Have we ever thought what our criterion for evaluating humanity is? To what extent do we adhere to that criterion?
The existence of plants depends on two things: their power of absorption and their power of repulsion. These two powers manifest themselves in the existence of animal in the form of happiness and wrath, both of which root in their instinct and nature. But how are they in human beings?
Our happiness and wrath are usually due to our physical needs. In this case we have not reached the level of humanity yet. One reaches the level of humanity only if the cause of his/her happiness and wrath is wisdom, not instinct.
The true meaning of a humane life is that all of us reach a level where the foundation and basis of our existence is wisdom [1]; this is where wisdom becomes the cause of all happiness and wrath of a human being.
So whenever we find the cause of our happiness or wrath to be our wisdom, even if this happens only once in our lifetime, that is when we have reached the level of humanity; however, if our happiness and wrath are based on our instincts and desires, we only have the appearance of a human being.
But the level a human being can reach is not limited to this; in fact, a human being can reach a level higher than this when his/her will becomes merged with the will of Allah (SWT). At this level, such a person does not have a will of himself/himself, and his/her will is that of Allah (SWT). This is the level where all the deeds of a human being are for the sake of Allah (SWT). For example, even if his/her child is killed, his/her anger is due to the wrath of Allah (SWT), not his/her own anger; or if his/her child becomes alive, he/she becomes happy for the happiness of Allah (SWT), not his/her own joy.
This rank is specific to the best of Allah’s (SWT) creation, the last of the Prophets, and the master of the Messengers (PBUH&HP); the one about whom Allah (SWT) has said, ”He does not speak out of desire [2]”. Therefore, this is a rank about which we can say,” He is such that he becomes happy with the happiness of Allah (SWT), and becomes wrathful with the wrath of Allah (SWT); on the other hand, Allah (SWT) becomes happy with his happiness and He becomes wrathful with his wrath”…
Has anyone other than the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) reached this rank?
Bukhari, who is considered to be reliable and authentic by the most prejudiced and critical Sunni scholars, has narrated in his Sahih that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said, ”Fatimah is a peace of my flesh; whoever angers her has angered me [3]”.
This Hadith is authentic and highly reliable among Sunni jurisprudents, because Bukhari- who is extremely cautious in evaluating the authenticity of Hadiths has narrated it, and on the other hand, Zahabi- who is among the most critical people in narrating Hadiths- have considered it to be authentic and reliable, and narrated it with another wording. He narrated from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HP) that he said to Fatimah (PBUH):
Bukhari, who is considered to be reliable and authentic by the most prejudiced and critical Sunni scholars, has narrated in his Sahih that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said, ”Fatimah is a peace of my flesh; whoever angers her has angered me [4]”.
This statement proves that the basis for the pleasure and wrath of Lady Fatimah (PBUH) is not her desires, rather the will of Allah (SWT). The true meaning of this rank is infallibility, what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) had.
Indeed, it was Fatimah (PBUH) who reached this rank (infallibility), just like Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP).
However, the mind-boggling question that irritates the mind of every believer is that Bukhari has mentioned an authentic narration from Aisha in another part of his Sahih which reads as:
“Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, became angry, and turned away from one of the companions, and it did not take long till she passed away [5]”.
And she has narrated from another source that:
“Fatimah made a will to Ali to bury her secretly and not to inform them from the place of her grave [6]”.
What had happened to Lady Fatimah (PBUH)? Who harmed this heavenly Lady? Isn’t the person who harms Lady Fatimah (PBUH) subject to the wrath of Allah (SWT)? And, based on what the Holy Quran teaches us, isn’t the person who is subject to the wrath of Allah (SWT) destined to be humiliated and annihilated? [7]
(The above is selected from a speech by Ayatullah Wahid Khurasani [8] (with some changes))
Footnotes:
[1] Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said,” The support of every person is his wisdom”, Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 25
[2] The Holy Quran, (53:3)
[3] Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3437, 3483
[4] Mizaan al-Itidal, vol. 2, p. 492, Hadith 4560
[5] Sahih Bukhari, vol. 10, p. 330, Hadith 2826
[6] Similar wording has been narrated Sahih Bukhari, vol. 13, p. 135, Hadith 3913
[7] “… And he on whom My Anger descends, he is indeed perished.”, The Holy Quran (20:81)
[8] This speech was made in year 1990.