Ahlulbait(as) superior to parents

Following is taken from Tafseer of Imam Hasan Askari (as) under the Tafseer of verse 2: 83

Allah(swt) has said in Holy Quran, Sura Baqara, Verse 83: .............And do good to your parents and near ones........ The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) said: Muhammad and Ali are more rightful to get your thanks than your parents. Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) has narrated, that he heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) say: Ali (a.s.) and I are two fathers of this Ummah, and our rights are more than those of the biological parents; because if they obey us, we would get them released from fire of Hell and get them admitted to Paradise which is an abode and we shall take them out of slavery and join them with the noblest and righteous people. Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.) said: Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) are the two fathers of this Ummah, who correct their deviation and if they obey them, they save them from everlasting punishment and if they agree with them, they make the everlasting bounties of Paradise lawful for them. Imam Zainul Aabideen (a.s.) said: If parents have rights on their children because of their favors, Muhammad and Alis (a.s.) favors are more and greater on this nation. That is why they are more worthy of being their fathers and it is very important to fulfill their rights. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said: One who wants to know his value near Allah, should take into consideration that Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) are the two fathers of this Ummah, so what their respect and status should be in his view (that is as much their status is greater according to him, as much is his status great near Allah). Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) said: One who is accommodating to the rights of his two superior fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.), his shortcomings in fulfilling the rights of his biological parents and other people does not cause him any harm because on Judgment Day those two gentlemen, through their efforts, make all of them satisfied from this person. Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) said: One in whose view his two religious fathers i.e. Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) do not command more respect than his biological parents, will not get an iota of respect from Allah. Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) said: To one who takes up the obedience of his two religious fathers over that of his biological parents, Allah the exalted says: I have chosen you just as you have chosen them, I honor you with the company of your two religious fathers just as you preferred their love over the love of your biological parents and honored your soul. After that Imam (a.s.) said: In the following verse, Allah means the near relatives of the

parents. That is, man is commanded to recognize their rights. Thus Allah had made a covenant with Bani Israel regarding this and, O the nation of Muhammad, a covenant has been taken from you that you must recognize the rights of the near relatives of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and the near relatives of Muhammad are the Purified Imams (a.s.) who succeeded the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and also those great personalities of religion who are associated with them. Lady Fatima (s.a.) said to a woman: Please your two religious fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.), even though your biological parents may be displeased and do not please your biological parents by angering your two religious fathers. Because if your biological parents become unhappy, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) will give them a ten thousandth part of the reward of their devotional acts and make them agreeable. But if your two religious fathers are displeased with you, your biological parents cannot make them pleased. Rewards of all the obediences of the world cannot equal their displeasure. Imam Hasan Mujtaba (a.s.) said: It is compulsory to do good to the relatives of two religious fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.), even though you may trespass the rights of near relatives of your parents. And beware that in fulfilling the rights of the relatives of your biological parents, you must not trespass the rights of the relatives of your two religious fathers; their being thankful to you before your two fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) is better than the thankfulness of the near relatives of your parents before your parents. Because when the relatives of your two religious fathers would be thankful to you before them, merely a look of affection will cause all your sins to vanish though they may be so many as to fill the space between the earth and the heavens. And if you leave the rights of the relatives of the two religious fathers and fulfill the rights of the relatives of your parents, their gratitude will be of no use to you. Imam Zainul Aabideen (a.s.) said: It is more important to fulfill the rights of the relatives and friends of our two religious fathers than to fulfill the rights of the relatives of our parents; because our two religious fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) will make our biological parents satisfied whereas our biological parents are not capable of making our two religious fathers pleased with us. Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) said: If one, due to his poverty, cannot fulfill the rights of both, the relatives of his religious fathers as well as the relatives of his biological parents, one should accord preference to the fulfillment of the rights of the relatives of the religious fathers over that of the relatives of ones parents. On Judgment Day, Allah will say to the angels: Just as he gave priority to the relatives of his two religious fathers over the relatives of his biological parents, give him priority like the dwellers of My gardens. Thus he would be given a million times more than what was stored for him. Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) said: According priority to the relatives of the two religious fathers, Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) over the relatives of ones own parents, is included in the respect of divine majesty and according priority to the relatives of ones parents over the relatives of the two religious fathers is included in dishonoring Allahs majesty.

Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) said: There was a person whose family was in need of food, so he left his house to earn something for them, and he earned a dirham. He purchased food and was returning home when he met a man and a woman from the relatives of Muhammad and Ali (a.s.), and they were hungry. Thinking that they were more deserving of that food than his own family members, he gave them the food he had purchased. But after that he was confounded: What explanation would he give to his family members? He was taking slow steps in this worry when he met a messenger who was searching for him. Upon knowing his identity, the messenger gave him a letter and a purse containing 500 gold coins. And he said that it was from the inheritance of his cousin who has expired in Egypt, and besides that some traders of Mecca and Medina owed him a hundred thousand gold coins and he had also left much landed property. So the man took the gold coins, went home and procured the essentials for his family members. When he went to sleep that night, he saw Muhammad and Ali in dream who told him that since he had preferred their relatives over his family members, they had also made him so rich. After that, Muhammad and Ali appeared in the dream of those who owed money to the deceased cousin. They warned the debtors that if they do not return the debt by next morning they would be doomed to worldly and other worldly perdition. So the next morning, all of them returned the loans and this man now had another hundred thousand dinars. Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) also appeared in the dreams of all those in Egypt, who owed some amount to the deceased cousin and told them to repay as soon as possible. Later, the two (Muhammad and Ali) appeared in his dream and said: How did you find the divine decree about yourself? We have ordered all Egyptians who owe you something to repay you as soon as possible. If you like, we can tell the governor of Egypt to purchase your landed property and send you cash to Medina so that you can invest it in real estate here itself? He answered positively to this. So Muhammad and Ali appeared in the dream of the governor of Egypt and told him to purchase the lands and remit cash. The ruler bought all the landed property in three hundred thousand dinars and sent the money to this man. He became the richest man of Medina. After that again the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) appeared in his dream and said: This is your reward in the world for the preference you showed to my relatives, but as for the hereafter, I will give you in it for each piece of this, a thousand palaces in Paradise, the smallest of whom would be bigger than this world and a part of them as small as a needlepoint would be better than the world and whatever is there in it. [Source: Tafseer-e-Askari, Sura Baqara, Verse 83]

A man came to the Prophet(saww) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Someone sailed to China for trading and came back quickly, making so much money that his friends envy him and he has become very wealthy." The Messenger of Allah(saww) said, "In this life the more wealth you have, the more troubles you will have. So do not envy the wealthy, except those who spend their wealth in Allah's way. But should I tell you about a person who, with less investment and less time, has made more profit, and moreover, his wealth is kept safe under the Throne of Allah?" The people replied, "Yes. O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet(saww) said, "He is the person who is coming toward us." So we looked and we saw one of the Ansar who looked rather shabby (approaching us). The Messenger of Allah(saww) said, "This man has earned a reward and blessing today, and if you were to divide it among all of the inhabitants of the skies and the earths, the least they would deserve would be forgiveness for their sins and entrance to Paradise." So the people asked, "What did he do today to deserve such a reward?" The Prophet(saww) replied, "Go and ask him." The people went to the man and said, "Congratulations for the glad tidings that the Prophet(saww) has given you. Tell us what you have done today." The man replied: I did not do anything. When I left my house this morning, I had a business affair that I had to take care of but I was late. I was worried that it was too late to attend to it, so I thought to myself, 'Let me go and look at the face of Ali bin Abi Taleb(as) instead because I had heard the Messenger of Allah(saww) say, 'Looking at the face of Ali bin Abi Taleb(as) is worshipping Allah(swt).' The Messenger of Allah(saww) said:

Yes! I swear to Allah that this is worshipping Allah, and this is the best way of worshipping Allah! O Slave of Allah! You left your house this morning trying to make some money to bring back for your family, but instead you went to look at Ali bin Abi Taleb's face while you love him and believe in his status. What you did is better than having the entire world. You gave up the money in the way of Allah. Allah will release one thousand men from Hell with your intercession for every breath you took as you walked toward Ali. Source: Basharat ul Mustafa Le Shiyyat e Murtuza, Chapter 2, Hadees 38 / Amaali of Sheikh Sadooq, Pg 296 / Bihar ul anwar, Vol 38, Pg 197 / Taawil AlAyaat, Vol 2, Pg 868

Sources of the Knowledge of the Imam's (as)

1) The knowledge of the Imam's (a.s) is what they inherit from Prophet Muhammad (saww): It should be known that inheritance of knowledge is not like inheriting a material thing, therefore inheritance of knowledge does not necessarily mean that the Imam's (a.s) did not already know that. We have many narrations which prove that Imam Ali (a.s) had lot of knowledge even during the life of Prophet Muhammad (saww). Hence this rules out knowledge by inheritance and gives rise to the second source of Imam's (a.s) knowledge. Inheriting the knowledge from the Holy Prophet (saww) mainly indicates that the Imam's (a.s) are the true successors of the Prophet (saww) and not that they did not know. We have the following authentic narration which says the the true 'Knowledge' is above and beyond what is inherited by the Imam's (as) from Prophet Muhammad (saww):

It has been narrated to us Muhammad Bin Abdul Hameed, from Yunus Bin Yaqoub, fromMansour Bin Haazim, who has said: I said to Abu Abdullah (as), "The people mention that with You is a Parchment the length of seventy cubits in which is all that is needed for the people, and this is the knowledge." Abu Abdullah (as) said, This is not the knowledge, but these are the effects from the Messenger of Allah (saww). The knowledge is what takes place every day and night." [Source: Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 3, Chapter. 11, Hadees. 3] Narration is Authentic/Saheeh as per the chain of narrators. There are multiple narrations with the same meaning.

2) The knowledge of the Imam's (a.s) as taught/provided/given by Prophet Muhammad (saww): Again the way we understand this is that the passing/teaching of knowledge from Prophet Muhammad (saww) to the Imam's (as) or from one Imam (a.s) to another is not like what we commonly have amongst ourselves. Simply because if we read narrations which describe the extent of the knowledge of the Imam's (a.s), it would be impossible for it to be taught in the manner a teacher teaches a student. So here the passing by of knowledge is not bound by time or

any other constraint. Also it will not be possible to limit as to what extent and when the knowledge was passed from one Imam (a.s) to another. For example, we have a narration with authentic chain of narrators in which Imam Baqir (a.s) says, "Do you not consider that how would Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, make it obligatory to obey those who possess Divine authority over his servants and then hide from them (a.s) `the news of the heaves and the earth? How would He cut them off of the sources of knowledge that might come to them to maintain their religion?" Read the complete narration here: http://www.marefateahlebait.com/know-the-ahlulbait/knowledge-of-the-imam Another narration with authentic chain which says that Imam Hasan (a.s) knows 70,000 languages. Read the narration here: http://www.marefateahlebait.com/know-the-ahlul-bait/authority-of-imam-hasan-as We also have many narrations which say that the Imam's (a.s) say somethings when they come on the earth and give the Testimonies. So who taught this to the Imam's (a.s)?? So the question comes through whom and when was this knowledge given to the Imam's (a.s)?? This gives us another source of the knowledge of the Imam's (a.s) 3) Knowledge provided by Allah (swt): Here we have many narrations which say that the AhlulBait (as) have knowledge provided by Allah (swt) from their very creation and from their very birth.

The Birth of the Imam's (as)

Narrated from Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (as): [Quoting only a part of the narration here]

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When he comes out of his mothers womb he places his hands on the floor and raises his head to the sky. Placing his hands on earth is an indication of his taking possession of all the knowledge of Allah that is sent from the heavens to earth. Raising his head to the sky is that because a caller from inside the Throne calls him from the high horizon with his name and the name of his father. It is for (on behalf of) the Lord, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, saying, "O so and so, son of so and so, be firm so that you would be established. For the great purpose that I have created you, you are my chosen one in my creatures. You are the keeper of My secrets, the container of My knowledge, the trustee of My inspiration and My deputy and representative on earth. I have made it necessary for My blessings and mercy to reach you and those who would love you (and acknowledge your Divine Authority). I have gifted My paradise and given a place near Myself to you and to them. Also, by My Majesty and Grace, I will make your enemies to feel the heat of My punishment even though I may have given them expanded prosperity in My world such as prosperity in their livelihood. When the call of caller ends he responds to it by placing his hands on the ground and raising his head to the sky and says the following. "Allah Himself testifies that He is the only Lord. The angels and the men of knowledge and justice testify that Allah is the only Lord, the Majestic, and All-wise." (3:18) The Imam said, "When he says this, Allah grants him the knowledge of the first and the knowledge of the last the qualification to be visited by the spirit in the nights of destiny." [Source: Al-Kafi, Kitab Al-Hujja, Chapter: 93, Hadees. 1]

It has been narrated to us by Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Saleh Bin Sahl Al-Hamdany and someone else, from Yunus Bin Zibyan, who has said: Abu Abdullah (as) said: "When Allah (swt) Intends to Capture the soul of the Imam (as), and Creates an Imam (as) after Him, He Sends down a drop of water from beneath the Throne, to the Earth. It reaches the Imam (as) from a fruit or a vegetable when He eats that particular fruit or that particular vegetable, from whom Allah (swt) creates the seed of the Imam (as) who will stand after him (as)." "Allah (swt) Creates from that drop (of water), the seed in the back, then Transfers it to the wife of the Imam (as). It stays there for forty nights. When forty nights pass by for Him, He hears the voice as if forty months have gone by. There is found written on His right shoulder, "And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing". [6:115] "When He comes out on the Earth, He is Given the wisdom, and adorned with knowledge, and the dignity, and covered in prestige, and a lamp of Light is Made for Him by which He recognises the conscience and He sees by it the deeds of the servants." [Source: Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 9, Chapter. 7, Hadees. 4] There are few more narrations with the same meaning which say that when the Imam (as) comes to the earth He is given Wisdom. Read Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 9, Chapter. 7 for more.

AhlulBait (as) the First creation of Allah (swt)

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Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Salih ibn Aqaba from Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik from abu Jafar (as) who has said the following. "When Fatima (as) was born Allah sent an angel to make the tongue of Muhammad (saww) call her Fatima. Then he said, "I set you free (from ignorance) with knowledge and set you free from menses." Abu Jafar (as) then said, "By Allah, He had set her free with knowledge (from ignorance) and from menses at the time of universal covenant (al-Mithaq)."

[Source: Al-Kafi, Kitab Al-Hujja, Chapter: 114, Hadees. 6]

[ ] : : : : .
Al-Husayn has narrated from (Muhammad) ibn 'Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal from Jabir ibn Yazid who has said the following. "Abu Ja'far (a.s.) said to me, 'O Jabir, the first thing that Allah created was Muhammad (saww) and his offspring who are the rightly guided guides. They existed in 'Ashabah (form ) of light in the presence of Allah." I then asked,"What is 'Ashabah?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "It is the shadow of light, the lighting bodies without the spirit. It was supported by one spirit which is the Holy spirit. In that state he and his offspring worshipped Allah and for this reason He created them forbearing scholars, conscientious pure one who worship Allah through prayer, fasting, prostration, speaking of His Glory and the acknowledgment that He is the only Lord. They perform prayers, perform Hajj and fast." [Source:Al-Kafi,Vol 1,Pg 442, H 10 ] Note: We again see in the above narration which talks about the creation of Prophet Muhammad (saww) and the AhlulBait (as) and its very clear that Allah (swt) created them as Scholars (Ulama) The chain of narrators should not be a problem here again as the content of this narration is repeated in various other narrations also.

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Ali bin Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim from Ali ibn Hammad from al- Mufaddal who has said the following. "I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.), "How did you exist when you existed in the shadows?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "O Mufaddal, we were in the presence of our Lord and there was no one else in the green shadow.We would speak of His Glory, Holiness, acknowledge Him as the Lords and speak of His Majesty. There was no angel even of the ones close to Allah or a living being except us in His presence until He decided to create all things. He then created whatever He wanted, in the He wanted of the angels and others then completed the knowledge of that to Us." [Source:Al-Kafi,Vol 1,Pg 441, H 7] This narration again shows that the AhlulBait (as) were given knowlege prior to coming to the world.

Imam's (as) are Treasurers of Allah's (swt) knowledge

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Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Musa ibn al-Qasim ibn Muawiya and Muhammad ibn Yahya from al-Amrakiy ibn Ali altogether from Ali ibn Ja'far from abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) who has said the following. Imam abu Abdallah (a.s.) has said, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, created us and He made our creation the best. He formed us and made our the best. He made us the treasurers of in His heavens and His earth. For us the tree spoke and with our worship Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is worshiped. Had we not been in existence Allah would not have been worshiped. [Source: Al-Kafi, Vol. 1 Pg. 193] [Note: Authentic Hadees as per Chain of narrations. Mirat Al-Uqool - Allama Majlisi

Vol. 2, Pg. 349] [For the part in red in the above narration: It proves that the AhlulBait (a.s) are the treasurers of Allah (swt) in the heavens and the earth. And there are multiple narrations which say that the treasure of Allah is the knowledge of Allah (swt). Am quoting a couple of narrations here to prove this.]

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Narrated to us Ahmad Bin Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Ali Bin Sabaat, from his father Asbaat, from Sowrat Bin Kaleyb who said: Abu Jafar (a.s) said to me: By Allah (swt), I am the Treasurer for Allah in His heaven and in His Earth, not for gold and not for silver, but of His Knowledge". [Source: Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 2, Chapter. 19, Hadees. 14]

Narrated to us Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al-Hakam, from Dawood Al-Ajaly, from Zarara, from Hamraan, who has said, Abu Jafar (a.s) having said: "Surely Allahazwj Blessed and High Took the covenant from the Determined Ones (Ulul Azm Prophets); I am your Lord, and Muhammad (saww) is My Messenger, and Ali (a.s) Amir-ul-Momineen and his successors after him are the Masters of My Command (Wali Ul Amr), and Treasurers of My Knowledge, and through the Mahdi (atfs), My Religion will triumph". [Source: Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 2, Chapter. 19, Hadees. 14] The chain of narrators for the above narrations would be of no concern here, because the same meaning (matn) has come in 16 narrations. Read Basaair Al-Darajaat, Vol. 2, Chapter. 19 for more at the following link:
mth.111..rrsl./.tstah.at.t.aaetetam.tetmat.r.slah.at.t.am.tetmaar.sla.www

Imam Az Zaman (atfs) reciting Quran and more on his birth

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Imam Hasan Askar (as) said to Imam Az Zaman (atfs), "O My Son Speak".Imam Az Zaman (atfs) said, "There is no God but Allah, and praise and blessings be upon Muhammad (saww) and Amir Al-Momineen (as) and the Imam's (as) . Then Imam (atfs) recited the verse: "And We wished to be Gracious to those who were being depressed in the land, to make them leaders (in Faith) and make them heirs. To establish a firm place for them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Haman, and their hosts, at their hands, the very things against which they were taking precautions." [28:5-6] Then Imam Hasan Askari (as) said, "Read my son from what Allah (swt) send down upon the Prophets (a.s) and Messengers (a.s). Then Imam Az Zaman (atfs) started with the recitation of the book of Adam (a.s) in Syriania Language and book of Idrees (a.s) and book of Noah (a.s) and book of Hud (a.s) and book of Saleh (a.s) and book of Ibraheem (a.s) and Taurat of Moosa (a.s) and Zaboor of Dawood (a.s) and Injeel of Isa (a.s) and Furqan (Quran) of Prophet Muhammad (saww) and then told the stories of the Prophets upto His time. [Source: Bihar Al Anwar Vol. 51 Pg. 26-27]

Imam Ali (as) reciting Quran and more on his Birth

 . ... ... ) ( ) ( . )( . ) (
][Quoting only a part of a very lengthy narration :Narrated from Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (as) from his fathers ... ,Fatema bint Asad (sa) says "When I wanted to come out, a caller called me and said, O Fatema! Name him Ali because he is Ali (High) and Allah is Ali Al-Ala (the highest). Allah tells you, I derived his name from My name, And I educate him with My manners, and authorized my ".matters to Him and I taught him My most obscure knowledge .... Then the Holy Prophet (saww) entered and when He entered, Amir Al-Momineen )moved and smiled in His face and said, "Peace be upon You O'Prophet of Allah (saww

and Allah's (swt) Mercy and Blessings be upon You. Then He [Imam Ali (as)] made a sound of 'Hem' and said, " In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful. The believers indeed are successful. Those who humble themselves in their prayers." [23:1] to the last verses. Then Holy Prophet (saww) said, "Indeed success is with You". And then recited all the verses upto His Saying, "These will be the heirs, Who will inherit Paradise: they will dwell therein (for ever). [23.9-10] [Source: Al-Amaali - Sheih Toosi, Pg. 706] This narration clearly shows that Imam Ali (as) was born with the knowledge of the Quran and both Imam Ali (as) and Prophet Muhammad (saww) had knowledge of the Quran even before its revelation.