If the\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0Manzila<\/em>,\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>of Ghad\u012br and\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0Bad\u02be al-Da\u02bfwa<\/em> point to the political centrality of the Prophet\u2019s Family, there are other traditions which demonstrate their centrality to Islamic thought after the Prophet. In fact, \u02bfAl\u012b and some of his descendants (who constitute the major part of the Prophet\u2019s family) enjoyed the same kind of centrality as the Prophet himself did, except for receiving revelation and establishing the religion. What follows is aimed at supporting the centrality of the Prophet\u2019s family to Islam.<\/p>\n The first supporting\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>is that of\u00a0thaqalayn<\/em>\u00a0(\u2018the two weighty things\u2019), which contains some of the Prophet\u2019s important words in the last days of his life:<\/p>\n Oh, people! I am soon to be summoned and I must respond. I have left amongst you two weighty things, one of which is greater than the other; the Book of God and my progeny, so pay attention to how you treat these two after me. They will not part from one another until they return to me at the Pool.\u2019 (N\u012bs\u0101b\u016br\u012b, 3\/103)<\/p>\n The authenticity of this\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>has been so heavily supported that M\u012br H\u0101mid \u1e24usayn has compiled a six-volume book, entitled\u00a0\u02bfAqab\u0101t al-Anw\u0101r<\/em>, containing the supporting references.<\/p>\n The second supporting\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>is known as the\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>of the Ark (saf\u012bna<\/em>). In this tradition, the Prophet has compared his family, in terms of their intellectual centrality, to Noah\u2019s ark and has added that whoever travels on board it will be saved and whoever does not will perish: \u2018Lo! Verily the likeness of my Household amongst you is that of Noah\u2019s ark; whoever boards it will be saved and whoever holds back from it will drown\u2019 (N\u012bs\u0101b\u016br\u012b, 3\/151). Based on this, Ibn \u1e24ajar al-Haytham\u012b argues in his\u00a0Sawa\u2018iq<\/em>\u00a0that whoever loves the Prophet\u2019s Family out of gratitude to God for sending the Prophet to the people and follows their teachings will be saved from darkness, and whoever does not follow them will be drowned in the sea of ingratitude and failure.<\/p>\n Bukh\u0101r\u012b\u2019s and Muslim\u2019s\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>collections, which are among the best and most reliable\u00a0\u1e25ad\u012bth\u00a0<\/em>collections of Sunn\u012b Muslims, include a tradition that refers to the rule of twelve leaders (am\u012br<\/em>). Bukh\u0101r\u012b writes that J\u0101bir b. Samra said: \u2018I hear the Prophet say, \u201cThere will be twelve leaders.\u201d Then he said something I didn\u2019t hear. I asked my father what he had said and he told me: \u201cThey will all be from the Quraysh.\u201d\u2019 (Bukh\u0101r\u012b, 9\/101, tradition nos. 7222 and 7223).<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Muslim relates from the Prophet: \u2018This (Islam) will not be finished until twelve successors come and go after me\u2026 they will all be from the Quraysh\u2019 (Muslim 6\/3).<\/p>\n A\u1e25mad b. \u1e24anbal narrates that Masr\u016bq, a Successor, said: \u2018I was sitting near \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Mas\u02bf\u016bd as he recited the Qur\u2019an when a man asked him: \u201cDid you ask the Prophet the number of his successors?\u201d \u02bfAbd All\u0101h answered: \u201cNobody has ever asked me this since I entered Iraq. Yes, I asked the Prophet and he replied: \u2018They will be twelve, as the leaders of the Israelites were.\u2019\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n Other traditions tell us that the Prophet prefixed his description of the twelve successors with one of the following clauses: \u2018Islam will always be mighty so long as\u2026\u2019 \u2018Islam will always be victorious so long as\u2026,\u2019 \u2018Islam will always be firm so long as\u2026\u2019, and \u2018Islam will always be true so long as\u2026\u2019 Thus, the Prophet has connected the greatness, victory, firmness, and truth of Islam to the leadership of the Twelve Imams and compared them with the Prophets of the Israelites. These descriptions apply to the Twelve Imams, beginning with Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, who made many efforts to spread the teachings of Islam and in this way guaranteed the greatness of Islam. Moreover, all Muslims \u2013 whether Sh\u012b\u02bf\u012b or Sunn\u012b \u2013 are in agreement that these the Imams were amongst the most knowledgeable and pious people of their time.<\/p>\n Let us consider this matter from another angle and suppose that the Four Caliphs (i.e. Ab\u016b Bakr, \u02bfUmar, \u02bfUthm\u0101n, and \u02bfAl\u012b. ) were what guaranteed the greatness and victory of Islam. The problem is that their periods of leadership were short and they were only four in number. The Umayyad rulers were tyrants and there were more than twelve of them. The Abbasid rulers were tyrants in a similar fashion, guilty of bloodshed and persecution and, again, there were more than twelve of them.<\/p>\n As far as understanding the Prophet\u2019s words, we should be looking for twelve consecutive leaders whose personalities reflect the descriptions provided by the Prophet. It is very strange that some Sunn\u012b writers have tried to prove that the Prophet was actually referring to the four caliphs along with some Umayyad rulers such as Mu\u02bf\u0101wiya, Yaz\u012bd, \u02bfAbd al-Malik Marw\u0101n, and Wal\u012bd, some of whom were notorious for murdering the Prophet\u2019s Companions and drinking alcohol in Ka\u02bfba (Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b, T\u0101r\u012bkh<\/em>, 250).<\/p>\n The Verse of Wil\u0101ya is a verse of the Qur\u2019an which the majority of interpreters concur was revealed concerning Imam \u02bfAl\u012b. It reads: \u2018Your guardian (wal\u012b<\/em>) is only All\u0101h, His Messenger, and the faithful who maintain the prayer and give the\u00a0zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0while bowing. Whoever takes for his guardians All\u0101h, His Messenger and the faithful (should know that) the confederates of All\u0101h are indeed the victorious\u2019 (Q5:55-6).<\/p>\n Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, Ibn \u02bfAbb\u0101s, \u02bfAmm\u0101r, J\u0101bir, Ab\u016b R\u0101fi\u02bf, Anas b. M\u0101lik and \u02bfAbd All\u0101h b. Sal\u0101m relates the same story about the context of verse 5:55 (Hind\u012b, tradition no. 6137; al-Fakhr al-R\u0101z\u012b 12\/26 and N\u012bs\u0101b\u016br\u012b, Tafs\u012br<\/em>, 6\/154): Namely that on one occasion a beggar came to the mosque and asked for people\u2019s help, but nobody gave him anything. It was at this moment that Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, who was bowing in prayer, signaled for the beggar to take the ring from his finger. The man took the ring and went away. When the Prophet heard about this, he asked God: \u2018Appoint an assistant for me from my family, just as you did for Moses!\u2019 Gabriel came to reveal the above verse (5\/55) to the Prophet as a response to his request.<\/p>\n The renowned poet of the Prophet\u2019s day, \u1e24asan b. Th\u0101bit has composed the following lines in praise of Imam \u02bfAl\u012b:<\/p>\n \u2018Who gave his ring in charity while bowing \/ and whose soul is filled with secrets?<\/p>\n Who slept in Mu\u1e25ammad\u2019s bed while he traveled by night on the Day of the Cave?<\/p>\n Who has been named faithful in nine frequently recited verses?\u2019 (Ibn al-Jawz\u012b, 18)<\/p>\n The word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 in the verse denotes \u2018guardian\u2019 or \u2018someone with authority\u2019 rather than \u2018friend\u2019 because describing Imam \u02bfAl\u012b as a friend of the Muslims would not single him out for mention. The Qur\u2019an calls all Muslims friends of one another: \u2018The believers, men, and women, are friends (awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>) of one another\u2019 (Q9\/71). Thus, the only reasonable meaning of \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 in this context would be \u2018guardian,\u2019 \u2018leader\u2019 or \u2018authority.\u2019 The term \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 in Arabic denotes \u2018guardian\u2019 as in the Prophet\u2019s \u1e25ad\u012bth: \u2018If a woman marries without the consent of her guardian (wal\u012b<\/em>), her marriage would be invalid\u2019 (Ibn \u1e24anbal, 6\/66). This is also the meaning intended by the verse, which mentions three guardians for the Muslims: All\u0101h, His Messenger, and \u2018the faithful.\u2019 The latter term has been further specified as \u2018who maintain the prayer and give the zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0while bowing \u2018(Q5:55). As we can see, the third guardian is none other than Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, who gave\u00a0zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0while bowing in prayer. Furthermore, if the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 meant \u2018friend\u2019 or another similar word, it would have been meaningless to restrict its meaning by talking about maintaining prayers and paying\u00a0zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0because Muslims are all friends with each other. As we can see, the above verse adds the condition of paying\u00a0zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0while bowing in prayer to the condition of belief in God and offering prayers. By doing so, it restricts the possible referents of the verse to the point that, as far as history can show, there will be only one guardian that could be considered as the referent of the verse; Imam \u02bfAl\u012b.<\/p>\n One might ask why the verse says: \u2018the faithful\u2019 (plural) not \u2018the faithful man\u2019 (singular) if it only refers to \u02bfAl\u012b. The simple answer is that in Arabic sometimes the plural is used instead of singular to pay special respect to someone or something, as when God says: \u2018We have indeed sent it down in the Night of Power\u2019 (Q97:1). Zamakhshar\u012b argues in his\u00a0Kashsh\u0101f<\/em>\u00a0that the plural is used here in order to encourage people to act in a similar way, namely, to know the value of such good deeds and to be so generous as to pay\u00a0zak\u0101t<\/em>\u00a0to the poor even before their prayers are finished (1\/468).<\/p>\n Al-Fakhr al-R\u0101z\u012b, known as the \u2018Leader of the Skeptics\u2019, has raised doubts that the\u00a0wil\u0101ya<\/em>\u00a0mentioned in this verse refers to \u02bfAl\u012b. Fortunately, he wrote his will in 606\/1209, two years before his death, explaining his doubts: \u2018Know that I loved knowledge and wrote on many subjects while I was not fully aware of their nature and did not care much whether my writings were right or wrong, worthy or worthless\u2019 )Far\u012bd Wajd\u012b, 4\/148).<\/p>\n We will now consider some of R\u0101z\u012b\u2019s comments regarding the Verse of Wil\u0101ya and its relationship to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b. One of R\u0101z\u012b\u2019s arguments is that \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 in Arabic means \u2018friend,\u2019 as in: \u2018the believers are friends (awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>) of one another\u2019 (Q9:71). The plural form \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019 is also used in the verse \u2018O you who have faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for allies: they are allies of each other. Any of you who allies with them is indeed one of them. Indeed All\u0101h does not guide the wrongdoing lot\u2019 (Q5:51). Below this verse, God says: \u2018O you who have faith! Do not take those who take your religion in derision and play, from among those who were given the Book before you, and the infidels, as friends, and be wary of All\u0101h, should you be faithful.\u2019 (Q5:57). If we accepted the meaning of \u2018friends\u2019 for \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019 in Q5:51 and Q5:57, we would have to admit the same meaning for the word in Verse of Wil\u0101ya, R\u0101z\u012b argues.<\/p>\n It seems that owing to his theological bias, R\u0101z\u012b has, on the basis of a limited sample of verses (Q5:51 and 57), concluded that the words \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019 and \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 imply \u2018friendship\u2019 and \u2018love,\u2019 and therefore, the Verse of Wil\u0101ya speaks about the love of God, His Messenger, and other believers. But the point is that the friendship between believers and God and His Messenger was obvious and did not need to be stressed in this verse. Therefore, the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 should mean something different here; something that applies to the three distinct entities in the verse. A glance at the other verses of\u00a0S\u016brat al-M\u0101\u02beida<\/em>\u00a0(namely verses 42\u201370) reveals that the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 signifies people who may rule, and have authority over, the society of Muslims:<\/p>\n \u2018And how should they make you a judge, while with them is the Torah, in which is All\u0101h\u2019s judgment? Yet in spite of that they turn their backs (on Him) and they are not believers.\u2019 (Q5:43)<\/p>\n \u2018Let the people of the Evangel judge by what All\u0101h has sent down in it. Those who do not judge by what All\u0101h has sent down \u2013 it is they who are the transgressors.\u2019 (Q5:47)<\/p>\n \u2018Judge between them by what All\u0101h has sent down, and do not follow their desires. Beware of them lest they should beguile you from part of what All\u0101h has sent down to you. But if they turn their backs (on you), then know that All\u0101h desires to punish them for some of their sins, and indeed many of the people are transgressors.\u2019 (Q5:49)<\/p>\n \u2018Do they seek the judgment of (pagan) ignorance? But who is better than All\u0101h in judgment for a people who have certainty?\u2019 (5: 50)<\/p>\n After all of these verses, which concern matters of leading the believers and judging between them, the Qur\u2019an presents the verse referred to by R\u0101z\u012b: \u2018O you who have faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for allies: they are allies of each other. Any of you who allies with them is indeed one of them. Indeed All\u0101h does not guide the wrongdoing lot\u2019 (Q5:51). Considering the preceding verses, it is clear that verse 51 cannot be simply talking about friendship with the Jews and Christians, but rejecting the authority of these people over Muslims, an authority that could be the source of all evil in the Muslim society. Likewise, it becomes clear that verse 57, is also not speaking about friendly relations with Jews and Christians but warning against accepting their judgments and their authority in issuing religious decrees.<\/p>\n In view of the above points, the content of the Verse of Wil\u0101ya could be more clearly understood. God identifies three referents for\u00a0wal\u012b<\/em>\u00a0because the groups previously mentioned had not accepted the authority of All\u0101h and had not implemented his orders. This is why God warns these groups in the previous verses.<\/p>\n There are other verses in the Qur\u2019an which further demonstrate that the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 (or \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019) cannot be read as a meaning friend (or friends), but \u2018authority\u2019 or \u2018guardian.\u2019 Q5:51, which forms the basis of R\u0101z\u012b\u2019s argument is very similar to Q9:23, which reads: \u2018O you who have faith! Do not take your fathers and brothers as awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u00a0if they prefer faithlessness to faith. Those of you who befriend them \u2013 it is they who are the wrongdoers.\u2019 What could be the meaning of this verse which warns the believers of taking their parents and brothers as their \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019 if they prefer infidelity to faith? Does this refer to the filial love between parents and their children? Clearly not! This is a very natural kind of love that cannot be easily stopped. Rather, the verse refers to a kind of relationship in which someone\u2019s life is controlled and led by another person.<\/p>\n Q5:51 contains the following divine judgment: \u2018Any of you who allies with them (i.e. the Jews and the Christians) is indeed one of them.\u2019 Could we conclude that friendship with Jews and Christians makes a Muslim believer into a Jew or Christian? Again, it may be seen that the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 is a reference to accepting someone\u2019s authority. As all the above discussion can show, it is impossible for anyone to claim that the word \u2018wal\u012b<\/em>\u2019 or \u2018awliy\u0101\u02be<\/em>\u2019 concerns friendship!<\/p>\n R\u0101z\u012b has a further objection to the Sh\u012b\u02bfa interpretation of the Verse of Wil\u0101ya, too. Supposing that verse Q5:55 refers to Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, R\u0101z\u012b argues, we should also believe that the leadership of \u02bfAl\u012b is not restricted to the post-Prophet era but is also applicable during the Prophet\u2019s lifetime (R\u0101z\u012b,\u00a0Tafs\u012br<\/em>\u00a012\/28)!<\/p>\n However, R\u0101z\u012b has not paid due attention to the fact that while \u02bfAl\u012b\u2019s leadership might apply during the Prophet\u2019s lifetime too, the implementation of such leadership would normally happen in the absence of the Prophet \u2013 that is, after his death. Politicians normally appoint an acting deputy who is not in charge of the affairs unless the politician goes away and there is a need for someone to carry out his or her duties.<\/p>\n Studying the verses about Imam \u02bfAl\u012b, we may see that God actively directs the Muslim community towards the Prophet\u2019s Family. For example, He makes the love of the Prophet\u2019s Household the reward for the Prophet\u2019s mission (Q42:23); He refers to \u02bfAl\u012b as the self (nafs<\/em>) of the Prophet, and his sons as the Prophet\u2019s own sons (Q3:61); He says that the houses of the Prophet\u2019s Family (including that of F\u0101\u1e6dima) have been \u2018raised to honor\u2019 (Q24:36). According to Suy\u016b\u1e6d\u012b, when this verse was revealed to the Prophet, Ab\u016b Bakr asked him while pointing to \u02bfAl\u012b and F\u0101\u1e6dima\u2019s house, \u2018Is this one of those houses?\u2019 and the Prophet replied, \u2018Yes, that is one of the best houses\u2019 (Durr al-Manth\u016br<\/em>\u00a05: 50). If we take these verses into consideration, we can easily see that the Prophet has made a decision about his successor and appointed him before his death.<\/p>\nThe \u1e25ad\u012bth of Thaqalayn<\/h4>\n
The \u1e25ad\u012bth of the Ark<\/h4>\n
The \u1e25ad\u012bth of the Twelve Leaders<\/h4>\n
The Verse of Wil\u0101ya<\/h4>\n
A question answered<\/h4>\n
Responding to R\u0101z\u012b\u2019s objections<\/h4>\n