CHAPTER -xBRIDGE OF SERAT (POOLE SERAT)
Serat' in the grammatical sense means a way or a road, and it's meaning according to the Shari'ah is a bridge or a road which passes from the top of hell. In a tradition from Ma'soom (A.S.) it is stated that Poole Serat' is a bridge thinner than a hair, sharper than a sword, and hotter than fire (of this world). The true believers (Mo'meneen) will pass over it speedily like lightening. Some will find some difficulty over it, but will later find relief. While there will be some who will slip and fall down in the pit of hell. The likeness of 'Poole Serate' is of "The Right Path (Seratal Mustaqeem) of this world, the path of Ali (A.S.) and Aimmah (A.S.)'s obedience.
The person who in this world turned away from the Seratal Mustaqeem' (The path of Ahlulbait) in word and deed, and was attracted towards falsehood, on the day of
Qayamat he will slip over the Poole Serat and fall into hell. In Surah-al-Hamd, Seratal Mustaqeem' refers to both these paths (The path of Ahlulbait and Poole Serat ).
Allamah Majlisi in his book Haqqul Yaqeen' quotes from Shaikh Sadooq that: Our belief concerning Qayamat is that the Passes (Aqabaat) have each a specific name.
some are called Farz (compulsory Acts), others Amr