عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ إِذْ نَظَرْتُ إِلَى زَوْجِ حَمَامٍ عِنْدَهُ فَهَدَلَ الذَّكَرُ عَلَى الْأُنْثَى فَقَالَ أَ تَدْرِي مَا يَقُولُ يَقُولُ يَا سَكَنِي وَ عِرْسِي مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ خَلْقاً أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْكَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَوْلَايَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ
Al-Fuzail (Ibn al-Yasaar) reports, “I was with (Imam) Abu Abdillah (al-Sadeq – peace be on him) when suddenly, I saw a pair of pigeons near him and the male (pigeon) was conversing with the female. He (peace be on him) asked me,
‘Do you understand what it is saying? It is saying ‘O peace of my heart! O my bride! Allah has not created any creature more beloved to me than you except my master Jafar Ibn Muhammad (peace be on them both)’.”
References:
1. Al-Ikhtesaas, p. 293
2. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 27, p. 269, H. 21, Chapter 16 and vol. 62, p. 24, H. 41, Chapter 3
Notes:
1) Divine texts – the Holy Quran and traditions of the infallible (peace be on them) – clearly establish that all creatures regardless of inanimate objects, vegetation, animals, birds, etc. all have been given amazing understanding of various kinds of things by Allah the Almighty.
2) Of course, again in the light of divine texts it is amply proved that human being is the most superior of all creatures. But it does not mean that all the perfections will gather in one individual except the infallible guides.
3) Thus, here while the pigeons are having such recognition and expressing such love for their master Imam Sadeq (peace be on him), such recognition and love for their Imam (peace be on him) is a rarity!