Imam presented deep insightful traditions, reconciled them

Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic presented interpretation of Islamic traditions and reconciled among them.

ID: 73949 | Date: 2023/10/11
Imam sheds the light on the matter as following


As against these, there are other traditions which are also recorded in authentic books but which are, as a rule, capable of reconciliation [with the above mentioned traditions].


 And even if a reconciliation should appear to be unsatisfactory and were they not susceptible to reinterpretation (ta’wil)it is neither in accordance with sound reason or the interest (darurah) of Muslims to go against all these authentic (sahih)explicit, and muttawatir traditions which are confirmed by the literal meanings of the Qur’an and the unambiguous texts of the Furqan.


Among these traditions is that which has been narrated by the Thiqat al-Islam al-Kulayni with his chain of authorities from Yusuf ibn Thabit ibn Abi Said from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) that he said:


Nothing can harm one by the side of faith, and nothing call benefit one by the side of unbelief. (kufr)


There are several other traditions bearing this theme, The honored traditionist Majlisi (M) has interpreted this group of traditions with the suggestion that the ‘harm’ [in the above tradition] means ‘entry into hellfire’ or ‘remaining in hell for ever.’


This interpretation-that what is meant by ‘harm’ is entry into hell-does not preclude (that it might be accompanied with) other torments in Barzakh (Purgatory) and in the halts of the Day of Resurrection, Imam further explained. 


This writer thinks that these traditions may be interpreted as implying that faith illumines the heart is such a manner that if supposedly an error or sin is committed by man it is compensated, by the means of the light and faculty of faith, with repentance and penitent return to God, and the person possessing faith in God and the Hereafter does not leave his works unattended until the Day of Reckoning.


On this basis, these traditions, in fact, exhort one to hold on to faith and to remain in the state of faith, like a similar tradition narrated in the noble al-Kafi from Imam al-Sadiq (A) that Moses (A) said to Khidr (A) “I have been honored by your company. Give me some counsel.” Khidr said to him, “Hold on to that with which nothing would harm you and without which nothing will be of any benefit to you.”


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God Almighty has promised that He will guide those who struggle, Imam Khomeini explained