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Selected Narrations about the Twelfth Imam

Selected Narrations about the Twelfth Imam Volume 1

Author:
Publisher: Naba Organization
English

AppendixTo Chapter Two: Who Are The Twelve Caliphs?

Evidently, the greatest duty of every Muslim is the recognition and knowledge of the established facts of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, and to learn them with maximum reflection and thorough study. Also, one must seek from these two, guidance towards the goals of the strong religion and the straight path of Allah. For, these only are the guides that mankind needs to achieve bliss and success in his intellectual, religious, ethical, social and political life.

Moreover, from the most important responsibilities of a researcher of traditions that establish the caliphate of the twelve caliphs is to indulge in deep deliberation over these that he may recognize the twelve caliphs, whose caliphate andImamat has been documented in these traditions that surpassconsecutivity . He must ask himself the following questions:

Who are they?

Who are these caliphs?

What did the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) intend through these quotes?

With whom are these traditions compatible?

Why are the caliphs restricted to this number? And so on and so forth.

It is not proper for the one who studies these traditions to be content with their reading and interpretation, and then moving on to the next tradition. It is also not correct for him to simply glance through them as this would lead to negligence in his learning. Yes, it is obligatory on him to stop at them and not to simply speed through them that he recognizes their purpose in detail and with certainty. For, being careless and negligent towards them is tantamount to carelessness and negligence towards the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), in whose reverence Allah, Blessed and High be He, declares:

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى. إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى

Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed. (Qur’an SurahNajm 53: 4-5.)

Here, in this treatise, in the company of our thoughtful, researching, learning and cultured readers, we shall place these traditions before us and investigate in it. We will also keep as standard the views that have been expressed earlier concerning them.

It should also be known that the aforementioned traditions are not in need of external or whimsical explanations because some of these explain the others and make the researcher needless of interpretation from other than these traditions.

A group of these traditions establishes that the first of them isAmeerul Momineen Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (a.s. ) and the last of them is the Mahdi (a.s. ).

Another group proves that the first of them is Ali (a.s. ), the second Hasan (a.s. ), the third Husain (a.s. ) and the remaining nine are from the progeny of Husain (a.s. ).

Yet another batch establishes that the ninth from the progeny of Husain (a.s. ), is the twelfth Imam, the Mahdi (a.s. ).

A number of these traditions guide towards the names of the twelve Imams, and introduction of their personalities.

There are numerousanother traditions that explain, in brief or in detail, tidings about the twelve Imams (a.s. ).

Obviously, the wise and logical approach in comprehending the purpose of these traditions is to derive their meanings and implications. The weakness of the chain of narrators in a few of them shall not affect their validity due to the strength and reliability of others. For, the strong and reliable chains do away with the infirmness of the weak ones. Often, we shall demonstrate this reality in the course of our explanations, Inshallah.

Thereafter, we shall ponder on the group of traditions that establishes that the number of Imams is twelve. With which Islamic sect is this number compatible? Or, is compatibility found at all in any of the sects? Or, shall we say, God forbid, that these traditions did not actually occur in reality?

We say: Know that the discussion concerning this group of traditions is divided into two levels:

First: The meanings and implications of these traditions.

Second: Determination of those on whom these traditions apply. In other words, the recognition of the twelve caliphs along with their personalities.

The First Level: The MeaningsAnd Implications Of These Traditions

First: The number of the caliphs, who shall succeed the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) is confined to twelve. None can increase or decrease any one of them. This is the gist of each one of these traditions.

Second: The endurance of the earth and its protection from disorder isdependant on the survival of the Imams (a.s. ).

Third: Non-termination of Islam before their (Imamsa.s. ) termination i.e. the continuity of Islam depends on them. As long as even one of them lives, Islam will continue to endure and prosper, which proves their prolonged stay on the earth, even if it means the longevity of the twelfth and the last one of them.

Fourth: Islam will continue to remain mighty and the devils will be unable to erase it and destroy its effects as long as the twelve Imams (a.s. ) exist. Thus, it will always be mighty and lofty and none can destroy it like the previous Divine laws and religions were ruined. For example, the Shariah of ProphetMoosa (a.s. ) and ProphetEesa (a.s. ), in addition to being abrogated by the Shariah of Islam, were distorted in principles and laws through occurrences, wars, Machiavellian politics, manipulations, etc. Hence, whatever is presently available with the Jews and the Christians is not the actual and original Shariah of ProphetMoosa (a.s. ) and ProphetEesa (a.s. ), particularly the principles of religion and matters related to beliefs.

As for Islam, then indeed it has remained mighty, lofty and protected from the distortions of the fanatics and the refutation of the deniers. It will continue to be so till the reappearance of the Mahdi (a.t.f.s .) and the Day of Resurrection. For surely, Allah, the High, has placed it in His fortified protection and appointed twelve Imams (a.s. ) as guides for it and those who will establish His command in all times till the Day of Judgment.

The above point does not, by any means, contradict the domination of the disbelievers over the Muslims in the past or in the present at some times and in some places, because of their inability to destroy Islam. The proof of this lies in the fact that Islam is still surviving even after the passage of fourteen long centuries, notwithstanding its enemies who with all their force, number and preparedness, were unanimous in the destruction of Islam and weakening the Muslims with all their material strength, military power and economic muscle. But their conspiracies fail to extinguish the Light of Allah, the High. Nay, often they dominated the Muslims apparently and ruled over their countries and their wealth but miserably failed to prevent the seeds of this tree from flowering. Nay, on a number of occasions, the prophecies of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) to his nation in the above traditions were manifested, as also the promise of Allah to His Prophet (s.a.w.a .) and to the Muslims through His sayings like,

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, though the unbelievers may be averse. (Qur’an SurahSaff 61: 8.)

And He says,

مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء. تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَ

like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? (Qur’an SurahIbraaheem 14: 24-25.)

Fifth: These traditions do not imply that the might of Islam will be absolute and will not be achieved except through the rule of these Imams (a.s. ). Rather, they mean that Islam will continue to survive till they survive, even if it does not enjoy the esteemed levels which it deserves. Of course, absolute might will not actualize except in their reign and during their apparent rule. This too will not materialize through the governance of only one of them. When we talk of the might of Islam, we mean the implementation of its laws throughout the universe, a condition that will be achieved only gradually and during the governance of the last of them.

Briefly, we are of the opinion that the might of Islam with some of its levels shall survive, which will prevent the destruction of religion and keep it preserved and protected, only through the twelve Imams (a.s. ). And only when its conditions are fulfilled through the government of the twelfth Imam (a.t.f.s .) that absolute might will prevail. Allah, the High, says

, هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse. (Qur’an SurahTaubah 9: 33.)

Sixth: Verily, theImamat of these Imams (a.s. ) will be in succession and continuity uninterrupted. This reality can be easily deciphered from the clear concepts of these traditions.

Here, there are a few important points that refer to the meanings of the words,‘Caliph’ ,‘Imam’ , and‘Master’ , which we shall state for completing the discussion.

First

Raagheb Isfahaani , the renowned littérateur writes,‘Caliphate means representation of another, either due to the absence of the represented one or due to his death or due to his inability or due to the eminence of the representative. On account of thelast mentioned meaning, Allah has made His friends as His representatives in the earth.’ 1

I say: Therefore, a Caliph is the representative of the other, regardless of the represented person being absent, dead, unable or due to the esteemed and lofty position of the representative in the eyes of the represented person. Or the execution of some tasks, the implementation of the authority of the represented one and the manifestation of his position through the representative are appropriate as per the wisdom, aims, purposes, etc. of the represented one. It is irrelevant whether the representative and the represented one are Allah, the High, His Prophet (s.a.w.a .) or a group of His servants or some of them.

Hence, amongst all the literary applications, we cannot take the first three i.e. the absence, death and inability of the represented person as these cannot be applied for the Prophethood of a Prophet or theImamat of an Imam. Therefore, the term‘Caliph of Allah’ is truly applicable in its real sense on Adam (a.s. ), Dawood (a.s. ) and all other Prophets likeNuh (a.s. ),Ibraheem (a.s. ),Moosa (a.s. ),Isaa (a.s. ), their chief Muhammad (s.a.w.a .) and the twelve Imams about whose caliphate the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) has given tidings to his nations.

Moreover, the term‘Caliph’ , as used in the Holy Quran and the traditions, is not related to any added noun, displaying clearly that it implies only for the Caliph of Allah, the High. So, a Prophet or an Imam is a representative and heir of Allah, the High, and Prophethood andImamat are from the affairs of Allah, the High. None has got the right to stake a claim to this status but with His permission.

Allah has used the word‘Caliph’ in the Holy Quran, thus:

إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً

I am going to place in the earth akhalif.( Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 30.)

And He, Mighty and Glorified be He declared,

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ

O Dawood! Surely We have made you a ruler in theland . (Qur’an SurahSuad 38: 26.)

It has come in the traditions that he was the Caliph of Allah, the High. Then the caliphs are the representatives of Allah upon His servants and His deputies for His creatures.

As for the rulers, they are the chiefs regardless of them being Caliphs on earth. Consequently, every Caliph is a ruler and chief, but every ruler and chiefis not a Caliph.

The words‘government’ ,‘reign’ and‘authority’ fall much short in comparison with the concept of a‘caliph’ . Caliphate as used by Allah or for that matter by the Prophet, covers all the aspects like majesty, beauty, holiness, governance on the foundations of goodness, justice and human values, handling the weak ones with kindness, etc., which no other term covers. For, the authority of a caliph is connected to the authority of Allah, the Wise, the Just, the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Overpowering, theSubduer , the Generous, the Holy, the Kind, the Forgiving and the Refuge.

A caliph cannot be deprived of his status nor does he divert from the course that Allah has charted for him. He is not ordered but the establishment of justice, repelling falsehood, purification of the souls and acting upon the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. So, whoever digresses from this path and aim will not be a caliph, as opposed to an emir, a governor or a ruler.

Indeed, it’s clear for you now that caliphate is a divine position and Allah’s representation, which cannot be completed nor realized save through divine appointment and none partners Him in this regard.

Besides the rational argument that the appointment of Allah’s caliph in the earth necessitates that he should be appointed by Allah only, the verses of the Holy Quran:

إنّى جاعِلٌ

(Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 30.)

And

إنّا جَعَلناكَ

(Qur’an SurahSuad 38: 26.)

are also evidence enough of the aforementioned fact. For, these two verses clearly suggest that the appointment of a caliph is from the affairs of Allah, the High, and His special acts, in which none partners Him. Hence, nobody else has got any role whatsoever in the appointment of a caliph in the earth.

Here, it will not be inappropriate to indicate that caliphate is a general Grace (لطف ) of Allah, the High, which is not confined to a particular era. Thus, like all other general endowments, which demand His absolute lordship,all encompassing mercy and perfect wisdom, His grace too includes His servants at all times and in all places and is not restricted to a particular time or region. Verily, the sole prerogative of the caliph’s appointment lies with Allah, the Endower, the Generous Who is not niggardly in His goodness nor does His treasures exhaust and He is the Wise, the Knowing. When the emanation of this Grace is proved to be obligatory in one era, its emergence is automatically established at all times.

And there are proofs that the terms caliph and caliphate when used in the Holy Quran and the traditions imply only Allah’s representation, the great divinevicegerency and nothing else. There are a number of traditions in this regard from both Shias and Sunnis like those concerning Al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s .) that he is the caliph of Allah.2

And like the advice of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) toHuzaifah ,“If there is for Allah a caliph in the earth, obey him even if he whips your back or takes away your wealth.” 3

Kumail reports thatAmeerul Momineen Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (a.s. ) said,“They are the caliphs of Allah in His cities (in His earth).” 4

While addressing those responsible for public trusts and wealth,Ameerul Momineen (a.s. ) advises them to exercise utmost caution in establishing truth and following the principle of justice in all matters, big or small, significant or otherwise. Then he (a.s. ) orders them to say to the people,“O servants of Allah! The friend of Allah and His caliph has sent me to you.” 5

The great genius, the master in jurisprudence, tradition, literature and a number of other sciences, ShaikhBahauddin al-Aameli (a.r. ), while deriving from the above traditions, has written poems titledWaseelah al-Fauz wa al-Amaan fimadh Saaheb al-Asr wa al-Zamaan . A couplet from it goes as follows:

خليفة ربِّ العالمين و ظلّه

على ساكني الغيراء من كلّ ديار

“The caliph of the Lord of the worlds and His shade

On the inhabitants of the earth in every house.”

Objection: Why was the term‘Caliph’ used for all the rulers after the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) till the recent rulers of the Ottoman Empire, although they were neither appointed by Allah nor by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)? Moreover, their governance were not the carriers of the pure Islamic message nor were they having any legal sanctions from Allah. They were also labeled as oppressive tyrants, whose reign had nothing to do with Islam and who had no qualms in taking the servants of Allah as their slaves and usurping their wealth.

Answer: The term‘Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)’ was used in early Islam for the rulers immediately after him (s.a.w.a .) by those who were close to them. Later, the domain of its usage expanded and the above term was used for the oppressive kings as well, fearing their tyranny and barbaric oppressions. After sometime, this term was curtailed to a singular word i.e.‘The Caliph’ .

There is no doubt that this term and its application does not lead to the change of words of the Holy Quran and the traditions, from what appears from them at the time of usage nor do they change the words to their new meanings. Also, the usage of this term was historically erroneous because the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) never appointed Abu Bakr as his caliph. As for Umar, Abu Bakr appointed him6 , so logically he should be called as the caliph of Abu Bakr (and not the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)).

As for the status for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and his rule over the affairs, then it was not due to the selection of the people or his domination over the affair or his oppression. Nay! It was only due to the choice of Allah, the High. Hence, using the terms,‘emir’ ,‘ruler’ and‘king’ for those called as caliphs would be more appropriate than being called as a‘caliph’ , leave alone the terms‘Allah’ s caliph’ or‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)’ .

A right-thinking and sane person, not necessarily a follower of theAhle Bait (a.s. ) can never permit, condone or overlook the usage of the term‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)’ for the likes of Usman,Moawiyah ,Yazeed , Waleed, the tyrants of Bani Abbas and the progeny of Usman, etc., who ruled over Syria, Iraq, Spain, etc.

Briefly, the epithet‘Allah’s caliph’ is a lofty and elevated term. The same applies for the term‘caliph’ . It cannot be used, and it is not correct to use it except for Allah’s representative on the earth, whom He has chosen to establish justice, be the highest role model for mankind, implement His laws, inhabit His cities, spread goodness, preserve the laws of Shariah and the signs of truth.

Its usage is incorrect for any other person either due to disregard or carelessness. For the clarification of the falsity of this claim, when he was addressed as,‘O caliph of Allah!’ Abu Bakr said,‘No, I am the caliph of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .)’ or‘I am the caliph of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .).’ 7

Of course, his conferring the above titles on his own self has no substance of truth in it because as you just read, caliphate is representation of another, and this representation cannot be complete without the appointment by the represented one. Unanimity prevails concerning the fact that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) did not appoint Abu Bakr as his caliph, nor did he (s.a.w.a .) make any will to him. None of Abu Bakr’s actions like sitting in the place of the Prophet (s.a.w.a .), going on the pulpit, praying in his (s.a.w.a .) prayer niche (mehraab ), were on his behalf and under his (s.a.w.a .) representation.

There is an opinion that governance and the appointment of a ruler is the duty of the Ummah (Islamic nation), hence it is obligatory upon it to appoint him. Also, there was consensus in the Ummah - which actually never existed - for the appointment of Abu Bakr, without force or fear. So, using the term‘Caliph of the nation’ instead of‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)’ will be more appropriate and correct. For, in their view, Abu Bakr was the representative of the nation, whose collective responsibility was to implement the laws and protect the system. Needless to mention, the above idea has been formulated without devoting the slightest of deliberations on the definition of‘caliphate’ i.e. it’s representation of the other.

Second

Whatever we have discussed for the word‘caliph’ , is also applicable for the word‘Imam’ and‘master’ (ولي ), particularly the latter when it is used for other than Allah, the High. So, an Imam implies the owner of an elevated position appointed by Allah, the High, whether he is a Prophet or the successor of a Prophet. This implication by no means contradicts the literal meaning of the word Imam because literally, the word‘Imam’ is used for anybody who is followed in knowledge, ethics or in any field of art and technology. For example, it is said Khalil Ibn Ahmad is an Imam in literature,Kulaini (r.a. ) is an Imam in traditions, Shaykh Tusi (r.a. ) isis an Imam in exegesis, traditions, jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence,

and Abu AliSeena is an Imam in philosophy and medicine. All these applications do not contradict the usage of the word‘Imam’ by Allah, the Holy Quran and the traditions, for the one whom Allah has appointed as an Imam, made them standard for His servants, the minaret in His cities, the one who is to be followed by all and sundry. Thus, the word‘Imam’ is normally used for the one who is followed as a leader due to excessive usage in the Holy Quran and the traditions and refers to this specially appointed person. Hence, whenever the word‘Imam’ is used independently, and the context does not indicate otherwise, it automatically implies the representative of Allah.

Due to this very special application of the word‘Imam’ for Allah’s proof and His appointee, a number of holy personalities refused to attach this title (Imam) before their names despite being apparently worthy of it in at least one context or more.

It is worth mentioning that the term‘Imam’ , notwithstanding its numerous imports, is applicable only for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and his (s.a.w.a .) successors designated by Allah, the High. But it appears that the excessive use of the word for the holy and infallible Imams of theAhle Bait (a.s. ) in the traditions has led to its application in the second meaning i.e. for the leaders in other fields.

If someone refers to the Holy Quran and the traditions, he will find plenty of testimonies endorsing the above theory. For example, the Holy Quran says,

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لاَ يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ

And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said:Surely I will make you an Imam men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He. (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 124.)

The above verse clearly indicates thatImamat is a covenant of Allah, which does not reach to the oppressors. Moreover, it is an appointment from the side of Allah. It is absolutely clear that the appointment of Imam for the people is invalid and incorrect except from the side of Allah, the High.

Some more verses of the Holy Quran that prove our point are cited hereunder.

وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ

And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good. (Qur’an Surah Anbiya 21: 73.)

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً

And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams (Qur’an SurahQasas 28: 5.)

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا

And We made of them Imams to guide by Our command when they werepatient.( Surah Qur’an Sajdah 32: 24.)

There are a plenty of traditions that also support this argument. While talking about his successors and the necessity of their recognition, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) declared,

من مات ولم يعرف إمام زمانه فليمت إن شاء يهوديًا و إن شاء نصرانياً

One who dies without recognizing the Imam of his time then he can die as he wishes, either as a Jew or a Christian. 8

Ameerul Momineen (a.s. ) says,

بنا يستعطى الهدى و يستجلى العمى إنّ الأئمة من قريش غرسوا في هذا البطن من هاشم لا تصلح على سواهم و لا تصلح الولاة من غيرهم

‘Through us, guidance is granted and darkness is dispelled. Surely the Imams from the Quraish are planted from the Hashemite wombs. None is worthy of it (Imamat ) but them and none is eligible for being the masters except them.’ 9 In another place he (a.s. ) says,

و إنما الائمة قوام الله على خلقه و عرفاؤه على عباده و لا يدخل الجنّة إلاّ من عرفهم و عرفوه و لا يدخل النار إلاّ من أنكرهم و أنكروه

Certainly theImáms are the vicegerents ofAlláh over His creatures and they make the creatures knowAlláh . No one will enter Paradise except he who knows them and they know him, and no one will enter Hell except he who denies them and they deny him. 10

Therefore, there are numerous reliable and consecutive traditions in the books of both Shias and Sunnis, specially the former, that suggest the holy implication of the word Imam and its divine essence. And that whenever it is used independently, it is done in this very meaning, unless the context indicates otherwise. This was regarding the word‘Imam’ .

As for the word‘Master’ (wali) then sometimes it is used as an additive before Allah, the High, or with other than Him, while on other occasions, it is used without any additive. Now, this additive (muzaaf elaihe ) has two applications:

Sometimes, the additive is the place of manifestation of the mastership of the master and its execution. Like in the examples,‘Allah is the Master of the people’ or‘Allah is the Master of those who believe’ or‘The father is the master of his small son’ or‘The ruler is the master of the abstaining or absent ones’ , the people and those who believe are the place of manifestation of Allah’s mastership, the mastership of a father is expressed through his son and the mastership of a ruler is manifested through his subjects. In all the aforementioned examples, a master (wali) is used as a subject (فاعل ).

For instance, Allah, the High, says,

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

Only Allah is your Vali and His Apostle and those who believe (Qur’an SurahMaaedah 5: 55.)

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) declared,‘Ali (a.s. ) is the master of every believer after me.’ Or‘They are my Caliphs, OJaabir , and the masters of the affair after me.’

At other times, the word‘wali’ is used to denote as an object (مفعول ) of the noun to which it is added. Like, when we say,‘Ali (a.s. ) is the wali of Allah’ , we mean that Ali is appointed as a master from the side of Allah.

In all the examples cited above, the thing that comes to the mind that the term‘wali’ , when used before thewords ‘people’ ,‘those who believe’ ,‘Allah’ etc., it carries the meaning of the words‘Caliph’ or‘Imam’ bearing some sort of holiness and spirituality. Its power emanates from the absolute and perfect mastership of Allah, and this is the meaning in which it is used when applied for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and the infallible Imams (a.s. ) independently, without any additive. When used for Allah, the High, the word‘wali’ implies His absolute perfection, which is not derived from the mastership of others, with the exclusion of all other meanings like helper (ناصر ) and lover (محب ).

Third

The terms,‘Caliph’ ,‘Imam’ and‘Wali’ , from the various meanings and connotations expressed above, when used in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah, bear only one external implication (i.e. all the three words are used for one person). Nay, each one of them is perennially applicable to the meaning of the other two except for the fact that each one of them has a special meaning that comes to the mind instantly before the others.

Therefore, the word‘Caliph’ strikes the meaning of the one who is appointed on the command of Allah, the High, as His representative to judge between the people with truth, to establish justice and equity, regulate the affairs, spread safety and security, etc. Similarly, the word‘Wali’ denotes the one who enjoys absolute control in the affairs of creation as well as legislation from the side of Allah, the High, on the basis of His power and legislation. The word‘Imam’ implies the one who has been appointed to be followed and obeyed. People receive guidance by accepting his instructions because he is the standard for those who tread the path (سالك ), a guide towards divine satisfaction, a protection for those who seek security and a strong rope to which the people fasten. Each one of these terms suggests a special endowment and a particular divine grace, covering His noble servants and confidantes of His secrets, who have His specialfavours , do not precede Him in saying and are cognizant of His affair.

All the three positions can be conferred on one person along with eithermessengership or prophethood or both. For example, in the case of ProphetIbraheem (a.s. ), Prophethood as well asImamat were conferred, while Prophet Adam (a.s. ) and Prophet Dawood (a.s. ), received Prophethood and Caliphate both. There are instances of Prophets about whoseImamat Allah has informed in the Holy Quran. All these elevated divine positions were collectively found in the holy persona of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .).

Separated from Prophethood, an Imam, Caliph and Wali follows the Prophet like the twelve Imams (a.s. ) because Prophethood andMessengership came to an end with their great ancestors, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s.a.w.a .) but Caliphate,Imamat and Wilayat remained in his (s.a.w.a .) nation so that Allah’s proofs and arguments are not invalidated. These are the caliphs who carried the burden of the divine caliphate after the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .). This, by no means, contradictstheir being the caliphs of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) as has come in a few traditions like his (s.a.w.a .) saying,‘They are my caliphs, OJaabir ,‘O Allah! Have mercy on my caliphs’ ,‘O Ali! You are my successor’ ;‘You are the caliph after me’ etc. Whatever we have mentioned here vis-à-vis these terms are in their absolute and independent applications, and not when used along with other additives other than Allah. For, when they are used with an additive other than Allah, undoubtedly it implies the representation of the other.

The caliphate of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), as mentioned in the above traditions, denotes the representation in the conveyance of laws and what Allah has revealed to him (s.a.w.a .) for the people. The caliph is his successor in regulating the affairs of this nation, and it is not permissible for the nation to oppose him at any cost. Thus, caliphate, representation, deputation, etc. are only for those who have been specially and exclusively appointed for these positions and nobody else has got any right whatsoever to stake a claim without the requisite permission and order of the represented one.

I wish I had known from where this nation has become the caliph and representative of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and what is its proof? How can the mastership of an entire ummah be established when the mastership of any single individual from it cannot be proved? This is nothing but audacity and impudence before Allah, the Almighty and His Messenger (s.a.w.a .).

The Second Level: Determination of those Compatible with the Description of these Traditions and Recognition of the Twelve Holy Personalities

Know that these traditions do not fit anybody except the Shiite belief. For, some of these suggest that Islam will not come to an end till there are twelve caliphs amongst the Muslims. Some others indicate that the subsistence of Islam’s might depends on the existence of the twelve caliphs. Yet others point out that the religion (of Islam) will survive till the Day of Judgment and that the Imams (a.s. ) will continue to exist till the last era. Still some others specify that all the twelve Imams are from Quraish, some of them have even stated that all of them will be from the Bani Hashim and some others have stated that their likes will not be seen.

The apparent of all these traditions has confined the number of the caliphs to twelve and that they shall follow each other in rapid succession. It is known that these characteristics are not found save in the twelve Imams (a.s. ), who are famous and well known among both the major sects of Islam. No Islamic sect except the Shias can stake a claim to this fact and it will not be inappropriate if we consider these traditions as a miracle of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and his (s.a.w.a .) information about the unseen.

There is no doubt that these traditions cannot be interpretedbut on this meaning , and a safe and straight mind, devoid of flaws and selfish motives, will not explain it in any other manner. If we add a few more traditions that have come down concerning the twelve Imams (a.s. ), in addition to whatever we have related in this book, we will be sure that they are not applicable for anybody but the twelve Imams (a.s. ) from theAhle Bait (a.s. ).

Moreover, such traditions are supported by the famous and certain tradition of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) called Hadis-e-Saqalain . Apart from this, there are other equally known traditions like:

(1) النجوم أمان لاهل السماء و أهل بيتي أمان لامّتي

‘The stars are a cause of security for the inhabitants of the sky while myAhle Bait (a.s. ) are the reason for the safety of my nation.’ The author ofZakhaaer al-Uqbaa writes, ‘Abu Amr al-Ghaffaari narrates on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .),

النجوم أمان لاهل السماء فإذا ذهبت النجوم ذهبت السماء, و أهل بيتي أمان لأهل الأرض فإذا ذهب أهل بيتي ذهب أهل الارض

‘The stars are a security for the inhabitants of the sky.So when the stars will be destroyed, the sky will follow suit. Similarly, myAhle Bait (a.s. ) are the reason for the safety of the people of the earth. When myAhle Bait (a.s. ) are finished, the people of the earth will follow suit.’ He continues, ‘Ahmad (Ibn Hanbal) has recorded this tradition in hisManaaqeb as well.

(2) النجوم أمان لأهل الارض من الغرق، و أهل بيتي أمان لامّتي من الاختلاف

‘The stars are the cause of security of the people of the earth from drowning, while myAhle Bait (a.s. ) are the reason for the safety of my nation from disputes.’ 11 The author of Al-Sawaaeq Al-Muhreqah has stated thatHaakem Neshaapuri has considered this tradition to be correct as per the stipulations of the two Sheikhs (viz.Bukhaari and Muslim).

(3) مثل أهل بيتي كسفينة نوح

‘The likeness of myAhle Bait (a.s. ) is like that of the ark ofHazrat Nuh (a.s. ) …’ which has been narrated through various chains of narrators.

(4) Bukhari reports that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) said,

لا يزال هذا الأمر في قريش ما بقي من الناس اثنان

‘This affair (Islam) will continue in the Quraish even if there remain two individuals amongst all the people.’ 12

(5) The tradition used by Abu Bakr as an argument against theAnsaar inSaqeefah narrating from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), who said,‘The Imams are from Quraish.’ 13

(6) Besides, the warning of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .),‘Whoever dies without recognizing the Imam of his time, dies the death of ignorance.’ 14 Al-Hameedi has also brought it in his Al-Jam’o bain al-Sahihain .

(7)Haakem Neshaapuri reports on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) cautioned,‘One who dies without any Imam ruling over him, his death is that of ignorance.’ 15

(8) Suyuti quotes from IbnMurdowayh , who reports on the authority of Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (a.s. ) that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) while explaining the Quranic verse,

‘On that day,We shall call every people with their Imam’ (Qur’an Surah BaniIsraael 17: 71.)

informed,‘Each nation will be called with the Imam of their time, the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet (a.s. ).’ 16 Qurtubbi andAaloosi have cited this tradition in their exegesis from Suyuti, whileSa’labi has narrated it through his chain from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .).

From all the above traditions, it becomes clear that the existence of the twelve Imams (a.s. ) will continue till the end of the world and that all of them will be from Quraish. Significantly, no group from the Muslims can boast of following this number of Imams from the Quraish, which will continue till the Day of Judgment, save theImaamiyyah Shias.

Allamah MuhammadMoin Ibn Muhammad Ameen al-Sindi , the author ofDeraasaat al-Labeeb , has written an exclusive book vis-à-vis these traditions, naming itMawaaheb -o-Sayyed al-Bashar FiHadees al-Aimmah al-Isnaa al-Ashar in which he has proved theImamat of the twelve Imams (a.s. ) through Hadis-e-Saqalain . He has brought undefeatable arguments, proving that the Imams (a.s. ) were infallible in their knowledge and that it is obligatory upon everybody to follow them in the acquisition of knowledge. Readers can refer toAbaqaat al-Anwaar by Sayyed MirHaamid Husain al-Lucknowi al-Hindi (a.r. ), vol. 2 and vol. 12, pg. 295, 296 & 304-307.

The renownedHaafiz Sulaiman al-Qunduzi al-Hanafi writes, “Some researchers are of the view that the traditions suggesting the number of Imams to be twelve after the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) are well known to be narrated from various chains. With the explanation of the time and the description of the occurrence and the place, it became known that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) implied from these traditions, the twelve Imams from hisAhle Bait (a.s. ) and his progeny.

For, it is not possible to interpret these traditions for the caliphs among his companions who succeeded him immediately, due to the paucity of their number.

It is also not probable to construe them for the kings of BaniUmayyah because their number exceeded twelve and because of their vulgar tyranny with the sole exception of Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz. Also, they did not belong to the Bani Hashim while the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) had categorically emphasized in the tradition of Abd al-Malik IbnJaabir ,‘All of them will be from the Bani Hashim’ . The lowering of the voice by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) in this tradition gives more weight to it because they (the majority of the people) did not approve of the caliphate of Bani Hashim.

Also, it is not relevant for the Abbasi kings because their number exceeded the above stipulation and their non-observance of the Quranic injunction,

‘Say: I don’t ask you of any reward except the love of my closest relatives’ (SurahShoora (42): Verse 23.)

and other traditions like the Tradition of the Cloak (حديث كساء ).

Therefore, it becomes essential and obligatory to carry this tradition in the meaning of the twelve Imams (a.s. ) from the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) because they were the most learned, the most majestic, the most pious and the most elevated in genealogy of all the people of their time. They were the most superior in birth and the noblest before Allah. Their knowledge was connected to that of their ancestor, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), through inheritance and endowment. This is the manner in which the people of knowledge, investigation, illumination and grace recognize them.

This interpretation, that these traditions are applicable only for the infallible Imams (a.s. ) of theAhle Bait (a.s. ), is supported by Hadis-e-Saqalain and numerous traditions repeated in this book and elsewhere.

As for the saying of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .):‘The nation will form a consensus on all of them’ as has come in the narration ofJaabir IbnSamarah , he (s.a.w.a .) meant that the nation, whole of it, will acknowledge theirImamat at the time of the reappearance of theirQaem (a.t.f.s .).”17

Therefore, the dominant political school stood up to deny the mastership of theAhle Bait (a.s. ) and forsake the decisive texts and evidences concerning theirImamat . They did so either by refusing to bring forth these traditions,

or by creating doubts in their chains and rejecting their narrators on account of their crime of the love of theAhle Bait (a.s. ) and narration of their virtues,

or by interpreting them in other than their apparent meanings out of perplexity and fear in front of these consecutive and reliable traditions.

Hence, they indulged in wild and pathless interpretations, absurd implications and false opinions. Not a single of these could withstand the test of certainty. As a result, each one of these interpretations led to the refutation, contradiction and rejection of the others. Being completely confounded and out of sheer helplessness, they were forced to interpret these traditions only for the Imams of theAhle Bait (a.s. ), supported by other reliable and authentic evidences in this regard.

Of the discussions inFath al-Baari , IbnBattaal narrates from Mahlab,‘I have not met anyone who has achieved certitude concerning this tradition.’ It is also said that IbnJawzi had remarked inKashf al-Mushkil ,‘Arguments have prolonged with regards to the meaning of this tradition. I searched a lot for its answers and asked about it but to no avail.’

They have landed themselves in real difficulty on this subject due to their stubbornness to accept the apparent and irrefutable application of these traditions on the twelve infallible Imams (a.s. ), perhaps, out of greed or due to fear from the tyrannical governments and oppressive rulers, who did not tolerate any expression of truth from these scholars. They sold their ethics and concepts to acquire this world and its base provisions.

Thus, the governments used them as pawns to achieve their political ambitions founded on autocracy, oppression and enslaving Allah’s servants. These so-called scholars ended up defending the tyranny, oppression and despotic approach of these rulers. They interpreted the evil actions of their masters as being beneficial and an opportunity for the Muslims.

The numerous transgressions and sins like playing musical instruments, dancing, etc. perpetrated by these kings in their courts, their extravagance and misuse of public wealth in whatever Allah had prohibited, their depriving the poor, the needy and the weak of their rights, and all other barbaric acts were justified and defended on some religious pretext or another by these scholars.

For example, they declared absolute immunity for the rulers, the non-permissibility of questioning their actions and the necessity of their obedience, notwithstanding the fact that these included the ilk of Yazid, Waleed, the despots of BaniUmayyah and the tyrants of Bani Abbas. These oppressors appropriated the wealth of Allah and took His servants as slaves like some Muslim rulers of today, who are mere puppets in the hands of arrogant Western superpowers. We have come from God and to Him shall we return.

Now we shall cite some of these contradictory views concerning the interpretation of the traditions vis-à-vis the twelve Imams (a.s. ) for you, the believer in Allah, His Book and the sunnah of His Prophet (s.a.w.a .).

First: Some commentators ofSaheeh al-Tirmidhi and the author ofFath al-Baari (the commentary onSaheeh al-Bukhari) have interpreted the world‘twelve’ to refer to the caliphs of BaniUmayyah , who followed the companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a .). They suggest that this tradition cannot be cited as a merit but is used only to indicate the steadfastness of the Islamic kingdom. They include Yazid IbnMuawiyyah and his son,Muawiyyah Ibn Yazid but notUsmaan ,Muawiyyah and Abdullah Ibn Zubair because they were among the companions.

They also do not draft Marwan Ibn Hakam in the list because he took the allegiance of the people after the people had paid fealty to Ibn Zubair and hence consider him a usurper. Moreover, as perFath al-Baari , there is a dispute about his companionship. The list continues from Abd al-Malik Ibn Marwan, followed by Walid till Marwan Ibn Muhammad.

I say: I wish I had known what made these writers interpret the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) in this mischievous and malicious manner! Is this how we reward the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) for his message? Is this not an insult to his (s.a.w.a .) sayings?

If this was his (s.a.w.a .) purpose and intent, what is the benefit and use of such traditions and what do they achieve?

From where do they know that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) intended through these traditions the despotic rulers of BaniUmayyah with the sole exception ofMuawiyyah Ibn Marwan?

From where do they know that the companions are excluded from these traditions? Then why did he (s.a.w.a .) not say,‘after my companions’ , instead of‘after me’ as has been reported by a number of narrators?

Any interpretation that includesMuawiyyah and his successors from the BaniUmayyah is clearly false and unacceptable because they were not chosen as caliphs through consensus. Rather, they were despots and the worst of the despots at that.

When things reach to such a despicable state of interpretation, the original quote is completely removed from its apparent meaning, fearing the establishment of the truth of the Shiite faith. None of these tyrants enjoyed any particularity over the other. In which case, a great number of probabilities unfold. Possibly, it is an indication to the caliphs after Abd al-Malik and when he (s.a.w.a .) said,‘after me’ , he (s.a.w.a .) meant after Abd al-Malik.

Or it is an indication to the caliphs after Hesham. Or it could also mean six caliphs each from the BaniUmayyah and the Bani Abbas or the caliphs after BaniUmayyah . It could also imply the caliphs afterSaffaah or Mansoor or other despots of Bani Abbas. It could also mean those from the BaniUmayyah who ruled over Spain or theFatemids who governed Egypt, and so on and so forth. Meanwhile, none of these probabilities can be said to have an edge or preference over the others.

Moreoever , why these traditions should not be interpreted as a means of merit and praise when the terms used in some narration clearly imply glorification?

Is it correct to equate these oppressive tyrants and sinners with the chiefs of the Bani Israel and the companions ofHazrat Eesa (a.s. ), as has come in a number of traditions?

This is in addition to the evidence of the number of caliphs being restricted to twelve.

Second: Another interpretation is that after the demise of al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s .), twelve rulers will govern, six from the progeny of Hasan (a.s. ), five from that of Husain (a.s. ) and one from someone else.

I say: Such an exegesis is clearly against the evident texts of the traditions, which mention in no uncertain terms,‘twelve caliphs after me’ ,‘this religion will always be mighty and lofty’ etc., which proves the connection of the caliphs’ era with that of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), their continuity till the final epoch and the confinement of the caliphs to them as has been elucidated in the narration of Ibn Masood.

This is in addition to the fact that these traditions are applicable for the twelve Imams (a.s. ), who are famous and renowned among all the Muslim sects, thereby establishing the truth and validity of the prophecy of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) in clear terms. Then what is the point in struggling to force these traditions to imply others, who do not fit in its description by any means?

If you argue: Although these characteristics are not found in anybody but the twelve Imams (a.s. ), it is quite likely that they may be present in the future in some other individuals.

I say: Amazing, indeed! How can we talk of something being present in the future when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) has prophesied them to exist in his (s.a.w.a .) immediate successors, whose time is joined with his (s.a.w.a .) time? Is not such an interpretation a clear violation? In this case,

we have to assume the impermissibility of the era of these caliphs being joined with that of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) and the non-consideration of such traditions. But when there exists, a clear interpretation on which these traditions fit, it is not allowed to refute this claim with an argument of future probability.

Do you not see that Allah described the qualities of our Prophet (s.a.w.a .) in the Old and the New testaments but when he (s.a.w.a .) appeared with an appearance befitting the description, the Jews and the Christians denied his (s.a.w.a .) prophethood, arguing that such a prophet will emerge in thefuture. Allah has condemned them in the Holy Quran and did not accept their argument that the prophesied advent will occur in the future.

As for their reliance on the tradition,‘twelve caliphs will succeed al-Mahdi, of which six will be from the progeny of Hasan (a.s. )…’ to lend credibility to this argument, we say that apart from its contradiction to a number of traditions that have been narrated by both Shias and Sunnis, it also goes against the peculiar characteristics of these traditions. That is, the restriction of the number of caliphs to twelve, the continuity of their existence and the joining of their era with that of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .). The apparent difference between the two narrations is that while the original tradition says,‘after me, there will be…’ this narration says,‘after Mahdi, there will be…’

Moreover, this tradition is considered to be weak and unreliable as has been explicitly mentioned by Ibn Hajar, when he says in his al-Sawaaeqah that this tradition is truly absurd and cannot be relied upon. He has quoted this on the authority of his namesake Ibn Hajar, the author ofFath al-Baari .

This is apart from the fact that in all likelihood such a probability is derived from theIsraaeliyyaat (i.e. the fabrications of the Jews in the Islamic texts). They have resorted to such tactics to deviate these traditions from their clear interpretations.

IbnMunaadi writes,‘We take notice of these traditions because we find them in the Book of Daniel.’ If you want to know the background of this book and what has been said about it, refer to the beginning of al-Malaahem by IbnMunaadi that you may know how a nation is afflicted with superstitions, absurdities and junk when they refuse to take true knowledge from its owners viz. the Imams (a.s. ) of theAhle Bait (a.s. ). They are the ones about whom Allah has ordered the Muslim nation to fasten unto them along with the Holy Quran.

Third: Another view in this regard is that of QaziAyaaz . According to him, the import of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) through this tradition was that the twelve Imams (a.s. ) will exist only during the caliphs’ might, the strength of Islam and the steadfastness of its affairs. This occurred when consensus was found among the people on this issue till the decline of the BaniUmayyah when mischief arose amongst them in the reign of Waleed Ibn Yazid. Ibn Hajar, in hisFath al-Baari , has opted for this interpretation citing the tradition‘All of them (caliphs) will be the unanimous choice of the people’ as evidence for the same. Thereafter, he proceeds to mention the names of the caliphs, who enjoyed the consensus of the people: Abu Bakr,

Umar, Usman, Ali,Muawiyyah , Yazid, Abd al-Malik and his four sons, Waleed,Sulaiman , Yazid andHeshaam .

He says, ‘Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz interrupted the chain betweenSulaiman and Yazid. These are the seven after the four rightly-guided caliphs and when Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz is not counted amongst them. The twelfth of them is Walid Ibn YazidIbn Abd al-Malik.

I say: This is the worst possible and most insulting interpretation of the Prophetic tradition, even if Ibn Hajar says that it is the most preferable of all interpretations. We will not argue about the antecedents of the BaniUmayyah and the non-correctness of attributing them to be from the Quraysh, as these traditions announce explicitly that the twelve Imams (a.s. ) will be from the Quraysh.

But we question: How on earth can such tidings, which were announced as glorification of the twelve caliphs, be applicable forMuawiyyah’s caliphate? For, he is the one who Fought withAmeerul Momineen Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (a.s. ), about whom the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) said, ‘War against you is war against me’ organized speeches abusingAmeerul Momineen (a.s. ) from the pulpits and, poisoned to death Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s. ), the chief of the youth of Paradise.

How on earth can these traditions apply for a beast like Yazid IbnMuawiyyah , who fought against and martyred Imam Husain (a.s. ), and who was a transgressor who committed sins publicly and announced his disbelief freely becoming a part of the renowned poems of Ibn al-Zab’ari , which he (Yazid) recited in joy when the severed head of Imam Husain (a.s. ) was brought to him.

He was the one who ordered Muslim IbnAqabah to kill and plunder the people of Medina on three occasions. During these attacks, he killed a number of companions and the city of Medina was totally ransacked. It was during these attacks that more than 1000 Muslim virgins were raped and whenever a Muslim from Medina offered his daughter in marriage, he did not guarantee her virginity saying,‘Perhaps, she has lost her virginity during the Tragedy of Hurrah.’ It is said that four thousand illegitimate children were born after this incident.

Muslim, in hisSaheeh , reports that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) warned,‘Whoever frightens the people of Medina, Allah will frighten him and upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind.’ 18

Waaqedi narrates on the authority of Abdullah IbnHanzalah , ‘By Allah! We did not visit Yazid but that we feared a stone falling on our heads from the sky (as a divine punishment) because he was a man who married his mothers, daughters and sisters, drank wine, did not pray19 and he is the one who had ordered the attack on the HolyKa’bah .

Suyuti and others report on the authority ofNawfil Ibn Abi al-Furaat ,“I was with Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz, when a person while mentioning Yazid, said, ‘the chief of thefaithfuls , Yazid IbnMuawiyyah ’. On hearing this, Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz (became angry) and asked, ‘You call Yazid asAmeerul Momineen ?’ and ordered that he be whipped 20 lashes.” 20

It is mentioned in Al-Sawaaeq that it was said toS’ad Ibn Hassaan ,‘The BaniUmayyah claim that the caliphate is among them.’ He retorted,‘The sons of the blue-eyed (referring to Hind - the wife of AbuSufyaan ) are lying. They are mere kings, nay, the worst of kings.’

How on earth can these traditions be applied for the caliphate of Abd al-Malik, the treacherous, the one who prohibited the Islamic injunction of enjoining good (امر بالمعروف ).

Suyuti records, ‘Among the evil deeds of Abd al-Malik was the appointment ofHajjaaj as a governor for the Muslims and thesahaabaa (r.a. ), who was degrading and insulting them through killings, assault, abuse and imprisonments. Indeed, he killed innumerablesahaabaa and greattaabe’een , apart from the ordinary folks. He put a seal around the neck of Anas and other companions with the intent of degrading them. May Allah not have mercy on him and may Allah not forgive him.’21

How on earth can these traditions be applied for a person like Waleed Ibn YazidIbn Abd al-Malik, the sinner, the alcoholic and the one who did not care for the prohibitions of Allah. He is the one who went for Hajj to drink wine atop the HolyKa’bah , for which he received outright condemnation from the people.22 He is the one who opened the Holy Quran and on seeing the verse,وَاسْتَفْتَحُوا وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ And they asked for judgment and every insolent opposer was disappointed 23 , he flung it on the ground and shot it with an arrow, reciting,

Are you threatening me with the (words of) insolent oppressor?

Here, I am that insolent and oppressor

When you (Quran) are brought on the Day of Gathering by your Lord

Say, O Lord, Waleed has ripped me apart.24

He continued to live in vulgar opulence and luxury till he was killed.

Is this the might and respect of Islam? Is this the representation of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)?

It is reported that when he left for Hajj, he carried along with himself dogs in trunks, got a dome fabricated as per the size of theKa’bah to place it on its top and carried a few trunks of wine. By this he intended to place the dome on theKa’bah and sit in it to drink wine. But his advisors dissuaded him from doing so fearing the wrath of the people. Waleed finally relented.25

Masoodi reports on the authority ofMubarrad , ‘Waleed has recited some poems in which he has overtly proclaimed disbelief, and while mentioning the Prophet (s.a.w.a .), he said:

The Hashemites played with the caliphate

(Actually) neither any revelation came, nor did any Book descend

And say to Allah to stop me, my food

And say to Allah to stop me, my drink.26

Ishaaq Ibn Muhammad al-Azraq recounts,‘I went to Mansoor IbnJahoor al-Azdi after the murder of Waleed. He had two maids from the slave-girls of Waleed… One of them said, ‘We were among his favorite and most respected slave-girls. He went to bed with her (indicating to the other slave girl), when the call for the prayer (azaan ) was made. He ordered her to lead the prayers of the people while she was drunk, unclean and veiled.’ 27

Suyuti brings a narration fromMusnad -e-Ahmad: There will come a man for this nation, called Waleed, who will be more oppressive to his people thanFir’aun was for his nation.28 Therefore, it will be more apt to name such persons asFir’aun than Caliphs, as they resemble the disbelievers and the apostates more than the companions ofHazrat Eesa (a.s. ) or the chiefs of the Bani Israel.

If we so desire, we can exhaust the discussion on the likes of the BaniUmayyah but we intend to cut it short due to fear of prolongation. We say: How can QaziAyaaz be satisfied with appointing these tyrants as the caliphs of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), about whom he (s.a.w.a .) has given tidings, and has informed that they will act with guidance and that if they were not there, the world will be destroyed with its inhabitants, and that till they exist, the Islamic nation will continue to survive and that they are like the chiefs (نقباء ) of the Bani Israel.

Even more stunning is their omission of Imam Hasan (a.s. ) from the narration, despite the fact that he (a.s. ) was clearly named as a caliph in the traditions narrated from his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .), and the inclusion of Yazid,Moawiyah and Bani al-Aas , whom he (s.a.w.a .) has cursed in these traditions.

And why did they not include Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz among these caliphs?

And as for his stubbornness in clinging on to the saying of Sahih Abi Dawood,‘The Ummah will be unanimous about them’ ,29 then it is weak for the following reasons:

It is clear that an action is attributed to its subject only when it is performed with freewill, without any force or compulsion. So, even if we accept that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) has said,‘they will be unanimous’ , it only implies the unanimity of the nation with their own freewill.

Don’t you think that it is incorrect for anybody to declare that the Islamic Ummah, including the people of Mecca, Medina, great jurists, renowned traditionalists, companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a .) and theTaabein , at any given time, was unanimous on the appointment of Yazid as the caliph of the Muslims? But he claims that they were unanimous in this appointment and chose him for caliphate. He also goes on to claim the consensus of the Muslims on the caliphate of Waleed Ibn Yazid.

If we rely on this theory, it will necessitate the exclusion ofAmeerul Momineen Ali Ibn AbiTaalib (a.s. ) and Imam Hasan (a.s. ) from the list of the caliphs because of the opposition of the Syrians for these two, and their unstinted support for their enemies.

This portion seems to have been interpolated as it is not found in a number of reliable and consecutive traditions available on the subject. Therefore, there exists a strong probability that this part‘the Islamic Ummah will be unanimous on all of them’ appears to have been added by the narrator, possibly as an explanation for the tradition. Even if we assume that this part did occur in the original tradition and when there is a controversy between the added part and the missing part then, as a rule, the added part is not relied upon. The same applies here because the majority of the traditions do not comprise of the additional part and only Abu Dawood has narrated it.

Hence, it is incorrect and improper to disregard the many traditions, reliable and consecutive, narrated by a group of companions like Abdullah Ibn Masood andJaabir IbnSamarah and a number ofTaabein just for the sake of one narration.

So, is it wrong to impute such a probability to this statement?

Even if we assume that this statement is correct and found in the original, it is limited by the other sentences found in the numerous other traditions like,‘all of them will act with guidance and the true religion’ ,‘if they do not exist, the earth will be destroyed with all its inhabitants’ ,‘they are like the companions ofEesa (a.s. ) and the chiefs of the Bani Israel’ , and‘the caliphate is confined only to them’ . Thus, assuming that this statement does exist in the original, its only correct interpretation and construction is that the Ummah will be unanimous on theImamat of the twelve Imams (a.s. ) and acknowledge their Caliphate after the reappearance ofHazrat Mahdi (a.t.f.s .).

Fourth: Another interpretation of the tradition is that of Ibn Hajar inFath al-Baari as narrated by Suyuti in Tarikh al-Khulafaa and is as follows: These traditions imply the existence of twelve caliphs during the entire lifespan of Islam till the Day of Judgment, who will act with truth, even if they will not rule in immediate succession of each other. They support this idea with a narration reported in hisMusnad from Abi Al-Jild who said,‘This nation will not be destroyed till there are twelve caliphs in it. All of them will act with guidance and the true religion. From them will be two persons from theAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .)…

Explaining the statement of Ibn Hajar, Suyuti remarks, ‘Hence, from the twelve caliphs, four are the rightly guided caliphs30 , followed by Hasan,Moawiyah , Ibn Zubair and Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz, which makes it eight. Probably,Mohtadi , the Abbasi caliph, can be added to this list because he was amongst the Abbasi kings like Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz was amongst the BaniUmayyah tyrants. This was on account of the apparently insignificant oppression of Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz andMohtadi . From the remaining two, one is al-Mahdi since he is from the progeny of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .).’ - End ofSuyuti’s statement.

I say: This view or probability is also incorrect because plenty of traditions have confined a number of caliphs to twelve. In fact, some of these have also explicitly mentioned the names of these caliphs, like the narration of Ibn Masood, which rules out all possibilities of interpretations and conjectures. Moreover, these have stated in no uncertain terms that they will follow each other successively and their eras will be immediately after one another.

As for the narration of Abi al-Jild , which is cited as a support for this probability, it is rejected outright because of the notoriety of Abi al-Jild for presenting his own views and whimsical interpretations as traditions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a .). Therefore, his statement,‘from them are two men from theAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .)’ is certainly an addition from his own side or from his source. Otherwise, he should have reported,‘myAhle Bait (a.s. )’ and not‘theAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .).’

All this is assisted by the report available in the book ofKhesaal , through his chain of narrators that AbiNajraan reports that Abi al-Jild has narrated to him and even taken an oath,‘This nation will not be destroyed till there are twelve caliphs in it. All of them will act with guidance and true religion.’ Nowhere, in this report, has he mentioned the additional part.

This is in addition to his view that three of them are from theAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .) viz. Ali, Hasan and Mahdi (a.s. ) while Abi al-Jild says,‘Two of them will be fromAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .).’

It is also worth mentioning that after some research concerning the views of the scholars ofrejaal , I found that Abi al-Jild , whose name wasJailaan IbnFarwah al-Asadi and is also called as Ibn AbiFarwah had the habit of either saying things from his side or sourced his knowledge from the Testaments. The author ofShamaael al-Rasool, pg. 484, writes,‘Abi al-Jild used to refer to the Old Testament time and again.’ The writer of Al-Jarho wa al-Ta’deel , vol. 2, pg. 547, tradition no. 2275, pens,‘Abi al-Jild al-Asadi al-Basri had command over the Old Testament andits like.’

In any case, one cannot afford to neglect or be heedless towards all the reliable and authentic traditions that talk about the continuity of the eras of these caliphs and the limitation of their number to twelve, notwithstanding the other consecutive traditions in this regard. For, if we consider this tradition to be reliable, it will necessarily require the conformity of the two kinds of traditions. While one talks about theconsecutivity of their eras and their number being twelve, the aforementioned limits it’s severely as is clear from these two kinds of traditions.

Yes, many consecutive traditions prove the caliphate of these twelve (a.s. ). But to interpret it in the manner as Suyuti has done is not valid as demonstrated in the above discussions. Moreover, if we rely on the narration of Abi al-Jild , it will seriously limit the applications of the traditions that emphasize on continuity of eras.

Interestingly, Suyuti too has become a victim of amnesia and forgetfulness. For, as per his own statement, three of these caliphs must necessarily be from theAhle Bait (a.s. ) of Muhammad (s.a.w.a .) because Ali (a.s. ) and Hasan (a.s. ) are undoubtedly from theAhle Bait (a.s. ) in the light of the Verse of Purification31 and the clear traditions from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .). Moreover, he has included the likes of Ibn Zubair andMoawiyah amongst those who act with guidance.

These are absolutely disgusting and weak arguments, which show their confusion and obscene helplessness in the exegesis of these traditions, while turning their backs on their only and real interpretation i.e. the twelve famous Imams (a.s. ) from theAhle Bait (a.s. ).

Fifth: It talks about the presence of this number (of caliphs) in one time, all of them, and each one of them claims governance and caliphate. They say: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .) has informed us that the strangest of things will occur after him (s.a.w.a .). Of which, is the disunity among the people after him (s.a.w.a .) in one time concerning the twelve chiefs. This is irresistibly comical and some of them have also rejected it, saying, ‘This view is that of the one who is totally unaware of the methods of traditions, apart from his ignorance of the traditions present in Bukhari, Muslim, etc. That is, they have clearly mentioned mastership as the attributes of these caliphs and that Islam will remain mighty and lofty…

I say: Surely, the traditions have proved that their duration will be the duration of Islam and its survival. Thus, these traditions support the correctness of the occultation of the twelfth amongst them, his longevity and his prolonged life as will be seen in the numerous reliable traditions to follow.

Sixth: The interpretation of IbnTaimiyyah , which states that these Imams (a.s. ) are dispersed and scattered in the Islamic Ummah. Resurrection will not occur till they are found.

I say: It seems that they do not deem it necessary to benefit from the actual implication of the traditions and to rely on their wordings and their famous concepts as has been relied upon by those in the know and the wise people.Specially when the words, with their apparent meanings, clearly conform to the approach of theAhle Bait (a.s. ) and their Shias. Consequently, they have said whatever wild and absurd thought that has come in their minds in the interpretation of these traditions. Otherwise, from where has IbnTaimiyyah brought such a baseless exegesis, which clearly opposes the wordings of the traditions?

Seventh: Another interpretation is the one propounded by our contemporaries, who tread the modern approach with the support of the colonialists and imperialistic powers. Thus, they have drummed up the same beat but with another drum.

They consider these traditions to be applicable for the rulers of the Muslims and whom they have listed as follows: Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali (a.s. ),Moawiyah , Abd al-Malik followed by other kings of BaniUmayyah till Marwan. They say: Thereafter,Imamat was transferred to the Bani Abbas, from them is Mansoor, his son Mahdi, Haroon al-Rashid till the end of the dynasty. They have also countedEmaad al-Din al-Zanki , Noor al-Din andSalaah al-Din saying,‘It does not befit us that we be miserly regarding their rights.’

I say: Under this explanation, those called as caliphs in these traditions are the kings and rulers of the Muslims, most of whom acquired this position through force, coercion and domination. Their number far exceeds the limit of twelve. When it is permitted to apply these traditions for all the rulers and kings, regardless, then why should we restrict ourselves to only twelve and be niggardly about the rights of the remaining? What is the purpose of such traditions, which are invaluable words, uttered by as holy a person as the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a .)?

It is necessary for the one who has suggested this view that he should not be niggardly and miserly of all the kings, including those of Spain (the erstwhile Muslim dominion of Andalus), Ottoman and even the present dictators and tyrants, whose breaches of Islamic trusts are known to one and all.

By Allah! I do not know what to say about such writers and authors who count themselves from the modern and civilized generation. They say about the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a .) as dictated to them by their carnal desires, the desires of those who spend lavishly on them from the public treasury of the Muslims and the desires of their western imperialistic masters. These western colonialists intend to interpret all that has come down in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, which demand belief in the unseen, as per their materialistic, imperialistic and colonialist views.

There is no power and strength, except that of Allah, the High, the Great.

Know that in reply to these absurd interpretations concerning these prophetic traditions, we have relied only on the peculiarities derived from them and their clear explicit meanings. We did not resort to the other reliable and numerous traditions concerning theImamat of the twelve Imams (a.s. ), which discuss their names and their characteristics. Otherwise, the arguments would be much more elaborate.

If you desire further explanation on the subject, refer to the books written in this regard and all your doubts and misgivings will be repelled.

And Allah is the Guide to the truth and propriety.

Dialogue on Taqleed

Inaugurating the Dialogue on Taqleed, my father said:

- Let me first explain to you what is taqleed.

Taqleed is the following, by a lay person, of a Jurist in matters of religious practice. Thus, you apply the Jurist’s legal opinion (fatwa). It is as if you have put the responsibility squarely on the Jurist’s shoulders, in that he will stand accountable before Allah insofar as your compliance with his fatwa is concerned.

* Why do we do taqleed?

- By now, you know that The Creator is the source of The Law. He prescribed for you certain acts you should do and others you should not do. However, where to draw the line is not so clear-cut. That said, you may be able to know some of His commands and prohibitions, depending on your upbringing and environment at large.

As you may know, Islamic shari’a law has covered all aspects of your life. Thus, it has stipulated for each aspect a number of rulings. How are you going to know the demarcations of these rulings while you go about your life? How would you know what is halal to act upon it and what is haraam to shun it?

I wonder, do you have to resort for every incidence, be it minor or major, to the legal proof to be able to deduce a legal judgement?

* Why not?

- There is a yawning gap between your time and that of the early days of Islam. Matters have further been complicated due to the fact that many legal texts were lost; the language and writing style, and norms of expression have changed; the role of pseudo transmitters, who concocted many hadiths (Prophetic traditions) was damaging; this in turn has led to the problem of who is and who is not genuine among the transmitters of hadith. All these have made the process of reaching at a legal opinion the more difficult.

However, let us assume that you were able to ascertain the veracity of the transmitters of any legal text and that you were able to understand the meaning of the terminology used. Do you think that you would be able to discern the multifaceted and complex science of jurisprudence? And would you be able to arrive at what you need to understand?

* So, what should I do?

- You should turn to the experts in this field, i.e. the jurists, and derive what you need to know of legal judgements from them. That is, you emulate them. This is not the exclusive reserve of jurisprudence, rather the norm in every science and discipline. Modern civilization has it that you find the principle of specialized professions in every discipline that you turn to when in need.

Let us take an example. Let it be from the realm of medicine. Should you fall ill, God forbids, what would you do?

* I would consult a doctor and explain to him the symptoms of my illness. He could then prescribe for me the appropriate medicine.

- Why don’t you diagnose your illness and prescribe the medicine?

* I ‘m not a doctor.

- The same goes for jurisprudence. You need to consult a jurist to be able to know the bounds of Allah’s injunctions. You may need to seek his specialist knowledge in solving your legal problems, should you have any. This works in exactly the same way when you seek the specialist knowledge of the doctor and enlist his help in curing your illness.

Since you spare no effort in looking for an experienced doctor in his field of specialization, you will need to look for the most knowledgeable amongst the jurists to follow. This is so because you need his expertise to explain to you religious matters and show you how to act upon them as he sees fit.

* How would I know that a particular alim is a jurist, and whether he is the most erudite and the best in the field?

- Let me put it this way: How would you know that a particular doctor is the best in his field to trust his medical judgement?

* I would be able to know after asking those who are concerned with and experts in medical matters. I could also know him through his scientific prowess and widespread good reputation among the generality.

- Precisely! By the same means, you should be able to know the jurists or the most erudite among them.

You may ask a committed Muslim who is known to be of impeccable character, trustworthy, just, knowledgeable and expert in knowing the scientific level of people in a particular discipline.

Popularity of the jurist which sets him in a different league from his peers, so much so that this leads to certainty as regards his juridical prowess and knowledge, is another avenue.

* Are there any other conditions, apart from that of juridical excellence, that should be present in the jurist we should follow?

- He should be a man, adult, sane, believer, just, living not dead, of pure pedigree, and should not be prone to mistakes, forgetfulness, and inattention.

* Well. Here I am, a fully-fledged man. I now know something about taqleed. What else should I do?

- You should follow the most erudite among the jurists of your time. Act upon his fatwa in the different spheres of your life. They could be rulings relating to acts of worship, such as wudhu, ghusl, salah, sawm, hajj, khums, zakat and so on. You should also act upon his legal opinion in matters concerning transactions, such as buying and selling, marriage, banking, will, waqf, etc.

I joined my father in numerating many other examples:

* Enjoining good and forbidding evil, belief in Allah, His apostles and messengers and ..

- No, belief in God and His unity, the prophethood of our Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w), the imamate of the twelve Imams, and resurrection are matters outside the remit of taqleed. They are of the fundamentals of religion. A Muslim has to believe in them unequivocally, leading up to belief in Allah, using one’s own effort and what intellectual power Allah has instilled in you to reach personal satisfaction and certainty in the matter.

* Well. Do I have the right to follow a jurist who is less knowledgeable?

- You can, provided that you know of no difference in the fatwa of the jurist you follow and the most knowledgeable one in the questions you need to act upon.

* Suppose I chose to follow the most erudite among the jurists and it happened that he had no fatwa on certain matters concerning me, or he had a fatwa, but I was not aware of it, what should I do?

- You rely on the fatwa of the next most knowledgeable.

* What, if the rest were all of the same calibre insofar as juristic knowledge is concerned?

- You may consult the one who is more cautious than the others in passing judgement.

* Should they all be of the same degree of godliness and caution, what should I do?

- You may act upon the fatwa of any one of them, except in certain situations, where you should act according to ihtiyat (Precaution - a level of legal judgement) that I can’t explain to you right now.

* All right. If need be, I can consult the doctor to know his opinion on the state of my health. How would I know the fatwa of the jurist I follow so that I can act upon it? Do I have to consult him on every occasion?

- There are few ways by which you may know his fatwa. You may ask him directly. You may ask other people whom you trust. You may consult his books, especially his treatise on articles of religious practice (Risalah Amaliyah), if you were sure of the authenticity of the copy you have.

* If this is the case, I need not look beyond this house, for I cannot find a more trustworthy person than you. Can I ask for your help in knowing the fatwa of my religious authority (jurist)?

I could see a broad smile on the face of my father; he sat straight and the spark in his eyes was suggesting that we would begin a lively discussion.

* Shall we start with prayer.

- Why not! prayer, however, requires man to be ceremonially clean.

* So, what renders human beings impure?

- What renders humans impure are two things:

1. Material things, such as najis things, i.e. tangible matters.

2. Immaterial things that are contingent on certain actions; if done, you need to perform wudhu, ghusl, or tayamum to remove the impurity. These are things like janabah, haydh, istihadha (Undue menses), touching a dead body, etc.

However, before prayer, we need to know najis things. Also, we need to know the purifying agents to ensure the purity of the body from that which may have defiled it.

We can then stop over certain occurrences, such as going to the toilet, breaking wind, sleep, etc. that require wudhu or tayamum.

We may then resume the conversation on things such as janabah, haydh, nifas (bleeding that occurs after childbirth, miscarriage, or abortion), etc. that require ghusl or tayamum.

Thus, eliminating from our way all that which may forestall our effort to seek nearness to Allah through prayer. This may make us taste the joy of standing before God, and chanting His Glory and Praise. That we may draw solace and peace of mind from being in His audience, and singing His love and praise.

After those topics, we may turn to fasting, hajj, etc.

* So, we shall start discussing najis things.

- Yes, tomorrow. Inshallah (God willing).

* Inshallah.

Dialogue on Najis things

My father started the dialogue with determination, saying:

- Let me tell you of a principle, that will have an impact on your life, in that “Everything is tahir”. Everything: Seas, rivers, rain water, trees, sahara, mountains, streets, buildings, tools, utensils, clothes, your brethren, etc.

Everything is tahir, until it becomes najis or contaminated, except..

* Except, what?

- Except that which is intrinsically najis.

* What are the things that are naturally najis?

- Ten things:

1. and 2. Human urine and excrement. The urine and dung of animals that are not halal to eat, if they have ethereal souls, such as cats; [the urine of other creatures if they do not have ethereal souls, yet they have flesh].

* What is an ethereal soul?

- It is a term that we will come across often during this conversation. So, we better throw some light on it.

We may describe an animal as having an ethereal soul, if, when slaughtered, blood gushes out from its body because of the presence of arteries.

As for the animal that has no ethereal soul, the blood seeps out gently when it is killed, such as fish. This is because it has no arteries.

3. Meeta (carcass) of animals that have ethereal souls.

* What is meeta?

Any animal that perishes without being slaughtered according to Islamic shari’a law.

* Such as?

- Any animal that dies as a result of disease, accident, or was killed in an unlawful way. The carcasses of these animals are called meeta.

* When a human being dies, does his body become najis?

- Yes, except martyrs and those who performed ghusl before they are executed according to Islamic penal code.

* Do all other bodies remain najis?

- No, a Muslim’s dead body becomes tahir once three types of ghusl are carried out on the body, which I will explain to you in a forthcoming session.

4. Human semen and the semen of an animal with an ethereal soul, even of the kind whose meat can be consumed.

5. Human blood and the blood of animals with ethereal souls.

* What about the blood of animals who have no ethereal souls?

- It is tahir, such as fish blood.

6. All parts of a wild dog’s body whether alive or dead.

7. All parts of a pig’s body whether alive or dead.

* What about seals?

- They are tahir.

8. Alcohol [and beer].

9. The unbelievers, whether alive or dead, excluding Christians, Jews, and Magians.

10. The sweat of animals that feed on human excrement.

These ten things are all inherently najis. Their najasah (impurity) will render other objects najis by any means of contact, if there is dampness.

* What, if there is no wetness?

- The najasah does not spread to things that meet with it, when dry or if there was slight moistness.

* Are urine and dung of animals, and urine and droppings of birds, that are halal to eat, such as cows, sheep, chicken and other birds, etc. tahir or najis?

- They are tahir.

* What about bats’ droppings?

- They are tahir.

* Could you tell me about these parts of dead animals and birds: feather, mohair, wool, nails, horns, bones, teeth, beaks, and claws. Are they tahir?

- They are all tahir.

* What about meat we buy in the marketplace, if we find traces of blood in it?

- This blood is tahir, and the blood that remains in the carcass of the animal after it has been slaughtered, according to Islamic shari’a law, is tahir.

* What about the droppings of rats and mice?

- They are najis.

If you consider what I talked to you about, you could have answered this question yourself. You may recall our discussion earlier about animals that have arteries which cause blood to gush out when they are slaughtered.

The serene twinkle in the eyes of my father, I noticed at the start of this conversation, has reappeared. He glanced at me and added:

As you may remember, when we started this dialogue, I spoke to you of a general principle that could have an impact on your life. I will conclude it with more basic principles of equal importance.

Principle number one: Everything is tahir. If, however, you become doubtful whether it is still the case, you should rule out your doubt, i.e. it remains tahir.

* Such as?

- If you think that your bed linen is tahir, you may consider it tahir.

Principle number two: Any thing that was najis, and you are not sure whether you made it tahir, remains najis.

* For example?

- Your hand. You were absolutely sure that it was najis. If, afterwards, you became unsure whether you made it tahir, it remains najis.

Principle number three: Anything you do not have prior knowledge as to its state, i.e. being tahir or najis, it should now be considered tahir.

* For instance?

- A liquid in a glass, whose state of purity is suspect. That is, if you do not know whether it is tahir or najis, you should assume that the liquid is tahir.

Principle number four: Anything you are in doubt as to its being najis or not, as a result of coming into contact with some najis thing, you should not carry out any investigation, be it simple or not, to ensure it was tahir. You should assume that it is tahir.

* Such as?

- Suppose you were sure of your shirt being tahir. Now, some doubt lingers in your mind that it might not be the case. Maybe, you think it might have been contaminated with urine, in which case, you need not carry out any investigation; for instance, you start looking for traces of urine on the shirt. You should assume that it is tahir.

Dialogue on ritual purity (Taharah)

Before my father came to attend this session, I had been meditating. I was trying to find applications to the theoretical information, I gleaned from the Dialogue on Najis Things, in my daily life. In so doing, I might be able to rectify my misconception of najasah. I was eager to know from today’s session how purity is restored to things after they have been contaminated.

No sooner had my father arrived, I started by asking him:

* Yesterday, you told me that things become tainted if they meet with najasah. I wonder how lost purity is restored to these things?

- “The First” of purifying agents is water. By washing najis things with water, you render them tahir again. That is why we should start our discussion with water.

Water is of two kinds: pure and diluted.

* What is pure water?

- Pure water is that which we and animals drink, and irrigate plantations with. The water of oceans, seas, rivers, streams, wells, and that which we use at our homes through mains supply is pure water. For example, the water of rivers and brooks remains pure, even though it may contain some impurities, such as soil and sand.

* What then is diluted water?

- Diluted water is known by the additional name you give it to qualify the type of water. For example, you say rose water, grape water, melon water and so on. However, this is not a matter that concerns us. As you may have noticed, our discussion revolves around the water we drink and use to wash and clean things that became najis.

Moreover, pure water is of two types: immunized (mu’tasim) and that which is not immunized.

* Immunized! What precisely do you mean?

- Immunized water is that which does not become najis when najasah meet with it, except when either its colour, taste, or smell changes as a result. Water that is not immunized is that which turns najis as soon it comes into contact with anything najis, even though none of its three attributes is affected by the pollutant.

* Could you tell me more about immunized waters?

- 1. Abundant water that satisfies the capacity of a kurr (a unit of size, equivalent to 384 litres) or larger, such as the water connected to our homes through the water grid, the water of storage tanks installed in our homes, if they were of a kurr capacity, and smaller water storage tanks, if they were directly connected to mains water supply.

2. Well water.

3. Running water, such as that of rivers, tributaries, streams, and springs.

4. Rainfall.

These are the immunized waters.

* What then are waters that are not immunized?

- These are waters found in small reservoirs, utensils, bottles, tumblers, etc. that are stagnant, apart from well water that is less than kurr, and that which is termed “little water”. By now, you know they become najis on contact with najis things.

* What about diluted water?

- It is judged by the same criterion as that applied in the case of “little water”. However, it becomes najis on contact with najis things, irrespective of its quantity. An example of water that comes under this banner is that of tea. Liquids that may come under the same definition are milk, kerosene, medicinal liquids, etc. They turn najis when they meet with najasah.

Moreover, when “abundant water” is connected to “little water”, the latter can be regarded as abundant whereby it remains immunized as long as it is fed from an abundant source of water. To give you some examples, your domestic storage tank that is normally connected to water mains supply becomes abundant; likewise, if you placed a bowl or a saucepan under the running water of a sink tap, the water in it becomes abundant, and so on. That is, as long as the water remains running.

* Fine. What, if a drop of blood falls in the water of a tank the size of a kurr, that is not connected to the mains?

- It will not become najis, unless blood keeps dripping that the colour of the water changes to yellowish, for example.

* What, if it falls in a small plate?

- It will render it najis.

* What, if we turn the tap on, thus restoring the original purity of the water?

- The water in the plate will become tahir. [However, it will become najis again, if you turn the tap off. This is because, if the plate becomes najis, it becomes tahir only when it is washed three times], as shall be explained to you later.

* If we were to pour water from a pitcher, or watering can, onto something najis, does the water become najis?

- No, because najasah does not climb the water column. Accordingly, neither the cascading water nor the water in the can becomes najis.

* How would rain water render najis things tahir?

- When rain continues to fall on things that had become najis, be they floor, garments, mats, utensils, etc. in such a quantity that it soaks them, they become tahir.

* Is it sufficient that rain pours on such najis objects once to render them tahir?

- Yes, except in the case of the human body and garments that became najis through contamination with urine. They need to be washed a number of times. [The same goes for najis utensils].

* Does rain water render tahir other water that became najis?

- Yes, when they mix.

* How do we render tahir objects that had become najis, if we have little water?

- We can render tahir anything najis by washing it once with water, be it abundant or little. However, when washing with a limited quantity of water, you need to separate the water from the najis thing.

* Can all things that turned najis be rendered tahir in this way?

- Yes, except the following:

1. Cutlery that became najis through contamination with alcohol should be washed three times so that they become tahir again.

3. Objects that became najis through contamination by nursing babies should be rendered tahir by soaking the affected parts with water; there will be no need for wringing the garments, for example.

4. Utensils licked or lapped by dogs should first be scrubbed with soil or dust. They should then be washed with water twice. If, however, dog’s saliva falls in such utensils, or they meet any part of the dog’s body, [they should be wiped with soil first, then washed with water three times].

5. Garments contaminated with urine should be washed with running water once. They should be washed twice if the water used was that of taps, kurr, or little water; they should also be wrung. As for garments that became najis through other means, they should be washed with either little water and wrung or with abundant water without the need for wringing.

6. Restoring the purity of the body, that became najis by urine, should be done following the way outlined in the preceding paragraph. However, if the water was little, you should separate the water used for purification from the body as is customary.

7. If the interiors of utensils have become najis as a result of any source of najasah, other than those of alcohol, dogs, licking by a pig, death of a rodent, they should be washed three times with little water, or [three times too] with abundant water, running water, or rain water.

* What, if the interior of utensils become najis in the same way?

- They should become tahir again, if they were washed once, even with little water.

* How can I render my hand tahir after it has become najis, if I have little water?

- If it was not made najis through urine, you can pour water on it once. As soon as the water becomes separated from your hand, it becomes tahir again.

The Second purifying agent is the sun.

* What are the najis things, that the sun can render tahir again?

- It renders ground and buildings - apart from doors and other wooden material - straw rugs, not the strings used in making them, and bamboo mats tahir again. [Other things that are not covered are trees and their leaves, plantations, and fruits before they are picked, etc.].

* How does the sun render the floor and buildings tahir?

- It does so by drying them up, provided that the actual najasah is removed.

* What, if the najis ground was dry, how can we restore its original taharah?

- By pouring water on it. Once sun light causes the water to evaporate, it becomes dry and thus tahir.

* What, if the ground became tainted with urine, then the sun shone on it and it became dry?

- The ground restores its taharah, if no trace of urine was left.

* Suppose things like shingle, stone, soil, and mud, that are considered part of the earth, became contaminated with urine. They were then rendered dry by sun light. Should they be considered tahir?

- Yes, they should be considered tahir.

* What about nails used in buildings?

- [They are not covered by the same principle, i.e. they are not rendered tahir by sun light].

The Third purifying agent is the removal of najasah from certain parts of the human body, and those of animals, that have become contaminated.

* Could you give me an example?

- Removal of blood from the mouth, ear, and nose is a removal of the najasah.

In other words, as soon as the blood is removed they become tahir, i.e. there is no need to use water.

* What about an animal’s body?

- The same rule applies. For example, if the blood disappears from the beak of a chicken, or the mouth of a cat, the beak and the mouth should become tahir again.

* Does the needle, used in injecting medicine into the body of a human or animal, become najis as a result of meeting blood inside the body?

- No, it does not become najis, if it comes out uncontaminated with blood. This is because najasah does not materialize through meeting najis things inside the body per se.

The Fourth purifying agent is earth:

Whatever comes under the definition of earth, such as stones, sand, soil, flooring with bricks or cement - not tarmac, has a purifying quality. It is, however, conditional that the earth should be [dry] and tahir.

* How can I ascertain that it is tahir?

- As long as you do not know that it was najis, it is tahir, and therefore can be considered a purifying agent.

* What are the najis things that the earth renders tahir?

- The soles of feet and shoes are rendered tahir by walking or rubbing them against earth, provided that the material najasah is removed as a result of walking or wiping. It is to be noted, however, that the najasah should have originated from the earth, be it through walking or in any other way. [If it has come about from other sources, earth cannot serve as a purifying agent].

The Fifth purifying agent is the state of belonging or affiliation.

* For example?

- If the unbeliever, who is deemed najis, becomes a Muslim, he is rendered tahir. Subsequently, his young offspring become tahir. The same goes for the grandfather, grandmother, mother, and their young babies, after they have embraced Islam. This should be the case regarding the young child, as long as it is under the guardianship of those who converted to Islam. That is, the child should not be in the company of an unbeliever.

Also, if alcohol turns into vinegar it becomes tahir. As a result the bottle or glass that contains it becomes tahir too.

The dead body becomes tahir, when it undergoes three types of ghusl. As a result the hands and clothes of the person conducting the ghusl become tahir, and so does the bench on which the body was laid for washing.

If a najis garment was washed with little water, for instance, it would become tahir, and so would the hands that did the washing.

The Sixth purifying agent is Islam.

* How does Islam work as a purifying agent? And whom does it render tahir?

- Islam renders tahir an infidel who was deemed najis. That is, after he had embraced Islam.

Accordingly, all parts of his body become tahir.

The Seventh purifying agent is the absence of a Muslim who is adult or a discerning youth.

* What do you mean by the absence of a Muslim?

- The Muslim who is physically not around.

* How does his absence work as a purifying agent?

- When a Muslim is away, all his belongings should be considered tahir, if you think that he rendered them tahir.

* Could you give me an example?

Suppose the shirt of your brother was najis. He does not know whether it was najis or not. However, you may know it is the case, irrespective of whether or not he was a practising Muslim. Your brother has gone away and returned. To the best of your knowledge, your brother has rendered his shirt tahir, in which case, you should assume that the shirt be tahir, without the need to ask him.

The Eighth purifying agent is transfer.

* For example?

- Human blood that was sucked by a mosquito. If you had smashed the insect and your clothes became tainted with that blood, it is tahir.

The Ninth purifying agent is istihala (transformation).

* What is transformation?

- Transformation is a complete change of something to something else, not only by name, but also through change of its properties, or dispersal of its parts.

* Could you give me an example?

- If a najis wood, or the dried animal dung used in fire, is burned and subsequently turned into ashes, the latter is tahir.

The Tenth purifying agent is the blood trapped inside the carcass of animals slaughtered according to Islamic law.

The Eleventh purifying agent is the change of alcohol into vinegar because, while in the process of fermentation, it turns najis. If it turns into vinegar, it becomes tahir.

The Twelfth purifying agent is weaning the animal that developed a habit of eating human excrement. This is because the meat of such an animal becomes haraam to consume, so does drinking its milk. Its urine, dung, or droppings, and sweat become najis too.

* How do we achieve the weaning of this animal?

- It could be achieved by preventing it from eating human excrement for such a period that it could be said that it reverted to its natural self.

* If this was achieved, what then?

- We can then deem its meat, milk, etc… tahir.

Dialogue on Janabah

Unusually, my father was present before me for today’s session. When I joined in, at first my father did not notice my arrival. He was quiet and in a reflective far away mood.

As soon as he became aware of my presence, he said:

- I am starting today’s dialogue with an introduction to the topic of janabah.

In the Dialogue on Najis Things, we discussed impurities that strip the human body and other things off their natural purity.

In the Dialogue on Ritual Purity (Taharah), we talked about the purifying agents that restore to our bodies and those of other things their usurped purity.

You may recall, we said that najis things are material things that are transient occurrences eminating either from the body itself or from outside sources.

There are, however, other intangibles that, if they occur, render the body impure. It would, therefore, require that which could reinstate its lost goodness.

There are two types: Major and minor.

Major occurrences comprise janabah, haydh, nifas, major istihadha, touching a dead body, and death itself.

Minor occurrences cover urine, excrement, breaking wind, sleep, minor istihadha, etc.

Major occurrences are purified by ghusl or wiped off by tayamum.

Minor occurrences can be removed by wudhu or tayamum. Our future dialogues shall cover these aspects one by one. This time, however, we will discuss janabah.

I said to my father.

* How does janabah come about?

- It happens as a result of one of the following:

1. Seminal discharge that takes place as a result of either sexual intercourse, during a dream, masturbation, or any other means.

* What are the characteristics of semen?

- A sticky liquid that smells like dough. Its colour is milky with a hint of either green or yellow. It is ejaculated when orgasm is reached, after which the body feels relaxed.

* If you were not sure whether such liquid was semen?

- There must exist three characteristics for it to be called semen. They are: Sexual desire, ejaculation, and resultant relaxation of the body. In sick people, however, sexual desire is sufficient.

* Do women have semen as men?

- Yes, secretion from the woman’s vagina at the climax of sexual activity is akin to man’s semen. This could happen when the woman is either awake or asleep.

2. Sexual intercourse, irrespective of whether or not it led to ejaculation. It’s sufficient for sexual intercourse to be termed as such when only the part of penis that contains the foreskin is thrust into the female’s vagina.

* What if the semen is secreted or a sexual intercourse takes place?

- Janabah occurs to both parties, where applicabe, irrespective of age and state of mind.

* If this was the case, then what?

- Ghusl becomes obligatory, so that you can, for example, perform prayer, or do tawaf (Circumambulation - turning seven times around the Ka’ba) for hajj. That is, prayer and tawaf cannot be deemed valid without the ghusl. As for how to do ghusl, this I’ll explain to you in the Dialogue on Ghusl.

However, certain acts become unlawful if you are in a state of janabah, such as:

1. Touching the writing of the Holy Qur’an.

2. Touching the Name of the Almighty, i.e. the Arabic name, Allah [and other names and adjectives attributed to Him, such as “al-Khaliq” - The Creator].

3. Recitation of the four verses of “as-Sajdah” in Chapters “Iqr’a, an-Najm, as-Sajdah, and Fussilat” of the Holy Qur’an.

4. Entering mosques and/or staying in them, taking anything out or putting anything in them [albeit from the outside or when passing by]. It is permissible, however, for a person in a state of janabah to pass through, such as entering from one door and making an exit from another, except in the case of the Grand Mosque at Mekkah and the Holy Mosque of the Prophet at Medina. [The same rule applies in the case of the holy shrines of the Infallibles].

* Are the forecourts and corridors, when they are not considered part of the well-defined area of the mosque, covered by the same rule?

- No, they are not.

* Since we are on the subject of janabah, I still have a burning desire to ask you a question, but I feel rather embarrassed.

- Ask whatever you like. The maxim has it, “There shall be no embarrassment in matters of religion”.

* Sometimes, when I am sexually aroused, I notice a rather sticky, transparent and white liquid secreted from my penis.

- Yes, this type of liquid is tahir. You are, therefore, not required to perform ghusl or wudhu when you experience it. There is another type of secretion that sometimes follows urination. This too is tahir.

* What about masturbation?

- It is haraam. You must avoid it. It suffices to mention that, in some narrations, Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) “An acronym for Alaihis Salaam - meaning, may peace be with him”, described it as a form of adultery.

Dialogue on Haydh

My father took his seat. I could notice a broad smile on his face that led me to assume that he was bent on something unusual.

- I’ll talk to you today on haydh.

Before today, I did not know what haydh is, although I remember I hearing the word before. What had interested me in the subject was that I hear women whisper about it, with noticeable embarrassment, as if there was something shameful in the word. However, I do not hide a secret if I say that as soon as I was faced with a real situation of the subject being discussed in the open, a kind of shaming started to creep into me. I do not know why I was gripped with embarrassment. I resigned to the fact that if haydh was indeed so humbling a matter to talk about, how my father is going to discuss it with me?

Yet, aren’t we discussing matters of Islamic law? Surely, this topic should be within the remit of Islamic jurisprudence. So, why should we feel embarrassed to talk about it? Is it not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an? Didn’t the Prophet (s.a.w.) and the Imams (a.s.) talk about it to their companions. And after all, why should we feel a sense of shaming to talk about a subject whose rules we must know in order to follow?

My self-examination was short-lived as my father resumed his talk.

- Haydh is a bleeding from a woman’s genitals. It occurs at regular monthly intervals and whose colour is dark red. When it leaves the body, women can feel its warmth.

* Is there a certain age group of women who experience haydh?

- Although it varies from person to person, it can start at the age of nine lunar calendar years till the age of sixty, which is the climacteric.

* So, between 9 and 60 years?

- Yes, any blood that can be seen before the age of nine and after the age of sixty does not fall under the definition of menstral blood.

* How many days does the bleeding last?

- The minimum period is three days and the maximum ten.

* Suppose it lasted three days, then stopped?

- This cannot be considered period blood.

* What if it lasts more than ten days?

- This is not haydh blood.

* How should one treat the case of a woman whose haydh ended, then she had ghusl only to see blood again, say after nine days?

- The blood that the woman saw should not be treated as haydh blood, because the period separating any two periods should not be less than ten days.

* When does the woman consider herself as having a period?

- When she starts bleeding at the time of her temporary period, or before her regular period, say one or two days earlier.

* How should a woman be described as having a temporary period?

- She could be described as such when the period blood appears twice in any period of two months or more.

* How do you describe a woman who does not fit the two categories mentioned above, such as the young woman who experiences period blood for the first time, or a woman with an irregular period?

- A woman in any of the two examples you’ve just quoted can describe herself as having a period when one of the following two conditions arise:

1. For the blood to be termed as menstrual blood, it should be red or black in colour, warm, and could pour out profusely.

2. When the woman is sure the blood continues for three uninterrupted days and over.

* Well, suppose she thought that it was period blood according to point one. Accordingly, she stopped performing prayer. However, the bleeding stopped before the lapse of the three-day period. What should she do?

- She should perform prayer in lieu of the period of bleeding.

* If the bleeding continues for ten days or less, but exceeds the duration of her normal period?

- She can still be considered as having period throughout the duration of the bleeding, albeit some of the blood can no longer satisfy the conditions of period blood.

* What if the woman has regular periods, in both the number of days and the date of the period, yet the bleeding continues for more than ten days?

- She should observe the bleeding that coincides with the duration of her period only as that of menstruation.

* Suppose the same woman failed to have her period on time, then the blood appeared and continued for more than ten days. However, some of the blood bore the characteristics of period blood, some of it did not. Which one should be treated as haydh?

- The first one. Yet she should take into account the number of days of her previous normal period. If that part of the blood that fulfils the conditions of period blood was less than the number of days of a normal period, she should complete it by adding the remaining days of that part of the blood that did not satisfy the conditions of period blood. If, however, the bleeding she was experiencing satisfied the criteria of period blood, she should stick to the number of days of her normal period and consider it haydh.

* Should the bleeding continue for more than ten days in the case of a woman who either experiences bleeding for the first time or that whose period is irregular, how should they differentiate the period blood from other kinds of bleeding?

- All depends on the characteristics of the blood and the duration. If some of it bears the qualities of period blood and it continued for a period of three to ten days, should be treated as haydh. The remaining type of blood should be considered istihadha, which shall be the subject of a forthcoming session.

* If the woman was in doubt as to whether her period has ended, what should she do?

- She must check.

* In what way?

- She should insert a piece of cotton into her vagina and leave it for a short while and retrieve it. If no traces of blood could be seen, she must assume she is tahir, do ghusl and resume acts of worship. Should the piece of cotton, however, found to be soiled with blood, she must maintain that she is still in haydh.

* When the woman knows she has haydh, what are the things that are permissible for her to do and those that are not?

- The rules regarding woman’s periods are:

1. No prayers should be performed, be they obligatory or voluntary.

2. She is not required to perform any prayer instead of the ones she missed while she had the period.

3. It is not permissible for her to fast.

4. She must fast instead of the days she missed while she had the period during Ramadhan.

5. Tawaf during hajj, be it obligatory or voluntary is not in order.

6. She cannot be declared divorced while still having her period, except in certain situations.

7. It is haraam to have sexual intercourse with a woman who is having a period. It is permissible, however, after the bleeding had stopped. However, it is permissible before performing ghusl [and after washing the vagina].

8. It is haraam for her to embark on any act of worship, in the same way as certain acts are not permissible for a person who is in a state of janabah. This, as you may recall, was discussed in detail in the (Dialogue on Janabah).

9. When her period is over, she should perform ghusl in order to be able to perform prayer. This, I will explain to you in the (Dialogue on Ghusl).

Dialogue on Taqleed

Inaugurating the Dialogue on Taqleed, my father said:

- Let me first explain to you what is taqleed.

Taqleed is the following, by a lay person, of a Jurist in matters of religious practice. Thus, you apply the Jurist’s legal opinion (fatwa). It is as if you have put the responsibility squarely on the Jurist’s shoulders, in that he will stand accountable before Allah insofar as your compliance with his fatwa is concerned.

* Why do we do taqleed?

- By now, you know that The Creator is the source of The Law. He prescribed for you certain acts you should do and others you should not do. However, where to draw the line is not so clear-cut. That said, you may be able to know some of His commands and prohibitions, depending on your upbringing and environment at large.

As you may know, Islamic shari’a law has covered all aspects of your life. Thus, it has stipulated for each aspect a number of rulings. How are you going to know the demarcations of these rulings while you go about your life? How would you know what is halal to act upon it and what is haraam to shun it?

I wonder, do you have to resort for every incidence, be it minor or major, to the legal proof to be able to deduce a legal judgement?

* Why not?

- There is a yawning gap between your time and that of the early days of Islam. Matters have further been complicated due to the fact that many legal texts were lost; the language and writing style, and norms of expression have changed; the role of pseudo transmitters, who concocted many hadiths (Prophetic traditions) was damaging; this in turn has led to the problem of who is and who is not genuine among the transmitters of hadith. All these have made the process of reaching at a legal opinion the more difficult.

However, let us assume that you were able to ascertain the veracity of the transmitters of any legal text and that you were able to understand the meaning of the terminology used. Do you think that you would be able to discern the multifaceted and complex science of jurisprudence? And would you be able to arrive at what you need to understand?

* So, what should I do?

- You should turn to the experts in this field, i.e. the jurists, and derive what you need to know of legal judgements from them. That is, you emulate them. This is not the exclusive reserve of jurisprudence, rather the norm in every science and discipline. Modern civilization has it that you find the principle of specialized professions in every discipline that you turn to when in need.

Let us take an example. Let it be from the realm of medicine. Should you fall ill, God forbids, what would you do?

* I would consult a doctor and explain to him the symptoms of my illness. He could then prescribe for me the appropriate medicine.

- Why don’t you diagnose your illness and prescribe the medicine?

* I ‘m not a doctor.

- The same goes for jurisprudence. You need to consult a jurist to be able to know the bounds of Allah’s injunctions. You may need to seek his specialist knowledge in solving your legal problems, should you have any. This works in exactly the same way when you seek the specialist knowledge of the doctor and enlist his help in curing your illness.

Since you spare no effort in looking for an experienced doctor in his field of specialization, you will need to look for the most knowledgeable amongst the jurists to follow. This is so because you need his expertise to explain to you religious matters and show you how to act upon them as he sees fit.

* How would I know that a particular alim is a jurist, and whether he is the most erudite and the best in the field?

- Let me put it this way: How would you know that a particular doctor is the best in his field to trust his medical judgement?

* I would be able to know after asking those who are concerned with and experts in medical matters. I could also know him through his scientific prowess and widespread good reputation among the generality.

- Precisely! By the same means, you should be able to know the jurists or the most erudite among them.

You may ask a committed Muslim who is known to be of impeccable character, trustworthy, just, knowledgeable and expert in knowing the scientific level of people in a particular discipline.

Popularity of the jurist which sets him in a different league from his peers, so much so that this leads to certainty as regards his juridical prowess and knowledge, is another avenue.

* Are there any other conditions, apart from that of juridical excellence, that should be present in the jurist we should follow?

- He should be a man, adult, sane, believer, just, living not dead, of pure pedigree, and should not be prone to mistakes, forgetfulness, and inattention.

* Well. Here I am, a fully-fledged man. I now know something about taqleed. What else should I do?

- You should follow the most erudite among the jurists of your time. Act upon his fatwa in the different spheres of your life. They could be rulings relating to acts of worship, such as wudhu, ghusl, salah, sawm, hajj, khums, zakat and so on. You should also act upon his legal opinion in matters concerning transactions, such as buying and selling, marriage, banking, will, waqf, etc.

I joined my father in numerating many other examples:

* Enjoining good and forbidding evil, belief in Allah, His apostles and messengers and ..

- No, belief in God and His unity, the prophethood of our Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w), the imamate of the twelve Imams, and resurrection are matters outside the remit of taqleed. They are of the fundamentals of religion. A Muslim has to believe in them unequivocally, leading up to belief in Allah, using one’s own effort and what intellectual power Allah has instilled in you to reach personal satisfaction and certainty in the matter.

* Well. Do I have the right to follow a jurist who is less knowledgeable?

- You can, provided that you know of no difference in the fatwa of the jurist you follow and the most knowledgeable one in the questions you need to act upon.

* Suppose I chose to follow the most erudite among the jurists and it happened that he had no fatwa on certain matters concerning me, or he had a fatwa, but I was not aware of it, what should I do?

- You rely on the fatwa of the next most knowledgeable.

* What, if the rest were all of the same calibre insofar as juristic knowledge is concerned?

- You may consult the one who is more cautious than the others in passing judgement.

* Should they all be of the same degree of godliness and caution, what should I do?

- You may act upon the fatwa of any one of them, except in certain situations, where you should act according to ihtiyat (Precaution - a level of legal judgement) that I can’t explain to you right now.

* All right. If need be, I can consult the doctor to know his opinion on the state of my health. How would I know the fatwa of the jurist I follow so that I can act upon it? Do I have to consult him on every occasion?

- There are few ways by which you may know his fatwa. You may ask him directly. You may ask other people whom you trust. You may consult his books, especially his treatise on articles of religious practice (Risalah Amaliyah), if you were sure of the authenticity of the copy you have.

* If this is the case, I need not look beyond this house, for I cannot find a more trustworthy person than you. Can I ask for your help in knowing the fatwa of my religious authority (jurist)?

I could see a broad smile on the face of my father; he sat straight and the spark in his eyes was suggesting that we would begin a lively discussion.

* Shall we start with prayer.

- Why not! prayer, however, requires man to be ceremonially clean.

* So, what renders human beings impure?

- What renders humans impure are two things:

1. Material things, such as najis things, i.e. tangible matters.

2. Immaterial things that are contingent on certain actions; if done, you need to perform wudhu, ghusl, or tayamum to remove the impurity. These are things like janabah, haydh, istihadha (Undue menses), touching a dead body, etc.

However, before prayer, we need to know najis things. Also, we need to know the purifying agents to ensure the purity of the body from that which may have defiled it.

We can then stop over certain occurrences, such as going to the toilet, breaking wind, sleep, etc. that require wudhu or tayamum.

We may then resume the conversation on things such as janabah, haydh, nifas (bleeding that occurs after childbirth, miscarriage, or abortion), etc. that require ghusl or tayamum.

Thus, eliminating from our way all that which may forestall our effort to seek nearness to Allah through prayer. This may make us taste the joy of standing before God, and chanting His Glory and Praise. That we may draw solace and peace of mind from being in His audience, and singing His love and praise.

After those topics, we may turn to fasting, hajj, etc.

* So, we shall start discussing najis things.

- Yes, tomorrow. Inshallah (God willing).

* Inshallah.

Dialogue on Najis things

My father started the dialogue with determination, saying:

- Let me tell you of a principle, that will have an impact on your life, in that “Everything is tahir”. Everything: Seas, rivers, rain water, trees, sahara, mountains, streets, buildings, tools, utensils, clothes, your brethren, etc.

Everything is tahir, until it becomes najis or contaminated, except..

* Except, what?

- Except that which is intrinsically najis.

* What are the things that are naturally najis?

- Ten things:

1. and 2. Human urine and excrement. The urine and dung of animals that are not halal to eat, if they have ethereal souls, such as cats; [the urine of other creatures if they do not have ethereal souls, yet they have flesh].

* What is an ethereal soul?

- It is a term that we will come across often during this conversation. So, we better throw some light on it.

We may describe an animal as having an ethereal soul, if, when slaughtered, blood gushes out from its body because of the presence of arteries.

As for the animal that has no ethereal soul, the blood seeps out gently when it is killed, such as fish. This is because it has no arteries.

3. Meeta (carcass) of animals that have ethereal souls.

* What is meeta?

Any animal that perishes without being slaughtered according to Islamic shari’a law.

* Such as?

- Any animal that dies as a result of disease, accident, or was killed in an unlawful way. The carcasses of these animals are called meeta.

* When a human being dies, does his body become najis?

- Yes, except martyrs and those who performed ghusl before they are executed according to Islamic penal code.

* Do all other bodies remain najis?

- No, a Muslim’s dead body becomes tahir once three types of ghusl are carried out on the body, which I will explain to you in a forthcoming session.

4. Human semen and the semen of an animal with an ethereal soul, even of the kind whose meat can be consumed.

5. Human blood and the blood of animals with ethereal souls.

* What about the blood of animals who have no ethereal souls?

- It is tahir, such as fish blood.

6. All parts of a wild dog’s body whether alive or dead.

7. All parts of a pig’s body whether alive or dead.

* What about seals?

- They are tahir.

8. Alcohol [and beer].

9. The unbelievers, whether alive or dead, excluding Christians, Jews, and Magians.

10. The sweat of animals that feed on human excrement.

These ten things are all inherently najis. Their najasah (impurity) will render other objects najis by any means of contact, if there is dampness.

* What, if there is no wetness?

- The najasah does not spread to things that meet with it, when dry or if there was slight moistness.

* Are urine and dung of animals, and urine and droppings of birds, that are halal to eat, such as cows, sheep, chicken and other birds, etc. tahir or najis?

- They are tahir.

* What about bats’ droppings?

- They are tahir.

* Could you tell me about these parts of dead animals and birds: feather, mohair, wool, nails, horns, bones, teeth, beaks, and claws. Are they tahir?

- They are all tahir.

* What about meat we buy in the marketplace, if we find traces of blood in it?

- This blood is tahir, and the blood that remains in the carcass of the animal after it has been slaughtered, according to Islamic shari’a law, is tahir.

* What about the droppings of rats and mice?

- They are najis.

If you consider what I talked to you about, you could have answered this question yourself. You may recall our discussion earlier about animals that have arteries which cause blood to gush out when they are slaughtered.

The serene twinkle in the eyes of my father, I noticed at the start of this conversation, has reappeared. He glanced at me and added:

As you may remember, when we started this dialogue, I spoke to you of a general principle that could have an impact on your life. I will conclude it with more basic principles of equal importance.

Principle number one: Everything is tahir. If, however, you become doubtful whether it is still the case, you should rule out your doubt, i.e. it remains tahir.

* Such as?

- If you think that your bed linen is tahir, you may consider it tahir.

Principle number two: Any thing that was najis, and you are not sure whether you made it tahir, remains najis.

* For example?

- Your hand. You were absolutely sure that it was najis. If, afterwards, you became unsure whether you made it tahir, it remains najis.

Principle number three: Anything you do not have prior knowledge as to its state, i.e. being tahir or najis, it should now be considered tahir.

* For instance?

- A liquid in a glass, whose state of purity is suspect. That is, if you do not know whether it is tahir or najis, you should assume that the liquid is tahir.

Principle number four: Anything you are in doubt as to its being najis or not, as a result of coming into contact with some najis thing, you should not carry out any investigation, be it simple or not, to ensure it was tahir. You should assume that it is tahir.

* Such as?

- Suppose you were sure of your shirt being tahir. Now, some doubt lingers in your mind that it might not be the case. Maybe, you think it might have been contaminated with urine, in which case, you need not carry out any investigation; for instance, you start looking for traces of urine on the shirt. You should assume that it is tahir.

Dialogue on ritual purity (Taharah)

Before my father came to attend this session, I had been meditating. I was trying to find applications to the theoretical information, I gleaned from the Dialogue on Najis Things, in my daily life. In so doing, I might be able to rectify my misconception of najasah. I was eager to know from today’s session how purity is restored to things after they have been contaminated.

No sooner had my father arrived, I started by asking him:

* Yesterday, you told me that things become tainted if they meet with najasah. I wonder how lost purity is restored to these things?

- “The First” of purifying agents is water. By washing najis things with water, you render them tahir again. That is why we should start our discussion with water.

Water is of two kinds: pure and diluted.

* What is pure water?

- Pure water is that which we and animals drink, and irrigate plantations with. The water of oceans, seas, rivers, streams, wells, and that which we use at our homes through mains supply is pure water. For example, the water of rivers and brooks remains pure, even though it may contain some impurities, such as soil and sand.

* What then is diluted water?

- Diluted water is known by the additional name you give it to qualify the type of water. For example, you say rose water, grape water, melon water and so on. However, this is not a matter that concerns us. As you may have noticed, our discussion revolves around the water we drink and use to wash and clean things that became najis.

Moreover, pure water is of two types: immunized (mu’tasim) and that which is not immunized.

* Immunized! What precisely do you mean?

- Immunized water is that which does not become najis when najasah meet with it, except when either its colour, taste, or smell changes as a result. Water that is not immunized is that which turns najis as soon it comes into contact with anything najis, even though none of its three attributes is affected by the pollutant.

* Could you tell me more about immunized waters?

- 1. Abundant water that satisfies the capacity of a kurr (a unit of size, equivalent to 384 litres) or larger, such as the water connected to our homes through the water grid, the water of storage tanks installed in our homes, if they were of a kurr capacity, and smaller water storage tanks, if they were directly connected to mains water supply.

2. Well water.

3. Running water, such as that of rivers, tributaries, streams, and springs.

4. Rainfall.

These are the immunized waters.

* What then are waters that are not immunized?

- These are waters found in small reservoirs, utensils, bottles, tumblers, etc. that are stagnant, apart from well water that is less than kurr, and that which is termed “little water”. By now, you know they become najis on contact with najis things.

* What about diluted water?

- It is judged by the same criterion as that applied in the case of “little water”. However, it becomes najis on contact with najis things, irrespective of its quantity. An example of water that comes under this banner is that of tea. Liquids that may come under the same definition are milk, kerosene, medicinal liquids, etc. They turn najis when they meet with najasah.

Moreover, when “abundant water” is connected to “little water”, the latter can be regarded as abundant whereby it remains immunized as long as it is fed from an abundant source of water. To give you some examples, your domestic storage tank that is normally connected to water mains supply becomes abundant; likewise, if you placed a bowl or a saucepan under the running water of a sink tap, the water in it becomes abundant, and so on. That is, as long as the water remains running.

* Fine. What, if a drop of blood falls in the water of a tank the size of a kurr, that is not connected to the mains?

- It will not become najis, unless blood keeps dripping that the colour of the water changes to yellowish, for example.

* What, if it falls in a small plate?

- It will render it najis.

* What, if we turn the tap on, thus restoring the original purity of the water?

- The water in the plate will become tahir. [However, it will become najis again, if you turn the tap off. This is because, if the plate becomes najis, it becomes tahir only when it is washed three times], as shall be explained to you later.

* If we were to pour water from a pitcher, or watering can, onto something najis, does the water become najis?

- No, because najasah does not climb the water column. Accordingly, neither the cascading water nor the water in the can becomes najis.

* How would rain water render najis things tahir?

- When rain continues to fall on things that had become najis, be they floor, garments, mats, utensils, etc. in such a quantity that it soaks them, they become tahir.

* Is it sufficient that rain pours on such najis objects once to render them tahir?

- Yes, except in the case of the human body and garments that became najis through contamination with urine. They need to be washed a number of times. [The same goes for najis utensils].

* Does rain water render tahir other water that became najis?

- Yes, when they mix.

* How do we render tahir objects that had become najis, if we have little water?

- We can render tahir anything najis by washing it once with water, be it abundant or little. However, when washing with a limited quantity of water, you need to separate the water from the najis thing.

* Can all things that turned najis be rendered tahir in this way?

- Yes, except the following:

1. Cutlery that became najis through contamination with alcohol should be washed three times so that they become tahir again.

3. Objects that became najis through contamination by nursing babies should be rendered tahir by soaking the affected parts with water; there will be no need for wringing the garments, for example.

4. Utensils licked or lapped by dogs should first be scrubbed with soil or dust. They should then be washed with water twice. If, however, dog’s saliva falls in such utensils, or they meet any part of the dog’s body, [they should be wiped with soil first, then washed with water three times].

5. Garments contaminated with urine should be washed with running water once. They should be washed twice if the water used was that of taps, kurr, or little water; they should also be wrung. As for garments that became najis through other means, they should be washed with either little water and wrung or with abundant water without the need for wringing.

6. Restoring the purity of the body, that became najis by urine, should be done following the way outlined in the preceding paragraph. However, if the water was little, you should separate the water used for purification from the body as is customary.

7. If the interiors of utensils have become najis as a result of any source of najasah, other than those of alcohol, dogs, licking by a pig, death of a rodent, they should be washed three times with little water, or [three times too] with abundant water, running water, or rain water.

* What, if the interior of utensils become najis in the same way?

- They should become tahir again, if they were washed once, even with little water.

* How can I render my hand tahir after it has become najis, if I have little water?

- If it was not made najis through urine, you can pour water on it once. As soon as the water becomes separated from your hand, it becomes tahir again.

The Second purifying agent is the sun.

* What are the najis things, that the sun can render tahir again?

- It renders ground and buildings - apart from doors and other wooden material - straw rugs, not the strings used in making them, and bamboo mats tahir again. [Other things that are not covered are trees and their leaves, plantations, and fruits before they are picked, etc.].

* How does the sun render the floor and buildings tahir?

- It does so by drying them up, provided that the actual najasah is removed.

* What, if the najis ground was dry, how can we restore its original taharah?

- By pouring water on it. Once sun light causes the water to evaporate, it becomes dry and thus tahir.

* What, if the ground became tainted with urine, then the sun shone on it and it became dry?

- The ground restores its taharah, if no trace of urine was left.

* Suppose things like shingle, stone, soil, and mud, that are considered part of the earth, became contaminated with urine. They were then rendered dry by sun light. Should they be considered tahir?

- Yes, they should be considered tahir.

* What about nails used in buildings?

- [They are not covered by the same principle, i.e. they are not rendered tahir by sun light].

The Third purifying agent is the removal of najasah from certain parts of the human body, and those of animals, that have become contaminated.

* Could you give me an example?

- Removal of blood from the mouth, ear, and nose is a removal of the najasah.

In other words, as soon as the blood is removed they become tahir, i.e. there is no need to use water.

* What about an animal’s body?

- The same rule applies. For example, if the blood disappears from the beak of a chicken, or the mouth of a cat, the beak and the mouth should become tahir again.

* Does the needle, used in injecting medicine into the body of a human or animal, become najis as a result of meeting blood inside the body?

- No, it does not become najis, if it comes out uncontaminated with blood. This is because najasah does not materialize through meeting najis things inside the body per se.

The Fourth purifying agent is earth:

Whatever comes under the definition of earth, such as stones, sand, soil, flooring with bricks or cement - not tarmac, has a purifying quality. It is, however, conditional that the earth should be [dry] and tahir.

* How can I ascertain that it is tahir?

- As long as you do not know that it was najis, it is tahir, and therefore can be considered a purifying agent.

* What are the najis things that the earth renders tahir?

- The soles of feet and shoes are rendered tahir by walking or rubbing them against earth, provided that the material najasah is removed as a result of walking or wiping. It is to be noted, however, that the najasah should have originated from the earth, be it through walking or in any other way. [If it has come about from other sources, earth cannot serve as a purifying agent].

The Fifth purifying agent is the state of belonging or affiliation.

* For example?

- If the unbeliever, who is deemed najis, becomes a Muslim, he is rendered tahir. Subsequently, his young offspring become tahir. The same goes for the grandfather, grandmother, mother, and their young babies, after they have embraced Islam. This should be the case regarding the young child, as long as it is under the guardianship of those who converted to Islam. That is, the child should not be in the company of an unbeliever.

Also, if alcohol turns into vinegar it becomes tahir. As a result the bottle or glass that contains it becomes tahir too.

The dead body becomes tahir, when it undergoes three types of ghusl. As a result the hands and clothes of the person conducting the ghusl become tahir, and so does the bench on which the body was laid for washing.

If a najis garment was washed with little water, for instance, it would become tahir, and so would the hands that did the washing.

The Sixth purifying agent is Islam.

* How does Islam work as a purifying agent? And whom does it render tahir?

- Islam renders tahir an infidel who was deemed najis. That is, after he had embraced Islam.

Accordingly, all parts of his body become tahir.

The Seventh purifying agent is the absence of a Muslim who is adult or a discerning youth.

* What do you mean by the absence of a Muslim?

- The Muslim who is physically not around.

* How does his absence work as a purifying agent?

- When a Muslim is away, all his belongings should be considered tahir, if you think that he rendered them tahir.

* Could you give me an example?

Suppose the shirt of your brother was najis. He does not know whether it was najis or not. However, you may know it is the case, irrespective of whether or not he was a practising Muslim. Your brother has gone away and returned. To the best of your knowledge, your brother has rendered his shirt tahir, in which case, you should assume that the shirt be tahir, without the need to ask him.

The Eighth purifying agent is transfer.

* For example?

- Human blood that was sucked by a mosquito. If you had smashed the insect and your clothes became tainted with that blood, it is tahir.

The Ninth purifying agent is istihala (transformation).

* What is transformation?

- Transformation is a complete change of something to something else, not only by name, but also through change of its properties, or dispersal of its parts.

* Could you give me an example?

- If a najis wood, or the dried animal dung used in fire, is burned and subsequently turned into ashes, the latter is tahir.

The Tenth purifying agent is the blood trapped inside the carcass of animals slaughtered according to Islamic law.

The Eleventh purifying agent is the change of alcohol into vinegar because, while in the process of fermentation, it turns najis. If it turns into vinegar, it becomes tahir.

The Twelfth purifying agent is weaning the animal that developed a habit of eating human excrement. This is because the meat of such an animal becomes haraam to consume, so does drinking its milk. Its urine, dung, or droppings, and sweat become najis too.

* How do we achieve the weaning of this animal?

- It could be achieved by preventing it from eating human excrement for such a period that it could be said that it reverted to its natural self.

* If this was achieved, what then?

- We can then deem its meat, milk, etc… tahir.

Dialogue on Janabah

Unusually, my father was present before me for today’s session. When I joined in, at first my father did not notice my arrival. He was quiet and in a reflective far away mood.

As soon as he became aware of my presence, he said:

- I am starting today’s dialogue with an introduction to the topic of janabah.

In the Dialogue on Najis Things, we discussed impurities that strip the human body and other things off their natural purity.

In the Dialogue on Ritual Purity (Taharah), we talked about the purifying agents that restore to our bodies and those of other things their usurped purity.

You may recall, we said that najis things are material things that are transient occurrences eminating either from the body itself or from outside sources.

There are, however, other intangibles that, if they occur, render the body impure. It would, therefore, require that which could reinstate its lost goodness.

There are two types: Major and minor.

Major occurrences comprise janabah, haydh, nifas, major istihadha, touching a dead body, and death itself.

Minor occurrences cover urine, excrement, breaking wind, sleep, minor istihadha, etc.

Major occurrences are purified by ghusl or wiped off by tayamum.

Minor occurrences can be removed by wudhu or tayamum. Our future dialogues shall cover these aspects one by one. This time, however, we will discuss janabah.

I said to my father.

* How does janabah come about?

- It happens as a result of one of the following:

1. Seminal discharge that takes place as a result of either sexual intercourse, during a dream, masturbation, or any other means.

* What are the characteristics of semen?

- A sticky liquid that smells like dough. Its colour is milky with a hint of either green or yellow. It is ejaculated when orgasm is reached, after which the body feels relaxed.

* If you were not sure whether such liquid was semen?

- There must exist three characteristics for it to be called semen. They are: Sexual desire, ejaculation, and resultant relaxation of the body. In sick people, however, sexual desire is sufficient.

* Do women have semen as men?

- Yes, secretion from the woman’s vagina at the climax of sexual activity is akin to man’s semen. This could happen when the woman is either awake or asleep.

2. Sexual intercourse, irrespective of whether or not it led to ejaculation. It’s sufficient for sexual intercourse to be termed as such when only the part of penis that contains the foreskin is thrust into the female’s vagina.

* What if the semen is secreted or a sexual intercourse takes place?

- Janabah occurs to both parties, where applicabe, irrespective of age and state of mind.

* If this was the case, then what?

- Ghusl becomes obligatory, so that you can, for example, perform prayer, or do tawaf (Circumambulation - turning seven times around the Ka’ba) for hajj. That is, prayer and tawaf cannot be deemed valid without the ghusl. As for how to do ghusl, this I’ll explain to you in the Dialogue on Ghusl.

However, certain acts become unlawful if you are in a state of janabah, such as:

1. Touching the writing of the Holy Qur’an.

2. Touching the Name of the Almighty, i.e. the Arabic name, Allah [and other names and adjectives attributed to Him, such as “al-Khaliq” - The Creator].

3. Recitation of the four verses of “as-Sajdah” in Chapters “Iqr’a, an-Najm, as-Sajdah, and Fussilat” of the Holy Qur’an.

4. Entering mosques and/or staying in them, taking anything out or putting anything in them [albeit from the outside or when passing by]. It is permissible, however, for a person in a state of janabah to pass through, such as entering from one door and making an exit from another, except in the case of the Grand Mosque at Mekkah and the Holy Mosque of the Prophet at Medina. [The same rule applies in the case of the holy shrines of the Infallibles].

* Are the forecourts and corridors, when they are not considered part of the well-defined area of the mosque, covered by the same rule?

- No, they are not.

* Since we are on the subject of janabah, I still have a burning desire to ask you a question, but I feel rather embarrassed.

- Ask whatever you like. The maxim has it, “There shall be no embarrassment in matters of religion”.

* Sometimes, when I am sexually aroused, I notice a rather sticky, transparent and white liquid secreted from my penis.

- Yes, this type of liquid is tahir. You are, therefore, not required to perform ghusl or wudhu when you experience it. There is another type of secretion that sometimes follows urination. This too is tahir.

* What about masturbation?

- It is haraam. You must avoid it. It suffices to mention that, in some narrations, Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) “An acronym for Alaihis Salaam - meaning, may peace be with him”, described it as a form of adultery.

Dialogue on Haydh

My father took his seat. I could notice a broad smile on his face that led me to assume that he was bent on something unusual.

- I’ll talk to you today on haydh.

Before today, I did not know what haydh is, although I remember I hearing the word before. What had interested me in the subject was that I hear women whisper about it, with noticeable embarrassment, as if there was something shameful in the word. However, I do not hide a secret if I say that as soon as I was faced with a real situation of the subject being discussed in the open, a kind of shaming started to creep into me. I do not know why I was gripped with embarrassment. I resigned to the fact that if haydh was indeed so humbling a matter to talk about, how my father is going to discuss it with me?

Yet, aren’t we discussing matters of Islamic law? Surely, this topic should be within the remit of Islamic jurisprudence. So, why should we feel embarrassed to talk about it? Is it not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an? Didn’t the Prophet (s.a.w.) and the Imams (a.s.) talk about it to their companions. And after all, why should we feel a sense of shaming to talk about a subject whose rules we must know in order to follow?

My self-examination was short-lived as my father resumed his talk.

- Haydh is a bleeding from a woman’s genitals. It occurs at regular monthly intervals and whose colour is dark red. When it leaves the body, women can feel its warmth.

* Is there a certain age group of women who experience haydh?

- Although it varies from person to person, it can start at the age of nine lunar calendar years till the age of sixty, which is the climacteric.

* So, between 9 and 60 years?

- Yes, any blood that can be seen before the age of nine and after the age of sixty does not fall under the definition of menstral blood.

* How many days does the bleeding last?

- The minimum period is three days and the maximum ten.

* Suppose it lasted three days, then stopped?

- This cannot be considered period blood.

* What if it lasts more than ten days?

- This is not haydh blood.

* How should one treat the case of a woman whose haydh ended, then she had ghusl only to see blood again, say after nine days?

- The blood that the woman saw should not be treated as haydh blood, because the period separating any two periods should not be less than ten days.

* When does the woman consider herself as having a period?

- When she starts bleeding at the time of her temporary period, or before her regular period, say one or two days earlier.

* How should a woman be described as having a temporary period?

- She could be described as such when the period blood appears twice in any period of two months or more.

* How do you describe a woman who does not fit the two categories mentioned above, such as the young woman who experiences period blood for the first time, or a woman with an irregular period?

- A woman in any of the two examples you’ve just quoted can describe herself as having a period when one of the following two conditions arise:

1. For the blood to be termed as menstrual blood, it should be red or black in colour, warm, and could pour out profusely.

2. When the woman is sure the blood continues for three uninterrupted days and over.

* Well, suppose she thought that it was period blood according to point one. Accordingly, she stopped performing prayer. However, the bleeding stopped before the lapse of the three-day period. What should she do?

- She should perform prayer in lieu of the period of bleeding.

* If the bleeding continues for ten days or less, but exceeds the duration of her normal period?

- She can still be considered as having period throughout the duration of the bleeding, albeit some of the blood can no longer satisfy the conditions of period blood.

* What if the woman has regular periods, in both the number of days and the date of the period, yet the bleeding continues for more than ten days?

- She should observe the bleeding that coincides with the duration of her period only as that of menstruation.

* Suppose the same woman failed to have her period on time, then the blood appeared and continued for more than ten days. However, some of the blood bore the characteristics of period blood, some of it did not. Which one should be treated as haydh?

- The first one. Yet she should take into account the number of days of her previous normal period. If that part of the blood that fulfils the conditions of period blood was less than the number of days of a normal period, she should complete it by adding the remaining days of that part of the blood that did not satisfy the conditions of period blood. If, however, the bleeding she was experiencing satisfied the criteria of period blood, she should stick to the number of days of her normal period and consider it haydh.

* Should the bleeding continue for more than ten days in the case of a woman who either experiences bleeding for the first time or that whose period is irregular, how should they differentiate the period blood from other kinds of bleeding?

- All depends on the characteristics of the blood and the duration. If some of it bears the qualities of period blood and it continued for a period of three to ten days, should be treated as haydh. The remaining type of blood should be considered istihadha, which shall be the subject of a forthcoming session.

* If the woman was in doubt as to whether her period has ended, what should she do?

- She must check.

* In what way?

- She should insert a piece of cotton into her vagina and leave it for a short while and retrieve it. If no traces of blood could be seen, she must assume she is tahir, do ghusl and resume acts of worship. Should the piece of cotton, however, found to be soiled with blood, she must maintain that she is still in haydh.

* When the woman knows she has haydh, what are the things that are permissible for her to do and those that are not?

- The rules regarding woman’s periods are:

1. No prayers should be performed, be they obligatory or voluntary.

2. She is not required to perform any prayer instead of the ones she missed while she had the period.

3. It is not permissible for her to fast.

4. She must fast instead of the days she missed while she had the period during Ramadhan.

5. Tawaf during hajj, be it obligatory or voluntary is not in order.

6. She cannot be declared divorced while still having her period, except in certain situations.

7. It is haraam to have sexual intercourse with a woman who is having a period. It is permissible, however, after the bleeding had stopped. However, it is permissible before performing ghusl [and after washing the vagina].

8. It is haraam for her to embark on any act of worship, in the same way as certain acts are not permissible for a person who is in a state of janabah. This, as you may recall, was discussed in detail in the (Dialogue on Janabah).

9. When her period is over, she should perform ghusl in order to be able to perform prayer. This, I will explain to you in the (Dialogue on Ghusl).


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