Introducing The Imams Of The Shiah
The Messenger of Allah (S) has recurringly defined these Imams to be he successors, explicitly and implicitly, and he even identified them by names, as stated in some narrations reported by shi`ah ulama and some of the Sunni ulama.
Some from among Ahl al-Sunnah may object these narrations, wondering how could the prophet(S) disclose the unseen affairs that still non- existant? While his saying has been stated in the Qur`an thus:
Had I knowledge of the unseen, I should have abundance of wealth, and adversity would not touch me”.(7:188)
In reply to this we can say that this holy verse does not deny the prophet`s (S) knowledge of the unseen absolutly, but it has been revealed as a refutation against the polytheists who asked him the prophet to tell them about the coming of the (destine) Hour, whereas the knowledge of the Hour`s proper time is only with Allah –Subahanahu.
The almighty Allah has said in the Holy Qur`an:
“(He is) the knower of the unseen and He revealeth unto none His secret. Save unto every messenger whom hath chosen…(72:26-27)
This implies an evident proof that Allah –subahanahu– reveales His secret unto His chosen messengers alone. the example for which can be observed in Joseph`s (A) saying of this fellow -prisoners:
“The food which ye are given (daily) shall not come unto you but I shall tell you the interpretation era it cometh unto you. this is of what which my Lord hath taught me…” (12:37)
And also in the Almighty`s saying:
“Then found they one of our slaves, unto whom we had given mercy from us, and had taught him knowledge from our presence”. (18:65) which is the story of the prophet Khidir who met Moses (A) and taught him the knowledge of the unseen with which he could not bear.
There used to be full agreement among the Muslims – Shi`ah and Sunnah- that the prophet (S) had knowledge of the Unseen, and his conduct (sirah) contained numerous reports about revelation of the unseen, as his (S) saying: “Woe unto `Ammar, he shall be killed by the rebellious band”. Also his saying to Ali “The most mischievous (ashqa) of the letters will smite you upon your head and tinge your beard”, beside his saying Allah shall verify reform through my son al-Hassan two great groups” and also his foretelling that Abu Dharr will die alone and driven away, and such other many reports. Added to this his well-known tradition reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim and all traditionists, in which he said: “The Imams who succeeded me are twelve ones, all being from Banu Hashim”.
we have proved in the previous book “To be with the truthful” and Ask Those who know”, that the sunni ulama themselves have stated in their sihah and musnads the traditions indicating the Imamate of the twelve Imams, and approved them.
If someone inquires: So why have they abandoned them then and followed the guide of others than them –the Imams of four schools of law (Madhahib), while admitting and approving these traditions?
The reply is thus: the good ancesetors (al-salaf al-salih) were all supporters of the Three Caliphate produced by the Saqifah: Abu Bakr, Umar and uthman, as their detestation against Ahl al-Bayt, and their hostility against al-`Imam `Ali and his sons were inevitable, so they strove, as mentioned earlier, to obliterating the Prophetic Sunnah and substituting it with their exerted opinions (ijtihadat).
The reason for this lies in splitting asunder the Ummah into two sects immediately after the Prophet`s demise, so there emerged the good ancestors and those who followed them representing the Ahl al-Sunnah, who constitute the overwhelming majority. On the other hand, there were the small authority represented by `Ali and his followers, who renounced the allegiance (`bay`ah), becoming thus from among the discarded and those who earn anger, so they were called Rawafid (rejecters).
Since Ahl al-Sunnah have been those who dominated the Ummah`s fate through centuries, so the Umayyad and `Abbasid rulers have been all supporters and followers of the caliphate school, founded by Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, Mu`awiyah 63 and Yazid.
When the caliphate declined and lost its prestige, becoming in the hands of the Mamalik and non-Arabs, with giving permission to inscription of the Prophetic Sunnah, we witnessed the emergence of those traditions which the earlier people did their utmost, in vain, to obliterate and conceal, and these traditions remained as dubious perplexities for them, due to their being incongruous with what they (Sunnis) believed in.
Some of them (Sunni) tried to make a congruity between these traditions and their beliefs, and they disguised with having love and passion toward Ahl al-Bayt, so whenever they mentioned the name of al-`Imam `Ali, they would say: (May Go be pleased with him) and (may God grant him honour) for showing people that they are not enemies of the Prophet`s Household (Ahl al-Bayt). In fact no one from among the Muslims can expressly disclose his enmity to Ahl al-Bayt, since the latters` enemies are the Prophet`s enemies, and this fact makes them out of the pale of Islam, as is explit for all.
63.We have not mentioned `Ali`s caliphate on purpose, since Ahl al-Sunnah have not knowledged it but only during the lifetime of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Refer to the chapter:“Ahl al-Sunnah are unaware of the prophetic Sunnah”, on page 30 of this book.
The idea extracted from this, is that the real foes of Ahl al-Bayt have been (al-Salaf al-Salih) who were called by their supporters “Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah”. The evidence for this becomes clear when seeing them all imitate the four schools that were established by the ruling authority (as we will shortly expound), having nothing of religious rules to refer to the fiqh of Ahl al-Bayt or one of the Twelve Imams.
The inevitable fact is that the Shi`ah are the true followers of the Muhammadan Sunnah, as they adhered in all their fiqh rules to the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, who inherited the proper Sunnah from their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (S), without foisting into it any of their opinions and ijtihadat, or sayings of the Caliphs.
The Shi`ah remained throughout history, adhering sincerely to the texts (nusus), rejecting ijtihad against nass, and believing in the caliphate of `Ali and his sons, since the Prophet (S) has ordained thus. The Shi`ah call them the vicegerents (khulafa) of the Prophet, whereas none of them had access to the actual caliphate except `Ali, and they reject the rulers who seized caliphate outright, since its basis was a slip, may God protect us against its evil, and it was established on the basis of rejection and refutation against Allah and His Messenger. Further, all who came to power after it, were only dependants on it, as no caliph reached to power but only through being appointed by his antecedent, or through fighting and overcoming and surpression.64
Therefore Ahl al-Sunnah were obliged to acknowledge the Imamate of the pious and debauchee, as they accepted the caliphate of all the rulers even those who were impious among them.
That which distinguished the Imamiyyah Shi`ah from others, lies in their belief in the wujub (obligation) of infallibility of the Imams, and that great Imamate and leadership of the Ummah cannot be legitimately possessed but by the Infallible Imam, and we cannot find infallible human.
With the exception of Ali`s caliphate, since he was the only one who was never appointed by the precedent caliph, and never ruled over people by suppression and force. But all Muslims have freely and voluntarily sworn allegiance unto him, insisting on him to accept it (caliphate).
THE PROPHET (S) APPOINTED THE SHI”AH IMAMS
Any researcher who studied the prophetic conduct (sirah) and became aware of the Islamic history, has no doubt that the prophet (S) himself has appointed the twelve Imams and determined them to be successors after him and guardians over his ummah. Their number has been stated in the sahih of Ahl al-Sunnah,that they are twelve and all being from Quraysh.This was reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim and others. Some Sunni references have reported that he (S) has identified them by names, clarifying that the first Iamm being Ali ibn Abi Talib, after his son al-Hassan, then his brother al-Husayn and then nine of the descendants of al-Husayn, the last of whom being al-Mahdi.
The author of yanabi al-Muwaddah has reported in his book: “Jew called al-A`tal came to the prophet and said : “O Muhammad I have some inquiries pressing in my bosom, when I get their replies from you I will embrace Islam at your hands”.
The prophet replied: You can ask, O Abu Ammarah “. Then he put forward his questions till he said: “You said the truth ” Then he said : ” Tell me who will be your excutor ( Wasi) ? As for every prophet there should be an excutor, and our prophet Musa ibn Imran has made Yusha ibn Nun as his wasi.
The prophet (S) said: “My executor is Ali ibn Abi Talib, after him my two grandsons al-Hassan and Husayn, and then nine Imams from the lineage of al-Husayn`
He said: “O Muhammad, mention their names”
He said: when al- Husayn passes away comes his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ja`far, then his son Musa, then his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ali, then his son al-Hasan and the his son Muhammad al-Mahdi, they will be twelve altogether “.
Then the author said: Thereat the Jew man converted to Islam, and praised Allah for being guided .74 If we go through the shi`a books and pursue the facts they contained about this subject, we will find many more examples.
But we are sufficed with the proof that the ulama of Ahl al-Sunnah recognize the number of the twelve Imams, being none other than Ali and his pure sons.
Our certainty is multiplied by knowing that the twelve Imams have not been disciples under any of the ulama of the ummah, as the historians, Muhadidithun and biographers have never narrated that any of Ahl al-Bayt ` Imam has acquired his knowledge from some Companion or Tabi`un,as it is true in regard of all the ulama and Imams of the ummah ( the sunnah).
Abu Hanifah has become a disciple under al-`Imam Ja`far al- Sadiq, then Malik became a pupil under Abu Hanifah, then al- Shafi`i acquired his knowledge from Malik and so did Ahmad from Malik.
The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt had a knowledge talented by Allah,the Glorified, the Exalted, being inherited a father from grandfather, as they were meant by Allah `saying:
Then We gave the scripture a inheritance unto those whom We elected of Our bondmen`. (35:32)
Al-Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (A) has once expressed this fact by saying: How wonderful that people proclaim of acquiring their whole knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (S), applied it and were guided! At the same time they narrate that we– Ahl al-Bayt — have neither acquired his (S) knowledge nor being guided by him, though being his Household and progeny, in our houses the revelation (wahy) was descendent and from us the knowledge went out to people. Can anyone say that they (Sunnah) had knowledge and were guided, and we
had no knowledge and went astray?!
Yes, how could al-Imam al-Sadiq (A) not be astonished at those who claim having acquired the knowledge from the Messenger of Allah, while they contract the enmity of his (S) Household and the gate of city of his knowledge, from which all should enter ? And how couldn`t he be surprised by their adopting the name of ” Ahl al-Sunnah” whereas they contradict this Sunnah?!
Then the Shi`ah on one hand as history testifies, have been concerned only with `Ali, supporting him and withstanding against his enemies, fighting whoever fought him and making peace with whoever reconciled him with acquiring all their knowledge from him. On the other hand Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`a have never followed his guide, nor supported him, but rather they fought him, intending to exterminated him, chasing his sons through killing, imprisoning and scattering, and opposing him in most of the rules, through following knowledge claimants, who had no agreement in their opinions and ijtihadat concerning Allah`s rules, resorting then to change and modify them according to their desires and as required by their interests.
How couldn`t we be surprised today those claiming to follow the prophetic Sunnah, while they testify against themselves that they abandoned it since it became a motto for the Shi`ah 75Isn`t this surprising?!
The Ahl al-Sunnah are only divergent groups differed in the rules of Allah and His Messenger, but they agreed upon approving the unfair Saqifah caliphate, with abandoning and isolating the pure Kindred ( Itrah).
How could such people allege being Ahl al-Sunnah while they have disobeyed the prophet`s (S ) ordered to hold on to the Thaqalayn ( two precious assets) — the book of Allah and his progeny (Itrah) — despite their reporting and approving of the tradition? They neither held on the Qur`an nor to the Itrah , since by distancing themselves the pure Itrah
75. See Ma`a al-Sadiqin, pp.159-160, to recognize that Ibn Taymiyyah calls for abanding the Prophetic Sunnah if it be a motto for the Shi`ah. Nevertheless they call me Mujaddid al-Sunnah (Revivalist of the Sunnah).
they have abandoned the Qur`an as mentioned in the tradition that they ( Qur`an and Itrah) will not separate, as announced by the Messenger of Allah when saying: ” And the Sublime, the Aware has informed me that they (Qur`an and Itrah ) will never separate till they come to me upon the pond (Hawd) .76
Why shouldn`t we be amazed at people claiming to be Ahl al- Sunnah, while they contradict what is stated in their sihah of the prophet`s acts, orders and forbiddings ?77
If we believe in and approve of the hadith: I am leaving behind among you the Book of Allah and my Sunnah, as long as you hold fast to them you will never stray after me ” as narrated by some of the Ahl al-Sunnah, the surprise will be greater and the scandal will be more explicit, since their eminent leader and Imams have themselves burnt the sunnah left by the prophet among them, preventing people from conveying and writing it down, as mentioned earlier.
Once Umar ibn al-Khattab has expresly disclosed: ” The Book of Allah is sufficient for us “which is an explicit refutation against the prophet, and as is know whoever refute the prophet is refuting Allah.
This saying by Umar ibn al-Khattab has been reproted by all Sihah of Ahl al-Sunnah including Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. If the prophet said: I am leaving behind among you the Book of Allah and my Sunnah, so Umar said to him you: We are sufficed with the book of Allah, then Abu Bakr emphasized on executing the opinion of his friend through disclosing, when becoming a Caliph: Do not narrate from the Messenger of Allah anything and when you are asked (about any tradition ) you can reply by saying: the book of Allah is between us and you, You are allowed to do what is deemed lawful in it, and are not allowed to do what is deemed unlawful haram in it “78
How couldn`t we be astonished at a people who left
76. It is reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, vol.v.p.189, and al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, vol. iii p. 148, and saying: it is a veracious hadith on the condition of al-Shaykhayn.
77. Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih that the Prophet has forbidden from salat al-tarawih congregationally during month of Ramadan, saying: “O people pray inside your houses as the best prayer be at home except the prescribed prayer”. But Ahl al-Sunnah forsook the Prophet`s forbiddance and followed `Umar`s bid`ah (hresy).
78. Tadhkirat al-huffaz, by al-Dhahabi, vol. i, p.3.
and abandoned their Prophet`s Sunnah, substituting it with heresies innovated by them, with no warrant revealed by Allah, and they call themselves and their followers” Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah”?
But our astonishment will disappear when knowing that Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman were not aware of this title at all, as can be seen through Abu Bakr`s saying: “If you acknowledge me with your Prophet`s Sunnah, I cannot endure it”.79
How couldn`t Abu Bakr endure the Prophet`s Sunnah? Was his (S) Sunnah so impossible that it could not be endured by Abu Bakr?
How Ahl al-Sunnah dares to claim being committed to it, while their first Imam and the founder of their schools couldn`t endure it??!
Has not the Almighty Allah said about it: “Verily in the Messenger of Allah ye have a good example” (33:21)? He also says: “Allah task not a soul beyond its scope,” (2:286). He further said…” He hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship…” (22:78)
Do Abu Bakr and `Umar believe that the Messenger of Allah has innovated a religion other than the one revealed by Allah, and commanded the Muslims with unbearable acts and tasked them with hardship? Far be it from him to do it, as he used to say: “Bear good tidings and never startle (people) away, make easy and never render difficult, Allah has given you permission, so do not constrain yourselves.
But Abu Bakr`s confession that he can never endure the Prophet`s Sunnah certifies our belief, that he has innovated a heresy he could endure, being in agreement with his desire, and goes along with the policy of the state he presided over.
Further, `Umar ibn al-Khattab may opine that the rules of the Qur`an and Sunnah are unbearable, so he decided to abandon prayer (salat) when being ritually unclean and could not find water, giving a legal verdict (fatwa) for doing the
79. Musnad al-`Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. i, p.4; kanz al-`ummal, vol.iii, p126.