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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Hayat Al-Qulub Vol.3 Part 39: 'Side of Allah', 'Face of Allah' and 'Hands of Allah' denote the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams Terms like ‘Side of Allah’, ‘Face of Allah’ and ‘Hands of Allah’ denote the Holy Prophet (S) and the Holy Imams (a.s.) There are many verses about them: First verse: وَاتَّبِعُوا أَحْسَنَ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمْ العَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ.

أَنْ تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي جَنْبِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُ لَمِنْ السَّاخِرِينَ. And follow the best that has been revealed to you from your Lord before there comes to you the punishment all of a sudden while you do not even perceive lest a soul should say: O woe to me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah (Jambullah), and most surely I was of those who laughed to scorn.

(Surah Sad 38:55-56) The dictionary meaning of ‘jamb’ is the side rib, but here it has a metaphorical meaning. Most commentators have said that ‘fell short of my duty’ refers to a decrease in Allah’s obedience or in Allah’s proximity. It has come in many traditions that the ‘Jambullah’ is the metaphor of the holy Prophet and the guiding Imams (Peace be upon them) and their obedience and Wilayat.

Thus Ali Ibne Ibrahim have said in the Tafsir of both the verses that, what ‘has been revealed to you ‘ is the Quran and the ‘best’ thing mentioned in the Quran, is the Wilayat of Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and the pure Imams (a.s.). That is why ‘Jambullah’ refers to the Imam. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said that we are ‘Jambullah’. In Ihtijaj there is a tradition from Amirul Momineen (a.s.) that a person asked Ali (a.s.) the explanation of difficult verses of Quran.

Imam replied: ‘Jambullah’ refers to the chosen ones and the friends of Allah. He wanted that to appoint a proof for them in the Quran so that the position of the Vicegerent of Allah and his nearness becomes apparent. Don’t you know that when a persons says that a person is sitting by the side of another person, it means he is a near one of him?

Similarly it a metaphor used in the Quran to show the nearness of special persons which the Imams appointed by Allah and their friends can understand and their enemies may not make any changes in it, and may not remove it from the Quran as other verses were excluded. Allah has made their eyes and hearts blind and they did not understand this verse.

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