Master and Mastership [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Wala of Leadership

It means the right of social and political
leadership. Indeed a society must have a leader. The person qualified to take charge of
the social affairs of the Muslims and to control their destinies is called Walyy-u Amr
al-Muslimin (Administrator of the affairs of the Muslims). During his lifetime Muhammad,
the Prophet of Islam, held this position which was granted to him by Allah. Following his
death, it was attained by the Ahl al-Bayt. There exists undeniable evidence to prove this
fact. Besides the Hadith of Ghadir, several verses of the Holy Qur'an point out this kind
of Wala. "

Obey Allah, the Messenger and those of you
who are in charge of your affairs''.[1] (al-Nisa, 4 59).

The Prophet has more authority over
the believers than that which they have over their selves". (al-Ahzab, 33:6)

There is no dispute about the fact that the
Prophet held this position which was a right given to him by Allah and not by the people.
Our Sunni brethren also agree with us on this point. The only debatable question is
regarding the person, who holds this position after him. To avoid chaos and confusion
there must be somebody who may administer the affairs of the Muslims and whom they must
obey. Did Islam devise any procedure in this respect? If it has, what is that? Has it
allowed the Muslims to choose somebody as a successor to the Prophet or did the Prophet
before his demise designate a particular person to succeed him?

In this connection we should see what
duties, according to the Holy Qur'an, the Prophet performed with regard to the social
affairs of Muslim community.

It is inferred from the Holy Qur'an and the
life of the Prophet that he simultaneously held three positions.

Firstly he was the Imam, religious leader
and the law-giver. Whatever he said or did was authoritative. The Qur'an says

If the Messenger orders you to do
something, obey it, and if he forbids somethings abstain from it". (al-Hashr, 59:7)

Secondly his decisions with regard to any
internal disputes and any lawsuits were binding and valid.

Allah says in the Holy Qur'an
(Muhammad)

I swear by your Lord, they will not
be true believers until they make you judge of what is in dispute between them and find in
themselves no dislike of that which you decide, and submit with full submission ".
(al-Nisa, 4: 65)

In this sense the use of the word
'Walayat" is correct, but, in fact, we do not find it being used as a judicial term.

Thirdly he held political and social
Walayat. Besides preaching and explaining the commands of Allah and adjudicating the
disputes among the Muslims, he administered their social and political affairs. He was
Walyy-u Amr al-Muslimin. The following verses envisage this aspect

Obey Allah, His Messenger and those
of you who are in charge of your affairs". (al-Nisa, 4: 59)

The Prophet has more authority over
the believers than that which they have over their selves". (al-Ahzab, 33: 6)

The Prophet had a fourth position also. We
will mention it later.

The Holy Prophet ruled over the people
formally and led them politically. He collected taxes from them and administered their
financial and economic affairs according to the command of the Holy Qur'an. (Vide al-Tauba
9 103)

This position of the Holy Prophet out of
the three preceding positions, constitutes the basis of the question of Caliphate.

It may be mentioned that the word
"imam" is also used for the religious leaders and guides from whom the outlines
of religion are to be acquired. In this sense the Sunni Muslims apply it to Abu Hanifah,
Shafi'i, Malik and Ahmad ibn Hanbal.[2] It is also often applied to the political and
social leaders.

The Holy Prophet has said: "The heart
of a Muslim cannot put up with treachery in respect of three things

Devotion to the cause of Allah (i.e.
whatever one does should be only to seek Divine pleasure).

Benevolence for the leaders in the matter of
the guidance of the Muslims (i.e. to render them sincere advice, whether they like it or
not, and to guide them to the right path as and when there is a danger of their deviating
from it).

Unwavering support to the community (i.e. to
prefer the interests of the society to one's own interests).

Imam Ali in one of his letters recorded in
Nahj al-Balaghah says "The betrayal of the community is the worst treachery and the
deceiving of the Muslim leaders is the most abominable fraud".

It is evident that deceiving the Imam
amounts to deceiving all the Muslims. If a person by deceiving his captain, endangers the
ship, he in reality betrays all the passengers aboard it.

It is evident that in the above saying of
Imam Ali the word "Imam" has been applied to the social and political leader.

We have read in Islamic history that the
Muslims including the Holy Imams often addressed their contemporary Caliphs as Imams. In
this connection it may be borne in mind that the Imam in this sense may either be just or
unjust. In either case the Muslims have certain duties.

According to a well-known hadith, which is
considered to be authentic by both the Shi'ah and the Sunni, the Holy Prophet said:
"The best jihad is to say what is true before an unjust Imam". Similarly the
Holy Prophet is reported to have said "Three persons cause damage to religion Unjust
Imam, ignorant pietist and immoral scholar".

On the top of all these the Qur'an itself
mentions the Imams who invite the people to Hell. "We have made them Imams inviting
to Hell". (al-Qasas, 28 41)

Anyhow, there is no doubt that the word
"Imam" is applied mostly to the just and virtuous leaders. According to the
Shi'ah terminology it is applied exclusively to the twelve infallibles whose names are

Imam Ali b. Abi Talib—al-Murtaza


Imam Hasan b. Ali—al-Mujtaba


Imam Husayn b. Ali—al-Shaheed


Imam Ali b. Husayn—al-Sajjad


Imam Muhammad b. Ali—al-Baqir


Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad—al-Sadiq


Imam Musa b. Ja'far—al-Kazim


Imam Ali b. Musa—al-Riza


Imam Muhammad b. Ali - al-Taqi


Imam Ali b. Muhammad—al-Naqi


Imam Hasan b. Ali—al-Askari


Imam Muhammad b. Hasan—al-Mahdi, (May
peace be upon Muhammad and his vicegerents)

[1] From the Shi'ah point of view, since
the Major Occultation of Mahdi, the Imam of the Age in 329 A.H. no particular person has
been appointed to be the head and leader of the Muslim ummah. That is why in the hadiths
related to leadership during this period only the general qualities and characteristics
required to be possessed by a leader have been mentioned. This shows that it is upto the
people themselves to choose a person as their leader, having those qualities and
characteristics. The main qualifications of a ruler during Occultation are: (a) Faith in
Allah, His revelations and the teachings of His Prophet. The Holy Qur'an says: "Allah
will never let the disbelievers triumph over the believers". (al-Nisa, 4 141). (b)
Integrity, adherence to the laws of Islam, and earnestness about dheir enforcement. When
Allah told Prophet Ibrahim that he had been appointed the Imam, the latter asked whether
anyone of his family would also attain that position. In reply Allah said "My
covenant does not include the wrong-doers". (al-Baqarah, 2:124). Prophet Daud was
told by Allah "O Daud! We have made you our representative on the earth. Therefore
judge rightly between people ". (Sad, 38 26). (c) Adequate knowledge of Islam,
appropriate to his prominent position. The Holy Qur'an says: "Is he who guides the
people to the truth more worthy to be followed or he who does not guide unless he himself
is guided?"(Yunus, 10:35). (d) Enough competence for holding such a position and
freedom from every defect not in keeping with Islamic leadership. (e) His standard of
living being equal to that of the low-income people . In this connection there is enough
material in the sermons of Imam Ali and in the epistles he sent to his officials. In a
number of episdes it has been emphasized that an administrative officer should be free
from love of money, ignorance, inefficiency, outrage, timidness, bribery, and violation of
Islamic injunctions and conventions and should not be guilty of shedding blood.

[2] The four Imams of the Sunnis are Abu
Hanifah No'man bin Thabit who was a slave of Banu Taymullah. He died in 150 A.H. Abu
Abdillah Malik bin Anas died in 179 A.H., Abu Abdillah Muhammad bin Idris Shafi'i
Muttalibi died in 204 A.H. and Abu Abdillah Ahmad bin Hanbal Zahli Sheybani, died in 241
A.H.