Biographies (as-Siyar)
Know that the Imamate is the inheritor of prophecy, and it takes its place. According to Ahl al-Bayt, the Imamate has great importance, and it is very weighty. It is like a great building. Within it, exists the regime of the life of the nation, as well as the protection of the religion and life of this world. The need for an Imam who runs and takes care of the affairs of the subject citizens and applies the Islamic Law of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, is the same as the need for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. Therefore, every morally responsible Muslim must recognize the Imam of the time, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((Whoever dies and does not recognize his Imam, his death shall be considered like a death of ignorance)). He, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, also said: ((Whoever dies and he is not an imam of a group, or if he was not obeying and respecting the imam of the group, then Allah will resurrect him from a death of ignorance)).
According to the Islamic Law, all Muslims are religiously obligated to help the one who is qualified enough to be imam. He is the one in whom all the legal conditions of Law of Imamate are gathered in him. They are: being morally-responsible, male, free, descended from ‘Ali and Fātima, healthy limbs and senses, scholar of independent judgment, knower of various sciences, just, performer of the obligations, avoider of the abominable matters, one who refrains from doubtful matters, one who puts the rights in their places, coordinator, planner, most of his opinions are righteous, brave, and his goal is the safety and goodness of the Muslims.
Therefore, it is religiously obligatory for one to go and investigate the call of one preparing to be Imam. This one must check to see if the previously mentioned descriptions really exist in him, so that he must follow and obey him. Otherwise, if any of them are missing, then he must avoid him. After completing all the conditions, obedience and respect to him is religiously obligatory, as well as the pledge allegiance to him, if asked. The one who refuses the pledge of allegiance may not be considered just. The one who becomes enemy to him, then he is to be considered sinful, his tongue is to be considered disobedient personed and his hand is to be considered a hand of a fighter. As Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((Cling to obeying your Imams and do not disobey them, as obeying them is obeying Allah and disobeying them is disobeying Allah)) and ((Whoever withdraws his hand from obedience to the imam will come to the Day of Judgment with no proof for him. Whoever dies while separating from the community—that is, the community of right—will die the death of ignorance)). He, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, also said: ((There are three kinds of people that Allah will neither look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment: a man who has trusted and offered the pledge of allegiance to a just imam and remains allegiant to and obedient as long as he gives him something which is related to the life of this world. But in case of he did not do so, he will disobey him and betray him...)) till the end of the hadīth. Therefore, this refers to what the al-Hādi, peace be upon him, stated in the Al-Ahkām that it is religiously obligatory for the whole nation to support the just Imam, as well as encourage him and help him to do his job. They are forbidden to let him down. They are religiously obligated to obey him, as Allah ordered them to obey him. So, they must follow his judgment, as well as stand up and obey if he asked them to go to fight the enemies of Allah and the people who he commanded them to fight. They must make peace with the people who he commands them and antagonize the people that he indicates. They must never conceal anything from him. They must be loyal to him and give him advices in secret and in public. They must never stop obeying him and following him.
Regarding the whole of the previously mentioned, Sayyid Imam Abu-Tālib, peace be upon him, said that there is no dispute regarding the said matters. He [i.e. the imam] is the only one who is competent of establishing the penal code, appointing the governors, executing the judgments, appointing the persons who are in charge of the affairs of people and orphans, and to conquer the disbelievers and disobedient rebels in their lands. He must take rights by force, and he has the right to use the money of the subjected people, in case of there is no collective treasury. No one else but him may have these authorities, and in case of he fears a possibility that a Muslim country might be separated, he must punish by taking the money and corrupting it.
Jihad is divided in two types:
Jihad against the disbelievers and the Jihad against the rebellious people, which is better than the first type, according to Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.
It is from the best kinds of righteousness. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said: ((Whoever died and did not go to war in his life, or he did not wish to go to war, then it is to be considered as a kind of hypocrisy)). When the Imam commands the nation to go to war, then tardiness and neglecting are forbidden. If at the beginning of the war, they must to be patient and they are forbidden to flee. Whoever escapes at the war time is to be considered a disobedient person, unless it be a stratagem of war, like to retreat to a troop [of his own], or to seek protection like going to a fort or something similar.
What is taken as a booty by the combatants is to be handed over to the imam. Whosoever deceives his companions as regards to the booty and hide anything—even if it was a thread—he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he took. The exception is when the Imam permits this, then it shall be considered his right to take it.
It is a religious obligation to emigrate from the place of open disobedience to a place where there are no open disobedience, or to a place where the open disobedience is much less—only for the sake of his religion. It is a religious obligation to take the permission of the imam first, or to obey the imam if he asked him to leave.
Association (al-Mawālāt) and Enmity (al-Ma‘ādāt)
This is one of the most important duties and it is the most dangerous one. The believers are to be considered protected friends (al-Awliyā), which means that it is religiously obligatory to love for them what you love for yourself, and to hate for them what you hate for yourself. Being at enmity with the enemies of Allah from amongst the disbelievers and openly disobedient, is a religious obligation. This means the will of causing damages to them, and to keep the goodness and benefits away from them. Achieving this strong intention is to be required, if it is possible. They are forbidden to be considered protected friends, as Allah, exalted be He, said: {You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers, sons, brothers, or kindred} (Q. 58:22) , and He, exalted be He, said:{And if anyone from amongst you takes them as protected friends, then surely he is one of them} )} (Q. 5:51). It is said in the Kashshāf: And to love someone for the sake of Allah and to hate someone for the sake of Allah is a great matter, and it is a root from the roots of faith.
It is allowed to feed an openly disobedient person, to eat his food, to host him, and to be hosted in his house, because of the existence of manner of goodness in his personality, or because of showing mercy. It is not because of his current condition, only if this was not supporting his disobedience or spoiling his religion. It is forbidden to invoke (Allah) to have mercy on him, to forgive him or to grant him long life.
Supporting the People of Open Disobedience
Al-Hādi, peace be upon him, said in Al-Ahkām:
Whoever supports an oppressor—even if by writing a letter, carrying an inkwell or putting it back—then, on the Resurrection Day he will meet Allah with His Anger upon him. When Allah is angry with someone, then Hellfire shall be his destiny. When I say that, I do not mean a specified oppressor and exclude the others. But I mean that it is forbidden to help, beneficiate, or serve any oppressor, whoever he is—even if he was from the Progeny of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, or was from anyone else. Therefore, every oppressor is accursed, and every supporter of an oppressor is accursed as well. It has reached us that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said regarding this matter: ((Whoever collects a dirham for an unjust Imam, Allah will throw him on his nose into the fire of Hell)). As well, regarding this matter it was said that whoever helps an oppressor is like the one who supports Pharaoh against Moses. It has reached us that Abi Ja’far Muhammad Bin Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated that and said: ((On Judgment Day, Allah will build marquees of fires and he will put the supporters of the oppressors inside them. He will make them iron nails which they will use to scratch their bodies, till their hearts appear. Then they will say: “Our Lord, did we not worship You?” He will say: “Indeed, but you were helping the oppressors”)).
It has reached us on the authority of Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny: ((Whoever multiplies (sawwad) against us, is considered just like a partner in our killing)) Sawwad here means multiplying by himself, his sayings, or his money against a righteous one from the Progeny of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, then he is to be considered like a partner in murdering him. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, has specifically identified this person.
This is the end of long saying of Al-Hādi, peace be upon him.
We ask Allah to grant us guidance, success and protection at the beginning and at the end. May Allah grant our Master Mohammed and his progeny peace and blessings.
