Likewise, the gateway of Imam's (a.

Likewise, the gateway of Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love has its own peculiarities and requires a completely different approach. We must try to discern the path towards Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love and attachment. We must try to gauge the different levels of his love and the difficulties involved in the path of his love. We must try to assess the requirements and prerequisites of the love and whether we find those criteria in ourselves.

Only after understanding all the prerequisites and conditions involved in Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love, we might claim - We love Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.). But if negligence overpowers us, then it can expel us from the domain of Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love and attachment. That is why it is crucial that we understand this love and its criteria. The love of Imam (a.t.f.s.) resides in the heart. For this love to grow and be nurtured, the heart must be clean and pure from all corruption.

We have to see how Allah, the Benevolent and the Merciful, has guided us towards his love. Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) is the last successor and vicegerent of the Chief of the Apostles (a.s.) and the Seal of the Prophets (a.s.). He is Allah's Proof upon His creatures. Therefore we should also assess the relationship between love and the raising of Prophets (a.s.).

We should see how Imam (a.t.f.s.) reminds men of Allah's signs, how he purifies the souls, how he illumines man's existence with the radiance of love. We should see how our teachers and guides have prepared us for purification with love and how they have awakened us for this love. Only then will we understand that we can never adequately return Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love for us and fall woefully short in this regard.

However, history does throw up instances of several personalities who were from an immaculate and cultured background, who possessed amazing prowesses and had. remarkable accomplishments to their credit and were supported by an unseen force in their efforts. These personalities tread the path of love and affection for Imam (a.t.f.s.). It is not easy to tread on the path which they strode, however it is not impossible either.

That's why we say - we can never'adequately' return Imam's (a.t.f.s.) love. However, even the inadequate love and attachment that we have for Imam (a.t.f.s,) is very powerful and carries tremendous impact To reach that position requires a Herculean effort. Let us take a look at what the scholars have had to say in this regard.