What is Religiously Obligatory upon the Morally Responsible Person Regarding the Fundamentals of Religion
Divine Oneness (At-Tawhīd)
It is religiously obligatory for one to know that Allah is One and Unique. He does not have an equal or partner. He is contrary to what the imaginers imagine and what the describers describe. He does not resemble anything from His creation. {He is unlike anything. He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 42:11). He is not reached by the senses. He is not quantified by human beings. {Vision does not reach Him; rather, He reaches all vision. He is the All-Subtle, the All-Aware} (Q. 6:103).
Divine Justice (Al-‘Adl).
The Exalted, in all affairs, is All-Just in all of His actions. He is innocent from the statements of the ignorant. He is set apart (muqaddis) from the injustice of the unjust and the judgment of corruption from the corruptors. He is Highly Exalted from being pleased with the disobedience of the disobedient. He is innocent from the actions of the slaves. He does not enter His slaves into the state of disobedience nor does he remove them from the state of goodness and righteousness. {Verily, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you not know thereof?} (Q. 7:28).
Divine Threat and Promise (Al-Wa’d wal-Wa’īd)
The Exalted, in all affairs, does not act contrary to His promises. Everything that He promises those close to Him (awliyā) and threatens His enemies with—there is no dispute or ambiguity about it. Whoever enters Paradise or Hell—amongst the righteous and wicked—will never ever exit from there.
Prophethood (An-Nubuwwa)
It is religiously obligatory for one to know that everything that the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, related was true and Allah was pleased with it. He did not obligate or object to something—whether large or small—unless Allah was pleased with it. He, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, called creation to Allah and struggled in his land until Allah took him to Himself. He did not leave his community ignorant regarding its affairs. On the contrary, he made clear to them everything that they should know and do. He also clearly indicated to them the means to their salvation. {Those who perish only perish after clear evidence and those who live only live after clear evidence. Verily Allah is the All-Hearing All-Knowing} (Q. 8:42).
Imamate (Al-Imāma)
It is religiously obligatory for one to know that the Guardianship (al-wilāya) of Amīr al-Mu`minīn ‘Ali bin Abi Ťalib, uhbp, is religiously obligatory upon all Muslims. It is a religious injunction from Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. One cannot obtain salvation nor can the name “belief” (īmān) be applied to one unless they believe such. This is because Allah, the Exalted says: {Verily, your only Guardian
It obligatory for one to know and believe in the unique virtues and imamates of al-Hassan and al-Hussein. This is due to the mass-transmitted (al-mutawātir) reports concerning them as well as well-known narrations.
When one knows all of that, it is religiously obligatory for one to recognize that the holder of authority amongst both of their offspring is one who calls creation to obedience. One is to also know that commanding, prohibiting, government, and imamate after the both of them belongs to their offspring and none other. It is not permitted to any but them or suitable to any but them.
The Imamate after both of them belongs to one who walks upon their path and emulate their examples. That one must be God-conscious, religiously scrupulous, and a struggler in the Way of Allah. He must be indifferent (zāhid) towards the trappings of this world, understanding of what is needed, knowledgeable of explanations, courageously brave, liberally generous, merciful to his subjects, charitable to them but not seeking to influence them, judging only upon the rules of Allah, known for his sword, a caller to his Lord, standard-bearer, an independent scholar in his call, a source of fear to the oppressor, a source of security to the believer, one who doesn’t grant security to the defiantly disobedient nor they him, and one who seeks them out and they him.
Whoever this applies to and is a descendant of the Two Grandsons [i.e. al-Hassan and al-Hussein], he is the imam in whom obedience is religiously obligatory. It is a religious obligation for the Muslim Community to help and support him. Allah will punish the one who fights him. Whoever falls short in that will have a proof against him and obedience and adherence is not due to him.
It is religiously obligatory for one to recognize the right of and have affection towards the Ahl al-Bayt, upon them be peace. They are a proof for creation based upon the statement of the Exalted: {Say: “I ask you for no reward but only affection toward the kin”} (Q. 42:23).
When the morally responsible person knows all of what we just mentioned, it is religiously obligatory for him/her to believe in the virtue of struggling (al-jihād) as well as commanding the good and prohibiting the bad. One is to know that it is the greatest of the religious injunctions of Allah. One is to struggle against the oppressors and intend to manifest the defiantly disobedient by one’s hand, tongue, and heart if one is able to do so.
Then, it is religiously obligatory that one purify oneself for the prayers with its purifications, pray its prayers, and establish its boundaries. One is to preserve them in their proper times as Allah has designated their times within specific hours; to render the purification dues (az-zakāt) as Allah has commanded through the religious laws established by the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny; to fast the month of Ramadan as was made incumbent by the Most Merciful; to perform the pilgrimage to the Frequented House; to act upon everything that Allah has made incumbent upon one to perform; to leave those things that Allah and His Messenger commanded to leave; to do those things that one is commanded to do; to speak the truth even if it is against oneself; to establish the testimony and approach it by its intent (wajh); to observe one’s trusts; to remove treachery; to show righteousness to one’s parents; and maintain family bonds.
Whosoever does that, this one is a true believer and sincere worshipper of Allah. That one will have nothing to fear nor will they grieve.
Then, after that, it is religiously obligatory for one to ponder upon what one is commanded, permitted, prohibited from, and all of its reasons. Verily, Allah is not pleased with the believer’s worship which is deficient. However, He wishes for them to increase in good and excellence.
It is religiously obligatory for one to seek the knowledge of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. One is to follow the best of it and that which is the closest to the Book and the Sunnah.
This is the detail of what one is needed to undertake. Regarding what transpires from the unknown issues, one is to inquire to the People of Remembrance (ahl adh-dhikr) that Allah commanded us to ask. Allah is our Helper and it is in Him that we place out reliance!
