As we are busy purifying
ourselves, in this Holy Month of Ramadhan, via our good deeds, prayers and
supplications, knowing the similitude of the good tree may help us pursue our
worship more enthusiastically. This tradition will hopefully accomplish two
tasks. First, it will hopefully encourage us to devote more time to our
religious studies and good deeds, in order to ensure that we, truly, are the followers
of Ahlul Bayt (Peace be upon them). Second, it will hopefully provide us with a
sense of tranquility and hope that if we do our part and adhere closely to the
teachings of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) and ensure that our deeds and
lives are in line with their teachings, then we are attached to the good tree.
Always keep in mind that
our deeds speak much louder than our words. We exhibit our beliefs and faith,
not through our words but through our actions. Anyone can memorize nice religious
words to say when opportunity arrives, but not everyone has sufficient faith in
their beliefs to exhibit them via actions. Thus, use this Holy Month to break
old undesirable habits, and in turn, begin new desirable and religious habits. Remember,
habits take time to break or to form. Do not give up, be patient and preserve through.
The following tradition is
graded authentic.
Arabic
Text:
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ
أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سَيْفٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ
عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ حُرَيْثٍ قَالَ:
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ - كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُها ثابِتٌ وَ فَرْعُها فِي السَّماءِ(14:24) قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَصْلُهَا وَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَرْعُهَا وَ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا أَغْصَانُهَا وَ عِلْمُ الْأَئِمَّةِ ثَمَرَتُهَا وَ شِيعَتُهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَرَقُهَا هَلْ فِيهَا فَضْلٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيُولَدُ فَتُورَقُ وَرَقَةٌ فِيهَا وَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَمُوتُ فَتَسْقُطُ وَرَقَةٌ مِنْهَا.
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ - كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُها ثابِتٌ وَ فَرْعُها فِي السَّماءِ(14:24) قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَصْلُهَا وَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَرْعُهَا وَ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا أَغْصَانُهَا وَ عِلْمُ الْأَئِمَّةِ ثَمَرَتُهَا وَ شِيعَتُهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَرَقُهَا هَلْ فِيهَا فَضْلٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيُولَدُ فَتُورَقُ وَرَقَةٌ فِيهَا وَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَمُوتُ فَتَسْقُطُ وَرَقَةٌ مِنْهَا.
Farsi
Translation:
عمرو بن حريث گويد: قول خداى تعالى را:
«مانند درخت پاكى كه ريشه اش برجا و شاخهاش سر به آسمان كشيده» (14:24) از امام صادق عليه السلام پرسيدم. حضرت فرمود: رسول خدا صلّى اللَّه عليه و آله اصل و ريشه آن درخت است و امير المؤمنين عليه السلام فرع (و تنه) آن و امامان از نسل آنها شاخه هاى آن و علم امامان ميوه آن و شيعيان مؤمن ايشان برگهاى آنست، آيا در آن درخت چيز زياد ديگرى هست؟ عرضكردم: نه، بخدا. فرمود: بخدا كه چون مؤمنى متولد شود، برگى در آن درخت پيدا مى شود و چون مؤمنى ميميرد، برگى از آن درخت مى افتد.
«مانند درخت پاكى كه ريشه اش برجا و شاخهاش سر به آسمان كشيده» (14:24) از امام صادق عليه السلام پرسيدم. حضرت فرمود: رسول خدا صلّى اللَّه عليه و آله اصل و ريشه آن درخت است و امير المؤمنين عليه السلام فرع (و تنه) آن و امامان از نسل آنها شاخه هاى آن و علم امامان ميوه آن و شيعيان مؤمن ايشان برگهاى آنست، آيا در آن درخت چيز زياد ديگرى هست؟ عرضكردم: نه، بخدا. فرمود: بخدا كه چون مؤمنى متولد شود، برگى در آن درخت پيدا مى شود و چون مؤمنى ميميرد، برگى از آن درخت مى افتد.
English
Translation:
Narrated by a number of our companions from Ahmed Ibn
Mohamed from Ali Ibn Seif from his father from Amr Ibn Huraith who said:
I asked Abu Abdullah (Peace be upon him) about the words of Allah the Most Exalted: “A goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens.” (14:24).
I asked Abu Abdullah (Peace be upon him) about the words of Allah the Most Exalted: “A goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens.” (14:24).
He (peace be upon
him) said: “The Messenger of Allah is its root, the Prince of the Faithfuls is
its trunk. The Imams from their progeny are its branches, the knowledge of the
imams is its fruits and their faithful Shia are its leaves. Is there anything else
in that [tree]?”
I said, “No, by Allah.”
He (peace be upon
him) said, “By Allah, when a faithful [Mu'min] is born a leaf blossoms upon it and when a faithful [Mu'min] dies, a leaf falls.”
Source:
Al-Kafi, Volume 1,
Page 428, Tradition #80
Could the verse mean anything else? If an alternative interpretation is made, would it be automatically void because it is not consistent with this one? I'm just wondering what happens when a verse is explained. Does it go into a "no more reason to research anymore" bucket?
ReplyDeleteSalaam Brother Payam,
ReplyDeleteWe know that verses have different degrees of meaning.
Thus, this verse *could* have different *valid* interpretations, too.
However, the validity of the interpretation depends on who the interpreter is.
We are warned against interpreting verses based on our own opinions and views. That leaves us with only one option, look for valid interpretations from valid sources.
The type of research that follows is to look for what else is said about this verse and what/who is the source of that interpretation.
If the source is not the Ahlul Bayt (as), and if authentic interpretations cannot be found from the Ahlul Bayt (as), then we look to see who else may have said something about this verse, and we have to closely examine their sources and reasoning processes.
This could of course could be quite dangerous, since others aside from the Ahlul Bayt (as) have not been given authority to interpret these divine verses, and regardless of what they say, they may very well be incorrect.
A safe option is always the literal interpretation and understanding of the verse.