Hadith No. 19
The Earth is never without an Imam who guides to the truth and exercises justice with it.
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ [ت329ه] فِي «الْكَافِي»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ، قَالَ:
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: ﴿وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ﴾[2]، قَالَ: «هُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ».
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni [d. 329 AH] has narrated in the book al-Kafi, (in this manner that) he has said: Husain ibn Muhammad narrated to me, from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad, from Washsha’, from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said:
I asked Abu Abdullah—meaning Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq—
about the statement of Allah, Exalted and Majestic, Who says: “And among those We have created, there are a people who guide to the truth and exercise justice with it.” So he said: “They are the Imams.”
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: مُعَلَّى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ مُضْطَرِبُ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلَكِنْ لِلْحَدِيثِ طَرِيقٌ آخَرُ:
Translation:
Mansoor 
said: Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad is mudtarib al-hadith[3], but there is another chain of transmission for the Hadith:
Attestation
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ [ت290ه] فِي «بَصَائِرِ الدَّرَجَاتِ»[4]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ، عَنِ الْحُجْرِ، عَنْ حُمْرَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ -يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: ﴿وَمِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ﴾، قَالَ: «هُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ».
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Saffar [d. 290 AH] has narrated in the book Basa’ir al-Darajat and said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad narrated to us, from Safwan, from ibn Muskan, from Hujr, from Humran, from Abu Ja‘far—meaning Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir— that regarding the statement of Allah, Blessed and Exalted: “And among those We have created, there are people who guide to the truth and exercise justice with it,” he said: “They are the Imams.”
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ؛ لِأَنَّ الْوَصْفَ مُنَاسِبٌ لِلْأَئِمَّةِ، إِذْ مِنْ شَأْنِهِمْ أَنْ يَهْدُوا النَّاسَ وَيَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ، وَالْآيَةُ تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ لِلْإِمَامِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ شَأْنَيْنِ: الْأَوَّلُ هِدَايَةُ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ، وَهِيَ تَعْلِيمُهُمُ الْقُرْآنَ وَالسُّنَّةَ دُونَ خَطَأٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَكُونُ بِالْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَكُونَ كَذَلِكَ، وَالثَّانِي الْعَدْلُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ، وَهُوَ الْحُكْمُ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ دُونَ خَطَأٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَكُونُ بِالْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَكُونَ كَذَلِكَ، وَهُمَا لَا يَتِمَّانِ إِلَّا فِي مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ أَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَطَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهِيرًا، وَالْآيَةُ تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ إِمَامٍ هَادٍ عَادِلٍ بِالْحَقِّ؛ كَمَا اعْتَرَفَ بِذَلِكَ عُقَلَاءُ الْقَوْمِ قَدِيمًا وَجَدِيدًا؛ مِثْلُ الْجُبَّائِيِّ [ت303ه] إِذْ قَالَ: «هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَخْلُو زَمَانٌ الْبَتَّةَ عَمَّنْ يَقُومُ بِالْحَقِّ وَيَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ»[5]، وَالنَّحَّاسِ [ت338ه] إِذْ قَالَ: «دَلَّ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ أَنَّهُ لَا تَخْلُو الدُّنْيَا فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ مِنْ دَاعٍ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْحَقِّ»[6]، وَالْقُرْطُبِيِّ [ت671ه] إِذْ قَالَ: «دَلَّتِ الْآيَةُ عَلَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يُخَلِّي الدُّنْيَا فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ مِنْ دَاعٍ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْحَقِّ»[7]، وَالْخَازِنِ [ت741ه] إِذْ قَالَ: «فِي الْآيَةِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَخْلُو زَمَانٌ مِنْ قَائِمٍ بِالْحَقِّ يَعْمَلُ بِهِ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ»[8]، وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْجُوزِيِّ [ت597ه]: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخَلِّي الْأَرْضَ مِنْ قَائِمٍ لَهُ بِالْحُجَّةِ، جَامِعٍ بَيْنَ الْعِلْمِ وَالْعَمَلِ، عَارِفٍ بِحُقُوقِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، خَائِفٍ مِنْهُ، فَذَلِكَ قُطْبُ الدُّنْيَا، وَمَتَى مَاتَ أَخْلَفَ اللَّهُ عِوَضَهُ، وَرُبَمَا لَمْ يَمُتْ حَتَّى يَرَى مَنْ يَصْلُحُ لِلنِّيَابَةِ عَنْهُ فِي كُلِّ نَائِبَةٍ، وَمِثْلُ هَذَا لَا تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُ، فَهُوَ بِمَقَامِ النَّبِيِّ فِي الْأُمَّةِ»[9]، وَقَالَ الرَّازِيُّ [ت606ه]: «هَؤُلَاءِ أَئِمَّةُ الْهُدَى وَأَعْلَامُ الدِّينِ وَسَادَةُ الْخَلْقِ، بِهِمْ يَهْتَدُونَ فِي الذَّهَابِ إِلَى اللَّهِ»[10]، وَقَالَ الْآلُوسِيُّ [ت1270ه]: «هُمُ الْمُرْشِدُونَ الْكَامِلُونَ»[11]، وَقَالَ السَّعْدِيُّ [ت1376ه]: «أَيْ وَمِنْ جُمْلَةِ مَنْ خَلَقْنَا أُمَّةٌ فَاضِلَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ فِي نَفْسِهَا، مُكَمِّلَةٌ لِغَيْرِهَا، يَهْدُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَغَيْرَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ، فَيَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَيَعْمَلُونَ بِهِ، وَيُعَلِّمُونَهُ، وَيَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَإِلَى الْعَمَلِ بِهِ ”وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ“ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِي أَحْكَامِهِمْ إِذَا حَكَمُوا فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالدِّمَاءِ وَالْحُقُوقِ وَالْمَقَالَاتِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، وَهَؤُلَاءِ هُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْهُدَى وَمَصَابِيحُ الدُّجَى، وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالْإِيمَانِ وَالْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، وَالتَّوَاصِي بِالْحَقِّ وَالتَّوَاصِي بِالصَّبْرِ، وَهُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ الَّذِينَ مَرْتَبَتُهُمْ تَلِي مَرْتَبَةَ الرِّسَالَةِ، وَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ مَرَاتِبُ مُتَفَاوِتَةٌ كُلٌّ بِحَسَبِ حَالِهِ وَعُلُوِّ مَنْزِلَتِهِ، فَسُبْحَانَ مَنْ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ، وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ»[12]، انْتَهَى قَوْلُهُ، وَهَذَا قَوْلُنَا الَّذِي نَقُولُ بِهِ، وَالْعَجَبُ مِنْ أَقْوَامٍ يُنْكِرُونَهُ عَلَيْنَا وَهُمْ يَجِدُونَهُ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ قَالَ بِهِ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ عُلَمَائِهِمْ قَدِيمًا وَجَدِيدًا! فَهَلْ يَنْقِمُونَ مِنَّا إِلَّا قَوْلَنَا أَنَّهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّنَا؟! وَلَا نَقُولُ ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُمْ آبَاؤُنَا، وَلَكِنْ لِمَا نَجِدُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، وَلَا نُنْكِرُ فَضْلَ غَيْرِهِمْ مِمَّنْ صَاحَبَ نَبِيَّنَا، وَلَكِنْ لَا يُقَاسُ بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّنَا أَحَدٌ؛ كَمَا رُوِيَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «كُنَّا إِذَا عَدَّدْنَا أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قُلْنَا: أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ! فَعَلِيٌّ؟ قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ، عَلِيٌّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ، لَا يُقَاسُ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ»[13]، وَهَذَا قَوْلٌ مَشْهُورٌ مِنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ [ت241ه]، وَهُوَ إِمَامُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَلَمْ يُنْسَبْ إِلَيْهِ التَّشَيُّعُ؛ كَمَا رَوَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، قَالَ: «سَأَلْتُ أَبِي، قُلْتُ: مَنْ أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَتِ، ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: عُمَرُ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَتِ، ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: عُثْمَانُ، قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَتِ، فَعَلِيٌّ؟ قَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، عَلِيٌّ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ لَا يُقَاسُ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ»، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى: «قُلْتُ: يَا أَبَةِ، مَا تَقُولُ فِي التَّفْضِيلِ؟ قَالَ: فِي الْخِلَافَةِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ، فَقُلْتُ: فَعَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ قَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ لَا يُقَاسُ بِهِمْ أَحَدٌ»[14]، وَهَذَا هُوَ الْحَقُّ الَّذِي يَقُولُ بِهِ كُلُّ عَالِمٍ، وَقَدْ قَالَ بِهِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، وَإِذَا قُلْنَا بِهِ نَحْنُ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ: هَؤُلَاءِ مِنَ الرَّافِضَةِ! ﴿كَذَلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[15]!
Translation:
Mansoor said: This is an authentic Hadith, because the mentioned description is appropriate for the Imams; considering that leading people and exercising justice among them with the truth is part of their task. And the verse indicates that the Imam has two tasks in the Book of Allah: first, guiding people to the truth, which is teaching them the Quran and the Sunnah without error—because it will not be with the truth except when it is like this; and second, exercising justice among people with the truth, which is ruling among them according to what Allah has revealed, without error—because it will not be with the truth except when it is like this. And these two will not be realized except in someone who belongs to a household from whom Allah has removed any impurity and made completely pure. And the verse indicates that the Earth is not without an Imam who guides to and acts justly upon the truth, just as the intellectuals of the people—both ancient and recent—have acknowledged it; such as al-Jubba‘i [d. 303 AH], who has said: “This verse is evidence that no time is without someone who rises upon the truth and guides to it,” and (such as) al-Nahhas [d. 338 AH], who has said: “Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has stated through this verse that the world, at no point in time, is without someone who leads to the truth,” and (such as) al-Qurtubi [d. 671 AH], who has said: “The verse is evidence that Allah, at no point in time, leaves the world without a caller who calls to the truth,” and (such as) al-Khazin [d. 741 AH], who has said: “In the verse, there is evidence that no time is without someone who rises upon the truth—one who acts upon and guides to it.” And ibn al-Jawzi [d. 597 AH] has said: “Undoubtedly, Allah does not leave the Earth without someone who rises upon proof—one who combines knowledge and action, knows the right of Allah Almighty, and fears Him. And he is the axis of the world. And when he dies, Allah appoints a successor for him. And perhaps he does not pass away until he sees someone qualified to succeed him in every event. And the Earth is never without such a person. And he holds a position similar to that of the Prophet among the Ummah.” And al-Razi [d. 606 AH] has said: “They are the Imams of guidance, the signs of the religion, and the masters of people. Through them, one is guided to Allah.” and al-Alusi [d. 1270 AH] has said: “They are the perfect mentors.” And al-Sa‘di [d. 1376 AH] has said: “It means: Among those We have created, there is a virtuous group who are perfect themselves and perfect others. They guide themselves and others to the truth. So they know the truth, act upon it, teach it, call to it and to acting upon it, and exercise justice with it in their judgments among people—whenever they judge concerning wealth, lives, rights, beliefs, and other matters. And they are the Imams of guidance and the beacons in darkness, whom Allah has blessed with faith, righteous deeds, enjoining the truth, and enjoining patience. And they are the truthful ones whose rank comes after that of the Prophets. And they have different ranks among themselves, depending on their state and the loftiness of their status. So glory be to Allah, Who singles out for His mercy whomever He wills, and Allah possesses great grace.” His statement ended. And this is the very statement we say. And it is surprising that some people do not tolerate it from us, even though they find it in the Book of Allah, and many of their scholars—both ancient and recent—have said it! So do they blame us for anything other than saying that they are from the Ahl al-Bayt of our Prophet?! While we do not say this because they are our forefathers, but because of the virtue we find for them in the Quran and the Sunnah. And we do not deny the virtue of others who accompanied our Prophet, but no one is comparable to the Ahl al-Bayt of our Prophet; as it has been narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar that he said: “Whenever we counted the companions of the Prophet 
, we would say: ‘Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman.’ Then a man said: ‘O Aba Abd al-Rahman! What about Ali?!’ He said: ‘Woe to you! Ali is from the Ahl al-Bayt. No one is compared to them.’” And this is a well-known statement from Ahmad ibn Hanbal [d. 241 AH]. And he is the Imam of the Sunnis, and Shiism has not been attributed to him; as Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal has narrated and said: “I asked my father: ‘Who was the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah ?’ He said: ‘Abu Bakr.’ I said: ‘Father! Then who?’ He said: ‘Umar.’ I said: ‘Father! Then who?’ He said: ‘Uthman.’ I said: ‘Father! What about Ali?’ He said: ‘My son! Ali belongs to a household to whom no one is compared.’” And in another narration, it has been said: “I said: ‘Father! What do you say regarding preference?’ He said: ‘In the caliphate, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman.’ I said: ‘Then what about Ali ibn Abi Talib?’ He said: ‘My son! Ali ibn Abi Talib belongs to a household to whom no one is compared.’” And this is a truth that every scholar says, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal has also said it. But when we say it, those who are not scholars say: “They are among the Rafida!” “This is how Allah seals the hearts of those who are not scholars!”
