However, we cannot simply accuse people before close examination so we first make sure in order not to disrespect clergymen or their outfits. This brings to my mind a wisdom said by a sage which is something to the effect that “if we see a man in turban steals, never say he is a turbaned thief but a thief wearing a turban”. I think enough is said.
Anwar:Yes, indeed you clearly made your point. All rewards you well.
Hasan:Now, we can go back in order to give an answer to the question you raised. The difference between the Divine knowledge bestowed upon Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT) and the normal human knowledge can be put as the following:
· Human acquired knowledge needs to be taught and learned and people have different understanding comprehension which will definitely causes disagreement in many issues.
· There are also many unknown issues which are off the limits of human knowledge and consequently normal people cannot make decisions about them.
· The Divine knowledge is bestowed upon the Prophets (PBUT) and holy men, and so it cannot be refuted or opposed. It also cannot be taught or learned; it is the light that is casted upon the hearts of those the Almighty Allah chooses. That is why we do not see words like ‘better’, ‘preferable’ or ‘probable’ in their Hadith; we actually see the opposite.
· We see such a power and manifestation in the Divine knowledge that does not accept any reconsideration. This reconsideration has nothing to do with copying the celestial laws which is out of our subject.
Anwar:Wonderful! Well done, Sir. I think we can call it a day.
Hasan:Yes, thank you. See you.
Symposium 51
Is it Requisite to Obey and Love
the Imams (PBUT)?
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:Today I would like to ask about other issues related to Imamate.
Hasan:You are most welcome!
Anwar:Thanks a lot. Dear Sir, are we required to obey the Imams (PBUT)? If yes, why?
Hasan:Yes, we are to submit to the Lord’s order in the Noble Quran:
(O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you)4;59.
This Holy Verse includes only those who are infallible, namely the Prophet (PBUH) and the Pure Imams (PBUT) whose purity and infallibility we proved earlier.
Anwar:If we admit that the Imams (PUBT) are ‘the holy trustees’ or ‘people in authority’ (Wali Al-Amr), why doesn’t anyone else share this with them?
Hasan:Because no one except them is infallible. The others accepted this fact, and the evidence to infallibility of the offspring of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the Pure Imams (PBUT), has already been presented.
Anwar:Why was infallibility stated as a condition for a person in authority (Wali Al-Amr)?
Hasan:You tell me why!
Anwar:I can say if the person in authority were not infallible, there would be a possibility that they make mistakes and commit sins, a fact that might, as a result, cause the followers to go astray.
Hasan:Very good. Besides, the Almighty Allah can never link the obedience to Himself and His Messenger (PBUH) with sinful people in authority. That would definitely be an inconsistency.
Anwar:Very good. However, there are believers who are in power like Faqih or Mujtahid – religious experts or scholars – and they are not infallible. How about them?
Hasan:The religious scholars (Faqih), as a matter of fact, follow the infallible Imams (PBUT), and so obeying them is part of obeying the infallible (PBUT), not to mention that they are appointed by the infallible (PBUH) and that they utter nothing but their words. Besides, ‘the people in authority’ – of course, only the infallible (PBUT) – have the right to order and rule, and the Faqih practice this right as successors of the infallible (PBUT) and we must obey them as well.
Anwar:In view of this, are we obliged to love the Imams (PBUT) in the same degree that we obey them? In other words, are we sinful if we neither love them nor hate them?
Hasan:Before we pass a judgment the affectionate or
the hateful, we need to clarify one thing. The Most Exalted Allah never prescribes or imposes affectionate for someone aimlessly; there must be a purpose to that. If we contemplate the following Holy Verse from the Noble Quran,
(Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives)42;23.
We find out that the Most Gracious Allah set only affection towards the kinfolks and Ahl Al-Bait (PBUT) of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as a reward for the message he spread and the difficulties he has been through.
Moreover, this affection and love is associated with the Almighty Allah Himself, i.e we love only those loved by the Glorious Allah and resent only those resented by the Glorious Allah. That is why the love and affection has become part of our faith as the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) put it:“The affection of a believer to another believer is the greatest form of faith, as whoever loves for the sake of Allah, resents for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah and bans for the sake of Allah is of the chosen by Allah”.
This Hadith clearly shows that the love for those loved by the Allah entails faith and vice versa.
Anwar:Would you please give more Hadith in this regard?
Hasan:There are many Hadith regarding the love and resent:
The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) once asked his companions “What bond of faith is the strongest?” Some said “Allah and His Messenger know better” and some others suggested “Saying prayers, fasting, pilgrimage to Mecca and holy wars”. The Prophet (PBUH) said “All you mentioned have their own merits, but the strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah, to resent for the sake of Allah, to follow the people in authority and to renounce the enemies of Allah”.
It is reported that Jesus Christ (PBUH) said“seek the affection of the Lord through detesting the wrongdoers, seek the favor of the Lord through avoiding them and seek the grace of the Lord through resenting them”.
Imam Al-Sadiq (PBUH) also says in this regard“whoever does not love for the sake of religion and does not resent for the sake of religion has no religion”.
There are many other Hadith, but this would be good enough.
Anwar:Allah rewards you well, Akhi!
Hasan:We need a break now.
Anwar:As you wish. See you.