Hayat Al-Qulub Vol.3

Part 7: No guidance except through the True Imams

No guidance except through the True Imams who are the medium (Wasilah) between Allah and His creation. No salvation from Divine chastisement but through them

It is reported by Ibne Babawayh in Majalis and by other scholars with reliable chains of narrators quoting Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: We are very much worried because of the people because when we call them towards us they do not respond and if we leave them to themselves they do not get guidance without us.

Similarly it is mentioned in Khisal that the Holy Prophet (S) said to Amirul Momineen (a.s.): There are three things which I can say on oath that they are absolutely true. One, the knowledge of Allah (Ma’refat) cannot be obtained but through you and through your legatees who know Allah truly. Two, since you are those who know Allah fully no one can enter Paradise but the one who knows you and whom you know. Third, since you are those who know Allah fully no one can enter Hell but the one who doesn’t know you and whom you don’t know.

It is mentioned in Ilalush Sharai with true chains of narrators that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) wrote to Ishaq bin Ismail that the Lord of the Might, through His Mercy and kindness, made some things obligatory for you. It was not because Allah needed it. Rather it is Grace from Allah except Whom there is no Allah for you, so that He may separate the unholy from the holy and so that He may take your trial about the things which are in your hearts and may make pure the things which are in your hearts through it so that you may advance towards His Mercy and so that He may raise your ranks in Paradise.

Therefore, He made it obligatory for you to establish Prayer and observe fasts and to perform Hajj and Umrah and to pay Zakat and to have faith in the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and He has kept a house so that through it the duties may be made available and so that they (Imams) may be the key to that house.

If they would not have been from Muhammad (S) and from the progeny of his legatees, you would be, certainly, wandering like the quadrupeds and you would have not known anything from your obligatory duties. Can you ever enter a city but through the gate? So Allah has been kind to you so profoundly by appointing, after His messenger, the Imams as your commanders. He declared on the Day of Ghadeer:

Today, I have perfected your Religion for you and concluded My Mercy on you and selected for you the religion of Islam. (Sura Maida 5:3)

We ordered you to observe some rights of Our friends so that it may be lawful for you to keep your wives and your wealth and whatever you eat and drink and also so that you may recognize and know Us and so that We may grant abundance and increase in these said things so as to see who among you is obeying His commands both openly and privately. And then He said:

(O Messenger!) Tell (them that) I do not want any remuneration from you for this Messengership except that you should love my near relatives. (Sura Shuraa 42:23)

So understand that whoever will be stingy in loving them will be showing stinginess towards his own self because it (love for my relatives) benefits only them and Allah is indeed needless and you are in dire need of Him. So now, when the truth has been revealed clearly you may do whatever you like. Hereafter Allah and His Messenger and the Faithful will observe your attitude because you are surely to return to the One Who knows every open and secret thing and who will show you your deeds and the better consequence is for the righteous and praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds.

It is mentioned in Maniul Akhbar that Imam Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said that the Holy Prophet (S) said: O Ali! On the day of Judgement, you and Jibraeel will sit on the Sirat Bridge and none will cross it but the one who will have the order of relief from hellfire due to you Wilayat.

Shaykh Tabarsi has, quoting Imam Sadiq (a.s.), narrated in Majalis that he (Imam) said: It is we who are the medium (Wasilah) between you and Allah.

He also has narrated from Imam Hasan (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (S) addressed Amirul Momineen (a.s.): O Ali! You and your companions and followers will be in Paradise.

He has also narrated from Abdullah bin Sulaiman in Ihtijaj that he says: I was with Imam Baqir (a.s.) when a man from Basra told him that Hasan Basri says that those who hide their knowledge (faith) will harm the dwellers of Hell by their bellies. The Hazrat said: If it is so then believer of the people of Firon will be destroyed about whom Allah has said:

And a believing man of Firon’s people who hid his faith (Sura Ghafir 40:28)

Whereas Allah has praised him for hiding his belief. From the day Allah has sent Nuh (a.s.) with Messengership the knowledge has always remained hidden. So Hasan Basri may go either in the right or the left direction, the truth is that, by Allah knowledge cannot be availed but from the Ahlul Bayt (family members) of the Messenger. Therefore the Hazrat said: It is due to only such people, that our calamity has increased. If we call them to us they do not come and if we leave them alone they do not get guidance.

It is narrated with true chains of narrators in Basairud Darajat that Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Allah is being worshipped due to us; it is only due to us that people recognize Allah with His attribute of being One and Only and the Prophet Muhammad (S) is in a veil, that is he is a medium between Allah and His creation.

And it is reported in Basharatul Mustafa with reliable chains of narrators that Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: A man who calls Allah through our mediation (Wasilah) gets success and welfare and the one who calls Allah without our mediation destroys himself and also others.