The Role of Holy Imams in Revival of Religion

3 Causes of Distortions

Introduction: A review of past discussions.

Our primary discussion revolved around discovering what Islam originally was and what it became afterwards. This was so that as a result we could find out what our duty is in this time and era and understand our responsibilities in this respect.

It was on this very course that we were informed of the Prophet's prediction that whatever occured in past nations and religions would also occur in this nation: or [to a hair]. In considering this, we said and observed that previous religions were upturned and altered by the bullies and evil persons of past eras, who took over the religion after each prophet. These alterations continued, until the entire religious creed brought to that nation by its prophet had completely lost its genuineness, and no matter how they strived, the human race could not once again discover its original form.

These events, based on Divine Sunnat and human nature, also occured in this nation. Mohammads (s.a.w) religious creed was the final Divine Message, and because Divine grace necessitates that the human race must never be without guidance, and it must be attainable after the necessary striving and effort; the altered religious creed and upturned Islam in the Final Prophets nation was once again restored by the self-sacrifices of the Holy Imams, returned to the nation and place within reach of those who desired the truth.

This was the main format of our discussion which we have once again repeated here.

In the Previous book we studied in detail one of the important factors in the alteration of religious creeds. In reality it may be called the cornerstone of alteration; and its the concealment of the Prophets Hadiths and the prevention of their propagation and publication. If with regard to previous nations the Quran says: '---Arabic text---' in this nation not only do those in charge conceal religious truths they also prevent the devoted followers of Islam and the Quran from repeating them and they burn their written copies of Hadiths. How can religion come to us this way? Here it is that the first and most important means of alteration gains its embodiment.

In our discussion and study we will now refer to the second means used by the governments leaders and powerful, to alter Islam. This means, being a follow-up on the first means, came about in the following manner; In the first phase these bullies prevented the propagation of Islams second pillar (the Prophets Sunnat) for as long as they could. However, just as they knew that despite strict control a black market in trade could exist, they also knew the there would be some persons among the public who would propagate factual Hadiths, that opposed the governments policies. For this reason, a special plan was necessary in order to deal with this. We have seen that Maesam Tamar narrated Hadiths for the people from a cross and they heard them and wrote them down. They cut off Rashid Hejrys legs and arms leaving him to die but during this he told his neighbours to come record Hadiths instead of crying. They exiled Abu Dharr from city talk, and despite all of that he related Hadiths. Which were related against the Caliphs will? They solved this problem with one plan, and that being the second plan and means for the alteration of Islam tried by them!

By God, how strange, painful and tormenting! Tears should be shed over this, not Sayed Al-Shohada! This is because this deed was a three headed arrow shot at the heart of Islam. No person was injured and no blood spilled, but they killed the spirit, way of thought and peace that hundreds died to preserve!? It also once again became necessary for tens of the worlds pure generations to sacrifice their precious blood for its return.

What did they do? They devised a plan to eradicate the validity of the Prophets words, so that if someone should hear a Hadiths of the Prophet it would bear no credibility with which a fact could be proven or a correct action advanced; in other words the ability to recognize true Islam and act thus wise would be eradicated!

Is such a thing really possible? In Mosess (a.s) nation was it possible for his community and people to prove that his words, remarks and speeches were unreliable and worthless? What would be left of that Prophets religious creed if that was proved. It is with the utmost regret that we say that this occured in the Islamic nation! This religious sanctity and value was attacked from various sides, and much effort was put into this aim! We ask; after all of these attacks and efforts, what value was left for the Holy Prophets words among the Muslim people? Wasn't it only rational and natural that they would lose their belief in the Prophets Hadiths - the second pillar of Islam?

The effects of this deed was much more than that which we saw in the study of their remarks such as:

'---Arabic text---'

182 At that time they declared that the book of God was enough for them; nothing else being necessary. Here, however, they fabricated events and created reasons to prove that other things (in other words, the Prophets remark) according to principle have no worth, value or credibility!?

  1. A discussion and study of these remarks by the leaders after the Prophet may be found in "Book two" of this series.

The Second Factor In Alteration

Certain narratives may be found in Muslims "Sahih", Ahmads "Musnad" and other authoritative records. According to these narratives A'ishah is their relator. Even though there are other narrators, I will relate it first from A'ishah because the credibility of her Hadiths is greater than the others in the eyes of the Sunnite sect.

According to the narrative of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in "Musnad" it is as such: Aishah says:

"A large number of people from various Arab tribes had come to see the Prophet, and gathering around him they were requesting various things of him. Their number reached such an extent that they were pressing upon the Prophet causing him discomfort. In order to aid the Prophet the immigrants rose and pushed away the tribal Arabs from around him, clearing the way the tribal Arabs from around him, clearing the way for him to reach A'ishahs doorstep but he was forced to let go of his cloak loosing it in the crowd. Upon reaching A'ishahs doorstep he jumped upon it saying: "May God curse them!" Aishah says that she said: O' Messenger of God they are eternally damned, you cursed them and your curse will cause their damnation! The Prophet answered: O' daughter of Abu Bakr, By God no, those whom I cursed will not be damned - This lie reaches its peak here. See how far this falsity goes and what they say to remove the credibility from The Prophets words - The Prophet said: I have made a covenant with my Lord a covenant containing no infringements: I said to my God: My lord, I am a human being just as all other average persons in that I became angry. If at such a time I should make an unworthy or bad remark to a believer make that remark an atonement for his sins, so that my curse will become the atonement for their sins. 183

In another narrative by Aishah in Muslims "sahih" she says: "two men came to see the prophet and held a discussion with him. I didn't hear what they said but the holy prophet became very angry because of their words and gave them curses and ill words in reply. When they left I said: If some will find good fortune those two never will He said; why, what has happened? I said: because you cursed those two and called them names! He said: Don't you know what covenant I have made with my lord. I made a covenant saying: My Lord! I am a human being. For every Muslim that I call names or curse, make this curse or ill words purity and zakat for them, as a result of my curse purify and cleanse him". 184

Now, after all of these narratives from the most creditable record, relate that the Prophet had cursed Muawieh! This curse will be seen as proof of his purity! If you were to relate that the Prophet cursed Abu Sufian or others, what negative effect will it have? This curse means superiority, not inferiority! It is an honour, not disgrace and shame!

The third narrative is also narrated from Aishah who says: "The Prophet brought a prisoner to me. After the Prophet left, the prisoner escaped as a result of my carelessness. The Prophet returned and asked me what happened to the prisoner. I told him that while I was busy talking with the other women the prisoner escaped. He said: Why? May God cut off your two hands. Then I was thinking that because of the Prophets curse my hand will certainly be cut off. I kept looking at my hands and wondering which would be cut off first, and became completely immersed in this thought! The Prophet came home and saw how I was staring at my hands, turning them over repeatedly. He said: What happened! Are you crazy that you move your hands such? I said: You cursed me, I'm turning my hands and looking at them to see which come off first! Then the Prophet looked towards the sky and after words of prayer said: O' God, I am a human being and just as other people became angry, I am also enraged. If at such a time I curse a believing man or woman make that curse purity and cleanliness for them!" 185

The fourth narrative is also from A'ishah. She says:

"The Holy Prophet would begin praying and then pray so long that I tired. He would say: O' God, I am a human being! Don't punish or requite me for cursing and or tormenting a believer, or other person! 186

Another narrative has been related from Ai'shah that tells of a day when the Prophet entered her house, sat facing the Qibleh, and raising his hands said: My lord I am but a human-being don't reprimand or punish me if I have scourged or tormented one of your slaves! 187

In yet another place she says: I saw the Prophet with his hands raised in prayer, while he was saying: My lord, I am only a human-being, don't punish or reprimand me if I have persecuted a believer or have spoken ill words to him. 188

These types of narratives, the majority of which are related by A'ishah, are not only one or two in number. Numerous examples of them may be found in famous collections of Hadiths. 189

There are also narratives in the most important Sunnite collections of Hadiths related by the Prophets companion Abu Harireh, another of their creditable narrators says:

The Holy Prophet said: My lord, I am making an agreement with you that you will never break. I am only human, If I have persecuted, cursed or damned a believer, make resurrection day he will gain you favour and closeness. 190

In another narrative he says: The Prophet said: My Lord, Mohammad is but a human-being, just as all other men become angry (wrongly or rightly) he also is angered. I have made a deal with you that you will never break. Whenever I persecute, curse, or whip a believer, make this act of mine an atonement for his sins and gaining of your favour so that he will be close to you on resurrection day. 191

From these authoritative Hadiths in Sunnite sources we draw the conclusion that the Prophets cursing of Muawieh, Abu Sufian and other Quraishite leaders is only the reason and means of their closeness to God, causing their purity and an atonement of their sins. Therefore, it becomes clear who reaps the greatest benefit from these Hadiths, those who for many years to follow, were the Muslims leaders, having control over the people lives, property, religion and customs.

Again A'ishah relates that the Prophet said: I have make an agreement with my lord upon which there may be no infringement. I said to him such: My lord I am only human, I become angry just as they do I become upset and hurt. So for every Muslim that I have hit (for this reason), cursed or prosecuted, make these acts of mine forgiveness, mercy and favour for him so that they may be close to you on the last Day. 192 In another place she claims that she heard the Prophet say: O A'ishah don't you know about the pact I have made with my lord? I said in this pact: O lord I am a human-being and just as a human-being is angered I too become angry, so for every Muslim I have cursed make my curse pardon for him! 193

She also says that the Prophet told me: Don't you know O A'ishah, that in my prayers to God I told him that I am only human and will inevitably become angry; for every curse I make based on this, regarding one of blessing, good, pardon, mercy and purity for them! 194

They related many narratives from the Prophet on this matter, not one or two, not one or two ways. When these types of narratives exist, how can the Prophets Hadiths be an indication of the truth and iterator of reality? What form will his identity as a Prophet or even as a Muslim take!?

The instances of these improper curses and ill words were shown by A'ishah to be not just one, or two or three times. At one time it is a group of Beduin Arabs. These servants of God had come to Medina and had requests of the Prophet. He cursed them. One time he cursed two Muslims who had come to see him. One time he cursed A'ishah and so on.......Secondly each time he said: I have asked of God and have made an agreement with him that these curses should be make for the cursed, blessing, pardon, mercy and proof of their esteem!

Lets Look into these Narratives

Now we will examine the narratives related above. In Bukharis "Sahih", Muslims' "Sahih", Abu Davouds' "Sunan" Ahmads' "Musnad" and Abu Avaneh's "Musnad" this narrative has been related from Abdullah Ibn Massoud. he quotes the Prophet as saying:

"To insult a Muslim is debauchery and to fight him is blasphemy". 195

Another narrative from Sabet Ibn Zahak has been related, he being a companion of "Bayat Rezvan'. Here the Holy Prophet states:

"And if he damns him its the same as if he had killed him". 196

Abu Davoud relates: One of the Prophets companions had been caught in a heavy wind and as it blew the cloak off of his shoulders he cursed the wind. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) said: Don't curse the wind. It is something that doesn't deserve to be cursed the curse returns to the curses". 197

The same relates from the companion Abu Darda: The Holy Prophet said: "If a curse is not deserved by the curse the curse returns to the curser". 198

Ibn Massoud narrates that the Prophet said: "A believer is not a reproacher, a frequent curser, or a speaker of ill or foul words". 199

It has been related from Abu Darda that the Prophet said: "Those who undeservingly curse someone, will neither be an interceder nor a witness for the people. 200

And it has also been related that the Prophet said to one of his wives:

"I forbid you to be a frequent curser"

"Cursing a believer is the same as killing him".

"Its not proper for a believer to be a frequent curser".

"You cannot be a frequent curser and also one of the pious."

O' Abu Bakr, frequent curser and pious. By God no!

These two qualities may not be found in one person". 201

Again it has been related that A'ishah had said: I was with the Prophet when I cursed the camel that I was riding. The prophet said: "Something that has been cursed should not remain in our company, let it go, remove it from this caravan". 202

Also she said: I was riding a camel and I cursed it. The Prophet said: "Now that you have cursed that camel don't ride it again". 203

In Muslims "Sahih" this narrative is found in which one day a woman of the Ansar cursed her camel.. The Prophet then said: "Take away that camels saddle and free it. The cursed camel must not be with us". 204

With regard to these Hadiths how could it be possible for the Prophet himself to have cursed all of those Muslims and believers undeservingly?

In highly creditable records of history and Hadiths it has been related from A'ishah that: The Prophet has never cursed a believer in order for such to be said or remembered". 205

Doesn't this statement represent a weak memory? The same person who relates. all those improper cursings of Muslims by the Prophet says: The Prophet never cursed a Muslim.

In those same creditable records A'ishah once again relates the Prophet never took his revenge from someone because of the torment they caused him except for times when Divine laws were infringed upon. He never punished someone with his own hand. He only punished them in the way of God. No one ever requested something of him that he replied no; except for when their request was something prohibited by God, because at such times he was more distant from the prohibited than any other person. And whenever he was confronted by two paths and had the option to choose between two ways of doing something he always chose the way and path that was easier for the people.

In another place A'ishah once again says 206: I never saw the Prophet strike a female or male slave or servant and he never at any time beat or struck one of his wives. In principle he never hit anyone except of curse in times of war and Jehad. He never took revenge of someone for saying something about him unless the matter was related to God and religion, at such times he wouldn't certainly react. He was never presented with two ways of doing something that he didn't choose the easiest for the people unless the easiest was a sin since at such times he was always the furthest from sin.

Another time we hear from A'ishah that: The Prophet never used bad language and never made a noise or a commotion in the streets or market. He didn't forgive, possessing remission and overlooking such things. 207

Several Jews were passing by the prophet and instead of saying: "Greeting to You", they said "Death to you". A'ishah who was present there-according to her own words - said: May death be to you and may God damn you and his wrath be upon you!! The Prophet said: Calm down A'ishah. You must show moderateness and leniency. Refrain form bad and foul language. 208

These are things which A'ishah herself has related, and narratives that have remained for us of the Holy Prophet. We also saw a few Quranic verses at the beginning of this lesson. God says to us in the Holy Quran that: "Certainly an Apostle has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively solicitous respecting you; to the believers (he is) compassionate, merciful". 209

And also:

"Noon I swear by the pen and what the angels write. By the grace of your lord you are not mad. And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off. And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality". 210

We see that God speaks of His Prophet in this way and describes him as such, but the narratives existing in the Caliphate schools authoritative texts try prophets actions and words is carnal desire. They insist because of his anger or displeasure with regard to certain persons, are not related to the truth or reality.

Again we return to the Quran:

"I swear by the star when it goes down. Your companion does not err, does he go astray; nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed". 211

Of course we know that there are two types of revelation; its either the Quran of which both the words and meanings are from God, or the Prophets Hadiths in which the meaning and concept was inspired by revelation and the words and expressions used to express it were chosen by the Prophet himself. Either way the Prophet did not speak out of his own desire. This was the Quranic insight regarding the Prophet and the correct Islamic recognition of him.

Why Did They Say Such Things?

Now, with the knowledge that the first group of Hadiths are false lets see why these sorts of Hadith came to be, and why these acts were ascribed to the Prophet? These Hadiths strived to make the Prophets commendations and refutals worthless and even further than that make the Prophets words in general valueless and uncreditable. This was done so that if a Hadith or Hadiths escaped the strict censorship of Hadiths that went against the Caliphates policies, they could never be freed from these bonds! The result of this being that if a commendation of Salman is related from the Prophet or if they repeat a remark of his about Ammar such as: "Ammar is one with the truth, and is never separated from the truth" Or if from his holy mouth it would be heard that he said about Abu Dharr:

"The earth or heavens has not produced one more truthful than Abu Dharr".

It would no longer bear any value or have any credibility or worth.

In our previous lessons we learned that Quraish during the Prophets lifetime had told Abdullah Ibn Amr-e-Ibn Aas:

You write down everything you hear the Prophet say? Even though he is like all of us human beings and speaks in states of anger and satisfaction. Sometimes he is pleased with someone and is happy, in return praising him and commending him. At another time he is angry with someone and speaks ill words to him, reproaching or slandering him. And you write down and record everything he says on the basis of this human characteristic. We also saw that Abdullah refrained from writing down the Prophet's words and eventually told the Prophet of the Quraishits remarks. The Prophet said: (Write down my Hadiths as you used to, I swear by who holds my life in the hands of his power, nothing but the truth comes out of these two lips. Words and Hadiths are the same at all times, all are the truth).

After looking at this Hadith we may better understand the reason for the propagation for the narratives under consideration. We may also realize why the Quraishites, who later took over the highest government positions, devalued the Prophets curses!!

In order for you to acknowledge the truth of our words we will refer to Muslims book "Sahih" and he has named it as such:

"Regarding the person the Prophet curses or speaks ill language to and Gods making that curse or ill words cleanliness and purity for him".

Under this chapter title Muslim mentions some of the narratives of Abu Huraireh, A'ishah and others of which we have seem examples, then at the end of this chapter he narrates the story of the Prophet cursing Muavieh. The story goes like this:

"Several times the Prophet sent Abdullah Ibn Abbas after Muavieh, summoning him. Each time Ibn Abbas would return saying that: "Muaveh is eating". Eventually the Prophet said: "May God never make him full" And they have narrated that until the end of his life Muavieh ate so much they he tired but never became full.

We had seen that one day the Prophet saw Abu Sufian astride a camel while his two sons Yazid and Muavieh were with him, one to propel the camel and the other to halt it. he said:

"May God damn the rider, propeller and puller of that camel".

You see that due to the Hadiths under consideration these types of curses for persons such as Abu Sufian, and Muavieh will have no meaning for them except blessing, purity and remission. Therefore no matter how many narratives of the Prophet you relate regarding his lacking in creditability they will only be a praise and eulogy of their superiority and greatness.

Also, previously we saw that the Prophet had cursed Hakam Ibn Al-As and all of his descendants - except for the faithful among them whom he said were very few. We also know that most of the Ummayed caliphs were the descendents of this very Hakam: Abdul Mulk, Solaiman, Hesham, Valid and Yazid etc.... All of them were damned in this curse! Do you think that the powerful and Caliphs did not plot to remedy such narratives? Of course they thought of a remedy and went to great efforts to put it to work!

This group of bullies should think of a remedy for this categorical narrative from Umar Ibn Marwah Jahmi.

He says: Hakam Ibn Abi Al-As, the third Caliph Uthman's paternal uncle, Marwan's father and the grandfather of the Caliphs of Bani Ummayed, came to the prophets door and asked permission to enter The Prophet, recognizing his voice said: "It's a serpent that has come, let him come in. Damn him and everyone of his offspring except for the truly faithful who will be of course very few. They will attain high positions in this world but not in the next!!"

There are many authoritative historical narratives and stories regarding this matter but we will stop here because they are sufficient to clarify the reason for the fabrication of the narratives spoken of here. In this way we come to recognize and understand the reason for the fabrication of narratives which removed the creditability from the Prophets statements. We also came to realize how the Prophets words of praise for one group of persons and revealing some persons or curses regarding a certain other group lost their value becoming worthless.