IMAMAH - Islamic Teachings in Brief [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

IMAMAH

A government organization established in a country to
handle public affairs cannot operate by itself. Unless a group of
competent and experienced individuals endeavour to maintain and run it, it
will not survive and will not provide the people with its services.

The same applies to any other organization established in
human societies such as cultural and various economic organizations. These
organizations will always be dependent upon competent and honest managers;
otherwise, they will be liquidated and wound up in a short period. This is
a clear fact that can be perceived by a simple deliberation. Many
experiences and experiments also substantiate its veracity.

Surely, the organization of the religion of Islam, which
could be called the world's largest organization, follows the same
principle. It depends upon guardians and directors for its survival and
continuity. It always looks for competent individuals to provide the
people with Islamic teachings and laws, to carry out its exact provisions
in the Islamic society, and to allow no negligence and procrastination in
the observance and safeguarding of Islam.

The guardianship of religious matters and the Islamic
society is called "Imamah". The guardian and leader is known as the
"Imam". Shi'ahs believe that, after the demise of the Holy Prophet (SA),
the Imam must be appointed by the Almighty Allah to act as a custodian and
guardian of the sciences and commandments of Islam and to lead the people
onto the right path.

Whoever truly investigates and conducts a thorough study
and research on Islamic teachings and fairly uses his judgement will find
out that Imamah is one of the unquestionable principles of the holy
religion of Islam and that the Almighty Allah stipulates this matter in
Qur'anic Ayat introducing the organization of His religion.

THE LOGIC FOR IMAMAH

As clarified in the discussion of Nubuwwah,
the kindness, favour and care of the Creator of the world which He has
towards the world of existence calls for His leading every creature
towards a specific goal (which is the attainment of ideal perfection). For
instance, a fruit- bearing tree is led towards development, blossom, and
bearing fruit. Its course of life differs from that of a bird. Similarly,
every bird lives in its own special way and pursues its own specific goal.
In this manner, every creature is led only towards reaching its specified
goal and pursuing the right path and nothing else. Obviously, man is also
one of the creatures of Allah and is bound by the same principle of
guidance.

It also became clear that since the ideal perfection and
prosperity of man is gained through his own choice and free will, the
Divine guidance of man, in particular, should be achieved by way of
invitation, propagation, and communication of religion and its rules and
regulations through the prophets, so that men could not have any plea
against this system of the Almighty Allah.

"(We sent) messengers as the givers of good news and
as warners, so that people should not have a plea against Allah after the
(coming of) messengers...(4:165)."

This holy Ayah leads to the
same logic that necessitated the appointment of prophets and the
establishment of the system of religious invitation. After the demise of
the Holy Prophet (SA), who guarded the religion and led the people with
his 'Ismah, it is necessary for the Almighty Allah to assign
someone similar to him in 'Ismah and ideal attributes (except
wahy and Nubuwwah) as a substitute to preserve the Islamic
sciences and commandments without any deviation and lead the people.
Otherwise, the programme of general guidance will be disrupted and people
would have a plea against the system of guidance of Allah.

THE IMAM IS INDISPENSABLE

Due to its error and mistake, men's wisdom cannot
enable them to do without the anbiya' of Allah. In like manner, the
existence of Islamic 'ulama' among the Ummah and their
religious propagation are not sufficient to make people independent of
Imams. As clarified earlier, the question is not whether people follow the
religion or not, rather the point under discussion is that the religion of
Allah must reach the people untouched and without any change, alteration,
or mutilation.

It is certain that the 'ulama' of Ummah are
not infallible and immune from error and sin, no matter how virtuous and
pious they are. It is not impossible that Islamic sciences and laws be
ruined and changed by them although it might be unintentionally. The best
evidence for this matter is the existence of various sects and
discrepancies which have crept into Islam.

Therefore, in any case, the existence of the Imam is
necessary to safeguard the real Islamic sciences and laws of the religion
of Allah, so that people could benefit from his guidance whenever they
find the ability to receive it.

THE
HOLY PROPHET'S (SA) STATEMENT

ABOUT WILAYAH

Describing the Holy Prophet (SA), the Almighty Allah
states:

"Certainly a Messenger has come to you from among
yourselves, grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively
solicitous respecting you, to the mu'minin (he is) compassionate, merciful
(9:128)."

It can never be believed that the Holy Prophet (SA), who,
according to the explicit wording of the Holy Book, Qur'an was the most
compassionate and merciful of all to his ummah, would remain silent
all his life and overlook about mentioning one of the divine orders which
is undoubtedly of highest importance and topmost priority for the Islamic
society and which is demanded by wisdom and commonsense.

The Holy Prophet (SA) knew better than anyone else that
the organized and enormous institution of Islam was not a matter of ten or
twenty years to be supervised by himself. He was aware that Islam is a
universal and eternal organization that must direct the human world
forever. Thus, the Holy Prophet (SA) predicting the situation of thousands
of years after his demise and issued the necessary orders accordingly. The
Holy Prophet (SA) was fully aware that Islam is a social organization and
that no social organization can exist and survive even for an hour without
a guardian and ruler. Therefore, the presence of a guardian is necessary
to preserve the Islamic sciences and laws of religion, to manage the
affairs of the society, and to lead and guide the people towards happiness
in this world and the Hereafter. Thus, how could it be conceived that the
Holy Prophet (SA) would overlook the situation after his departure and
would show no interest towards it?

As a habit, the Holy Prophet (SA) used to appoint someone
to manage the affairs of people in his absence whenever he left Madinah
even for a few days to take part in battles or to perform Hajj.
Similarly, he also used to appoint governors for cities conquered by the
Muslims and used to assign commanders for every division and group that he
despatched to the battlefield. Sometimes, the Holy Prophet (SA) even said:
"Your commander is such and such a person. If he is killed, then such and
such will be his successor and if he is also killed, so and so will act as
the commander."

With this policy that the Prophet (SA) followed, how
can it be believed that the Holy Prophet (SA) might not have designated
anyone as his successor at the time of his death?

In short, by looking deeply into the sublime aims of
Islam and the holy objective of its dignified bearer, one will undoubtedly
acknowledge that the matter of Imamah and wilayah has been
resolved and made clear for the Muslims.

APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSORBY THE HOLY PROPHET (SA)

The Holy Prophet (SA) did not content himself with
only general remarks concerning Imamah and wilayah of the
affairs of Muslims after his demise, rather he explicitly explained the
subject of Imamah, along with Tawhid and Nubuwwah,
from the very beginning of his call and announced the wilayah and
Imamah of 'Ali (AS) for the affairs of the religion and the world
as well as for all the affairs of the Muslims.

According to a hadith narrated by Sunni and Shiah
on the first day of his call to the people to Islam 'ulama', the
Holy Prophet (SA) invited his relatives to gather publicly for a meeting.
At this meeting, he explicitly substantiated and established the ministry,
wilayah, and succession of the Leader of the Faithful, 'Ali (AS).
In the last days of his life, too, in Ghadir Khumm, the Holy Prophet (SA)
lifted 'Ali (AS), holding his hand, among the gathering of one hundred and
twenty thousand Muslims and stated:

"Anyone for whom I am the guardian and leader, this 'Ali
(AS) is his guardian and leader as well."

Furthermore, the Holy Prophet (SA) has specified the
number, the names, and all the characteristics of Imams and leaders who
will be succeeding him.

In a well-known hadith narrated by Shi'ah and
Sunni 'ulama', the Holy Prophet (SA) has stated: "There are twelve
Imams, all of whom are from the Quraysh." According to the famous
hadith, the Holy Prophet (SA) said to Jabir al-Ansari: "There are
twelve Imams." Then he mentioned their names one by one and told Jabir:
"You will meet the fifth Imam. Say my salam (greetings) to
him."

Besides, the Holy Prophet (SA) h as specifically
appointed the Leader of the Faithful, 'Ali (AS), as his successor.
Hadrat 'Ali (AS) has also nominated the next Imam as his successor.
In the like manner, each Imam has appointed the next Imam to serve as his
successor.