4. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is worship
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«حبُّ آلِ محمّدٍ يوماً خيرٌ من عبادةِ سنةٍ، ومن ماتَ عليهِ دخلَ الجنّةَ.»
“One day of loving Muhammad’s Ahl al-Bayt is better than one year of worship. Anyone who dies loving the Ahl al-Bayt will enter the Paradise.”18
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«حبُّ آلِ محمّدٍ يوماً خيرٌ من عبادةِ سنةٍ، ومن ماتَ عليهِ دخلَ الجنّةَ.»
“One day of loving Muhammad’s Ahl al-Bayt is better than one year of worship. Anyone who dies loving the Ahl al-Bayt will enter the Paradise.”18
5. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is a sign of faith
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«لا يؤمنُ عبدٌ حتّی أکونَ أحبَّ إليهِ من نفسِه، وأهلي أحبُّ إليهِ من أهلهِ، وعترتي أحبُّ إليهِ من عترتِهِ، وذاتي أحبُّ إليهِ من ذاتهِ.»
“None of Allah’s servants attain complete faith unless he loves me more than he loves himself, loves my Ahl al-Bayt more than he loves his own family, loves my progeny more than he loves his own progeny, and loves my essence more than he loves his own essence.”19
6. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is a sign of purity of birth
The Holy Prophet (S) pointed at ‘Ali (as) and said,
«أيها الناس! إمتحنوا أولادکم بحبّه، فإنّ علياً لايدعو إلی ضلالةٍ، ولا يبعدُ عن هديًّ، فمن أحبّهُ فهو منکم، ومن أبغضه فليس منکم.»
“O people! Test your children with love for ‘Ali, because he does not invite you to misguidance and he does not keep you away from guidance. Therefore, anyone of your children who loves ‘Ali is from you and anyone of them who does not love ‘Ali is not yours.”20
Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (as) said, “In his last will and testament to Abu Dharr, the Noble Prophet (S) instructed him thus,
«يا أباذر! من أحبّنا أهلَ البيت فليحمداللهَ علی أوّل النعم. قال: يا رسولَ اللهِ! وما أوّلُ النعمِ؟ قال: طيبّ الولادة‍ِ، انّه لا يحبّنا إلاّ من طابَ مولدهُ.»
‘O Abu Dharr! Anyone who loves us, the Ahl al-Bayt, must praise Allah for being granted the foremost blessing. Abu Dharr asked, ‘What is the foremost blessing?’ The Holy Prophet (S) answered, ‘Purity and legitimacy of birth, because no one loves us unless his birth was pure and legitimate’’.”21
7. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) inquired on the Day of Judgement
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«أوّل ما يسألُ عنه العبدُ حبّنا أهلَ البيتِ.»
“The first thing on the Day of Resurrection to be asked from any of Allah’s servants is about their love for us, the Ahl al-Bayt.”22
He also said,
«لا تزولُ قدما عبدٍ يومَ القيمةِ حتّی يُسألَ عن أربعٍ: عن عمرِهِ فيما أفناهُ، وعن جسدِهِ فيما أبلاهُ، وعن ما له فيما أنفقَهُ ومن أينَ کسَبهُ، وعن حبّنا أهلَ البيتِ.»
“On the Day of Resurrection, none of Allah’s servants will take a step forward unless he is asked about four things: how he spent his life, in what way he used his body, in what way he earned his wealth and spent it, and whether he loved us, the Ahl al-Bayt, or not.”23
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«لا يؤمنُ عبدٌ حتّی أکونَ أحبَّ إليهِ من نفسِه، وأهلي أحبُّ إليهِ من أهلهِ، وعترتي أحبُّ إليهِ من عترتِهِ، وذاتي أحبُّ إليهِ من ذاتهِ.»
“None of Allah’s servants attain complete faith unless he loves me more than he loves himself, loves my Ahl al-Bayt more than he loves his own family, loves my progeny more than he loves his own progeny, and loves my essence more than he loves his own essence.”19
6. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is a sign of purity of birth
The Holy Prophet (S) pointed at ‘Ali (as) and said,
«أيها الناس! إمتحنوا أولادکم بحبّه، فإنّ علياً لايدعو إلی ضلالةٍ، ولا يبعدُ عن هديًّ، فمن أحبّهُ فهو منکم، ومن أبغضه فليس منکم.»
“O people! Test your children with love for ‘Ali, because he does not invite you to misguidance and he does not keep you away from guidance. Therefore, anyone of your children who loves ‘Ali is from you and anyone of them who does not love ‘Ali is not yours.”20
Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (as) said, “In his last will and testament to Abu Dharr, the Noble Prophet (S) instructed him thus,
«يا أباذر! من أحبّنا أهلَ البيت فليحمداللهَ علی أوّل النعم. قال: يا رسولَ اللهِ! وما أوّلُ النعمِ؟ قال: طيبّ الولادة‍ِ، انّه لا يحبّنا إلاّ من طابَ مولدهُ.»
‘O Abu Dharr! Anyone who loves us, the Ahl al-Bayt, must praise Allah for being granted the foremost blessing. Abu Dharr asked, ‘What is the foremost blessing?’ The Holy Prophet (S) answered, ‘Purity and legitimacy of birth, because no one loves us unless his birth was pure and legitimate’’.”21
7. Love of the Ahl al-Bayt (as) inquired on the Day of Judgement
Allah’s Prophet (S) said,
«أوّل ما يسألُ عنه العبدُ حبّنا أهلَ البيتِ.»
“The first thing on the Day of Resurrection to be asked from any of Allah’s servants is about their love for us, the Ahl al-Bayt.”22
He also said,
«لا تزولُ قدما عبدٍ يومَ القيمةِ حتّی يُسألَ عن أربعٍ: عن عمرِهِ فيما أفناهُ، وعن جسدِهِ فيما أبلاهُ، وعن ما له فيما أنفقَهُ ومن أينَ کسَبهُ، وعن حبّنا أهلَ البيتِ.»
“On the Day of Resurrection, none of Allah’s servants will take a step forward unless he is asked about four things: how he spent his life, in what way he used his body, in what way he earned his wealth and spent it, and whether he loved us, the Ahl al-Bayt, or not.”23
Notes:
18. Nur al-Absar, p. 127; Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 46, hadith 3.
19. Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. 7, p. 86, hadith no 6416; Saduq, Al-Amali, p. 274, hadith 9.
20. Tarikh Mukhtasar Damishq, vol. 2, p. 225, hadith 730.
21. Saduq, Al-Amali, p. 455.
22. ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (as), vol. 2, p. 62, hadith 258.
23. Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. 11, p. 102, hadith 11177.
