A person’s truthfulness or untruthfulness is not something written on his forehead. Rather, it is known from his beliefs and actions. If his beliefs and actions are correct, then he is upon the truth, even if people call him “dajjal”, and if his beliefs and actions are not correct, then he is not upon the truth, even if people call him “the child of the Mahdi”. His Eminence Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may Allah Almighty protect him, has explained correct beliefs and actions in his invaluable book Return to Islam based on definitive evidence from the Book of Allah, the mutawatir Sunnah of the Prophet, and the sound intellect. Therefore, whoever reads this book and then inspects the beliefs of the person that you mentioned, will find ignorance evident and misguidance obvious in them. Undoubtedly, one who calls himself “the child of the Mahdi”, even if he calls himself “the child of Allah”, is one of “the children of Satan” as long as he does not have correct beliefs, and Allah has said about Satan: ﴿أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا﴾[1]; “Do you take him and his children as guardians instead of Me, while they are your enemies?! What a terrible substitute for oppressors.” Woe to this person and his followers for ignominy in the worldly life and great punishment in the Hereafter, unless they turn away from their false beliefs, repent sincerely to Allah, make amends for the damage they have caused to people’s religion, and join the true ground preparers for the Mahdi’s advent.

The true ground preparers for the Mahdi’s advent are a group of people from Khorasan, who have risen with the black flags in search of the Mahdi and invite people toward him with a pure invitation, without any polytheism and doubt. Their leader, Mansoor, is a righteous scholar who does not utter any false words about himself. He does not claim to be the Mahdi, his child, his deputy, or his messenger. Rather, he invites people toward him through practical action and prepares the ground for his advent in reality. Whoever Allah has wanted good for him will rush toward him, even by crawling on snow.

O faithful brother!

We have received your letter and understood what you mentioned in it about the turmoil caused by this man from Basra who calls himself “the Yamani,” as well as your request for a detailed explanation of the incorrectness of his arguments and claims. We will answer you despite our many preoccupations, limited time, and aversion to mentioning dajjals by name. This man, in our view, is not worthy of mention, as his error is evident and his ignorance is manifest. However, the tragedy is that we have been afflicted with people who exalt lowly individuals, approve of abhorrent words, drown in the shallowest waters, and are swept away by the gentlest winds; as Allah Almighty has described them in His Book and said: ﴿لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ﴾[1]; “They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle, but rather they are more astray. They are the heedless.” Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, has also described them in his well-known speech and said: «هَمَجٌ رَعَاعٌ، أَتْبَاعُ كُلِّ نَاعِقٍ، يَمِيلُونَ مَعَ كُلِّ رِيحٍ، لَمْ يَسْتَضِيئُوا بِنُورِ الْعِلْمِ، وَلَمْ يَلْجَئُوا إِلَى رُكْنٍ وَثِيقٍ»[2]; “The riff-raff; those who follow every loud cry and are swayed by every wind, neither have been illuminated by the light of knowledge nor have sought refuge in a stable pillar.” The saying of the righteous servant, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may Allah Almighty protect him, also indicates it when he was asked about this man. He was told: «إِنَّ غُلَامًا خَرَجَ يَدْعُو إِلَى نَفْسِهِ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَحْمَدُ الْحَسَنُ، يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ الْيَمَانِيُّ الَّذِي جَاءَتْ فِيهِ رِوَايَةٌ، فَيَقُولُ لِنَفْسِهِ الْمَهْدِيَّ، وَيَقُولُ الْمُنْجِي، وَيَقُولُ الْوَصِيَّ، وَيَقُولُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ»; “A young man has emerged inviting (people) toward himself. He is called Ahmad al-Hasan and claims he is the Yamani about whom a narration has been reported. So he calls himself the Mahdi, the savior, the successor, and everything!” He then asked: «أَلَيْسَ هَذَا الَّذِي قَدْ خَرَجَ بِالْعِرَاقِ؟»; “Is he not the one who has emerged in Iraq?!” It was said: «بَلَى»; “Yes.” He said: «هُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ»; “He is of lesser significance to Allah than all of this!”[3]

We draw your attention to the following points:

1. Those who say that the intellect is not valid in their view have become disbelievers; because the validity of the intellect in Islam, especially in matters of belief, is known by the explicit verses of the Book of Allah Almighty; as He has said: ﴿إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[4]; “Indeed, there are signs in this for a people who use the intellect,” and said: ﴿إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[5]; “Indeed, the worst beings in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb who do not use the intellect,” and said: ﴿وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[6]; “And He places impurity on those who do not use the intellect.” The principle is that whoever denies what is known by the explicit verses of the Book of Allah Almighty is a disbeliever; as He has said: ﴿وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الْكَافِرُونَ﴾ [7]; “And no one denies Our signs except for disbelievers.” This is the first step of Satan’s steps that these misguided people have followed, namely rejecting the validity of the intellect, and they have not rejected it except to pave the way for their other deviations; because the intellect is the first judge to decree that their beliefs are false, and if people use their intellects, they will not fall into their trap. Therefore, it is natural for them to deny the validity of the intellect so that it would be easier for them to trap people. However, what is truly surprising is their statement that only narrations are valid in their view; because anyone with the slightest knowledge of narrations knows that they explicitly indicate the validity of the intellect and urge its use, especially in matters of belief; as it has been narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and from his Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, that they said: «لَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الْعَقْلَ اسْتَنْطَقَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: أَقْبِلْ، فَأَقْبَلَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: أَدْبِرْ، فَأَدْبَرَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلَالِي مَا خَلَقْتُ خَلْقًا هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْكَ، وَلَا أَكْمَلْتُكَ إِلَّا فِيمَنْ أُحِبُّ، أَمَا إِنِّي إِيَّاكَ آمُرُ وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْهَى، وَإِيَّاكَ أُعَاقِبُ وَإِيَّاكَ أُثِيبُ»[8]; “When Allah created the intellect, He made it speak. Then He said to it: ‘Come forward,’ and it came forward. Then He said to it: ‘Go back,’ and it went back. Then He said: ‘By My power and My glory, I have not created any creation that is more beloved to Me than you. And I do not perfect you except in those whom I love. Indeed, My command and prohibition are directed only to you, and My punishment and reward are only based on you,’” and said: «إِنَّ أَوَّلَ الْأُمُورِ وَمَبْدَأَهَا وَقُوَّتَهَا وَعِمَارَتَهَا الَّتِي لَا يُنْتَفَعُ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا بِهِ الْعَقْلُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ زِينَةً لِخَلْقِهِ وَنُورًا لَهُمْ، فَبِالْعَقْلِ عَرَفَ الْعِبَادُ خَالِقَهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ مَخْلُوقُونَ وَأَنَّهُ الْمُدَبِّرُ لَهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمُ الْمُدَبَّرُونَ وَأَنَّهُ الْبَاقِي وَهُمُ الْفَانُونَ، وَاسْتَدَلُّوا بِعُقُولِهِمْ عَلَى مَا رَأَوْا مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مِنْ سَمَائِهِ وَأَرْضِهِ وَشَمْسِهِ وَقَمَرِهِ وَلَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ وَبِأَنَّ لَهُ وَلَهُمْ خَالِقًا وَمُدَبِّرًا لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلَا يَزُولُ، وَعَرَفُوا بِهِ الْحَسَنَ مِنَ الْقَبِيحِ وَأَنَّ الظُّلْمَةَ فِي الْجَهْلِ وَأَنَّ النُّورَ فِي الْعِلْمِ، فَهَذَا مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ الْعَقْلُ»[9]; “Indeed, the first, the beginning, the strength, and the foundation of affairs, without which nothing is of benefit, is the intellect. Allah has made it an adornment for His creation and a light for them. Through the intellect, servants know their Creator, that they are created beings, that He is the Manager of their affairs, that they are the managed ones, that He is the Eternal, and that they are mortals. Through their intellects, they infer from what they see of His creation, including His heavens, His earth, His sun, His moon, His night, and His day, that for it and for them, there is a Creator and a Manager Who has always existed and will never cease to exist. And through it, they know the good from the bad, that darkness lies in ignorance and that light lies in knowledge. This is what the intellect leads them to,” and said: «إِنَّمَا يُدْرَكُ الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ بِالْعَقْلِ، وَلَا دِينَ لِمَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ»[10]; “All good is attained through the intellect. And there is no religion for one who has no intellect,” and said: «مَا عُبِدَ اللَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ»[11]; “Allah is not worshipped through anything better than the intellect,” and said: «دِعَامَةُ الْإِنْسَانِ الْعَقْلُ»[12]; “The pillar of the human being is the intellect,” and said: «الْعَقْلُ دَلِيلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ»[13]; “The intellect is the guide of the believer,” and said: «إِنَّ الثَّوَابَ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْعَقْلِ»[14]; “The reward is commensurate with the intellect,” and said: «لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الْإِيمَانِ وَالْكُفْرِ إِلَّا قِلَّةُ الْعَقْلِ»[15]; “There is nothing between faith and disbelief except a lack of the intellect,” and said: «لَا يُعْبَأُ بِأَهْلِ الدِّينِ مِمَّنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ»[16]; “No attention is paid to a person of religion who has no intellect,” and said: «مَا قَسَمَ اللَّهُ لِلْعِبَادِ شَيْئًا أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ»[17]; “Allah has not distributed anything among His servants better than the intellect.” Also, it has been stated in their narrations: «إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حُجَّتَيْنِ: حُجَّةً ظَاهِرَةً وَحُجَّةً بَاطِنَةً، فَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرَةُ فَالرُّسُلُ وَالْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَالْأَئِمَّةُ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ، وَأَمَّا الْبَاطِنَةُ فَالْعُقُولُ»[18]; “Indeed, there are two proofs for Allah over people: an external proof and an internal proof. As for the external proof, it is the Messengers, the Prophets, and the Imams, peace be upon them. As for the internal proof, it is the intellect,” and it has been stated in them: «حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ النَّبِيُّ، وَالْحُجَّةُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ الْعَقْلُ»[19]; “The proof of Allah over His servants is the Prophet, and the proof between servants and Allah is the intellect,” and it has been stated in them: «مَيِّزْ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْكَ بِعَقْلِكَ، فَإِنَّهُ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ»[20]; “Distinguish what is confusing to you with your intellect; because it is the proof of Allah over you.” In the narration of ibn al-Sakkit from al-Rida, peace be upon him, it has been stated: «فَمَا الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ الْيَوْمَ؟ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: الْعَقْلُ، يُعْرَفُ بِهِ الصَّادِقُ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَيُصَدِّقُهُ وَالْكَاذِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَيُكَذِّبُهُ، فَقَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ: هَذَا وَاللَّهِ هُوَ الْجَوَابُ»[21]; “‘What is the proof upon creation today?’ He, peace be upon him, said: ‘The intellect. Through it, one who speaks truthfully about Allah is known and believed, and one who lies about Allah is known and denied.’ Ibn al-Sakkit then said: ‘By Allah, this is the (true) answer,’” and other mutawatir narrations that the Book of Allah confirms. From here, it is understood that these bewitched people are not without one of two characteristics: either they are unaware of these narrations that indicate the authority of the intellect and its crucial role in knowing the truth from falsehood, despite their abundance and fame, in which case they are ignorant, or they are aware of them but have turned away from them because they do not align with their desires, in which case they follow their desires, not narrations! Whichever of these two characteristics it may be, it is sufficient to indicate that they are in great error!

2. The intellect decrees that every claim requires evidence, meaning that it is not permissible to believe a claim unless there is something that proves its truth; because a claim is a matter that contradicts the norm and the apparent, and therefore, believing it without evidence is unreasonable and can lead to believing lies. This is a self-evident principle in the view of all intellectuals, but if you ask these fools about it, they would say: “This is one of the inventions of mullahs in religious seminaries, and the only thing that is valid in Islam is narrations. So bring textual evidence for this!” However, the Quran and the Sunnah also decree the same; as it has been explicitly stated in the Quran: ﴿قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ﴾[22]; “Say: ‘Bring your proof if you are truthful.’” This is textual evidence that whoever makes a claim without proof is a liar. Also, it has been stated in the Sunnah: «الْبَيِّنَةُ عَلَى الْمُدَّعِي»[23]; “The onus of proof rests on the claimant.” This is also textual evidence that whoever makes a claim without proof, their claim is not to be heard. We do not know what these fools, these near-madmen, mean by textual evidence! Therefore, no Prophet came from Allah except with «بيّنة»; “a clear proof,” and this was clear evidence of his Prophethood; as Allah Almighty has informed of this and said: ﴿لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ﴾[24]; “Indeed, We sent Our Messengers with clear proofs,” and said: ﴿وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ﴾[25]; “Indeed, Our Messengers came to them with clear proofs,” and said: ﴿وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ﴾[26]; “Indeed, their Messengers came to them with clear proofs.” However, if you ask these fools about it, they would say: “Some of the Messengers did not have clear proofs,” denying the words of Allah Almighty. Their argument is that no miracle has been mentioned for some of them, such as Nuh, Hud, and Shu‘ayb, peace be upon them. However, the absence of mention does not indicate the absence of existence. Allah Almighty has mentioned that the Messengers had clear proofs, and His statement is general, and clearly, what He has said is not specified by what He has not said! The utmost that can be said is that Allah Almighty has not mentioned the clear proofs of some of the Messengers in detail, but He has mentioned them in general, and this refers to His words, where He has said: ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ﴾[27]; “And indeed, We sent Messengers before you, some of whom We told you about, and some of whom We did not tell you about.”

Furthermore, these fools present another argument, which is the words of Allah Almighty: ﴿وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا يَأْتِينَا بِآيَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ﴾[28]; “And they said: ‘Why did he not bring us a sign from his Lord?!’” They claim this verse is evidence that there was no sign for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family. However, this verse is a narration of disbelievers’ words regarding the lack of a sign they had suggested, and Allah Almighty responded to them in the continuation of the verse, saying: ﴿أَوَلَمْ تَأْتِهِمْ بَيِّنَةُ مَا فِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَى﴾[29]; “Did there not come to them a clear proof which is in the previous scriptures?!” This is a denial of their statement and an explicit affirmation that there was a clear proof for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, which Allah Almighty had promised in the previous scriptures, and what He had promised in them was a Miraculous Book. The evidence for this is His words: ﴿قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا ۝ وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَثَلٍ فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًا ۝ وَقَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا ۝ أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الْأَنْهَارَ خِلَالَهَا تَفْجِيرًا ۝ أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَاءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبِيلًا ۝ أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِنْ زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَى فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَقْرَؤُهُ﴾[30]; “Say: ‘If all mankind and jinn were to gather together to produce something like this Quran, they could not produce anything like it, even if they were to help one another.’ And indeed, We have set forth for people in this Quran every kind of example, but most of the people refuse (to receive it) except with ingratitude. And they say: ‘We will not believe you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the Earth, or you have a garden of palm trees and grapes and make rivers flow through it abundantly, or you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you have claimed, or you bring Allah and the Angels before us, or you have a house of gold, or you ascend into the sky, and we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book that we can read.’” This clarifies that by signs they claimed the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, did not bring, they meant merely things like these that they suggested out of stubbornness and spite after the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, brought them a sufficient sign, which was the Quran. The words of Allah Almighty also indicate this, where He has said: ﴿وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْآيَاتُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ ۝ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِهِمْ أَنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَرَحْمَةً وَذِكْرَى لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾[31]; “And they say: ‘Why was no sign sent down to him from his Lord?!’ Say: ‘The signs are only with Allah. And I am only a clear warner.’ Was it not sufficient for them that We sent down to you the Book to be recited to them?! Indeed, in this is mercy and a reminder for a people who believe.” Therefore, the Book was a sufficient sign, considering the linguistic, scholarly, and prophetic miracles it contains. Clearly, it is not obligatory to send down another sign after a sufficient sign has been sent down, otherwise it would necessitate an endless sequence. Even if Allah Almighty had done that out of kindness and followed the Quran with other great signs in the heavens and the Earth, disbelievers would have denied them and attributed them to sorcery; as the words of Allah indicate this, where He has said: ﴿اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ ۝ وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ ۝ وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُسْتَقِرٌّ﴾[32]; “The Hour drew near, and the moon split in two. And when they see a sign, they turn away and say: ‘A continuous sorcery.’ And they denied and followed their desires. And every matter has an appointed term.” What further indicates the existence of more than one clear proof for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, is the words of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ﴾[33]; “And when Isa, the son of Maryam, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah to you, confirming what was before me of the Torah and giving good tidings of a Messenger who comes after me. His name is Ahmad.’ But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is manifest sorcery’”; because it explicitly states that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, ﴿جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ﴾; “came to them with clear proofs.” The foolishness of these fools has reached such a point where they have taken it as evidence for the non-existence of any clear proof for the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and the sufficiency of mentioning his name “Ahmad” in the good tidings of Isa, peace be upon him. However, it is evidence to the contrary, as you can see!

As a result, whoever makes a claim must provide proof for it. If he has no proof, then woe to him, for he is a deceitful pretender! Therefore, the righteous servant, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasan, may Allah Almighty protect him, said in one of his profound words of wisdom: «يُعْرَفُ الْكَذَّابُ بِسِتِّ خِصَالٍ»; “A liar is known by six characteristics,” and the first characteristic he mentioned was that «يَدَّعِي مَا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى إِثْبَاتِهِ»; “he claims what he cannot prove!”[34]

3. The necessary evidence for knowing religious beliefs and rulings is what leads to knowledge; because conjecture is not valid in Islam, and only knowledge is valid in it; as the words of Allah Almighty indicate it, where He has said: ﴿قُلْ هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ مِنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَا ۖ إِنْ تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ﴾[35]; “Say: ‘Do you have any knowledge you can produce for us?! You follow nothing but conjecture and do nothing but guess,’” and said: ﴿وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَّا ظَنًّا ۚ إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ﴾[36]; “And most of them follow nothing but conjecture, while conjecture is not sufficient for (proving) the truth. Indeed, Allah is Aware of what they do.” With this, the foundation of those who laid their foundation upon a report they call “Hadith al-Wasiyyah” collapses; because it is a wahid report narrated only by Ja‘far ibn Ahmad al-Misri, from his uncle Hasan ibn Ali, from his father, from Abu Abdullah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad. A wahid report does not lead to knowledge. It only leads to conjecture, as is clear; because its origin is conjectural, considering the possibility of the narrator lying, making a mistake, or forgetting. Therefore, the proof is not established by a wahid report in religious beliefs and rulings. There is no disagreement among scholars that the proof is not established by it in religious beliefs; because what is required in religious beliefs is certainty, which is not attained through a wahid report. However, they differ on whether or not the proof is established by a wahid report in religious rulings if its chain of narrators is authentic. Most of them have claimed that certainty is not required in religious rulings, unlike religious beliefs. However, the truth is that it is required in both, due to the generality of Allah’s statement and the impossibility of specifying it by contradicting reports. Even if we assume that a wahid report is accepted in religious rulings if its chain of narrators is authentic, the belief in the Imamate of a man appointed by Allah and the obligation to obey him upon people are not among religious rulings, but rather among religious beliefs. Moreover, the report that these fools rely on does not have an authentic chain of narrators, but rather it is extremely weak, even fabricated, as we will explain below, Insha’Allah. Therefore, the incorrectness of their belief is clear based on every principle scholars hold. This, by Allah, is the epitome of incorrectness!

4. Examining the status of narrators in terms of justice and sin is not an innovation introduced by mullahs in Islamic seminaries. Rather, it is what Muslims have taken from the explicit verses of Allah’s Book since the first century; because He has considered justice essential for witnesses, saying: ﴿وَأَشْهِدُوا ذَوَيْ عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ﴾[37]; “And have two just men from among you act as witnesses,” and that they should be acceptable to Muslims, saying: ﴿مِمَّنْ تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ﴾[38]; “Those who are acceptable to you as witnesses,” and He has prohibited accepting the report of a sinner, saying: ﴿إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾[39]; “If a sinner brings you a report, verify it.” Clearly, narrators are witnesses and reporters of the sayings and actions of the infallible. Therefore, it is obligatory for them to be just, acceptable to Muslims, and not sinners, according to the explicit verses of Allah’s Book. It is even more obligatory due to the importance of what results from their testimony and reporting of matters related to the religion and the Hereafter. This is something that no one with the slightest share of knowledge, or even the intellect, would deny; because even intellectuals with different creeds and religions do not deny the necessity of examining the status of a reporter when he brings them an important report, and they find it abhorrent to accept the report of one who is known for lying. This indicates the extent of the foolishness of Ahmad al-Hasan al-Basri and his followers; because they deny what even intellectuals do not deny, let alone an infallible Imam and his followers! It is surprising that anyone would pay attention to them, while this is their status, to debate with them; ﴿كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً ۚ صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[40]; “like one who shouts at that which hears nothing but calls and cries. They are the deaf and the dumb and the blind, so they do not use the intellect!”

5. The report that they have taken as their religion has been narrated by Abu Ja‘far al-Tusi (d. 460 AH) in the book al-Ghaybah. He has said: “A group of people informed us, from Abu Abdullah al-Husain ibn Ali ibn Sufyan al-Bazufari, from Ali ibn Sinan al-Musili al-Adil, from Ali ibn al-Husain, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Khalil, from Ja‘far ibn Ahmad al-Misri, from his paternal uncle Hasan ibn Ali, from his father, from Abu Abdullah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad.”[41] This chain of narrators is problematic; because Ali ibn Sinan al-Musili, Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Khalil, Hasan ibn Ali, and his father are all unknown figures. It is not known who they were or what their status was. As for Ja‘far ibn Ahmad al-Misri, he is Ja‘far ibn Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Bayan ibn Zayd ibn Siyabah Abu al-Fadl al-Ghafiqi al-Misri, known as ibn Masah and ibn Abi al-Ala’ (d. 304 AH), one of those notorious for lying and fabricating hadith; as al-Azdi al-Misri has said: «هَذَا رَجُلٌ مَشْهُورٌ بِبَلَدِنَا بِالْكِذْبِ»[42]; “This man is notorious in our land for lying,” and ibn Adi has said: «هُوَ كَذَّابٌ يَضَعُ الْحَدِيثَ»[43]; “He is a liar who fabricates hadith,” and said: «كَانَ يَضَعُ الْحَدِيثَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ»[44]; “He fabricated hadith and attributed it to the Ahl al-Bayt,” and said: «كَتَبْنَا عَنْهُ أَحَادِيثَ مَوْضُوعَةً، وَكُنَّا نَتَّهِمُهُ بِوَضْعِهَا، بَلْ نَتَيَقَّنُ ذَلِكَ»[45]; “We wrote down fabricated hadiths from him and suspected him of fabricating them. Rather, we were certain of it,” and said: «عَامَّةُ أَحَادِيثِهِ مَوْضُوعَةٌ، وَكَانَ قَلِيلَ الْحَيَاءِ فِي دَعَاوِيهِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ لَمْ يَلْحَقْهُمْ وَفِي وَضْعِ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ الرَّكِيكَةِ، وَفِيهَا مَا لَا يُشْبِهُ كَلَامَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»[46]; “Most of his hadiths are fabricated. And he had little shame in his claims against people whom he did not associate with, and in fabricating such weak hadiths, which contain things that do not resemble the speech of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family,” and Abu Sa‘id al-Naqqash has said: «حَدَّثَ بِمَوْضُوعَاتٍ»[47]; “He narrated fabricated hadiths,” and ibn Hibban heard him dictating a baseless hadith in Mecca, then he said to him: «يَا شَيْخُ! اتَّقِ اللَّهَ، وَلَا تَكْذِبْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ»; “O Shaikh! Fear Allah, and do not attribute lies to the Messenger of Allah,” and he did not leave him until he swore not to narrate hadith in Mecca[48], and ibn Yunus has said: «كَانَ رَافِضِيًّا، يَضَعُ الْحَدِيثَ»[49]; “He was a rafidhi who fabricated hadith.” Also, the Shias did not know him or mention him among their narrators. If he had been worth anything in their view, they would have mentioned him. This confirms al-Daraqutni’s statement that he «لَا يُسَاوِي شَيْئًا»[50]; “is worth nothing!” Would a rational person take what such a man has narrated as proof between himself and Allah Almighty?! It appears that he is the one who fabricated the report, just as he fabricated other reports that scholars have exposed. This wicked man attributed this report to his unknown father and paternal uncle so that he would not be denied due to being the only one to narrate it. This is a common practice among fabricators; because if one of them attributes his invention to a well-known man with whom he has no kinship, people will deny him and say: “When, where, and how did you hear from him what no one else has heard?!” Therefore, it is easier for him to attribute lies to his father, paternal uncle, maternal uncle, and other unknown family members who have passed away, under the claim that they narrated to him in secret at home! May Allah curse these fabricators who fabricated such hadiths out of audacity and slander against Allah and His Messenger. By fabricating them, they paved the way for these dajjals who seize upon them and exploit them to mislead the ignorant and the gullible! ﴿وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ﴾[51]; “And if Allah had willed, they would not have done it. So leave them and their fabrications!”

With this, everything they have founded upon the report they call “Hadith al-Wasiyyah” collapses, like one who ﴿أَسَّسَ بُنْيَانَهُ عَلَى شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَانْهَارَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ﴾[52]; “has laid his foundation on the edge of a crumbling cliff that collapses with him into the fire of Hell.” They have founded upon it everything their souls desired, and they have gone to extremes, to the point of attributing to it things it cannot bear, such as claiming the Imamate and the like, while it clearly shows that the man to whom the Mahdi, peace be upon him, bequeaths his will is not an Imam, but rather a guided man, meaning one of the guided ones; as it has been stated in it: «إِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ بَعْدِي اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَامًا وَمِنْ بَعْدِهِمُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ مَهْدِيًّا»; “There will be twelve Imams after me, and twelve Mahdis after them.” This has been explicitly stated in a narration from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon them, where he said: «إِنَّمَا قَالَ: اثْنَا عَشَرَ مَهْدِيًّا وَلَمْ يَقُلْ: اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَامًا، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا يَدْعُونَ النَّاسَ إِلَى مُوَالَاتِنَا وَمَعْرِفَةِ حَقِّنَا»[53]; “He only said: ‘Twelve Mahdis,’ and did not say: ‘Twelve Imams.’ They are just a group of our followers who invite people to have affection for us and know our right.” This means that the fabricated report they have clung to, even if it were true, would not have any indication of what they claim. This, by Allah, is layers of darkness, one above another! What is surprising is their heinous fallacy, as they call this report “the will of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family” to say that whoever is misled by it is misled by his will, while it is merely a narration from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family. A narration from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, is not called his saying unless it is proven to be from him! Therefore, whoever is misled by a narration that is not proven to be from him, fabricated by a man notorious for lying, is misled by the man’s lie and his own foolishness, not by the will of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family! ﴿أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[54]; “Do they not use the intellect?!”

6. It is well-accepted among all Muslims that the Imams from among the caliphs of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, are twelve, due to the mutawatir narrations on this matter, after the declaration of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا﴾[55]; “And indeed, Allah took a covenant from the Children of Israel. And We raised among them twelve leaders.” Therefore, whoever claims to be an Imam from among the caliphs of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, after the twelve Imams has told a grave lie; because he claims something that is not permissible according to Sharia. Rather, it appears from the narrations that he is a disbeliever; as it has been narrated from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, that they said: «مَنِ ادَّعَى الْإِمَامَةَ وَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ»[56]; “Whoever claims Imamate while not being from its people is a disbeliever.” Rather, there is a narration indicating the disbelief of whoever thinks that such a person has a share in Islam; as it has been narrated from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, that they said: «ثَلَاثَةٌ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ: مَنِ ادَّعَى إِمَامَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ، وَمَنْ جَحَدَ إِمَامًا مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ لَهُمَا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ نَصِيبًا»[57]; “There are three whom Allah will not speak to on the Day of Judgment, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment: one who claims Imamate from Allah that is not his, one who denies an Imam from Allah, and one who thinks that these two have a share in Islam.” This is because one who claims Imamate from Allah unrightfully is not like one who claims Imamate from people unrightfully so that he would merely be an unjust Imam. Rather, his course is the course of one who claims Prophethood from Allah unrightfully; because he claims that Allah has obligated people to obey him absolutely, and such a claim shakes the entire religion and affects all matters of this world and the Hereafter. Therefore, it cannot be considered merely a sin among sins, but rather it is tantamount to disbelief in Allah and His Messenger. Similarly, whoever believes the person making this false claim has attributed lies to Allah and His Messenger regarding one of the significant beliefs of religion, thus being similar to one who believes the person claiming Prophethood unrightfully! With this, it becomes clear that Ahmad al-Hasan al-Basri, who unrightfully claims to be “an Imam who must be obeyed, appointed by Allah,”[58] is a disbeliever according to the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt. In his nonsense he calls Khitab al-Hajj, this wicked man has claimed that Allah did not make him need the Imamate, but rather made the Imamate need him. He has lied; because the Imamate does not need anyone after the twelve Imams, considering what we said, but dajjals like him desperately need it. It appears that the Imamate does not satisfy him or satiate his greed either; because this wicked man has gone beyond that to the Quran, claiming that «هو كتاب اللّه، والقرآن الكريم»[59]; “he is the Book of Allah, the Noble Quran.” He has also claimed that «هو الرسول المبين المذكور في سورة الدخان»[60]; “he is the messenger who explains things clearly, mentioned in surah Ad-Dukhan.” Undoubtedly, whoever believes him in this claim is a disbeliever like him, according to the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt, even though the intended meaning of his disbelief mentioned in the narrations is heresy and hypocrisy, according to the explanation of His Eminence Allamah, may Allah Almighty protect him, in the book Return to Islam[61]. However, heretics and hypocrites have no share in Islam either.

7. These fools insist that there is no need for a miracle to know Allah’s caliph on Earth, as they know that their leader has no miracle or anything like a miracle. If he had either of these, they would not have insisted on this, but rather they would have vehemently insisted on the necessity of a miracle after it was revealed and proven; because it would have been more beneficial to them and closer to what they desire. There is no doubt about the necessity of a miracle to know a caliph when there is no visibly present, known caliph among people to explicitly specify him; because the caliph cannot be known except through such a specification or through a miracle. Therefore, whoever has one of these two does not need the other, and whoever does not have either of them is definitely not the caliph. The previous caliphs who came after the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, did not have a miracle to use as proof because each of them lived in a time when there was a visibly present, known caliph among people to explicitly specify him, thus eliminating his need for miracles. Undoubtedly, such a specification does not exist for Ahmad al-Hasan al-Basri; because there is no visibly present, known caliph among people to explicitly specify him. He only uses as proof a name shared by many people, mentioned in a general narration he has found in one of the hadith books, and you are already aware of the status of that narration. This means that he needs a miracle to prove his claim. However, no miracle has been established from him through a report that is widely transmitted or supported by conclusive evidence, as attested by his own words that he does not need a miracle, and it is clear that there is no value in the alleged wonders that some of his unknown or lying followers have imagined in solitude due to indoctrination and deception, or have fabricated to support their leader out of transgression and disbelief. We have tested them and found them to be two groups. One group, like children and the insane, is in ignorance, foolishness, heedlessness, and exaggeration and follows illusions, whims, and confused dreams. They might even consider the cawing of a crow to be a miracle for their leader, just as they considered the smoke that emerged from an Icelandic volcano a miracle for him. The other group, like devils and demons, engages in lies, fraud, temptation, trickery, deception, and every act of misleading. They might even claim to split the moon and bring the dead back to life out of excessive audacity and lack of shame. This is because they do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment, or because they consider lies, fraud, temptation, trickery, deception, and every act of misleading permissible in support of the truth in their supposition, according to the principle that “the end justifies the means!”

As for the miracle their leader has claimed, namely that he knows the location of the grave of Fatimah, peace be upon her, it is clear evidence of his foolishness; because this is something that cannot be tested to determine whether he is telling the truth or lying! Furthermore, the nature of the miracle he has mentioned is clear evidence of his ignorance; because he claims that “all Muslims agree(!) that the grave of Fatimah (peace be upon her) is hidden and no one knows its location except Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him),” while this is not the case; because there are many narrations that explicitly indicate the location of her grave. Therefore, his claim does not differ from some of these narrations. In his supposition, he has revealed that the location of her grave is next to the grave of Hasan ibn Ali, peace be upon them. However, he has done nothing new; because this is what historians and narrators before him have revealed; as ibn Shabah al-Numayri has narrated in Tarikh al-Madinah, from Abu Ghassan, from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il, from Fa’id, the freed slave of Abadal, that Ubaidullah ibn Ali informed him from some of his deceased family members, saying: «أَنَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: ادْفِنُونِي فِي الْمَقْبَرَةِ إِلَى جَنْبِ أُمِّي، فَدُفِنَ فِي الْمَقْبَرَةِ إِلَى جَنْبِ فَاطِمَةَ، مُوَاجِهَ الْخَوْخَةِ الَّتِي فِي دَارِ نُبَيْهِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ»[62]; “Hasan ibn Ali said: ‘Bury me in a grave next to my mother.’ So he was buried in a grave next to Fatimah, facing a palm grove located at the house of Nubayh ibn Wahb.” This is a well-known hadith among narrators and historians that Hasan ibn Ali, peace be upon them, was buried next to his mother Fatimah, peace be upon her[63]. This man’s ignorance of this well-known hadith, to the point of making its repetition his first miracle, is clear evidence of his great ignorance. It is surprising that, despite this great ignorance, he claims to be the most knowledgeable of people, to the point that he has made his alleged superiority in knowledge one of the principles of his proofs! Like Amr ibn Hisham al-Makhzumi, who called himself “Abu al-Hakam,” meaning “father of wisdom,” while he was “Abu Jahl,” meaning “father of ignorance” in the view of Allah, His Messenger, and the believers! ﴿كَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾[64]; “This is how what the extravagant ones are doing has been made fair-seeming to them!”

With this, it becomes clear that there is neither a specification nor a miracle for this man, and it is clear that whoever claims the caliphate from Allah Almighty without a specification or a miracle is a fabricating liar. If it had not been for this, everyone would have claimed it, and the truth would not have been known from falsehood, nor the truthful from the liar. Furthermore, if there is a bewitched person to whom Satan has made it fair-seeming that he has seen a miracle from this man, then he should seek refuge in Allah Almighty from Satan and know that if someone claims something that is not possible according to the intellect or Sharia, and then presents for it something that resembles a miracle, then he is a dajjal. This man claims what is not possible according to Sharia, which is the imamate from Allah Almighty after the twelve Imams, in addition to his claiming what is not possible according to the intellect, such as being a shield for Dawud, peace be upon him, a stone by which Ali, peace be upon him, guided the ark of Nuh, peace be upon him, and other such superstitious and reincarnationist statements. Therefore, if he had a miracle after these claims, the falsity of which is known from the intellect and Sharia, then he would be a dajjal; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: تَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ، قُلْتُ: وَمَا الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ؟ قَالَ: مَنْ يَدَّعِي مَا يُخَالِفُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ، ثُمَّ يُقِيمُ عَلَيْهِ مُعْجِزَةً، فَهُوَ الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ، قُلْتُ: لِمَاذَا يُسَلِّطُهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى إِقَامَةِ الْمُعْجِزَاتِ؟! قَالَ: لِيَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ، وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَقَالَ: لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي، وَقَالَ: الْأَئِمَّةُ بَعْدِي اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَامًا»[65]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘Seek refuge in Allah from the fitnah of the Antichrist!’ I said: ‘Who is the Antichrist?’ He said: ‘One who claims something against the Book of Allah and then performs a miracle for it is the Antichrist!’ I said: ‘Why does Allah enable him to perform miracles?!’ He said: ‘To know that who follows the Prophet and who reverts to his old ways, and the Prophet said: There is no god but Allah, and said: There is no prophet after me, and said: There are twelve Imams after me.’”

Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:

«دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ الصَّالِحِ وَهُوَ فِي مَسْجِدٍ، فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! إِذَا أَتَاكُمْ آتٍ بِمَا أَتَى بِهِ الْمَسِيحُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي إِلَهٌ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ، أَوْ نَبِيٌّ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَوْ إِمَامٌ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْمَهْدِيِّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَلَا تُصَدِّقُوهُ، فَإِنَّهُ الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ! أَلَا هَلْ بَيَّنْتُ؟! أَلَا هَلْ عَلَّمْتُ؟! ﴿أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ﴾[66]»[67]; “I went to the righteous servant (i.e. Mansoor) while he was in a mosque, then I heard him say to people: ‘O people! If someone comes to you with the miracles of Christ, then says, “I am a god other than Allah,” or, “I am a prophet after Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family,” or, “I am an imam after Mahdi, peace be upon him,” do not acknowledge him; because he is the Antichrist! Beware, did I explain?! Beware, did I teach?! Lest on the Day of Judgment you say: We were unaware of this.’”

8. Moreover, among this man’s ignorance is his clinging to the report of Muhammad ibn Sinan, from Yahya, the brother of Udaym, from Walid ibn Sabih, who said: «سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ لَا يَدَّعِيهِ غَيْرُ صَاحِبِهِ إِلَّا بَتَرَ اللَّهُ عُمُرَهُ»[68]; “I heard Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him, say: ‘Indeed, this matter is not claimed by anyone other than its owner, except that Allah will cut short his life,’” with the confirmation that he has claimed it and Allah has not cut short his life! This is an example of their saying: “A drowning person clutches at every straw”; because this report is very weak, considering that Muhammad ibn Sinan is accused in the view of scholars, and Yahya, the brother of Udaym, is unknown and his status is not known. Rather, this report is certainly false; because it contradicts the Book of Allah, while it has been established from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, that they said: «مَا أَتَاكُمْ عَنَّا مِنْ حَدِيثٍ لَا يُصَدِّقُهُ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ»[69]; “Whatever hadith comes to you from us that is not confirmed by the Book of Allah is false.” This is because the Book of Allah has informed about the respite given to wrongdoers, the gradual seizing of them, and the delay of their punishment, explicitly stating that this does not indicate they are on the right path; as it states: ﴿وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا نُمْلِي لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِثْمًا ۚ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ﴾[70]; “And those who disbelieved should not think that Our granting them respite is good for them. We only give them respite so that they may increase in sin. And for them is a humiliating punishment,” and states: ﴿وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الْأَبْصَارُ﴾[71]; “And do not think that Allah is unaware of what wrongdoers do. He only delays (punishing) them until a Day when the eyes will stare,” and states: ﴿وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ لَيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُ ۗ أَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ﴾[72]; “And if We delay their punishment for a limited time, they say: ‘What is holding it back?!’ Know that the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and that which they mocked will befall them,” and states: ﴿وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِمْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ وَلَكِنْ يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ﴾[73]; “And if Allah were to seize people for their wrongdoing, He would not leave on it (Earth) a living creature; but He delays them for an appointed time. So when their time comes, they do not delay for an hour, nor do they advance.” Therefore, He has prohibited being deceived by the respite given to them, the gradual seizing of them, and the delay of their punishment, saying: ﴿لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ ۝ مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ﴾[74]; “The movement of those who disbelieved in the cities should not deceive you. It is but a brief enjoyment, and then their abode will be Hell, which is an evil resting place.” Therefore, this liar should not be deceived by the respite, the gradual seizing, and the delay of punishment that Allah has granted to him; because if He has granted these to him, He has granted them to one worse than him, to Iblis, when he said: ﴿أَنْظِرْنِي إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ۝ قَالَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ﴾[75]; “‘Grant me respite until the Day they are resurrected.’ (Allah) said: ‘Indeed, you are among those granted respite!’” Regardless of the fact that he does not know what Allah will do to him later; perhaps He will afflict him with some of what his hands have earned in the life of the world before the Day of Judgment. Therefore, he should not feel secure from the plan of Allah; as He has said: ﴿أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾[76]; “Do they feel secure from the plan of Allah?! While none feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losers,” and said: ﴿أَفَبِعَذَابِنَا يَسْتَعْجِلُونَ ۝ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ مَتَّعْنَاهُمْ سِنِينَ ۝ ثُمَّ جَاءَهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يُوعَدُونَ ۝ مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يُمَتَّعُونَ﴾[77]; “So do they seek to hasten Our punishment?! Do you think that if we grant them enjoyment for some years, then that which they are promised comes to them, that enjoyment would be of any benefit to them?!”

Not only does the report that he clings to contradict the Book of Allah, but it also contradicts what is perceived and experienced! There have been many liars who claimed the Imamate from Allah, and He did not punish them immediately or cut short their lives, but rather He granted them respite until their natural death! An example of this is Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiani (d. 1326 AH), who claimed it and invited people to himself for nearly 35 years until he died of natural causes, and he used his name “Ahmad” as proof, just as this wretched one does! ﴿كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَابَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ﴾[78]; “Those who were before them said similar words! Their hearts are alike!”

9. Furthermore, among this man’s ignorance is his statement that he is the first to claim by his name and that the first one who claims by his name cannot be a liar. By Allah, this is an absurd statement that no one with the slightest share of knowledge would make; because being the first to claim by his name is itself another claim that requires evidence, as it is highly probable that someone made a claim similar to his in the past, but his story did not reach us due to its obscurity or insignificance to people. Clearly, a claim is not proven by another claim, but rather by evidence! This is the case if it were not known that there has been someone with a similar claim in the past. However, the truth is that the existence of such a person is known; because there is more than one man mentioned in historical and hadith books who claimed to be the Mahdi or other figures mentioned in narrations, using their names Muhammad, Ahmad, and others as proof. Rather, this has been a common and well-known matter among people since the first century; as it has been narrated from Yazid ibn Abi Hazim that he said: «خَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَسَأَلَنِي: هَلْ صَاحَبَكَ أَحَدٌ؟ فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ: أَكُنْتُمْ تَتَكَلَّمُونَ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، صَحِبَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُغِيرِيَّةِ، قَالَ: فَمَا كَانَ يَقُولُ؟ قُلْتُ: كَانَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ هُوَ الْقَائِمُ، وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّ اسْمَهُ اسْمُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَاسْمَ أَبِيهِ اسْمُ أَبِي النَّبِيِّ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فِي الْجَوَابِ: إِنْ كُنْتَ تَأْخُذُ بِالْأَسْمَاءِ فَهُوَ ذَا فِي وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ! فَقَالَ لِي: إِنَّ هَذَا ابْنُ أَمَةٍ -يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ- وَهَذَا ابْنُ مَهِيرَةٍ -يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ! فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: فَمَا رَدَدْتَ عَلَيْهِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: مَا كَانَ عِنْدِي شَيْءٌ أَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَوَ لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ ابْنُ سَبِيَّةٍ؟! يَعْنِي الْقَائِمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ»[79]; “I left Kufa, and when I arrived in Medina, I entered upon Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him, and greeted him. Then he asked me: ‘Did anyone accompany you?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Did you talk with each other?’ I said: ‘Yes. A man from the Mughiriyyah talked with me.’ He said: ‘What did he say?’ I said: ‘He claimed that Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan is the Qa’im, and the evidence of this is that his name is the same as that of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, and the name of his father is the same as that of the Prophet’s father. So I said to him in response: “If you are taking names as evidence, then there is Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ali among the descendants of Husain!” He said to me: “This one is the son of a bondwoman -meaning Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ali-, while this one is the son of a free woman -meaning Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan!”’ Then Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him, said: ‘So what did you reply to him?’ I said: ‘I did not have anything to reply to him.’ Then he said: ‘Do you not know that he is the son of a captive woman?!’ Meaning the Qa’im, peace be upon him.” If anyone who first claims by his name is truthful in this man’s view, then why does he not believe the first person who claimed to be the Mahdi by his name? Is this man’s work right and the that person’s work wrong?!

Moreover, assuming that this man is the first to make such a claim, being the first in any action does not indicate its correctness. Perhaps it is the action of one who “laid the foundation of oppression,” became “the most wretched of the first ones,” and disobeyed the command of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿وَلَا تَكُونُوا أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ﴾[80]; “And do not be the first to disbelieve in it.” Allah Almighty has explained this in His Book and said: ﴿قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَى ۝ قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَى ۝ فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُوسَى ۝ قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعْلَى﴾[81]; “They said: ‘O Musa! Either you throw (first), or we will be the first to throw.’ He said: ‘Rather, you throw.’ Then suddenly, their ropes and staffs appeared to him, by their magic, to be slithering. So Musa felt fear within himself. We said: ‘Fear not! Indeed, you are the uppermost.’” This means that the first one to throw may be false. Allah Almighty has also said: ﴿وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُمْ بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾[82]; “And Lut, when he said to his people: ‘Indeed, you commit an indecency that none in all the world has ever committed before you.’” This means that if an action is not correct in itself, being the first to do it does not make it correct! ﴿انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الْآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انْظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ﴾[83]; “See how We explain the verses to them, then see how they are turned away!” Also, it has been stated in a narration from the Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, that they said: «مَا خَرَجَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حَتَّى خَرَجَ قَبْلَهُ خَمْسُونَ كَذَّابًا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كُلُّهُمْ يَدَّعِي أَنَّهُ مُوسَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ»[84]; “Musa, peace be upon him, did not appear until fifty liars from among the Children of Israel appeared before him, each claiming to be Musa ibn Imran!” This means that Musa ibn Imran, peace be upon him, was not the first Musa ibn Imran to make this claim!

10. With this, it becomes clear to you the extent of this man’s ignorance of the Book and the Sunnah. This is not surprising; because ignorant people like him are many in the market. However, what is truly surprising is that such an ignorant person claims to be the most knowledgeable of people about the Book and the Sunnah, then he delves into his heinous and absurd claim, to the point of making it one of the principles of his proofs. However, knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah, even if it exists and is well-accepted, does not indicate the truthfulness of anyone. How can such a thing be possible?! While Allah Almighty has reproached a people who rejoiced in the knowledge they possessed, saying: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرِحُوا بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ﴾[85]; “Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they rejoiced in what they had with them of knowledge, and that which they mocked befell them,” and He reproached the scholars of the Jews who knew the Torah but did not act upon it, saying: ﴿مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا﴾[86]; “The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not uphold it is that of a donkey carrying a load of books.” He has also mentioned the story of Balaam son of Beor, who was one of the earlier scholars and possessed much knowledge, saying: ﴿وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ الَّذِي آتَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا فَانْسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ ۝ وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ إِنْ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَثْ ۚ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۝ سَاءَ مَثَلًا الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَأَنْفُسَهُمْ كَانُوا يَظْلِمُونَ﴾[87]; “And recite to them the news of the one to whom We gave Our signs, then he detached himself from them. So Satan followed him, and he became one of the misguided. And Had We willed, We would have elevated him with them, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires. So his example is that of a dog; if you attack it, it pants, and if you leave it, it pants! This is the example of the people who rejected Our signs. So relate these stories so that they may reflect. Evil is the example of the people who denied Our signs and wronged themselves.” Is there not a lesson in this for the people of understanding so that they are not deceived by the knowledge of scholars if they say or do something that contradicts the intellect and Sharia?! It has been stated in a narration from the Ahl al-Bayt about knowing the owner of this matter that they said: «فَأَمَّا الْمَسَائِلُ فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا حُجَّةٌ»[88]; “As for (answering) questions, there is no proof in it.” This also explicitly states that knowledge does not indicate the truthfulness of one who claims this matter. We wonder, what is the creed of the followers of this liar, and by what do they practice their religion?! We have explained that everything from the Quran, the Sunnah, and the intellect indicates the misguidance of their leader, whether they are people of the Quran, people of the Sunnah, or people of the intellect! Yes, they are not people of any of these three, but rather people of desires. Therefore, they do not benefit from verses, hadiths, or the intellect, no matter how clear their indication may be, and they are playing in their vain discourse! ﴿أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ﴾[89]; “They are those whose hearts, ears, and eyes Allah has sealed. And they are the heedless!”

11. As for the incorrectness of this man’s claim that he is “the very stone in the hands of Ali ibn Abi Talib that he threw to save Nuh’s ark. He used it another time to save Ibrahim from the fire of Nimrod, and another time to rescue Yunus from the belly of the whale. He spoke to Musa through it, made it into a staff to split the sea and into a shield for Dawud, the same shield he used on the day of Uhud and held in his hand in Siffin,” and that he was the one who was crucified in place of Isa, peace be upon him, because of his resemblance to him, and other such ridiculous nonsense, it does not need to be stated; because these superstitious claims are based on the belief in reincarnation, the incorrectness of which has been explained in the books of scholars, and there is no need to repeat it. It is self-evident that this wicked man was not in the time of Nuh, Ibrahim, Yunus, Musa, Dawud, or Isa, peace be upon them, neither in the form of a stone, nor in the form of a staff, nor in the form of a shield, nor in the form of anything else, so that it would be possible for him to have saved and protected them. Rather, at the beginning of his creation, he was «نُطْفَةً مَشْؤُومَةً»; “an ominous sperm-drop”; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَصَا مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَدِرْعَ دَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقَالَ: كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ، مَا كَانَ إِلَّا نُطْفَةً مَشْؤُومَةً! ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَنْ آمَنَ بِالتَّنَاسُخِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ»; “I said to Mansoor: ‘A man from Basra claims that he has been the staff of Musa, peace be upon him, and the shield of Dawud, peace be upon him!’ So he said: ‘He has lied, the enemy of Allah. He has been nothing but an ominous sperm-drop!’ Then he said: ‘Whoever believes in reincarnation has disbelieved in Allah, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of Judgment!’”

Clearly, Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, was also not in the time of the earlier Prophets to save and protect them through this wicked man. Rather, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, who is better than Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him, was not in their time; as Allah Almighty has explicitly informed about this and said: ﴿وَمَا كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَامَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ﴾[90]; “And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be Maryam’s guardian, nor were you with them when they disputed (with one another),” and said: ﴿وَمَا كُنْتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ﴾[91]; “And you were not with them (in the time of Yusuf) when they arranged their plan and were plotting,” and said: ﴿وَمَا كُنْتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنْتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ ۝ وَلَكِنَّا أَنْشَأْنَا قُرُونًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُ ۚ وَمَا كُنْتَ ثَاوِيًا فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِنَا وَلَكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ﴾[92]; “And you were not on the western side (of Mount Sinai) when We decreed the command to Musa, nor were you among the witnesses. But We raised generations, then lifetime became prolonged for them. And you were not a dweller among the people of Madyan to recite Our verses to them, but rather We sent (other Messengers).” How great is the slander of this dajjal against Ali ibn Abi Talib and the Prophets! Likewise, against the Mahdi; because this wicked man claims that the Mahdi is the one who has ordered him to say these falsehoods, while it is far from the Mahdi to order saying something that the intellect and Sharia deny. Rather, Satan has ordered and tempted him; as the righteous servant, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may Allah Almighty protect him, informed of this when he was asked about this dajjal, saying: «لَهُ شَيْطَانٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمُتَكَوِّنُ، يَأْتِيهِ وَأَصْحَابَهُ فِي كُلِّ صُورَةٍ فَيُغْوِيهِمْ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا يَأْتِيهِمْ فِي صُورَةِ الْمَهْدِيِّ»[93]; “He has a Satan called Mutakawwin. He comes to him and his companions with every face and deceives them, except that he does not come to them with the Mahdi’s face!”

It should be noted that these reincarnationist claims have always been prevalent among the Ghulat and dajjals, may Allah curse them; as al-Hallaj (d. 309 AH) said: «أَنَا مُغْرِقُ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَمُهْلِكُ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ»[94]; “I am the one who drowned the people of Nuh and destroyed Aad and Thamud!” This liar has another habit that is also prevalent among them, which is calling his helpers by the names of the Prophets. He says to one of them: “Nuh al-Ansar,” and to another: “Hud al-Ansar,” and to another: “Shu‘ayb al-Ansar,” and so on. It has been narrated that al-Hallaj also did the same; he said to one of his companions: “You are Nuh,” and to another: “You are Musa,” and to another: “You are Muhammad!”[95] As one of the Shia Ghulat has narrated about the virtues of their devil Abu al-Khattab al-Asadi, may Allah curse him, saying: «أَدْخَلَنَا عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَنَحْنُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلًا، فَجَعَلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا وَيُسَمِّي كُلَّ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا بِاسْمِ نَبِيٍّ، وَقَالَ لِبَعْضِنَا: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا نُوحُ! وَقَالَ لِبَعْضِنَا: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ! وَكَانَ آخِرُ مَنْ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا يُونُسُ»[96]; “(Abu al-Khattab) brought us into the presence of Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq), peace be upon him, while we were twelve men. Then Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him, began greeting each of us individually and calling each of us by the name of a Prophet. And he said to one of us: ‘Peace be upon you, O Nuh!’ And he said to one of us: ‘Peace be upon you, O Ibrahim!’ And he said to the last one he greeted: ‘Peace be upon you, O Yunus!’” This is an example of the words of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَابَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ﴾[97]; “Those who were before them said similar words! Their hearts are alike,” and said: ﴿أَتَوَاصَوْا بِهِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ طَاغُونَ﴾[98]; “Did they recommend it to one another? (No!) Rather, they were a transgressing people.” It is surprising that the helpers of this extremist also call him “one who resembles Isa, peace be upon him,” meaning in his appearance. Thus, they reveal how great their foolishness is; because they have neither seen Isa, peace be upon him, nor their leader to be able to know of any resemblance. They say that without knowledge, imitating their leader; because this wicked man claims to be so, to the extent that the Jews crucified him instead of Isa, peace be upon him, because of his resemblance to him! ﴿انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَى بِهِ إِثْمًا مُبِينًا﴾[99]; “See how they fabricate lies against Allah, and this is sufficient as a manifest sin!”

12. As for the reprehensible statements of this man, they are too numerous to count. Most of his writings are esoteric exegesis of the verses of the Quran or random interpretations of weak reports. These are the things that his foolish followers consider to be superior knowledge because of their strangeness and oddity, while they are merely meaningless ravings in the view of scholars. You have already mentioned some of them; such as his statement that “he is the reality of Hajar al-Aswad,” and his statement that “the family of Muhammad is Musa and Haman, and they are Ibrahim and Nimrod, and they are the fire of Ibrahim,” and his statement that “when Ibrahim, peace be upon him, was shown the kingdom of the heavens and saw the light of the Qa’im, peace be upon him, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ Then when he saw the light of Ali, peace be upon him, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ Then when he saw the light of Muhammad, he said: ‘This is my Lord,’” and his statement that Yunus, peace be upon him, in fact, “his body was thrown out into the open, and his soul will remain in the layers of Hell until the Day of Resurrection,” and other such statements that the intellect and Sharia necessarily deny. Therefore, there is no need for further explanation.

With what we said, it becomes clear to you the extent of this man’s ignorance and misguidance in his claims, proofs, and statements, as well as the extent of the foolishness of those who follow him without knowledge, guidance, or an enlightening book. ﴿صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ﴾[100]; “They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will not return!” The turmoil caused by these people does not frighten or worry us, even though its fire has flared up in recent years due to some devilish acts by the Iranian government and its minions, following an increase in ignorance, sin, and the consumption of unlawful wealth among people; because their falsity is a sufficient reason for them to vanish, sooner or later, even if they plot their scheme and ﴿كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ﴾[101]; “their scheme is such that thereby mountains should be removed,” according to the promise of Allah Almighty in His Book, where He has said: ﴿إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا﴾[102]; “Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.” However, what saddens and angers us is that one who has a share of knowledge engages in mentioning, approaching, and debating with these people and gives them a platform without responding to them correctly or sufficiently; because this has deceived them and obscured the matter to them, to the point that they have claimed to have a valid ground, and has enabled them to spread their lies. Similarly, it has suggested to one who has no insight in religion or is unaware of their false beliefs that they have a share of the truth, leading him to help them in sin and transgression, while Allah Almighty has prohibited this and said: ﴿وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾[103]; “And do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.” Also, He has prohibited the spreading of indecency among believers and said: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾[104]; “Indeed, those who like that indecency should spread among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows, while you do not know.” There is no doubt that “indecency” includes abhorrent beliefs, just as it includes abhorrent deeds. Therefore, it is not permissible to delve into beliefs that contradict Islamic certainties and the commonalities of Muslims, and to give space to the people of illusions and superstitions under the pretext of scholarly dialogue, freedom of expression, or anything else; because it is a spreading of indecency and help in sin and transgression. In addition, it contradicts Allah Almighty’s command to turn away from the people of ignorance and sophistry; as He has said: ﴿وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ﴾[105]; “And turn away from the ignorant,” and said: ﴿وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ وَإِمَّا يُنْسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَى مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾[106]; “And whenever you see those who delve into Our verses, turn away from them until they delve into another topic. And if Satan makes you forget, then after remembering, do not sit with wrongdoers.” Also, it has been narrated from Ali, peace be upon him, that he said: «دَعِ الْمُمَارَاةَ وَمُجَارَاةَ مَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ وَلَا عِلْمَ»[107]; “Avoid disputing and arguing with one who has no intellect or knowledge.” This is like what happened with the Baha’i faith; it was the madness of a man in his house, and none were harmed by it except for those who associated with him. Then those who had power and knowledge made it famous by mentioning it frequently until it became a recognized religion in the world, supported by disbelievers and hypocrites! This is a calamity that has befallen those who lack insight in knowledge. However, the greater calamity is that those who engage in responding to this dajjal are themselves followers of another dajjal who claims absolute guardianship from Allah Almighty or other unfounded claims; like those to whom Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ﴾[108]; “Do you enjoin righteousness upon people and forget yourselves?!” Therefore, you see them mentioning this dajjal while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, but they rarely mention the righteous servant, Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may Allah Almighty protect him. Rather, they strive to conceal his mention and extinguish his light, for no reason except that he also opposes their dajjal! It is strange that they sometimes mention this righteous servant alongside this dajjal to obscure his matter to people and make them believe that they are equal, while they know that he is a great scholar who speaks nothing but the truth, does not contradict the intellect or Sharia in anything, and does not claim for himself anything, little or much, of what this dajjal and his like claim. He only invites to Imam Mahdi, peace be upon him, prepares the ground for his advent without any superstition or reprehensible statement, and clarifies the pure religion, relying on clear proofs and scholarly evidence from the apparent meaning of the Quran, the mutawatir Sunnah, and the sound intellect. He is concerned with reforming people and purifying them through good advice and healing exhortation, without being biased toward any sect or leaning toward any government. There is nothing they denounce him for except his views that ahad reports have no authority, imitating anyone other than the infallible is not permissible, absolute guardianship of the Islamic jurist is not possible, the Ahl al-Bayt did not possess knowledge of the unseen, and similar views that some of their great scholars have also held. Therefore, comparing him to this dajjal or anyone else from among the cursed slanderers is only possible through profound ignorance or great injustice; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَفَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ كَمَنْ بَاءَ بِسَخَطٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ﴾[109]; “Is he who has followed the pleasure of Allah like him who has incurred His wrath and whose abode is Hell?! And it is an evil destination,” and said: ﴿أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ﴾[110]; “Is he who is on clear proof from his Lord like those whose evil deeds have been made fair-seeming to them, and who have followed their desires?!” and said: ﴿قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ﴾[111]; “Say: ‘Are those who have knowledge equal to those who do not have knowledge?! Only the wise will take heed,’” and said: ﴿مَثَلُ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَالْأَعْمَى وَالْأَصَمِّ وَالْبَصِيرِ وَالسَّمِيعِ ۚ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾[112]; “The example of the two parties is that of the blind and the deaf, and the seeing and the hearing. Are they equal when compared?! Will you not then take heed?!” and said: ﴿وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ ۝ وَلَا الظُّلُمَاتُ وَلَا النُّورُ ۝ وَلَا الظِّلُّ وَلَا الْحَرُورُ ۝ وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَحْيَاءُ وَلَا الْأَمْوَاتُ﴾[113]; “And the blind and the seeing are not equal, nor are the darknesses and the light, nor are the shade and the heat. And the living and the dead are not equal,” and said: ﴿وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَلَا الْمُسِيءُ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ﴾[114]; “The blind and the seeing are not equal, nor are those who believed and did righteous deeds and the evildoers! Little do you take heed!” Undoubtedly, comparing a diamond to glass neither diminishes the value of the diamond nor increases the value of the glass. It only reveals the foolishness of the comparer. Similarly, they buried Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon him, that pious Imam, next to Harun al-Rashid, that stubborn tyrant. The poet then said:

قَبْرَانِ فِي طُوسَ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ كُلِّهِمْ ... وَقَبْرُ شَرِّهِمْ، هَذَا مِنَ الْعِبَرِ

مَا يُنْفَعُ الرِّجْسُ مِنْ قُرْبِ الزَّكِيِّ وَلَا ... عَلَى الزَّكِيِّ بِقُرْبِ الرِّجْسِ مِنْ ضَرَرٍ

هَيْهَاتَ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ رَهْنٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ... لَهُ يَدَاهُ فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ أَوْ فَذَرْ[115];

“Two graves are in Tus, one holds the best of all people … and the other holds the worst of them. This is a lesson:

The Impure does not benefit from being near the pure … nor does the pure suffer harm from being near the impure.

How far! Every person is held in pledge for what his hands have earned … Now, do what you wish, or leave it.”

What we said is sufficient for whoever has intellect and fears Allah and the Day of Judgement, ﴿وَمَا تُغْنِي الْآيَاتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَنْ قَوْمٍ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾[116]; “but signs and warnings do not benefit a people who do not believe.”