The development of shiite political thought from shura to wilayat al-faqih
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PHILOSOPHICAL EVIDENCEA- REASON FIRST The Twelver- Imam Shiites, who believe in the existence of a concealed son for Imam Hassan Askari, and in the continuation of his life to date, and to the day he will appear in the future, present several evidences on that, which can be divided into different types. On the top of them is the philosophical or rational evidence. What does this evidence presents? And on what is it based? It is says: Firstly: The necessity of the existence of the Imam (leader) on earth, and the impossibility of the world remaining in confusion without a government. Secondly: The necessity of infallibility of the Imam from Allah, and the impossibility of a government of jurists (Fuqaha) of integrity or ordinary rulers. Thirdly: The necessity of the existence of the Imam and confining it (imamate) to the Ahl al-Bayt, and in the children of Ali and Hussain to the day of Resurrection Fourthly: The belief in the death of Imam Hassan Askari, and the non-acceptance of his occultation or Mahdism. Fifthly: Sticking to the law of vertical inheritance, and the impossibility of the transfer of the Imamate to two brothers after Hassan and Hussain. The theologians who wrote on the Mahdism of Muhammad bin Hassan Askari, in the old and now, used to present the rational evidence as the most important evidence on his existence. They gave it a lot of importance in the process of argumentation. Sheikh Saduq has transmitted the statement of a contemporary Shiite theology: Abu Sahl Ismail bin Ali Nubakhti who showed that the evidence on the existence of Imam Mahdi is rational. He mentioned in his book ‘Al-Tanbih’, which he wrote thirty(30) years, after the occultation: “The Shiites knew of the existence of the son of Hassan through evidence, as they knew Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him) and other religious issues through evidence.” (1) Sheikh Mufid (338-413 A.H) opined that: “ The rational evidence that requires the existence of the infallible Imam at all times, is sufficient on the existence of the son of Hassan (Askari) and confining the Imamate in him.” He also said: This is a principle that will not need any narration of the text for it stands on itself in the matter of reason, and its validity is through evidence.” (2) Sheikh Al-Karajiki (427 A.H) had employed the rational evidence based on the necessity of the Imamate and the necessity of the infallibility of the Imam, in the process of establishing the existence of a son of Imam Hassan Askari, and confirming his Imamate and the validity of his occultation, that is by confirming infallibility in him and the fallibility of all other claimants to the Imamate. (3) Sayyid Murtada Alam al-Huda (355-436 A.H) said: “ Reason requires the necessity of leadership at all times: That leader will have to be infallible … If these two principle have been established, then it must be said that: The owner of the affairs (Imam) himself, because the attribute that was required, and its necessity as shown, is not found except in him, and occultation will be pursued in a necessary manner, without any doubt… and also because if the Imamate of one whose Imamate have been established through selection, due to the nonavailability of the attribute indicated by reason; and the statement of the one who differed (from him), of the extremist Shiites, then there is no alternative to our stand; it must necessarily be valid, otherwise the Ummah has lost the truth.” (4) Sayyid Murtada denied the need for witnessing the Imam, in order to believe in him, after the possibility of knowing him through rational argumentation. He refuted in his ‘Al-Shafi’ the statement of the Mutazilite scholar-Qadi Abd al-Jabbar al-Hamadani, where he denied in his ‘Al-Mughni’ the existence of the twelfth Imam, saying:” The Shiite belief in infallibility has led them to establishing persons that do not exist. They have established in these times one Imam characterized with a lineage and name, without anyone knowing him or having the slightest idea of his person or his signs.” Murtada said in Al-Shafi: “ This his statement was built on mere claim and sheer suggestion. We have established the necessity of the Imamate at all times, in what cannot be disputed or refuted.” (5) Sheikh Tusi (385-460 A.H) said in his ‘Talkhis al-Shafi’: Anyone who believes in the necessity of considering rational evidence, believes in the existence of the owner of the times (Mahdi) and his Imamate.” (6) He said in ‘Masa’ il Kalamiyyah Al-Masa’ il al-Ashr’: “ The Imam today is the heir, the evidence, the Qa’im, the Awaited Mahdi Muhammad bin Hassan the owner of the times…. The Mahdi is alive and existing from the time of his father Hassan Askari till our present time on the following evidence: At any time must have Imam, who is infallible, this is incumbent on Allah at all times.” (7) Sheikh Tusi in his Al-Ghaybah’ classified the evidences on the birth of the owner of the time (Mahdi) into two categories, viz. rational and textual (traditional). He emphasized on the importance of the first group in an independent manner, and said: “ On the issue of the birth of the Mahdi (Sahib al- Zaman) and its validity, there are rational as well as traditional evidences. As for the rational, they are: If his Imamate is established as we have proved (through evidences) and all the parts except that which confirm his Imamate invalidated, we will know by that the validity of his birth, even if no tradition has been reported at all on that. “ (8) He said after presenting the evidence of infallibility, and that the Imam must be infallible and also that the truth is always in the Ummah he said: “ If these principles are established, the Imamate of the Mahdi (Sahib al-Zaman) will be established, because anyone who is certain on establishing infallibility for the Imam, is also certain that he is also the Imam.” (9) Tusi attempted to refute the claims of different Shiite sects like al-Kisaniyyah, al-Nawusiyyah, al-Fathiyyah, al-Waqifiyyah and others, among the sects that claim infallibility for their Imams. He reached the following conclusion from that: ‘ The necessity of the validity of the Imamate of the son of Hassan; the validity of his occultation; he denied, with the existence of that.,the need for strained statements in establishing his birth and the reason for his occultation, because the truth will never abandon the Ummah.” (10) Al-Fadl al-Nisapuri in’ Raudah al-Wa’idhin’ proved the existence of Sahib al-Zaman’ (Mahdi) and his Imamate on the basis of “ what reason will require of valid evidences on the impossibility of the world being devoid of the infallible, who will be a source of compassion for responsible believers.” (11) In the same way Hassan bin Abi Hassan al-Yalmi, author of ‘Irshad al-Qulub’ in ‘I’lam al-Din fi sifat al-Muminin considered the confinement of infallibility to the Imams from Ahl al-Bayt as an evidence on the existence of the twelfth Imam the ‘authority’ son of Hassan.”(12) Abdullah bin Nasr bin Khashshab al-Baghdadi in: ‘Tarikh Mawalid al-A’imah wa Wafayati him” argued in order to establish the existence and Imamate of the own who stands for the truth, the son of Hassan (the Mahdi), in accordance with the dictates of reason and valid argumentation, … and the necessity of a text on anyone of this caliber or the appearance of a miracle in his right…. So also the non-existence of these attributes for anyone other than, him whose Imamate has been established by the companions of Hassan bin Ali, i.e. his son the Mahdi.” He said: “ This is a principle that will not require, in the establishment of the Imamate, any other kind of tradition, as it stands on its own, before reason and its validity in establishing evidences.” The Allama of Hillah, Hassan bin Yusuf al-Mutahar came later to establish, in the eleventh chapter—sub-chapter six--the existence of Imam Mahdi, by means of rational argument, made up of: the necessity of the Imamate, and the necessity of Imam being infallible, the necessity of a text on him or the appearance of a miracle on his hands. He then established the Imamate of Ali and his children through a famous tradition from the Prophet (peace be upon him). He says: “ The twelfth Imam exists and is alive from the time of his birth in the year 256 A.H to the end of the time of responsibility, this is because, there must be an infallible Imam due to all the general evidences. Anyone other than him will not be infallible, so that he alone will be the Imam.” Allama Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi set for the process of establishing the existence of Imam Mahdi by means of the principle of rational goodness and evil. He said in Bihar al-Anwar; “ Reason rules that kindness is incumbent on Allah…. The existence of the Imam is kindness…. And that he has to be infallible, that infallibility cannot be seen except in him alone… There is a consensus among scholars (Ijma) on the fallibility of anyone other than the Sahib al-Zaman (Mahdi). So this establishes his existence.13 Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr said in ‘Al-Shi’ah al-Imamiyyah’: “ You know that the Ummah is in dire need of an infallible Imam… There is no doubt that need is not limited to some period only…. So necessity compels us to believe in the existence of Imam Mahdi… As no other Imam is claimed to be existing except him… This is a manifest fact. “ (14) Some theologians (Mutakallimin) depended on the principle: “The necessity of the existence of a son for the Imam, so that the Imamate will continue through him in his children. To prove the existence of a son for Imam Hassan Askari, Tusi reported from Imam Ali bin Musa Rida his saying:” The Sahib al--Amr (Imam) will never die till he sees his son after him”, so he nullified by that the statement of those who say. “ There is no issue for Abu Muhammad Askari” (15)
It must be stated here, that: “The rational evidence on the existence of Imam Muhammad bin Hassan Askari is not a pure rational argument, in a way that each an every rational being (man) will automatically be able to grasp it. Rather, it depends upon several traditional premises. Sheikh Saduq said in ‘Ikmal al-Din’:” The claim of the occultation of the Sahib al-Zaman is based on the fact of the Imamate of his fore-fathers … This is a legal matter… Not limited to reason alone.” “ (16)
Due to this, the theologians discussed all the sections of the Shiite rational evidence,like infallibility and the rest of contentious issues between them and the Muslim populace, and other Shiite sects, especially the Zaydites, and the Waqifites who believed in other theories of Mahdism, then being the most serious opponents of the Twelver- Imam Shiites in the period of perplexity. Hence, the first stage of the traditional evidence in line with reason was the necessity of the existence of the Imam. Ali bin Babawaih al-Qummi has depended in his book ‘Al-Imamah wa al-Tabsirah min al-Hayrah,’ on a big number of traditions in order to establish this point. He reported from Imams Baqir and Sadiq, traditions indicating the impossibility of the world remaining without an Imam, or without a just ruler. The last person to die is the Imam, so that none can argue against Allah that the Hujjah (Imam) did not exist.(17) Just as his son Sheikh Saduq reported in his ‘Ikmal al-Din’, from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) that he said: “Allah is glorified and exalted that He will leave the world without justice (just Imam)”. (18) He added to this in ‘Ilal al-Shara’i’ another tradition on the necessity of the existence a living, renowned scholar in the world, to whom people will refer, as regards all legal and nonlegal matters. He reported from Abu Abdullah his statement: “If the world will be devoid of the Imam for the blink of an eye, it would have been sunk with its people.” (19) Tabari has also reported in ‘Dala’il al-Imamah’ from Abu Abdullah who said: “ The world would never cease having a Hujjah (Imam) who knows the legal and the illegal matters, and who calls people to the path of Allah, the exalted.” (20) 2- Establishing the Imamate in the household of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) The second step was in establishing the Imamate in the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), that is by depending on the prophetic tradition that says: “ I leave behind me two great things among you, the Book of Allah, and my family and household. They will be successors after me. The two will not be separated till they come to my pond together.” As the term ‘Al-Itrah’ is a general term, it includes all the relations of the Prophet (peace be upon him).In interpreting this tradition,according to Saduq,people have resorted to acquaintance of the Sirah (life history of the Prophet, which indicates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to the scholars of his household excluding the ignorant, the pious and God- fearing among them, not the disobedient and the unjust. (21)
Tabari has reported in ‘Dala’il al-Imamah’, a tradition in interpreting Allah ‘s statement. “ Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” That it refers to the Imams from the children of Ali and Fatimah till the time of the Hour (of judgment).( 22) 3- Establishing the Imamate of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and denying his being the Mahdi: That is by confirming the texts pointing to his Caliphship and Imamate from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and denying the belief in his being the Mahdi and his occultation-as the Sabaites claimed---based on his unambiguous and well known death and the rejection of esoteric explanations. (23) 4- Establishing Imamate in the children of Ali. 5- Denying the Imamate and Mahdism of Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah, so also denying the Imamate, Mahdism and occultation of Abu Hisham Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah, for whom the Kissanite Shiites claimed that, and establishing the Imamate of Ali bin Hussain. (24) 6- Denying the Imamate of the children of Hassan, some of who claimed the Imamate and Mahdism like Muhammad bin Abdullah (Dhu al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah), and confining the Imamate instead to the children of Hussain only. This is in line with the interpretation of Allah’s statement: “ and blood relation among each other have closer personal ties in the decree of Allah… “ (25) 7- The impossibility of the Imamate being in two successive brothers after Hassan and Hussain, that is based on the interpretation of the verse: “And he made it a word, lasting among his offspring.” On the basis that the word here means the Imamate,’ the pronoun linked to the offspring refers to Hussain bin Ali, and the impossibility of the Imamate returning to a brother or cousin, but rather its transferred from the father to the son only. (26) This rule has been adopted in order to deny the claim of Imamate made by Zayd bin Ali and his children, those who claimed Mahdism, or was claimed for them, and limiting the Imamate in Imam Muhammad Baqir and his son Ja’far Sadiq. 8- Establishing the Imamate of Sadiq and rejecting his Mahdism, contrary to the belief of Nawussite Shiites, those who denied the death of Sadiq and claimed his being the Mahdi and his occultation. (27). 9- Establishing the Imamate of Kadhim and rejecting his Mahdism, contrary to the belief of Isma’ilite Shiites, those who pursued their belief after Sadiq, in the offspring of Isma’il or the Fathites, who believed in the Imamate of Abdullah Al-Aftah; and especially the sect that believe in the existence of a concealed son for him beingcalled--Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Aftah, who claimed Imamate and Mahdism. Ali bin Babawaih al-Qummi has reported a number of narrations on the Imamate of Kadhim, and the text on him from his father. He denied the Imamate of Abdullah al-Aftah and refuted the claims of Isma’il to the Imamate, for he died during the lifetime of Imam Sadiq, and that was so as to bring the Imamate to Kadhim and remove it from the children of Isma’il, who claim inheriting the Imamate, and also claim the emergence of Mahdi from their ranks. (28). His son Sheikh Saduq also reported several traditions on Imam Ali bin Musa Rida, which stressed the death of his father and denied his being the Mahdi, which was upheld by the Waqifites, who rejected the admission that Kadhim has died. They rather claimed that he fled from the prison of Rashid and also claimed his occultation from sight, as a step towards his subsequent appearance in future. (29) 10- Establishing the Imamate of the remaining Imams like Rida, Jawwad, Hadi and Askari till it reached the twelfth Imam—Muhammad bin Hassan Askari. 11- Denying the Imamate and Mahdism of Muhammad bin Ali Hadi, which was supported by a section of the Imamate Shiites at that time. They were the Muhammadites, who rejected, like the Isma’ilites, admitting that he has died in the lifetime of his father. They insisted that he was alive and that he was in occultation; and that he was also the Mahdi; this was on the basis of his father’s will for him. Sheikh Tusi in Al-Ghaybah depended in his efforts to invalidate this belief, on the apparent death of Sayyid Muhammad and considered denying it as denying what is not known necessarily. (30) 12- Establishing the Imamate of Hassan Askari and denying his being the Mahdi, as an important effort will have to be put forward in the way of establishing the Imamate and Mahdism of his son Muhammad. Sheikh Tusi did pause for long on this point in his al-Ghaybah. He presented a number of reports from Imam Hadi, establishing the Imamate and will for Askari. He reported a tradition that entails the occurrence of ‘bada’ (change of will) for Allah on the Imamate of Muhammad bin Ali, and its being given to his brother Hassan Askari. (31) Tusi adopted a number of miracles in the process of establishing the Imamate of Askari. Those Miracles were transmitted by Abu Hashim al-Ja’fari. They revolve around the knowledge of the Imam of the Unseen (al-Ghayb). (32) It was inevitable to establish the death of Imam Askari depending on what is clear and apparent, and denying his Mahdism and occultation, so also the interpretation of the traditions, which claim his coming to life after his death. This is in order to bar those who believe in the occultation of Imam Hassan and his Mahdism. (33) 13- Disproving the Imamate of Ja’far bin Ali Hadi. This process depends on disqualifying him from the Imamate; talkless of Mahdism, that is by suspecting him of drinking wine, disobedience and lying. (34) Sheikh Tusi depended, in discussing the Fathite Imamate Shiites, who believe in the Imamate of Ja’far bin Ali after the death of his brother Hassan Askari, based on the principle of vertical inheritance of the Imamate, and its continuation in the children and grand children till the day of Resurrection. It was not permissible to transfer it to the brothers or cousins. (35) 14- The necessity of the continuation of the Imamate till the day of Resurrection: It became mandatory to establish this principle, in the way of maintaining the existence of son of Hassan, as a refusal of the stand of the Imamate sect which believes in the cessation of the Imamate after the death of Imam Hassan Askari. Ali bin Babawaih al-Qummi has refuted the statement of such people by means of citing a tradition from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) where he mentions the continuation of the Imamate in the members of his household (Ahl al-Bayt) till the day of Resurrection and its not being confined to a specific time-frame. (36) Sheikh Mufid depended on the impossibility of the world being devoid of an authority (al-Hujjah) i.e. from an infallible Imam, in the process of proving the rational existence of the Imam Sahib al-Zaman the awaited Mahdi. (37) Tusi reported a tradition from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): “ If the world would remain even for one hour without an Imam, it would have sunk (perished).” (38) Al-Karajiki held unto the necessity of the continuation of the Imamate in the Ahl al-Bayt and the impermissibility of the world being devoid of an Imam after the death of Askari in his book ‘Al-Burhan ala Sihhat Tul Umr Sahib al-Zaman’, as a way of proving the necessity of arriving at the conclusion on the existence of Imam Sahib al-Zaman, and the disqualification of anyone other than him for the status of the Imamate. (39) 15-Disproving and denying the death of Mahdi The last step in the process of establishing the existence of Imam Mahdi was denying his death, and interpreting the numerous traditions circulating among the people at that time. They also interprete those traditions discussing the death of the Qa’im, and his return to life after death. The advocates of the doctrine of Mahdism for Hassan Askari applied these traditions on him, while others employed them on his son. They said that he was born, then he died, he will live again and appear in the future. Some of these traditions were mentioned by Tusi in (Al-Ghaybah’) he did not considere the traditions to be weak. He rather interpreted his death as the death (Lack) of remembrance and mention for him. He also pointed to the necessity of being cautious regarding them, and holding unto the well known. (40) These are the various aspects of the rational evidence presented by the theologians (Mutakallimin), as the first and the most important evidence, on the existence of Muhammad bin Hassan Askari.This can be summarized as follows: Doctrine of divine Imamate for the Ahl al-Bayt, based on the belief in infallibility, divine text and vertical inheritance. This is essentially based on the principle of vertical inheritance and the impermissibility of having two brothers in the Imamate, contrary to the Fathite Imamate Shiites, who did not believe in this principle. They therefore, believe in the Imamate of Ja’far bin Ali, and did not agree with the Twelver- Imam Shiites in believing in the existence of a concealed son of Hassan Askari.
1. Saduq: Ikmal al-Din, p. 92
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