The Twelve Imams (Part I)

This article is in reference to the question that: Where did the twelve Imams (AS) come from and why should the number of Imams be twelve and twelve only?

As a matter of fact, the answer is right inside the Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim.

There are numerous Sunni collections of traditions which all recorded the following authentic tradition from the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

Here, for the sake of brevity, I only quote from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.

In Sahih al-Bukhari (Arabic-English version), the tradition is as follows:

Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 9. 329

Narrated Jabir Ibn Samura:

I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be twelve commanders (Amir).

" He then said a sentence which I did not hear.

My father said, the Prophet added, "All of them will be from Quraish.

In Musnad Ahmad, the tradition is as follows:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said:

"There shall be twelve Caliphs

for this community, all of them from Quraish. "

Reference:

Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v5, p106

In Sahih Muslim, the traditions are as follows:

Narrated Jabir Ibn Samura:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said:

"The matter (life) will not end, until it is passed by twelve Caliphs.

" He then whispered a sentence.

I asked my father what the Prophet said.

He said, the Prophet added: "All of them will be from Quraish."

Sunni references:

- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub.

in Saudi Arabia, v3, p1452, Tradition #5

- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1009, Tradition #4477

Again from Sahih Muslim:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The affairs of people will continue to be conducted (well) as long as they are governed by the twelve men."

Sunni references:

- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub.

in Saudi Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #6

- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4478

Also:The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said:

"Islam will continue to be triumphant until there have been twelve Caliphs. "

Sunni references:

- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub.

in Saudi Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #7

- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4480

Again: The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said:

"The Islamic religion will continue until the Hour (day of resurrection), having twelve Caliphs for you, all of them will be from Quraish. "

Sunni references:

- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub.

in Saudi Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #10

- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4483

More Sunni references of similar traditions:

- Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v4, p501

- Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p421 (three traditions).

- Others such as al-Tiyalasi, Ibn al-Athir, etc.

Also in another wording, the Messenger of Allah uses the word "Imam" instead of "Caliph".

It is widely narrated that:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The Imams are from Quraish"

Sunni references:

- al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p149

- Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal

- Sahih al-Nisa'i, from Anas Ibn Malik

- Sunan, by al-Baihaqi

- al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, by Ibn Hajar al-Haithami, Ch.

11, section 2, p287

Obviously, the above traditions are not fit to the first four Caliphs all together, as they were less than twelve.

And they can not be applied to the Umayad Caliphs, because

(a) they were more than twelve;

(b) all of them were tyrants and unjust (except Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz);

(c) they were not from the Hashimites and the Holy Prophet had said in another tradition that: "All of them will be from the Bani Hashim. "

Also they cannot be applied to the Abbasid Caliphs, because:

(a) they were more than twelve;

(b) they persecuted the descendants of the Prophet every where which means they did not comply with the Quranic verse: "I don't ask you any wage except to love my family. " (42:23).

My recollection about the unfortunate history of Caliphate indicates that, even from the Sunni point of view, there was no good Caliph left after the first 4 Caliphs (It would be 5 if we include Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz.

Some Sunnis are very generous and they add Imam al-Hasan (AS) and Imam al-Mahdi (AS) to the list as well. )

To fill out the twelve set, some even included the well-known tyrants to the list such as Yazid Ibn Mu'awiya, Marwan Ibn al-Hakam, Abdul-Malik Marwan, and Husham Ibn Abdul-Malik.

The reason is clear and as I stated previously, it is due to the lack of decent and sincere rulers in the History of Islam.

I would like to remind you that "Caliph" means successor/deputy.

The successor of the Prophet (or the preceding Caliph) should come immediately after the demise of the Prophet (or the preceding Caliph).

If there is any gap between the successors, the word "successor" does not make any sense.

So successors should come right after the other without any gap.

Also as the Prophet (PBUH&HF) suggested in the above traditions, those twelve Caliphs will cover till the day of resurrection.

As you may know, the Followers of the Members of the House of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) refer to these 12 Caliphs as of their 12 Imams starting with Imam Ali (AS) and ending with Imam Mahdi (AS) the leader of our time.

There are Caliphs because Allah made them Caliphs (They are vice-regents of Allah on the earth).

With the passage of time and through historical events, we know that by the above traditions the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) meant the twelve Imams from his Ahlul-Bait who are the descendants of the Prophet since we have no other 12 pure candidates in the history of Islam upon whose righteousness all Muslims agree.

It is interesting to know that even the enemies of Shi'a have NOT been able to find any fault in the virtues of the twelve Imams of Shi'a.

Moreover these twelve Imams came one after another without any gap.

It is now clear that the only way to interpret the previously mentioned traditions which are narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim, and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal is to accept that it refers to the Twelve Imams from the Prophet's Ahlul-Bait, because they were, in their times, the most knowledgeable, the most illustrious, the most god-fearing, the most pious, the best in personal virtues, and the most honored before Allah; and their knowledge was derived from their ancestor (the Prophet) through their fathers.

These are the Ahlul-Bait whose sinlessness, flawlessness, and purity is confirmed by the holy Quran (the last sentence of verse 33:33).

Also the above mentioned traditions of the Prophet which are considered to be authentic by the Sunnis, proves beyond doubt that the concept of "Twelve Imams" can NOT be a Twelver Shi'ites concoction! It is amazing that despite the acknowledgment of al-Bukhari and Muslim and other prominent Sunni scholars about the twelve Imams, the Sunnis always stop at the four Caliphs! More interestingly, there are Sunni reports in which the Messenger of Allah named these twelve members of his Ahlul-Bait one by one starting with Imam Ali (AS) and ending with Imam al-Mahdi (AS).

(see Yanabi' al-Mawadda, by al-Qunduzi al-Hanafi).

Now after reviewing all these straightforward authentic traditions which ALL Muslims unanimously agree upon, I would like to ask, based on the Sunni point of view who are those twelve Caliphs after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF)? Please support your assertion by references from Quran and or the six Sunni collections of traditions, and also justify their deeds in the course of history.

Remember that the instructions of these twelve successors of the Prophet should be obeyed.

As such, if you don't know your twelve leaders, how do you want to obey them? Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said:

He who dies while he does not know the Imam of his age, is like the one who died during days of Jahiliyya (the era before Islam).

Few Facts About the Twelve Imams of Ahlul-Bait

The First Imam: The Commander of Believers, Abul-Hasan, ALI al-Murtadha, son of Abu Talib, was born on the 13th of Rajab, 10 years before the declaration of the Prophethood (600 A. D. ), INSIDE KA'BAH.

He became Imam, on the demise of the Prophet on the 28th of Safar 11/632, and was fatally wounded by the poisoned sword of Ibn Muljam while engaged in prayers at the Mosque of Kufa (Iraq), and expired two days later on the 21st of Ramadhan 40/661, and was buried at al-Najaf (Iraq).

The Second Imam: Abu Muhammad, AL-HASAN al-Mujtaba, son of Ali, was born on the 15th of Ramadhan 3/625 in Medina; martyred of poison on the 7th or 28th Safar 50/670 in Medina by the order of Mu'awiya.

The Third Imam: Abu Abdillah, AL-HUSAIN, The Chief of Martyrs (Sayyid al-Shuhadaa), son of Ali, was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban 4/626 in Medina; was martyred with his sons (except one), relatives and companions, on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura) 61/680 in Karbala (Iraq) by order of Yazid (LA).

He and his elder brother, al-Hasan, were sons of Fatima, the daughter of the holy Prophet.

The Fourth Imam: Abu Muhammad, ALI Zain al-Abidin, son of al-Husain, was born on the 5th of Sha'ban 38/659; martyred of poison on the 25th of Muharram 94/712 or 95/713 in Medina by the order of Husham Ibn Abdul-Malik.

The Fifth Imam: Abu Ja'far, MUHAMMAD al-Baqir, son of Ali, was born on the 1st of Rajab 57/677 in Medina; martyred of poison by Ibrahim on the 7th Dhul-Hajja 114/733 in Medina.

The Sixth Imam: Abu Abdillah, JA'FAR al-Sadiq, son of Muhammad, was born on the 17th of Rabi'ul-Awwal 83/702 in Medina; martyred there of poison on the 25th of Shawwal 148/765 by the order of al-Mansur.

The Seventh Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Awwal, MUSA al-Kadhim, son of Ja'far, was born in al-Abwa (7 miles from Medina) on the 7th Safar 129/746; martyred of poison on the 25th of Rajab 183/799 in the prison of Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad and was buried at al-Kadhimiyya, near Baghdad (Iraq).

The Eighth Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Thani, ALI al-Ridha, son of Musa, was born in Medina on the 11th Dhul-Qa'da 148/765; martyred of poison on the 17th of Safar 203/818 in Mash'had (Khurasan, Iran) by the order of Ma'mun.

The Ninth Imam: Abu Ja'far al-Thani, MUHAMMAD al-Taqi al-Jawad, son of Ali, was born on the 10th of Rajab 195/811 in Medina; martyred of poison by the order of Mu'tasim in Baghdad on the 30th Dhul-Qa'da 220/835; was buried near his grandfather at al-Kadhimiyya.

The Tenth Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Thalith, ALI al-Naqi al-Hadi, son of Muhammad, was born on the 5th of Rajab 212/827 in Medina; martyred of poison in Samirra (Iraq) on 3rd of Rajab 254/868 by the order of Mutawakkil.

The Eleventh Imam: Abu Muhammad, AL-HASAN al-Askari, son of Ali, was born on the 8th of Rabi al-Thani 232/846 in Medina; martyred of poison by Mu'tamid in Samirra (Iraq) on the 8th of Rabi'ul-Awwal 260/874.

The Twelfth Imam: Abul-Qasim, MUHAMMAD al-Mahdi, son of al-Hasan, was born on the 15th of Sha'ban 255/869 in Samirra (Iraq).

He is our present and alive Imam.

He went into Lesser Occultation in 260/874 which continued until 329/844.

Then the greater occultation began which still continues.

He will reappear when Allah allows him to establish the kingdom of Allah on earth and to fill the world with justice and equality as it would be full of injustice and tyranny.

He is al-Qa'im (the one who shall stand to establish the rule of Allah); al-Hujja (the proof of Allah over His creatures); Sahib al-Zaman (the master of our time); and Sahib al-Amr (the one who is supported by divine authority).

Abdul Muttalib
__________|___________
| |
Abdullah Abu Talib
| |
Muhammad (al-Mustafa) |
| |
Fatima (al-Zahra) Ali (al-Murtadha)
|______________________|
__________|___________
| |
al-Hasan (al-Mujtaba) al-Husain (Sayyid al-Shuhadaa)
|
Ali (Zain al-Abidin)
|
Muhammad (al-Baqir)
|
Ja'far (al-Sadiq)
|
Musa (al-Kadhim)
|
Ali (al-Ridha)
|
Muhammad (al-Taqi)
|
Ali (al-Naqi)
|
al-Hasan (al-Askari)
|
Muhammad (al-Mahdi)

End of Part 1 of 2

The Ahulbayt in Quran
www.tebyan.net

Leadership and Infallibility (Part 2)

Is Imamat a matter of Inheritance?

According to the Shi'a, Imam is chosen by Allah.

It is not the matter of inheritance, for if it was the case, then Imam al-Husain (AS) should not have become Imam after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan (AS).

Imam al-Hasan had many children and descendants, yet non of them became Imam.

Rather, his brother, Imam al-Husain (AS), became Imam after him.

Also there have been some heretical sons and grandsons for some of the Imams, non of whom received the position of Imamat.

This shows that leadership is not hereditary.

Of course, a pure gene is necessary for the Imam, but Imam needs many other qualifications as well.

Allah knows who has all such qualifications.

It was just Allah's wish to put all the Imams in the Progeny of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

In fact, if one study the history of the prophets of God, he will find that they were from the same family.

Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, said:

"And when Abraham was tested by his Lord with certain commands and he fulfilled them.

Then He said: Lo! I appoint you an Imam for mankind.

(Abraham) said: And of my offspring (will there be Imam)? He said: My covenant does not reach the wrong-doers (among them)." (Quran 2:124).

In the above verse, Allah did not deny leadership from the descendants of Abraham, but He rather limited this position to the qualified progeny of the Prophet Abraham.

Allah said that God-assigned leadership does not reach to a person who is a "Dhalim" (wrong-doer), even if such person is the descendant of Abraham.

Thus being the descendant of Abraham does not necessarily make the person Imam because there should be other qualifications beside it.

Those among them who were not wrong-doer (free from sin) were qualified, since they not only had pure gene, but they have gained other qualifications through hardship.

As Allah had the foreknowledge of their patience and qualifications, He entrusted them with this position, and preferred them above all His creation:

Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of 'Imran above (all His) creatures.

(3:33)

Prophet Muhammad's lineage goes back to Prophet Ishmael (Isma'il) (AS), the son of Prophet Abraham (AS).

Also Prophet Moses (AS) and Prophet Jesus (AS) were both from Prophet Isaac (AS) who was the other son of Prophet Abraham (AS).

In fact ALL the prophets after Abraham were from his House.

Yet, we do not claim that Prophethood is hereditary.

He was Allah who chose them one by one.

In other words, we do not say that the son of the Prophet should always be a prophet.

There should be many other qualifications beside it, otherwise Kan'an, the son of Noah (AS), would have survived.

Prophet Noah (AS) had three other sons: Aam, Sam and Yafas who were believers and who with their wives entered the Ark and were saved.

They were from different mother than that of Kan'an, however.

Therefore being son of a prophet or an Imam does not necessarily make the person prophet or Imam or even righteous.

In short, pure gene for the prophets and Imams is necessary but NOT sufficient.

Ulul-Amr/Imam is assigned by Allah, the same way that prophet is assigned by Allah.

Look at Holy Quran in which Allah frequently stated that He is the one who assigns Imam.

(see Quran 2:124, 21:73, 32:24, etc. )

There are twelve Imams who are assigned by Allah as the successors of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF).

There is a widespread tradition in the Sunni documents which states that the number of Imams after the Prophet are twelve.

(See for instance, Sahih al-Bukhari, Arabic-English version, v9, p250, tradition #329; Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV, v3, p1009, traditions #4477, #4478; Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v4, p501; Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p421 <three traditions>; Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v5, p106).

There are other Sunni documents in which the Prophet (PBUH&HF) even mentioned these twelve Imams name by name.

(see, for instance, "Yanabi' al-Mawadda" by al-Qunduzi al-Hanafi).

Allah assigned these twelve Imams, not just because they were from the House of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), but because they were, in their times, the most knowledgeable, the most illustrious, the most god-fearing, the most pious, the best in personal virtues, and the most honored before Allah; and their knowledge was derived from their ancestor (the Prophet) through their fathers, and also by direct teachings from Allah through inspiration (Ilham).

The successors of the prophets (except the successors of Prophet Muhammad) were also prophets, and thus they were all assigned by Allah.

Also Quran tells that some prophets, with the order of Allah, assigned Imams (who were not prophets).

Let me give you some verses of Quran:

Didn't you turn your vision to the chiefs of the children of Israel after Moses? They said to a Prophet (that was) among them: "Appoint for us a king that we may fight in the cause of Allah. " (Quran 2:246)

Anyone who has been specifically assigned by Allah as king is an Imam.

A prophet can also be Imam/king but not all the prophets were Imam.

If one becomes a divinely appointed king/Imam, it does not necessarily mean that he will physically govern.

The above verse of Quran is about Talut (AS) Below is another verse of Quran which provides more details:

Their Prophet[1] said to them: "Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as king[2] over you.

" They say: "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to have authority and he has not been given wealth enough?[3]" He (i. e. , their Prophet) said: "Allah has chosen him[4] above you and has gifted him abundantly with knowledge[5] and bodily prowess; Allah grants His authority to whom He pleases.

[6] Allah cares for all and He knows all things. " (Quran 2:247)

The first part of the above verse (marked 1) proves that the community had a prophet and Talut was among the people of that community, so that their Prophet was the prophet of Talut also.

Thus Talut was not a prophet.

The part marked 2, shows that Allah appointed Talut as Imam/leader/king.

Part 3 shows that divinely appointed king is not chosen based on wealth.

This kingship is primarily spiritual, and of course Talut is the most qualified person to govern physically also, but the latter depends on the adherence of people to them while the former position (spiritual leadership) is always fixed for the Imam.

Electing Imam/king is not the duty of People, and as Part 4 suggests, Allah chooses king/Imam for He knows who is the most qualified for such eminent position.

King here means the person who has authority by Allah.

This is proved by Part 6 of the above.

The person who has this authority is replete with knowledge and wisdom as Part 5 testified.

In the next verse, we read:

And (further) their Prophet said to them: "A sign of his authority is that there shall come to you the Ark of the Covenant with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord and the relics left by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron carried by angels.

In this is a Symbol for you if you indeed have faith. " (Quran 2:248)

Also in another verse, Allah mentions:

Or do they envy mankind for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But We have bestowed the House of Abraham the Book and Wisdom and bestowed upon them a great kingdom.

(Quran 4:54)

Again this kingdom is Imamat since only very few members of the House of Abraham physically governed.

Can people choose Imam?

The Sunnis claim that the issue of successor of the Prophet is resolved by consultation (Shura) for Allah stated in Quran that their matter is resolved through Shura.

The claim that the very issue of leadership is to be resolved through consultation is unsupported.

such claim is due to misunderstanding the meaning of consultation (Shura).

Consultation is different than

voting/election, and for that very reason, it can not be used for the issue

of Caliphate.

Let me explain why:

When a leader wants to decide on a matter, based on the Islamic regulations he may attempt to consult with a group of experts to get their opinion on that specific matter.

But he finally decides HIMSELF.

He does not take any vote.

To prove my point, let us see the following verse:

" And consult with them (Shawirhum) in the matter, then

when thou (Prophet) decided, put thy trust in Allah" (Quran 3:159)

The above verse asks for the Shura, but Allah states "fa itha azamta. "

means only Prophet takes the final decision.

There is no voting at all.

It is just the matter of getting the opinion.

The final decision by the Prophet may be different than of the majority of people being consulted (because of "Maslaha" (discretion for the goodness) that the leader realizes and because the leader is supposed to be superior in knowledge, smarter, etc. ).

One side remark here is that, due to his supreme knowledge, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) did not even need to get the opinion of any of his people.

However, he did in some circumstances just to teach people the importance of consultation.

In the issue of consultation (Shura), the existence of a leader is already assumed who makes the final decision.

This clearly proves that, in the issue of successorship, consultation is meaningless (unless it is done by the previous leader before his death).

After the death of a leader, there exists no leader who could do consultation, unless such late leader had a deputy (or say vice-president) who could carry out this function.

Usually such APPOINTED deputy is the most qualified person for the position of leadership, and even if he decides on somebody else to be the leader, such leader is still appointed by this previously-appointed deputy, and not by people!

Voting, however, is a totally different issue.

In a democratic community, all people have a chance to elect the choice of their nominee.

Such procedure has no support in Quran and Sunna for the issue of leadership of the whole Muslims, because Islam is based on theocracy (kingdom of Allah) and not democracy (government of people over people).

In fact, Quran denounces the opinion of the majority of people (see 6:116, 5:49, 10:92, 30:8) since the vision of the majority of people is usually impaired due to their tendencies.

Also, such popular election did not happen for the first three rulers who came after the Prophet (PBUH&HF), not even among the people of Medina.

Also, what if people choose an unqualified person who seems to be qualified in their eyes, like a hypocrite? How can such corrupt person becomes Ulul-Amr and his obedience becomes necessary? Certainly Allah and His Prophet know better who is more qualified to be successor of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

Believe in Ulul-Amr

If Quran tells us to unconditionally obey a person, it means that we

should believe in him and in his authority over us voluntarily (with satisfaction).

Note, however, that one should distinguish between "believing that we should obey Ulul-Amr" and "obeying Ulul-Amr".

If one believes that he should obey Ulul-Amr, yet he sometimes disobeys Ulul-Amr, he is a sinner and a weak believer.

However if one does NOT believe that he should obey Ulul-Amr, then such person is unbeliever since he does not believe in a part of the religion of Allah, which is explicitly mentioned in Quran.

In fact, both Shi'a and Sunni believe in Ulul-Amr since it is the clear text of Quran.

However they differ in how to choose Ulul-Amr.

According to the Shi'a, leadership of the whole Muslims is not a choice of people so that the leader could be elected by people or selected by a committee, and then is artificially made the Ulul-Amr whom Allah has ordered people to obey!

I also remember a claim by a Sunni brother who mentioned that this verse commands Muslims to obey people in authority (i. e. , rulers) as long as they do not interfere with religion!

To answer this claim, we would like to stress that there is no restriction whatsoever given by Quran for obeying Ulul-Amr.

In fact, in the above verse, Ulul-Amr have been given exactly the same authority over Muslims as that of Messenger, because both the Messenger and the Ulul-Amr have been jointly mentioned (Waw of Atf) under one word "Obey", which shows that the obedience of Ulul-Amr has the same standing as the obedience of the Messenger, and therefore Ulul-Amr is the head of religious affairs also.

He is the one who can properly interpret Quranic verses (See 3:7 and 21:7) and is the most knowledgeable to the Sunna of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

Thus claiming that Ulul-Amr should not interfere with the religious affairs is absurd, for he is the most qualified individuals to do exactly such thing.

End of Part 2 of 2

The Ahulbayt in Quran
www.tebyan.net

Leadership and Infallibility (Part 1)

Imamat is of Allah's Grace

From the Shi'ite point of view, Imamat (God-assigned leadership) is an Allah's bounty upon mankind by which the religion was perfected.

Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, said:

"Today I have perfected your religion and completed my bounty upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion. " (Quran 5:3)

See the articles on "Ghadir Khum" in Chapter 3 which provides the list of Sunni commentators of Quran who confirmed the revelation of the above verse in Ghadir Khum after the Prophet (PBUH&HF) announced Ali (AS) as the master of all believers.

Imamat is the Grace (Lutf) of Allah which attracts mankind towards His obedience and keeps them away from His disobedience, without compelling them in any way.

When Allah orders mankind to do something yet He is aware that either they can not do it, or it is very difficult for them to do it without His assistance, then if Allah does not provide His assistance, He would be contradicting His own aim.

Obviously, such negligence is evil according to reason.

As such, Grace (Lutf) is one of Allah's character, and He is purified/exalted from inadequacy of lacking such attribute.

In fact, the holy Quran states that: "Allah is Gracious to His servants. " (Quran 42:19).

And, there are many other places that Almighty uses the word Grace (Lutf) in His book.

See for instance, 6:103, 12:100, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34, 42:19, 67:14, etc.

The messengers of God were entrusted the responsibility of bringing new commandments from Allah to the people.

They were warners as Quran testifies.

However, some of the messengers were Also Imams/Guides.

The successors of the last Messenger of God were not messengers/prophets, and as such, they did not bring any new massage nor did they cancel any of the regulations set by the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

They just served as guides and guardians of religion.

Their mission is to explain, elaborate Shari'a (Divine law) for the people.

They clear up confusing things and events which may happen in each era.

Also they are the only individuals who have the full knowledge of Quran and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) after him, and as such, they are the only qualified people who can properly interpret the verses of the holy Quran and explain its meaning, as mentioned in Quran itself (See 3:7 and 21:7).

Imamat is a great bounty of Allah, because when people have a righteous leader who guides them, they can get closer to righteousness and depart from corruption and deviations in the matter of religion.

A divinely appointed Imam is also the most liable person to rule as the head of the community who can maintain justice and remove oppression.

Of course, people have been given free will and can refrain from accepting the Imam, but they will be held responsible for that, as was for the case of the prophets.

Nonetheless, the Imam would remain as a Proof of God on the earth and as spiritual leader for the believers among people who benefit his guidance.

Superiority of the Imam

The Shi'a believe that, like the prophets, a divinely appointed Imam should excel the community in all virtues, such as knowledge, bravery, piety, and should possess complete knowledge of divine law.

If he does not, and Allah entrusts this high position to a less perfect person when a more perfect person is available, the inferior has been given preference over the superior, which is wrong rationally, and is against divine justice.

Therefore no inferior person may receive Imamat from Allah when there exists a person superior to him.

Infallibility of the Imam

If a divinely appointed leader is not infallible (Ma'sum), he would be liable to errors and to deceive others as well.

In such a case, no implicit confidence may be placed in his sayings/commands/actions.

A divinely appointed Imam is the most liable person to rule as the head of the community, and people are supposed to follow him in every matter.

Now if he commits a sin, people would be bound to follow him in that sin as well, because of their ignorance of whether that action is sin or not (Keep in mind the assumption that Imam is the MOST knowledgeable person in his community).

Such a situation is not acceptable by the Grace of Allah since obedience in sin is evil, unlawful, and forbidden.

Moreover it would mean that leader should be obeyed and disobeyed at the same time, that is obedience to him is obligatory yet forbidden which is clearly a contradiction and is not commendable.

Besides, if it would be possible for an Imam to commit sin, it would be the duty of other people to prevent him from doing so.

(Because every Muslim is obliged to forbid other people from unlawful acts.

) In such a case, Imam will be held in contempt, and instead of being the leader of community, he will become their followers, and his leadership will be of no use as far as religion is concerned.

Imam is the defender of divine law, and this work can not be entrusted to fallible hands, nor can any such person maintain this task properly.

Thus infallibility is an indispensable condition for a divinely appointed Imam or Caliph who is the protector and interpreter of the religious law.

Allah, Exalted, stated in Quran that:

"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority (Ulul-Amr) from among you. " (Quran 4:59).

This verse obliges the Muslims to obey two things: First, to obey Allah; second, to obey Messenger and those vested with authority (Ulul-Amr).

The arrangement of the words shows that the obedience of Ulul-Amr is as much obligatory as is the obedience of the Messenger because Quran uses just one verb for both of them without repeating the verb again.

Naturally, it means that Ulul-Amr should be of the same importance as the Messenger; otherwise Allah would not have joined them together in this verse (Waw of Atf) under one verb.

Interesting to note that Allah employs a separate verb for Himself before mentioning the Messenger and Ulul-Amr which shows that Allah has higher authority than that of the Messenger and Ulul-Amr.

It is also clear from the above verse that Ulul-Amr are not restricted to messengers otherwise Allah would only have said: "Obey Allah, and Obey Messenger only.

" But He added Ulul-Amr (those who are given authority by Allah).

This is one of the places where the concept of Imams and the necessity of obedience to them come from.

In the previous article titled "Infallibility of the Prophets," we quoted many verses of Quran to prove the infallibility of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

All those verses proved the following two points:

1.The authority of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) upon the believers was unlimited and all-comprehensive.

Any order given by him, under any condition, in any place, at any time, was to be obeyed unconditionally.

2. Supreme authority was given to him because he was sinless (Ma'sum) and free from all types of errors and sins.

Otherwise, Allah would not have ordered us to obey him with no questioning or doubt.

In that Article, we also gave reference to a tradition in Sahih al-Bukhari which proves that both prophet and divinely appointed Caliphs are infallible (Ma'sum).

Also from the verse 4:59 we concluded that Ulul-Amr have been given exactly the same authority over Muslims as of Messenger, and that the obedience of Ulul-Amr has the same standing as the obedience of the Messenger.

It naturally follows that Ulul-Amr must also be sinless (Ma'sum) and free from any type of error, otherwise, their obedience would not have been joined with the obedience of the Prophet and WITHOUT any condition.

The Commander of Believers, Imam Ali (AS), said:

The one who disobeys Allah is not to be obeyed; and "verily obedience is for Allah and of His Messenger and those vested with authority.

" Verily, Allah ordered (people) to obey the Messenger because he was sinless and clean (pure), who would not tell people to disobey Allah; and verily He ordered (people) to obey those vested with authority because they are sinless and clean (pure), and would not tell people to disobey Allah. " (Ilal al-Sharaye', by Shaikh al-Saduq, v1, p123).

Does Ulul-Amr Mean Muslim Rulers?

Many of our Sunni brothers tend to interpret "Ulul-Amr Minkum" as the rulers from among yourselves, i. e. , Muslims rulers.

This interpretation is not based on any logical/Quranic reasoning; it is solely based on the twists of history.

The majority of the Muslims have remained as a vassal of the monarchs and rulers, interpreting and reinterpreting Islam and the Quran to strengthen their own kingdom.

The history of Muslims (like any other nations) is replete with the names of rulers whose injustice, debauchery and tyranny have tarnished the name of Islam.

Such rulers have always been and will be.

And we are told that they are the Ulul-Amr mentioned in this verse!

If Allah were to order us to obey such kings and rulers, an impossible situation would be created for Muslims.

The wretched followers would be condemned to the displeasure of Allah, no matter what they do.

If they obey these rulers, they have disobeyed the Command of Allah: "Do not obey a sinner" (Quran 76:24).

And if they disobey such rulers, they have again disobeyed the Command of Allah: "Obey the Muslim rulers" (if it would mean so).

Therefore if we accept this interpretation, Muslims are condemned to eternal disgrace whether they obey or disobey their fallible (sinful) Muslim rulers.

Also, there are Muslim rulers of different schools and persuasions.

There are Shafi'is, Hanbalis, Malikis, Hanafis, as well as the Shi'a and Ibadis.

Now, according to this interpretation the Sunnis residing under an Ibadi king (like in Amman) should follow Ibadi tenets; and those residing under a Shi'a ruler (like in Iran) should follow the Shi'a beliefs.

Do these people have the conviction of courage to follow their professed interpretation to its logical end?

The famous Sunni scholar, Fakhr al-Razi, concluded in his Tafsir al-Kabir that this verse proves that Ulul-Amr must be infallible (Ma'sum).

He argues that Allah has commanded people to obey Ulul-Amr unconditionally; therefore, it is essential for the Ulul-Amr to be infallible; because if there is any possibility of their committing sin (and sin is forbidden), it means that one has to obey them and also disobey them in that very action, and this is impossible! However, in order to dissuade his readers from the Ahlul-Bait, Fakhr al-Razi invented the theory that the Muslim community as a whole is infallible!!! (Tafsir al-Kabir, by Fakhruddin Muhammad Ibn Umar al-Razi, v10, p144)

This interpretation is unique, and no Muslim scholar ever subscribed to this theory and it is not based on any tradition.

It is quite surprising that Fakhr al-Razi accepts that each individual of the Muslim nation is fallible, yet claims that their sum total is infallible.

Even a primary school student knows that 200 cows plus 200 cows makes 400 cows and not one horse.

But Fakhr al-Razi says that 70 million fallible people plus 70 million fallible people will make one infallible! Does he want us to believe that if all the patients of a mental hospital join together they would be equal to one sane person?

Obviously, with his knowledge of Quran, he was able to conclude that Ulul-Amr must be infallible; yet he did not pause to see that the verse contains the word "minkum" (from among you) which shows that Ulul-Amr should be part of Muslim community, not the whole Muslim nation.

Moreover, if the whole Muslim nation is to be obeyed, then who is there left to obey?

Moreover, the whole community have never had a single voice.

Then who should we follow among them? Also, the opinion of majority is not a good criteria to distinguish the false from the truth.

Looking at the Quran, one could see that Quran severely denounces the majority of by frequently saying that "the majority do not understand," "the majority do not use their logic," "the majority follow their whims".

since the vision of the majority of people is always impaired due to their tendencies.

( see e. g. 6:116, 5:49, 10:92, 30:8)

The Real Meaning of Ulul-Amr

We now turn to the correct interpretation of the above verse, that is the interpretation of the verse by Ahlul-Bait.

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (the 6th Imam) said that this verse was revealed about Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husain, peace be upon them.

Upon hearing this, someone asked the Imam: "People say, why did Allah not mention the name of Ali and his family in His Book?" Imam answered: "Tell them that there came the command of Salat (prayer), but Allah did not mention whether three or four units to be performed; it was the Messenger of Allah who explained all the details.

And (the command of) Zakat (religious tax) was revealed, but Allah did not say that it is one in every forty Dirhams; it was the Messenger of Allah who explained it; and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) was ordered but Allah did not say to perform Tawaf (turning around Ka'ba) seven times; it was the Messenger of Allah who explained it.

Likewise, the verse was revealed: Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority from among you, and it was revealed about Ali and al-Hasan and al-Husain (who were the only living Imams at the time of the Prophet). "

It is quite obvious that if Allah would have ever mentioned the name of Imam Ali (AS) in Quran explicitly, those who bore mountains of hatred against him would have attempted to alter the Quran.

Thus this was the Grace of Allah that He codified all the branches of knowledge of religion in Quran to be understood ONLY by the processors of the understanding mind.

And in this way, Allah kept Quran intact.

On the commentary of the verse 4:59 of Quran in which Allah orders us to obey Ulul-Amr, al-Khazzaz in his book, Kifayatul Athar, gives a tradition on the authority of the well-known companion of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari (RA):

When the verse (4:59) was revealed, Jabir asked the Prophet (PBUH&HF): "We know Allah and the Prophet, but who are those vested with authority whose obedience has been conjoined to that of Allah and yourself?"

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "They are my Caliphs and the Imams of Muslims after me.

The first of them is Ali; then al-Hasan; then al-Husain; then Ali son of al-Husain; then Muhammad son of Ali who has been mentioned 'al-Baqir' in the Torah (the old testament).

O Jabir! You will meet him.

When you see him, convey my greetings to him.

He will be succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sadiq (the Truthful); then Musa son of Ja'far; then Ali son of Musa; then Muhammad son of Ali; then Ali son of Muhammad; then al-Hasan son of Ali.

He will be followed by his son whose name and nick name will be the same as mine.

He will be Proof of Allah (Hujjatullah) on the earth, and the one spared by Allah (Baqiyyatullah) to maintain the cause of faith among mankind.

He shall conquer the whole world from the east to the west.

So long will he remain hidden from the eyes of his followers and friends that the belief in his leadership will remain only in those hearts which have been tested by Allah for faith. "

Jabir said: "O Messenger of Allah! Will his followers benefit from his seclusion?" The Prophet said: "Yes! by Him who sent me with prophethood! They will be guided by his light, and benefit from his leadership during his seclusion, just as people benefit from the sun even though it is hidden in the clouds.

O Jabir! This is from the hidden secrets of Allah and the treasured knowledge of Allah.

So guard it except from the people who deserve to know. " (Kifayatul Athar, by al-Khazzaz, p53).

Now that we know who "those vested with authority" are, it is evident that the question of obeying tyrant and unjust rulers does not rise at all.

Muslims are not required by the above verse to obey rulers who may be unjust, tyrannical, ignorant, selfish and sunk in debauchery.

They are, in fact, ordered to obey the specified Twelve Imams, all of whom were sinless and free from evil thoughts and deeds.

Obeying them has no risks whatsoever.

Nay, it protects from all risks; because they will never give an order against the order of Allah and will treat all human beings with love, justice, and equity.

End of Part 1 of 2

The Ahulbayt in Quran
www.tebyan.net

ISLAM IS COMPLETED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR

From the viewpoint of Shi'ah scholars khilafat (caliphate) is a Divine office which is entrusted to the most distinguished, the most appropriate and the wisest person of the ummah (nation). The most clear line of demarcation between a Prophet and an Imam (Prophet's successor) is that the Prophet lays the foundation of a religion, receives revelation and possesses a Book. However, as regards the Imam, though he does not possess any of these positions, yet, besides possessing the position of a ruler he is one, who explains and conveys that part of the Divine religion which could not be publicly narrated by the Prophet on account of lack of opportunity or because of the circumstances being unfavourable and, therefore, left it to his successors to tell them.

Hence from the Shi'ah point of view the caliph is not only a ruler of the time, a leader of Islam, the executive authority, the protector of the rights and the defender of the forts and frontiers of the country, but he is also one, who explains the knotty problems of the religion and completes that portion of the orders and laws which could not, for some reasons, be narrated by the founder of the religion.

According to the scholars of Ahl Sunnat, however, caliphate is a customary and secular office and the object of its creation is only to protect the worldly affairs and the material interests of the Muslims. According to them the caliph is selected, by making a reference to the public opinion, for the administration of political, judicial and economic matters. As regards disposal of religious matters including interpretation of laws, which were enacted during the time of the Prophet but could not be promulgated on account of various reasons, it is the concern of the scholars of Islam and it is for them to solve such difficult and knotty problems by means of Ijtihad.

On account of this difference in the views of the Muslims about the reality of caliphate two different wings appeared in them divided them into two groups This difference continues even at present.

According to the first view an Imam shares some attributes with the Prophet and is at par with him in that regard and the conditions, the fulfillment of which is considered necessary for the Prophet, are also necessary for the Imam. Here are the conditions which must be fulfilled by the Prophet as well as by the Imam:

1. The Prophet must be infallible viz. he should not commit any sin throughout his life and should not make any mistake while narrating the orders and realities of the religion or replying to the religious queries of the people. The Imam should also be like-wise and the argument in both the cases is the same.

2. The Prophet should be the wisest person in the matter of religious law and none of the points relating to religion should be hidden from him. And as the Imam is one who completes or narrates that portion of the religious law which was not narrated during the time of the Prophet of Allah, he (i.e. the Imam) too should be the most knowledgeable person with regard to the commands, and rules and regulations of religion.

3. Prophethood is a status which comes through nomination by Allah and not through selection by the people. A Prophet is introduced by Allah and is appointed to the office of prophethood by Him, because it is only He who can distinguish between an infallible and a fallible person and only He can understand as to who has attained such a position under the auspices of His blessing that he should be aware of all the details of the religion.

However, according to the second point of view (i.e. of the Sunnis), it is not necessary that any of the conditions for prophethood should be found in the Imam. It is not necessary that he should possess infallibility, righteousness, knowledge or conversance with religious law or should be nominated or should have relationship with the occult world.

It is sufficient that he should protect the glory and worldly interests of Islam by making use of his own intelligence as well as by consulting the Muslims and should ensure the security, of the area by enforcing penal laws and should endeavour to extend the territories of Islam under the call for jihad.

PROPHETHOOD AND IMAMATE WERE INTER-RELATED

Besides the logical and philosophical arguments which finally prove the correctness of the first viewpoint the hadiths and the narrations which have come down from the Prophet of Islam also confirm the view of Shi'ah Ulema. During the period of his prophethood the Prophet specified his successor time and again and excluded the subject of Imamate (successorship) from the purview of selection or reference to the popular vote. He not only specified his successor during the last days of his life, but, even at the outset of his prophethood, when not more than two persons had embraced his religion, he introduced his successor to the people.

One day he was ordered by Allah to warn his near ones of Divine torture and to invite them to Islam before extending an invitation to the public. In a meeting in which forty-five elders of the family of Bani Hashim were present he said: "The first person amongst you who assists me will be my brother and successor". When Ali stood up and acknowledged his prophethood he turned to those present and said: "This young man is my brother and successor."[1] This hadith is very well known amongst the exegetes and the traditionalists with the name of hadith Yaumud Dar and hadith Bid'ul Da'wah.

Not only at the commencement of his prophethood but on various other occasions also the Prophet made declarations about the mastership and the succession of Ali. However, none of these declarations equals the hadith of Ghadir in its greatness, clarity decisiveness and universality.

The ceremonies of Haj were over and the Muslims directly learnt the religious acts connected with Haj from the Prophet. The Prophet decided to leave Makkah for Madina. Orders for departure were given. When the caravan reached the region of Rabigh,[2] which is situated at a distance of three miles from Juhfah,[3] the Archangel Jibreel descended at a place called Ghadir Khum and communicated the following verse to the Prophet:

O Messenger! Convey what is revealed to you from your Lord, for if you do it not, it would be as though you have not conveyed His message. Allah will protect you from the people. (Surah al-Ma'ida, 5:67).

The tone of the verse shows that the Almighty Allah entrusted a very important task to the Prophet. And what task could be more important than that he should appoint Ali as his caliph and successor before the very eyes of hundreds of thousands of people. Hence orders were given to all the persons to halt. People who had gone forward ceased to move further and those who were left behind joined them. It was the noon time and the weather was very hot. The people covered their heads with a part of their cloaks and placed the other part under their feet. A shade was arranged for the Prophet by means of a cloak which was thrown on a tree. He offered the noon prayers in congregation. Thereafter, while the people were encircling him, he took his place on a platform which had been prepared with the saddles of the camels, and delivered the following sermon in a loud voice.

SERMON OF THE PROPHET AT GHADIR KHUM

All glory is specially for Allah. We seek His help and have faith in Him and rely upon Him. We seek refuge in Him from our evil doings and indecent deeds. He is the Lord besides whom there is no guide. There will be none to mislead one whom He guides. I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. Yes, O people! I may soon accept the Divine invitation and may depart from amongst you. I am responsible and you too are responsible. What is your opinion about me?" At this stage those present said loudly: "We testify that you have carried out your mission and made efforts in this behalf. My Allah reward you for this!"

The Prophet said: "Do you testify that the Lord of the World is one and Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger and that there is no doubt about life in the other world?" AII of them said: "lt's correct and we testify it".

Then the Prophet said: "O my followers! I am leaving behind two valuable assets as legacies to you and it is to be seen as to how you behave with these two legacies of mine".

At this moment a person stood up and said with a loud voice: "What do you mean by the two exquisite things? To this the Prophet replied; "One of them is the Book of Allah, one side of which is related to Allah and the other side is in your hands. And the other thing is my progeny and my Ahl al-Bayt. Allah has informed me that these too memorable things will not act separated from each other".

Yes, O people, Don't seek precedence over the Qur'an and over my progeny and do not be negligent in your behaviour towards them, lest you should be annihilated. At this moment he held the hand of Ali and raised it so high that the whiteness of the armpits of both of them became visible to the people. He introduced him (i.e. Ali) to all the people and then said: "Who enjoys more rights over the believers than themselves?" All of them said, "Allah and His Prophet know better". Then the Prophet said: "Allah is my maula (master) and I am the maula of the believers and I am more deserving and enjoy more rights over them than they themselves.

Yes, O people! Of whomsoever I am the maula this Ali is also his maula.[4]

"O Allah! Love those, who love Ali and be inimical to those who are inimical towards Ali. O Allah! help Ali's friends; humiliate his enemies and make him the pivot of truth".

In the meanwhile the Archangel Jibreel came and brought this verse: This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favours to you, and have chosen for you the religion Islam (Surah al-Ma'idah, 5:3)

At this moment the Prophet pronounced Takbir loudly and then added: "I thank Allah for His having perfected His religion and for having completed His favour and for His having been pleased with the mastership and succession of Ali after me". Then the Prophet stepped down from the platform and said to Ali: "Sit in a tent so that the chiefs and distinguished personalities of Islam may shake hands with you and congratulate you".

The two shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar) congratulated Ali before all others and called him their maula.

Hassan bin Thabit, the renowned poet, after obtaining the Prophet's permission recited the following verses:

"He said to Ali: Stand up for I have selected you to succeed me and to guide the people after me".

"Of whomsoever I am the maula Ali is his maula. You love him sincerely and follow him".

THE AUTHENTIC SOURCES OF THE HADITH GHADIR

Amongst all the traditions and Islamic narrations no other hadith (tradition) has been published and quoted as much as Hadith Ghadir. From out of the Ulema of Ahl Sunnat alone 353 have quoted it in their books and the number of authorities they rely upon reaches up to 110 companions. 26 great scholars of Islam have written independent books about the authorities and channels of this hadith. The famous historian of Islam, Abu Ja'far Tabari, has collected the authorities and channels of this hadith in two big volumes.

Throughout the passage of history this hadith has been the greatest authority about the precedence of Imam Ali over all other companions of the Prophet and Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, himself argued on its basis in the consultative meeting which was held after the death of the Second Caliph as well as during the Caliphate of Uthman and his own Caliphate. Besides the Commander of the Faithful many other distinguished personalities amongst the Muslims have always relied on this hadith in reply to the opponents and deniers of the rights of Ali.

The event of Ghadir[5] enjoys so much importance that, as quoted by numerous exegetes and traditionalists, verses of the Holy Qur'an have been revealed in connection with the event of that day.

[1] Tarikh-i Tabari, vol. II, page 216 and Tarikh-i Kamil, vol. II, page 410.
[2] Rabigh is a place situated between Makkah and Madina.
[3] It is one of the Miqats (i.e. places where ehram is put on). From here the paths of the people of Madina, Egypt and Iraq were separated.
[4] In order to make sure that no misunderstanding arose afterwards the Prophet repeated this sentence thrice.
[5] For further details refer al-Ghadir vol. I, by Allamah Amini.


------------------------
Ref: The Message, Ayatullah Ja'far Subhani
www.ahlulbaytportal.com

Who are Those Capable of Interpreting Divine Law?

The laws that scholars have laboriously elaborated and compiled over the ages to meet the needs of different societies have always stood in need of intelligent and alert interpreters when it came to implementation. The laws of Islam, although they rest on revealed norms and divine guidance, are no exception to this rule.

Certain verses of the Qur'an, which is the fundamental and primary source for deducing anything related to Islam, are not entirely clear in their purport and signification for they do not yield a single, categorical sense. Recourse to exegesis in order to clarify points of ambiguity is therefore necessary.

Furthermore, the Noble Qur'an sets forth the main lines and general principles of the programs of action Islam proposes in various spheres; it does not go into the details of every law and prescript. If therefore someone wishes to obtain comprehensive knowledge of those programs in their entirety, he cannot content himself simply with the text of the Qur'an.

The differences of opinion and approach that have arisen with respect to the meaning of certain verses, as well as traditions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, have played a large part in the distortion and transformation of some of the original concepts of Islam.

Interested parties and people tied to the ruling establishment have succeeded in putting forward interpretations that correspond to the interests of the rulers, a phenomenon that happened repeatedly during the Umayyad and 'Abbasid caliphates. In such a whirlpool of confusion, what needs to be done to prevent the truth from remaining unknown? Does it not appear necessary that recourse should be had to a single learned authority on jurisprudence, one divinely protected against sin, a man of independent opinion, having a comprehensive knowledge of the Book, the heir to the knowledge of the Prophet, in order for him to acquaint us with the original meaning and purpose of the Qur'an?

An authority who implements the various commands of the Qur'an in a practical and visible way and who serves as an indisputable marker of the right and the wrong? The clarifications he makes and the deductions he draws, being based on the principles of the Qur'an and inspired by revealed law, will be decisive for all followers of Islam and capable of ending all differences of opinion: he will be like a compass in the hand of a distraught captain.
If we do not have recourse to such qualified interpreters of the Qur'an, we will fall prey to doubt and confusion, or, by following incorrect interpretations, stray far from the true teachings of the Qur'an.
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, established the greatest center for the teaching of Islam, training a multitude of scholars whose task it was to instruct the people and draw their attention to the dangers posed by the fabricators of hadith. His scientific and intellectual activity served to offset the waves of corruption that were unfurling at the time, as well as the erroneous concepts and biased theories the ground for which had been prepared by the political situation of the day.

One day, a group of the companions and students of the Imam, men who bequeathed to the ummah a great legacy of knowledge that they derived from him, were gathered in his presence.

The Imam addressed Hisham b. Hakam who was present among them: "Will you not tell us something about the conversation you had with 'Amr b. 'Ubayd?" He replied: "I would be embarrassed to say anything in your presence." But the Imam insisted, and so Hisham b. Hakam spoke as follows:
"I learned that Amr b. 'Ubayd had begun to assume some religious responsibilities, establishing a teaching circle in the mosque at Basrah. This news disturbed me, and so I set out for the mosque, where I found him sitting, answering people's questions. I approached him and said: 'O scholar, I am a stranger here; will you permit me to ask a question?' He replied that I might, so I asked him: 'Do you have eyes?' 'Amr responded: 'Young man, what kind of a question is this? Why ask about something you can see to be true?' But I persisted, asking him to answer my question. He consented, so I repeated the question. When he answered in the affirmative, I next asked him; 'What do you do with eyes?' 'I see colors and people.' Then I asked; 'Do you have a nose?' 'Yes.' 'What do you do with your nose?' 'I smell things.' 'Do you have a mouth?' 'Yes.' 'What do you do with it?' 'I taste the food that I eat.' 'Do you have ears?' 'Yes.' 'What do you with them?' 'I hear sounds.'
"'Now, do you have a heart?' 'Yes.' 'What do you do with it?' 'My heart is an instrument of weighing and measuring; by means of it I assess the truth or falsehood of whatever knowledge comes to my senses and limbs.'
"Then I asked: 'Can any limb or member dispense with the heart (qalb)?' "'No.'
"'Even if all limbs and members are completely healthy?'
"'Young man, whenever any bodily sense is mistaken in its perceptions or doubts their accuracy, it has recourse to the heart in order to resolve its doubts and gain some measure of confidence and certainty.'
"'So the role of the heart with respect to the members and limbs is, in accordance with divine command, to remove error, confusion, and bewilderment?' "'Yes.'
"'So the existence of the heart in man is a necessity without which his members and limbs lose their sense of direction?'
"'Yes.'
"'O Abu Marwan, God has not left your senses and limbs without a guide to rectify their errors and doubts. Is it then possible that He should leave human society, despite all the dissension and ignorance that beset it, to its own devices, without any leader to guide it? A fitting leader who will remove all confusion and error?'
"'Amr remained silent for a while, and then he said:
"'Are you not Hisham b. Hakam?'
"'No.'
"'Are you one of his companions?'
"'No.'
"'Where do you come from?'
"'I come from Kufah.'
"Then he said, 'Indeed you are Hisham,' stood up, caused me to sit where he had been sitting, and remained silent until I got up to leave."
The Imam smiled and said: "From whom did you learn this mode of argumentation?" Hisham replied: "From you." Then the Imam said: "I swear by God that this same argument is to be found in the pages revealed to Ibrahim and Musa." [1]

Men may therefore gain access to the commands and prescriptions of God only when, after the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, the leadership of the Islamic ummah is in the hands of a person who is enabled by his proven erudition and spiritual qualities to expound those detailed injunctions which have not been explicitly included in revelation but are nonetheless a matter of practical necessity for human society.
In the absence of such leadership, the ummah will tend to deviate from the principles of Islam and fail to reach the goal of happiness and the purposes for which it has been created.

After the Prophet, the Immaculate Imams, committed as they were to leadership and guidance, did everything possible to disseminate the teachings of the Qur'an, for years on end and in the midst of swiftly changing circumstances, and to show the Muslims how to apply those teachings; they guided and instructed the people in word and indeed. As a result, the aggregate of their teachings came of form a precious treasure of learning that was bequeathed to the ummah. Because of its evidential force, this treasure was uniquely authoritative, and because of its scope, it offered the means for solving every new problem that might occur.

Everyone knows that the caliphs who succeeded the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, knew very little concerning the ordinances of Islam and the religious needs of the people. Abu Bakr, the first caliph, is known, for example, to have transmitted only eighty hadith. [2]

al-Nawawi says the following in his Tahdhib: "Abu Bakr transmitted 142 hadith from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, 104 of which are cited by al-Suyuti in his Tarikh al-Khulafa' and 22 of which are included by al-Bukhari in his collection." [3]
The religious leader of the ummah who is meant in every respect to aid and assist his community and to solve their complex religious problems has so little Islamic consciousness that he finds himself consulting al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah, an extremely corrupt individual, in order to learn God's ruling concerning the portion of an estate that goes to his grandmother! [4]
He even confesses himself, with the utmost frankness, that his religious knowledge is not superior to that of anyone else, and declares to the people that if they see him committing an error they should correct him and instruct him in the proper course of action. For this is what he says:
"I hold in my hands the reins of your affairs even though I am not the best among you. If you see that I am treading the right path, then support me, and if you see me embarking on the wrong course, then guide me back to the right path. [5]
As for 'Umar, he transmitted no more than fifty authentic hadith from the Prophet. [6]
In connection with the religious knowledge of the second caliph, it is reported that someone once went to consult him on a problem that he faced. He said: "I need to make a total ablution (ghusl), but I have no access to water; what is my religious duty under these circumstances?" The caliph answered: "You are relieved of your duty to pray." [7] The real duty of such a person is, however, spelled out in the Qur'an. (4:43 and 5:6)
Five hadith are narrated on the authority of 'Uthman in the Sahih of Muslim, and nine in the Sahih of al-Bukhari. [8]
Facts such as these serve to demonstrate the degree of religious learning possessed by those persons who assumed the leadership of Islamic society. How then could it be expected that the framework of divine law should remain immune to change and distortion and that Islamic society should advance toward its lofty goals? Whoever carries the burden of leading the ummah must possess extensive religious awareness and knowledge in order to answer whatever questions and problems arise, whereas the knowledge that the caliphs had of the authentic law of Islam was extremely limited.
One day, while preaching from the pulpit, the second caliph was criticizing a rise in the amount of dowries customarily given and declared that this increase ought to be prevented. When he descended from the pulpit, a woman objected to what he had said: "Why is it necessary to restrict the amount of dowries? Does God not say in the Qur'an, 'If you have given one of your wives great wealth by way of a dowry, you must not take back any of it?" (4:20) The caliph realized his mistake and begged God to forgive him. Then he remarked: "Everyone is better acquainted with God's commands than is 'Umar." Then he mounted the pulpit again and retracted what he had said. [9]
As for the religious knowledge of the third caliph, it is enough that we should refer to the following event
"During the time of his caliphate an unbeliever was killed by a Muslim. The caliph ordered the murderer to be put to death. But a group of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, who were present at the time informed the caliph of his mistake and reminded him that in such cases the murderer should be condemned to the payment of blood money, as a result of which the caliph rescinded his order." [10]
Is it fitting that the leadership of Islamic society should be in the hands of people who by their own admission are so ignorant of the laws of God's religion, a religion the ordinances of which they are supposed to expound and to implement? Is it at all conceivable that God should entrust all the affairs in fact, the destiny of a community that had been nurtured on revelation and established by the most noble of creation to people who were not only unable to propel the Islamic ummah forward and to remove the veil of ambiguity from complex and difficult questions, but could not even expound the most elementary concerns of religion or implement the shari'ah?
We leave it those whose intelligences are not fettered by fanaticism or prejudice to judge the matter.
Notes:

[1] al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, Vol. I, p. 170.

[2] Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Vol. I, pp. 2, 14.

[3] Cited in al-Nawawi, Adwa' 'ala al-Sunnat al-Muhammadiyyah, p. 224.

[4] Malik, al-Muwatta', p.335.

[5] Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqat, Vol. III, p. 151.

[6] al-Nawawi, Adwa' p.204.

[7] Ibn Majah, al-Sunan, Vol. I, p.200.

[8] al-Nawawi, Adwa', p.204.

[9] al-Amini, al-Ghadir, Vol. VI, p. 87.

[10] al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan (al-Kubra), Vol. VIII, p. 33.
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Ref: Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari & translated by Hamid Algar

www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Imamate as a Rational Necessity

In accordance with the sound disposition and the pure nature that are innate in him, man is ceaselessly engaged in the struggle to develop and advance towards perfection.

Consciously or unconsciously, with a love that quickens his spirit, he moves forward in the direction of the utmost dignity and nobility man can attain. This is a reality that is always manifest in humans; spiritual need impels them to advance ever further along their path in order to approach higher degrees and more exalted values. This evolutionary process passes through various degrees which are firmly and profoundly interlinked.


It is of course true that within man unbridled and unholy desires exist that are hostile to this enterprise, and throughout the course of his forward motion man must constantly battle against the destructive inner forces that threaten to rob him of his powers and sacrifice him to forces of evil.

As long as man exists on the plane of being, this struggle towards perfection will also exist. Its aim and culmination must be clear, and there must exist also in human society an exceptional individual who thanks to his spiritual qualities has penetrated to the inner meaning of all laws, a personage who while fully engaged in the struggle has never once fallen prey to deviation.

Such an individual or personage is what is intended by the term Imam. He is the truly liberated man, the chosen herald of monotheism; in his exalted person all conceivable have been realized and rendered active.

As the vanguard of the humanity, he is the divinely appointed link and intermediary between the world of the unseen and the human race. Without himself needing any intermediary, he is guided directly by God. Like a lamp burning in the heart of the darkness, through the teachings that have come to him from heaven, he enables everyone to rise and ascend to the degree permitted by his spiritual ability and capacity. He employs his intelligence, his faith and his will in order to impel them forward to the most exalted degrees and to guide them to the superabundant source of unity, justice and purity.

Were human society to lack such a divinely chosen person, man would be unable by the efforts of his intellect alone to find his directions, no link would exist between the human race and the world of the unseen, and man's efforts to attain perfection would falter and fail.

It is inconceivable that after equipping man with the urge to attain perfection and bestowing on him the potentiality of ascent to lofty degree, God would not lay before him the path leading there or deprive him of the guide that he needs.

On the contrary, God's infinite grace necessitates that He should demonstrate to man the path for attaining the truths of religion and assist him by placing before him a comprehensive scheme ensuring his welfare in this world and his eternal bliss in the hereafter. This comprehensive scheme, embracing all dimensions of human existence, is precisely what God has conveyed to mankind by means of His chosen messengers.

According to the creed of monotheism, none but God can rule over the created universe. In the world of man, which is but a part of the universe, sovereignty must similarly belong to God. It is true that within the sphere of his acts man has freedom of choice, based on the free will that has been allotted to him, but in order for him to harmonize himself with the universe of which he is a part, he must act in accordance with God's commands and refrain from encroaching on His sovereignty. If he fails to respect the laws brought by the prophets, a disharmony and lack of concordance between mall and the universe will arise, and he will inevitably find himself deviating from his intended course.

In just the same way that obedience to revealed law and to the Prophet who may be regarded as the quintessence of all the monotheistic movements in history is the same as obedience to God, the one who wishes to rule monotheistic society as the successor of the Prophet must possess the same inner attributes of communication with God; only then will obedience to him accord with man's purposive advance.

From the time that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, founded the government of the righteous and prepared the way for the creation of a pure and luminous society, he undertook also the educative programs he had elaborated. However, since the life of the Prophet was transitory like that of other men, it was necessary that as soon as that great educator had departed, a successor should come to the fore, a righteous and worthy man possessing all the attributes needed to lead the Muslims, who would continue the directive and educative role exercised by the Prophet, in the most desirable or even ideal form.

Embodying all the qualities of a perfect human being, he nurtures the spirits of his followers by means of his superabundant spirituality, and he shows them the way of advancing along God's path towards God, obeying God's commands and turning away from all other than God. Only thus will the straight path remain open, enabling everyone to embark on the road to felicity.

We will understand all of this better once we realize that there is no line of demarcation between this world and the hereafter, and that regulations pertaining to man's bodily life cannot be separated from laws relating to his spiritual existence; a specific guardian has been chosen for both. For this reason the pure and inerrant one chosen by God must gather in his hands the reins of the affairs of both this world and the hereafter, and guard the general and universal interest of Islam against other peoples and nations.

Through the blessed existence of this true leader, this representative of God upon earth, the sole path that exists for attaining true happiness remain open before men. With his spiritual richness and wisdom of conduct, he guides them on the road at the end of which they will find, in the presence of God, all the pure and noble qualities for which they yearn.

It is true that among the Twelve Imams it was only 'Ali b. Abi Talib who exercised rule, and that for a limited period. The other Imams never possessed governmental powers, and they were not permitted to use the position of leadership that was rightfully theirs to strengthen the position of the Qur'an, to expand the culture of Islam, or to develop the identity of the ummah. But this was the fault of the people, who failed to make it possible for them to assume power and as a result were deprived of the benefits that might have accrued to them from these unparalleled exemplars of mankind. For in appointing the Imams, God had established His proof before men; He had presented them with these righteous and exceptional men, chosen ones whose existence was a source of benefit not only for all Muslims but for all of mankind.

In addition to this, it is important to remember that the beneficial effects of the existence of the Imams were not limited to their exercise of political power; they fulfilled their appointed mission in a variety of other ways. The Imam was responsible for preserving the very truth of religion and for keeping God's religion unsullied by distortion and manipulation. Both God and the Messenger had given him the task of instructing people in the verities of the Qur'an and the teachings of religion, thus giving proper direction to their lives.

Moreover, the Imam is a channel for God's grace, so that even if people were deprived of the government of justice and equity that the inerrant Imams would have created thanks to their own incapacity and lethargy they did benefit from the other dimensions of the Imams' existence and activity. They were the channels of God's grace irrespective of whether or not they were permitted to rule and lead Islamic society. Superabundant virtue flowed forth from their beings, bringing men's potentialities to fruition.

The preservation of the very foundations of religion was intimately connected with the attention paid to the subject by the Imams, for awareness of their presence among the ummah was able to prevent many basic deviations from taking place.

Like an alert and careful observer, 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him, followed all that was taking place in his time.

Whenever an incorrect verdict was issued, a law was distorted, or an incorrect penalty was about to be applied, 'Ali looked into the matter and gave the necessary instructions, He was stringent and honest in protecting the principles and laws of Islam.

He exercised leadership at all stages of his life. Thus he was always prepared to answer the scholars of other religions who came flocked to Madinah in order to put their queries before the legatee of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family.

It was thanks to the blessed existence of the Imam that Islamic learning - the legal, educational, and social teachings of the faith were disseminated among the Muslims and the vital commands and ordinances of the Qur'an became widely known. Even in lands ruled by harsh and savage rulers, at a time when the caliphs were sunk in corruption and transgression and strove to prevent society from imbibing Islamic knowledge, the numerous utterances and traditions of the Imams, rich in learning and wisdom and pertaining to all aspects of the faith, served to preserve religion and give the necessary guidance to society.

Some of the caliphs like al-Ma'mun sought to destroy the scholarly credentials of the Imams by arranging debates and disputations among the scholars of different religions and sects, but the performance of the Imams in these gatherings served only to reinforce their scholarly prestige.

The Imams, as heirs to the teachings of the Messenger, bequeathed thousands of hadith to the scholars of Islam, hadith that originated on various occasions and had the purpose of enlightening society on religious matters and clarifying the credal bases of the faith. They pertained to all the different concerns of jurisprudence, to ethics and moral conduct, and to esoteric knowledge. It was by drawing on these resources that scholars were able to disseminate the Islamic sciences widely in society and to elaborate an authentic jurisprudence as opposed to the various legal currents then in existence.

We will be better able to appreciate the incomparable struggle waged by the Imams in the service of Islamic culture in all of its branches if we compare the hadith of the Sunnis with the traditions narrated from the inerrant Imams. This comparison will demonstrate the profundity of vision, the originality of thought, and the varied knowledge of the headers of Shi'ism. The Sunni scholars themselves have benefited to some degree from the knowledge and learning of the Shi'i Imams, for consciously or unconsciously they have borrowed a great deal from them in this respect. The Imams thus vindicated fully their function as the true guardians of Islam.

It was Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who introduced philosophy, theology, mathematics and chemistry for the first time. Among his companions, al-Mufaddah b. 'Umar, Mu'min al-Taq, Hisham b. Hakam, and Hisham b. Salim were specialists in philosophy and theology. Jabir b. Hayyan specialized in mathematics and chemistry, and Zararah, Muhammad b. Muslim, Jamil b. Darraj, Hamran b. A'yan, Abu Basir, and 'Abdullah b. Sinan, in jurisprudence (fiqh), principhes of jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh) and Qur'anic exegesis. [1]
Ibn Shahrashub writes:
"From no one have so many traditions been narrated as from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be Upon him. As many as four thousand students derived their knowledge from him, and some of the founders of the Sunni schools of law also drew on that storehouse of learning." [2]
Among his students were the founders of law schools (madhahib) such as Malik b. Anas, Sufyan al-Thawri, Ibn 'Uyaynah, and Abu Hanifah; jurists (fuqaha') such as Muhammad b. Hasan al-Shaybani and Yahya b. Sa'id; and traditionists (muhaddithin) such as Ayyub al-Sijistani, Shu'bah b. al-Hajjaj, and Abd al-Malik b. Jurayh. [3]
Ibn Abi 'l-Hadid, who is regarded as a great scholar among the Sunnis, writes the following concerning the genial character of 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him:
"What can I say of a person to whom all human virtues have been attributed? Every group counts him as one of their own; every virtue arises from his being; and every science and branch of learning goes back to him. Theosophy, the most noble of all forms of knowledge, is derived from his utterances. The teacher of Wasil b. 'Ata' who was the leader of the Mu'tazilah, benefited from the instruction of 'Ali by two intermediate generations. Likewise, whatever learning the Ash'arites have, they also owe to 'Ali.
"Without any doubt, the philosophy and theology of the Shi'is and the Zaydis also go back to 'Ali. He is the supreme teacher of all jurists, for Abu Hanifah, the founder of the Hanafi school, was a pupil of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who had imbibed the learning of 'Ali through transmission by his father and ancestors. Malik b. Anas, the founder of Maliki jurisprudence, had a master who was the pupil of 'Ikrimah, who in turn had been a pupil of Ibn Abbas, who had derived his learnirng directly from 'Ali.
"'Umar b. al-Khattab would always turn to 'Ali for help in solving difficult questions, and he would often say: 'Were it not for 'Ali, 'Umar would be lost.'
"As for the jurisprudence of the Shi'ah, it goes without saying that it goes back to their first leader. In addition, 'Ali was the master teacher of all exegetes of the Qur'an. This can be easily ascertained by referring to the books of exegesis and seeing how most of their material springs from him. Even that which is narrated from Ibn 'Abbas ultimately goes back to 'Ali. Ibn Abbas was once asked: 'How would you compare your knowledge with that of your cousin?' He replied: 'Mine is like a drop, and his like an ocean.'
"All the great gnostics ('urafa') attach themselves to 'Ali, and he is in addition the one who founded the science of grammar, having taught its fundamental principles for the first time to Abu 'l-Aswad." [4]
Notes:

[1] Asad Haydar, al-Imam al-Sadiq wa al-Madhahib al-Arba'

[2] Ibn Shahrashub, al-Manaqib, Vol. IV, p.247.

[3] Asad Haydar, Imam Sadiq wa Madhahib-i Chaharganeh, (Persian translation), Vol. III, 27-28,46.

[4] Ibn Abi 'l-Hadid, Sharh, Vol. I, p.6.

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Ref: Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari & translated by Hamid Algar

www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Relationship between the Qur'an and the Progeny of the Prophet

The hadith concerning the "two weighty trusts" known as hadith al-thaqalayn is one of the most widely accepted and authoritative of all the traditions narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and it has also been recorded in the principal Sunni books of tradition.

It possesses the highest degree of authenticity and acceptance. The text is as follows:
"I leave among you two precious and weighty trusts, on being the Book of God and the other my Progeny. These two legacies will never be separated from each other, and if you lay firm hold of them you will never go astray." [1]
Certain Sunni scholars even add the following sentence at the end of the hadith: "'Ali is always with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with 'Ali; they too will not be separated from each other." [2]
Hadith scholars attribute the transmission of this tradition to roughly thirty Companions of the Prophet. [3]
According to numerous hadith scholars and historians, Shi'i and Sunni alike, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, never failed at different times in this life, including its difficult last moments, to draw people's attention to the profound link between these two great and authoritative sources of Islam, the Qur'an and his Progeny (Ahl al-Bayt), tracing out thereby an entire program for the future of Islam in a single instructive sentence. Small differences are to be seen in the form of the relevant traditions, some being detailed and others concise depending on the occasion, but the content and meaning are always the same: the profound and indissoluble link between the Qur'an and the Progeny of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, the absolute interrelatedness of the two.


Ibn Hajar, a Sunni scholar, writes:
"We have mentioned earlier different versions of this hadith. Some of them relate to the utterances made by the Prophet at Arafah in the course of his Farewell Pilgrimage; others to pronouncements made while he was on his deathbed in Madinah, surrounded by the Companions; another to his address at Ghadir Khumm; and yet another to statements made while returning from Ta'if."

He then adds: "None of these versions contradict each other, for there is no reason why he should not have repeated the same truth on all these occasions, and on others as well, given the great significance that both the Qur'an and his Progeny possess. [4]

In another tradition known as the hadith of the Truth (hadith al-haqq), the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, says: "'Ali is with the truth and the truth is with 'Ali; wherever the truth is, 'Ali will incline to it." [5]

We know that the verses of the Noble Qur'an form a compendium of the divine commands and laws of Islam; the teaching contained in them are a guarantee for man's happiness and salvation. However, the interpretation and exegesis of the Qur'an have to be undertaken by persons who are acquainted with the language of revelation and who fully possess the necessary competence, in terms of both knowledge and conduct.

The Shi'ah therefore believe that those who possess this competence must be identified by the Prophet himself and appointed by him to administer the affairs of the people and guide them. It is they who understand the language of revelation and can properly acquit themselves of the task of interpreting and explicating God's verses. The juxtaposition of the Progeny of the Prophet with the Qur'an is thus due to the need of the Qur'an for an exegesis that will set forth its purposes and regulations.

If we look carefully at the content of the hadith, we will see that to separate the Qur'an from the Progeny of the Prophet and to follow the utterances and views of persons unacquainted with its symbols and truths is bound to lead to error and misguidance. The tradition therefore implies that only the Progeny of the Prophet can establish the firm and categorical meaning of the verses in God's Book that are allegorical.

The fact that the Prophet places the Qur'an and his Progeny side by side indicates that both are advancing in the same direction and toward the same goal: the Qur'an is a divine law and book, and the Progeny are its interpreters, executors and guardians. To separate and distance oneself from the Progeny is therefore to invite destruction.

The decline and deviance of the Muslims began when such a separation started to occur and men attempted to hold on to each one separately. The thesis, "God's Book alone is enough for us" came to prevail in their religious thinking, leading to the emergence of such schools as the Ash'ari and the Mu'tazilite. It was as if they knew the value of God's Book better than the Prophet himself and better comprehended its significance!

It is possible to understand the Qur'an and explain the knowledge it contains only by referring to the utterances of those persons upon whom knowledge has been directly bestowed by God, or at least whose knowledge is derived from instruction by a particular source. Such persons can be only the Inerrant (ma'sum) Imams of the Prophet's Progeny.

Ibn Hajar also cites the following sentence uttered by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family:

"Do not attempt to go beyond these twin trusts (the Book and the Progeny of the Prophet), for that will lead you into perdition, and do not fall short in adhering to them, for that too will encompass your ruin. Do not imagine the People of the Prophet's House to be ignorant, for they are infinitely more knowledgeable than you and understand well the language of revelation." [6]

The Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali, peace be upon him, said:

"You will never remain faithful to your covenant with the Qur'an unless you recognize who it is that has betrayed his covenant, and you will never lay firm hold of the Qur'an unless you recognize who it is that has abandoned it. Seek the straight path of fidelity and the means of adhering to the Qur'an from the people of the Qur'an, for it is they who keep alive knowledge and learning and uproot ignorance. They it is by means of obedience to whom you become aware of the knowledge they hold.
You comprehend their silence from their speech and their outer appearance from their inner state. They never rebel against the command of religion and never fall into dispute. Religion is a silent and veracious witness dwelling in their midst." [7]
What is meant here is that the Progeny of the Prophet are free from sin and pollution and even minor errors, for it is obvious that whatever is indissolubly linked to the Qur'an until both trusts are brought together before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, on the Day of Resurrection must be followed and obeyed by mankind together with the Qur'an itself. God cannot command men to obey one who is polluted by error and sin, nor can He create an indissoluble link between the Qur'an and such a person Only those who are utterly beyond the reach of impurity can be juxtaposed with the Qur'an, for those obedience to whose commands God has made incumbent on all Muslims must be free of all defect.
Not content with his other utterances on the subject, the Prophet declared the number of successors (khulafa') who would come after him:
"This religion will endure until the Day of Judgement, for as long as twelve persons from Quraysh rule over you as my successors." [8]
"My successors will be twelve in number, just like the chieftains of the Bani Isra'il, all of them from Quraysh and (according to one version of this hadith) from Bani Hashim," [9]
Abdullah relates the Prophet to have said: "As long as there are two men left on the earth, leadership will remain among the Quraysh." [10]
This mention of the twelve successors can refer only to the Inerrant Imams from the Progeny of the Prophet, peace be upon them, for neither were the first caliphs twelve in number, nor were the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers. More importantly, the crimes those rulers committed, far from assuring the welfare and happiness of the ummah, brought about the destruction of religion, so that it is impossible in any way to consider them the successors of the Prophet.
Those who could not deny the authenticity of the hadith concerning twelve successors but wished nonetheless to avoid recognizing the Twelve Imams of the Prophet's Progeny were obliged to offer tortuous explanations that were utterly irreconcilable with the text and content of the tradition, for the first caliphs and the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers when added together come to a total of some thirty people, so that the total number of claimants to the caliphate from among the Quraysh exceeds the number specified in the hadith. If we refuse to interpret the hadith as referring to the Imams of the Shi'ah, we are left with no clear or reliable meaning for it whatsoever.
Shaykh Sulayman al-Qunduzi, a Hanafi scholar, writes the following, in a vein free of all fanaticism:
"According to scholars, the traditions that specify the successors to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, to be twelve in number are well known and they have been narrated by different chains of transmission. It became clear with the passage of time that what the Messenger of God was referring to in this hadith were the twelve Imams from his Progeny.

It is impossible to refer it to the first caliphs, for they were only four in number, nor can it be applied to the Umayyads, for they were more than twelve in number, apart from which with the exception of 'Umar b. Abd al-'Aziz they were all tyrants and oppressors, and they did not belong to the Bani Hashim, where as the Prophet had specified that his twelve successors would be from the Bani Hashim. Jabir b. Samarah mentions that the Prophet spoke this last part of the tradition softly, because not everyone was happy that the caliphate would go to the Bani Hashim.
"Equally, this hadith cannot apply to the 'Abbasids, because their number, too, is more than twelve; they did not act in accordance with the verse enjoining love for the family of the Prophet; [11] and they ignored the hadith of the Cloak (hadith al-kisa'). The hadith must, then, refer exclusively to the Twelve Imams from the Progeny of the Prophet, for they were superior to all others with respect to knowledge, moral virtues, piety and lineage. They were a line who inherited their knowledge from the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, their great ancestor. This is confirmed by the hadith concerning the two weighty trusts and numerous traditions that have reached us from the Prophet." [12]
Notes:

[1] Muslim, al-Sahih, Vol. VII, p. 122; al-Tirmidhi, Jami' al-Sahih, Vol. II, p. 308; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, Vol. III, p. 109. Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Vol. III, pp. 14-17. Ibn al-Sabbagh, Fusul al-Muhimmah, p. 24; al-Ganji, Kifayat al-Talib, p. 130; al-Qunduzi, Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, pp. 17-18; al-Ya'qubi, al-Tarikh, Vol. II, p. 92; Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, al-Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol. III, p. 18; al-Naysaburi, Ghara'ib al-Qur'an, Vol. I, p. 349.

[2] al-Qunduzi, Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, pp. 32-40; Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq, p. 57; al-Irbidi, Kashf al-Ghummah, p.43.

[3] al-Halabi, al-Sirah, Vol. III, p. 308.

[4] Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq, p. 89.

[5] Ibn Qutaybah, al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah, Vol. I, p. 68; al-Hamawini, Fara'id al-simtayn, Chapter 37. al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad, Vol. IV, p. 21; Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Fusul al-Muhimmah.

[6] Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq, p. 153.

[7] al-Radi, Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 145.

[8] Muslim, al-Sahih, Vol. XIII, p. 202.

[9] Muslim, al-Sahih, Vol. VI, p. 2; al-Bukhari, al-Sahih ., Chapter XV of "Kita'b al-Ahkam". Ahmad b. Hanbal, al-Musnad, Vol. I, p. 397, Vol. V, p.86; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah, Vol. VI, p.245; al-Qunduzi, Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, p. 373.

[10] Muslim, al-Sahih, Vol. XIII, p. 202.

[11] Qur'an, 42:23.

[12] al-Qunduzi, Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, p.446.
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Ref: Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari & translated by Hamid Algar

www.ahlulbaytportal.com

THERE IS ALWAYS AN IMAM

PREFACE
1-In our era we witness a great deal of changes that are caused by Islam, which is the greatest of the Divine Religions. It has obtained a new birth. Muslims have wakened up and are returning to their origin.
They are now seeking to remove their difficulties through the Islamic commandments, for not finding the solutions elsewhere.

As for the reason for the changes, one needs to discuss it separately. It is now important to know that the traces of the great changes, are seen throughout the Islamic world, and also in the NON-Islamic countries! Now the world wants to know what does Islam say and what a new MESSAGE for the people may it have? In such a critical condition, it is our duty to present Islam as what it really is, and without any embellishment; by a clear cut and simple language; in order to be understood by all, and to satisfy the thirst of those who need to know more about the religion. We should speak it ourself, and not to let anybody else to speak for us, or to decide for us.

2- It can not be denied that, Islam Too, like the other important religions consists of different sects. Each sect, has its own peculiarities, and yet, the differences are not such as to prevent co-operations and joint ventures among the groups.
On the contrary, they may protect themselves through such mutual aids and co-operations, and stand firmly against the storms that are blown from West and East, preventing their enemies to do their tricks, and accomplish their purposes.

To develop such a mutual understanding and co-operation, needs to follow especial orders, the most important of which is that; different sects should know each other well, so as to remove suspicions and pave the path for collective actions.
The best way for the sects to know each other, is to know the root and branches of their faith, and to obtain the knowledge by first hand, and from the well versed and the learned that are known and accepted by all among the sects.
If we take our knowledge about a sect from him who is not aware enough; or from him who is an enemy, love and hatred will prevent truthful understanding.
3- Owing to the two above mentioned points, we have decided to summarize the Islamic principles and commandments with our stress on some specialties of the SHIITE SECT; to provide writing with the following qualifications:
A- That it may consist of a concise of the whole; so as to make the readers free of want of reading voluminous books.

B- That the discussions be clear cut, and void of difficult technical words used by the experts, without diminishing the main subjects.

C- That our main object is to mention the beliefs but not to ignore giving reasons if necessary.
Our proofs are taken from the holy book, traditions and wisdom.

D- That the book may be free of concealments, flatteries courtesies and pre-judgements.

E- That modesty and the rules of etiquette be observed in relation to all religions and sects.
This pamphlet was written during my pilgrimage to Mecca, in which the spirit has more purity and vivacity. It was discussed in several several with the scholars and learned, and after much investigations it was finalized for publication.
We hope to reach the goals mentioned above and have it a saving in the resurrection day.
"Our lord! We have heard the call of one calling us to faith;" "Believe you in the lord." and we have believed. Our lord! Forgive us our sins. Blot out from us our iniquities, and take to thyself our souls in the company of the righteous.
The Holy Quran 3:193
Qom : Amir al-Momenin (A.S.) Islamic Seminary
Naser Makarem Shirazi

CHAPTER FIVE
IMAMAT LEADERSHIP

THERE IS ALWAYS AN IMAM

WE BELIEVE that as God has decreed to send His Apostles with divine Guidance, so also for any age or time, God Has appointed an Imam to look after the people, leading them to the righteous path, and to guard the divine Law against ay deviation. Imam has to know clearly, the necessities of the ages, and lead the people to the true path of God. He invites and teaches the people to obey the prophets and to follow the LAW. If not so, man will fail to obtain the goal for which he is created i.e. prosperity and perfection. Then the LAW will be abandoned, and people have to wander!
This is why we believe that after our prophet, in any age or time there has always been, and there will be, an Imam to teach and to lead.

* (IMAM primarily means: `HE WHO IS FOREMOST' hence a religious leader, a MODEL, a PATTERN or one who leads the congregational prayer._ (the translator)
"O,You who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S9: 119

This verse of QURAN does not point a certain time or a distinct age. It rather unconditionally orders the people to be the followers of the truthful Imam.
All the famous commentators have taken the word:_ TRUTHFUL to mean an innocent Imam who is free of guilt and sin.

THE REALITY OF IMAMAT


WE BELIEVE that Imamat is not only the apparent rulership or leadership of a caliph, but rather a high spiritual or religious position. Besides ruling and governing the Islamic society, an Imam has the overall leadership of this mortal life of people as well as that of Hereafter. He guides the Soul and Mind of people, and guards against any deviation to occur in the LAW, meanwhile he drives at the targets assigned by the prophet.

This is the same high rank that God gave to ABRAHAM after passing the stages of prophethood and the steps of apostleship and many other exams.

When ABRAHAM asked his Lord to assign the position of Imamat to some of his near kins, he was answered that this title or position will not be given to the oppressors or SINNER.

"And remember when ABRAHAM was tried by his Lord with certain commandments which he fulfilled.
God said to him,"I will make you an Imam to the people." He said," What about making Imams out of my offspring?" God answered, "No! My covenant is not within the reach of the oppressors."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S2: 124

It is evident that such a high moral and religious position cannot be abridged or lowered to the apparent rulership or leadership, or else the verse will not hand over a reasonable meaning or sense.

WE BELIEVE that all the Arch Prophets had the dignity and grade of Imamat through their prophethood. This is because whatever they decreed by their prophethood they put it to ACTION as an Imam. So was the great prophet of Islam, when at the beginning of his mission he conveyed the messages of God to His servants, and meanwhile he carried on his leadership teaching people and leading them to the path of truth.

WE BELIEVE that after the prophet Mohammad, his mission was continued by the innocent Imams who succeeded him from among his nearest kins and their offspring.

By the definitions given above, to reach the high rank of an Imam, very difficult and heavy conditions are to be observed, such as piety to the level of innocence, having the highest level of knowledge of religion and the LAW, and also full acquaintance with the human needs in any age or time.

IMAM MUST BE INNOCENT

WE BELIEVE that an Imam should be free of guilt or SIN. As a matter of fact one who is not innocent, can not be trusted to teach the realities of the LAW and the tenets of a divine Religion. It is for his innocence that we hold an Imam's word or deed as a religious proof.

IMAM IS THE GUARDIAN OF THE LAW

WE BELIEVE that an Imam has to know all about the roots and branches, and the commandments of Islam. He has to know the full meanings and the EXEGESIS of QURAN, and that he takes his knowledge from the prophet or the previous Imam; and it is such a knowledge which is trustworthy among our people.(THE SHIITE)

IMAM MUST BE APPOINTED OPENLY AND CLEARLY BY THE PROPHET

WE BELIEVE that Imam who is the successor of the prophet must be clearly and openly appointed by the Messenger of God. Imam's appointment also is like that of the prophet and has to be decided by God Himself.

This is because the distinction of piety at the level of innocence, and such that high level of knowledge needed to make some one an Imam, is at the power of God and His Apostle, and no one else. We therefore know not our Imams to be elected by the vote or choice of people.

THE SHIITE IMAMS ARE APPOINTED BY THE PROPHET HIMSELF

WE BELIEVE that the prophet of Islam appointed all the twelve Imams as his successor's one after the other.
In SAHIH MUSLIM, (A FAMOUS SUNNI REFERENCE BOOK) We read:_
"In a place between Mecca and Medina which is named KHUMM GHADIR, the prophet made a speech for thousands of Muslim, through which he said,
"I am near to leave you for good. I am leaving two heavy things among you after me:_ QURØN is the first one in which you may find light and guidance; and my nearest kins are the second. I advice you all not to forget God in relation to my Kins. not to forget God in relation to My Kins."

The same tradition is also written in SAHIH TIRMIDHI, (ANOTHER FAMOUS SUNNI'S REFERENCE BOOK). The prophet added then:_ "If you grasp the two heavy thing that I leave among you; you will never go astray."

The above mentioned incident is brought and found in so many famous Islamic books such as:_
SAHIH MUSLIM_ VOL.2 _ P.1873
SAHIH TIRMIDHI_ VOL.5 _ P.662
SUNAN DARMI_ VOL.2 _ P.432
KHASAES NESAIE P.20
MUSNAD AHMAD _ VOL.5 _ P.182

Therefore, No Muslim can deny this tradition which is related by successive witnesses and important writers.

WE RELY also on another famous tradition which is narrated in the SAHIH MOSLIM and SAHIH TERMAZI, SAHIH ABIDAWOOD and other famous books that our prophet has said,
"Islam will stand up to the resurrection day and until twelve Imams all of whom are from Quraish; rule over you as my successors."

WE BELIEVE that there is no acceptable commentaries for such traditions as mentioned above except that belief which is found among our sect; the SHIITE.

IMAM ALI'S DESIGNATION BY THE PROPHET


WE BELIEVE that the prophet, in several occasions has introduced and designated Imam Ali as his successor by the decree of God, an instance of which was in the GHADIR KHUMM somewhere near JOHFEH.

When the prophet was returning from his last pilgrimage (HAJJ) he made a speech for a great gathering of his companions and followers, saying:_
"Do I not have priority over your souls?" "Yes, of course" they all answered. "Then all of you know that," continued the prophet. The MASTER of whoever I am, Ali shall be his master.(This tradition is narrated by more than 110 companions of the prophet and by 84 men from their second generation, and it is written in 360 famous Islamic books).

Here we do not intend to go deep through reasoning to prove our ideas; we also do not intend to insist upon our assertion. We may only add here that such an important TRADITION is not something to be ignored easily, or changing what it means, as by taking the MASTER=MOWLA to mean a friend particularly when we see that the prophet has put so much stress and emphasis upon the word, so as to make it known to all!

Is this not the same case that; IBN ASIR has brought in his important history book saying:_
"At the beginning of his prophetic mission, the prophet was ordered by God:(QURAN _ S26: 214) to admonish his nearest kindred. He invited some forty men of them to a dinner, and by a miracle, he fed all of them from a single portion of food! He then made a speech and finally said to them: `which of you is willing to give me a truthful hand in this Divine Mission of mine, and become my brother and successor among all?"( KAMIL IBN ASIR VOL.2 _ P.63)

No one answered him there, except Imam Ali, who said, I will be your companion and minister: and the prophet pointed at Imam Ali and said, He is my brother and my successor among you. Thus we see the prophet to designate his VICEGERENT and Imam, from the beginning of his mission.

The same case also happened at the end of his mission when the prophet was at his death bed. He asked those who were round him to get him a pen AND paper to write an order which would prevent them from going astray. One of them rejected and refused to provide pen and paper and even accused the prophet of uttering delirious speech!

To repeat again, we hereby only declare our belief in brief and a little reasoning.(SAHIH BOKHARI_PAR5_P.11 AND SAHIH MUSLIM_VOL.3_ P.125q)

EACH IMAM EMPHASIZES HIS SUCCSSOR

WE BELIEVE that each one of the twelve Imams are introduced and emphasized by the previous ones. The first of them was Imam Ali the son of ABUTALIB, who was succeeded by Imam Hassan his first son, and Imam Hussain the Master of the Martyrs his second son. The third Imam was Ali the son of Imam Hussain then it came to his son Muhammad al-Bagher_ He Appointed his son Jaafar, who was succeeded by Musa, then his son Ali Ibn Musa al Reza. The ninth of them was Muhammad Al Taqi- then his son Ali al-Naqi.

After him was his son Imam Hassan Askari who was the father of Al-Mahdi the twelfth and the last of all whom we believe to be already living.

The idea of a SAVIOUR who has to come to fill the world with justice, when it has been full of oppressions is accepted almost by all the Muslims of different sects, and many of the SUNNI scholars and men of knowledge have cited that in their books.

A few years ago, in answer to A question about the existence of AL-MAHDI, the Islamic World Relations Society, issued a pamphlet to emphasize that of a surety he will come, and in that pamphlet many evidences and documents were presented to prove that. Many of the Muslims believe that Al-Mahdi will be born in future, but the SHIITES believe that he has already been born, and so far he has lived a long life, and by the decree of God, he shall appear one day to fill the world with justice.

NONE OF THE PROPHET'S COMPANION COULD EXCEL IMAM ALI

WE BELIEVE that none of the prophet's companions did, or could excel Imam Ali in any respect; and that Imam was at the highest religious position other than that of the prophet's.

Of course we know it unlawful to mispresent the Imam by overstating him and by exaggerations. Those who prove for him the position of deity or something like that, are all heretics in our sight, as are those who undervalue him, and we are absolutely disgusted with their belief, although they might call themselves the SHIITE of Imam Ali and mingle their names with ours.

The leading SHIITES and the orthodox have always rejected the two groups who overvalue or undervalue the Imam, and have called them, and taken them as heretics, for going to extremes.

THE PROPHET'S COMPANIONS AT THE COURT OF WISDOM AND HISTORY

WE BELIEVE that there were many great men of devotion and chastity among the companions of the prophet; but all of them were not so, because the HOLY QURAN declares many among them as being hypocrites!(1)

There were also men who broke their allegiance with the VICEGERENT OF GOD, after the prophet, and made wars and shed the blood of thousands of Muslims upon the soil.
.- (THE VERSES IN: Sq _ S29 and S63 WHICH IS CALLED THE HYPOCRITES)

In other word, how can we judge that both of the two parties who made the battles of Siffin and Jamal were rightful and, on the righteous path? How can both of the two groups of combatants be honest and truthful?

Some bring forth the foot of religious researches and self exegesis on the ground by saying that:_ `Surely one of the two parties was wrong and oppressive, but as they were taking their decisions by their EXEGESIS, both parties were on righteousness in the sight of God! This we cannot accept easily.
How could one with his own exegesis and self comprehensions break his allegiance and loyalty to the VICEGERENT OF GOD, who is entitled to obedience, and create such fearful wars between Muslims, grouping them and shedding streams of their blood. with the justification that his exegesis and self researches have decreed him to do so!? What else then can not be justified by such personal comprehensions and self commentaries?

Let us be more frank, that every one, even the nearest companions of the prophet are held in pledge of their deeds and are responsible for what they have done and have to answer for it:_
"The most honoured of you in Allah's sight, is he who is the most virtuous (chaste) of you."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S49: 13

The above holy verse is true for all even for the nearest companions of the prophet.
We therefore have to judge them by their deeds, and we should have a reasonable definition for them all. Those who were truthful at the presence of the Apostle, at his absence too, did their best to guard the religion and to observe his commandments. They remained faithful to their covenant and respected their promises.

On the other hand, those among his companions who were hypocrites and vexed him, did the same after him.
Whatever they did, was against Islam and Muslims.
"You shall find no believer in Allah and the last judgement to love those who oppose Allah and His Apostle, even though they be their father, their sons, their brothers, or their nearest kindred. Allah has inscribed the faith in their hearts and Has strengthened them with a SPIRIT OF HIS, God will admit them to the GARDENS OF BLISS, beneath which streams flow, wherein they shall live for ever. They are the PARTY OF ALLAH, and Allah's party shall achieve felicity."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S58: 22

We believe that those who harmed the prophet in his presence or absence do not worth admire.
Of course we must not forget that some of the companions of the prophet showed the utmost truthfulness and sincerity with the greatest self sacrifices and have been admired by God Himself and so were a group who followed them later:_
"The vanguard of Islam; the first of those who forsook their homes, and of those who gave them aid; and also those who followed them in good deeds:_ Well pleased is Allah with them and they with Allah. For them is prepared GARDENS OF BLISS, under which streams flow. They dwell therein for ever. That's the Supreme Felicity.
THE HOLY QURAN _ S9: 100

This was our belief in brief about the companions of our prophet.

IMAM TAKES HIS KNOWLEDGE FROM THE PROPHET

According to the order of our prophet:_ `To observe QURAN and HIS NEAREST KINS': and also to the innocence of the Imams, our jurisprudence of divine Law, is also based upon the words, deeds and consents; (doing something in front of them without having their objection) of the innocent Imams. The three factors, i.e. words, deeds, and consent of our Imams are accepted proofs for us. We have to note also that whatever an Imam says; it is a narration of the prophet through his fathers. This is to say what ever an Imam says it has been said by the prophet.

Imam Baqir told one of his students named Jabir:_ "That which we convey to you is what we have taken out of a treasure that belongs to our Prophet Muhammad." .(Jami al-Ahadith, VOL.1 _ P.18)
Through another tradition from Imam Jaafar Sadiq we read:_ "Some one asked him a question and the Imam answered him. The man began to dispute about the answer. Imam told him: `The answer I gave you was that of the prophet and you have no right to dispute."

Another remarkable point to note is about the important books on collected traditions such as; KAAFI _ TAHZIB ESTEBSAR_ and MAN LA YAHZAROHOL FAGHIH, that we have and we use. Although these books are much trusted in our sight, but still it doesn't mean to us that whatever is written in them is true and acceptable by us.

Besides the above mentioned tradition books we also have the books of WHO IS WHO About personalities, (ALREJAL=THE MEN) Through such books we investigate about the personalities of the narrators of the tradition and also about their chains of documents and references so as to make sure if a tradition is true and correct. Therefore, however important and trustworthy a book might be, to accept a tradition from it has to convince us that it reads and is compatible with our standard, or else we shall reject it.

Some Islamic sects have their own collection of traditions (HADIS) which they know them to be correct. (SAHIH) The authors have named their book, `THE CORRECT=SAHIH and some men of importance might have admitted that these are CORRECT, but in our sight, that tradition is correct which is reasonably proved to have been said by the prophet.

Ref: (A Brief Description of Islam as the Shia Believe) By: Grand Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi

www.ahlulbaytportal.com

ULI'L-AMR IN QURAN

BIRTHDAY OF IMAM HUSAIN

A large celebration was held to commemorate the birthday of Imam Husain. The author, Seyyed Muhammad Sultanu'l-Wa'izin Shirazi, addressed the gathering. It was his final speech, and as he promised on the previous night, he answered the question about the imamate, the number and names of the Imams in the Holy Qur'an and the hadith. He began his speech with the following ayat: "O You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those vested with authority among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. This is better and very good in the end." (4:59)

GENUINE LIBERTY

Well-Wisher: The idea of liberty, that people should be free, has long been a popular idea. The superficial notion about freedom is that it means doing as one likes, a notion which has resulted in the rejection of divine law. But of course real freedom is submission to Allah, the Creator of all things.

The Holy Qur'an frequently commands the believers to obey Allah and those fit to be followed from among ourselves. The holy verse which I have recited as the theme of my discourse is one such verse which indicates whom we should obey. It commands us to obey Allah, the Holy Prophet, and those vested with authority. There is no difference of opinion among Muslims concerning the obedience due to the Holy Prophet. However, there is difference of opinion about the meaning of the words "those vested with authority among you."

SUNNIS BELIEF CONCERNING THE MEANING OF "THOSE VESTED WITH AUTHORITY"

Our brothers, the Sunnis, believe that in the above verse the words 'those vested with authority' (uli'l-amr) refer to state officials. Accordingly, they consider obedience to kings and governors compulsory even though these officials may be evil. In fact this belief is wrong. Shortage of time does not permit me to make a lengthy argument in support of my point, so I will trouble you with only a short discussion.

THREE WAYS OF APPOINTMENT OF 'ULI'L-AMR' (THOSE VESTED WITH AUTHORITY)

Obviously rulers obtain their authority in one of these ways:

1. They are appointed by ijma (consensus)

2. They gain power by force.

3. They are divinely commissioned.

If a leader gains authority by consensus of the community, it is not compulsory to obey him as one obeys Allah or the Prophet. It is not possible for all Muslims to appoint a just ruler since, however wise or conscientious they may be, they can only judge a man by appearance. They cannot read his heart or know the degree of his faith.

LEADERS OF ISRAEL SELECTED BY MOSES WERE CONSIDERED WORTHLESS

Obviously Muslims cannot claim to possess better understanding than the Prophet Moses. He selected seventy men out of several thousand for their apparent integrity and took them with him to Mount Sinai. But all of them, on examination, proved worthless because their faith was not firm. This fact has been referred to in the Holy Qur'an, verse 154 of sura 7.

If those selected by Moses proved to be unbelievers at heart, it is obvious that common people would be less competent to choose able rulers for themselves. It is quite possible that those selected for their apparent piety may eventually turn out to be unbelievers. Surely obedience to such rulers would weaken religion.

THE WORDS 'ULI'L-AMR' DO NOT REFER TO RULERS

Certainly Allah would not require his servants to obey a sinner as they would obey Him or His Prophet. Moreover, if the appointment of the 'uli'l-amr' were made through a true consensus, an election would have to be held for each new appointment. All citizens of all Muslim nations would have to agree on the choice in every election.

During 1300 years of Islam we find that, after the Holy Prophet, no such consensus ever occurred. At present it is impossible to secure such a consensus because the Muslim world has been split up into numerous countries, each with a ruler of its own.

Moreover, if every country should elect an 'uli'l-amr' for itself, there would be numerous 'uli'l-amr,' each to be obeyed within his own country, and the people of one country would not obey the uli'l-amr' of other countries. Of course then there is the question of allegiance when differences arise - as they often have in the last 1300 years - between two 'authorities.' We then have Muslims killing other Muslims in the name of Islam.

But true Islam does not require such absurd behavior which would lead to mutual strife among Muslims. It follows, therefore, that the 'uli'l-amr' whom we are commanded to obey has gained his authority by consensus.

A RULER WHO TAKES POWER BY FORCE CANNOT BE CALLED ULI'L-AMR'

It is equally absurd to suggest that obedience to a tyrant is compulsory. If it were, why do the Sunni ulema condemn the oppressive rulers and caliphs, like Mu'awiya, Yazid, the wicked Ziyad Ibn Abib, Ubaidullah, Hajjaj, Abu Salma, and Muslim.

If anyone claims that obedience to wicked rulers is compulsory (and some ulema have really said that), it would be quite contrary to the Qur'anic injunctions. Allah has frequently cursed sinners in the Holy Qur'an and has forbidden Muslims to obey them. So how is it possible that in this verse He would order us to obey sinners? Obviously, we cannot attribute two divergent orders to Allah Almighty. Hence, Imam Fakhru'd-din Razi clearly says regarding this holy verse that the 'uli'l-amr' must possess perfect integrity. Otherwise, Allah would not have linked our duty to obey them with our duty to obey Allah Himself and the Holy Prophet.

'ULI'L-AMR' MUST BE ORDAINED AND APPOINTED BY ALLAH

According to the Shias, the 'uli'l-amr' must be free from sin and infallible. And since no one except Allah can know the deep reality of the heart, the 'uli'l-amr' must be appointed by Allah. Thus Allah, Who ordains the prophets, also ordains the 'uli'l-amr:' An 'uli'l-amr' obviously must have the same attributes the Holy Prophet had.

In this holy verse the word ati'u (obey) has been used twice: He says, "Obey Allah and obey the Apostle." When He speaks of 'uli'l-amr,' He does not use the word 'ati'u' again but uses the conjunction 'and' with 'uli'l-amr.' Linking the words in this way it means that 'uli'l-amr' possess the same merit as the Holy Prophet possesses, except those which are peculiar to the Prophet alone, e.g. 'Wahi' (revelation), prophethood, etc. In short, the qualities of the Holy Prophet should be possessed by the 'uli'l-amr' except of course the rank of prophethood.

Accordingly, Shias believe that the words 'uli'l-amr' refer to the twelve Imams, that is Amiru'l-Mu'minin and his eleven descendants, the progeny of the Holy Prophet. This verse is one of the proofs of the Imamate of the twelve Imams.

Apart from this, there are many other verses supporting our point of view.

(1) For instance, the Holy Qur'an says: "He said: Surely I will make you an Imam of men." Abraham said: And of my offspring? My covenant includes not the unjust, said He." (2:124)

(2) "The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves and his wives are (as) their mothers; and blood relations have the better claim in respect of one to the other, according to the book of Allah than (other) believers or the emigrants." (33:6)

(3) "O you who believe! Fear Allah and be (always) with the truthful ones." (9:119)

(4) "You are only a warner and (there is) a guide for every people." (13:7)

(5) "And (know) that this is My path, the right one. Therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way. (6:153)

(6) "And of those whom we have created are a people who guide with the truth and thereby they do justice." (7:181)

(7) "And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited." (3:103)

(8) "So ask the followers of the Reminder if you do not know." (16:43)

(9) "Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you with a complete purification." (33:33)

(10) "Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Imran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other."(3:33)

(11) "Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom We chose from among Our servants." (35:32)

(12) "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, (and) the glass is, as it were, a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive tree, of neither the east or the West, the oil whereof nearly gives light, though fire touch it not." (24:35)

There are many other verses which could be quoted. Many of your prominent ulema have reported that the Holy Prophet said, "One fourth of the Holy Qur'an is in praise of the Ahle Bait."

Ibn Abbas is reported to have said, "More than 300 verses were revealed in praise of Ali."

Now, I come to my original point that the 'uli'l-amr' must be infallible because obedience to them is linked with obedience to Allah and the Holy Prophet.

Imam Fakhru'd-din Razi in his Tafsir admits that if we do not regard the 'uli'l-amr' as infallible, it would be, in effect, affirming two contradictions as being true. Your own ulema have confirmed that these qualities were possessed exclusively by the twelve Imams. The Holy verse of Purification (33:33) also confirms this fact.

INFALLIBILITY OF THE HOLY IMAMS GENERALLY REPORTED

Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch.77, p.445 and Hamwaini in Fara'idu's-Simtain report that Ibn Abbas said: "I heard the Holy Prophet saying: ' I and Ali, Hasan, Husain and nine of the descendants of Husain are completely pure and infallible.'"

Salman Farsi says that the Holy Prophet, putting his hand on the shoulder of Husain, said: "He is the Imam and the son of the Imam, and of his descendants there will be nine Imams who will all be virtuous trustees of Allah."

Zaid Ibn Thabit reports that the Holy Prophet said: "Verily, of Husain's descendants will be born Imams who will be virtuous trustees, infallible judges."

Imran Ibn Hasin reports that the Holy Prophet said to Ali: "You are heir to my knowledge. You are the Imam and Caliph after me. You will tell the people what they do not know. You are the father of my grandson and husband of my daughter. Of your descendants there will be infallible Imams."

KNOWLEDGE OF THE AHLE BAIT

Abu Ishaq Hamwaini in Fara'idu's-Simtain, Hafiz Abu Nu'aim Ispahani in Hilyatu'l-Auliya, and Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha report from Ibn Abbas that the Holy Prophet said: "My progeny have been created from the same seed from which I have been created. Allah Almighty has bestowed upon them knowledge and wisdom. Woe be to him who rejects them."

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, and the author of Siratu's-Sahaba, report from Hudhaifa Bin Asaid that the Holy Prophet said: "I leave behind for you two weighty things: the book of Allah and my 'Ahle Bait.' If you attach yourselves to these two you will be rescued." Tabrani reports an addition: "Do not reject their authority; otherwise you shall be ruined. Do not show any disrespect toward them or ignore them, or else you shall be destroyed. Do not try to teach them because verily they know better than you do."

In other reports Hudhaifa Bin Asaid quotes the Holy Prophet as saying: "After me there will be Imams from my progeny. Their number will be equal to the number of Bani Isra'il's heralds, that is, twelve, of whom nine will be Husain's descendants. Allah has bestowed upon all of them my knowledge and wisdom. So do not teach them because surely they know better than you do. Follow them since they are definitely with truth, and truth is with them."

WHY THE NAMES OF THE IMAMS DO NOT APPEAR IN THE HOLY QUR'AN

First, this divine book is concise. It contains many general principles but few details, which have been left for the chief commentator, the Holy Prophet, to explain. Allah says: "And whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it; and from whatever he forbids you, keep back." (59:7)

Because the names and numbers of the twelve Imams are not mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, some people do not accept them. But on that basis they should reject their own caliphs since no verse of the Holy Qur'an makes any mention of their caliphs, except Ali Bin Abi Talib, or of the Umayyad or Abbasid caliphs, or of the authority vested in the Community to elect a caliph by consensus.

Second, if it is necessary to reject anything which is not clearly stated in the Holy Qur'an, then you should reject many of the methods of our worship since there is no mention of their details in the Holy Qur'an.

THERE IS NO MENTION OF UNITS (RAK'ATS) OF PRAYERS IN THE HOLY QUR'AN

The ritual prayer is perhaps the central act of worship in a Muslim's life. The Holy Prophet emphasized its performance. He said: "The ritual prayer is the pillar and protector of religion. If the ritual prayer is accepted, all other religious performances will be accepted. If it is rejected, all other religious performances will also be rejected."

Of course, there is no mention in the Holy Qur'an of the number of units (rak'ats) to be performed for each prayer or any of the other specific details regarding how the prayers are to be performed. Does this mean that we should abandon the prayers? The Holy Qur'an simply says: "Establish salat (prayer). There are no details distinguishing required from optional acts. These were explained by the Holy Prophet.

In the same way other commands have been stated in the Holy Qur'an in principle only. Their details, conditions and relevant instructions were explained by the Holy Prophet. Similarly, concerning the Imamate and caliphate, the Holy Qur'an says only: "Obey Allah and obey the Prophet and those in authority among you." And we are bound to follow the Holy Prophet's order in this regard in the same way we follow his instructions with regard to the details of the ritual prayers.

Muslim commentators, whether Sunni or Shia, cannot make their own interpretations of the Holy Qur'an. The Holy Prophet said: "If someone gives his own interpretation of the Holy Qur'an, his place is Hell."

Accordingly, every sensible Muslim turns to the real interpreter of the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet. For many years I have studied both Sunni and Shia Qur'anic commentary and hadith but have never come across a single hadith in which the Holy Prophet said that 'uli'l-amr' refers to political rulers. On the other hand, the books of both the Sunnis and Shias contain numerous reports that the Holy Prophet was asked to indicate the meaning of 'uli'l-amr' and he replied that 'uli'l-amr' referred to Ali and his eleven descendants. I will present only a few of these numerous hadith which have been narrated through sources accepted by Sunnis.

ULI'L-AMR REFERS TO ALI AND THE IMAMS OF THE AHLE BAIT

(1) Abu Ishaq Sheikhu'l-Islam Hamwaini Ibrahim Bin Muhammad writes in his Fara'idu's-Simtain: "The Prophet told us that 'uli'l-amr' refers to Ali Bin Abi Talib and the Ahle Bait of the Holy Prophet."

(2) 'Isa Bin Yusuf Hamadani reports from Abu'l-Hasan and Salim Bin Qais, who report from Amiru'l-Mu'minin Ali that the Holy Prophet said: "My associates are those whose obedience has been linked by Almighty Allah with His own obedience. It is they to whom He refers when He says 'Those in authority from among you.' It is necessary that you not oppose what they say. You should obey them and follow their orders." Amiru'l-Mu'minin goes on to say, "When I heard this, I said: "O Prophet, let me know who the 'uli'l-amr' are." The Prophet said: "O Ali! You are the first of them."

(3) Muhammad Bin Mu'min Shirazi, one of the most eminent Sunni religious scholars, writes in his Risala-e-I'tiqadat that when the Holy Prophet appointed Amiru'l-Mu'minin his representative in Medina, the verse "uli'l-amr-e-Minkum" (And those in authority from among you) was revealed in reference to Ali Bin Abi Talib.

(4) Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, Ch.38, reports from Manaqib that it is stated in Tafsir-e-Mujahid that this verse was revealed in reference to Amiru'l-Mu'minin when the Prophet appointed him as his representative in Medina. The Holy Imam said: "O Holy Prophet of Allah! Have you appointed me Caliph over women and children?" Then the Holy Prophet said: "Are you not content that you have the same relation to me as Aaron had to Moses?"

(5) Sheikhu'l-Islam Hamwaini reports Salim Bin Qais Hilali as saying the following: During Uthman's caliphate, I saw some Muhajirs and Ansars sitting together praising themselves. Ali was silent among them. The people asked Ali to speak. He said: "Do you not know that the Holy Prophet said: 'I and my Ahle Bait were one light, which existed in His creation 14,000 years before the creation of Adam? When He created Adam, He placed that light in his spine when he came down to the earth. Then He placed it in Noah in his ark; then in Abraham's spine while he was in the fire; similarly in the pure spines of fathers and in the pure wombs of mothers, none of whom were born unlawfully." Those in the group who were foremost in the battles of Badr and Hunain said: "Yes, we have heard these words." Then Ali said, "Tell me on oath whether you know that in the Holy Qur'an Allah has given preference to the foremost ones,

and that in Islam no one equals me in merit." They said, "Yes, we acknowledge this."

Then Ali recited from the Holy Qur'an: "And the foremost are the foremost; these are they who are drawn nigh (to Allah)." (56:10-11) He said: "When this verse was revealed, the people asked the Holy Prophet who were the foremost ones, and about whom the verse was revealed. Now tell me on oath if you know that the Holy Prophet told them that Allah Almighty revealed this verse about the prophets and their vicegerents. I am foremost among all the prophets and Ali, my wasi (vicegerent) is foremost among all the vicegerents?"

Then Ali said: "The Holy Qur'an tells us, 'Obey Allah and obey the Prophet and those vested with authority from among you' (4:59) and the verse 'Verily, verily your guardian is (none else but) Allah and His Prophet (Muhammad) and those who believe, those who establish prayer and pay the poor-rate, while bowing down (in prayer).' (5:55) and the verse 'have not taken anyone as an adherent besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers.' (9:16) Allah subsequently ordered His Holy Prophet to identify who was meant by the words 'uli'l-amr' (those vested with authority) in the same way as the ritual prayer, fasting and the Hajj had been clarified. Accordingly, at Ghadir-e-Khum the Holy Prophet appointed me over the people and declared: 'O people when Almighty Allah commissioned me to prophethood I felt apprehension that people would oppose me.'

Then the Holy Prophet continued: 'O people, do you know that Allah Most High is my Master? I enjoy more mastery over the selves of the believers than they have over themselves?'

When all confirmed that it was so, the Holy Prophet announced: 'Of whomsoever I am the master, Ali is his master; O Allah be a friend of him who is a friend of Ali and be an enemy of him who is an enemy of Ali.'

Then Salman stood up and asked: 'O Holy Prophet what is the significance of Ali's mastery?' The Holy Prophet replied: 'Ali's mastery is like my own mastery. Of whomsoever I am the master Ali is also his master.'

Then the verse was revealed: 'This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion.' (5:3) Thereupon the Holy Prophet said: 'Allah is Great, Who has perfected the religion, completed His favor upon me, and is satisfied with my prophethood and is satisfied with Ali being the vicegerent after me.'"

This hadith confirms those hadith which I related during past nights to show that 'master' connotes complete mastery over more than one's own.

"The people then said: 'O Holy Prophet tell us the names of your vicegerents.' The Holy Prophet said: 'They are Ali, who is my brother, my successor, and my vicegerent and the master of every believer after me; then his son, Hasan, then Husain, then nine successive sons of Husain. The Holy Qur'an is with them and they are with the Holy Qur'an. They will not separate from it, and it will not separate from them until they reach me at the Pool of Kauthar.'"

After recording the full report, he has recorded three other reports from Manaqib narrated by Salim Bin Qais, Isa Bin Sirri, and Ibn Mu'awiya showing that the words 'uli'l-amr' refer to the twelve Imams of the 'Ahle Bait.'

I believe that the above reports are enough to clarify the real meaning of 'uli'l-amr.' As for the number and names of the Holy Imams, I will relate hadith narrated by eminent Sunni scholars, without referring, as has been my practice, to the many reports by Shia scholars.

NAMES OF THE TWELVE IMAMS AND THEIR NUMBER

(1) Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch.76, reports from Fara'idu's-Simtain of Hamwaini, who reports from Mujahid, who reports from Ibn Abbas, that a Jew named Na'thal came to the Holy Prophet and asked him questions about Tawhid (Unity of Allah). The Holy Prophet answered his questions and the Jew embraced Islam. Then he said: "O Holy Prophet, every prophet had a wasi (vicegerent). Our Prophet, Moses Bin Imran, made a will for Yusha Bin Nun. Please tell me who is your wasi?" The Holy Prophet said: "My vicegerent is Ali Bin Abi Talib; after him are Hasan, and Husain and after them are nine Imams, who are the successive descendants of Husain."

Na'thal asked the Holy Prophet the names of those Imams. The Holy Prophet said: "After Husain, his son, Ali, will be the Imam; after him his son, Muhammad; after him his son, Ja'far; after him his son Musa; after him his son, Ali; after him his son, Muhammad; after him his son, Hasan; after him his son, Muhammad Mahdi will be the last Imam. There will be twelve Imams."

In addition to the names of the nine Imams, this hadith further states that each would succeed as Imam after his father. Na'thal made further inquiries, and the Holy Prophet described the manner of death of each Imam.

Then Na'thal said, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are His Holy Prophet. I bear witness that these twelve holy Imams are your vicegerents after you. What you have said is exactly what is recorded in our books and in the will of Moses."

Then the Holy Prophet said: "Paradise is for him who loves them and obeys them, and Hell is for him who is hostile to them and opposes them."

Na'thal then recited some couplets to the effect that "May Allah, the Exalted, shower His blessings upon you, chosen Prophet and pride of the Bani Hashim. Allah has guided us by means of you and the twelve holy men whom you have named. Certainly Allah has purified them and preserved them from impurity. He who loves them is successful. He who hates them is the loser. The last of the Imams will quench the thirst of the thirsty. He is the one the people will wait for. Prophet of Allah, your progeny is a blessing for me and for all the believers. Those who turn away from them will soon be thrown into Hell."

(2) The great scholar, Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi, in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch. 76 reports from Manaqib of Khawarizmi, who reports from Wathila Bin Asqa' Bin Qarkhab, who reports Jabir Bin Abdullah Ansari; and also Abu'l-Fazl Shaibani and he from Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Shafi'i, who reports Jabir Ansari (one of the chief companions of the Prophet) as saying: "Jundal Bin Junadab Bin Jubair, a Jew, came to the Holy Prophet and asked him about Tawhid. After hearing his reply, the man became a Muslim. He said that on the previous night he had seen Moses in a dream telling him: 'Embrace Islam at the hands of the last of the prophets, Muhammad, and attach yourself to the vicegerents after him.' He thanked Allah for the blessing of Islam. He then asked the Holy Prophet to tell him the names of his vicegerents. The Holy Prophet began by saying: 'My vicegerents are twelve in number.'

The man said that he had seen this fact in the Torah. He asked the Prophet to tell him their names, and the Prophet said: 'The first of them is the chief of the vicegerents, the father of the Imams, Ali. Then follow his two sons - Hasan and Husain. You shall see these three. When you reach the last stage of your life, Imam Zainu'l-Abidin will be born, and the last thing that you have of this world shall be milk. So cling to them so that ignorance may not mislead you.'

The man said that he had seen in the Torah and in other scriptures the names of Ali, Hasan, and Husain as Elias, Shabbar, and Shabbir. He asked the Holy Prophet to tell him the names of the other Imams.

Then the Holy Prophet named the remaining nine Imams with their epithets and added: 'The last of them, Muhammad Mahdi, will live, but disappear. He will appear later and will fill the world with justice and equity, since it will have degenerated into injustice and tyranny. Verily, Paradise is for those who show patience during the time of his occultation. Paradise is for those who are firm in their love for him. These are they whom Allah Almighty has praised in the Holy Qur'an and for whom the Holy Qur'an is a 'guide for those who guard (against evil). Those who believe in the unseen.' Also He says 'These are Allah's party: now surely the party of Allah are the successful ones.'" (58:22)

THE NUMBER OF CALIPHS AFTER THE HOLY PROPHET IS TWELVE

Mir Seyyed Ali Shafi'i Hamadani in his Mawaddatu'l Qurba, (Mawadda XIII), reports that Umar Bin Qais said: "We were sitting in a group in which Abdullah Bin Mas'ud was also present. Suddenly an Arab came and said: "Who among you is Abdullah? Abdullah said: "I am." He said: "Abdullah! Did the Holy Prophet tell you about the caliphs after him?"

Abdullah Bin Mas'ud said, "Yes, the Prophet said: 'After me there will be twelve caliphs, corresponding to the number of the Imams of the Bani Isra'il.'"

The same hadith has also been reported from Sha'bi, who reported it from Masruq, who reported it from Abdullah Shiba.

Also Jurair, Ash'ath, Abdullah Bin Mas'ud, Abdullah Bin Umar, and Jubair Bin Samra all report the Holy Prophet as saying: "There will be twelve caliphs after me. Their number will correspond to the number of the caliphs of the Bani Isra'il." According to Abdu'l-Malik's report, the Holy Prophet added: "And all of them will be from the Bani Hashim."

Most Sunni ulema, including Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Muslim, Sha'bi have reported the same thing.

Yahya Bin Hasan, a great scholar of jurisprudence, has reported in his Kitab-e-Umda from twenty different sources, that "Verily, there are twelve caliphs after the Holy Prophet, and all of them belong to the Quraish." Bukhari has reported from three sources, Muslim from nine sources, Ali Dawud from three sources, Tirmidhi from one source, and Hamid from three sources that the Holy Prophet said: "The caliphs and Imams after me are twelve, and all of them are from the Quraish." According to some reports, the Holy Prophet said: "All of them are from the Bani Hashim."

On page 446 Yahya Bin Hasan says: "Some of the scholars have said that hadith in support of the view that the number of the caliphs and Imams after the Holy Prophet is twelve are commonly known. Everyone knows that when the Holy Prophet specified the number of his caliphs to be twelve, he meant that they would belong to his 'Ahle Bait,' To say that he meant the caliphs who were his companions would be incompatible with the facts (since there were only four).

Nor can it be said that he meant the Umayyad kings, of whom there were thirteen. Moreover, they were all tyrants except Umar Bin Abdu'l-Aziz, (although even he usurped the caliphate and forced the Imam of the time to remain confined in his house). Since the Holy Prophet had said: "They are all from the Bani Hashim," the Bani Umayyads are not to be included.

So it is clear that the rightful caliphs of the Holy Prophet were the twelve Imams who were descendants of the Holy Prophet and who excelled all others in knowledge and piety. This fact is confirmed by this consecutively narrated hadith of the Holy Prophet. "I leave behind me two great things, the Holy Book of Allah (the Holy Qur'an) and my 'Ahle Bait.' If you are attached to these two, never, never, shall you go astray after me. Verily, these two shall never be separated from one another until they meet me at the Pool of Kauthar. If you are attached to these two, you will never be misled."

The Holy Prophet said: "Seek knowledge even in China." We have spent ten long nights discussing issues concerning a precious knowledge - the way of Islam. We have seen many differences between the Sunni and Shia sects, and we hope that historical fact and reason have clarified the nature of the differences. If Allah wills, these discussions will convince sincere seekers of knowledge that "Whom Allah guides, no one can lead astray."

Peshawar Nights
english.tebyan.net

Does the Verse of Wilayah Denote Caliphate and Wilayah of Amir Al-Mu`minin?

Question: Does the verse of Wilayah denote caliphate and wilayah of Amir Al-Mu`minin?
Answer: The Exalted God says in the Holy Qur`an (surah 5:55-56) that: “only Allah is your Wali and His Apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow. And whoever takes Allah and His Apostle and those who believe for a guardian, then surely the confederates of Allah are the triumphant.”
In his Great Commentary, Imam Abu-Ishaq Tha`labi quotes from Abu-Dharr Ghafari that he said: “I heard from the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) with my own ears- if I am lying, I will hope God makes me dumb- and I saw with my own eyes- if I am lying, I will hope God makes me blind- that said: ‘Ali is the leader of the good people and the murderer of the unbelievers. Whoever helps him, God helps him and whoever leaves him God leaves him. Beware! One day I prayed the noontime prayers with the messenger of Allah. A person in need asked people to help but no one gave him anything. Ali Ibn Abi –Talib was in the position of genuflection in the prayers. He pointed with his finger to the person, so he come near and took his ring and left. Then the Prophet (S.A.W) raised his head toward heaven and said: “oh God! My brother Moses said to Thee, “expand my breast and make easy my tasks and make my tongue eloquent as that they will comprehend my words, and appoint a successor to me from among my descendants, my brother Aaron, and make him my helper and You said: ‘beware o Moses! Your request was granted.’ Oh God! I am also thy Prophet, expand my breast and make easy my tasks and appoint a successor to me from among my descendants, Ali, and make him my helper.” Abu-Dharr says, “I swear by God that the words of the Prophet had not as yet finished when the trustee Gabriel came down and brought this verse: ‘only Allah is your Wali and His Apostle...’”(1)
It is noteworthy that regarding this matter there has been narrated 24 traditions by the methods of Sunnis and 19 traditions with the transmitters of Shi`ah in the Book of Ghayatulmaram.(2)
Shi`ahs all agreed that this verse has been recorded regarding Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (a.s.) and the Imams of the Household of the Prophet have narrated it and among them, this tradition is considered as one of the admitted opinions and it has been narrated in many of their valid books such as: Bihar al- Anwar by `Allamah Majlisi, Ithbat al-Hudah by Hurr `Amuli, Tafsir al- Mizan by `Allamah Tabatabai, Tafsir al- Kashif by Muhammad Jawad Mughniyah, Al-Ghadir by `Allamah Amini, and so many others of the ulama and noble men of Shi`ah.
Many of Sunnis ulama have also narrated that the cause of Revelation of this verse is Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (a.s.), such as:
Tafsir Kashaf Zimakhshari, Tafsir Tabari (volume 4, section 6, page 289), Zad Al-Masir Fi `Ilm Al-Tafsir by Ibn Jowzi, Tafsir Qartabi, Tafsir Fakhr Razi (volume12, page 28), Tafsir ibn Kathir (volume 3, page 129), Tafsir Nasafi, Shawahed Al-Tanzil by Haskani Hanafi, Al-Dur Al-Manthur by Siyuti (volume 3. page 105), Asbab Al-Nuzul by Wahidi, Ahkam Al-Quran by Jassas, Al-Tashil Li `Ulum Al-Tanzil by Kalbi, Zakha`ir Al- `Uqba by Muhib al- din Tabari, Tafsir Fath Al- Ghadir by Qazi Shukani, Labab Al-Manqul by Siyuti, Tazkerah Sibt by Ibn Jowzi (page 15), Nur Al-Absar by Shiblanji, Al-Kafi Al-Shaf by Asqalani, Mafatih Al-Ghayb by Razi, Musnad of Ibn Marduyah, Musnad of Ibn Al-Shaykh, Sahih of Nasai, the Book of Al-Jam` Bayn Al-Sihah Sittah, Managhib of Khawrazmi (page 248), The History of Damishq (volume 42, page 357).
Those who were mentioned above are just some of the Sunnis ulama. The number of Sunnis ulama agreeing with Shiah about the revelation of this verse regarding Ali (a.s), exceeds those who were mentioned. (3)
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1- Al-Jam` Bayn Al-Sihah Sittah, Sahih of Nasai, Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Sawa`iq Al-Muhraqah by ibn Hajar, Sharh of Nahj Al-Balaqah by ibn Abi al-Hadid.
2- Minhaj al-Bara`ah (2), p. 350
3- With truthful people, p.89.
Ref: makarem.ir