Excellence of knowing about Allah
Al-Kāfi|Volume 8|Book 1|Chapter 347
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الرَّيَّانِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي فَضْلِ مَعْرِفَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا مَدُّوا أَعْيُنَهُمْ إِلَى مَا مَتَّعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْأَعْدَاءَ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ نَعِيمِهَا وَ كَانَتْ دُنْيَاهُمْ أَقَلَّ عِنْدَهُمْ مِمَّا يَطَئُونَهُ بِأَرْجُلِهِمْ وَ لَنُعِّمُوا بِمَعْرِفَةِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ تَلَذَّذُوا بِهَا تَلَذُّذَ مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ فِي رَوْضَاتِ الْجِنَانِ مَعَ أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مَعْرِفَةَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ آنِسٌ مِنْ كُلِّ وَحْشَةٍ وَ صَاحِبٌ مِنْ كُلِّ وَحْدَةٍ وَ نُورٌ مِنْ كُلِّ ظُلْمَةٍ وَ قُوَّةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ ضَعْفٍ وَ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ سُقْمٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ (عليه السلام) وَ قَدْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ قَوْمٌ يُقْتَلُونَ وَ يُحْرَقُونَ وَ يُنْشَرُونَ بِالْمَنَاشِيرِ وَ تَضِيقُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِرُحْبِهَا فَمَا يَرُدُّهُمْ عَمَّا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا هُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تِرَةٍ وَتَرُوا مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ وَ لَا أَذًى بَلْ مَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ فَاسْأَلُوا رَبَّكُمْ دَرَجَاتِهِمْ وَ اصْبِرُوا عَلَى نَوَائِبِ دَهْرِكُمْ تُدْرِكُوا سَعْيَهُمْ.
347. Muhammad Bin Saalim Bin Abu Salma, from Ahmad Bin Al-Rayyaan, from his father, from Jameel Bin Darraaj, who has said: Abu Abdullah عليه الصلاة والسلام has said: ‘If the people knew the merits of recognising Allah عز وجل they would not extend their eyes to what treats the enemies of Allah عز وجل have from the blossoms of the life of the world and its bounties. And their world would seem little in their presence than what they are treading on with their feet, and they would enjoy the recognition of Allah عز وجل and relish it with a relish of the one who would not cease to be in the Gardens of the Paradise with the friends of Allah عز وجل. The recognition of Allah عز وجل is a comfort in every frightening state, and a companionship in every loneliness, and a Light in every darkness, and strength in every weakness, and a healing in every illness’. Then he عليه الصلاة والسلام said: ‘And before them were a people who were killed, and burnt, and cut into pieces by the saw, and the earth became constricted for them. So nothing from such hardships could return them from what they were on. And you will see that the one who acted like that with them and hurt them was for no reason other than that they believed in Allah عز وجل the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. So ask your Lord عز وجل for their levels, and be patient upon the ravages of your time in order to understand their quest’.
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/217)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī