The Praiseworthy Station is the most honored station that “Allah, Blessed and Exalted, ” will grant to the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and, following him, to his blessed household.
Among the later gifts associated with the Praiseworthy Station is the stewardship of the divine treasuries.
I refer the reader to the preceding discussion.
The Praiseworthy Station
The Praiseworthy Station is a special station granted to no one but the Messenger of God, peace be upon him. It is the highest station that Allah, Blessed and Exalted, will bestow upon His noble Messenger on the Day of the Supreme Gathering. All of creation—the first and the last, human beings, messengers and angels—will envy him for it. Among the distinctions of the Praiseworthy Station are the station of sitting upon the Throne, the Banner of Praise, stewardship of the keys to Paradise and Hell, and the special and most exclusive station of intercession. These are among the unique manifestations of that singular station. This intercession encompasses the people of monotheism and raises their degrees, God willing.
الإسراء : 79 وَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نافِلَةً لَكَ عَسى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقاماً مَحْمُوداً
And rise from sleep during part of the night to recite the Qur’an and pray—an additional duty for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to the Praiseworthy Station.
فَكَيْفَ إِذا جِئْنا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَ جِئْنا بِكَ عَلى هؤُلاءِ شَهِيداً ثُمَّ يَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي مَوْطِنٍ آخَرَ يَكُونُ فِيهِ مَقَامُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ هُوَ الْمَقَامُ الْمَحْمُودُ فَيُثْنِي عَلَى اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بِمَا لَمْ يُثْنِ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ ثُمَّ يُثْنِي عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ كُلِّهِمْ فَلَا يَبْقَى مَلَكٌ إِلَّا أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ ص ثُمَّ يُثْنِي عَلَى الرُّسُلِ بِمَا لَمْ يُثْنِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ ثُمَّ يُثْنِي عَلَى كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ يَبْدَأُ بِالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَ الشُّهَدَاءِ ثُمَّ بِالصَّالِحِينَ فَيَحْمَدُهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ- عَسى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقاماً مَحْمُوداً فَطُوبَى لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَقَامِ حَظٌّ وَ وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَقَامِ حَظٌّ وَ لَا نَصِيبٌ ثُمَّ يَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي مَوْطِنٍ آخَرَ وَ يُدَالُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ هَذَا كُلُّهُ قَبْلَ الْحِسَابِ فَإِذَا أُخِذَ فِي الْحِسَابِ شُغِلَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِ نَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ بَرَكَةَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْم[22]
Imam Ali, peace be upon him, said: “On the Day of Judgment, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, will have a station where he will stand. This is the Praiseworthy Station of which God has spoken. There he will offer God a praise unlike any offered before. Then the angels will praise him; not one angel will fail to send blessings upon Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Then he will praise the prophets, and thereafter the believers, beginning with the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. Then the people of heaven and earth will praise him. This is what God Most High means when He says: عَسی أَنْ یَبْعَثَکَ رَبُّکَ مَقاماً مَحْمُوداً God will raise you to a Praiseworthy Station. Blessed is the one who receives a share of that station, and woe to the one who has no share in it.”
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَسى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقاماً مَحْمُوداً قَالَ يُجْلِسُهُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ مَعَه[23]
Imam Baqir, peace be upon him—Jabir ibn Yazid relates: Imam Baqir, peace be upon him, was asked about these words of God: عَسی أَنْ یَبْعَثَکَ رَبُّکَ مَقاماً مَحْمُوداً He said: “On the Day of Resurrection, God will seat the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, upon the Throne.”
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِذَا جَمَعَ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَعَدَنِي الْمَقَامَ الْمَحْمُودَ وَ هُوَ وَافٍ لِي بِهِ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ نُصِبَ لِي مِنْبَرٌ لَهُ أَلْفُ دَرَجَةٍ فَأَصْعَدُ حَتَّى أَعْلُوَ فَوْقَهُ فَيَأْتِينِي جَبْرَئِيلُ ع بِلِوَاءِ الْحَمْدِ فَيَضَعُهُ فِي يَدِي وَ يَقُولُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذَا الْمَقَامُ الْمَحْمُودُ الَّذِي وَعَدَكَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَأَقُولُ لِعَلِيٍّ اصْعَدْ فَيَكُونُ أَسْفَلَ مِنِّي بِدَرَجَةٍ فَأَضَعُ لِوَاءَ الْحَمْدِ فِي يَدِهِ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي رِضْوَانُ بِمَفَاتِيحِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذَا الْمَقَامُ الْمَحْمُودُ الَّذِي وَعَدَكَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَيَضَعُهَا فِي يَدِي فَأَضَعُهَا فِي حَجْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي مَالِكٌ خَازِنُ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذَا الْمَقَامُ الْمَحْمُودُ الَّذِي وَعَدَكَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ مَفَاتِيحُ النَّارِ أَدْخِلْ عَدُوَّكَ وَ عَدُوَّ أُمَّتِكَ النَّارَ فَآخُذُهَا وَ أَضَعُهَا فِي حَجْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَالنَّارُ وَ الْجَنَّةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَسْمَعُ لِي وَ لِعَلِيٍّ مِنَ الْعَرُوسِ لِزَوْجِهَا فَهِيَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَلْقِيا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ أَلْقِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا عَلِيُّ عَدُوَّكُمَا فِي النَّارِ ثُمَّ أَقُومُ وَ أُثْنِي عَلَى اللَّهِ ثَنَاءً لَمْ يُثْنِ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ قَبْلِي ثُمَّ أُثْنِي عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ ثُمَّ أُثْنِي عَلَى الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ثُمَّ أُثْنِي عَلَى الْأُمَمِ الصَّالِحِينَ ثُمَّ أَجْلِسُ فَيُثْنِي اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ وَ يُثْنِي عَلَيَّ مَلَائِكَتُهُ وَ يُثْنِي عَلَيَّ أَنْبِيَاؤُهُ وَ رُسُلُهُ وَ يُثْنِي عَلَيَّ الْأُمَمُ الصَّالِحَةُ ثُمَّ يُنَادِي مُنَادٍ مِنْ بُطْنَانِ الْعَرْشِ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْخَلَائِقِ غُضُّوا أَبْصَارَكُمْ حَتَّى تَمُرَّ بِنْتُ حَبِيبِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَصْرِهَا فَتَمُرُّ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتِي عَلَيْهَا رَيْطَتَانِ خَضْرَاوَانِ وَ عِنْدَ حَوْلِهَا سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ حَوْرَاءَ فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ إِلَى بَابِ قَصْرِهَا وَجَدَتِ الْحَسَنَ قَائِماً وَ الْحُسَيْنَ قَائِماً مَقْطُوعَ الرَّأْسِ فَتَقُولُ لِلْحَسَنِ مَنْ هَذَا يَقُولُ هَذَا أَخِي إِنَّ أُمَّةَ أَبِيكَ قَتَلُوهُ وَ قَطَعُوا رَأْسَهُ فَيَأْتِيهَا النِّدَاءُ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يَا بِنْتَ حَبِيبِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي إِنَّمَا أَرَيْتُكَ مَا فَعَلَتْ بِهِ أُمَّةُ أَبِيكَ لِأَنِّي ذَخَرْتُ لَكِ عِنْدِي تَعْزِيَةً بِمُصِيبَتِكِ فِيهِ إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ لِتَعْزِيَتِكِ بِمُصِيبَتِكِ أَنِّي لَا أَنْظُرُ فِي مُحَاسَبَةِ الْعِبَادِ حَتَّى تَدْخُلِي الْجَنَّةَ أَنْتِ وَ ذُرِّيَّتُكِ وَ شِيعَتُكِ وَ مَنْ أَوْلَاكُمْ مَعْرُوفاً مِمَّنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِنْ شِيعَتِكِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَنْظُرَ فِي مُحَاسَبَةِ الْعِبَادِ فَتَدْخُلُ فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَتِي الْجَنَّةَ وَ ذُرِّيَّتُهَا وَ شِيعَتُهَا وَ مَنْ أَوْلَاهَا مَعْرُوفاً مِمَّنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِنْ شِيعَتِهَا فَهُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ لا يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الْأَكْبَرُ قَالَ هُوَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ هُمْ فِي مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ خالِدُونَ هِيَ وَ اللَّهِ فَاطِمَةُ وَ ذُرِّيَّتُهَا وَ شِيعَتُهَا وَ مَنْ أَوْلَاهُمْ مَعْرُوفاً مِمَّنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِنْ شِيعَتِهَا.[24]
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his forefathers, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
“When God, Blessed and Exalted, gathers all people on the Day of Resurrection, He—who promised me the Praised Station—will fulfil His promise to me that day. When the Day of Resurrection comes, a pulpit with a thousand steps, unlike any staircase you know, will be set up for me. I will climb it until I reach the top. Then Gabriel will bring me the Banner of Praise and place it before me, saying, ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), this is the Praised Station that God promised you.’
“I will say to Ali (peace be upon him), ‘Come up!’ He will ascend and stand one step below me. Then I will place the Banner of Praise in Ali’s hands.
“Next, Ridwan, the keeper of Paradise, will come with its keys and say, ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), this is the Praised Station that God promised you.’ He will place the keys in my hands, and I will lay them in the lap of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).
“Then Malik, the guardian of Hell, will come and say, ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), this is the Praised Station that God promised you. These are the keys to Hell. Send your enemy, his descendants, and his community into Hell.’ I will take the keys and lay them in the lap of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).
“On that day, Hell and Paradise will be more obedient to me and Ali (peace be upon him) than a bride is to her husband. This is the meaning of God’s words: [God commands:] ‘Cast into Hell every stubborn disbeliever!’ (Qaf 50:24)—that is, ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and O Ali (peace be upon him), cast your enemy into Hell!’
“Then I will rise and praise God in a manner in which no one before me has ever praised Him. I will then praise the angels near to God, the prophets, and the righteous among their communities. After this, I will sit, and God, the angels, the prophets, the messengers, and the righteous among their communities will praise me.
“Then a herald will call from within the Throne: ‘People, lower your eyes, so that the daughter of God’s Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) may go to her palace.’ Fatima (peace be upon her) will pass by, with two green veils over her head and seventy thousand houris accompanying her. When she reaches the gate of her palace, she will see Hasan (peace be upon him) standing there and Husayn (peace be upon him) lying with his head severed. She will ask Hasan (peace be upon him), ‘Who is this?’ He will reply, ‘This is my brother Husayn (peace be upon him). Your father’s community killed him and cut off his head.’
“At that moment, a voice will come from God, addressing Fatima (peace be upon her): ‘O daughter of God’s Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), I showed you the injustice and oppression committed by your father’s community so that I might show you the consolation I have reserved for you in the tragedy of Husayn (peace be upon him). Your consolation is this: today, I will call no one to account until you, your children, your followers, and those who were not your followers but treated you well have all entered Paradise.’
“Then my daughter Fatima (peace be upon her), her children, her followers, and those who were not her followers but treated her well will enter Paradise. This is the meaning of God’s words: ‘The Great Terror will not grieve them’ (al-Anbiya 21:103)—that is, the terror of the Day of Resurrection—‘and they will abide forever in whatever their souls desire’ (al-Anbiya 21:102). By God, those meant by this verse are Fatima (peace be upon her), her children, her followers, and those who were not her followers but treated them well.”
[22] al-Tawhid (by al-Saduq), p. 261. Ibn Babawayh, Muhammad ibn Ali, Society of Seminary Teachers, Iran, Qom, first edition, 1398 AH.
[23] al-Ikhtisas, text, p. 18. Mufid, Muhammad ibn Muhammad, World Congress for the Millennium of Shaykh al-Mufid, Iran, Qom, first edition, 1413 AH.
[24] Bihar al-Anwar (Beirut edition), vol. 7, p. 335. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir ibn Muhammad Taqi, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, second edition, 1403 AH.