Pearl of Wisdom
Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih narrates from Maymun b. Mihran, 'I was once sitting in the presence of al-Hasan b. ?Ali (AS) when a man came to him, saying, ?O son of the Prophet of Allah, verily x is claiming money from me that I owe him and he wants to arrest me.' So he replied, 'By Allah, I do not have money to pay your debt on your behalf.' So he asked, 'Then talk to him.' So he (AS) put on his sandals, whereupon I asked him, ?O son of the Prophet of Allah, have you forgotten the fact that you are in a state of retreat?' So he replied, 'No, I have not forgotten, but I have heard my father (AS) narrating from the authority of [my grandfather], the Prophet of Allah (SAWA) that he had said, 'He who strives to fulfil a fellow Muslim brother's need is as if he has worshipped Allah, Mighty and Exalted, for nine thousand years, fasting during the day and standing in prayer at night.?
Imam Hasan ibn Ali al-Mujtaba [as] Kitab man la yahdurahi al-Faqih, v. 2, p. 189, no. 2108
|
The Gnosis of the Prophets |
|
Allah has provided His Prophets from the treasures of His subtlety, generosity, and mercy. He has taught them from the wealth of His knowledge, and He has singled them out for Himself from among all creation. No one from the entire creation possesses a state or character similar to theirs, for He has made them the means for all creatures to come to Him. He made obedience to and love for them the cause of His contentment, and opposition to them and rejection of them a cause for His wrath. He commanded all peoples and groups to follow the religion of their Messenger, rejecting any obedience other than by means of obedience to them, praise of them, recognition of their love, respect and veneration for them, esteem for them and deference to them, and rank with Allah. Therefore glorify all the prophets of Allah, and do not place them in the same position as anyone inferior to them. Do not exercise your intellect regarding their stations, states, and character unless it is by a precise clarification from Allah, and a consensus of the people who have insight into the proofs which affirm their virtues and ranks. How can you arrive at the reality of what they have from Allah? If you compare their words and actions with any of the people below them, you will be a bad companion to them; you will have disclaimed their gnosis in ignorance of their being specially selected by Allah, and you will have dropped below the level of the truths of belief and gnosis. So take care, and take care again.
|
|