CHAPTER 11: WHAT DO THE SHIAS DO?
According to the Mujtahids the only true proofs of Ijtihad and Taqleed are the ones that I have covered so far, and they have all been refuted. But, they have gave to people some toys to play with to keep them amused, and taught them some rhymes which they keep repeating in one form or another. Thus being;
1.If we do not know the answer to something, then who should we ask? The Imam (a.s.) is not here.
2.Who will give us the solutions to the newly occurring problems of the modern times?
3.When a person gets sick he goes to the doctor for treatment. He does not cure himself. And so if we have a religious problem then who shall we go to? The Imam (a.s.) is not here.
and so on.
These are such hilarious questions that to take time out to answer these is to waste it. But I have to explain these things to my readers and so it becomes necessary for me to deal with them.
This situation is like when a person runs out of food in his home and has only poison left. When he gets hungry he decides to eat poison instead as food is not available. O servants of God! Think a little over here. Can a knowledge based on conjecture ever be a replacement for knowledge of revelation? This is like arguing with Allah (s.w.t.) that: ‘O Allah! Since you have closed all the doors of guidance to me, therefore it is up to me now where I get guidance from. Your Divine Guide is not here and so now we will make one ourselves and follow him and be obedient to him’. Is this not sheer stupidity?
Have you noticed the underlying chant of this song? ‘The Imam is not here’. All these questions are based on the premise that the Imam is in occultation and is not providing us with guidance, or solving any of our problems or removing any of our doubts. We are therefore forced by circumstances to imagine someone to be his (a.s.) representative and be obedient to him. I have used the word ‘imagine’ here as in all the proofs that they have presented so far, there is nowhere in these that the Holy Imam (a.s.) has been quoted to say that if anyone were to come back from Qum after learning, then you should make him your teacher and be obedient to him. In reality, these claims are all without proofs, which they have turned into beliefs and impregnated the minds of the people with these.
What they are basing everything on is their belief that during the period of occultation neither can the Imam (a.s.) provide guidance to us nor can he remove any of our doubts. At this juncture I would like to present to you a debate of a companion of Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.), Hisham Ibn Hikam’s debate with Uma Ibn ubayd, so that I can draw some conclusions from this. I will only present to you that part of the debate which he related back to the Holy Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) for the sake of brevity.
Hisham: ‘Have you got eyes?’
Umar: ‘Yes I do’.
Hisham: ‘What do you use them for?’
Umar: ‘I look at colours and bodies’.
Hisham: ‘Have you got a nose?’
Umar: ‘Yes I do’.
Hisham: ‘What do you do with it?’
Umar: ‘I smell aroma and foul smell with it’.
Hisham: ‘Have you also got ears?’
Umar: ‘Yes I do’.
Hisham: ‘What use do you make of these?’
Umar: ‘I hear sounds with them’.
Hisham: ‘You have got a tongue?’
Umar: ‘Yes’.
Hisham: ‘What is it utilised for?’
Umar: ‘Taste of food gets recognised with this’.
Hisham: ‘You also have a heart? ‘
Umar: ‘Yes I have’.
Hisham: ‘What work does it perform?’
Umar: ‘When I doubt any of the sensory perceptions, then I refer it to the heart and achieve conviction from it and remove all doubts’.
Hisham: ‘So has Allah (s.w.t.) created the heart for the removal of doubts?’
Umar: ‘Without a doubt’.
Hisham: ‘So without the heart, the doubts from these limbs cannot be dispelled? ‘
Umar: ‘Without a doubt’.
Hisham: ‘If Allah (s.w.t.) does not leave these five limbs without a guide for the removal of doubts, then how can it be conceived that He (s.w.t.) will leave the people without an Imam (a.s.) for the removal of their doubts and differences among them?’
Listening to this, Umar Ibn Ubayd remained silent.
The Holy Imam (a.s.) laughed and said: ‘O Hisham! Who has taught you this?’ He replied: ‘I have learnt this from you and gave it a sequence.’ The Holy Imam (a.s.) said: ‘This is to be found in the Books of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) and Prophet Musa (a.s.)’.
You have heard the above tradition and the verification of the arguments from the Holy Imam (a.s.) that this is to be found in the Books of the Prophets Musa (a.s.) and Ibrahim (a.s.). Now I would like to question these people who say that our twelfth Imam (a.s.) is in occultation and therefore does not provide us with guidance or remove our differences or dispel our doubts, the same questions which Hisham had asked Umar. ‘If Allah (s.w.t.) does not leave these five limbs without a guide for the removal of doubts, then how can it be conceived that He (s.w.t.) will leave the people without an Imam (a.s.) for the removal of their doubts and differences among them?’ If their answer is that this is impossible, then I have achieved my objective. Or if they were to say that indeed this has happened, then Hisham’s argument would be falsified. But then this would even falsify the verification of the Holy Imam (a.s.) as well as what is written in the Books of the two great Prophets. This will then entitle them to complain to Allah (s.w.t.) on the day of judgement that since there was no Guide for them, why are they now being questioned? You tell me, which of these answers you would prefer.
Now, if someone were to say that during the occultation these tasks of the removal of differences and dispelling of doubts and providing guidance is being done by the jurists whom they refer to as the representatives of the Holy Imam (a.s.) (And nowadays Imams) then there is none more devoid of wisdom than him. These jurists are virtually at each other’s throats and there are so many differences between them which cannot be counted. They themselves are engulfed in doubts and confusion. How will they remove doubts from other people? The level of differences among the Shiites today is such that everyone seems to be performing their deeds in a different way to others and doubts whether his actions are the ones to be found in the sharia or not? In the mosques two congregations are taking place for prayers. One is praying with the intention of an obligatory act while the other is praying with the intention of a preferable act. Who is responsible for these differences? These scholars and jurists.
So it has been established that the Holy Imam (a.s.) is indeed carrying out his duties as have been prescribed to him by Allah (s.w.t.). It is only a question paying a little bit of attention to this. If you align the antenna of your T.V. towards ‘Doordarshan’ and then complain that you are not getting of P.T.V. broadcasts, then this is not the fault of the P.T.V., but yours. Hence, to consider the Holy Imam (a.s.) to be incapable of carrying out his work is their way of covering up their own faults. I don’t want to say anything to the one who has taught all this, but I would like to request you to isolate yourself somewhere and think with a cool heart about this, and you will realise how big an accusation is being made here not only against the Holy Imam (a.s.) but against divine justice as well.
Do you ever see Shaitan? Have you ever heard his voice? Have you ever met him personally? Has anyone asked Shaitan for methods of committing sins? But you all believe that ever since Shaitan was thrown out of the gathering not only has he has been leading people astray, but is doing so today and will continue to do so until the appearance of the Holy Imam (a.s.). Now you think for yourself how big an injustice you are doing by saying that Shatian can mislead people whilst being unseen but the Holy Imam (a.s.) cannot guide when in occultation. How big an accustation is on Allah (s.w.t.) that He (s.w.t.) has left the one who misguides free to misguide, whilst tying up the hands and feet of the Guide so that the people keep on going astray and on the day of judgement Allah (s.w.t.) does not have any reason to punish them.
You think about this again and again and keep on thinking about this and ask for forgiveness from your Holy Imam (a.s.). Turn your attention completely towards him and see for yourself whether you get the guidance from him (a.s.) or not.
And if you say that the Holy Imam (a.s.) cannot do anything whilst in occultation then why are you supplicating to him? Why are you then seeking his (a.s.) help? Why are you sending requests (Areeza) to him (a.s). Be honest, do you receive help? Do your wishes come true? Then if this help can come to you from him (a.s.) then why can’t guidance? How long will you keep running from reality and try and find some excuse for following someone else? You think for yourself how Shaitan leads people astray. He neither comes in front of you, nor does he say anything to you nor does he throw you in the quicksand of sins. He only whispers into your heart.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلَهِ النَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ
الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ
[Shakir 114:1-6] Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of men, The King of men, The god of men, From the evil of the whisperings of the slinking (Shaitan), Who whispers into the hearts of men, From among the jinn and the men.
As a result of these whisperings a person becomes unjust, a mischief maker and an unbeliever. This means that Shaitan has the power to instil doubts in a person’s mind and lead him astray without coming in front of him and by whispering into his heart, but the Holy Imam (a.s.) cannot come near a believer’s heart and clear his doubts and uncertainties? It is an accursed heart that is ever ready to receive misguidance from the Shaitan but is never ready to received guidance from the Holy Imam (a.s.).
But leave the matter of the Holy Imam (a.s.) on one side. Have you ever seen Allah (s.w.t)? Have you ever met Him (s.w.t.)? Have you ever heard His (s.w.t.) Voice? Then how come Allah (s.w.t.) is making the claim that the provision of guidance is from Him (s.w.t.) and that the guided heart is one which has been guided by Him (s.w.t.)? How does he (s.w.t.) guide us whilst remaining unseen? Now if someone were to say that He (s.w.t.) guides us through His (s.w.t.) representatives, then I refer you to these Verses:
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
[Shakir 91:7-8] And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it;
Now tell me who is in between the soul and Allah (s.w.t.)? Did not Allah (s.w.t.) inspire directly? And you know that inspiration is always direct. And in this way the representative (a.s.) of Allah (s.w.t.) can also inspire people. And if you say the the Holy Imam (a.s.) is just sitting free in the period of occultation and is not providing guidance then why are you supplication at least ten times:
اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ
[Shakir 1:6] Keep us on the right path.
Are you supplicating to your Mujtahids? When I surveyed this situation, I found four types of people involved in these accusations?
1.The ones who are trying to establish their leadership by deceiving the people and taking their wealth.
2.The ones who are their weapons of trade and eat from their remains.
3.These do not even get to eat the remains but are happy with whatever advantage they get from this worldly affairs.
4.These are the fearful ones who are terrified that if they do not do this then their deeds would be nullified. Most people are of these sorts who think that since everyone is doing this then it must be the right thing to do.
Everyone knows that there is not a single verse in favour of the majority.
كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ لاَ يَرْقُبُواْ فِيكُمْ إِلاًّ وَلاَ ذِمَّةً يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَى قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ
[Shakir 9:8] How (can it be)! while if they prevail against you, they would not pay regard in your case to ties of relationship, nor those of covenant; they please you with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors
أَلا إِنَّ لِلّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ أَلاَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
[Shakir 10:55] Now surely Allah's is what is in the heavens and the earth; now surely Allah's promise is true, but most of them do not know.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
[Shakir 29:63] And if you ask them who is it that sends down water from the clouds, then gives life to the earth with it after its death, they will certainly say, Allah. Say: All praise is due to Allah. Nay, most of them do not understand.
As for the minority, Allah (s.w.t.) has said:
يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاء مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ
[Shakir 34:13] They made for him what he pleased of fortresses and images, and bowls (large) as watering-troughs and cooking-pots that will not move from their place; give thanks, O family of Dawood! and very few of My servants are grateful.
Therefore do not go for the majority and have conviction that the believers will always be few in number. The majority will never be believers. I will now present to you some Hadeeth about the believers being few in numbers so that you will come to know what kind of believers there will be during the time of occultation. Will they be having a good time? Taking out demonstrations and calling meetings? Be involved in infighting? Or will they be in a different state?
AL KAFI - H 2308, CH 96, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Qutaybah al-‘A’sha’ who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘The female believer is more valued than a male believer and a male believer is more valued than red Yaqout (Ruby). Who among you has ever seen red Yaqout?’”
AL KAFI - H 2309, CH 96, h 2
A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn abu Najaran from Muthanna al-Hannat from Kamil al-Tammar who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying three times, ‘People are animals, people are animals, people are animals, except a few of believers. Believers are rare, believers are rare, and believers are rare, (more cherished).’”
AL KAFI - H 2314, CH 96, h 7
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah from Ali ibn Ja’far who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘Not everyone who speaks of our Walayah (Divine Authority) is a believer. They, however, are made to serve as boasting morals of the believing people.’”
Now let us what will be the condition of the believers during the occultation period as described in Jami Al Akhbar of Sheykh Sadouq.
1.The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: ‘There will come a time upon the people when their faces will be human but their hearts will be of Shaitans. They will be like fierce animals. If they were to be followed or taken as companions then they will put you into uncertainty and doubt. If you talk to them they will make you out to be liars. If your views do not coincide with theirs then they will backbite you. They will be regarding Sunnah as innovation and innovation as Sunnah. A believer will be disgraceful in their eyes and a mischief maker will be honoured by them’.
2.A believer will be disgraced and a hypocrite will be honoured.
3.A believer’s example will be like holding a piece of coal on your hand.
4.A believer will not have the authority to stop people from bad deeds.
5.A believer will be without authority and a mischief maker will be with authority.
6.Hypocrites will be strong and make up speech and their statements will be accepted. The people on the truth will be seen to be weak and silent.
Did you see what the conditions of the believers will be? Therefore, do not be diverted by political speeches, gatherings and demonstrations. Turn your attention towards the believers who will not be found there but will be in an isolated and unknown state.
Now let us look at the conditions of the scholars in the occultation period.
1.Their scholars will be the worst of them.
2.People will not recognise the scholars but through their good clothes.
3.They will extract laws of religion (Istinbaat) according to their desires.
4.The Jurist (Faqih) will learn the religious ordinances for worldly benefits.
5.The call to prayer will be charged for.
6.There will be abundance of the jurists (Faqih) who lead people astray.
7.The people will act on religious ordinances according to personal opinions rather than from the Holy Quran.
8.The real Jurists will encounter death and the jurists who lead astray will be in abundance.
9.The worst of creation will be the scholars of these types.
Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) has reported from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) who said: ‘There will come a time upon my Ummah when the Holy Quran will only remain as part of culture. Islam will only remain in name; the people will be Muslims in name but they will be far from Islam. Their Mosques will appear full but will be devoid of guidance. Their jurists will be the worst of them under the sky. Trials (Fitna) will start from them and end with them’.
I will pause this discussion here to explain a very important point. One of the moves of the Mujtahid worshippers is that they relate most of these towards the jurists of the Sunnis. They say that these jurists who have been condemned as the jurists of the Sunnis and not the Shias. You should know that among the Sunnis, only four jurists have ever lived. All four of them have died a thousand years ago. Whoever of them is left now are they Muqallideen (Emulators) regardless of how big his position might be. These people, the jurists, by the grace of Allah (s.w.t.) are only to be found among the Shiites. All the above Hadeeth are related to the jurists of the Shiites including the one which says that upon his (a.s.) appearance he will kill sixty thousand Fuqaha (jurists), because the Sunni jurists simply do not exist.
Let us now discuss the toys which were listed at the beginning of the chapter.
THE FIRST TOY
If we do not know the solution to a problem, then who do we ask from?
The straightforward answer to this is that you should ask from those whom Allah (s.w.t.) has Commanded you to ask.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
[Shakir 21:7] And We did not send before you any but men to whom We sent revelation, so ask the followers of the reminder if you do not know.
This Verse has sorted out this issue until the day of judgement. As long as this Verse is there in the Holy Quran and as long as the Holy Quran exists, it has now become obligatory upon everyone who does not know to refer to the Ahl Ul Zikr for an answer. I have discussed this matter in detail before and there is no need for repetition here. I have also established the the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) are the only ones meant here and not anyone else. And now, if after all this someone were to still think of somebody else as the one to ask, then he can be on his religion and I can be on mine. But there are plenty of people who have some inclination towards religion and they will never falsify the statements of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). By asking for an answer is not meant to ask in front of him and received a direct answer personally from him. To ask is to seek the answer to a problem by inquiring into it. The answer does not have to be in sound but through a statement in writing as well. I shall discuss this later on.
I am only trying to remind you that we should not consider our Imam (a.s.) to be sitting and waiting, but rather he is guiding us and safeguarding us as explained before. Just like there is a crowd of people who consider the Holy Imam (a.s.) to be redundant, there is also a group of people who believe that they are not without a Guide who is safeguarding our religion and they are benefitting from him (a.s.) in the period of occultation just as they will benefit from him (a.s.) during his appearance.
Do you not know that the existence of life on this planet, the growth of vegetation and the destruction of life threatening germs etc. are due to the light from the sun? And so when the sun gets covered by the clouds, does this planet not benefit from it in the same way as before? Sometimes the sun remains hidden from view for many months in certain places; this does not cut off the benefits from it.
So in one of his (a.s.) letters, the Holy Imam (a.s.) wrote back: ‘Do not ask me what lost or benefit you will get from me during the occultation. This is like when the sun is hidden behind the clouds and still benefits the people. I am a safety for the life on this earth in the same way as the stars are for life in the skies. Therefore close the doors to those questions that do not concern you, and try to find out that which you need to find out. And keep praying more and more for my appearance as in this there is betterment for you’. - Bihar Ul Anwar Vol. 12 (Urdu Version).
In the light of the above Hadeeth you will no doubt realise the intentions behind the questions:
•If we go to the moon in which direction will we pray?
•If we go to the North Pole how will we pray?
•Are test tube babies permissible?
If you ponder over this you will realise that these questions have been created to confuse the people so that they will depend on the mujtahids for every problem. But, after listening to the Hadeeth of the Holy Imam Mahdi (a.s.) above, you will neither have uncertainty, nor confusion nor any doubts and nor will you run towards someone else for your problems.
THE SECOND TOY
Who will solve the new problems of the modern world?
You will have heard this misleading question many a time. The thought might have occurred to you as well that indeed there are many problems which did not exist before, but now due to the scientific progress and the technological revolution, they do, and so who do we go to ask for a solution. The Holy Quran had already been completely revealed well before and the period of all the eleven Holy Imams (a.s.) as well as the minor occultation period of the twelfth Holy Imam (a.s.) was only up until 329 AH, and so these problems were never encountered then. Anyhow, what I am telling you is that this is not a question but a trap of Shaitan to crucify your faith without you even realising it.
Those who established this question based it on the premise that the solution to the problems of the modern world are not to be found in the Holy Quran or the Hadeeth, or at least cannot be seen to be so. This is why we will now find the solutions ourselves and act upon them. But if we were to accept their premise then indeed their logic does seem to make sense that since the Holy Imam (a.s.) is not here then who should we turn to? We cannot change the circumstances we are in. Somehow we will have to get the religion of the fifth century to fit into the fifteenth century hijra. We are not against obedience, our questions is that why should we only follow the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).
If the Holy Imams (a.s.) are Imams then so are we. If they are Ul Lil Amr (Those with authority) then so are we. If they are Ahl Ul Zikr then so are we. If they are Nafs Ulllah (Self of Allah (s.w.t.)) then we are Ruhullahs (The spirit of Allah (s.w.t.)). Then why don’t we have the right to find the solutions to our problems in our time period? We have an example of a scholar at the time of Prophet Musa (a.s.) who found a solution to the problem of his time when he (a.s.) went away and was delayed a bit. Allah (s.w.t.) has preseved this in His (s.w.t.) book for ever.
But if you do not accept their premise then you will see that they have made an enormous accusation at not only the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) but on Allah (s.w.t.)’s justice as well, that He (s.w.t.) gave to us a sharia which will last till the day of judgement but only gave us the solutions to the problems of a small time period. He (s.w.t.) did make the claim that everything is to be found in His book but did not keep the solutions of the modern times in it, or (God forbid) forgot to do so.
Secondly, maybe they are accusing Jibraeel that Allah (s.w.t.) did give him all the solutions but he only brought down those up to 329AH and hid the rest in his wings and went back with them.
Thirdly, maybe the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) did not deliver the full Message and only gave us a part of it.
Fourthly, maybe the Holy Imams (a.s.) sat at home and did not explain everything for fear of their (a.s.) lives, the result of which was that the burden of this then fell on the poor Mujtahids. They then should open factories for the manufacture of solutions and charge the believers in the form of Khums for their products. Then they act according to these manufactured solutions and force their emulators to do so as well.
You tell me now, out of the four above doubts, which one would you like to adopt? If you were to adopt any of these then your faith is with you, for the question of deeds will come later, first you have to sort your faith out. But if you have been endowed with the grace of Allah (s.w.t.) and you reject the premise on which the whole building of the Taqleed of a non infallible is standing, then think as to which problems of the modern times affect you so much that you need to go to these people?
I am explaining this to you in simple words so that no doubts remain. These terms of modern times and olden times are only there to confuse you. In reality, our purpose is one, and that is obedience to Allah (s.w.t.)’s commands. If there are no commands then how can we be obedient to Him (s.w.t.). Let me explain this by way of an example. Suppose that you keep a servant in the house for housework. Whenever you give him an order to do some housework he will do it otherwise he will just sit in one place. He will not make up your orders on his own and act upon them. This is the situation with our religion. To suppose that the purpose of our life is to do deeds regardless of whether the order has been given or not is sheer madness. And to manufacture orders and act upon those is a crime which is ‘Shirk Fil Amr’ (Partnership in Commands). If you do not find an order despite searching for it, then refraining would be the obedience to Allah (s.w.t.), while to act would make it disobedient and rebellious.
I am telling you again to do deeds according to the knowledge you have and be greedy for knowledge. Increase your knowledge. The more you increase your knowledge the more your deeds will increase and these deeds will be accepted. It is better to perform fewer deeds with knowledge than to perform numerous deeds without knowledge.
AL KAFI - H 104, Ch. 12, h1
A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Talha ibn Zayd who has said the following: “I heard (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘Working without understanding and insight is like travelling in the wrong direction; it only takes one further away from the destination.’”
AL KAFI - H 106, Ch. 12, h3
It is narrated from him from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from the one he narrated from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Imam abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has narrated from the Holy Prophet who has said, ‘Those who work without knowledge destroy more than they gain.’”
THE THIRD TOY
When a person gets sick he goes to the doctor for treatment. He does not cure himself. And so if we have a religious problem then who shall we go to?
This proof is even more hilarious than the first two. It looks like the one who has invented this question must have become sick sometimes in his past and tried to cure himself by going to the doctor. Instead of the doctor he must have ended up with a con artist who must have made his condition even worse, and in order to demand revenge, he took it out on the believers. He then applied his situation to the religious matters without realising that his proof actually goes against himself.
Listen to me carefully. Human nature is always on the lookout for infallibility. The human being always loves completeness and does not like deficiencies. When a person buys something he tries to ensure that it is not faulty. Even when he draws money out of the bank he does not accept torn notes. When he wants to construct a house he employs an architect whose work he has already seen before to be perfect. If he wants a lawyer he finds one who has not lost a case before. If he wants a teacher for his children he finds out first whether any of his students have failed in their exams or not. The situation is the same for a doctor. When a person gets sick he goes to a doctor who has a good record of curing people. Only a complete idiot will go to a doctor who, instead of curing people, keeps populating the graveyard with his prescriptions.
This is the point I am making. The human being is naturally attracted to infallibility. In matters of religion this is the case as well. In fact it becomes a necessity as eternal life is at stake and we cannot afford to make a mistake as we will not get a second chance. The smallest mistake could take us away from obedience to Allah (s.w.t.) and towards obedience to Shaitan. Then how does it make sense that for worldly affairs a person looks towards infallibility but in matters of religion goes after fallible people who not only destroy his worldly life but his life in the hereafter as well. This is far from intellect and no wise person will want to accept it. All this mischief is based on the view that ‘the Imam (a.s.) is not here’, which has already been invalidated.
Remember, just as the human body gets sick, so does the soul. The sickness of the body is ‘the dysfunction of the parts of the body’, and this can be cured by medicine. The sickness of the soul is ‘doubt’ and this is cured by conviction. Doubt cannot be the cure for doubt, and neither can conjectures and opinions. Therefore it follows that only the Holy Infallibles can cure the illnesses of the soul. This is not within the grasp of others. Whoever wants to ruin his worldly and eternal life, then that is his choice.
Another amusing thing about this toy is that the problem has been referred to as an illness. If you do not know the meaning of a word, will you open a dictionary to find out or will you run towards a mujtahid? In the same way if you do not know a religious ordinance will you open a book to find out or will you go to a scholar to tell you what the order of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) is? (Not his personal opinion). If you find an order then act upon it otherwise refrain. Refraining from action in this situation is obedience to Allah (s.w.t.), not acting upon personal opinions.
All this has happened because the people have been diverted from seeking knowledge by placing the collar of Taqleed on their necks and keeping them ignorant by stopping them from reading those books which contain the statements of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). They have been led to believe that their Holy Imam (a.s.) quietly went into occultation and the other Holy Imams (a.s.) did not inform them of what they need to do during this period. And so now we make a university, and whosoever achieves a degree will become a representative of the Holy Imam (a.s.), and in this situation, following them is true religion.
I am telling you not to get involved in this error. The Holy Infallibles (a.s.) have detailed the instructions for us to act upon during the period of occultation. Not a single Holy Imam (a.s.) has avoided this issue. It is not possible for me to relate all the Hadeeth on this issue. The ten Hadeeth that I am quoting now should be sufficient for the seeker of truth.
What should the Shiites do in the period of occultation?
The Hadeeth quoted below are all from Bihar ul Anwaar Vol 11 as narrated by the Holy Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (as.).
1.‘When this happens then attach yourself to the first Imam until such time as it becomes clear who the next Imam is’.
2.‘When such a time comes and you cannot meet you Imam, then keep acting upon those orders which are already with you.
3.‘You should keep living in the same way that you have been until such time as the ‘Saahib Ul Amr’ (Master of Authority) (a.s.) does not make his appearance’.
4.‘You should remain on what you have until such time as Allah (s.w.t.) makes the star rise which you need’.
5.‘Remain steadfast on what you have before until such time as Allah (s.w.t.) doesnot send the ‘Saahib Ul Amr’.
If there is a conflict between two Hadeeth which one shall we follow?
AL KAFI - H 195, Ch. 21, h7
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa and al- Hassan ibn Mahbub both from Sama’a from ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “Once I asked (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about, if a man faces a case in which two people of his own faith in a certain issue oppose each other about what they both have narrated. One of them says that it is obligatory and the other says it is prohibited. How can it be resolved?” The Imam replied, “He must wait until he finds one who will inform him and until then he is not under any pressure.” In another Hadith it says, “He may follow any one of the two answers. Whichever he follows in obedience and submission it is permissible for his ease.”
AL KAFI - H 197, Ch. 21, h9
It is narrated from him from his father from Isma’il ibn Marrar from Yunus from Dawud ibn Farqad from Mu’alla ibn Khunays who has said the following: “Once, I asked Imam abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, ‘If we receive a Hadith from the first of you and also from the members of your later generation which one should we follow?’ The Imam replied, ‘Follow it until you receive it from the living Imam. When it comes from a living Imam, follow his words.’ The Imam then said, ‘We by Allah like you to follow what is easy for you.’ In another Hadith it says, ‘Follow whichever is the newest.’”
If we cannot find an order from the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) then what shall we do?
I have given hadeeth on this topic before but it is better to give it again to refresh your memory.
AL KAFI - H 198, Ch. 21, h10
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Safwan ibn Yahya from Dawud ibn al-Husayn from ‘Umar ibn Hanzala who has said the following: “The Imam replied, ‘If such is the case it must be suspended until you meet your Imam. Restraint in confusing cases is better than indulging in destruction.’”
The Holy Imam Mahdi (a.s.) wrote a reply in one of his letters: ‘Therefore close the doors to those questions that do not concern you, and try to find out that which you need to find out. And keep praying more and more for my appearance as in this there is betterment for you’. - Bihar Ul Anwar Vol. 12.
AL KAFI - H 132, Ch. 16, h9
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Nu‘man from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from Dawud ibn Farqad from abu Sa’id al-Zuhri from abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Holding back in an uncertain condition is better than indulging in a destructive situation. Your not narrating a Hadith is better than narrating one that you have not verified.”
I have now given you detailed instruction from the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) pertaining to the topic. I am convinced that anyone who even has a little bit of faith in him or even a little respect for his Holy Imams (a.s.) and believes in the Day of Judgment will never falsify their (a.s.) statements. He will only do whatever his Holy Imam (a.s.) has told him to do.
What remains now is the complaint that ‘we do not have necessary books with us’. My reply to you is that the Tawzeeh Ul Masaail that you have did not come free of charge to you. Since you have paid for these, why can’t you pluck up the courage to pay for Al Kafi and Man La Yahzurul Faqih? This is a one off expense, after which your children will also benefit from these books. When you go through these books you will realise that, what problem is not covered by these books for which Ijtihad is perennially done to look for using the conjectures and opinions. As far as the problem of praying on the surface of the moon or in the North Pole is concerned, do not pay attention to these things as per the advice of your Holy Imam Mahdi (a.s.).
The statement that since these people are more knowledgeable and so we should ask them is void. If we accept this argument then the difference between truth and falsehood will disappear and all the religions of the world will become correct. Whenever you go to anyone of any religion he will give you the same answer, ‘Our priests know it all as they have spent their entire lives studying our religion. Do they know more or you who have become a scholar by studying only a couple of books? This means that the Holy Quran, or Hadeeth or the strongest arguments have no value. The only proof acceptable is whatever the priests say because they have spent their entire lives studying it. It is obvious that no one will accept this frivolous argument.
0%
Author: Syed Baqir Nisar Zaidi
