[Pooya/Ali Commentary 10:35] The questions asked in this verse contain the following answers: Only those, guided by the divine guidance bestowed on them, and are not therefore in need of any guidance whatsoever from any agency other than Allah, are the true guides who should be followed. As stated in Aqa Mahdi Puya's note in the commentary, of al Baqarah: 78 the Holy Prophet is the perfect example of such a guide. In view of the Holy Prophet's saying: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate", Ali enjoys the same status. The source of his unique wisdom (glimpses of which are found in the Nahj al Balagha) was either the divine endowment or his constant companionship with the Holy Prophet. Likewise every one of the holy Imams from among the Ahl ul Bayt of the Holy Prophet was a guide for mankind. Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said that the guides referred to in this verse are the twelve holy Imams from among the Ahl ul Bayt of the Holy Prophet, whom Allah has thoroughly purified (Ahzab: 33). All other claimants are impostors. Allah has made available to mankind the guidance and the guides. There is no compulsion in the matter of faith as has been made clear in verse 3 of Ad Dahr: "Verily we have shown him the (right) path that he may either be grateful (accept it) or ungrateful (reject it)." If guided by this verse, the Muslims can never accept the immah or wilayah of any other than Ali ibn abi Talib, as the true successor of the Holy Prophet. Jalal al Din al Suyuti, in Tarikh al Khulafa, says: (1) Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: "There has not come down to us regarding the merits of anyone of the companions of the Holy Prophet what has been transmitted concerning Ali." (2) Ibn Asakir from Ibn Abbas says: "There has not been revealed in the book of Allah, the Quran, regarding any one what has been revealed concerning Ali and that 300 verses have been revealed concerning Ali." (3) Tabarani and Ibn Abi Hatim relate from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Allah never revealed the words 'O True believers' but Ali was understood to be the lord and chief of them, and verily Allah has reproved the various people but has never mentioned Ali save with approval." (4) Tirmidhi, Nisa-i and Ibn Maja relate from Habshi Bin Junada that the Holy Prophet said: "Ali is part of me and I am part of Ali." (5) Tabarani relates in Awsat that Ummi Salmah narrated: 'I heard the Holy Prophet say: "Ali is with Quran and Quran is with Ali, they shall not be separated until they arrive at the fountain of Kawthar in paradise." (6) Tabarani relates in Awsat from Jabir bin Abdullah that the Holy Prophet said, "The people are of various stocks but I and Ali are of one stock." (7) Ibn Sad records on the authority of Ali that he said: "By Allah a verse of the Quran was never revealed but I know for what it was revealed, where it was revealed, and for whom it was revealed, because my Lord has given unto me a wise heart and an eloquent tongue." (8) Ibn Sad and others relate on the authority of Abu Tufayl that Ali said: "Ask me regarding the book of Allah, for verily there is not a verse but I know whether it was revealed by night or by day, in the plains or on the mountains." (9) Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim relate from Ali that the Holy Prophet said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." (10) Tabarani relates from Ummi Salmah that the Holy Prophet said: "He who loves Ali verily loves me, and he who hates Ali verily hates me, and he who hates me, verily hates Allah." (11) Abu Yula and Al-Bazzaz relate from Sad bin Abi Waqqas that the Holy Prophet said: "He who grieves Ali, grieves me." (12) Ahmad relates and Al-Hakim confirms it on the authority of Ummi Salmah, who narrated: "I heard the Holy Prophet say: 'verily he who reviles Ali, reviles me.' (13) Sad Ibn Al-Musayyib says that Umar bin Khattab used to pray to Allah to save him from a perplexing case for which Abul Hasan (Ali) was not present to decide, and that Umar said: "None of the companions used to throw the challenge "Ask me" except Ali." (14) Tabarani says in the Awsat that Ibn Abbas said: "Ali possessed 18 eminent qualities which belonged to no other of the people." ( 15) The two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) relate on the authority of Sad bin Abi Waqqas that the Holy Prophet left Ali bin Abi Talib behind him as his vicegerent during the expedition to Tabuk, and Ali said: "O Prophet of Allah, do you leave me behind, among the women and children?" He replied: "Are you not content to be to me in the relation of Harun to Musa save that there shall be no prophet after me?" Please refer to the commentary of al Ma-idah: 67 to know about the open and clear declaration of the imamah and wilayah of Ali ibn abu Talib by the Holy Prophet under the command of Allah, after which there remains no excuse to accept and follow any other guide after the Holy Prophet. All men have to obey Allah alone, but Allah has not created all men as believers. Most of them are beguiled by Shaytan. Verse 2 of Ankabut clearly says that whosoever professes belief shall be tried and tested. Verse 2 of al Mulk says that Allah created life and death in order to try and test mankind to see who of them are best by way of deeds. So the divine plan is to make available guidance and guides to mankind in the life of this world and give them freedom of choice in order to test and try the true mettle of each and every individual. It is every person's own responsibility to find out the true guidance and guides by making use of his or her knowledge, observation and intelligence, because there is no compulsion in religion (Baqarah: 256). Those who hold fast to the rope of Allah (the thoroughly purified Ahl ul Bayt) make a correct judgment and follow the right path (see commentary of Ali Imran: 103). Aqa Mahdi Puya says: Allah invites man to accept His creative authority. As soon as man does so he has to follow and obey His legislative authority which implies obedience to His messenger, and in his absence, to the divinely appointed Imam (refer to the commentary of al Ma-idah: 55), and to the institution of "ijtihad and taqlid' based upon the teachings of the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt. In her address to the then ruling authority, Bibi Fatimah had pointed out and established the necessity of prophethood and imamat on the basis of this verse (refer to the Biography of Bibi Fatimah, published by this Trust). The authority to administer the affairs of mankind should be vested in a person who is divinely endowed to guide people to the truth, and not in a person who cannot distinguish between right and wrong or between good and evil (see commentary of Ali Imran: 101 to 115-Aqa Puya's note). Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq had rejected the theory of Mutazilites (that khilafah should be elected by adult franchise) by quoting the Holy Prophet (who said): "Whoever draws the sword and calls people to obey him while there is a more learned man among the Muslims than he, is a straying impostor." This verse and verse 24 of Zukhruf prove that one should always follow the guidance of the best and the most learned authority-the basis of the doctrine of "ijtihad and taqlid".