CHAPTER FOUR
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF IMAMATE THEORY
Imamate thought has developed from theImamte shiites
statement on the necessity of infallibility on the part of the Imam, any Imam,
to the necessity of the existence of a (divine) text on him, as the only way of
identifying him. This invalidates the system of Shura (consultation) and
election. It further confines the Imams to the infallibles of Ahl al-Bayt,
beginning with Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, Hassan and Hussain, and then the Imams
from the line of Hussain, those Allah appointed as leaders of creation to the
day of resurrection.”
The Imamate school of thought presents as evidence of
the ‘infallibility’ of the members of the Prophet’s household, the following
Quranic verse: “ Allah wishes only to remove evil deeds and sins from you, O
members of the family (of the Prophet) (peace be upon him).” (Ahzab) i.e. by
interpreting wish (iradah) to mean creational wish not legislative wish,
because it is impossible that the divine wish will fell to remove evil deeds
from them. Allah the Most High has said: “Verily, His command, when He intends
a thing is only that He says to it, “ be “ and it is. The thought also excluded
the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the rank of Members of the
family of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and confining (that honor) to Imam
Ali and Fatimah and their children. (1)
The Imamate historian Sa’id bin Abdullah Al-Qummi
al-Ashari has reported to us the precise form of this thought in his work, ‘Al-
Maqalat wa al-firaq’ where he says: Imam Ali bin Abi Talib is Imam whose
obedience has been imposed by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) as a
duty on mankind, to accept him and receive (instructions) from him. Anyone
other him is not their valid leader. Any one who obeys him, obeys Allah, and
anyone who disobeys him, disobeys Allah, due to the sign the messenger of Allah
has established for them and the imposition of his Imamate and leadership and
his deserving right more than that of their own souls. The Prophet has also
endowed him (Ali) with the knowledge that will be needed by humanity in
religion, the permissible and the prohibited and all what benefits them in the
religious and worldly life, as well as whatever harms them, and all kinds of
knowledge, little of great, he left it as a trust with him, as well as being
its custodian.
“ And that he deserves the Imamate and the position of
the Prophet, due to his infallibility and the purity of his birth, as well as
being among the pioneers (in accepting Islam), his knowledge, his bravery,
jihad, generosity, asceticism and justice among his followers. The Prophet
(peace be upon him) has mentioned through a text by his name and lineage and
person. He handed over to him the Imamate of the Ummah he established him as a sign,
and made him the benefactor of his will and his vicegerent, as well as his
vizier on many occasions. He (the prophet peace be upon him) told them that his
position to him was like the position of Harun to Musa, except that there is no
Prophet after him. Since he makes him his equal in his life, then he is the
most deserving of them after his death, just as he was more deserving of them
than their own selves, as he made him similar to himself in the Mubahalah
(invoking Allah’s curse on whoever is not truthful), in the statement of Allah…
“ Ourselves and yourselves…” and also in the statement of the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) to the children of Wali’ah “Otherwise I will send to
you a man like myself.” The position of the Prophet will not be due for anyone
after him except such as was like him. The Imamate is the most exalted of
affairs after prophet hood, as it is one of the most esteemed of the obligatory
duties from Allah. If the obligatory duties cannot be established, nor
accepted, except with the existence of a just Imam and since it is necessary
that, that Imamate must continue always in his progeny till the day of
resurrection, it will be in his children from Fatimah, the daughter of the
Messenger of Allah, and then in his grandchildren from her, a man from them
will always take his position forever. He will be infallible of sins, purified
from all defects, pious, pure, and free of all ailments in religion, lineage
and birth. One who cannot err intentionally or unintentionally, specifically
mentioned by text from the Imam preceding him, one pointed by his name and
person… and that the Imamate will continue in his progeny in this way, as long
as mankind follow the commandments of Allah.”(2)
The Imamate scholars who grew up in the beginning of
the second century of Hijrah have tried to draw back their theory, and to read
the Shiite political history anew, in the light of their theory based on (the
idea of) a text (nass), and the abandoning of the previous Shiite political
thought which was based on (the idea of) Shura (consultation).
They naturally attributed their thought to the members
of the family (of the Prophet (peace be upon him) – Ahl al-Bayt and claimed
taking it from them. This is why Sheikh Mufid said the following: “ Alawite
Shiites have agreed that the Imamate at the time of the death of the Prophet
(peace be upon him) was for the commander of the faithful Ali bin Abi Talib,
and that it was for Hassan bin Ali after his brother. And that after Hussain it
will be for the children of Fatimah (peace be upon her) not leaving them to
other people. None other than them deserves it. They are the right people for
it, to the end of time. And that it is the exclusive right of the children of
Hussain, it will not leave to some other people till the hour (of judgment)”.
(3)
THE TEXT
IN PLACE OF THE WILL
Contrary to the Kissanite thought which depend on the
Prophets will for Imam Ali, the Imamate thought has depended largely on the
subject of ‘ Ghadir’ and found in it a strong evidence with political meaning,
and a text for the Caliphate. Sheikh Mufid says in 'Al-Ifsah fi Imamah ‘Ali bin
Abi Talib: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) has bestowed to Imam Ali at the
Ghadir (Small Stream) of ‘ Khoum’ proper leadership, and showed how he resembles
him in the necessity of obeying him, so also his commanding, prohibiting and
organizing their affairs and his leadership of them … He confirmed his
superiority over the others in the community, as well as his support and
viziership and Caliphate in his life and after his (the Prophet’s) death. (4)
In addition to that, they depended on some textual
evidences on the virtue of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, and others, which clearly
confirm his leadership and Imamate. But all these were from Shiite reporters.
It has always been suspected as being fabricated or given strained or forced
meaning contrary to the apparent one, as well as reading political meaning in
those traditions.
Sayyid Murtada has confessed in his work ‘Al- Shafi fi
al- Imamah’, that the most important Prophetic tradition regarding the Imamate,
is the Hadith of Ghadir of Khoum’ and that it is a covert not an overt text, if
we dropped the additions made to it. (5)
Despite the denial of the Imamate theologians of the
Imamate of those claimed it for themselves like Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah and
Abdullah Al-Aftah, due to lack of clear texts on that, and despite the
statement of Sheikh Mufid on the impermissibility of establishing the Imamate
of any one on whom there is no text or evidence confirming his Imamate, because
infallibility can only be known through a text—as Sheikh Mufid and Tusi have
said (6)--- Despite all these, the Imamate historians were not able to
establish any textual (evidence) on the Imamate of the others, especially that
of Imam Ali bin Hussain, who served as a link between Imam Hussain and the
remaining Imams to the day of judgment. This has led the theorizers of divine
Imamate to depend on other means apart from the text in establishing the
Imamate of the remaining Imams, like the will, reason, miracle and so on. (7)
REASON
IN PLACE OF THE TEXT
Hence due to the weakness of the texts reported by the
Imamate Shiite regarding the Caliphate of the members of the Prophet’s family,
the earlier theologians have in the first place depended on reason (aql) in
establishing their theory. Sheikh Mufid says: “ If one of the opponents will
say that the texts being reported by the Imamate Shiites are fabricated,
fabricated, and the traditions were reported by single reporters, otherwise let
them mention their chains of narrators and affirm their authenticity in a
manner that will not leave any doubt…. It will be said to him: “It is of no
effect to the Imamate Shiites in their belief explained above, the lack of
consensus regarding the texts for the Imams. Its being traditions reported by
single reporters does not disqualify it from being evidences for them, due to
what accompany it of rational evidences, we have mentioned and explained on the
necessity of the Imamate and the attributes of the Imams. This is because if
rational evidences are invalid as the opponents imagine, the rational evidences
establishing the necessity of texts for confirming the Imams will also be
invalid, as we have explained.” (8)
Sayyid Murtada says in Al- Shafi: “We have two ways of
establishing the Imamate of the remaining Imams. Firstly by referring to clear
reports of Shiites, which constitute evidences, the Prophets text wholly or
partly, and what has been reported from the leader of the faithful and the text
of each one of them on the one succeeding him. Secondly by depending on
rational arguments based on logical principles in establishing the Imamate of
anyone of them, without recourse to tradition.” (9)
The same thing was said by Abu Al-Fath Muhammad bin
Ali Al-Jarajiki in his book, ‘Al- Istinsar fi al-Nass ala Aimah al- Athar’: “
Know that, may Allah help you, that Allah, the Exalted has made easy for Shiite
scholars different rational and traditional evidences on the validity of the
Imamate of the members of the Prophets family, such that can establish proofs
against their opponents. The rational arguments establish the principle of the
necessity of the need for the Imam in every age, and his known attributes like
infallibility, which distinguish him from the entire members of the Ummah, such
attributes are not available in other than the one pointed to (by Allah). As
for the traditional evidences, we have the Quran which points generally to
their leadership and superiority over other beings.” (10)
MIRACLES
IN PLACE OF REASON
If the theory of Imamate presents some texts as
regards Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him), it admits the lack of it as
regards a number of the other Imams. And for this reason they sometime depend
on ordinary wills, and take them as evidences instead of the text. They lack
sometime even ordinary wills, and for some they resort to the miraculous, in
place of the texts.
Hisham bin al-Hakam established his statement on the
Imamate of Sadiq, on the claim of the knowledge of the Imam regarding the
unseen (ghayb). He said to the Syrian man who debated with him on the Imamate
at Muna, “ the miracle is the means of identifying the Imam, and confirming the
truth of his claim.” He never mentions the issue of the text at all. If the
text was an essential requirement, the earlier Imamate theologians could have
depended on it, and Hisham would have brought it up as evidence on the Imamate
of Imam Sadiq, or at least point to it. He did not however, say anything on it,
except the evidence of the miraculous and the Imam’s knowledge of the unseen.
Of the quotations from the scholars cited above, there
is a pointer to the evidence of the miraculous. Sheikh Mufid has said in
‘Al-Thaqalan’ after the discussion on the condition of infallibility of the
Imam. “ If these principles have been established, it becomes necessary for the
Imam to declare to the people, through a text on his Imamate, and through
miraculous knowledge, as there is no way of knowing the one who possesses all
these qualities except through a true text from Allah, the Almighty or a
miracle.” Sayyid Murtada has also said in ‘Al-Shafi’ after discussion on
infallibility; “If that has been established, it becomes necessary to declare
it either through a text or a miracle.”
Sheikh Tusi has said in Talkhis Al- Shafi: “The provision of the text on
the Imam or what may stand for it of the miracle that confirms his Imamate… It
is necessary to have a text for the Imam in person or presentation a miracle in
its place, despite the validity of the statement above.”
Allamah Hilli also says in ‘Nahj al-Haq:’ “ The ways
of appointing the Imam are two: Either through a text from Allah, the Exalted
or His Prophet (peace be upon him) or an Imam, whose Imamate has been
established through a text, or through the appearance of miracles from him.”
In truth, the Imamate theory is mainly in need of the
subject of miracles, in the process of establishing the Imamate of Ali bin
Hussain Al- Sajjad, who had
no text or will from his father, as Imam Hussain was killed in Karbala without
leaving a text on his Imamate. Imam Hussain only left a will for his sister
Zaynab, or his daughter Fatimah, as mentioned by Imam Baqir and Sadiq. Muhammad
bin Hanafiyyah did claim the possession of a will from his father. Imam Ali,
and he headed the Shiites on the basis of that after the withdrawal of Imam
Sajjad from the political arena.
The Imamate theory also needed to establish the
Imamate of Sajjad for it to maintain Imamate in the children of Hussain only.
Otherwise the claim will be broken and the argument of Kissanites and
Hassanites, those who directly led the Shiites, will be stronger than that of
the Imamate Shiites.
In this regard the Imamate Shiites used to report the
conflict between Imam Sajjad and his uncle Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah who denied
the existence of any text or will for him, and demand of him to follow him.
Sajjad then sought from him that both should go to Al-Hajar al-Aswad (the Black
Stone) for
judgment,
which talked miraculously and in very eloquent Arabic, establishing the Imamate
of Sajjad demanding from Ibn Hanafiyyah to submit to him. As the Imamate
Shiites, especially Abu Basir used to mention miraculous stories on the Imamate
of Muhammad Baqir and Jafar Sadiq and Kadhim, as well as other Imam, So as to
cover the lack of texts on their Imamates, or as support for ordinary wills,
that do not point to the issue of Imamate and Caliphate.
Miracles are almost the principal evidences presented
by the Imamate Shiites to establish the Imamate of a large number of Infallible
Imams appointed by Allah, the Most high.
CONFINING THE IMAMATE TO THE CHILDREN OF HUSSAIN
After establishing the Imamate of both Hassan and
Hussain, Imamate Shiites try to solve the issue of confining the Imamate to the
progeny of Hussain exclusively. This is more so, because both of them were from
the household of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and both were the children of
Fatimah and Ali, and the children of Hassan have also claimed it for
themselves. Some of them opined that the Awaited Mahdi would be from among
them. Some of them even believed that the children of Hassan are superior to
the children of Hussain, especially that the Hadiths that the Imamate Shiites
put as evidence for confining the Imamate exclusively to the members of the
Prophet’s family, like the Hadith of Thaqalain, -- include both the households.
The Jeroudites based their doctrine of the possibility of the Imam coming from
the children of Hassan and Hussain on that Hadith (tradition).”
A narration from Khazzaz al-Qummi in ‘Kifayah
al-Athar’ from Jabir bin Yazid al-Ja’fi expresses the rejection of a section of
the early Shiites of the idea of confining the Imamate to the children Hussain.
Jabir said to Imam Baqir: Some people say that Allah has placed the Imamate in
the progeny of Hassan and Hussain” He replied: “By Allah, they have lied, have
they not heard Allah the Almighty saying: “ And he made it a word lasting among
his offspring.” Has he then placed it only in the line of Hussain?” (12)
Hisham bin Salim Al-Jawaliqi has claimed that he once
asked Imam Sadiq: “How did the Imamate become only from the line of Hussain
excluding the children of Hassan? He the replied “ Allah wish to make the
tradition of Musa and Harun continue in Hassan and Hussain have you not seen
that the former two were both Prophets, just as the (latter) two were both
co-partners, in the Imamate.” (12)
Haran bin A’yun has reported from Imam Baqir a
tradition, in which he said, “Hassan did return 40,000 swords back to their
covers, when the Leader of the Faithful was attacked, and offered them to Mu’awiyah…
and Hussain went out and gave himself for the sake of Allah, together with 70
(seventy) men …who has more right to his blood, than us? (13)
There is another report from Abu ‘Amr al-Zubairi
wherein he says that, he asked Imam Sadiq about the secret behind the Imamate
leaving the children of Hassan and being limited to the children of Hussain.
How was it so? What is the evidence for that? He replied him: “When Hussain
faced Allah’s decree, it was not permissible to turn it to the son of his
brother, nor to make a will for them on it, Allah says: “ And blood relations
among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allah…” So his
children were closer to him than the children of his brother. Which means they
have more right to the Imamate. This verse has excluded the children of Hassan
from it, so it became for Hussain, going by the import of the verse. So it will
be among them till the day of resurrection.” (14)
It seems these justifications were neither convincing,
nor strong, due to which the Shiites continued searching the secret behind
confining the Imamate to the offspring of Hussain, despite the leadership of
the children of Hassan of the Shiites in different places. Saduq says: Muhammad
bin Abi Yaqub al-Balkhi asked Imam Rida: “For what cause the Imamate became in
the children of Hussain, excluding the children of Hassan? He replied him
saying: “Because Allah has made it in the offspring of Hussain, and not the
offspring of Hassan, Allah will not be questioned on what He does.”
It is evident that this reply came before the
crystallization of the Imamate theory in the succeeding centuries, and its
subsequent dependence on preconceived Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him), which mention the names of the Imams one after the other. Despite
the fact that Sheikh Saduq has reported this narration, it only seems that he
did not trust this narration claimed to have come from Imam Rida, and this was
why he had another view of the matter.
He says in Ikmal al-Din: “Know that when the Prophet
(peace be upon him) advised (the Muslims) to hold fast to the family (of the
Prophet), reason, common knowledge and the life history of the prophet (peace
be upon him) all these confirm that he means the scholars among them, not the
ignorant, and the pious among them and not otherwise. What is incumbent on us,
is to look for anyone among them, who combined religious knowledge, with
intellect, virtue, forbearance, asceticism, and independence in affairs, than
we emulate him. If these qualities are found in two persons, and one of them
accepts the doctrine of Zaydites and the other. The doctrine of the Imamate
Shiites, we differentiate between them on the basis of clear evidence; Either a
text from the preceding Imam, or something evident in his knowledge, or the
doctrine of one of them will be known, which disqualifies him for being
emulated, like the opinion of the Zaydites on Ijtihad and Qiyas (analogical
deduction) in the obligatory duties and injunctions. It will be known on that,
that they are not Imam.”(16)
VERTICAL
INHERITANCE
The Imamate Shiites believe that the Imamate extends
in the offspring of Hussain only from the eldest to the next, as they believe
also in the impossibility of transferring it to a brother or nephew or uncle or
cousin.
They depended in this, on the verse “ And blood
relations among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allah”
which is based on the same verse they depend on the Imamate of the children of
his brother, Hassan or any other of his brothers or cousins or all the other
people. It is the right of the children of Hussain only and none else. It will
never leave them to other than them till the hour (of judgment). (18)
Kulayni has reported, so also Saduq, Mufid and Tusi,
traditions from Imam Sadiq, which point to the law of vertical inheritance and
the continuation of the Imamate till the day of resurrection. He said: “ The
Imamate will not be in two brothers after Hassan and Hussain. But it will be in
the off springs and off springs of off springs, and likewise to the day of
resurrection.” (19)
THE
CONTINUATION OF THE IMAMATE TO THE DAY OF RESURRECTION
With the rejection of the theory of Shura (consultation)—on the part of the philosophers of the theory of Divine Imamate as a way of electing the Imam, it became necessary to extend this theory (of Imamate) from the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the day of Resurrection. It will not be confined to a specific period of time. Hence we have Hisham bin Hakam in his debate with Dirar saying. “ It is necessary that there must be in any period one possessing this attribute of infallibility till the hour (of judgment)”. (20)
Abu Basir has reported from Abu Jafar (Baqir), that he said while interpreting the following verse: “ O you who believe obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of you who are in authority…” they are the Imams from the off springs of Ali and Fatimah till the time of the Hour.”(21)
Ishaq bin Ghalib has reported from Abu Abdullah (Sadiq) in his sermon wherein he mentioned the qualities of the Imams and their attributes: “ Allah has chosen them for His creation from the children of Hussain, from the off springs of each (earlier) Imam, He chose them and is pleased with them …. So that whenever an Imam will pass away, He appoints for His creation from his offspring an Imam.” (22)
Sheikh Saduq has also said in the Introduction of his work ‘Ikmal al-Din’: “The purpose of citing the saying of the prophet (peace be upon him). “ The two (the Book and the Family) will never separate till they come together to the pond (of the Prophet)” is to establish the matter of Allah’s evidences to the day of resurrection, due to his statement of non-separation of the two till them come to the pond, similarly is his statement “ Their similitude is like that of the stars, whenever one disappears, another one appears till the day of resurrection” this is a confirmation of our statement that the earth will never be devoid of Allah’s evidence (Hujjah) for His creation.” (23)
It was also reported from Rida that he said: “ The first of those who learn lessons from the signs of Allah’ (al- Mutawassimin) was the Messenger of Allah, then the Commander of the faithful (Ali) after him, followed by Hassan, then Hussain and then the Imams from the children of Hussain till the day of resurrection.” (24)
It has also been reported from him, “The Imams are from the children of Ali and Fatimah to the end of time” (25)
Imamate leadership) belonged to the Messenger of Allah (peace is upon him), who handed it over to Ali, by the command of Allah in a pattern ordained by Allah. So it became in his chosen offsprings, those bestowed with knowledge and faith…. So it will be in the children of Ali exclusively, till the day of Judgment.” (26)
Based on the above, there was no predetermined list of the names of the subsequent Imams. That was left to the vicissitudes of time to determine. There are a number of Hadiths that show that the Imams do not know those to succeed them before, but they only know that in the last moments of their life. In this regard Saffar reported from Imam Sadiq that he once said: “The previous Imam will not die till Allah makes known to him to whom he will pass the will (of Imamate)…” And the succeeding Imam will know his Imamate in the last moment of the life of the previous Imam.” (27)
In view of the lack of a predetermined list of names of the Imams beforehand, the Imamate Shiites considered the issue of identifying the new Imam of great importance. Saffar says: “Harath bin Mughirah once asked Imam Sadiq: “By what do we know the owner of the affairs (Imam)?" He answered, “By tranquility, humility, knowledge and will.” (28)
Kulayni says: “Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr once asked Imam Rida, “If the Imam dies by what do we know the one to succeed him? He replied “The Imam has signs among which are: To be the eldest, to possess the will, and to go before the people and ask, to whom has so and so given the will? It will be said to so and so. And the weapon to us is like the ark to the children of Israel, Imamate will be wherever the weapon is. “In another narration, As for the knowledge of the (legal) matters there is no evidence on that.” (29)
Thus the Imamate Shiites used to ask the previous Imams on the identity of the succeeding Imams and used to insist on that. Many a times, the Imams refused them that knowledge. (30)
WHAT SHOULD THE SHIITES DO WHEN IGNORANT OF
THE IMAM (OF THE TIME)?
There are traditions that categorically declare the possibility of the Shiites not knowing the Imam, and it design for them what to do in such circumstances. Kulayni reported that a man once asked Abu Abdullah Saying: “ If it happens that I don’t find the Imam to follow that should I do? “ He replied, Love whom you love and hate whom you hate, till Allah cause him to appear.” (31)
Likewise Saduq has reported from Imam Sadiq that he said “ What will you do when you remain for a long period of your life, not knowing your Imam?” It was said: “ If that happens what shall we do? “ He replied, “ Hold onto the first one till he appears.” (32)
All of Kulayni, Saduq and Mufid have reported a tradition from Isa bin Abdullah Al- Alawi from Abu Abdullah Ja’far bin Muhammad (peace be upon him) he said: “ I said to him “ May I be your ransom If you pass away, may Allah not show me that day—Whom should I follow (as Imam)? He pointed to Musa. I then said “If Musa passes away whom should I follow? He said, His son. “I said, “If his son passes away and left a big brother and a small son, whom should I follow (emulate)”? He replied “Follow his son, and in this manner, forever.” I said to him “If I do not know him nor his place what should I do? “He said: “You should say: O Allah I follow whoever remain of your evidences (Imams) from the children of the gone Imam, that will suffice you.” (33)
There is one other narration from Zurrarah bin A’yun, Ya’qub bin Shu'aib and Abd al-A’la, that once they asked Imam Sadiq. “ If something happens to the Imam, what should the people do?” He replied “They should be as Allah has said: “ Of every troop (group) of them, a party only should go forth that they (who are left behind) may get instructions in religion, and that they may warn their people, when they return to them, so that they may be aware (of evil).” I said, “What will be their condition.” He replied, “They are excused.” I then said, “May I be your ransom, what will be the condition of those waiting till the return of the learned? He said, “May Allah have mercy on you, were you not aware that there were 250 years between Muhammad and Isa (peace be upon him), some people died while confessing the religion of ‘ Isa (peace be upon him) and waiting for the religion of Muhammad, and so Allah gave them double reward.” I said, “We have set forth and some of our people die on the way.” He replied, “ And whosever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allah….” I then said, “We then reached the city and we found the owner of the affairs (Imam) has closed his doors upon himself and has lowered his curtains…” He then said: “This affair is only through a clear evidence, i.e. when you enter the city, you shall say: “To whom did so and so pass his will (on Imamate)? They will reply: “To so-and -so.”
SECRECY IN THE THEORY OF IMAMATE
We have seen in the
previous chapter that the theory of Divine Imamate based on infallibility and
text, was not widespread and was unknown in the midst of the Shiites and the
members of the Prophets household themselves, in the first century of Hijrah.
There was no sign of it in Madinah. It, in fact started underground from Kufah
in the beginning of the second century. The theologians who started it were
concealing it on the Prophet of the doctrine of ‘insinuation’ Taqiyyah and
non-disclosure (Kitman)… Abu Jafar al-Ahwal nick named Mumin al-Taq, a
well-known theologian, and
considered as a pioneer pillar of the theory, did admit that it was kept
secret, and that even Zayd bin Ali was not aware of it. It surprised and also
shocked him that Imam Sajjad did inform
‘Mumin al-Taq’ of it, but did not inform of (that theory). (35)
Despite the claim of
Mumin al-Taq, of the theory being attributed and linked to the members of the
Prophet’s family, his statements do reveal the complete secrecy that surrounds
the theory at the time of its inception in Kufah, to the extent that Zayd bin
Ali bin Hussain was unaware of it, while he was in Madinah and in the laps of
his father, and despite what he enjoyed of piety, knowledge, asceticism and the
spirit of Jihad, even to the extent of his amazement when he heard the
statement of Mumin al-Taq.
We have seen in the
previous chapter, the clear denial of Imam Sadiq of the statement that the
Imamate is imposed by Allah, which was reported by Kulayni in ‘Al- Kafi. Hence,
the Imamate Shiites used to conceal and cover their statements, which they
attribute to the Imams in layers of secrecy, Taqiyyah and concealment. They
claim that the Imams were not disclosing these opinions to the general masses.
They only mentioned them in private, and they advised that it should be
maintained in that form of concealment. They considered these traditions
difficult, and cannot be borne except by true and reliable believers. And that
the punishment of anyone spreading it among the people is death by sword.” (36)
150
Muhammad bin Hassan
Saffar has reported in his book, ‘Basa’ir al-Darajat’ a number of narrations
being spread between the Imamate and extremist Shiites, in the necessity of
secrecy and concealment, and the dangers of revealing and declaring (Secrets).
He wrote many
chapters on that affair, and he narrated from Imam Baqir a statement to his
companions: “If your tongues have ribbons (tied to them), I would have told
each person what he has (of good or evil).” (37)
He (Saffar) also reported
from Jabir bin Yazid Al- Ja’fari from Abu Abdullah who said: “ Our affair is
secret in secret, and a concealed secret in a concealed secret, a secret that
must remain a secret, a secret upon a secret, and a secret covered by a
secret.” (38)
It has also been
reported from Imam Sadiq his saying. “My father was a father far excellence. He
used to say: “If I can get three people, to whom I will bestow knowledge as a
trust, and they are qualified for that and deserve it. I would have mention what need not to
be researched in the legal and non-illegal matters, and what will become of it
till the day of Resurrection…. Our traditions are very difficult, no one
believe in them, save those whose heart have been tested in faith (Iman).” (39)
He also said: “ If
not because of the fear that it will reach some people other than you, as part
of it has already reached them, I would have given you a book, so that you will
not need anyone till the custodian (qaim) appears.” And he also said: “I do not
find the one to talk to…. If not because of that I would discuss something with
a man among you, who would not leave. Madinah, except that his two eyes will be
brought (he would be killed), for that I will say: “I will not say it.”(40)
Saffar also reported
a narration from Abu Basir, who says in it, that he went to Imam Abu Abdullah
to ask him on knowledge. He said I started by saying. “May I be your ransom I
am asking about an issue, there is no one here who hears my statement.”? He
said that Abu Abdullah raised the curtain between himself and another house; he
looked inside it and then said, “ Ask what you wish.” This shows the
seriousness of the secrecy of the tradition. (41)
The theory of
Imamate initially was based on the knowledge of the Imams regarding the unseen
(Al-Ghayb), as a way of establishing the relationship between the Imam and
Allah. We have seen that in the debate between Hisham bin Hakam and the Syrian
that Hisham claimed that Imam Sadiq told him of all that happened on his way
from Syria to Muna. But Imam Sadiq has always denied having the knowledge of
the Unseen. He said in very clear terms “ What a surprise for some people who
claim that we know the Unseen. No one knows ‘al-Ghayb’ except Allah. I had
intended to beat my housemaid so and so, but she left me, I do not know now in
which house she is. This narration was transmitted by Sadir, Abu Basir Maisir,
Yahya al-Bazzaz and Dawud al-Ruqiy, who say that Imam Sadiq came to them
angrily, and then he denied the knowledge of the Unseen. Sadir has added to this
narration that, he went to the Imam in the company of Abu Basir and Maisir
after he has left his seat and has gone inside his house. They said to him
secretly, “May we be your ransom, we heard you saying so and so on your
housemaid, and we know that you have vast knowledge.” He said to them that, he
has the knowledge of the Book. That the knowledge of this person in relation to
the knowledge of the Imam is like a drop of rain water as compared to the great
ocean.”(42)
We can also discern
secrecy or insinuation (Taqiyyah) in another narration transmitted by Saif
al-Tammar, where he says: “We were one day with Abu Abdullah as a group of
Shiites from 'al- Hijr’ and he
said: “ Is there any spy with us?” We then turned right and left but did no see
anyone. We then said to him. “ There is no spy with us.” Then he continued: “
By the Lord of the Ka’bah and the Lord of the House (three times), if I were
among Musa and Khidr, I would have told them I am more knowledgeable than them,
and would have told them what would not be in their possession. This is because
Musa and Khidr were given the knowledge of what had happened, but were not
given the knowledge of what is going to happen to the day of Judgments. While
the Messenger of Allah was given the knowledge of what happened and what is
going to happen to the day of Resurrection, and we inherited it from the
Messenger of Allah as inheritance. (43)
Despite the clear
inconsistency in this tradition, which attributes the knowledge of the Unseen
to Imam Sadiq, and which says at the same time that he initially asked of the
presence of any spy around them, despite all this, it carries in it the meaning
of secrecy contrary to what the Imam used to declare.
The Imamate Shiites
termed this kind of act as ‘Taqiyyah' so as to interpret the phenomenon of
contradiction and inconsistency between the statements of the Imams from the
Prophet’s family (Ahl al- Bayt) and their open day-to-day behavior, which was
based on Shura and natural knowledge, and between the claim of divine Imamate,
based on a text, appointment and divine knowledge of the unseen, which the
Imamate Shiites were secretly attributing to the members of the Prophet’s
family. As the members of the Prophet’s family vehemently denied such
statements attributed to them, the Imamate Shiites and the esoteric (Batini)
sects generally interpret their statements, and hold onto their claims contrary
to these denials under the pretext of strong Taqiyyah.’
It is well known
that Imam Sadiq did curse one of the extremists, who claimed divine nature for
him. He dissociated himself from him. The name of that person was, Abu
al-Khattab, the leader of Khattabiyyah set. When the Shiites told him of the
position of the Imam regarding his belief, he interpreted the statement, saying
that he was only referring to another man in Basrah called Qatadah al-Basri
nicknamed Abu al-Khattab. When the Imam expressed whom he meant saying: “By
Allah I meant none other than Muhammad bin Miqlas bin Abi Zaynab, the leper the
servant of Banu Asad”, Abu al- Khattab said: “Surely Abu Abdullah intended by
cursing us openly, cursing our opponents, in secret.” He interpreted Allah’s
statement: “ As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So
I wished to make a defective damage in it, as there was a king behind them who
seized every ship by force.” Kahf, as meaning that the ship stands for Abu al-
Khattab and the poor people being his companions, and the king behind them
connotes Isa bin Musa the Abbasid.” (44)
Due to the above it
became obligatory to maintain ‘Taqiyyah’ as a condation for the continuation of
the Imamate theory and for linking it to the members of the Prophet’s family.
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2.
2.
Ashari: Al Maqalat wa al-firaq, p.17
3.
3.
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4.
4.
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5.
5.
Al-Shafi, vol. 2, p.128
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Mufid: Al-Fusul al-Mukhtarah, P.262 Tusi:
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11. 11. Mufid: Al-
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12. 12. Khazzaz: Kifayah al- Athar, P. 246
Saduq: Ikmal al-Din, P 416
13. 13. ‘Iyashi.
Al-Tafsir, Vol. 2P, 291
14. 14. ibid. Vol.2 P,
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15. 15. Saduq: Uyun
Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 2, P .82
16. 16. Saduq: Ikmal
al-Din P. 120
17. 17. Ali bin
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18. 18. Mufid:
Al-Rasail al- Ashr, Summarised from his statements on Zaydites, P. 157
19. 19. Kulayni: Al-
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20. 20. Saduq: Ilal al-
Shara i.e. P. 203, Chapter 155
21. 21. Saduq: Ikmal
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22. 22. Kulayni: Al-
Kafi, Vol. 1 P. 204
23. 23. Saduq: op. cit,
P. 204
24. 24. Saduq: op. cit,
P. 245
25. 25. Saduq: Uyun al-
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26. 26. Saduq: op cit,
vol. 1, P 261
27. 27. Saffar: Basair
al- Darajat, pp, 473-474 and pp. 477-478
28. 28. ibid, vol-1 pp
489, and Ibn Babawaih: Al-Imamah wa al- Tabsirah min al- Hayrah, P. 226
29. 29. Kulayni:
Al-Kafi, Vol. 1 P. 284 and Saduq:
Al- Khisal, P. 116
30. 30. Saffar, op.
cit, P. 236 & 239
31. 31. Kulayni, up.
Cit Vol. 1, P 342
32. 32. Saduq: Ikmal
al- Din, P. 348, 350, 351
33. 33. Kulayni, op.
cit vol. 1 Page 86 and Saduq, op. cit P. 350, Mufid: Al- Irshad, P. 289.
34. 34. Iyashi: Al-
Tafsir, vol. 2, PP117-118 and Ali bin Babawih: Al- Imamah wa al- Tabsirah min
al-Hayrah, P.226 and Saduq, op. cit. p. 75
35. 35. Kulayni, op.
cit, vol.1, p. 174 Al-Tibrisi: Al- Ihtijaj, Vol. 2, p 141
36. 36. Kulayni: Raudah
al-Kafi, P. 10
37. 37. Saffar: Basair
al Darajat, P. 422
38. 38. ibid. , P 28
39. 39. ibid, p. 478
40. 40. ibid., p, 479
41. 41. ibid, p. 152
42. 42. ibid., p 213
43. 43. ibid,. P.129
44. 44. Ash’ari: Al-
Maqalat wa al-Firaq P.55