Question 15 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 1

Ahmed al-Hasan Response:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. In the Torah, 2 Kings, chapter two: ‘When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind … Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water, and it divided here and there, so that both crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Let a double share of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a difficult thing. If you see me taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be.” As they continued walking and talking, behold, a chariot of fire and horses came down and separated the two, and Elijah went up in the whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it and cried, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more …’ This is the state of Allah’s prophet and messenger Elijah (a): he was raised and has not died to this day. He performs many deeds upon the earth for Allah, Glorious and Exalted, but the people of the earth do not see him because they are blind even though their eyes are open. Like Elijah (a) is al-Khidr (a), who was also raised and performs deeds on earth by the command of Allah, Glorious is He. Jesus (a) was likewise raised and performs deeds on earth by the command of Allah, Glorious is He. Imam al-Mahdi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (a), likewise performs deeds on earth by the command of Allah, Glorious is He. At the beginning of Jesus’s ascension (a), he sent his vicegerents and messengers from himself to establish the truth he had brought from Allah, Glorious is He, and to spread Allah’s religion on His earth. Among them were Simon Peter, and John the Barbarian, who is called John the Theologian in the Gospel. Then the sending from Jesus (a) ceased. Its ceasing for a period does not mean it ceased forever. There is no rational or transmitted proof supporting that supposition. Rather, the evidence establishes the contrary: Jesus (a) will send someone to represent him when the time of his return arrives and the Minor Resurrection draws near. I will present the evidence below, Allah willing. As for Imam al-Mahdi (a), he sent his four deputies during his Minor Occultation, which lasted approximately seventy years. Then the deputyship and the sending from Imam al-Mahdi (a) ceased. Again, its ceasing for a period does not show that it ceased forever. Rather, the evidence establishes that he will send a messenger from himself to represent him when his rising draws near and the time of the Minor Resurrection arrives. I will present the evidence below, Allah willing. Now, before examining the evidence that they send a messenger from themselves to represent them, let us examine the affair of these four (a)-al-Khidr, Elijah, Jesus, and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi. Are they one, or are they divided? The truth is that their affair is one. They are united and not divided, and there is no disagreement among them, because their Lord is one and their religion is one: submission to Allah, Glorious is He. All of them call to Allah and act by His command. The truth to which they call is one, and their goal is one: the Minor Resurrection. Their objective and purpose are one: spreading equity, justice, monotheism, and the worship of Allah upon this earth in the manner He desires, Glorious is He. They are united, with no disagreement among them. They seek one aim and one objective, and their Lord and God is one. Therefore, the messenger from all of them must be one. He is also a messenger from Allah, because they act by Allah’s command. Whoever represents them represents Allah, and whoever succeeds them on earth succeeds Allah, Glorious is He, because they are Allah’s vicegerents on His earth. Now let us present evidence that they will send a messenger from themselves (a) when the time of the Minor Resurrection and the State of Divine Justice arrives. We will limit ourselves to some evidence because this setting is too narrow for detail. First: In the Quran, the hadiths of the Messenger Muhammad (s), and the hadiths of the Imams (a). (A) In the Quran: 1. The Exalted said: ‘Then watch for the day when the sky will bring a visible smoke, enveloping the people. This is a painful punishment. “Our Lord, remove the punishment from us; indeed, we are believers.” How will there be a reminder for them when a manifest messenger had already come to them? Then they turned away from him and said, “One taught by others, a madman.” Indeed, We will remove the punishment for a little; indeed, you will return. On the day We seize with the greatest seizure, indeed, We will take retribution’ (^[22]). This smoke is a punishment, and punishment is preceded by a message. The Exalted said: ‘We do not punish until We send a messenger’ (^[23]). Also, this smoke or punishment is a penalty for denying a messenger who was sent to those being punished and was present among them, as the verses make clear: ‘Then they turned away from him and said, “One taught by others, a madman.”’ Also, this smoke or punishment is removed when the people of the earth believe in this messenger after it has overshadowed them, just as punishment overshadowed the people of Jonah (a). Also, this smoke or punishment coincides with the Minor Resurrection. Indeed, it is the lesser seizure, as the verse makes clear, after which there remains only the greatest seizure and retribution against the oppressors. Thus the smoke is one of the signs of the rise of the Qa’im (^[24]); this was narrated from the Imams (a). It is associated with a messenger-indeed, it is caused by the people of the earth denying this messenger and is a punishment for them: ‘How will there be a reminder for them when a manifest messenger had already come to them?’ Who is this messenger, and who sends this messenger? 2. The Exalted said: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth glorifies Allah, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Mighty, the Wise. He is the One who raised among the unlettered a messenger from among them, reciting His signs to them, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although before that they were in manifest error; and others among them who have not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise. That is Allah’s favor, which He gives to whomever He wills, and Allah is the possessor of immense favor’ (^[25]). That is, among others of them who have not yet joined them, He will send a messenger from among them, who will recite His signs to them, purify them, and teach them the Book and wisdom … Certainly, Muhammad (s) himself cannot recite to the others who come after his return to Allah. There must therefore be a messenger, also among the unlettered-that is, in the Mother of Cities of his time-who has these qualities: he recites the signs, purifies the people so that they look into the Kingdom of the Heavens, and teaches them the Book and wisdom. 3. The Exalted said: ‘For every nation there is a messenger. When their messenger comes, judgment is passed among them with equity, and they are not wronged’ (^[26]). In a hadith from Jabir, from Abu Jafar (a), he said: ‘I asked him about the interpretation of this verse: “For every nation there is a messenger. When their messenger comes, judgment is passed among them with equity, and they are not wronged.” He (a) said: “Its inward interpretation is that for every generation of this nation there is a messenger from the family of Muhammad who comes forth to the generation to whom he is a messenger. They are the guardians, and they are the messengers. As for His words, ‘When their messenger comes, judgment is passed among them with equity,’ it means that the messengers judge with equity and are not unjust, as Allah said”’ (^[27]). This suffices for brevity; otherwise, the matter would become lengthy if we surveyed the Quranic evidence. (B) Many hadiths have been narrated from the Messenger Muhammad (s), transmitted by Shia and Sunni, indicating the existence of a Mahdi and a Qa’im who precedes Imam al-Mahdi (a), is connected to him, is a messenger from him (a), and is his right hand and vicegerent. The testament of the Messenger of Allah (s) identifies this person by his name and description: he is the First Mahdi, his name is Ahmed, and he is from the progeny of Imam al-Mahdi (a). The Imams (a) also described this person whom Imam al-Mahdi (a) sends-his name, dwelling place, and qualities. His name is Ahmed, he is from Basra, and so on. I apologize for not transmitting the hadiths for the sake of brevity. For more information, consult books issued by the Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (a), including The Clear Proclamation, The Decisive Response, The Crushing Response, and some declarations in which I addressed some of these narrations transmitted hundreds of years ago from the Messenger and the Imams by the leading Shia scholars; some were also transmitted by Sunni scholars in their books. Second: In the Torah. 1. The Book of Isaiah: ‘He will raise a banner for the nations from afar and whistle to them from the end of the earth; behold, they will come swiftly and speedily. None among them is weary or stumbles; none slumbers or sleeps; the belt of their waists is not loosened, nor are the straps of their sandals broken. Their arrows are sharp and all their bows bent; their horses’ hooves are counted as flint and their wheels as a whirlwind. Their roaring is like a lioness; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize the prey and carry it away, and no one can rescue. On that day they will growl against them like the roaring of the sea …’ (^[28]). These qualities-such as that they do not sleep, and so on-are the qualities of the companions of the Qa’im (a), as stated in narrations from the family of Muhammad (a) (^[29]). So who raises the banner-‘He will raise a banner for the nations’? It is the one who seeks allegiance and gathers supporters for Imam al-Mahdi (a), Jesus, Elijah, and al-Khidr (a). Chapter eleven: ‘A rod will come forth from the stem of Jesse, and a branch will grow from his roots. The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge according to the sight of his eyes or decide according to the hearing of his ears, but he will judge the poor with righteousness and decide with equity for the afflicted of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and kill the hypocrite with the breath of his lips. Righteousness will be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf with the young lion … They will neither harm nor corrupt in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. ‘On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will seek him, and his resting place will be glorious …’ (^[30]). All these events accord with the Minor Resurrection. They did not occur in the past and will occur only in the State of Divine Justice. As for Jesse, it is known in the Torah that he is the father of Allah’s prophet David (a), and the mother of Imam al-Mahdi (a) is from the progeny of David (a). Her story, in extreme brevity, is that she was a princess whose grandfather was the emperor of Rome. In a dream she saw Allah’s prophet Jesus (a), his vicegerent Simon Peter, and the Messenger Muhammad (s). The Messenger Muhammad (s) asked Jesus (a) for her hand on behalf of his son Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a). Jesus (a) said to Simon Peter, ‘A great honor has come to you,’ because she was from the progeny of Simon Peter, Jesus’s vicegerent (a). After that she saw many visions, exposed herself to captivity, and experienced many miracles until she reached the house of Imam Ali al-Hadi (a), who married her to his son Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a). She bore him Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi (a) (^[31]). Thus Imam al-Mahdi, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Askari (a), is from the progeny of Israel-Jacob (a)-on his mother’s side, and from the progeny of Muhammad (s) on his father’s side. Therefore, it applies to him that he is a rod from the stem of Jesse. It likewise applies to the First Mahdi of the twelve Mahdis that he is a branch coming from that rod from the stem of Jesse, because he is from the progeny of Imam al-Mahdi (a). The First Mahdi, whose name is Ahmed according to the narrations from the Messenger Muhammad (s) and the Imams (a), is the messenger, vicegerent, and right hand of Imam al-Mahdi (a), and the first to believe in him at the beginning of his appearance, before he rises with the sword (^[32]). I will confine myself to this for brevity. If you want more, read in the Torah the Book of Isaiah, chapters thirteen, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-nine, sixty-three, sixty-five, and sixty-six, and reflect upon them carefully. 2. The Book of Daniel, chapter two: ‘… You, O king, were watching, and behold, a great statue … You watched until a stone was cut out without hands and struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were crushed together and became like chaff on the summer threshing floor; the wind carried them away so that no place was found for them. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth …’ (^[33]). This stone that eliminates the kingdom of the tyrant and Satan on this earth is a messenger from Imam al-Mahdi (a), Jesus, Elijah, and al-Khidr (a). Chapter seven: ‘Daniel answered and said: I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven rushed upon the Great Sea. Four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked off; it was lifted from the earth, made to stand on two feet like a human being, and given a human heart. Behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. They said thus to it: Arise, devour much flesh. After this I watched, and behold, another, like a leopard, which had four wings of a bird on its back. The beast had four heads and was given dominion. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying, mighty, and exceedingly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled the remainder with its feet. It was different from all the beasts before it and had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and behold, another little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. Behold, in this horn were eyes like human eyes and a mouth speaking great things. I watched until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days sat. His garment was white as snow, the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was a fiery flame and its wheels burning fire. A river of fire flowed and came out from before him. Thousands upon thousands served him, and myriads upon myriads stood before him. The court sat, and the books were opened. I watched then because of the sound of the great words which the horn spoke. I watched until the beast was killed, its body destroyed, and it was given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven came one like a son of man. He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before Him. He was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom so that all peoples, nations, and tongues would serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed. As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved within my body, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those standing by and asked him the truth concerning all this. He told me and made known to me the interpretation of the matters: These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who will arise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever. Then I desired the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly terrifying, with teeth of iron and claws of bronze, which devoured, crushed, and trampled the remainder with its feet; and concerning the ten horns on its head, and the other horn that arose, before which three fell-the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, whose appearance was greater than its fellows. I watched, and this horn made war against the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time arrived when the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said: The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, different from all other kingdoms; it shall devour the whole earth, trample it, and crush it. The ten horns from this kingdom are ten kings who shall arise, and another shall arise after them. He shall be different from the former ones and shall humble three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, wear out the saints of the Most High, and intend to change times and the law; they shall be delivered into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court shall sit and take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it to the end. Then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Here is the end of the matter’ (^[34]). The lion with two wings symbolizes the English Empire that arose in Europe, whose emblem is a lion with two wings. The bear is the emblem of the Soviets, and its devouring much flesh means its killing many people. The fourth beast of iron is the American Empire, which has now trampled the whole earth and dominated the whole earth by weapons and money. The Ancient of Days is Imam al-Mahdi (a), and America’s end, as Daniel said, is that it is delivered to the burning fire, Allah willing. Imam al-Mahdi (a), Jesus, Elijah, and al-Khidr (a) come in the Minor Resurrection, which is a reckoning, punishment, and vengeance upon the oppressors. Is punishment and vengeance proper before a warning? Who, then, is the warner? There must be a messenger from them (a) who gives the people good news and warns them before them-that is, before their appearance. This is sufficient from the Torah for brevity. * * * Third: In the Gospel. The Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty-four: ‘… (6) You will hear of wars and reports of wars … (15) Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place … (22) But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened … For as lightning comes from the east and appears in the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man … Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light …’ In this chapter Jesus (a) mentions signs of the Minor Resurrection, just as the Messenger Muhammad and the Imams (a) mentioned them: wars, an eclipse of the sun, and an eclipse of the moon (^[35]) … and the abomination of desolation-America. What is important is that he described the beginning of his appearance from the east to the west. The east relative to the place of Jesus (a) at that time is Iraq. The lightning that came from the east and appeared in the west is Abraham, who left Iraq and appeared in the Holy Land. Jesus (a) said of John-Yahya-that he was Elijah, meaning the likeness of Elijah: ‘But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands. Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptist’ (^[36]). Jesus said of John (a): ‘And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear’ (^[37]). Therefore, the messenger whom Imam al-Mahdi (a) and those with him-Jesus, Elijah, and al-Khidr-send, and whose emergence is from Iraq, may be said in this sense to be the emergence of Jesus (a), just as John’s emergence represented Elijah’s emergence at a certain stage. This messenger may be from another nation; indeed, he is so, as Jesus (a) said: ‘Therefore I say to you that the kingdom of Allah will be taken from you and given to a nation that produces its fruits’ (^[38]). Jesus (a) said: ‘Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master appointed over his servants to give them food-that is, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom-at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds doing so’ (^[39]). Who is this faithful and wise servant, unless he is a messenger from Imam al-Mahdi, Jesus, Elijah, and al-Khidr (a)? Jesus said: ‘But now I am going to the One who sent me, and none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will rebuke the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to my Father and you see me no more; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged’ (^[40]). Who is this Comforter who is sent? Who is this one who rebukes the world for their sins, their denial and killing of the prophets and messengers, their abandonment of the prophets’ right and testaments, their forfeiting their share in the Minor Resurrection, and their forsaking the ruler of this world, Imam al-Mahdi (a)? Jesus (a) said: ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when that one, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he does not speak from himself; rather, whatever he hears he will speak, and he will tell you many things. He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and tell you’ (^[41]). Abu Abdullah (a) said: ‘Knowledge is twenty-seven letters. Everything the messengers brought is two letters, and to this day the people have known no more than the two letters. When our Qa’im rises, he will bring out the twenty-five letters, spread them among the people, and join the two letters to them, until he spreads all twenty-seven letters’ (^[42]). I think that what has preceded, although brief, is sufficient for one who seeks truth and reality. If you want more, there is much in the Revelation of John the Theologian for one who seeks the truth; I have not addressed it for the sake of brevity. I remind you that when Allah sent Jesus (a), the Jews said: ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ (^[43]). They said: ‘Search and see that no prophet has arisen from Galilee’ (^[44]). And they said: ‘Does the Messiah come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’ (^[45]). Finally, my advice to you is to reflect upon these words. It is written in the Torah: ‘Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Me, and I will make your path straight. Do not consider yourself wise. Honor Me, and discipline yourself by My words.’ Ahmed Alhasan