Introduction — Hadith 1

1. In the Name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Praise is due to Allāh who is worthy of praise and has authority over it. He guides the people toward it (praising Him) and rewards them and compensates them for it – an increasing praise which does not vanish nor end. His might is exalted and His sovereignty is great. He is exalted, His names are sacred, and His blessings are continuous. Everything is humiliated in His Awe and is humble before His Ruling and Divinity. One cannot describe His characteristics and the imagination cannot fathom knowing Him. He is as He has described Himself: the God, the One, the Only, the Eternal, He is not begotten nor does he beget, and there is none like Him. And I testify that there is no god but Allāh. He is alone and He has no partners. And I testify that Muḥammad (s. a. a. w. ) is His Slave and His Messenger. He (Allāh) has given him (the Prophet (s. a. a. w. )) the platform (on the Day of Judgment), honoured him with (innumerable) merits, dignified him with prophethood, supported him with miracles, and manifested Islām through him. He has elevated him above all of His creation from among the inhabitants of His heavens, His earths, His lands, and His oceans. He has elevated him to a position which no one can ascend to and no one can describe. He has elevated the Prophets’ family (a. s. ) above all of creation through him and He has appointed them as His Manifesting Decisive Proofs. He supported them with Imamate and made obeying them mandatory on everyone who follows His religion, believes in His Oneness, and testifies to (the prophethood of) His Messenger (s. a. a. w. ). He has made their merits such that no one can describe them and no one can truly praise them. The most intelligent ones cannot truly understand their merits and no one can wrongfully desire their (unique) merits. He has appointed them as the stars for the earth through whom people are guided (and prevented) from going astray and through whom confusion and (spiritual) blindness are kept away. And He has appointed them as the pillars of the earth who prevent it from destroying its inhabitants. He has explained their merits on the tongue of His Prophet (s. a. a. w. ) and made loving them obligatory on His slaves in His Speaking Book and through the tongue of His Truthful Prophet (s. a. a. w. ) by saying – and He is the most honourable one to say anything – “Say (O Muḥammad) I do not ask you anything for the toils of prophethood, except love for my nearest kin” (42: 23). The Prophet (s. a. a. w. ) ordered (the people) to love them and stressed seeking nearness to them, being kind to them, and going to their Ziyārah during their lives and after their death. He mentioned such (incredible) merits and rewards for going to their Ziyārah that (these merits and rewards) are beyond that which can be fathomed by the human imagination, counted by all of the created beings, or truly described. However, his nation did the opposite of that which Allāh and His Messenger (s. a. a. w. ) had ordered. Instead (his nation) killed those whom they were ordered to love, expelled those whom they were ordered to obey, and abandoned those to whose Ziyārah they were ordered to go. They frightened those who accepted the orders of Allāh willingly and who fulfilled them based on their ability and the circumstances of the time. They antagonized them (for going to Ziyārah). Despite this, they expect to be guided to the right path, they believe that they are the followers of the correct path and that they fulfill that which has been made obligatory on them day and night. And they expect the intercession of their Prophet (s. a. a. w. ) on the Appointed Day (of Judgment). Nay! ! ! Their Prophet (s. a. a. w. ) will be their enemy on the Promised Day! He will seek revenge agains