In this chapter, the views of Imams and scholars have been outlined1.

Shaykh Abu Ja’far said about the children of Imam Ali (‘a) that they are the progeny of the Prophet (S), and love and respect for them was essential on all the Muslims, because it was a repayment of the Messengership as mentioned by God in the Qur’an,

ذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ

“[Say O Prophet] That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, (to) those who believe and do good deeds. Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives” (42:23).

Sadaqa, which was a leftover from peoples’ needs, was forbidden for his family, but their own Sadaqa was permissible for some of the family members and their servants. Zakat was also not allowed for the. God has compensated them with Khums. It was our belief about Sayyids, that if anyone among them was corrupt and dishonest - then his punishment was double to that of a non-Sayyid. At the same time, a virtuous Sayyid had his reward doubled.

Sayyids were equivalent and comparable in social and matrimonial status with one another. This view was supplemented by the call of the Prophet, which he made while addressing the children of Abu Talib – Imam Ali (‘a) and Ja’far Tayyar (‘a): “Our daughters are the likes of our sons and our sons are the likes of our daughters.”

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) said that it was essential to fend off those who opposed the norms of the religion and loved the enemies of God or held animosity against the friends of God, irrespective of the status of their tribe and family.

Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) had told his son Muhammad Ibn Hanafiya that the respect, which he could earn through his own deed and acts of kindness was far more valuable than what could be earned through the authority and identity of his family.

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) said, “I value my belief in Imam Ali’s wilayat much more than being one of his progeny”.

Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (‘a) was asked about the identity of Aal al-Rasul. Imam replied that they were people with whom the Prophet could not marry.

God said in the Qur’an:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ فَمِنْهُم مُّهْتَدٍ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

“And certainly, We sent Nuh and Ibrahim and We gave to their offspring the (gift of) prophecy and the Book; so, there are among them those who go aright, and most of them are transgressors” (57:26).

Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) was asked to explain the Qur’anic Verse:

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مُقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

“Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom We chose from among Our servants; but of them is he who makes his soul to suffer a loss, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah's permission” (35:32).

He replied, “God has handed over His book to those whom He has selected among the rest; while some of them are balanced, the others are unjust to themselves (in their routine affairs). Those who are balanced they rush towards the highly merited assets.”

Imam (‘a) also told that in this Qur’anic Verse that a Dhalim or unjust was the one who did not have the awareness of the Imam of his time. Whereas, the balanced were the ones who recognise the right of their Imam on them, and those who step forward towards the virtues were Imams themselves. His son Isma’il once asked the Imam, “What would be the state of those who are sinners among us”?

Imam (‘a) replied:

لَيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ ۗ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا

“(This) shall not be in accordance with your vain desires nor in accordance with the vain desires of the followers of the Book; whoever does evil, he shall be requited with it, and besides Allah he will find for himself neither a guardian nor a helper” (4:123).

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (‘a) stated in a lengthy Hadith: “There is no corporeal relationship between God and His creatures. God only likes that person among His creatures, who fears Him the most, and conforms to His commands above anyone else.

By God, no one can claim proximity to God, except the person who is most obedient and submissive to Him. We have no certificate for release from hell, nor anyone has an argument to deliberate with God. Anyone who is subservient to God is our friend; and whoever is not His subordinate is our enemy. Our wilayat and amity cannot be attained without rejecting the unlawful and performance of good deeds.”

Prophet Noah requested God, when his son was drowning:

وَنَادَىٰ نُوحٌ رَّبَّهُ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ

“And Noah called upon his Lord, and said: "O my Lord! surely my son is of my family! and Thy promise is true, and Thou art the justest of Judges!” (11:45).

God replied:

قَالَ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَيْرُ صَالِحٍ فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنِّي أَعِظُكَ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ

“… O Noah! He is not of thy family: For his conduct is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel, lest thou act like the ignorant!” (11:46).

Noah replied:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

“… O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless thou forgive me and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!” (11:47).

Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) was asked to elaborate on this Verse:

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَرَى الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ وُجُوهُهُم مُّسْوَدَّةٌ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ

“And on the day of resurrection you shall see those who lied against Allah; their faces shall be blackened. Is there not in hell an abode for the proud?” (39:60).

Imam replied, “A person who lied in the name of God is the one who claims Imamhood, while he is not an Imam.”

Another person asked about what happens if the false claimant is an Alawite. Imam replied, he might be a Fatmi, along with being an Alawite (it would not make any difference). Imam then addressed his companions and said, “Between you and your enemy, the detachment is only that of Muzmir.”

The companions asked, what did he mean by Muzmir. Imam replied, “It is something which you call – B’raat, which is something from which you want to keep away and not be responsible for. If there is anyone who is your adversary in religion and breaks the rules of true faith, then you must seek departure from him, even if he is an Alawite or a Fatmi.”

Imam then told his companions about his son Abdullah, who was not on the path, which they were treading. Therefore, Imam was not pleased with him and had sought separation from him.

• 1. In this chapter, the respected author has introduced briefly several topics. We shall discuss those subjects and provide some explanations for our readers.