Imamate and Leadership [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

and the Realm of Islam

In contrast to present-day Christianity, the credal
system of which is based on a purely spiritual and ethical summons to man and the scope of
which does not extend beyond the propagation of religion and the attempt to guide mankind,
Islam is a system that refuses to confine itself to mere religious rituals.

The summons to purposive activity and struggle, the
need to expand and disseminate the message of monotheism, the elaboration of laws and
ordinances for both the material and spiritual life of man, as well as the direct
participation of the Most Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his family,
in various battles - all this indicates that the ideational system of Islam aims at the
establishment of a government that with its liberating ideals will permit men to
rediscover themselves and choose a truly human form of existence. Further, the government
that Islam intends to establish will defend the religion of monotheism with the necessary
decisiveness, ward off any aggression against the lands of Islam, and implement God's laws
with care and precision.

Such a government, on account of its answerability
before God's laws, will never be ready to compromise those laws, however slightly, in the
face of pressure and hostility from the enemies of Islam, whatever form that hostility may
take; it will never ignore God's commandments nor abandon their implementation.

In general, once religious leadership is separated
from the ruling institution and religion remains indifferent to the question of political
rule, contenting itself with preaching and admonishing the masses, religion will have no
guarantor in society. Even if people are made aware of the teachings of religion by the
efforts of scholars and thinkers and try to implement those teachings in their lives, the
ruling classes will attempt by various means to prevent the implementation of measures
that secure human happiness and especially of the divine commandments that might threaten
their hegemony. They will even go beyond that, implementing their own carefully calculated
plans to shore up their rule and protect their interests, both in the short term and in
the long term.

If therefore religion regards its teachings as the
source of salvation and happiness of society, it must give thought to the system of rule,
propose a specific system of governance equipped with all the necessary laws and
ordinances. Only then will it be able to establish religion in society and clear the way
for God's religion to advance.

Both in Islam and in the monotheistic religions that
preceded it, particular attention was paid to the establishment of a suitable system of
government, an entirely logical concern, for the founders of different schools of
religious thought were unwilling to abandon the fruits of their efforts to the
vicissitudes of history.

Islamic government - i.e., the administration of the
ummah on the basis of Islamic law began with the migration of the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him and his family, and his arrival in Madinah; it was then that the
system of Islamic government began to take shape.

From the very first day that the Messenger of God
laid the foundations of Islamic monotheism, despite the hostility of the corrupt and
misguided polytheists whom he had left behind in Makkah, and began expanding the power of
Islam in Madinah in all its aspects, political, economic, geographical and cultural, he
entrusted the administration of certain matters to responsible and capable elements so
that they might contribute to the advancement of the community.

Throughout the battles and wars that took place in
order to remove the obstacles that stood in the way of spreading the truth and to
establish justice, new lands would come under the control of the Muslims. The Prophet
would immediately, appoint in each of these lands a governor and a judge as well as a
teacher whose task it was to teach religion to the people. Protection was also extended to
the non-Muslims inhabiting these territories and whatever humane cultural values they
cherished.

The Qur'an recognizes the Prophet to have had the
functions of ruler (hakim) and judge (qadi), for it addresses him as follows: "Judge
among them according to what your Lord has sent down to you, and follow not their vain
desires." (5:48)

The prophets were indeed the founders of divine
government on earth, and they constituted the principal resource for the establishment of
a righteous government that would serve the broad masses of the people.

The Qur'an assigns rulership not only to the Prophet
of Islam but also to Yusuf (Joseph): "When Yusuf reached maturity We bestowed on him
rulership and knowledge; thus do We reward the doers of good." (12:22)

The Qur'an addresses Dawud (David) as follows:
"O Dawud, We bestowed upon you Our viceregency upon earth, so that you might rule
justly among God's creation, not following your vain desires for they would lead you
astray from God's path." (38:25)

The Islamic laws concerning fixed penalties and the
payment of blood money, as well as many other topics in jurisprudence, count as the
executive pillars of the Islamic system of government that was founded by the Prophet.

The governmental function of the Prophet had another
important dimension, that of creating a suitable environment for the strengthening of the
Islamic summons, expounding the divine laws and ordinances for mankind, and inculcating in
men the concepts of God's Book so that they might attain the lofty goals that Islam had
prescribed.

The Qur'an says the following with respect to this
aspect of the Prophet's task: "God it is Who raised a great Prophet from among the
unlettered Arabs in order that he might recite to them the verses of God's revelation and
cleanse them from the pollution of ignorance and evil morals, and teach them the shari'ah
of God's Book and divine wisdom, even though they were previously in the pit of ignorance
and misguidance." (62:2)

The Prophet was thus the ruler of Islamic society in
addition to being a guide and a promulgator of God's ordinances. Whoever wished to be his
successor ought, then, to have combined in himself these same two dimensions rulership of
society and the spiritual guidance of the ummah. In addition, he had to be the guardian of
the credal based of Islam and its ordinances, protecting them from change or distortion
and resisting decisively the assaults of unbelief, skepticism and misguidance; one able to
solve problems arising from any kind of deviation, and to confront any aggression of the
Islamic lands by outsiders. Only thus could the continuity and preservation of Islam be
assured amid the myriad dangers It faced.

The best method of preserving the rights of the
individual and society is to have a government of the righteous, and the most righteous
form of government is without doubt the government of the inerrant (ma'sum), which alone
makes it possible to hope for the preservation of the rights of all man. A government
headed by one chosen by God Is in reality the government of God, and It is only this type
of government that makes it possible for man to preserve his true personality, nobility
and dignity, and to attain all his rights. Respect for the dignity of man and the
establishment of justice are among the fundamental principles of such a government.
Impious and arbitrary rulers may often pay lip service to human rights and claim to be the
defenders of the dignity of the individual and society, but in practice they drag man's
honor in the mud, and their only accomplishment is the enthronement of discrimination and
Injustice.

There can then be no doubt as to the importance of a
just and virtuous government and the efforts of the prophets to establish such, nor
conversely of the damage caused by impious rulers who are unconcerned with the ultimate
destiny of society and with enabling men to obtain their rights.

The one who wishes to assume religious leadership
and undertake the guidance of the masses as the successor of the Prophet, must bear
affinity to him with respect to knowledge, deeds, and manner of thought. He must also have
special moral qualities and spiritual attributes, be divinely protected from sin, and be
fully cognizant of the truths of religion; only then will he be able to solve whatever
problem arises on the basis of truth, justice, and the shari'ah. Islam cannot accept that
rule over society and the protection of human dignity should be entrusted to the first
person who chances along.

The Noble Qur'an cites the superior strength and
capacity of Talut (Saul) as a reason for his being chosen as a fit leader of his people:
"He is more fitted to rule because God has chosen him and bestowed on him a surfeit
of knowledge and power." (2:247)

In just the same way that the Most Noble Messenger,
peace and blessings be upon him and his family, exercised two offices, the one who wishes
to succeed him must also have his two essential qualities: an inner dimension of
connectedness with God which is bestowed by God Himself in His grace, and an outer
dimension of leadership and rule. These two are inseparable, and leadership of the ummah
cannot be based on one of them alone; political and social leadership must go together
with spiritual guidance. The Imam has both spiritual and legislative authority, and is
thus able to perpetuate the correct mode of administering human affairs that was
established by the prophets.

When the fifth Imam was commenting on the belief
prevalent at the Saqifah that the two aspects of the matter can be separated from each
other, he cited this verse in which God bestowed on the progeny of Ibrahim both spiritual
guidance and leadership and the administration of society:

"Are they envious of what We in our generosity
have bestowed on the progeny of Ibrahim? We sent the Book and wisdom to the family of
Ibrahim, and gave them too kingship and rule." (4:52)

Then the Imam added: "How is it that they
accept the combination of the two aspects in the case of the children of Ibrahim, but
reject it for the Household of the Prophet?"

Notes:

al-'Ayyashi,
al-Tafsir, Vol. I, p.247.