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The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Book Three: The General System of the Virtuous Community

Author(s): Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim

Translator(s): Badr Shahin

Publisher(s): ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

www.alhassanain.org/english

Miscellaneous information:

The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Book Three: The General System of the Virtuous Community Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA) Translator: Badr Shahin Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center First Printing: 2011 © Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA) All rights reserved. www.ahl-ul-bayt.org info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

نام كتاب: دور أهل البيت (ع) في بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 3 نويسنده: آية الله سيد محمد باقر الحكيم تهيه كننده: اداره ترجمه، اداره كل پژوهش مجمع جهاني اهل بيت (ع) مترجم: بدر شاهين زبان ترجمه: انگليسى

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Preamble 7

Chapter 1: The Religious Referential Authority 8

The Religious Authority: Extension of Imamate 8

The System of Religious Referential Authority 11

Qualifications and Requirements 12

Tasks and Responsibilities 15

a) First Responsibility: Issuance of Verdicts 15

(1) Education 15

(2) Undertaking the Mission of Issuing Verdicts 18

(3) Asking people to refer to well-versed scholars 19

b) Second Responsibility: Judgment 20

True Judgment 22

c) Third Responsibility: Authority 25

Notes 27

Chapter 2: Identity And Its Aspects 30

Identity and Its Role 30

a) Aspects of Identity 30

(1) Islam, the substance and goals of its message 30

(2) Historical Roots and Past Divine Messages 31

(4) Human Nature, Social Dignity, Respect and Honor 31

b) Specifications of Identity 31

1. Name 31

2. Origin 32

3. Qualities 33

4. Affiliation 36

5. Rank 37

Notes 40

Chapter 3: Relationships 42

Relationship between the Virtuous Community and the Religious Referential Authority 42

Direct Connection and Deputy System 44

Direct Connection 45

Deputy System 47

The Internal Relations of the Virtuous Community 48

Content of the Relationship 49

Rights of Relationship 50

Form of the Relationship 52

External Relations with Other Groups 53

Note 57

Chapter 4: Political Trends And Foundations 60

Prelude 60

The General Political Trends during the Ages of the Holy Imams (‘a) 61

Power-Seeking Trend 61

Chaotic Trend 61

Hypocritical Trend 62

Reformative Trend 63

Revolutionary Trend 63

Political Foundations and Guidelines 64

[1] Loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) 64

[2] Renunciation of the Enemies of Allah and the Enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) 68

[3] Equilibrium in Interests and Priorities 68

[4] Unity of the Muslim Society 69

[5] The Role of the Nation in Political Change 72

The Role of the Nation in the System of the Virtuous Community 75

[6] Observation of Regulations and Standards 78

(1) Piety and Abstinence from Violating Prohibitions of Allah 78

(2) Knowledgeability 78

(3) Struggle, Self-Sacrifice, Exertion of Efforts, Spending and Charity for the Sake of Almighty Allah 79

(4) Actual Freedom 79

(5) Comprehension of peoples’ equality and justice 79

Notes 80

Preamble

At the outset, it seems necessary to explain the meaning of the title of this book, i.e. The General System of the Virtuous Community. In order to bring to fruition the goals to which we have referred in the first book of this series, we must mention that the Holy Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) took much interest in setting forth a set of practical systems and guidelines, both general and detailed, fixed and dynamic, which were aimed to achieve the following purposes:

(1) Maintain the character, identity, and unity of the virtuous community.

(2) Enable this community to meet its requirements and carry out its duties and responsibilities.

(3) Regulate its various internal and external relations.

(4) Guide this community towards growth and perfection.

(5) Protect it from internal and external dangers, suppression and aggression.

In this respect the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) undertook two steps:

First: They set forth a general conception of the system of the virtuous community, which consists of the following aspects:

(1) The general framework of the system of the virtuous community along with the general responsibilities and duties necessary to meet the needs of the community.

(2) The identity, role and features of the virtuous community.

(3) The nature of relations between the religiously commissioned leader (i.e. Imam) and the individuals of the virtuous community, the nature of internal relations within the community and external relations with other communities.

(4) The groundwork and fixed political and social guidelines that the virtuous community must abide by in its movement towards perfection.

Second: They presented detailed rules and principles in various fields.

In this section, we will thrash out the first step along with its aforementioned four aspects within seven chapters. The second step will be discussed in future volumes of this series.

From the beginning, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) understood that this general system must be capable of functioning within an Islamic system of government in the Muslim community in general, adjusting to the common surroundings.