Do we really love our Imam?
Every Moslem claims to like his hidden Imam so much, but the question is this: How much is one sincere and true in his claim and how much is his love real?
The fact is that no one can claim to love someone but in action does not do what the lover demands. Just a mere love that is not accompanied with required action could not be a real love.
The proof of this is clear because man definitely loves something due to some perfections that he finds in some one. Man will never love something that does not have anything going for him. For example if we love a person it is because of his or her skills, talents, beauty, power, spiritual sanctity and other different perfections and impeccabilities. Therefore, man’s love of his Imam is because the Imam is the principle source of all perfection. Then add to it, that such an existent that by the permission of Allah is the source of all the goodness and beauty has a very perfect programs on behalf of Allah. In this state, how is it possible for man who loves perfection to reject these programs? If he rejected it, does it not show that he is not really in love?
Based on this, to love the Imam has to accompany the required action. Likewise, those who claim to love Allah, the Leaders of Islam, the soldiers in the path of Allah, or the righteous but there is no similarity to them in their actions they are nothing but liars or Satan misrepresents the case for them and makes them just feel they are the real lovers while in reality they are not. Those who are polluted with sins from head to toe but claim their hearts are filled with the love of Allah, the Prophet, and the Divine Leaders of Islam or believe that faith and love is only in the heart and does not have any relation with actions are completely unaware of Islamic logic.
How funny would be a kind of love that the lover, in action, does something that the one that is loved detests.
This means that love is not just a weak heartfelt inclination that does not have any effect; rather, its effect has to be reflected in man’s actions and even his intention. In reality, a natural effect of love is that man moves in the direction of the loved one and tries to accomplish what that beloved one desires.
Of course, it is possible that just a small amount of love be found in one’s heart toward someone which is so weak that does not exit the heart and does not have any reflection in man's action. But, this kind of love is useless and one cannot be called a lover with it. A real love will definitely have practical effects. The lover will connect to the loved one and will try to bring the beloved’s desires into reality.
This is why Allah in the 31st verse of Surah Āl Imrān refers to this principle and says to those who claim to be fond of Him,
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُوني
“Say O, Messenger! ‘If you truly Love Allah, then follow me.’”
It indicates that not to follow the Prophet is a sign indicating that one does not love Allah. It also makes it clear that such a man does not love the Prophet and the Imam or his love toward them is not real.
It is mentioned in occasion the of the revelation of this verse that a group of people in the presence of the Prophet claimed to have love for Allah while their actions along the lines of the divine program were few. The mentioned verse was revealed and they were given an answer.
Another Quranic proof of a real love is the innumerous instances where Allah couples the issue of faith with good actions like إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ Indeed those who have faith and did righteous deeds…” Similarly, to love the Imam and to have faith in him cannot be separated with obeying him and doing good actions and refraining from sins.
It has been narrated from Imam al-Sādiq in Majma’ al-Bayān stating:
ما أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ مَنْ عَصاه
“A person who sins does not love Allah.”
In the same manner those who disobey the Imam, who is the agent of Allah, they cannot claim to love him.
It is also quoted from Imam al-Sādiq to have said,
كَذَبَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا وَ هُوَ مُتَمَسِّكٌ بِعُرْوَةِ غَيْرِنَا
“One who claims that he is our followers (and love us), but he practically follows others’ commands he is a liar.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 2, p. 98, hadith 49.)
Imam al-Bāqir in another hadith says,
مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعاً فَهُوَ لَنَا وَلِيٌّ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ عَاصِياً فَهُوَ لَنَا عَدُوٌّ
“The one who is obedient to Allah, he is our lover and the one who disobeys Him, he is our adversary.” (al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 75, hadith, 3.)
In Islamic narrations we come across with many hadiths about a group of people who believed that just faith in Allah was sufficient and that they were not required to do good actions. The Imams tried their best to rebuke them and advised their followers to keep distance from them.
The conclusion is this, if we claim to love our Imam, we have to obey him and should implement his desires in our life. Just the sole heartfelt inclination is not sufficient. Of course, the one who loves the Imam is not like those who hate him or those who do not believe in him. However, this mere love is not enough and a real Moslem have to prove with his action that his love is real.
Another Quranic proof of a real love is the innumerous instances where Allah couples the issue of faith with good actions like إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ Indeed those who have faith and did righteous deeds…” Similarly, to love the Imam and to have faith in him cannot be separated with obeying him and doing good actions and refraining from sins.
It has been narrated from Imam al-Sādiq in Majma’ al-Bayān stating:
ما أَحَبَّ اللَّهَ مَنْ عَصاه
“A person who sins does not love Allah.”
In the same manner those who disobey the Imam, who is the agent of Allah, they cannot claim to love him.
It is also quoted from Imam al-Sādiq to have said,
كَذَبَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا وَ هُوَ مُتَمَسِّكٌ بِعُرْوَةِ غَيْرِنَا
“One who claims that he is our followers (and love us), but he practically follows others’ commands he is a liar.” (Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 2, p. 98, hadith 49.)
Imam al-Bāqir in another hadith says,
مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعاً فَهُوَ لَنَا وَلِيٌّ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ عَاصِياً فَهُوَ لَنَا عَدُوٌّ
“The one who is obedient to Allah, he is our lover and the one who disobeys Him, he is our adversary.” (al-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 75, hadith, 3.)
In Islamic narrations we come across with many hadiths about a group of people who believed that just faith in Allah was sufficient and that they were not required to do good actions. The Imams tried their best to rebuke them and advised their followers to keep distance from them.
The conclusion is this, if we claim to love our Imam, we have to obey him and should implement his desires in our life. Just the sole heartfelt inclination is not sufficient. Of course, the one who loves the Imam is not like those who hate him or those who do not believe in him. However, this mere love is not enough and a real Moslem have to prove with his action that his/her love is real.
