Written transcript of the lecture
The Meshkat-e Noor teachings series🌼The Messenger of Generosity and Felicity🌼
🌼Prophetic and Hasanid Mysteries🌼
🌼The Key and the Blessing🌼
🌸🔆🌿 “The Evening of 28 Safar” “The Key to Blessing” “The Hasanid Mystery”
🔅🌹 Summary with Supplement: “The Evening of 28 Safar” “The Key to Blessing” “The Messenger of Goodness and Blessing” “The Hasanid Mystery” « » 1402.06.23 Ali Sa‘i (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141(903) 🌹🔅
🌹🔅☘️ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ ☘️🔅🌹
🔅🌼The Key to Blessing🌼🔅
🌷🔅 اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ أَمِينِكَ عَلَى وَحْيِكَ، وَ نَجِيبِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَ صَفِيِّكَ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ، إِمَامِ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَ قَائِدِ الْخَيْرِ، وَ مِفْتَاحِ الْبَرَكَة
🌻The passing of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, was the passing of the first of creation and the last of creation; it was the passing of the evening and morning of creation. His passing was the key to blessings, the passing of the leader of divine mercy, the passing of the commander of goodness and heavenly blessing.
🌻The passing of the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, left the world an orphan: the material world wept, while the Highest Realm rejoiced.
🌻The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the exemplar of divine mercy. Mercy moves in the same direction as the Messenger of God; it is the moth circling the crown upon Muhammad’s head.
🌻The depth of the calamity of losing the Noble Messenger, peace be upon him, is beyond comparison with any other calamity. The severing of divine revelation was the greatest deprivation for the people of this world, and it began with the Prophet’s passing.
🌻The Messenger of God’s passing was not an ending, but a beginning: the beginning of a new era, a time of transformation and of gathering the fruits of the Muhammadan tree. It was the time for the fruit of his mission to ripen—the sweet fruits of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.
🌻The Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, were the platter and table of prophethood, the feast of the honoured Prophet; they were the station of prophethood, the key to the mission.
🌻The calamity of rejecting the authority of the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, deepened the calamity of losing the Messenger of God, peace be upon him. This new calamity surpassed the calamity of his loss.
🌻The Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them—and foremost among them the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him—were the gate to the City of Knowledge: its key. They were the key to the key of God’s revelation.
🌻Muhammad, peace be upon him, was the key to revelation and blessing, and Ali, peace be upon him, was the key to the Messenger of God, peace be upon him.
🌻When the sun has risen, anyone without clear sight will gain nothing from its radiance. Knowledge is the secret of attaining the highest benefits.
🌻Once you reach the sea, if you cannot swim, you will gain nothing from its wonders. Whoever cannot swim in the waters of knowledge loses out on life in this world. Whoever has no wings with which to fly will be deprived of the sky. God-conscious knowledge is the secret of swimming, of taking wing, and of clear sight.
🌻What answer do we have to the question, “Who is your Prophet?” How well do we know this precious jewel of creation? Knowing him is the secret of attaining benefit, delight, and the highest pleasure.
🔅🌼The Moon’s Forehead
🌻Inscribed on the moon’s forehead is this: Muhammad, peace be upon him, is “the moon of moons.”
🌻Inscribed on the sun’s forehead is this: Muhammad, peace be upon him, is “the light of lights.”
🌻Which name of the Messenger of God is inscribed upon the crown of our hearts?!
🌷🔅 وَ عَلَى الْقَمَرِ قَمَرُ الْأَقْمَارِ وَ عَلَى الشَّمْسِ نُورُ الْأَنْوَار[1]
🌷🔅 خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ زَيْنُ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ نُورُهَا وَ تَاجُهَا[2]
🌷🔅 صَاحِبُ الْخَلْقِ الْجَلِيِّ وَ النُّورِ الْمُضِيْءِ وَ الْكِتَابِ الْبَهِيِ وَ الدِّينِ الرَّضِيِّ الرَّسُولُ النَّبِيُّ الْأُمِّيُّ صَاحِبُ الْخَلْقِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ الدِّينِ الْقَوِيم[3]
🔅🌼The Messenger of God Is the Divine Key🌼🔅
🌻Water is the key to life and living; the key to life is greater than life itself. What is greater than life?!
🌷🔅 The Prophets: 30 أَ وَ لَمْ يَرَ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ كانَتا رَتْقاً فَفَتَقْناهُما وَ جَعَلْنا مِنَ الْماءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَ فَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ
🌻The Messenger of God is the true water, and the soul is the spring of life. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) surpasses life in the earthly, angelic and divine realms.
🌻The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) is the supreme key to the sciences of the Lord and the secrets of the Almighty.
🌻The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) opened the mighty gates of knowledge to Ali, the Gate of the City of Knowledge.
🌷🔅 أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَسَرَّ إِلَيَ فِي مَرَضِهِ مِفْتَاحَ أَلْفِ بَابٍ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ يُفَتِّحُ كُلُّ بَابٍ أَلْفَ بَابٍ وَ لَوْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ مُنْذُ قَبَضَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ اتَّبَعُونِي وَ أَطَاعُونِي لَأَكَلُوا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ [رَغَداً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ][4]
🌻Ali is, in his entirety, the Gate of the Prophet’s knowledge. Ali surpasses all things; to scale Ali’s summit is to scale the heights of the Prophet’s knowledge.
🌻The difference between the people of Saqifa and those who love Ali but do not follow him is this: one group denies his authority and does not follow him either; the other accepts his authority, yet refuses to follow him. Thus, these two groups have something in common.
🌻Ali, peace be upon him, is the key to the Key.
🌷🔅 Al-Hijr: 21 وَ إِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ عِنْدَنا خَزائِنُهُ وَ ما نُنَزِّلُهُ إِلاَّ بِقَدَرٍ مَعْلُومٍ
🌻The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) is the means of access to the divine treasures, the source of heavenly goodness and blessing.
🌻Water is a symbol of ascent, a symbol of intimate communion with God. It is the key to drawing near to God, the secret that unlocks holy communion. Every mystery has its own key.
🌷🔅 فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ جَعَلَ الْمَاءَ مِفْتَاحَ قُرْبَتِهِ وَ مُنَاجَاتِهِ وَ دَلِيلًا إِلَى بِسَاطِ خِدْمَتِه[5]
🌻Trust in God is the key to faith; through trust, the mysteries of faith are revealed.
🌷🔅 جَعَلَ اللَّهُ التَّوَكُّلَ مِفْتَاحَ الْإِيمَان[6]
🌻Jurisprudence is the key to insight; through understanding religion, the gates of light are opened.
🌷🔅 فَإِنَّ الْفِقْهَ مِفْتَاحُ الْبَصِيرَةِ وَ تَمَامُ الْعِبَادَة[7]
🌻The Gate of the City of Knowledge means the key to the City of Knowledge.
🌻Ali, peace be upon him, is the key to the Messenger of God, just as he is the gate to the Messenger of God’s City of Knowledge.
🌷🔅 وَ سَوْفَ يُنَعِّمُ وَ يُفَرِّحُ أَوْلِيَاءَكَ- بِوَصِيِّكَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع، وَ سَوْفَ يَبُثُ عُلُومَكَ فِي الْعِبَادِ وَ الْبِلَادِ، بِمِفْتَاحِكَ وَ بَابِ مَدِينَةِ عِلْمِكَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ A,[8]
🌻Divine authority is the key to prayer, almsgiving, pilgrimage and fasting. Through it, the beauty, mysteries and marvels of worship are brought to light. Without divine authority, the worshipful deeds of God’s servants are invalid.
🌷🔅 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسَةِ أَشْيَاءَ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الْحَجِّ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْوَلَايَةِ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ فَأَيُّ ذَلِكَ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ الْوَلَايَةُ أَفْضَلُهُنَّ لِأَنَّهَا مِفْتَاحُهُنَّ وَ الْوَالِي هُوَ الدَّلِيل[9]
🔅🌼 Decoding Blessing 🌼🔅
🌻The way to attain God’s blessings is through obedience to Him and winning His pleasure.
🌷🔅 عَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى نَبِيٍّ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ إِذَا أُطِعْتُ رَضِيتُ وَ إِذَا رَضِيتُ بَارَكْتُ وَ لَيْسَ لِبَرَكَتِي نِهَايَةٌ وَ إِذَا عُصِيتُ غَضِبْتُ وَ إِذَا غَضِبْتُ لَعَنْتُ وَ لَعْنَتِي تَبْلُغُ السَّابِعَ مِنَ الْوَرَى.[10]
🌻The meaning of blessing can be understood only by understanding its qualities.
🌻Obedience to God leads to His pleasure, and that in turn leads to divine blessing.
🌻Blessing is connection to the Infinite. It meets our needs. It is delightful, subtle and immense. It is bound up with divine knowledge and wisdom. It grows and wells forth. It is effective, the source of great effects. Blessing is the key to attaining God’s all-encompassing mercy; it is the receiving of grace without hardship or toil. It is complete in every way, like a flawless diamond. It is rich in benefits—or, rather, all benefit. It is deeply rooted. Blessing is the key to being in God’s presence. It is to be connected with the Word of God, His Names and His Attributes. It is complete in every way, and a link to the treasury of all treasures. Blessing is like the Night of Decree.
🌻Divine blessing is imperishable.
🌷🔅 An-Naḥl: 96 what عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ وَ ما عِنْدَ اللَّهِ باقٍ وَ لَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذينَ صَبَرُوا أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
🌷🔅 Al-Kahf: 109 قُلْ لَوْ كانَ الْبَحْرُ مِداداً لِكَلِماتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِماتُ رَبِّي وَ لَوْ جِئْنا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَداً
🌷🔅 Ṭā Hā: 131 وَ لا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلى ما مَتَّعْنا بِهِ أَزْواجاً مِنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ in it وَ رِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَ أَبْقى
🌷🔅 Ar-Raʿd: 35 مَثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ تَجْري مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهارُ أُكُلُها دائِمٌ وَ ظِلُّها تِلْكَ عُقْبَى الَّذينَ اتَّقَوْا وَ عُقْبَى الْكافِرينَ النَّارُ
🌷🔅 Ibrāhīm: 24 أَ لَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُها ثابِتٌ وَ فَرْعُها فِي السَّماءِ
🌷🔅 Ibrāhīm: 25 تُؤْتي أُكُلَها كُلَّ حينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّها وَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
🌻With blessing, grace comes to meet us.
🌻Through divine blessing, God’s grace seeks us eagerly, in a spirit of service.
🌻The greatest of blessings are the Messenger of God ﷺ and the People of the House of Purity.
🔅🌼 The Mysteries of Ḥusnā 🌼🔅
🌻Who is Ḥasan?
🌷🔅 At-Takāthur: 8 ثُمَّ لَتُسْئَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعيمِ
🌻One day, we will be asked about the blessing of Ḥusnā. We will be asked about God’s light, and we must give an account of that light!
🌻Ḥasan, peace be upon him, is the supreme interpretation of the Qur’an’s Ḥusnā.
🌻The Qur’an carries the distinctive fragrance of Ḥusnā.
🌻If Ḥasan were removed from the world, the world’s beauty would disappear.
🌻Without Ḥasan, there would be no tablet or pen, no written letter, no written book.
🌷🔅 وَ فَتَقَ نُورَ الْحَسَنِ فَخَلَقَ مِنْهُ اللَّوْحَ وَ الْقَلَمَ
🌷🔅 قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص سُمِّيَ الْحَسَنُ حَسَناً لِأَنَّ بِإِحْسَانِ اللَّهِ قَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَ الْأَرْضُ وَ الْحَسَنُ مُشْتَقٌّ مِنَ الْإِحْسَانِ وَ عَلِيٌّ وَ الْحَسَنُ اسْمَانِ [مُشْتَقَّانِ] مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ الْحُسَيْنُ تَصْغِيرُ الْحَسَن[11]
🌷🔅 قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِي أُنْذِرْتُمْ وَ بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع اهْتَدَيْتُمْ وَ قَرَأَ إِنَّما أَنْتَ مُنْذِرٌ وَ لِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هادٍ وَ بِالْحَسَنِ أُعْطِيتُمُ الْإِحْسَانَ وَ بِالْحُسَيْنِ تَسْعَدُونَ وَ بِهِ تَشْقَوْنَ أَلَا وَ إِنَ الْحُسَيْنَ بَابٌ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ [12]
🌻The mystery of Ḥusnā will become clearer with the Imam of the Age, peace be upon him. Without doubt, one of the conditions for serving at the side of His Eminence is Ḥusnā.
🌻If there were no Ḥasan, no mother’s heart would know affection. No emotional bond would exist between any of God’s creatures.
🌷🔅 وَ لَوْ كَانَ الْفَضْلُ شَخْصاً لَكَانَ الْحَسَنَ ع[13]
🌷🔅 اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ إِحْسَانِكَ بِأَحْسَنِهِ وَ كُلُ إِحْسَانِكَ حَسَنٌ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِإِحْسَانِكَ كُلِّه[14]
🌻Gratitude for the blessing of Ḥasan will bring us to the greatest divine beneficence.
🌻The gravest ingratitude is ingratitude toward God’s Proof.
🌷🔅 Ibrahim: 7 وَ إِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزيدَنَّكُمْ وَ لَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذابي لَشَديدٌ
🌼 Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) 110.141 (903) 🌼
[1] The Virtues of the Family of Abu Talib (by Ibn Shahrashub), vol. 1, p. 152 Ibn Shahrashub Mazandarani, Allama — Qom, first edition, 1379 AH.
[2] The Virtues of the Family of Abu Talib (by Ibn Shahrashub), vol. 1, p. 152 Ibn Shahrashub Mazandarani, Allama — Qom, first edition, 1379 AH.
[3] The Virtues of the Family of Abu Talib (by Ibn Shahrashub), vol. 1, p. 153 Ibn Shahrashub Mazandarani, Allama — Qom, first edition, 1379 AH.
[4] The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, vol. 2, p. 658 Hilali, al-Hadi — Iran; Qom, first edition, 1405 AH.
[5] The Lantern of the Sacred Law, p. 128 Attributed to Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon him; A‘lami — Beirut, first edition, 1400 AH.
[6] The Lantern of the Sacred Law, p. 164Attributed to Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon him; A‘lami — Beirut, first edition, 1400 AH.
[7] The Jurisprudence Attributed to Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, p. 337 Attributed to Ali ibn Musa; Ahl al-Bayt Foundation, peace be upon them — Mashhad, first edition, 1406 AH.
[8] The Commentary Attributed to Imam Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him, p. 158 Hasan ibn Ali, peace be upon him; Imam Mahdi School, may God hasten his noble advent — Iran; Qom, first edition, 1409 AH.
[9] Al-Mahasin, vol. 1, p. 286 Barqi, Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid; Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya — Qom, second edition, 1371 AH.
[10] Al-Kafi (Islamic edition), vol. 2, p. 275 Kulayni; Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya — Tehran, fourth edition, 1407 AH.
[11] One Hundred Virtues from the Merits of the Commander of the Faithful and the Imams, p. 22 Ibn Shadhan; Imam Mahdi School, may God hasten his noble advent — Iran; Qom, first edition, 1407 AH.
[12] One Hundred Virtues from the Merits of the Commander of the Faithful and the Imams, p. 22 Ibn Shadhan; Imam Mahdi School, may God hasten his noble advent — Iran; Qom, first edition, 1407 AH.
[13] One Hundred Virtues from the Merits of the Commander of the Faithful and the Imams, p. 136 Ibn Shadhan; Imam Mahdi School, may God hasten his noble advent — Iran; Qom, first edition, 1407 AH.
[14] Tahdhib al-Ahkam (Khorasani edition), vol. 3, p. 121 Tusi; Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya — Tehran, fourth edition, 1407 AH.
