The Primary Origin of Love for the Ahl Al-Bayt
What is the reason for our deep-rooted attachment to the Ahl al-Bayt (Household of Prophet Muhammad (PBUT))? Where does the affection and love for the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) come from? Do we feel attachment to them just because they are our religious leaders and Imams or because they are the descendants of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
If so, why do non-Muslims and the followers of other schools of thought also feel love for the Ahl al-Bayt? Why do many non-Muslims express admiration for the Ahl al-Bayt? Why do a large number of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sabaeans, and followers of other religions gather in the shrine of Imam Hussain during Arbaeen and mourn for him? They are not followers of Imam Hussain, and considering this point, there is not any relationship between them and the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT). So what principle can explain their love for the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT)?
Undoubtedly, one of the reasons why non-Muslims feel love for the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) and admire them is because of the perfections and virtues that the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) have. Since the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) are the perfect human beings and the most comprehensive manifestations of all the names and attributes of God, every broad-minded individual unconsciously has respect for them and admires them. It is as if everyone sees his perfect self in them, and for this reason, no one can help loving them. But what is the origin of this love? What is the relationship between the souls of human beings and the souls of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) that binds them together in this way? This article delves into this important topic.
Our True Relationship with the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT)
Contrary to what we think, the story of our lives as human beings has not started on earth. In fact, the earth is not our true homeland. Before coming into this world, all of us existed in the form of a unified soul in the presence of God. In the beginning of creation, when for the first time God manifested Himself, He created a truth that is considered the primary source of creation; this truth is the most similar being to God Himself and is the most comprehensive manifestation of God’s names and attributes. Then from this primary truth, He brought into existence other worlds and beings. This truth is the most perfect example[1] or the light of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT). So in reality, all of us and the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) are of the same essence, and there is no difference between a believer and a disbeliever in this respect.
We and the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) have the same origin. The Ahl al-Bayt are the heavenly family of all human beings. Our soul, as our primary existential dimension, is of the same essence as that of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT). For this reason, the love for the Ahl al-Bayt is in the hearts of all of us without exception; we just need to remove the veils of our animal self and return to our true self and fitrah in order to feel this love. In fact, due to this relationship between us and our heavenly family i.e., the Ahl al-Bayt, we humans are brothers and sisters; we belong to the same family, and there are commonalties between us that are more important than earthly and material commonalities. This fact that we are born into different families on earth, and genetic, gender, and geographical boundaries separate us, is related to our physical dimension; otherwise, regarding the spiritual dimension, there is no separating boundary between us and other human beings, and our existential truth belongs to the same origin and family.
So we learned that our first relationship with the Ahl al-Bayt that creates the love for the Ahl al-Bayt in us is our true and existential relationship with them. God created us of the essence of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) and placed their inherent qualities or potentials within us. In other words, we have potentially the same qualities of the Ahl al-Bayt within us. Based on what we stated, we come to this very important conclusion that it is possible for us to reach the status of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT). Just as in the Ziyarat Ashura, we address Imam Hussain, (PBUH) saying, “I also beseech Him (Allah) to make me attain the praiseworthy status that you enjoy with Allah.” We also say, “I ask God to place me with you in the world and the hereafter.” It means we do not want to be in a lower position than them. We cannot truly connect with and understand the meaning of these statements unless we learn divine humanology and self-knowledge and become aware of our origin and lineage because these statements do not relate to our gender or political or social dimensions, but rather to our human dimension. Therefore, a person may read the Ziyarat Ashura for many years and repeat these statements over and over, but since he has recited it with his animal dimension, and with the intention of getting rewards, and since he wants God to fulfill his wishes, he has had no desire to be with the Ahl al-Bayt and reach their status even for once.
Our Rightful Relationship with the Ahl Al-Bayt (PBUT)
In addition to the true relationship we talked about, there is another relationship between us and the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT): the rightful relationship. Our rightful relationship with the Ahl al-Bayt is established on earth, and it is like the relationship between a student and his teacher. If a student obeys his teacher and follows his instructions, he will gradually become similar to his teacher and acquire the same perfections his teacher has.
God created us of His Spirit, so the ultimate purpose of our creation is to become similar to Him. But God is the Infinite Being, whom we can only know through His most perfect manifestations, i.e., the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT); there is no other way to know God’s attributes and perfections. Therefore, having an infallible Imam and expert is the most vital need of human beings. We have been created to reach the praiseworthy status and become Allah’s deputy, and it is beneath our dignity to become something else. But the one who can help us to reach this status is someone who has this status, and that person is none other than the infallible Imam (PBUH), that is the most perfect manifestation of God. We need the infallible Imam in all our existential dimensions: inanimate, vegetative, animal, intellective, and supra-rational. Without obedience to the Imam, we cannot achieve true bliss in this world and the hereafter. Only our connection to the infallible Imam can satisfy our desire for infinity in all our dimensions and help us to reach the ultimate goal of our creation.
