Discussion of the Narrations

1) The Community of the Foolish

Abū Abdullah said: “[Intellect] is that by which the Most Merciful is worshipped and Paradise is attained.”(259)

Note: God Almighty has two proofs for people: an inner intellect and an outer revelation: “Indeed, God has two proofs over people: an apparent proof and a hidden proof. As for the apparent proof, it is the messengers, prophets, and Imams, and as for the hidden proof, it is the intellects.”(260) Each of these two is a cause for a person to become intelligent. From the combination of these two narrations, it can be deduced that whatever is used to worship God and attain Paradise is intellect; whether it is the connected intellect that is inherent in humans or the disconnected intellect, meaning perfect humans and the infallibles. Thus, both mentioned proofs are intellect.

The Ahl al-Bayt of infallibility and purity are lights by which people recognize God and attain Paradise, so they are the connected intellect of the community and society. Therefore, when visiting these luminous beings, we address them: “Peace be upon those through whom the Most Merciful is worshipped”(261), and this statement is not metaphorical. Thus, just as the religion of Abraham, the Friend of the Most Merciful, is recognized and chosen through the connected intellect, Abraham himself is the disconnected intellect of the community. Therefore, a society without an infallible Imam and a perfect human who is God’s comprehensive vicegerent is a foolish society.

2) An Exemplar of Foolishness

The Messenger of God said: “… What fool is more foolish than the drinker of wine?”(262)

Abū Ja’far al-Bāqir said: “Everyone who drinks intoxicants is foolish.”(263)

Note: Even if the drinker of wine appears to have material and worldly growth, based on “And who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself”(264), they are spiritually foolish. Also, based on the destruction of the structure of perception and the numbing of the pillars of knowledge and competence, meaning the theoretical and practical intellect, and giving power to a drunken tyrant and enslaving all perceptive and motivational forces, they are foolish and unwise.

3) Abraham’s Connection to the Ahl al-Bayt

Abū Ja’far al-Bāqir (a.s.) said: “When God, the Exalted, created Abraham, He unveiled his sight. Abraham looked and saw a light beside the Throne. He asked: ‘My God! What is this light?’ God replied: ’This is the light of Muhammad (s.a.w.), My chosen one from My creation.” And he saw a light beside it, so he asked: “My God! What is this light?” He replied: “This is the light of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the supporter of My religion…” Then Abraham said: “My God and my Master! I see lights surrounding them, countless in number except to You.” He was told: “O Abraham! These are their followers (shīʿa), the followers of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib…” At that moment, Abraham said: “O God, make me one of the followers of the Commander of the Faithful…” So God, the Exalted, informed about this in His Book, saying: “And indeed, among his followers was Abraham.”(265) (266)

Note: Every prophet is on the same level as his book and scripture; neither lower nor higher than it. The Qur’an is the guardian over other heavenly books: “And We have revealed to you the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a guardian over it.”(267) Therefore, the pure progeny (ʿitrat), being on the same level as this guardian book and united with the Seal of Prophethood in the station of unity and luminosity, not in the station of multiplicity and the natural world, take precedence over previous prophets.

The Noble Messenger, in a luminous statement alluding to his guardianship over other prophets, said: “All prophets are under my banner: ‘Adam and those below him are under my banner on the Day of Resurrection.’”(268) With this statement, the precedence of the Commander of the Faithful over previous prophets can also be proven, because according to the noble verse of Mubāhala(269), he is the self and soul of the Noble Messenger. Similarly, from the combination of these two points with a narration about the greatness of the Pure Truthful One (Ṣiddīqa Ṭāhira), her lofty position among prophets and divine guardians will become clear. That noble hadith states that if it were not for the Commander of the Faithful, there would be no equal for Lady Fatima in marriage, and no one other than Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib would be worthy of Fatima’s obedience as a husband: “If God, the Blessed and Exalted, had not created the Commander of the Faithful for Fatima, there would have been no equal for her on the face of the earth from Adam onwards.”(270)

Based on this, it is not unlikely that if other prophets desire to attain the station of the pure progeny (ʿitrat ṭāhirīn), which is superior to their station, it may take some time or stages for them to reach this level_—not the station itself—_as God, the Glorified, said: “And indeed, he will be among the righteous in the Hereafter.”(271)

Proving that Abraham attained the station of the Ahl al-Bayt in this world requires evidence, while there is evidence to the contrary. This evidence is that the first emanation or manifestation from the Almighty Truth was the light of this family, and others are at lower levels and in the radiance and rays of that primary light. Eventually, they may join them in the Hereafter: “And indeed, he will be among the righteous in the Hereafter.”

Considering the above explanation, it is appropriate to offer an interpretation of this narration: The Prophet said to Fatima: “O Fatima! I have married you to a master in this world, and in the Hereafter, he will be among the righteous.”(272) This can be explained as follows:

a) The Ahl al-Bayt of infallibility are one light.(273)

b) In the story of Abraham, there is a transmitted supplication where he asks to join the righteous(274), while no such content has been reported from Ali ibn Abi Talib.

There is a rational proof available for the Ahl al-Bayt of purity being the first emanation or manifestation, but there is no such evidence for Abraham, the Friend of God. d) Whoever is among the righteous in the Hereafter will certainly be among the righteous in this world; therefore, what has been reported about Abraham and the Commander of the Faithful differs.

Note: The pronoun in “And indeed, among his followers was Abraham” apparently refers to Noah, not to the Commander of the Faithful, although in terms of the inner meaning, it could be attributed to him. However, one should not neglect the credibility of the source.