The companionship of the followers of the straight path with those whom you have blessed (the prophets, righteous, martyrs and the good ones) is not limited to being with them only in paradise or while crossing the path, but he who is seeking to follow the right path can wish to reach higher ranks of honesty, martyrdom and goodness. So, he accompanies them and reaches their rank (with those whom God blessed) where being with them means reaching their rank. 

 

Surely, the high rank of the message is closer forever for those who want to cross and those who strive for it are unsuccessful. On the other hand, the path of honesty, martyrdom and goodness is always open for those who want to follow the right path.

 

The followers of the right path, who continue this path, not only become among the righteous and martyrs, but they can also get ahead of being in the beginnings of these blessings and values if they obey the commands of the holy Quran.

 

The proof: in the beginning, the holy Quran commands the followers of the straight path to hasten[1]: “And hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those mindful ?of Allah”[2].  Then, God commands those to compete. The first command is related to the followers himself, while the second command is related to the relation of the follower with other followers:” So compete with one another in doing good”.[3] So the follower who hastens in the path can go ahead of others without interfering with the behavior of others or clashing with them or quarreling with them because the straight path is free of conflict and crowding.  If others are scholars, just and courageous, then he can be more knowledgeable, just, and braver than them.

 

The one who has the advantage and is ahead of others is worthy of leading others. That’s why the holy Quran says that the supplication of those who are ahead of others is:” make us a leader for the righteous."[4]. So the fruit of the righteous is to lead the other followers of the right path to start competing to reach the rank of other righteous.

 

Based on this, those who are on the straight path are able, after passing through the rank of the universe (along with) the righteous, the martyrs, to be (among them). The path of message and prophethood remains blocked in the face of others because it is a divine station fulfilled by God Almighty’s appointment of those whom He deems worthy of Him: “Allah knows best where to place His message”[5]. However, the path of guardianship, leading the righteous, faith and good deeds is always open to the righteous followers. For this reason, individuals (such as Salman Al Farsi) have passed the rank of Ma’iya (accompanying) and reached a lofty position, so Ahl Al Bayt said about them“they are among us, the prophet’s family”[6] and the example of (the maid Fadda) who participated in the virtue of the revelation of Surah (Has he come).[7]

 

The result is that a person, with knowledge, action, and passing the stages of haste, anticipation, and leadership, is able to rise from the rank of “with those whom God has blessed” to the rank of “from those…”.

 

The most important factor in the advancement of those who walk on the straight path, from companionship to becoming in the path of (the Blessed Ones), is knowledge and action. In this way, it is not sufficient to have one without the other, but which one is more important than the other? Here it should be said that all people are equal in the form of work, whether they are saints or of moderate faith, but what raises the value of the work of God's friends is knowledge and love. Also, in worship, the form and appearance of action are equal among all worshipers, and the different degrees of worship are based on knowledge and intention because some worship God for fear of His punishment, which is the worship of (slaves), and some worship God with longing for His Paradise, which is the worship of (traders), and there is a group that worships God because of loving Him, neither because of the fear of Hellfire nor because of longing for Paradise; this is the worship of (the longing and loving).

 

Those who knew God in a high degree and God’s love occupies their hearts, their worship is not out of fear of Hell or longing for Heaven, as they are aware of God’s generosity and know that He does not torture His loved ones, but rather pours out His gifts and talents on them. But those who have not attained this level of knowledge, and know nothing but the wrath and generosity of God, are those they worship for fear of Hellfire or for the hope of entering Paradise.

 

So, the means of passing from the stage of “with those whom God has blessed” to the rank of “from those…” is the person’s attainment of the degree of knowledge and complete knowledge of God, glory be to Him, and righteous deeds according to that knowledge. Of course, there is a close and mutual connection between knowledge and action because knowledge is a means of pure worship and pure worship is a factor for increasing and developing knowledge. Raising the level of the believer takes place in light of his knowledge. The believer has a degree, and the knowledgeable believer has degrees, as the Almighty says:” Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ?raise? those gifted with knowledge in rank”. [8]

 

[1] Hastening is a needed point. It is an expression that shows movement. But rashness is an unwanted issue and it is an adjective for a moving body.

[2] Surah Al Imran verse 133

[3] Surah Al Maida verse 48

[4] Surah Al Furqan verse 74

[5] Surah Al An’am verse 124

[6] Al Bihar, part 22, page 374

[7] Majma’ Al Bayan, part 9-10, page 611

[8] Surah Al Mujadilah verse 11. In the first part of this verse, when the believer was mentioned, the word (degree), which is an object or distinction, was omitted, but in the second section, where the learned believer was mentioned, it was mentioned and not omitted, and the estimation of the verse is thus: Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ?raise? those gifted with knowledge in rank”