Author: Ali Razi Date: 2015-12-06

How can be distinguished the difference of false Sadat[1] from the real Sadat? This problem has become widespread since the time of the Safavids, and even some became Sayyids by giving money! Is it correct for anyone to claims of being Sayyid according to the identity card? In case of suspicion, is it possible to avoid paying khums?

Answer to question: 2 Date: 2015-12-09

The knowledge of lineage is for God; Because only He is aware of the reality of matrimonies and born, and others only know its appearance, and God grants this knowledge to anyone of His Caliphs, who He wills; According to Mutiwatir narrations, He granted to His prophet (PBUH), when he became angry with many improper and unnecessary questions of his companions and said: “Whoever wants to be known of his lineage, ask me to inform him”! So Abdullah ibn Hadhafay Sahmi, in which there was a doubt about his lineage, asked: “Who is my father?” his Excellency said: “Your father is Hadhafay Sahmi”! Abdullah said: «اَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ الَّذِي أَثْبَتَ نَسَبِي عَلَى لِسانِ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»; “The God is great, who proved my lineage by the words of His prophet (PBUH)”! Then another man asked: “who is my father”?! His Excellency said: “your father is freed Salim of Shibah”. In that moment, some companions of his Excellency became worry, and asked him for forgiveness and to suppress his anger and give up such a work, with the excuse that «إِنَّهُ لا عِلْمَ لَنا بِما صَنَعَتِ النِّساءُ فِي خُدُورِها»; “We are not aware of what the women have done behind the curtains”! Then his Excellency accepted their excuse and suppressed his anger and came down from the pulpit[2]. Such a knowledge for the Caliphs of his Excellency as a legacy from him has also been narrated[3]. From here it is understood that the truth of the lineages is only apparent for God, and its certainty is not possible except through His Caliph on earth; Especially in the present time, in which many generations have been passed from the prophet (PBUH) and tribes and people are intertwined, and because of fears and greed many Hashemite are counted as non-Hashemite and many non-Hashemite are counted as Hashemite.

Of course, certainty is not necessary about the truth of lineage in laws such as inheritance and payment of khums, and its assurance, according to Estefazeh[4] or genealogy, is enough, except in the issues of belief such as believing in the Caliphate of a person, in which it is necessary to make certain about his Hashemite, and it reaches by a definite news from the previous Caliph or an evident sign from God, not with factors such as Estefazeh or genealogy; Because factors such as Estefazeh or genealogy leads to conjecture, and conjecture is not enough for such a belief. Yes, in the case that God or His former Caliph announces a definite news about someone's caliphate, the certainty of his lineage will be reached by the way of the certainty of his caliphate; because those two are related.

↑[1] . [Translator note: it refers to people who are the sayyids or descendants of the Prophet.]
↑[2] . See: the Masnaf of Abd al-Razzaq, Vol. 11, p. 379; Masnaf of Ibn Abi Shibah, Vol. 7, p. 438; Musnad of Ahmad, Vol. 2, p. 503 and Vol. 3, p. 107; Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 32 and Vol. 8, p. 142; Sahih Muslim, Vol. 7, pp. 93 and 94; Sahih Ibn Habban, Vol. 1, p. 310; Eddah of al-Muhaddithin, al-Usul al-Seteh al-Ashr, p. 39.
↑[3] . See: Basair al-Darajat, p. 136; al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 223 and 349.
↑[4] . [Translator note: it means an extensive reporting of an issue or a narration.]
Appendix Number: 1 Appendix Author: Sadiq Appendix Date: 2019-09-24

You discussed about Estefazeh in somewhere, and said it leads to conjecture. Please, considering the existence of disagreements in this regard, denote the Estefazeh based on your opinion and the reason of its being conjectural. In which issues referring to that will be considered true? Thanks

Answer to appendix: 1 Date: 2019-10-01

The intention of Estefazeh in the issue of lineage is its fame and widespreadness among the people, which is not generally based on knowledge, but it is based on origin and appearance; because people do not have unseen knowledge, but when they see a child in the house of a spouse and husband, and they hear from them that he/she is their child, and it becomes famous and widespread among them, whereas it is possible that it may not be like that in the presence of God; for the reason that, for example, he/she is an adopted child of the those two, or God forbid, he/she is the result of the woman’s adultery; Just as when they hear that someone is called Husseini and they do not notice any accusation in this regard, they say the person is a descendant of Imam Hussein (AS), and it becomes famous and widespread among them, whereas it may not be like that in the presence of God; because one of his ancestors may have lied, or he/she was an adopted child of a Husseini man, or God forbid, he/she was the result of a woman’s adultery. Thus, Estefazeh, meaning the fame and widespreadness of something among the people does not lead to knowledge, but it is enough for the flow of apparent laws, in which reaching the knowledge is difficult; such as lineage, matrimony, death, possession and endowment.