Your vision is my only need.

Your vision is my only need.”[^1] In another supplication, the same Imam (‘a) pleads, وَغُلَّتِيْ لا يُبَرِّدُهَا إِلاّ وَصْلُكَ. وَلَوْ عَتِي لاَ يُطْفِئُهَا إِلاَّ لِقَاؤُكَ. وَ شَوْقِيْ إِلَيْكَ لاَ يَبُلُّهُ إِلاَّ النَّظرُ إِلى وَجْهِكَ. وَقَرَارِي لا يَقِرُّ دُونَ دُنُوِّي مِنْكَ … وَغَمِّي لا يُزِيلُهُ إِلاّ قُرْبُكَ. Nothing can quench my thirst but Your attachment, and nothing can extinguish my burning desire but Your meeting.

And nothing can extinguish my craving for you except seeing Your face (wajh) , and my restlessness cannot be done away with but by gaining proximity to You…and My sorrow cannot be dispelled except by being near to You.”[^2] Imam Al-Baqir (‘a) declares, فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ – صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ – بَابُ اللهِ الَّذِي لاَ يُؤْتى إِلاَّ مِنْهُ، سَبِيلُهُ الّذِي مَنَ سَلَكَهُ وَصَلَ إلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

وَ كَذلِكَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ – عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ – مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ جَرى لِلأَئِمَّةِ – علَيْهمُ السَّلامُ – وَاحِدًا بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ… “Then surely the Messenger of Allah (‘s) is the gate of Allah, without whom He cannot be approached. He (‘s) is the path, if somebody walks on it, will lead to Allah (Mighty and Glorified be He).

After him, the same applied for Amir al Mu’minin (‘a) and the Imams (‘a) following him, one after the other…”[^3] In a Hadith al Qudsi , Allah the Almighty declares, يَا أَحْمَدُ، اَلْوَرَعُ يَفْتَحُ عَلى الْعَبْدِ أَبْوَابَ الْعِبَادَةِ فَيُكْرَمُ بِهِ عِنْدَ الْخَلْقِ، وَيَصِلُ بِهِ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ. “O Ahmad! Piety (wara’) opens the doors of worship for a worshipper.

Then through it, he is honored in the eyes of the people and gains attachment with Allah (Mighty and Glorified be He).” [^4] The aforementioned traditions have discussed about meeting, uniting and vision of Allah that leads to the contentment and softening of the heart. According to Imam Al-Baqir (‘a), treading the path of the Holy Prophet (‘s) and his Ahlul Bayt (‘a) is the cause of this meeting, uniting and vision.

Therefore, this status cannot be achieved but by following the course charted out by the Messenger of Allah (‘s) and through the mastership of his infallible progeny (‘a). Hence, whoever intends to undertake the journey of the levels and stages of recognition and to reach to its highest grade i.e. meeting and seeing the Truth and finding His Lord, he must fasten on to the Holy Prophet (‘s) and his Ahlul Bayt (‘a).

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