The belief deviation of the Sheikhs’ [followers]
Now, some the tribe of the Sheikhs: they do not believe that the final journey of man is towards the Holy Essence of Right; and they totally reject arriving at the position of the Lofty Holiness Right and being annihilated in the Essence of that Exalted Stratus. They deny the Divine Gnostic and the Knowledge of that Lofty Essence to be obtained by man. So they say:
The extreme Gnostic and perfection journey of man is just towards the Greatest Holiness; which is the nearest veil for receiving blessing.
They say: ‘The Holiness Essence of Right is free from any names and attributes, therefore, these names and attributes of Exalted are away from His Essence; they stand at the lower state – thus, in truth, the Essence of Right is free from any names and attributes.’
The Holiness greatest Master and the centre of being, the Imam at the time is the Name of Allah; he is just a level lower to the Essence of Right. As the journey towards the Holiness Essence is away from any name and fame, and it is the eternal and everlasting, there is no ending to it; therefore, the extremist journey of man is to the Greatest Name of the Right (Allah), which is the very Greatest Protector – an interval between Allah and the creatures and the created world.
The followers of the Sheikhs say: ‘As it is only the Monarch at the time who can reach to Allah, and on the other hand, we cannot get to the Monarch at the time, so there must be a meddler to join us to him; therefore, he is the Sheikh, the fourth dignitary. The first Dignitary is Allah, the second dignitary is the Messenger, and the third dignitary is the Imam and finally the fourth one is the Sheikh. So our uppermost journey is being annihilated in Sheikh, and the Sheikh’s final journey is to the Imam. Then, the final journey of the Imam is annihilating in the Holiness Right – and these four elements are necessary.’
The corrupt of this kind of belief is clear, because:
The first one is that if we take the names and attributes away from the Holiness Right, and to consider Him without any Names and Attributes then, we are lead to a mute and powerless Holiness Essence of Right – thus, such essence is dead and ignorant, while Allah is the Highest of all!
And Secondly point is that, in our journey and knowledge, the verses of the Qur’an and the narratives invite us to the Essence of Right; and the utmost of our journey, arriving at the territory of the Gnostic is just arriving at the threshold of the Holiness Right – not reaching the Greatest Master.
And third: why do Imam and the Greatest Master have possibility to reach the Essence of the Holiness Right but the rest of the people do not? If it is possible for him, then it must be possible for everyone. That is, if it is impossible for the others, then, how does it become possible for him?
The followers of the Sheikh say: the greatest Master is neither possible nor necessary; it is a station between the possibility and obligation.
Their answer is that: we do not believe in being a station between possibility and obligation, it is possible for everyone and their uppermost journey and annihilation in the Holiness Essence is the necessary existent.
The necessity of Sheikhs’ statement is Imam’s independent being
And the fourth is that: according to this statement that the Greatest Master must be an independent being so that the annihilation of the creature that everyone has his own name and title, to prove to be true, but not just the obedience; otherwise the destiny must be the Holiness Right and this supposition is considered as disbelief, submission and reborn – while Allah is the Highest of all!
In brief, this tribe has not understood that: there is guardianship in every being; and it is the distance and the veil between it and the Essence of the Right; and this is the main Guardianship belonging to Allah, and then in every being it is just following.
The Holy Qur’an considers all being as the sign and mirror, and nor the narratives consider any position for the Imams as the independence; they are considered to be wrong. Whatever position, degree and perfection they have are from Allah, with Allah and belong to Allah – they are only to present and demonstrate them.
They are the right path and the bridge of the legislative guidance to lead mankind to the Holiness and Lofty Right.
The destination and the main aim is Allah, His Holiness Essence and the Holy Names and Attributes of His; and the Imams are the meddlers of the mercy and blessing in ascending and descending.
Therefore, the Entity of the Holiness God’s Remainder, may our souls be sacrificed to him, has the condition of signs and mirrors for the Holiness Exalted Right; therefore, getting to know him must be the same as getting to know the Holiness Right, Allah. In the language of the science, the Entity of that Holiness, regarding the Holiness Right, is inseparable, but not only amplification.
However, the course journeying towards the Exalted Allah is through that the Holiness, but the main aim is only Allah, the Honourable and Exalted. So, it becomes clear that if we take the course as the destination, we are making a lot of mistakes.
One must go towards Allah, he must make it the desirable wish of his to meet Allah, to reach Allah, and to practice Gnostic for Allah and to be annihilated in the Essence of Allah; but as this destination cannot be obtained without this course, and this desire can only achieved in this way, for arriving to the destiny and the ideal desire one must step in this course.
As we cannot see the sun without a mirror, so we see His beautiful Feature in the water or a mirror. Comparing it to the sun, mirror has different letters and diverse function; it does not demonstrate itself but reflects the sun. We cannot wash our hands in the light, illumination and the heat of the sun, because its duty sustaining life, nor can we look at the mirror independently, because it is no more the reprehensive for the sun; it cannot show the reflex of the sun in it. In this case, the mirror does not reflect, it is just glass, shining glass; in fact it loses its name and nature.
However, if we look in the mirror and water as the presenter, we actually do not see the mirror and water, what we see in it is the reflex of the sun. So we have to look at the mirror to see the sun, we have no other choice; in the point of view of the scientific: ‘the mirror is what is looked in it but not to look in.
The Holiness Entity, the Holiness remainder of Allah, may his advent be hastened, is the full-presenter-mirror of the Right, through him, the Holiness Right must been seen, but not he himself. Because his being is not the being by itself, he is a mirror and the Right cannot be seen without a mirror – without a mirror it is impossible to see the Right.
Therefore, surely the Holiness Right must be looked for through the mirror, through the right mirror, the Great Master and then to try to journey towards Him.
In the supplications and prayers the Second Being, (He Who is spoken to), is Allah the Almighty. But the point is that He is beseeched through the straight path of the Holiness Great Master. Thus, even if we beseech the Holiness Himself, and take him as the second person spoken to, we must be careful not to take him as independent, not to take him as being on his own. We must always be attentive that he is as a mirror reflecting things towards us but not the answerer of our questions. In that case, we have indeed taken Allah; the One Who is spoken to. Because, as we pointed it out, the mirror by itself cannot do anything, it is not independent unless to reflect something; it is a presenter and reflects things as much as it receives.
This is the most important subject of the section of Gnostic and Monotheism subjects that: the multiplicity of this world have no mutual incompatibility with the unity of the Right, because the unity is main part but multiplicity is the secondary and has the condition of a mirror. And the subject of the Guardian becomes quite clear the fact of the Guardian is the very Monotheism.
Asking Allah without the
Imam's mediation means nothing, so is it asking for the Imam's favour without
Allah's will and meditation.
In fact, asking from the Imam and asking from Allah are the same thing; not only
in word and statement but practically, because without Allah nothing has
independent meaning.
تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى الْجَلَالِ وَ الْإكْرَام.
'…Blessed be the name of your Majestic and Splendid Lord, (Qur'an: 55/ 78)!'
These two tribes of (the
Wahhabi and theSheikheia) are lost, because if their material and personality
beings are taken away then nothing remains to prove their independence, and
either way is wrong. The right way is just between, for the creatures are
connected to the right, they are related to the right attributes and they are
the reflection of the right attributes and the Names of Majesty.
The Wahhabi sect has tendency towards fatalism, and Sheikheiia to submission;
therefore both are wrong, the fact is:
أمْرٌ بَيْنَ الْأمْرَيْنِ وَ مَنْزلَة بَيْنَ الْمَنْزِلَتَيْن،
And that is just the Light of the Holiest Being in all creatures.
Wahhabi sect denies the Power and Sense of the Right to be in every creature, and Sheikheiia denies totally the power and the knowledge of the right to be in Holiness Right Itself! Thus, either of these two is lost and is going the wrong direction!
The Extreme Care for the Holiness Monarch for the Time is Getting to Know the Holiness, but not Being in His Physical Presence
The Existing of the
Holiness "حجّة
ابن الحسن", may our
souls be made sacrifice to him, is the complete illumination of the Creator, the
main purpose is Allah and that Holiness is the Leader and Guide. And if in our
supplication, we refer straight to him, and only look for his separate attention
to us, then we will neither get what we wanted nor can visit our Holiness
Creator.
We cannot reach him just because his being is not independent, and cannot get
closer to Allah for we have not been after Him – that is, we have not considered
Allah's Being in the Holiness we were after.
Therefore, most people who are grieving in passion to see the Praiseworthy
Monarch for the Time, even if they are given chance to visit him, they will not
beg him more than their daily desires and game and fame! That is because they
have not considered the Holiness to be as the reflecting mirror, and then, by
seeing him they could see Allah. By visiting the Holiness, they could see Allah,
but not the Holiness to become another veil to blind them seeing Allah! And in
return, they ask him for their daily requests.
How often some people have visited him, and they have recognized him but asked
him for their common needs. Therefore, they have not really recognized him, for
knowing him means knowing Allah! As it is said:
مَنْ عَرَفَكُمْ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ اللَه.
'Whoever knows you, he really knows Allah!'
Whoever wants to get in his presence, he must keep himself purified, he must try to to purify his soul, then, he can visit Allah, because it is a need how to visit Allah – he gets closer to the Holiness even though it is not physically to be in his presence. So the main thing is the knowing of the fact of that Holiness, but not having physical contact with him and being in his presence. Seeing him eye to eye benefits nothing except a simple visiting, however, visiting him by insight eye and knowing his pure sprit leads one to his Creator, Allah.
لِمِثْلِ هَذَا فَلْيَعْمَلِ الْعَامِلُون.
'…and for this [reward] let the resisters resist, (Qur'an: 37/61).'
Al‘lāma Bahr-ul-Olum, may
Allah sanctify his soul, ran his whole life in struggling to purify his soul,
stay away from the cardinal desires so that to reach the divine knowledge and
understand the Holiest Right; it is quite obvious through his pamphlets how he
had tried and finally witnessed the right.
There must be a purified sight to see Your face
How can a self-conceited see Your face!
They have related from that late servant that once when he was reciting the
supplication to enter the shrine of the Master of the martyrs, upon him be
peace, he stood in the entrance, gazed at the pure shrine and stood for a while
and read this line of the poems:
"How
nice is hearing, from you, the recital of the Qur'an'
Looking up at your face but hearing the voice of Allah!
Some later, they asked him
for his delay in the entrance, he answered: 'The Holiness Mahdi, May Allah
hasten his advent, was sitting in the corner of the shrine reciting the Qur'an.'
So, this is the meaning of being at his presence and this is the fact.
And we must try hard to correct our belief, and base our belief on the fact.
Both the Wahhabeiia and Shekheiia are on the wrong basis, they have caused
seditions, have shed blood, and have killed many Muslims. Muhammad bin
Abd-ul-Wahab, based on the philosophy of the ibn Teimeiia, who was also of the
followers of ibn Tomart claiming to be Mahdi in the North Africa, and had
dominated many parts of Africa: a part of Spain, Algeria, Morroco and Tunisia
during two hundred years of his opinion, and people called him the Appointed
Mahdi of the pious, he began his propaganda. He cooperated with Muhammad Saud,
they began blood shedding, wherever they would pass by, they killed the innocent
people. They took all the sincere Muslims as disbelievers, and whoever disobeyed
them they killed him on the spot. Trully, the sedition of the Wahhabis' were the
greatest sedition, so far Islam has not been able to repay the loss
Sheikh Ahmad Ah'saee had not studied philosophy, and was alien to the science of
wisdom. He wanted to become familiar with the wisdom of the Islamic Gnostic. So
he began studying by himself, and finally he neither sensed the Gnostic nor
learned the wisdom! However, he considered himself to be expert in this field
and set up his own invented opinion. In his book, he abused the greatest sages
in Islam, like Mulla Sadra Shirazi, the the Gnostic in Islam like, Mohi'i-ad-Din
Arabi, he even attacked some of experts in the commentaries: like Mulla Mohsen
Feiz Kashani and some others.
He called Mohi'i-ad-Din Arabi as "ممِيتُ
الدِّين", and
called his "
فُتُوحات " as "
حُتُوفات ", and he
singled him out to be a disbeliever! He considered his phrases and statements to
be all nonsense! He belied that Feiz was astray, and gave to Mulla Mohsen the
tile of Mulla "مسىء
"; and he took them opponent of the Household and the infallible that were
purified by Allah:
أذْهَبَ اللَهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهِيرا.
On the other hand, he believed himself to be the investigator, the witness, agreeable with the Household and the pure infallible.[22] And in his incorrect assumptions he points to some subjects that no sensible man believes them, everyone familiar with the divine knowledge understands that he has not understood the fact!
The Awkwardness of Sheikh Ahmad Kasaee, the Fonder of the Sheikheiia Tribe
Sheikh Ahmad Ahsaee, the
funder of "شَيْخيَّه " (Sheikheiia) Tribe, and the teacher and instructor of
Sayyid Kazim Jilani Rashti is also the teacher and instructor of Sayyid Muhammad
Ali Bab, the funder of the Babeiiah sect, and naturally is a Bahaee.
[23]
And their followers' claim for Mahdaweiiat and divinity erupt corruptions and
seditions, it caused bloodshed and its effect is still seen somewhere.
Sheikh Ahmad was a pious person, and this piety of his caused some people to
make mistakes and follow him – they did not know the differences between the
piety and Gnostic. Therefore, right from the beginning they exaggerated and
praised him; then, years after, they turned away and rejected him.
The owner of the “Rozat-al-Jannat”, concerning their analysis, says:
تَرْجُمَانُ الْحُكَمآءِ الْمُتَأَلِّهِينَ وَ لِسَانُ العُرَفآءِ وَ الْمُتَكَلِّمِين
and then, after praising and greatly admiring it,[24] he begins criticizing and condemning the Sheikh in the translation of Hafiz Rajab Borsi, until saying:
وَ لَا يَذْهَبْ عَلَيْكَ غِبَّ مَا ذَكَرْتُهُ لَكَ أنَّ مَنْزِلَة ذَلِكَ الشَّيْخِ المُقَدَّمِ مِنْ هَذِهِ المُقَلّدَة الغَاوِيَة إنَّمَا هِىَ مَنْزِلَة الْعُلُوجِ الثَّلَاثَة الَّذينَ ادَّعَوُا النَّصْرَانِيَّة وَ أفْسَدُوهَا بِإظْهَارِهِمُ الْبِدَعَ الثَّلَثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ انْ عُرِجَ بِنَبِيِّهِمُ الْمَسْيحِ عِيسَى بْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَليه السّلام. [25]
‘Try not to forget whatever I have already mentioned you which is about the state and position of this Sheikh to his astray followers, it has the triple dimensions, and he has claimed to back the Christianity, and that they have set up those three innovations; they have ruined the religion of Jesus after his ascending to the heavens.’
And the followers of the Sheikhs consider the descendants of ‘Sari’ia’to be astray, but on the other hand, they consider their opponents, who are known as ‘Bala Sari’a’[26] to be the people of strength. Then, he gives some explanations about the seditions of Babi’iah. [27]
Anyhow, these two distinguished groups separated from the Islam, as: Wah’habis and Bahai’is; and as we cannot accept the Bahai’is to be of the Shiite, we cannot take the Wah’habis as the members of the Sunnite. It is because they are the enemies of the Sunnite, the Sunnite also reject them to be of them. Destroying the graves of the immaculate Imams is one of their oppositions to Islam. Most people, on the ground of protecting the path of the Household, Upon Them be Peace, and are opposing the Gnostic and the uppermost wisdom, and separate the school of the household, are of these narrow-mined people. Without intelligence and enough attention in the kernel of the subject, and according to the natural disposition of the ‘TRADITIONISTS’, without scrutinizing them, they want to quench themselves by the knowledge of Muhammad’s Household – far be it from them!
What! Do they think the knowledge of the Household of Muhammad is only for the unintelligent people for not having enough knowledge and intelligence to understand it? Never, it is not so; they who claim they have intellect and clear insight is not enough, they should know that without enough intellectual knowledge and at least the first step of the argument it is impossible to get benefit from their knowledge – supposedly interpreting a text and narrative, without comprehending its real meaning, does not mean knowing it well! These poor assume that by superficially translating a text they understand it well, and to hide their shortcoming, they say: ‘What! Had the followers of the Imams read philosophy?’
Yes; the orator followers, such as Hisham bin Hakam and Muhammad bin No‘man Ahwal, Mo‘men-at-Taq and some others were quite acquainted with the intellectual knowledge; and they were expert in the literature and daily language in use.
The fact of the Shiite is based on intelligence not merely the narratives
The Late Al‘lāma Amini, in his noble book of ‘Al-Ghadir] says that: in the book of Zaid Zar’rad, it is related that the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, said that the Holiness Imam Bāqir, Upon Him be Peace, said to him:
يَا بُنَىَّ اعْرِفْ مَنَازِلَ شِيعَة عَلىٍّ عَلى قَدْر روَايَتِهِمْ وَ مَعْرِفَتِهِمْ، فإنَّ الْمَعْرِفَة هِىَ الدِّرَايَة لِلرِّوَايَة؛ وَ بِالدِّرَايَاتِ للرِّوايَاتِ يَعْلُو الْمُؤْمِنُ إلَى أقْصَى دَرَجَة الْإيمَان.
‘O my darling son! Be acquainted with the status and dignity of Ali’s followers on the basis of their knowledge of narratives and intelligence! Because apparently reading narratives does not mean being intellectual and having the inner knowledge, the inner knowledge means getting to know the core of the narrative. Then, by well understanding and getting to know the real meanings of the narratives, a believer can climb the summit of the mountain of knowledge.’
إنِّى نَظَرْتُ فِى كِتَابِ عَلِىٍّ عَليْه السّلام فَوَجَدْتُ فِيهِ: إنَّ زِنَة كُلِّ امْرٍ وَ قَدْرَهُ مَعْرِفَتَهُ؛ انَّ اللَهَ يُحَاسِبُ الْعِبادَ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَآ آتَاهُمْ مِنَ الْعُقُول.
I looked in the book of Commander of the believers, Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace, and I found that every man’s degree and status is as much as his inner knowledge, and Allah takes to account anyone of his slaves according to the size of intellect He has given him.’
And in the book of “GHEIBAT-e-NO‘MANI”, page 70, there is a narrative from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace, saying that:
خَبَرٌ تَدْريهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَشْرٍ تَرْوِيهِ؛ إنَّ لِكُلِّ حَقٍّ حَقِيقَة وَ لِكُلِّ صَوَابٍ نُورا.
‘If you know a subject well and investigate in its real meaning it is better than relating ten narratives [knowing not their meanings]. There is indeed a fact and reality for every subject, and for everything there is right and light stability.’
And has been written in the book of “KASHF-ul-QUMMA” of the She‘rani, volume 1, page 40:
كَانَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ أَبِى طَالِبٍ رَضِىَ اللَهُ عَنْهُ يَقُولُ: كُونُوا لِلْعِلْمِ وُعَاة! وَ لَا تَكُونُوا لَهُ رُوَاة.
‘[The habit of] Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace, [the Commander of the believers], may Allah be pleased with, was that he would [always] say: ‘Be you forever the treasurer of the knowledge; but be not the deliverer of it to the others!’ [28]
So far as I remember of the history of philosophy: all sages have either believed in the basicality of being or have believed in the principality of essence; and each of these two religions has its own opponents and either of them has the right point of it as well objections against the other. However, nowadays, thanks be to Allah, the basicality of being has become crystal clear to everyone. But Sheikh Ahmad Ehsaee, who had studied philosophy, has made mistakes and become seriously doubtful of the both sides, and has said: what is the difficulty that both basicality of being and the principality of essence to be right? That is in either of them to be two element beings and the reality. But this statement is so mean not only for the philosophers but to any wise person or even to the idiot ones and the grass-eating animals, because a sheep sees only what it eats but not two different things in the mean time – it is quite unexplainable.
With this brief knowledge of his, he has broadcast his statement and started criticizing the philosophy and Gnostic! He has said: ‘There is no philosophy or the knowledge of the Household in the Qur’an; and the Gnostic is the man-made affair put in the religion.’
It must be asked these narrow-minded people that: Does the Noble Qur’an not invite mankind to ponder? And does it not separate right from wrong? Does it not call people to wisdom? Is the wisdom of the knowing the fact of the things is not as vast as the talent of man? Does the Gnostic not introduce the course of the Holiness Creator’s witness through the inner eyes of man, insight, and recognizing the Great Names and Attributes of His? And above all, is the Holy Qur’an as well the narratives of the Household not full of invitations to meeting Allah, the purification of the souls, and journeying to the sincerity and perfection?
So how can we remove these two elements from the religion that is based on the intellectual thoughts and the conscience witness with such self-possessed foundation? These abject people think that by superficially translating a subject they get to know the kernel meaning of the narrative; then, they keep saying: ‘Had the followers of the Imams read philosophy?’
Understanding the words of Imam demands having insight and intelligence
They say: ‘The school of the statements of ‘Al-Sādiq and Al- Bāqir’ must be followed. This expression is quite right because in the point of obedience and bigotry to the last religion we know absolutely nothing about the fact and realism and genuineness of schools as the school of Ja‘fari; but the most important point is that: are all people familiar with “The school of the statements of ‘Al-Sādiq and Al- Bāqir?” And can every common person understand the kernel of the statement of them? The answer is, never! Their narrations are like the Qur’an: abrogative and abrogated, absolute, stipulated, brief and explanatory, common and confidential, inward and outward. Now, who can claim that by having such a book of them in his disposal he knows every single explanation in it? In fact, this claim is too exorbitant!
All of them say: ‘As- Sādiq says,’ the admirers of the Sheikh say so, the Traditionists’ say that, the Fundamentals and the Ismaeelis say the same. Now, the question is that why so many differences have popped up in the religion? By simply saying: ‘the statement of ‘Al-Sādiq’ is not enough; one must really use his mind to know the kernel of his statements. Is it not that those great Imams have expressed their statements to us in a way that by using our minds we understand them? So why do we not use our minds and instead we say: ‘The only school of the Household is enough for us?’ Now, think honestly and tell me: ‘Has the very statement not based on using the mind?’ Does its non-existence not rise of its existence? Does it not annul itself?
So how narrow-minded is one who is simply content with the appearances of the subjects; he ignores the enormous main meanings of them and takes the superficial senseless meanings!
As all the fractions of Islam cry: ‘The Book Allah, the Book of Allah: the Shiite, the Sunnite, Ash’ari, Mo’tazeli, Wah’habis and the others say the same, but have they all passed the true path?
And have all of them understood the fact? They wanted to condemn the Commander of the believers by the same Book of Allah; and with their statement: ‘We want to stop the null for there is no command except Allah’s command,’ they wanted to humiliate that real command and the basis of the religion! So is this not wrong?
They have misused a very weak and baseless narrative rejecting the philosophy and by means of that they have prohibited reading philosophy and using mind and investigating things thoroughly.
No one has questioned them to know which philosophy they are talking about! Is that the philosophy of the materialists and atheists and the Kings before the Islam, the Egyptian, Indian and the Greece? Or is it the philosophy of the Islam that illuminates the world, and it is full of greatness, majesty and proud? Sadr-al-Mota‘al’lehin Shirazi’s books, may Allah be pleased with, are really the proud of the Shiite, or perhaps the world of Islam. The investigations and the accuracy of this great man is the best means of progress and resolving the difficulties. So how unkindness is that to evade this philosophy which has similarity with that philosophy of ancient time – and trying to replace them!
How meanness is that we want to condemn the Commander of the believers with the statement: ‘There is no command except the command of Allah!’ And how unkindness is that we want to reject the Messenger of Allah by means of the verses of the Qur’an which have been sent directly to him!
How meanness is that we misuse the term of the Sufism and the secrets of the Sufis, and then, we completely block the courses of intuition, conscience, Gnostic and meeting Allah! How malice is that analogizing the different schools, such as: Sayyid bin Tavous and Shahidin, and Naragheiin, and Sayyid Mahdi Bah-ul-Olum, and ibn Fahd Hilli, and the First Majlisi, and Aagha Sayyid Ali Shushtari, Shekh Ansari, and Aakhond Mullah Hossein Kholi Hamanadi; as well as his blissful stydents like: Hassan Basari, and Muhammad bin Monkadir, and Soyan Thori and some more – those who have taken the Sufism a separate course for separating the Imams! And the term of Sufi that, in some narratives they have used, for slandering them, is done by their ignorance, grudge and envies, it is because their sayings always damage their personalities.
Acquaintance with the appearance of the Qur’an and the look of the narratives, without pondering in the deepest meaning, and on the other hand, gesturing to be scholars, gives nothing but errors and wrong ideas as the Wah’habis’ belief and the founders of the sect of the Sheikhs – which are the cause loss and off course.
And while praising Allah, we must be careful not to follow the opinions and verdicts of the Sheikhs, because it is the specialties and theories of the Sheikhs to oppose the journeying towards Allah, and enmity to Gnostic and considering the Monarch of the Time an independent being.
If we are having such estimate and vision then we have without our intervention chosen the same opinion.
The main reason of meeting the Monarch of the Time, upon them be Peace must be discovering the Guardianship and meeting Allah
The gatherings for the description of the tragedies of Karbala, and beseeching the Holiness Monarch of the time is quite alright, but the main purpose of such gatherings and beseeching must be just Right, Allah, the Honourable and Exalted, the aim must be reaching the Right, it must be for removing the dark and illuminating veil away. It must be for discovering the fact of the Guardianship and the Unity, the purpose must be to reach the Divine Gnostic and annihilating in the Essence of His Holiness. This is praiseworthy and laudable. Therefore, even in the era of the Imams, upon them be peace, the expectation for the Advent was considered greater and the most virtuous deed – it was and there will be.
Beseeching the rightful Guardianship of that Holiness for uncovering the veils is the best achievement to continue; because the Unity of the Right is of the most virtuous acts. Thus, the expectation for the physically advent of that Holiness, which in reality is his spiritually advent and the Guardianship of his, is praiseworthy and laudable.
However, if without knowing the fact, we expect just for his apparent advent, then we have sold that Holiness for a trifle price. And in such dealing, we have lost a lot, because the main aim is not just visiting him physically. If his simple meeting is our desire and it sees to our problems, then great many people had visited him in his time, in his childhood, he personally spoke to them but they did not benefit from him. If in our gatherings and in the assemblies of ours we desire to visit him, and Allah too grant out desires, but our minds are void of meeting Allah and His Right and Protection, then we have met the Holiness in the same way that the people in his childhood visited him. This kind of meeting is a great loss trying and struggling to visit him just apparently and physically – this kind of meeting is a short glad-tiding, it just removes our doubts that he is alive and has a true lengthy life! In that case, we long to meet him for our material needs or to solve our personal problems. This is such an affair that, without setting up the supplication sessions and coming together, and without struggling too much, was possible for almost everyone in the era of the Imams, Upon Them be Peace.
However, that which is very important is visiting the fact and truth and reaching the reality of that Holiness; the desire of meeting him is because he is the sign of the Holiness Glorified Right, the Exalted. This kind of insight is very important, and it is of the most virtuous actions; this kind of expectation of ‘Advent’ relives the hearts and soothes the souls: may Allah provide us and hopefully you by the sake of Muhammad and his immaculate Household!
What is the use of knowing the time of ‘the physically advent’ of that Holiness? That is why, in the narratives such investigations and searches are prohibited.
Suppose that by practicing geomancy we got to know the exact time of the advent of the Monarch of the time, say that, for example, in a year plus two months and three days. In that case what do we do? What is our duty? Our duty is to refine and purify our commanding souls for accepting the facts and sacrificing.
We are appointed to look after these affairs; we must always try to purify our desires, intentions and commanding souls. We must be careful, whether the advent of that Holiness is imminent or a long period of time ahead. If we really decide it and put it into practice, then we will really visit him; but is we did not decide doing so, then his physical meeting will not benefit us – we will not get any satisfaction from our meeting him.
Therefore, we see that most people who, in the period of ‘ARBAEEN’, seclude in the Mosque of ‘SAHLAH’ or the Mosque of ‘KUFA’, or in some Blessed Places, to visit that Holiness, and now and then, some of them visit him but benefit nothing out of their meetings.
However, that which is more important to know is that: in fact, his spiritual wholeness has not yet come to sight; it depends on some signs and means that must prove to be true. His physical being is possible to come to the sight, in other words, the way to move toward him as always open for all, what it needs is the cultivation of morals and the purification of soul. Nowadays, whoever decides to meet Allah and tries to achieve his goal, then, without doubt, he can visit the Holiness Monarch of the time, because his meeting, without meeting the Mirror-Like Sign of that Holiness is impossible.
The Way How to Visit the Monarch for the Time is Paved
And the conclusion of this statement is that: the way to visit the true Guardianship of that Holiness is always wide open; the most important thing is the cultivation of morals and the purification of the soul; and it needs journeying towards Gnostic and the Unity of the Holiness Right, the Honourable and Exalted – whether the apparent and common being of that Holiness takes place sooner or never does at all.
Because Allah is Kind and He never bans His blessing, and He has not closed the entrance to anyone who desires.
This door is always open, and He always responds to the desirous and lovers: ‘Here am I’.
Therefore, it is necessary for the lovers of the Divine Beauty and the desirous to meet Him, the Holiness Exalted, step steadily but sure in the course of journeying towards the Holiness’ Gnostic; and by purifying their soul, being attentive in their morality, and trying to fulfill the duties towards Allah to prepare themselves to reach their ideal destination. In this way, whether one wants it or not, he will get satisfaction by having the Monarch of the time by his side. It is then he enjoys manifold where he steps on, and he uses all what Allah has put in his disposal to have happy life and perfection.
وَفَّقَّنَا اللَهُ تَعَالَى وَ ايَّاكُمْ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ صَلَّى اللَهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِه.
May Allah, the Exalted, make peace between you and us for the sake of Muhammad and his Household, Bless be to Him and his Descendants.
Here, we must take three points into consideration: Firstly, it is we who are the cause of the absence of that Holiness, but not the Holiness himself. That is, because of our sins, arrogance and aggression we have deprived ourselves meeting him but not he has hidden himself! In other words, he is absent from our sight, but we are not absent to him.
The second point is that: the power, knowledge and the dominion of the Holiness over our activities and affairs are not in a way that to be put into practice after his advent, all his dominion, which is necessary for his Guardianship, in any condition is with the Holiness; however before his advent, this subject is hidden from the perceptive of us, it will come to sight after his appearing to us.
The third one to mention is that: the practical power, the vast knowledge and the genetic dominion of the Holiness upon the world’s affairs, are not such welfare in a way that we consider being welfare. On the contrary, it is the whole dominion upon all affairs: from welfare down to evil, and generally over every kind of activities, every action, and any creature among the entire creatures; because on the basis of the whole genesis, the complete world is wellbeing and there no evil at all. Evil is a non-existing affair, it is not from Allah, nor is it from the saints of Allah; may evil not befall you! As the poet says:
1. إذَا سَفَرَتْ فِى يَومِ عِيدٍ تَزَاحَمَتْ عَلَى حُسنِهَا أبْصَارُ كُلِّ قَبِيلَة
2. فَأرْوَاحُهُمْ تَصْبُو لِمَعْنَى جِمَالِهِا وَ احْدَ اقُهُم مِنْ حُسْنِهَا فِى حَدِيقَة
3. وَ عِنْدِىَ عِيدىِ كُلُ يَوْمٍ أرَى بِهِ جَمَالَ مُحَيَّاهَا بِعَيْنٍ قَرِيَرَة
4. وَ كُلُّ اللَّيالِى لَيْلَة الْقَدْرِ إنْ دنَتْ كَمَا كُلُّ ايَّامِ اللِّقا يَوْمُ جُمَعَة
5. وَ سَعْيِى لَهَا حَجٌّ بِهِ كُلُّ وَقْفَة عَلَى بَابِهَا قَدْ عَادَلَتْ كُلَّ وَقْفَة
6. وَ أىُّ بِلَادِ حَلَّتْ بِهَا فَمَا ارَاهَا، وَ فِى عَيْنِى حَلَتْ، غَيْرَ مَكَّة
7. وَ أَىُّ مَكَانٍ ضَمَّهَا حَرَمٌ كَذَا أرَى كُلَّ دَارٍ أوْ طَنَتْ دَارَ هِجْرَة
8. وَ مَا سَكَنَتْهُ فَهْوَ بَيْتٌ مُقَدَّسٌ بِقُرَّة عَيْنِى فِيهِ احْشَاىَ قَرَّتَ
9. وَ مَسْجِدىَ الْأقْصَى مَسَاحِبُ بُرْدِهَا وَ طِيبى ثَرَى أرْضٍ عَلَيْهَا تَمَشَّتِ
10. نَهَارِى أصِيلٌ كُلُّهُ إنْ تَنَسَّمَتْ أوَائِيلُهُ مِنْهَا بِرَدِّ تَحِيَّتى
11. وَ لَيْلِىَ فِيهَا كُلُّهُ سَحَرٌ إذَا سَرَى لِىَ مِنْهَا فِيهِ عَرْفُ نُسَيْمَة
12. وَ إنْ طَرَقَتْ لَيْلًا فَشَهْرِىَ كُلُّهُ بِهَا لَيْلَة الْقَدْرِ ابْتِهَاجاً بِزَوْرَة
13. وَ إنْ قَرُبَتْ دَارِى فَعَامِىَ كُلُّهُ رَبِيعُ اعْتِدَالٍ فِى رِياضٍ أرِيضَة
14. وَ إنْ رَضِيَتْ عَنِّى فَعُمْرِىَ كُلُّهُ زَمَانُ الصَّبَا طِيباً وَ عَصْرُ الشَّبِيَبة [29]
1- On that day of festival, when he removes the veil away from his feature, his face looks so beautiful that the eyes of the tribes molest one another when watching it.
2- Therefore, the souls of these people in the tribes, for watching at his charming beauty anxiously try to encircle him, and then, the eyes of those over-lookers turn to reflect orchards filled with blessings.
3- For me the festival is the day within I see his feature with my fresh and bright eyes.
4- And the whole nights of mine is only the Night of the Degree, then, at that night, if he comes closer to me, then all my days change to be the festival days and Fridays.
5- And my journey towards him is a Hajj Pilgrimage I have fulfilled for him, and every stop of mine at the door of the House is equal to a Hajj Rite.
6- And if he enters any town of the towns of Allah, while he has entered in my sight, then, I will never consider that town to be other than Ka‘ba.
7- And any place that embraces him is a shrine, and so is any house becomes his dwelling place, is considered the immigration centre.
8- And wherever he settles, there is called the ‘The Holy House’, and because of my eyes’ brightness, there, all my inward changes into freshness.
9- And my Holy Farthest Mosque is the trails of his long garment touching the ground and giving the land fragrance smell when he walks on it.
11- If he answers my greeting early morning all my day and eve turns to the joyfulness and happiness.
And if he passes me by a night, his sweet smelling affects me and gives me a delightful night till the dawn I wake up.
12- And if a night he comes to me, because of his arrival, I will feel the very night and the rest as the ‘LEILAT-ul-GHADR’ for a month.
13- And if he gets closer to my house, all through the year my life changes into mild spring and I will walk around among the sweet-smelling garden and get delighted.
14- And if he becomes satisfied with me, all my life will be pure, joyful and blessing – as fresh as my young-hood period.
References
[22]
" شرح زيارت جامعه", Sheikh Ahsaee, letter-set printing, page 315.
[23] Al‘lāma Sheikh Agha Bozorg Tehrani has
mentions it in "أعلام الشيعة ", in the volume of "الكرام البررة ", page 88 that
the birth of Ahsaee was in 1166, and his death in 1241 Hijri the Lunar year. And
in page 90, he writes the death of Sayyid Kazim Rashti in the year 1259. And
Deh-Khoda, in his Dictionary, volume 3, under the tile of BAB, page 32, explains
the birthday of Sayyid Muhammad Bab in 1236 and his death in 1266.
[24] "روضات الجنّات", old printing, page 25.
[25] "روضات الجنّات", page 276.
[26] The Sheikhis are called "On the Behind
Line", because their Imam of mass prayer used to establish the prayers behind
the pure Tomb of the Holiness Master of the martyrs, upon him be peace, ; and
the Sheikhis were by the sect of "Akhbari" and opposite the sect of "Osoleiin".
And Karbala's Osoleiins are called "the ahead line's" because their Imam of mass
prayer used to establish the prayers at the top position of the Tomb of the
Holiness.
[27] "روضات", pages
285 & 286
[28] "الغدیر", volume
1, page 4, footnote.
[29] The Poetical Works of ibn Fariz", Great
Elegy, poems of 353 onward, pages 80 - 81.