PART TWO
ON THE EXCELLENCE OF FATIMA (A.S)
48. He said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "She has been named Fa`tima because Allah, the Exalted, has separated her and those who love her from the Fire."
This part contains the traditions which have been transmitted from the Prophet, peace be on him, concerning the piece of him, the mistress of the women of the world, Fatima, the chaste, the peace of Allah be upon her. This is one of the traditions in which he has declared that Allah has separated the Mistress of the women of the
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world from the Fire; likewise, He has separated from the Fire her Shï~'ites and those who love her.
49. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Verily, Allah becomes angry because of her anger, and He becomes pleased on account of her pleasure."
There is an unanimous agreement on this tradition, which is a proof of the exalted rank of the Messenger's piece and sweet basil (i. e. Fa`tima) with Allah, the Most High. It is worth mentioning that none of believing women has ever reached this distinguished position with Him.
50. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "On the Day of Resurrection, my daughter Fa`tima will be mustered along with clothes stained with al-Husayn's blood. She will cling to a leg of the Throne and say: 'O Lord, judge between me and the murderer of my son!'"
Allah's Messenger said: "By the Lord of the Ka'ba, He will judge for my daughter!"
Surely the whole world shook for the tragedy of (Ima`m al-Husayn) the master of the youths of heaven and sweet basil of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. Fa`tima, the mistress of the world's women and the Messenger's piece is so bereaved of his tragedy that she will raise his shirt stained with his pure blood before Allah, the Exalted, and complain to Him of the tragedies her son faced.
The poet says:
Definitely, Fa`tima will come on the Day of Resurrection,
and her shirt will be stained with al-Husayn's blood!
Abu` al-'Ala` says:
Surely, she will come to the Mustering wearing his shirt,
seeking the help of the Merciful!
51. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "My daughter Fa`tima will be mustered and there will be on her the garment
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of dignity which was already kneaded in the water of life; the creatures will look at her in amazement. Then she will also be clothed in two of the garments of the Garden; on each garment it will be written in green script: Let Mohammed's daughter enter the Garden; it will be written in the best manner, dignity, and view. So she will be carried to the Garden in procession as the bride is carried; and seventy thousand slave-girls will be entrusted with her."
Without doubt, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah, the Exalted, will manifest the excellence of the mistress of women, who struggled bravely in the path of Islam, and who established the creed of the Shï~'ites through her immortal orations and her heroic attitudes.
52. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "When the Day of Resurrection occurs, a caller from in side the Throne will call out: 'O group of creatures, lower your eyes, that Fa`tima, the daughter of Mohammed, may pass!'"
This is one of the places of honoring and magnifying the mistress of women, the peace of Allah be upon her, on the day when men will be mustered before the Lord of the worlds.
53. Through his chain of authorities, 'Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, said: "We were with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. While we were digging the trench Fa`tima, peace be on her, came and there was along with her a small piece of bread. She gave it to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and he, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'What is this small piece?' She replied: 'I baked one loaf of barely bread for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and I have brought you this small piece of it.' So he, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'O Fa`tima, this is the first food to enter your father's mouth for three days.'"
This traditions shows that the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, helped each other, preferred others to themselves, and renounced worldly pleasures.
54. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "An angel came to me and said: 'O Mohammed, surely Allah, the Great
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and Almighty, recites to you (His) greetings and says: 'I have married Fatima to 'Ali, so marry her to him. I have ordered the Tree of Tuba` to bear pearls, corals, and corundum. The inhabitants of the heaven have rejoiced at that. She will bear him two sons, the two masters of the Garden, and by the virtue of them the Garden will be adorned. Be happy, O Mohammed! For you are the best of the first and the last.'"
Many traditions indicate that the Mistress of women and the piece of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, (i.e. Fa`tima) was married to 'Ali according to the command of Allah, who gave through that a model of marriage in Islam and indicated that it was based on dignity and virtue, and that in all circumstances it had no relationship with perishing material considerations. The Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, married the Mistress of women to Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, in the time when he was the poorest of all the people, and he had nothing of the enjoyments of life except his breastplate and his sword. So he sold his breastplate and appointed the money as a dower for the Mistress of the women; and he bought for it the cheapest trousseau in that time, but it was the most precious and expensive trousseau in Islam, for is was based on virtue, honor, and exalted character. So, peace be on the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), who represented the essence of Islam in all their affairs and conditions.
55. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn related to me. He said: Asma`', daughter of 'Umays, related to me. She said:] "I was with your grandmother Fa`tima, peace be on her, when Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, entered; and there was a lace of gold around her neck, which 'Ali had bought for her from his war booty. So the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said to her: 'Do not be deceived by that the people say that you are the daughter of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, and that the clothes of the tyrants are on you.' Hence she cut the necklace and sold it. Then she bought a slave and released him, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was pleased with that."
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The Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, wanted the Mistress of women to be a model of virtue and self-negation; and he wanted her to share the Muslim miserable women their poverty, so there would be no distinction between her and them.
Part Three
On the Excellence of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, their Birth, and ahl al-Bayt (a.s) in General
56. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the two masters of the youths of Heaven; and their father is better than them."
Surely, the two grandsons of Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, are the two masters of the youths of the Garden and are two lamps for them, so the peace of Allah be upon them and upon their father, the Lord of the pure family.
57. He, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "A boy is a sweet basil, and my two sweet basil are al-Hasan and al-Husayn."
The two pure Ima`ms were the two sweet basil of Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and his trust with his community; hence the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was very loyal to them.
58. He, peace be on him, said: ['Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, related to me:] "Al-Hasan and al-Husayn were playing by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, until most of the night passed, then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'Go to your mother.' It flashed, and the flash shone for them until they went in to Fa`tima. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, looked at the flash and said: 'Praise belongs to Allah who has honored us,
ahl al-Bayt.'"
Allah, the Most High, singled the two grandsons of the Prophet, peace be on them, with every noble quality, endowed them with his favors, and chose them from among the rest of his creatures.
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59. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The stars are security for the inhabitants of the heaven; my household and my children are security for my community."
Certainly, the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, are security for the inhabitants of the earth; tribulation is driven away through them; mercy comes down and good spreads through them.
60. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The Garden is forbidden for him who wrongs my Household, him who kills them, him who helps against them, and him who curses them.
Surely they shall have no portion in the hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them; nor will He look upon them on the Day of Resurrection; nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful chastisement."
Woe unto him who denies the authority (
wilaya) of the Ima`ms from ahl al-Bayt, peace be on him! Woe unto him who wrongs and oppose them! For such a person brings the wrath of Allah and of His Messenger against himself; therefore, he will be deprived of the Garden.
61. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "I will intercede for four (persons) on the Day of Resurrection: He who honors my progeny; he who accomplishes their needs; the one who strives for them concerning their affairs when they are forced to them; and the one who loves (them) through his heart and his tongue."
He who loves the members of the House (
ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, honors and magnifies them will gain general good and obtains the intercession of their grandfather, master of the prophets.
62. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "It is not lawful for us,
ahl al-Bayt, to take alms; and we have been ordered to perform the ritual ablution properly, and not to ride on the shoulder of an ass."
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It is forbidden for the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, to take obligatory alms such as zaka`t; so is it forbidden for the 'Alawides, may Allah increase their honor, who belong to them.
63. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: "He who curses a prophet is killed; and he who curses the companion of a prophet is flogged."
64. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The likeness of my house among you is like Noah's Ark. He who embarked it was safe; and he who missed it was pushed into the Fire."
Definitely, the
ahl al-Bayt, peace be on him, are lifeboats and security for mankind. He who follows them is safe; and he disobeys them perishes. In this tradition on whose correctness there is an unanimous agreement, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has likened them to the Ark of Noah, peace be on him, which saved his companions from drowning when the waves surrounded those who deviated from the truth, and they drowned therein. The believers who were on Noah's Ark were safe; likewise, those who follow the authority of the Household of the Prophet, the peace of Allah be upon them, will gain the Garden; he who denies and wrongs them will fall into the bottom of the Fire.
65. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Woe unto those who wrong my household! They will be chastised along with the hypocrite in the bottom of the Fire!"
Woe unto him who wrongs the Household of the Prophet and shows enmity toward them, for they are the source of awareness and thought, not only for this community but also for men in general. Surely, the fate of those who wrong them will be the permanent chastisement in the next world.
66. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "I have been summoned and it is nearly the moment for me to answer. I am going to leave among you the
thaqalayn. If you cleave to them, you will never go astray after me; one of them is greater than the
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other that is the Book of Allah which is a cord stretching from the sky to the earth and my offspring from my family. They will never scatter (from each other) until they come to me at the Pool (
hawd). Hence, think! How will you treat them after me?"
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has associated his pure family with the Book of Allah. If it had not been for that his Household were infallible, the comparison between the Holy Qur'an,
falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it and the pure Family would be incorrect. Clinging to the Book is the means of salvation, and so is clinging to the
ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them.
67. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "The anger of Allah and of His Apostle is intense with him who sheds the blood of my progeny or hurts me (through hurting) my family."
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, predicted that his family would face persecutions at the hands of the opponents and enemies of Islam who shed their blood and poured upon them oppression and tyranny which none has ever witnessed throughout the stages of history.
68. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [Ja'far b. Mohammed, peace be on them, said:] "Saturday is for us; Sunday is for our Shï'ites; Monday is for the Umayyads; Tuesday is for their followers; Wednesday for the 'Abbasids; Thursday is for their followers; and Friday is for Allah. There is no travel on it (Friday), for Allah, the Exalted, says:
And when the prayer is finished, so spread in the land and seeks from Allah's favor.
The Imam, peace be on him, divided the days of the week into these parts, and he singled Friday with more excellence and appointed it for Allah, the Most High. Among the special characteristics of Friday is that it is hateful for someone to travel on it before the declination of the sun, that the responsible may perform the Friday prayer.
69. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [My father Musa b. Ja'far (i.e. Imam al-Sadiq), peace be on him, related to me. He said:] "It was (engraved) in the ring of Mohammed
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b. 'Ali: "My opinion is good in Allah, the trusted Prophet, the testamentary trustee, possessor of favors, and the two good ones: al-Hasan and al-Husayn."
The aspects of worship and obedience to Allah, the Most High, appear in every aspect of the lives of the pure Ima`ms, the peace of Allah be upon them. Among them is that they engraved the words of monotheism in their own rings.
70. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: ['Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, said:] "The munificent are the masters of men in this world; and the Allah-fearing are the masters of men in the next."
71. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: ['Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, said:] "Well-being is a hidden property."
Well-being is one of Allah's greatest favors toward man. It is the greatest favor toward man. All the favors which man enjoys are worthless without well-being
72. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: ['Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib, peace be on him, said: Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "He who does a favor for one of the children of 'Abd al-Muttalib, and he (the child of 'Abd al-Muttalib) does not reward him for it, I (i.e. Allah's Apostle) will reward him for it tomorrow when I meet him on the Day of Resurrection."
73. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: ['Ali b. al-Husayn said:] "Surely, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, performed the
adhan (call to prayer) in the ear of al-Hasan and of al-Husayn on the day when they were born."
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, performed the religious rites for his two grandsons, of which that he performed the
adhan in their right ears and the
iqama in their left ears, and hence this has become a religious rite performed for every Muslim baby.
74. Through his chain of authorities, he, peace be on him, said: [My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, related to me. He said: Asma`', daughter of 'Umays related to me. She said:] "I assisted your grandmother Fa`tima in giving birth to al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace
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be on them. When al-Hasan was born, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came and said: 'O Asma`', bring me my son.' I brought him wrapped in a yellow piece of cloth. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, threw the piece away and said: 'O Asma`', did I not order you not to wrap the baby in a yellow piece of cloth?' So I wrapped him in a white piece of cloth and gave him to him. He performed the
adhan in his right ear and the
iqama in his left ear. Then he asked: 'Which name have you given to this son of mine, 'Ali?' He (i.e. 'Ali), peace be on him, replied: 'I do not want to precede you in giving name to him, Allah's Messenger. I want to call him Harb.' 'I do not want to precede my Lord in giving name to him,' answered the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Then Gabriel, peace be on him, came down and said: 'The Exalted, the Most High (Allah) recites to you (His) greetings and says to you: ''Ali has the same rank with you as Ha`ru`n had with Mu`sa` except that there will be no prophet after you, so call this son of yours with the name of Ha`ru`n's son.' So he (the Prophet), may Allah bless him and his family, asked: 'Gabriel, what was the name of Ha`ru`n's son?' 'Shubbar,' replied Gabriel. 'My mother tongue is Arabic,' explained the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. 'Name him al-Hasan,' answered Gabriel."
Asma`' added: "He (the Prophet) named him al-Hasan. On the seventh day, he, may Allah bless him and his family, sacrificed two gray rams on his behalf. He gave a leg of the ram to the midwife; he shaved his hair and gave gold as alms equal to the weight of his hair and perfumed his hair with
al-khuluq.
1 Then he said: 'Asma`', the blood is the action of those who lived before Islam.
2 '"
Asma`' said: "A year after the birth of al-Hasan, peace be on him, al-Husayn, peace be on him, was born, so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, came and said: 'Asma`', give me my son. I
____________
1. A kind of perfme.
2. One of the customs of those who lived before Islam was that they painted the hair of their babies with blood. As for Islam, it forbade this custom and replaced it by perfume.
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wrapped him in a white piece of cloth and gave him to him. He said the
adhan in his right ear and the
iqama in his left ear. He put him on his lap and wept."
Asma' asked: "My father and mother be you ransom, what has made you weep?"
"I weep for this son of mine," he, may Allah bless him and his family, said.
I (i.e. Asma') said: "He was born at this hour."
"The oppressive group will kill him,' he, may Allah bless him and his family, commented, "may Allah not let them obtain my intercession."
Then he said: "Do not tell Fa`tima (about these words of mine), for she has just given birth to him."
Then he, may Allah bless him and his family, asked 'Ali, peace be on him: "Which name have you given to this son of mine?"
"I do not want to precede you in giving name to him, Allah's Apostle. I would like to call him Harb," answered 'Ali, peace be on him.
"I do not want to precede my Lord in giving name to him," answered the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
Then Gabriel, peace be on him, came down and said: "The Almighty (Allah) recites to you (His) greetings and says to you: Call him with the name of Ha`ru`n's son."
"What was the name of Ha`ru`n's son?" he (the Prophet), may Allah bless him and his family, asked.
"Shabï~r," replied Gabriel.
"My mother tongue is Arabic," explained the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
"Call him al-Husayn," answered Gabriel.
He (the Prophet) named him al-Husayn. On the seventh day, he, may Allah bless him and his family, sacrificed two gray rams on his behalf. He shaved his hair and gave gold as alms equal to the weight of his hair and perfumed his hair with
al-khuluq.
He said: "Asma`', the blood is the action of those who lived before Islam" Then he gave a leg of the ram to the midwife.
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I (i.e. the author) think that a sentence of this tradition has been fabricated, which is the wish of Ima`m 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, in naming his two sons Harb. This name is not beautiful and it is the name of the grandfather of the Umayyad family, who fought against Islam and spared no effort to extinguish the light of Allah. Moreover Islam is the religion of peace and is the greetings of the Muslims among themselves. The books of the Ima`mi jurisprudence have mentioned that it is hateful for Muslims to call their babies Harb.
75. Through his chain of authorities, he said: "My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, related to me that he was called al-Hasan on the seventh day, and al-Husayn was derived from the name al-Hasan, and he mentioned that there was (no period) between them except the pregnancy."
Most rites of religious birth are performed on behalf of the newborn baby on the seventh day, of which is giving name to the baby.
76. Through his chain of authorities, he said: "My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, related to me that Fa`tima, peace be on him, sacrificed (rams) on behalf of al-Hasan and al-Husayn; she gave a leg of the ram and a dinar to the midwife."
77. Through his chain of authorities, he said: ['Ali b. Abu` Ta`lib said:] "It was as if that I saw palaces were built around the grave of al-Husayn, and that I saw markets surround his grave. The days and nights will not pass until (people) from the regions walk to him. That will happen when the children of Marwan perish."
The matter happened just as Ima`m 'Ali, peace be on him, had predicted, for palaces and markets were built in Karbala`', the city of honor and refusal; the grave of the great, martyred Ima`m has became a holy shrine and destination for all Muslims and people who believe in humanity, for it is the holiest shrine in all regions of the world.
78. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Ja'far b. Mohammed was asked about the visitation to the grave of al-Husayn, peace be on him, and he said: My father told me. He said:] "He who visits the grave of al-Husayn and is aware of his right, Allah will write
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him among those who are in the highest places in Paradise." Then he said: "Surely, there are seventy thousand shaggy, dusty angels who weep over him until the Day of Resurrection."
Many traditions have been narrated on the authority of the Ima`ms of guidance, peace be on them, concerning the visitation of the grave of the master of martyrs and maker of human dignity Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him, for in visiting him there is a link with the greatest Prophet and honor for this Ima`m, who raised high the torch of monotheism. Had it not been for his sacrifice, the Umayyads would have destroyed Islam and effaced all its teachings.
79. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Surely, the murderer of al-Husayn is in a coffin of fire; half chastisement of the people of the Fire (will be practiced) against him; his hands and legs will be tied with chains of fire; he will be turned over until he falls into the bottom of the Hellfire. He will have a bad smell because of which the inhabitants of the Fire will seek protection in their Lord. He will be in the Hellfire forever and taste the painful chastisement. Whenever his skin is ripen, Allah will change it, that he may taste the painful chastisement which will not be flagged from him for an hour, and he will be watered from the boiling water of the Hellfire. So woe unto him because of the chastisement of Allah, the Great and Almighty!
"Woe unto every sinful criminal who fought against the master of the youths of Heaven who revolted for the rights of the oppressive and the deprived and for saving them from the Umayyad terrorist regime, which disdained the souls and dignity of men. Definitely, Allah has prepared a painful chastisement and severe punishment, with which He shall not punish the criminals, for those who took part in fighting against the sweet basil of Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, and master of the youths of the Garden (i.e. Ima`m al-Husayn, peace be on him).
80. Through his chain of authorities, he said: [Abu` al-Qa`sim al-Ta`'i related to me. He said: 'Ali b. Mu`sa` al-Rida`, peace be on him, related to me. He said: My father Mu`sa` b. Ja'far related to me. He said: My father Ja'far b. Mohammed related to me. He said: My father
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Mohammed b. 'Ali related to me. He said: My father 'Ali b. al-Husayn related to me. He said: My father al-Husayn b. 'Ali related to me. He said: My father 'Ali b. Abu Ta`lib, peace be on him, related to me. He said: Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] "Verily, Musa b. 'Umra`n raised his hands and said: 'O my Lord, surely my brother Haru`n has died, so forgive him.' Hence Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him: 'O Musa, if you ask me (to forgive) the first and the last, I will respond to you except those who killed al-Husayn, for I will not forgive them; rather I will take vengeance upon them.'"
