Attributes of The Real Follower of Imams in Their Teachings

Attributes of The Real Follower of Imams in Their Teachings
Islam world today is separated to two main important groups, Shia and Sunny. Shia Muslims are the followers of Ahlul-Bayt the pure and infallible progeny of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP). They believe that imams are appointed by Almighty Allah to show the people around the world the way to achieve prosperity and happiness in two worlds both.
Thus, the Holy Imams (PBUTH) introduced us some attributes to be their real followers and a great Shia believer. In search in the Shia authentic works and traditions we face with some interesting attributes that followers are commented to know and practice.
The central part of volume 65 of the book “Bihaar al-Anwar” deals with attributes of a Shia and how necessary it is for us all to read this part and discover what vital responsibility has been laid down upon this sacred name of  Shia-e-Ahlulbayt (PBUH). It does not suffice to be Shia by mere claim. Likewise if ones parents were, or are Shia, since my mother and father were Shia, so am I. It does not suffice to consider oneself as Shia. Being Shia has a comprehensive purpose and meaning as well as a number of duties which fall under attributes of the Shia. As explained fully by the Imams [pbuth].
For instance, Muyassar bn Abdul-Aziz was one of the prominent companions of Imam Baqir (PBUH) and he has been commended and described in the “`Ilm al-Rijāl” [a knowledge to evaluate the narrators of traditions biographically]. Imam Baqir (PBUH) made a statement about him when he said:˜O Muyassar! Death has on several occasions nearly claimed your life, but the Lord delayed it for the reason that you excelled in keeping up the bonds of friendship and that you helped alleviate people problems.(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.71, P.84 -- Rijal Kabir, P.351)
Imam Baqir narrated a hadith to Muyassar: Should I explain to you who our Shia is? He [Muyassar] replied: May I be your sacrifice your honor, you may. The Imam went ahead and said: “They are strong castles, they are trustworthy, they are possessors of sound Logic, they are not rumor mongers, they do not divulge a secret and the not harsh [fanatical] and violent nor hypocritical, they are monks of the night and lions of the day.(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.65, p.180)
Of course there are many traditions on the subject of attributes of real followers in authentic works such as: Sefat al-Shia (Ibn Babawayh), Bihar al-Anwar, Vol,68 (Allameh Majlesi), Wasael al-Shia (Sheikh Hure Ameli), and Aalam al-Din fi Sifat al-Moamenin by Deilami.
EXPLANATION
Characteristics of the Shiite devotees and a sphere of a subject and responsibility have been distinguished in this short hadith. The phrase probably means that the shia are those people who are unaffected and resistant to the enemies propaganda, while the cultural situation of the world has assumed a dangerous shape in that it is posing a dramatic danger to the welfare and security of the young generation,  have we found a way to inspire and up lift the youth? If we cannot eliminate the microbes, let us empower and shield ourselves. Bare this point in mind that during the time of the Imams one of the complaints of the Imams was that some of our Shia [fellows] have a tendency of divulging [publicize] our secrets and in this context the phrase divulgence of secrets denotes that it was not advisable to bring to light all extra-ordinary ranks held by the Imams before anyone without reservations, the Imams knowledge of the unseen, intercession on the day of judgment, trust ship of the prophets knowledge. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: I am the city of knowledge and Ali (PBUH) is the key, witness and oversees at the deeds of their followers [shia]. These are issues that ordinary people and those opposed to these issues could not spare any room for forbearance and tolerance.
Some simple-minded shias went everywhere and were ready to reveal everything and this could create nothing but friction and tension. The Imam Sadiq said: Our Shia [followers] possess hearts that are trustworthy, they are not inconsiderate in whatever they reveal, they do not create differences between sides, worst still is the newly invented misnomer comprising dirty contents attributed to the Imams under the pretext of Wilayat [guardianship] to such extents that the Imams (pbuth) are displeased with them. We ought to be watchful of these new misrepresentations. They themselves suffer two defects, the first one being that they are destroying themselves as they assume that if the ascribe some of Gods attributes to the Imams, or Holy Zainab {Imam Alis daughter who went to Karbala with Imam Hussain (PBUTH)} or mention the events of  Karbala, then this is part and parcel of Wilayat the worst of defect is that our time is an era of media propaganda. If this morning a piece of information is released, within an hour it will reach all corners of the world. They publicize these exaggerated words and unfolded statements from one area to another in this way they taint the true image of Shia with ease. Tomorrow they will publicize on different materials in various countries assigning Kufr[unbelieving] to Shia School and its followers and later in the day the will resort to killing the Shiite Muslims in those respective countries. These ignorant people are quite uninformed that their accusations will prompt the killings of some shias in other parts of the world. Woe be to those friends of the ignorant. Woe be to the time that allows illiteracy, uninformed and ignorant individuals to take the opportunity to convene and hold meetings. Let the Ulamaa of the Ummah [Islamic Scholars] preside and handle the affairs.
Yet another character of the Shia, which mentioned here, is that they are not harsh [fanatic].
A Shia is very kind and compassionate. He possesses or depicts the souls of Ali bin AbiTalib (PBUH). Imam Sadiq (PBUH) and the rest of the Imams (PBUH) and a Shia Muslim is also kind and respectful to their enemies [i.e. Imams enemies] they are not hypocrites. Shias exhibit two different phenomenal; if someone witnesses their nightly worship he will remark; these are the devotes of the times and they are good people and he will notice that they are as lions entering a social scene.
Indeed becoming Shia and Muslim can be divided into five ways;
[1] Geographical Muslims or Shia:
They are born in Iran or other Islamic lands. Iran, for example, from the geographical point of view is a mainly Shiite populated country. When they were collecting statistics on Shiites, names were also noted. Now whether I’m a believer or not, informed or not or whether I am able to memories the names of the Imams or not. These are entitled to a geographical Shia. The same may apply to other Islamic land where people will be counted to be Muslims even when they know nothing about Islam just because they are geographically speaking in an Islamic land: Or just because they dress like the Muslims wear.
 [2] Hereditary Shia or Muslims:
A person whose mother and father were Shia and was born in their household. But they do not endeavor to take in Islamic knowledge.
[3] Shias or Muslims by title [in name only]:
Self-styled Shias who claim to be followers of Imam Ali (PBUH) but fail to prove themselves when it comes to action and deeds.
[4] Superficial Shias or Muslims:
Shias or Muslims with actions that are feeble in the works but are not deeply noted in main stream Shiite, how is it possible to tell that those people who only know something about the gatherings and processions of mourning for Imam Hussein (PBUH) are Shias? Since during Ashura day, they took part in the lamentations of hitting or slapping of the chest with an open hand and they also go to Jamkaran Mosque [Mosque in Qum, Iran] attributed to Imam Mahdi [PBUH]. I am not trying to say that they are unimportant, but that this is what they grasped and understood from Shiite and nothing more or less. But, they do not possess any kind of Shia attributes, such as those described earlier on: possessors of sound logic, trustworthy etc.
[5] Real Shias or Muslims.
People who are conversant or familiar with the religious teachings of Imams and follow them in the school of [Ahulul-Bayt [PBUH] and try day by day to achieve those mentioned attributes to get closer to pure Imams and become the real servant of Almighty Allah.

Comments (0)

There are no comments posted here yet

Leave your comments

  1. Posting comment as a guest. Sign up or login to your account.
Attachments (0 / 3)
Share Your Location