Right to Appoint Leaders

"We had been with Imam Reza (asws) at Marw. During an assembly in the central mosque on Friday we attended the gathering. It was when we had !ust arri"ed (in Marw). #eo$le s$o%e and discussed about the issue o& Imamate ('eadershi$ with Di"ine (uthority). (ll the di&&ering o$inions among $eo$le in this matter came u$. I then went to see my Moula (asws) and in&ormed )im o& the $eo$le*s contro"ersies o"er the issue o& leadershi$. +he Imam (asws) smiled and then said the &ollowing. ", *(bd al-*(ziz $eo$le are ignorant and their o$inions ha"e mislead and decei"ed them. (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh did not cause )is )oly #ro$het (saw) to lea"e this world be&ore com$leting &or )im the religion. (llah sent )im the )oly .uran in which all things are clearly e/$lained. (llah has e/$lained in the )oly .uran what is law&ul (halal) and what is unlaw&ul (haram). )e has e/$lained totally the limits and the rules &or all issues that $eo$le may &ace in the a&&airs o& li&e. (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh has said "We ha"e le&t nothing without a mention o& it in the 0oo%. . . ." (1234) During the last "isit o& the )oly #ro$het (saw) to Ma%%a &or $ilgrimage towards the end o& )is li&e the &ollowing "erse o& the )oly .uran was sent to )im. ",n this day I ha"e $er&ected your religion com$leted My &a"ors to you and ha"e chosen Islam as your religion. . . ." (523) +he issue o& Imamate (leadershi$) is $art o& the com$letion o& religion. +he )oly #ro$het (s.a.w) did not lea"e this world be&ore e/$laining to )is &ollowers the $rinci$les o& their religion and show them the $ath clearly and )e le&t them on a $oint o& a $ath that &aced the direction o& the truth. )e raised (li (asws) amongst them as a &lag and Imam. )e did not lea"e anything that )is &ollowers needed without &ull e/$lanation. +hose who thin% that (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh has not com$leted )is religion they re!ected the boo% o& (llah and those who re!ect the boo% o& (llah they ha"e become e/$ressed unbelie"ers in it. Do they realize the "alue and the status o& the Imamate o& the *6mma (the nation) to !usti&y their selection7 Imamate in &act is &ar sublime in "alues greatest in $osition highest in status the most e/clusi"e issue in all as$ects the most $ro&ound and dee$ &or the intellect o& the $eo$le to reach and gras$ it in their o$inions or to a$$oint an Imam through their selection. +he Imamate is that $articular distinction which (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh has distinguished Ibrahim the "ery close &riend (al-8halil) a&ter #ro$het hood. +his close &riendshi$ is the third stage in the $rogression o& s$iritual degrees. It is a "irtue with which )e honored him and established his &ame. )e then said "0ehold9 I ha"e made you an Imam &or the $eo$le". (braham the close &riend then out o& delight $leaded "#lease let it be in my o&&s$ring also." (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh said "My co"enant does not go to the un!ust ones." (:2;:<) +hus this "erse has declared Imamate o& all the un!ust ones as unlaw&ul till the Day o& =udgment and it has established it &or those clean and &ree o& e"il and in!ustice. (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh bestowed him more honors in establishing Imamate in $uri&ied and clean $ersons o& his o&&s$ring. "We granted him Isaac and =acob as a gi&t and hel$ed both o& them to become righteous $eo$le (:;2>:). We a$$ointed them as leaders to guide the $eo$le through ,ur command and sent them

re"elation to stri"e &or good deeds worshi$ their 'ord and $ay religious ta/. 0oth o& them were ,ur worshi$$ing ser"ants." (:;2>3) ?o the Imamate remained in his o&&s$ring inheriting it &rom each other generation a&ter generation until (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh made #ro$het Muhammad (s.a.w) to inherit it. (nd )e (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh said "+he nearest $eo$le to (braham among man%ind are those who &ollowed him and this #ro$het (Muhammad) and the true belie"ers. (llah is the @uardian o& the true belie"ers." (3214) ?o the Imamate belonged to )im $articularly and )e (s.a.w) then entrusted Imam (li (asws) with it by the command o& (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh as )e had made it obligatory. It then came to be in (li (asws)*s $uri&ied o&&s$ring who are &ree o& all sins to whom (llah has gi"en %nowledge and &aith as in the words o& )e Who is Most )igh. "+hose who ha"e recei"ed %nowledge and ha"e &aith will say "0y the decree o& (llah you ha"e remained &or the e/act $eriod which was mentioned in the 0oo% o& @od about the Day o& Resurrection. +his is the Day o& Resurrection but you did not %now." (3A251) Imamate will remain in the ?ons o& Imam (li (asws) e/clusi"ely till the Day o& =udgment and there will no $ro$het a&ter Muhammad (saw). Where&rom then ha"e these ignorant $eo$le recei"ed the right to select Imams7 " Imamate is certainly the $osition o& the $ro$hets and the inheritance o& the successors. Imamate indeed is the re$resentation (%hila&a) o& (llah and the de$uty o& the Messenger (s.a.w) and the o&&ice o& (mir al-mu*minin (asws) and the inheritance o& Imam )asan (asws) and Imam )ussain (asws) "Imamate is in &act the reins o& the religion the social system o& the Muslims. It is best &or the world and honor &or the belie"ers. Imamate (Islamic leadershi$) is Islam*s maturing root and its towering branch. +hrough the Imam (asws)$rayers are com$lete Ba%at (charity) is $aid &asting is maintained )a!! is $er&ormed and =ihad $ro$er de&ense is e/ercised the wealth o& the nation (&ay*) and charity (sadaqat) are increased the laws are en&orced and the &rontiers are $rotected and de&ended. "+he Imam (asws) declares as law&ul what (llah has done so and $rohibits what (llah has $rohibited. )e en&orces the criminal laws o& (llah de&ends the religion o& (llah and he $ro"ides guidance with wisdom good ad"ice and with the to$most strong e"idence. "+he Imam (asws) is li%e the risen sun that beauti&ies the world with its light and is in the horizon abo"e the harm o& hands and eyes. +he Imam (asws) is as the bright moon the shining lam$ the brilliant light and the guiding star in the de$th o& dar%ness in the middle o& the towns in the wilderness and the high seas. +he Imam (asws) is as crystal-clear water to thirst an indicator o& true guidance and the $rotector against destruction. +he Imam (asws) is as &ire o& a lighthouse that $ro"ides warmth and guidance &or those who see% heat $rotection against &atalities. Whoe"er would de$art him would $erish. "+he Imam (asws) (in terms o& blessings) is as the rain-bearing cloud the drenching rain&all the shining sun the shadow $ro"iding s%y the o$en &ields the gushing &orth s$ring as a $ond and a garden. +he Imam (asws) is as a com&orting &riend a "ery %ind &ather a real brother a tenderhearted mother o& a small child a re&uge &or $eo$le in disastrous conditions. +he Imam (asws) is (llah*s trustee o"er )is creatures )is authority o"er )is ser"ants )is re$resentati"e in )is lands the $reacher o& )is cause and the de&ender o& )is sanctuary. "+he Imam (asws) is clean o& sins &ree o& &aults $ossesses s$ecial %nowledge and is

distinguished in &orbearance. +he Imam (asws) maintains law and order in religion. )e is the might o& the Muslims to enrages the hy$ocrites and &utile to unbelie"ers. +he Imam (asws) is the $eerless $erson o& his time no-one can reach e"en near his ran% in "irtue and no scholar is com$arable to him. )is is e/clusi"e in all "irtues o& which none is acquired or is sought a&terC in &act his "irtues are all bestowed u$ on him by the source o& all "irtue the @enerous ,ne. Who is he that can %now all about the Imam (asws) or can select him7 +o a&&irm the ability o& selection is "ery &ar &rom the truth. Intellects ha"e become con&used understanding has lost the meaning awareness is &rustrated eyes ha"e become dull and tired the great ones ha"e become humble the sagacious ones ha"e become bewildered and $eo$le o& &orbearance ha"e lost $atience. +he orators ha"e become s$eechless the intelligent ones ha"e become ignorant and the $oets ha"e become e/hausted. +he man-o&-letter has become hel$less $eo$le o& eloquence ha"e turned wordless to s$ea% o& any o& the as$ects o& his status or a "irtue o& his "irtues and instead ha"e con&essed their hel$lessness in the matter. )ow can one s$ea% o& him in &ull or describe him in the real sense or understand anything o& his a&&airs or &ind an alternati"e &or him su&&icient &or what he su&&iced. +here is no such thing and no where such is &ound. )e is li%e a star away &rom the reach o& those who try to reach or those who try to describe. Where does the idea o& selecting him would then stand in such case7 )ow can then reasons and intellects reach him and where can one &ind a $erson li%e the Imam (asws)7 "Would they thin% that such a $erson can be &ound outside the &amily o& Rasool(llah (saw)7 +heir souls I swear by (llah ha"e told them a lie. Falsehood has induced in them e"il ho$es. 0e on your guard. +hey intend to raise the Imam (asws)by their con&used &ruitless and &aulty intellects and their misleading o$inions. It would do nothing good e/ce$t ta%ing them away &rom the truth. (May (llah be their ad"ersary. Where are they headed.) ()oly .uran D23A) +hey ha"e aimed at a di&&icult tas% and ha"e s$o%en something meaningless. +hey ha"e strayed &ar away &rom the truth and ha"e &aced huge con&usions. +hey ha"e %nowingly ignored the Imam (asws).It is ?haitan who has made their deeds to seem attracti"e to them and has bloc%ed them &rom reaching the $ath o& guidance when they %now it &ully. +hey ha"e turned &rom the choice o& (llah and )is Messenger and )is &amily to acce$t their own choice. +he )oly .uran calls u$ on them "Eour 'ord creates and chooses (to grant mercy) to whome"er )e wants. (In matters o& guidance) they (unbelie"ers) do not ha"e the choice to choose whate"er they want.(llah is too e/alted to be considered equal to anything else." (:4214) .uran also says "+he belie"ing men and women must not &eel &ree to do something in their a&&airs other than that which has been already decided &or them by @od and )is Messenger. ,ne who disobeys @od and )is Messenger is in $lain error. (33231) .uran &urther says "What is the matter with you7 )ow could you !udge this to be so7 (14231). Do you ha"e a boo% &rom which you study (1423>) that tells you to do whate"er you want7 (14234). Do you ha"e a co"enant with 6s which allows you to do whate"er you want until the Day o& =udgment7 (1423D). (Muhammad) as% which o& them can guarantee that on the Day o& =udgment (142<A). they will recei"e the same thing that the Muslims will7 Do they ha"e any witness to such an agreement7 'et them bring out such witness i& they are truth&ul."(142<;).

(gain the )oly .uran says "Is it that they do not thin% about the .uran or are their hearts sealed7" (<>2:<) ,r as it says ". . . their hearts were sealed and they were le&t with no understanding." (D24>)or li%e "Do not be li%e those who said that they ha"e heard (the Messenger*s commands) but do not $ay any attention to them (42:;). +he most wic%ed beasts in the sight o& (llah are the dea& and the dumb who ha"e no understanding (42::).)ad they $ossessed any "irtue (llah would certainly ha"e made them hear. F"en i& (llah were to ma%e them hear they would still turn away &rom (the words o& (llah)." (42:3) or li%e "you said that you had listened but you disobeyed.. . ." (:2D3)It is the grace &rom (llah and )e gi"es to whoe"er )e wills. (llah is $ossesses great generosity. )ow would they ha"e the right to choose the Imam (asws)7 +he Imam (asws) is one that is not ignorant o& anything. )e en!oys the blessings o& the e/clusi"e $rayers o& the Messenger o& (llah and o& being o& the $rogeny o& the )oly 'ady al- 0atool (sa). +here is not a question about +heir genealogical $urity. )e is o& the house o& .uraysh and the to$ most in clan o& )ashim and o& the &amily o& the Messenger o& (llah en!oying the ha$$iness o& (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh is the honor o& all nobility. )e is o& the o&&s$ring o& *(bd al-Mana&. )e $ossesses a body o& increasing %nowledge. )e is $er&ect in &orbearance the only one to quali&y &or the $osition o& Imamate (leadershi$). )e has &ull %nowledge o& the $olitics whose obedience is obligatory by the command o& (llah. )e is a$$ointed &or Imamate by the command o& (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh to gi"e good ad"ice to the ser"ants o& (llah and to $rotect the religion o& (llah. (llah grants success and su$$ort to the $ro$hets and the Imams (asws) through )is treasured %nowledge and command in a way that is granted to no one else. +hus +heir %nowledge is abo"e the %nowledge o& the $eo$le o& +heir times as mentioned in the &ollowing words o& (llah. "Is the one who guides to the +ruth a $ro$er guide or one who himsel& cannot &ind guidance unless he is guided (by others)7 What is wrong with you that you !udge (so un!ustly)7" (;A235) and in "Whoe"er is gi"en wisdom certainly has recei"ed much good. . . ."(:2:1D). ,r as about +alut in the &ollowing words "(llah has chosen him as your ruler and has gi"en him $hysical $ower and %nowledge. (llah grants )is authority to anyone whom )e wants. (llah is #ro"ident and (ll-%nowing. (:2:<>)or as )e has said about )is #ro$het (saw.) "(llah has re"ealed the 0oo% to you has gi"en you wisdom and has taught you what you did not %now. Gertainly (llah*s &a"or to you has been great." (<2;;3) )e also said about the Imams (asws) &rom the &amily o& the )oly #ro$het (s.a.w) "(re they !ealous o& the &a"ors that @od has done to some $eo$le7 We ha"e gi"en to the &amily o& (braham the 0oo% Wisdom and a great 8ingdom (<25<). ?ome ha"e belie"ed others ha"e disbelie"ed and tried to $re"ent $eo$le &rom belie"ing. For these $eo$le only the intense &ire o& hell is a su&&icient $unishment." (<255) When (llah the Most )oly the Most )igh chooses a $erson &or the a&&airs o& )is ser"ants )e o$ens his heart &or the tas% $laces in it the &ountains o& wisdom and ins$ires him with %nowledge. )e then ne"er becomes tired o& answering questions and ne"er becomes con&used to miss the right answer. )e is in&allible Di"inely su$$orted success&ul and guarded. )e is immune &rom sins and shortcomings and &aults. (llah has granted )im this e/clusi"ely so that )e would ser"e as the Di"ine authority o"er )is ser"ant as a witness o"er them and this is grace o& (llah that )e grant to whoe"er )e wills and (llah*s grace is the greatest. Gan one amongst the $eo$le ha"e such things so they would choose him as the Imam (asws) or can their selected $erson ha"e such distinctions to be $re&erred o"er the others7

+hey swearing to the house o& (llah ha"e transgressed against the truth and ha"e thrown the boo% o& (llah behind their bac%s as i& they do not %now. In the boo% o& (llah there is guidance and cure but they ha"e ignored it and ha"e &ollowed their own desires. For this reason (llah has criticized e/$ressed anger and condemned them in )is words as &ollows. "Who strays more than one who &ollows his desires without guidance &rom (llah7 (llah does not guide the un!ust $eo$le." (:425A) . "+he &ate o& the unbelie"ers will be to stumble and their deeds will ha"e no "irtuous resultsC" (<>24) "+his act greatly angers (llah and the belie"ers. +hus does (llah seal the hearts o& e"ery arrogant o$$ressor." (<A235). May (llah grant blessings u$ on #ro$het Muhammad and )is &amily and may )e grant them $eace a great deal o& $eace."

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