I read the topic of the criterion of cognition and the impediments to it from the book Return to Islam, and the rest of the topics are also being read. I was pleased that the author has established the authority of the intellect and the impermissibility of imitation in any form. However, I was displeased with his statement that the caliphate and Imamate continue after the last Prophet. I do not find this to be rational or in accordance with the Quran, but rather it contradicts the justice of Allah. Similarly, I was displeased with his statement that the caliphs and Imams are twelve; because their period is short, while the lifespan of the Ummah is longer than theirs. I was also displeased with his statement that they are from the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet; because this resembles a dynasty of kings, and it is a statement that Shia scholars have invented to deceive their common people and gain wealth and leadership. As for the verse «وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ»; “And it is Our will to confer a favor upon those who were oppressed on Earth and make them leaders and make them inheritors,” and other verses that the author has cited to prove the matter of the Mahdi, they do not indicate it. They are only good news of intellectual and rational development for humanity, and this is what will reform the world and eliminate oppression and manipulation of religion in the future.
You should note the following points:
Firstly, it is clear that the rationality of a belief does not mean its conformity to your desires, but rather its conformity to the Book of Allah and the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet in the light of the sound intellect. Contrary to your perception, this rationality exists in the belief that the caliphate and Imamate continue after the last Prophet, and that the caliphs and Imams are twelve from his Ahl al-Bayt, as explained in detail and with evidence in many topics of the book; such as “Possibility of establishing the entirety of Islam”, “Disagreements among Muslims”, “Sovereignty of other than Allah”, “It is obligatory for Allah to appoint a Caliph for the Prophet”, “Appointing the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet as his Caliphs”, and “Appointing twelve men from the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet as his Caliphs”. This means that your claim that this belief contradicts the Quran and the intellect is merely a claim in the face of evidence. Also, your statement that you were pleased with such and such a topic and displeased with such and such a topic speaks of your self-admiration. Who are you, may Allah have mercy on you, that we should care about your pleasure or displeasure?! We must seek Allah’s pleasure, which is achieved by adhering to His Book and the mutawatir Sunnah of His Prophet in the light of the sound intellect, even if it goes against your desires; as He has said: ﴿فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ﴾[1]; “So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires away from the truth that has come to you,” and said: ﴿وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[2]; “And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you will certainly be one of the wrongdoers,” and said: ﴿قُلْ لَا أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَاءَكُمْ ۙ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ﴾[3]; “Say: ‘I do not follow your desires. In that case, I would go astray and not be among the guided,’” and said: ﴿وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ۚ بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ مُعْرِضُونَ﴾[4]; “And if the truth had followed their desires, the heavens, the Earth, and whoever is in them would have been corrupted. Rather, We have brought them their Remembrance, but they turn away from their Remembrance.”
Secondly, the statement that the Earth is not devoid of a caliph whom Allah has appointed on it is not our statement, but rather that of Allah Almighty; because He has explicitly said: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾[5]; “Indeed, I Am the Appointer of a caliph on Earth,” and this indicates continuity; as His Eminence Mansoor has pointed out in his interpretation and said: «لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ يَجْعَلُ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ قَالَهُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: ”إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ“ لَكَانَ مِنْهُ جَعْلٌ وَاحِدٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، وَالْجَاعِلُ مَنْ يَسْتَمِرُّ مِنْهُ الْجَعْلُ»[6]; “Allah, since the time He said that, has always been appointing a Caliph on the earth, and if He had said: ‘I appoint,’ it could have been one appointment, but He has said: ‘I am the Appointer,’ and the appointer is one by whom the appointment continues,” and said: «لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ جَاعِلًا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ وَعَدَهُ، إِمَّا ظَاهِرًا مَشْهُورًا وَإِمَّا خَائِفًا مَغْمُورًا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ»[7]; “Allah, since the time He promised, has always appointed a Caliph on the earth, whether he has been visible and famous or hidden and frightened,” and said: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا، وَعَدَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً»[8]; “Glory be to our Lord. Undoubtedly, our Lord’s promise was fulfilled. He promised to appoint a Caliph on the earth.” Furthermore, Allah has explicitly promised to appoint righteous caliphs in this nation, just as He appointed in the previous nations, saying: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾[9]; “Allah promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on Earth, as He appointed some people before them as caliphs,” and it is clear that Allah does not break His promise. Therefore, this nation is not devoid of a righteous caliph; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ وَقَالَ: يَا فُلَانُ! أَلَا تَرَى إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الضَّالِّينَ الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يُبَيِّنِ الْخِلَافَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ؟! أَتَرَاهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ أَمْ يَتَجَاهَلُونَ؟! قُلْتُ: لَا أَدْرِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، لَعَلَّهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ، قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، كَيْفَ يَجْهَلُونَ؟! وَقَدْ يَقْرَؤُونَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾، أَيُرِيدُونَ قَوْلًا أَبْيَنَ مِنْ هَذَا؟! أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَخْلَفَ وَعْدَهُ فَلَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْ فِيهِمْ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ فِي الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ؟! قُلْتُ: وَمَنِ اسْتَخْلَفَ فِي الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ؟ قَالَ: دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، أَلَا يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ إِذْ يَقُولُ: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾[10]؟! فَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ وَأَمْثَالَهُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ، قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ أَضَلُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ فِيهِمْ كُلَّ مَنْ بَايَعُوهُ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْخِلَافَةِ! قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، وَهَلْ بَايَعُوا بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ إِلَّا كُلَّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ؟! إِنَّمَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ، وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَعِدَهُمْ خَيْرًا ثُمَّ يُعْطِيَهُمْ شَرًّا، بَلْ يُنْجِزُ وَعْدَهُ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ فِي كُلِّ قَرْنٍ رَجُلًا مِثْلَ دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَهُوَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَمَلًا لِلصَّالِحَاتِ، فَهَلْ يَعْرِفُونَهُ لِيَخْتَارُوهُ؟! كَلَّا، بَلِ اللَّهُ يَعْرِفُهُ وَيَخْتَارُهُ، ﴿وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ﴾[11]»[12]; “I was sitting with Mansoor, then he looked at me and said: ‘O so-and-so! Do you not see these misguided people who think that Allah has not explained the Caliphate in the Quran?! Do you think they do not know or pretend to not know?!’ I said: ‘I do not know, may I be sacrificed for you. Perhaps they do not know.’ He said: ‘Woe to them. How do they not know?! While they read the words of Allah in the Quran that has said: “Allah has promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as Caliphs on the earth, as He appointed some people before them as Caliphs.” Do they want words clearer than these?! Or do they think that He has broken His promise, so He has not appointed anyone as a Caliph among them as He appointed among those before them?!’ I said: ‘Whom did He appoint as a Caliph among those before them?’ He said: ‘Dawud ; do they not find him written in the Quran, where He says: “O Dawud! We appointed you as a Caliph on the earth”?! So He appointed him and others like him from among the Prophets and the righteous as Caliphs.’ I said: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, they are more misguided than this! They think that Allah has appointed anyone among them as a caliph, to whom they pledged allegiance as a caliph after the Messenger of Allah
!’ He said: ‘Woe to them. Did they pledge allegiance to anyone other than rebellious tyrants after Hasan[13]?! Indeed, Allah promised to appoint those of them as Caliphs who believed and did righteous deeds, and it is not that Allah promises them good and then gives them evil, but rather He fulfills His promise, and He appoints a man like Dawud
as a Caliph in every era, and he is one whose faith and righteous deeds are greater than all of them, so do they know him to choose him?! Never! Rather, Allah knows and chooses him, but most of them do not know.’”
If this statement displeases you, then you are displeased with the words of Allah, and whoever is displeased with the words of Allah, ﴿فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ﴾[14]; “then his deed will come to nothing, and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter”; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ﴾[15]; “That was because they hated what Allah revealed, so He made their deeds come to nothing.”
Thirdly, it is bizarre that you claim the continuation of the caliphate and Imamate after the last Prophet contradicts the justice of Allah; because it is something that the justice of Allah necessitates, considering that He has obligated His servants to establish the entire religion and make no divisions in it, where He has said: ﴿أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ﴾[16]; “That you should establish religion and make no divisions in it,” and this is not possible except with the existence of a caliph and Imam from Him, who teaches them the entire religion and clarifies for them their disagreements about the Quran and the Sunnah, and it is clear that obligating them with something impossible contradicts the justice of Allah; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعَ الْمَنْصُورُ قَارِئًا يَقْرَأُ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ﴾، فَقَالَ: يَقْرَؤُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَهُ، كَأَنَّهُمْ بَبَّغَاوَاتٌ نَاطِقَةٌ! أَنَّى لَهُمْ أَنْ يُقِيمُوا الدِّينَ كُلَّهُ وَلَا يَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ إِلَّا إِذَا كَانَ لَهُمْ إِمَامٌ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمْ كُلَّهُ وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ؟! قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ يَكْفِيَانِهِمْ لِذَلِكَ، وَلَا حَاجَةَ لَهُمْ إِلَى مِثْلِ هَذَا الْإِمَامِ، قَالَ: وَيْلَهُمْ، أَلَيْسَ فِيهِمُ الْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعَةِ عَشَرَ قَرْنًا يَخُوضُونَ فِيهِمَا لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا؟! فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُقِيمُونَ الدِّينَ كُلَّهُ وَهُمْ فِيهِ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ؟! فَهَلْ يَفْقِدُونَ إِلَّا إِمَامًا وَاحِدًا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ كُلَّهُمَا وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ؟! وَيْلَهُمْ، كَيْفَ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ كَافِيَانِ لِإِقَامَةِ الدِّينِ؟! وَمَا الدِّينُ إِلَّا الْقُرْآنُ وَالسُّنَّةُ، وَكَيْفَ يَقُولُونَ أَنَّهُمَا كَافِيَانِ لِرَفْعِ الْخِلَافِ؟! وَمَا الْخِلَافُ إِلَّا فِيهِمَا! ﴿أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[[17]؟! ﴿بَلْ قَالُوا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْأَوَّلُونَ﴾[18]، وَمَا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ قَالُوا: ﴿إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَ﴾[19]! كَلَّا، بَلْ لَا يَزَالُونَ يُضَيِّعُونَ الدِّينَ وَيَتَفَرَّقُونَ فِيهِ حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعُوا عَلَى إِمَامٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ يُعَلِّمُهُمْ وَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ، كَمَا اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ كَانَ فِيهِمْ»[20]; “Mansoor heard a reciter recite these words of Allah Almighty: ‘That you should establish religion and make no divisions in it.’ So he said: ‘They recite the Quran but do not ponder on it, as if they are talking parrots! How can they establish the entire religion and not make any division in it unless there is an Imam from Allah, who teaches them the entire religion and judges among them about what they disagree on?!’ I said: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, they say that the Quran and the Sunnah are sufficient for this purpose and they do not need such an Imam.’ He said: ‘Woe to them. Have the Quran and the Sunnah not existed among them for fourteen hundred years and they go into them day and night?! Then why do they not establish the entire religion, and why have they made divisions in it?! Do they not find something other than an Imam from Allah that teaches them the entire Quran and the Sunnah and judges among them about what they disagree on?! Woe to them. How can they say that the Quran and the Sunnah are sufficient for them to establish the religion?! While religion is nothing but the Quran and the Sunnah, and how can they say that those two are sufficient to resolve disagreements?! While disagreements are only about those two! “So do they not use the intellect?!” “Rather, they say the like of what their predecessors said,” and their proof is nothing but to say: “We found our fathers upon a religion, and we have been guided by following them!” It is not so, but rather they will always spoil religion and make divisions in it until they gather around an Imam from Allah, who teaches them and judges among them, as they gathered around the Prophet when he was among them.’”
Fourthly, it is clear that people always need an Imam to regulate their affairs, and this need does not end with the passing of the last Prophet. Imamate in the Book of Allah is of two types: Imamate by the command of Allah, which is the manifestation and channel of the government of Allah, and Imamate without the command of Allah, which is the manifestation and channel of the government of taghut; as He has said about the family of Ibrahim: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا﴾[21]; “And We made them leaders who guide by Our command,” and said about the house of Pharaoh: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ﴾[22]; “And We made them leaders who invite toward the fire,” and has not said: ﴿بِأَمْرِنَا﴾ ; “By Our command.” Therefore, any Imam who does not guide by the command of Allah invites toward the fire, and submitting to his rule is worshipping taghut; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا﴾[23]; “Have you not seen those who claim that they have believed in what was revealed to you and what was revealed before you, yet they want to refer their judgment to taghut?! While they have been commanded to disbelieve in it. And Satan wants to lead them far astray.” This means that after the last Prophet, there must be an Imam who guides by the command of Allah so that people take him as their Imam and become free from the need for an Imam who does not guide by the command of Allah. Clearly, the command of Allah is known in two ways: a sign from Him, or a text from His Prophet; because the purpose of the existence of an Imam who guides by the command of Allah is that Allah has commanded him to guide people and commanded people to follow his guidance, and this is not known through the opinion of Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd[24] or the opinion of the majority of people; because they are not protected from error, and their opinion may be incorrect; as they have repeatedly pledged allegiance to those who spread corruption on Earth and shed blood. Rather, it is inevitably known through a sign from Allah or a text from His Prophet, as was known for Talut, when ﴿قَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ قَالُوا أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِنَ الْمَالِ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَى وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾[25]; “their Prophet said to them: ‘Allah has appointed Talut as a ruler for you.’ They said: ‘How can he have dominion over us, while we are more deserving of dominion than him, and he has not been given an abundance of wealth?!’ He said: ‘Allah has chosen him over you and increased him in knowledge and physical strength. And Allah gives His dominion to whomever He wills, and Allah is the All-Embracing, the All-Knowing.’ And their Prophet said to them: ‘The sign of his dominion is that he brings to you the Ark in which there is tranquility from your Lord and the remnant of what the family of Musa and the family of Harun left behind, and the Angels carry it! Undoubtedly, in this is a sign for you if you are believers.’” Thus, Allah combined for them a sign from Himself and a text from His Prophet.
Fifthly, just as the Imamate of the Imams who guide by the command of Allah is known through a sign from Allah and a text from His Prophet, their number is also known through a sign from Allah and a text from His Prophet. Allah has informed in one of His verses that He appointed twelve Imams for the previous nations, saying: ﴿وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا﴾[26]; “And We raised twelve leaders from among them.” Then He has informed in another verse that He will appoint caliphs in this nation, just as He appointed in the previous nations, saying: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾; “Allah promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on Earth, as He appointed some people before them as caliphs.” This indicates that He will also appoint twelve Imams for this nation, just as He appointed for the previous nations; especially considering that He has said: ﴿سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا﴾[27]; “The way of Allah was the same for those who were before. And you will never find any change in the way of Allah.” His Prophet also informed that this nation will have twelve Imams; as he said: «الْخُلَفَاءُ بَعْدِي اثْنَا عَشَرَ، كَعِدَّةِ نُقَبَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ»; “The caliphs after me are twelve, like the number of the leaders of the Children of Israel.” This is an explicit text from him, and it is not something that the Shias alone have narrated so that they would be accused of fabricating it. Rather, it is a mutawatir Hadith narrated by a large number of the Sahabah, the Tabi‘un, and Sunni scholars, including al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahihs. It is clear that there is no room for opinion after this explicit text; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا﴾[28]; “And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have a choice regarding the matter, and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has gone far astray.” As for your statement that the lifespan of the twelve Imams is shorter than the lifespan of this nation, this is also preferring opinion in the face of the text. Furthermore, it is not a correct statement; because you do not know the lifespan of the twelve Imams if people had followed them. Perhaps Allah would have extended their lifespans, just as He extended the lifespan of Nuh regardless of what has been mentioned in the mutawatir narrations that Isa
will descend after them and remain on Earth for as long as Allah wills.
Sixthly, the fact that the Imams are from the Prophet’s family and descendants does not resemble a dynasty of kings. Rather, it is one of the ways of Allah in those who were before, and you will never find any change in it; as He has explicitly informed of it, saying: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾[29]; “Indeed, Allah has chosen Adam, Nuh, the family of Ibrahim, and the family of Imran over the worlds. They are offspring of one another. And Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” This is a covenant that Allah made with Ibrahim when He tested him with some words, and he fulfilled them. ﴿قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[30]; “He said: ‘I am going to appoint you as an Imam for people!’ He said: ‘And also my descendants?’ He said: ‘My covenant does not reach the oppressors.’” This means that the covenant reaches only the just ones from his descendants; as He has said: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ﴾[31]; “And We placed Prophethood and the Book in his descendants,” and said: ﴿وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةً بَاقِيَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ﴾[32]; “And He made it a word lasting among his posterity so that they may return.” The reason for this is not tribalism or racism, as the ignorant imagine. Rather, the reason is that the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet were naturally more capable of learning from him due to being with him in his house day and night, and the Prophet was also more capable of teaching and purifying them; as it is evident from the words of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ﴾[33]; “And command your family to (perform) prayer,” and said: ﴿وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ﴾[34]; “And warn your closest relatives,” and said: ﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا﴾[35]; “Indeed, Allah wants to remove any impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and make you completely pure.” There is no doubt that the family of a man is the most knowledgeable about his character and way of life, the most loving toward him, the most committed to his teachings, and the most similar to him due to being of his flesh and blood, nourished by his food and drink, and influenced by his qualities and manners. This is a sufficient reason for the Wise Lord to choose the Prophet’s caliph from among them, even if the envious dislike it; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۖ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا﴾[36]; “Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His grace?! Because We have given the family of Ibrahim the Book and wisdom, and We have granted them a great dominion.” The Prophet has also said: «إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ خَلِيفَتَيْنِ: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي، فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ تَخْلُفُونِي فِيهِمَا، وَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ، نَبَّأَنِي بِذَلِكَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ»; “I leave among you two Caliphs: the Book of Allah and my Itrah, (who are) my Ahl al-Bayt. If you hold firmly to those two, you will never go astray after me. So look how you treat those two after me. And those two will never be separated until they come to me by the Pond. The Subtle, the Aware One has informed me of this,” and this is not something that the Shias alone have narrated so that they would be accused of fabricating it. Rather, it is a mutawatir Hadith from the Prophet narrated by a large number of the Sahabah, the Tabi‘un, and Sunni scholars, including Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Darimi, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa’i. Its authenticity has also been affirmed by many hadith scholars, including al-Tabari, al-Mahamili, al-Hakim, al-Dhahabi, ibn Kathir, al-Haythami, al-Suyuti, al-Manawi, and al-Albani. Some of them have even reported a consensus on its authenticity, as explained by His Eminence Mansoor
in the book Return to Islam[37].
Seventhly, the belief in the Mahdi’s advent and his filling the Earth with justice as it has been filled with oppression is based on the mutawatir reports from the Prophet. The mention of verses is only to show that these mutawatir reports conform to the Book of Allah; as His Eminence Mansoor has explicitly stated it, saying after explaining the tawatur of the reports:
And its content is in agreement with the promise of Allah in the Quran, where He has said: ﴿وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ﴾[38]; “And Indeed, We wrote in Zabur after the Remembrance that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth,” and said: ﴿وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ﴾[39]; “And it is Our will to confer a favor upon those who were oppressed on the earth and to make them leaders and to make them inheritors,” and said: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ﴾[40]; “Allah promised those of you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as Caliphs on the earth, as He appointed some people before them as Caliphs, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He chose for them, and He will surely give them security after their fear so that they may worship Me and not associate anyone with Me, and whoever disbelieves after it, they are the sinners,” and said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَنْ يَرْتَدَّ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾[41]; “O you who believed! Whoever of you abandons his religion, Allah will soon bring a people whom He loves and who love Him; they are humble toward believers, stern toward disbelievers, fight in the way of Allah, and are not afraid of the blame of those who blame. That is Allah’s grace which He bestows on whomever He wills, and Allah is the All-Embracing, the All-Knowing”; considering that what is understood from it is the inevitable domination of some of the believing, righteous, oppressed, beloved, striving, kind, and brave servants of Allah over the earth in future.[42]
It is clear that one must believe the reports from the Prophet if they are mutawatir and conform to the Quran; because they lead to knowledge, and knowledge is decisive proof, and no one disregards it except for every hypocrite who takes his religion as mere amusement and play, such as the misguided who are called “the Quranists,” while they are the furthest people from the Quran, as they deny the authority of narrations outright and do not care about their tawatur or conformity to the Quran, and then they claim that they adhere to the Quran, while the Quran commands them to obey the Prophet, use the intellect, follow the knowledge that comes to them, and accept reports whose authenticity has been established.
Thus, it became clear that your opinion is false and far from the truth. Now, nothing remains for you but to correct it humbly or to persist in it arrogantly. If you correct it, it is better for you, and if you persist in it, then know that Allah does not love the arrogant; as He has said: ﴿يَسْمَعُ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ﴾[43]; “He hears the verses of Allah recited to him, then he persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.”