Written transcript of the lecture
The Meshkat-e Noor teachings series🌼Abu’l-Fadl is the champion of love for the Ahl al-Bayt🌼
🌼Abu’l-Fadl is a tempest of love🌼
🌸🔆🌿 Abu’l-Fadl, the soaring one
🌱🔆 A summary with an addendum from the “Meshkat-e Noor Gathering”: “The Abbasid and Sajjadi Gift,” “The Banner Forever Raised,” and “Imamate from the Heart of the Pearl” 1401.12.06 Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat 110.141(903) 🔆🌱
🌸🔆 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ🔆🌸
🌹Beyond the virtues he inherits through kinship and lineage, Abu’l-Fadl is Abu’l-Fadl still: a man of excellence and miraculous graces.
🌹Seen through the mirror of the Commander of the Faithful, of Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn, and each of God’s saints, Abu’l-Fadl is a flower from a garden of dignity, grace, nobility, and beauty.
🌹Yet to look at Abbas through his own eyes is to discover hidden, distinctive facets of his being.
🌹His blessed soul proclaims the life of Husayn to all existence.
🌹The moon is the sun’s sign in the sky; Abu’l-Fadl is the supreme, radiant sign of imamate and wilayah.
🌹The language of wilayah, of struggle and martyrdom, must be learned at Abu’l-Fadl’s school.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is the second flying martyr of the Islamic world, soaring among the angels in Paradise.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is the ruby-red jewel of Husayn, set upon the crown of hearts around the world.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is Imam Husayn’s backbone and support: a distinct part of the Imam’s immense being. Abu’l-Fadl is inseparable from Husayn’s very soul.
🌹A Shi‘a must, like Abu’l-Fadl al-Abbas, be a fragment of the vast world of imamate.
🌹To be slain in God’s cause is the sweetest sensation in all existence.
🌹The secret between the martyr and the All-Seeing Lord is the secret of being slain for God. God stands between the martyr and the world, and all that it contains. God stands between the martyr and pain, suffering, wounds, blades, swords, and spears.
🌹God Himself shatters His lover, tears him apart, and unravels every thread of his being; then once more, He stitches His lover back together.
🌹God has a special covenant with His lover.
🌹Fruit must be gathered when it is ripe; the lover must be gathered at the height of his sweetness. The gardener of love gathers the fruit of his love with his own hands.
🌹Before becoming a martyr, one must undergo martyrdom many times over. God Himself takes the life of His lover, moment by moment; between Him and His lovers lie many hidden mysteries.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl put martyrdom to shame; he became the fairest flower in the garden of martyrs.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl was and remains the lighthouse of wilayah.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is a tower of imamate and wilayah for the world.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl stands forever aloft.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl conquered the summit of faith and the heights of noble character and virtue—and became Abu’l-Fadl.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is a rope for the Rope of God.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is a means to the Means of God.
🌹In truth, Abu’l-Fadl has penetrated the soul of the world, the very soul of souls.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is the chosen and the elect of the Shi‘a.
🌹The radiance and taste of martyrdom cannot be understood until they have been experienced.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl embodies the divine, Muhammadan, Alid, and Hasanid truths.
🌹As Abu’l-Fadl soars, the angelic and martyr-filled realms of Paradise take on a singular beauty and joy.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl cries out for his Imam.
🌹The silent teacher is forever speaking.
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is a wondrous vessel of creation—how many passengers he carries to the shore of salvation!
🌹Abu’l-Fadl is the Pole Star in the sky of wilayah.
🌹Abu’l-Faḍl is the compass of wilayah, guidance and salvation.
🌹Abu’l-Faḍl is the head, crown and summit of the Shia: the pure Shia, the blessed Shia, the martyred Shia, the noble Shia, the fortunate Shia, the Shia of the very root; the Shia of the soul of souls, the Shia of union, love and devotion.
🌹Abu’l-Faḍl is the bridge to Husayn, leading to love of Husayn and his way.
🌷To describe the crown of the Shia is to describe Abu’l-Faḍl al-ʿAbbās
🌷🔅 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: خَلَقَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى شِيعَتَنَا مِنْ طِينَةٍ مَخْزُونَةٍ لَا يَشِذُّ مِنْهَا شَاذٌّ وَ لَا يَدْخُلُ فِيهَا دَاخِلٌ أَبَداً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
🌷🔅 عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: إِنَّا وَ شِيعَتَنَا خُلِقْنَا مِنْ طِينَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ .
🌷🔅 عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْخَفَّافِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْمُؤْمِنُ آنَسُ الْإِنْسِ جَيِّدُ الْجِنْسِ مِنْ طِينَتِنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ
🌷🔅 ثُمَّ يَقُولُ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع يَا فَاطِمَةُ سَلِي حَاجَتَكِ فَتَقُولِينَ يَا رَبِّ شِيعَتِي فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ فَتَقُولِينَ يَا رَبِّ شِيعَةُ وُلْدِي فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ فَتَقُولِينَ يَا رَبِّ شِيعَةُ شِيعَتِي فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ انْطَلِقِي فَمَنِ اعْتَصَمَ بِكِ فَهُوَ مَعَكِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكِ يَوَدُّ الْخَلَائِقُ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا فَاطِمِيِّينَ فَتَسِيرِينَ وَ مَعَكِ شِيعَتُكِ وَ شِيعَةُ وُلْدِكِ وَ شِيعَةُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ آمِنَةً رَوْعَاتِهِمْ مَسْتُورَةً عَوْرَاتُهُمْ قَدْ ذَهَبَتْ عَنْهُمُ الشَّدَائِدُ وَ سَهُلَتْ لَهُمُ الْمَوَارِدُ يَخَافُ النَّاسُ وَ هُمْ لَا يَخَافُونَ وَ يَظْمَأُ النَّاسُ وَ هُمْ لَا يَظْمَئُون[1]
🌷🔅 اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي كُلِّ عَافِيَةٍ وَ بَلَاءٍ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي كُلِّ مَثْوًى وَ مُنْقَلَبٍ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ مَحْيَايَ مَحْيَاهُمْ وَ مَمَاتِي مَمَاتَهُمْ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مَعَهُمْ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ كُلِّهَا وَ لَا تُفَرِّقْ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّكَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِير
Imam al-Bāqir (peace be upon him)
🌷🔅 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ اَلْبَاقِرِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِجَابِرٍ أَ يَكْتَفِي مَنِ اِنْتَحَلَ اَلتَّشَيُّعَ أَنْ يَقُولَ بِحُبِّنَا أَهْلَ اَلْبَيْتِ فَوَ اَللَّهِ مَا شِيعَتُنَا إِلاَّ مَنِ اِتَّقَى اَللَّهَ وَ أَطَاعَهُ وَ مَا كَانُوا يُعْرَفُونَ إِلاَّ بِالتَّوَاضُعِ وَ اَلتَّخَشُّعِ وَ كَثْرَةِ ذِكْرِ اَللَّهِ وَ اَلصَّوْمِ وَ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ اَلتَّعَهُّدِ لِلْجِيرَانِ مِنَ اَلْفُقَرَاءِ وَ أَهْلِ اَلْمَسْكَنَةِ وَ اَلْغَارِمِينَ وَ اَلْأَيْتَامِ وَ صِدْقِ اَلْحَدِيثِ وَ تِلاَوَةِ اَلْقُرْآنِ وَ كَفِّ اَلْأَلْسُنِ عَنِ اَلنَّاسِ إِلاَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَ كَانُوا أُمَنَاءَ عَشَائِرِهِمْ فِي اَلْأَشْيَاءِ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا اِبْنَ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ مَا نَعْرِفُ أَحَدا بِهَذِهِ اَلصِّفَةِ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ لاَ تَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ اَلْمَذَاهِبُ حَسْبُ اَلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ أُحِبُّ عَلِيّا وَ أَتَوَلاَّهُ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُ مَعَ ذَلِكَ فَعَّالا فَلَوْ قَالَ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ فَرَسُولُ اَللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَلِيِّ ٍّ ثُمَّ لاَ يَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِهِ وَ لاَ يَتَّبِعُ سُنَّتَهُ مَا نَفَعَهُ حُبُّهُ إِيَّاهُ شَيْئا فَاتَّقُوا اَللَّهَ وَ اِعْمَلُوا لِمَا عِنْدَ اَللَّهِ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ اَللَّهِ وَ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ قَرَابَةٌ أَحَبُّ اَلْعِبَادِ إِلَى اَللَّهِ وَ أَكْرَمُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَتْقَاهُمْ لَهُ وَ أَعْمَلُهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ اَللَّهِ مَا يُتَقَرَّبُ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلاَّ بِالطَّاعَةِ مَا مَعَنَا بَرَاءَةٌ مِنَ اَلنَّارِ وَ لاَ عَلَى اَللَّهِ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعا فَهُوَ لَنَا وَلِيٌّ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ عَاصِيا فَهُوَ لَنَا عَدُوٌّ وَ لاَ يُنَالُ غَدا وَلاَيَتُنَا إِلاَّ بِالْفَضْلِ وَ اَلْوَرَعِ .
🌷🔅 Imam al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said to Jabir:
“Is it enough for someone who claims to be a Shi‘i simply to profess love for us, the People of the Household? By God, none is truly one of our Shi‘a unless they are mindful of God and obey Him. Our Shi‘a are known by their humility and meekness, their frequent remembrance of God, their fasting and prayer, their kindness to needy neighbours, the poor, debtors and orphans, their truthfulness, their recitation of the Qur’an, and their restraint in speaking to others, except in words of goodness. In all their affairs, they were trusted by their tribes.”
Jabir said, “I replied, ‘O son of the Messenger of God, we know no one with these qualities.’”
He said, “Jabir, do not let what people say influence you. Is it enough for someone to say, ‘I love Ali and follow him,’ while doing nothing? And if someone says, ‘I love the Messenger of God—and the Messenger of God is greater than Ali,’ but does not live by his way and follow his practice, then love of the Prophet will do them no good. So be mindful of God and act for what is with Him. There is no kinship between God and anyone. The most beloved of His servants to God, and the most honoured by Him, are those most mindful of Him and most diligent in obeying Him. By God, no one can draw near to God except through obedience and worship. We hold no certificate of release from Hell, and no one has any claim against God. Whoever obeys God is our friend; whoever disobeys Him is our enemy. And on the Day of Resurrection, no one will attain our guardianship except through virtue and abstinence from sin.”
🌼 Ali Sa‘i (Abdullah Meshkat), 110.141 (903) 🌼
[1] The Life of Lady Fatima, peace be upon her (translation of volume 43 of Bihar al-Anwar), translated by Ruhani, p. 854 Majlisi, 1 volume, Maham Publications—Tehran, first edition, 1379 SH.
