Muqaam-e-Mahmood

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Abdul Husain Dastghaib
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) will occupy the minber so elegantly and will be initiating the praise of Almighty Allah in such a magnificent way that none of the formers and the latters will have ever heard such praising. After the said glorification of the Lord Almighty, the Holy Prophet will say to the angels, the messengers, the righteous people and the faithful: What to talk about the luck whereby first person of the realm of existence may remember anyone on this high place. O Lord! Place us among this pious group. Read this sentence in the Ziyarat of Aashoorah: Wa As Alullaah… meaning: I beseech of Allah for reaching the Muqaam-e-Mohmood (the praised stage) which (O Aale Muhammad God has reserved for you.
This high station is the reward of the Holy Prophet's awakening during nights and early rising at dawn: Wa Minal Lail…Mahmooda. (Surah Israa 17:79)
Translation: And do offer prayers in the particular hours of night. This tradition is specially for you in grace. Very soon, your Lord will take you to the Muqaam-e-Mahmood.
The Holy Prophet took no rest during nights for ten years till dawn and he worshipped so much that his legs soared.

Ali Bin Abi Talib, The Distributor Of Paradise And Hell
Qaseemun Naar Wal Jannah
In the said Muqaam-e-Mehmood, the most beautiful angel will come to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and salute him and will say: I am Rizwan, the gate keeper of paradise. Then he will submit the keys of paradise to the Holy Prophet. Thereafter a very fear some and ugly angel will approach the Holy Prophet and submit the keys of hell to him. The Holy Prophet will entrust all the keys to the Maulaa-e-Kaainaat Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s.). The Amir (a.s.) will come to the Siraat and only he will go to paradise whom he will permit. Otherwise the leaping flames of hellfire will drag him to Jahannam.
The Holy Prophet will tell Amirul Momineen: O Ali! The obedience hell fire is to you is much more than the obedience of a slave to his master.

Siraat
Wa Innal…La Naakiboon (74:23)
Translation: And doubtlessly those who have no certainly of belief in the Hereafter are deviated from the right path.
Siraat too is one of the things belief in which is obligatory and it is one of the Zurooriyaat-e-Deen (essentials of Faith/religion). So one must have an over all faith in it.
The literal meaning of Siraat is 'Path'! Those people who had remained on the right path, that is, who had not deviated from the right way of truth, honesty and righteousness will, in the Hereafter too, pass securely and safely on the path over hell. Some of them will cross that bridge as swiftly as lightning, some like mounted men and some falling and rising. Briefly speaking, they will cross that bridge-road in the same way in which they had crossed the path of their lives in the world.

A Thousand Bridles Of Hell In The Hands Of A Thousand Angels
Explaining the Holy Verse: Wa Jee A Yaw Maizim Bi Jahannam (Surah Fajr 89:23), the Holy Prophet is reported to have said: “On the Day of Resurrection, hell will be brought forth in such a manner that it will have a thousand bridles and every bridle will be held by a thousand angels. Thus a thousand thousand (10,00,000) angels will be dragging hell. Hell will be shrieking and flames will be leaping from it high. It will encircle the entire gathering in Mahshar like the bezel of a ring. People of hell will be so restless that some of them will be almost dead. At that time will come the Command of God to bring forth Siraat. A bridge will be raised over hell and each and every one will have to pass through it without any exception. The following ayat of Surah Maryam: 71-72) explains this matter: Wa Imminkum…Jisiyaa.
Translation: There will be none of you who will not have to pass from over hell because the bridge 'Siraat' is above it. This is a firm word of your Lord. Then We will save the righteous and will leave the disobedients to themselves kneeling.
Both the people of paradise and the people of hell will have to cross that bridge of Siraat. Then the Holy Prophet said: There will be seven valleys in that path and there will be some stations in every valley and every station will be of a length of seventeen thousand farsakhs (farasakh=6 km) and seventy thousand angles will be posted in every valley. All will have to cross all of these valleys compulsorily.

The first Valley
Arrahm Wal Amaanah Wal Valaayah
You will be halted at the beginning of the bridge. “O the one who had broken off relations with your father and mother and brother!” Bad consequences of bad behaviour with these close relatives do appear even before death like cut in lifespan and removal of barkat (fruitfullness) from wealth. One will be asked about this offence in Qiyamat at the start of Siraat also. The Holy Quran asserts: Wa Taqullaah…Arhaam. (Surah Nisaa 4:1).
Translation: And fear God with Whose medium you ask one another and also be afraid of the consequences (punishment) of breaking off close relations.
If anyone of your close relatives (Zavil Arhaam) becomes ill visit him, help him if he is poor and needy. Support him if required. Do visit him at appropriate hours without fail.

Dishonesty In Wealth And Talk
Another station is that of Amaanat (honesty). It is not concerned only with money. If some one tells you something and also says that it should be kept secret and then if you tell that thing to someone else then also you have done a dishonest thing (a branch of trust) Al Majaalisu Bil Amaanah. If you have dishonoured or disgraced somebody, then you have been dishonest with him. For example, some one pledged his house with you and took a loan from you. Now, if he returns your money at the fixed time and you do not return his house to him, you have committed dishonesty, because, it will an excessive use (contrary to contract conditions). Similarly, if you have taken someone's house or shop on ijraarah (hire or lease) you must vacate the said premises as soon as the period ends. In short, be the dishonesty verbal or in deed, you will be questioned about it.

Permit Of Wilayat-e-Ali (a.s.) For Crossing The Siraat Bridge
One more station (Mauqif/halt) in the very first valley, which has been mentioned in many Sunni and Shia narrations, is the Wilayat of Ali (a.s.). In commentaries (tafseers) like that of Saalabi, the explanation of verse Waqifoohum…(Surah Saaffaat 37:24) is shown as: Masoolun…meaning: Stop them! They will be asked also about Wilayat Ali, that is, whether or not they were friendly with Ali (a.s.)?
Hamweeni and Tabari both are famous Sunni scholars. They have said that the Holy Prophet had said: O Ali! The one who will possess the permit of your Wilayat (friendship) will cross the bridge.
There are many narrations also which we omit, to be brief.

Second Valley – As Salaat (Namaz or Prayer)
After crossing the first valley (Wilayat-e-Ali and Trust and Family relations) man will reach the second valley where he will be asked about daily prayers (Salaat or Namaz), prayers for Signs (such as eclipses) and Qazaa (missed prayers) etc. as has been hinted earlier.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: The one who missed Namaz or prayers will not receive my intercession (Shafaat). The last vasiyyat (Will) of Imam Sadiq (a.s) was: Laa Tanaalu…(Safeenat-ul-Bihaar) meaning: Our Shafaat can never reach those persons who underestimated the value of Namaz, for example, who prayed Fajr Namaz to sunrise or just before it, to offer Zuhrain at about sunset time. Such people will also not get the intercession of the impeccables. Then what to say about those who do not offer Namaz at all?
It is mentioned in narrations: One who gives up prayers dies thirsty and he will also rise thirsty on the Day of Judgement.