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How To Thank The Blessing
of Ahl al-Bayt

In the Holy Qur’an, all human beings have been asked to offer thanks for all material and spiritual blessings that Allah has given to them and to avoid being ungrateful to these blessings. Based on narrations related by Ahl al-Bayt, offering thanks means to avoid using these blessings where Allah is not pleased and that blessings must be used in the same way Allah has ordered.

There are two Qur’anic verses which make offering thanks obligatory on human beings:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ (14) وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (15)

And we have enjoined man in respect of his parents – his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years, saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did. (31:14-15)

This holy verse addresses all human beings, man and woman, young and old, scholar and layman and the part which reads, “Be grateful to Me and to both parents” is in imperative form that has to be complied with. Beyond doubt, disobeying such command is a grave sin about which Allah has promised a certain torment.

In this holy verse, Allah has not provided any condition for being grateful to one’s parents. In this relation, Imam al-Sadiq is reported as saying: A man came to the Holy Prophet saying, “O Allah’s Messenger! Enjoin me.” The Holy Prophet said:

لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِاللهِ شَيْئاً وَإنْ حُرِّقْتَ بِالنَّارِ وَعُذِّبْتَ إلاَّ وَقَلْبُكَ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإيمَانِ. وَوَالِدَيْكَ فَأطِعْهُمَا وَبِرَّهُمَا حَيَّيْنِ كَانَا أوْ مَيِّتَيْنِ وَإنْ أمَرَاكَ أنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْ أهْلِكَ وَمَالِكَ فَافْعَلْ، فَإنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الإيمَانِ.

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Do not associate anything with Allah and even if they burn or torment you as regards monotheism, endure it while you heart is sure of your faith; be kind to your parents both when they are living or dead and even if they asked you to give up your family and wealth, do so, for acceptance of this shows your faith.[1]

Out of four persons of fighting in the battlefield, Miqdad said to the Holy Prophet, “My father is in the front against us: he has entered battle against you; would you give me permission to attack and kill him?” The Holy Prophet replied, “Let someone else do it, for if you kill your father in the way of Allah, your life will become short!”

Thanking the Blessing of Ahl al-Bayt

When the position of parents—be they Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, or laic—is so high, how higher will be the position of Ahl al-Bayt who have a right of Imamate, loyalty and educational leadership on all human beings? They are Noah’s Ark in this world and the Hereafter and obedience to them will guarantee man’s happiness and prosperity.

To give Ahl al-Bayt’s their due right is to get to know them, to love them, to consider them as Noah’s Ark, and to obey their commands in all aspects of life. This is the way to offer our thanks for the blessing of Ahl al-Bayt.