Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

CHAPTER 9: CLAIMS

There has never been a period in history where somebody or other has not declared himself to be God; and there has never been a shortage of people who not only believed in him but have actually done the propagation of this belief. And then there were those that worshipped him as such.

Some people declared themselves as prophets and people followed them and created a religion out of this. Some people declared themselves as Imams and people created their own sects out of this. And some people made claim on Wilayah (Mastership) and people started begging for their desires to be fulfilled by him.

If you were to survey all these people who made these claims you will notice the common denominator which is worldly profit. But, it is a fact that making a claim and following the claimant and creating a new group out of it cannot be proven by proofs or logic or by virtue of principles to be based on truth. What I mean to say is that you cannot say that just because someone makes a claim and huge multitudes of people have gathered around him, therefore it is the truth. The majority is never the proof of truth, but the proof of truth is truth itself, and the claim is dependent upon proofs. Belief in a person’s claim does not prove it to be correct. Therefore, every claim needs proof and every proof is subject to a measure of evaluation. For example if someone were to make a claim in poetry, then it will be evaluated in the background of the rules of poems. If someone were to make a scientific claim then it will be evaluated according to the rules of science. And in the same way if a person were to make a claim about religion then it should also be evaluated according to the principles of religion. Accepting somebody’s claim based on rumours is stupidity and does not befit the honour of a human being. Allah (s.w.t.) has compared these kinds of people to four-footed animals.

WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE A CLAIM

It has not been left up to the people to determine the status of a claimant, otherwise every other person would make some sort of a claim, and there is not a shortage of stupid people who would fall for these false claims. There may also come a time when there would only be claimants in this world and no followers. And so, we first have to decide as to who has the right to make a claim. In order to eliminate this problem, Allah (s.w.t.) has given us the decision in this manner:

وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء وَيَخْتَارُ مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

[Shakir 28:68] And your Lord creates and chooses whom He pleases; to choose is not theirs; glory be to Allah, and exalted be He above what they associate (with Him).

This verse has decisively stated that people have no right to chose or make their own claims. This right belongs to Allah (s.w.t.) and whoever does this then he would be committing ‘Shirk’ (Polytheism). If someone were to make a claim then we will have to see whether he has got the divine authorisation in order to do so. If he does, then we will bow down our heads and accept his claim even if no one else does, but, if he does not, then we will reject him even if the whole world were to accept him. If you were to browse through the Holy Quran you will see that whenever Allah (s.w.t.) chose a Prophet, then He (s.a.w.) did not whisper it into his ears, rather he was told to make a general announcement of it.

Let us now look at some verses.

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ فَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

[Shakir 2:113] And the Jews say: The Christians do not follow anything (good) and the Christians say: The Jews do not follow anything (good) while they recite the (same) Book. Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say; so Allah shall judge between them on the day of resurrection in what they differ.

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ وَأَنزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

[Shakir 57:25] Certainly We sent Our messengers with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the balance that men may conduct themselves with equity; and We have made the iron, wherein is great violence and advantages to men, and that Allah may know who helps Him and His messengers in the secret; surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.

This means that whenever Allah (s.w.t.) sent someone then it was accompanied with clear proofs and arguments. When someone was sent as a ‘Wali’ (Master) then:

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

[Shakir 5:55] Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.

And if He (s.w.t.) wanted someone to be obeyed then:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً

[Shakir 4:59] O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end

All this initial groundwork has been laid so that it would become easier to understand the claims that have been made by the jurists; claims that have been accepted by a great multitude of people. Those who do not accept their claims have either been declared faithless or irreligious. There is a long list of these claims which they keep making time and again, and this list is getting longer by the day. I shall discuss some of these claims in the light of the guidance from the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) so that no blame shall rest on me.

Their claims can be divided into two categories - claim to their titles and claim to their status.  Before I discuss this in detail, let me clarify one point.

There are some words which have two meanings - one linguistic and one allegorical. For example the Arabic word ‘Dharb’ has a linguistic meaning which is to ‘hit’. But, when it comes to mathematics it is used to mean ‘multiplication’. The Sufis actually use it to mean their chants of ‘Allah Hu, Allah Hu’. In the same way the Holy Quran has also used certain words in two meanings. The words that have been used in the Holy Quran in its linguistic meanings, we can also only use them in the same manner. For example, the word ‘Rasool’ (Messenger). This word has been used for Prophets, ordinary people, angels and even for a crow. Therefore we can use this word in its linguistic form. In Arab countries this is also used for someone who brings you news.

There are some words that the Holy Quran has not used in its linguistic for but in its allegorical meaning, and so whenever we use this word in religious affairs it will be used in this manner. No one has the audacity to use it differently. For example the linguistic meaning of the word ‘Nabi’ is ‘one who gives news’. Now if you were to take into the account the radio presenters, T.V. newscasters, newspapers etc. are all giving us news and in fact we also give each other lots of news. But, is there anyone who has the courage to call himself a ‘Nabi’? Of course not! This is because the Holy Quran has already used this word to denote a news carrier to humanity, and so no one can use it in its linguistic form.

Let me now discuss the claims that the Jurists have made to the titles of the Holy Infallibles.

HUJJAT UL ISLAM (PROOF OF ISLAM)

This word is being used for every Mujtahid, and if you do not use this word before his name then he considers it to be an insult. Let us now look at this great word which is being used for people who are erroneous and prone to error. Hujjat means proof. When this word is used for someone then it means that that person is proof of Islam from head to toe. Meaning, that his person is sufficient to prove Islam as the religion of truth. By looking at him, at his blessed face, listening to his speech, his actions, and his character, the truth of Islam would dawn upon the people. There would be no need to provide any intellectual argument or proofs. If you were to now use your common sense a little bit you will realise the gravity of the situation when someone uses this title for himself as the whole of the building of religion is based on this foundation and would eventually collapse if the claim is false.

Forget about the other Sects. The Shiite Sect itself would be invalidated as it is based on the concept of the infallibility of its Holy Imams (a.s.). There can be no room for suspicion and doubt about it. According to our belief the religion of Allah (s.w.t.) is infallible and He (s.w.t.) Himself has (s.w.t.) made it. There is no room for mistakes, errors or forgetfulness, and those that believe in this are attributing these to Allah (s.w.t.). This religion is on such a level of infallibility that Allah (s.w.t.) did not let even a shadow of a normal person to fall on it. The religion was sent down by Allah (s.w.t.) who is pure from any deficiencies. The Archangel that carried the Message was himself trustworthy and beyond errors. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) who was the recipient was also an infallible person. Those that were handed over this religion and became the inheritors of it, and were made responsible for it explanations were all infallibles. This religion is so infallible that Allah (s.w.t.) has not left any room for a non infallible in it. Now that has become established that Islam is infallible and complete, then, the proof of this can only be an infallible and not a normal person. The proof of a complete can only be a complete, and not incomplete. If a normal person were to be regarded as proof of Islam then all his deficiencies will have to be regarded as the deficiencies of Islam, and in this way the whole religion would become unreliable. The person who is accepted as the proof of Islam would then be regarded as one who is above any mistakes or disagreements for this is the way of the people from day one. If you were now to reflect upon my points then you will see that it does not befit any ordinary person to make the claim to the proof of Islam.

AYATULLAH (SIGN OF ALLAH (S.W.T.))

The word Ayatullah is such a glorious word in the Holy Quran that the perception of its glory cannot be imagined. This is not merely a viewpoint, but I will produce evidence for it. A man of limited knowledge like myself has extracted fifty six verses of the Holy Quran where the term Ayatullah has been used. Wherever the term Ayatullah has been used, it has been immediately followed by a  judgement from Allah (s.w.t.) that whoever rejects, falsifies, does not place his faith in them, mocks them, is unaware of them, turns his face away from them, or fights against them has been referred to as either an unbeliever, a hypocrite, person of Hell, one on whom is Divine Wrath, sinner, one whose deeds have been confiscated, unjust, the most unjust, blind, deaf, dumb, mischief maker, criminal, a drowned person, one without posterity, dog, accursed, loss maker, evil doer or unthankful.

I have tried in this whole book of mine to be concise, but this is such an important issue that I have to quote at least eighteen Verses out of fifty six so that you can understand what an Ayatullah actually is. Then I shall show you from the Hadeeth what is meant by an Ayatullah. Firstly you should seek refuge in Allah (s.w.t.) from Satan the accursed, only then you should go through the Verses.

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

[Shakir 2:39] And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject My communications, they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide.

وَبَآؤُوْاْ بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّكَانُواْ يَعْتَدُونَ

[Shakir 2:61] And abasement and humiliation were brought down upon them, and they became deserving of Allah's wrath; this was so because they disbelieved in the communications of Allah and killed the prophets unjustly; this was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.

مِن قَبْلُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انتِقَامٍ

[Shakir 3:4] Surely they who disbelieve in the communications of Allah they shall have a severe chastisement; and Allah is Mighty, the Lord of retribution.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الِّذِينَ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْقِسْطِ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

[Shakir 3:21] Surely (as for) those who disbelieve in the communications of Allah and slay the prophets unjustly and slay those among men who enjoin justice, announce to them a painful chastisement.

أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ

[Shakir 3:22] Those are they whose works shall become null in this world as well as the hereafter, and they shall have no helpers

وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا صُمٌّ وَبُكْمٌ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ مَن يَشَإِ اللّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

[Shakir 6:39] And they who reject our communications are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whom Allah pleases He causes to err and whom He pleases He puts on the right way.

وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ

[Shakir 6:49] And (as for) those who reject Our communications, chastisement shall afflict them because they transgressed.

أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَابُ لَكُنَّا أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جَاءكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْدِفُونَ

[Shakir 6:157] Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah's communications and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاء وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُجْرِمِينَ

[Shakir 7:40] Surely (as for) those who reject our communications and turn away from them haughtily, the doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel pass through the eye of the needle; and thus do We reward the guilty.

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً عَمِينَ

[Shakir 7:64] But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected our communications; surely they were a blind people.

فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَمَا كَانُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ

[Shakir 7:72] So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected our communications and were not believers.

وَإِذَا لَمْ تَأْتِهِم بِآيَةٍ قَالُواْ لَوْلاَ اجْتَبَيْتَهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يِوحَى إِلَيَّ مِن رَّبِّي هَـذَا بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

[Shakir 7:203] And when you bring them not a revelation they say: Why do you not forge it? Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

[Shakir 10:17] Who is then more unjust than who forges a lie against Allah or (who) gives the lie to His communications? Surely the guilty shall not be successful.

وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ جَحَدُواْ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْاْ رُسُلَهُ وَاتَّبَعُواْ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ

[Shakir 11:59] And this was Ad; they denied the communications of their Lord, and disobeyed His messengers and followed the bidding of every insolent opposer (of truth).

وَأُتْبِعُواْ فِي هَـذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَلا إِنَّ عَادًا كَفَرُواْ رَبَّهُمْ أَلاَ بُعْدًا لِّعَادٍ قَوْمِ هُودٍ

[Shakir 11:60] And they were overtaken by curse in this world and on the resurrection day; now surely Ad disbelieved in their Lord; now surely, away with Ad, the people of Hud.

قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِي أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرًا

[Shakir 20:125] He shall say: My Lord! Why hast Thou raised me blind and I was a seeing one indeed?

قَالَ كَذَلِكَ أَتَتْكَ آيَاتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا وَكَذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تُنسَى

[Shakir 20:126] He will say: Even so, our communications came to you but you neglected them; even thus shall you be forsaken this day.

وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي مَنْ أَسْرَفَ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِن بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبْقَى

[Shakir 20:127] And thus do We recompense him who is extravagant and does not believe in the communications of his Lord, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is severer and more lasting.

وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ

[Shakir 31:32] And when a wave like mountains covers them they call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, but when He brings them safe to the land, some of them follow the middle course; and none denies Our signs but every perfidious, ungrateful one.

لَهُ مَقَالِيدُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

[Shakir 39:63] His are the treasures of the heavens and the earth; and (as for) those who disbelieve in the communications of Allah, these it is that are the losers.

You have now seen the verses about the Ayatullahs and the Fatwas of Allah (s.w.t.) that has been issued to those that reject them. Can now someone please tell me whether there is any one on the face of this earth who can make the claim that if anyone were to oppose him or falsify him would become an unbeliever? As well as deserving of all the other divine verdicts issued against him? And if there is no one who can make this claim also cannot make the claim of being an Ayatullah, then he is opposing Allah (s.w.t.).

Let us look at this from another angle. Say there are two Mujtahids who call themselves Ayatullahs. One of them has declared something permissible while the other one has made it forbidden. Can you now tell me whether they are verifying each other or falsifying each other? You will have to admit that they are actually falsifying each other. And they are both Ayatullahs. And you have seen above the result of the one who falsifies or opposes an Ayatullah. Don’t these two people come under the divine verdicts? The amusing part is that not only have they claimed to be Ayatullahs, but they have gone further to claim to be Ayatullah Uzmas (Grand Ayatullahs) and Ayatullah Kubra (Great Ayaatullah). Now what can I say about that?

I think it would be appropriate here if I were to explain what the Ayatullah Kubra is, the Great Sign of Allah (s.w.t.).

In order to understand this you will have to understand the Me’raj (Night Ascension) of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). This is part of religious beliefs which according to the Holy Imams (a.s.), anyone who does not believe in the physical ascension of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is an unbeliever. Me’raj denotes somebody’s high status. Now understand that the pinnacle of the status of one hundred and twenty three thousand nine hundred and ninety nine Prophets is the station of the seal of the Prophets (s.a.w.). Now let us see what the pinnacle of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is, and the story of Me’raj that we refer to, what it actually is and what its actual purpose was. For this I present to you thirteen Verses of the Holy Quran.

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

[Shakir 17:1] Glory be to Him Who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to the remote mosque of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى

[Shakir 53:7] And he is in the highest part of the horizon.

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى

[Shakir 53:8] Then he drew near, then he bowed

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى

[Shakir 53:9] So he was the measure of two bows or closer still.

فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى

[Shakir 53:10] And He revealed to His servant what He revealed.

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى

[Shakir 53:11] The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw.

أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى

[Shakir 53:12] What! do you then dispute with him as to what he saw?

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى

[Shakir 53:13] And certainly he saw him in another descent,

عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى

[Shakir 53:14] At the farthest lote-tree;

عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى

[Shakir 53:15] Near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to.

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى

[Shakir 53:16] When that which covers covered the lote-tree;

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى

[Shakir 53:17] The eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit.

لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى

[Shakir 53:18] Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.

The claimants should have the fear of Allah (s.w.t.). And if they do not, then at least my readers should fear the divine wrath. Was there anyone sitting there wearing a turban and a cloak that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) went to see?  If you are curious to find out who or what this Ayatullah Kubra was then don’t use your imagination, but ask those that know.

AL KAFI - H 528, Ch. 18, h1

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah from Ahmad ibn Hilal from ’Umayya ibn Ali from Dawud al-Riqqi who has said the following: “Once, I asked abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘The signs and warnings are of no avail to the disbelieving people.’ (10:101) The Imam said, ‘Signs are ‘A’immah, and warnings are the Prophets, recipient of divine supreme covenant. ’”

AL KAFI - H 529, Ch. 18, h2

Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from 'Abd al-'Azim ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Hassani from Musa ibn Muhammad al-‘Ijli from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub in a marfu‘ manner from abu Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “In the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘However, they rejected all Our signs. . .’ (54:42) ‘The signs’ are all the successors (of the Prophets, recipient of divine supreme covenant).’”

AL KAFI - H 530, Ch. 18, h3

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr or someone other than him from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamza who has said the following: “Once I said to abu Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, the Shi‘a (your followers) ask about the meaning of the words of Allah, ‘Of what do they ask one another? (78:1). Do they ask about the great news?’ The Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said, ‘It is up to my decision. I may tell them or may not tell them.’ Then he said: ‘I want, however, to tell you the meaning thereof.’ I then asked what is the meaning of, ‘Of what do they ask one another?’ The Imam said, ‘It refers to (Amir al- Mu’minin) Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant. (Amir al- Mu’minin) Ali would often say, “None of the signs of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is bigger than I and none of the news of Allah is greater than I.’”

The claimants know that from among their followers are many of those that read the Holy Quran. They may also be keeping an eye on some commentaries as well. And so they say that they are not using this term in the same manner that is being used in the Holy Quran, rather they are using it to denote a degree of achievement. Meaning that when one ascends to a certain degree of religious education then he becomes an Ayatullah. This explanation of theirs is even amusing than their claim.

First of all, I have already explained before that when the Holy Quran uses a term in a particular form then that is the form it is to be used in. Secondly, if their logic were to be accepted then religion would become a laughing stock. This is like a big Mullah were to open a Madressa and allocates his degrees in this manner:

1.Whoever completes the first level his title would be ‘Muslim’.

2.After completion of the second level he becomes ‘Pious’.

3.After the third - ‘Believer’.

4.Fourth - ‘Prophet’.

5.Fifth - Seal of the Prophets.

6.Sixth - ‘Imam’.

7.Seventh - ‘Wali’.

8.Eighth - ‘Allah’.

Now, if this Mullah were to tell you that these degree names are not in the same meaning as they are being used in the Holy Quran, but in another meaning, will you accept these degrees with these names? And if you will not, then how can you accept the degrees of ‘Ayatullah’, ‘Ayatul Uzma’ and ‘Ayatul Kubra’? In reality this is a mockery of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and the Holy Quran.

وَقِيلَ الْيَوْمَ نَنسَاكُمْ كَمَا نَسِيتُمْ لِقَاء يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا وَمَأْوَاكُمْ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ

[Shakir 45:34] And it shall be said: Today We forsake you as you neglected the meeting of this day of yours and your abode is the fire, and there are not for you any helpers:

ذَلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ اتَّخَذْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ هُزُوًا وَغَرَّتْكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ

[Shakir 45:35] That is because you took the communications of Allah for a jest and the life of this world deceived you. So on that day they shall not be brought forth from it, nor shall they be granted goodwill.

In Tafseer Safi and Tafseer Qummi, this has been explained in this manner: ‘The ‘Ayaat of Allah’ in this Verse is a reference to the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and those that mocked them will be told that these are the ones you used to falsify and mock’.

The reality is that these claims of theirs to the titles of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and showing arrogance in opposition to them (a.s.) is to try and equate to them. No one from the olden times up until recently has ever used these titles or even plucked up the courage for it. Sheykh Mufeed and Sheykh Tusi that they revere so much remained as just Sheykhs, whilst they have become Hujjatullah, Ayatullah and I don’t know what else. We have to see where this innovation came from. This title of Ayatullah was first used by Mullah Muhammad Qasim Nanotovi the founder of the Madressa of the Deobandis.

We have no complaints about him as he does not believe in either the Ayatullahs (a.s.) of Hujjatullahs (a.s.). The strange part is that our people thought: ‘Why should we be left behind the Deobandis.  Why not attach some wings to our turbans as well’. And this is where this mischief started from. Allah (s.w.t.) is the One Who knows what the intentions were and I do not wish to say more about this. Anyhow, their attempts to equate themselves to the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) has been proven. I am only inviting you to ponder over this. If you can, then well and good otherwise let this car run as it is and worry about the hereafter later on.

After having discussed the claims against the titles, I now turn my attention to the claims against the status of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).

NA’IB E IMAM (REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IMAM)

Earlier on I had explained that this term was used to denote the four representatives of the Twelfth Holy Imam (a.s.) centuries later so that it would be easier to use this term for themselves. All the Holy Imams (a.s.) from the first Holy Imam (a.s.) to the eleventh Holy Imam (a.s.) had their own representatives in different areas but they have never used this title for themselves. What was the reason for labelling these four as such when they themselves never used this title nor did anyone else ever used it for them during their time and there is no reference for this in history books.

Yes, the only one who claimed to be the representative was Shamalghani, who was immediately reprimanded by way of a letter in the Holy Nahiya. The Shiites then used to go in front of his house and send curses upon him. He is being referred to as the accursed one even today. (Maybe the Shiites of that time comprehended the weight of this title). There is only one reason comes to the fore as to why this label was stuck to the four representatives, and that is to profit from it during the time of occultation so that a parallel system of rule can be established. They then classified the four as special representatives and themselves as general representatives. But this is an invalid act as the special representation has yet to be proven and so how can you prove general representation. Even if the special representation is somehow proven, that still does not prove their general representation because:-

1.None of the four representatives were mujtahids which these people have now become.

2.None of these ever used the weapon invented by the sunnis (Usool E Fiqh) in order to refute the hadeeth of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).

3.None of them has ever issued a fatwa.

4.None of them had ever considered the people to be ignorant, placed a collar of taqleed on their necks, published any of their tawzeehs, or created their own respective group of emulators.

5.None of them tried to equate themselves with the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).

6.None of them ever played the drum that: ‘Without their taqleed none of your deeds are acceptable’.

7.All of them were just contact points between the people and the Holy Imam (a.s.). Their job was just to take questions to the Holy Imam (a.s.) and bring back the answers from him (a.s.).

8.The system of representation was ended by the Holy Imam (a.s.) is his last letter to the fourth of them which has been recorded in Bihar Ul Anwaar.

‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. You are going to die in six days, may Allah grant patience to your brother’s in faith on your departure. So, be prepared, but appoint no one in your place, because from the day of your death the period of my major occultation (Ghaibat e Kubra) will begin. Hence forth, no one will see me, unless and until Allah (s.w.t.) makes me appear. My reappearance will take place after a very long time when people will have grown tired of waiting and those who are weak in there faith will say: What! Is he still alive? When will men become cruel and inconsiderate, and the world will be full of injustice and violence. Very soon some men will claim to have seen me. Beware! Anyone who makes such a claim before the coming out of Sufyani and the sound from heaven announcing my reappearance, is a liar and imposter. There is no Might nor Strength except in Allah’.

In this letter, the Holy Imam (a.s.) has advised him to wrap up his affairs and not to appoint anyone else. This proves two things. The appointee is of the appointer and not of the Holy Imam (a.s.) and his appointment is also made by the representative and not the Holy Imam (a.s.). The Holy Imam (a.s.) put an end to this chain of contact points once and for all did not differentiate between the special and the general representatives nor did he say that, if,  from now on anyone wearing a turban on his head were to come to you then you should accept him. He also said that from now on if anyone claims to have seen me is a liar and an imposter. Therefore, today, if someone makes the claim that the Holy Imam (a.s.) comes to him and explains the solutions to the problems has surely forged a lie against the Holy Imam (a.s.). How can it be when there is no contact.

The main reason for making the claim of being the Holy Imam (a.s.)’s representative is so that all his (a.s.) affairs should get transferred unto him and no one would be able to challenge him as the Holy Imam (a.s.) will no longer be reprimanding him by way of a letter. People should consider their orders to be the orders of the Holy Imams (a.s.). Since, without being in the Taqleed of the Holy Imams (a.s.) none of our deeds are acceptable, the same is the case for them as they now represent him. They are now handling the affairs of religion and there is no real need for the Holy Imam (a.s.) to be here. And now if he (a.s.) were not to make his (a.s.) appearance then there is no problem as all the affairs are taken care of. Why should we not wait for his (a.s.) reappearance? After all, he (a.s.) will only indulge in killing. They are doing the same and a large portion of the budget has been allocated for weaponry even if the general populace remains hungry and unclothed.

IMAM

My ears perked up the day I heard that they had started claiming to be the Ayatullah Kubra (Great Sign of Allah) and I thought, surely now the Naib E Imam is going to get promoted. I was right because soon after, the cry of ‘Imam - Imam’ was heard everywhere. Radio, T.V., Newspapers and even the organisations under them were all at it. All their efforts were diverted to ensure that those Shiites who had not even thought that Imams could be more than twelve and that an ordinary person could also be called an Imam, should somehow be made to swallow this. As Hitler had said before, ‘Tell lies consistently so that it would become the truth’; they managed to do this. At first some people were reluctant to accept it but now they have no problems with it as they have been told that this term is being used in its linguistic form and not in the form used by the Holy Quran. I have dealt with this lame excuse before. They did have recourse to other words in their language, for instance, leader, representative, guide etc. But they decided not to use any of them and to take the word ‘Imam’ from the Arabic language which itself proves the invalidity of their argument. It has been proven that this word is being used in its real meaning, the same meaning that the Holy Quran has made us of it. I have already established that if the Holy Quran were to us a word in a particular form then no one else has the right to use it in a different form. Therefore there is no way out but to accept that this word is being used in the same form that it has been used in the Holy Quran.

This is not an ordinary word that we can conclude the discussion superficially. We shall now see what is the verdict for these kinds of people from the Holy Quran and the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) so that this non-serious behaviour can be terminated. For God’s sake! Think about the seriousness of the situation. We do not call them Imam (a.s.) out of love for them. We do so because our gathering will take place behind the Imam (a.s.) on the day of judgement, whichever meaning that we use it in.

One day Imam Ali (a.s.) was with some people, when eight of them asked to leave as they had something urgent to do. They agreed to meet him (a.s.) again on Friday. When they walked away they saw a crow and they jokingly said to each other, ‘Let us pay allegiance to this hedgehog’. So they caught it and placed their hands on it as a symbol of allegiance and then they let it go. When they went to the Mosque on Friday, Imam Ali (a.s.) was delivering a speech in which he (a.s.) was explaining the verse:

يَوْمَ نَدْعُو كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ فَمَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ يَقْرَؤُونَ كِتَابَهُمْ وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً

[Shakir 17:71] (Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam; then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their book; and they shall not be dealt with a whit unjustly.

When he (a.s.) saw them he stopped and said: ‘I am currently looking at eight people who will be called on the Day of Judgment with a hedgehog as that is their Imam’.

Now stop worrying about ‘this meaning’ and ‘that meaning’. Let us ask the Holy Quran and the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) about this.

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَرَى الَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وُجُوهُهُم مُّسْوَدَّةٌ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ

[Shakir 39:60] And on the day of resurrection you shall see those who lied against Allah; their faces shall be blackened. Is there not in hell an abode for the proud?

AL KAFI - H 951, Ch. 85, h 1

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu Salam from Sawra ibn kulayb who has said the following: “Once I asked abu Ja‘far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious: ‘On the day of judgement you will see the faces of those who had invented falsehood against Allah blackened. . .’ (39:60) The Imam said, ‘It refers to those who claim to be the Imam but in fact, are not the Imam.’ “I then asked, ‘Even if he is of the descendents of Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant?’ He replied, ‘Yes, even if he is of the descendents of Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant.’ I then asked, ‘Even if he is of the sons of Ali ibn abu Talib, recipient of divine supreme covenant?’ He said, ‘Yes, even if he is as such.’”

This is also found in Tafseer Qummi, Tafseer Ayyashi and Tafseer Saafi.

وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ

[Shakir 28:41] And we made them Imams who call to the fire, and on the day of resurrection they shall not be assisted.

وَأَتْبَعْنَاهُمْ فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ هُم مِّنَ الْمَقْبُوحِينَ

[Shakir 28:42] And We caused a curse to follow them in this world, and on the day of resurrection they shall be of those made to appear hideous.

AL KAFI - H 562, Ch. 25, h2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talha ibn Zayd from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “‘A’immah mentioned in the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are of two kinds. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has said, (1) ‘We appointed them as ‘A’immah (leaders) to guide the people through Our command . .’ (21:73) They do so but not because of the commands of the people. They allow Our command to come first and before their own orders, and Our laws before their own laws and judgment. (2) Allah has also said, ‘We made them the kinds of Imams (leaders) who invite people to the fire . .’ (28:41) They (this kind of Imam) make their own commands to come before the commands of Allah and their laws before the laws of Allah. They follow their desires against what the book of Allah, the Most Holy, and the Most High, requires.’”

For more details on this kindly refer back to the chapter on ‘Usool E Fiqh’ under the heading of ‘Ijma’.

Some easy conclusions can be drawn from the above: -

1.The Holy Quran has not used the word Imam in its linguistic meaning.

2.In the whole of the Holy Quran only two kinds of Imams are mentioned. There is no third kind. One kind is that which have been appointed by Allah (s.w.t.) and guide according to divine commands and do not allow interference of personal opinions in this. The second kind is that which have declared themselves as Imams and call people to the Fire. They consider their own opinions and orders to supersede those of Allah (s.w.t.). These are that forge lie against Allah (s.w.t.). These are the arrogant people. On the Day of Judgment their faces will be blackened. Their place is in Hell whether they be the children of Ali (a.s.) and Fatima (a.s.).

3.Since there is no third category of Imams, those that claim to be Imams can only be classified into one of the two. It is meaningless to claim to be of any other kind. Since the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) until today, whoever has claimed to be an Imam has done so in the meaning of being a leader and never has anyone claimed to be Divinely Guided. But we have still rejected them. How is it possible then we are showing great respect to those that are making the claims today?

Let us now see what the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) have to say about this.

AL KAFI - H 952, Ch. 85, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban from al-Fudayl from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Whoever claims to be the Imam and, in fact, is not the Imam is considered an unbeliever.”

AL KAFI - H 955, Ch. 85, h 5

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Sinan from Yahya brother of ’Udaym from al-Walid ibn Sabih who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, say, ‘No one, other than the actual Imam, claims this (Leadership with Divine Authority) except that Allah will cut his life short.’”

AL KAFI - H 966, Ch. 86, h 4

He has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib al-Sajistani from abu Ja‘far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, ‘I will cause to suffer punishment all those (citizens) who live a religious life in Islam with belief in and acknowledgement of the guardianship of unjust 'A'immah (leaders without Divine Authority) who do not possess authority from Allah, even though such followers are (apparently) virtuous and pious in their deeds. I will forgive all those (citizens) who live a religious life in Islam with belief in and acknowledgement of the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possesses authority from Allah, even though such followers in their dealings are unjust sinners.’”

AL KAFI - H 956, Ch. 85, h 6

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Talha ibn Yazid from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Whoever considers someone who has no divine authority as a partner in the leadership of a leader with divine authority, is considered a polytheist.”

AL KAFI - H 962, Ch. 85, h 12

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from abu Dawud al-Mustariqq from Ali ibn Maymun from ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following: “Once I heard abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, say, ‘There will be three kinds of people to whom Allah will not look on the Day of Judgment. He will not purify them and they will suffer painful punishments. They are those who claim to be the Imam but without authority from Allah, those who reject the Imam (Leader with divine authority), and those who think that for the ‘two’ there is a share in Islam.’”

I am convinced that you have now understood the importance of the word Imam, and also recognised the true nature of the claimants to this title. This is sufficient for those of you who are serious about your hereafter. I have no concern with people who have no interest in their hereafter and are only engrossed in their worldly affairs.

CALIPH OF THE HOLY PROPHET (S.A.W.)

There are many matters which most people are unaware of. When someone makes them aware of these, they find it hard to believe and start arguing with that person. In this chapter you will come across a few things which would be difficult for some people to accept. And so I thought that in order to escape from any blame I should only tell you things from their own statements rather than my opinion. I will only quote from well known Mujtahids, especially Agha Khomeini so that there would be no room for any counter arguments.

It would seem that there is a personality clash between me and my opponents, but when you look at it carefully you will see that the difference is on the subject matter and not the person. The Shiite understanding is that we cannot follow one who is not an infallible. The others do not have this and so they have left room for other people to make certain claims. The Shiite Jurists then decided to adopt the definitions of the others so that they may be able to make room for themselves to make their claims. One of these is the caliph of the Holy prophet (s.a.w.). For the Shiites this has always been:-

1.Only an infallible can be the caliph of an infallible.

2.The appointment of a caliph is not for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) to appoint, but is done by Allah (s.w.t.).

3.The caliph of a Prophet has to do with guidance and not with establishment of a government. Governance only forms part of it and you will see that apart from a few number prophets got to rule, and that did not mean that they were not caliphs. There is no doubt that the right of being a leader is in the hands of a caliph of Allah (s.w.t.), but this cannot be limited just to this task alone.

In opposition to all this the others adopted the following view:-

1.Infallibility is not a pre-condition to be the caliph; being just is sufficient. (This condition was also set aside later on). In order to be in agreement with this, they came to regard all the companions to be just.

2.The caliphate is not from Allah (s.w.t.).

3.The caliphate is for governance and the safeguarding of the affairs of the Muslims. This then led to the declaration of even a person like Yazeed to be a caliph.

Let us now see how Agha Khomeini has defined the appointment of the caliph:

When the Prophet (s) appointed a successor, it was not only for the purpose of expounding articles of faith and law; it was for the implementation of law and the execution of God’s ordinances. We believe in government and believe that the Prophet (s) was bound to appoint a successor, as he indeed did. Was a successor designated purely for the sake of expounding law? The expounding of law did not require a successor to the Prophet. He himself, after all, had expounded the laws; it would have been enough for the laws to be written down in a book and put into people’s hands to guide them in their actions. It was logically necessary for a successor to be appointed for the sake of exercising government. Law requires a person to execute it.

Did you see how big a blow has been struck on the beliefs of the Shiite sect? He says that there is no need of a successor to expound the laws and that it would have been enough for the laws to be written down in a book, and only to execute it. Do you understand how many blows have been dealt to the beliefs of the Shiites? The only reason was to pave the way for himself to make the claims and there would be no objections raised against it.

He then goes on to say: Here is a narration totally without ambiguity. The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) relates that the Most Noble Messenger (s) said: “O God! Have mercy on those that succeed me.” He repeated this thrice and was then asked: “O Messenger of God, who are those that succeed you?” He replied: “They are those that come after me, transmit my traditions and practice, and teach them to the people after me.”

There cannot be the least doubt that the tradition we have been discussing refers to the governance of the faqih, for to be a successor means to succeed to all the functions of prophethood.

These are some of the points that come out of the above discussion:

1.Whatever status is for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and Imam Ali (a.s.) is the status of the jurists.

2.The caliphate of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is not restricted to the Holy Imam (a.s.).

3.It cannot be so that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) would establish his rule and the Jurists should just explain solutions to the problems.

4.According to his fatwa the Jurist should be the caliph then it follows that the Holy Imams (a.s.) were also Jurists. Here I would like to narrate to you the statement of Sheykh Khalsi a Mujtahid who said: ‘In my view Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) was also a Mujtahid, and Mujtahids are prone to error’.

Let us now consider what ugliness comes out of this claim.

1.If we were to accept the claim that the caliph of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is a Jurist, then they would all queue up for it. In every age there have been thousands of jurists, and according to him they are all deserving of being caliphs. Therefore in the presence of so many caliphs at any one time will result in nothing but chaos and mischief.

2.And if they say that by ‘jurists’ they mean only the elite of them, then sometimes there are six of them.

3.This whole claims falsifies the universally accepted Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) that after him (s.a.w.) there will be twelve caliphs.

4.This claim also falsifies the Verse:

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا

[Shakir 33:62] (Such has been) the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before; and you shall not find any change in the course of Allah.

It is also clearly proven that a caliph of an infallible would be an infallible person. From the time of Prophet Adam (a.s.) up to the time of prophet Isa (a.s.) their caliphs have always been infallibles (a.s.). How is it then possible that the caliph of the Holy prophet (s.a.w.) would be ordinary people?

BEING FROM ALLAH (S.A.W.) - (MIN JAANIB ALLAH)

Agha khomeini then goes on to say: Now that this much has been demonstrated, it is necessary that the fuqahâ proceed, collectively or individually, to establish a government in order to implement the laws of Islam and protect its territory. If this task falls within the capabilities of a single person, he has personally incumbent upon him the duty to fulfill it; otherwise, it is a duty that devolves upon the fuqahâ as a whole. Even if it is impossible to fulfill the task, the authority vested in the fuqahâ is not voided, because it has been vested in them by God.

If you have not understood by the term ‘vested’ then try and understand it from these Verses:

فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ

[Shakir 94:7] So when you are free, nominate.

وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ

[Shakir 94:8] And make your Lord your exclusive object.

What he is saying is that the Jurists are nominated in the same way that the Imam (a.s.) has been nominated. As imamate forms part of the beliefs of religion then why can’t the Wilayah of Faqih. And so it has been proven that the Shiite beliefs are incomplete and they need to be completed and so the Jurist can now establish a government even though Allah (s.w.t.) may not have authorised it.

TRUSTEE OF ALLAH (S.W.T.)

Agha Khomeini then goes on to present a hadeeth from Man La Yahdhurul Faqih, which actually goes against what he says and this is: The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said to Shurayh: “The seat [of judge] you are occupying is filled by someone who is a Prophet (‘a), the legatee of a Prophet, or else a sinful wretch.”

He then uses this Hadeeth to prove his claim and says: It is clear from the foregoing tradition that the position of judgement may be exercised only by a prophet (‘a) or by the legatee of a Prophet. No one would dispute the fact that the function of judge belongs to the just fuqahâ, in accordance with their appointment by the Imâms (‘a). Considering the fact that the fuqahâ do not have the rank of prophethood, and they are indubitably not “wretched sinners,” we conclude that, in the light of the tradition quoted above, they must be the legatees or successors of the Most Noble Messenger(s). In any event, we deduce from the tradition quoted above that the fuqahâ are the legatees, at one remove, of the Most Noble Messenger (s) and that all the tasks he entrusted to the Imâms (‘a) are also incumbent on the fuqahâ; all the tasks that Messenger (s) performed, they too must perform, just as the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) did.

Have you noticed his proof? You tell me honestly, does this Hadeeth go in his favour or does it prove his crime? The sentence Considering the fact that the fuqahâ do not have the rank of Prophethood, and they are indubitably not “wretched sinners,” we conclude that, in the light of the tradition quoted above, they must be the legatees or successors of the Most Noble Messenger (s) involves very strange logic. Even if we were to accept this logic, then why restrict this to only Jurists? By this proof whosoever is not “wretched sinners,” would end up being a trustee of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.).

PROOF OF ALLAH (S.W.T.) - HUJJAT ALLAH (S.W.T.)

Agha Khomeini then says: A “proof of God” is one whom God has designated to conduct affairs; all his deeds, actions, and sayings constitute a proof for the Muslims.

Today, the fuqahâ of Islam are proof to the people. Just as the Most Noble Messenger (‘a) was the proof of God---the conduct of all affairs was entrusted to him so that whoever disobeyed him had a proof advanced against him---so, too, the fuqahâ are the proof of the Imâm (‘a) to the people. All the affairs of the Muslims have been entrusted to them. God will advance a proof and argument against anyone who disobeys them in anything concerning government, the conduct of Muslim affairs, or the gathering and expenditure of public funds.

There can be no doubt concerning the meaning of the tradition we have quoted, although it is possible to have certain reservations about its chain of transmission. Nonetheless, even if one does regard the tradition as being in its own right, a proof of the thesis we have advanced, it serves to support the other proofs we have mentioned.

WILAYAH - WILAYAT E FAQIH

What is Wilayah (Mastership)? What is its standing in religion? Who is the Wali? What is his authority? All these matters concern beliefs and God Willing I shall discuss in some other time. Just understand this much that apart from Wilayah, there is no religion. This is why the Holy Infallible (a.s.) said ‘Religion is Wilayah’. All our beliefs and all our actions, all of Allah (s.w.t.)’s Attributes and His Created universe, whatsoever there is, it is under the Wilayah. This is why Allah (s.w.t.) said:

اللّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوُرِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

[Shakir 2:257] Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light; and (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are Shaitans who take them out of the light into the darkness; they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide.

He (s.w.t.) made sure that no one else can make this claim.

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

[Shakir 5:55] Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.

Even those who are not well versed in Arabic will have understood from the speakers from the pulpits that the word ‘Innama’ is a word like a fortress. It does not let the insiders out nor does it let the outsiders in. This means that ‘those and only those’, when the word is used. So, for the verse above, the word ‘innama’ has been used to denote only those that are mentioned to the exclusion of others. It does not matter how great a scholar comes by, even if he has read mountains of books, the usage of the word ‘Innama’ has ensured that the door to this claims remains shut.

The ugly methods that others have used in matters of religion have been presented to you before. They reduced the status of Prophethood, Imamate and Wilayah so much that every Tom, Dick and Harry had the courage to make these claims without feeling any remorse. It was due to the beliefs of the Shiites being based on infallibility which safeguarded it from these goings-on. But the love of space and status is a big thing from which no ordinary person is safe. This desire was subdued among the people so long as the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) were among them. The occultation of the Holy Imam (a.s.) gave these type of people an opportunity to make the claims against his titles.

They could not make that claim to Prophethood for fear of all the people as this was a very high station among all. This would have shocked the world. But Imam and Wali, had been degraded so much in the eyes of the other muslims that any leader could make that claim. The Shiites, however, had reserved these terms in their hearts for only the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). After centuries of brain washing, the Shiites were made to accept these claims from ordinary people, partially at least, if not fully. Some people did object openly about this, but the governmental networks and their propaganda machinery subdued them and slowly over time they came to accept these terms for ordinary people. This situation has deteriorated to such an extent today that if one of them was to declare himself to be god then the people would happily accept this claims, ‘if not in this meaning then the other’.

This is the situation of the term ‘Wali’. Allah (s.w.t.) has used the word specifically for the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). The jurists however, in order to further their aims, divided this term into different categories, of which these two are fundamental.

1.Wilayah Takwini - Authority over everything in the universe.

2.Wilayah Tashri’ee - Authority over the Sharia and its implementation.

Although it is wrong to divide the Wilayah into categories, the meaning that they derive from Wilayah Tashri’ee is definitely incorrect. I shall deal with this in my next book.

They could not have possibly made a claim on Wilayah Takwini, otherwise their followers would have asked them to perform such miracles like returning the sun, rendering the moon asunder into two pieces, turning a person into an animal etc. And so they decided to choose for themselves Wilayah Tashri’ee, the explanation of which they gave themselves to the people.

And so today, the people have begun using the terms ‘Wali Ul Amr’ and ‘Wali Ul Asr’ for them and still consider themselves to be Shiites.

As time went by, these people started establishing themselves under this category of Wilayah and slowly but surely started equating themselves with the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). This was done in such a subtle way that people did not even realise it. I am now presenting to you some examples of this so that you can believe in what I am saying. These are from Agha Khomeini’s book Islamic Government and the Rule of the Jurist.

He says: The idea that the governmental power of the Most Noble Messenger (s) were greater than those of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a), or that those of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) were greater than those of the faqîh, is false and erroneous.

He had said this in his third speech, and there was a commotion over this, and so in his next speech he clarified this: ‘It is as if the Imâm were to appoint someone to the guardianship of a minor, to the governorship of a province, or to some other post. In cases like these, it is not reasonable that there would be a difference between the Prophet and the Imâms (‘a), on the one hand, and the just faqîh, on the other. Now, the penalty for the fornicator is one hundred lashes. If the Prophet (s) applies the penalty, is he to inflict one hundred fifty lashes, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) one hundred, and, the faqîh fifty? The ruler supervises the executive power and has the duty of implementing God’s laws; it makes no difference if he is the Most Noble Messenger (s), the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) or the representative or judge he appointed to Basrah or Kûfah, or a faqîh in the present age’.

Have you seen how the concept of Wilayah has been polluted? Anyone who raises a claim in the name of Islam would end up being in government. (Just like the family of Al Saud). In this government the police officer, the deputy commissioner or even a normal magistrate will also be eligible for Wilayah as they all issue orders. On top of this is the claim that this is the Wilayah that was given to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and Imam Ali (a.s.). Even an enemy will not be able to insult these Holy personalities in this manner. This is something nobody has observed.

In order to establish their own Wilayah, they have established that the purpose of Wilayah is the establishment of orders. O servant of God! This work of the implementation of orders was done by their (a.s.) servants, governors and judges. Does this now mean that they are equal in Wilayah to these divine personalities? This incomplete picture of Wilayah is based on the lack of understanding of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.). The Holy Infallibles (a.s.) were not obedient to the Sharia, but rather the Sharia was obedient to them (a.s.). What is Sharia? Sharia is the statements that they made. This is the true and original Sharia. To equate their authority to that of the magistrate of the deputy commissioner is to make a mockery of Sharia. This was justified by saying that if the punishment of fornication is one hundred lashes then this is what the Jurists will apply, no less no more. They do not have the authority to even forgive this. Take a look at the two Hadeeth that I have taken from Illul Sharai in order to understand the truth behind all this.

Someone asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) about his friend’s punishment who had committed bestiality, and he replied: ‘He should be flogged but of a reduced number to what is in Sharia’.

You tell me now, has not the Holy Imam (a.s.) reduced the punishment that is prescribed in the Sharia or not? Has the Jurist got this right? (It would not surprise me that in the near future this right will be allocated to the Jurist. These days the general conception is that the Holy Imam (a.s.) has gone into occultation and it is free for all. Whoever can take whatever he can and run away with it).

Hamid Ibn Muslim narrates that once he asked the Holy Imam (a.s.) about a drunkard, and he replied: ‘If he has drunk it by mistake then I issue reduced punishment for him, but if he is a habitual drunkard then I deal with him harshly so that he would not permit himself of what is forbidden’.

Now the punishment for drinking is fixed in Sharia, and according to this Mujtahid, the Jurist has no right to either increase or decrease it. Can someone now tell me how is it that the Holy Imam (a.s.) has issued different penalties on different people?

I presented the two Hadeeth above regarding the reduction of punishment. I will now present examples from Hadeeth about the increment of punishment from the same book.

Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) has narrated that one day Imam Ali (a.s.) decided about a man who had married another man’s wife that she should be stoned to death and the man should be lashed. He (a.s.) then turned towards the man and said that ‘had I known that you had deliberately married this woman when she was already married to someone else then I would have crushed your head with a stone’. Can someone tell me whether the Sharia has prescribed the punishment of adultery to be crushing the head with a stone?

Musa Bin Bijli has narrated from Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) that Imam Ali (a.s.) saw a couple in the same house and had them lashed less than one hundred times. The narrator then asked, ‘Without evidence?’ He (a.s.) replied, ‘Leave him now, if there was evidence then I would have issued the complete punishment’.

Has any Jurist got the right to issue punishment without any evidence?

I am now quoting below two Hadeeth from Manaqib Ibn Sher Ashob where the punishment was withdrawn.

A man who had committed sodomy with his slave was brought to Imam Ali (a.s.) for punishment. The Holy Imam (a.s.) gave him three options - death by sword, by fire or by being crushed under a wall. He chose to be burnt in the fire. He then requested that he be allowed to pray two cycles of prayer. After praying he raised his head towards the sky and said: ‘O Allah! I committed one sin and have come to your Wali as a repentant and I have chosen to be burnt in the fire for it so that you may forgive me and save me from the fire of Hell’. Imam Ali (a.s.) wept and so did the people surrounding him. He (a.s.) then said: ‘Go, Allah (s.w.t.) has forgiven you’. One person asked whether he (a.s.) had cancelled one of the punishment from the Sharia. He (a.s.) replied: ‘Woe be to you. When a person repents in front of Allah (s.w.t.) and an Imam appointed by Allah (s.w.t.), then Allah (s.w.t.) forgives him.

Does anyone have the courage now to cancel any punishment which is in Sharia? Then where is the equation between the two.

Hatim has narrated from his teacher Ibn Abbas that one day a black man came to Imam Ali (a.s.) having been accused of theft. The Holy Imam (a.s.) asked questioned and he accepted his guilt three times. He said: ‘O Ali! I have indeed committed theft, so please cleanse me’. He (a.s.) ordered that his hand should be cut off. When Ibn Qawa saw him in this state, he wanted to know who had cut his hand off. In reply to this the thief started extolling the virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.) and praising him. Ibn Qawa was surprised at this and said: ‘You are praising one who has had your hand cut off?’ He replied that if Imam Ali (a.s.) had even cut him into pieces his love for him (a.s.) would have actually increased. Ibn Qawa then rushed to Imam Ali (a.s.) and described to him what had transpired to which he (a.s.) said, ‘O Ibn Qawa! As for those that love us, if we were to even cut them into pieces, their love for us would increase, whereas as for those who hate us, even if we were to give them honey and food their enmity towards us would increase’. Then he (a.s.) turned towards his son Imam Hasan (a.s.) and instructed him to go and bring him back. The he (a.s.) put the cut hand back in its place, covered it with his cloth, and recited some words. His hand got restored back and he spent his life alongside Imam Ali (a.s.) and fought in battles with him. He was martyred in the battle of Nahrwan. His name was Aflah.

Does any Jurist have the authority and the ability to restore a man’s hand after having had it cut off? Once the hand is restored then where is the punishment?

Now, let me return back to Agha Khomeini’s book, Islamic Government where he quotes the Hadeeth of the time of Muawiya “The rank of the faqîh in the present age is like that of the prophets of the Children of Israel.” And then quoting the Verse “The Prophet has higher claims on the believers than their own selves,” and concludes that Wilayah is proven for the scholars.

This tradition does not require much thought. Anyone with a little bit of common sense would realise that is a fake. Let us now think over it.

1.The Prophets of Bani Israel include the prophets Musa (a.s.) and Isa (a.s.) who are among the great Prophets, who were given the Law as well as the Book. Which Law was revealed to the Jurists and which Book was given to them? And who testifies to them?

2.The Prophets are infallible whereas the Jurists are not.

3.The knowledge of the Prophets is of celestial origin and acquired through revelation whereas the knowledge of the Jurists is doubtful and acquired through books.

4.The birth of the Prophets is pure whereas the normal person, including the Jurist, is born from impurity.

It is clear from the above points that no one in his right mind would rely on this Hadeeth and wash his faith away. But this claim of theirs does not surprise me because if they can equate themselves to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and Imam Ali (a.s.), then they would not stop at other prophets. What surprises me is the usage of the Verse “The Prophet has higher claims on the believers than their own selves” to consider themselves higher than others. The Hadeeth that has been quoted above, Allah (s.w.t.) is witness that it is not for the prophets of Bani Israel but for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). This is because the word used is ‘Al Nabi’ and not ‘Nabi’. If one were to include all the Prophets under this Verse then one will have to include them again in the Verse of salutation where the same word has been used. But this is not so. Secondly, this Verse has to do with the permanent Wilayah and not only for the implementation of orders. The sermon of Ghadeer by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) bears testimony to this.

Wilayah of Faqih is such a subject that much can be written about it, but whatever has been written so far is sufficient to prove my point. You will read more about it later on in this book which will enlighten you even more. Let us now look at another one of their claims.

AHL UL ZIKR - (PEOPLE OF REMEMBRANCE)

This claim is made on the basis of the Verse:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

[Shakir 16:43] 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

Allama Haeri in his book Al Risala, has done Instambaat from this Verse and claimed to have proven Ijtihad from this.

I have discussed this Verse in detail before in this book and presented numerous Hadeeth to explain that ‘the people of remembrance’ denotes none other than the Ahl Ul Bayt (a.s.). There is no room for someone to go to school and come out with whatever qualifications that he may have acquired and make these Divine claims. He can only be referred to as one who has refuted the Ahl Ul Bayt (a.s.) and no one else. There is no point in discussing this further as any claim that is based on refutation of the Ahl Ul Bayt (a.s.) proves itself false anyhow. I shall discuss more about this in the next chapter; however, I shall now quote from Allamah Haeri’s book: ‘The Ahl Ul Zikr here are the scholars of the Holy Quran. They are those who are immersed in knowledge’.

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ

[Shakir 35:32] Then we gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom we chose from among our servants; but of them is he who makes his soul to suffer a loss, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah's permission; this is the great excellence

There are numerous commentaries that the inheritors are the Holy Imam (a.s.).

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَسْتَ مُرْسَلاً قُلْ كَفَى بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ

[Shakir 13:43] And those who disbelieve say: You are not a messenger. Say: Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you and whoever has knowledge of the Book.

The commentaries of Sunnis as well as Shiites are unanimous that the words ‘whoever has knowledge of the Book’ denote Imam Ali (a.s.). Only a few commentaries of the Sunnis have declared Abdullah Ibn Salam, a Jew, as the one who has the knowledge of the Book. Now, I don’t know whether the claimants are making the claim of Imam Ali (a.s.) or Abdullah Ibn Salam. I leave this to you to decide.

هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ في قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاء الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاء تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الألْبَابِ

[Shakir 3:7] He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.

In other words, these people who are firmly rooted in knowledge know the same interpretation that Allah (s.w.t.) Knows. To be a partner in their knowledge means to be a partner in Allah (s.w.t.)’s Knowledge. I will not say anything more than this.

There have been so many claims that if we were to take these claims to court then the Judges would abandon their chairs and run away. You must be getting fed up with all these claims, although there are many more yet. I will now deal with one final claim and leave its exposition to you. You should also do some good deeds.

UL LIL AMR - ONE WITH AUTHORITY

All I will say here is that they should first understand ‘Amr’ (command) before they make this claim, if possible. The ugliness we see here is the same as the one we saw in the claim of ‘Caliph of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). The Shiites, based on the Holy Quran and the statements of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.), believe that ‘Amr’ stands for every thing that The Pen (Qalam) has written on The Guarded Tablet (Lawh Mahfooz). This includes everything in the universe, spirit and body, life and death, sustenance and children, sickness and health. Everything that is a ‘thing’ comes under this. The Ul Lil Amr, therefore, will be that person who has control over everything and whose obedience has been made obligatory upon one and all. Not a single atom of the universe would be outside his Wilayah and he (a.s.) would be a manifestation of Allah (s.w.t.)’s Attribute of being ‘Master of the Kingdom’ (Maalik Ul Mulk). According to Shiite beliefs, he would be the Master of everything regardless of whether the apparent authority has been vested unto him or not. It is another matter that, due to him (a.s.) being the Caliph of the Merciful, gives enough rope to the criminals, so that sufficient proof can be established over him. He, nevertheless, is the real person of authority with his strength as well as his deeds. In contrast the Sunnis are of the opinion that the Ul Il Amr is one who established himself in authority in any corner of the world. The only condition is that he should be a Muslim. Now we have to see, between the two, as to which one have the Jurists made the claim for. They have mixed these issues so much that a person would be utterly perplexed. The purpose is to get themselves recognised and accepted.

I am now going to present to you the statements made by Allamah Haeri in his book Al Risala. The problem is, when I started looking at his claim, I then came across a few more. I don’t know which claim to deal with and which ones to leave out. Anyhow, you go through this and decide for yourself what claims have been made.

وَإِذَا جَاءهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لاَتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً

[Shakir 4:83] And when there comes to them news of security or fear they spread it abroad; and if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it, and were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have certainly followed the Shaitan save a few

He says that: ‘The word ‘Ul Lil Amri’ here means that there is more than one of them. The linguistic meaning of this is ‘Masters or governors of the kingdom’. Those who wish to debate this point will take this to be the authority of a Prophet, or in his place to be the ruler of all of mankind. The Mujtahid is a ruler in the same meaning that a king would be, as he represents the Imam (a.s.) in religion and the world, and covers the same territory that the imam (a.s.) does. Those people that are ignorant about these matters should refer to the Mujtahid as he, despite his angelic characteristics and authority as well as experience is one of them.  This is because the Mujtahid does istambaat and extracts the knowledge of Allah (s.w.t.)’s commands and knows His (s.w.t.) desires, and then he conveys them to the people so that they would follow them’.

1.The Mujtahid has used that particular meaning of the word Ul Lil Amr that Allah (s.w.t.) has used it for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and the Holy Imams (a.s.). For this he has neither presented any divine verse, any statement of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) nor any intellectual argument for it. But Agha Khomeini restricted himself to only partial commands. What this means is that each Mujtahid is using this word in a different meaning. It is true that falsehood does not have any legs to stand on.

2.The claim is that they are the rulers of all mankind and not only the Shiites. But, according to their own statements, they only have authority over their own followers (Muqallideen) only; meaning that if a person was to be a follower of one Mujtahid, then the authority of the other Mujtahids lapse on him and he does not have to follow them. Look at the Divine Plan here that He (s.w.t.) has made them falsify their own claims from their own statements although they made such big claims.

3.Then they change direction and restrict their authority to that of a King in power.

4.Then they remember their previous claims and so they include religion along with the world and become masters of the territory of the Holy Imams (a.s.). If only my readers would understand this phrase ‘become masters of the territory of the Holy Imams (a.s.)’ then they would seek refuge from these people who make such enormous claims. Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) said: ‘Initially Allah (s.w.t.) created us and then created everything else. Then he (s.w.t.) made obedience to us obligatory on everything’. This is the extent of the territory of the Holy Imams (a.s.). Even this is limited to our imagination, otherwise only Allah (s.w.t.) is aware of this extent.

5.He makes the claim that the Mutahid has angelic characteristics and has the same authority as them. Let us now look at the characteristics of angels and then we will talk about their authority.

•The angels are creatures of light.

•The angels are sinless.

•The angels do not disobey Allah (s.w.t.) even for a moment.

•The angels get their knowledge from Allah (s.w.t.) directly.

Are these people entitled to make such claims as they do? Now let us look at the authority of angels;

•They bring about rainfall.

•They give out sustenance.

•They move the winds.

•They sort out the affairs of the world.

•They shape the foetus in the mother’s womb.

•They take the souls out of the bodies.

Are these people making these claims? It is for sure though that they do interfere in the last deed. They may not take the soul out of the bodies but they surely take the faith out of us. If they say that they have used these words ‘angelic characteristics and has the same authority as them’ metaphorically, then I cannot accept this defence of theirs. No sane person of integrity would ever use these words for a start, nor would he make himself a laughing stock in a gathering. And then they say that despite these characteristics they are still one of the people. This clearly shows that they expected to be of a different species.

Then the claim that ‘This is because the Mujtahid does istambaat and extracts the knowledge of Allah (s.w.t.)’s Commands and knows His (s.w.t.) Desires’ means that they are the ones referred to in the Verse:

وَمَا تَشَاؤُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاء اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

[Shakir 76:30] And you do not desire except that Allah desires, surely Allah is Knowing, Wise;

I am not going to say anything at all about this, except that I seek justice from you.

CHAPTER 6: QIYAS (ANALOGY)

In religion the meaning of Qiyas is the application of a command in one matter to another matter based on a common ground. This then demands that the order should be the same for the two matters. (Commentary of Sahifa Kamila by Mufti Ja’far Husayn).

You may now be getting tired of all this technical discussions, let me therefore relate to you a light heated story so that you can relax your mind a little.

This is a well known story of Sheykh Chilli. One day, in the midst of the summer heat, he decided to do some gardening. So he went to get his gardening tool which had become quite hot due to the summer heat. As soon as he grabbed hold of the tool his hand got scalded from it. So he asked for advice from someone to take a look at the gardening tool and see what the problem was. So the advisor said mockingly: ‘Your gardening tool has got high fever. The solution is to tie a rope round it and immerse it into the water well so that its fever can come down’. So Sheykh Chilli followed the instructions and lo, the tool cooled down. By coincidence, after a few days his mother fell ill with high fever. So Sheykh Chilli then started thinking that surely there is a similarity here between the two cases. Therefore the same order should be applicable on both the cases. He then tied a rope around his mother’s neck and flung her into the water well. After a few dips when he took her out, the fever was gone, but then so was his mother. I don’t think Sheykh Chilli should be totally blamed for doing what he did as his error can be classified as an ‘error of Ijtihad’.

TYPES OF QAYAS

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: ‘Every innovation is a sin and the punishment of every innovator is Hell’.

When our elder brothers (Sunnis) looked at this Hadeeth they thought: ‘We are in trouble. Now where are we going to place innovations like the forbidding of Mutah, Nabeedh, As Salaat Khairun Min An Nawm etc.’ Now, their Mujtahids were not going to be left behind anyone, so they put on their inventor’s garb and subdivided Innovation into two types, namely good and bad. And so they classified the above innovations as good innovations as the one who issued this order was also a ‘good’ person. But the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) had forbidden innovations in its entirety and not only certain kinds of it. And the ‘Writer of our Destiny’ Had written that Sunnis and Shias are brothers and so why should the Shia lag behind in this. And so as soon as the Imams (a.s.) Commanded us to stay away from innovations, they only glanced at it, as their elder brothers had already dealt with this matter beforehand. So they immediately divided Qiyas (Analogy) into three parts.

Mufti Jafar Husayn writes that there are three types of analogies:

1.Qiyas Mansus Ul Ala - As the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said that wine if forbidden because it is an intoxicant, it therefore means that every intoxicant is therefore forbidden. (One Mujtahid actually made tobacco unlawful based on this type of analogy).

2.Qiyas Ba Tariq Ul Ala - As Allah (s.w.t.) Has Said in the Holy Quran ‘Do not say UFF to your parents’, it therefore means that we should not harm them in the least.

3.Qiyas Mustanbat Ul Ala - When one does Istinbaat based on one’s opinion and arrives at the order. This Qiyas is incorrect from the Shiite point of view.

Here I would like to say that to divide Qiyas into three types is in itself Qiyas, for there is no such division of it to be found in the statements of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) who actually forbid Qiyas in its entirety. This subdivision was only done in order to keep their businesses going.

They concluded that if a Holy Infallible gives a particular reason for something then this is the only reason for it. What could also be the case that the Imam (a.s.) actually had more reasons to give but gave us only a particular one for a particular problem. In the same way a doctor knows what to say to a patient and an Imam (a.s.) know what to say to who and when.

So where did these people get the right to use analogies in matters of religion, the interpretation of which is the sole right of an Inafallible imam (a.s.).

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said that wine is forbidden due to the fact that it is an intoxicant. Just like where they have used their analogies in other matters, it is also possible in the absence of reasons other that this one, for them to declare wine to be lawful. I can show you thousands upon thousands of people who, after drinking bottles upon bottles of wine, do not get intoxicated from it. So now if we use these analogies, then based upon the reason for the forbidding of wine being absent, wine would end up being lawful. The people who drink wine would then make the claim as to why wine should be forbidden to them when it does not intoxicate them.

So who gave these people the audacity to make these claims? It was obviously the people who use Qiyas when they regarded the intoxication to be the only reason for its unlawfulness. They did not consider the fact that there could be numerous other reasons such as the effect it would have on their future generations etc.

Let me give you another example, In Islam, two witnesses are required for every crime to be proven, but for adultery four witnesses are required. The Holy Infallibles (a.s.) explained that as for adultery the criminals are two in number, hence twice as many witnesses are required, whilst for other crimes only two are sufficient. So, now, if two people were to murder one person, then according to their Qiyas, would we need to call four witnesses?

For adultery, the reason given was that children would not become impure. If we were to take this reason as the only one, and then consider the case of a person who has had vasectomy done, then according to their rules of Qiyas adultery would be allowable for him as he cannot have children.

O servants of God! For God’s sake have mercy on this religion and do not make it a laughing stock.

ILLUL UL SHARAI

They have named these types of analogies as Illul Shara’i (Reasons for Laws). This has now given them a free license to issue whatever Fatwa they feel like. (The example of the forbidding of Tobacco has been given before). On top of this they have made it obligatory for the people to listen to their Fatwas and act upon them without any question otherwise their deeds would be nullified.

Let us now see what Allah (s.w.t.) and the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) have to say about this.

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

[Shakir 2:216] Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.

This verse has been explained in Tafseer Ul Muttaqeen that: This verse proves that as far as Divine Ordinances and Commandments are concerned, people have no right to act upon their own opinions. Allah (s.w.t.) is the Creator of people and is fully Aware of their nature, and Knows that humans, due to their deficient knowledge, are not capable of differentiating who is good from what is bad, and what is profitable for him and what is not, because no matter how high a person’s intellect might be, there come a limit at which it stops. Above this level, it is up to the Prophet (a.s.) Chosen by Allah (s.w.t.) to provide guidance for them.

Most divince commands tend to be of a very high level and only Allah (s.w.t.) knows them fully. Sometimes people tend to adopt certain reprimands thinking them to be for their benefit, and so Allah (s.w.t.) has not allowed them any right of interference in the divine ordinances.

AL KAFI - H 172, Ch. 19, h16

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa who has said the following: “Once I asked (Imam) abu al-Hassan Musa, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about the use of analogy and the Imam said, ‘What do you have to do with analogy? Allah will not ask how it was made lawful or unlawful.’”

Now that you are aware of the foundations of Qiyas, let us now see what Allah (s.w.t.) and the holy Infallibles have to say about this. I am now presenting to you nine Divine Verses and eighteen Hadeeth. Now it is up to you and your faith. But, keep two conclusions in mind which we have been through in the chapters before. It is clear from the statements of the Mujtahids themselves that Ijtihad is only done where the religious Commands are not clear, and that with the help of analogy and conjecture the reason of an Order is deduced although Allah (s.w.t.) is the only one Who Knows the real reasons.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِي الأَرْضِ حَلاَلاً طَيِّباً وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

[Shakir 2:168] O men! eat the lawful and good things out of what is in the earth, and do not follow the footsteps of the Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.

إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاء وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

[Shakir 2:169] He only enjoins you evil and indecency, and that you may speak against Allah what you do not know.

Speaking without knowing has been regarded by Allah (s.w.t.) as doing the Taqleed of Shaitan.

AL KAFI - H 96, Ch. 11, h2

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-Rahman from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Imam abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, once said to me, ‘Beware of two forms of behaviour. It is such behaviours that have led many people to their destruction. Beware of giving fatwa to people on the basis of your own opinion and of following a religion without knowledge.’”

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَابِ اللّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاء فَلاَ تَخْشَوُاْ النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ

[Shakir 5:44] Surely We revealed the Taurat in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My communications; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers.

وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالأَنفَ بِالأَنفِ وَالأُذُنَ بِالأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أنزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

[Shakir 5:45] And We prescribed to them in it that life is for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and (that there is) reprisal in wounds; but he who foregoes it, it shall be an expiation for him; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unjust.

وَمِنَ الإِبْلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاء إِذْ وَصَّاكُمُ اللّهُ بِهَـذَا فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

[Shakir 6:144] And two of camels and two of cows. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَـذَا حَلاَلٌ وَهَـذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ لاَ يُفْلِحُونَ

[Shakir 16:116] And, for what your tongues describe, do not utter the lie, (saying) This is lawful and this is unlawful, in order to forge a lie against Allah; surely those who forge the lie against Allah shall not prosper.

مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

[Shakir 16:117] A little enjoyment and they shall have a painful punishment.

Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.) has explained Verse 116 thus : ‘If any person were to commit a sin, whether minor of major, then he ends up being expelled from faith and only the word ‘Islam’ is left for him. But when he repents and is forgiven, then he comes back into faith and will not go to unbelief. But if anyone declares what is lawful as unlawful or vice versa based on his opinion, then as far as we are concerned he not only leaves the fold of faith but ceases to be a Muslim as well. He is an unbeliever and his example is of one who goes to the Kaaba and commits a disgraceful act and then comes out and is killed and ends up in Hell’.

From Verse 117 it can be said that those that issue Fatwas based on opinion do get some profit from it.

فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءهُمْ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

[Shakir 28:50] But if they do not answer you, then know that they only follow their low desires; and who is more erring than he who follows his low desires without any guidance from Allah? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

This has been commented upon by Imam Musa Al Kazim (a.s.) that this is the person who does not act according to the orders of the Imam (a.s.) of his time and makes his own opinions as being religious ordinances.

وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ

[Shakir 43:36] And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance of the Beneficent Allah, We appoint for him a Shaitan, so he becomes his associate.

وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

[Shakir 43:37] And most surely they turn them away from the path, and they think that they are guided aright:

In Tafser Saafi it has been narrated from Imam Ali (a.s.) that: ‘Anyone who had decided upon the commission of a sin and turned away from the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.), and stopped learning religious Commands from the one whom He (s.w.t.) had ordered to learn from, then Allah (s.w.t.) appoints a Shaytan to become his associate’.

Let us summarise the conclusions that we get from the above verses so that we can then move on to the Hadeeth.

1.In the first verse Allah (s.w.t.) has regarded the one who speaks without knowledge as being in the Taqleed of Shaytan.

2.In the second and the third verse, those people that make decisions based on other than what has been revealed, have been declared as unbelievers and unjust. This means not accepting the decisions made by the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and basing decisions on personal opinions and analogies. On the day of judgement a caller will cry out ‘The curse of Allah (s.w.t.) be on the unjust’.

3.In the fourth verse the word ‘Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this?’ proves that no one is in receipt of revelation and no one is inspired from Allah (s.w.t.) except the Holy Infallibles. And those that issue fatwas based on their own analogies, their actions have been equated to forging lies about Allah (s.w.t.) and leading people astray.

4.The fifth and the sixth verse are quite clear that issuing fatwas based on personal opinion and analogy about the lawful and the unlawful, is like forging lies about Allah (s.w.t.). From this profit is gained in the life of this world but such a person becomes deserving of grievous punishment in the hereafter. And the Holy Imam (a.s.) has actually thrown such a people out of religion altogether.

5.In the seventh verse, for a person who does not act according to Imam (a.s.)’s orders and considers his own opinions as religion, Allah (s.w.t.) has Issued three verdicts. Firstly such a person is gone totally astray, secondly he is unjust and thirdly, such a person cannot be guided. In the books of hadeeth there is a story about a man who used to incur losses in whatever business deal that he transacted, until he became bankrupt and dependent upon others. And so Shaitan appeared to him in human for and said to him; ‘Shall I show you a way to become rich?’ So he replied in the affirmative. Shaytan then advised ‘Then go and invent a religion and invite people towards it. You will get both fame and fortune’. So he did exactly that. The generality of people, as you know, are always on the lookout for any caller who calls out and they run towards him. Soon a large group collected around him and he became their ‘Marja’ and was awash with wealth. One day he had a reflective thought: ‘What have I done? For the sake of a few coins not only have I gone astray but have led others astray as well’. He was overcome with intense regret so much so that one day he tied himself to a wooden pole in the heat of the sun and decided that he would keep himself in this situation until such time as his Lord does not forgive him. Allah (s.w.t.) then said: ‘Even if this person were to stay in that position until such time as his meat melts away and bones decay, I shall not forgive him until each and every person that he has led astray does not repent and asks for forgiveness’. That is why in this verse it is stated that such a person cannot be guided.

6.The eight verses is telling us that the person who closes his eyes to the Imam (a.s.) and issues fatwas based on his personal opinion, then Allah (s.w.t.) appoints a Shaytan for him as a companion.

7.The ninth verse clarifies that the Shaytan that becomes his companion carries out two tasks. Firstly he stops him from ‘Sabeel Allah’ (The Path of Allah (s.w.t.)) (Now this is not the time for an exposition otherwise I would prove with sufficient evidence that the meaning of ‘Sabeel Allah’ here is the person of the Imam (a.s.). The person who diverts attention away from the Imam (a.s.) towards himself and suppresses the statements of the Imam (a.s.) and advertises his own statements, would be the one that would come under the definition of this Verse). The second task that the Shaytan carries out is that he keeps on whispering to him that he is on the right path of guidance (depite the fact that Allah (s.w.t.) has already testified that he has strayed away from ‘Sabeel Allah).

We have gone through the verses of the Holy Quran and the statements of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) regarding them. The conclusions that have been derived from these have been explained to you clearly. It is now up to you to ponder over these. I hereby pray that you will think over these Verses and will not be entrapped by the one who is ‘blind from the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.)’.

FATWA

Let us now come to hadeeth and first of all see what the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) have said about those that issue Fatwas.

AL KAFI - H 95, Ch. 11, h1

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad and ‘Abd Allah (both) sons of Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Umayra from Mufaddal ibn Yazid who has said the following: “Once, (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said to me, ‘I like to warn you about two forms of behavior that lead a man to destruction. I prohibit you from dealing with Allah on the basis of falsehood and from giving fatwa (a legal opinion) to people without knowledge.’”

It has been narrated from Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq (a.s.): ‘There will be people who will be ever ready to issue Fatwas and they will also make the claim that whatever need to be questioned should be referred to them although they may not be able to explain a single word correctly. Allah (s.w.t.) does NOT befriend such self-made people’. - AL KHISAL Page 86.

AL KAFI - H 96, Ch. 11, h2

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-Rahman from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “Imam abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, once said to me, ‘Beware of two forms of behaviour. It is such behaviours that have led many people to their destruction. Beware of giving fatwa to people on the basis of your own opinion and of following a religion without knowledge.’”

AL KAFI - H 97, Ch. 11, h3

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn al-Ri’ab from abu ‘Ubayda al-Hadhdha’ from abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “The angels of mercy and the angels of wickedness condemn those who give to people fatwas without knowledge and guidance. Such people will be held responsible for the sins of all those who have followed such fatwas.”

Please try to understand that the above Hadeeth does not mean that those who follow Fatwas are free from responsibility. One way of explaining this through the example of a man riding a horse but is carrying his own bag on his head whilst riding the horse. The horse is carrying both the weights but the man is still carrying his own.

Imam Ja’far Al Sadiq has said: ‘Flee from issuing Fatwas like you flee from a lion and do not make the people sacrificial lambs for your responsibilities’. - NAHJ MIN BALAGHAT IMAM AL SADIQ (A.S.) SAYING NO. 5.

Please pay attention to the above Hadeeth, especially the last one and then derive the correct conclusion from them.

In the Sermon of Imam Ali (a.s.) titled as ‘Unbelief and its pillars and branches’, he says: ‘Unbelief stands of four things - Sinfulness, Extremism, Doubt and Scepticism.

Sinfulness has four branches:

1.Giving low priority to Divine Commands.

2.Following conjecture. - Standing against the Creator and then Shaytan overcomes him.

3.Incurring loss on ones own self and considering ones deviation as a good deed.

4.Considering one’s own opinion as better than Divine Commadments. He will be disgraced by Allah (s.w.t.).

GHULOO (FANATICISM) - Interfering in the laws of religion by the use of personal opinion.

DOUBT - Quarrelling about the bounties of Allah (s.w.t.). (According to the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) what is mean by bounties here is the Wilayah (Mastership) of Imam Ali (a.s.). This then means to quarrel about Wilayah and establishing one’s own Wilayah.

UNCERTAINTY - To interpose truth and falsehood.

This is found in a similar hadeeth:

AL KAFI - H 2852, CH 163, h 1

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar al-Yamani from ‘Umar ibn ‘Udhaynah from Aban ibn abu ‘Ayyash from Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali from Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Disbelief is established on four pillars: Sinfulness, Extremism, Doubt and Skepticism. Sinfulness has four branches: harshness of manners, blindness of heart, neglect, and arrogance. Whoever behaves in a harsh manner belittles the truth, hates the people of profound understanding and persists in great sins. Whoever becomes blind of heart forgets to remember (the truth), follows guesses, opposes his Creator and Satan turns bold toward him. He asks forgiveness without repenting, feeling humble and without being unaware of sin.

AL KAFI - H 101, Ch. 11, h7

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Asbat from Ja’far ibn Sama‘a from several persons, from Aban, from Zurara ibn A‘yan who has said the following: “Once I asked Imam abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, ‘What are of the rights of Allah on people?’ The Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant, replied, ‘They must say what they know and abstain from saying anything that they have no knowledge of.’”

AL KAFI - H 165, Ch. 19, h9

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Hukaym who has said the following: “Once I asked (Imam) abu al-Hassan Musa, recipient of divine supreme covenant, ‘May Allah keep my soul in your service, please make us Faqih (people of proper understanding in religion). Allah has granted us the blessing of your existence among us and has made us independent of other people. This blessing is so great that even if a whole group of us may come to one place, no one needs to ask another a question to prepare an answer for it. Sometimes, however, we may come across an issue for which we have heard nothing from you or from your forefathers. We then look into the best resources available and the closest to your guidance. Can we take such a finding as an authority?’ ‘Never, ever, by Allah, O ibn Hakim, many people have been destroyed in it,’ replied the Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Ibn Hakim has said that the Imam then said, ‘May Allah condemn abu Hanifa who says, “Ali said so and so, therefore, I said so and so.’” Muhammad ibn Hakim has said that he told Hisham ibn al-Hakam, ‘By Allah, I only wanted the Imam to give us permission to use analogy.’”

AL KAFI - H 167, Ch. 19, h11

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al- Washsha’ from Muthanna al-Hannat from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once I asked (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘We may face an issue about which there is nothing said in the book of Allah or in the Sunnah, tradition of the Holy Prophet, recipient of divine supreme covenant, can we use our own opinion in such matters?’ The Imam replied, ‘No, you must not do that. If you, in this way, find the truth you will receive no rewards for it, and if you missed the truth you have forged lies against Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious.’”

This Hadeeth is sufficient to silence all those who claim that they are compelled to do Ijtihad when they cannot find what they want from the Holy Quran and Hadeeth. If anyone has any doubts after this should give a second glance at his own faith.

AL KAFI - H 166, Ch. 19, h10

Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated in a marfu’ manner from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-Rahman who has said the following: “Once I asked (Imam) abu al-Hassan the First, ‘How can I prove that Allah is one?’ The Imam replied, ‘O Yunus, do not be an innovator (heretic). One who depends on his personal opinion is destroyed. One who abandons the members of the family of his Prophet goes astray. Whoever abandons the book of Allah and the words of His prophet becomes an unbeliever.’”

AL KAFI - H 173, Ch. 19, h17

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas‘ada ibn Sadaqa who has said the following: “(Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has narrated from his father who said that Imam Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has said, ‘Whoever decides to use analogical reasoning as a source of authority, his whole life will remain in confusion. Whoever practices the religion of Allah by means of analogical reasoning his whole life will pass in a drowning condition.’ Imam abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, “Whoever issues Fatwa on the basis of his personal opinion has practiced the religion of Allah by means of what is not knowledge. Whoever practices the religion of Allah without knowledge has opposed Him by making things lawful and unlawful through things he has no knowledge of.’”

AL KAFI - H 178, Ch. 19, h22

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father in mursal manner (Mursalan) from abu Ja‘far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Do not take anyone closely and intimately between yourselves and Allah; if you did so it would cause you to become unbelievers. Every means, ancestral and relative relations and intimacy, innovations (heresy) and doubts will be cut off except what is established in the Holy Quran.”

AL KAFI - H 175, Ch. 19, h19

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus from Hariz from Zurara who has said the following: “Once I asked Imam abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about lawful and unlawful matters and he said, ‘Whatever the Holy Prophet, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has made lawful will remain lawful forever up to the Day of Judgment and whatever he has made unlawful will remain unlawful forever up to the Day of Judgment. There will be no one other than him and there will come no one other than him.’ He said that Imam Ali has said, ‘No one has established any innovation (heresy) without abandoning an established noble tradition.’”

AL KAFI - H 963, Ch. 86, h 1

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad (from) ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious: ‘Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from Allah? . .’ (28:50), abu al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has said, ‘It refers to those who consider their own opinions as their religion without a true Imam from the 'A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority).’”

In his Supplication No.20 On Noble Moral Traits Imam Ali IBn Husayn (a.s.) said : ‘Perfect this for me through lasting obedience, holding fast to the community, and rejecting the people of innovation and those who act in accordance with original opinions!’

You have just been through eighteen Hadeeth from the Holy Infallibles (a.s.), but did not realise how great an act worship you have done. However, this act of worship would be incomplete if you were not to ponder over this and arrive at the correct conclusions. I have saved one Hadeeth so that it can be the final word on this matter. But, let us first discuss the above traditions. You already know the decision of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) about those that issue Fatwas. Let us see what the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) have to say about those that utilize conjecture, analogy and personal opinion;

1.It leads to destruction.

2.Allah (s.w.t.) does not befriend them.

3.They are cursed by both the angels of mercy and punishment.

4.They make people their sacrificial lambs for their own purpose.

5.Wherever there is no religious ordinance then it is better to abstain.

6.It is forbidden to use analogy in the absence of an order.

7.If a Mujtahid issues a correct fatwa there is no reward for it whereas issuance of an incorrect fatwa from him equates to forging a lie against Allah (s.w.t.).

8.A person who does not know religious ordinances and makes use of analogy will always be in a state of doubt and never achieve conviction. (Imam Ali (a.s.) has clearly stated that sleep with conviction is better than a whole night’s worship). One who deliberately makes divine commandments to be doubtful in favour of his own analogy has opposed Allah (s.w.t.).

9.Following someone who applies analogy is polytheism.

10.Acting in a condition of doubt and uncertainty is acting unlawfully.

11.One who extracts religious laws based on analogy is not a believer.

12.It is the Sunnah of the Imam (a.s.) to stay away from (Tabarra) innovators, those who use analogy and personal opinion.

13.One who uses analogy and places the foundation of religion on conjecture is a polytheist.

THE FINAL PROOF

Let me now give you the Hadeeth that I have saved to the last as the final word. This will lift the veils from your eyes and you will be able to see clearly the people who are being referred to in this Hadeeth. Every word of this Hadeeth deserves to be pondered over.

AL KAFI - H 162, Ch. 19, h6

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from certain persons of his people and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas‘ada ibn Sadaqa from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from ibn Mahbub in a marfu’ manner from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: “Of the most intensely disliked men in the sight of Allah, the Majestic, the Most Glorious, are two kinds of people: A man whom Allah has left all to his own soul and who deviates from the path of justice, and is extremely attracted toward the words of innovation (heresy). He seems a master at performing prayer and fasting but is a mischief-maker to deceive people; he has strayed from guidance of the people before him and misleads those who may follow him in his lifetime and after his death. He carries the responsibility for others’ sins and is a hostage of his own sins. “The other man is one who displays ignorance as knowledge among the ignorant. He receives assistance from the darkness of existing mischief. The people, who appear like people (who in fact have no intelligence), consider him a scholar, but he has not spent even a complete day with scholars. He has made an early effort to accumulate something that in its being of a smaller quantity is better than in larger quantities and in this way he has filled himself with polluted water and has treasured what is of no use. He sits among people as a judge to carry the responsibility of adjudicating what is confusing and uncertain to others. He may even oppose the ruling of the judge before him. One can never tell whether his judgment will remain valid or if a judge after him will overturn it just as he has done to the judgments of the judges before him. If he faces complex and difficult issues he comes up with a great deal of his personal opinions and shapes them up as a clear-cut judgment. In fact, he has dressed himself up with doubtful issues the way a spider weaves his fragile web. He is not sure if he has done the right thing or the wrong one. He does not consider the fact that in an unknown case to have proper knowledge is necessary, and he does not see that beyond his opinion there is a school of law.

He analogizes one thing to the other but it does not matter to him if his opinion will turn out to be a lie. If an issue is dark (not known) to him he hides it to hide his own ignorance so that people will not say he does not know. He then boldly judges and thus he is the key to hazards, a storage of doubts, perplexed in ignorance, and he never regrets his lacking knowledge. The level of his knowledge never rises to absolute certainty so that he could benefit. He blows out Hadith like winds that blow away hay. The legacies weep because of him, the bloods (judging the case of murder) shout against him. The lawful marital relations become unlawful because of his judgment and unlawful ones become lawful. He has no confidence in the judgments he issues and he can never be trusted for judgments that he may make nor was he qualified for what he may have done in the matters in which he claimed to have true knowledge.”

Now read more about this from an extract from Nahju Ul Balagah Sermon No. 17.

He sits among the people as a judge responsible for solving whatever is confusing to the others. If an ambiguous problem is presented before him he manages shabby argument about it of his own accord and passes judgment on its basis. In this way he is entangled in the confusion of doubts as in the spider's web, not knowing whether he was right or wrong. If he is right he fears lest he erred, while if he is wrong he hopes he is right. He is ignorant, wandering astray in ignorance and riding on carriages aimlessly moving in darkness. He did not try to find reality of knowledge. He scatters the traditions as the wind scatters the dry leaves.

May our lives be sacrificed for those Guides and Imams (a.s.) who closed all the doors of deviations from us. They have show use how to save ourselves from going astray by pointing out each and every point of deviation. The only pre-condition is that we should stop following the non infallibles who are prone to error and follow the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) exclusively. Then not only will we find a solution to all our problems, but such doors of knowledge and understanding will open up for us that we have never even dreamt of. This is the only way to sort out our religion and problems of this world. Our Master (a.s.) have already issued warnings to us that this world is full of Shaytan’s traps. If we were to become oblivious from our Imams (a.s.) even for a moment then we are abound to fall into one of these traps, and the biggest of the traps is the following of a non infallible.

Now I am going to give you certain signs from which you should try and draw a picture, then we shall see whose picture it is.

1.He becomes arrogant that he should avail of religious commandments from the Holy Infallibles (a.s.) and differs from him, so that he can establish his own Marja’iat by referring to these commandments as doubtful and divert the people towards his own Fatwas and make them dependent upon them. This is why Allah (s.w.t.) he left him to wander alone.

2.He has strayed from the straight path and regards his own commands as beyond reproach and irrefutable he makes it obligatory upon the people to follow them.

3.Instead of taking commandments from the Holy Quran and basing decisions on correct proofs and understand the truth about religion and call people towards understanding Imam e Zamana (a.s.) (As the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) has said that anyone who dies without having understood the Imam of his time has died the death of unbelief, hypocrisy and ignorance), he concentrates upon the exoteric ordinances of religion like Prayer, Fast, etc. and diverts the people towards these matters instead of the real reason of life. This is to such an extent that they do not even think about anything else except the procedural matters of these acts and consider these to be the main reason of life.

4.He is a source of mischief for his followers in this life as well as after his death. He has led them astray in this life and will do the same after his death.

5.He entraps others in ignorance. In other words he wishes to keep people in a perpetual state of ignorance.

6.The ignorant among the people consider him to be the most knowledgeable of all.

7.In matters of religion he is always in a state of uncertainty and doubt. Although he never gains sure knowledge or conviction, he still claims that he is removing doubts from the people.

8.He has acquired that whose acquisition is better if it were of less quantity i.e. details of Furoo and that also based on conjecture. You know very well that some people spend their entire lives in the acquisition of this knowledge and are proud of it. If someone were to present the statements of the Infallibles to people then they get told ‘Are you better knowledgeable or those who spend their entire lives in the acquisition of this?’ Oh, only if they had indeed spent their entire lives in acquiring the commandments of the Holy Infallible (a.s.) and had not fallen in love with their own analogies and conjectures, and instead of the exoteric commands they would have directed people towards the true commands which is the understanding of the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).

9.He has invalidated the Fatwa of the previous one and replaced it with his own, although he knows that the next person will come and invalidate his one and replace it with another one. He considers Sharia as his slave so that whosoever wishes can issue any command that he feels like.

10.The truth of religion is totally different from his conjecture and analogy.

11.If there is a similarity between two matters then he applies the same ruling on both of them and does not consider this to be wrong.

12.In matters that he knowS not, he still audaciously issues a verdict on it.

13.He demeans the hadeeth of the Infallibles (a.s.) so that he can find a way for his analogy and conjecture.

14.He is not worthy of the knowledge that he claims to possess nor is he worthy that people should sort out their problems through him.

15.He himself does not know that the verdict he has issued is correct or not. If it is right then he still doubts that it might be wrong and vice versa. (You can collect all the Fatwas of the Mujtahids and you will see that they will end with the words ‘Allah Knows best’. The simple meaning of this is that ‘I have issued this verdict based on my analogy but only Allah (s.w.t.) Knows what the correct verdict is).

16.Those who do not endeavor to acquire religious knowledge for themselves live an ignorant life and die in a state of straying.

17.Imam Ali (a.s.) has defined their characteristics as : ‘When the true meaning of the Holy Quran as presented to them they consider it to be worthless, whilst if meanings are derived from it by manipulation of verses then this becomes the most valuable thing for them’. (Refer to Ayatullah Ali AL Haeri’s statements on Surah Al Tawba).

THE END RESULT OF FATWAS

This chapter is coming to an end but will remain incomplete if I do not explain the end result of all these Fatwas that are being issued. These are not my words but those of Allama Hilli. This is so famous that it does not require any evidence.

After the death of Allama Hilli some good people saw him in a dream and asked him as to what had transpired with him after his death. He replied: ‘Had I not written the books ‘AL FEYN’ and ‘ZIYARAT AL HUSAYN’, then my Fatwas would have destroyed me.

The truth has been delivered to you. My proof over you is now completed. Who will be able to guide the one whom Allah (s.w.t.) has left alone?