Who Are Favorite People Before God?
Bakhshali Ghanbari, a Nahj al-Balagha researcher, discussed “social morality based on Nahj al-Balagha” in a series of lectures. Following are excerpts from the sixth session on “Most Favorite Servants before God”:
Sermon 87 of Nahj al-Balagha is about the characteristics of the most favorite servants before God. There are at least five cases in the book in which the Imam (AS) describes the characteristics of the most favorite people before God.
In Sermon 87, 34 affirmative and privative characteristics are mentioned for those who are favorite before God.
The sermon begins with this sentence: “The most beloved of Allah is he whom Allah has given power (to act) against his passions, so that his inner side is (submerged in) grief and the outer side is covered with fear.”
Imam Ali (AS) introduces the most favorite before God as those who confront their Nafs (self) and are submerged in grief.
So the first characteristic of these people is confronting worldly desires. And next, they have grief over what they should have and should not have done. This grief is not paralyzing but is one that motivates and pushes one up.
The third characteristic is fear of God. After I confront my Nafs and have grief over what I did or did not do, fear comes to me.
When Imam Ali (AS) talks about grief in those who are favorite before God he likens it to the clothing that sticks to the body. Their grief is stuck to their heart and is always with them.
