The guidance is to seek in person if the peer is alive or...
The guidance is to seek in person if the peer is alive or through dreams if he (unfortunately) has passed away. We will first try to understand the meanings of ‘Irfan and Maurifat’ through the Ahadith of Masomeen -asws .
What is Irfan: عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ السَّكَنِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع اعْرِفُوا اللَّهَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الرَّسُولَ بِالرِّسَالَةِ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ بِالْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ الْعَدْلِ وَ الْإِحْسَانِ Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the people he mentioned from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa from Muhammad ibn Humran from al- Fadl ibn al-Sakan who has narrated the following from Abu Abd Allah -asws : Amir-ul-Momineen -asws , Ali -asws ibn Abi Talib -asws has said, اعْرِفُوا Recognise Allah -azwj by Allah -azwj s Own Self, recognize the Rasool through the Message, and the people with Divine Authority through their commanding others to do what is obligatory, prohibiting evil, the practicing of justice and kindness.
[43] عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ سِمْعَانَ بْنِ أَبِي رُبَيْحَةَ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ سُئِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع بِمَ عَرَفْتَ رَبَّكَ قَالَ بِمَا عَرَّفَنِي نَفْسَهُ قِيلَ وَ كَيْفَ عَرَّفَكَ نَفْسَهُ قَالَ لَا يُشْبِهُهُ صُورَةٌ وَ لَا يُحَسُّ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ لَا يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ قَرِيبٌ فِي بُعْدِهِ بَعِيدٌ فِي قُرْبِهِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَ لَا يُقَالُ شَيْءٌ فَوْقَهُ أَمَامَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَ لَا يُقَالُ لَهُ أَمَامٌ دَاخِلٌ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ لَا كَشَيْءٍ دَاخِلٍ فِي شَيْءٍ وَ خَارِجٌ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ لَا كَشَيْءٍ خَارِجٍ مِنْ شَيْءٍ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ هُوَ هَكَذَا وَ لَا هَكَذَا غَيْرُهُ وَ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُبْتَدَأٌ A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from some of our people from Ali ibn Uqba ibn Qays ibn Saman ibn abu Rabia Mawla of the Messenger of Allah who said the following: A certain person asked Amir-ul-Momineen -asws by what means do you recognise your Lord -azwj and acknowledge His -azwj existence?
The Imam -asws replied: I -asws recognise my Lord -azwj by those (of His -azwj attributes) which have made me -asws to recognise His -azwj Own Self and acknowledge His -azwj existence. He -asws was asked, How has that happened?
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