Question 55 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 2

Source footnotes

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↑ [9] Al-Baqara 2:13.

↑ [10] It is known that the matter returns as it began, as the Messenger Muhammad (s) said. The Imams (a) interpreted this verse concerning those who objected to the vicegerent of the Messenger Muhammad (s) and described those who believed in him as fools. Today, it therefore applies to those who object to the vicegerent of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and describe those who believe in him as fools and simpletons who possess no knowledge. In denying the vicegerent of Imam al-Mahdi (a), they regard themselves as wise and intelligent. These are like those, because the Quran is living and does not die: it applies to the last of the vicegerents just as it applied to the first of them (a), as explained previously. Imam Musa ibn Jafar (a) said: ‘When it was said to those who broke the pledge of allegiance, the best of the believers, such as Salman, al-Miqdad, Ammar, and Abu Dharr, said to them: “Believe in the Messenger of Allah and in Ali, whom he placed in his position, established in his station, and entrusted with all the interests of religion and this world. Believe in this Prophet, submit to this Imam, and yield to him outwardly and inwardly, just as the believing people such as Salman, al-Miqdad, Abu Dharr, and Ammar believed.” They said in response to those with whom they spoke privately-not to these believers, because they did not dare disclose this response to them, but to those among their own people in whom they confided: hypocrites and the weak, or believers whom they trusted to conceal their condition-“Are we to believe as the fools believed?” They meant Salman and his companions, because they gave Ali their pure affection and complete obedience and openly declared allegiance to his allies and hostility toward his enemies, such that if the affair of Muhammad (s) were to fade, their enemies would crush them and all the kings and opponents of Muhammad (s) would destroy them. In other words, by exposing themselves to the enemies of Muhammad (s), they were, in their view, ignorant fools. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: “Indeed, it is they who are the fools”-the weakest in intellect and judgment. They did not examine Muhammad’s affair as it truly deserved, so that they might recognize his prophethood and thereby recognize the validity of what he entrusted to Ali (a) in matters of religion and this world. By abandoning reflection upon Allah’s proofs, they remained ignorant and became fearful of Muhammad and his family and of their opponents, never secure from his circumstances changing so that they would perish with him. They are the fools, for by this hypocrisy neither the love of Muhammad and the believers nor the love of the Jews and the rest of the disbelievers remains secure for them. In Muhammad’s presence they outwardly show allegiance to him and to his brother Ali (a), and hostility toward their enemies-the Jews, Christians, and Nasibis-just as in the latter’s presence they outwardly show hostility toward Muhammad and Ali (peace be upon them both), and toward their enemies. Through this they suppose that their hypocrisy with those people is like their hypocrisy with Muhammad and Ali, but they do not know that the matter is not so, for Allah informs His Prophet of their secrets, and he rebuffs them, curses them, and casts them down.’ Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 73, p. 147. (Commentator.)