Chapter XIII

The Time of the Imam

The time of the Imam, peace be on him, was marked by terrible waves of racial, popular inclinations, religious creeds, and ideological trends that had no relationship with Islam and met it in no way. Those ideological movements conflicted with each other in a conflict that had neither calmness nor stability, to the extent that that conflicted included most of the times. The reason for that is that the Islamic conquest carried the cultures and sciences of the nations to the Arab and Islamic world. Besides Islam brought a great wave of sciences and thoughts. In the meantime it urged the Muslims to be free and to be specialists in all kinds of knowledge. That brought about an ideological change in the Islamic society. The thoughts appeared in different kinds of culture the like of which the society did not come to know in the bygone times. The scientific abilities that burst in that time headed for the ideological part of life. Accordingly, the Islamic doctrines and the religious sects were formed. The community was divided into parties that witnessed great disputes, quarrels, and arguments. So the clubs were full of bloody fights and violent struggle, especially as it concerns proving the Creator, His positive and negative attributes, decree and determination, and the subject matter of the creation of the Qur’an. The most prominent group in this field was that of the theologians. Many books were written on this subject. They are full of many examples of those disputes and arguments.

Among the most dangerous and heated thoughts at that time was the atheistic thought propagated by those foreigners who harbored malice against the Muslims and Islam, for they were disturbed by the spread of Islam and its authority on the earth. Such people thought that they had no ability to face Islam through war and force. So they spread their corrupt beliefs among those weak, young Muslims. They propagated vague errors and imaginations among the Muslims, to the extent that a group of those deceived and vainglorious responded to them. As for Imam Musa, peace be on him, and the great thinkers from among his companions faced those coming beliefs through criticizing them with strong, scientific proofs, explaining their corruption and their remoteness from reality. Their arguments had the nature of loyalty to the truth and taking care of the interests of the Muslims. Large part of those who had such beliefs confessed their error and their corrupt trend. So they returned to the doctrine of the truth and correctness. Because of that, the movement of Shi‘ism appeared, and the scientific abilities of its leaders spread. So great part of the Muslims adopted it. This affair disturbed the responsible, and they resisted it through persecuting and severely punishing its followers. They prevented them from speaking in the ideological fields. So Imam Musa, peace be on him, was forced during the days of al-Mehdi to send a letter to Hisham. He

asked him to refrain from theology due to the dangerous situation, and Hisham refrained from that until al-Mehdi died.[1]

It is necessary to talk briefly about these subject matters; similarly, it is necessary to deal with some important events that happened at that time and to know the policy of the then government. That is because studying the life of the Imam, peace be on him, depends on having knowledge of these affairs. Besides they show us great part of the political and social problems at that time. I (the author) think that a researcher is in need of having knowledge of such matters.

Al-Shi‘ubiya

Rwait Ronaldson, an orientalist, maintained that the appearance of the movement of al- shi‘ubiya, intense conflict between the Arabs and the rest of other peoples were the most important events happened at the time of Imam Musa, peace be on him.[2]

This viewpoint is very surface. It indicates that its owner did not study the Islamic history deeply, that he did not understand the beginning and development of the events in history. For al- shi‘ubiya was not born at that time. Rather it began before it for a long time. We will give proofs of that.

It is necessary to pause to inquire into this important event, which is the greatest of all the events with which the Islamic world was afflicted. That is as follows:

A. The Definition of al- shi‘ubiya

The linguists have differed over the definition of this word (al- shi‘ubiya). In the book al-Lisan, al- shi‘ubi is he who degrades the importance of the Arabs and sees that they have no excellence over other than them. In the book al-Sihah, al- shi‘ubiya is a sect that does not prefer the Arabs to non-Arabs. So according to the first definition, al- shi‘ubi is he who degrades the value and dignity of the Arabs and sees that they have no excellence over those other than them. According to the second definition, al- shi‘ubi is he who regards the Arabs and those other than them as equal. Ibn ‘Abd Rabba maintained this definition in his al-‘Aqd al-Ferid, saying: “Surely, al- shi‘ubiya are the men of equality.”

The modern writers have differed over defining the meaning of al- shi‘ubiya. Al-‘Adawi has maintained that al- shi‘ubiya has been derived from al- shi‘ub, meaning the return to the past of peoples, vainglory throughout geographical and historical fanaticism, leaving the Arabs’ message aiming at creating new society evaluating man according to his work and service.[3]

As for al-Duri, he believes that the concept of al- shi‘ubiya is complicated, that the

secret movements that affected Islam, did to demolish the Arabic, Islamic supreme authority or to demolish Islam or the trends that tried to destroy Islam from inside are called al- shi‘ubiya.[1]

Kurd ‘Ali sees that al- shi‘ubiya are the people who show fanaticism toward the Arabs and prefer the non-Arab to them.[2]

This is the meaning of al- shi‘ubiya in the viewpoints of the linguists and the modern writers. They all have not agreed on a certain definition for this word.

B. Its Beginning

According to the historical inquiry, this destructive movement started at the time of the Second Caliph (‘Umar b. al-Khettab), to the extent that he was the victim of it. That was when he was assassinated by Abu Lu’lu’a as a result of the conspiracy among those forces who harbored malice against him.

As for the factors of its beginning, they resulted from that the supreme authority did not treat the Arabs and the non-Arabs equally in rights and duties. For the Second Caliph gave a religious verdict that none of the non-Arabs had the right to inherit except those who were born in the Arab land.[3] He also harassed them through taxes. Moreover, through his money policy, created classes in Islam. For example, in giving, he preferred al-Badriyyin[4], and the Emigrants to the Ansar (the Supporters). This required classifying the people according to the tribes and their lineage. So the genealogists became active to record the lineage and classifying the tribes according to their origins. Of course, this made the non-Arabs hate the Arabs and look for their defects.

‘Uthman, the Third Caliph, also followed this policy. He ordered his governor over Baghdad to prefer the Arabs to non-Arabs.[5] This unjust policy brought about many difficulties and discords to the Muslims. It divided their ranks and spread hatred and malice among them.

C. Its Development

The movement of al- shi‘ubiya greatly developed during the days of the Umayyad and the ‘Abbasid governments. This abominable fanatical instincts took place among the Muslims. The Arabs showed pride toward the rest of other peoples. They praised their qualities. They said: “Surely we have moral qualities by which we have been distinguished. We are the greatest of all the people in entertaining guest, relieving the grieved, and helping the seeker of help. We slaughter for night

comer our only she-camel. We have good intuition, proverbs, and wonderful speech. We are the greatest of the people in memorizing our lineage. We know our lineage and name our forefathers. Besides Islam grew among us and spread at our hands. It is we who spread it and conveyed its message.” These are the most important proofs on which the Arabs depended in their excellence and precedence over those other than them.

This immoderate fanaticism of the Arabs disturbed the other peoples of the Islamic Empire. So they went too far in mentioning their qualities just as the Arabs did. They degraded their importance, mentioned their bad deeds and their defects such as burying a new-born girl alive for fear of poverty, and the dependence of their economic life on invasion and loot. They disparaged them for their arid land and their simple life. In the mean time, they mentioned the greatness of the Roman Emperor, the Indian wisdom, the Greece logic and philosophy, the Chinese industry and arts, the Persian luxury and civilization. They said that the Arabs were the least of all the peoples in such things. So they have neither pride nor glory. As for their declamation and boast of Islam, it is that Islam is not only the religion of the Arabs but also it is the religion of all people. Islam itself has fought against pre-Islamic inclinations, buried their thoughts, and destroyed their preferences. It has regarded all Muslims as equal and fear of Allah as the measure for supremacy and excellence. Allah, the Most High, says: Surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty)[1].

Many books have been written on mentioning the defects of the Arabs and disparaging them. In this respect Abu ‘Ubayda Mu‘ammar b. al-Muthenna has written many books of which are: Arab Thieves (Lusus al-‘Arab), Arab Bastards (Add‘iya’ al-‘Arab), Good Qualities of the Persians (Fedaa’il al-Furs). On this subject matter al-Haythem b. ‘Adi wrote several books of which are: Big Book of Defects (Kitab al-Methalib al-Kebeer), Book of Rabi‘a’s Defects (Kitab Methalib Rabi‘a), Names of the Qurayshi Unchaste Women in the Pre-Islamic, and the Names of their Children (Asma’ Beghaayaa Quraysh fi al-Jahiliya wa Isma’ men weledna). Ahmed al-Bukhtkan wrote: Vengeance of Non-Arabs on the Arabs (Intisaaf al-‘Ejem ‘alaa al-‘Arab), Excellence of Non-Arabs over the Arabs and their Pride (Fedl al-‘Ejem ‘alaa al-‘Arab wa Iftikhariha).[2] Spites became public among the Muslims and discords spread among them at that time.

The Persian poets boasted themselves on the Arabs and went too far in degrading their dignity. Abu Nu’as, a Persian poet on the side of his mother, satirized the Arabs, saying:

The wretched one stopped at the ruins to ask them; and I stopped to ask about the wine shop.

He wept over those bygone from among Asad. May your wealth be not much! Say: Who are the Banu Asad?

Who are Temeem? Who are Qays and the like? The Arabs are nothing with Allah!

Abu Nu’as talked again in his poetry about one of the Arabs’ qualities. He said that vainglory and dissension were famous among the members of their tribes. He also said that when two Arabs from two different tribes sat together, they quarreled and vied in glory with one another. So each of them boasted himself on his tribe and his family, whilst the Persians did not have such qualities. He says:

I drank with them (the Arabs) to get used to their morals. As for drinking wine with the Persians, it was normal and decided.

They revere each other and intone when they speak. Their hidden (words) are understandable.

The free of Persia have the most precious selves; and their pride is not available during their association.

When I drink with an Arab group, Temeem begin mentioning their vainglory. They prepare their bows for Qays. Tameem are captured; and their gathering is defeated.

I do not guard against the evil of children of the non-Arabs. For the way of their drinking wine is good.

They do not show haughtiness toward a drinking companion when they become drunk. They greet the Arabs when they aggress against them.

When I sit among them, they show humbleness and respect toward me.

That brought about the spread of disagreement between the Arabs and the rest of the people and the fanaticism of each party for his people. On top of those racists who continually satirized the Arabs was Bashshar b. Burd. He always disparaged them and degraded their position. A desert man came in to Majjza’a b. Thour al-Sudusi in Basrah. Bashshar was present at his gathering and wearing the uniform of poets. The Bedouin asked Bashshar, asking:

-What are you?

-A poet.

-Are you an Arab or non-Arab?

-There is no relationship between non-Arab and poetry!

So Bashshar became angry. He kept silent for a while. Then he turned to Majjza’a and said to him: “Abu Thour, may I say something?”

“Say whatever you whish, Abu Ma‘adh,” replied Abu Thour.

O my friend, I do not over look compulsion, nor do I disdain a non-Arab and a

neighbor.

I will tell the one who boasts of the Arabs about me and about him when he has made pride known.

At the time when you were clothed in silk after nakedness and sat with the generous a round the wine.

O one whose parents are shepherds, do you vie in glory with the sons of the free; sufficient unto you is a loss!

When you were thirsty for pure water, you made the dog take part in licking the rim.

You want to break the non-Arabs through an oration, and the hunting of a mouse makes you forget noble deeds.

You wear old clothes and graze the sheep in the desert.[1]

The movement of al- shi‘ubiya reached zenith during the days of al-Mehdi and of Harun. That was because of the influence and control of the Beramika over the government.

Anyway, this inclination created an enmity among the Muslims and divided their ranks. The Arab and non-Arab poets and writers satirized and cursed each other. Al-Khuzaymi says:

O Abu al-Seghd, when a camel lends me its glory, then that is a harm. And of my neighbor’s morals is ignorance.

O Camel, if you show vainglory or adorn yourself, then the religion and reason is far above pride.

I think that people are equal in life; and I think that no grave has exaltedness and excellence over another.

That Yehabir did not bear me, Jerm and ‘Aqel did not include me did not harm me.

If you do not protect the old with a new glory, then that which was before does not avail you.[2]

Indeed talking about al- shi‘ubiya is painful. For this quality and other corrupt qualities lead to the division of the Muslim, the split of their unity, the spread of enmity and hatred among them.

The Attitude of Islam toward it

The attitude of Islam is distinguished by strictness toward all corrupt qualities that split the unity of the Muslims and spread disagreement among them. Since the appearance of its light, Islam has declared that the Muslims are one hand, the link of the religion is stronger than that of lineage. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, condemned all racial, fanatical instincts. A hypocrite sneered at the adhan of Bilal, for he was unable to pronounce the letter sheen, and he pronounced it seen. He would say: Ashed anna la ilaha illa Allah. Bilal wen to Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and told him about the sneering of the people at him. Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, became displeased and said:

“Indeed the seen of Bilal is sheen with Allah.”

Condemning the hypocrites, he, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Indeed the seen of Bilal is better than your sheen.”

While the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was sitting with Selman al-Farisi, Bilal al-Hebeshi, Suhayb al-Rumi, and other weak believers, al-Eqre‘ b. Habis al-Temimi, ‘Uyayna b. Husayn al-Ferazi, and other Arab chiefs came and said to him:

“O Allah’s Apostle, put these (people) aside, that we may be alone with you. The Arabs delegates come to you, and feel shame when they see us sitting with these (people). When we go away, then you sit with them.”

So Allah, the Most High, revealed to his Prophet this verse: And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, they desire only his favor; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs, nor are they answerable for any reckoning of yours, so that you should drive them away and thus be of the unjust.[1]

Accordingly, Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, approached them, talked with them, and paid no attention to the words of those hypocrites.[2]

One of those whose hearts reconciled boasted himself on his lineage and mentioned the days of his father during the pre-Islamic period before Selman al-Farisi. He repeated that on some other occasions, so Selman rose and told the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, about that. Thus he, may Allah bless him and his family, went to his mosque in terror. He was sorrowful and astonished, so he declared before the people his famous words: “Selman is (one) of us, Ahl al-Bayt!”

He also said: “It is forbidden for Selman to take alms!”

He, may Allah bless him and his family, condemned all kinds of division among the Muslims. He, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “No Arab has an excellence over a non-Arab except through fear of Allah!” Allah says in His Holy Book: O you men! Surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.

This brilliant policy was followed by Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, the testamentary of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and gate of the city of his knowledge. When he took the reins of government, he regarded all the Muslims as equal in giving and the like. He treated them with one treatment. He did not make any distinction among them. He regarded them as equal in position. He, peace be on him, has declared that in his world document in which he has shown human rights. He, peace be on him, said to Malik: “People are two kinds: They are either your brother in the religion or your like in creation.” A Qarashi lady came to him and asked him to increase her salary. She saw an old woman sitting by the gate of the mosque. She asked her about her salary, and she answered that she received it from the public treasury. She came to know that she received an amount equal to that the old woman did. So she became displeased, caught the old woman, and shouted: “Is it an act of justice and fairness that ‘Ali gives me an amount equal to that of this Persian (old woman). She entered the mosque while she was repeating that at the top of her voice. When she reached the Commander of the faithful, she rudely said to him: “Why do you give me an amount equal to that of this salve woman?”

The Imam looked at her. Then he took a handful of earth. He turned the handful of earth with his hand and said: “Some of this earth is not better than some of it.”

Then he recited these words of Him, the Exalted: O you men! Surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.

This policy exited the Arabs’ spites and Qurash’s grudge against him. So a companion of his asked him to change his policy, saying: “O Commander of the faithful, give these properties. Prefer these noble from among the Arabs and Quraysh to non-Arabs.”

These cheap words hurt the Imam, and he said: “Do you order me to seek victory through oppression?”

Ali b. Abi Talib, the pioneer of justice and equality on earth, refused to prefer the Arabs to non-Arabs and regarded that as tyranny and aggression against the Muslims’ rights.

This policy made the unjust forces to unite in a bloc and to cooperate with each

other to war against him. In this respect al-Meda’ini has said: “Indeed among the reasons for that the Arabs deserted ‘Ali b. Abi Talib was his following the principle of equality among the people. For he did not prefer the noble to those less noble, nor did he prefer an Arab to a non-Arab, nor did he flatter the heads and the tribes.”[1]

This brilliant policy was an extension to the message of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and following to his method.

The Arabs and the non-Arabs witnessed this bright justice Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, followed. So they followed it and adopted it as a unique model. They asked the Muslim rulers to follow it and to put its program into effect. Accordingly, they met different kinds of exhaustion and severe punishments from the tyrannical rulers who ruled the community with an abominable policy void of justice and truth.

Ahmed Amin’s Fabrications

Ahmed Amin is among those who harbored malice against the Shi‘ites. For he said: “Indeed Shi‘ism was the shelter and curtain of al-shi‘ubiya.”[2]

A handful of earth is on Ahmed Amin and on those other than him from among those who write for neither the truth nor for history nor for the interests of the community. Rather they write according to certain objectives to whom the colonists dictate, that they may divide the ranks of the Muslims, to possess alone their wealth, and put them in the places of their influence.

Indeed the Shi‘ites take their teachings from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, who resisted all the destructive movements, took toward al-Shi‘ubiya and the like a decisive attitude marked by strictness and hardness. Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, ordered the racists to be killed with the sword because they intended to split the unity of the Muslims.

Can Ahmed Amin and the like of him from among those who believe in his beliefs give proof of that the Shi‘ism was the shelter of al-Shi‘ubiya and other than it from among the destructive instincts?

With pride the Shi‘ites have hoisted the flag of Islamic justice and lightened the Islamic history through their heroic, brilliant struggle. Were it not for their great sacrifices and their noble attitude toward the tyrannical and the oppressive, Islam would have neither name nor trace. Therefore, they are the shelter of Islam, the truth, and justice. They are the shelter of every social movement aiming at establishing justice and putting an end to oppression.

Anyway, al-Shi‘ubiya and the rest of the slogans disagree with the Shi‘ite reality

taken from the core and essence of Islam. Certainly these accusations fastened to the Shi‘ites have no purpose except creating a gap among the ranks of the Muslims to abase them, to undermine them, and to send them far from their true religion seeking for them exaltedness, dignity, and independence.

Surely the Muslims are in a dire need of unifying their words and ranks, getting rid of discords and fanatical instincts. That is because before them is the Imperialistic America and its ally, Israel, that schemes against the Arabs and the Muslims in broad daylight and at dark night, spares no effort to war against Islam, to usurp Arab homeland, to dismiss its inhabitants, and to establish a country for the Jews. Unfortunately, the Muslims are heedless of the great danger and the affliction surrounding them.

America and the western countries support Israel with all kinds of fatal weapons, supply it with the whole economic and military helps, that they may destroy the Arabs, control their oil and their minerals.

Therefore, it is incumbent on every writer to enlighten the Muslims and to warn them against this dangerous affliction.

Anyhow, we are wide of the subject, but the painful circumstances, the misfortunes and disasters from which the community suffer have urged us to exceed this subject matter. After this let us return to deal with some problems took place at the time of the Imam, peace be on him. They are as follows:

Atheism and Hypocrisy

The atheistic movement appeared at the ‘Abbasid first time. The devious principles aiming at chaos and mischief spread during it. Some simple people the propagation colored whatever it wished adopted it. They followed them with out awareness and guidance. However the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt along with their great students from among the Muslims thinkers resisted that ideological invasion, falsified the coming thoughts, refuted the vague errors of the atheists, and saved the Muslims from them.

Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, spared no effort to save the Islamic country from the unbelievers and mischief-makers. His son Imam Musa, peace be on him, helped him in this holy field of jihad. A group of their students-who armed themselves with rational programs, famous for strong explanation, good opinion, sharp insight, and firm argument-cooperated with them. They held gatherings and debates in the public places, in the houses of the ministers and the kings. They debated with the atheists on theological matters. Through strong proofs they proved that those beliefs were false, to the extent that some leading atheists withdrew from their creeds and followed the way of the truth and correctness. In the meantime the local governments persecuted and severely punished the atheists. Unfortunately, they punished the innocent more than the hypocrites. They used the accusation of atheism as means for throwing the innocent into prisons. It is necessary to speak

briefly about this important subject matter, which is the most important of the events to take place at the ‘Abbasid time.

The Beginning of Atheism

Atheism is a psychological aspect. It is the most dangerous of all the social diseases and the greatest of them in destroying man’s civilization and progress. It urges men to deny the Great Creator, to deny the Day of Resurrection, to accuse the Apostles of lying, and to believe that man is not under the domination of another power, that he manages and creates all his life affairs.

This disease results from a violent excitement that separates the vigilant feeling from the thought and the faith in Allah. It results from either the desires of the soul or from the disease of deprivation clinging to it.[1]

When man is infected by this dangerous disease, the psychological deterrents that prevent him from committing sin and abominable deeds completely collapse, his soul is void of all good instincts, and he follows dark trends. In this respect the Holy Qur’an says: And (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are Shaitans who take them out of the light into the darkness.[2]

When soul goes too far in committing sin, it rushes into the fields of vices and it is not prevented from that by any law in the world. For this reason social education is necessary, for it takes care of purifying conscience, directs man to the righteous way, plants in soul all good instincts that urge him to believe in Allah and the Day of Resurrection and prevents him from committing crimes and offences.

As such education is not available, a flood of problems faces man in the fields of behavior and morals, social links and other humane values disappear.

Anyway, atheism and all evil instincts subject man to danger and are a sign of destruction that includes all life elements.

Kinds of Atheism

There are various kinds of atheism such as denying the Creator, the Most High, denying His positive or negative attributes, disbelief in the Prophets and the Messengers, and denying the Day of Resurrection. The title including them all is denying one of the requirements of the religion.

The most dangerous of all kinds of atheism is denying Allah, the Exalted. This is the western atheism as Nietzsche says: “Allah has died!”[3] The Marxist ideology stands on it. I (the author) have explained it in one of my books.[4] As for the

atheism in the early Islamic times, it resulted from doubts about one of His attributes and denying Islam. We will explain that.

At the Umayyad Time

The marks of atheism appeared at the Umayyad time. For one of the Umayyad kings declared the word of atheism and apostasy from the religion. An example of that is Yazid b. Mu‘awiya. When he killed the grandson of Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, his plant of sweet basil, master of the youth of the Garden, Imam al-Husayn, peace be on him, he recited the poetry line of Ibn al-Zub‘ra:

Hashim played with the dominion, so no news came, nor was a revelation revealed!

He inherited this atheistic instinct from his grandfather, who said before ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan: “Catch it (the office of the Caliphate) just as the boys catch the ball with their own hands. By him by whom Abu Sufyan swears, there is neither garden nor fire!” However, ‘Uthman did not blame him, nor did he punish him.

Most their kings had such a belief. Fore example, when al-Waleed opened the Holy Book of Allah and read the verse any every insolent oppressor was disappointed, he became angry, placed the Holy Book as a target, and threw arrows at it, and said:

You threaten me with an insolent oppressor, and I am an insolent oppressor!

When you come to your Lord on the Day of Resurrection, say: O My Lord, al-Waleed torn me up!

This clearly indicates his atheism and his apostasy from the religion. Most Umayyad kings had such an atheistic instinct. They appointed some atheists to educate their children. ‘Abd al-Semed, the educator of al-Waleed, was an atheist.[1] Merwan b. al-Ju‘d, the educator of the last Umayyad king, Merwan b. Muhammed, was an atheist. Ibn al-Nedeem says: “Surely, Ibn al-Ju‘d made Merwan and his children atheists.”[2] Al-Duri said that Ibn al-Ju‘d was on top of those who propagated the Manawiya at his time.[3] The most prominent atheist at the Umayyad time are Younis b. Abi Qurrah, ‘Ammarah b. Hems, al-Mutiee‘ b. Ayas, those who lived through the Umayyad and the ‘Abbasid governments, and who were called the three Hammads, namely, Hammad ‘Ajrad, Hammad al-Zubrqan, and Hammad al-Rawiya.[4]

Indeed the roots of the atheistic thought were formed during the Umayyad time that

was the source of all the destructive movements.

D. At the ‘Abbasid Time

During the first ‘Abbasid Age the summons to atheism clearly appeared, and all the destructive doctrines became active. Felhauzen maintains that there was a close relationship between the summons to the ‘Abbasids and atheism. He says: “The then ‘Abbasids gathered the atheists around them and did not neglect them but after that.”[1] The summons to the Manawiya, the Mezdakiya, the Khuramiya, and the Zeradishtiya started. The Khuramiya carried the banner of the armed revolt and the summons to it spread in Persia. It summoned (the people) to the communism of Mezdek.[2] We will deal with some of these doctrines as follows:

The Manawiya (Manism)

Mani’s thought was the greatest of the atheistic doctrines in spreading at that time. It was an old and was established by Mani, son of Fatiq, the Persian wise man. He was born in the year 215 or 216 A. D. He appeared at the time of Shahpoor. He was killed by Behram. He maintained the prophethood of al-Mesih (Jesus Christ) and denied that of Musa (Moses). He claimed that the world was made and composed of two old origins: light and darkness, and that they were eternal. He dined all things except those resulted from an old origin.[3]

Manism maintained the transmigration of souls depending on what Mani mentioned in a book of his where he said: “The souls that leave bodies are of two kinds: the souls of the truthful and those of the devious. When the souls of the truthful leaves bodies, they go during the morning light to the light that is above the orbit and stay in that world with everlasting delight. When the souls of the devious leave bodies and want to join the most high light, they come back down and transmigrate with the souls of the animals until they become free from the defects of darkness, and then they join the most high light.”[4]

Mani imposed on his followers one tenth in all the affairs, supplicating the Truth, leaving lying, murder, theft, fornication, magic, worshiping idols, and killing living things. He regarded the existence of man as a crime committed by his parents. He thought that man must cease to exist. Besides he thought that man’s good deeds resulted from the god of good and his evil deeds resulted from the god of evil. His thoughts were described by Abu Nu’as when he satirized Aban, a leading member of this thought, saying:

One day I sat with Aban. May Aban’s good be not much.

We were present in the tent of the Emir at al-Nehrwan.

When the first (morning) prayer approached the adhan, he rose, showed fluency and eloquence.

We said whatever he said until the adhan came to an end.

He said: How did you bear witness for that while you were not eye-witnesses?

I will not bear witness forever until I be an eye-witness.

I said: “Glory belongs to my Lord!” And he said: “Glory belongs to Mani!”

I said: “‘Isa is the Apostle of Allah!” And he said: “From Satan!”

I said: “Musa is the one who secretly addressed the Guardian, the Benefactor (Allah)!” And he said: “Therefore, your Lord has an eye and a tongue!”

Did his soul create him? Or who (did create him)?

So I left my place because of an atheist who adorned himself through disbelieving in the Most Merciful (Allah).[1]

The Manism spread atheistic movement at the ‘Abbasid time. Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ was among their prominent figures. He translated from Persian into Arabic Mani’s, Ibn Daysan’s, and Merqiyun’s books.[2] He also wrote a book in which he propagated Manism and attacked the Islamic principles. He began the book in the name of the Light, the Most Merciful, the Merciful. Al-Mehdi said: “All the books on atheism belong to Ibn al-Muqaffa‘.”[3] He passed by a Persian’s fire house and recited the following poetry line:

O ‘Atiqa’s house, I praise you out of fear of the enemies and the heart is entrusted to you.

Surely I grant you alienation. I swear by you that I incline to alienation.[4]

It was said that he did not respect the Qur’an and tried to oppose it.[5] Ferinshiko Gabriel doubted about the ascription of that to him.[6] He claimed that he was killed not because of that he was accused of atheism, rather it was because of his demanding security from al-Mansur to ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Ali. So he harassed al-Mansur, and he ordered him to be killed.[7]

Anyway, Manism was the greatest of all the principles in attacking the Muslims at that time.

The Mezdakiya (Mezdekism)

Mezdikism was among the principles that spread during the ‘Abbasid Age I.

It was a kind of communism and urged the people to free themselves from all the social values. Al-Sheristani has mentioned some of Mezdik’s principles, saying: “He made the people take part in it just as they take part in water, fire, and grass.”[1] Al-Teberi has said: “Mezdek and his companions said: ‘Surely Allah has placed livelihoods on the earth, that people may divide it among themselves equally. However, people have wronged each other in respect with them. They claimed that they took from the rich to the poor, regain from the wealthy to the needy, that whoever has additional money, women, and possessions, then he is not more appropriate than those other than him.’ So the lowly violated that and took it as booty.”[2]

Those who had malice against the Islamic values adopted these principles and spread them among the Muslims. Some people embraced them to satisfy their low desires and their dissoluteness. As a result immorality and abominable deeds spread among the people. We will mention that.

The Zeradishtiya

The Zeradishtiya was among the principles that appeared at the ‘Abbasid time. It maintains two gods: the god of good, and the god of evil. Al-Kherbutli talked about some of their principles, saying: “The essence of Zarathushtra’s principles is that there are many, various events in the world: Some of them are good, and some of them are evil; these events do not create themselves; rather they stand on an origin. Zarathushtra thinks that it is impossible to ascribe good and evil to one origin. For this reason it was necessary for him to explain the world of faith through the existence of two different, contradictory forces. One force is pure and sacred, from which result life and natural elements. The other force is wicked and dirty from which issue blights, perishing, destruction, evil and affliction that befall man. The first force is called Ihriman, meaning the god of evil or Satan. The other is called Mezad that means the god of good and light.”[3]

Zarathushtra thinks that life does not perish, that it is happy or unhappy through the pleasures in life, and that its ordeal is three days after death. Then the wind carries it until it reaches the straight path (sirat). It is judged there fore three days. The good souls go to the Garden, and the evil ones are driven to the fire.

The Zeradishtiya spread during the ‘Abbasid Time 1. It was adopted by some simple, deceived persons. It spared no effort to war against the Islamic values, to untie the social links, and to make the Muslims abandon morals and the Islamic manners.

Anyway, these principles, which spread during the ‘Abbasid time, clearly show us that there was ideological emptiness, shallow thinking, that ignorance prevailed, that the Muslims had no knowledge of the reality of their religion, which urged them to be mentally aware and be free from all kinds of ignorance and inactivity.

Heresies and vague errors appeared at that time in astonishing and strange way. Al-Rawendiya, who claimed that al-Mansur al-Dewaniqi was their lord who feed and watered them, took place at that time.[1] Al-Meqanna’ al-Khuresani created a heresy. He maintained the transmigration of souls and claimed that he was a god. He claimed that Allah created Adam, and He turned into His form. Then he turned into the form of Nuh, then into Ibrahim. Then he turned into the form of the prophets, then into the form of the Prophet Muhammed, may Allah bless him and his family. Then he changed into the form of Imam ‘Ali b. Abi Tali, peace be on him. After him he turned into the form of his children, and then into the form of Abu Muslim al-Khuresani. After him, He moved to him. He asked his followers to serve him and to prostrate themselves in prayer before him.[2] He commanded them not to pray and not to pay zekat (alms). He made it lawful for them to sleep with women.[3]

Al-Muqanna‘ was skillful in engineering. He made an artificial moon. The moon appeared and the people saw it from the distance of a month. Then it disappeared. Al-Muqanna‘ deceived the people with that. Concerning that false moon, Abu al-‘Ala’ al-Ma‘rri says:

Beware, the moon whose head is veiled is misguidance and error; it is like Al-Muqanna’s moon.

Anyhow, these destructive movements divided the Islamic society and made the cultural movement disordered.

The Summoners to Atheism

The summons to atheism and all the destructive principles at that time stood on some unknown people suffering from psychological diseases. Yezdan b. Badhan was one of them. He was famous for atheism and hypocrisy. He went to the Sacred House of Allah during the season of hajj. When he saw the people circumambulating the Kaaba, he said: “They look like cows treading on wheat.” This statement of his created waves of anger and displeasure in the souls of the

good and those clinging to their religion. Al-‘Alaa’ b. al-Haddad addressed caliph Musa al-Hadi and urged him to kill Yezdan b. Badhan, saying:

O one entrusted by Allah over His creatures, inheritor of the Kaaba and the

Pulpit, what is your opinion of an unbelieving man who likens the Kaaba to a threshing floor, and the people circumambulating the Kaaba to cows treading on wheat and darnel?

So Musa al-Hadi ordered him to be killed and to be crucified.[1]

Yet another examples of the unbelievers is Bashshar b. Burd. He went too far in summoning the people to atheism. He urged them to warship fire. He declared that when he said:

Iblis is better than your father Adam; therefore distinguish, o group of the wicked.

Fire is his element; Adam is a piece of clay. Clay is not as high as fire.

Clay is dark, and fire shines. Fire has been worshipped since it came into existence.[2]

He insisted on his creed until he was killed.[3]

Among them was Salih b. ‘Abd al-Qudus. He was among the most prominent atheists. Al-Mehdi ordered him to be executed, and he declared his repentance. When was about to release him, he heard him reciting:

The enemies cannot reach an ignorant one, O he who makes the ignorant reach you.

The old man does not leave his morals until he is buried in the earth of his grave.

When al-Mehdi heard the last line, he ordered him to be killed and said to him: “You will not leave your manners until you die!”[4]

Among their great figures are the three Hammads: Hammad ‘Ajrad, Hammad al-Rawiya, and Hammad al-Zuberqan. Among them are Ibn al-Muqaffa‘, Younis b. Abi Ferwa, Mutee‘ b. Ayas, ‘Abd al-Kareem b. Abi al-‘Awja’, ‘Ali b. Khaleel, and Yehya b. Ziyad al-Harithi. The biographers have mentioned many examples of their heresies and vague errors, which indicate their unbelief and their apostasy from the religion.[5]

Any way these atheists spared no effort to spoil the Islamic society, to spread

chaos, and corruption among the Muslims. They also intended to distort Islam through fabricating traditions, that they might degrade the dignity of Islam. ‘Abd al-Kareem b. Abi al-‘Awja’ had confessed that before he was ordered to be killed, saying: “You want to kill me because I have fabricated four thousand hadiths (traditions).”

The atheists spoiled and distorted Arabic literature. Khelef al-Ahmer and Hammad al-Rawiya did that. Concerning the latter, al-Sayyid al-Murteda has said: “Surely Hammad is famous for fabricating narration, composing poetry and ascribing it to the early poets, to the extent that the narrators have said: ‘Hammad has spoiled the poetry because he is able to compose it. He writes poetry similar to that of the poets and put it into theirs. So the correct poetry has mixed with that incorrect.”[1]

In this manner, they spoiled the religion, the language, and the rest elements of the Arab and Muslim community. They also prevented Islam from spreading all over the world.

The Atheists are persecuted

The ruling authorities at the ‘Abbasid time officially persecuted the atheists in the last years of the caliphate of al-Mehdi and during the short-termed caliphate of al-Hadi. In the year 163 A. H. al-Mehdi ordered the atheists to be arrested. He ordered ‘Abd al-Jebbar, a Muslim inspector of market, to arrest all the atheists in the country. He arrested some of them and brought them to the Caliph, and he ordered some of them to be killed and the rest to be severely punished. The atheists were severely persecuted between the year 166 A. H and the year 170 A. H. They were tortured by certain judges such as ‘Abd al-Jebbar, ‘Umar al-Kelwazi, ‘Umer, and Muhammed b. ‘Isa.

Al-Mehdi launched a wide-ranged campaign against the atheists. He ordered a divan to be established for them. The security forces and the detectives spared no effort to look for them. They killed all the atheists they arrested except those who announced their repentance. Al-Mehdi himself went through some countries to look for them. He went to Syria to search for them. He came to know that some of them fled Iraq to Aleppo. So he ordered them to be arrested and to be driven to courts. Then he ordered them to be killed after their atheism had been proved.[2]

Al-Mehdi went too far in pursuing the atheists and killing them. Al-Seyuti says: “Al-Mehdi went too far in pursuing the atheists, destroying them, looking for them in all the cities, and killing them for an accusation.”[3] When he was about to die, he ordered his son al-Hadi to kill them, saying:

O my little son, if this authority comes to you, then prepare yourself for this group (the atheists). For they summon the people to follow something apparently good such as refraining from criminal frauds, renouncing the world, working for the hereafter. Then they made it forbidden for them to eat meat and to touch pure water. They order them to refrain from killing pests as a sign of clinging to (religion) and of giving up sins. Then they order them to worship two things: the first is light, and the other is darkness. Then they make it permissible for them to marry their sisters and their daughters, to wash (themselves) with urine and kidnap children from the road, that they might bring them out of darkness into light. Therefore execute them, kill them with the sword, and seek through them nearness to Allah, the One without partner. For I saw your grandfather al-‘Abbas in sleep giving me two swords and ordering me to kill the followers of the two (beliefs: light and darkness).[1]

Al-Hadi carried out his father’s will. He killed and executed all the atheists. Al-Rashid and the rest of the ‘Abbasid kings followed the same policy toward them. They gave no way to the destructive groups to spoil the Muslims. They put an end to all the summoners to atheism and hypocrisy.

The caliphs employed all ways to war against the atheists and to put an end to these wicked souls. When they arrested an atheist, they ordered him to spit at Mani’s picture or to slay a bird called pheasant. As for spitting at Mani’s picture, it means degrading the creator of Mani’s thought. In the meantime it means that the unbeliever withdrew from his thought. As for slaying a bird, it means that slaying a bird was forbidden according to the Manism. As for slaying the bird pheasant, it has not been mentioned in the books we have, as professor Gorge Fida says.[2]

Anyway, the caliphs launched a violent campaign against the unbelievers. Unfortunately this campaign was against the innocent more than it was against the real atheists. We will explain that.

Going too far in Accusing

Those accused of atheism and apostasy from religion were not real atheists. Rather some of them were accused of atheism for some political reasons. The caliphs used this accusation as means to put an end to their opponents from among the Hashimites. For example, one of the sons of Dauwd b. ‘Ali and of Ya‘qub b. al-Fedl were accused of atheism and were brought to Al-Mehdi. As this Caliph had made a covenant not to kill them, he ordered them to be imprisoned. However, he ordered his son al-Hadi to kill them after his undertaking the caliphate.

The accusation of atheism included all those who opposed the caliphs and refused to perform the prayers behind them. An example of that is Shurayk al-Qaadi (the

judge). He did not believe in performing the prayers behind al-Mehdi. So al-Mehdi ordered him to be brought. He was brought before him and he said to him: “O son of the adulteress!” “Slow, Commander of the faithful, ”Shurayk retorted, “she fasted and performed prayers!”

“O atheist,” said al-Mehdi, “I will kill you!”

Shurayk smiled and said: “Commander of the faithful, the atheists have signs through which they are recognized. They drink wine and associate with songstresses!” So al-Mehdi kept silent and was unable to answer.[1]

This story indicates that the caliphs went tool far in accusing people of atheism to the extent that they included all those whom they hated. Shurayk’s answer also indicates that the atheism were recognized through some marks such as drinking wine and associating with songstresses. As a result the atheist was dissolute and mischievous. For this reason Adam, the grandson of ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, was arrested. He was accused of atheism because he was dissolute and mischievous. He went too far in drinking wine. While he was drunk, he composed some poetry lines in which he violated the sacredness of the religion. He says:

Give me and my bosom friend to drink wine throughout the long night.

It has a clear, yellow color; it is like excellent musk.

It tastes like ginger on one’s tongue.

Its bright smell comes from a distance of a mile.

Whoever attains three (drinks) of it forgets the open road.

When he attains five (drinks) of it, it leaves him like the killed.

At that time he does not know who goes and who comes.

Surely my ear is heavy toward the words of him who blames me for it.

On account of the strong veneration, I am not obedient and submissive.

Say to him who reviles you because of it, whether a jurist or a noble, leave it and hope for another (kind) of the nectar of the fresh, cool water.

You feel thirst today, and tomorrow you will be given to drink delicious wine.

For this reason al-Mehdi took him and accused him of unbelief. He ordered him to be flogged three hundred times, that he might confess that, while he denied that and said: “By Allah, I have not associated with Allah in the twinkle of an eye. When have you come to know that a Qarashi becomes an atheist? However, delight has overcome me, and poetry has controlled my heart. I am among the Qurayshi boys. I drink wine. I say what I said for dissoluteness.” Then he gave up wine. He hated

seeing wine and said:

I drank (wine). When it was said (to me), ‘Do you not give up (wine)?’, I gave up, and my garment is pure from the harm of meanness.[1]

Adam was accused of atheism, while he was not an atheist. He was overcome by poetry, that he might say obscene language through it. The caliphs did not restrict themselves to that, rather they regarded as an atheist everyone who discussed the traditions of the companions (of the Prophet) or refute them.[2] The reason for that is that they wanted to accuse the Shi‘ites of apostasy from the religion, that they might legally shed their blood. ‘Abd al-Rahman Bedawi says: “Indeed the accusation of unbelief at that time went side by side with joining the decree of the Rafidites (Shi‘ites), as professor Fida sees.”[3]

Joining the Shi‘ite doctrine during those black periods was the most important of all crimes. This crime was more dangerous than that of atheism in the responsible’ viewpoint. The repentance of the one accused of atheism was accepted, and he was pardon. As for the one accused of showing friendship to Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, he was regarded as an atheist and apostate from the religion, thought he believed in Allah and His Apostle and performed the Islamic duties.

Anyway, the ‘Abbasid caliphs often used the accusation of atheism as means to execute the Shi‘ites and to throw them into dark prisons. They showed oppression in respect with that, for the Shi‘ites declared war against all the oppressive and tyrannical people. They gave many sacrifices to put an end to the oppressors. They regarded the rulers as among the Imams of oppression and error, so they resisted them and spared no effort to destroy their thrones. We will soon mention that in detail.

The Imams debate with them

The answers of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, to the atheists was distinguished by scientific thinking and decisive proofs that proved the genuineness of the Islamic thought in all sides of its laws, the falsehood of the atheists and their invalid beliefs. The effect of those debates on their souls was stronger than all the means used by the local governments to suppress them. As the government lacked thinking, they restored to the force of iron and fire and throwing into prisons to suppress and destroy them. However, this is the weapon of the feeble. For beliefs cannot be refuted by anything except by scientific means. It is impossible to be overcome by something other than that.

As for the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, they depended on scientific

means during their debates full of all ways of conviction and that give no way to doubt in respect with the invalidity of their opponents’ beliefs. Accordingly many atheists confessed their invalid beliefs and came back to the way of the truth and correctness. Besides some of them stated that the Imams were the masters of mankind, and that perfect humanity could not be ascribed to anyone other than them. Ibn al-Muqafa‘ and ‘Abd al-Kerim b. Abi al-‘Awja’ acknowledged that. That was when Ibn al-Muqafa’ saw the Muslims circumambulating the Kaaba and said: “None of those (people) deserve the name of humanity except that (Imam Ja‘far b. Muhammed, peace be on him). As for the rest they are mobs and beasts.”

Ibn Abi al-‘Awja’ hurried to the Imam and asked him: “O Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on you! In which thing do we believe? In which thing do they believe? The thing in which they and we believe is one.”

The Imam, peace be on him, answered him saying: “The thing in which you believe may be similar to that in which they believe. They believe in the hereafter and the threat. They maintain that there is a god in the heaven, and that there is inhabitedness therein, while you claim that the heaven is destruction and there is none in it.”

‘Abd al-Kareem said: “If the affair was just as we believe, then what has prevented Allah from appearing before his creatures and summons them to serve Him, that they may not differ over Him? Why has He disappeared and sent messengers to them? If He appeared, then it would be easy (for mankind) to believe in Him.”

The Imam answered him: “How has He who has shown His power in your soul and in your growth disappeared?”

The Imam, peace be on him, gave him additional proofs of the existence of Allah. Then Ibn Abi al-‘Awja’ left the Imam and went running to his companions, saying to them: “This is not a human being! In this world, he is outwardly a body, but inwardly he is a soul. ” Then he indicated with his hand to the Imam, peace be on him.[1]

It is necessary for us to pause to mention some of their debates as follows:

Imam al-Sadiq’s Debates

Hadith and theology books are full of Imam al-Sadiq’s many debates in this respect. The Imam gave firm proofs of the authenticity of the Islamic thought and the falsehood of the beliefs of his opponents. We will mention some of them as follows:

1. Ibn Abi al-‘Awja’ came in to Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, and he asked him:

-O Ibn Abi al-‘Awja’, are you created or not?

-I am not created.

-If you were created, then how would you be?

So Ibn Abi al-‘Awja’ became perplexed and gave no answer.[1]

2. Abu Shakir al-Daysani, an atheist, came in to Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, and said to him:

-O Ja‘far b. Muhammed, show me the way to the One Whom should I worship!

Abu ‘Abd Allah said:

-Sit down!

A boy came. The boy was carrying an egg in the palm of his hand. The Imam, peace be on him, ordered him to hand him the egg, and he handed it to him. Then he, peace be on him, said:

-O Daysani, this is a compact, protective container; inside it is the thin (substance of an) egg which is surrounded by what could be compared with fluid silver and melted gold. Neither the fluid silver mixes with the melted gold; nor does the melted gold mixes with the fluid silver. So it is as it is. No reforming exterior comes out of it and tells (you) about its goodness, nor does a corrupt interior comes into it and tells you about its corruption. None knows that it has been created for a male or a female. Then it splits open showing a form like (for example) a peacock. Therefore, do you think that it has a Creator?”

Al-Daysani bowed his head and thought about the Imam’s words. Shortly after that, he raised his head and said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One without a partner; and I bear witness that Muhammed is His Servant and Apostle. I bear witness that you are an Imam and Allah’s proof over His creatures. I have repented of what I had believed in!”[2]

3. Hisham b. al-Hekem narrated, saying: [An Egyptian atheist came to know that Imam Abu ‘Abd Allah had knowledge. So he went to Medina to debate with him. He did not find him. He was told that the Imam was in Mecca. So he went to it and met him. He approached and greeted him. Then Abu ‘Abd Allah (al-Sadiq) asked him:]

- What is you name?

- ‘Abd al-Malik.

- What is you kunya?

- Abu ‘Abd Allah.

-Who is the king whose servant is you? Is he among the kings of the earth or among the kings of the heaven? Tell me about your son: Is he the servant of the heaven god or of the earth one?

The atheist kept silent and was unable to answer. So Abu ‘Abd Allah said to him: “Say!” The atheist became perplexed. So the Imam, peace be on him, looked at him and said to him: “After you have finished circumambulating the Kaaba, come to me.” When the atheist had finished circumambulating the Kaaba, he went to the Imam. The Imam, peace be on him, asked him:

-Did you know that the earth has bottom and top?

-Yes.

-Did you go to its bottom?

-No.

-Did you know what was beneath it?

-I did not know. However, I imagine that there is nothing beneath it.

-Imagination is feebleness unless you are sure.

-Have you ascended to the heaven?

-No.

-Do you know what is therein?

-No.

-Have gone to the east and the west and seen what is beyond them?

-Therefore, I wonder at you! You have not gone to the east and the west. You have not descended to the bottom of the earth, nor have you ascended to the heaven. You have not come to know what is there and what is beyond them. Nevertheless you have denied what is in them. Does the sane deny what they do not know?

-None has told about that except you!

-Therefore, you have doubt about Him. Perhaps, He is He. And perhaps, He is not He.

-Perhaps!

-Fellow, he who has no knowledge has no proof over him who has knowledge; and the ignorant have no proof over the knowledgeable. O brother of the inhabitants of Egypt, learn from me! Do you not see that the sun and the moon, day and night alternate and do not precede each other? They go and do not return. They are forced. They have no place except their place. If they could go and not come, (they

would do). If they were not forced, then why did night not become day, and day (become) night? O brother of the inhabitants of Egypt, by Allah, they are forced. Surely the thing in which you believe and of which you have an imagination is of time. If it was it that which made them go, then why did it not make them return? If it made them return, then why did it not make them go? Do you not see that the earth and the heaven are raised? The heaven does not fall on the earth, nor does the earth slope down that which is beneath it. By Allah, their Creator and Manager has caught them.

The Egyptian kept silent and was unable to give an answer. He thought of the dimensions of the words of the Imam. He found in them guidance and truth, so he returned to correctness. He declared his faith and became Muslim.[1]

4. An atheist went to the Imam, peace be on him, and asked him:

-Did you see Allah when you worshipped Him?

-I am not one who worships someone whom I have not seen.

-Then how did you find Him when you saw Him?

-The eyes do not see Him in terms of human eye-sight. Rather the hearts see Him trough the inner realities of faith (iman). He is not attained through sense perception, nor is He compared to people. He is known without comparison.[2]

5. An atheist went to the Imam, peace be on him, and asked him about many problems of which is:

-How do creatures worship Allah and do not see Him?

-The hearts see him through the light of faith. The intellects prove him through their alertness just as the eyes do. The eyes attain Him through what they see, such as good structure and firm creation, then the apostles and their communications, the Books and their clear verses. The knowledgeable have restricted themselves to what they have seen of His Greatness without seeing Him.[3]

Through this debate, the Imam, peace be on him, gave many proofs of the existence and oneness of Allah. Many debates have been narrated on his authority in this respect. To mention them requires elaborateness and being wide of the subject. So we are satisfied with these small debates narrated on his authority.

Imam Musa

Imam Musa, peace be on him, played an important role in defending the Islamic thought, refuting the vague errors of the atheists, and falsifying their beliefs. We will deal with some theological questions about which the Imam was asked:

1. His confuting the Movement of Allah

Through the chain of the authorities of the non-Shi‘ites (‘amma), it has been mentioned that Allah comes down in the last one third of night and calls out in the heaven: “Is there anyone who supplicates (Me) and asks (Me) for forgiveness?”

Those who regard Allah as body deal with the surface structure of these traditions without interpreting them or carefully consider their chain of authorities, that they might establish that Allah had a body. The Imam, peace be on him, was informed about that, and he said: “Surely Allah does not come down and is in no need of coming down. His existence is the same in nearness and remoteness.[1] No close thing is far from Him, nor is a distant thing is close to Him. He is in no need of anything; rather all things are in need of Him; and He is the possessor of might.[2] There is no god but Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.”

“As for the words of the describers, ‘He, the Blessed and Exalted, comes down,’ they are of those who ascribe him to decrease or increase.[3] All moving things are in need of that which moves them or that through which they move.[4] Whoever has doubts about Allah perishes.[5] Therefore, be careful in respect with His attributes lest you should define Him through increase, decrease, mobilization, movement, disappearance, coming down, rising, and sitting down. For Allah is far above the description of the describers, the depict of the depicters, the imagination of the imagining. And rely on the Mighty, the Merciful, Who sees you when you stand up and your turning over and over among those who prostrate themselves before

Allah.[1]”[2]

The Imam, peace be on him, talked to his companions about negating movement from Allah, the Most High, saying: “I do not say that He is standing and remove Him from His place, nor can I find Him in a place where He is, nor can I find Him move through a thing such as foundations and limbs, nor can I define Him through a word. However, that is as Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: Be, so there it is through His will without hesitation in a soul. (He is) eternal and signal. He is in no need of a partner to mention His kingdom to Him and to open to Him the doors to His knowledge.”[3]

The Imam, peace be on him, wanted not to describe Allah, the Most High, through the rising the linguists maintain, that His disappear from the place where He had been before His rising is required; similarly he did not describe Him through His being in a place, that His being a limited body is required. He also did not describe Him through the movement of the whole His body or through the movement of the limbs, for this requires from Him change and the need of others; Allah, the Exalted, is above all of that. The Imam, peace be on him, explained Allah’s way of creating things, that is not through speech; rather His command when he desires a thing, He says to it: Be, so there it is. Allah, the Most High does what He wills through His will without using any tool or a limb, without hesitation or thinking. In creating things He is in no need of a partner to help him nor a minister to manage for Him His affairs, seeks help from him or mention to Him His Kingdom and power.

2. Negating Body from Allah

Among the things maintained by the atheists at that time is: “Allah, the Most High, has a body just as the rest of beings.” Hisham b. al-Hakam believed in that before his repentance and his returning to the true way. Imam Musa was informed about his beliefs, and he said in the answer to him: “Which obscenity and indecency is greater than the statement of him who describes the Creator of things with body or form or creation or limitation or limbs?! Allah, the Exalted, is far above that!”[4]

Al-Shahristani mentioned that Hisham b. al-Hakam had essays on comparing Allah to human being, and that Hisham b. Salim al-Jewaliqi agreed with him on that. Among the things they said is that “Allah, the Exalted, is seven spans (of the hand) in His own span, that He is in a certain place and a certain direction, that He, the Most High, looks like human being. His upper part is hollow; and his lower part is solid. He glares and shines. He has five senses, a leg, a nose, an ear, and an eye. He has black hair hanging down His ears. However, He is neither flesh nor blood.”[5]

Some researchers criticized ascribing that to Hisham, for that he was trustworthy and knowledgeable, and that he was on top of the Muslim thinkers. So how is ascribing that to him correct? These beliefs might issued from him because he maintained some atheistic beliefs before he got acquainted with the Imam. However, when he communicated with the Imam, peace be on him, he returned to the way of the truth and correctness; he became among the great Muslim thinkers. We will explain that when we speak about his life.

‘Abd al-Rahman told the Imam, peace be on him, about Hisham’s statements on comparing Allah to human body as follows: “Surely Allah is a body; nothing like the likeness of Him. (He) is Knowledgeable, Hearing, Seeing, Powerful, Speaking, and articulate. The speech, the power, and knowledge proceed in the same manner; nothing of them is created.”

So the Imam refuted that, saying: “May Allah fight him! Did he not know that the body was limited, and that the speech was other than the speaker? Allah forbid! I am clear before Allah of this statement. (Allah) is neither a body, nor a form, nor a limitation. All things apart from him are created. All things happen according to His will and His desire without a speech nor hesitation in soul nor utterance through a tongue.”[1]

Among the things he, peace be on him, was asked about in respect with the attributes of Allah is that he was asked about the body and form of Allah, and he, peace be on him, answered: “Glory belongs to Him the like of Whom there is nothing! (He) is neither body nor form!”[2]

3. The Meaning of Allah

Vague errors and heresies spread during that time. The Imam, peace be on him, was asked many questions about the selfness and attributes of Allah. Among the questions about which he was asked is: “the meaning of Allah.” So he, peace be on him, answered: “He has controlled the small and the great.”[3]

This explanation the Imam expressed is the explanation of a thing through which that requires it. For the meaning of Godhood requires Him to control all things, small and great, present and absent, and all things wherein. In the book al-Mehasin it has been narrated that he was asked about the meaning of these words of Allah: The Beneficent is firm in power[4], and he, peace be on him, answered: “He Has controlled all small and great things.”[5]

4. His Knowledge

The Imam was asked about the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted: “Had Allah been knowledgeable of things before He created and formed them? Or had He been unknowledgeable of that until He created them and wanted to create and form them, so He came to know of what He created when He created and what He created when He created?”

So he, peace be on him, answered: “Allah had still been knowledgeable of things before He created them just as His knowledge of things after He came to know of the creation of things.”[1]

Muhammed b. Hamza wrote to him a letter in which he asked him about the knowledge of Allah. This is the text of the letter: “Surely, your followers have differed over the knowledge (of Allah). Some of them say: ‘We say that Allah had still been knowledgeable before creating things. And some of them say: ‘We do not say that Allah had not still been knowledgeable, for the meaning of to know is to do. If we prove knowledge, then we will prove an eternal thing along with Him.’ So, I think, may Allah make me your ransom, that you must teach me of that to which I restrict myself and do not exceed it.”

Accordingly, the Imam, peace be on him, wrote him back: “Allah is eternally knowledgeable, may His name be blessed and exalted.”[2]

His answer to this question is very short due to the fact that the questioner was unable to understand the answer. For this question is among the most difficult philosophical questions. The early philosophers differed over it. The Aristotelians followed their teacher Aristotle. They maintained that the knowledge of Him, the exalted, of things had been before them. Plato’s followers believed that the knowledge of Allah, may His name be exalted, is simultaneous to things. The two parties gave many proofs that included a kind of obscurity and vagueness. As the questioner was unable to understand such subjects, the Imam gave him a short answer.

5. Allah’s Will

Saffwan b. Yehya asked the Imam about Allah’s will: Does it (will) issue from Allah or from creatures?

He, peace be on him, answered: “The will of the creatures is the pronoun and the verb that seems to them after that. As for that of Allah, it is His creating (things) only, for He neither deliberates nor intends nor thinks. He does not have these attributes, for they are the attributes of the creatures. Therefore, Allah’s will is the verb only. He says to it: Be, so there it is without a word nor utterance nor a tongue nor intention nor thinking. There is no howness to that just as there is no howness

to Him.”[1]

The explanation of his statement is that man’s will is a psychological manner takes place after his imagining the thing appropriate for him and his believing in its being positive and useful with scientific believing not hypothetical one. So when a thing reaches the level of superiority in the depth of one’s mind, the determination of finding it takes place. As for Allah’s will, it is not something new added to His Holy Selfness, for the occurrence of an attribute or a manner in His Selfness is impossible. The will for Him is nothing but His creating things, for He, the Exalted, is far above deliberation and reflection.

6. Allah’s Desire

‘Ali b. Ibraheem said: [I heard Abu al-Hasan Musa, peace be on him, say:] “Nothing occurs except what Allah wills, desires, ordains, and decrees.”

“What is the meaning of desires?” I asked him.

“The beginning of the verb,” he replied.

“What is the meaning of ordains?” I asked him.

“To ordain the length and width of a thing,” he answered.

“What is the meaning of decrees?” I asked him.

“When He decrees (a thing), He says to it: be,” he replied, “therefore, that is the thing which nothing can avert.”[2]

The short explanation to his speech is that man has optional deeds of which are will, desire, estimation, and carrying out. As He, the Most High, regarded the out beings as among His own verbs, they were preceded by desire, will, estimation, and carrying out, issued from His knowledge and His power. Therefore, they should be preceded by desire, will, determination, and decree. The desire and the will must be achieved in finding an optional deed. The meaning standing in the soul through its relationship with the doer is called a desire, and through its relationship with the verb is called will; the estimation is the specification of the amount of the verb. The decree is the final decision between which and the verb there is no means. When the decree of Him, the Most High, associated with a thing, He carried it out; it is the thing which nothing can avert.

7. The Formative and Legislative Will

The Imam, peace be on him, said: “Surely, Allah has two wills and two desires: the will of ordainment, and the will of determination. He prohibits and desires; He commands and does not desire. Did you not know that He prohibited Adam and his wife from eating of the tree. He desired that. If he had not desired that they would

not eat, their desire would have not overcome the desire of Allah, the Exalted. He commanded Ibrahim to slay (his son) Ishaq. He did not desire to make him slay him. If He had desired, the desire of Ibrahim would have not overcome the desire of Allah, the Most High.”[1]

The explanation of his statement is that will is divided into the real, formative will and the nominal, legislative will. So man’s will that associates with his own deed is a formative will that urges his limbs to find deed; along with it, it is impossible for limbs to refuse to obey except due to a certain obstruction. As for the will that associates with the deeds of others such as that he orders a thing to be done or ordered it not to be done, it is not formative; rather it is legislative. For it does not affect finding or leaving the verb by others; rather it depends on his formative will.

As for the formative will of Allah, it is that which associates with a thing, there is no escape from finding the thing, and it is impossible for it to stay behind it. As for His legislative will, it is that which associates with the deed in respect of its being good and righteous. As for Allah’s prohibiting Adam from eating and He willed that, and the command of Him, the Exalted, to Ibrahim to slay his son and He willed that, the command and prohibition in respect with them were legislative. Similarly the meaning of the desire is the formative desire. The narration declared that Ibrahim was ordered to slay his son Ishaq, not Isma‘il. This opposes the traditions narrated on the authority of the Imams of guidance, peace be on them, and which indicated that Ibrahim was ordered to slay his son Isma‘il, and not Ishaq.

We are satisfied with this amount of his answers to the atheists and his refuting their vague errors. The Imam has another legacy related to the prophethood and the Imamate. Al-Mejjlisi has mentioned it in his book al-Bihar. Al-Kulayni has also mentioned it in his book al-Usool. If we dealt with it, then we had to write a big book on it. For this reason we are satisfied with what we have mentioned as proof of his taking care of refuting the vague errors and confuting misleading thoughts that spread among the Muslims.

Anyway, an atheistic movement invaded the time of the Imam. The enemies of Islam and those who harbored malice against its victories led that movement. They thought that they had no means to resist it except through spreading destructive beliefs among the Muslims, that they might weaken the ideological side. However, shortly after that, those thoughts disappeared; those misleading thoughts and heresies were buried through the good efforts of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, and the leading thinkers from among their students. That was when they set off with great enthusiasm to defend Islam and to protect it from the vague errors of the atheists and the misleading people.

Those atheistic waves, which spread during that time, clearly indicate that the

society led a bad life full of ideological differences and doubts about the Islamic thought. Without doubt, the debates of the Imams, peace be on them, played an important role in returning the Muslims to the way of the truth and correctness. With this point we will end our talk about the ideological invasion that befell the Muslims, and that was the most important event at that time.

Bad Manners

In most of its periods, the ‘Abbasid time was the time of amusement and dissoluteness. During it the people were interested in delight and singing. They rushed to enjoy all kinds of the forbidden things such as drinking wine, playing gambling, drinking with slave girls and boys, and the like from among the things made forbidden by Allah. The ruling persons encouraged them to practice such abominable deeds. For they themselves were immersed in abominable deeds, sins and urging the people to that amusement. We regard the poets of that time as a measure for the corrupt manners, for they correctly represented the whole trends and inclinations of the society. Their poetry represents neither earnestness nor activity in the public life, nor does it picture any reality of cultural life. Rather the poetry describes wine, songstresses, urging people to practice pleasures and low desires. Their poems in this respect are black pages in Arabic literature. An example of this is that the poets of the ‘Abbasid royal palace met and said: “Where shall we spend our evening.” They invited each other to their houses. So Abu Nu’as suggested that that invitation should be poetry and not prose, and that the group had to decide the best of them in composing poetry. Accordingly, Dawud b. Razeen al-Sabati said:

Rise (and go) to the house of amusement and the hidden shadow of a house in which are flowers, narcissus, jasmine, fragrant musk, redolent plants, a songstress with coquetry and sedate reason, who sings all the original, clear (poems) of Ibn Razeen.

They all composed poems urging (people) to practice pleasures, amusement, and dissoluteness. This kind of corrupt poetry indicates that mischief and bad manners, and that the people abandoned the religious teachings that forbade that. The poetry represents the characteristics of the life in that time. For their sentiments and feelings clung to amusement and dissoluteness. Their hearts clung to wine. So they described and praised it. Abu Nu’as devoted his mental efforts to describing cups, glasses, vats (of wine), barmen, vintners, drinking companions, and grapevines. He mentioned different kinds of wine and how they were made. He made a distinction between this and that in taste, color, and smell. He explained the intoxication and its movement in limbs and heads. He not only explained that in a technical way, but also he explained it with love. He loved wine so much that he adorned it.

Drinking wine was associated with singing and dancing at that time. The princes and the ladies from among the high life in Baghdad took part in certain concert parties. Private house prepared for wine, singing, beating tambourines and drums

spread there. The gardens in the outskirts of Baghdad were full of bars to which the poets, the youth, and the young ladies frequently went. In a poem of his, Muti‘ b. Ayas described the bar in Sabah’s garden. The abbeys also became places of drinking wine, love, and dissoluteness.

Baghdad, rather all cities of Iraq, became houses of amusement, drinking wine, and dissoluteness. Accordingly, the people followed their low desires and abandoned the Islamic values that forbade that. That brought about bad manners. The people were absorbed in sin, abominable things, and corruption. Dissoluteness included celebrating boys in love poems. Abu Nu’as and the like went too far in practicing such an art. This matter made bad manners spread among the people.

Without doubt the policy of the ‘Abbasid First Time Government was responsible for this wave of corruption and dissoluteness. For those kings played an important role in spreading amusement, abominable things, and corruption.

Misery and Unhappiness

The overwhelming majority in the Islamic countries suffered from poverty and deprivation. It was burdened with oppression and misery. Properties were piled-up with special groups of the singers and the dissolute. They practiced all kinds of pleasures and went too far in following their low desires. As for the general populace, they suffered from hunger and poverty due to the oppression of the rulers and their tyranny in taking kharaj (land taxes). Persecuting the society and the bad economic life have been described by Abu al-‘Atahiya, a great social poet, in his poem he wrote to the king of Baghdad. In it he has mentioned.

Who gives on my behalf successive pieces of advice to the Imam?

Surely I see that the prices of the subjects are high.

I see that the earnings are insignificant. I see that the necessity is widespread.

I see that the worries of the time come and go.

I see that the orphans are miserable, empty houses.

They, hopeful male and female, yearn for you.

They complain (to you) of hard work with weak, loud voices.

They hope for your relief out of what they have faced that they may see well-being.

The misfortunes of hunger enter into evening and upon the morning (causing) hunger.

Who relieves the hungry stomachs and naked bodies?

I have reported to you conclusive news from the subjects.

This is the social conditional that prevailed the time of Harun. Millions of the subjects were naked and hungry, whilst the treasury in Baghdad was full of their

properties. However, none had the right to use them except the caliphs, their children, and their oppressive, dissolute ministers. As for those who did not flatter the rulers, they led a life of poverty and misery. Now, let Abu al-‘Atahiya tell us about that Golden Time, as the historians say:

The dry loaf of bread you eat in a corner, and a narrow room where you are alone or a mosque far from the people is better than the hours in the shade of the high palaces.

This statement tells (you) about my state.

Blessed is he who hears it! By my life, it is sufficient.

Therefor, listen to the advice of the loyal one called Abu al-‘Atahiya.

These kinds of hopelessness, pessimism, and pain mentioned by the poet of the ‘Abbasid society resulted from the corruption of the then rulers and their bad power. For their crooked policy spread among the people poverty and deprivation, while it placed wealth among a special class that went too far in practicing pleasures. They decorated their palaces with excellent furniture and their walls with silk. They planted flowers in their gardens, to the extent they brought to them excellent flowers from India. They went too far in creating different kinds of enjoyments. When they were tired of a certain enjoyment, they changed it into another. Abu al-Faraj al-Asfahani said: “Some of them were about to bang his head against an iron bar due to the good singing.” The result of that was the spreading of poverty among the popular classes.

Anyway, the ‘Abbasid governments at the ‘Abbasid Time 1 plundered the properties of the Islamic peoples, spread poverty throughout their countries, spent the money in central budget on prostitution, amusement, and spoiling morals. So the masses were sure of the corruption of those authorities and of their illegal rule. In the meantime, they were sure that the ‘Alawids were the summoners to social justice, the shelter of the oppressed and persecuted.

The Policy of the ‘Abbasid Government

During most of its times, the ‘Abbasid government stood on oppression and tyranny. It did not witness social and political justice. Through their governing, the ‘Abbasids followed a special dictatorial method. They controlled all the judicial and administrative authorities. There was no administrative and consultative council to deal with the affairs of the subjects, their interests, the means of their development and progress. The nature of the government was dictatorial. The caliph decided according to his personal viewpoints, for he was the shadow of Allah on earth, as they say. So he went too far in practicing dictatorship, plundering properties, preventing freedoms, and forcing the people to do what they hated.

In most of its historical periods, the ‘Abbasid government was similar to the

Umayyad one in material and form. Lithfy Dilla Fida says: “Certainly the administrative system followed by the ‘Abbasids was in essence the system of the Umayyads.”[1]

The official circles damaged the rights of the common people, while they flattered the notables, the heads, and the possessors of influence. Amin al-Rayhani says: “The oppressive did not suffer from adversities. Rather the miserable, those who paid taxes and answered the summons to jihad[2] suffered from adversities. It was they who suffered from oppression and tyranny. For their affair was simple with those rulers who alone possessed distributing good and evil among those whom they liked and disliked. They spent the wealth of the miserable Muslim peoples on their low desires and on their followers. They sometimes admired a song, so they gave to the singer a lot of money. In the meantime they hated the word of a reformer, so they shed the reformer’s blood and confiscated his properties. When al-Mu‘tazid, the ‘Abbasid Caliph, was angry with a military commander, he ordered the military commander to be buried alive.[3] Many ‘Abbasid rulers were famous for violence, oppression, and shedding blood.

Al-‘Atabi was asked the state of the then government: “Why do you not seek nearness to the ruler through your poems?”

“I saw him give ten thousand (dirhams) for nothing, and he ordered someone to be thrown down the wall for nothing,” replied al-‘Atabi, “I do not know which of the two men I follow.”[4]

Muhammed b. al-Harith was ordered to go to al-Wathiq, and he said: “I was very afraid. I was afraid that someone had informed the Caliph against me or a certain misfortune had happened.”[5]

When al-Ma’mun killed his minister al-Fedl b. Sahl, he entrusted the ministry with Ahmed b. Abi Khalid, but he refused to accept it and said: “All those who undertook the ministry were endangered.”[6] The reason for that is that the caliphs did not follow a certain law; rather they decided according to their personal inclinations. So they divided death and life among those whom they liked and disliked.

The caliphs ordered people to be killed in group for a certain piece of information. An example of that Abu Ja‘far was informed against a man called al-Fudayl, the

secretary of his son Ja‘far. He was informed that al-Fudal played with Ja‘far. So he sent two men and ordered them to kill him wherever they found him. He wrote a letter to Ja‘far to inform him what he had ordered them. He said to the two men: “Do not give the letter to Ja‘far until you have killed al-Fudayl.” When they reached al-Fudayl, they beheaded him. Al-Fudayl was a righteous person. Al-Mansur was told that he was an innocent person, and that he was quick in killing him. So he repented of that. He gave ten thousand dirhams to a messenger and ordered him to go to al-Fudayl before he had been killed. However, the messenger came and found him a motionless corpse. Accordingly, Ja‘far condemned that and said to his retainer: “What does the Commander of the faithful say in respect with the murder of a chaste, religious, Muslim man without a crime?”

So Suwayd answered him: “He is the Commander of the faithful. He does whatever he pleases. He is more knowledgeable of what he does.”

The kings killed the people and shed their blood according to their low desires. They did whatever they wanted, for they were the Shadow of Allah on earth. They were not asked about sin or crime.

During the ‘Abbasid days, the Islamic countries suffered from oppression and tyranny. For the ‘Abbasids employed violence in carrying out their plans. For the first time in Islamic history the leather rug (for executing people) was put by the throne of the Caliph. The Caliph employed it and the headsman as means to ascend the throne, as Philip Hety says.

The ‘Abbasid Caliphs followed this policy throughout their times. They did not yield to the truth and justice; rather they yielded to their low desires and feelings. The boys, the women, and the corrupt drinking companions played an important role in managing the affairs of the government, distributing gifts and salaries among the people, and depriving them of them. All these things did not depend on the Law of Allah; rather they resulted from the caliphs personal inclinations, which were very far from justice.

The Muslim Sects

Perhaps the most important things took place at the ‘Abbasid Time 1 were the Muslims sects, who differed over the origins and branches of the religion. The certain thing is that the ‘Abbasid authorities founded the Muslim sects, fed them, and made them grow. They forced the people to embrace them. I (the author) think that they wanted to send the Muslims far from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, who represented the true Islam and its revolutionary trends aiming at putting an end to social oppression, saving the people from the political tyranny.

During the ‘Abbasid time, the ‘Alawids went to the fields of the holy jihad, that they might protect the society from the Umayyads’ violence and severe punishments, and return to society the Islamic noble principles, which depended on spreading justice, freedom, equality, ease, stability, perfect faith in the individual’s

rights, securing the means of his daily bread, and his security. Islam regarded that as a basic rule for developing the society and making it lead a free, noble life.

For these noble principles the ‘Alawids went to the fields of struggle and jihad. So they met difficult problems, their limbs were cut off, their blood was shed, and they were executed. The masses were sure that the ‘Alawids were the protectors and leaders of this community, that the society would obtain the means of its livelihood and its welfare except through their government. Accordingly, they supported them. The slogans of the revolutionaries and of the demonstrators were the summons to al-Rida from among the Family of Muhammed. The violent revolt that broke out all over the Islamic countries put an end to the Umayyad government, toppled it and removed its traces. However, the ‘Abbasids usurped the authority. When the affairs went well with them, they spared no effort to destroy the ‘Alawids and their followers, who were the source of the aware forces in Islam.

The terrible plan the ‘Abbasid government drew to destroy the Shi‘a and all the opposing forces includes the following:

1. They founded the Islamic doctrines, divided the Muslims, and made them busy with ideological beliefs, that they might divert them from thinking of political affairs. Accordingly, the clubs in Baghdad, Kufa, Basrah, Medina, and all the cities of the Islamic world were full of theological debates and philosophical discussions. All these debates and discussions were about the ideological frame in Islam. The scientific life at that time was directed to this side only; it was not direct to any side of the political life the Muslims led.

2. They wanted to isolate the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt from the Muslims, to impose supervision on them, to prevent the Muslims from communicating with them and taking the principal features of the religion from them.

The ‘Abbasids felt that the people were in need of understanding the affairs of their religion. So al-Mansur al-Dewaniqi entrusted Imam Malik, the head of a Muslim sect, with writing a book on Islamic jurisprudence, that he might force the people to follow it. However, Malik refused that, but he finally responded to him out of pressure and wrote al-Muwatta.[1]

The ‘Abbasid government supported the Imams of the doctrines and spread their jurisprudence. It forced the people to follow them. Besides it gave a lot of money to them and greatly honored them. Al-Rashid ordered his governor over Medina not to carry out any order without consulting Malik; similarly, he sat on the ground to hear his speech.[2] He ordered the pilgrims to be told that none had the right to give religious decisions except Malik. So the people overcrowded around him, and the delegates came to him from all over the Islamic countries to listen to his speech

and to take religious verdicts from him. None was able to approach Malik because he was officially respected. Some strong black young men surrounded him. They severely punished him who intended to criticized him. Isma‘il al-Fezari said: “I came in to Malik and asked him to narrate me some traditions. He related to me twelve traditions, and then he ceased. So I said to him: ‘Relate to me more traditions, may Allah honor you.’ He had some black young men standing behind him. He commanded them to take me out of his house, and they did.”[1]

Certainly the ‘Abbasid government took great care of Malik and other than him from among the Imams of the sects, that it might undermine the entity of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, and put an end to the Shi‘ites, who were the greatest of all the people in opposing it. It is important for us to pause to talk about the Shi‘ite sect, who carried the standard of righteousness, revolted against the tyrannical rulers, whose history is full of achievements, laudable deeds, and serving the Muslims. That is as follows:

The Meaning of the Shi‘a

In Arabic the Shi‘a means followers and supporters. This meaning includes all those who follow Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and his household. Al-Fayruz Abadi said: “Man’s Shi‘ites are his followers and supporters. This name includes all those who follow ‘Ali and his household, peace be on them, to the extent that it concerns them only.”[2]

Ibn Manzur said: “The origin of the Shi‘a is the sect of people; it includes one, two, plural, masculine, feminine. This name is used to those who follow ‘Ali and his household, may Allah be pleased with them all, to the extent that it concerns them. If it is said, ‘so-and-so is a Shi‘ite,’ it means that belongs to them.”[3] The linguists have unanimously greed on the explanation of the Shi‘a we have mentioned.

The Beginning of the Shi‘a

The certain thing is that the Shi‘a was formed during the time of the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He was the first to put this good seed, to make it grow, and to take care of it. Imam Kashif al-Ghita’ said: “The leader of the Islamic Law (the Prophet) was the first to put the seed of Shi‘ism in the field of Islam. This means that the seed of Shi‘ism was but beside that of Islam. The one who planted it (the Prophet) took care of watering it until it grew up and flourished during his life. Then it produced fruit after his death. My proofs of that are his holy hadiths (traditions). (I will not mention them) through the chain of the authorities of the Shi‘ites and the Imami narrators lest it should be said: ‘They are invalid because the maintain the return or their narrator draws the fire to his own loaf of

bread.’ Rather (I will mention) them from among the traditions of the Sunni scholars and their great figures and through their trustworthy chain of authorities.” Then he, may Allah have mercy on him, has mentioned what al-Sayuti has narrated in his book al-Durr al-Mantur in respect with the explanation of these words of Him, the Exalted: Those are the best of mankind. He said: [Ibn ‘Asakr narrated on the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, who said:] “We were with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. When ‘Ali, peace be on him, came, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, surely this (‘Ali) and his Shi‘ites are the successful on the Day of Resurrection.’” Then he, may Allah have mercy one him, has mentioned a group of traditions confirming what we have mentioned.[1] Abu Hatem al-Razi said: “The first name to appear in Islam was Shi‘a. This was the name of four companions (of the Prophet), who are Abu Dharr, Selman, ‘Ammar, and al-Muqdad. When the time of the (Battle of) Siffin came, the followers of ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, were famous for this name.”[2]

This thought began at the dawn of Islamic history. It was founded by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and was embraced by his great companions, who believed in Islam and fought bravely for it, such as Abu Dharr, Selman, ‘Ammar, al-Muqdad, and the like of them from among the Muslims great figures.

All Shi‘ite researchers have confirmed the correctness of this viewpoint. The late Shaykh al-Muzaffari says: “Surely, the summons to Shi‘ism began on the day when the great savor Muhammed, may Allah bless him and his family, called out: ‘There is no god but Allah.’ When these words of Him, the Exalted, were revealed to him: And warn your nearest relations[3], he gathered the Hashimites and warned them, saying: ‘Whoever helps me in this matter will be my brother, my testamentary trustee (wasi), my helper (wazir), my heir and my successor after me.’ However, none answered him to what he wanted except al-Murtada (‘Ali). So the Prophet said to them: ‘This is my brother, my testamentary trustee (wasi), my helper (wazir), my heir and my successor after me. Therefore, listen to him and obey him.’”

Al-Muzaffary added: “The summons from the leader of the message (the Prophet) to following Abu al-Hasan (‘Ali) walked alongside the summons to the two witnesses. For this reason, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari was among the Shi‘ites of ‘Ali.”[4]

If we look at the reality with a look free from inclinations and sentiments and distinguished by scientific investigation, we will find the reality, originality, and depth of this statement. The following points confirm it:

1. The great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, left after him great principles that developed the individual and social life of his community. He left behind him great inheritance the like of which people have never found throughout their historical stages. He has declared human rights and brought high objectives aiming at man’s security, welfare, and happiness.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, took great care of spreading his message. So it was important for him to appoint someone after him to protect his principles, to keep his message, and to spread it among the peoples on earth. Of course, every leader of a message certainly takes this procedure.

2. There was a necessity that required the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to entrust the affair to someone after him. This necessity is that there were forces that harbored malice against Islam, schemed against it by day and night, and spared no effort to put out its light. These forces were the hypocrites the Holy Qur’an has dispraised and against whom the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, warned his community. These forces were represented by Abu Sufyan, and most the Umayyads. Therefore, how did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, neglect the affair of the succession after him and leave his community lead a life of chaos? This means that he wanted to empower the wicked forces to destroy his objectives and put an end to his principles and message. It was impossible for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to do that.

In addition to that is that the Arab Peninsula was not familiar with the summons to regulation and stability of which the message of Islam took care of. For it contained great development in respect with world of economy, policy, administration, and all the regulations that take care of general security, keeping political stability, the general balance in the individual and social life. The Arab Peninsula was not fully aware of this great development, nor was it fully aware of the real dimensions of the message of Islam and its great renaissance. So it was incumbent on the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to appoint a successor after him, that his message might continue achieving its activities and objectives.

Yet there is a very important thing that required the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to appoint a successor after him. This thing was the outside situation. The Romans, the Persians, and the like from among the governments of the world were afraid of the progress and spread of Islam. Their peoples were eager for embracing Islam, that it might save them from tyranny and oppression, protect them from despotism and dictatorship. Those countries waited for an appropriate opportunity to destroy Islam and were ready to send all their troops to put an end to it. Of course, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was fully aware of that. Therefore, how did he neglect the affair of the caliphate, which was in the same position to backbone in respect with his community?

Certainly, the local chaos and the outside danger required the Prophet, may Allah

bless him and his family, to take great care of the affair of the succession after him. As for the statement that he, may Allah bless him and his family, neglected it, it has no aspect of scientific research, and it is very far from the thinking of the aware, wise personality of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, the like of which people have never seen in awareness and understanding the realities of affairs.

I (the author) think that if a person is free from tribalism, imitation, reflects on the reality accurately and deeply, he will come to know that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, took great care of succession and regarded it on top of the important affairs.

3.If we carefully consider the events happened during the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, we will conclude that he appointed the pioneer and gave proofs of the leader who would undertake the cultural and political leadership after him, and that he definitely adopted and prepared this matter, that he might keep the future of his mission, protect its achievements from collapse and disappearance.

The great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, chose Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to undertake the general and timely authorities; we will give proofs of that. This choice was not because of preference and love for relationship. For that is very far from the thinking of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, for he yielded to nothing except the truth, justice, and the interests of his community. Rather, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed Imam ‘Ali, peace be on him, over this important office because he had unique abilities, noble tendencies, and abundant power to undertake the huge responsibilities. Imam ‘Ali was nearest of all the people to Allah’s Apostle, the greatest of them in understanding and awareness of his objectives and principles, the most similar of them to him in clinging to the true Islam. He accompanied the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, when young. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, supplied him with his knowledge, and he, peace be on him, has expressed that, saying:

Certainly, you know my position of close kinship and special relationship with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. When I was only a child, he took charge of me. He used to press me to his chest and lay me beside him in his bed, bring his body close to mine and make me smell his smell. He used to chew something and then feed me with it. He found no lie in my speaking, nor weakness in any act…. I used to follow him like a young camel following in the footprints of its mother. Every day he would show me in the form of a banner some of his high traits and commanded me to follow it. Every year he used to go in seclusion to the hill of Hira, where I saw him but no one else saw him. In those days Islam did not exist in any house except that of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and Khadija, while I was the third after these two. I used to see and watch

the effulgence of divine revelation and message, and breathed the scent of Prophethood.

Imam ‘Ali, peace be on him, spent a great part of his life with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who took care of him and was kind to him. He took part beside him in the fields of jihad and the fields of the scientific experience of the success of the Islamic message, and his knowledge of its methods and its philosophy, his abilities and genius. All things required his nomination for the office of the caliphate, as preference the best to those other than him and as a guarantee for the interests of the community.

4. As for the events narrated from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, concerning his nominating and appointing Imam ‘Ali as a successor after him, they are so many that many books have been written on them. Among these books are al-Wasiya by al-Mas‘udi, al-Alfayn by al-‘Allama (al-Hili), Talkhis al-Shafi by al-Tusi, and others. Al-‘Allama (al-Hili) has mentioned in his book over thirty books on the will of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to Imam ‘Ali.[1] The Shi‘ite theologians have mentioned many proofs of that. We will mention some of them as follows:

A. The Shi‘ites have proved their belief in this subject matter through Hadith al-Manzila (the Tradition of the Position) in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has said: “You are in the same position in respect with me as Harun was to Musa except that there is no prophet after me.”[2] Shaykh al-Mufid think that this tradition is a proof of the Imamate of Imam ‘Ali, saying: “That is because Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, decided his (Imam ‘Ali’s) merit over the group, support, help, succession during his life and after his death, and the Imamate for him, due to the fact that Harun received all these positions from Musa during his lifetime.”[3]

B. Surely the most reliable, clearest, and the greatest of all the proofs in including the attitude the Shi‘ites maintain is The Hadith of Khum. For on that immortal day the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed Imam ‘Ali, peace be on him, as a successor after him and asked the Muslims to pledge allegiance to him. He took ‘Ali by the hand and addressed the Muslims, saying: “This is my successor after me among you; therefore, listen to him and obey him.”[4]

The Hadith of Khum is a decisive, unquestionable proof. It is part of Islam.

Whoever denies it denies Islam, as al-‘Ala’ili says.

C. There is a group of traditions confirms that which the Shi‘ites maintain. Of this group is his statement before the Muslims: “This is my brother, my testamentary trustee, and my successor among you; therefore listen to him and obey him.”[1] There are tens of traditions similar to this one. They clearly show that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed Imam ‘Ali, peace be on him, as a caliph over the Muslims.

D. The dangerous events that accompanied the demise of the great Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, indicate that he at the last moment of his life time tried to reinforce the Imamate of Imam ‘Ali and to support it through all means. This is clear through the following:

Firstly, he, may Allah bless him and his family, took care of preparing the troops of Usama while he was in the last hours of his life time. He made it incumbent on the Muslims among whom were some of his great companions to join them immediately. He ordered them to leave Median soon. Apparently, he intended to void Medina of those craved after the caliphate. However, the people tarried and did not obey the Prophet’s commands. They looked for some excuses.

Secondly, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, ordered ink and parchment, that he might write for the community a document after which it would never go astray. Those who craved after the government came to know of his purpose, so they created violent disputes. They accused the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, of delirium. So they spoiled his command and they prevented him from his purpose. Accordingly, he, may Allah bless him and his family, rebuked them and ordered them to leave his house. Then he turned to those present and asked them to take care of his household. Of course, through this procedure he wanted to reinforce the pledge of allegiance to Imam ‘Ali at Ghadir Khum. However, the people prevented him from that.

E. The pure family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, protested against Abu Bakr and refrained from pledging allegiance to him, especially as it concerns the positive attitude Fatima, the mistress of the women of the world, peace be on her, took toward him. She wonderfully protested against him. When she was about to die, she asked (her husband) Imam ‘Ali to bury her in the dark lest one of the members of the government of Abu Bakr should come to know of her burial. All these things clearly indicate that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed Imam ‘Ali as a successor after him.

The flagrant protests issued from Fatima, mistress of the women of the world, peace be on her, from the pure family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and from the Muslim great figures such as ‘Ammar b. Yasir, Abu Dharr,

Selman al-Farisi, and al-Muqdad are among the most reliable proof of what we have mentioned. I (the author) think that the protest of the daughter of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and his sweet basil, against Abu Bakr and her strict, violent attitude toward him was the reason for focusing the Shi‘ite thought, providing it with originality and subsistence. For the Shi‘ites have used this protest as a reliable proof of what they believe in respect with that Ahl al-Bayt, peace be on them, were more appropriate for the succession (after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family).

With this point we will end our talk about the foundation of the Shi‘ites. According to these brief proofs, the Shi‘ism began at the time of the leader of the message (the Prophet), may Allah bless him and his family, for it was he who planted its seed and made its origins grow.

The Ideological Frame of Shi‘a

The Shi‘ites maintain all the Islamic, ideological fundamentals whether they concern Allah’s positive and negative attributes or His decree and predetermination or other than that their theological books have mentioned. They also maintain the Imamate. They believe that it is among the obligatory fundamentals of the religion. They have stipulated that the Imam should be infallible and the most knowledgeable of the people of his time. We have objectively mentioned that in the first part of the book.

As for the legislative side, they take the branches and affairs of the religion from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt. They believe in all the traditions narrated or said by them. The traditions narrated or said by the Imams are among the four proofs a Shi‘ite jurist use when he gives a religious decision. The Shi‘ites take their ideological frame in respect with the fundamentals and branches of the religion from the true Islam and from that which narrated on the authority of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt for whom love has been made obligatory by Allah and whom the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, has regarded as equal to the Holy Qur’an.

Love for Ahl al-Bayt

Among the Shi‘ite principles is showing sincere love for Ahl al-Bayt (the members of the House), peace be on them. They deeply love and