What are the principles of religion according to Allamah Mansoor ? Is the belief that the Imamate is from Allah one of the principles of religion in his view, like the belief in the Oneness of Allah, Prophethood, and the Day of Resurrection?
The principle of religion is bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets; as it is proven that he said: «أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، فَإِذَا شَهِدُوهَا فَقَدْ عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَّا بِحَقِّهَا، وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ»[1]; “I have been commanded to fight people until they bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they bear witness to that, then their blood and wealth are protected from me, except (in cases dictated) by the truth, and their reckoning lies with Allah.” Whoever bears witness to this is a Muslim unless he denies something that is clearly stated in the Quran, such as the existence of the Resurrection, Heaven, Hell, the Angels, the Prophets, the obligation to obey the Messenger, the obligation of prayer, Zakat, fasting, and Hajj, the prohibition of carrion, spilled blood, pork, and what has been offered to other than Allah, the prohibition of fornication, sodomy, drinking wine, and other major sins. If he denies any of these things, he is a disbeliever; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الْكَافِرُونَ﴾[2]; “And no one denies Our signs except for disbelievers,” except that he is considered a hypocrite as long as he bears witness to the Two Testimonies.
Yes, the meaning of «لا إله إلّا اللّه»; “There is no god but Allah” is that Allah is One and has no partner in creation, legislation, or sovereignty. Therefore, whoever bears witness to this while not understanding its meaning is a Muslim but not a believer, similar to the Bedouins; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا ۖ قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ﴾[3]; “The Bedouins said: ‘We believed.’ Say: ‘You did not believe; but say: We converted to Islam, for faith has not yet entered your hearts.’” This is the case with most Muslims; because they bear witness that there is no god but Allah, then they call upon other than Allah to fulfill their needs, or they take guardians who legislate for them what Allah has not permitted, or they pledge allegiance to rulers whom Allah has not commanded them to pledge allegiance to, while they do not know that this contradicts their testimony, for they do not ponder on the Quran; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا﴾[4]; “Do they not ponder on the Quran, or are there locks on the hearts?!” Therefore, they are misguided Muslims until it is made clear to them. Once it is made clear to them, then whoever of them denies it is a disbelieving hypocrite; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿فَإِنْ زَلَلْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْكُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾[5]; “If you slip after clear proof has come to you, then know that Allah is Mighty, the Wise,” and said: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ مَا يَتَّقُونَ﴾[6]; “And Allah never considers a people deviant after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they must avoid (and they do not avoid it),” which means disbelief after faith. This is what Allamah Mansoor has explained in a manner that leaves no excuse for whoever hears it; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ وَحَّدَ اللَّهَ فِي الْخَلْقِ وَالرَّزْقِ وَتَدْبِيرِ الْعَالَمِ وَشَهِدَ أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ فَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ حَتَّى يُقِرَّ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ وَاحِدٌ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ فِي الْحُكْمِ وَالْمُلْكِ، لَا يُصْدِرُ حُكْمًا وَلَا يَبْعَثُ مَلِكًا إِلَّا هُوَ، فَإِنْ جَهِلَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ ضَالٌّ، وَإِنْ جَحَدَهُ فَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ.»[7]; “I heard Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani say: ‘Whoever considers Allah to be One in the creation, provision of sustenance, and management and bears witness that the Prophet is true, he is a Muslim but not a believer until he acknowledges that Allah is also One in judgment and dominion and has no partner, (in the sense that) none but He makes a ruling or sends a ruler, so if he does not know this, he is misguided, and if he denies it, he is a polytheist.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ أَقَرَّ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ خَالِقُهُ وَرَازِقُهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ، وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ حَتَّى يُقِرَّ بِأَنَّ الْحَرَامَ مَا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ، لَا حَرَامَ غَيْرُهُ، وَأَنَّ الْإِمَامَ مَنْ جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِمَامًا، لَا إِمَامَ غَيْرُهُ، فَإِنْ جَهِلَهُمَا فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا، وَإِنْ دُعِيَ إِلَيْهِمَا ثُمَّ أَنْكَرَهُمَا فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ.»[8]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘Whoever acknowledges that Allah is his Creator and Provider (of sustenance) and Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet and the last of the Prophets, he has embraced Islam, but he will not believe until he acknowledges that forbidden is what Allah has made forbidden and there is no forbidden other than it, and the Imam is one whom Allah has appointed as Imam and there is no Imam other than him, so if he does not know these two, he has gone far astray, and if he is invited toward those two and then denies them, he has become a polytheist.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: مَنْ شَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارَ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهَا، وَأَنَّ الصَّلَاةَ وَالزَّكَاةَ وَالصَّوْمَ وَالْحَجَّ وَالْجِهَادَ فَرِيضَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ، فَهُوَ مُسْلِمٌ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَلَكِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ حَتَّى يَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا حُكْمَ إِلَّا مَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ، وَلَا حَاكِمَ إِلَّا مَنِ اخْتَارَهُ اللَّهُ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ أَوْ وَصِيَّةٍ مِنْ رَسُولِهِ، فَإِنْ جَهِلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ وَخَسِرَ، وَإِنْ أُلْقِيَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَبَى فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَيْءٍ، وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ.»[9]; “Mansoor said: ‘Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is His servant and Prophet, Heaven is true, Hell is true, the Day of Judgment will come and there is no doubt in it, and prayer, Zakat, fasting, Hajj, and jihad are divine obligations, he is a Muslim and his life and wealth are protected except (in cases dictated) by the truth, but he is not a believer until he bears witness that there is no ruling other than what Allah has sent down and there is no ruler other than the one whom Allah has chosen through a miracle from Himself or a will from His Prophet, so if he does not know this, he has gone astray and incurred loss, and if he is informed about it and refuses (to accept) it, then he has nothing to do with Allah, and they are indeed disbelievers.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَمَّنْ مَاتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِبْلَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَمْ يُبَيَّنْ لَهُ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي الْحُكْمِ وَالْمُلْكِ فَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ، إِنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ وَإِنْ شَاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَتَاهُ الْبَيَانُ جَاحِدًا أَوْ شَاكًّا أُدْخِلَ النَّارَ خَالِدًا فِيهَا، وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهُ عَدْلٌ وَلَا تَنْفَعُهُ شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ، قُلْتُ: أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ! وَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمَا؟ قَالَ: أَنْزَلَ أَنَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ يُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ، مَا كَانَ لِلنَّاسِ الْخِيَرَةُ فِي حُكْمٍ وَلَا مُلْكٍ، ﴿سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾[10].»[11]; “I asked Mansoor about some of the people of Qiblah who passed away before entering this affair[12], so he said: ‘Whoever of them passed away while what Allah has sent down about judgment and dominion was not explained to him, his affair rests with Allah, if He wills, He punishes him, and if He wills, He forgives him, and whoever passed away after the declaration was brought to him while he was a denier or doubted, he has gone to Hell and will remain there forever, and no compensation is accepted from him, nor does intercession benefit him, and they will not be helped.’ I said: ‘May Allah set your affairs straight! What has Allah sent down about those two (i.e. judgment and dominion)?’ He said: ‘He has sent down that He alone shall judge and none shall violate his ruling, and He gives the dominion to whomever He wills, people have no choice in judgment or dominion, ‘Glorified and Exalted is Allah above what they associate with Him.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: إِنِّي لَأَرَى فِي النَّاسِ مَنْ يَخْشَى اللَّهَ وَيَرْغَبُ فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْرِفُ خَلِيفَةَ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ، أَوْ يَعْرِفُهُ وَلَا يَرَى مَا نَرَى مِنَ التَّمْهِيدِ لِحُكْمِهِ، فَاسْتَوَى الْمَنْصُورُ جَالِسًا بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ مُتَّكِئًا، فَقَالَ: اعْلَمْ يَا فُلَانُ! لَوْ أَنَّ عَبْدًا عَمَرَ مَا عَمَرَ نُوحٌ فِي قَوْمِهِ، يَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ وَيَصُومُ النَّهَارَ، ثُمَّ ذُبِحَ مَظْلُومًا كَمَا يُذْبَحُ الْكَبَشُ، وَلَمْ يُحَكِّمْ خَلِيفَةَ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ، فَلَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ، وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ لِخَلِيفَتِهِ: ﴿فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ﴾[13]، قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، أَهُوَ كَافِرٌ؟ قَالَ: لَيْسَ بِكَافِرٍ حَتَّى يَجْحَدَ، قُلْتُ: فَمَا الْجُحُودُ؟ قَالَ: هُوَ أَنْ يُنْكِرَ بَعْدَ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ، قُلْتُ: فَإِنْ جَحَدَ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، كَافِرٌ مُشْرِكٌ.»[14]; “I said to Mansoor: ‘Sometimes I see among people one who fears Allah and desires to do every good, except that he does not know Allah’s Caliph on the earth, or he knows him but does not believe in what we believe about preparing the ground for his advent.’ So Mansoor sat up straight while he was reclining earlier, then he said: ‘Know this, O Hashim! If a servant lives as long as Nuh lived among his people while he performs prayer nights, fasts on days, and then is slaughtered unjustly as a sheep is slaughtered, but does not make Allah’s Caliph on the earth the ruler, he is not a believer, and this is the words of Allah that has said to His Caliph: “No, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you the ruler.”’ I said: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, is such a person a disbeliever?’ He said: ‘He is not a disbeliever until he makes a denial.’ I said: ‘What is it to make a denial?’ He said: ‘For him to deny after it was explained to him.’ I said: ‘So if he makes a denial, is he a disbeliever?’ He said: ‘Yes, a polytheist disbeliever.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّمَا يَسْتَقْبِلُ هَذِهِ الْقِبْلَةَ ثَلَاثَةٌ: مَنْ سَمِعَ دَعْوَتِي إِلَى تَوْحِيدِ اللَّهِ فِي الشَّرْعِ وَالْمُلْكِ فَأَجَابَهَا وَاجْتَنَبَ الْجِبْتَ وَالطَّاغُوتَ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَمَنْ سَمِعَهَا فَلَمْ يُجِبْهَا فَهُوَ مُنَافِقٌ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ مُسْلِمٌ ضَالٌّ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَهَا أَوْ يَقْبِضَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، قُلْتُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، أَلَيْسَ هَذَا مُسْتَضْعَفًا؟ قَالَ: إِنْ أَخْلَدَ فِي الْجِبَالِ وَالْأَوْدِيَةِ فَهُوَ مُسْتَضْعَفٌ، وَإِنْ دَخَلَ السُّوقَ وَجَالَسَ النَّاسَ وَأَحَسَّ الْإِخْتِلَافَ فَلَيْسَ بِمُسْتَضْعَفٍ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ صَوْتَهُ فَنَادَى: أَلَا إِنَّ دَعْوَتِي هَذِهِ لَبَيَانٌ، فَلَا تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ رَبَّنَا لَمْ يَأْتِنَا بَيَانٌ.»[15]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘Indeed, those who face this Qiblah are three: one who has heard and accepted my invitation toward the Oneness of Allah in legislation and dominion and turned away from ungodly lawmakers and rulers, so he is a believer, and one who has heard it but not accepted it, so he is a hypocrite, and one who has not heard it, nor is he aware of this (fact), so he is a misguided Muslim until he hears it or dies.’ I said: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, is he not a deprived person?’ He said: ‘If he always lives in the mountains and valleys, he is a deprived person, but if he comes to the markets and associates with people and notices disagreements, he is not a deprived person.’ Then he raised his voice and called out: ‘Be aware that my invitation is indeed a declaration, so do not say on the Day of Judgment, “O Lord! No declarations were brought to us”!’”
It is hereby understood that knowing the fact that the Caliphate is from Allah is one of the principles of faith, and those who bear witness to the Two Testimonies are classified into four categories by it:
1. A category for whom it has not become clear that Allah has a Caliph on the earth whom they must obey. They are Muslims, but they are in great error.
2. A category for whom it has become clear that Allah has a Caliph on the earth whom they must obey, but they have denied it. They are hypocrites and have nothing to do with Islam; such as those to whom the invitation of Allamah Mansoor has reached, but they have not answered it.
3. A category for whom it has become clear that Allah has a Caliph on the earth whom they must obey, and they have acknowledged it, but they do not know who he is. They are classified into three categories:
3-1. A category for whom it has not become clear that he is the eldest and just one from the offspring of Ibrahim and the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad
. They are Muslims, but they are in great error, though less severe than the error of the first category.
3.2. A category for whom this has become clear, but they have denied it. They are hypocrites and have nothing to do with Islam; such as those to whom the invitation of Allamah Mansoor has reached, but they have not answered it.
3-3. A category for whom this has become clear, and they have acknowledged it. They are Muslims, but they are in error which is not great; because the Quran has not explicitly stated the name of the Caliph and has only indicated that he is the eldest and just one from the offspring of Ibrahim and the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad
.
4. A category for whom it has become clear that Allah has a Caliph on the earth whom they must obey, and they have acknowledged it and know who he is. They ﴿هُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَهُدُوا إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْحَمِيدِ﴾[16]; “have been guided to the pure saying and have been guided to the praiseworthy path”; such as those to whom the invitation of Allamah Mansoor has reached, and they have answered it. ﴿أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ﴾[17]; “They are the truthful, and they are the pious.”
For more information on this, refer to “Three sayings from His Eminence about the fact that the guardianship only belongs to Allah and approaching it is not permissible except for the person whom Allah has allowed him,” “Twelve significantly important sayings from His Eminence in explaining polytheism, monotheism, Islam, and faith,” “Ten sayings from His Eminence about putting the Ahl al-Bayt first and stating that putting them first is not rafd, but rafd is charging the Sahabah with disbelief or reviling them,” “Eight sayings from His Eminence about the fact that guardianship is for Mahdi alone, and it is not permissible to take guardians other than him, rather it is considered polytheism,” and “Three sayings from His Eminence about people who deny Mahdi before and after his advent.”