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Knowledge of The Exalted Creator
Source: Ain-al-Hayat, By: Allama Muhammad Baqir Majlisi
The most important fundamental in all Prayer is the knowledge and understanding of the Creator. The understanding of the Creator is directly related to the degree of Faith the believer has in his Creator. Where there is no faith, all worship is futile. To the contrary, worship sans Faith is subject to Retribution.
What is faith?
Faith is the belief in the Existence of the Creator and His Attributes--- the Positive Attributes (Sifat al-thubutiah) and Negative Attributes (Sifat al-Salbiah). The other important components of the believer’s faith are the Belief in Allah’s Justice, His being One and Only God, the Belief that Muhammad (S) is the Last and Final of the line of the Prophets and acceptance of the Twelve Imams (as) from the Family as his Vicegerents; the belief in Mi’ad Jismani (The Hereafter- when people will be raised before the Day of Judgment for questioning). Belief in the existence of the Heaven and the Hell and the concept of Reward and Retribution too are important aspects of the Faith.
The Faith
Faith is the Eternal Wealth for a believer. Loss of Faith can be the Eternal Curse for a believer. Satan is the veritable consumer of Faith and Actions because the thief always aims at the most precious object of his target. When he fails in that attempt, he contents himself with burgling less important things.
For example: Creating doubts about Belief in the Existence of Allah in the minds of the believers, Satan thus consigns them to the Hell. To save themselves from this eventuality, the believers should steadfastly adhere to the Safina-tu-najat (the Ship of Deliverance). Those who are dedicated to the Ahl-ul-Bayt will board this ship to find cure for all the ailments, it is the succor for the drowning and the guarantee against the machinations of the Satan. Unless a person gets a clear understanding of Allah, it may be difficult for him to understand the Prophet (S) and the Imams (as). For understanding of Allah there are two definite requirements:
1. Knowledge of the Certainty of Existence
This is evidenced by examples. The knowledge of Certainty of Existence is in the nature. Therefore the unbelievers were not asked to believe in Allah, but they were asked not to believe in a comity of deities.
It is narrated that the Prophet asked an Arab as to how he identified Allah? He said, “I saw the droppings of the camel on the way and knew that some camels had passed by. I saw the foot- marks of men and knew that some men had used the path. We have such vast land, the sky the sun, the moon and the stars. Don’t they indicate that there must be someone who has made them?”
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) narrates that someone wanted him to give an explanation about the existence of Allah. The Imam (as) asked him, “Have you ever been on any voyage at sea?”
The man replied in the affirmative.
The Imam (as) rejoined, “Have you come across a storm while on board a ship?”
The man replied in affirmative.
The Imam (as) said, “Did you get a feeling at that time that there must be some power that could come to the rescue of the ship?”
The man replied in the affirmative.
The Imam (as) rejoined, “Yes! That Power is Allah!!”
But the atheists and agnostics who raise objections at every step and find fault with the creations of Allah are like the blind men who have been left in a palatial mansion to partake of the dainty food laid out for them. Some blind persons trample the bread, some other person puts his foot in the bowl of the soup. The blind persons complain of the host being careless in spreading the food in a wrong place. They are, no doubt, blind to the fact that they have been provided with the best of food in the best of surroundings.
2. Idrak al-Kunha
The second type of Knowledge of the Existence of the Creator Idrak Al-Kunha (that means, Realization of the Reality) of His Person. This is impossible for the human intellect. When a human being is not capable of understanding its own personality, how could he delve into understanding the Personality of the Creator! But it is the human intellect that has created innumerable sects of various beliefs.
Some sects have concluded that Allah is a handsome youth and others believe that He is old with a flowing white beard! Some others say that He is everywhere and everything is Him!! There are also those who believe that Allah has transmigrated or penetrated into the bodies of those excellent in piety!!!
Therefore, we have to bear in mind Allah’s clear instruction in this matter, “Whatever the Prophet (S) gives, take it.” The Prophet (S) has said, “I am leaving behind two weighty things amidst you; one is the Qur’an and the other my Ahl-ul-Bayt. Follow them and you shall find Deliverance.” We have to follow these and should not use our intellect in this matter!
In short, the perfect in piety is one who says about the person of the Creator that he has not understood Him. Because understanding Him consists in knowing that no one has the faculty to understand Him. Therefore one who says that he has not understood his Creator, he is the one who has understood Him!
Imam Zain-ul-’Abidin (as) was once asked about the Unity and the Existence of Allah. He said, “Allah was aware that in times to come there will be people who will think and discuss about Him. Therefore He revealed the verses of Ikhlas and Hadeed. One should not go beyond these in interpreting the existence of Allah, lest they go astray.”
It is narrated that Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said, “The Twelve Infallible Imams (as) are the Chapters of Knowledge and Understanding of the Creator. By following them one can achieve the path of guidance and understanding. If they were not there, none would have understood Allah. Through them Allah has completed the Hujjat (Proof).” There are several traditions of the Prophet (S) and the Masoomeen in this regard.
But Satan has led astray many intellectuals who have used their thinking instead of depending on the dictates of Allah, the Prophet (S) and the other Infallible persons. With their fertile imagination they gave Allah several forms. The Platonic Mystics (Ulema al-ashraqi?)and Scholastic Philosophers (Mutakallemeen) differ very much in their concept of Allah. Some of the Mutakallemeen believe that Allah has a body and is like the radiant light.
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