O Aba ‘Abdillah, Indeed, I seek nearness to Allah, His Messenger, Amir al- Mu’minin, Fatimah, al-Hasan (‘a) and to you…

Commentary

The aorist verb ataqarrabu in the phrase “inni ataqarrabu ila Allahi…” is in the linguistic form of al-tafa’’ul, which signifies quest (al-talab). Hence, when we say ataqarrabu we mean “I seek nearness” (atlubu al- qurba). A similar example is that of ata’allamu which means “I seek knowledge” (atlubu al-’ilma).

Seeking the proximity of the exalted members of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is the same as seeking the proximity of Allah. This is because they represent the most perfect manifestations of Allah’s names1. Here below we shall consider three verses of the Qur’an that allude to this reality:

The Holy Qur’an says:

وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

“And He taught Adam the Names, all of them; then presented them to the angels and said, ‘Tell me the names of these, if you are truthful’” (2:31).

Traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) clearly specify that the names taught to Adam were the names of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). And that does not mean any kind of transfer of the concepts of the vocalised names into the mind of Adam. The process of teaching is the process of shaping the fabric of Adam’s existence to exemplify the Divine Names. In his monumental exegesis of Al-Mizan, ‘Allamah Tabataba’i says:

...ويكون معنى تعليم الأسماء إيداع هذا العلم في الإنسان بحيث يظهر منه آثاره تدريجاً ولو اهتدى إلى السبيل أمكنه أن يخرجه من القوة إلى الفعل...

…and the meaning of “teaching the names” is to bequeath this knowledge to the human being, such that its effects appear gradually, and if he is guided to the path, he is able to bring it [the knowledge] out from the state of potentiality (quwwah) to the state of actuality (fi’l)…2

In a tradition narrated as a commentary on the aforementioned verse (2:31), Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّ اللّٰه تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَّمَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَسْمَاءَ جَمِيعِ اللّٰه ِ تَعَالَى كُلَّهَا

Indeed, Allah, the Bounteous & Exalted, taught Adam all of the names of the proofs of Allah (hujaj Allah), the Exalted3.

In Tafsir Imam Hasan al-’Askari, the Imam (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا أَسْمَاءَ أَنْبِيَاءِ اللّٰه ِ، وَأَسْمَاءَ مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللّٰه عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ)، وَعَلِيٍّ وَفَاطِمَةَ وَالْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ، وَالطيبين من آلهما...

“And He taught Adam the Names, all of them”: these are the names of the prophets of Allah, names of Muhammad (S), ‘Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, al- Husayn, and the pleasant offspring from both their progenies…4

It is important for us to realise that in the language of the Qur’an names are not mere vocalisations. A name is an essence with a specific attribute of perfection. Hence, when we say al-Rahman, we mean “a being who possesses the attribute of rahmah (mercy)”.

In the aforementioned traditions when we say “names of prophets” or “names of the proofs of Allah”, it may refer to their excellent characteristics, which exemplify Divine attributes.

The Holy Qur’an says:

وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا

“To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so supplicate Him by them…” (7:180).

In Al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Kulayni narrates the following thought-provoking tradition:

عن أَبِي عَبْدِ اللّٰه ِ الصَّادِقِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) في قَوْلِهِ اللّٰه تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا﴾. قَالَ: نَحْنُ وَاللّٰه ِ الأَسْمَاءُ الحُسْنَى الَّذِي لا يَقْبَلُ اللّٰه مِنَ العِبَادِ عَمَلًا إِلَّا بِمَعْرِفَتِنَا.

Abu ‘Abdillah al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said about the word of Allah, the Invincible and Majestic,

وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا

“To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so supplicate Him by them…” (7:185).

: We, I swear by Allah, are the most beautiful names, and Allah does not accept any action from His servants save with our recognition.

The Holy Qur’an says:

تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

“Blessed is the Name of your Lord, the Majestic and the Munificent!” (55:78).

In Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Bahrani narrates the following tradition of Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as a commentary on the above verse:

نَحْنُ جَلالُ اللّٰه ِ وَكَرَامَتُهُ الَّتي أَكْرَمَ اللّٰه ُ الْعِبَادَ بِطَاعَتِنَا

We are the majesty of Allah and His nobility with which Allah honours His servants through obeying us…5

The reality of seeking the proximity of Allah is to acquire His perfect Names and attributes according to our limitations. Therefore, while we seek to personify ourselves with the attributes of Allah, we are also in reality trying to personify ourselves with what the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) exemplify. Obviously, the difference is that Allah possesses absolute and infinite perfection, whereas the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), despite being in a level the kernel of which none of the creation can comprehend, have limited perfections. In fact, the Qur’anic reality is that, “to Allah alone belong all the beautiful names…” (wa lillahi al-asma’ al-husna; 7:180) and whatever others have are in reality manifestations (tajalliyat) of Allah’s names. No creature whatsoever has anything of his own.

The Unity of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)

A noteworthy reality we can derive from the verse under discussion is that all the infallible members of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are united in terms of being close to Almighty Allah. Adhering to any of them is like adhering to every member. This is because they are the manifestations of the Holy Prophet (S), who is a manifestation of Allah. All of them represent the Straight Path of guidance (al-sirat al-mustaqim).

In a lengthy tradition Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is reported to have said:

كُلُّنَا وَاحِدٌ، أَوَّلُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَآخِرُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَوْسَطُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَكُلُّنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، فَلَا تُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَنَا

We all are one, the first of us is Muhammad, the last of us is Muhammad, the middle of us is Muhammad, and all of us are Muhammad. Therefore, do not differentiate between us6.

بِمُوَالَاتِك

…through my love for you

This is the first method mentioned for seeking nearness to Allah. The meaning of muwalat is profound and comprehensive. Its linguistic construction mufa’alah means mutual love. It is through our love for Imam al-Husayn (‘a) that we can attain proximity to Allah, His Apostle and the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). Love for al-Husayn (‘a), however, is not a mere fleeting emotion, but a unity of the lover and the beloved. Hence, one should struggle for the unification and true bond between oneself and the Imam (‘a).

Ethicians in their works have stated that love is acquired from the knowledge of the beauty (husn) of the beloved. It is only after the lover comes to know about the perfections of the beloved that love is planted in his heart. The greater the knowledge of the most perfect entity, the more fierce the fire of love. Conceptual knowledge (knowledge perceived through the human mind) reveals only the tip of the iceberg. It requires one to personify oneself with the qualities of al-Husayn (‘a), even if that be according to one’s limited ability, that one can comprehend the raging fire of love and the extreme yearning for al-Husayn (‘a).

Therefore, muwalat of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is in reality the development of spiritual harmony between the lover and the beloved. So long as the lover does not experience the sublime qualities necessary in a true believer (Mu’min) he would always enjoy very little of the special love for them. Different traditions expressly tell us that the muwalat anticipated from the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is in complete harmony with the way of life of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).

In conclusion, the path of seeking nearness to Allah, His Apostle, and the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is to harmonise oneself with the thoughts, speech, and deeds of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), and to acquire the sublime qualities of his exalted self. And developing this kind of love is a natural path to the proximity of Allah. The Holy Qur’an informs us of this reality in two important verses:

قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ

“…Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except riveting love of [my] relatives’.” … (42:23).

قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ أَن يَتَّخِذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا

“Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it, except that anyone who wishes should take the way to his Lord’” (25:57).

If we understand verse 42:23 in light of verse 25:57 we come to realise that the riveting love (mawaddah) for the close relatives of the Holy Prophet (S) anticipated from us is an essential concomitant of obedience to Allah and spiritual wayfaring to Him (...ila Rabbihi sabilan). Those who surmise that love can be separated from obedience to Allah are mistaken. In fact, one of the beautiful verses of the Qur’an where the relation between obedience and love is mentioned is as follows:

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ

“…but the faithful have a more ardent love for Allah…” (2:165)

This clearly reveals the there is a strong link between true belief in Allah (which essentially necessitates appropriate action) and love for Him. And since love for Imam al-Husayn (‘a) actually returns to love for Allah (man ahabbakum faqad ahabba Allaha)7, one who truly believes in the guardianship of the Imam (‘a) and totally obeys him, would have more love for him.

The fundamental importance and influence of muwalat can be appreciated by considering the following part of the well-known Ziyarat al-Jami’ah al- Kabirah:

بِمُوَالاتِكُمْ عَلَّمَنَا اللَّهُ مَعَالِمَ دِينِنَا وَأَصْلَحَ مَا كَانَ فَسَدَ مِنْ دُنيانا، وَبِمُوَالاتِكُمْ تَمَّتِ الكَلِمَةُ وَعَظُمَتِ النِّعْمَةُ وَائْتَلَفَتِ الفُرْقَةُ، وَبِمُوَالاتِكُمْ تُقْبَلُ الطَّاعَةُ المُفْتَرَضَةُ وَلَكُمُ المَوَدَّةُ الوَاجِبَةُ...

Through our love for you, Allah taught us the pillars of our religion and rectified those affairs of our world that were out of their state of equilibrium, and through our love for you the word has been accomplished and the blessing has been great, and disunity has tuned into unity, and through our love you, obligatory deeds are accepted, and riveting love for you is compulsory…

وَبِالْبَرَاءَةِ مِمَّنْ قَاتَلَكُمْ وَنَصَبَ لَكُمُ الحَرْبَ وَبِالْبَرَاءَةِ مِمَّنْ أَسَّسَ أَسَاسَ الظُّلْمِ وَالْجَوْرِ عَلَيْكُمْ

…and by detachment from the one who fought against you and made war against you, and from the one who established the foundation of wrongdoing and injustice against you…

This phrase continues to describe the path towards the proximity of Allah and the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). Without bara’ah8 proximity cannot be attained. In fact the root meaning of muwalat and bara’ah return to qurb (proximity) and bu’d (distance). Consequently, true muwalat9 only transpires when it is coupled with true bara’ah10, and vice versa. The Holy Qur’an says:

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَٰئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُولَٰئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the latter day befriending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their (own) fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk; these are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and whom He has strengthened with an inspiration from Him: and He will cause them to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein; Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him; these are Allah’s party: now surely the party of Allah are the successful ones” (58:22).

Hence, expressing one’s love for the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) is meaningless when one expresses love for their enemies as well. Those who claim to be impartial and say that we express our love for the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) but refrain from expressing our hatred against their enemies, also are ignorant of the fact that loving them is “loving perfection”, which means “hating imperfection”. It is absurd for one to say that “I love perfection” but “do not hate imperfection”. The equation is quite simple. It only needs one to reflect a little to understand the relationship between muwalat and bara’ah.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

كَذَبَ مَنِ ادَّعَى مَحَبَّتَنَا وَلَمْ يَتَبَرَّأْ مِنْ عَدُوِّنَا

One who claims our love but does not express his detachment from our enemies has lied11.

In the verse under discussion, we are taught to express our desertion and detachment from the following people:

• Those who fought against the Imam (…man qatalak)

• Those who established war against the Imam (…nasaba laka al-harba)

• Those who established the foundation of wrongdoing and transgression against the Ahl al-Bayt (…man assasa asas al-zulmi wa al-jawri ‘alaykum)

If we carefully study the abovementioned groups we would come to realise that their origins are the uncontrolled use of the inner animal faculties of the human being. When one allows one’s faculty of ghadab (anger) or shahwah (lowly desires) to dominate one’s ‘aql (intellect), one tends to indulge in terrifying atrocities. The army of Yazid consisted of people, whose motive of fighting against the Imam (‘a) was either real hatred against the Imam (‘a) and his loyal companions and family, or expectation of worldly promises and its material benefits, or both. In simpler words, the faculties of anger (ghadab) and appetite (shahwah) had dominated them. Hence, their inner realities had actually turned into animals.

Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is reported to have said:

إِنَّمَا أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا كِلَابٌ عَاوِيَةٌ وَسِبَاعٌ ضَارِيَةٌ

Indeed, those attached to the world are barking dogs and beasts of prey.12

In one of his transit points before reaching Karbala, called ‘Aqabat al- Batn, Imam al-Husayn (‘a) addressing his companions narrates one of his dreams, and says:

رَأَيْتُ كِلَابًا تَنْهَشُنِي، أَشَدُّهَا عَلَيَّ كَلْبٌ أَبْقَعُ

I dreamt that dogs are biting me, the most severe of which was a spotted dog13.

In Karbala likewise, Imam al-Husayn (‘a) visions a similar dream. In his Bihar al-Anwar ‘Allamah Majlisi narrates:

لَمَّا كَانَ وَقْتُ السَّحَرِ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتي حُوصِرَ فِيهَا الحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حَقَّقَ رَأْسَهُ حَفْنَةً، فَقَالَ: رَأَيْتُ فِي مَنَامِي السَّاعَةَ كَأَنَّ كِلَابًا قَدْ شَدَّتْ عَلَيَّ لَحْمَشِي، وَفِيهَا كَلْبٌ أَبْقَعُ أَشَدُّهَا عَلَيَّ، وَأَظُنُّ أَنَّ الَّذِي يَقْتُلُنِي فَقَالَ لِي: ادْخُلْ فِي مَنَامِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ

During the pre-dawn (sahar) moments of the night in which Imam al- Husayn (‘a) was besieged, he dropped his head drowsily, and thereafter woke up and said: I saw in my dream this moment that it is as if dogs have charged on me to tear me off, and among them is a spotted dog, who was much more severe on me; and I think that the one who would take the charge of slaying me is a leper among these people14.

Finally, when Shimr was about to sever the sacred head of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), the Imam (‘a) says: My grandfather was right in what he said. Shimr asks: What did your grandfather say? Imam al-Husayn (‘a) replies:

يَقُولُ لأَبِي: يا عَلِيُّ! يَقْتُلُ وَلَدَكَ هَذَا رَجُلٌ أَبْقَع أَبرص، أشبه الخَلْقِ بِالْكِلَابِ والخنازير.

Addressing my father he said: O ‘Ali, a leprous and spotted person who most resembles dogs and pigs will kill this son of yours15.

In the well-known Ziyarat al-Nahiyah al-Muqaddasah, Imam al-Mahdi (‘a) at one point is reported to have expressed his salutations as follows:

السَّلَامُ عَلَى الأَجْسَامِ العَارِيَةِ فِي الفَلَوَاتِ، تَنْهَشُهَا الذِّئَابُ العَادِيَاتُ، وَتَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْهَا السِّبَاعُ الضَّارِياتُ.

Peace be upon the unclothed corpses in the desert, bitten by wild wolves and around whom the beasts of prey prowled16.

This reveals the inner reality of Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s slayers. They had lost their identities as human beings. They had become beasts of prey (al- siba’ al-dariyat). The Holy Qur’an says:

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِندَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

“Indeed, the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are the deaf and the dumb who do not apply reason” (8:22).

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِندَ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

“Indeed, the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who are faithless; so they will not have faith” (8:55).17

According to the scholars of insight, this phenomenon is known as celestial incarnation (al-tanasukh al-malakuti) which tangibly appears in the intermediate realm (barzakh). Due to one’s belief and actions, one develops traits that turn one into different kinds of animals.

The Holy Qur’an says:

وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

“...when the wild beasts are resurrected” (81:5).

Commenting on this verse, the great insightful scholar, Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli says:

اي الأناسي الذين يحشرون على صور بذور ما تكتسبوا

It means the human beings who will be resurrected according to the forms of the seeds of what they have earned18.

وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَى اللّٰه ِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ مِمَّنْ أَسَّسَ أَسَاسَ الظُّلْمِ وَبَنَى عَلَيْهِ بُنْيَانَهُ وَجَرَى فِي ظُلْمِهِ وَجَوْرِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَلَى أَشْيَاعِكُمْ

…and I take recourse in Allah and His Messenger while detaching myself from those who established that and built on it its edifice and continued their wrongdoing and injustice against you and your followers.

Earlier we said that bara’ah etymologically is defined as distancing oneself from imperfection (al-taba’ud min al-naqs)19. Therefore, we can correctly say that it is a natural response to the call of the human disposition (al- fitrah). This is because the human being is innately driven to seek benefit (jalb al-manfa’ah) and repel harm (daf’ al-darar). And because perfection (kamal) is an extension of benefit, and imperfection (naqs) an extension of harm, the human being is innately attracted to the former and repelled from the latter. Despite this innate tendency in man, we still find some getting attracted to evil and repelled from good. Two main reasons for this are as follows:

1) Deviation in Knowledge

Examples of this are as follows:

A) Belief in Ethical Relativism

This comes about when one believes that character traits of perfection (kamal) and imperfection (naqs) are relative (nisbi), and there are no absolute (mutlaq) moral values: lies, injustice, gluttony, stinginess, etc., for example are not absolutely evil, and their moral nature depends on factors such as personality, society, culture, time, place, etc. Likewise, traits such as justice, mercy, truthfulness, chastity, open-handedness, etc. although are relatively good, they can be evil at times. Hence, we do not have character traits that are perpetually good and perpetually evil.

If one reflects on this attractive but highly misleading ideology, one will come to realise how dangerous and harmful it is. It vanquishes the very fabric of religion, which has been brought to elevate the human character:

In his Bihar al-Anwar ‘Allamah al-Majlisi reports the following tradition:

جاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللّٰه صَلَّى اللّٰه عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللّٰه مَا الدِّينُ؟ فَقَالَ: حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ. ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ فَقَالَ: مَا الدِّينُ؟ فَقَالَ: حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ. ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ مِنْ شِمَالِهِ فَقَالَ: مَا الدِّينُ؟ فَقَالَ: حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ. ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ فَقَالَ: مَا الدِّينُ؟ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: أَمَا تَفْقَهُ الدِّينَ؟ الدِّينُ هُوَ أَنْ لَا تَغْضَبَ.

A man approached the Holy Prophet (S), appeared before him and said: O Apostle of Allah, what is religion? He (S) said: It is beautiful character. Then the man approached him from the right-hand side and asked: What is religion? The Prophet (S) [once again] said: It is beautiful character. Thereafter the man came from the left-hand side and asked: What is religion? The Prophet (S) said: It is beautiful character. Then the man approached the Prophet (S) from behind and asked: What is religion? The Prophet (S) attending him said: Do you not understand religion? Religion is that you should not be angry20.

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

إنما بُعِثْتُ لأتَمِّمَ مكارم الأخلاق

Indeed, I was only sent to complete the noble character traits21.

These noble character traits are manifestations of Divine Attributes. The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said:

تَخَلَّقوا بأخلاق اللّٰه

Adopt the character traits of Allah22.

In reality, adopting the characteristics of Allah and strengthening them in oneself enables one to be very close to Almighty Allah. Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) is reported to have said:

إن أقربكم من اللّٰه أوسعكم خُلقًا

Indeed, the closest among you to Allah is one with the most comprehensive character traits23.

In the reasoning of ethical relativism, however, it is meaningless to call the believers to traits of nobility (makarim al-akhlaq), when there are no such traits in their absolute sense. We cannot, for example, say that because Allah is the most Truthful of all speakers (asdaq al-qa’ilin), we likewise should develop the same trait. This is because truth may sometimes lead to an innocent man’s murder. Hence, truth is not always a trait of virtue.

In response, we must understand that although religion and intellectual judgement would guide us to cover the truth in some circumstances, but it is not because truthfulness per se is bad or evil. If one tries to understand this point properly one would come to realise that truthfulness does not lead to murder, but “the one who reacts negatively to the truth” leads to murder. Therefore, in order to avoid “the apparently inevitable negative reaction” we tend to cover the truth. Hence, covering truth is not due to its transitory evil nature. Truth was, is, and will always remain pleasant and good.

Scholars of authority have dealt with this subject in detail in their works and covering their intricacies comprehensively is beyond the scope of this commentary. However, those who understand the fallacy of ethical relativism will realise that not only is it contrary to one’s innate comprehension and religious direction, it vividly contradicts the actions of its proponents too.

Louis P. Pojman in his paper Ethical Relativism and Ethical Objectivism narrates:

Columbia university professor Sidney Morgenbesser once taught a philosophy class of students who argued vehemently for subjectivism. When a test was taken, Morgenbesser returned all the tests marked “F”- even though his comments showed that most of the tests were of a very high quality. When the students expressed outrage at this injustice, Morgenbesser answered that he had accepted the notion of subjectivism for purposes of marking the exams, in which case the principle of justice had no objective validity24.

Ethical absolutism on the other hand considers ethical values to be absolute and eternal. They are not subject to external causes and circumstances, but are constant and naturally decipherable by the human being. One who has retained the soundness of his human disposition (al- fitrah) can easily comprehend the good and the bad according to one’s limits. The Holy Qur’an vocally alludes to this reality in the following verse:

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا

“And by the soul and Him who fashioned it” (91:7).

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

“And inspired it with [discernment between] its virtues and vices” (91:8).

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا

“One who purifies it is felicitous” (91:9).

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا

“And one who betrays it fails” (91:10).

Commenting on the phrase “fa alhamaha fujuraha wa taqwaha” (and inspired it with [discernment between] its virtues and vices), Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

بيّن لها ما تَأتي وما تَتْرُك

He clarified for the soul what it should do and from what it should refrain25.

There are a number of traditions that distinctly enumerate traits which are good and traits which are bad. Following are some noteworthy examples:

In his al-Amali, Shaykh al-Saduq narrates from Hammad Ibn ‘Uthman:

جاء رجل إلى الصادق جعفر بن محمد (عليه السلام) فقال له: يا بن رسول اللّٰه أخبرني بمكارم الأخلاق. فقال: العفو عمَّن ظلمك، وَصِلَةُ من قطعك، وإعطاء من حرمك، وقول الحق ولو على نفسك.

A man came to al-Sadiq, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (‘a), and said: O son of the Apostle of Allah, inform me of the noble traits (makarim al-akhlaQ). The Imam (‘a) said: They are: forgiveness on one who had done wrong to you, establishing connection with one who had detached himself from you, giving one who had deprived you, and speaking the truth, even if it is against you26.

Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is reported to have said:

احسن الكارم الجود

The most beautiful of noble traits is generosity27.

He (‘a) is also reported to have said:

العفو تاج المكارم

Forgiveness is the crown of noble traits28.

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) was once asked about the noble trait which has the most virtue, and he said:

الصَّبر والسَّماحة

Patience and open-handedness29.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have narrated the following tradition from the Holy Prophet (S):

ألا أخبركم بأبعدكم مني شبها؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول اللّٰه، فقال: الفاحش المتفحش، البذيء، البخيل، المختال، الحقود، الحسود، القاسي القلب، البعيد من كل خير يرجى، غير المأمون من كل شر يُتَّقى.

Should I not inform you of the most distant from me in resemblance? They said: Indeed, tell us, O Apostle of Allah. He (S) said: the degenerate and shameless foul speaker, the stingy, the proud, the rancorous, the jealous, the stone hearted, one from whom no good originates, and from whose evil no one is safe30.

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said:

إياك وخصلتين: الضَّجر والكسل، فإنك إن ضجرت لم تصبر على حقٍّ وإن كسلت لم تُؤَدِّ حقًا

Beware of two characteristics: Vexation31 and laziness, for indeed, if you are vexed you will not be patient on the truth, and if you are lazy, you will not observe a right32.

Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is reported to have said:

شر الأخلاق الكذب والنِّفاق

The most evil of character traits are lies and hypocrisy33.

We have mentioned only a few of the ample traditions that explicitly reveal that we have absolute good or evil traits, and the theory of ethical relativism is baseless.

Those, however, who are adamant in their blind belief in ethical relativism would either be led to practically oppose their ideology through their behaviour and action, or be a victim of attraction towards the evil and repulsion from the good.

The most pathetic consequence for the proponent of such an idea would be to be deprived from adopting the character traits of Allah, for which the human being was created. This is because for such a person, there is no absolute good trait. Likewise detaching oneself from “evil” would make no sense, for the same evil can be good sometimes.

B) Belief in [Ethical] Determinism

Another reason why some are attracted to evil and repelled from good can be their belief in ethical determinism. This belief is a product of deviation from the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a). The proponents of such an ideology are called Ash’arites. They believe that human action is entirely compelled by God. So, whatever any believer does, he does it by Allah’s compulsion and force. In this case both the epitomes of justice as well as injustice are always good, for every action is entirely from Allah (min Allah) and through Allah (bi Allah).

The Ash’arites, in order to prove their contention, would adhere to a set of verses of the Qur’an, and abandon the rest. The Holy Qur’an introduces such kind of people as follows:

الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ

Those who reduced the Qur’an into pieces. (15:91)

When the Holy Prophet (S) was asked what ‘idin meant in the above verse, he is reported to have said:

آمنوا ببعض وكفروا ببعض

They believed in some parts and disbelieved in others34.

And commenting on this verse, Ibn ‘Abbas is reported to have said:

هم أهل الكتاب جزّئوه أجزاء وآمنوا ببعضه وكفروا ببعضه

They are the People of the Book. They cut the Qur’an into pieces and believed in some parts and disbelieved in others35.

In order to rationalise their lavish and atrocious rule and mischief in the Islamic lands, the Banu Umayyah always supported the misleading ideology of determinism and coercion. In his Al-Mughni fi Abwab al-’Adl wa al-Tawhid, Qadi ‘Abd al-Jabbar says:

أظهر معاوية ان ما يأتيه بقضاء اللّٰه ومن خلقه، ليجعله عذرا في ما يأتيه ويوهم أنه مصيب فيه، وأن اللّٰه جعله إماما وولّاه الأمر، وفشا ذلك في ملوك بني أمية

Mu’awiyah declared that whatever he does is by the decree of Allah and from His works, to make it a pretext for what he does, and make people conjecture that he is right in his deed, and that Allah has made him the leader and the guardian over the matter, and this [ideology] spread among the kings of Banu Umayyah36.

It is also reported that Mu’awiyah once said:

لو لم يرني اللّٰه أهلا لهذا الأمر ما تركني وإيَّاه، ولو كره اللّٰه تعالى ما نحن فيه لغيَّره!

If Allah would not consider me to be suitable for this matter [of caliphate] He would not have left me with it, and if Allah, the Exalted, would dislike the position we are in, He would have changed it37.

He would also say the following:

أنا عامل من عمَّال اللّٰه أُعطي من أعطاه اللّٰه وأمنع من منعه اللّٰه ولو كره اللّٰه أمرًا لغيَّره

I am a worker from the workers of Allah, I give to whosoever Allah gives and refuse whosoever Allah refuses. And if Allah would have disliked a matter, He would have changed it38.

The Umayyads also tried to rationalise the Karbala massacre by their belief in determinism. Notice how Ibn Ziyad addresses Hadrat Zaynab (‘a) in his court:

كيف رأيت صنع اللّٰه بأخيك وأهل بيتك؟

How did you find Allah’s dealing with your brother and your family?39

This clearly shows that he is trying to say that whatever Yazid and his men did were all the works of Allah.

Hadrat Zaynab (‘a) in her intense perspicacity responded saying:

ما رأيت إلا جميلا

I saw nothing but beauty40.

Perhaps she wanted to inform Ibn Ziyad the following realities:

Whatever Allah does is beautiful. He provided free will to everyone. Hence, he would never coerce anyone into doing anything good or evil. He would permit them to do what they chose. In the same way as He provided the supporters of Yazid with the ability to carry out what they chose, He provided Imam al-Husayn (‘a) and his companions the ability to carry out what they chose. Whereas the supporters of Yazid chose to be slaves of the world till the last moment, Imam al-Husayn (‘a) and his companions chose to remain the slaves of Allah till the last moment. Such ability to remain steadfast and retain their total submission to Allah in front of the most challenging circumstances, till the last moment reveals, nothing but extreme patience, which, according to the Qur’an, is jamil (utter beauty). The Holy Qur’an, quoting Prophet Ya’qub, says that after realising the machination of the brothers of Yusuf (‘a), Prophet Ya’qub said: fa sabrun jamil

فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ

“And patience is beautiful!” (12:18; 12:83).

Hence, “I saw nothing but beauty”.

Although you saw the atrocious dimension of the event, we could see the celestial reality of the same, which depicted nothing but beauty41.

Another instance where the irrational belief of determinism is propounded by Ibn Ziyad is when he asks Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) his name, and the Imam (‘a) replies, “Ali son of al-Husayn.” Thereupon Ibn Ziyad says:

أليس قد قَتَلَ اللّٰه ُ عليَّ بن الحسين؟

Isn’t it that Allah surely killed ‘Ali son of al-Husayn?

Correcting his foul speech, Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) replies:

قد كان لي أخ يسمَّى عليًّا قتله الناس

Indeed, I had a brother called ‘Ali, whom the people killed.

Ibn Ziyad once again says:

بَلِ اللّٰه ُ قَتَلَهُ

Rather it was Allah who killed him.

Correcting his speech once again, Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) says:

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا

“Allah takes the souls during their death...” (39:42).

Upon this brave encounter, Ibn Ziyad orders that the Imam (‘a) be beheaded and Hadrat Zaynab (‘a) intercepts his evil orders by saying that if he wanted to kill Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) then she should be killed with him.

As’ad Wahid al-Qasim in his book Azmat al-Khilafah wa al-Imamah wa Atharuha al-Mu’asirah says:

وأما الحجاج، فقد قال بعد أن قتل رجلا لإظهاره حب الإمام علي عليه السلام: اللهم أنت قتلته ولو شئت لمنعتني منه. وهكذا فإن بني أمية – كما يذكر المؤرخون – كانوا يركزون على مسألة الجبر لتبرير سلوكهم ومظالمهم ضد المسلمين ليكونوا معذورين، فقتلوا معبد الجهني (على يد الحجاج سنة ٨٠ هجرية)، وغيلان الدمشقي (على يد هشام بن عبد الملك سنة ١٠٨ هجرية) لقولهما بحرية الإرادة.

…As for Hajjaj, after killing a man due to the latter’s expression of love for Imam ‘Ali (‘a), he said: O Allah, you killed him, and if you wanted, you would have hampered me from doing it. And this was the tendency, for indeed, Banu Umayyah, as the historians narrate, would focus on the subject of Divine compulsion to rationalise their behaviour and atrocities against the Muslims so that they are excused. They killed Ma’bad al-Jahanni (at the hands of Hajjaj in the year 80 AH) and Ghaylan al-Dimishqi (at the hands of Hisham Ibn ‘Abd al-Malik in the year 106 AH) because of their proclamation of the freedom of will42.

Apart from the fact that the sound human conscience experiences the existence of a free will in the human being, there are several verses of the Qur’an that reveal this truth. Here below we quote three examples:

The Jews, who claimed to be exceptional people, were asked by Allah to seek death if they were really truthful. Then Allah says:

وَلَن يَتَمَنَّوْهُ أَبَدًا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ

“But they will not long for it ever because of what their hands have sent ahead, and Allah knows best the wrongdoers” (2:95).

The phrase “bima qaddamat aydihim” (because of what their hands have sent ahead) explicitly proves the existence of free will in the human being.

The Holy Qur’an says:

وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ

“And say, ‘[This is] the truth from your Lord: let anyone who wishes believe it, and let anyone who wishes disbelieve it’…” (18:29).

This verse likewise needs no elucidation. It is crystal clear and vocally reveals that the human being has a free will and can choose whatever he wants. The phrase “fa man sha’a” (and let anyone who wishes) is worthy of reflection.

The Holy Qur’an says:

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

“Indeed, We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or ungrateful” (76:3).

Here Allah informs us that the human being is left to select his path. He is free to choose the path of thankfulness or ungratefulness.

The adherents of the prophetic tradition of thaqalayn however, negated the irrational belief of determinism and established that the human being is not forced to do anything by Allah, but does everything by His support. Whenever he wills to do bad Allah gives him the power to do it, but does not force him to do the deed. No one, they believe, has any kind of independent power whatsoever to do anything. Every kind of power, however minute it may be, is entirely Allah’s. This is depicted in the words of remembrance ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ (there is no state nor power save that it is by Allah’s support).

The aforementioned verses throw light upon the reality and show us that love for the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) always comes together with repulsion for their enemies. And since the human being is the sum total of his beliefs and actions, our repulsion is based on the sound human nature that is always repelled from imperfection and evil.

2) Deviation In Action Such As Concealment Of Human Disposition

Due to excessive sin and disbelief, there are those who have eclipsed their innate disposition and therefore, reckon evil as good, and vice versa. The Holy Qur’an says the following about such people:

ثُمَّ كَانَ عَاقِبَةَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا السُّوأَىٰ أَن كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُوا بِهَا يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

“Then the fate of those who committed misdeeds was that they denied the signs of Allah and they used to deride them” (30:10).

Abu Basir is reported to have said:

سمعت أبا عبد اللّٰه عليه السلام يقول: إذا أذنب الرجل خرج في قلبه نكتة سوداء فإن تاب انمحت وإن زاد زادت حتى تغلب على قلبه فلا يفلح بعدها ابدا.

I heard Aba Abdillah [al-Sadiq (‘a)] saying: When a man sins, a black spot appears in his heart; and if he repents it is erased; but if he increases in sin it increases, until it overcomes the heart, after which he shall never prosper43.

Explaining this phenomenon, Mulla Sadra says:

من فعل فعلا أو تكلم بقول، يظهر منه أثر في نفسه وحالة قلبية تبقى زمانا. وإذا تكررت الأفاعيل والأقاويل، استحكمت الآثار في النفس، فصارت الأحوال ملكات، إذ الفرق بين الملكة والحال بالشدة والضعف والاشتداد في الكيفية يؤدي إلى حصول صورة جوهرية هي مبدء مثل تلك الكيفية؛ كالحرارة الضعيفة في الفحم إذا اشتدت صارت صورة نارية محرقة، وكذلك الكيفية النفسانية إذا اشتدت صارت ملكة راسخة، أي صورة نفسانية هي مبدء آثار مختصة بها، فيصدر بسببها الفعل المناسب لها بسهولة من غير رؤية وتأمل.

…Whosoever performs a deed or utters a speech, it leaves an effect in his soul and a state of heart (hal) that remains for some duration. And if the deeds and words are repeated, their effects become strengthened in the soul, and the states (al-ahwal) turn into fixed traits (malakat), for the difference between a fixed trait (malakah) and a state (hal) is in intensity and weakness; and intensity in quality (kayfiyyah) leads to attaining a substance form (surah jawhariyyah), which would [then] be the [generating] origin of a similar state; this can be illustrated by taking the example of a piece of coal; when its heat increases, it becomes a form of fire that burns. Such is the case with any quality of the soul; if it increases in intensity, it becomes a firmly fixed trait, i.e. a form of the soul which would be the origin of its according effects; hence, because of that, the action appropriate to it ensues easily without any deliberation and thought.

In brief, we understand that:

• Any act that we do, whether in the form of speech or otherwise leaves an effect on the soul which is known as a hal (a state).

• If a particular act whether good or bad is repeated, the hal (state) changes into a malakah (fixed trait) which unites with the soul.

• The malakah then serves as the origin of its respective action.

Observe that when Shimr is asked by Imam al-Husayn (‘a) whether he knows who the Imam (‘a) was, the wretched murderer said that he very well knew but considered the gift that he would receive from Yazid to be better. This is the state of one whose heart has been eclipsed.

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• 1. Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is reported to have said: “We are the most beautiful names…” (Nahnu al-asma’ al-husna…): Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.27, p. 38.
• 2. Al-’Allamah al-Tabataba’i, Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.1, p. 116.
• 3. Al-Mashhadi, Tafsir Kanz al-Daqa’iq wa Bahr al-Ghara’ib, v.1, p. 344.
• 4. Al-Bahrani, Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.1, p. 164.
• 5. Al-Bahrani, Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.5, p. 248.
• 6. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.26, pp. 6-7.
• 7. This is a reference from one of the verses of the well-known Ziyarat al-Jami’ah al- Kabirah, in which we declare, “Whosoever loves you (the Infallible Imams), indeed, has loved Allah”. The reason for this perhaps is that they exemplify the Names of Allah.
• 8. Distancing oneself from evil and imperfection.
• 9. To love, to support, or to follow.
• 10. To distance oneself from the enemies.
• 11. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.72, p. 58.
• 12. Al-Amadi, Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 137.
• 13. Ibn Qulawayh, Kamil al-Ziyarat, p. 157
• 14. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.58, p. 183.
• 15. Mawsu’at Kalimat al-Imam al-Husayn (‘a), p. 618.
• 16. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.98, p. 317.
• 17. Commenting on verse 8:55, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said: This verse was revealed about Banu Umayyah. So they are the worst creatures of Allah. They are the ones who disbelieved in the esoteric meaning of the Qur’an, and thus, they shall never believe. (Al-Shaykh al- Bahrani, Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.2, p. 705).
• 18. Ayatullah Hasan Zadeh Amuli, ‘Uyunu Masa’il al-Nafs, p. 802.
• 19. Al-Mustafawi, Al-Tahqiq fi Kalimat al-Qur’an al-Karim, v.1, p. 240.
• 20. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.68, p. 393.
• 21. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.16, p. 210.
• 22. Mulla Sadra, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Karim, v.4, p. 298.
• 23. Al-Shaykh al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, v.8, p. 69.
• 24. Bennie R. Crockett, Addresses of the Mississippi Philosophical Association, p. 199.
• 25. Al-Bahrani, Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, v.4, p. 782.
• 26. Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, Al-Amali, p. 355.
• 27. Al-Wasiti,’Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 114.
• 28. Al-Wasiti,’Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 19.
• 29. Al-Rayshahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, v.1, p. 808.
• 30. Al-Shaykh al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, v.2, p. 291.
• 31. The literal meaning of the word al-dajr is al-qaliqu min al-ghamm (uneasiness due to grief), Ref: Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-’Arab, v.4, p. 481.
• 32. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.69, p. 192.
• 33. Al-Wasiti,’Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawa’iz, p. 293.
• 34. Al-Bahrani, Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, p. 9.
• 35. Ijaz al-Bayan ‘An Ma’ani al-Qur’an, v.1, p. 473.
• 36. Al-Jalali, Jihad al-Imam al-Sajjad (‘a), p. 90.
• 37. Al-Kurani, Jawahir al-Ta’rikh, v.2, pp. 226-227.
• 38. Al-Kurani, Jawahir al-Ta’rikh, v.2, pp. 226-227.
• 39. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.45, p. 115.
• 40. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.45, p. 116.
• 41. Hence, unlike how Ibn Ziyad tried to picture the event, the companions of Karbala were encompassed with Allah’s mercy and soaked in His love. In one of his beautiful interpretations of the tradition “…and I am from Husayn”, Ayatullah Muhammad Rida Rabbani says in his work Sarmastan-e-Sahbaye ‘Ishq (Intoxicated by the Wine of Intense Love) says: The leader of the two realms, Hadrat Mawlana Abu ‘Abdillah al-Husayn is the sovereign of intense love. He is the one who sacrificed himself in the way of intense love for God; he is the one who taught the lesson of showing love to every other person, and in reality he is the leader of those who were intoxicated by the wine of intense affection and Divine love. Was it not for his movement and uprising, there would have been no trace of Islam and religion. Hence, in reality he is the cause of the subsistence of Islam and religion. This is why the Doyen of the Apostles and Seal of the Prophets, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (S) said, “I am from Husayn”. (Sarmastan-e-Sahbaye ‘Ishq, pp. 25-26).
• 42. As’ad Wahid al-Qasim, Azmat al-Khilafah wa al-Imamah wa Atharuha al-Mu’asirah, p. 256; http://www.shiaweb.org/books/khelafa/pa57.html
• 43. Al-’Allama al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.7, p. 327.