ভূমিকা
Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Beacons of Light Prologue In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate Praise be to Allah, the One and only God: The eternal refuge, who did not beget, nor was He begotten. Nor is there anyone equal to Him (Qur.112) . Far exalted is He over having mate or offspring, or being subject to number and effort. Sanctified over resemblances is His essence.
His greatness transcends the minds of men, and His majesty has baffled the subtleties of human reason. Through clear testimony does His proof shine forth, and His wisdom is manifest in all things. He established truth, and made clear His proofs and elucidations through the beacons (that is, the Imams) and the clear evidences which He raised up. He destroyed falsehood, as He utterly refuted its errors.
Allah's blessings be upon His chosen servant and Prophet, the most excellent of prophets and messengers, and of people who have come and those who are yet to be ‑ the bearer of glad tidings who invited men to Allah by His leave, the luminous lamp (see Qur'an. 33:45‑6) and master of the masters of the Arabs and non‑Arabs ‑ Muhammad ibn `Abdillah ibn `Abdi 'l‑Muttalib.
Peace be upon his vicegerents, the rightly guided Imams, who are satisfied with Allah's pleasure: they who are the chosen of Muhammad's fragrant shoot; who are the guardians of his sacred law; they who are protected (by Allah) from all impurity and abomination; they who are chosen over all humankind and the jinn. Through them anyone promised good by Allah shall receive His promise; nor will anyone be able to traverse the sirat [^1] , except by their permission.
They are the cushion of the middle course (upon which all must lean).[^2] Anyone who seeks to precede them shall go astray, and he who turns away from them shall perish. Yet he who abides with them shall achieve his goal. They are like the gate of forgiveness (bab hittah) ,[^3] and like the Ark of Noah ‑ he who enters it shall be saved, arid he who abandons it shall drown and perish. They are the elect of the Apostle and the chosen of his descendants.
Allah linked their knowledge to knowledge of the Prophet, and made love for them as binding as love for him. They are the foundations of Islam: the Imams of humankind and the proofs of the Guardian, the (Lord of ) Peace[^4]. They are lamps in the darkness and guides to every desire.