The commentary of the word of Allah, the High:

فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Then Adam received (some) words from his Lord, so He turned to him mercifully; surely He is Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.”[1]

In Ghaayah al-Maraam from Ibn al-Maghaazeli al-Shaafei in his Manaaqeb, who says, Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhaab said permitting (to narrate) that Muhammad Ibn Uthman informed us from Muhammad Ibn Sulayman Ibn al-Harth from Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Khalaf al-Attar from Husain al-Ashqar from Uthman Ibn Abi al-Miqdaam from his father from Saeed Ibn Jubair from Ibn Abbas, who chronicles, “The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was asked about the words which Adam received from his Lord, so He turned to him, he (s.a.w.a.) informed, ‘He (Adam) asked Him for the sake of Muhammad, Ali, Fatemah, al-Hasan and al-Husain (peace be on them all) that You turn to me, so He turned to him mercifully.”[2]

In this chapter, (the author of Ghaayah al-Maraam) has mentioned three traditions from the Sunni sources and nine traditions from our sources.[3]

I say: Whatever he has mentioned in the beginning of the book from our sources as well as Sunni sources proves that if these five holy personalities (a.s.) were not there viz. Muhammad, Ali, Fatemah, al-Hasan and al-Husain (peace be on them all), Allah – Mighty be His Majesty – would not have created Adam (a.s.), Paradise, Hell, Throne, Chair, skies, earth, angels, humans and jinn.

Here, he has recorded nineteen traditions from Sunni sources and fourteen our sources[4]. So, from the traditions that he has narrated from their sources, some are as follows:

Shaikh al-Islam Hamweeni – the celebrated Sunni scholar – in his book, ‘Faraaed al-Simtain Fi Fazaael al-Murtaza wa al-Batool wa al-Sibtain’ narrates through his chain of narrators that ends at Abu Hurairah, who states on the authority of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), “When Allah – the High – created the father of humanity and blew into him from His Spirit, Adam turned to the right of the Throne; there was a light of five shadows, prostrating and bowing. Adam enquired, ‘O Lord! Did you create anybody from soil before me?’ He replied, ‘No, O Adam.’ Adam asked again, ‘Then who are these five whom I see in my form and face?’ He answered, ‘These five are from your descendants. But for these five, I would not have created you. These five are those whose names I have derived from My Names. If they were not there, I would have created neither Paradise nor Hell nor Throne nor Chair nor sky nor earth nor angels nor humans nor jinn. So, I am the Praiseworthy (محمود) and this is Muhammad (s.a.w.a.); I am High (العالي) and this is Ali (a.s.); I am the Creator (فاطر) and this is Fatemah (s.a.); I am obligation (الاحسان) and this is al-Hasan (a.s.); I am the Obliger (المحسن) and this is Husain (a.s.); I swear by My Might! None will come to Me with a weight of a mustard seed of malice and hatred against them but that I will throw him in the fire and I will not care, O Adam! These are My chosen ones; through them I will save and through them I will destroy. Whenever you have any need, seek through their medium.’ The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, ‘We are the ark of salvation, whoever attaches with it is saved and whoever deviates from them is destroyed. So, whoever desires to seek anything from Allah, he should seek through us Ahle Bait (a.s.).’[5]

Another tradition which has also been narrated from Faraaed al-Simtain through his chain of narrators terminating at Ibn Abbas, who recounts, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) say to Ali (a.s.), ‘I and you are from the light of Allah – the High.’[6]

The reason for deriving the name of Faatemah (s.a.) from the divine name ‘Creator’ (الفاطر) is perhaps because اَلْفَطْر either implies ‘creation’ or ‘to split’ which means splitting the creatures from their primary condition i.e. bringing them from non-existence to existence. This is the meaning that the word فَطَمَ comprises of. Therefore, the derivation of the name ‘Faatemah’ from the divine name الفاطر is a conceptual derivation.

And know that these traditions, which abound from both the sects, prove that these five holy personalities (a.s.) are the most superior creatures from the beginning till the end, even greater than the great Prophets (a.s.) (اولي العزم). For, if they were not superior to all of them, they would not be the medium in their creation.

When such is his (a.s.) status, how can one give precedence in Imamate and divine caliphate over him (a.s.) to the one whose major portion of life was passed in worshiping idols? Is not giving preference in Imamate to this erstwhile polytheist over the one whom Allah – the High – has made superior to all of His creation against the basic judgment of intellect?

[2] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 393; Manaaqeb of Ibn al-Maghaazeli, p.63

[3] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 393

[4] Ghaayah al-Maraam, pp. 5-13

[5] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 6 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain

[6] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 7 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain