Treasure of Knowledge Part II - Wisdoms of hadith: "The Gate of the Prophet"
Wisdoms of hadith: "The Gate of the Prophet"
Tags: bab-i Nabi, baytu'llah, city of knowledge, house of wisdom, gate
Bab means gate and bab-i Nabi means the gate of the holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) and it signifies Hazrat `Ali (May peace be through him) because the holy Prophet has said: “I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate”. He has also said: “I am the house of wisdom and `Ali is its door”. Furthermore Almighty God says in the wise Qur'an: “And enter houses through their doors” (2:189) and it is said in a hadith: “Everything has a door”. Thus [it is clear that] Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) is the gate of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)'s knowledge and wisdom.
Wisdom1: The concept of the house of God (baytu'llah) is one of the fundamental concepts of Islam. In it according to a special wisdom it is supposed that the holy vision (didar) of God is attained in this sacred house. This is a very great, wisdom-filled example and in his time the holy Prophet was its reality (mamthul). It means that the Chief of both worlds, the pride of Adam's children, Prophet of mercy (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) was that true and luminous house of God in which special servants used to attain the blessed vision (didar) and pure recognition of the true Lord. And `Ali (May peace be through him) was its door i.e., through `Ali (May peace be through him) the mu'mins were honoured with this [vision and recognition].
Wisdom2: In the above example since the holy Prophet has considered himself the city of knowledge and the house of wisdom and `Ali (May peace be through him) as the gate of this city and the door of this house, every Muslim has to accept that the holy Prophet considered all the other examples of the Qur'an and Islam as being included [in this city and this house]. Thus in this example the holy Prophet has encompassed all Qur'anic and Islamic knowledge and wisdom in his own luminous rank and has enclosed it within the walls and gate of `Ali (May peace be through him)'s personality and rank.
Wisdom3: You will not find a single thing in God's kingdom (i.e., universe and its existents) which is not preserved according to the Divine system of protection. For example, see how the existence of the minerals and precious gems of land and sea is preserved by the Divine law. Reflect on trees: their roots are hidden under the ground, trunks are covered by a garment of stiff bark, delicate branches are elevated from the earth's surface, fruit is protected inside a skin and the kernel is [protected] inside the shell. Similarly we should reflect on the natural protection in animals and humans as a result of which we will have to accept that religious knowledge and wisdom, which is far more valuable than [other] precious things in the world, is protected in a better and stronger way.
Wisdom4: The wise Qur'an mentions that the keys of heavens and earth belong to God (39:63, 42:12). It also says that the treasures of the heavens and earth belong to God (63:7). Thus, this Divine teaching and the above mentioned hadith imply that the sacred personality of the holy Prophet is the treasure of Qur'anic knowledge and wisdom and Mawla `Ali (May peace be through him) mushkil-kusha is its treasurer.
Wisdom5: The wise Qur'an says: “That this is indeed a noble Qur'an (when) it is in a hidden Book (kitab-i maknun), which none touches save the purified ones (al-mutahharun)” (56:77-79). It means that the noble Qur'an is in the hidden book of the light of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) and only the pure Imams of the holy ahl-i bayt have access to it. Also whoever [among the people] has received any knowledge from it, it is through them [i.e., the Imams].
Wisdom6: Verse 35 of surah-yi Nur (24) says: “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp” (24:35). These blessed teachings mention a house in relation to a niche, which is nowhere but in a house. It means that the bright lamp which is the example of God's light is in the niche of the holy personality of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny). Thus it is evident that everything is present in this holy house, which is the house of wisdom whose door is none other than `Ali (May peace be through him).
Wisdom7: The teaching of “keep us on the straight path” (1:6) means not only to utter it verbally but also to understand the purport of this example that Islam is the path to reach God through the obedience of Prophet and Imam and the stages of shari`at, tariqat, haqiqat and ma`rifat are on this path. Thus it is evident that when true religion is analogous to a straight path its ultimate destination is like a house, which is the house of recognition and wisdom and the true Imam is its door.
Wisdom8: Verse 175 of surah-yi Nisa' (4) says: “Then those who believe in Allah, and hold fast to Him, soon He will admit them to mercy and grace from Himself, and guide them to Himself on a straight path” (4:175). The purport of the Lord of honour's sacred farman is that to hold the hem of obedience of the True Guide is to hold fast to God. Moreover, to reach the final destination of the straight path in the light of Imam's guidance and teaching is as if God has admitted a person to His recognition by guiding him on the straight path. Such admission to God's meeting (mulaqat) and recognition is possible only in the house of wisdom and the true Imam is its door.
Wisdom9: God says: “He grants wisdom to whom He wishes, and whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given abundant good” (2:269). This sacred teaching shows that everything is inside the city of knowledge and the house of wisdom and no well-being and goodness is outside it.
Wisdom10: When a city has a gate it necessarily has strong fortifications and ramparts all around it so that it is protected from enemies and thieves. Similar is the example of a house and there is no concept of a door without protecting walls. It means that `Ali (May peace be through him) is not only the gate of the city of knowledge and the door of the house of wisdom, but he is also the walls and in this very sense it is said: “And We have encompassed everything in a manifest Imam” (36:12).
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