Imam Hassan al-Askari (peace be upon him) said:
“There is no affliction, but in it, there is a blessing from Allah.” [1]
The issue of “Tawhid in worship” at its highest level and “fear of the Day of Judgment” are prominent characteristics of the family of purity and infallibility. It is narrated that one of the devoted followers of Imam Hassan al-Askari (peace be upon him) said:
“One day, I saw the Imam (peace be upon him) during his childhood among his peers, who were busy playing, while the Imam (peace be upon him) stood in a corner, crying. It was the first time I had seen him. I thought he was upset and crying because the other children had toys to play with and he didn’t. I approached him and expressed my affection, saying: ‘I will buy you a good toy.’ I noticed that he looked at me sharply and said:
“We were not created for play.”
I was shaken by these words and realized that his logic was very elevated, and his outlook was very high!
… So I asked: ‘For what were we created?’ He replied:
“We were created to know [God] and to worship Him.”
I was captivated by his words and asked: ‘Where did you get this from?’ He said: ‘God has said:
“Did you think that We created you in vain, and that you would not return to Us?” [2]
I realized that his logic was rational and Qur’anic. I felt embarrassed by my own thoughts. I then said: ‘But you are still a child, and you have not sinned, so why are you upset and crying?’ I saw that his crying intensified, and he said:
“I see that when my mother wants to start a fire with large logs, she first places the fire in small pieces of wood, which become the kindling for the larger logs. I fear that I am like those small pieces of wood, the kindling for the fire of Hell…”
I realized that he was completely distant from me. With a changed heart, I walked away from him, and later, I understood who he was and from which family he came.”
(Excerpt from the series of intellectual discussions “Sefir-e Hedayat,” by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Zia Abadi, Issue 27)
Footnotes:
[1] (Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 75, Page 374)
[2] (Surah Al-Mu’minun, Verse 115)