Husnu'l Hal - A Unique State of Utter Ecstasy

The contemporary mystic-scholar, Āllāmah Hasan Zadeh Āmolī, may the Almighty Allāh protect his noble presence, in his treatise- Nūrun 'Alā Nūr [section 9, pg. 78], says:
'Try to reach the water, although you are not cut off from water. And when you reach the water, you would have husnu'l hāl and your joy would be inexpressible.'

In one of the narrated supplications we read: O Allāh change our unpleasant state into your Beautiful State. Thus Almighty God Has the State of Husnu'l Hāl. Yes, this State of Joy (Husnu'l Hāl) is that very state that Shaykh (Ibn Sinā) speaks about in chapter eighteen of the section on Joy and Happiness of his monumental work al-Ishārāt:
'The Being that has the greatest joy in a thing is the First (i.e. God) as having joy in His Essence.' [al-Ishārāt wa al-Tanbīhāt, pg. 350 (trans. By Shams Inati, pg. 78 - Translation)]

With regard to Almighty Allāh's sincere servants, the state of Ridā is known to be the state of joy and ecstasy. 

Shaykh al-Rā'īs also mentions this in section nine of his monumental al-Ishārāt, as follows:
"The Gnostic ('ārif) is bright faced, friendly and smiling. Due to his modesty he honors the young as he honors the old. He is as pleased with the unclearheaded as he is with the alert. How could he not be bright-faced when he enjoys the Truth (i.e. God) and everything other than the Truth, for he sees the Truth even in everything other than the Truth. Furthermore, how could he not treat all as equal when, to him all are equal! They are objects of mercy preoccupied with falsehoods." [al-Ishārāt wa al-Tanbīhāt, pg. 364 (trans. By Shams Inati, pg. 89 - Translation)]

Avicenna's statement "for he sees the Truth even in everything other than the Truth" reminds us of the Holy Prophet (s), and the Holy Imāms of the Ahlu'l Bayt (as). Imām 'Alī (as) is reported to have said: "I did not see anything save that I saw Allāh before it, after it, and with it."

A similar dictum is reported also from Imām al-Sādiq (as). Some analysts say that the following tradition also alludes to the sublime state of ecstasy and joy of the Leader of martyrs, Imām al-Husayn (as), as he neared his supreme sacrifice, which guaranteed the salvation of Islam forever: Shaykh Sadūq in his Ma'āni al-Akhbār reports Imām al-Sajjād (as) to have said:
"When the situation became tense for Imām al-Husayn (as) those who were with him looked at him and saw that his state was contrary to theirs, for whenever the situation grew tense they changed color and were shaken and experienced fear, whereas the faces of al-Husayn (as) and some of his companions shone, their bodily members were relaxed and their souls were tranquil." [Ma'āni al-Akhbār, pg. 288]
Manifestations of the All-Merciful, Sh Muhammad Khalfan, Section 4

“I am the Son of the Two Offerings”

Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan al-Qattan narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn al-Fadhdhal, on the authority of his father,

“I asked Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) about the meaning of the statement made by the Prophet (s),
‘I am the son of the two offerings.’
Imam Al-Reza (s) said, ‘That means that the Prophet (s) was the descendant of both Ishmael, the son of Abraham - the friend of God (s), and Abdullah - the son of Abdul Muttalib. Ishmael was the patient son, about whom God gave the glad tidings of his birth to Abraham (s).

Then when (the son) reached the age of (serious) work with him, he said, ‘O my son! I see in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice. Now see what is thy view!’ (The son) said, ‘O my father! Do as thou art commanded. Thou will find me, God willing, one practicing Patience and Constancy!’ [Qur’an, 37:102]
When he decided to offer him as sacrifice, God replaced him with a chubby black and white sheep. This sheep had been raised in a fresh green area, and had grazed in the Gardens of Heaven for forty years. It had no mother. Rather the Honorable the Exalted God said to it be and it was created so as to be substituted for Ishmael, ‘We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.’ [Qur’an, 16:40]

Whatever is sacrificed in Mina [A place in the hills east of Mecca on the road from it to ál-Rafa] until the Resurrection Day will be sacrificed on behalf of Ishmael. This is one of the offerings. Now let us consider the second one.

Abdul Muttalib grabbed the doorknob of the Kaaba and prayed to God to be granted ten sons. He bet with the Almighty God that he would offer one of them for sacrifice if his prayer was accepted. When the number of his sons became ten, he took them all inside the Kaaba and drew lots for their names. The lot fell to Abdullah's name - the father of the Prophet Muhammad (s) - whom he loved the most. He drew lots again, and it fell to Abdullah's name. He drew lots for the third time. Again the lots fell to Abdullah's name. Then he took him, imprisoned him and decided to offer him for sacrifice. All of the people of the Quraysh tribe got together and the other tribes also got together crying.

Abdul Muttalib's daughter - Ateka - said, ‘Ask the Almighty God to excuse you from offering your son , for sacrifice.’ Abdul Muttalib said, ‘My daughter! How can I ask for an excuse? You are mature and intelligent.’ Ateka said, ‘Draw lots concerning your son, and your camels that are around the Shrine (the Kaaba). Increase the number of camels so much that your Lord gets pleased and the lot falls to the name of the camels.’ Then Abdul Muttalib sent someone after his camels. They brought them all there. He chose ten of the camels and drew lots. The lot fell to the name of Abdullah. He chose an additional ten and drew lots again. The lot fell to the name of Abdullah again. He added to the number of camels and repeated drawing lots until the number of camels reached one hundred. Then the lot fell to the name of the camels.

The people of the Quraysh tribe became very happy and said ‘God is the Greatest’ so loud that the Tehamat mountains started to shake. Abdul Muttalib said, ‘No. I must draw lots three more times.’ He drew lots three more times. The lot fell to the name of the camels all three times. On the third time, Zubayr and Abu Talib dragged their brother Abdullah away from under Abdul Muttalib's feet. The part of his face that was on the ground got hurt. They picked him up and kissed him. Abdul Muttalib ordered all the one hundred camels be taken to Hazvareh and slaughtered there. He stressed that no one should be deprived of the meat.

There were five traditions practiced by Abdul Muttalib which the Almighty God continued their practice of in Islam as follows:

1- He forbade the (marriage of) the father's wives with the sons.
2- He established one hundred camels as blood compensation for killing.
3- He circumambulated the Kaaba seven times.
4- He found a treasure and paid one fifth of it as levy.
5- When he dug up the 'Zam Zam' spring, he established it as the supply of water for the pilgrims.

If Abdul Muttalib was not a proof (of the Divine God) and his decision to offer his son as sacrifice was not similar to that of Abraham (s) about his son Ishmael, the Noble Prophet (s) would not have been proud of being related to them (Abraham and Abdul Muttalib) and would not have said, ‘I am the son of the two offerings.’

The reason God prevented Ishmael from being sacrificed was the same one that He prevented Abdullah from being sacrificed. The reason was that the Noble Prophet (s) and the Immaculate Imams (s) were in their loins. Thus God prevented their being sacrificed due to the Blessed Prophet (s) and the Imams (s). Thus the tradition of offering one's son as a sacrifice did not become popular among the people. Otherwise, it would have become obligatory for people to offer their sons for sacrifice on the day of celebrating the ‘Eid ul-Adha each year until the Resurrection Day so as to seek nearness to God. Everything sacrificed on the ‘Eid ul-Adha until the Resurrection Day will be a substitute for Ishmael.

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “There are many traditions on the offering. In some traditions we read that Isaac was the one offered for sacrifice. In others we read that Ishmael was the one offered for sacrifice. We can not reject a tradition that has an authentic documentation. Ishmael was offered for sacrifice. However, when Isaac was born later, he wished that it was he himself who was offered for sacrificed by his father. He would have been patient and would have submitted to the decree of the Almighty God just as his brother did. Then he would have earned the same rank and reward that his brother had earned. God was aware of his intentions. For this reason he called him ‘the offering’ among his angels. I have quoted the related tradition in the book An-Nubowwa.”

'Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, Sheykh al-Sadooq, Chapter 18

Fatima (a) parallel to the Arsh of Allah

Amaali of Sh Sadouq 25

Jaabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari narrates from the Messenger of Allah (s) who said:
On the day of Judgment, my daughter Fatima (a) will enter on an embellished camel from the camels for Paradise. The bridle of the camel will be made of wet pearls, the legs will be made of green emeralds, the tail will be made of musk, and the eyes will be made of red corundum (corundum is a naturally occuring Aluminiun Oxide. After diamond, it is the hardest known natural substance. Its finer varieties are the gemstones ruby and sapphire).
There will be a dome of light on top of Fatima (a) which will be transparent.
Inside this dome will be Allah's forgiveness, and outside of it will be Allah's mercy.
There will be a crown of light on her head that has seventy corners. Each corner will be embedded with pearls and corundum, and it will shine like a bright star in the middle of the sky.
There will be seventy thousand angels to her right and seventy thousand angels to her left.
Jibraeel will be pulling the bridle of the camel and he will call with a very loud voice,
'Lower your heads until Fatima (a), the daughter of Muhammad (s), passes'
There will be not any Prophet, Messenger, truthful being, or martyr left who will not lower his head while Fatima (a) passes until she is parallel to the Throne of Allah.
Then Fatima (a) will throw herself form the camel and say to Allah,
'O my Lord and my Master! Judge between me and those who were unjust to me. Judge between me and those who killed my sons.'
Allah will reply to her,
'O My love and the daughter of My love! Ask Me anything and I will grant it, and intercede on behalf on anyone and it will accepted. I swear to My own Magnificence and Glory that no injustice of the unjust will pass by Me.'
She will say,
'O my Lord and my Master! I intercede on behalf of my progeny, my Shia, the Shia of my progeny, those who loved me and those who loved my progeny.'
So Allah will call,
'Where are the progeny of Fatima (a), her Shia, the Shia of her progeny, those who loved her and those who loved her progeny?'
They will stand up and will be surrounded by the angels of mercy.
Then Fatima (a) will lead them all to paradise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Prophet (s) said,
"When I long for the fragrance of Paradise I smell the neck of Fatima."
Muntakhab Kenz Al-Omal, v. 5, p. 97; Nur Al-Absar, p. 51; Manaqib Al-Imam Ali of Ibn Al-Maghazali, p. 360.

Scholars and the Steps of Fire

(for every student/scholar in the path of Allah)

Shaykh as-Saduq [may Allah have mercy upon him] in his book al khisal, quoting Abu `Abdullah [as-Sadiq] (AS), says:

"There are among the scholars those who like to compile their knowledge, and do not like to be quoted. These are at the first step of the Fire.
Other scholars are proud when they admonish, but they disdain being admonished. These are at the second step of the Fire.
Some scholars prefer to put their knowledge at the disposal of the noble and the wealthy, excluding the poor from it. These are at the third step of the Fire.
Other scholars behave like the tyrants and the monarchs in their knowledge, and if they were redressed or neglected in some of their affairs, they would become angry. These are at the fourth step of the Fire.

Some scholars look for the hadiths of the Jews and the Christians in order to support their own knowledge and increase their own hadiths. These are at the fifth step of the Fire.
Other scholars appoint themselves to give out religious decrees, telling the people: "Ask me!", whereas they may not be right even in a single letter, and Allah does not like the pretentious. These are at the sixth step of the Fire.
There are among the scholars those who take knowledge to be a sense of honour and intellect. These are at the seventh step of the Fire." Al-Khisal , vol. 2, p. 352, ch. 7, hadith 33.

Two great advices for the lovers!

Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn al-Husayn, the saduq of the community, reports with his isnad from 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Ya'fur that al-'Imam al-Sadiq-may peace be upon him-said to him, 
'O 'Abd Allah, when you offer salat, pray like someone who bids farewell and fears that he will never return (i.e. pray in such a manner as if it were the last prayer of your life). Then fix your gaze on the point of your prostration. If you know that there is someone on your left or right, you take more care in offering your salat; then know that you stand in front of Someone Who sees you and you don't see Him.'
Al-Hurr al-`Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, iv, 688.


Al-Shaykh al-Saduq-may God sanctify his soul-reports with his isnad from al-'Imam al-Sadiq-may peace be upon him-that he said: 
'When someone offers an obligatory salat at the beginning of its time and observes its prerequisites, an angel takes it up to the heaven. White and pure, it (i.e. the salat) says, 'May God take care of you as you took care of me. I have been delivered into the custody of a noble angel.' But when someone offers it without any excuse after its time has elapsed and does not observe its requisite manners, black and dark, it is taken up by an angel, while it calls out to him (i.e. its offerer), `You neglected me. May God neglect you in the same manner that you neglected me. May God not take care of you in the same way that you did not take care of me.'
Wasa'il al-Shi`ah, iii, 90, with a slight difference of wording.