Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Lesson 15: Amir Al-Mu’minin ‘Ali

1. The Successor of the Prophet

The Shi'a Ithna “Ashari Muslims believe that after the Prophet of Islam, the leadership of the world of Islam fell to Amir al- Mu'minin, 'Ali (a.s.), and then to his eleven infallible descendants. This belief is as clear as the rays of the morning sun, and those who are unprejudiced and impartial will have no cause to doubt it.

Jabir bin 'Abdullah, one of the prominent companions of the Prophet (a.s.), said, “The day the verse concerning obedience to Allah, the Prophet and the Ulu '1-Amr was revealed (4:59),

I asked the Prophet: 'We know Allah and the Prophet, but who is the third?' He said, They are the Imams, my successors, the first of whom is 'Ali bin Abi Talib, then, in order, Hasan, Husayn, 'Ali ibn Husayn, Muhammad bin 'Ali, who was called Baqir in the Torah,

and whom you, Jabir, will meet and to whom you will convey my salam; then, after him, Ja'far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq, Musa ibn Ja'far,

'Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn 'Ali, 'Ali bin Muhammad, Hasan ibn 'Ali, and in the end the son of Hasan ibn 'Ali will come, whose name will be the same as mine (Muhammad Abu '1- Qasim).'“15

2. The First Leader

No society, at any time or place, can stand free and liberated without a leader. We also know that if a ruler is dedicated to the wellbeing of the society, then he must strive to protect it and he must also take into consideration the present as well as the future of that society.

It is because of this necessity that rulers, even during short journeys, appoint a deputy. This is evident in every case of leadership. A head of the family, a principal or headmaster of the school, a foreman in a factory, all put a deputy in their place for the absence of even a few hours. This matter is so obvious that it needs no proof.

The great Prophet of Islam, who was the leader of the Islamic world, observed this very principle. Wherever the light of Islam shone for the first time, he always appointed an administrator for that place to look after its affairs.

When he sent armies for jihad, he appointed a commander, and sometimes appointed several persons as deputy commanders so that if one was killed, the army would not be left without a commander.

Thus we know of persons whom the Prophet appointed as his deputies and representatives whenever he traveled from Medina, so that Medina should not be without a leader during his absence.

The Shi'as ask how, with this evidence, it is consistent with the wisdom of the Prophet that he should die without appointing a successor. Which of the following possibilities seems reasonable: Was the Islamic society, after the death of the Prophet, not in need of a leader again?

Or did the Prophet of Islam attach no importance to the Muslim community after he had gone?

Or were concerns and prudence something he could do nothing about?

Or did he not know who was the worthiest successor?

Which of these possibilities seems more reasonable?

With the quality of leadership and the concern for the affairs of the people which we see in the Prophet of Islam, how could he have not given any guidance or instruction on this vital matter of the Muslims' leadership?

In the light of this reality, the Shi'as proceeded to investigate the original texts and documents of Islam and they came across an enormous quantity of sources which made them conclude that there are clear, sufficient, precise orders from the Prophet of Islam about his successor: the verse of wilayah, the hadith of Ghadir, the hadith of Safinah, the hadith of Thaqalayn, and many more, all of which are tested, examined and explained in the great works done on this subject.

From all these we shall select only the hadith of Ghadir and we shall seek to judge its value and implications in an unprejudiced manner.

3. The Historical Hadith of Ghadir

In the tenth year of the Islamic calendar (hijrah), the Prophet set out for Mecca to perform the pilgrimage (hajj). This hajj was undertaken in the last years of the Prophet's life, and for this reason history has given it the name of the “Farewell Pilgrimage” (hajjatu 'l-wida').

Muslims participated in extraordinarily large numbers in this journey of the Prophet to Mecca with the eagerness to learn and do the pilgrimage from the Prophet directly. They numbered about 120,000. Some groups joined him in the town of Mecca.

After completing the hajj, when the Prophet was returning to Medina, the following verse was revealed on the 18th day of Dhil Hijja at Ghadir Khumm:

O Messenger, deliver that [message] which has been sent down to you from your Lord; for if you do not, then [it be as if] you have not delivered His message [at all]. Allah will protect you from men. (5:67)

Thus a great message reached the Prophet from Allah. The edges of the caravan were slowly rolling along. Suddenly a herald proclaimed on behalf of the Prophet: “Allah has given a command...Let everyone await the command...”

Thereupon, the Prophet (a.s.) gave the order that everyone should stop moving and come to a halt; and they did. Many travelers stood there on the order of the Prophet to hear the news.

We have been told that the desert of Ghadir Khumm is plain without water; it was midday and the heat of the sun was scorching. What is the news for which the Prophet is keeping the people standing in such a place, at such a time?

Then the sound of adhan was heard. The Prophet performs the prayer with the people, and then camel saddle-packs are built up to form a raised platform. The Prophet stands on the top of them. People catch their breath, and are as quiet as the sands of the desert. They are waiting for the news.

The Prophet starts. After praising Allah, the Prophet says, “Do you agree that I have fulfilled my responsibility by conveying the message of Allah to you?”

“We are the witnesses that you have delivered the message to us, and that you made every effort in this direction. May Allah give you the best reward!”

“Do you witness to the unity of God, the prophethood of his slave, Muhammad, and to heaven and hell, death and the resurrection, and to the life after death?”

“We do witness to these.”

“May Allah be our witness!” And then he said, “O people; I and you, we shall see one another besides [the fountain of] Kawthar [on the day of judgment]. Be careful after me how you deal with two precious things.”

“O Prophet, what are these two things?”

“The Book of Allah, and my descendants. Allah told me that these two are not be separated from one another till they reach me beside the Kawthar. Do not go ahead of them, for you will be ruined. Do not fall behind them, for you will also be ruined.”

Then he raised the hand of 'Ali so that everyone could see him and know him. Then, in the same position, he read the divine order of succession.

“O people, who is more deserving among the believers to have wilayah (authority) and guardianship over them?”

“Allah and the Prophet know best.”

“Allah gave me wilayah, and I am more worthy than the believers and the followers themselves. Therefore, to whosoever I am his wali (master) and guardian, 'Ali is his master and guardian too. O Allah, be the friend of his friends, and the enemy of his enemies. Help anyone who helps him, and punish anyone who rebels against him.”

“Now everyone who is present must tell [the event to] those who are absent.”

The people had not yet dispersed when the following verse was revealed:

Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed my blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your religion. (5:3)

Then the Prophet cried out: “Allahu Akbar! The religion of Allah has been perfected, and He is pleased with my prophethood and the wilayah of 'Ali after me.”

After this ceremony, people felicitated Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali. Among the foremost of the companions who felicitated him were Abu Bakr and 'Umar who said, “How good for you, O 'Ali, to have become the master of me and every believing man and woman.”

(A) The Authenticity of the Hadith of Ghadir

From the point of view of its chain of narration, the hadith of Ghadir is so strong that it is probably unique.

One hundred and ten of the companions (sahabah) of the Prophet who were present at Ghadir have narrated it from the Prophet without any intermediary, and also eighty four of the disciples of the companions (tabi’iyn).

The unbiased scholars of the Sunni world have mentioned the event of Ghadir in their books with great documentation, ‘Allamah Amini has mentioned three hundred and fifty such scholars in his al-Ghadir.

Many great Islamic scholars have written books exclusively on the event of Ghadir, and twenty-six such writers have been mentioned in al- Ghadir. Dictionary compilers have related the story of Ghadir under the entry of ‘Ghadir’ or ‘Mawla’ (master).

So there can not be the smallest doubt, nor the least shadow over the chain of narration of the hadith of Ghadir except for those handful of people who can stand in the light of the sun and feel its warmth on their skin but still say that there is no light or warmth.

(B) The Meaning of “Mawla” in the Hadith of Ghadir

The hadith of Ghadir is so striking that everybody must in all fairness notice and then become certain that 'Ali became the first successor of the Prophet. So let us look at the crucial word and context of the hadith.

Mawla, in this hadith, means someone who has the status of wilayah and imamate, and can give his opinion and command on it; his command has priority over all other commands. For this reason, before he said, “He whose master (mawla) I am,” the Prophet asked, “O People, who among the believers has more authority (awla)?”

Awla, or having more authority, means that the Prophet's wish comes before the wish of the people, and that whatever he says or does is an authority for the people. People follow him; he has wilayah and guardianship over them.

Now, we can see that just as in the first sentence, the authority and wilayah of the Prophet is mentioned, so in the following sentence the word ‘mawla’ for Ali must have the same meaning so that there can be some connection between the two sentences.

Therefore the correct meaning which we get from these few sentences is as the Prophet asked: “Do not I have more authority over you?” “Yes!” everyone replied. “So, whosoever among you on whom 1 have authority, 'Ali also has authority. After me, he will be the mawla of all Muslims and my successor.”

Thus, in this hadith, there is no question of any other meaning for ‘mawla’ apart from having authority or priority - wilayah and imamate; and any other meaning in its place is entirely irrelevant.

We should also note that the Prophet of Islam kept people standing in this great heat. This historical fact makes it clear that the matter has a special importance; for, if not, no reasonable man would suppose that the Prophet would detain people under such conditions when his purpose was only to remind them of a trivial matter, for example, that 'Ali was his friend!

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This lesson has been adapted and abridged from Dar Rah-e Haqq, The Roots of Religion, Qum, Iran.

Question Paper on Lesson 15

Question 1: [8 points]

True or False:

(a) The Prophet predicted that Jābir bin `‘Abdullāhwill meet Imam Ja`far as-Sādiq (a.s.).

(b) The Prophet of Islam considered his ummah capable of selecting a successor after his death.

(c) When the Prophet sent armies for jihād, he used to appoint a commander & several deputy commanders.

(d) Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali's name is mentioned in the original Torah as “al-Bāqir”.

(e) The event of Ghadīr took place in 11th year of hijrah.

(f) The word “awla” in the hadīth of Ghadīr means “one who has more authority”.

(g) “Tabī`īyn” means the companions of the Prophet.

(h) `Allamah Amini has mentioned 350 Sunni scholars who have described the event of Ghadīr.

Question 2: [15 points]

Name at least three authentic ahādīth of the Prophet of Islam which clearly and undeniably settle the question of succession after his death.

Question 3: [6 points]

Circle the letter of the correct answer:

In the Qur'ānic verse concerning the obedience to Allah, the Prophet, and the Ulu 'l-amr, the term “ulu 'l-amr” refers to:

(a) the pious people of the community.

(b) the rulers of the time.

(c) the 12 Imams of the Ahlu 'l-bayt.

(d) the people of authority.

(e) the people of prominence and great wealth.

Question 4: [6 points]

Describe the most crucial part of the hadīth of Ghadīr exactly in the Prophet's words.

Question 5: [15 points]

Fill in the blanks:

(a) The hadīth of Ghadīr is narrated by _____ companions of the Prophet who witnessed the event personally.

(b) _____ of the disciples of the companions have mentioned the hadīth of Ghadīr.

(c) _____ Sunni scholars have described the event of Ghadīr.

(d) _____ great scholars have written books exclusively on the subject of Ghadīr.

(e) `Allamah Amini has written a book on Ghadīr called ____________.

Lesson 16: Khilafat & Consulation (a review of Saqifa)

1. The Authority of the Prophet

Muslims maintain that the Prophet of Islam is infallible and sinless, and that his speech is the same as reality and is the wish of Allah. If it were otherwise, they say, Allah could not have commanded unconditional obedience to him. So his command is Allah's command, and it is absolutely mandatory to obey him.

Moreover, the Prophet had the right to make laws for the people, and his orders took precedence over everyone else's idea or opinion, and his commands on social and other matters had to be carried out.

Allah says, “The Prophet has a greater authority over the believers than they themselves have.” (33:6) He also says, “When Allah and His messenger have decreed a matter, it is not for any believing man or woman to have a choice in the matter.” (33:36)

An examination of the last verse and its explanation makes it clear that the decree of the Prophet in every matter, even in personal matters, is binding, since the verse was revealed concerning an individual matter, viz., the marriage of Zayd bin Haritha and Zaynab bin Jahash. Zaynab was the cousin of the Prophet whereas Zayd was a slave whom the Prophet had freed.

In order to break the pre-Islamic custom whereby the noble and rich did not marry outside their own, the Prophet ordered Zaynab to marry Zayd.

The verse revealed above shows that even in personal matters like marriage, the Prophet's command has to be obeyed, and so Zaynab married Zayd and was content with him.

2. Is the Prophet Subject to the Opinion of the Majority?

Some Sunni Muslims say that in social matters the opinion of the majority takes precedence over the commands of the Prophet.

A deeper look at the verses mentioned above would make it clear that this view is incorrect. Now we shall proceed to an investigation of their evidence and then answer them.

Their evidence is verse 159 from chapter 3 of the Qur'an: It was by some mercy of God that you are gentle to them; had you been harsh and hard of heart, they would have scattered from around you.

So pardon them, and pray [to Allah] for forgiveness of their [sins], and take counsel with them in the affair; and when you have resolved, put your trust in God, surely God loves those who put their trust [in Him]. The answer to this is that this verse itself gives clear evidence that the Prophet is not subject to the opinion of the majority.

In other words, the right of decision-making belongs to the Prophet even in social matters, and he has a duty, after consultation, to put his view into practice, not the opinion of others.

We say so because the above mentioned verse says: “Take counsel with them in the affair, and when you have resolved, put your trust in God.”

If it had been otherwise, and the view of others was to be acted upon, then it should have said, “When the opinion of the people has been obtained on a matter, then accept it and carry it out.” But we see that the verse was not revealed in this manner.

What is more, there is evidence in history against the view of the Sunnis. For example, the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

The Prophet of Islam left Medina to visit Mecca for the sole purpose of the minor pilgrimage (known as 'umrah). Near Mecca, the Meccan forces stopped him and said that the unbelievers of Mecca were not prepared to admit him into their city.

The Prophet replied that he had not come for war, but only to visit the Ka'bah. After much discussion, the Meccans agreed to make a peace treaty. The Prophet also agreed to the treaty although it had some conditions with which the Muslims were not happy.16 On hearing of the Muslims' reluctance, Prophet told them: “I am the slave of Allah, and His Prophet. I will never turn away from the command

51of Allah, nor will He let me go.”17 A reasonable question at this point would be that: What then is the meaning of the Prophet consulting with the people at all?'

The Prophet's consultation was part of the policy of both respecting the views of the people, and of using reason and thought for the progress of Islam.

But this does not mean that the Prophet subjected himself to the majority opinion, and if he paid attention to the opinion of some person or group, it was, in fact, because that was also his own opinion.

3. Did Consultation Take Place after the Prophet's Death?

In light of the above, we can state that the Prophet was above the opinion of the people, even above the majority view. We also saw that the Prophet had selected Imam 'Ali to be his successor on the day of Ghadir and informed the people of his decision.

So consultations aimed at appointing a successor after the Prophet are clearly against the wish of Allah and His Prophet, and, therefore, lack any legal grounds. We want, however, to ask whether consultative meetings were held after the Prophet's death, and, if so, whether the majority view was upheld.

A Brief Look at Saqifah

The Muslims of Medina were of mainly of two groups: the Ansar (the 'helpers' - natives of Medina) and the Muhajirin (the immigrants - mostly the Qurayshi who migrated from Mecca). The Ansar themselves consisted of two tribes: the Aws and Khazraj who were enemies of each other in pre-Islamic days.

After the Prophet's death and even before his burial, the Ansar gathered in Saqifah and proposed to declare Sa'd bin Ubadah (an Ansari from the tribe of Khazraj) as the new leader of the Muslims. Some among them started a discussion about how should they respond if the Qurayshi disputed with them in the issue of leadership.

While this discussion was going on among the Ansar in Saqifah, 'Umar ibn Khattab (a Qurayshi Muhajir) was informed about it. He sent for Abu Bakr who left the Prophet's body and joined ‘Umar.

In Saqifah, Abu Bakr gave a speech in which he exhorted the virtues of the Muhajirin and proposed that the leader should be from the Muhajirin. He ended his speech as follows: “So we are the rulers, and you are the ministers and the counselors. We will not do anything without consulting you.”

Hubab ibn Mundhir, an Ansari, stood up and said, “O Ansar, beware! Take the reins of government in your hands; for the people [i.e., Muhajirin] are under your protection, no one can quarrel with you. Do not fall out between yourselves, so that what you do is ruined.”

‘Umar, a Muhajir, responded: “That can never be! The Arabs would never submit to your rule; they will not yield, for the Prophet was not from you.” Then very heated words were exchanged between Hubab and “Umar.

In the middle of all this chaos, 'Umar swore allegiance to Abu Bakr. Then Bashir ibn Sa'd, leader of the Aws tribe of Ansar, swore allegiance to Abu Bakr. Seeing this, the other Ansaris of the tribe of Khazraj also pledged allegiance so as not to lose favour in the eyes of Abu Bakr against their rival Aws!

This is the basis of Abu Bakr's khilafat.

(B) A Short Review of Saqifah

The event narrated above, which is based on Sunni historical sources, shows that the khilafat of Saqifah was not a consultation among the Muslims, but was a plot to usurp the khilafat of Imam 'Ali (a.s.).

Firstly, while on his way to Saqifah, 'Umar sent word only to Abu Bakr, and not to anyone else. And Abu Bakr, who was in the house of the Prophet with the great companions and Imam 'Ali, did not tell anyone about the plot of Saqifah and left the corpse of the great man!

Does consultation mean that two or three people should go to the Ansar, create division among them and then impose themselves upon those people?

In consultation over such a great and important matter, should not at least the great companions and the Banu Hashim have been called?

Secondly, the best comment on Abu Bakr's khilafat can be found in the words of 'Umar ibn Khattab himself. During his own khilafat, ‘Umar said, “We have heard that one of you said that if 'Umar dies I shall swear allegiance to so-and-so. Someone said to him that the allegiance to Abu Bakr was without consultation.

It is true that allegiance to Abu Bakr took place all at once without much thought, but Allah protected us from mischief. However, no one should give you the example of Abu Bakr to follow.” (Tabari, Ta'rikh, vol. 4, p. 1820-1823)

Thirdly, 'Umar himself said, “After the Prophet, 'Ali, Zubayr and their companions rose up against us, and assembled in Fatimah's house.” (ibid). We ask the Muslims whether this clear opposition to Abu Bakr's khilafat be ignored, especially as it is acknowledged by 'Umar himself?

Finally, if the matter of the khilafat was to be resolved on the basis of consultation, the Prophet of Islam would certainly have explained before his death, the way it should have been done. Is it thinkable that the Prophet would explain some very obscure commands, but make no mention of such a great matter as the leadership?

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This lesson has been adapted and abridged from Dar Rah-e Haqq, The Roots of Religion, Qum, Iran.

Question Paper on Lesson 16

Question 1: [6 points]

State the Qur'ānic verse which clearly proves that the Prophet was not subjected to the majority opinion.

Question 2: [5 points]

What did `Umar ibn Khattāb say that historically proves that Abu Bakr's appointment as caliph had no moral, legal or ethical basis.

Question 3: [5 points]

Who were present at the Prophet's funeral.

Question 4: [5 points]

Describe briefly in your own words what happened at Saqifah.

Question 6: [5 points]

Explain how a head of the state is selected/elected after a sudden death of the President or the Prime Minister in the modern political system prevalent in the major western democracies.

Question 7: [24 points]

True or False:

(a) Allah has commanded unconditional obedience to the Prophet.

(b) The Prophet is subject to the majority opinion.

(c) In the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet followed the majority opinion.

(d) The Prophet had greater authority over Muslims than they themselves have.

(e) The Prophet was infallible in religious matters only but could make errors of judgment in social affairs.

(f) Zaynab was cousin of the Prophet whom he ordered to marry Zayd bin Hāritha.

(g) The Prophet used to consult with people only to encourage rational thinking.

(h) Some Sunni scholars maintain that in social matters, the Prophet is subject to majority opinion.

(i) Aws and Khazraj were two friendly tribes of Madinah.

(j) The leader of the tribe of Khazraj was first to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr.

(k) Saqifah was a conspiracy to deprive Imam ‘Ali of his legitimate right to khilāfat.

(l) Upon receiving word from `Umar ibn Khattāb, Abu Bakr left the Prophet's corpse to attend Saqifah's meeting.

Lesson 17: Twelve Caliphs or Imams

1. The Hadith on Twelve Imams

After studying about the leadership of Imam 'Ali and briefly reviewing the khilafat of Saqifah, it is now advisable to refer to several parts of the 77th chapter of Yanabi'u 3l-Mawaddah of a famous Sunni scholar al-Hafiz Sulayman al-Qunduzi al-Hanafi (d. 1294AH/1877AD).

Al-Qunduzi first quotes a well known hadith of the Prophet that: “There will be twelve caliphs, all from the Quraysh.” This hadith has been quoted by many books of ahadith including that of Bukhari, al-Muslim, Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.

Then al-Qunduzi quotes many traditions to the effect that the Prophet said, “I, 'Ali, Hasan, Husayn and nine of the descendants of Husayn are pure and sinless.”

Then the author quotes that the Prophet said to Imam Husayn bin 'Ali: “You are a chief, brother of a chief; you are an Imam, son of an Imam, brother of an Imam; you are Proof (of Allah), son of a Proof (of Allah), brother of a Proof (of Allah), and father of nine Proofs (of Allah), the ninth of whom will be al-Mahdi.”

After quoting many such traditions, he writes: “Some scholars have said that the traditions (which show that the caliphs after the Prophet would be twelve) are well known, from many chains of narration.

Now, with the passage of time and through historical events, we know that in this hadith the Prophet has referred to the Twelve Imams from his family (Ahlu ‘l-bayt) and descendants, because:

“This hadith cannot apply to the four al-khulafa'u ’r-rashidun from among his companions, as they were less than twelve.

“And it cannot apply to the caliphs from the tribe of Umayyad, because (a) they were more than twelve; (b) all of them were tyrants and unjust (except 'Umar ibn 'Abdi ’l-‘Aziz); and (c) they were not from the Banu Hashim as the Prophet has said in a hadith that “all of them will be from the Banu Hashim’...

“And it cannot apply to the caliphs from the 'Abbasids, because (a) they were more than twelve; and (b) they did not comply with (the demands of) the verse Say, 7 do not ask of you any recompense for it except the love for (my) near relatives' (42:23), nor with the tradition of the Mantle.

“Therefore, the only way to interpret this hadith is to accept that it refers to the Twelve Imams from the Holy Prophet's Ahlu '1- bayt and descendants,

because they were, in their times, most knowledgeable, the most illustrious, the most God-fearing, the most pious, the highest in their family lineage, the best in personal virtues, and the most honoured before Allah; and their knowledge was derived from their ancestor (the Prophet) through their fathers, and by inheritance and by direct teachings from Allah.”

2. A Few Facts About the Twelve Imams

First Imam: Amiru '1-Mu'minin Abu '1-Hasan “ALI al- Murtaza, son of Abu Talib, was born on 13th Rajab, 10 years before the declaration of the Prophethood (600 A.D.), inside the Ka’bah; became Imam, on the death of the Prophet on 28th Safar,

11/632; was fatally wounded by the poisoned sword of Ibn Muljim while engaged in prayers at the mosque of Kufa (Iraq), and expired two days later on 21st Ramadhan, 40/661 and was buried at an- Najaf (Iraq).

Second Imam: Abu Muhammad AL-HASAN al-Mujtaba, son of 'Ali, was born on 15th Ramadhan, 3/625 in Medina; died of poison on 7th or 28th Safar, 50/670 at Medina.

Third Imam: Sayyidu 'sh-Shuhada1 Abu “Abdillah ALHUSAYN, son of 'Ali, was. born on 3rd Sha'ban, 4/626 in Medina; was martyred with his sons, relatives and companions, on 10th Muharram, 61/680 at Karbala (Iraq).

He and his elder brother, al- Hasan, were sons of Fatimah az-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet of Islam (may peace be upon them all).

Fourth Imam: Abu Muhammad ‘ALI Zaynu 'l-’Abidin, son of al-Husayn, was born on 5th Sha’ban, 38/659; died of poison on 25th Muharram, 94/712 or 95/713 in Medina.

Fifth Imam: Abu Ja'far MUHAMMAD al-Baqir, son of 'Ali Zaynu '1-'Abidin, was born on 1st Rajab, 57/677 in Medina; died of poison on 7th Dhu '1-hijjah 114/733 in Medina.

Sixth Imam: Abu 'Abdillah JA’FAR as-Sadiq, son of Muhammad al~ Baqir, was born on 17th Rabi’u '1-Awwal, 83/702 at Medina; died there of poison on 25th Shawwal, 148/765.

Seventh Imam: Abu '1-Hasan al-Awwal MUSA al-Kazim, son of Ja'far as-Sadiq, was born in al-Abwa’ (7 miles from Medina) on 7th Safar 129/74(5; died of poison on 25th Rajab, 183/799 in the prison of Harun ar-Rashid at Baghdad and was buried at Kazimiyyah, near Baghdad (Iraq).

Eighth Imam: Abu '1-Hasan ath-Thani, “AL1 ar-Riza, son of Musa al-Kazim, was born in Medina on llth Dhu '1-hijjah 148/765; died of poison on 17th Safar, 203/818 in Mashhad (Iran).

Ninth Imam: Abu Ja'far ath-Thani MUHAMMAD at-Taqi al- Jawad, son of 'All ar-Riza, was born on 10th Rajab 195/811 in Medina; died of poison in Baghdad on 30th Dhu 'l-qa”dah 220/835; was buried near his grandfather at al-Kazimiyyah.

Tenth Imam: Abu '1-Hasan ath-Thalith ‘ALI an-Naqi al-Hadi, son of Muhammad at-Taqi, was born on 5th Rajab 212/827 in Medina; died of poison in Samarra (Iraq) on 3rd Rajab, 254/868.

Eleventh Imam: Abu Muhammad “AL-HASAN al-”Askari, son of 'Ali an-Naqi, was born on 8th Rabi’u 'th-Thani, 232/846 in Medina; died of poison in Samarra (Iraq) on 8th Rabi’u '1-Awwal 260/874.

Twelfth Imam: Abu '1-Qasim MUHAMMAD AL-MAHDI, son of al-Hasan al-‘Askari, was born on 15th Sha'ban 255/869 in Samarra (Iraq).

He is our present Imam; he went into .Lesser Occultation in 260/874 which continued until 329/844; then the Greater Occultation began, which still continues.

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

He is al-Qa'im (the one who shall stand to establish the rule of Allah); al-Hujjah (the Proof of Allah over His creatures); Sahibu 'z-Zamân (the Lord of Our Time), and Sahibu 'l- Amr (the one vested with Divine authority).

* * *

This lesson has been adapted from chapters 16 & 17 of Imamat: the Vicegerence of the Prophet (Tehran: WOFIS, 1985) by Syed S. Akhtar Rizvi.

Question Paper on Lesson 17

Question 1: [10 points]

(a) Name the famous Sunni scholar who narrated the following hadīth: “There will be twelve caliphs, all from the Quraysh” and also the book in which he narrated it.

(b) Name at least four other Sunni scholars who also narrated the above mentioned hadīth.

Question 2: [20 points]

Consider the hadīth: “There will be twelve caliphs, all from the Quraysh.” Now state one reason why this hadīth does not apply to:

(a) The Four al-Khulafā'u 'r-Rāshidun:

(b) The Banu Umayyah

(c) The Banu `Abbās:

Question 3: [10 points]

Answer the following questions:

(a) Which Imam/Imams did not die of poisoning?

(b) Which Imam/Imams is/are also known as Abu Muhammad?

(c) Besides Imam Husayn (a.s.) which later Imam/Imams had witnessed the massacre of Karbala.

(d) Which Imam had the shortest life?

(e) Which Imam/Imams died in prison?

(f) Which Imam had the title of “Amīru 'l-muninīn”?

(g) Name the person who martyred Imam ‘Ali?

(h) Which Imam/Imams is/are buried in Kazimiyyah?

(i) Name the place where Imam Musa al-Kādhim (a.s.) was born?

(j) Which Imam/Imams is/are buried in Samarra?

Lesson 18: The Twelfth Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s.)

The twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his appearance) was born on the 15th of Sha'ban in the year 255 AH in Samarra. His imamat began at the age of five when his father died in 260 AH. His name (Muhammad) and his agnomen (Abu '1- Qasim) are the same as that of the Prophet of Islam.

His father was the eleventh Shi'a Imam, Imam Hasan al- ‘Askari; and his mother was the great lady Nargis (may the peace of Allah be with them both).

For various reasons, the Twelfth Imam, did not appear publicly; and for about seventy years, people were in communication with him through the intermediary of his special agents, in order of succession: 'Uthman bin Said, Muhammad bin 'Uthman, Husayn bin Ruh, and 'Ali bin Muhammad as-Samarri.

This period of seventy years is known as the minor occupation (alghaybatu 's-sughra) and at the end of that period began the major occultation (al-ghaybatu 'l-kubra).

During the major occultation till the time of re-appearance, no one has been appointed as his special representative. As for legal issues, the people have the duty of referring to the fuqaha and mujtahids-those excelling in knowledge of the Islamic laws.

1. Belief in Al-Mahdi & the Universal Reform

The belief in the re-appearance of the expected Mahdi, the universal reformer is not confined to the Shi'a Muslims. Other Islamic groups and even non-Muslims like the Jews and the Christians believe in the appearance of a great spiritual reformer.

In Psalm 37, we read:

“...Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will dwell in the land and enjoy security...

For the wicked shall be cut off; but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land...

But the weak shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity...

The Lord knows the day of the flawless, and their heritage will abide forever...

For those blessed by the Lord shall possess the land, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off...

The righteous shall possess the land, and dwell upon it for ever...”

2. The Qur'an & the Belief in al-Mahdi

Allah has promised the believers and worshippers of the True God that a time will come when they will take over the power of the world, and the glorious religion of Islam will reign all over the earth.

For We have written in the Psalms, after the remembrance, “My righteous servants will inherit the earth' (21:105) Allah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land just as He made those who were before them successors,

and that He will surely establish their religion for them, and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security: “They shall serve Me, not associating with Me : anything.'(24:55)

It is He who has sent His Messenger with the religion of truth, that he may lift it above every religion, though the unbelievers be averse. (61:9)

We desire to be gracious to those who were abased in the land, and to make them leaders, and to make them the inheritors. (28:5)

The above verses clearly show that in the end the world will fall into the hands of Allah's worthy and righteous servants and that they will become the leaders of the people of the world. Then Islam will be victorious over all religions.

3. Belief in the Mahdi & Sunni Authorities

In this subject, the scholars in the Sunni school have related many hadiths from the Prophet of Islam through trustworthy narrators. From among them are ahadith which say that the Imams are twelve persons and that they are all from the Quraysh.

Al-Mahdi, the promised one, is from the family of the Prophet and a descendent of Imam 'All and Fatimah az-Zahra, and in many ahadith it is mentioned that he is from the line of Imam Husayn.

The Sunnis have mentioned and recorded hundreds of ahadith about the Mahdi in more than seventy books through their own authorities of which we shall just mention a few examples:

Al-Musnad of Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 241 AH).

Sdhih of al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH).

Sahihof al-Muslim (d. 261 AH).

Sunan of Abu Dawud as-Sajistani (d. 275 AH).

Sahih of at-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH).

The authors of the above books are among the most authoritative books of the Sunnis and, more interestingly, all died either before the birth of the Twelfth Imam (255 AH) or shortly after his birth.

4. The Hidden Reformer

We have at least three hundred ahadith from the Prophet and from five Imams about Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.).

From these ahadith, it is clear that the Mahdi is the ninth son of Husayn bin 'Ali; that his father is Hasan al-'Askari and his mother is Nargis Khatun; that his name is the same as that of the Last Prophet; that the Mahdi would be born during his father's lifetime in Samarra;

that his father would die when he would be young; that he will live as long as God wished it; that he will re-appear and the world will be filled with justice and equality at a time when there will be injustice everywhere.

And when he comes -may God hasten his appearance- he will lean against the Ka'bah and cry out and call for his followers, who will number 313 persons.

Prophet 'Isa (Jesus) will come from the heaven down to the earth, and will pray behind the Mahdi. The Twelfth Imam will enforce the commands of Islam all over the world; and the earth will be like heaven.

There are many ahadith related by the Shi'a and Sunni scholars on many aspects connected with this great Imam, and these are mentioned in books like Biharu 'l-Anwar of 'Allamah Majlisi (d. 1010 AH) and Muntakhabu ’l-Athar of Shaykh Lutfullah as-Safi.

When we look at the ahadith on this subject, we come to realize the ahadith mentioning al-Mahdi (a.s.) have been narrated most frequently, and that there are few subjects in Islam which have been mentioned in hadith so often.

Thus, in this light, anyone who believes in Islam and its Prophet must necessarily declare his belief in the existence of the promised Mahdi who is now in occultation.

Now we shall relate two ahadith on this issue from the famous Sunni book, Yanâbi'u 'l-Mawaddah:

1. The Prophet said, “Al-Mahdi is a descendent of mine. He will be in concealment, and when he manifests himself, the earth will become filled with justice just as it was previously filled with injustice.”

2. Salman al-Farsi says that he went to the Prophet when Husayn bin 'Ali was sitting in his lap and the Prophet was kissing his eyes and mouth, and then the Prophet said to Husayn, “You are a chief, son of a chief, and the brother of a chief; you are an Imam, son of an Imam, and the brother of an Imam.

You are the Proof (hujjah), son of a proof and the brother of a proof; you will be the father of nine proofs of whom the ninth will be the qa'im (one who will establish the divine rule on this earth).”

5. The Length of al-Mahdi's Life

We believe that the lengthening of a man's life is not an impossibility, because it is explicitly stated in the Qur'an that, “We sent Nuh to his people and so he lived among them a thousand years, all but fifty.” (29:14) Even modern science does not deny the possibility of lengthening the human lifespan.

If a greatly extended life is not an impossible event, there is nothing to prevent God from keeping a man alive for thousands of years because the regulations of a man's life is in the hands of God. He can bring a new order into existence which has precedence over the usual order of things, just as He did in the case of all the miracles.

The miracles of the prophets: the cooling of the fire for Ibrahim, the turning of Musa's staff into a serpent; bringing the dead to life through Isa, and so forth, are all against the usual flow of things but God brought another order into existence by His own power and a miracle occurred. All the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians believe in these miracles.

Similarly, for the length of the life of Imam Mahdi, there remains no place for any kind of objection, because if someone says that such a length of life is impossible, then his claim cannot be at all accepted after the stipulation of the Qur'an concerning the length of Prophet Nuh's life.

If someone says that a prolonged life is possible but against the normal natural order of things, then it can be retorted that the length of life of Imam Mahdi is against the natural order just as the miracles of the prophets are against the natural order but within the power of God.

Someone who believes in the power of God and in the miracles of the prophets cannot have the slightest objection to the length of Imam Mahdi's life.

* * *

This lesson is based on The Roots of Religion of Dar Rah-e Haq.

Question Paper on Lesson 18

Question 1: [7 points]

Fill in the Blanks:

(a) The 12th Imam was born on the _____ of Sha`bān in the year _____ AH in _____________ .

(b) The Minor Occultation lasted for _____ years.

(c) The name of the 12th Imam's mother was ________________ .

(d) The 12th Imam's imamate began at the age of ____ in the year ____ AH.

(e) During the Minor Occultation, Imam __________________ with the outside world through his special _________________ .

(f) The 12th Imam's name was _________________ and his agnomen was ________________ .

(g) According to the Qur'ān, Prophet Nūh lived for ______ years.

Question 2: [15 points]

Is the belief in the re-appearance of an expected universal reformer unique to Shi‘a Muslims? What other religions and Muslim sects believe in the re-appearance of the Mahdi? Name the Biblical chapter and verse number that confirms this belief.

Question 3: [5 points]

Narrate one hadīth that describes the existence and the re-appearance of the 12th Imam.

Question 4: [10 points]

What is the fundamental purpose of the re-appearance of the 12th Imam?

Question 5: [13 points]

Passages from the Psalm 37 and the Qur'ān quoted in this lesson describe various qualities of the people who will inherit God's land and to whom God will bestow the leadership of this world. But there are two qualities which have been mentioned both in the Psalms and the Qur'ān. What are those two qualities?