statement of Jibreel (a.s) in al
Mutashabbihat (The Allegories):
"And the Greatest, Greatest,
Greatest name (Huwa), and the
pillars of it (The city of Divine
perfection) is Allah the Most High,
and the doors of it are Al Rahman
and Al Raheem, and if the door was
other than those two names, the
calamities and punishments would
have been severe upon the people of
the earth, and nobody would have
survi ved. And the appearance of
these names to the creation are
Muhammad, Ali and Fatima (as).
Muhammad (sawas) is the
manifestation of Allah (swt) to
creation, Ali ibn abi Talib (as) is the
manifestation of Al Rahman, and
Fatima is the manifestation of Al
Raheem to creation (as).
And by the martyrdom of the
Messenger (sawas), the first pillar is
destroyed. As by the martyrdom of
Fatima (as), the second pillar is
destroyed, but it remained only
with the third one and it is Ali ibn
abi Talib (as). And when Ali (as)
was martyred, the third pillar was
destroyed, and also the first and
second one with him. And that is
why Gabriel peace be upon him
said: 'By Allah the pillars of
guidance are destroyed'."
So these are the Gateways to Mercy
and Pillars of Guidance, and a
house or a city cannot be entered
into except through the doorway.
The maidservants of Sayyida Fatima
(a.s) are in a special yet precarious
place, it is a special place because it
is a position of immense privilege. It
is a precarious place because should
the maidservant of Sayyida Fatima
(a.s) fail, there is a danger of joining
the non working scholars in the
sense that we would slip into the
false security of being so proud of
our status as servants of Ahlul Bayt
(a.s), and that the arrogance of Iblis
(l.a) might, Allah forbid, enter our
hearts and urge us that intercession
of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s) means there is
no need to work righteous deeds.
But as Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) said,
“Our intercession will never reach
the one who neglects his prayers.”
Not accomplishing the duties, or in
the example of the mountain
climber if one was to throw away
ones backpack and race to jump off
the mountain, intercession will not
avail and the intercessor will not be
at fault, because it was not the
intention of the mountain climber to
climb the mountain, but to lose
himself or herself in carelessness
and neglect. Indeed, the intercessors
like Sayyida Fatima (a.s) are not just
intercessors in the sense that they
help us find the path when we are
lost, but they also intercede in the
matters of being role models to
perfection. As a role model, Sayyida
Fatima (a.s) is not just exemplary in
her wajibat (obligations) but also in
those actions that lead to increased
marifat. If she observes Salat five
times a day, then she also performs
the Night Prayer to perfection. If she
fasts the obligatory and the
recommended Sawm, she and her
family give away their iftari to the
begging stranger on their doorway.
If she stands up for her rights which
Allah (swt) has granted her, she
does it in the most eloquent way,
also giving Dawah of the legacy of
her father, Muhammad (s.a.w) and
the status of her husband, Ali (a.s).
Nowhere does fatigue, starvation or
grief affect her performance of her
duty to her Creator, the All Merciful
Allah (swt) and nowhere does
personal desire interfere with her
footsteps on the path to her place in
Paradise.
Perhaps the biggest gift of
intercession we can receive from the
blessed Lady of Light, Fatima (a.s) is
in connection to Imam Ahmad Al
Hassan (a.s) and his call, for this
noble Lady of Light, Fatima (a.s)
herself testifies to his rights. Forget
what the cranks and stone-hearted
people say when they whine about
how the criteria for salvation is only
the belief in 12 Imams (a.s) and this
is all a Shia needs then they are not
thinking logically.
Is a person an authentic Shia on
believing all 12 Imams (a.s), but
then rejecting Ali Akbar (a.s)? Lets
say you are a Shia who wants to
serve Imam Hussain (a.s) in
Karbala, is it logical or
comprehensible that you will say to
Imam Hussain (a.s) “I will stand by
your side in Karbala, but I
simultaneously reject the rights of
your son Ali Akbar (a.s).” That is an
invitation to be kicked out of
Paradise, an anti-Dawah. Imam
Hussain (a.s) does not need a soldier
who hates his children, or let us say
being a Muslim is limited to saying
La ilaha illullah.
Will you share your place in
Paradise with the Muslim who
claims Abu Talib (a.s) is
(Naudhobillah) a Kafir? Yes, Ali
Akbar (a.s) is not of the 12 Imams.
Yes, Abu Talib (a.s) is not of the 12
Imams (a.s). But if anyone thinks
Sayyida Fatima (a.s) does not hold
them and encompass them in her
love and mercy, and if anyone
thinks she does not vouch for them
staunchly, then they are mistaken
and deluded.
Coming back to the Yamani (a.s), we
have his words that the shortest
way to find out his authenticity is to
fast for three days and then take the
Waseela of Sayyida Fatima Siddeqa
(a.s) and ask her for the Truth of the
Matter. Is it possible she will
misguide anyone?
64