Shaykh Abu Ja’far said that our belief regarding Ghali and Mofawweza was that in reality they did not believe in God, and in fact they were worse than Jews, Christians, Majoos, Qudria, Khawaraij and even greater evildoers than the pagans and wicked innovators of religion. They were those people who had degraded God the most.

Allah had said that no one whom He had given the Book and wisdom and awarded with Prophethood would go to people and say that God should be abandoned and people should become their servants. Instead, He would say:

مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِي مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنْ كُونُوا رَبَّانِيِّينَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَبِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ

“It is not possible for any human being unto whom Allah has given the scripture and wisdom and the prophethood that he should afterwards have said unto mankind: Be slaves of me instead of Allah; but (what he said was): Be ye faithful servants of the Lord by virtue of your constant teaching of the Scripture and of your constant study thereof” (3:79).

وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ أَرْبَابًا ۗ أَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ

“And he commanded you not that ye should take the angels and the prophets for lords. Would he command you to disbelieve after ye had become Muslims?” (3:80).

God had also commanded us not to exaggerate in our religion, i.e. we should not transgress the limits of religion and we should have right attitude about God:

لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ

“Do not be excessive in your belief” (4:171; 5:77).

• It has been our belief that the Prophet was poisoned during the battle of Khyber and that poison had continued to act, until it damaged his heart and the Prophet died under its effect on 28th Safar, in 11th Hijra.

• Amir Al-Mu’minin was martyred by Abdur Rahman Ibn Muljam. He was struck with sword on 19th Ramadan and he died on 21st Ramadan in 40 Hijra. He was buried in Najaf.

• Imam Al-Hasan’s wife Joda, the daughter of Ashus - an agent of Mu’awiyah, poisoned him, may God curse both father and daughter. He died on 28th Safar in 50 Hijra.

• Imam Al-Husayn was martyred by Sanan Ibn Ans Al-Nakha’i in Karbala on 10th of Muharram, 61 Hijra.

• Imam Zayn Al-’Abidin (‘a) died in 95 Hijra with poison administered on the instructions of Walid Ibn Abdul Malik. He was buried in Jannat al-Baqih.

• Imam Al-Baqir was poisoned by Ibrahim Ibn Walid on 7th Dhu ‘l-Hijjah in 114 Hijra.

• Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq was poisoned on the instructions of Mansur Dwaneqi on 25th Shawwal in 148 Hijra.

• Harun Rashid poisoned Imam Musa Al-Kadhim and he died on 25th Rajab of 183 Hijra.

• Mamun Al-Rashid poisoned Imam Ali Ar-Ridha and he died on 23rd Zeeqad or 30th Safar in 203 Hijra.

• Imam Muhammad At-Taqi was poisoned on the orders of Motasam Billah Abbasi and he died on 25th Jamadi ath-Thani or towards the end of Zeeqad in 220 Hijra.

• Motawwakal Abbasi poisoned Imam Ali An-Naqi and he died on 4th Rajab, 254 Hijra.

• Mu’tamad Abbasi poisoned Imam Hasan Al-’Askari and he died on 8th Rabi ul Awwal, 264 Hijra.

We have believed that these acts of murder and poisoning actually happened to the Imams and there was no ambiguity among the people about these murders, as proclaimed by those who exaggerated about them. In fact, people had seen them dying in front of their own eyes and they had not adopted this view simply on rumours and hearsay.

Those who claimed that these Imams were not actually murdered, but it happened with their virtual bodies or with people of similar facial outlook, would be excommunicated from the religion, and we would disagree with them. This is because the Prophet of God had earlier warned us that all of them would be murdered. However, if someone said that they were not actually murdered, such a person then falsified the Imams. And, the one who falsified Imams would have in reality denied God. Such a person would be outside the venue of Islam.

Anyone who chose a religion other than Islam, his religion would not be accepted and he would be among those who had lost their way. Imam Ar-Ridha (‘a) used to say in his supplication to God:

“O God, I deride in your presence all of mine commands and control that I possess, and I show my disgust with those who claim things about us that we do not possess. O God, Creation and Command are with You. We only worship you and seek help from you alone. You are our Creator and that of our forefathers. Divinity and Worship is only reserved for you. O God, dispatch your curse on Christians who tried to diminish your Majesty, and also curse on those people who side with them, among your creatures.

O God we are your servants and the progeny of those who were also your servants. We are neither capable of our profit or loss nor life or death and nor we have the capability to recreate our self on the Day of Judgement Anyone who thinks that we create and provide sustenance to them, we are disgusted with them as Jesus was dismayed with the Christians. O God, we have not invited them on the belief that they possess about us, therefore, do not question us about what they say about us and forgive us for the ills they spread about us.

“My Lord! leave not one of the disbelievers in the land” (71:26).

“If Thou shouldst leave them, they will mislead Thy slaves and will beget none save lewd ingrates” (71:27).

Honourable Zarara said that he asked Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) that an individual from the lineage of Abdullah Ibn Sabaa proclaimed Tafweez (delegation of powers from God to Imams). Imam asked him what he meant about Tafweez (delegation of powers). He replied that God had only created the Prophet and Ali, and the rest of the powers were handed over to them. They now created, provided sustenance, resurrected and made people to die.

Listening to this Imam replied: This enemy of God was telling lies. He was asked to go to him and read the Verse of Surah Al-Raad, which spoke thus:

أَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

“Have they associated others with God, who can create like Him and it made the two creations vague in their mind. (O, Prophet) tell them that God alone is the Creator of every thing, and He is Unique and Powerful” (13:16).

Zarara said that when he approached that man and told him what the Imam had said, he was bewildered, and dumbfounded, as if his mouth had been filled with handful of stones.

Yes, God had entrusted His Prophet with religious responsibilities and legal matters as indicated in Qur’an:

وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا

“…And whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back…” (59:7).

The same responsibilities and decrees had been passed on to the Imams. A sign of those who followed the footsteps of Ghalis and Mofawweza was that they abhorred the learned scholars and claimed that they toned down the majesty of Imams. Among the Ghalis, a sect called Hallagia could be recognised by their statements that God, due to intense supplication of his devotees manifested through them. They could also be recognised by the denial of obligatory deeds such as prayers and fasting.

They declared that they were aware of Ism al-Azam of God and asserted that God had incarnated in them. They had a further imprudent claim that if a person was sincere, and developed the understanding of their religion then he was more respectable in their sight than the Prophets.

Among their many false claims was the one that they were aware of the knowledge of Alchemy (transformation of base metals into precious metals), but in fact they knew nothing, and their job was to deceive people. O, God do not include us among them and remit your curse on them.