What is the role and duty of scholars in the opinion of Allamah Mansoor Hashimi Khorasani? Does he believe that Muslim scholars do not have any specific role or duty, considering that he does not consider imitating them sufficient?!
Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani himself is one of the Muslim scholars, and accordingly, he believes that they have the same role and duty that he has, which is to make preparations for the establishment of the pure and perfect Islam in the world through the establishment and maintenance of the government of Allah’s Caliph on the Earth in a way that he has explained in the book Return to Islam. Therefore, he believes that the duty of Muslim scholars is to invite people toward Allah’s Caliph on the Earth rather than invite them toward themselves, and to establish and maintain his government rather than establish and maintain their own government; because this work is possible if Muslims fulfill the prerequisites for it, which are the same prerequisites for the establishment and maintenance of other governments.
It is hereby understood that the claim made by some Muslim scholars in countries such as Iran regarding absolute religious guardianship is invalid and has no basis in the intellect or Sharia; because the intellect and Sharia do not permit unconditional and unrestrained obedience to a fallible person, even if he is a great scholar, nor do they invite toward his government in any way, but rather they invite only toward the government of one whom Allah has removed any impurity from and made completely pure, and He has made his government possible in every time; because he always exists on the Earth, as implied by His words, where He has said: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾[1]; “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a Caliph on the Earth,” and his existence on the Earth necessitates the possibility of his government if people want it and make preparations for it. Therefore, it is not correct to say that his government is not possible in this time so that it would become a basis for the legitimacy of the government of those others than him in it. In other words, the impossibility of his government in this time is a consequential matter that has arisen from people’s interest in establishing and maintaining other governments instead of establishing and maintaining his government, and therefore, it will disappear with its disappearance, and clearly, it cannot disappear by establishing and maintaining other governments; because they necessitate circularity and contradiction, which are impossible. Moreover, the government of Allah’s Caliph on the Earth does not differ from other governments in that it is a government. Therefore, if establishing and maintaining other governments are possible, then establishing and maintaining his government are also possible, and if establishing and maintaining his government are possible, then there is no need to establish and maintain other governments. This signifies that there is no legitimacy for other governments, regardless of their names and goals, and their owners have no way but to withdraw from power and hand it over to Allah’s Caliph on the Earth in their time, and he is the Mahdi whom the Messenger of Allah proclaimed the glad tidings about. Undoubtedly, if they show their interest in this matter seriously and genuinely and hand power over to him without hesitation, as the Ansar did with the Messenger of Allah
in the Second Pledge of Aqaba when they pledged to protect him against anything they would protect themselves and their families against[2], not out of pretense and deception, as Ma’mun al-Abbasi did with Ali ibn Musa al-Rida when he offered him the Caliphate as a trick and test[3], then he will accept it from them and undertake the rule over them, as Ali ibn Abi Talib did after the killing of Uthman when people flocked to him from all sides, to the extent Hasan and Husain were stepped on and the edge of his clothes were torn[4]. Then he will fill the Earth with justice and equity as it has been filled with oppression and cruelty, as promised by the Messenger of Allah
in mutawatir reports. However, the reality is that so far, there has not been a Muslim ruler who would have belief and interest in this matter. They see the government as their eternal right, spare no effort in maintaining their authority, and oppose whoever disputes with them about it, even if it is the Mahdi! Therefore, even the rulers of Iran, who make an outward display of being Shia and claim that they believe in the Mahdi, have stood against Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani who invites them toward the Mahdi’s government, and they do not hide their hatred and hostility toward him!
For this reason, it is obligatory for Muslim scholars to leave the ranks of these rulers and their supporters and join the ranks of the preparers of the ground for the Mahdi’s government, patiently enduring whatever they may suffer because of it in the life of the world. They should not be like the scholars of the past nations whom Allah Almighty has reproached in His Book, where He has said: ﴿لَوْلَا يَنْهَاهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِمُ الْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ﴾[5]; “Why do priests and scholars not prohibit them from wrong beliefs and their eating forbidden things?! Indeed, what they used to do was evil,” and said: ﴿اشْتَرَوْا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾[6]; “They sell the verses of Allah for a small price and prevent (people) from His way. Evil is what they do.” Based on this, any scholar who orders Muslims to pledge allegiance to the Mahdi and prohibits them from pledging allegiance to anyone else is fulfilling his Islamic duty, and Muslims must answer his invitation and help him in this work. However, any scholar who does not order Muslims to pledge allegiance to the Mahdi and does not prohibit them from pledging allegiance to others is not fulfilling his Islamic duty, and Muslims must beware of him; as it has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah that he clarified this matter and said: «الْعُلَمَاءُ أُمَنَاءُ الرُّسُلِ مَا لَمْ يُخَالِطُوا السُّلْطَانَ وَلَمْ يَدْخُلُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَإِذَا خَالَطُوا السُّلْطَانَ وَدَخَلُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا، فَقَدْ خَانُوا الرُّسُلَ، فَاعْتَزِلُوهُمْ وَاحْذَرُوهُمْ»; “Scholars are the trustees of the Messengers as long as they do not mix with rulers and do not enter into worldly affairs, but if they mix with rulers and enter into worldly affairs, then they have betrayed the Messengers, so part ways with them and beware of them,” and it has been said in another narration: «الْفُقَهَاءُ أُمَنَاءُ الرُّسُلِ مَا لَمْ يَدْخُلُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا، قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! وَمَا دُخُولُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا؟ قَالَ: اتِّبَاعُ السُّلْطَانِ، فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ»; “‘Jurists are the trustees of the Messengers as long as they do not enter into worldly affairs.’ It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What is meant by entering into worldly affairs?’ He said: ‘Following rulers. So if they do so, beware of them concerning your religion.’”[7]
Moreover, Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani believes that scholars are not sources of imitation (maraji‘ al-taqlid) for Muslims, and it is not permissible to follow their fatwas without knowledge of their evidence; as it is not permissible to do so if their evidence does not lead to knowledge, such as ahad reports or the claim of consensus. Therefore, it is obligatory for Muslims to demand evidence from scholars for their fatwas, and it is also obligatory for scholars to inform them of the evidence for their fatwas in detail. For example, they should say that the evidence for their fatwa is a verse of the Quran, a mutawatir Hadith, or direct hearing from Allah’s Caliph on the Earth if it is not impossible. In this case, it is permissible for Muslims to follow their fatwas; because it is not considered imitation, but rather it is following their certain evidence and, in fact, considered as following the Quran and the Sunnah. However, if scholars do not inform them of the evidence for their fatwas in detail or if their evidence does not lead to knowledge, such as ahad reports or the claim of consensus, then acting on their fatwas is not sufficient. Rather, it is obligatory to search for certain evidence, then exercise caution if possible, and then stop until reaching Allah’s Caliph on the Earth becomes possible; as stated in a narration from the Ahl al-Bayt: «إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَأَرْجِهْ حَتَّى تَلْقَى إِمَامَكَ، فَإِنَّ الْوُقُوفَ عِنْدَ الشُّبُهَاتِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْإِقْتِحَامِ فِي الْهَلَكَاتِ»[8]; “If that is the case, it must be suspended until you meet your Imam, for stopping at the time of doubts is better than rushing into destruction,” and of course, it is obligatory to make preparations for reaching Allah’s Caliph on the Earth as quickly as possible, just as it is obligatory to make preparations for reaching the Sacred Mosque for those obligated to perform Hajj. This is the reality that Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani calls for in a loud voice; perhaps those with attentive ears in the East and the West will hear it and perhaps be guided.