(6) Muhammad bin Ya’qoob narrated from Abul Qassim bin al-Ala’ al-Hamadani that Abdul Aziz bin Muslim had said: We were with Imam ar-Redha in Marw. We met with our companions in the mosque on Friday. They discussed the matter of the imamate. They mentioned how much disagreement there was about this subject. I came to my master Imam ar-Redha and told him of what people had discussed. He smiled and said: “O Abdul Aziz, the people have ignored and have been deceived by their opinions. Allah has not make His messenger die until He has perfected the religion and revealed the Qur’an to detail everything; permissible and impermissible things, judgements and penalties and every thing that people might need in their lives. Allah has said, “We have not neglected anything in the Book,” and He has revealed to His messenger in the last (farewell) hajj this verse, “This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion.” Definitely the matter of the imamate is from the religion and that religion is not perfected without it. The Prophet (S), before leaving to the better world, has declared to his umma the principles of their religion and has showed them the straight path and the clear truth. He has appointed to them Ali as the imam. He has not left anything that the umma need unless he has declared it to them. Then whoever claims that Allah has not perfected His religion denies the Book of Allah and so he becomes unbeliever. Do they know the importance of the imamate and its position to the umma so that they determine as they like? The imamate is much more important, greater in position, higher in rank, more impervious and profounder than to be perceived by their own minds or to be refuted by their own opinions or that they themselves appoint the imam according to their fancies. The imamate is a divine position that Allah has favored Abraham with after prophethood then He has honored him with companionship thirdly. Allah has said, “Surely I will make you an Imam of men.” Abraham said delightfully, “And of my offspring?” Then Allah has said, “My covenant does not include the unjust.” So this verse has annulled every imamate of every unjust one until the Day of Resurrection and it limited the imamate to the choice that Allah has chosen. The choice is the progeny of Abraham that Allah has honored and preferred to all of the human beings. Allah has said, “And We gave him Issaq and Yaqoub (Jacob), a son’s son, and We made (them) all good and We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve.” It has been still in Abraham’s progeny inherited by one after the other and age after age until it has been inherited by Prophet Muhammad . Allah has said, “Most surely the nearest of people to Ibrahim are those who followed him and this Prophet and those who believe and Allah is the guardian of the believers.” Then the Prophet (S) has entrusted Ali with it (the imamate) according to the order of Allah and then it has been inherited by Ali’s pure progeny, whom Allah has granted faith, knowledge and wisdom as He has said, “And those who are given knowledge and faith will say: Certainly you tarried according to the ordinance of Allah till the Day of Resurrection.” The imamate has been limited to the progeny of Ali until the Day of Resurrection because there is no prophet after Muhammad . Then how can these ignorants choose the imam? Imamate is the rank of the prophets and the inheritance of their guardians. Imamate is the caliphate of Allah and His messenger and it is the position of Amirul Mo’mineen Ali and the inheritance of al-Hasan and al-Husayn . Imamate is the reins of religion, the system that runs the Muslims’ affairs, the goodness of life and the honor of the believers. Imamate is the progressive basis of Islam. With the imam prayers, zakat, fasting, hajj, jihad, finance, charities, judgements, penalties and protecting the boundaries become perfect. The imam permits what Allah has permitted and prohibits what Allah has prohibited. He defends the religion of Allah, carries out His penalties and invites to the way of his Lord with wisdom, fair exhortation and with inevitable evidence. An imam is the shining sun that spreads its light allover the world while it is in the sky where neither hands nor eyes can harm it. An imam is a luminous moon, a bright lamp, shining light and a guiding star in the dark nights, in the deserts and in the high seas. An imam is like pure water to the thirsty. He is the light leading to guidance and he is the saver, who saves from perishment. An imam is like a fire on a hill. It is warm to those, who want to warm themselves and it is a sign of guidance to the lost. Who turns away from it will perish. An imam is like raining clouds, like the shining sun, like the shady sky, like plain ground, like a flowing fountain, like a brook and a garden. An imam is like a close companion, a kind father, a good brother and a merciful mother to her child. He is a safe resort to people during disasters. An imam is the trustee of Allah among His people, His authority over them, His caliph on His earth, the advocate of His mission and the defender of His sanctuaries. An imam is purified from sins, free from defects, inspired with knowledge and endowed with discernment. He is the order of religion, the dignity of the Muslims, the rage of the hypocrites and the ruin of the unbelievers. An imam is the only one of his age. He is incomparable and with no like or substitute. He is endowed with all virtues by the Exalted Giver. Who, then, can know what an imam is to choose him? How far! Minds become confused, wise men go astray, discerning people abstain, speechers fail, intelligents ignore, poets become tired, men of letters flop and eloquent people falter to describe one aspect of an imam’s aspects or one virtue of his virtues. How can he be described as all? How can his essence be recognized? Can anything of his affairs be understood? Can anyone replace him? Certainly not! He is like a star to the hands of the catchers! So how can they choose the imam with their fancies or how can minds determine that? Is there another like? Do you think that that is available among other than the Prophet’s progeny? By Allah their minds have cheated them and their false fancies have deluded them and so they put themselves in a very high position, from which their feet will slip to the lowest bottom. They want to appoint the imam with confused or inactive minds and deviating thoughts; therefore they become too far away from him (the imam). They look forward to unattainable thing, say false thing and go astray too far and then they fall into confusion when they turn away from the imam knowingly and when the Satan has encrusted their bad deeds to them to take them away from the straight path. They turn away from the choice of Allah, His messenger and Ahlul Bayt and cling to their own choice whereas Allah has said, “And your Lord creates and chooses whom He pleases; to choose is not theirs; glory be to Allah, and exalted be He above what they associate with Him.” And it behooves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter.” And, “What has happened to you? How do you judge? Or have you a book wherein you read? That you have surely therein what you choose. Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by an oath extending to the Day of Resurrection that you shall surely have what you demand? Ask them which of them will vouch for that. Or have they other gods? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful.” سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ {21} And, “Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an? Nay, on the hearts there are locks,” or, “a seal is set on their hearts so they do not understand,” or “They said, We hear, and they did not obey. Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah’s sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand. And if Allah had known any good in them He would have made them hear, and if He makes them hear they would turn back while they withdraw,” or, “They said: We hear and disobey,” but it is “The grace of Allah: He gives it to whom He pleases.” How can they choose the imam? An imam is a savant that does not ignore and a guardian that does not wrong. He is the essence of holiness, purity, asceticism, knowledge and worship. He is appointed by the Prophet (S) via revelation. He is from the progeny of the pure Batool . There is no defect in his lineage and no one is comparable to him from among all of Quraysh. He is the summit of the Hashimites, the successor of the Prophet (S) and the pleasing of Allah. He is the most honorable of the all. He is with perfect knowledge and discernment. He undertakes the imamate devotedly. He is aware of politics. He is obeyed. He carries out the orders of Allah, directs people to their welfare and guards the religion of Allah. Allah grants the prophets and imams (peace be upon them) with His knowledge and wisdom, which He does not grant anyone else than them with. Hence their knowledge is above the knowledge of the people of every age. Allah says, “Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge,” and, “…and whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good.” And He says about Talut, “Surely Allah has chosen him in preference to you, and He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique, and Allah grants His kingdom to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.” And He says to His messenger Muhammad , “…and Allah has revealed to you the Book and the wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and Allah’s grace on you is very great.” Allah says about the infallible imams of His prophet’s progeny, “Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace? But indeed We have given to Ibraheem’s children the Book and the wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom. So of them is he who believes in him and of them is he who turns away from him, and hell is sufficient to burn.” If Allah chooses someone to run the affairs of His people, He will delight his heart to be ready to that, grant him with wisdom and inspire him with knowledge that he will never fail to answer any question. Allah assists him and makes him infallible that he does never fall into error, fault or mistake. Allah grants him with all of that to be His authority over His people. “… that is the grace of Allah: He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.” After all, can they be fit to choose such an imam? Can their chosen imam be with all these virtues that Allah has granted to the imams, whom He has chosen? By the House of Allah, they have trespassed the truth and turned their backs to the holy Book of Allah indifferently. The Book of Allah has the remedy and the guidance but they have neglected it and followed their fancies; therefore Allah has dispraised them, detested them and has made them wretched. Allah has said, “…and who is more erring than he who follows his low desires without any guidance from Allah? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people,” and “…for them is destruction and He has made their deeds ineffective,” and “…greatly hated is it by Allah and by-those who believe. Thus does Allah set a seal over the heart of every proud, haughty one.”