We should know that one of the issues of religion that is necessary to believe in is the Sirat; it is a bridge on Hell, and no one can enter Paradise without passing over it. It is mentioned in reliable traditional reports of Sunni and Shi’a that it is thinner than hair, sharper than a sword and hotter than fire.

The sincere believers will pass over it like a flash of lightning; some will be able to cross it with difficulty but will get deliverance. Some will slip on it and fall into the Hell. It is an example of the Straight Path (Sirat Al-Mustaqim) in the world.

That is the religion of truth and the path of Wilayat, love and obedience of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and the Holy Imams (‘a) from the progeny of Imam ‘Ali (‘a). One, who deviates from that path, and gets inclined in word or deed to falsehood, he will fall into Hell from that same level of Hell. In Surah Hamd, the Straight Path (Sirat Al-Mustaqim) hints to both.

Ibn Babawayh says in The Shiite Creed: Our belief concerning the Bridge (Sirat) is that it is true, and that it is the bridge to Hell. It is the place, through which the whole of mankind will pass. Allah the Mighty and Glorious says:

إِنْ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَقْضِيًّا

“There is not one of you but shall come to it; this is an unavoidable decree of your Lord” (19:71).

According to another view, Sirat means the Imams of Allah. And to him who knows them and obeys them in this world, Allah will grant permission (to traverse) the path, which is the bridge over Hell, on the Day of Resurrection – the Day of Regret and Contrition. And the Prophet said to ‘Ali: O ‘Ali, on the Day of Resurrection, I shall sit near the Bridge with you and Jibra’il, and no one will cross the Bridge unless he can produce a writ (of absolution) by reason of devotion (Wilayah) to you.

Shaykh al-Mufid has said that Sirat is in the meaning of the path and that is why the Wilayat of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and Imams from his progeny is known as Sirat, which is the path of salvation.

It is mentioned in traditions that on Judgment Day, the path to Paradise is like a bridge; all the people cross it and it is the Sirat, on the right of which stands the Messenger of Allah (S) and on the left stands Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). A call comes to both from Allah:

أَلْقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

“Do cast into hell every ungrateful, rebellious one” (50:24).

It is narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) in Amali that many kinds of people will cross the Sirat. It is thinner than hair and sharper than the edge of the sword. Some pass over it like a flash of lightning; some like a galloping horse, some walk over it, some crawl on all fours, some remain clinging to it, the bodies of some are scorched by fire, bodies of some are not.

Ali Ibn Ibrahim and Ibn Babawayh has narrated through their own chains from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that when the following verse was revealed:

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ

“And hell is made to appear on that day” (89:23).

People asked the Messenger of Allah (S) the meaning of this verse. He said: Jibra’il informed me that when Almighty Allah will gather all the earlier and later generations on Judgment Day, the Hell will be brought over there. It will have a hundred thousand bridles dragged by a hundred thousand in an extremely humiliating and harsh manner and there will be a furore in Hell.

Then Hell will sigh, and such a scream will emanate from it that if Almighty Allah had not given respite to all creatures till accounting, all would have perished by it. Then a flame will come out and surround every good and bad person. At that time there will no human being or angel who will not plead: My Lord, save me! And you, O Prophet will call out: My Lord, save my Ummah! Then they will place the Sirat Bridge on Hell. It will be thinner than hair and sharper than a sword.

It will have three stages: One will be kindness to relatives (Silat ar-Rahm) and trustworthiness. The second stage will be prayer. The third stage will be divine justice – that is to judge among the oppressed. Then people will be ordered to cross the Sirat Bridge.

First, they will be stopped at the stage of kindness to relatives (Silat ar-Rahm) and trustworthiness. If they had severed relations and misappropriated the property of others, they will not be allowed to cross this stage, till they discharge the obligation; otherwise, they will fall into Hell. If they escape this stage, they will be stopped at the stage of prayer. If they escape this as well, they will be stopped at the third stage of divine justice. And this is hinted at in the following verse:

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

“Most surely your Lord is watching” (89:14).

All the people will cross the Sirat Bridge. Some will be holding on to it. Some will waver with one foot and the other leg will help them to regain balance. They will be surrounded by angels beseeching the Almighty Allah: Please God, forgive them. Grant them Your mercy and convey them safely to the other side. The condition of the people will be such that they will drop like moths falling around the lamp.

Those who manage to cross safely will remark: All praise is for Allah and good deeds are perfected through the blessings of Allah and gardens are formed. I praise that Almighty, who saved me with His grace and mercy after I had lost all hopes. Indeed, my Lord is merciful and One that thanks the deeds of His servants.

The author says: It is possible that trustworthiness might be in wealth and property and divine justice in other issues. Or the first implies the right of Allah and the second, right of others. It is not improbable that Silat ar-Rahm might imply concession for Aali Muhammad (‘a) and trustworthiness might imply not being dishonest to their covenant, because it is supposed to be more important than Prayer and we all know that Wilayat is the most important issue and it is not mentioned here, but if it is said that it is exclusive for Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), then infidels, idolaters and adversaries enter hell in the beginning before arriving at the Sirat.

It is narrated in Ma’ani al-Akhbar that people asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) the details about Sirat; he replied: It is a path to the recognition of God; and there are two Sirats: One is the Sirat of the world and the other, Sirat of the Hereafter. Sirat of the world is the Imam, obedience to whom is obligatory. One, who recognized him in the world and followed him, will be able to cross the bridge over Hell; and one, who did not recognize him in the world, he will slip on the Sirat Bridge he tumbles into Hell.

It is mentioned in Tafsir Imam Hasan al-’Askari (‘a) under the explanation of Sirat Al-Mustaqim that: The Sirat Al-Mustaqim in this world is one, which may not contain excessiveness, defects, and shortcomings with regard to belief in the Holy Imams (‘a). It is the straight road, which never drifts towards untruth. The Sirat of Hereafter is one, which leads the faithful believer straight to Paradise. Those, following this path will never turn from Paradise towards Hell, but will reach straight the greatest fragrant Paradise.

Moreover, in Ma’ani al-Akhbar, it is narrated from the Imam under the interpretation of Mirsaad that it is a stage on the Sirat Bridge; no one with an outstanding right on him will pass it. It is narrated through Ahl al-Sunnah channels in Manaqib, from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (S) says under the interpretation of the following verse:

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

“But he would not attempt the uphill road” (90:11).

That there is a very difficult pass on Sirat Bridge; its length is equal to the journey of three thousand years. They fall for a thousand years. For a thousand years they walk on thorns and through snakes and scorpions; and then climb upwards for a thousand years. I will be the first to cross that valley and the next will be ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a). None will cross this valley with ease, except for Muhammad and Aali Muhammad (‘a).

Moreover, in Tafsir Maqatil, it is narrated from Ibn Abbas under the interpretation of this verse:

يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ

“On the day, on which Allah will not abase the Prophet” (66:8).

And

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ

“And those who believe with him” (66:8).

That is ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, al-Husayn, Ja’far and Hamza.

نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ

“Their light shall run on before them and on their right hands” (66:8).

That it will give light on Sirat for ‘Ali and Fatimah seventy times like the light of the earth. Thus, their effulgence will be running before them and to their right and they would be following it. And Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad and Aali Muhammad (‘a) will cross the Sirat like a flash of lightning in a single group. Another group will cross it like wind; another group will cross it like a galloping horse; another group will cross it walking; another group will cross it crawling on all fours; another group will cross it like infants, dragging themselves on the earth.

The Almighty Allah will make the Sirat broad for the believers and narrow it for the sinners.

رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا

“They shall say: Our Lord! make perfect for us our light” (66:8).

Thus, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) will cross it on a litter of green emerald and Fatimah will accompany him on a camel of red ruby surrounded by seventy thousand Hoories. They will cross like a flash of lightning.

In Majalis, the Shaykh has narrated through Ahl al-Sunnah channels from Anas that on Judgment Day, the Sirat will be laid over Hell, none shall cross it, but one having the permit, in which the Wilayat of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) will be mentioned. This is hinted at in the following statement of the Almighty Allah:

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ

“And stop them, for they shall be questioned” (37:24).

It is mentioned in Tafsir Imam Hasan al-’Askari (‘a) quoting from the Messenger of Allah (S) that when the Almighty Allah will raise all creatures, the caller of the Almighty Allah will call out from below the ‘Arsh:

O people! Close your eyes, so that Fatimah Bint Muhammad (‘a), Chief of the ladies of the world, may pass over the Sirat bridge. All will close their eyes and Fatimah (‘a) will pass over the bridge. At that time everybody will close their eyes, except for Muhammad, ‘Ali, Hasan, and al-Husayn (‘a), their descendants and their family members, because they would be her blood relatives (Mahram). When she enters Paradise, her chador will be spread on the Sirat bridge, a corner of which will be in the Plain of Gathering.

Then an announcer from Allah will announce: O devotees of Fatimah (‘a), catch hold of a strand of her chador. Hearing this, all the followers of Fatimah (‘a), chief of the ladies of the world, will cling to the threads of her chador and they number more than two thousand Fiyam. They asked: Allah’s Messenger, how many does Fiyam denote? His Eminence (S) replied: One million.

Al-Kulayni has narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that he said: Take account of yourselves before you are accounted for. Indeed, there are fifty stops in Qiyamah and each halt is of the duration of a thousand years of the world, as the Almighty Allah has said:

فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

“In a day, the measure of which is fifty thousand years” (70:4).

Ibn Babawayh says in The Shiite Creed that: Our belief concerning this is that verily these mountain-passes (aqabat) have each a specific name; some are called fardh (compulsory duty) others, amr (command); yet others, Nahy (prohibition). So, when a man will reach a mountain-pass (Aqaba) called fardh while he had neglected it (in his life), he will be stopped there, and the dues of Allah will be demanded of him. Now, if he goes out of it by means of some good act performed by him in the world, or by the mercy of Allah reaching him, then he escapes from it and goes on to another Aqaba.

He will not cease to be sent from one Aqaba to another and will be stopped and questioned regarding his shortcomings in respect of each stage. If he escapes safely from all the stages, he arrives at the Abode of Permanence (Dar al-Baqa’). Here, he comes upon a life, which is everlasting and perpetual beatitude, without any affliction whatsoever. He will reside in the neighbourhood of Allah, with the Prophets, and His Proofs (Imams), the veracious ones, the martyrs and the righteous ones from among His servants.

And if he is stopped at a pass, and is questioned about a certain due, in respect of which he is found wanting, and neither a good action on his own part, nor the mercy of Allah reaches him, he will stumble and hurled down into the fire of Hell, may Allah protect us from it.

All these passes are on the Bridge (Sirat). The name of one of them is al-Wilayah (love of Imams). All mankind will be stopped before it and questioned as regards their love for the Prince of Believers, ‘Ali, and for the Imams, who followed him. He, who will have a proper answer will be saved and will be permitted (to cross the Bridge safely). And he, who is unable, will tarry and be hurled down (in the fires of Hell). And (the proof) of this is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Glorious:

وَقِفُوهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ

“And stop them, for they shall be questioned” (37:24).

And the name of another pass is Mirsad (watch) and that is on account of the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Glorious:

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

“Most surely your Lord is watching” (89:14).

Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, says: I swear by My Honour and Glory, the wrong-doing of a wrong-doer is not permissible to me. One of the passes is called ar-Rahm (kindness); another, al-Amana (trust); another, as-Salat (prayer). There is a special Aqaba named after each (act which is) fardh (compulsory), or amr (command), or Nahy (prohibition); and before each one of these, the individual will be detained and questioned.