The claim that the Prophet and his Caliphs appointed some men in lands so that people would take their religion from them is not true; because they did not appoint representatives for this purpose, but only for performing prayer, collecting Zakat and tax, repelling the enemy, and carrying out the orders, and therefore, some of them were not knowledgeable about religion, and some of them committed betrayal, thus being reprimanded and dismissed, and people were required to obey them in civil and military affairs and not follow them in anything that was not right; as it has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah sent a group on a mission and appointed a man from the Ansar as their leader and then commanded them to listen to and obey him. They then angered him in some way. So he said: “Gather firewood for me,” and they did so. Then he said: “Light a fire,” and they did so. Then he said: “Did the Messenger of Allah not command you to listen to and obey me?!” They said: “He did.” He said: “Then enter the fire!” At this moment, they looked at each other and then said: “We have sought refuge with the Messenger of Allah from the fire!” Then they were in this state until his anger subsided and the fire went out. When they returned, they reported it to the Prophet . So he said: «لَوْ دَخَلُوهَا مَا خَرَجُوا مِنْهَا، إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ»[1]; “If they had entered the fire, they would not have come out of it! Obedience is only in what is right!” Therefore, the representatives did not have the power to mislead people, especially considering that they worked under the supervision of the Prophet and his Caliphs. The Prophet and his Caliphs monitored them, openly and secretly, to ensure they did not deviate from the truth, and they rectified their mistakes and addressed them as quickly as possible; as it has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah sent Khalid ibn al-Walid to the tribe of Banu Jadhimah, and he invited them to Islam. However, they did not know how to say: «أَسْلَمْنَا»; “We embraced Islam.” Instead, they said: «صَبَأْنَا، صَبَأْنَا»; “We changed our religion. We changed our religion.” So Khalid started killing and capturing them. When the news reached the Messenger of Allah he raised his hands in supplication and said: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا صَنَعَ خَالِدٌ»; “O Allah! I disavow before You what Khalid did,” two or three times[2]. Then he sent Ali ibn Abi Talib to rectify the harm caused by Khalid. He said to him: «اُخْرُجْ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ، فَانْظُرْ فِي أَمْرِهِمْ»; “Go to those people and assess their situation.” So Ali went to them with the wealth that the Messenger of Allah sent. He then paid the blood money of those who were killed and compensated for the property that was destroyed, to the extent that he even gave them the price of their dogs’ bowls, until there was nothing left of blood or property that he had not paid for. Then there remained a portion of the wealth with him. When Ali was finished with them, he said to them: «هَلْ بَقِيَ لَكُمْ بَقِيَّةٌ مِنْ دَمٍ أَوْ مَالٍ لَمْ يُودَ لَكُمْ؟»; “Do you have any blood or property left that has not been paid for?” They said: “No.” He said: «فَإِنِّي أُعْطِيكُمْ هَذِهِ الْبَقِيَّةَ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَالِ، احْتِيَاطًا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، مِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُ وَلَا تَعْلَمُونَ»; “Then I will give you this remaining amount of wealth as a precaution for the Messenger of Allah ; because there might be something that he and you are not aware of.” He did so and then returned to the Messenger of Allah and informed him of the situation. So he said: «أَصَبْتَ وَأَحْسَنْتَ»; “You acted righteously and did well.”[3] He also sent Khalid to Yemen to invite them to Islam. He stayed with them for nine months, but they did not respond to him in any way. He then sent Ali ibn Abi Talib after him and ordered him to send Khalid and those with him back. Ali did so and then approached people. He praised and thanked Allah and then read them the letter of the Messenger of Allah so all of Hamdan embraced Islam in one day. Then Ali wrote to the Messenger of Allah to inform him of this. When he read his letter, he proclaimed the Greatness of Allah while sitting. Then he prostrated and then said: «السَّلَامُ عَلَى هَمْدَانَ»; “Peace be upon Hamdan,” three times. Then the people of Yemen began to follow Islam one after another[4]. It has also been narrated that Ali wrote to Masqalah ibn Hubayrah al-Shaybani, who was his governor in Ardashir Khurrah: «بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ أَمْرٌ إِنْ كُنْتَ فَعَلْتَهُ فَقَدْ أَسْخَطْتَ إِلَهَكَ وَعَصَيْتَ إِمَامَكَ، أَنَّكَ تَقْسِمُ فَيْءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِي حَازَتْهُ رِمَاحُهُمْ وَخُيُولُهُمْ وَأُرِيقَتْ عَلَيْهِ دِمَاؤُهُمْ فِيمَنِ اعْتَامَكَ مِنْ أَعْرَابِ قَوْمِكَ، فَوَالَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَبَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ لَئِنْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ حَقًّا لَتَجِدَنَّ لَكَ عَلَيَّ هَوَانًا وَلَتَخِفَّنَّ عِنْدِي مِيزَانًا، فَلَا تَسْتَهِنْ بِحَقِّ رَبِّكَ، وَلَا تُصْلِحْ دُنْيَاكَ بِمَحْقِ دِينِكَ، فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا»[5]; “I have come to know concerning you a matter that if you have done, you have displeased your Allah and disobeyed your Imam. You are distributing among the Arabs (Bedouins) of your kin who tend toward you the property of Muslims, which they have collected by dint of their spears and horses and on which their blood was shed. By Allah Who germinated the seed and created living beings, if this is true, you will be humiliated in my view and become light in weight. Therefore, do not treat lightly the obligations of your Lord, and do not rectify your world by ruining your religion or you will be among the greatest losers,” and he wrote to Mundhir ibn Jarud al-Abdi, who was his governor in Istakhr: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ صَلَاحَ أَبِيكَ غَرَّنِي مِنْكَ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ تَتَّبِعُ هَدْيَهُ وَتَسْلُكُ سَبِيلَهُ، فَإِذَا أَنْتَ فِيمَا رُقِّيَ إِلَيَّ عَنْكَ لَا تَدَعُ لِهَوَاكَ انْقِيَادًا وَلَا تُبْقِي لِآخِرَتِكَ عَتَادًا، تَعْمُرُ دُنْيَاكَ بِخَرَابِ آخِرَتِكَ، وَتَصِلُ عَشِيرَتَكَ بِقَطِيعَةِ دِينِكَ، وَلَئِنْ كَانَ مَا بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ حَقًّا، لَجَمَلُ أَهْلِكَ وَشِسْعُ نَعْلِكَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ، وَمَنْ كَانَ بِصِفَتِكَ فَلَيْسَ بِأَهْلٍ أَنْ يُسَدَّ بِهِ ثَغْرٌ أَوْ يُنْفَذَ بِهِ أَمْرٌ أَوْ يُعْلَى لَهُ قَدْرٌ أَوْ يُشْرَكَ فِي أَمَانَةٍ أَوْ يُؤْمَنَ عَلَى جِبَايَةٍ، فَأَقْبِلْ إِلَيَّ حِينَ يَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ كِتَابِي هَذَا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ»[6]; “As for what comes next; the good behavior of your father deceived me about you, and I thought that you would follow his way and tread in his path. However, according to what has reached me about you, you are not giving up following your passions, nor are you retaining any provision for your Hereafter. You are building your world by destroying your Hereafter and doing good to your kinsmen by cutting yourself off your religion. If what has reached me about you is true, then the camel of your family and the strap of your shoe are better than you. A man with qualities like yours is not fit to close a hole in the ground, nor to carry out any order, nor to be raised in rank, nor to be taken as a partner in any trust, nor to be trusted against betrayal. Therefore, come to me once this letter of mine reaches you, Insha’Allah,” and he wrote to Abdullah ibn Abbas, who was his governor in Basra: «قَدْ بَلَغَنِي تَنَمُّرُكَ لِبَنِي تَمِيمٍ وَغِلْظَتُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَإِنَّ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ لَمْ يَغِبْ لَهُمْ نَجْمٌ إِلَّا طَلَعَ لَهُمْ آخَرُ، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُسْبَقُوا بِوَغْمٍ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلَا إِسْلَامٍ، وَإِنَّ لَهُمْ بِنَا رَحِمًا مَاسَّةً وَقَرَابَةً خَاصَّةً نَحْنُ مَأْجُورُونَ عَلَى صِلَتِهَا وَمَأْزُورُونَ عَلَى قَطِيعَتِهَا، فَارْبَعْ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ فِيمَا جَرَى عَلَى لِسَانِكَ وَيَدِكَ مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَشَرٍّ، فَإِنَّا شَرِيكَانِ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَكُنْ عِنْدَ صَالِحِ ظَنِّي بِكَ، وَلَا يَفِيلَنَّ رَأْيِي فِيكَ، وَالسَّلَامُ»[7]; “I have come to know of your strictness with Banu Tamim and your harshness over them. Banu Tamim are those who if a star sets, another one rises for them. They were never exceeded in (the art of) war in pre-Islamic times or after Islam. They have a special kinship with us and a particular relationship. We shall be rewarded if we pay heed to their kinship and be deemed sinful if we disregard it. O Abu al-Abbas, may Allah have mercy on you. Keep yourself restrained in whatever you say or do, good or bad about your people, as we are both partners in this (responsibility). Prove yourself according to my good impression of you, and do not prove my opinion of you wrong. Wa Assalam,” and he wrote to Ziyad ibn Abih, who was the deputy of his governor, Abdullah ibn Abbas, in Basra: «إِنِّي أُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ قَسَمًا صَادِقًا، لَئِنْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ خُنْتَ مِنْ فَيْءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ شَيْئًا صَغِيرًا أَوْ كَبِيرًا، لَأَشُدَّنَّ عَلَيْكَ شَدَّةً تَدَعُكَ قَلِيلَ الْوَفْرِ ثَقِيلَ الظَّهْرِ ضَئِيلَ الْأَمْرِ، وَالسَّلَامُ»[8]; “I truthfully swear to Allah, if I come to know that you have misappropriated the funds of Muslims, small or big, I shall inflict upon you a severe punishment that will leave you empty handed, heavy backed, and humiliated. Wa Assalam,” and he wrote to Uthman ibn Hunayf al-Ansari, who was his governor in Basra, as he heard that he was invited to a banquet by a group of his people and attended it: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ، يَا ابْنَ حُنَيْفٍ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ فِتْيَةِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ دَعَاكَ إِلَى مَأْدُبَةٍ، فَأَسْرَعْتَ إِلَيْهَا، تُسْتَطَابُ لَكَ الْأَلْوَانُ، وَتُنْقَلُ إِلَيْكَ الْجِفَانُ، وَمَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ تُجِيبُ إِلَى طَعَامِ قَوْمٍ عَائِلُهُمْ مَجْفُوٌّ وَغَنِيُّهُمْ مَدْعُوٌّ، فَانْظُرْ إِلَى مَا تَقْضَمُهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْمَقْضَمِ، فَمَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْكَ عِلْمُهُ فَالْفِظْهُ، وَمَا أَيْقَنْتَ بِطِيبِ وُجُوهِهِ فَنَلْ مِنْهُ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَأْمُومٍ إِمَامًا يَقْتَدِي بِهِ وَيَسْتَضِيءُ بِنُورِ عِلْمِهِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ إِمَامَكُمْ قَدِ اكْتَفَى مِنْ دُنْيَاهُ بِطِمْرَيْهِ وَمِنْ طُعْمِهِ بِقُرْصَيْهِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنْ أَعِينُونِي بِوَرَعٍ وَاجْتِهَادٍ وَعِفَّةٍ وَسَدَادٍ»[9]; “As for what comes next; O ibn Hunayf. I have come to know that a young man of Basra invited you to a feast and you leaped toward it. Foods of different colors were being chosen for you, and big bowls were being given to you. I never thought that you would accept the food of a people who turn out beggars and invite the rich. Look at the morsels you take, leave out that about which you are in doubt, and take that about which you are sure that it has been secured lawfully. Remember that every follower has a leader whom he follows and from the effulgence of whose knowledge he takes light. Remember that your Imam has contented himself with two shabby pieces of cloth out of the (comforts of the) world and two loaves for his meal. Certainly, you cannot do so, but at least support me in piety, exertion, chastity, and uprightness,” and he wrote to Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Nakha‘i, who was his governor in Hit, expressing displeasure on his inability to prevent the enemy forces that passed through his area from raiding: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ تَضْيِيعَ الْمَرْءِ مَا وُلِّيَ وَتَكَلُّفَهُ مَا كُفِيَ لَعَجْزٌ حَاضِرٌ وَرَأْيٌ مُتَبَّرٌ، وَإِنَّ تَعَاطِيَكَ الْغَارَةَ عَلَى أَهْلِ قِرْقِيسِيَا وَتَعْطِيلَكَ مَسَالِحَكَ الَّتِي وَلَّيْنَاكَ، لَيْسَ بِهَا مَنْ يَمْنَعُهَا وَلَا يَرُدُّ الْجَيْشَ عَنْهَا، لَرَأْيٌ شَعَاعٌ، فَقَدْ صِرْتَ جِسْرًا لِمَنْ أَرَادَ الْغَارَةَ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكَ عَلَى أَوْلِيَائِكَ، غَيْرَ شَدِيدِ الْمَنْكِبِ، وَلَا مَهِيبِ الْجَانِبِ، وَلَا سَادٍّ ثُغْرَةً، وَلَا كَاسِرٍ لِعَدُوٍّ شَوْكَةً، وَلَا مُغْنٍ عَنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرِهِ، وَلَا مُجْزٍ عَنْ أَمِيرِهِ»[10]; “As for what comes next; the neglecting by a man of what he has been made responsible for and doing what is to be done by others is a manifest weakness and a ruinous sight. Certainly, your advance on the people of Qarqisiya and your leaving the arsenals over which we had set you, without anyone to protect them or to repulse the enemy force, savored of shattered thinking. In this way, you served as a bridge for the enemy who came to raid your allies. Your arms were weak; you had no awe around you; you could not prevent the enemy from advancing; you could not break his might; you could not defend the people of your area; and you could not discharge functions on behalf of your Imam,” and he wrote to some of his governors: «أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ دَهَاقِينَ أَهْلِ بَلَدِكَ شَكَوْا مِنْكَ غِلْظَةً وَقَسْوَةً وَاحْتِقَارًا وَجَفْوَةً، وَنَظَرْتُ فَلَمْ أَرَهُمْ أَهْلًا لِأَنْ يُدْنَوْا لِشِرْكِهِمْ، وَلَا أَنْ يُقْصَوْا وَيُجْفَوْا لِعَهْدِهِمْ، فَالْبَسْ لَهُمْ جِلْبَابًا مِنَ اللِّينِ تَشُوبُهُ بِطَرَفٍ مِنَ الشِّدَّةِ، وَدَاوِلْ لَهُمْ بَيْنَ الْقَسْوَةِ وَالرَّأْفَةِ، وَامْزُجْ لَهُمْ بَيْنَ التَّقْرِيبِ وَالْإِدْنَاءِ وَالْإِبْعَادِ وَالْإِقْصَاءِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ»[11]; “As for what comes next; the cultivators of your city have complained of your strictness, hard heartedness, humiliating treatment, and harshness. I thought over it and found that since they are polytheists, they cannot be brought near, kept away, or treated severely because of the pledge with them. Behave with them in between strictness and softness and adopt for them a mingling or remoteness and aloofness with nearness and closeness, Insha’Allah,” and other similar things that indicate the Prophet and his Caliphs tried so hard to monitor their representatives, rectify their mistakes, and dismiss them when necessary.

Yes, the Imams from the Ahl al-Bayt referred those who could not reach them to the scholars among their companions so that they would ask them and learn religion from them; as it has been narrated from Abdullah ibn Abi Ya‘fur that he said: «قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ كُلَّ سَاعَةٍ أَلْقَاكَ، وَلَا يُمْكِنُ الْقُدُومُ، وَيَجِيءُ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا فَيَسْأَلُنِي وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي كُلُّ مَا يَسْأَلُنِي عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ؟ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ سَمِعَ مِنْ أَبِي، وَكَانَ عِنْدَهُ وَجِيهًا»[12]; “I said to Abu Abdullah -that is, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq- : ‘I cannot meet you at all times, and it may not be possible to come to you, and sometimes one of our companions comes to me and asks me, but I do not have all the answers to everything he asks me about.’ So he said: ‘What prevents you from (going to) Muhammad ibn Muslim al-Thaqafi? He has heard from my father and had a favorable position with him,’” and from Shu‘ayb al-Aqraqufi that he said: «قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: رُبَّمَا احْتَجْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَ عَنِ الشَّيْءِ، فَمَنْ نَسْأَلُ؟ قَالَ: عَلَيْكَ بِالْأَسَدِيِّ، يَعْنِي أَبَا بَصِيرٍ»[13]; “I said to Abu Abdullah : ‘Sometimes we may need to ask about something, so whom should we ask?’ He said: ‘You should go to al-Asadi, that is, Abu Basir,’” and from Abd al-Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi that he said: «سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَقُلْتُ: إِنِّي لَا أَقْدِرُ عَلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ، فَعَمَّنْ آخُذُ مَعَالِمَ دِينِي؟ فَقَالَ: خُذْ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ»[14]; “I asked Rida : ‘I am unable to meet you at all times, so from whom should I take the teachings of my religion?’ So he said: ‘Take (them) from Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman,’” and from Hasan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin that he said: «قُلْتُ لِلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: لَا أَكَادُ أَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ كُلِّ مَا أَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَعَالِمِ دِينِي، أَفَيُونُسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ثِقَةٌ، آخُذُ عَنْهُ مَا أَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَعَالِمِ دِينِي؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ»[15]; “I said to Rida : ‘I can hardly reach you to ask you about what I need from the teachings of my religion. Is Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman trustworthy? Shall I take from him what I need from the teachings of my religion?’ So he said: ‘Yes,’” and from Ali ibn al-Musayyib al-Hamdani that he said: «قُلْتُ لِلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: شَقَّتِي بَعِيدَةٌ، وَلَسْتُ أَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ، فَمِمَّنْ آخُذُ مَعَالِمَ دِينِي؟ قَالَ: مِنْ زَكَرِيَّا ابْنِ آدَمَ الْقَمِّيِّ الْمَأْمُونِ عَلَى الدِّينِ وَالدُّنْيَا»[16]; “I said to Rida : ‘My residence is far, and I cannot reach you at all times. So from whom should I take the teachings of my religion?’ He said: ‘From Zakariyya ibn Adam al-Qammi, who is trustworthy in matters of religion and the world.’” However, it is clear that these individuals were not sources that people would imitate. They were only narrators of Hadiths who narrated to people what they saw or heard from the Imams, and people were required to act upon their narrations as long as they were in line with the Book of Allah and the established Sunnah, and not act upon their opinions on matters of religion; as it has been narrated that Abu Abdullah said to Aban ibn Uthman and Sulaym ibn Abi Hayyah: «ائْتِ أَبَانَ بْنَ تَغْلِبَ، فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ سَمِعَ مِنِّي حَدِيثًا كَثِيرًا، فَمَا رَوَاهُ لَكَ فَارْوِهِ عَنِّي»[17]; “Go to Aban ibn Taghlib, for he has heard many Hadiths from me. So whatever he narrates to you, you can narrate it from me,” and he said to Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar: «إِذَا أَرَدْتَ حَدِيثَنَا فَعَلَيْكَ بِهَذَا الْجَالِسِ»; “If you want our Hadith, then rely on this person,” and he pointed at one of his companions, Zurarah ibn A‘yan[18]. Also, it has been narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq that he said: «سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ -يَعْنِي عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَقُلْتُ: مَنْ أُعَامِلُ؟ وَعَمَّنْ آخُذُ؟ وَقَوْلُ مَنْ أَقْبَلُ؟ فَقَالَ: الْعَمْرِيُّ ثِقَتِي، فَمَا أَدَّى إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي فَعَنِّي يُؤَدِّي، وَمَا قَالَ لَكَ عَنِّي فَعَنِّي يَقُولُ»; “I asked Abu al-Hasan -that is, Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Musa- : ‘With whom should I interact? From whom should I take (the teaching of religion)? Whose words should I accept?’ So he said: ‘Al-Amri is my trustworthy one. Whatever he conveys to you, he does so from me, and whatever he says to you, he does so from me,’” meaning Uthman ibn Sa‘id. He then asked al-Amri about a matter. So he said: “It is forbidden for you to ask about that. I do not say this from myself, for I have no authority to make things lawful or unlawful. Rather, it is from the Imam .”[19] Also, it has been narrated from Husain ibn Ruh that Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad was asked about the books of Banu Faddal. So he said: «خُذُوا بِمَا رَوَوْا، وَذَرُوا مَا رَأَوْا»[20]; “Take what they have narrated, and leave what they have opined.” This explicitly indicates that they meant taking the narrations of these individuals and leaving their opinions, and this clearly did not lead people astray due to the truthfulness and preservation of these individuals and the consideration that their narrations were in line with the Quran and the established Sunnah.

Moreover, it is obligatory for the people of distant lands to emigrate to the Prophet and his Caliphs to learn about religion, if they are able to do so; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوْا وَنَصَرُوا أُولَئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ وَلَايَتِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا﴾[21]; “Those who believed, emigrated, and strived with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave them shelter and help, they are guardians of one another. As for those who believed but did not emigrate, there is no guardianship of them for you until they emigrate,” and said: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا﴾[22]; “Indeed, those whose lives the Angles take while they wrong themselves, they say to them: ‘In what state were you?!’ They say: ‘We were oppressed on the earth (in a way that we had no opportunity to be aware of the beliefs and rulings of religion)!’ They say: ‘Was the earth of Allah not spacious enough for you to emigrate on it?!’ So their abode is Hell, which is a bed destination.” However, if they are unable to emigrate to the Prophet and his Caliphs, then they are required to send a party of their trustworthy and knowledgeable individuals to them to ask and learn from them and then return to their people and inform them of what they have seen and heard from them, especially in times of doubt and dispute; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا﴾[23]; “Except for the oppressed from men, women, and children who do not have the means or cannot find a way,” and said: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ﴾[24]; “And it was not necessary for believers to go forth altogether. Then why did a party from each group not go forth to learn about the religion and warn their people when they returned to them so that they would beware?!” and said: ﴿فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ﴾[25]; “If you have a dispute about anything, then refer it to Allah and the Messenger.” Therefore, they are not allowed to abandon both works altogether and rely solely on what the representatives say to them in every situation so that they can mislead them; as Mu‘awiyah misled the people of Damascus when they devoted themselves to him, so they became oppressive transgressors, and Abu al-Khattab Muhammad ibn Miqlas al-Asadi misled many of the people of Kufa when they were deceived by what Abu Abdullah said about him on a certain day, without realizing the change in his stance, so they became deluded exaggerators, and it has been narrated that a man asked Rida : “How did it happen that Abu Abdullah said about Abu al-Khattab what he said and then came the command to disassociate from him?!” So he said to him: «أَكَانَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلَ، وَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَعْزِلَ؟!»[26]; “Was it for Abu Abdullah to appoint but not to dismiss?”