Explanation To the Belief of Mahdism in Shia Imamia

B. History of Leadership and Caliphate

This issue has always been much in attention. The prophet hood was still in its start and the Revelations had started coming down, this issue too made its appearance as a matter of no less magnitude. There is a story of a man who approached the Prophet and told him that he would embrace his faith on one condition and that was that he becomes leader after the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet (SAW) rejected the man.

In the meantime, it is true that in the current of some great events of historical significance the religions view of Shiasm sometimes used to palpitate and sometimes the Islamic rays have had so glared through the prism that its reflection has astonished the viewers and captured their attention.

It is a historical fact that governments came to power, which were quite incompetent and not fit for the leadership. Although bad they were imposed on the people because they facilated the ground which became easily accessible for the leadership.

Leadership thus obtained they ruled over the people. People were helpless. They could do nothing beyond disdaining and cursing them. The governments in spite of the power could not rule over the dominion of hearts.

In the lifetime of the Prophet (SAW) nobody dared to show his true identity. As there was no opposition openly, the underground movements took root. What they could not accept was the leadership of Ali (AS), announced time and again by the Prophet. Secret plots were concocted. The Prophet himself was to be assassinated.

After the death of the Prophet (SAW) what was underground became open. The Prophet was no more to be feared; but his house and its members were there. The opposition had a plan, and they proceeded with it. Now the front was the very house of the Prophet (SAW).

Whoever was a member, friend or sym- pathizer to the Holy Prophet's household was to be crushed, so that their opposition should gain ground. Thus the division became wider and the opposition reached every house, if that house was a friend of the Prophet's house. Those who were supporters of the Prophet's household were called Shia.

In other words, those who adhered to the Prophet's household or remained in his camp became Shia. Wherever a Shia be, he had to confront this opposition.

The only daughter of the Prophet (SAW), Zahra, was not excluded. They came to her house and tortured her and showed the people that they could go to that extreme and beyond. Thereafter the events took their course. Some of the followers of the Prophet went astray and a split was now the rule. This deviation from the original course became a school and whoever adhered to it became a Sunni.

And a Sunni was to oppose a Shia who remained in the line of the Prophet (SAW) which was under the protection of his household. Although such was the case however face to face confrontation was very prudent by avoided in the time of Abu Bakr and also in the regime of Omar. What did the people do? The legality or the legitimacy of the government a mattered to some, which others remained indifferent.

Some people rather enjoyed the opportunity as they affiliated themselves to the ruling junta. There were also three who considered the issue as finished and settled. But a few among them, like Omar, never considered themselves safe and secure, because the legitimacy of their rule was under question by some.

As long as doubt existed the danger too existed that the people might return to the original track. Therefore Omar adopted very calculated policies in which to keep Ali (AS) at a distance from power. So, Omar wrote a plan, which introduced the proposal of a six men committee. Othaman carried out the plan. As a result Ali once again stayed away from power. In the meantime, this occasioned for the people to recall the words of the Prophet (SAW) about Ali (AS) when he had introduced him as the one who would succeed him.

An outpour of memory excited the passions in such an effective way that they, the people, showed and expressed their disappointment as they saw the deviation from the track of the Prophet (SAW) was getting wider.

The hatred and abhorrence towards Othaman was in such an abundance that Muslims could not restrain their anger and anguish. The huge fire, which had erupted, was fueled by the irregularities and injustice of Othaman himself.

The original Islam was in need of the rightful successor of the Prophet. As there was no other than Ali, huge crowds of Muslims gathered around to support him. After twenty-five years of straying off the right path, people were once again shown the correct path.

Ali (AS) and a holy war under his command was considered by Muslims a great honor. Allegiance to him was pledged and his succession to the Prophet's place was celebrated. Shiasm considers nothing wrong with this, but quite the contrary, this was done in compliance with logic and reason.

This is a fact that the faith of the Shia was never forgotten. The hearts of the people have always hung to the Prophet's household. They were victims and deprived of their right. People gave their support as the occasion arose and the opportunity invited. Poets have narrated this faith. Farazdog is a good example of one of these poets whose famous laudation addresses Husham telling him as to who Imam Zainulabedeen was. Mosa Bin Naseer was the governor of Africa.

He had a slave by the name of Tariq. Tariq conquered Spain. Eventhough they held offices in the government of Bani Ommiya, they were Shia. Because of his being a Shia, Tariq's properties were confiscated and he himself was dismissed, regardless of his services.

The Shia belief had penetrated even into Mawiya's family. Mawiya's grandson, Yazid, was a Shia. He openly accused his father and grandfather and announced his allegiance to Ali and other members of the Prophet's House. Likewise was the situation in the Bani Abbas dynasty.

It is the Truth and the originality that the Shia faith has survived throughout ages in spite of the ups and downs that has disturbed it and posed as a threat to its holder.

From the political aspect, any Shia was restricted from holding any office in the government. The tyrant and cruel rulers of the Bani Abbas dynasty like Mansoor, Haroon and Mamun had knowledge of Shiasm, however contrary to their knowledge they crushed the Shia thought in order to obtain and keep their power.

Going down the line of the Bani Abbas dynasty we see another ruler, Muntasar, who held the Shia thought. Again, another by the name of Naser; he too was Shia. At Samerre (Iraq), the place of disappearance of Mehdi (AS), the twelfth Imam, had been entrusted to and was repaired by Naser. There are narration from Shia sources, which say that Naser was Shia and regarded himself as a deputy of the twelfth Imam, Mehdi (AS). The Shia faith is Islam.

Neither greed corrupted nor ambition has polluted it. They did not desert the Prophet. When he was no more the tradition of THADALAIN goaded them to the Prophet's household - the Imams, twelve in succession. Nothing was added there to; nothing was reduced there from.

It was the same in the Prophet's lifetime and remained the same throughout the fourteen centuries. What had history to do with it? They attribute it to history. What we do understand is that the Shia faith has been the cause for uprisings, movements either open or underground ones, revolts, and revolutions.

The Shia faith has always stood against tyrants. It is quite contrary to what some think and say. Of course, there who think such are men of no knowledge or little information. They do not know; and those who know conceal; but history knows and tells and does not conceal.

There were Shia governments. In Egypt, Dialama, North Africa, Iran, and Iraq. The upraising of the Safavis was an event caused by Shiasm. All these dominions were under Shia rule. There were the events that the Shia faith caused; and not the other way around.

C. Sunnism and its sectarian term against Shiasm after the lifetime of the Prophet:

The analysis of the writer in his book in this chapter is such as to indicate that Shiasm as well as Sonnism were political forms and that they gradually took the status of a religions support which was necessary to their political ends. Failure of Shiasm in political avenues, the writer attributes to the lack of a corres- ponding ideology.

In this respect, that is, the ideology we would like to correct the writer because he has made himself free to tell what is not a reality.

The Shia was opposed to accepting the successor to the Prophet who had been wrongly appointed. This is itself a political dimension. This very policy and the reason for this policy resulted in the division; this division, in fact, stretches to the difference of belief in leadership.

To make it short, a new belief came into existence against the belief of a divinely fixed or established Imamate. As a result, the real followers of Islam or the adherents to real Islam were cornered into taking the guise of a group or a party or a sect under the name of Shia to oppose the politics by listing and leaning to a particular quarter. But why is this fact deliberately overlooked?

The policy the Shia as a political group introduced after that undesired division for the administration of society was itself a real Islamic ideology. It is untrue to say that Shia lacked an ideology. They had one; this was a religion, a faith, a belief before it took a political tint. It was so rich that it provided shade to politics. Politicians were against this belief. So, their effort was to create a group so as to face the belief of Shia.

They gave to that adversary group a religion form. What was the most valuable treasure to them, was the caliphate, which they had already snatched from its rightful owner and had diverted it in their own direction.

In order to keep it they spent money, dissipated their tactics in creating terror among the people and purchasing the silence of those whose voice was a threat to them. To hold the administration of society in their hands as long as possible; this was the fundamental of their politics.

It is quite simple that a group by the name of Sunni would have never been invented had the Shia not opposed the point where they had departed from. The only element of opposition with Shiasm is the politics.

On the other hand, it was they who did not have an ideology. Had they one they would have announced it or introduced it. In that confused hour of time they only captured the moment without announcing what their ideology was.

They could have at least prevented an armed conflict between the religions rivalry groups for the safety of Islam. There was no interest of any ideology at their hearts except to capture the opportunity. Later on which ideology did they follow? The writer is mistaken. The people had already long ago accepted Ali (AS) as the successor to the Prophet (SAW) at Ghadir, however this decision had not been respected by the rivalry group (Sunniasm).

The ideology they had was, Yes, that of terror and fear which stood as the base of their government. Why has the writer forgotten the sword of Omar? Abubakr was nominated at SAQIFA. Later, Omar started sauntering, loitering and roaming about in the streets with a naked sword in hand calling the people to yield to the authority of Abu Bakr or choose to taste the blade. People were dumb founded. Such a force and violence was their ideology.

He continued his rampage through the streets until he approached the house of Zahra, the only daughter of the Prophet (SAW), demanding Ali's surrender to Abu Bakr's authority. Ali (AS) retrained from doing that.

He was tortured and dishonored at his door; and taken away by force to the mosque in order to acknowledge Abu Bakr's caliphate. At the end of his life on the verge of death he wrote a will.

Abu Bakr was rarely in his senses, he wrote the names of Othaman and Omar leaving it a guess as to which are of the two was to succeed him. When he came to his senses he was asked as to whom he actually meant. In reply he confirmed both. He died. Omar succeeded him. No one pointed out that "the man is uttering nonsense" or "The pain has overtaken him." A man who has lost his senses can not make a will.

But when Prophet (SAW) wanted to write down his will they did not allow him by refraining to give him pen and paper. In the progress of all these events we do not see any fixed ideology. Omar came to power without any rival and any opposition. Omar too appointed a committee of six men.

Till here there seems to be no ideology or any respect to the public opinion. Only after Othaman had been killed did the people rush to Ali's house and yield to his authority and acknowledge him as caliph.

This they did with their own will, as there was no force, no compulsion and no violence. From the view point of Shia Ali (AS) had been the caliph since the moment the Prophet had died.

Regardless to what they have written in their books the fact is that the people were compelled to accept whom the caliph had appointed in advance. Therefore, the Sunni people had no ideology in their government. Even to this day of ours one of their scholars says that Islam has no specific method in appointing a ruler.

D. The Factor of Religious difference by dividing Islam (Muslims) into two sects Shia and Sunni:

Love to govern and to attain pomp and ostentation is the prime factor. They pondered and saw nothing would avail them nor would they avail a thing if they left things go as they were in the preaching and the teachings of the Prophet. In his lifetime they should plough so as to harvest after his death: Ambition held them together and the secrecy of intentions brought a confederation between them. They contrived a plan.

What the Prophet says or orders or permits or prohibits should not constitute a binding upon them nor should it have a bearing on what they wished. Such a line suited the trend and fitted to the taste. So a thought void of the Prophet's teachings should be pushed ahead side by side along the Prophet's line, a banner, a slogan, a title that could deceive much and do nothing was a necessity to push the thought ahead.

"The book of God is enough for us", this they chose and adopted as their mission. The name of God and the name of His book served as a tool. They turned it in whatever direction the need was. The screw was tightened and loosened. Whatever direction it turned, the banner stood a justification for it.

In other words, so to say, it actually served as a fortification for them where they were quite safe. They obeyed and disobeyed the Prophet; they accepted and rejected the Prophet; they believed and disbelieved in the Prophet; they were the Prophet's friends and also his enemies.

Such was the banner and such was the use they drew out of it. It was through this means that they invalidated the sayings of the Prophet. Thus they were preparing for the great event which was yet to come. They put it to test when the Prophet (SAW) in his last days demanded a pen and paper to write down his will. They said; "Pain has overtaken him.

The Book of God is enough for us." According to some narration they said; "The man is uttering nonsense." So, by this slogan they stood up against the Prophet. We need not go into long discussion. It is quite obvious that their lust for power was the prime factor of the division in Islam. It is true, it was the Prophet (SAW) who gave the name of Shia to the followers of Ali (AS). But this did not create nor did it cause a division. The presence of close friends of Ali (AS) like Salman, Abuzar,

Migdad had no part in creating a sect by the name of Shia. When the Prophet called the followers of Ali (AS) by the name of Shia he meant it for all. His desire was that all should be Shia. All should follow Ali (AS). It is not even forcibly convincing that the Prophet himself should divide his own nation. If we reflect back we see the division actually took place and came into being the moment the Prophet died. Who was to govern? Who was to succeed? This was the issue.

This issue was a long awaited one; and long anticipated; and some had toiled hard for it. Although the Prophet (SAW) had introduced Ali (AS) as his successor, yet they were still hopeful to steal it. At the cost of division among Muslims they attained their goal.

If at all we ignore this division and find a justification for it, we can not overlook a factor, which did play a part. Some of the Muslims held a view which justified their disobedience the Prophet or to discard his orders. They did not regard the sayings or the instructions of the Prophet (SAW) as Divine revelations. As such, according to them, there was no binding.

The Book of God they sufficed on and they saw no need for the Prophet's (SAW) words. They regarded themselves in the same level of that of the Prophet (SAW) in conceiving the Quranic text. So why should they remain in the very same line prescribed by the Prophet (SAW)?

Whatever they thought necessary with reports to their personal interest or that of a group stood in preference to the Prophet's words. With such a view, the instructions of the Prophet (SAW) became to them amendable in accordance with the time, place, circumstance or the condition. In the administration of Society the word of the Prophet to them was not final nor did it constitute an obligation upon them to its obedience. The lawful and the unlawful to them were not a divine legislation.

Likewise, the issue of the caliphate too was in the same category. Although the Prophet had appointed his successor, they felt they were not obliged to accept his choice because they wrongfully thought it had no validity of a divine revelation.

Therefore, to oppose him was lawful. Such was their reason and such was their belief; and such they have even proved. They changed the whole cause immediately after the Prophet's death by appointing their own man as the caliph. They had said that for the administration of a society it was not prudent to have one as the caliph even though he should be the Prophet's candidate or appointed by him.

They can go against his choice... On the other hand, in several matters they insisted that the Prophet's instructions should be carried out strictly. But, with regards to the caliphate they did quite the opposite. This shows that personal interests mattered to them much. There is another instance where they openly disobeyed the Prophet (SAW).

The Prophet (SAW) had appointed Asama as the commander in chief, however they refaced to accept him as their chief. They gave themselves the right to either obey the Prophet or to disobey him. They did both. They obeyed him and also disobeyed him. When the Prophet's orders were contrary to their interests, they did not obey him. Now we ask; who was the opposing group? Followers of Ali. They believed in the Prophet's words.

What the Prophet said was a divine word to them. In this respect their point was this verse of the Quran: "And he does not utter upon lust; but it is a Revelation that he is vested with." This argument sounds reasonable.

So they regarded the Prophet's (SAW) word a binding upon them because of its being a Divine Revelation. This Quranic verse too is put forward in support of their thought: "What is brought to you by the Prophet, take it, and what he prohibits you refrain from it." Therefore, the orders of the Prophet, to them, were to be obeyed and followed. They believed that every instruction of the Prophet (SAW) was and is valid and can not be ignored. This group of believers was also called 'people of the text'.

They also believed that the interpretation was beyond their understanding. To them the caliphate of Ali (AS) and his guardianship over the Muslims was a thing desired by God. They depended upon this Quranic Verse in support to their belief: "O, Messenger! Announce what has descended to you from your Such is a brief sketch of the start of the division. It can be well noticed that the name of 'AHL SUNNAT' people of tradition) to those ones who actually did not adhere to it is not fair.

The more deserving ones to this name are those who saw incumbent upon them to stick to the Quran and the tradition of the Prophet (SAW). They are Shia. Some clamored "The Book of God is enough to us"; and some maintained that in addition to the Book of God the Prophet's instructions too are necessary. For the sake of one we can not forego the other. In the absence of either, one falls short of the other.

Anyway, these two thoughts are fundamental ones. The belief of the Shia rests on the second one. "The Book of God is enough" is a thought that rejects the dimension of what the Prophet said and did. And this thought resulted in the division of Muslims. Well, in exploring this thought "The Book of God is enough" we come across disagreement among some of this very school.

There are some that openly campaigned against the Prophet's word and his text so far as Ali was concerned. Some insisted that in politics or in the political field there was no necessity to follow the Prophet. Some on some occasions resorted to the Prophet's tradition because they well knew that the thought "The Book of God is enough" was bleak and barren that it could not hold long. Little by little it dawned that the thought "The Book of God is enough" was void of a sense.

It was only an approval to invalidate the divine legislation. In the beginning this slogan worked well to their advantage. In deceiving the people who generally were illiterate and not well informed, this thought went a great deal of length. It was under this pretext that they prevented the Prophet (SAW) from writing down his will.

And, they stood against those who used to say that the Prophet's decree was essential for the office of caliphate by saying that only a Quranic text could determine such an issue. So, the events of GRADEER as well as that of YUM AL-DAAR were both overlooked.

As time went on, experience told them that the affairs could not be ruled or administered without the backing of the Prophet's traditions; they resorted to interpretation. This paved the way for them to deduce from the Divine Decrees and the Prophet's words as the demand suggested or as the need stood. They justified; they interpreted; and they expounded God's laws; and had it been possible they would have even questioned the very text of the Holy Quran.