The Mahdi

by Sayyid Muneer Al-Khabbaz

  Imam Ali (a) wrote in the letter

  Accustom your heart to mercy for the subjects and to affection and kindness for them. Do not stand over them like a greedy beast who feels it is enough to devour them. Know that they are of two kinds, either your brother in faith or your equal in creation.[441]

  This is the character of Imam Ali’s (a) state. It stands in complete opposition to the Umayyad state which was founded on discrimination based on faith, language, ethnicity, and tribal lineage.

  As for the Purified Household of our Holy Prophet (s), they always honored people of other faiths. God says, “Certainly We have honored the Children of Adam, and carried them over land and sea, and provided them with all the good things.”[442]

  Even in the saga of Imam Hussain (a), we find that one of the Imam’s companions had a leaning toward the third caliph Othman. Some of our narrations say that it was Zuhair ibn Al-Qayn.[443] Imam Hussain (a) treated him with kindness and honored him until he became a lover of the Holy Household (a) and was martyred alongside the Imam (a). The Imam (a) was merciful even to his enemies up to the last moment. He would say, “I cry for these people who will enter hellfire because of [their transgression against me].”[444] Yet they persisted on their wretched path and committed a great massacre against the household of the Holy Prophet (s).

  The Marjaeya

  In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

  But why should not there a group from each of their sections go forth to become learned in religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware?[445]

  The blessed verse urges us to actively pursue learning about our faith and its teachings. There is no emphasis in the verse on what part of religion we should learn, but is encompassing of both the principles of creed and the minutia or religious rulings.

  A Sahih hadith attributed to Imam Sadiq (a) explains this verse further. A companion asked the Imam (a) what people are to do if something were to happen to any of the Imams. Imam Sadiq (a) recited the above verse and said, “People are excused so long as they are in pursuit [of knowledge]. Those who await them are also excused until their comrades return to them.”

  Creed

  Our honorable scholars tell us that knowledge is of two types. There are issues that are in and of themselves obligatory and each individual must seek to understand them and believe in them. There are other issues that are not so and are rather dependent on arguments and proofs. An individual should believe in them once proof is presented in support of each idea.

  This categorization is true whether we are looking through a religious lens or a rational lens. Religiously, a person should believe in anything supported by conclusive proof that would lead to certainty. This includes anything that is supported by a hadith that is Mutawatir,[446] or if it is a necessity of the faith or the school of thought. This includes, for example, belief in the Quran as the word of God or in prayer as a religious obligation. As for anything that is not supported by such conclusive proof, a rational religious proof could lead us to believe in it and accept it.

  The same categorization applies if we look at the issue through a purely rational lens. We can say that we must necessarily believe in things that are prerequisites or results of thankfulness. The rational obligation to be thankful is something that is discussed in details by Muslim philosophers. Presuming that thankfulness is a rational obligation for our purposes here, we can say that anything that is a prerequisite or a result of that should also be studied in depth. We can also say that anything that is a primary rational concepts – another subject that is discussed in detail within Muslim seminaries.

  For example, there is a rational obligation for us to believe in the pillars of our faith. If I realize that I exist, I rationally conclude that my existence is a blessing and a gift. Thus, there is a source of this blessing and I must seek to know this source and be thankful and grateful to it. When I come to know the grantor of this blessing, I will know that He is a being that is all-encompassing of every perfection, including justice, wisdom, and compassion. It is irrational to think that the giver of all virtues is lacking in any of them. The natural result coming from a just, wise, and compassionate Creator is that He will send messengers and prophets and appoint Imams. It also follows that there will be a day when each individual will be judged for his actions on this world and that is the Day of Resurrection.

  These are the pillars of our creed that we are rationally obliged to believe in. There are several other doctrines that follow from this system of beliefs – for example that the messengers and the Imams know the details of the faith and are of an Immaculate nature. These are conclusions reached through rational processes and are the foundation of our faith.

  The second category includes things that we are not rationally obliged to understand and believe in. Some of these are issues that we may not be able to rationally prove or disprove without the use of religious texts. These include the details of purgatory and judgment, the punishment of the grave, the meaning of the ‘straight path,’ and similar issues. There is no rational obligation for us to believe in all these detailed matters. However, if a religious proof is present in support of these details then a Muslim should believe out of submission to God, His Messenger (s), and the Immaculate Imams (a).

  Religious Standards

  An individual is considered to be Muslim if he believes in the Muslim creed – that there is no deity but God and that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) is His messenger. In some situations, an individual rejects a major tenet of Islam, like prayer or pilgrimage, while he knows and acknowledges that he in fact is impugning the Prophet (s). That individual is also considered to be outside the realm of Islam since he is effectively rejecting the Muslim creed by rejecting God’s messenger. However, if a person does not intend to impugn the Prophet (s) but is simply misinformed, he is not considered to have rejected the Muslim creed even if he rejects a major tenet of the faith.

  The standard when it comes to Shia Islam – as understood from the narrations – is the belief in the Immaculate Imam. In the Sahih narration relayed by Zurara, Imam Sadiq (a) said

  The apex of every matter, its pinnacle, its key, the gate to all things, and the satisfaction of the All-Merciful [all lie in] obedience to the Imam after knowing him. Indeed God says ‘Whoever obeys the Apostle certainly obeys God; and as for those who turn their backs [on you]; We have not sent you to keep watch over them.’[447] Surely if a man were to spend his nights in prayer and his days in fasting, give his entire wealth to charity, and perform the pilgrimage his entire life, yet he does not know allegiance to God’s vicegerent, so that he performs all his deeds by the guidance [of the Imam], he would not be deserving of any reward from God nor would he be of the faithful.[448]

  The standard in Shia Islam is to know the Immaculate Imam that is appointed by God and to take guidance from him. We can seek guidance from and knowledge of the Imam in one of two ways:

  Inconclusive Methods

  One way to seek guidance from and knowledge of the Imam is through inconclusive methods such as stand-alone narration. For example we have numerous narrations indicating that the Holy Prophet (s) had authority over legislation. In one narration Imam Sadiq (a) says, “God forbade wine and the Messenger of God (s) forbade all intoxicating drinks as God allowed him to do so.”[449] Another such narration is one relayed by multiple companions of Imam Baqir (a) and Imam Sadiq (a) where the Imams would say, “God obligated prayer and the alms of trade profits and the Messenger of God (s) imposed [the alms] on nine [types of accumulated wealth].”[450]

  These narrations tell us that the Holy Prophet (s) had the authority to legislate by virtue of his divinely inspired and immaculate nature. But does this same privilege extend to the members of his Holy Household?

  This issue is disputed amongst our grand scholars. The methods of attempting to find an answer are all inconclusive. For example, we have narrations from our Immaculate Imams (a) that state, “
Whatever authority was given to the Messenger of God (s) has also been given to us.”[451] But such narrations are an area of study and reflection for our scholars. Grand Ayatollah Tabrizi had some reflections in regards to the chain of narrators of these traditions. He also mentioned that the narrations that speak of Al-Jami’a – the document containing all legislation down to the “reparations for a scratch” which was dictated by the Holy Prophet (s) and written by Imam Ali (a) – indicate that legislation was complete at the time of the Holy Prophet (s) and that the Immaculate Imams’ (a) role is to deliver these teachings to the people. This is not because they lack the authority to legislate, but because the process of legislation was completed during the time of the Holy Prophet (s).

  The bottom line is that this issue is contested amongst our scholars and the evidence that support either interpretation is inconclusive.

  Conclusive Methods

  Another way to seek guidance from and knowledge of the Imam is through conclusive methods and evidence. This generally includes three types of evidence.

  First, the unanimity of scholarly opinions. In this, we go back to the scholars of the earliest stages of Islam, specifically those who had direct contact with the companions who lived alongside the Holy Prophet (s) and the Immaculate Imams (a), up until the time of the minor occultation. These are the scholars who interacted directly with the Immaculate Imams (a) or their companions, and are best able to inform us of the Imams’ guidance and opinion. So if we find that these scholars unanimously agree that the Holy Prophet (s) and the Imams (a) are Immaculate individuals, perfect in every way, without any fault or sin, then this necessarily and conclusively reflects the teachings of our Imams.

  To clarify this, let us address a number of points.

  First, this proposition is not based on any theological premises. Nor is it based on strict logical deduction. Rather, we rely in support of this proposition on the theory of probabilities. This is incidentally is the same basis for considering Tawatur to be conclusive evidence – more on that below.

  A calculation of probabilities dictates that when evidence accumulates in support of or against any proposition, its truth or falsity is significantly more probable. Evidence may even reach a point to be considered rationally conclusive and a basis for certainty in the proposition’s truth or falsity.

  So for example, if the scholars of that early era of Muslim history all agreed that prayer behind a person born out of wedlock is invalid, then their agreement on other topics is considered ample evidence for a number of reasons.

  The ruling in question goes against the general principle derived from other narrations, stating that one can pray behind anyone whose faith is trusted.

  The scholars in question are of such caliber and piety that it is inconceivable for them to have given such an opinion without proper evidence. Furthermore, it is highly improbable that they all were not aware that this rule goes against the general principle described above.

  It is also highly improbable that their basis for this ruling was a narration from the Holy Prophet (s) or an Immaculate Imam (a). Otherwise, they would have included such a narration in the books of tradition that they compiled and in which they included many traditions of varying strength and veracity. However, there must be some basis for this opinion; else, this great number of scholars could not possibly be in unanimous agreement without any supporting evidence. Their opinion must be based on some other form of conclusive evidence that they received from the Imams (a) or their companions. Thus, we cannot say let us look at the evidence they considered in support of this conclusion and weigh it for ourselves. Such conclusive evidence is derived directly from the interactions and the environment of the time, which in turn were indicative of the sayings, actions, and confirmations of the Imams (a).

  Second, there is no difference in the applicability of this line of reasoning between jurisprudential and theological issues. The nature of the evidence is one and the reasoning is the same. There is also no difference in whether this line of reasoning is applied to material or immaterial propositions, except for the fact that the evidence is usually stronger when it comes to material propositions.

  Third, if there is an individual who contradicts the unanimous opinion of the others in reliance on evidence that was passed down and is known to us, then we can simply test his evidence and come to a conclusion on whether his opinion will legitimately discredit the unanimity of that era’s scholars as a means of knowing the Immaculate Imams’ (a) teachings and opinion. The fact that Al-Shaykh Al-Sadouq holds an opinion contrary to the rest of the scholars when it comes to the matter of the Holy Prophet’s (s) immaculate nature does not break the remaining unanimity of the majority of the other scholars. This can be explained by the following evidence:

  It is debatable whether Al-Sadouq actually contradicted the unanimity of the scholars, as his writing is up to interpretation.

  We know the individual contradicting the unanimous opinion of the scholars and the evidence upon which he relied. Thus, we can go back to the evidence and judge whether his opinion was reasonable or erroneous. In this case, we find that his reasoning was erroneous and that his opinion does not break the unanimity of Shia scholars of the time.

  We will not go into the detailed evidence, but will suffice to mention the following. The Holy Quran states, “Certainly, the faithful have attained salvation – those who are humble in their prayers.”[452] In another verse the Quran says, “Woe to those who pray but are heedless of their prayers.”[453] Is it possible that the Holy Prophet (s) is an example of the second verse rather than the first? It is unconceivable. The fact that a scholar may disagree on this issue does not breach unanimity or the conclusive nature of scholarly opinion in this regard.

  Second, the unequivocal declarations of scholars. When we review the texts of that early period of Muslim history, we find that our scholars discuss a number of issues with the presumption that they are accepted truth without mentioning a single dissention. The reasoning in support of this proposition is the same as the support for the unanimity of scholars discussed above.

  As an example of this type of proposition, we find that our scholars have unequivocally declared that an Immaculate Imam (a) acquires knowledge both by learning from his predecessor Imam (a) as well as by inspiration. When we read the verses of the Holy Quran, we see that God ascribes this second type of knowledge to individuals like Al-Khidr – “[There] they found one of Our servants whom We had granted a mercy from Ourselves, and taught him a knowledge from Our own.”[454] Surely Al-Khidr is not better than the immaculate Imams (a). Therefore, we find that the scholars of Shia Islam have unequivocally declared and adopted the view that our Imams (a) acquire some of their knowledge by divine inspiration.

  Third, the concept of general Tawatur. A hadith is Mutawatir if it is conveyed through various channels by numerous narrators, indicating the narrations’ indisputable veracity. At times, a narration may not reach the threshold of Tawatur but could still be considered conclusive evidence due to a number of corroborative factors. For example, some narrations, when taken together with historical accounts, give us a degree of certainty of the narration’s content. Numerous narrations from our Imams (a) state that they were all martyred – “None of us shall pass except by murder or poison”;[455] “None of us shall pass except by poison or murder”;[456] and “By God, none of us shall pass except as a murdered martyr.”[457]

  These narrations from distinct books and through distinct chains of narrators are further corroborated by historical fact, along with other similar narrations and the content of some our supplications and visitations. All this leads us to conclude confidently that such narrations must be true.

  Some may say that this is simply a historical issue and does not relate to theology and creed. But in fact the issue here is much more than just a historical discussion. The title of ‘martyr’ is a sacred status and an honor bestowed by God upon select individuals. The discussion centers on whether
the Imams (a) had been given this honor and status or not, and therefore has a clear theological dimension.

  Thus, there are a number of conclusive methods that allow us to learn of the teachings and guidance of our Immaculate Imams (a). Some individuals may doubt the teachings and rulings derived by our grand scholars through these conclusive methods, but that is normally due to the individual’s own fallacies or because of a lack of religious learning and understanding. An individual should not knowingly reject any of our religious guidance that is deduced through these conclusive methods. Otherwise, he would be rejecting Shia Islam outrights because he is rejecting what we conclusively know to be the word and teachings of the Imam.

  Progression in Religious Knowledge

  Any body of knowledge or course of study has its settled facts and its unsettled theories. The study of religion is much the same. For example, the issue of resurrection is a definite fact that cannot be rejected – God says,

  Say, ‘To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘To God. He has made mercy incumbent upon Himself. He will surely gather you on the Day of Resurrection, in which there is no doubt.[458]

  Can issues seen as unsettled theories become at some point definitive facts? Yes, that can and does take place. We mentioned in a previous chapter the importance of accumulated knowledge to human advancement. In any field, the accumulation of experimentation, study, and scientific discourse leads humanity to conclusions about reality. We see that propositions which were at some point simply scientific theories are later proven to be fact. The same is true in medicine, engineering, and other areas of study. It is also true when it comes to religion and theology.