By: Allama Jafar Murtuza Amili
The
question of who is superior, Maryam daughter of ‘Imran (sa) or Fatima
(sa) daughter of Muhammed S, may be answered by some this way: “Such is
useless knowledge. It neither benefits those who know it nor harms those
who do not. It is an intellectual luxury item, or even nonsense or
backwardness.” Then one may add saying, “Since there is no dispute in
this regard between Maryam and Fatima, why should we dispute about it?
Fatima has her merits, and so does Maryam, and we see no problem here.”
To me, I would like to say the following:
FIRST:
There is no doubt that al-Zahra’ (sa) is the best of all womankind, of
the early generations as well as the later ones. As for Maryam, she was
the head of the women of her time. Such is narrated about the Messenger
of Allah S himself as well as the Imams, peace with them9.
This
proves that since she is the head of the women of Paradise, she is
superior to Maryam, and Maryam is superior to such women10. Another
proof of her superiority is narrated by Imam al-Sadiq (as) who has said,
“Had Allah, Exalted and Glorified is He, not created the Commander of
the Faithful for Fatima (as a husband), nobody else on the face of earth
would have been qualified to be her husband, be he from among the
descendants of Adam or from among those of anyone else.”11 This
tradition proves the superiority of the Commander of the Faithful (as)
as well.
SECOND: Our inquiry about the
superiority does not mean that we seek to be different; rather, it is
the question of someone who seeks to know more about the status of those
who enjoy nearness to Allah Almighty. We are urged to seek more
knowledge about them because it requires us to know more about Allah
Almighty. If we differ at all, it is not dissension or animosity.
Rather, it is a difference of opinion which leads us to research the
truth, to increase our knowledge, and to correct what is wrong or what
is misunderstood by this party or that.
THIRD:
We have to realize, each according to his ability, that we have to know
the minute details of all contents of the Book of Allah, and all what
was said by the Messenger of Allah S and his wasis, peace with them,
which they conveyed to us, if we find a way to do it at all. It is
knowledge of a great deal of significance. Those who are ignorant of it
will be harmed, and those who know it will be benefitted thereby.
Knowing it is not confined to political, material, social or
organizational matters or to our daily practice of rituals and the like.
Mankind
moves on the path of perfection, a movement which he carries out
willingly and energetically and through his persistent effort. He sets
out in such a movement prompted by his conviction, relying on the degree
of his faith.
Such conviction and faith are nourished by knowing
the secrets of life and its minute details, knowledge of the domain of
Allah, Glory to Him, of the secrets of creation, of knowing Allah, the
praised One, of His Attributes, of Prophets and walis whom He chose from
among His servants, and knowing their high status and degree of
nearness to Allah, such as our knowledge that Allah, Glory to Him, is
the One Who chose a name for Fatima12, that He joined her in marriage in
the heavens before doing so on earth13, that she used to talk to her
mother when she was in her womb14, and such things.
All such
knowledge increases the purity of the soul and deepens conviction. It
leads to self-knowledge that leads to knowing the Lord, Glory to Him.
It
is, then, quite obvious that the status of the prophets, wasis and the
walis, and the degrees of their distinction varies in sublimity and
differs according to their level of knowledge of all the above.
Yet,
some branches of knowledge may require introductions so that we may
absorb them and qualify ourselves to properly benefit from them. It will
then be necessary to be gradual in undergoing the stages of such a
path, just as a first grade pupil is not usually satisfactorily capable
of absorbing the material given to a student of a higher grade like a
university student. Instead, he has to go through stages that will
prepare him to comprehend and absorb all of that so he may benefit from
it.
Whenever one gets closer to Allah, he will be more in need of
new branches of knowledge which suit his new station of nearness to
Allah, and he will need to be more pure, more cleansed, and to formulate
his feelings and emotions, rather, all his condition, accordingly.
Such
a matter has its originality and reality, and it does not agree with
one who says that this is knowledge which does not benefit those who
know it nor harms those who do not.
If Imam al-Sadiq (as) did
feel above delving into a topic like this, when he was asked about it,
and when he did provide an answer, are we, then, right in feeling above
an issue which the Imam addressed without having to, while he is our
role model?! So, we, indeed, need to know the lofty status and the
station of nearness to Allah which Fatima (sa) enjoys and knowing her
superiority over other beings. We need to know that she is the head of
all women of the world, of the early generations and of the last ones,
and that she is superior to Maryam (sa), head of the women of her time.
We
are in need of all of this because it deepens our relationship with
Fatima (sa) and it permits Fatima (sa) into our hearts, incorporating
her into the soul, the feelings, the emotions, so that we may be more
aware of what she says or does, so we may feel what she feels, like what
she likes and hate what she hates.
We are in pain when her soul agonizes, and we are happy when her soul is pleased.
This
increases our sincerity and purity, and it increases our knowledge of
the facts relevant to those who oppressed her and transgressed against
her. It makes us acquainted with the magnanimity of the injustice to
which she was exposed, with how bad and how ugly it was.
9. Refer
to Thakha’ir al-`Uqba, p. 43; to Siyar A`lam al-Nubala’, Vol. 2, p.
126; to Al-Jawhara, p. 17; to Al-Isti`ab (as referred to in a footnote
in Al-Isaba), Vol. 4, p. 376; to Tarikh Dimashq (to the section dealing
with the biography of Imam Ali and researched by al-Mahmudi), Vol. 1,
pp. 247-248; to Al-Majalis al-Saniyya, Vol. 5, p. 63 citing al-Saduq’s
Amuli; to Al-Istu`ab and p. 56, Vol. 3, of Sharh al-Akhbar; to p. 79,
Vol. 1, of Maqtal al-Husayn by al-Khawarizmi; to pp. 178-179 of Nazm
Durar al-Simtayn; to Ma`ani al-Akhbar, pl. 107; to p. 182, Vol. 1, of
`Ilal al-Shara’i`; to al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 37, Vol.
39, p. 278 and p. 68, Vol. 37; and to Ibn Shahr Ashub’s Manaqib.
10.
Refer to p. 459 of Al-Rasa’il al-I`tiqadiyya, citing p. 36, Vol. 5, of
al-Bukhari’s Sahih and also p. 262 of Al-Tara’if, citing Al-Jam` Baynal
Sihah al-Sitta, and p. 61, Vol. 1, of Mir’at al-Jinan, and pp. 19-21,
Vol. 2, of Diya` al-`Alamin.
11. Refer to p. 461, Vol. 1, of
Al-Kafi, to pp. 10 & 107, Vol. 43, of Bihar al-Anwar; to p. 11, Vol.
2, of Diya’ al-`Alamin (manuscript) citing `Uyun al-Mu`jizat; and to p.
48 of Kitab al-Firdaws.
12. Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 43, p. 13 citing p. 178, Vol. 1, of `Ilal al-Shara’i.
13.
Refer to p. 31 of Thakha’ir al-`Uqba; p. 98, Vol. 2, of Kashf
al-Ghumma. Refer also to Kunuz al-Haqa’iq by al-Mannawi in a footnote on
p. 75, Vol. 2, of Al-Jami` al-Saghir; and to pp. 141 & 145, Vol.
43, of al-Majlisi’s Bihar al-Anwar.
14. Al-Qazwini, Fatima
al-Zahra’ Minal Mahd ilal Lahd, p. 49; al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.
43, p. 2; p. 227, Vol. 2, of Nuzhat al-Majalis; and pp. 27, 38, Vol. 2,
of Diya’ al-`Alamin.
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source : ابنا
Sunday
22 December 2024
5:49:48 AM
1515638
The question of who is superior, Maryam daughter of ‘Imran (sa) or Fatima (sa) daughter of Muhammed S, may be answered by some this way: “Such is useless knowledge. It neither benefits those who know it nor harms those who do not. It is an intellectual luxury item