The Political Dimension of Religion in Shiism

Comparative Views On Mahdism the Divine Vs the Human

Throughout the centuries mankind, by its own standards, has sought someone to bring justice as a means to peace and fulfilment. Leaders have come and gone, but impenitent man in his ignorance and futility still keeps seeking one who will bring victory over oppression. Sadly in many instances the justice sought has been driven by fallible conceptions and convictions; even, at times, worsened by cleverly-concealed ambitious desires.

This paper attempts to demonstrate firstly, that without the recognition of, and aid from the Lord of the Worlds, mankind will never have cognisance of true justice, true values, and thus no matter how much it struggles, will never attain understanding of that which it innately seeks.

Secondly, unless man returns to the pristine Pathway of Allah, he will find himself rudderless in a sea of disaster, in grave danger of not recognising the Chosen One, Imam Mahdi (a.s.), Imam of the Age, who is to lead mankind and establish justice and peace upon the Earth.

1.1 The Nature of Man

Created by Allah, man\'s existence was for a noble purpose as seen Qur\'anically in Surah Al Hijr (15:26,28,29). Fashioned out of clay but breathed into by Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Adam (a.s.) the first man and recipient of the Divine life force was created in such a way that it was possible for him to attain the greatest heights of spirituality and intellect, receiving the capability of being the representative of Allah upon the Earth. This was acknowledged in aya 29 when it was said to the angels:

"When I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall down in obeisance unto him". As if to reinforce this spiritual element of man's being, the same words are given in verse 72 of Surah 38.

Added to this spiritual element was the time spent with Allah in which He taught Adam, and even the angels acknowledged man\'s superiority over them in the attainment of this knowledge.

Nevertheless, in forgetting his origin and his Creator, man could revert to the lesser material, the clay which was ever part of him, and Iblis, the enemy of mankind, refused to bow to man basing his argument entirely on the reasoning of man's material constituent being inferior. Even the angels had questioned when told that man was to be created as Allah\'s Vicegerent on earth: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?" Surah Al Baqarah (2:30). This may be further emphasised by the fact that Allah has, to a large extent, given man free will.

It is man who must choose to fulfil his destiny with honour, and this may be seen in Surah Yunus (10:99) where Allah has stated the following: "If it had been thy Lord\'s Will, they would all have believed - all who are on the Earth! Wilt thou then compel mankind against their will to believe?" . Had Allah wanted blind obedience there were myriads of angels ever there to fulfil all that He commanded. Indeed, man was different, unique, and Allah answered the angels' question by stating, "I know that which ye know not!"

Therefore, to focus upon the baser material of man's origins would be to negate that most wonderful phenomenon - the spirit which Allah breathed into man, which has carried down through the generations over the thousands of years of man's presence upon the earth. This has been addressed by Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahheri in the following: "In Islam the spiritual element breathed into man during the Creation of Adam means that man must pass from the innately good to that which is evil.

Therefore, all of mankind has the propensity to turn to Allah."[^1] He elaborates on this, indicating the example of Firawn. He, and those like him, still had the opportunity to turn to Allah, as in Surah Naml (27:14), "They denied Our signs, though their souls acknowledged them." Of this aspect, Ayatullah Mutahheri likens their denial to a sort of revolution against their own consciences, with disbelief being the rejection of what their hearts believed.

Thus man may have travelled far down a pathway alien to that which is worthy and blessed, yet his soul acknowledges his spiritual need, even as his reason and actions deny such. We see indications of this recognition of the soul in the many legends which have been relayed through the ages, cultures and generations. The scenario is duplicated many times of the struggle between the Oppressor and the Righteous man who leads to victory and a bright future.

For those who have understanding, it is obvious that even in far-off lands, over many centuries, the need for Allah's leading, although perhaps heavily overladen with cultural romanticism and digressions, remains as a small ember awaiting the divine spark which will light the fires of understanding to bring forth those who will choose to follow Allah's ways and Allah's Vicegerent.

For those who do not have, or reject, spiritual understanding the unrequited longing of their souls hastens them down pathways away from Allah, to false deities and false Mahdi's of their choosing, for by nature man's very being requires him to worship. "Then set your face upright for religion in the right state - the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering of Allah's creation…" Surah Al Rum (30:30).

1.2 The Pathway of Man as Commanded by Allah

"..as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path." Surah Al Nisa (4:175)

None can doubt the complexity of man's composition when analysing the sum of his constituent elements which comprises the physiological, the psychological and the spiritual. The scope of man's intellect and being has travelled far into the region of knowledge and capability,extending into religious, sociological, educational, scientific, industrial, political, economic, ecological, cultural, legal and governmental mores, all of which are interdependent, and lead into many further diverse areas requiring regulation and guidance. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that the One most able to understand and guide mankind is his Creator, Allah Most Merciful.

(a) Monotheism: Say: Verily my Lord hath guided me to a Way that is straight - a religion of right - the Path (trod) by Abraham the true in faith, and he (certainly) joined not gods with Allah." Surah Al An'am (6:161)

The first recognized step in this pathway is the acknowledgement of Islamic Monotheism, the fundamental belief in which Allah Alone is worshipped, having no partners nor yet is there any other God or one like Him upon whom one can call. The pathway of man as commanded by Allah is one in which recognition of, and obedience to Allah brings guidance and protection, and this may be seen in Surah Al Ikhlas - The Purity of Faith. All else is falsehood.

Imam Ali, Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) gives the following advice: Now then I advise you to fear Allah, Who created you for the first time; toward Him is your return, with Him lies the success of your aims, from Him terminate (all) your desires, towards Him runs your right path, and He is the goal of your fears (for seeking protection)… [^2]

(b) Islam: "…. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." Surah Al Ma'idah (5:3)

Islam, the essence of monotheistic belief, is the religion which Allah has chosen for mankind, and which was, as stated in the Qur'an, the religion given to the Prophet Ibraham (a.s.) and those Prophets and Messengers chosen by Allah to follow on.

It was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and its vast stores of knowledge, laws, and admonition for mankind have been passed down through the centuries, being relayed and interpreted for the believers of each age by Allah's chosen Representatives since that time.

Imam Ali (a.s.) speaks of it thus: "Have you fully realised what Islam is? It is indeed a religion founded on truth. It is such a fountain-head of learning that several streams of wisdom and knowledge flow from it. It is such a lamp that several lamps will be lighted from it. It is a lofty beacon illuminating the path of Allah….."

(c) The Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.): "O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and a Warner." Surah Al Ahab (33:45) On the pathway of Allah we cannot advance, nor yet hope to attain spiritual fulfilment, neither is one's future secure at all without knowledge of, and love towards the holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).

The final Prophet of Allah, who, of all Prophets, alone was given the responsibility, as seen even in previous scriptures, of being the mercy for mankind in its entirety. His position has been established by the Word of Allah, in which it is said: We have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad tidings, and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not. Surah Saba' (34:28)

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) was not only the Receiver and Conveyor of the Message from Allah, but Judge and Statesman. He led the prayers of the people, educated them, administered divine justice between them, and issued orders as the leader of their society in war and peacetime. So important is the rank of this Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) that there are many texts requiring obedience to him,

such as Surah Al Nisa (4:80) in which it is said: He who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah. In fact, if one only refers to texts using the Arabic verb Ata'a meaning "to obey", one immediately finds 27 verses which exhort obedience to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) as being obedience to Allah. Therefore the position of the Holy Prophet in the way of Allah is of paramount consequence.

1.3 The fulfilment of Allah's promise

It is in the worship of Allah and sincere obedience to his Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) that Allah's promise of guidance and mercy may be found. The Almighty has never allowed man to be left unprotected, without light and guidance. Even during long passages of time there were signs, scriptures and Messengers for those who retained faith in Allah. As reminded by Ayatullah Mutahheri, The Prophets and the Imams have been described as the main routes and the straight path, the sign-posts for the people, the light houses in the land, the guides to the way of Allah, the preachers of His message and the proclaimers of what He likes.[^3]

This Light and Mercy did not disappear with the death of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) nor yet was there confusion over this issue for those of belief. This may be seen in the words of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) prior to his death beside the pond of Khumm on the 18th of Zhul Hijjah after the Farewell Pilgrimage: "It seems as if I have been summoned and I am going away. However I am leaving among you two weighty things, one of which is greater than the other. They are the Book of Allah the Almighty, and my children. So take care how you treat them after me.

The two shall never part company until they come to me at the Pool. The Lord, Allah, the Almighty, is my Master and I am the master of every true believer." Then he took the hand of Ali in his hand and said: "He is the master of those whose master I have been. O Allah, love those who love Ali and hate those who hate him…" [^4] This was not a capricious pronouncement prompted by nepotism or brought about by his love of Ali(a.s.), though there can be no doubt that certainly he did love him - this was by command of Allah with far-reaching consequences as deeper study reveals.

After Imam Ali, Commander of the Faithful (as.) would be those of the progeny of the Prophet (s.a.w.) through his and Fatemah's (a.s.) line, and this is noted in further reports from a number of sources, as in the following: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said: Behold! My Ahl-ul-Bayt are like the Ark of Noah, whoever embarked in it was saved, and whoever turned away from it was drowned. [^5].

The Holy House (a.s.) was to prevail, not through Prophethood but Imamate - Spiritual Leadership and Governance. With each generation has been the Imam, the Wali, the Master of the Age, the one Perfect man whose purity and knowledge and nearness to Allah gives guidance to the Believers. With the occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) the twelfth Imam, has come the promise of his re-appearance through which Allah, is to bring back justice and righteousness to the Earth.

He, himself, has said: "I am Al-Mahdi, and I am the Still-living one who will establish justice throughout the world the same as it has been filled with oppression. Surely the earth will never remain without a witness, and people will not live in lack of a leader. Thus do not retell this except for your Muslim brothers who are Men of God". [^6]

2.1 Man's tendencies to follow false pathways

He Who taught (the use of) the pen - taught man that which he knew not. Nay! But man doth transgress all bounds in that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient. Verily to thy Lord is the return (of all). Al 'Alaq (96:4-8).

Qur'anically man who chooses to live without spiritual ethics is unappreciative. Created, nurtured and sustained by Allah, as stated, man is ungrateful, arrogant to the point of ignorance, rebellious, putting his own will before the Almighty, from Whom he came, and to Whom he is finally to return…Then see you such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Al Jathiya (45:23).

Obedience to Allah's commands brings safeguards, thus while obedience is mandatory, science has often revealed that these commands are demonstrably beneficial. Discussion of dietary laws is not intended here, nevertheless there is a very thought-provoking text in connection to this aspect of obedience: "And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned,

and that is most surely a transgression; and most surely the Shaitans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists (idol-worshippers)." Surah Al Anam (6:121). Clearly it is a warning for man not to place the influence or advice or commands of any other being above the words and commands of Allah, for the outcome of such is polytheism.

We are also reminded that man is not without an Enemy, and the vow of the Shaitan was : "I will lie in wait for (ambush) them on Thy Straight Way…" Surah Al Araf (7:16). We who are Muslim cannot claim immunity, but must be ever vigilant, remembering that the vowed ambush would not take place on a by-way, but on Allah's Straight Path. It is not surprising therefore that the followers of Islam have diverged into many pathways.

Dealing with Degrees of Polytheism, which is a major recurrent theme in man's history, Ayatullah Muttaheri states: "Now we can comprehend what the Holy Prophet meant when he said that infiltration of polytheism into belief is as quiet and imperceptible as the crawling of an ant on a smooth (black) stone in the darkness of night.

The fact is that the dividing line between monotheism and polytheism is the relationship between Allah on the one hand and man and the world on the other. This relationship is that of "from Him" and "to Him". In the theoretical monotheism the line of demarcation is "from him". We are all from Allah."[^7]

2.2 Historical Evidence of false pathways:

"Mankind was but one people; so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and He sent down with them the book with the truth, so that it might judge between the people in that in which they had differed. And none differed about it but the very people who were given it, after clear signs had come to them, revolting among themselves; whereupon Allah guided, by His will, those who believed, to the truth about which they differed…" Surah Al Baqarah (2:213)

Of the above verse, al-Allamah as-Sayyid at-Tabatabai' comments: "This verse explains why religion was promulgated and mankind obliged to follow it, and why differences occurred in it. Mankind,…were in the beginning one single group. Then occurred differences about the acquisition of the necessities of life." This earliest religion for mankind was expanded and enhanced by the sending of Prophets, but again there was deviation. " …

This time about the knowledge of religion, or about matters concerning the beginning and end of mankind. Thus, religious unity was disrupted and various groups appeared on the scene, and their differences contaminated other aspects of life. These second differences only occurred because of the revolt of the very people who were given the book, after the fundamentals and characteristics of religion had been fully explained to them, and the proof of Allah had been completed for them." [^8]

Clearly, there were initially two reasons for the differences within mankind from which others branched: (a) desire for worldly gains, which he considered as a natural phenomenon and (b) religious differences, which were not natural, but based on the revolt of mischief-makers.