Question 663 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 7

Ahmed al-Hasan Response:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send abundant prayers and peace upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis. ‘When the son of Mary was presented as an example, behold, your people clamored over him. They said, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They presented him to you only for argument; indeed, they are a contentious people. He was only a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. If We willed, We could make from among you angels succeeding one another upon the earth. Indeed, he is knowledge of the Hour, so do not doubt it, and follow Me. This is a straight path’ [al-Zukhruf 43:57–61]. Quraysh and the Arabs used to argue by means of a fallacy that they fashioned as a question for which they demanded an answer from Muhammad (s). Their question compared the divinity of the idols they invoked with the divinity of Jesus that Christians claimed for Jesus (a), even though the one being questioned (s), who rejected their deification of the idols, likewise did not affirm the absolute divinity of Jesus (a). Rather, he said that Jesus (a) was a human being, a servant among Allah’s servants, and one of Allah’s vicegerents in His earth. For this reason, Allah described their condition as contentious: the question was founded upon an incorrect premise that the person being questioned neither affirmed nor professed. The leaders of disbelief always use this method when they find that the proofs of the divine call have seized them by their necks. They formulate a question founded upon a fallacy and an incorrect premise that the one being questioned neither affirms nor professes, so that they can object to the divine call and demand an answer to their fallacy and their erroneous question founded upon error. The answer to such people is to explain that the question is founded upon a false premise, so it becomes clear that they are merely contentious, as the Quran described them: ‘They presented him to you only for argument; indeed, they are a contentious people.’ The divine text then proceeds to say: ‘If We willed, We could make from among you angels succeeding one another upon the earth.’ That is: if We willed, We could make from among you vicegerents-like the angels, protected from error, pure and purified-who would succeed Allah, Glorious and Exalted, after Muhammad (s), succeed Muhammad (s) after his departure to the Highest Assembly, and succeed one another. Likewise, before this He, Glorious is He, made Jesus (a), the servant of Allah, a vicegerent of Allah in His earth. Allah, Glorious and Exalted, said concerning Jesus (a), ‘We made him,’ and then said, ‘We could make from among you.’ The making is the same in both: ‘He was only a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. If We willed, We could make from among you …’ That is, He made Jesus (a) an example, a model, and a leader whom the Children of Israel were to emulate and follow; and if Allah willed, He could make from among you vicegerents in this nation whom you would emulate, learn from, and take as models to be followed, just as Allah made Jesus (a) ‘an example for the Children of Israel.’ In truth, one never ceases to marvel at those who call themselves interpreters of the Quran and say that what is intended here is ‘instead of you’ (^[3]). If meanings could be overturned in this ugly fashion by adding words that completely change the meaning of speech, so that negation is turned into affirmation and affirmation into negation, speech would retain no meaning. How can a rational person say that the meaning of ‘from among you’ is ‘instead of you’? This is like one who says that ‘yes’ means ‘no,’ and ‘no’ means ‘yes’! Yet counting an individual from the jinn or humankind among the angels for a reason-such as resembling them in obedience, the purity and cleanliness of his inward being, or his elevation with them in the heavens-is mentioned in the Quran. Allah counted Iblis among the angels because, before he disobeyed and according to his elevation in the heavens, he was counted among the angels: ‘When We said to the angels, “Prostrate yourselves before Adam,” they prostrated, except Iblis; he refused’ [Ta Ha 20:116]. ‘When We said to the angels, “Prostrate yourselves before Adam,” they prostrated, except Iblis; he refused, acted arrogantly, and was among the disbelievers’ [al-Baqarah 2:34]. The making in the preceding verses is the same as the first making of Adam (a) as Allah’s vicegerent in His earth: ‘When your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth,” they said, “Will You place therein one who will cause corruption and shed blood, while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?” He said, “Indeed, I know what you do not know”’ [al-Baqarah 2:30]. It is the same as Allah’s making of David (a) as a vicegerent upon the earth: ‘O David, indeed, We have made you a vicegerent upon the earth, so judge among the people with truth and do not follow desire, lest it lead you astray from the path of Allah. Indeed, those who stray from the path of Allah will have a severe punishment because they forgot the Day of Reckoning’ [Sad 38:26]. If we arrange the verses and read them in succession, we find that the Quran clearly states that the matter of vicegerency began with Adam (a) and continues after Muhammad (s): ‘… When your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth” … O David, indeed, We have made you a vicegerent upon the earth, so judge among the people with truth … He was only a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel … If We willed, We could make from among you angels succeeding one another upon the earth.’ He, Glorious and Exalted, willed and did what He intended, and He made angels upon the earth who succeed after Muhammad (s), just as He previously made Jesus before Muhammad (s). They are the family of Muhammad (a), the Imams and the Mahdis (^[4]). For this reason (^[5]), He, Glorious is He, completed it with His words: ‘Indeed, he is knowledge of the Hour, so do not doubt it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.’ That is, this divine making-‘We could make from among you’-which was conveyed in the text of Muhammad’s (s) sole testament on the night of his death (^[6]), is knowledge by which the true religion of Allah is known until the Day of Resurrection. This is just as the Messenger of Allah (s) described it as a document that forever protects from misguidance: ‘Indeed, he is knowledge of the Hour’ (^[7]). Allah says that it is so, so do not doubt that it protects you from deviation and misguidance at the hour of the Lesser Resurrection and the appearance of the one who argues by this text. Whoever argues by this text is its possessor; otherwise, it would not be correct to describe the text as protecting from misguidance whoever holds fast to it. If it were not protected by Allah from being claimed by lying falsifiers until its possessor claims it (^[8]), then describing it as protecting from misguidance would be a lie and an enticement of accountable people to follow falsehood. This is something that cannot issue from the Absolute Knower, the Truthful, the Able, the Wise-Glorious is He. Therefore, do not doubt that it is the hour of the Lesser Resurrection when the possessor of this document raises it: ‘so do not doubt it.’ Whoever raises this document is its possessor. If you desire salvation from misguidance and deviation, follow Muhammad (s) by accepting the testament he made on the night of his death, which contains the knowledge sufficient for you to be saved forever. It contains knowledge of the Hour, recognition of the truth at the time of the Rising, and identification of the claimant when he raises this document described as protecting from misguidance (^[9]). ‘And follow Me. This is a straight path’ means: follow Muhammad (s) in his designation, from Allah, of those who succeed him after him. The testament is a document written by the Messenger of Allah (s) in the final moments of his life in compliance with His words, the Exalted: ‘Prescribed for you, when death approaches one of you if he leaves good, is a testament for parents and close relatives according to what is right-a duty upon the God-conscious’ [al-Baqarah 2:180]. He described it as forever protecting from misguidance whoever holds fast to it. I emphasize ‘in the final moments of his life’ because he was a prophet to whom revelation came, so what he said in the final moments of his life was the summation of his message and that which would preserve the religion after him. Consider, then, that despite the severity of his illness and the pain of the poison that was tearing apart his liver, he was intensely concerned to write this document and describe it as protecting from misguidance. This document is of such importance that Allah, Glorious and Exalted-who showed mercy to Muhammad (s) to the extent that He had compassion for him because the abundance of worship exhausted his body, addressing him with His words, ‘Ta Ha. We have not sent down the Quran to you that you should suffer’-despite His immense mercy and compassion for Muhammad (s), charged Muhammad (s) in the final moments of his life to dictate a document and describe it before all witnesses as protecting from misguidance, despite the pain Muhammad (s) was suffering from the poison that coursed through his body and tore apart his liver (^[10]). These are some of the texts in which the Messenger Muhammad (s) described the document of the testament as protecting from misguidance in the final moments of his life. On Thursday he intended to write it for the entire nation and intended the general public to witness it, but a group prevented him, impugned his mental faculties, and said that he was delirious-meaning that he raved and did not know what he was saying (^[11]). He expelled them. The Messenger of Allah remained after Thursday until Monday, the day of his death. On the night of his death, he wrote his testament, dictated it to Ali (a), and some of the companions who had supported writing it on Thursday witnessed it. In Sunni books: Ibn Abbas said: ‘Thursday-and what a Thursday! The Messenger of Allah’s pain became severe, so he said, “Bring me something so I may write for you a document after which you will never go astray.” They disputed, and dispute in the presence of a prophet is improper. They said, “What is the matter with him? Is he delirious? Ask him.” They went on responding to him, so he said, “Leave me, for the state in which I am is better than that to which you call me.” He instructed them concerning three things. He said, “Expel the polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula, and reward the delegations as I used to reward them.” He was silent concerning the third, or he said, “I forgot it”’ (^[12]). Ibn Abbas said: ‘Thursday-and what a Thursday!’ Then his tears began to flow until they could be seen upon his cheeks like a string of pearls. He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (s) said, “Bring me the shoulder blade and the inkwell”-or, “the tablet and the inkwell”-“so I may write for you a document after which you will never go astray.” They said, “Indeed, the Messenger of Allah is delirious”’ (^[13]). In Shia books: Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali said: ‘I heard Salman say: I heard Ali (a), after that man-Umar-said what he said, the Messenger of Allah (s) became angry, and the shoulder blade was pushed away: “Should we not ask the Messenger of Allah (s) about what he had intended to write upon the shoulder blade-something which, had he written it, no one would have gone astray and no two people would have differed? …”’ (^[14]). Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali related that Imam Ali (a) said to Talhah: ‘Did you not witness the Messenger of Allah (s) when he called for the shoulder blade so that he might write upon it that by which the nation would not go astray or differ, and your companion said what he said: “Indeed, the Prophet of Allah is delirious”? So the Messenger of Allah (s) became angry …’ (^[15]). Sulaym ibn Qays related that Ali (a) said to Talhah in a long narration, when the Emigrants and the Supporters mentioned their pride in their virtues and merits: ‘O Talhah, did you not witness the Messenger of Allah (s) when he called us for the shoulder blade so that he might write upon it that by which the nation would not go astray after him or differ, and your companion said what he said-that the Messenger of Allah was delirious-so the Messenger of Allah (s) became angry and abandoned it?’ He said, ‘Indeed, I witnessed it’ (^[16]). In al-Tusi’s Book of Occultation, the sole narrated text of the document that protects from misguidance-which the Messenger of Allah (s) intended to write, as established in the soundest Sunni books, al-Bukhari and Muslim-was transmitted. Those who transmitted the testament from the Messenger Muhammad (s) are the family of Muhammad (a): From Abu Abdullah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, from his father al-Baqir, from his father Dhu al-Thafanat, the Master of the Worshippers, from his father al-Husayn, the pure martyr, from his father the Commander of the Believers (a), who said: ‘On the night of his death, the Messenger of Allah (s) said to Ali (a), “O Abu al-Hasan, bring a parchment and an inkwell.” The Messenger of Allah (s) dictated his testament until he came to this point, and he 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, the Exalted, 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 valid for no one other than you. O Ali, you are my successor over the people of my Household, their living and their dead, and over my wives. Whomever you retain will meet me tomorrow, and whomever you divorce, I disavow her. She will not see me and I will not see her in 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, the attainer. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to my son al-Husayn, the pure, slain martyr. When death comes to him, let him hand it over to his son, the Master of the Worshippers, Dhu al-Thafanat, Ali. 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 Ja‘far 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 God-conscious. 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 (a). 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”-and in other sources, “the first of the Mahdis”-“who has three names: a name like my name, the name of my father, and they are Abdullah and Ahmed; and the third name is al-Mahdi. He is the first of the believers”’ (^[17]). The Messenger’s description of it as forever protecting from misguidance makes it impossible for a falsifier to claim it. Whoever says that it is possible for falsifiers to claim it accuses Allah, Glorious is He, of being incapable of protecting a document He described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance; or accuses Allah of lying, because He described the document as forever protecting from misguidance and then it was not so; or accuses Allah of ignorance, because, ignorant of its condition, He described it by an attribute that did not apply to it. Far exalted is He, Glorious is He, above these attributes, and greatly exalted is Allah above what the ignorant say. Thus, the Absolute Knower, the Able, the Truthful, the Wise-Glorious is He-must protect the text, which He described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance, from being claimed by falsifiers until its possessor claims it and its purpose is fulfilled. Otherwise He would be ignorant, incapable, or a lying deceiver who enticed those holding fast to His word to follow falsehood. It is impossible that Allah, Glorious is He, be ignorant or incapable, because He is the Absolute Knower and the Able; and it is impossible that lying issue from the Truth, Glorious and Exalted, because He is Truthful and Wise and cannot be described by lying. Otherwise, it would be impossible to rely upon His word concerning anything, and religion would be invalidated. The designation by Allah’s vicegerent in His earth of the one after him, together with his description of it as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance-a divine text (^[18])-must be protected by Allah from lying falsifiers claiming it until its possessor claims it. Otherwise it would be a lie and an enticement of accountable people to follow falsehood. This cannot issue from the Absolute Knower, the Truthful, the Able, the Wise-Glorious is He. If a person who knew the unseen and the outcomes of affairs said to you, ‘If you wish to drink water, drink from here, and I guarantee that you will never be given poison to drink from this place,’ and then you were given poison to drink at that place, what would the guarantor be? He would either be ignorant, fundamentally a liar, incapable of fulfilling the guarantee, or one who broke his promise. Can anyone who believes in Allah accept describing Allah with ignorance, lying, incapacity, or breaking a promise? Greatly exalted is Allah above that. Allah has undertaken in the Quran and in what has been narrated from them (a) to protect the divine text from being claimed by the people of falsehood. The people of falsehood are turned away from claiming it; the matter is impossible, as the Exalted said: ‘Had he fabricated against Us some statements, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta’ [al-Haqqah 69:44–46]. General fabrication against Allah has always existed, and Allah has not prevented it. Nor is it necessary that Allah destroy fabricators immediately; rather, He, Glorious is He, has given them respite for a time. Everyone who has followed manifestly false calls, such as the call of Musaylimah, knows this. Certainly, the verse does not intend general fabrication against Allah. Rather, what is intended is fabricating against Allah by claiming the divine statement through which the proof is established. At that point Allah must intervene to defend the divine statement through which the proof is established: the divine text conveyed by Allah’s vicegerent to identify the one after him and described as protecting from misguidance. His failure to intervene, Glorious is He, would be contrary to wisdom. Examples of this statement or text are the testament of Jesus (a) concerning the Messenger Muhammad (s), and the testament of the Messenger Muhammad (s) concerning the Imams and the Mahdis (a) (^[19]). The verse therefore explains that such fabrication is impossible. Consequently, the text is protected for its possessor, and no one else claims it. There are narrations explaining that the verse concerns the divine text designating Allah’s vicegerents in particular. It is a divine text that Allah must protect until it reaches its possessor. It is a divine text protected from any intervention that would affect it, whether that intervention occurred at the stage of its transmission to the vicegerent who would deliver it, or at the stage-or stages-of its reaching the vicegerent who would claim it (^[20]). There are narrations explaining this truth: the fabrication in this verse concerns the divine text. From Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl, from Abu al-Hasan (a), who said: ‘I asked him about the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: “They desire to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths.” He said, “They desire to extinguish the authority of the Commander of the Believers (a) with their mouths.” I said, “‘But Allah will complete His light.’” He said, “By Allah, He will complete the Imamate” … I said, “His words, ‘Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger.’” He said, “It means Gabriel, conveying from Allah concerning the authority of Ali (a).” I said, “‘It is not the word of a poet; little do you believe.’” He said, “They said, ‘Indeed, Muhammad lies against his Lord; Allah did not command him concerning Ali.’ So Allah sent down Quran concerning that and said, ‘Indeed, the authority of Ali is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. Had Muhammad fabricated against Us some statements, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta’”’ (^[21]). Imam al-Sadiq (a) likewise said: ‘No one other than its possessor claims this matter except that Allah cuts short his life’ (^[22]). Thus, the falsifier is turned away from claiming the divine testament described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance, or else his claim is coupled with his destruction before this claim becomes apparent to the people. Allowing him respite while he claims the testament would imply ignorance, incapacity, or lying on the part of the One who promised those holding fast to it that they would not go astray. These matters are impossible with respect to the Absolute Truth, Glorious is He. For this reason, the Exalted said: ‘We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta,’ and al-Sadiq (a) said, ‘Allah cuts short his life.’ For further clarification, I say: the verse corresponds to the preceding rational argument, namely, that the claim is impossible and not possible. His words, the Exalted, ‘Had he fabricated against Us some statements, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta,’ mean that destruction is precluded because fabrication is precluded: that is, if he were a fabricator, he would have been destroyed (^[23]). The verse speaks to those who do not believe in Muhammad (s) or the Quran. Therefore, the argument from the words in the verse is not based upon their being the word of Allah, because they do not believe this; rather, the argument lies in the content of the verse. That is, it argues from what is rationally established for them: the divine text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance cannot be claimed by anyone other than its possessor, because saying that someone other than its possessor can claim it necessarily attributes ignorance, incapacity, or lying to Allah, Glorious and Exalted. Therefore, rationally, Quranically, and according to narration, the identifying divine text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance cannot be claimed falsely. That is, the text is protected from being claimed until its possessor claims it, so that the purpose of the text is fulfilled: preventing the accountable person who holds fast to it from going astray, as Allah, Glorious is He, promised. For further clarification and detail, I say: One who claims a divine position is either: One who claims the identifying text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance. This claimant is truthful and cannot be a liar or falsifier, because this text must be protected from the claims of liars and falsifiers. Otherwise, Allah would have commanded people to hold fast to something that could lead them astray while, despite this, saying of it that it forever protects from misguidance. This would be a lie, and it is impossible for it to issue from Allah. Or he claims the divine position but does not claim the identifying text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance. Such a claimant is of two kinds. His claim may present a semblance of truth to some accountable people because of their ignorance of certain matters. Allah may apply the verse to him and destroy him as a mercy to the servants, even if this is some time after his claim, although those who follow him have neither proof nor excuse. Or he may be one whom no one could mistake for the truth unless he sought falsehood and followed a person without an identifying text, as I have explained. Along with this, many foolish things issue from him, and Allah makes his falsehood clear and evident to the people. There is no reason for the verse to be applied to him; rather, he may be given respite for a long period of time. He is left for those who foolishly seek falsehood. This is an approximation so the matter may become clearer: suppose there are three circles-white, gray, and black. The white circle is protected from a liar entering it. Consequently, everyone who enters it is a truthful claimant and must be believed. The verse, ‘Had he fabricated against Us some statements, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta,’ must be applied in this circle. The gray circle is not protected from a liar entering it, so it is not valid to rely upon and believe one who is in it. Despite this, it may sometimes be protected from a liar after he enters, as a mercy to the servants, although they have no excuse for following one who is in this circle. The verse may be applied to this circle, but its application is not necessary. The third circle is black and is not protected from a liar entering it. Rather, it is the circle of liars and is plainly the circle of liars. There is therefore no reason to protect it from liars in the first place, either before or after they enter it. This circle is not the place of the verse. It is therefore necessary to pay attention to the fact that our discussion concerns preventing the claim to the identifying text described as protecting from misguidance, not the claim to a divine position in general. Falsely and foolishly claiming a divine position, prophethood, or Allah’s vicegerency in His earth without arguing from the testament-the identifying text-has occurred often, and one who made a false claim may have remained alive for a period of time. One example is Musaylimah the Liar, who claimed to be a prophet during the lifetime of the Messenger Muhammad (s), and Musaylimah remained alive after the death of the Messenger Muhammad (s). A claim without Allah’s testimony, Allah’s text, and the testament has no value and is a foolish claim. One who believes such a false claimant has no excuse before Allah. Therefore, what is intended is not to prevent the people of falsehood from making claims absolutely; rather, it is to prevent them from claiming the identifying text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance-namely, the testament of Allah’s vicegerent to the people. This prevention, which we have established rationally and which Quranic text and narration have confirmed, is also confirmed by reality. The passage of hundreds of years without anyone claiming the text is sufficient to establish this truth. Hundreds of years passed over the testaments of the prophets in the Torah and over the testament of Jesus (a), yet none but Muhammad (s) and his successors after him claimed them. Likewise, none but the Imams (a) claimed the Prophet’s testament. Imam al-Rida (a) argued from this reality against the Catholicos. After he explained the designation of the Messenger Muhammad (s) by the preceding prophets in the Torah and the Gospel, the Catholicos argued that the texts could apply to more than one person. Imam al-Rida’s (a) argument against the Catholicos was that false claimants had not claimed the testaments. This is the relevant text. The Catholicos said: ‘… But it has not been established as authentic for us that it is this Muhammad. As for his name being Muhammad, it is not valid for us to acknowledge his prophethood while we doubt that he is your Muhammad …’ Al-Rida (a) said: ‘You have argued from doubt. Has Allah sent before or after, from Adam to this day, a prophet whose name was Muhammad? Do you find him in any of the books He sent down to all the prophets other than Muhammad?’ They refrained from answering him (^[24]). The preceding successors’ argument from this text is a proof upon those who believe in them. Jesus and Muhammad-may Allah’s prayers be upon them-argued from it. Jesus (a) argued from the text of the prophets preceding him, despite not having met them directly. Muhammad (s), as in the Quran, argued from the designation of him by Jesus (a) and by the prophets before Jesus (a). The Exalted said: ‘When Jesus son of Mary said, “O Children of Israel, indeed, I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what is before me of the Torah and giving glad tidings of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmed.” But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, “This is manifest sorcery”’ [al-Saff 61:6]. ‘Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel, who commands them to what is right, forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful for them the good things, makes unlawful for them the impure things, and relieves them of their burden and the shackles that were upon them-those who believe in him, honor him, support him, and follow the light sent down with him, it is they who are successful’ [al-A‘raf 7:157]. Allah explained in the Quran that if Muhammad’s (s) claim had been false-and far be it from him-He would not have left him to make it, because Allah has undertaken to protect the text and preserve it from the claims of falsifiers. Or we may say that Allah has undertaken to turn them away from the text: ‘I swear by what you see and what you do not see: indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger. It is not the word of a poet; little do you believe. Nor is it the word of a soothsayer; little do you remember. It is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. Had he fabricated against Us some statements, We would have seized him by the right hand, then We would have cut his aorta, and none of you could have prevented it from him. Indeed, it is a reminder for the God-conscious. Indeed, We know that among you are deniers. Indeed, it is a cause of regret for the disbelievers. Indeed, it is the certain truth. So glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent’ [al-Haqqah 69:38–52]. Here is the document of the testament written by the Messenger Muhammad (s) on the night of his death. It has been present in books for more than a thousand years, and any person can read and examine it, yet no falsifier has been able to claim it despite their great number. Allah turned every lying claimant away from it. Many people claimed prophethood, the Imamate, and Mahdiship, but none of them was ever able to pierce the veil Allah placed over this document and claim it. This reality confirms what I explained above: describing this document as protecting from misguidance in itself means that no one other than its possessor claims it. Whoever claims it is truthful and is its possessor. This suffices as a complete proof and an established argument for the rightfulness of this call. For one who desires the truth and knowledge of the rightfulness of this call, the testament and my claim that I am the one mentioned therein suffice. There are many other proofs, such as knowledge of the religion of Allah and the realities of creation, being alone in raising the banner ‘Allegiance belongs to Allah,’ and the direct designation from Allah by revelation to His servants in visions (^[25]) and other paths of Allah’s testimony before His creation for His vicegerents in His earth. Just as He testified to the angels by revelation concerning Adam’s (a) vicegerency, Allah has testified before a large number of people scattered in such a way that their collusion upon a lie is impossible that Ahmed Alhasan is true and one of Allah’s vicegerents in His earth (^[26]). The Exalted said: ‘We have sent you to the people as a messenger, and Allah is sufficient as a witness’ [al-Nisaʾ 4:79]. The Exalted also said: ‘But Allah bears witness to what He sent down to you. He sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness; Allah is sufficient as a witness’ [al-Nisaʾ 4:166]. As for Sunni Muslims, the Messenger of Allah (s) urged them to support the Mahdi and named him ‘the vicegerent of Allah, the Mahdi,’ as related in authentic narrations in Sunni books (^[27]). I have come to them, and my name corresponds to the name of the Messenger of Allah (s)-Ahmed-and my father’s name corresponds to the name of the father of the Messenger of Allah-Ismail-as the narrations state (^[28]). The Messenger (s) said: ‘I am the son of the two offered for sacrifice, Abdullah and Ismail’ (^[29]). I have come to you with the identifying text described as protecting whoever holds fast to it from misguidance; I have come with knowledge; and I alone raise the banner ‘Allegiance belongs to Allah.’ So be mindful of Allah, O nation of Muhammad (s), submit to the truth, and follow the vicegerent of Allah, the Mahdi, whom the Messenger of Allah (s) called you to support even if crawling over snow. Believe in your Prophet’s sole testament so that you may be saved in this world and the Hereafter. Ahmed Alhasan