Repetition of past scenarios
Also among the important concepts in the Hadith of the People of the House is the concept of the repetition of past scenarios. This has been mentioned repeatedly in this book because of its importance in understanding the events that occurred in the "Muhammadan Dome."
The Messenger of God (may his glory be exalted) said: "You will surely follow the way of those who were before you, step by step [lit. sandal by sandal], and exactly alike [lit. feather by feather]. You will not deviate from their path: span by span, cubit by cubit, and arm's length by arm's length. Until, if those before you had entered a lizard's hole, you would have entered it." They said: "The Jews and the Christians, you mean, O Messenger of God?" He said: "Who else do I mean? The bonds of Islam will be undone bond by bond. The first thing you will undo of your religion is the trust, and the last of it is the prayer."1
Our Master the Messenger of God (may his glory be exalted) said: "There was nothing among the Children of Israel except that its like will be in my nation."2
From Zurara, from our Master Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (may his glory be exalted), regarding His saying "You will surely ride stage upon stage": He said: "O Zurara, has this nation not ridden, after its Prophet, stage upon stage in the affair of so-and-so, and so-and-so, and so-and-so?"3
Thus did the Jews and the Christians do before, when they followed the adversaries and abandoned what they were commanded to keep joined.
From Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim, from our Master al-Sadiq, from his fathers, our Master the Messenger of God (may the glory of them both be exalted) said: "Everything that was in the past nations, its like will be in this nation, step by step [lit. sandal by sandal], and exactly alike [lit. feather by feather]." 4