Loving Ahl al-Bait is obligatory but it is not enough.
Many people may think that because loving the household of the Prophet (PBUH) is very important and virtuous thus loving them is enough to be forgiven and enter paradise without any problems. We ought to see whether such belief is correct or not. First it is appropriate to point out the necessity of loving the Ahl al-Bait.
The obligation of loving Ahl al-Bait
The same way that being loved by others is a natural need of man, loving others is also a natural and inherent need. Thus one should direct his love towards those who are high in virtues and characteristics. In the Quran such love has been advised and emphasized:
[Shura: 23]قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى
"Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives"
Imam Ali (as) said:" Man will not move a step on the day of judgment unless he will be asked about four matters… and of loving us the household (of the Prophet)."[1] In another hadith we read: "If a servant worships God for thousands of years and does the good deeds of seventy two prophets, God will not accept from him unless he accepts our Wilayah or God will throw him in Hell on his face."[2]
Thus it is clear that loving Ahl al-Bait is necessary and whoever loves them will be redeemed but there is a misconception about the meaning of love i.e. some think that it is enough.
The meaning of love
The author of Majma' al-Bahrain defining the word wilayah writes: "Wilayah means loving Ahl al-Bait and obeying them in their orders and following them in their deeds and attitude."[3]
It is not enough to claim to be a Shia
Jabir narrates from Imam Baqir (as) as saying:" Does it suffice that one attribute himself to shiism by saying I love the Ahl al-Bait? By God will not be our Shia but he who fears God and obeys his orders."[4]
He also said:" O Jabir! No one will get close to God but through obedience and there is no amnesty with us from the fire of Hell and no one has the right to criticize God (and say why I am being punished). Whoever obeys God he will be our friend and whoever disobeys God will be our enemy. Our wilayah will not reach one but through piety and doing good deeds."[5]
So, we should love the household of the Prophet (PBUH) but we should also do our best to follow them in what they said and did.
Footnotes:
[1] Amali, sheikh Saduq, p. 39, لَا تَزُولُ قَدَمَا عَبْدٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ أَرْبَعٍ .. وَ عَنْ حُبِّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ.
[2] Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 27, p. 196,لَوْ أَنَّ عَبْداً عَبَدَ اللَّهَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَ جَاءَ بِعَمَلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَ سَبْعِينَ نَبِيّاً مَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَعْرِفَ وَلَايَتَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ إِلَّا أَكَبَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْخِرَيْهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّم.
[3] Fakhr al-Din Turaihi, Majma' al-Bahrain, Murtazavi Publications, Edited by: Seyyed Ahmad al-Hussaini, Vol. 4, p. 561, الولاية " بالفتح: محبة أهل البيت وأتباعهم في الدين وامتثال أوامرهم ونواهيهم، والتأسي بهم في الاعمال والاخلاق.
[4] Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 74, أَ يَكْتَفِي مَنِ انْتَحَلَ التَّشَيُّعَ أَنْ يَقُولَ بِحُبِّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا شِيعَتُنَا إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّقَى اللَّهَ وَ أَطَاعَه.
[5] Ibid, يَا جَابِرُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا يُتَقَرَّبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِلَّا بِالطَّاعَةِ وَ مَا مَعَنَا بَرَاءَةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ لَا عَلَى اللَّهِ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ مُطِيعاً فَهُوَ لَنَا وَلِيٌّ وَ مَنْ كَانَ لِلَّهِ عَاصِياً فَهُوَ لَنَا عَدُوٌّ وَ مَا تُنَالُ وَلَايَتُنَا إِلَّا بِالْعَمَلِ وَ الْوَرَعِ.