In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate The Merciful
May His Peace and Blessing Be Upon the Most Dignified of Messengers,
Muhammad and His Purified Progeny
TAHARA
& ‘ISMAH…OF THE PROPHETS, MESSENGERS, AWSIYA', AND IMAMS (PEACE BE UPON
THEM)
What is Tahara? And what is ‘Ismah?
Tahara ((ØåÇÑÉ, by its
linguistic definition, means cleaning something and the removal of anything
that may pollute that object (e.g. dirt, spots, odor, germs) with things that
are unwanted or harmful to the civilized person. As for the religious meaning
of Tahara, it means the purification and cleansing of the bodies, objects,
spirit, and heart from the things that Allah (SWT) ordered that they be
purified from and with the way that He (SWT) ordered and specified for us.
The process of Tahara (purification)
can be carried out by you to yourself, or to others, just like people can carry
it on for you. There exists a strong correlation between the efficiency of
purification and the proficiency of that person carries that process out, who
is known as the Mutahir ((ãõØåööÑ. The more knowledgeable, experienced,
and competent that individual is in achieving purification and cleansing, the
more efficient and complete the results of purification will be. So, if the
proficiency of the Mutahir is
approximately 60%, we can also expect that the efficiency of the process of
Tat-heer will also be approximately 60%.
We have in
front of us three things: Mutahir, Mutahar ((ãõØåöóÑ,
and the process of Tat-heer ((ÊØåíÑ.
Mutahir is the person or thing that
attempts to purify, while Mutahar is
the person or thing that is sought to be cleansed and purified. Tat-heer is the process by which the
purification takes place. For instance, if you sent your clothes to be washed
at the Laundromat, your clothes are the Mutahar,
the Laundromat is the Mutahir, and
the method/procedure that the Laundromat undertakes to wash the clothes is the
process of Tat-heer (purification).
Logically, the cleanness of your clothes will depend on the proficiency and
competence of the Mutahir.
As for the
religious meaning of Tahara, you can also carry it out on yourself, or someone
else could carry it out on you, and the same logic applies to the rules of
relationships, as mentioned earlier.
Religious
Tat-heer is of two types: 1) Physical cleansing and purification of
materialistic things which you can see and feel, such as clothes or bodies. 2)
Spiritual cleansing and purification of moral things that you cannot see or
touch, such as your heart, spirit, or mind. It is logical of course, that the 2nd
type of purification is more abstract and difficult to accomplish since you
will be attempting to purify something that is not seen or felt. This process
of Tat-heer is not specific, and the experience and proficiency of he who
carries it out could be limited too. This is because proficiency and experience
of the Mutahir depends on the
proficiency and experience of the original teacher. So, if the original teacher
lacks the expertise and experience, the purifier (Mutahir) will also
lack it. And if the proficiency and knowledge of the teacher is little, it will
also be found minimal in the student who is learning from his teacher. This
type of Tat-heer that is not felt or seen, could also be carried out by
yourself, as you can try to purify and cleanse your heart, spirit, mind, d soul
through worship and remembrance of Allah (SWT) (ex: prayer, du'a, fasting,
Samara, Hajj, good deeds, reading, etc.). Others can also carry out this
process on you, like the sheikhs, U'lama, teachers, religious institutions, and
seminaries.
As for the
meaning of ‘Ismah ((ÚÕãÉ, it simply
means protection and safeguard. Ya'sim
means the act of protecting, while ‘Asim
((ÚÇÕöã is the person or thing that protects. Ma'soom is the person or thing that is
sought to be protected by the ‘Asim,
whose occurrence and efficiency of ‘Ismah
is 100% guaranteed. Now, if the person seeks protection, but the
efficiency/approval for protection is not guaranteed by the ‘Asim, he is not anymore called Ma'soom (ãÚÕæã).
Rather, he is called Mu'tasim (ãõÚÊÕöã) since he is not sure if the ‘Asim will approve or is capable of protecting him or not.
Furthermore, if the person actively and relentlessly seeks the protection and
exerts lots of effort to attain it, which is also not guaranteed, he is called Musta'sim ((ãõÓÊÚÕã.
So, not every Mu'tasim is a Musta'sim, and not every Musta'sim or a Mu'tasim is Ma'soom. This
is because the Ma'soom is the only
one whose process of protection was successfully completed by the ‘Asim with 100% efficiency.
If we analyze the use of the word ‘Ismah (and its derivatives) by Allah
(SWT) in the Quran, we will find the following:
Let us now try to relate between the
meaning of TAHARA and the meaning of ‘ISMAH:
At this point,
we can reach the conclusion that Tahara is the process of cleaning and
purifying the thing itself, while ‘Ismah is the protection of that purified
thing from getting sullied or polluted again, and from loosing its state of
purification (which was achieved after the process of Tat-heer). So, ‘Ismah is
the process of protecting the Mutahar
from loosing its state of cleanness (that was carried out by the Mutahir). Hence, the Mutahir attempts to purify, while the ‘Asim tries to maintain that state of
purification and keep it constant. If it is not for the ‘Asim, the purified thing would not stay pure and clean.
So, if we say that there is an object
or thing that is always clean, it is logical then to believe in the presence of
a ‘Asim who maintains the state of
cleanness for that object at all times. This object will therefore be
considered to be Ma'soom, due to the
presence of continuous and ongoing protection that is carried out by the
competent and skillful ‘Asim. So,
TAHARA and ‘ISMAH are two processes which complete one another and cannot be
separated from each other, if we
indeed want the purified state of something to continue and be constant. Again,
the more competent and knowledgeable the ‘Asim
is, the more efficient will ‘Ismah be, as in the case of the Mutahir and the process of Tahara. For
example, a street cleaner or a custodian are considered to be a Mutahir (since they clean the street or
office), while a policeman or security guard are referred to as ‘Asim (one who try to prevent uncleanness
from taking place and the loss of Tahara, which is achieved by the Mutahir). Every one carries out his job
in order to accomplish constant and ongoing cleanness and purification. Based on
that, ‘Ismah cannot be present without prior existence of Tahara, and the
opposite is not true.
2nd Research Question:
When we speak about Tahara and ‘Ismah for the Prophets,
Messengers, Awsiya' (executors of will), and the Imams (AS), we ask
ourselves…from what?
In other
words, what will they be purified from, and what will they be protected from?
Thus, the question here is composed of two parts:
b) What will they be protected from?
In answering this question, the
Imamiya scholars and Fuqaha' (jurists) have differed, and every group has its
own opinion and support for it. It is to be noted that our U'lama are all
respectable and honorable, and they don't speak except with what they think is
closest to the truth, and they don't fear except Allah (SWT). Therefore, it is
not appropriate for us, neither is it our goal to ridicule their ideas or
opinions. Rather, we try to make an effort by thinking and using our God-given
intellect, and this will not at all decrease their rewards and high
degree/rank, even if we disagree in some opinions and thoughts.
We return to our question which we
would like to answer in a logical and reasonable manner….Tahara for the
Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya' and Imams is from what exactly? We should take a
closer look at our daily routine in life and what goes on in it, in order to
apply the human logic that will enable us to answer the question. So, for
example, if you sought to clean the clothes that you will wear to meet an
important personality or to attend a wedding or an inauguration, from what
exactly will you clean that outfit? There is no doubt that you will clean and
purify it from dirt, spots, wrinkles, odor, and things like that, so that it
will be ready to do the job that you want it to do, in the best way possible.
Another example: If you wanted to
clean a knife or a pair of scissors that will be used in a surgical operation
on a human body, what will you clean that knife or scissors from? In this case,
you will be sanitizing it from germs, microbes, and viruses. This will be your
main concern, so that the wound of the patient does not get contaminated, and
thereby the patient dying from this contaminated wound. Thus, after
sanitization and purification, the knife or scissors will become suitable and
eligible to perform its job, which needs a great amount of efficiency and care
as possible. We can present lots of examples like these from our daily life,
from which we can draw the conclusion that there is a definite and direct
relationship between the job that will be carried out by the Mutahar and the things that it will be
purified from. In other words, the process of Tat-heer is essentially for the
purpose of making the Mutahar more fit and proficient in carrying out
its job in the best form possible. This is logical, reasonable, and very clear
as we use it many times in our daily life. We clean and purify an object from
the things that may hinder its performance, and therefore, it will be more
successful at doing its job.
Let us now apply this same logic to
answer our proposed question in front of us, for we will find that the
purification of our Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams (AS), should be
from the things that may prevent or hinder their performance of their God-given
jobs. This purification should result in them being more proficient and capable
of successfully fulfilling their jobs and responsibilities.
So, in order for us to know what they
will be purified from, we must first identify and specify their jobs and
responsibilities. We must know what its consequences and implications are so
that we can logically deduce the answer, based on our expectations. Now, what
exactly are the jobs and responsibilities of the Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya',
and Imams?
Now, if the responsibilities and work
that they will carry out is for the Great Creator, and is by the order and
assignment from Him, it becomes logically necessary that He becomes the Mutahir
in a direct way, due to the critical importance of the responsibilities and
because it is for Him and from Him. And if Allah, the Almighty, the
Knowledgeable, the Capable, and the Creator is Himself the Mutahir, then
there is absolutely no doubt that the purification will be completed and
accomplished with a degree of 100%. This purification will also be constant and
continuous, as long as the Prophet stays a Prophet, the Messenger stays a
Messenger, the Wasi stays a Wasi, and the Imam stays an Imam. And if this
purification is constant and continuous, it then becomes necessary (as
mentioned in the end of the 1st research question) that there exists
a ‘Asim who protects, maintains, and guarantees the persistence of that
purification state, which thereby indicates the presence of ‘Ismah (protection
from loosing its Tahara). So long as the Mutahir is Allah (SWT), it
becomes logically necessary that the ‘Asim too, is Allah (SWT). Thus, He
alone, with His ability, have purified and protected in order to maintain the
state of Tahara and to guarantee its persistence. The Tahara and ‘Ismah here,
is guaranteed 100%, without any doubt, because the Mutahir and ‘Asim
is Allah (SWT). THEREFORE, THE PURIFIED INDIVIDUALS HAVE BECOME MA'SOMEEN,
SINCE THE CERTAINTY OF THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ‘ISMAH HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED.
If we take a closer look at the seven
responsibilities mentioned earlier, we will find that the common ground or
factor between all of them is: the order of Allah (SWT). Hence, the Tat-heer
and ‘Ismah should be from the thing(s) that may interfere, hinder, or obstruct
the meaning of this word. And naturally, what interferes with a word is always
its opposite and what hinders it is always what's against it. An order is an action
that can be responded to with either obedience or disobedience. If the response to an order is obedience, then the
action and order will have been accomplished. And if the response is
disobedience, then the action will have been prevented and apposed. Whoever
counters or contradicts the orders of Allah (SWT) is really opposing the order
and therefore, disobeying it. If we realize and understand this, it will become
easy for us to draw the conclusion that the most important thing that the
Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams must be purified from and protected
from is: THE DISOBEDIENCE OF THE ORDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS OF ALLAH (SWT). This
is exactly what Allah (SWT) mentioned in the Quran Al-Kareem, "La yasbeqoonaho bil qawl wa hom
bi amrihi ya'maloon." (Nay!
They are honored servants. They do not precede Him in speech and (only)
according to His Commandment do they act, íÓÈÞæäå
ÈÇáÞæá æåõã ÈÃãÑå íÚãáæä áÇ [21:26-27]”. So, Allah's testimony
for them for their inability to disobey Him, is equivalent to the meaning of
purification from that, and indicates that He is the Mutahir. This also indicates the presence of ‘Ismah, which makes
Him the ‘Asim too, as the tenses used in the verse are continuous present
tense, and from Allah (SWT), this means eternity. So, Tat-heer and ‘Ismah is
essentially from the disobedience of Allah (SWT) in anything.
If their 1st responsibility is
to pass on and convey the orders and commands of Allah (SWT), then it becomes
logically necessary that they be purified and protected from lying,
unfaithfulness, treason, and forgetfulness. Forgetfulness here is meant by
forgetting the contents of the Message and its details, NOT the normal human
forgetfulness that is embodied in Prophet Musa's statement to Al-Khidr (AS): "Qalla la to-akhedhni bema naseet" (Blame me not for what I forgot,
ÞÇá áÇ ÊÄÇÎÐäí ÈãÇ äÓíÊ [18:73]). This is an example of
typical human forgetfulness, and is not significant to the topic of ‘Ismah,
using this verse and logical reasoning.
If their 2nd responsibility is
to incite and urge the people to follow and obey the orders of Allah (SWT) and
His Message, then it becomes logically necessary that they be purified and
protected from bad and indecent behavior and anything that would contradict
good manners, ethics, etiquette, and decent behavior. This is so that the
people develop a liking towards them and so that they become accepted by them.
Thus, they will be able to encourage and urge the people to obey Allah (SWT)
and carry out His orders.
If their 3rd responsibility is
to obey and carry out Allah's orders in their individual and specific roles
that has been assigned to each of them, without addition or subtraction, then
it becomes logically necessary that they be purified from disobedience to Him
in any way or form, no matter what they're assigned…even if it looks strange,
deviant, or reject by the people of this world, and no matter how much they
suffer because of it. It also becomes necessary that they be purified against
laziness, boredom, naivety, recklessness, negligence, coward ness, stupidity,
obliviousness, weakness, fragility, lack of wisdom, lack of insight, and lack
of reflection.
If their 4rth responsibility
is to be good examples and role models for the people in observing the rules of
Allah (SWT), then it becomes logically necessary that they become purified and
protected from foolishness, inferiority, begging, having ignoble roots and
ancestry, bad and nefarious origin, severe poverty, physical defect, ugly
appearance, chronic illness (except in obedience to the orders of Allah, just
like what happened to Prophet Ayoob), ignorance, and anything that may belittle
their reverence and sully their reputation.
If their 5th
responsibility is to rule justly among the people with what Allah (SWT) revealed,
then it becomes logically necessary that they be purified and protected from
injustice and unfairness, the love of oneself, arrogance, hastened judgment,
deviating from the orders of Allah (SWT), following their own desires and
personal thoughts in making judgments, using personal opinion (except within
the limits that Allah Himself has allowed for), kissing up to others,
hypocrisy, ignorance, lack of knowledge, asking the opinion of those who are
not Ma'soom, bribery, weakness of the heart, and the lack of experience and
wisdom.
If their 6th responsibility is
to establish and specify the guidelines and foundations in which the human
society will be built on (by the orders of Allah) and to carry that out if
they're capable of it, then it becomes logically necessary that they be
purified and protected from the lack of presence of political and military
skills that is needed, lack of eloquence in speech, lack of coordination and
organization, lack of concentration, love of desires and ornaments of this
world, lack of seriousness, lack of honesty, weakness in front of the people,
love of appearing and appearance, conceitedness, self-admiration, arrogance,
lack of smartness and knowledge and experience, lack of intelligence and
cleverness and wisdom, carelessness, recklessness, lack of confrontation, lack
of strength, and from betrayal actions and evil.
If their 7th responsibility is
to teach the people the wisdom, lessons, and laws, then it becomes logically
necessary that they be purified and protected from everything that has been
previously mentioned, especially ignorance, foolishness, lack of patience, lack
of clemency, lack of insight, hiding the truth, excessive care on the Dunya,
forgetting the remembrance of Allah (SWT), lack of worship and worshipping,
fruitless and endless debate, talk, and argument, lack of linguistic eloquence,
exaggeration and magnification, de-emphasizing and elongation, ambiguity,
unclearness, complication, and complexity.
What is the meaning of sin?
There exists unintentional sin and
disobedience that is due to ignorance, lack of ability in obeying because of
weakness of the brain or self or body, like the disobedience of Prophet Adam
(AS) before his prophethood, and also like many of the people.
There also exists intentional sin and
disobedience that occurs with the presence of knowledge, and complete ability
to obey, like the sin and disobedience of Iblees (Shaitan) and his followers
from the human beings and Jinn.
Allah (SWT) may forgive the first
type of sin and disobedience with His compassion and generosity, if the sinner
regretted and repented from his sin, with a sincere intention. As for the
second type of sins, its consequences are the expulsion of the sinner from the
mercy and compassion of Allah (SWT), and the eternal punishment and damnation
of that person.
The Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya',
and Imams are purified and protected from committing both kinds of sins and
disobediences. When Adam (AS) disobeyed Allah (SWT), this happened when he was
still in
Here, we need to clarify and stress
an important thing, which many people fail to recognize and understand.
Disobedience is the act of not obeying and executing the orders of Allah (SWT).
And Tahara and ‘Ismah of the Prophets is from this act of not obeying the
orders of Allah (SWT) that are directed to them in anything. The meaning of
disobedience here is not what the minds are used to when they think of a sin,
because some behaviors are generally considered to be a sin. The most important
thing that one has to keep in mind is that the meaning of disobedience is
specifically not obeying and carrying out the orders of Allah (SWT). It is not
what comes to your mind from specific actions that we are used to calling a
sin. It is important to differentiate between those two situations, even if
they coincide in most cases. For example, lying, killing, stealing, and wrongly
accusing others, are all actions, which we consider to be a sin, and they
indeed are. However, they are not considered to be a sin just because of the
bad nature of the action in and of itself. Rather, they are considered to be
sins because Allah (SWT) forbid and prohibited them. So, killing in and of
itself is not a sin, but Allah's forbiddance of it is what makes it a sin, if
committed. This is a very important concept that we need to understand and
recognize, so that we don't get confused, and so that we can later understand
the meaning of Tahara and ‘Ismah, like Allah (SWT) willed.
So, if a person does not lie, in
adherence or accordance to good behavior and commendable traits, this would not
be considered “obedience to Allah (SWT)”, and he would not be characterized as
“obedient” to Allah's order in this case. He is certainly not equal to one who
does not lie because of his adherence to Allah's prohibition to lying.
Allah (SWT) orders us to be truthful
and not lie in most cases. However, in certain and specific situations, He
permits and allows us to lie, and maybe even order us to do so. For example,
lying on the enemies of Allah (SWT) and the enemies of the Muslims at the time
of war, is permissible, in order to not reveal the secrets of the Muslim army
to them. You are allowed to mislead them, and the appearance of this action is
lying. However, its reality is obedience to Allah (SWT) and what's important
here is the obedience of Allah (SWT). For instance, a person may lie in order
to bring two angry and conflicting believers together, and this lie is
justified and encouraged, as Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, "Wa asleho dhata baynekom."
(And adjust matters of difference among
you,
æÃÕáÍæÇ ÐÇÊ Èíäßã [8:1]). So, the action in its outer
appearance seems to be a lie and a sin, but it is really permissible since
Allah (SWT) permitted it for us in this situation. And in its outer appearance,
Taqiyya (dissimulation) could be interpreted as lying, but Allah (SWT) has
ordered us to observe it in special cases, in order to protect ourselves, our
money, property, and family. Allah (SWT) and Rasulullah (SWT) have excused
‘Ammar ibn Yasser (RA), when he was forced by the nonbelievers to curse the
Prophet (SA). ‘Ammar thought that he was doomed by committing that act. So,
Allah (SWT) revealed the following verse, "Illa
wa qalboho motma-enon bil iman."(Except
him who is forced thereto and whose heart is at rest with faith, ÅáÇ ãä ÃõßÑå æÞáÈå ãØãÆä
ÈÇáÅíãÇä [16:106]). So, in these special
situations, the order of Allah (SWT) is separated from the typical connotations
of the act. In these cases, we are to stick and abide to the orders of Allah
(SWT), even if we commit that sin-like act. This is because the only important
thing that matters is the obedience of Allah's orders, not what our minds and
traditions accept or not. This way, we will be able to interpret many of the
events/incidents that occurred, without conflicting with the meaning of ‘Ismah.
For example, Allah (SWT) ordered
Prophet Ibraheem (AS) to deceive his people by claiming to be sick, in order
for him to have an opportunity to demolish their idols after their departure.
Here, the appearance of his act seems to be a lie and therefore, a sin.
However, its reality is in abidance and obedience to the order of Allah (SWT)
to him, which is the most important thing.
Prophet Yusuf (AS) falsely accused
his brothers of stealing the drinking cup of the king, and this, in the eyes of
any person, is considered to be a sin. However, Allah (SWT) ordered him to do
so and He said in the Quran, "Wakadhaleka kedna li Yusuf" (Thus We did plan for Yusuf, æßÐáß ßÏäÇ áíæÓÝ [12:76]”. Yusuf (AS) is purified and protected from
disobeying Allah (SWT), even if his acts seems wrong in front of the common
eye. Once again, what matters most is the absolute obedience to the orders of
Allah (SWT), no matter what.
So, there is a
big difference between the orders of Allah (SWT), and the typical connotations
of actions, even though they may coincide in most cases. We must realize that
the orders of Allah (SWT) is the most important, not the act in and of itself.
And the examples are many. Eating is permitted. However, during the days in the
month of Ramadan, it is forbidden. Killing a human life is forbidden, however,
Allah (SWT) orders us to use the Law of Equality in certain cases and He
permitted us to kill His enemies. Sexual relationship with the opposite gender
is forbidden except with marriage or with the slaves whom your right hand
possesses…and so on and so forth. We see actions that are permitted in some
cases and forbidden in others. And in certain times, they're allowed, and in
other, they're prohibited. The line to be drawn here and the determiner, is the
obedience of Allah's orders, because that is our goal and that is what's
desired. This is what Allah (SWT) always tests us with, even if His order
contradicts the desires and traditions of the people. And those are from among
the important choices that a believer has to make.
For example,
Ameer Al-Momineen (AS) did not stand take arms in asking for his divine right
of Caliphate from those who confiscated it from him. This was in accordance to
the orders of Allah (SWT) and Rasulullah (SWT), even if the people and history
blame him for that, for he is purified and protected from ever disobeying Allah
(SWT).
Imam Al-Hasan (AS) agrees to make a
peace treaty with Mu'awiya, in accordance to the orders of Allah (SWT) and
Rasulullah (SWT), even if the people and history blame him, for he does not
care because he is purified and protected from ever disobeying Allah (SWT).
Imam Al-Husain
(AS) rises up to face Yazeed (LA), and takes his family with him (while he
knows that his sons, companions, and himself will be killed), in accordance to
the order of Allah (SWT). He also knows that his women will fall as captives
under the hand of the enemy, without a doubt. However, he is purified and
protected from disobeying Allah's orders, no matter how much the people or
history blame or criticize him.
Imam Al-Sajjad
(AS) stays at home and engages in worship, while Banu Ummaya widely spreads
corruption in the land. And he doesn't leave his house, in accordance to the
orders of Allah (SWT), even if the people and history blame him. This is
because he is purified and protected from disobeying Allah (SWT), not even for
a blink of an eye…even if obeying Allah's order will seem strange, unusual, or
contradicting to the mind and traditions.
Al-Khidr (AS)
slaughtered a young boy and scuttled the ship. In its outer appearance, these
actions are considered to be sins, such that Prophet Musa (AS) could not bear
it. However, Al-Khidr carries out the orders of Allah (SWT), whether or not the
people like it, and whether or not it coincides with their logic, habits, and
opinions. As the verse in the Quran says, "Wa ma fa'altoho
'an amry..." (And I did them not of my own accord, æãÇ ÝÚáÊå Úä ÃãÑí [18:82]). These are all lessons for us so that we can realize
that's what's important is obeying the orders of Allah (SWT), not appearance or
connotations of the actions.
Taloot goes
out with a small and limited number of a weak army, to face a huge giant-like
army of tyrants. Regardless of that difference, the orders of Allah (SWT) come
to him (which he obeys) that leads to the decrease in the quantity of the army.
Here, the appearance of the situation contradicts the human logic in both
military and political smartness. However, Taloot simply carries out the orders
of Allah (SWT), even if it led to the decrease of the number of his army or
their defeat, because that is what's important and that is the reason for the
creation and its presence. As Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, "Wa ma khalaqto al ens wal jenn illa
liya'bodoon" (And I created not the Jinn
and mankind except that they should worship Me, æãÇ
ÎáÞÊ ÇáÌä æÇáÅäÓ ÅáÇ áíÚÈÏæä [51:56]).
The main and true essence of
worshipping is the absolute and complete obedience in what you like and what
you don't like…in what the people like and what they don't like. What matters
is the obedience of Allah's orders and commands, wherever you are and however
you are. The Tahara and ‘Ismah of the Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams
is from the disobediences of Allah (SWT), regardless of the appearance or
connotation of the actions and words, and of the opinions and desires of the
people. So, the orders of Allah (SWT) are on top of everything, before
everything, and apply to everything. After all, did the angels become angels
except with their absolute obedience to Allah (SWT)? And did the creations and
kingdoms get created, except by the order of Allah (SWT)? And could any good
come, except from obeying the orders of Allah (SWT)?
The answer to
this question is simple and clear, if we review the past three questions. Their
Tat-heer and ‘Ismah is logical and makes sense, in order for them to perform
their roles and jobs in the most complete and perfect form as possible. This is
needed due to the criticalness, vitality, and importance of their
responsibilities, for all of humankind. How is it possible that a Messenger is
appointed to convey a message which urges people to obey Allah (SWT), while he
himself is capable of disobeying Allah (SWT)? This puts all of the message in
great danger and is not logical at all. How will the Messenger present the very
important and great message, while he himself is exposed to lying,
unfaithfulness, forgetting parts of the message, foolishness, lack of wisdom
and mind, weakness, physical defect, and the negative aspects of the creations,
etc? This will cause his message to be surrounded by doubts and suspicions in
its authenticity and validity. It will put a big question mark on the messenger
himself, and will give the enemies of the Message an opportunity to attack it
and question its divinity. This is because the thoughtful mind will ask itself:
Was not God, the Creator, able to make His Messenger purified and protected
from these negative aspects, before He appointed and assigned them with this
grave responsibility? This question is logical to ask at that point, and may
stand as a proof of a forged and invalid message, along with its messenger. For
example, is it possible that a doctor sends a sick and crippled person to
deliver a message to one of his patients or customers? Is it possible that a
police department sends a limping, one-eyed criminal to claim that he is a
police officer who carries a message to you from the Chief of Police? Is it
possible that a Laundromat sends your clothes to you after being washed, with
an ugly-looking person who has dirty clothes on? This can never happen in our
normal life, and if it did, you will automatically doubt, suspect, and question
the truthfulness of the message and
the messenger.
Each one of us
carefully chooses those who may represent him or carry his message, and if he
could pick the best of people, he would've chosen him. For example, the
workplaces and employers take extra care in selecting the candidate who will be
representing them in every aspect. Take a look at any job application and the
questions it contains, in which their purpose is to determine the extent of
your purification, in order to fit the type of work that you will perform. Then
they examine and review the applications and select the most purified qualified
candidate to perform the job.
So, why don't
we apply the same principle in this case too? Why do you give yourself the
right to choose, select, and purify and protect those who might represent you
or your company….yet, you don't give Allah (SWT) the right to choose, purify,
and protect His Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams? This is a very big
mistake that is certainly not committed by one who has wisdom and one who uses
his brain.
The Tahara and
‘Ismah of the Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams, is in and of itself, a
logical proof on the authenticity and validity of the Message that they carry,
just like the physical appearance (uniform, badge, etc.) and behavior of a
representative of the police department, verifies to you the truthfulness and sincerity
of his message.
After this, it
is not possible for an ignorant person to question and ask: Why is it necessary
for the Prophets, Messengers, Awliyaa', and Imams appointed by Allah (SWT) to
be purified and protected from disobeying him? Therefore, it is a logical thing
that is expected to happen by any normal and logical mind. And if it actually
happened, it is not a surprise to us. And if the verses of the Quran and
narrations mention and verify that, then it is not appropriate nor is it our
right to say things like “How is this?” Except if we left our minds behind our
backs and surrendered to what the foolish, silly, and ignorant minds say.
Here, we answer with another
question: If someone from the human beings take or has something that no one
else ever took or had except him, does that make him nonhuman?
Without a doubt,
the Tahara and ‘Ismah of the Prophets and Awliyaa' of Allah (SWT) are a gift
and bounty from Him that is unique to them. He did not give it to anyone else,
not before them, nor after them. So, from this aspect, they were distinguished,
chosen, and given something that no other human was given. However, does this
reality make them nonhuman?
If a man is
given lots of money, which was not given to anyone else before him, does that
make him nonhuman? If a man is given power that was not ever given to anyone
else before him, does that make him nonhuman? When Neal Armstrong and his
colleague were the first to place foot and land on the moon, did that make them
not human beings anymore just because what happened to them did not ever happen
to anyone else? Did anyone ever claim that?
We are human
because of our physical nature, which is composed of flesh, blood, cells,
nerves, and anatomical structure, and because we are able to speak, think, eat,
drink, feel happy, and feel sad…just like the rest of humanity. This is only
what makes us human. As for what Allah (SWT) may distinguish us with or make us
unique and exceptional in, as compared to others, even if it makes us
extraordinary and singular in it, that does not take us out of the boundaries
of humanity, and will not make us inhuman.
For example,
if you installed in your personal computer a program which protects it from
electronic viruses, is it fitting for a person to claim that your computer is
not a computer anymore, just because it became distinguished from the other
computer devices that may not have that virus protection? We place this
question in front of you, with a modern way of thinking, in order for it to
become clear to you the extent of foolishness and absurdity of the person who
says that.
Should Dolly,
the sheep that was recently cloned, not be called a sheep anymore, just because
it became unique and exceptional compared to the rest of the sheep? Should the
egg in which the cholesterol was extracted and removed from, not be called an
egg anymore, just because what happened to it never happened to any other egg.
We think that
the matter is now clear and there is no need for more explanation than what has
already been given. So, the Tat-heer and ‘Ismah of the Prophets and Imams does
not remove them from the boundaries of humanity. As Allah (SWT) says in the
Quran, "Qol subhana
rabi hal konto illa basharan
rasoola?" (Say: Glorified (and
Exalted) be my Lord. Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger, Þá ÓÈÍÇä ÑÈí åá ßäÊ ÅáÇ ÈÔÑÇð ÑÓæáÇ [17:93]). And did any of the Muslims
ever ask, “Is Prophet ‘Isa ibn Mariam (AS) considered to be inhuman, just
because he is unique in being born without a father?” This is the naïve and
confused logic that the Christians use, to prove the divinity of ‘Isa and that
he is the son of God. May Allah (SWT) curse them and curse those who think like
them!
The Prophets,
Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams (AS) are special individuals who perform divine
roles and jobs that are assigned to them by God. Hence, their respect is
derived from the respect of Allah (SWT) and their position is derived from the
position of Allah (SWT), regardless of whether they are purified and protected,
or not. It is not at all expected that your relationship and way of dealing
with them will ever be the same as that of your friend, teacher, neighbor, or
colleague. This is because the way that you deal with them will have a special
sacredness that is derived from Allah (SWT), who they represent. For example,
do you treat and relate to the messenger of your friend to you, the same way
that you do with the messenger of the President of your country to you, or the
messenger of the police to you? Of course not! This is because your way of
dealing with the messengers of both the President and police, without a doubt,
will be affected by whom they represent. You will certainly deal with the
messenger of the President with more respect and veneration, while you will
deal with the messenger of the police with more fear, safeguarding, and
carefulness. This is what the people do…they change and adjust their way of
dealing with others and their type of communication, depending on the person in
front of them and whom he/she represents.
So, from the very start, you will not
relate and deal with the Prophets and Imams (AS) the same way that you do with
the rest of the people, because the relationship here is very different, and
whom they represent is the Great Lord and the King of Kings. It is rather
desired that you keep your relationship with them in a unique and specific
form, with specific boundaries, that differs from the rest of your
relationships and communications. Do not at all expect that your relationship
with them will be similar to your relationship with your brother or friend.
This is unacceptable and illogical. As a matter of fact, this difference in
relating is in and of itself, desired and recommended.
Did not Allah
(SWT) say in the Quran in Surat Al-Hojaraat, "Wa la tajharoo
lahu bil qawl ka jahr ba]dekom liba'd", (Do not speak aloud to him in talk, as you speak aloud
to one another, æáÇ ÊÌåÑæÇ áå ÈÇáÞæá ßÌåÑ ÈÚÖßã áÈÚÖ [49:2]), which basically means that
you should not deal with Rasulullah (SA) in the same way that you deal with
others. Allah (SWT) willed that there exist a certain distance of respect and
reverence between them and us. However, this “distance” will not prevent or
hinder the Prophets from carrying out their jobs, for if Allah (SWT) knew that
it would, He wouldn't have ordered us to keep that distance. This “distance”
will also not hinder the revelation of the divine message and their
instructions and guidance for us. Neither will it prevent them from teaching
us, judging in us, and judging on us. It will never impede them from performing
their roles, which is what is required and wanted. It is not from among their
jobs to be our buddy or entertainer. Does not every king or leader of a
country, or manger of workplace, leave a certain distance between him/her and
the people or employees? And does that obstruct them from carrying out the
responsibilities of their job? Is it the case that the President of the United
States will not be able to perform his job and carry out his responsibilities,
except if he opened the door of the White House for me so that I can go to him
whenever I want, talk to him about whatever I want, to waste his time however I
want, and to contact him through phone whenever I want? If he does and allows
that, will that make him a good President? And if he doesn't, will he be
considered incapable of performing his duties, just because I am not able to
relater and deal with him…and just because I cannot contact and communicate
with him the same way that I do with my neighbor, friend, or son? This is
nonsense and has even reached to the point of madness! Your relationship and
communication with the Prophets and Imams (AS) should differ from others, not
because they're purified or not, nor because they're protected or not…but
rather, because they represent Allah (SWT), with all His divine sacredness,
highness, and greatness. You yourself will respect and give great regard and
veneration to the Sheikh of your Masjid or any ‘Alim (scholar), and you will
communicate with them in a way that you don't with others. Why?! It is because
they represent and signify the religion and Allah (SWT), in your eyes. Then
imagine how you should relate and communicate with the Prophets, Messengers,
and Imams! It is to be noted that the presence of their Tahara and ‘Ismah here,
has nothing at all to do with this matter. For example, you give great respect
and regard to the police messenger of the Chief of Police to you, because of
what he represents and whom he represents to you. It will not matter to you at
that point whether this policeman has a good record or whether he is efficient
in his work or whether he is close to the Chief of Police or not, or whether
his clothes are tidy or not. All this will not matter and will not cross your
mind. You will leave a distance between you and him, because of what he
represents and not for any other reason.
As for the
argument that you will be able to maintain and keep a relationship with the
companions of the Prophet (SA), while you will not be able to keep that same
relationship with the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (AS), and that is due to their Tahara
and ‘Ismah…this is absolutely true and is even desired and recommended. Again,
the reason here is not because of their purification and protection in and of
itself. Rather, it is because of their roles and what they represent. The
companions of Rasulullah (SA) are not appointed by Allah (SWT), nor are they
Awsiya' and Imams, nor do they have divine roles to carry out. Therefore, they
are not Mutahareen and Ma'someen. Thus, there is a big difference between your
relationship and communication with them, compared to that of the Imams and
Awsiya' who are appointed by Allah (SWT).
Do keep in
mind that there may exist reverence and high regard in my heart for the
companions of Prophet Musa (AS). However, my reverence and high regard for
Yosha' ibn Noon, the Wasi of Musa (AS), will be much greater, not because of
his Tahara and ‘Ismah…but rather, because of his role and position and what he
represents. Therefore, my relationship and way of dealing with the companions
of Musa (AS) will be easier than my relationship with Yosha' ibn Noon, and
there is absolutely nothing wrong or shameful in that. It is rather intended
that there exist a certain distance between you and the Imam of your time and
the rest of the Imams, much bigger than the one of that you keep between you
and the others. This is because of their great position, status, nature of
their jobs, and their closeness with Allah (SWT). This is absolutely normal
without any mistake in it, and we ourselves apply this in our everyday life
without any problem.
For example, if
your son came to you and told you, “I am able to relate and communicate with my
friends at school, but I am not able to relate and deal with the Principal of
the school with the same easiness and same way…because I feel that there exist
a distance between the Principal and me that is greater than the one between my
friend and me.” How will you answer your son? The explanation that you will
give to your son, which will remove his wonder and puzzlement, will indeed be
the same one as what we will tell you, in order to erase your confusion,
doubts, and wonder.
So, the Tahara
and ‘Ismah here has nothing to do with this matter. If for example, you met
Imam Husain (AS) right now, will the way that you greet, relate, and deal with
him, make any difference to you, as to whether he is Ma'soom or not? We leave
this question for the reader to answer and make up his mind regarding this
matter. Also, it is to be noted that the Christians worship and sanctify
Prophet ‘Isa (AS) and they claim that he is God Himself, which therefore makes
him Ma'soom in their eyes…rather, he is more than that because according to
them, he is God. However, did that type of thinking prevent them from making
and maintaining a relationship with ‘Isa (AS), relating with him and
integrating him in all aspects of their lives, whether big or small? This is
just a question…so, why then do we claim that the concept of Tahara and ‘Ismah
will hinder with relating, communicating, and dealing?
The answer for this question is
simple…
Riding a car,
for instance, is logically permissible, without any doubt. So long as there is
no statement in the Quran or hadeeths that boldly and specifically states that
riding a car is not permissible, the permissibility of riding a car becomes
valid, without any confusion around it.
In that same
logic, using our intellect, we have drawn the conclusion about the necessity of
the presence and occurrence of Tahara and ‘Ismah. If we did not find any
statement supporting that in the Quran or hadeeths (and that is not true),
there is also no quote or statement that contradicts it specifically by saying
that the Prophets are NOT Ma'someen and NOT Mutahareen. Therefore, it is a
reality that has no doubt or confusion around it, so long as the mind accepts
and deduces it.
Wa Yutahir ( , æíõØóåöÑ purify)]. And if this
continuation and perpetuality of purification was understood and became
certain, ‘Ismah would also have to be present, as we explained in the first
research question. Therefore, without any doubt or debate, the verse of
purification also indicates the presence of ‘Ismah. And after the words of
Allah (SWT), is there any need for more proofs or talk, as He is the Most Wise?
We are satisfied with this explanation, and there is not need for us to present
the numerous hadeeths narrated from Rasulullah (SA) and from the Imams (AS)
that indirectly indicates and points to their purification and protection. History
itself and their personal autobiographies are enough to stand as witnesses and
proofs to that.
So, if
Ahlul-Bayt (AS) were purified and protected, is there any doubt left in the
purification and protection of the Prophets and Messengers? And did we read or
take a look at the Message and Book of every Prophet and Messenger that
previously came, such that we can confidently say that the Message and Books
lack any clear statement or verse, which indicates Tat-heer and ‘Ismah of every
Prophet and Messenger? Do we not find many verses in the Quran that describe
the Prophet and Messengers in such a way, that makes us understand and believe
in their purification and protection by Allah (SWT)? Or else, what is the
meaning of: “Verily, he was true to what he promised [19:54]”, “Verily,
he was a man of truth, a Prophet [19:41]”, “How excellent a slave! Verily,
he was ever oft-returning in repentance [38:30,44]”, “…owners of
strength (worshipping Us) and (also) of religious understanding [38:45]”, “And
most surely they are with Us of the chosen and best! [38:47]”, “Verily,
We did choose them by granting them (a good thing), the remembrance of the
final abode [38:46]”, “Nay! They are honored servants. They speak not
until He has spoken, and they act on His Command [21:26-27]”.
Furthermore,
take a closer look and analyze Surat Mariam, Surat Al-Anbiya', Surat Ibraheem,
Surat Yusuf, Surat El-Safaat, Surat Saad, Surat Ghafir, Surat El-‘Araaf, Surat
El-Shu'ara, and most of the Surahs in the Quran…and the matter will be clear…for
every wise, thoughtful, faithful person….
In conclusion,
the Prophets, Messengers, Awsiya', and Imams (AS) are all ONE chain that does
not separate, divide, or deviate. Allah (SWT) have chosen it, purified it,
protected it, and all praise be to Allah (SWT) for His blessings and bounties!