Question 381 - 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 the family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. You did not clarify what you mean by material evidence. If you mean the physical signs mentioned in the narrations and their correspondence to Sayyed Ahmed Alhasan (a), all of them correspond to him, as many of those who have seen him testify. If you mean material miracles and wonders, these have also occurred, and you can read about some of them in the books of the Supporter brothers, especially the book Miracles and Unseen Matters. As for the practical proofs of the truthfulness of the blessed call, they are many. Among them is that this noble call is the only one in this world calling to the Supremacy of Allah and the divine appointment of the ruler. It is the only call whose believers directly experience divine success through visions and unveilings, and through the outward fulfillment of the signs of the Appearance. It is the only call that does not compromise in the religion of Allah while everyone else now compromises with the American Antichrist. It is the only call that has taken the Quran and knowledge of its sciences as a radiant proof. Indeed, it is the only call that invites all heavenly religions to dialogue and debate, each by means of its own book, so that the possessor of the truth may be known. It is the only call that insists the proof consists of the two weighty things, the Quran and the progeny, to the exclusion of the opinions of non-infallible people. As for the simplified scholarly proof you requested, it suffices for you to know that Sayyed Ahmed Alhasan (a) was designated in the will of the Messenger of Allah (s) on the night of his death among the successors whom it designates, for he (a) is the successor of Imam al-Mahdi. Perhaps you can examine the books of the Supporter brothers in order to know, by decisive proof, that no one can claim the will of the Messenger of Allah (s) except its rightful claimant. The will represents the first link in the law for recognizing the Proof, which was designated by the verses of the Wise Book and the narrations of the family of Muhammad (a). The other two links are knowledge and the Supremacy of Allah, and he has spoken about them. Abu Abdullah (a) was asked: ‘By what is the Imam recognized?’ He said: ‘By the manifest will and by merit. No one can impugn the Imam regarding mouth, belly, or private part, saying: He is a liar, he consumes people's wealth, or the like’ (^[170]). Ahmed ibn Abi Nasr said: ‘I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (a): When the Imam dies, by what is the one after him recognized? He said: The Imam has signs. Among them are that he is the eldest of his father's sons and that merit and the will are found in him …’ (^[171]). Abd al-Ala said: ‘I said to Abu Abdullah (a): What proof is imposed upon one who leaps upon this matter and claims it? He said: He is questioned about the lawful and the unlawful. He said: Then he turned toward me and said: Three elements of the proof have never come together in anyone unless he was the possessor of this matter: that he be the person most entitled to the one who preceded him, that he possess the weapon, and that he be the possessor of the manifest will …’ (^[172]). From Ahmed ibn Umar, from al-Rida (a), who said: ‘I asked him about the indication of the possessor of the matter. He said: The indication is seniority, merit, and the will …’ (^[173]). Abu Basir said: ‘I said to Abu al-Hasan (a): May I be your ransom, by what is the Imam recognized? He said: By certain traits. As for the first, something from his father must have preceded concerning him, pointing to him so that it would be a proof against them …’ (^[174]). From al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah al-Nadri, who said: ‘We said to Abu Abdullah (a): By what is the possessor of this matter recognized? He said: By serenity, dignity, knowledge, and the will’ (^[175]). I will now transmit to you the will of the Messenger of Allah (s): ‘The Messenger of Allah (s) said to Ali (a) on the night of his death: O Abu al-Hasan, bring a sheet and an inkwell. The Messenger of Allah (s) dictated his will until he reached this point, then said: O Ali, after me there will be twelve Imams, and after them twelve Mahdis. You, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams. Allah Most High named you in His heaven Ali al-Murtada, Commander of the Believers, the Greater Truthful One, the Greatest Distinguisher, the Trusted One, and the Mahdi. These names are not valid for anyone other than you. ‘O Ali, you are my successor over my household, their living and their dead, and over my women. Whomever you affirm will meet me tomorrow; whomever you divorce, I disavow her. She will not see me and I will not see her at the courtyard of the Resurrection. You are my vicegerent over my nation after me. When death comes to you, hand it over to my son al-Hasan, the dutiful one who maintains ties. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to my son al-Husayn, the pure, murdered martyr. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Ali, Master of the Worshippers, the Possessor of Calluses. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Muhammad al-Baqir. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Jafar al-Sadiq. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Musa al-Kazim. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Ali al-Rida. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Muhammad, the Trustworthy, the Pious. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Ali, the Counselor. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son al-Hasan, the Virtuous. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son Muhammad, the Preserver from the family of Muhammad. These are the twelve Imams. Then after him there will be twelve Mahdis. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the first of those brought near (the Mahdis). He has three names: a name like my name and my father's name, namely Abdullah and Ahmed; and the third name is al-Mahdi. He is the first of the believers’ (^[176]). It may now be useful to recall that no one other than its rightful claimant can claim the will. From Muhammad ibn al-Fadl, from al-Rida (a): ‘In a lengthy narration, he was present in Basra at a great assembly containing a group of scholars, the Catholicos of the Christians, and the Exilarch. Al-Rida (a) turned to the Catholicos and said: Does the Gospel indicate the prophethood of Muhammad (s)? He said: Had the Gospel indicated that, we would not have denied it. He (a) said: Tell me about the silence you have in the third journey. The Catholicos said: It is one of the names of Allah that we are not permitted to disclose. ‘Al-Rida (a) said: What if I establish for you that it is the name of Muhammad …’ After the Imam (a) mentioned what appears in the Gospel and Torah concerning the Messenger (s)-that is, Moses and Jesus's (a) mention of him in their wills-‘the two of them, meaning the Catholicos and the Exilarch, said: By Allah, he has brought that which we cannot reject or repel except by denying the Gospel, Torah, and Psalms. Moses and Jesus-peace be upon them both-gave good news of him, but it has not been established as authentic for us that he is this Muhammad. As for his name Muhammad, it is not valid for us to acknowledge his prophethood to you while we remain doubtful that he is your Muhammad. Al-Rida (a) said: You have argued by means of doubt. Has Allah sent, before or after him, from Adam until our day, a prophet named Muhammad? They refrained from answering him …’ (^[177]). The point in this narration is that Imam al-Rida (a) argues for the truthfulness of the noble Messenger's (s) prophethood by means of what appears in the Torah and Gospel of his mention or of a will concerning him (s). The Catholicos and Exilarch acknowledge that the Messenger's (s) name appears, but they cast doubt on whether the bearer of the name was the Messenger of Allah (s) himself rather than another. The Imam (a) answers them: ‘You have argued by means of doubt. Has Allah sent, before or after him, from Adam until our day, a prophet named Muhammad?’ I say to you: Before Sayyed Ahmed (a), did anyone claim that he was the son and successor of Imam al-Mahdi (a), and argue against you by means of the will of the Messenger of Allah (s), just as Imam al-Rida (a) argued for the prophethood of the Messenger (s) through Moses and Jesus's will concerning him? History is before you, so turn its pages if you wish. By Allah, you will never find anyone who claimed this matter before him. If you accept al-Rida's (a) argument, you must therefore accept Sayyed Ahmed's (a) argument by means of the will. You should know that the proofs of Sayyed Ahmed Alhasan (a) do not stop here. They are far too numerous to count in this brief response. But there is no harm in mentioning that he (a) is supported by the Kingdom of Heaven through visions and unveilings, and that he (a) challenged the scholars of all the divine religions to mutual invocation of Allah's curse and to the Oath of Disassociation. In any event, you can turn to Allah, Majestic and High, to request a true vision with a sound heart, so that perhaps Allah Most High will grant you a righteous vision. In closing, I consider it necessary for every seeker of the truth to consult the books of the Supporter brothers so that he may determine precisely and in detail everything I have mentioned to you and become acquainted with the legal evidence and radiant proof for every point mentioned. Success is from Allah. The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him upon the earth) Mr. Razzaq al-Ansari Blessed Shaban 1430 AH