Question 380 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 4

Supporters Response:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send His prayers upon Muhammad and his family, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. Peace be upon you, dear brother, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. A1: The foundation of the discussion must first concern the Proof appointed by Allah Most High. Once his proofhood is established, all his actions are authoritative and correct, and it is not permissible to object to them. He may fight any faction that poses a danger to Islam and the Muslims. As for one whose proofhood and Imamate have not been established but who assumes leadership, it is not permissible for him in the first place to issue any ruling, however minor. Abu Bakr usurped the caliphate, so by what authority could he rule that Muslims' blood be shed? Moreover, stoning the married adulterer is an established legal ruling. Did Abu Bakr have an established ruling from the Quran or Sunnah to kill one who refrains from paying zakat? Imam al-Mahdi's (a) fighting of hypocrites and unbelievers is for purifying the earth and establishing the State of Divine Justice. You surely know that the Messenger Muhammad (s) commanded Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) to fight the renegades, the unjust, and so forth. Add to this that he is an Imam appointed by Allah Most High; no one can object to his actions because he is infallible and does not commit ugliness or error. This is the most important matter. Thus, the discussion returns to Allah Most High's appointment, the succession to the Messenger Muhammad (s), and the question of who is the rightful successor and who is the usurping transgressor. A2: There is no conflict whatsoever between narrations that mention the names of the twelve Imams (a) and narrations that mention the twelve Mahdis from the progeny of Imam al-Mahdi (a). Narrations specifically mentioning the twelve Imams (a) concern the station of Imamate, which differs in merit from the station of the Imamate of the Mahdis from Imam al-Mahdi's (a) progeny. The Mahdis are also Imams, but their station is certainly below that of the twelve Imams. Moreover, the matter of the Mahdis is among the concealed secrets that are part of the trials of the end times. The Messenger Muhammad (s) and the Imams (a) contented themselves with mentioning them and pointing to them in certain narrations in order to preserve this tremendous secret. The Commander of the Believers (a) spoke about the tribulations preceding the rise of the Qa'im (a). When he reached the rising of the Qa'im (a), he said: ‘Do not ask me about what follows that, for my beloved, the Messenger of Allah (s), covenanted with me that I should tell no one about it except my household.’ Thus, the matter of the Imamate after Imam al-Mahdi (a) is one of the matters that the Ahl al-Bayt (a) concealed. They pointed to it in certain narrations so that the believers would be guided to it and the proof would be established against the obstinate and the hypocrites. The will of the Messenger (s) on the night of his death and the other narrations that specifically mention the Mahdis suffice for that. The conclusion is that the narrations mentioning the twelve Imams (a) did not explicitly say that there would be no Imamate after them. Rather, when the narrations designating the Imams are combined with the narrations designating the Mahdis, the conclusion is that there are twelve Imams and, after them, twelve Mahdis. Far be it from the Ahl al-Bayt (a) that their words should contradict one another, especially concerning Imamate and the successors (a). As for the first of the Mahdis from the progeny of Imam al-Mahdi (a), the Messenger Muhammad (s) designated him in his will as ‘the first of the believers.’ This description cannot be true of the first of the Mahdis unless he is present before the rise of Imam al-Mahdi (a), just as the Commander of the Believers (a) was described as the first of the believers because he was present before the proclamation of the message of the Messenger Muhammad (s). He preceded everyone in believing in and supporting him, and therefore he (a) was his successor, his Yamani, and the first of the believers in him. You will find further detail in The Will and the Successor Ahmed Alhasan, one of the publications of the Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (a). I apologize for the brevity. A3: As for His words, Most High: ‘and consult them in the matter,’ this is a command to the Messenger Muhammad (s) to consult his companions, as happened in the Battle of the Trench when Salman al-Muhammadi advised him to dig the trench. This verse concerns the Messenger (s), or the appointed Proof; it is not an appointment or a method of appointing the Proof. In other words, this verse guides the Proof after the fact of his being a Proof appointed by Allah Most High has already been settled; it does not explain a method of selecting and appointing the Proof. Allah guides the Proof whom He has appointed to consult his companions. Then what is meant by the matter concerning which he consults them? If you were to examine the whole verse, it would become apparent to you that it is entirely remote from the question of designating and choosing the successor: ‘So by mercy from Allah, you were gentle with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in the matter. Then when you have resolved, rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely upon Him’ (^[164]). Notice that consultation is a matter of gentleness toward the followers, concern for their faith, and so forth. Then Allah said after that: ‘Then when you have resolved, rely upon Allah.’ This means that after the consultation, the matter returns to the Messenger Muhammad (s): if he wishes, he acts according to their counsel, and if he wishes, he acts according to what he (s) sees fit. How does this resemble what those who oppose Allah, His Messenger, and the Imams claim? As for His words, Most High: ‘and their affairs are consultation among them,’ the intended meaning here of ‘affairs’ is the people's affairs. It is known that the caliphate and Imamate are not among the people's affairs so that they could consult concerning them; rather, they are Allah Most High's affair, and He gives them to whomever He wills among His creation. The Exalted said: ‘Your Lord creates whatever He wills and chooses; the choice is not theirs. Glory be to Allah, and Exalted is He above what they associate’ (^[165]). The Exalted said: ‘It is not for a believing man or believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to have any choice in their affair. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly gone far astray’ (^[166]). The Exalted said: ‘Indeed, I am placing a vicegerent upon the earth’ (^[167]). And the Exalted said: ‘And when Abraham's Lord tested him with words and he fulfilled them, He said: Indeed, I am making you an Imam for the people. He said: And from my progeny? He said: My covenant does not reach the wrongdoers’ (^[168]). The Exalted said: ‘Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after Moses, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Appoint for us a king so that we may fight in the path of Allah. He said: Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you? They said: Why should we not fight in the path of Allah when we have been driven from our homes and our children? But when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few among them. And Allah knows the wrongdoers’ (^[169]). Thus, the making and appointment are in the hand of Allah Most High. He did not entrust them to a sent prophet or a near angel, so how could He entrust them to one below them, or to one who errs more often than he is correct? The discussion is lengthy. I ask you to consult the book The Supremacy of Allah by Sayyed Ahmed Alhasan (a), and The Epic of Islamic Thought and Democratic Thought, among the publications of the Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (a). The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him upon the earth) Sheikh Nazim al-Uqayli