Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Session 30: The Connection between the Absolute Guardianship of the Jurist and the Islamic Government Establishment

Balance between prerogatives and duties in the Islamic state

Whenever a responsibility is entrusted to a person or a duty is assigned to him, certain prerogatives must be granted to him so that he can exercise them in discharging his duty or responsibility. The heavier responsibilities of the Islamic state in terms of magnitude and scope demand greater prerogatives and facilities than those of other governments in order to do justice to them. We shall cite an example in order to make this point clearer and more empirical.

With incessant technological advancement and transformation in the recent past, new conditions and situations have emerged in human society requiring a change in the manner of interaction, way of living and attitude towards the environment. New vistas like exploration of outer space have been opened to mankind. When cars were not yet invented, people had contracted roads and narrow pathways which could give way to only horses and the like. In some parts of ancient cities such a condition still exists. Yet, when the number of vehicles multiplied, people had no option but to commute within the city through vehicles. They had to expand the narrow roads and construct streets and highways to make traffic easy and comfortable and prevent any possible dangers and accidents.

Once the state and its officials want to construct and expand roads and streets, they have no option but to exercise authority over the lands and houses of people and demolish them. If the state is expected to make traveling comfortable, but not authorized to demolish some houses (along the streets to be expanded or constructed), such a demand is absurd, illogical and impractical. So, the state must have such authority to be able to discharge its duty. The state has to compensate for the damage caused and rehabilitate the affected people somewhere else.

Connection between absolute guardianship (wilayat-e mutlaq) and government prerogatives

In Shi‘i jurisprudence [fiqh ], the Islamic government’s possession of necessary and sufficient prerogatives for the performance of its responsibilities in line with discharging of responsibilities is attributed to the absolute guardianship of thefaqih .

In the Qur’an, traditions and statements of jurists [fuqaha ], usually the word “guardianship” [wilayah ] is used instead of “government” [hukumah ]. Apart from that, the wordwilayah is more appropriate than the wordhukumah -just as the Supreme Leader Ayatullah al-‘Uzma Sayyid ‘Ali Khamene’i pointed out, the connotation of the wordhukumah is laden with a sense of dominance and imposition-as the wordwilayah is more profound and associated with love and affection. At any rate, the wordwilayah can be used in lieu ofhukumah , as one who regards “government” as necessary for society also feels the same about “guardianship” for society in juristic parlance and usage.

Given these introductory remarks, we argue that if thiswilayah enjoys all prerogatives through which all responsibilities can be discharged and all needs of society addressed in accordance with Islamic and legitimate standards, it can be said that this wilayah is absolute. But if the wali al-amr [Guardian or Master of the Affair] has wilayah only to the extent necessary, i.e. only in cases where the lives of some people are in danger that we believe in him to have the right to exercise authority over the properties of people, and no authority in city development and beautification as well as construction of green zones (parks) and squares, it is said that this wilayah is limited and conditional.

People’s skepticism on absolute guardianship

We are explaining these things because some people, in a bid to misguide the people in general and the youth in particular, are poisoning their minds by pointing out certain fallacies in the theory ofwilayah al-faqih . Initially, they objected to the wordwilayah , saying that “guardianship” [wilayah ] is applicable to children and the mentally retarded.Wali means “guardian” and is needed by those who do not have the necessary intelligence and capability to administer their daily lives. So, anyone who advances the theory ofwilayah al-faqih , in reality regards the people as having low intelligence quotients (IQs) and needful of guardians.

This fallacy is very clear and self-evident. Just as thewilayah of theAhl al-Bayt (‘a ) does not literally mean their guardianship of people and the latter’s need for a guardian,wilayah here is used to meanhukumah , i.e. administering social affairs and overall management of society.Wilayah al-faqih means that certain individuals are authorized by God to administer the primary affairs of society, and it is not that those who are under the rule ofwilayah al-faqih and Islamic government are children, the mentally retarded or psychopaths!

They have further committed a fallacy with respect to the wordmutlaq [absolute]. They have claimed in some of their writings that “absolute guardianship” is tantamount to polytheism [shirk ]. Thus, accordingly, those who believe in “absolute guardianship” are polytheists and have associated deities to God because apart from Him who is the Absolute, they have also recognized thewali al-amr as “absolute”! Sometimes, one does not know how to react to these childish and silly claims.

Let me say briefly that firstly, in the Islamic texts, the Qur’an and traditions in particular, the wordmutlaq has never been used for God, and in Arabic lexicon it is not correct to associate the word mutlaq to God. If ever out of carelessness or modification of the meaning of mutlaq , we associate it to God, it implies that God, the Exalted, is unlimited without any weakness, defect and deficiency.

No one has such a belief about anyone other than God. We believe that the One and Only God has Absolute Perfection without having any defect and deficiency and He has all the eternal Attributes. Obviously, this belief does not necessarily mean that the Islamic state should not have the necessary prerogatives to perform its duties. Basically, these two points have no connection with each other.

“Absolute guardianship” means that the ruler, leader and head of the Islamic ummah has the necessary prerogatives to discharge his duties and do what is good for Islamic society, and the wali al-faqih may interfere or exercise authority whenever necessary. In order to make this point clearer, we shall explain the Islamic government theory further, though we have already dealt with it earlier.

Investigating the structure of Islamic government

Once the structure and nature of Islamic government is talked about, some people refer to political philosophy books and mention the different types and forms of governments established in human society since time immemorial such as oligarchy, aristocracy, monarchy, and democracy. Nowadays, democracy is divided into republicanism and constitutional monarchy, and republicanism into presidential and parliamentary.

They ask us whether the Islamic government is one of those mentioned forms of government or something distinct. If the Islamic government is republican, it is the same democracy or “government of the people for the people by the people” and thus Islamic government is in no way different. If it is said that Islamic government is a monarchy, then why is the government in Iran called “Islamic Republic”? In any case, has Islam no idea about its form of government, or does it grant freedom to the people to choose the type and form of their government, or has it stipulated a distinct form of government?

In reply to the question on the structure of government according to Islam, many of them have said that Islam does not endorse a particular form of government. To some extent this answer is correct, but it is not devoid of ambiguity. To explain this, I deem it necessary to highlight two points which must not be neglected.

1. The extensiveness and irrevocability of Islamic laws

The first point is that Islam and its laws are not confined to a particular time and place. The inalterable and constant laws of Islam have been enacted in such a way that they are applicable to all ages and societies. Meanwhile, a government may be established in a small and limited territory or an island with a small population. It may equally be founded in a country with a population of one million or a country like India or China with a population of about one billion or more than a billion. In any case, the government may assume numerous forms. A small community of one hundred families may have a government of its own.

A country with a population of one billion may also have a government of its own. It is even possible that one day a global government will be established on earth. In view of the diversity of governments, can a model or laws for a government be proposed that would encompass all governments? Or, is it that a particular form should not be determined for the government, and if ever a particular form is presented, it will not be suitable for some societies and not applicable to other societies? For example, if we claim that during the advent of Islam its laws were initially applicable to the small community at Medina, and the government founded by the Messenger of

Allah (s ) was suitable for the society at that time whose population probably did not exceed a hundred thousand.

Is the model and form which Islam wants to present as the Islamic government the same model and form of the government of the Prophet (s ) during the early period of Islam with features and characteristics suitable for a small population of that time with particular moral and cultural elements? Or, is it that Islam is not only devoid of a particular model and form of government but also has not set any pertinent limits, conditions, requirements and rulings?

The fact of the matter is that the Islamic approach is neither of the two. In fact, apart from presenting a specific form of government suitable to its inalterable and constant laws, Islam has introduced a general or overall framework which can integrate changes, variations and numerous or diverse forms. Islam has neither given total freedom to the people to do whatever they want nor presented a limited and narrow form of government applicable only to a certain age and place. The general framework introduced by Islam has a broad scope and span, containing all correct and reasonable forms of government.

We describe this general framework of government as the Islamic government. This framework emerges at a given time with a particular structure and form, and with a different structure and form at another time. Neither of these two forms and structures or any other form or structure for that matter is incompatible and repugnant to the Islamic nature of the government in question.

In other words, Islam does not endorse a particular form or type of government. Its guiding principle is the observance of the general framework; the structure of government should neither be beyond it nor inconsistent with it. The inalterable and constant laws of Islam which have been enacted for all societies up to the Day of Resurrection have a general structure. In contrast, secondary and alterable laws conducive to particular times and places are also enacted. Among these alterable laws are administrative laws which are issued or approved by the wali al-faqih. To obey and follow these laws in their forms or shapes is obligatory.

2. Presentation of government models derived from Islam

The second point is that the goal of the Islamic government is to reach and realize a set of ideal and desirable conditions. But since it is not always possible to achieve them, there is no option but to consider a substitute of the ultimate choice. That is, if the ideal condition is not available, the second choice will replace it, and if the second choice cannot be achieved, the third choice will replace it. This implies that our value system is neither monolithic nor considers value as confined only to all that is ideal. Instead, in the Islamic value system values have a multilayered structure and diverse degrees as well as the most ideal and supreme value. Below this zenith of value, other degrees are also valuable in their own rights. It is not correct that if the ideal value cannot be realized, we should totally give up and not resort to an equally valuable option below it.

The point is that Islam has set an ideal form of government which can be established whenever the said government is headed by the Prophet ( s ) or an

infallible Imam. This ideal option has been explicitly emphasized by God in the Noble Qur’an:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ﴾

“O you who have faith! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those vested with authority among you…” 1

In another verse, He says thus:

﴿وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا﴾

“Take whatever the Apostle give you, and relinquish whatever he forbids you...” 2

The foremost view of Islam is that an infallible person must head the government and hold the reigns of power so that he can manage and supervise the political apparatus. But ama‘sum is not always present among the people to directly hold the reigns of government. Even when ama‘sum is present, it does not follow that he is in a position of strength to establish a government and exercise power.

In fact, among our Imams, only the Commander of the Faithful (‘a ) and Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba ( ‘a ) for a very short period were able to rule. Since the time of Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) the circumstances were not suitable for the infallible Imams ( ‘a ) to establish an Islamic government. Either the people or majority of them did not support them to establish an Islamic government or an influential section of society prevented them from establishing it. As such, each of the Imams ( ‘a ) was forced to distance himself from the government of the day.

Precedence of the notion of “state within a state” in Islam

In case the government is not under the control of an infallible Imam or a just ruler but an oppressive andtaghuti regime is established, should people leave all affairs to an illegitimate and tyrannical ruler and totally relinquish government affairs? Are righteous and pious individuals not supposed to properly attend to government affairs at any level and guide society to the extent possible? Undoubtedly, the reply of Islam is in the negative.

In such cases, Islam has set emergency substitutes and maintained that if an infallible Imam is present but has no support in establishing a government, or he is not present and the government is outside the control of his righteous and just successor, the people may, as much as possible, refer in matters related to government to a person who is most similar to ama‘sum .

Indisputably, conflicts and disputes always occur in society about personal, family, social, commercial and matters of inheritance. For example, two partners may have a dispute over their shares; inheritors may fight over the inheritance; spouses may have a quarrel. Certainly, in order to resolve these differences people are in need of government decisions. They have to refer to a legal authority that will investigate the differences and discords.

Under the pretext that the government of truth does not exist and an infallible Imam or a just ruler is not in control of government, people are not supposed to be contented with thetaghuti government, do whatever it

commands and reject an alternative. In fact, in particular and limited cases if there is a chance to refer to a person who issues and implements the correct Islamic decree, it is expedient to refer to him. As such, the infallible Imams (‘a ) have introduced a scheme for such circumstances and conditions which in modern parlance is described as establishing a “state within a state”.

If the government is in the hands of tyrants and usurpers and the people do not have sufficient power and means to rise up and overthrow them and establish the government of truth, in relation to administrative matters the people are supposed to refer to thefuqaha and those who, though not infallible, have been trained in the school of theAhl al-Bayt (‘a ) and occupy the highest station of piety and knowledge of religion and who in knowledge and moral conduct are nearest to the infallibles. In relation to their administrative problems people must refer to thefaqih who has the intellectual capability to deduce and apply the correct Islamic law, has the necessary managerial skill to adjudicate and issue a verdict, and has the highest decree of piety, trustworthiness and credibility.

This statement or the notion of a “state within a state” means that within the vast jurisdiction of an illegitimate state, small and limited ‘states’ that can to some extent become the sanctuary of people in their administrative problems must be established. In our Islamic culture, such a government is described as “restricted guardianship” [wilayat-e muqayyad ]-a kind of guardianship whichfuqaha had even during the time of the infallible Imams (‘a ). With the permission of the Imams (‘a ),fuqaha had the authority to adjudicate, bid and forbid.

Even during the period of occultation [ghaybah ] thefuqaha , though incapable of establishing a government, used to exercise authority in certain cases of litigations, disputes, quarrels, urgent matters, and what is described in our jurisprudence as “financial affairs” [al-umur al-hasbiyyah ]. In terms of form, substance and extent of prerogatives, however, “restricted guardianship” was considerably different from the “absolute guardianship of the jurist” [wilayat-e mutlaq-e faqih ].

Throughout the history of Shi‘ism, “restricted guardianship” has been enjoyed by thefuqaha, and people, with full satisfaction and confidence used to refer some of their social problems, disputes and differences to them and ask for correct solutions. Perhaps, it is because of this historical precedence that theoreticians are less skeptical about it, and it does not meet much opposition. On the contrary, on account of its lack of long historical precedence in the recent past, and its strictness towards malevolent xenophiles and their illegitimate interests, the “absolute guardianship of the jurist” has been a subject of pusillanimous objection and attack.

Imam Khomeini’s presentation of “absolute guardianship of the jurist”

From the time of occultation of Hadhrat Wali al-‘Asr (may Allah expedite his glorious advent) up to the occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the possibility that one day a rightful and truthful government will be established by a duly competentfaqih was more akin to a dream and illusion.

Even if the people in our country were told, as late as thirty or forty years ago, that one day afaqih will topple down thetaghuti regime, no one would believe it and consider such an idea as nothing but mere daydreaming. It would be like someone saying that a time will come when we will fly without the help of instruments and facilities, for it is believed that such an event will happen only in dreams and never take place in real life.

At that time, it was funny for people to hear someone claiming that a cleric in place of thetaghut will take control of the country. The people would ask, “Is it possible? How could a person who, could hardly find his daily bread, was not secure even in his home, whose house could be raided, and he, banished, imprisoned and tortured, acquire the power to establish a government?!

It is true thatwilayah al-faqih was not actually implemented in the past as it did not seem reasonably probable, but since its assumption was possible, some prominent fuqaha advanced the theory of “absolute guardianship of the jurist”. They examined the question: If one day conditions for the faqih to rule are provided and he actually takes charge of government, would his wilayah be absolute or limited?

Contrary to those periods of the infallible Imams (‘a), when on the one hand, they practiced dissimulation [taqiyyah] in a position of weakness, deprived of their right to interfere in administrative issues, and people referred some of their problems like disputes and differences to them only in private and acquired their verdicts; and, on the other hand, when the fuqaha distanced themselves from the government and were robbed of the chance to interfere in administrative matters; if a chance appeared for a faqih to rule and he became politically strong enough to establish a government, should he exercise wilayah only in “urgent matters” and interfere only in “financial affairs”? Or, should all limitations, conditions and “specific restrictions” on the faqih’s exercise of authority, imposed during the reigns of taghuts and tyrants, be removed, and, exactly like an infallible Imam who is politically capable of establishing a government, should the faqih also have all the prerogatives that an infallible Imam has in the overall administration of society? This option has been presented as the theory of “absolute guardianship of the jurist”.

Among our prominent figures, the one who, in addition to expounding the theory of “absolute guardianship of the jurist” as a juristic proposition, regarded the same as practically realizable, was His Eminence Imam Khomeini ( q ). Forty years ago, he used to mention in his lectures that there is the possibility of a faqih establishing a government in a certain geographical location. 3The faqih would have all the prerogatives of a religious ruler and his authority would not be confined to financial affairs and urgent matters. As far as the interests of Islamic society were concerned, he could exercise authority within the framework of religious standards and Islamic precepts.

At that time, when the Imam discussed this theory, his students accepted it intellectually with good intention, good opinion and affection for him. Yet, they could not imagine that it would be implemented until finally, the

Islamic movement in Iran gained momentum and gradually the Revolution triumphed and the Islamic government was established.

So, the “absolute guardianship of the jurist” means that the one who, according to Islam, is competent to rule, and in terms of knowledge, piety and managerial skill is most similar to a ma‘sum, and is able to establish a government will have all the prerogatives of an infallible Imam in managing the affairs of society. Once the wali al-faqih enjoys these extensive prerogatives, all laws, executive orders and ordinances to be passed in the Islamic government under the command of the wali al-faqih will be deemed legitimate only through his permission and approval. Without his permission, no one else will have the direct and independent right to legislate or implement a law.

All administrative affairs shall become official by his permission and authority. Under his government, individuals shall implement laws through his designation, or if they are elected according to predetermined laws and arrangements, their assumption of office shall become official through his approval and permission. Thus, without the permission and authority of the wali al-faqih no step shall be deemed official and legitimate.

The Imam used to say time and again: If a government is formed without the approval and permission of the wali al-faqih, it is taghuti. It means that we have no more than two essential types of government: the government of truth and the government of taghut. The government of truth is that which is headed by the wali al-faqih who is the supreme authority in all administrative affairs and issues, and all matters shall acquire legitimacy through his permission and approval. If it is not so, then it is the government of falsehood and taghut, and as the Qur’an states,

﴿فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلاَّ الضَّلاَلُ﴾

“…So what is there without the truth except error?”4

Description of wilayat al-faqih in the maqbulah of ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah’

In view of what has been said, the prerogatives of thefaqih are confined to sacred religious standards and laws and do not go beyond them, making it clear that belief in the “absolute guardianship of the jurist” does not mean polytheism or considering someone other than God as absolute. As a matter of fact, according to some narrations transmitted from the infallible Imams (‘a ), anyone who disobeys the decree and order of thewali al-faqih is a polytheist [mushrik ].

As narrated in themaqbulah of ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah, concerning two believers who had a dispute over religious issues or worldly matters like inheritance, they asked Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) whom they should refer to for judgment and solving of their conflict. The Imam ( ‘a ) dissuaded them from referring to a taghut or tyrant ruler but instead ordered them to refer to the narrators of hadith s, religious scholars and experts, saying:

...فَإِنّي قَدْ جَعَلْتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاكِمًا، فَإِذَا حَكَمَ بِحُكْمِنَا فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْهُ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّمَا إسْتَخَفَّ بِحُكْمِ اللهِ وَ عَلَيْنَا رَدَّهُ وَالرَّادُّ عَلَيْنَا الرَّادُّ عَلىٰ اللهِ وَ هُوَ عَلىٰ حَدِّ الشِّرْكِ بِاللهِ...

“…For I appoint him as judge over you. Anyone who rejects his judgment is as if he belittles the judgment of Allah and rejects us, and anyone who rejects us is as if he rejects Allah, and rejection of Him is tantamount to associating partners with Him.” 5

According to the abovementioned tradition, if the duly competentfaqih establishes a government or takes charge of government affairs, anyone who opposes him and rejects his orders and words is as if he opposes the infallible Imams ( ‘a ) and opposition to them is tantamount to polytheism [ shirk ]. This polytheism is not in the ontological Lordship [ rububiyyat-e takwini ] of God but rather polytheism in the legislative Lordship [ rububiyyat-e tashri‘i ]. The explanation for this is that monotheism [ tawhid ] has different classifications and degrees:

(1) monotheism in creation, i.e. belief in the Unity or Oneness of the Creator of the universe;

(2) monotheism in Divinity [uluhiyyah ] and servitude [‘ubudiyyah ], i.e. belief that no one is worthy of worship but God who is the Absolute Lord and Legislator; and

(3) Divine Unity [tawhid-e rububi ] which is divided into two: (a) ontological Lordship and (b) legislative Lordship.

“Ontological Lordship” means that we have to consider that the designing and management of the entire universe lies with God and to believe that the rotation of the sun and moon, the taking place of day and night, life and death of man and animals, and the protection of the world and all its inhabitants from destructive collisions and clashes all depend on God. It is He who protects heaven and earth. All beings that come into existence in any part of this vast universe, grow and die, procreate, do anything that manifests their existence are all under the supervision and control of God. No phenomenon is outside His Lordship.

“Legislative Lordship” is only related to the discretional management of human beings whose movement, impact and evolution, contrary to that of other creatures, depends on their own discretion. For example, God introduces the straight path to man and acquaints him with good and evil, and enacts and issues laws and ordinances for the individual and social life of man.

Based on what has been said about monotheism and its different categories, anyone who denies the legislative Lordship of God, even if he recognizes the ontological Lordship or the Unity of God in creation and servitude, is a polytheist. The same kind of polytheism was committed by Satan who recognized God as the One and Only Creator and His ontological Lordship. As such, he said:

﴿قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾

“He said: My Lord! As You have consigned me to perversity, I will surely glamorize [evil] for them on earth, and will surely pervert them all.” 6

It can be noticed that Satan believed in God’s ontological Lordship, regarding Him as his Cherisher and Sustainer. What he denied or rejected was the legislative Lordship and thus he became a polytheist (nay, the first

polytheist). Since God the Exalted, makes it obligatory to obey any of the infallible Imams (‘a), anyone who refuses or declines to obey actually denies the legislative Lordship of God and is tainted with polytheism in the legislative Lordship.

Similarly, when an infallible Imam (‘a) appointed or designated a person and made it incumbent upon others to obey him, anyone who did not recognize him or submit to him was tainted with polytheism in the legislative Lordship. So, if Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said that opposition to the wali al-faqih is tantamount to associating partners with Allah, it was not a hyperbole as he spoke the truth, for it was polytheism in legislative Lordship, which Satan was also tainted with.

Based on what has been said, according to Islam the structure of the Islamic government has different degrees. Its ideal degree can be reached whenever the Prophet (s) or an infallible Imam (‘a) takes control of government. Its lower degree is when government is entrusted to the duly competent faqih who in terms of knowledge, piety and managerial skill is the nearest to the infallible Imams (‘a). One degree lower than this one is that if there is no duly competent faqih, or the faqih accessible to people lacks the competence to manage society, the wilayah and government shall be entrusted to ‘just believers’ because society cannot be abandoned without any government.

Thus, in the presence of an infallible Imam his government or wilayah is most ideal and during his absence the faqih who is most akin to the infallible Imams (‘a) should take control of government. In the absence of such a faqih, a just believer whose sense of justice and piety are such that people trust him and are satisfied with his implementation of laws shall take hold of government though his knowledge and learning is not equal to that of a faqih.

Of course, we hope that the ‘ulama’ and figures that are capable of guiding and managing society are always present so that they can shoulder this responsibility of guiding society. God the Exalted, favored us by blessing us with the dear Imam who guided our society remarkably well. After the Imam, He preserved his righteous student and successor for us, the nearest to the Imam in piety, asceticism, political insight, consideration for the interests of Muslims, management and leadership of Islamic society, and other outstanding characteristics.

Islam’s view on separation of powers

Another subject which needs to be dealt with at present is the separation of powers and government responsibilities. According to Islam, the government does not have a specific form or type suitable to a society with particular characteristics. According to Islam, the government may have a structure or form which is suitable to a small society composed by a limited number of families, or to a country with one billion-strong population or even a global society. Naturally, all the responsibilities and special functions of the government that bespeak of the raison d’être of the state-especially in densely populated societies-cannot be shouldered by a single or two persons.

Issues related to internal security, defense against foreign enemies, supervision of economic activities and international affairs, conduct of international relations, the observance of Islamic rites and the implementation of Islamic laws are also extremely heavy responsibilities. So, the option is to have division of labor. This division of labor can be done in two ways, viz. horizontally and vertically. That is, both sections of government activities are located in two separate compartments comprising two triangular shanks which do not intersect each other at the middle and finally end at the top of the pyramid.

In plain language, the best and most expressive similitude of government is a pyramid, hence, the term “pyramid (hierarchy) of power” has been chosen by political philosophers for government. The hierarchy of power is like a pyramid which has its own specific features. It consists of a triangular base and different sloping sides that meet in a point at the top.

Once we consider the government in its general sense, each side of the pyramid represents a section of government responsibilities. Based on the division of power in the political and legal philosophy of Montesquieu government power is divided into three branches-legislative, judiciary and executive-the three ‘sides’ or sections of government deal with legislation, adjudication and implementation. One part of government activities consists of codifying general and particular laws and ordinances; another part is related to the resolution of conflicts and differences according to law; yet another part deals with implementation of laws and management of society.

Grounds for overlapping of functions

It is true that division into three is appropriate and proper, but it must be noted that drawing dividing lines is not an easy job. In practice we can never totally remove enactment and codification of laws and ordinances as well as ratification of bylaws from the executive branch and not allow executive power at any level to engage in the enactment of executive orders and bylaws. Nowadays, in all democratic countries that have recognized the separation of powers, there is willy-nilly a degree of overlapping between legislation and implementation. The most evident form of overlapping of functions can be observed in parliamentary systems. Meanwhile, democratic systems are classified into two: parliamentary and presidential:

1. The parliamentary system of government is formed on the basis of the fusion of power. That is, all powers are concentrated in parliament. After the election of members of parliament (MPs) from among electoral candidates of various parties and the formation of parliament, high-ranking executive officials, such as the premier and cabinet ministers are elected from among the MPs. Under this system, parliament grants authority to ministers to head different ministries and it may also take back that authority.

2. The presidential system of government is based on the principle of separation of powers. Under this system, the president or chief executive is not elected by congress. Ministers are directly appointed by the president and the legislature cannot remove them. Reciprocally, the legislature is separate and independent from the executive. Under this system, the essential and irreconcilable difference between membership in congress and

membership in cabinet is that the president cannot appoint an MP to a cabinet position unless the said MP resigns from his post in congress.

In the presidential system the president is directly elected by the people, and an overlapping of functions is observed. The codification of some ordinances and bylaws is delegated to the cabinet of ministers. Nowadays, in our country an executive order is legally sufficient to undertake some social, economic and other transactions. That is, the cabinet holds a meeting, and after a series of discussions and deliberations, issues an order which it also implements. Thus, the cabinet has been authorized to enact and ratify a set of ordinances in some cases.

Meanwhile, the function of parliament is legislation and ratification of bills but it also assumes executive functions in some cases. For example, signing contracts with foreign states is an executive matter, and as a rule, the executive has to directly sign them, but because of the importance and sensitivity of this issue, observance of all precautions, prevention of any abuse, essential scrutiny of the conditions of such contracts and necessary investigations and precautions are observed by the cabinet, then deliberated upon by the legislative house and implemented only after ratification and approval by the deputies.

In conclusion, the notion of separation of powers demands that the three powers-judiciary, legislative, executive-function independently but in practice there is overlapping of functions experienced by the varying political systems in the world. Of course, the more the separation of powers is observed, the more autonomous each power will be, and the chances of abuse of power and interference in each other’s functions will automatically decrease.

References

1. Surah an-Nisa’ 4:59.

2. Surah al-Hashr 59:7.

3. See Imam Khomeini, Islamic Government: The Governance of the Jurist, trans. Hamid Algar (Tehran: The Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works, 2001). http://www.al-islam.org/islamicgovernment [Trans.]

4. Surah Yunus 10:32.

5. Usul al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 67; Wasa’il ash-Shi‘ah, vol. 1, chap. 2, p.34.

6. Surah al-Hijr 15:39.

Angels prostration for Adam PUH

Said God let praise be to Him: And whenWe said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all saveIblis . He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever (Al-Baqarah : 34).And in another position He said toIblis blaming him for not prostrating: He said: What hindered thee that thou didst not fall prostrate when I bade thee?

(Al-A’raf : 12). The damned said then: I am better thanhim .Thoucreatedst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud, and continued: Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path, then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right hands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden (unto Thee). And also said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead).and God answered: Then lo!thou art of those reprieved Till the Day of appointed time. And Godsaid also: and they fell prostrate, all saveIblis . He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord’s command (Al-Kahf : 50)

So the phrases that points out the facts about the creation of Adam (PUH) and the prostration of Angels before him after the commandments of God and the rebel ofIblis against God’s command for he is created of fire and Adam was created of mud or clay and God’s damnations upon him and his exile out of paradise and keeping him unable to get through the veils while he used to go through them with Angles before and the request ofIblis for God to compensate him for his worship to God for thousands of years and the God’s answer to him and giving him whatever he likes of life’s goods and the most important of those goods is staying alive as long as life do exist and being in control of Adam’s descendants and being close to them as blood in the vessels and Made (God) their chests a home for him and for his sons (Iblis ) except the faithful slaves of God, such phrases are a lot in the Holy Book and they can be founded also in Holy Books that was revealed before Quran.

Meditate in these Holy phrases a meditation of thinking and not as memorizing a tale. Without understanding the desired meaning of God’sspeech, and you must check out the truth from these whowho know Quran very well, or their viceroys, who act and do as they did, and don’t take saying meant to give explanation to the phrases of the Book of your God who said: Noneknoweth its explanation save Allah.And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein;

the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed (Al-Imran : 7), and those who know are only who upon them the Holy Book was revealed and that is Muhammad (PUH) and his descendants who had the Prevention (They make no mistakes) and they know better. [Note: this paragraph contained a high level of philosophicalterms which I couldn’t translate nor understand, so it wasapproperiate to take the overall meaning and translate it]

And what was told of tidings from them (the Holy Family PUT) that growing proud was the first sin, soIblis did say: O Lord, release me from prostration before Adam, and I used to worship you as no close Angel did nor a sent prophet, then the God did say to him: no need for your worshipping, but I want to be worshipped as I want not as you want. And so Iblis refused to prostrate, then God said to him: Get out of it, you are damned. Then saidIblis : O Lord!how ?and you are the Just that does no wrong, so my reward for worshipping is false? Then God said tohim: No, but ask anything of life’s matter as a reward for your deeds and I shall give it to you.

The first thing he asked was to be immortal until the time of the doomsday, so God said to him: it isyours.Then he asked to be in control of Adam’s descendants, so God said to him:I made you of control. Then he asked to make him run through them as blood in vessels, so God said tohim: I made you run through them.

ThenIblis did say: no one would give a birth for one, shall be accompanied by two for me, and I will see them but they won’t and I would be shaped in front of them in whatever shape I like, so the God said then: I give all of that. Then the damned (Iblis )said: O Lord, give me more. Sothen the God said: I made for you and your descendants homes in their chests. After all thatIblis did say: O Lord, this is enough forme . Then that he did say: O Lord by your Highness I would make them domischiefs except your faithful slaves, then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right hands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden.

It was told about the explanation of the Holy phrase “then I shall come upon them from before them” is that “I will make them not serious in thinking of the doomsday” like telling them that God is merciful and only punishes for worshipping another, but everything else God can forgive you about.And “from behind them” that is “I will order them to keep on gathering money and be misers to keep it for their heirs”, and “from their right hands” that is “I will worsen their believes and let them add and change their creeds”, and “from their left hands” that is “I will make their hearts in great love for joys and amusement and whatever like it.”

FromIbn ‘Abbâs , that the first one to measure (compare) wasIblis , and he was wrong in this matter, and whoever after him would do the same he would be paired by God in the doomsday withIblis , and the measurement (comparement ) is that when he said: You made me of fire and made him of mud (or clay), and that meant to be that I’m (Iblis speaking) of morehonour than him (Adam) and better, because fire is higher and of morehonour than mud, and so the prostrate must have been from him (Adam) to me (Iblis ) and not the other wise by the measurements ofhonour and priority,

and the damned didn’t know thehonour of Adam and of what God knows from his virtues (Adam’s) and the Holy Lights that he bore in his descendants, and it will come from his descendants the prophets and their viceroys with the saints and the faithful, and the masters of the creation, Muhammad and his Household (family, descendants) that God wish is but to remove uncleanness far from them, and cleanse them with a thorough cleansing, who are the main reason for the creation of the universe and everything in it. And so he (Iblis ) envied him (Adam) and got wicked.And for the God’s saying “Lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire,And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit,

then fall down before him prostrate” (Sad: 71,72) the Prince of Believers (‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH) commented about this: They all prostrated, exceptIblis who got pride growing into him for his creation of fire and scorned the mud (or clay) creation, and so God gave him the delay for he (Iblis ) deserved damnations, and for the completeness of his trouble, and the completeness of his mortality, so God said to him: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved, Till the Day of appointed time (Al-Hijr : 37,38).

Notice how muchdid the Prince of Believers (PUH) overflow us with the facts about this interesting matter of unique meanings and wisdom that could be deduced from its deepest secrets and its hidden jokes.We have left out most of his speech (PUH) for the fear of boredom, and it was told that after what God gave toIblis from control and power, Adam (PUH) said: O Lord, you have givenIblis the control over my descendants and made him run as the blood in the vessel into them and all of the other things that you gave to him, so for what for me and my descendants?

So God answered him: the wrong done would be counted as one, and the good done would be counted as ten. Then did Adam (PUH) say: O Lord, giveme more, so the God answered: Repentance would be accepted until the soul would come to the throat [apparently meant at death time], then Adam (PUH) said: O Lord, give me more.So the God answered: I will forgive no matter what, then Adam (PUH) said: O Lord this is quite enough. One questioner did say to Al-Imam Al-Sâdiq (PUH): O may I be a ransom to you, for what didIblis deserve all of what God gave him?he answered (PUH): for something he did to God and God appreciated that for him, then the question did say: and what did he do may I be a ransom to you?he answered (PUH): for two bows (kneeling, in prayer) he did in heavens in a time of fourthousands years.

And it was told from Al-Nahj [Nahj Al-Balâgha , a book that collected speeches of ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH] that Al-Imam ‘Ali (PUH) said that he (Iblis ) did pray two bows in heavens in sixthousands years. Itis not known if it is counted as years of earthly time, or in time of heavens, and it is not quite far that both tales are true and God only knows.

FromTawoos andMojâhid : thatIblis before doing the sin was one of the Angels and his name was ‘Azâziel , and he was one of the earth’s inhabitants, and the inhabitants of earth from Angels were called theDjinn , and among Angels there were on like him in his worshipping and wisdom, so when he rebelled against God may praise be to Him, God damned him and made him a demon and called himIblis , and he was noted as being a disbeliever in God’s knowledge.

The apparent from this tale thatIblis was one of the Angels opposes the apparent phrase from the Holy Book “all saveIblis . He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord’s command” (Al-Kahf : 50) and also opposes the famous opinion among the wise men of Muslims and its tales and stories, and it is the base that all Muslims agreed on naturally and the repeated phrases in the Holy Book about this matter, and the most of the explanations made for them (the phrases), and even it opposes the thought ofIblis when he said: You created me of fire and created him of mud..etc and so this tale opposes the most famous opinions about the matter so be aware.

FromJameel ben Darâj said: I askedAbâ ‘Abdullah Al-Sâdiq (PUH) about whetherIblis was one of the Angels orDjinn , so he said (PUH): Angels saw that he was one of them but only God knew that he wasn’t one of them, and when was ordered to prostrate he did what he did. Some wise men that are into deep insight said that wise men of Islam differ in considering whetherIblis is one of the Angels or not.Most of the speakers about the matter and lot of our wise men [Shiites wise men are meant here] like Al-Shaikh Al-Mofeed and others that said thatIblis is one of theDjinn and not Angels, and then he said (Al-Shaikh Al-Mofeed ) that tidings been told frequently from the Imam’s of Guidance (PUT) about this fact, and it is true in the creed ofImamism . [Imamism :this term is coined by me and don’t know if there is an equivalent term for it. It points out to the creed of believing in the 12 viceroys or Imams after the death of the prophet Muhammad,may peace be upon him and his Household], and other branch believed that he (Iblis ) was one of the Angels.

The clue of the second branch that believed thatIblis is one of the Angels is from someHadith’s (or speeches) and one of them is what have been mentioned before fromTawoos andMojâhid , and also believed thatIblis was one of the keepers of paradises, and he held the treasures of heavens and earth, and other stuff had been said, but anyhow as you can see nothing of that is convenient to what was mentioned about the believe of the first branch which is the mostchoosen and the most supported with the confession ofIblis himself as mentioned before.

It had been told from Al-Zajjâj that he said: Holy phrases did differ in mentioning of whatdid the creation of Adam (PUH) start with. In one position in the Holy Book that God created him out of sand, and in other out of mud, and in another out of black mud, and also in another position out of clay. He continued: and all of the previous belong to one origin which is the sand, which is the origin of mud, and so God informed us that he made him out of sand, then made it into mud, then transferred into black mud and finally as clay.

Useful Caution

About what was been told in the Holy phrases of the saying of the damned which is “Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path...etc”, it is apparent that the damned thought God made him astray and this is something can’t be accepted by the right-thinking minds and it is against and opposes the justice and the holiness that are well-known of God may praise be to Him, and above all these mistaken words about Him He shall be. And so the damned appointed to God that He made him astray, and this is what is mentioned in the creed ofJabarism [Another coined term by me] of Al-Ashâ’irah (?) [seems a branch of this creed], and it is one of the corrupted believes without any doubt about that, because its contents is not accepted by me, nor others would accept it for themselves.

Is it possible for someone to accept for himself being mentioned that he obliged a slave of him to domischiefs and sins and then punish him for doing this?

No and no, and this is the case here of what had been appointed to God, The most exalted. May God make shame be with them, as He made it with their master and director and teacher the damnedIblis may damnations be upon him.All of the matter was because of his wrong chosen path, and God exiled him and avoided him from His mercy and banned him from His paradise, because he rebelled and refused His command to prostrate to Adam (PUH) with the rest of Angels, and them (PUT) didn’t stop for one moment but prostrated directly as they are commanded to do and they did not think about a reason for this and didn’t get a pride against it, but instead they did obey the command of their Lord and don’t think about anything else except His command, and never argue about it.

When God examinedIblis by prostrating for Adam (PUH), he got so high with his pride andhonour for what he was created of and got rebelled, and God knew his intention and his perversity, and all of his long worshipping and praising was only for the sake of life and for what he wishes and deems, and so he got wicked by his soul and obeyed it and so it owned him and captivated him away from his Creator. And when God wanted to put him under the test and wanted him to refuse what his soul is ordering him to do, he disbelieved in His grace and got ready for war, and so he is a foe for the Great God, The One of Grace, and then his greatest foe is this to whom he was ordered to prostrate before him and that is Adam (PUH) so he sat his hate for him (Adam) and for his descendants until the time of doomsday.

(The inhabitation of Adam in paradise)

The Prince of Believers (PUH) said in Al-Nahj : Then God made Adam inhabit a place of much grace and made it a safe place for him, and warned him ofIblis and his hostility, and so his foe envied him (Adam) for his place of inhabitation and his company of the faithful, so then he (Adam) paid for what was so sure with his doubt, and for the power with his weakness,

and exchanged hilarity with fear, and pride with regret, then God Relented toward him and Gave him the words of His mercy and Promised him that he would be back to his paradise, and Got him down to the place of troubles and breeding.What is apparent from this speech of the Prince of Believers (PUH) and from lot of tales and Holy phrases about the subject of Adam’s paradise that God made himinhabt , that it is the paradise that God promised for His faithful after life for their deeds, or even as a gift for these of faith in His prophets and Holy Books, and so his saying (PUH) about the place of inhabitation and the company of the faithful, do appoint out to the paradise after life and not the gardens of this life, and it is apparent for these who got a cautious hearts and a well mind, and then meditate in his saying (PUH) about getting back to his (Adam) paradise and getting him down to the place of troubles and breeding.

And there is no need to explain and interpret more than that and saying the opposition of what had been said in the speech, and the more opposition that might be made against it, then it is an ignorance and perversity that are not needed.

It is told from some tales and speeches that theinhbaitation of Adam and Eve (PUT) in paradise lasted for seven hours as measured in this life’s days, and so their out was in the same day that they got in and if they did obey the commandments of their Lord, they would have been lasted for more time and never got out of it.

(How was it correct to prostrate before Adam by angels and he’s just a creation)

Prostration, is not allowed and not correct except for God may praise be to Him, because it is a worshipping and it won’t be except for God, otherwise it would be a disbelieve or paganism and such thing is impossible to be done by the Angels that are protected against doing any sins. The real matter is that this prostration is done by a commandment from God and so it is a prostration for God asit was mentioned by them (PUT) [“them” meaning the prophet and his Household PUT] about this matter. From Al-Sâdiq (PUH): whoever prostrated by a command from God, then it is a prostration for God and obeying his order, and if itwasn’t the commandment by His Highness he wouldn’t prostrate.And this is what had been told also by Al-Imam ‘Aliben Muhammad Al-Hâdi (PUH) when he said: prostration before Adam by Angels was not for Adam but for obeying God and endearment for Adam.

After all, prostration before Adam was but as an endearment for him and inreal it was worshipping for God because it was done by His command.Al-Mohaddeth Al-Qommi in “Safeenat Al-Bihâr ” in Al-Moqâm [apparently seems it is a book name done by a person called Al-Mohaddeth Al-Qommi ] did say: you should know that Muslims all agreed that prostrating was not for the purpose of worshipping, but as an endearment for Adam (PUH) and in deep it was a worshipping for God since it was by His command and this is chosen by most of the interpreters,

and God’s sayings “then fall down before him prostrate”(Sad: 72) and about Joseph (PUH) “they fell down before him prostrate” (Yusuf: 100) both have the same interpretation, and the prostration was for God only and for obeying His commandment and was for the endearment of Adam and Joseph (PUT), like prostrating for God for theoccurence of grace or the disappearing of a grace. It is told from Prince of Believers (PUH) that he said that the first spot on earth that God was worshipped on is that onKufa [a city in Iraq that had been made a capital during the rule of ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH] and that was when God ordered Angels to prostrate before Adam (PUH) and so they did that on the surface ofKufa .

(Some tales related to our research)

From Musaben Jafar (PUH), that ajew came and asked the Prince of Believers (PUH) about a miracle for the prophet (PUH) like the miracles of other prophets, and that God made Angels prostrate before Adam so would that be also for Muhammad (PUH)? so ‘Ali (PUH) answered: that was indeed, but God made the Angels prostrate for Adam not for obeying nor worshipping Adam instead of God, but it was as a confession from them for the virtues of Adam (PUH),

and for Muhammad (PUH) he was given what is better than this and higher, and that is because God assigned blessings upon him in His Highness and ordered the Angels to say the blessings upon him, and also the believers worship and pray by saying the blessings upon him Don’t you say in your prayer and other prayers: Oh God bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad? and this is in a place much higher and greater than prostrating before Adam (PUH),

and in the speech of God to the damnedIblis : Art thou too proud or art thou of the high exalted?(Sad: 75), and in a speech for the prophet of God (PUH) that these “high exalted” are the prophet himself (PUH), Muhammadben ‘Abdullah (PUH) and ‘Ali,Fâtima , Al-Hasan and Al-Husain (PUT), then said the prophet (PUH): we were in the awning of the Throne, sanctifying God and Angels with us, before creating Adam by twothousands years, and when God created Adam He commanded the Angels to prostrate before him but Did not command us, and so all the Angels prostrated exceptIblis , so then God said to him: Art thou too proud or art thou of the high exalted? Meaning ofthe these five that their names are written on the awning of the Throne.

From ‘Aliben Al-Husain (PUH): Adam did look to the apex of the Throne and saw the lights of our ghosts, so then God said tohim: O Adam, these ghosts are the best of my creation. Then He told him their names and Told him: By them I take and by them I give and by them I punish and by them I reward, O Adam ask me by them, and when you are in trouble make them your intercessors to me, because I decided not to refuse any requests (prayers) made by them.That’s why after that after he and Eve got into the trouble of the sin, he prayed and asked God by their names so then God made arepentace upon him.

From an interpretation from Al-Imam Al-’Askari (PUH) in a long speech and this is part of it: When God put Al-Husainben ‘Ali (PUH) and these who were with him under the test by the army that wanted to kill him, he (Al-Husain PUH) saw their large numbers and saw his folks and knew that they want not but him, and whenever they would kill him they wouldn’t ask for another, and so he released them (his folks) from their swear of fealty and commanded them to quit and depart him and said to them: let me with these.

God helpsme as He used to be with our ancestors, and his folks did depart him except few of them.His closer relatives and household refused to leave and told him: we will not leave you until we die forthee OAbâ ‘Abdullah [another name for Al-Husain PUH] and when he saw their assertiveness and that they would not leave him until they die for him, he said to them: if you decided for yourselves what I decided for myself then know that God gives the high places for his slaves by their patience for the troubles they face and that you will have that from God’s gifts to you, and know that this life is just a dream and theafter life is the real awakening.

Shall notI tell you our beginnings?They answered: for sure O son of the prophet, then he said: When God created Adam, He told him the names of everything, and when He showed them to the Angels they said “We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us” (Al-Baqarah : 32) and He made the lights of Muhammad, ‘Ali,Fâtima , Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and they are the five ghosts, at the back of Adam, and their lights were shining in the horizons of heavens,

veils, paradises, the Chair (?) and the Throne, and God then commanded the Angels to prostrate before Adam as an endearment for he was but a container for these ghosts that their lights shined in the horizons, so the Angels did prostrate exceptIblis who denied to be humble for our lights we the Household, after the Angels did humbling and obeyed the command of God and for this their level got higher and got thehonour , andIblis was damned and exiled out and shame got upon him and so he is a foe for Him and His faithful slaves until the doomsday.

It was mentioned in some tales of Al-Sâdiqiyah [here, maybe it meant tales that was told by Al-Sâdiq PUH] and also from ‘Aliben Ibrâhim about thesaying of God: Till the Day of appointed time (Al-Hijr : 38), what is meant here is the time when he (Iblis ) gets slaughtered by the hands of the prophet of God (PUH) on the Rock that is in Jerusalem.

Al-Sayed Al-Jazâ’eri said that he (Iblis ) was appointedtil the day of the appearance of Al-Mahdee (PUH) and it is the minor doomsday, and there are lot of tidings about this matter, and we have explained what is related to this subject in the introduction of this book that you read now, and the return of the prophets and messengers and in special our prophet Muhammad The Chosen (PUH) and the purified Imams (PUT) after the appearance of the “Awaited Absent” may our souls be in ransom to him to take revenge of their foes, is something that must be and it is one of the believes for Shiites, orlets say most of the Muslims in general, and it is called the minor doomsday, but only after the long journey with troubles and when most of the created would turn away from the path and life would be full of wrong and injustice, it is then when we shall see the release is close and it is the time. May God paces up the re-appearance of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and May He make us one of their supporters and companions, and martyrs between their hands by the rights of the prophet and his purified Household (PUT )

The reason for getting Adam down from paradise to earth

FromMos’adah ben Sadaqah from Al-Sâdiq (PUH) from the prophet (PUH) that Moses the son ofAmram [Arabic: Musaben Imrân ] (PUH) asked his Lord to let him see Adam (PUH) and so He answered him and made him see Adam, and then Moses didsay: O Father!you are the one that God created with His own hands and made you live in His paradise and prohibited you from one tree so you couldn’t be patient enoughtil you fell on earth because of it, and couldn’t you control yourself away from it and soIblis seduced you and you followed him and so you are the one that got us out of paradise because of your sin.

Then did say Adam (PUH): O son take it easy on your father for the matter of this tree. O sonmy foe approached by trick and plot, so he swore to me by God that his opinion is a good advice and he said to me: O Adam I am sad for you, so I said to him: and how is that?he said: I enjoyed being with you and you will be out of what you are in now to what you hate, I asked him: and what to do?he said to me: here is what to do, do you want me to guide you to the tree of eternity and an endless reign so you can eat from it with your wife and then you shall both be in paradise with me for eternity, and he swore to me by God and he was a liar that he has the truthful advice, and O Moses I never thought that someone would swear by God and he is a liar, so I trusted his oath and this is my excuse, so tell me son, do you find out from what had been revealed to you from God that my sin was noted before I get created, then Moses said to him: before a long time. Then said the prophet (Muhammad PUH): and so did Adamovercame Moses in the argument.

From Al-Sâdiq (PUH) also: when Adam was put out of paradise, Gabriel (PUH) came down to him and said: O Adam, didn’t God create you with His hands and Breathed into you of His Spirit and made the Angels prostrate before you, and Got you Eve as a wife and Made you inhabit paradise and Prohibited you directly from eating from that tree but you made the sin? Then Adam (PUH)said: Iblis did swear to me by God, and I never thought that someone from God’s creation would swear by Him falsely!

And what is understood from the previous conversation between Moses and Adam (PUT) that the sin was something meant to be and predestinated long ago before Adam’s creation and from the world of atom [It is believed that everything exists in this life including people existed before becoming alive or born in a world or a dimension where they were just atoms], at the time of creating the spirits before his (Adam) existence by twothousands years, and it is a case which was a battle field for several opinions and many people got doomed for theirmis -interpretations and not understanding the truth in it, and it is a case of God’sjudgement and what He Has predestined for His creation before his existence.

And the solution for this case for us in general is: God founded in this human the power that could aid him in doing what God appointed to him and Made him able to do, and Left him the selection and Gave him the mind and brain with which he can differentiate between what’s wrong andwhats true, and what would make God satisfied or dissatisfied. After the knowledge and looking into the path of these faithful to God and their viceroys and every allowed path that leads to it (?), that God knows whatever he chooses or does fromwether it be a sin or obeying for His commandments, for He knows the ends of workings and deeds that are done by His slaves and no incidents would happen without Hisknowledgement before his (the human) existence, by his well or bad chose, and He His Highness the one that knows thethe guilt of Adam whatever would be acted by him and whatever he would choose, as it is the case with all His creations and slaves,

so from Him may praise be to Him the powers and destinies in doings and not-doings, and the selection is made for these of responsibilities by mind, heart and reality, and He is the one who Knows the ends and what these of responsibilities might choose for themselves, if it was good it is good, and if it an evil it is an evil, and there is no forcing for the slave, but it is something in between, because the force and power is from His Highness, and the full choice for these of responsibilities, and God knows what might the slave choose for himself.

(What is the tree that was prohibited for AdamPUH )

Tales and speeches had differed about of what type is it and what is it. Some said it is wheat and some said it is vine and grape while others said it is camphor and still others said it is the fig. Itis said also that it is the tree of good and evil and it was said it is the tree of eternity that the Angels used to eat from, and more had been said. FromM’ânee Al-Akhbâr [seems a book name] in its basing to Al-Harawee said:I said to Al-Ridhâ (PUH): O son of prophet of God, tell me about the tree that Adam and Eve ate from, what was it?

because many people differ in its nature, some say it is wheat, some say it is grape and some say it is tree of the envy, then he said (PUH): all of that is right, then I said: then what is the meaning of all these different opinions?then he said (PUH): OAbâ As-Silt [=Al-Harawee ], the tree of paradise carries types, so it was wheat carrying grapes and it is not like the trees of our life, and when Godhonoured him and Reminded him of the prostrating of Angels before him and Letting him into the paradise, he (Adam) said to himself: did God created a human better than me? and God knew what was between him and himself and so Called him and told him:

O Adam, left up your head and look to the leg of the Throne, so then Adam left up his head and looked into the leg of the Throne and found there it was written on it: No other God but Allah, Muhammad is the prophet of Allah, ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib is the Appointed from God and his wifeFâtima is the mistress of all women, and Al-Hasan and Al-Husain are the masters of paradise’s young people, so said Adam: O Lord, who are they? then said His Highness: they are from your descendants, and they are better than you and than the rest of my creation, and for them only I did create you, and Created paradise and hell, and heavens with earth, so be aware not to envy them and wish for their place and so demon would take control over you, so then he got something inhisself about them and then did the demon control over him until he ate from the tree that he was prohibited from, and took control over Eve for her thoughts of envy aboutFâtima (PUH) until she ate from the tree like Adam did, and so God put them out from His side down to earth.

And in contents of the tale as it is with other tales, the word “wish for their place” points out that the meaning is “glee” and not “envy” in its real meaning, because glee like wishing for their place, and envy is wishing for their obsolescence, because envying is a sin and points out to a lame character and the glee is totally against that, and it is impossible for the father of human beings and prophets and messenger, and the one whom Angels did prostrate before by God’s commandment and whom God Had created with His Hands and Inhabited in paradise then had been chosen by God and Made him a prophet, it is impossible for him to be an envious one, and from this point we believe that the prohibition from eating from that tree was a prohibition for the purity and not for a taboo, and it was mentioned before something about the protection of prophets against doing sins and there is more to do about that to come to you by God’s well, and the meaning of the tree of envy is that eating from it was because of envy, and if it was the envy it would not have been eaten.

And it is mentioned that if it wasn’t Adam’s (PUH) guilt, no faithful would have done any guilt ever, and if it wasn’t that God relented toward Adam, there would not have been any repentance for any guilty ever, and from Al-Sâdiq (PUH) that he was asked that how come the inheritance of man is as much as twice of that of females so he said (PUH): that is because the number of fruits that Adam and Eve ate were eighteen, twelve were eaten by Adam and six were eaten by Eve and so the inheritance is made up as mentioned before.

Ithad been told that when Adam was down from paradise a black mole appeared in his face from the top of ittil its feet and so long was his sadness and crying for this, then came Gabriel (PUH) and said to him: why crying Adam?so he (Adam) said: for this mole thatoccured in me, so then he (Gabriel) told him: get up and pray, it is time for the first prayer, so Adam did that and the moleshrinked to his chest, then he (Gabriel) came again at the time of the second prayer and said to him: get up Adam and pray this is the time for the second prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his navel, and then came again at the time of the third prayer and said to him:

get up Adam and pray this is the time for the third prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his knee, then he came at the time of the fourth prayer and said to him: get up Adam and pray this is the time for the fourth prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his legs, then he came at the time of the fifth prayer and Adam did the same and the mole was out of him and he thanked God for this a lot, then Gabriel did say to him: O Adam, your sons in this prayer are like you in this mole, and who would pray from your sons each day and night five prayers he would be out of his sins as you got out of this mole.

And also in a speech that when Adam (PUH) got down on earth he got a beard as black as coal, so he held it with his hand and said: O Lord, what is this?and He answered him: this is the beard, I made it as anornamet for you and your male descendants until the doomsday. And it was mentioned before that the inhabitation of Adam and Eve in paradise was for seven hours until they got out of it, and that God breathed in Adam with His Spirit after the sunset of Friday and then Created Eve after him,

then Commanded the Angels to prostrate before him and Made him inhabit His paradise since then, and the Imam (PUH) swore [not mentioned which Imam is it] that they did not stay more than these hours on that day until they did what was prohibited then God got them out after sunset and didn’t stay in it (Paradise) and they were moved to the yards of paradise until it was the morning and their loins appeared then their Lord said to them: Did not I prohibited you from that tree, so Adam got ashamed and shy of his Lord and said: O our Lord, we did wrong to ourselves and made a confession of our sins, O may You forgive us, then did God say: get down from My heavens to earth for no sinners would be in My paradise nor My heavens.

Angels prostration for Adam PUH

Said God let praise be to Him: And whenWe said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all saveIblis . He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever (Al-Baqarah : 34).And in another position He said toIblis blaming him for not prostrating: He said: What hindered thee that thou didst not fall prostrate when I bade thee?

(Al-A’raf : 12). The damned said then: I am better thanhim .Thoucreatedst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud, and continued: Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path, then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right hands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden (unto Thee). And also said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead).and God answered: Then lo!thou art of those reprieved Till the Day of appointed time. And Godsaid also: and they fell prostrate, all saveIblis . He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord’s command (Al-Kahf : 50)

So the phrases that points out the facts about the creation of Adam (PUH) and the prostration of Angels before him after the commandments of God and the rebel ofIblis against God’s command for he is created of fire and Adam was created of mud or clay and God’s damnations upon him and his exile out of paradise and keeping him unable to get through the veils while he used to go through them with Angles before and the request ofIblis for God to compensate him for his worship to God for thousands of years and the God’s answer to him and giving him whatever he likes of life’s goods and the most important of those goods is staying alive as long as life do exist and being in control of Adam’s descendants and being close to them as blood in the vessels and Made (God) their chests a home for him and for his sons (Iblis ) except the faithful slaves of God, such phrases are a lot in the Holy Book and they can be founded also in Holy Books that was revealed before Quran.

Meditate in these Holy phrases a meditation of thinking and not as memorizing a tale. Without understanding the desired meaning of God’sspeech, and you must check out the truth from these whowho know Quran very well, or their viceroys, who act and do as they did, and don’t take saying meant to give explanation to the phrases of the Book of your God who said: Noneknoweth its explanation save Allah.And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein;

the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed (Al-Imran : 7), and those who know are only who upon them the Holy Book was revealed and that is Muhammad (PUH) and his descendants who had the Prevention (They make no mistakes) and they know better. [Note: this paragraph contained a high level of philosophicalterms which I couldn’t translate nor understand, so it wasapproperiate to take the overall meaning and translate it]

And what was told of tidings from them (the Holy Family PUT) that growing proud was the first sin, soIblis did say: O Lord, release me from prostration before Adam, and I used to worship you as no close Angel did nor a sent prophet, then the God did say to him: no need for your worshipping, but I want to be worshipped as I want not as you want. And so Iblis refused to prostrate, then God said to him: Get out of it, you are damned. Then saidIblis : O Lord!how ?and you are the Just that does no wrong, so my reward for worshipping is false? Then God said tohim: No, but ask anything of life’s matter as a reward for your deeds and I shall give it to you.

The first thing he asked was to be immortal until the time of the doomsday, so God said to him: it isyours.Then he asked to be in control of Adam’s descendants, so God said to him:I made you of control. Then he asked to make him run through them as blood in vessels, so God said tohim: I made you run through them.

ThenIblis did say: no one would give a birth for one, shall be accompanied by two for me, and I will see them but they won’t and I would be shaped in front of them in whatever shape I like, so the God said then: I give all of that. Then the damned (Iblis )said: O Lord, give me more. Sothen the God said: I made for you and your descendants homes in their chests. After all thatIblis did say: O Lord, this is enough forme . Then that he did say: O Lord by your Highness I would make them domischiefs except your faithful slaves, then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right hands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden.

It was told about the explanation of the Holy phrase “then I shall come upon them from before them” is that “I will make them not serious in thinking of the doomsday” like telling them that God is merciful and only punishes for worshipping another, but everything else God can forgive you about.And “from behind them” that is “I will order them to keep on gathering money and be misers to keep it for their heirs”, and “from their right hands” that is “I will worsen their believes and let them add and change their creeds”, and “from their left hands” that is “I will make their hearts in great love for joys and amusement and whatever like it.”

FromIbn ‘Abbâs , that the first one to measure (compare) wasIblis , and he was wrong in this matter, and whoever after him would do the same he would be paired by God in the doomsday withIblis , and the measurement (comparement ) is that when he said: You made me of fire and made him of mud (or clay), and that meant to be that I’m (Iblis speaking) of morehonour than him (Adam) and better, because fire is higher and of morehonour than mud, and so the prostrate must have been from him (Adam) to me (Iblis ) and not the other wise by the measurements ofhonour and priority,

and the damned didn’t know thehonour of Adam and of what God knows from his virtues (Adam’s) and the Holy Lights that he bore in his descendants, and it will come from his descendants the prophets and their viceroys with the saints and the faithful, and the masters of the creation, Muhammad and his Household (family, descendants) that God wish is but to remove uncleanness far from them, and cleanse them with a thorough cleansing, who are the main reason for the creation of the universe and everything in it. And so he (Iblis ) envied him (Adam) and got wicked.And for the God’s saying “Lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire,And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit,

then fall down before him prostrate” (Sad: 71,72) the Prince of Believers (‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH) commented about this: They all prostrated, exceptIblis who got pride growing into him for his creation of fire and scorned the mud (or clay) creation, and so God gave him the delay for he (Iblis ) deserved damnations, and for the completeness of his trouble, and the completeness of his mortality, so God said to him: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved, Till the Day of appointed time (Al-Hijr : 37,38).

Notice how muchdid the Prince of Believers (PUH) overflow us with the facts about this interesting matter of unique meanings and wisdom that could be deduced from its deepest secrets and its hidden jokes.We have left out most of his speech (PUH) for the fear of boredom, and it was told that after what God gave toIblis from control and power, Adam (PUH) said: O Lord, you have givenIblis the control over my descendants and made him run as the blood in the vessel into them and all of the other things that you gave to him, so for what for me and my descendants?

So God answered him: the wrong done would be counted as one, and the good done would be counted as ten. Then did Adam (PUH) say: O Lord, giveme more, so the God answered: Repentance would be accepted until the soul would come to the throat [apparently meant at death time], then Adam (PUH) said: O Lord, give me more.So the God answered: I will forgive no matter what, then Adam (PUH) said: O Lord this is quite enough. One questioner did say to Al-Imam Al-Sâdiq (PUH): O may I be a ransom to you, for what didIblis deserve all of what God gave him?he answered (PUH): for something he did to God and God appreciated that for him, then the question did say: and what did he do may I be a ransom to you?he answered (PUH): for two bows (kneeling, in prayer) he did in heavens in a time of fourthousands years.

And it was told from Al-Nahj [Nahj Al-Balâgha , a book that collected speeches of ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH] that Al-Imam ‘Ali (PUH) said that he (Iblis ) did pray two bows in heavens in sixthousands years. Itis not known if it is counted as years of earthly time, or in time of heavens, and it is not quite far that both tales are true and God only knows.

FromTawoos andMojâhid : thatIblis before doing the sin was one of the Angels and his name was ‘Azâziel , and he was one of the earth’s inhabitants, and the inhabitants of earth from Angels were called theDjinn , and among Angels there were on like him in his worshipping and wisdom, so when he rebelled against God may praise be to Him, God damned him and made him a demon and called himIblis , and he was noted as being a disbeliever in God’s knowledge.

The apparent from this tale thatIblis was one of the Angels opposes the apparent phrase from the Holy Book “all saveIblis . He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord’s command” (Al-Kahf : 50) and also opposes the famous opinion among the wise men of Muslims and its tales and stories, and it is the base that all Muslims agreed on naturally and the repeated phrases in the Holy Book about this matter, and the most of the explanations made for them (the phrases), and even it opposes the thought ofIblis when he said: You created me of fire and created him of mud..etc and so this tale opposes the most famous opinions about the matter so be aware.

FromJameel ben Darâj said: I askedAbâ ‘Abdullah Al-Sâdiq (PUH) about whetherIblis was one of the Angels orDjinn , so he said (PUH): Angels saw that he was one of them but only God knew that he wasn’t one of them, and when was ordered to prostrate he did what he did. Some wise men that are into deep insight said that wise men of Islam differ in considering whetherIblis is one of the Angels or not.Most of the speakers about the matter and lot of our wise men [Shiites wise men are meant here] like Al-Shaikh Al-Mofeed and others that said thatIblis is one of theDjinn and not Angels, and then he said (Al-Shaikh Al-Mofeed ) that tidings been told frequently from the Imam’s of Guidance (PUT) about this fact, and it is true in the creed ofImamism . [Imamism :this term is coined by me and don’t know if there is an equivalent term for it. It points out to the creed of believing in the 12 viceroys or Imams after the death of the prophet Muhammad,may peace be upon him and his Household], and other branch believed that he (Iblis ) was one of the Angels.

The clue of the second branch that believed thatIblis is one of the Angels is from someHadith’s (or speeches) and one of them is what have been mentioned before fromTawoos andMojâhid , and also believed thatIblis was one of the keepers of paradises, and he held the treasures of heavens and earth, and other stuff had been said, but anyhow as you can see nothing of that is convenient to what was mentioned about the believe of the first branch which is the mostchoosen and the most supported with the confession ofIblis himself as mentioned before.

It had been told from Al-Zajjâj that he said: Holy phrases did differ in mentioning of whatdid the creation of Adam (PUH) start with. In one position in the Holy Book that God created him out of sand, and in other out of mud, and in another out of black mud, and also in another position out of clay. He continued: and all of the previous belong to one origin which is the sand, which is the origin of mud, and so God informed us that he made him out of sand, then made it into mud, then transferred into black mud and finally as clay.

Useful Caution

About what was been told in the Holy phrases of the saying of the damned which is “Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path...etc”, it is apparent that the damned thought God made him astray and this is something can’t be accepted by the right-thinking minds and it is against and opposes the justice and the holiness that are well-known of God may praise be to Him, and above all these mistaken words about Him He shall be. And so the damned appointed to God that He made him astray, and this is what is mentioned in the creed ofJabarism [Another coined term by me] of Al-Ashâ’irah (?) [seems a branch of this creed], and it is one of the corrupted believes without any doubt about that, because its contents is not accepted by me, nor others would accept it for themselves.

Is it possible for someone to accept for himself being mentioned that he obliged a slave of him to domischiefs and sins and then punish him for doing this?

No and no, and this is the case here of what had been appointed to God, The most exalted. May God make shame be with them, as He made it with their master and director and teacher the damnedIblis may damnations be upon him.All of the matter was because of his wrong chosen path, and God exiled him and avoided him from His mercy and banned him from His paradise, because he rebelled and refused His command to prostrate to Adam (PUH) with the rest of Angels, and them (PUT) didn’t stop for one moment but prostrated directly as they are commanded to do and they did not think about a reason for this and didn’t get a pride against it, but instead they did obey the command of their Lord and don’t think about anything else except His command, and never argue about it.

When God examinedIblis by prostrating for Adam (PUH), he got so high with his pride andhonour for what he was created of and got rebelled, and God knew his intention and his perversity, and all of his long worshipping and praising was only for the sake of life and for what he wishes and deems, and so he got wicked by his soul and obeyed it and so it owned him and captivated him away from his Creator. And when God wanted to put him under the test and wanted him to refuse what his soul is ordering him to do, he disbelieved in His grace and got ready for war, and so he is a foe for the Great God, The One of Grace, and then his greatest foe is this to whom he was ordered to prostrate before him and that is Adam (PUH) so he sat his hate for him (Adam) and for his descendants until the time of doomsday.

(The inhabitation of Adam in paradise)

The Prince of Believers (PUH) said in Al-Nahj : Then God made Adam inhabit a place of much grace and made it a safe place for him, and warned him ofIblis and his hostility, and so his foe envied him (Adam) for his place of inhabitation and his company of the faithful, so then he (Adam) paid for what was so sure with his doubt, and for the power with his weakness,

and exchanged hilarity with fear, and pride with regret, then God Relented toward him and Gave him the words of His mercy and Promised him that he would be back to his paradise, and Got him down to the place of troubles and breeding.What is apparent from this speech of the Prince of Believers (PUH) and from lot of tales and Holy phrases about the subject of Adam’s paradise that God made himinhabt , that it is the paradise that God promised for His faithful after life for their deeds, or even as a gift for these of faith in His prophets and Holy Books, and so his saying (PUH) about the place of inhabitation and the company of the faithful, do appoint out to the paradise after life and not the gardens of this life, and it is apparent for these who got a cautious hearts and a well mind, and then meditate in his saying (PUH) about getting back to his (Adam) paradise and getting him down to the place of troubles and breeding.

And there is no need to explain and interpret more than that and saying the opposition of what had been said in the speech, and the more opposition that might be made against it, then it is an ignorance and perversity that are not needed.

It is told from some tales and speeches that theinhbaitation of Adam and Eve (PUT) in paradise lasted for seven hours as measured in this life’s days, and so their out was in the same day that they got in and if they did obey the commandments of their Lord, they would have been lasted for more time and never got out of it.

(How was it correct to prostrate before Adam by angels and he’s just a creation)

Prostration, is not allowed and not correct except for God may praise be to Him, because it is a worshipping and it won’t be except for God, otherwise it would be a disbelieve or paganism and such thing is impossible to be done by the Angels that are protected against doing any sins. The real matter is that this prostration is done by a commandment from God and so it is a prostration for God asit was mentioned by them (PUT) [“them” meaning the prophet and his Household PUT] about this matter. From Al-Sâdiq (PUH): whoever prostrated by a command from God, then it is a prostration for God and obeying his order, and if itwasn’t the commandment by His Highness he wouldn’t prostrate.And this is what had been told also by Al-Imam ‘Aliben Muhammad Al-Hâdi (PUH) when he said: prostration before Adam by Angels was not for Adam but for obeying God and endearment for Adam.

After all, prostration before Adam was but as an endearment for him and inreal it was worshipping for God because it was done by His command.Al-Mohaddeth Al-Qommi in “Safeenat Al-Bihâr ” in Al-Moqâm [apparently seems it is a book name done by a person called Al-Mohaddeth Al-Qommi ] did say: you should know that Muslims all agreed that prostrating was not for the purpose of worshipping, but as an endearment for Adam (PUH) and in deep it was a worshipping for God since it was by His command and this is chosen by most of the interpreters,

and God’s sayings “then fall down before him prostrate”(Sad: 72) and about Joseph (PUH) “they fell down before him prostrate” (Yusuf: 100) both have the same interpretation, and the prostration was for God only and for obeying His commandment and was for the endearment of Adam and Joseph (PUT), like prostrating for God for theoccurence of grace or the disappearing of a grace. It is told from Prince of Believers (PUH) that he said that the first spot on earth that God was worshipped on is that onKufa [a city in Iraq that had been made a capital during the rule of ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib PUH] and that was when God ordered Angels to prostrate before Adam (PUH) and so they did that on the surface ofKufa .

(Some tales related to our research)

From Musaben Jafar (PUH), that ajew came and asked the Prince of Believers (PUH) about a miracle for the prophet (PUH) like the miracles of other prophets, and that God made Angels prostrate before Adam so would that be also for Muhammad (PUH)? so ‘Ali (PUH) answered: that was indeed, but God made the Angels prostrate for Adam not for obeying nor worshipping Adam instead of God, but it was as a confession from them for the virtues of Adam (PUH),

and for Muhammad (PUH) he was given what is better than this and higher, and that is because God assigned blessings upon him in His Highness and ordered the Angels to say the blessings upon him, and also the believers worship and pray by saying the blessings upon him Don’t you say in your prayer and other prayers: Oh God bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad? and this is in a place much higher and greater than prostrating before Adam (PUH),

and in the speech of God to the damnedIblis : Art thou too proud or art thou of the high exalted?(Sad: 75), and in a speech for the prophet of God (PUH) that these “high exalted” are the prophet himself (PUH), Muhammadben ‘Abdullah (PUH) and ‘Ali,Fâtima , Al-Hasan and Al-Husain (PUT), then said the prophet (PUH): we were in the awning of the Throne, sanctifying God and Angels with us, before creating Adam by twothousands years, and when God created Adam He commanded the Angels to prostrate before him but Did not command us, and so all the Angels prostrated exceptIblis , so then God said to him: Art thou too proud or art thou of the high exalted? Meaning ofthe these five that their names are written on the awning of the Throne.

From ‘Aliben Al-Husain (PUH): Adam did look to the apex of the Throne and saw the lights of our ghosts, so then God said tohim: O Adam, these ghosts are the best of my creation. Then He told him their names and Told him: By them I take and by them I give and by them I punish and by them I reward, O Adam ask me by them, and when you are in trouble make them your intercessors to me, because I decided not to refuse any requests (prayers) made by them.That’s why after that after he and Eve got into the trouble of the sin, he prayed and asked God by their names so then God made arepentace upon him.

From an interpretation from Al-Imam Al-’Askari (PUH) in a long speech and this is part of it: When God put Al-Husainben ‘Ali (PUH) and these who were with him under the test by the army that wanted to kill him, he (Al-Husain PUH) saw their large numbers and saw his folks and knew that they want not but him, and whenever they would kill him they wouldn’t ask for another, and so he released them (his folks) from their swear of fealty and commanded them to quit and depart him and said to them: let me with these.

God helpsme as He used to be with our ancestors, and his folks did depart him except few of them.His closer relatives and household refused to leave and told him: we will not leave you until we die forthee OAbâ ‘Abdullah [another name for Al-Husain PUH] and when he saw their assertiveness and that they would not leave him until they die for him, he said to them: if you decided for yourselves what I decided for myself then know that God gives the high places for his slaves by their patience for the troubles they face and that you will have that from God’s gifts to you, and know that this life is just a dream and theafter life is the real awakening.

Shall notI tell you our beginnings?They answered: for sure O son of the prophet, then he said: When God created Adam, He told him the names of everything, and when He showed them to the Angels they said “We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us” (Al-Baqarah : 32) and He made the lights of Muhammad, ‘Ali,Fâtima , Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and they are the five ghosts, at the back of Adam, and their lights were shining in the horizons of heavens,

veils, paradises, the Chair (?) and the Throne, and God then commanded the Angels to prostrate before Adam as an endearment for he was but a container for these ghosts that their lights shined in the horizons, so the Angels did prostrate exceptIblis who denied to be humble for our lights we the Household, after the Angels did humbling and obeyed the command of God and for this their level got higher and got thehonour , andIblis was damned and exiled out and shame got upon him and so he is a foe for Him and His faithful slaves until the doomsday.

It was mentioned in some tales of Al-Sâdiqiyah [here, maybe it meant tales that was told by Al-Sâdiq PUH] and also from ‘Aliben Ibrâhim about thesaying of God: Till the Day of appointed time (Al-Hijr : 38), what is meant here is the time when he (Iblis ) gets slaughtered by the hands of the prophet of God (PUH) on the Rock that is in Jerusalem.

Al-Sayed Al-Jazâ’eri said that he (Iblis ) was appointedtil the day of the appearance of Al-Mahdee (PUH) and it is the minor doomsday, and there are lot of tidings about this matter, and we have explained what is related to this subject in the introduction of this book that you read now, and the return of the prophets and messengers and in special our prophet Muhammad The Chosen (PUH) and the purified Imams (PUT) after the appearance of the “Awaited Absent” may our souls be in ransom to him to take revenge of their foes, is something that must be and it is one of the believes for Shiites, orlets say most of the Muslims in general, and it is called the minor doomsday, but only after the long journey with troubles and when most of the created would turn away from the path and life would be full of wrong and injustice, it is then when we shall see the release is close and it is the time. May God paces up the re-appearance of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and May He make us one of their supporters and companions, and martyrs between their hands by the rights of the prophet and his purified Household (PUT )

The reason for getting Adam down from paradise to earth

FromMos’adah ben Sadaqah from Al-Sâdiq (PUH) from the prophet (PUH) that Moses the son ofAmram [Arabic: Musaben Imrân ] (PUH) asked his Lord to let him see Adam (PUH) and so He answered him and made him see Adam, and then Moses didsay: O Father!you are the one that God created with His own hands and made you live in His paradise and prohibited you from one tree so you couldn’t be patient enoughtil you fell on earth because of it, and couldn’t you control yourself away from it and soIblis seduced you and you followed him and so you are the one that got us out of paradise because of your sin.

Then did say Adam (PUH): O son take it easy on your father for the matter of this tree. O sonmy foe approached by trick and plot, so he swore to me by God that his opinion is a good advice and he said to me: O Adam I am sad for you, so I said to him: and how is that?he said: I enjoyed being with you and you will be out of what you are in now to what you hate, I asked him: and what to do?he said to me: here is what to do, do you want me to guide you to the tree of eternity and an endless reign so you can eat from it with your wife and then you shall both be in paradise with me for eternity, and he swore to me by God and he was a liar that he has the truthful advice, and O Moses I never thought that someone would swear by God and he is a liar, so I trusted his oath and this is my excuse, so tell me son, do you find out from what had been revealed to you from God that my sin was noted before I get created, then Moses said to him: before a long time. Then said the prophet (Muhammad PUH): and so did Adamovercame Moses in the argument.

From Al-Sâdiq (PUH) also: when Adam was put out of paradise, Gabriel (PUH) came down to him and said: O Adam, didn’t God create you with His hands and Breathed into you of His Spirit and made the Angels prostrate before you, and Got you Eve as a wife and Made you inhabit paradise and Prohibited you directly from eating from that tree but you made the sin? Then Adam (PUH)said: Iblis did swear to me by God, and I never thought that someone from God’s creation would swear by Him falsely!

And what is understood from the previous conversation between Moses and Adam (PUT) that the sin was something meant to be and predestinated long ago before Adam’s creation and from the world of atom [It is believed that everything exists in this life including people existed before becoming alive or born in a world or a dimension where they were just atoms], at the time of creating the spirits before his (Adam) existence by twothousands years, and it is a case which was a battle field for several opinions and many people got doomed for theirmis -interpretations and not understanding the truth in it, and it is a case of God’sjudgement and what He Has predestined for His creation before his existence.

And the solution for this case for us in general is: God founded in this human the power that could aid him in doing what God appointed to him and Made him able to do, and Left him the selection and Gave him the mind and brain with which he can differentiate between what’s wrong andwhats true, and what would make God satisfied or dissatisfied. After the knowledge and looking into the path of these faithful to God and their viceroys and every allowed path that leads to it (?), that God knows whatever he chooses or does fromwether it be a sin or obeying for His commandments, for He knows the ends of workings and deeds that are done by His slaves and no incidents would happen without Hisknowledgement before his (the human) existence, by his well or bad chose, and He His Highness the one that knows thethe guilt of Adam whatever would be acted by him and whatever he would choose, as it is the case with all His creations and slaves,

so from Him may praise be to Him the powers and destinies in doings and not-doings, and the selection is made for these of responsibilities by mind, heart and reality, and He is the one who Knows the ends and what these of responsibilities might choose for themselves, if it was good it is good, and if it an evil it is an evil, and there is no forcing for the slave, but it is something in between, because the force and power is from His Highness, and the full choice for these of responsibilities, and God knows what might the slave choose for himself.

(What is the tree that was prohibited for AdamPUH )

Tales and speeches had differed about of what type is it and what is it. Some said it is wheat and some said it is vine and grape while others said it is camphor and still others said it is the fig. Itis said also that it is the tree of good and evil and it was said it is the tree of eternity that the Angels used to eat from, and more had been said. FromM’ânee Al-Akhbâr [seems a book name] in its basing to Al-Harawee said:I said to Al-Ridhâ (PUH): O son of prophet of God, tell me about the tree that Adam and Eve ate from, what was it?

because many people differ in its nature, some say it is wheat, some say it is grape and some say it is tree of the envy, then he said (PUH): all of that is right, then I said: then what is the meaning of all these different opinions?then he said (PUH): OAbâ As-Silt [=Al-Harawee ], the tree of paradise carries types, so it was wheat carrying grapes and it is not like the trees of our life, and when Godhonoured him and Reminded him of the prostrating of Angels before him and Letting him into the paradise, he (Adam) said to himself: did God created a human better than me? and God knew what was between him and himself and so Called him and told him:

O Adam, left up your head and look to the leg of the Throne, so then Adam left up his head and looked into the leg of the Throne and found there it was written on it: No other God but Allah, Muhammad is the prophet of Allah, ‘Aliben Abi Tâlib is the Appointed from God and his wifeFâtima is the mistress of all women, and Al-Hasan and Al-Husain are the masters of paradise’s young people, so said Adam: O Lord, who are they? then said His Highness: they are from your descendants, and they are better than you and than the rest of my creation, and for them only I did create you, and Created paradise and hell, and heavens with earth, so be aware not to envy them and wish for their place and so demon would take control over you, so then he got something inhisself about them and then did the demon control over him until he ate from the tree that he was prohibited from, and took control over Eve for her thoughts of envy aboutFâtima (PUH) until she ate from the tree like Adam did, and so God put them out from His side down to earth.

And in contents of the tale as it is with other tales, the word “wish for their place” points out that the meaning is “glee” and not “envy” in its real meaning, because glee like wishing for their place, and envy is wishing for their obsolescence, because envying is a sin and points out to a lame character and the glee is totally against that, and it is impossible for the father of human beings and prophets and messenger, and the one whom Angels did prostrate before by God’s commandment and whom God Had created with His Hands and Inhabited in paradise then had been chosen by God and Made him a prophet, it is impossible for him to be an envious one, and from this point we believe that the prohibition from eating from that tree was a prohibition for the purity and not for a taboo, and it was mentioned before something about the protection of prophets against doing sins and there is more to do about that to come to you by God’s well, and the meaning of the tree of envy is that eating from it was because of envy, and if it was the envy it would not have been eaten.

And it is mentioned that if it wasn’t Adam’s (PUH) guilt, no faithful would have done any guilt ever, and if it wasn’t that God relented toward Adam, there would not have been any repentance for any guilty ever, and from Al-Sâdiq (PUH) that he was asked that how come the inheritance of man is as much as twice of that of females so he said (PUH): that is because the number of fruits that Adam and Eve ate were eighteen, twelve were eaten by Adam and six were eaten by Eve and so the inheritance is made up as mentioned before.

Ithad been told that when Adam was down from paradise a black mole appeared in his face from the top of ittil its feet and so long was his sadness and crying for this, then came Gabriel (PUH) and said to him: why crying Adam?so he (Adam) said: for this mole thatoccured in me, so then he (Gabriel) told him: get up and pray, it is time for the first prayer, so Adam did that and the moleshrinked to his chest, then he (Gabriel) came again at the time of the second prayer and said to him: get up Adam and pray this is the time for the second prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his navel, and then came again at the time of the third prayer and said to him:

get up Adam and pray this is the time for the third prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his knee, then he came at the time of the fourth prayer and said to him: get up Adam and pray this is the time for the fourth prayer and so he did and the moleshrinked to his legs, then he came at the time of the fifth prayer and Adam did the same and the mole was out of him and he thanked God for this a lot, then Gabriel did say to him: O Adam, your sons in this prayer are like you in this mole, and who would pray from your sons each day and night five prayers he would be out of his sins as you got out of this mole.

And also in a speech that when Adam (PUH) got down on earth he got a beard as black as coal, so he held it with his hand and said: O Lord, what is this?and He answered him: this is the beard, I made it as anornamet for you and your male descendants until the doomsday. And it was mentioned before that the inhabitation of Adam and Eve in paradise was for seven hours until they got out of it, and that God breathed in Adam with His Spirit after the sunset of Friday and then Created Eve after him,

then Commanded the Angels to prostrate before him and Made him inhabit His paradise since then, and the Imam (PUH) swore [not mentioned which Imam is it] that they did not stay more than these hours on that day until they did what was prohibited then God got them out after sunset and didn’t stay in it (Paradise) and they were moved to the yards of paradise until it was the morning and their loins appeared then their Lord said to them: Did not I prohibited you from that tree, so Adam got ashamed and shy of his Lord and said: O our Lord, we did wrong to ourselves and made a confession of our sins, O may You forgive us, then did God say: get down from My heavens to earth for no sinners would be in My paradise nor My heavens.