Page(35-44): | |||
   According to sound narrations, when at the terror of the resurrection everyone including the prophets will cry out for themselves, God’s Messenger (UWBP) will demonstrate his pity and compassion2 by calling out: “My community! M y community!”3 As is affirmed by those who disclose the realities, when he was born, his mother heard the same words among his supplications.4 Then the whole history of his life, as well as the benevolence he taught demonstrate his perfect compassion and clemency. Also, by evincing an infinite need for his community’s innumerable prayers,5 he showed a boundless compassion, for he showed that because of it he was concerned with the happiness of all of them. You can understand, therefore, how lacking in gratitude and conscience it is not to observe the practices of so kind and compassionate a leader. SECOND POINT Among the universal, general duties of his prophethood, God’s Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) displayed great compassion in certain particular, minor matters. Superficially, his behaving so kindly in such matters seems unfitting for the supreme importance of the prophetic mission. But in reality, such minor matters were the tips or samples of a chain that would be the means whereby a universal, general function of prophethood would be fulfilled. The greatest importance was therefore given to the sample for the sake of the mighty chain. For example, the extraordinary gentleness God’s Messenger (UWBP) showed towards Hasan and Husayn in their childhood and the great importance he gave them6 was not only out of love and natural kindness and family feeling, it was rather because they were each the tip of a luminous thread of the office of prophethood, and the source, sample, and index of a community of great consequence which would receive the legacy of prophethood. Indeed, the Messenger (UWBP) used to take Hasan (May God be pleased with him) tenderly into his arms and kiss his head7 for the sake of the luminous, blessed, Mahdi-like descendants who would spring from him, such as Shah Geylani, the 2 See, Bukhari, Tawhid, 32; Muslim, Iman, 326. 3 Bukhari, Tawhid, 36; Tafsir Sura 17:5; Fitan, 1; Muslim, Iman, 326, 327; Tirmidhi, Qiyama, 10; Darimi, Muqaddima, 8. 4 See, Suyuti, al-Khasa’is al-Kubra, i, 80, 85, 91; al-Nabhani, Hujjat Allah ‘ala’l-’Alamin, 224, 227, 228. 5 See, Tirmidhi, Qiyama, 24. 6 See, Bukhari, Fada’il al-Ashab, 22; Muslim, Fada’il al-S˘ahaba, 56, 60. 7 See, Musnad, v, 47; al-Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, iii, 32; xx, 274. 8 Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir Gilani, d. 561/1165-6. The eponymous founder of the Qadiri Order. (Tr.) Double click for meaning of the world. | |||
