Mahdi_in the Quran

8/13/2019 Mahdi_in the Quran

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Presentedbyhttp://www.alhassanain.com & http://www.islamicblessings.com

MahdiintheQur'an

Author

:

N.

Vasram

and

A.

Toussi

Introduction

ChapterI MahdiinIslam

ChapterII Shi'itecommentators(Mufassirin)andtheircommentaries(Tafsirs)

Chapter

III Mahdi

in

classical

and

modern

Shi'ite

tafsir

2)Qur'an24:55

C TafsirMakhzanal'IrfanbyBanuNusratAmin

B TafsiralMizanbyAllamaTabataba'i

Conclusion

Introduction

MuslimbeliefintheMahdiisreflectedinavastandcomplexliterature.WhileShi'ite

MessianismandthemyriadaspectsoftheMahdihavebeendescribedandanalysedina

numberofworks,thepurposeofthisparticularstudyistoexploretheMessianicideasimplicit

intheQur'aninthelightofbothclassicalandcontemporaryShi'itecommentariesonthe

Qur'an.

AccordingtoIslamicbelief,theQur'anhasauniversalcharacteranditsmessageisthe

continuationofthatcontainedintheearlierRevelationsmadetoAbraham,David,Mosesand

Thelinked imagecannotbedisplayed.Thefilemay havebeen moved,renamed,or deleted.Verify thatthelink pointsto thecorrectfileand location.


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Jesus.ItcontainsawealthofinformationthathasservedthroughoutMuslimhistoryasa

basis,orcode,ofliving,intendedformankindingeneralandMuslimsinparticular.TheQur'an

embodiesGod'sfinalRevelationimpartedtomankindthroughIslam'slastProphet.Moreover,

accordingtotheIslamicfaith,andinparticulartotheShi'ites,theQur'anisbelievedto

containprofoundunderlyingsignificance,quiteapartfromitsfacevaluemeaning.Indeed,

accordingtoShi'itebeliefs,onlytheProphetandhisHousehold(hisdaughterandthetwelve

Imams)possessknowledgeofbothouter(zahir)andinner(batin)meaningsaswellasthe

deeperunderlyingsignificanceofthewritingsoftheQur'an.Accordingtosuchbeliefs,

therefore,thetruescienceofQur'anictafsirandta'williesexclusivelywithinthereachof

thesefourteenpersonages,anditisonlythroughtheirteachingsthatpeoplecanfindanswers

andsolutionstoproblemsintheQur'an.

ConcerningtheMahdi,theQur'andoesnotmentionhimexplicitly,eitherbynameorby

description.Thetimeofhisreappearanceisalsonotmentioned.AccordingtotheShi'ites,the

reasonforthisisthattheQur'anisnotahistoricalorpoliticaltreatiseaddressingaspecific

readershiporcommunityoraffectingaparticularperiodinthehistoryofmankind;rather,itis

auniversaldiscourseaddressedtothewholeofmankindfromthedawnofhumanityuntilthe

DayofJudgement.Infact,theQur'analsomakesreferencetocertaineventsinthefutureand

totheendoftime:thevictoryofGoodoverEvilintheworld,andthecomingtopowerofthe

Righteousovertheiroppressors.Also,theQur'analludesseveraltimes,albeitindirectly,to

thesociety'sneedfortheMahdiandhisgovernment.Apartfromthehundredsofhadith

(traditions)concerningtheMahdi,therearemanythatprovideanexegesisoftheseverses

throughbothShi'iteaswellasSunnichainsoftransmitters,inordertoexplaintheQur'anic

standvisavisbeliefinMandawiyyah(Mahdism).Thesetraditionsclearlystatethattheverses

refertotheMahdi.AccordingtosomeShi'itescholars,morethanonehundredandtwenty

Qur'anicverseshavebeenrecordedthatrefertotheMahdi,asinterpretedintheShi'a

traditions.1

Forexample,theQur'anexplainsthatthemoralandspiritualimprovementawaitedby

mankindcanbecomearealityaccordingtothetraditionsunderthegovernmentoftheMahdi.

Indeed,theShi'itesclaimthattheuniverseisaharmonioussystembasedonorderand

balance,wherecorruption,oppressionandinjusticearetheconsequencesofsociety's

misdeeds.However,thesemanmadeimperfectionsareconsideredasaccidentsand

exceptions,tobeerasedfinallybytheappearanceoftheMahdi.AlsoaccordingtotheQur'an,

Godpromisestorestoreearthlypowertothosebelieverswho,althoughweakenedby

injustice,remainpraiseworthyandbasicallysincere.Thetraditions(hadith)explainingthese

versesremindthattheyconcernthegovernmentofMahdi.AccordingtotheQur'an,people

arenotabandonedtotheirowndevicesbutGod,throughHiswisdomandjustice,willsave

Manbyreplacingunjustgovernorswithpiousandjustones.Theseversesaresaidtobeabout

God'sWilltoputanendtotheeraofSatan'srule,annihilatinghispartisans,andrestoring


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powertoGod'sRighteousServantsthroughouttheuniverse.

ThefirstchapterofthisstudywillattempttoclarifytermssuchasMessianismasgenerally

understoodinIslamicbelief,

________________________

1SeyyedHashemBahrani:SimayeHazrateMahdidarQur'an,p.23

andtheconceptoftheeschatologicalfigureoftheMahdiinbothSunnismandShi'ism.

Thesecondchapterwillpresentabriefsurveyoftheorigin,principlesanddevelopmentof

Shi'iTafsiraswellasthelivesandworksofthecommentatorsdealtwithinthisresearch.

Thethirdchapterwillbedevotedtoalimitedcomparativestudybetweenclassicaland

modernworksofShi'iTafsirdealingwiththespecificsubjectoftheMahdi,inordertosee

howthemufassirininterpretthepresenceoftheMahdiintheQur'an.Amongmodern

references,theworksofMuhammadHusaynTabataba'i(TafsiralMizan),andBanuAmin

Isfahani(TafsirMakhzanal'Irfan)willbeusedforthispurpose,whiletheTafsirMajma'al

BayanofShaykhTabarsi(d.548AH/1153AD)willbestudiedasclassicalreference.

ChapterI MahdiinIslam

11MessianisminIslam

AccordingtotheNewEncyclopaediaBritannica,Messianismmaybedescribedingeneraltermsas

anideologyconsistingofacomplexofideas,doctrines,attitudes,andexpectationswhich,ata

particularmomentinhistoryandasaresultofaspecificconfigurationoffacts,hasthepotential

tomaterializeinaMessianicmovementwithamarkedlyeschatologicalorUtopianrevolutionary

characterandmessage.Messianism,whichtendstodevelopinconditionsoffrustration,stress

andsuffering,includesbothanegativeevaluationofthepresentaswellasahopeandexpectancy

that

the

time

process

will

bring

about

a

major

change

for

the

better,

leading

either

to

the

restorationofapastgoldenageortothecreationofanewone.AlthoughMessianismbothas

ideologyandasmovementisnotnecessarilycentereduponaMessianicfigure,Messianic

movementsareusuallyinitiatedbyacharismaticpersonality.1

________________________


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1"MessiahandMessianicMovements"intheNewEncyclopaediaBritannicaP.10171022

Messianismisawidespreadideologypresentamongpeoplefromallkindsofculturalandreligious

background.AsA.A.Sachedinastates:"Thenotionofanexpecteddelivererwhoistocome...and

establishtheruleofjusticeandequityonearth,issharedbyallmajorreligionsintheworld.Jews,

Christians,orZoroastrianswhoatdifferenttimesweresubjectedtotherulesofthosewhodidnot

sharetheirreligiousheritage,cherishedtheirtraditionsconcerningaMessiahorSaoshyantofa

divinelychosenline."1AlsoShari'atiinhisExpectation..aSchoolofProtest,acknowledgesthat

the"yearninginstinct"forasaviourisauniversalphenomenoninallhumanculturesandthat

IslamicyearningfortheMahdiisidenticaltotheexpectationinChristianityofChrist'ssecond

comingandtoauniversalhopeforestablishinga"goldenage".2

Thesimilarityofthisideologyinallreligionsandthequestionofitsoriginoftenleadstostudies

andconclusionsontheinfluenceofonereligiononanotherasregardstheMessianismissue.For

example,wefindstudiesabouttheJewishinfluenceuponChristianandIslamicMessianismor

PersianandZoroastrianinfluenceonJewish,ChristianorMuslimapocalypticism,Messianismand

eschatology.Inmodernscholarship,theseconclusionsareasubjectofcontroversy.Infact,the

sheerextentofbeliefinthisideology

________________________

1A.A.Sachedina,IslamicMessianism,P.1.

2Shari'ati,Intizar,p.4

wouldseemtoreflecttheuniversalityandinnatenessofhumanity'shopeforabetterfuture.

IntheIslamiccontext,MessianismisemblemizedbytheeschatologicalfigureoftheMahdiwho,it

isbelieved,willrisetorestorethepurityofthefaithandtocreateanidealreligiopoliticalsystem

underajustsocialandlegalorder,aworldfreefromoppressioninwhichtheIslamicRevelation

willbethenormforallnations.However,itisdifficulttodiscussMessianismasaconceptwithin

theIslamicfaithingeneralwithoutfirstconsideringitseparatelywithinthetwomainbranchesof

Islam,SunnismandShi'ism,asthedimensions,thefunctionsandtheimportanceofthisideology

varybetweenthem.

12MahdiinSunnism

AlMahdi,"TheRightlyGuidedOne",isthenamegiventotherestorerofreligionandjusticewho,

accordingtoawidelyheldMuslimbelief,willrulebeforetheendoftheworld.ThetermMahdias

suchdoesnotoccurintheQur'anbutisderivedfromtheArabicroothdycommonlyusedinthe

Qur'anwiththemeaningofdivineguidance.1DuringtheSecondCivilWar,afterthedeathof

Mu'awia,thetermfirstcametobeusedforanexpectedrulerwhocouldrestoreIslamtoits


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Islam."5RiffatHasanalsoreliesonFazlurRahman'scommentsshowingthatMessianismwasnot

apartoforiginalIslam.Hestated:"AsforMessianism,itwasoriginallyadoptedinIslameitherby

Shi'ismorSufism,butinanycaseitcametoSunniIslamthroughtheSufisorratherthroughthe

precursorsoftheSufis

________________________

1"alMahdi",EI2,p.1234

2"alMahdi"SEI,p.311

3"MessiahandMessianicMovements"p.1020

4R.Hasan:"MessianismandIslam",p.262

5Ibid,p.267.

thepublicpreachersofthe2nd/8thcenturywhoconsoledandsatisfiedthepolitically

disillusionedandmorallystarvedmassesbyholdingoutMessianichopes."1

ThesediscussionsareongoingeventhoughthebeliefintheMahdiisessentiallyIslamicandis

widelyacceptedamongscholarsandordinaryMuslims.Eventhoughitisnotanessentialpartof

theSunnicreed,itisaccordedwidespreadbeliefamongthiscommunity.Indeed,earlySunni

sourcesrecordseveraltraditionsfromtheProphetabouttheappearanceandattributesofthe

Mahdi.ThesetraditionsaredesignatedasMutawatir,meaningthattheyhavebeenreportedfrom

theProphetsuccessivelybysomanydifferentunbrokenchainsoftransmissionandsucha

numberofnarratorsineverygenerationthatitwouldbevirtuallyimpossibletofabricatetheir

existencewithoutsuchfabricationbecomingknown.2TheversesoftheQur'anconcerningthe

MahdihavealsobeeninterpretedbynumeroustraditionsthroughSunnichainsoftransmission,

aswillbeseeninthethirdchapter.Therearemanyotherimportanttermsandpracticeswidely

acceptedbytheSunnisbutthatarenotexplicitlymentionedintheQur'an.Theauthenticityor

otherwiseofthetraditionsofclassicalandpostclassical

________________________

1FazIurRahman,Islam,p.245

2ConcerningtheMahdi,HafezAbuAbdullahGanziShafei(d.658A.H.)reportsinhisbookal

Bayan:

E^?C,E^N~E C,a'C,IÊ`C,N~?C,O'E^Y'C,O"EÊ`~E"N~a*N~?C,Eâ*C,U'a"C,a'a~O~?Y'i'Y'i'

C,a~N~C,a'a~a*I"i'(M.R.Hakimi,KhorshideMaghreb,p.81).

collectionsofhadithareopentodiscussionasregardsallfieldsofIslamicthought,notonlyonthe

subjectoftheMahdi.

Moreover,despitetheabsenceoftheterm"Mahdi",boththeQur'anandtheprophetictraditions


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(hadith)inthetwoSahihsprovidestronggroundsforexpectingtheappearanceofsomeonewho,

boththroughthoughtanddeed,willrepresentthelongawaitedspiritual"guide".Indeed,in

differenthadithsthetwoSahihsalludetothecomingofapersonageattheEndofTime,someone

whomJesuswillaccompany.Forexample,letuscitetwohadiths:TheSahihofBukharimentionsa

traditionreportedbyAbuHurayra:"TheProphetsaid:'HowwillyoureactwhenthesonofMary

(Jesus)descendsamongyouwhileyourImamwillbefromamongyourselves?'"1TheSahihof

MuslimreportsatraditionfromJabirb.'Abdullah:"IheardtheProphetsaying:'AgroupofPure

onesfrommyCommunitywillfightcontinuouslyfortheTruth(Haqq)untiltheDayofJudgement.'

Hesaid:'Thenwilldescend'IsaibnMaryam.AndyourLeader(Amir)willtellhim:Comeandlead

theprayerforus.Hewillanswer:No,forsomeofyouareleadersofothers,thatiswhatGodhas

grantedtothisCommunity.'"2

________________________

1M.ibnIsma'ilalBukhari,SahihBukhari,Bab.Nuzul'IsaibnMaryam49,Vol.4,p.143:

U'a"C,Eì'a*N~i'N~a*?C,a':?C,a'N~O'?a'C,...(O~)~i'Y'C,a"Eâ~C,?C,a"Oà'C,Eà"a~N~i'a~

Y'i'~a~?C,a~C,a~~a~a~a"~a~?

2MuslimibnHajjaj,SahihMuslim,KitabAIIman,num.247,Vol.1,p.137:

Intherestoftheauthoritativecollectionsoftraditions,theMahdiandallthatconcernshisadvent

isexplicitlymentionedintraditionsfromthe Prophet,whichallowsustothinkthattheideaisnot

exclusivelyShi'ite.SeveralcompilersofhadithlikeAhmadibnHanbal(d.241AH/857AD),Ibn

Madja(d.273AII/887AD)alTirmidhi(d.279AH/892AD),AbuDawudalSajistani(d.275AH/889

AD),AhmadalBazzar(d.292AH/904AD),AbuYa'lahalMawsili(d.307AI1/919AD),alTabarani

(d.360AH/971AD),alHakimalNaysaburi(d.431AH/1040AD),andalBayhaki(d.1077AD)have

specificallyrecordedtraditionsabouttheMahdiintheircollections.Accordingtothe

EncyclopaediaofIslam,theMahditraditionscontainedinthecanonicalSunnihadithcollectionsof

AbuDawud,alTirmidhi,IbnMadjaandalNassa'iaswellastheMusnadofIbnHanbal,were

numerousenoughtoprovideasolidbasisforthepopularbeliefintheMahdiaswellasinthe

postclassicalcollectionsofhadithlikethoseofalTabarani,alHakimalNaysaburi,andalBayhaki.

TheeschatologicalroleoftheMahdibecamegenerallymorepronounced,butitneverbecamean

essentialpartofSunnireligiousdoctrineandSunnicreedrarelymentionsit.Theviewthatthe

MahdiwouldruletheMuslimcommunityatthetimeofthedescentofJesuswascommonly

accepted.1IbnKhaldun(d.405AD),who

________________________

1"AlMahdi"inEI2,p.1234.

refutesthecertaintyofthemajorityofthe//MO concerningtheMahdi,neverthelessacceptsa


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minorityofthem.1lnhisMuqaddimah,hehassummarizedtheSunnitepositiononthequestion

ofthefuturerestorerofthefaithinthefollowingterms:

"Ithasbeenwellknown(andgenerallyaccepted)byallMuslimsineveryepoch,thatattheendof

timeamanfromthefamily(oftheProphet)willwithoutfailmakehisappearance,onewhowill

strengthenIslamandmakejusticetriumph.TheMuslimswillfollowhim,andhewillgain

dominationovertheMuslimrealm.HewillbecalledtheMahdi.Followinghim,theAntichristwill

appear,togetherwithallthesubsequentsignsoftheFlour(theDayofJudgement),asestablished

in(thesoundtraditionsoftheSahih)"[authoritativecollectionsofthepropheticsayings

recognizedbytheSunnites.]AftertheMahdi,'Isa(Jesus)willdescendandkilltheAntichrist.Or,

JesuswilldescendtogetherwiththeMahdiandhelphimkill(theAntichrist),andhavehimasthe

leaderinhisprayers."2

InspiteofsupportforthebeliefintheMahdibysomeprominenttraditionists,oppositiontothe

beliefinhimdidnotentirelydisappearamongthehadithscholars.3Intheearlyperiodofthe

Islamichistory,aminorgroupofMuslimscholarsdeniedtheappearanceoftheMahdiand

claimedthat

________________________

1A.Amin,alMahdiwalMahdawiyah,p.108.

2IbnKhaldun,TheMuqaddimah,vol.2,p.156.

3"AlMahdi'',EI2,p.1234

onlyJesuswouldcome.IbnMajareportsthishadith("laMahdiilla'Isa;thereshallbenoMahdi

exceptJesus")inhisSunanandsaysthatitwasreportedbyonepersononly,andthatisIdris

Shafi'i.1Furthermore,ImamQurtubistatesthatthereareunknowntransmittersinthechainof

thenarrationofthishadithandthatitisthereforeweak.Healsostatesthatthishadith

contradictsallthehadithsreportedbytheProphetabouttheMahdi,descendedfromthe

Prophet'sfamilythroughFatima.2

Ontheotherhand,inthemiddleofthe7th/13thcentury,severalSunnitescholarssupportedthe

Shi'itebeliefthatthetwelfthImamwastheexpectedMahdi,relyingsolelyonSunnitetraditions

andcounteringSunniteobjectionstotheMahdishipofthetwelfthImam.Amongthem,Sibtibn

alDjawzi,shortlybeforehisdeathin654AH/1256ADinDamascus,assembledreportsfromSunni

sourcesaboutthevirtuesof'Aliandhisdescendants,andattheendaffirmedthattheTwelfth

ImamwastheexpectedMahdiinhisTadhkirakhawasal 'ummabi dhikrkhasa'isala'imma.

SupportoftheMahdishipoftheTwelfthImambytheseSunniauthors,asalsobylaterones,was

regularlynotedbyImamiapologists.3

________________________


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1IbnMadja,MuhammadIbnYazidalQazwini(207275A.H.)SunanIbnMadja,KitabalFitan,Bab

ShiddatalZaman,Vol.3,p.434.

2ImamalQurtubi,AlTadhkirahFiAhwalalMawtawaumuralAkhira,BabFialMahdi.

3"AlMahdi",EI2,p.1237

Regardlessoftheauthenticityorotherwiseofthetraditionscitedonthisquestion,theultimate

triumphofGoodoverEvilintheQur'anandtheuniversalideaofhopeinIslamisembodiedinthe

figureoftheMahdi.ThebeliefinafutureSaviourandtheMessianicconcepthashadasignificant

socialandpsychologicalimpactonMuslims.Ineverycrisisandintimesofturbulence,these

beliefsservedtoraisetheirhopes.

13MahdiinShi'ism

InImamite(Twelver)Shi'ism,thebeliefintheappearanceoftheMahdi,thetwelfthImam

descendedfromtheProphetwhopromisedanendtocorruption,hasbeenacentralaspectofthe

faiththroughoutitshistory,incontrasttothebeliefsofSunnism.Thisisnotonlyabasictenetof

thecreed,butalsothefoundationonwhichtheentirespiritualedificeoftheImamitereligion

rests.Thebeliefinatemporaryabsenceoroccultation(ghayba)oftheMahdiandhiseventual

returningloryisalsocommon.TheideaoftheMahdihasagreatersignificanceandpresencein

thelivesoftheShi'itesthaninanyotherreligionandisthemostimportantfactorinthe

developmentofShi'ism,whereunshakeablebeliefintheadventoftheMahdicontinuestobe

expressedinmostoftheirdailyprayers.

Inthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturies,withthespreadofWesternstyle

modernism,Messianicandeschatologicalaspirationslargelydisappearedfromthemainstream

Sunnitediscourse,althoughimportantMahdistmovementsemergedinthemidnineteenth

centurytosubsistwellintothetwentiethcenturyindifferentpartsoftheIslamicworld.Onthe

otherhand,intheShi'iteworld,thedesiretocreateatrueIslamiccommunitywithaMessianic

deliverancewasmoreintensethanintheSunniworld.InthedecadeleadinguptotheIranian

IslamicRevolutionin1979,thereweresomeattemptstoreassesssuchthemesasthenatureof

thehereafter,thecomingoftheMahdiandtheorderheisexpectedtoestablish.Topicssuchas

thedutiesofbelieversduringtheOccultationweremoreassertivelylinkedtothequestionsof

politicallegitimacyandclericalleadershiponbehalfoftheImam.Therewasagradualdistancing

fromthetraditionalnarrativeoftheapocalypticendinfavourofportrayingtheImam'sreturnas

anallembracingrevolutionwiththisworldlycausesandconsequences.AccordingtoShari'ati,

MessianismandfuturisminShi'iteIslamweretheoutcomesofa"synthesisbetweentheideals

andtherealities"ofIslam,anambitiontorestoretheidealsofAli'sjustrule...Toreconstructsuch

anidealizedpast,Shari'atibelieved,thedisinherited(mustad'afin)oftheearthshouldstrivefora

"classlesssociety"inwhichjusticeandequalitywilltriumphoverexploitation,imperialismand

tyranny.1


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________________________

1Shari'ati,Expectation:aSchoolofProtest,p.15

ThedifferencebetweenSunnismandShi'ismisaquestionofpoliticalsuccessionandreligious

authority.TherewastheproblemofthesuccessiontotheProphetasleaderofthecommunity

afterhisdeath.AsmallgroupbackedAliwhomtheybelievedtohavebeendesignatedforthis

rolebyappointment(la'yin)andtestament.Theybecameknownashis'partisans'(shi'ah)while

themajorityagreedonAbuBakrontheassumptionthattheProphetleftnoinstructionsonthis

matter;theygainedthenameof'Thepeopleoftraditionandconsensusofopinion'(ahlalsunnah

waaljama'ah).ButmoregenerallytheShiiteofAli,inthesenseofthosewhobackedand

followedhimamongtheCompanions,alreadyexistedduringtheProphet'slifetimeandthereare

severalreferencestotheminpropheticsayings.OnlywiththedeathoftheProphetdidthey

becomecrystallizedasa.groupdistinctfromtheSunnis.1Theyfollowthefamilyandsuccessors

oftheProphet(TwelveImams)astheirsourcefortheunderstandingoftheQuranicRevelation.

TheImamisthesustainerofthereligiouslawandtheguarantorofitscontinuation.Theearthcan

neverbedevoidofthepresenceoftheImam,evenifhebehiddenorunknown.Hisdutiesare

essentiallytoruleoverthecommunityastheProphet'srepresentative,tointerpretreligious

scienceandlawtomenandtoguidepeopleintheirspirituallife.

________________________

1Nasr,IdealsandrealitiesofIslam,p.149

LiketheImamsbeforehim,thetwelfthImamissaidtohavehadamiraculousbirth.Hewasborn

onthefifteenthdayofSha'banintheyear255oftheHijrah.Hecameoutofhismother'swomb

prostrateintheattitudeofprayer,pureandcircumcised,raisinghisvoiceintheprofessionof

faith(shahadah).Hismother,calledNarjis(Narcissus),isbelievedtobethegrand daughterofthe

ByzantineEmperor,whodisguisedherselfasaslavegirl,andwascapturedduringaMuslim

expeditionagainstByzantineterritory.Longbeforehercaptivity,shewasvisitedinherdreamsby

Fatimah,thevenerableancestressoftheImamsanddaughteroftheProphet,whoinstructedher

intheIslamicfaithandpreparedherforthegreatroleshewastoplay.Finally,theProphetsJesus

andMuhammad,withtheirvicegerentsSimonPeter(Shim'un)andAli,appearedtothegirl.

MuhammadaskedJesusforNarjis'shand,andAliandSimonPeteractedaswitnessestothe

marriagecontract.FatimahandtheVirginMaryalsocametoblessthesacredmarriage.Fromthat

timeon,the1Imam,Hasanal`Askari,thegirl'sfuturespouse,cametoseehereverynightina

dream.Hefinallyorderedhertofleehercountryandallowherselftobesoldintoslavery.1Thus,

thetwelfthImam'slineagecombinedbothroyaltyandprophecy.Moreimportantisthedirect

presenceofChristianity

________________________


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1IbnBabuye,Kamalaldin,Bab41Maruwi'ahalNarjisummalQa'im,vol.2,p.418423

Majlisi,BiharalAnwar,KitabalGhayba,Babwiladatihiwaahwalalummihi,num.12,vol.51,

pp.678.

inthepopularconceptandhistoryoftheImamsinTwelverShi'ism.AccordingtoImamiteauthors,

noneofthepreviousImamshadbeenspieduponashadtheeleventh.AlHasanal`Askari

attemptedtohidethefactofthebirthofhissonfromeveryonebuthisclosestfriends.1The

caliphalMu'tamidandhisentourage,aswellasthemajorityofthepartisansoftheImams,were

evenconvincedthattheeleventhImamhadpassedaway(in260AH/874AD)withoutleavingany

progeny.

a)MahdiinShi'itetraditions

TheliteraturedealingwiththeMahdi,hisbirth,concealmentandreturnisvastandcomplex.

Sachedinastates,concerningthisliterature,thattheprimarysourcesinthestudyofthedoctrinal

evolutionoftheideaoftheMahdiinImamiShi'ism2canmakeanessentialcontributiontoan

understandingoftheperiodinwhichtheideaoftheHiddenMahdibecamecrystallizedin

Imamitedogma.3M.A.A.MoezziexplainsveryclearlythattheImamspassedontwokindsof

traditionsconcerningtheMahdi:thefirstcategorycontainedconfusinginformation,wherethe

nameoftheMahdiisnotspecifiedandwasaimedatthatlargegroupofdiscipleswhowere

involvedinthewritingdownoftraditions.Infact,theImamsprohibitedthepronouncingofthe

latter'sname(alnahy'analism,al

________________________

1IbnBabuye,Kamalaldin,volI,pp.474

2Imami(orimamate);theShiawhobelieveintwelveimams.

3Sachedina,"AtreatiseontheOccultarion...",p.110

man''analtasmiya)1.Accordingtotheauthors,thisprohibitionwasmaintainedineffectuptoat

leastthebeginningoftheminorOccultation.Asecondkindoftradition,aimedonlyattheclosest

ofdisciples,containedspecificinformationabouttheidentityoftheMahdi.Hisnamewas

includedhere,exceptthat,inordertoguaranteethesafetyofhislife,thiscategoryoftraditions

wasonlytobetransmittedorallyuntilafterthebeginningoftheOccultation;itcouldbeputinto

writingonlyafterthelifeofthesonoftheeleventhImamwasoutofdanger.2

AmongthefirstShi'itecompilersoftraditionsconcerningthenumberofImams,thetwelfth

Imam,histwooccultations,hisfinalReturnandRise,letuscite:ShaykhalKulayni,whodiedin

329AH/940AD,thesameyearasthebeginningofthemajorOccultation,andwhocompiledhis

UsulminalKaliduringtheperiodoftheminorOccultation;alNu'maniIbnAbiZaynab(d.circa345

or360AH/956or971AD);Ja'faralQummi(d.369AH/979AD);AliibnMuhammadalKhazzazal


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RazialQummi(d.inthesecondhalfofthefourthAH/tenthADcentury);IbnBabuye(d.381

AH/991AD)who,especiallyinhisKamal(Ikmal)aldin,seemstohavecollectedtheessentialsof

alltheinformationfromhispredecessors;AhmadibnMuhammadIbnÀyyashalJawhari(d.401

AH/1101AD;

________________________

1alKulayni,Usul,"kitabalhujja",babfialnahy'analism,hadith1and3,vol.1,p.332333.

2M.A.A.Moezzi,TheDivineGuideinEarlyShi'ism,p.106

AlShaykhalMufid(d.413AH/1022AD),authorofKitabalIrshad;id.AlFusulal'asharafia!

ghayba;AlMurtadaÀlamalHuda(d.436AH/1044AD),adiscipleofalMufid:AlialKarajaki(d.

449AH/1057AD),anotherofalMufid'sdisciples;andfinallyMuhammadibnAlHasanalTusi

(d.460AH/1067AD).Alltheseauthors'worksprecededtheminorOccultation.1

TheTwelverShi'itedoctrineontheOccultation,basedontraditionsattributedtotheImams,was

authoritativelyelaboratedbyMuhammadibnIbrahimalNu'maniinhisKitabalGhayba,byIbn

BabuyainhisIkmalalDin,andbyShaykhalTusiinhisKitabalGhayba.InImamitraditions,asin

Sunnitraditions,theMahdiwillruletheworld,withJesusprayingbehindhimafterhisdescent

fromheaven.ThisdidnotraiseatheologicalproblemasitwouldinSunnism,sincetheMahdi,like

allotherImams,accordingtoprevalentImamidoctrine,exceedsallProphetsexceptMuhammad

inreligiousrank.2

b)TheOccultation

TheOccultation(ghayba)isaperiodofconcealmentchosenbyGodfortheImamwhowill

continuetoliveinthisstateaslongasGoddeemsitnecessary.ThenHewillcommandhimto

reappearandtakecontroloftheworldinordertorestore

________________________

1M.A.A.Moezzi,TheDivineGuideinEarlyShi'ism,p.101

2"AlMahdi",EI2,p.1236

justiceandequity.ThemysteriousfateofthesonoftheeleventhImamdividedtheearlyShi'ite

familyintosomeeleventofifteendifferentschisms.1Buttheideaaccordingtowhichthetwelfth

ImamwasaliveandhiddenandwouldreturnattheEndofTime,waslateradoptedbyall

Imamitesduetothetenaciouseffortsofauthors/compilerslikealKulayni,alNu'maniand

especiallyIbnBabuye,who,throughthegreatmassoftraditionssurroundingthisbelief,

progressivelymanagedtoconvincethepopulationofthefaithful.2Infact,earlyImamites

attemptedtopresenttheImamateandMahdiismoftheTwelfthImaminoccultationinalogical

andrationalway.3AccordingtoImamitesources,MuhammadibnAlHasanalÀskari(alMahdi)


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hadafirstoccultationwhenhewasachild,in260AH/874AD,atthetimeofhisfather'sdeath,

anditlastednearly70years.AtSamarrainIraq,besidetheshrinesofthetenthandeleventh

Imams,isamosqueunderwhichthereisacavefromwheretheImamMahdiissaidtohave

disappeared4whenhewasfiveyearsold.Thiscavewasaplaceofretreatandmeditationforthe

eleventhImamandhisson,andalsoahidingplacefromtheAbbasidagents.5Duringthis

Occultation,theImam

________________________

1Cf.A.A.Sachedina,IslamicMessianism,pp.4255,seealsoanNawbakhti,lessectesshines(Kitah

Firaqalshi'a),pp.109

2M.A.A.Moezzi,TheDivineGuideinEarlyShi'i.rm,p.105

3Sachedina,"AtreatiseontheOccultation...",p.111.

4M.Momen,AnIntroductiontoShi'iIslam,P.161.

5H.Corbin,EnIslamIranien,vol.4,p.322.

communicatedwithhisfaithfulviafoursuccessiveRepresentatives(na'ib):

1.Abu'AmrÙthmanibnSa'idalÙmari(oralÀmri),representativefrom260AH/874ADto267

AH/880AD.

2.AbuJa'farMuhammadibn'UthmanalÙmari(oralÀmri),thesonoftheabove,from267

AH/880ADuntil305AH/917AD.

3.AbulQasimalHusaynibnRawhalNawbakhti,from305AH/917ADto326AH/937AD.

4.AbulHasanAliibnMuhammadalSimarri,from326AH/937ADto329AH/941AD.

Thiswas"theminorOccultation"(alghaybaalsughra).

Then,around329AH/941AD,camethebeginningof"themajorOccultation"(alghaybaalkubra)

afterthefourthrepresentativereceivedalastautographednotefromthehiddenImam:

"InthenameofGod,theCompassionate,theMerciful;AliibnMuhammadalSimarri,mayGod

increase,throughyou,therewardofyourbrothers[inreligion;thatistheShi'ites];yourdeathwill

takeplaceinsixdays.Prepareyourselfandnamenooneasyoursuccessor[asrepresentative]

afteryourdeath.ThisistheadventofthesecondOccultationinwhichtherewillbenomore

manifestation,exceptifitbewithdivinepermission,andthatwillonlytakeplaceafteralong

time,whenheartswillbehardenedandtheearthfilledwithviolence.Amongmypartisans,some

willclaimtohaveseenmewiththeireyes.Beware!Hewhoclaimstohaveseen[me]withhiseyes

beforetheraisingofalSufyaniand[thesoundingof]theCryisaliarandanimpostor.Greatness

andPowerbelongtoGodalone."

SixdayslateralSimarri,onhisdeathbed,wasasked,"Whowillbeyoursuccessor'?"Hereplied,


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16/56


bestknown,andnumerousotherShi'iteworksthroughoutthecenturies,containanumberof

eyewitnessaccountsfromevenordinarypeoplewhowereingreatdistressorotherunfortunate

circumstancesandwhoclaimhavingmetthetwelfthImam."Noneofthesemysterious

appearancestohisfaithfulsuspendshisOccultationbuteachoftheseappearancessuspendsfor

hisfaithfulthecommonlawsoftimeandspaceforMenwhodonotperceivetheoccultpresence

oftheImam."4

________________________

1IbnBabuye,Kamalaldin,vol.2,ch.33,p.341,num.21.also,alKulayni,Usul,KitabalHujja,bab

Nahi'anal Ism,vol.1,num1&3,p.332333;AlNu'mani,Kitabalghayba,p.257.

2IbnBabuye,Kamalaldin,vol.2,ch.43,p.253,num.3.


4Ibid,p.306

c)TheconceptofIntizar

ComplementarytothedoctrineofthegreaterOccultationisthenotionofIntizar,orthe

expectationandawaitingoftheHiddenImam'sreturn.Intizarisastateofexpectancyforthe

reappearanceoftheHiddenImam;itisadoctrineofhopeandtrustthathewillonedayreappear

andestablishanidealIslamicsociety.Theexpectationofreleasefromsuffering,griefandsorrow

(Intizaralfaraj)isenjoineduponthebelievers.ThedoctrineofIntizarhasimportantconnotations

forthepersonalandpoliticallivesoftheTwelverShi'itefaithfulduringtheOccultationofthe

Imam:theirpersonaldutiesasbelieversvisavisGodandtheirattitudetothequestionof

religiousleadershipandearthlygovernment.

ThemostcomprehensivecollectionoftheTwelverShi'itenarrativesonIntizarwasmadebythe

Shi'itescholarMuhammadBaqirMajlisiinhisencyclopaedicworkonShi'itetraditions,Biharal

Anwar.1ThedisappearanceoftheMahdiandhisOccultationarepresentedinthetraditionsasa

severetestfortheShi'itefaithful,bringingwithitmuchhardshipandmanyschisms.TheShi'ites

willundergoaprocessofsiftinginwhichtheunbelieverswillberootedoutfromthebelievers.

SeveraltraditionsmentionthemeritofIntizaralfarajwithoutspecifyingthenatureandcauseof

suffering.Inonetradition,theProphetisreportedtohavesaid:"Thebestofallacts

________________________

1Majlisi,BiharalAnwar,Vol.52,BabFazlalIntizarvamadhalShi'afizamanalghayba,pp.122

127.

carriedoutbymypeopleistheirexpectationofreleasefromsuffering,grantedtothembyGod."

1SeveraloftheeightyorsotraditionsontheexcellencyofIntizar,classitasthemostnoble

(afdal)ofallactions,andinonenarrativeassynonymouswithworship(`lbada).2Actsofworship


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...mustbecarriedoutclandestinelyduringtheghayba,aremoremeritoriousthanthose

performedopenlyafterthereturnoftheImam.Onemuststrivetocarryoutalloftheobligatory

dutieslaiddownintheShari'a,whichremainincumbentontheindividualdespitetheabsenceof

theImam.TheTwelverShi'itesduringtheoccultationaresuperiortothoseinthecompanyofthe

Mahdi,forthesimplereasonthattheformermustcontendwithtyrannicalregimes,againstwhich

theymoveneithertonguenorhandnorswordinopposition.3Theexpectationofsalvation

throughtheriseofthetwelfthImamisdominantthroughouttheOccultation.Thepersistentfaith

infreedomfromgriefthroughhisappearancerequirestheShi'itestobeonthealertatalltimes

andalsotopavethewayfortheImam'sreappearance.

MurtazaMutahhari,aprominentstudentofImamKhomeinyandateacherofphilosophy,inhis

essayontheuprisingandtherevolutionoftheMahdi,nolongertreatedtheadventoftheLordof

theAgeasasudden,impromptuevent,

________________________

1Biharvol.52,P.122.

2Ibidvol.52p.122.

3Ibidvol.52,p.122

butasthefinalstageinanideologicallydrivenrevolutiontoestablishIslam's"idealsociety".

MutahhariconceivedthecomingoftheMahdiastheclimaxofarevolutionarystrugglethatinits

primarystagesrequiresthebelievers'activeinvolvement1duringtheOccultation.Unlikethe

Marxisttheoryofrevolution,MutahharibelievedthatMahdi'srevolutionisdivinelyinspiredand

remainscontingentuponthealertnessandactionofthecommunity.Thus,theestablishmentofa

juststatebecameforMutahhariandlikemindedactivistsalegitimatefirststeptowardthefinal

revolutionoftheMahdi.

ThewellknownworkWilayatefaqih(authorityofthejurist)wasclearlymeanttoprovidean

answertothemosturgentoftheseconcerns.Inthiswork,ImamKhomeinyadvocatedthe

necessityforinstitutinganIslamicgovernmentintheabsenceoftheHiddenImaminorderto

preparetheterrainfortheRiseoftheMahdi.HearguedthatwhiletheImamisinOccultation,

preservingtheessenceofIslamanddefendingitssacredvaluesshouldbeaccomplishedbyan

IslamicgovernmentunderaGuardianJuristtobeupheldastheImam'svicegerent.Insupportof

thisdoctrine,ImamKhomeinycitesoneoftheHiddenImam'sdecreesinwhichthe`ulamawere

upheldas"proofs"(hujaj)oftheLordoftheAge.

________________________

1Mutahhari,p.510

AliShari'ati(19331977),amajorideologueofrevolutionaryShi'ism,inapamphletentitled


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"expectation,aschoolofprotest",regardedtheEndofTimeasnothingbutan"ultimate

revolution"forhumanity.TheMahdi'srevolutioncouldnotcomeaboutwithoutMuslimsarriving

atanewunderstandingofexpectationasawayofacquiringsocialresponsibility,workingtoward

ajustandequitableorderandrejectingpoliticaloppressionandculturaldegradation.Complying

withtheShi'iteprophecies,herepeatedthattheLordoftheAgewillcomewhentheentire

lifespanofhumanityreachesitslowestebbofcorruption,butuntilthattime,herecommended

thatthecommunityofbelieversshouldsettleontheleadershipofademocraticallyelectedjurist

(faqih)toserveastheHiddenImam'sgeneraldeputy(na'ibe',gam).Atrueunderstandingofthe

End,hestated,willevolveonlywhenMuslimsabandontroublingtheological1entanglements

concerningcircumstancesoftheresurrection(andineffect,theOccultation)andinstead,develop

aperspectiveconformingtomodernsocialandhumansciences,andbasedonasociological

analysisofclassconflict.Shari'ati'sideologicaldimensionsofexpectationgosofarastoendorsea

MarxistinspiredIslamicrevolution.Trueexpectation,accordingtoShari'ati,is"believingthatin

thelifeofhumankindonthisveryearthandbeforedeath,notintheresurrectionafterdeath,

historywillbringaboutthetriumphoftheoppressedanddestructionoftheoppressors".

d)TheReturnandtheRise

ThefutureReturnandRiseoftheMahdiconstitutesthemostfrequentoftheImam'spredictions

andhasbeendescribedinnumeroustraditionsfromtheearlytimesinImamitehistory.Itis

believedthattheMahdiwillcometofulfillthemissionofalltheprophetsbeforehim,and

completethetaskofImamHusayn(thethirdImam),thegreatmartyrofKarbala.Heshallappear,

accordingtomanytraditions,onthedayof'Ashura,thedayonwhichImamHusayn,sonofImam

Ali,waskilled,1showinghimselffirstinMecca,Islam'sholiestcity,wherehewillbejoinedinitially

by313believers,thenumberofthemartyrsofBadr,thenhewillmakehisheadquartersinKufah

whereImamAliwaskilledandburied.TheReturnaswellastheRisingoftheQa'im,willbe

precededbysigns.Thethemeof'SignsoftheReturn'isoneofthemostdevelopedofthosethat

occurincollectionsofhadith,inbothSunniteandShi'iteliterature.Sometimesanumberof

chaptersarededicatedtothesubject.2TheuniversalsignoftheReturnconsistsinthe

generalizedinvasionoftheearthbyEvil.Therearealsoagreatnumberofmorespecificsigns

listedinthecompilations.

________________________

1Mufid,p.341

2AlNu'mani,Kitabalghayba,ch.14,15,18,21;IbnBabuye,KamalalDin,ch.47,57,58....


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ChapterII Shi'itecommentators(Mufassirin)andtheircommentaries(Tafsirs)

TheSacredTexthasbeensubjecttointerpretations(tarsir)),hermeneutics(ta'wil)andmystical

exegesisthroughoutIslamichistory.TheShi'iteunderstandingoftheQur'anisfoundedonthe

doctrinalbeliefthattheShi'iteImamspossessthehidden,esoteric(batin)knowledgeofthe

versesoftheQur'an.

21TheprinciplesofShi'itafsirandtherelationbetweentheImamsandtheQur'an

Tafsirmeans"interpretation"ingeneralbutnotalwaysoftheQur'an."Themostsignificantusage

ofthewordisitsreferencetothebranchofIslamiclearningconcernedwiththeQur'an.Atafsirof

theQur'anisaworkwhichprovidesaninterpretationoftheArabictextofthescripture.Inmost

cases,aworkentitledtafsirwillfollowthetextoftheQur'anfromthebeginningtotheendand

willprovideaninterpretation(tafsir)ofsegmentsofthetext(wordbyword,phrasebyphraseor

versebyverse)asarunningcommentary.Themajorexceptionstothisfundamental

characteristicaretobefoundintheformativeandthecontemporaryperiodsofIslam.Inthe

formativeperiod,onefindsworksoftafsir,whichcoveronlyisolatedsegmentsofthetext,andin

thecontemporaryperiod,thematictafasir(mawdu'i)havebecomequitepopular.Different

mufassirunhavedifferentconcernsandgoalsandthisisreflectedintherelativeweighttheyput

uponelementssuchashistory,grammar,law,theology..."1ThecommentariesoftheQur'anare

usefulfordecipheringthemessageoftheQur'an.ManypeoplewhoreadtheSacredBookreceive

nomorefromitthantheliteralmessage.Itisinthecommentaries,basedontheclarification

affordedbythehadithandwrittenbythosewhoarequalifiedinthetruesense,thatmancomes

tounderstandexplicitlyandinmoreextendedformwhatiscontainedoftenimplicitlyandina

contractedformintheQur'an.2

a)TheprinciplesofShi'itafsir

TheexotericandesotericaspectsoftheQur'an

AmongtheprinciplesoftheShi'itafsiristhattheQur'anhasanouterdimension(zahir)andan

innerdimension(batin)andthesimplesurfacetextofaverseunfoldsmultiple

________________________

1A.Rippin,"Tafsir",EI2,p.8384.

2H.Nasr,IdealsandRealitiesinIslam,p.58

meaningsandexemplifiesafeaturetobefoundthroughouttheQur'an.1IndeedtheQur'anis


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meantformenandwomenofanylevelofintellectandfromanysocialbackground,and"since

theexpoundingofsubtleknowledgeisnotwithoutdangerofmisinterpretation,theQur'an

directsitsteachingsprimarilyatthelevelofthecommonman.TheQur'anrevealsitselfinaway

suitablefordifferentlevelsofcomprehensionsothateachbenefitsaccordingtohisown

capacity."Alsocertainversescontainmetaphorswhichindicatedivinegnosisfarbeyondthe

commonman'sunderstandingbutwhichneverthelessbecomecomprehensiblethroughtheir

metaphoricalform.2

TheseexotericandesotericaspectsoftheQur'anhavealsobeenidentifiedwiththeprinciplesof

tafsirandta'wilrespectively,Tafsirbeingtheexplanationoftheexternalaspectandtheliteral

exegesisoftheQur'anusingdifferentfieldslikeArabicgrammar,poetry,linguistic,jurisprudence

orhistoryasreferencestoelucidatethedifficultiesoftheliteraltext,andTa'wIIsignifying"to

takebackorreconductsomethingtoitsoriginandarchetype(asl)".3Thebasisinanycase

remainsthecorpusofteachingsandhadithoftheImamswhoexpoundedtherulesoftheplurality

ofmeaningsintheQur'an.4Inotherwords,Ta'wilorsymbolicandhermeneutic

________________________

1Tabataba'i,TheQur'aninIslam,p.29.

2Ibid,p.3132



interpretationenablespenetrationintotheinnermeaningoftheSacredText,whichinfactentails

areachingbacktoitsOrigin.Theideaofpenetratingintotheinnermeaningofthingscanbeseen

everywhereinIslam.ButitisparticularlyinthecaseoftheQur'anthatta'wilisapplied,especially

bytheSufisandtheShi'as1.2

Thereisconsiderabledisagreementastothemeaningofta'wil,anditispossibletocountmore

thantendifferentviews.Tabatabaiexplainsthatta'wilisnotinoppositiontotheactualtextbutis

usedtoextendtheideaexpressedtoincludeafurthermeaning.3Also,sufficientdeliberation

upontheQur'anicversesandthehadithoftheImamswillshowthattheQur'anneveruses

enigmaticmethodsofexplanation."Whathasbeenrightlycalledta'wilorhermeneutic

interpretationoftheHolyQur'anisnotconcernedwithcertaintruthsandrealitiesthattranscend

thecomprehensionofthecommonrunofmen".Infact,"thewholeoftheQur'anpossessesthe

senseofta'wil,ofesotericmeaning,whichcannotbecomprehendeddirectlythroughhuman

thoughtalone."OnlytheProphetand

________________________

1H.Nasr,IdealsandRealitiesinIslam,p.5859


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2InthefafsiroftheQur'an,theSunnihavemainlydependedontheapparentmeaningofthe

Qur'anicverses,whereastheShiahavedependedontheapparentmeaningandtheinner

meaningoftheversesunderstoodfromotherverses(fortheQur'anicversesexplaineachother)

andfromthetraditionsoftheProphet(s.a)andtheinfallibleImams(a.)thatexplainedthe

qur'an.ButasfortheSufis,theyhavedependedontheirpersonalunderstandingoftheQur'an,

andtherefore,mostoftheirtafsirs(interpretations)arenotacceptedbyotherMuslims,especially

theShia.

3Tabataba'i,TheQur'aninIslam,p.41

thepureamongthesaintscancontemplatethesemeaningsinthisworld."OntheDayof

Resurrection,theta'wiloftheQur'anwillberevealedtoeveryone."1

Theabrogating(nasikh)andtheabrogated(mansukh)verses

Abrogatingversesarethosewhichareapplicableandrelevantatalltimesandabrogatedverses

arenotrelevantandhavealreadybeenfulfilled.2

Theexplicit(muhkam)andtheimplicit(mutashabih)verses

Theverse7inthesura3oftheQur'andividestheQur'anintotwoparts:theexplicitandthe

implicit,theclearandtheallegorical,orthemuhkamandthemutashabih.Theverses,whichare

explicitandimmediateintheirmessage,areincapableofbeingmisinterpreted.Theimplicitverses

arenotofthisnature,butseemtoexpressameaningcontainingafurthertruermeaningwhose

interpretationisknownonlytoGod.ThisviewisacceptedbyboththeSunniteandtheShi'ite

scholars;however,theShi'itesbelievethattheProphetandtheImamsofhisfamilyalso

understoodthehiddenmeaningsandmaintainthattheordinarymanmustseekknowledgeofthe

implicitversesfromthem(theProphetandhisfamily).3TabatabairelatesfromtheImamsthat

eachverse,evenifits

________________________

1Tabataba'iinH.Nasr,Shi'ism:Doctrines,Thought,andSpirituality,p.24

2M.Ayoub,"ThespeakingQur'anandtheSilentQur'an",p.189.


meaningisnotapparentor.,explicit,canbeexplainedbyreferencetootherverses.Thus,thereal

meaningoftheimplicitversescanbefoundinrelationtotheexplicitversesandtheassertionthat

nomeansexistforunderstandingtheimplicitversesisfallacious.Healsoreportsaprophetic

hadith(reportedbyal`Amili,inalburralManthur,vol.2,p.8):"Intruth,theQur'anwasnot

revealedsothatonepartmaycontradicttheother,butratherwasrevealedsothatonepartmay


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verifytheother.Youunderstandwhatyoucanofit,then,actaccordingly;andthatwhichis

unclearforyou,simplybelieveinit."1

b)TheImamsandtheAhlalBaysinrelationtotheQur'an

TheShi'iteshaveagreedthatGodrevealedtoMuhammadboththeQur'ananditsexegesisand

appointedhimastheteacheroftheBook,2whiletheProphetappointedhisprogenytocarryon

thisworkafterhim.IntwoplacesoftheQur'an,(33:33)and(56:7779),Godhasconfirmedthe

Prophet'sdeclarationthathisprogenyheldrealknowledgeoftheBook.3Inalongandwell

knowntradition(hadithalThaqalayn)relatedbybothShi'iandSunnitraditionists,theQur'anis

presentedasthe'greaterweight'(althaqalalakbar)andthe

________________________

1Ibid,P.36.

2Qur'an:62:2

3Tabataba'i,alMizan,p.12

Imamsasthe'lesserweight'(althaqalalasghar).InthepresenceofmanyofhisCompanions,the

Prophetdeclared:"Iamsoonabouttobereceived.....IamtellingyoubeforeIamtakenupthatI

shallleavewithyou,asrepresentativesafterme,theBookofmyLord,andmyprogeny,the

peopleofmyhousehold,theahlalbaytthattheAllGracious,AllKnowing,toldmethattheyshall

notbeseparateduntiltheymeetmeonthedayofResurrection.....Donotprecedethem,foryou

wouldgoastray,anddonotfallbehindthem,foryouwouldperish.Donotteachthem,forthey

areofgreaterknowledgethanyou."1

NumeroustraditionsinseveralchaptersdescribetheknowledgeoftheImams,especiallyinthe

hadithcollectionofKulayni.TheShi'itesconsidertheImamsasassociatesoftheQur'an.The

ProphetandImamsaredistinguishedbytheinheritanceofdivineknowledgeandtheyaloneknow

thefullmeaningoftheQur'an,sinceitwastothemthatitwasprimarilyaddressedandthrough

themtotherestofhumankind.AlsotheypossessalltherevealedBooksofthepreviousProphets

andknewtheirtafsirandta'wildespitethenumberoflanguagesinwhichtheywerewritten.

Thus,theImamshaveauniquerelationtotheQur'anthatgivesShi'itafsiritsuniquecharacter.It

isalsobelievedthattheQur'an,whichAliwrotedownfromthedictationofMuhammadwithits

trueexegesis(ta'wil),waspasseddownfromoneImamto

________________________

1Majlisi,BiharalAnwar,Bab7,vol.23,p.108

thenextandisnowwiththehiddenImamwhowilldiscloseitandjudgebyitwhenhereturnsas

theexpectedMahdi.1


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22ThehistoricaldevelopmentandmethodofShi'itafsir

TheinterpretationoftheQur'an(tafsir)beganrightatthetimeofitsrevelationandisoneofthe

earliestactivitiesinIslamicsciences.ThefirstexegetesamongtheCompanionsoftheProphet

wereIbn'Abbas,`Abdullahibn`Umar,UbayibnKa'bandothers.2PeopleusedtoasktheProphet

allsortsofquestionsastothemeaningofcertainstatementsintheversesandtheProphet

undertooktheteachingandexplanationoftheQur'an.TheProphet'sanswerswerestoredupin

thememoryofhisCompanions.AftertheProphet'sdeath,agroupofhisCompanionswere

occupiedwiththescienceofcommentaryanditstransmission.JustastheyhadheardtheProphet

explainingthemeaningoftheverses,theywouldtransmititorallytoothertrustworthypersons.3

Exegesisinthosedayswasconfinedtotheexplanationofliteraryaspectsoftheverse,the

backgroundofitsrevelation,andoccasionallyinterpretationofoneversewiththehelpof

another.SometimesafewoftheProphet'straditionswerenarrated.

________________________

1Ibid,KitabFadlalQur'an,BabalNawadir,vol.6,p.474

2Tabataba'i,alMizan,p.3


FollowersofthesefirstCompanions(Tabi'un),wholivedinthefirsttwocenturiesofhijra,used

thesameexegeticstyle.However,theyreliedmoreontraditions,andevenJewishsayingsand

dictumstoexplaintheversescontainingdetailsofthepreviousnationspresentinGenesis1

becausethetafsirtransmissionfromtheProphetthroughtheCompanionsandtheTabi'undidnot

coveralltheversesintheQur'an.Somescholarsreliedontheirknowledgeofthelanguageand

historicalfactsoftheProphet'sepoch.2DuringthetimeoftheCompanionsandtheTabi'un,the

scienceoftafsirwaspartofthehadithandtherewashardlyanydifferencebetweenmufassirun

andmuhaddithun(traditionistsornarratorsofhadith)untilthecompleteseparationofthetwoin

theearlythirdcentury,3whenexegesisbecameanindependent,autonomousscience.4The

activityoftafsirduringthefirsttwocenturiesisreflectedbythetafsirofIbnJariralTabari.His

collectionsaresaidtohavecontainedmaterialsfromvariousearlierworksandhisworkis

evidenceofthegeneralrecognitionoftafsirinearlythirdcenturyAH.Itwasthefirstattemptto

commentonthewholeoftheQur'anversebyverse.5

________________________

1AlMizan,p.4

2M.Abdul,TheQur'an:ShaykhTabarsi'scommentary,p.47

3AhmadAmin,DuhaalIslam,II,p.140

4Ibidp.137

5M.Abdul,TheQur'an:ShaykhTabarsi'scommentary,p.5253.


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DuringthesecondcenturyA.H.,Muslimsocietysplitintofourgroups:thetheologians,the

philosophers,theSufis,andthepeopleoftradition.Thisdivergenceshoweditselflaterinexegesis

oftheQur'an.1Indeed,afterTabari,thedevelopmentoftafsircametobeassociatedwith

differentfieldsofknowledge,doctrinesandthought,andscholarsattemptedtomaketheirfield

ofknowledgeabasisfortheircommentaryinordertosupporttheirviewsfromtheQur'an.

Scholarsworkinginthefieldofphilosophyconsideredphilosophyabasisfortheircommentaries

whilescholarsinthelegalfieldemploythetafsirtoprojectthedoctrineoftheirparticularschool

ofthought,andsoon.2

ForTabatabai,allthesewaysofexegesisaredefectivebecausetheysuperimposetheir

conclusionsontheQur'anicmeanings,makingtheQur'anconformwiththeirideas.Thus,

explanationturnsintoadaptation.3Tabatabaistatedthattheonlycorrectmethodofexegesisis

thattheexegeteexplainstheversewiththehelpofotherrelevantverses,meditatingonthem

together.TheProphetandtheImamsdescendedfromhisprogenyalwaysusedthismethodfor

explainingtheQur'an.4SimilarlyMutahhariexplainsthattheQur'anconstitutesacoherent

unifiedstructureandsomeversesneedtobeexplainedwiththehelpofotherversesinorderto

preventany

________________________

1AIMizan,p.5

2M.Abdul,TheQur'an:ShaykhTabarsi'scommentary,p.55Tabataba'i,alMizan,p.9

3Ibid,p.12

misunderstandingaboutcertainproblems.Ifasolitaryverseisstudiedwithoutplacingitinits

propercontext,itwillgiveadifferentmeaningfromwhenitiscomparedwithotherverses

dealingwithasimilarsubject.1Also,whileSunnicommentatorsintheearlyperiodoftafsirrelied

primarilyonprophetictraditionsandthoseoftheCompanionsandtheirsuccessors,theShi'ite

commentators,instudyingaverseoftheQur'an,viewedtheexplanationgivenbytheProphetas

proofofthemeaningoftheverse,anddidnotacceptthesayingsoftheCompanionsortheir

followersasindisputableproofthatthetraditioncamefromtheProphet.TheShi'ite

commentatorsonlyrecognizedasvalidanunbrokenchainofnarrationfromtheProphetthrough

membersofhisfamily.Accordingly,inusingandtransmittingtheversesconcerningQur'anic

commentary,theyrestrictedthemselvestotheuseoftraditionstransmittedbytheProphetand

bytheImamsbelongingtotheProphet'sfamily.2

ThefirstgenerationofShi'itecommentatorsandauthoritiesontafsirweredisciplesoftheImams

andothersclosetothedisciples,wholearnedthetraditionsdirectlyfromtheProphetandthe

ImamsoftheProphet'sfamily.AmongthemweresuchscholarsasZurarahibnA'yunand

MuhammadibnMuslim,Ma'rufibnKharbudhandJarir,whowere


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________________________

1Mutahhari,inH.Nasr,Shi'ismDoctrines,Thought,andSpirituality,p.27


CompanionsofthefifthandsixthImams,orAbuHamzahalThumali(aspecialCompanionofthe

fourthandfifthImams)1.Theirtraditionshavebeenpreservedintheworksofthesecond

generationofcommentatorsandcompilersofcommentaries.Thesewereconsecutively:

FuratIbnIbrahimalKufi,wholivedduringtheImamateoftheninthImam,Muhammadal

Jawad,andmighthaveliveduntilthefirstyearsofthetenthcenturyA.D.Hewasoneofthe

foremostauthoritiesinShi'itetraditionsandoneoftheteachersofthefamoustraditionistal

Qummi.

Muhammadal'Ayyashi,acontemporaryofFuratIbnIbrahimalKufi,wasaSunnischolarwho

acceptedShi'ism,andbecameagreatShi'ascholar.

AliIbnIbrahimalQummi(d.307AH/91920AD),whorelatedtraditionsreceivedfromhisfather

whohad,inturn,learnedthemfrommanyoftheImams'disciples.

MuhammadalNu'mani,whosurvivedintothetenthcenturyAD.AlNu'mani(d.360AH/971AD)

wasoneofalKulayni'sstudents.Heleftanimportanttafsirthatherelatedontheauthorityofthe

sixthImamJa'faralSadiq.Thesetwogenerationsrepresentthepreclassicalperiodof

________________________

1Ibid,p.50

Shi'itetafsir.1Theyavoidedanykindofijtihadorpassingofjudgement.TheImamswereindeed

livingamongMuslimsandavailableforquestioningforaperiodofalmostthreehundredyears.

ThethirdgenerationofShi'itecommentatorsextendedoveraverylongperiod,wellintothe

sixteenthcenturyAD.Theyincluded:alSharifalRadhiy(d.405AH/1015AD)andhiswellknown

brotheralSayyedalMurtadha(d.436AH/1044AD);AbuJa'faralTusi(d.460AH/1067AD)who

wasastudentofalMurtadhaandwhosecommentary,alTybianfitafsiralQur'an,representsan

importantapproachinShi'itafsir;andhisdiscipleAbualFadlIbnalHasanIbnalFadlalTabarsi

(d.548AH/1153AD).TheyrepresentwhatmaybeconsideredastheclassicalperiodofShi'itafsir.

ThesecommentatorstookabroadapproachtotafsirusingShi'iaswellasSunnitraditionsand

alsorejectedShi'ipopularclaimsregardingtheinauthenticityofthe`Uthmanicrecensionofthe


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Qur'an.2Included,too,werelatercommentatorssuchasalMaybudialGunabadi(sixthcentury

A.H)andhisgnosticcommentary,SadralDinalShirazi(d.1050AH/1640AD),HashimalBahrani

(d.1107AH/1695AD)whocomposedalBurhan,`AbdAlialHuwayzi(d.1112AH/1700AD)who

composedtheNuralThaqalayn,andMullaMuhsinFaydal

________________________

1M.Ayoub,"ThespeakingQur'anandtheSilentQur'an",p.184

2Ibid,p.185

Kashani(d.1191AH/1777AD)whocompiledtheworkknownasalSafi.1OtherworksofShi'ite

gnostics,suchasthe8thAH/14thADcenturyfigureHaydarAmuli,werealsoincluded.

TheQur'aniccommentariesofSadralDinalShirazi,knownasMullaSadra"arethemost

importantbyanIslamicphilosopherortheosopher(hakim)andalsothemostvoluminousbya

representativeoftheIslamicphilosophicaltradition"untilMuhammadHusaynTabataba'i(d.1983)

wrotethetafsiralMizan."InthesamewaythatMullaSadra's"TranscendentTheosophy"marks

thesynthesisofthevariousschoolsofgnosis,theosophy,philosophyandtheologywithinaShi'ite

intellectualclimate,hisQur'aniccommentariesmarkthemeetingpointoffourdifferenttraditions

ofQur'aniccommentarybeforehim,theSufi,theShi'ite,thetheologicalandthephilosophical."2

ThefinalstageofthedevelopmentofShi'itafsiristhecontemporaryone.Amongmodernworks,

themostimportantarealMizan.fiTalsiralQur'anbyMuhammadHusaynTabataba'i,alBayanfi

tafsiralQur'anbyalSayyedAbulQasimalKhui,andTafsireNemunebyNasserMakaremShirazi,

thislastbeingorientedmoretowardsyouthreadership.

________________________


2H.Nasr,"TheQuranicCommentariesofMullaSadra",p.45

ChapterIII MahdiinclassicalandmodernShi'itetafsir

Shi'iteMessianismandallthatconcernstheMahdihave,ofcourse,beenstudiedinanumberof

works,butthischapterfocusesontheQur'anicversesreportedasconcerningtheMahdiandtheir

interpretationaccordingtoclassicalandmodernShi'itecommentators.Althoughonlyafew

mufassirinarementionedinthisresearch,threeregularlyrefertotheirpredecessorsandtheir


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opinions,thereforewewillreportontheseinthetranslationwewillgiveoftheirtafsir.Under

eachverse,wewillonlygivetheopinionsandcommentariesofthemufassirinasfarasthey

concerntheMahdi,andnottheircommentaryinitsentirety,whilewewillgivetherelevant

versesoftheQur'anandsomeofthetraditionsconcerningtheMahdiinthefootnotesinArabic.

Subsequently,intheconclusion,wewillattempttocomparethemannerinwhichclassicaland

modernmufassirin expertsindifferentfieldsofIslamicthought viewtheMahdiintheirtafsirof

thesamefewversesthatwewilluseinthisresearch.

Aspartofourresearchinthisthirdchapter,wefirststudiedseparately,withinthreedifferent

Tafsirworks,theTafsirMajma'alBayan,theTafsiralMizan,andtheTafsirMakhzanal'Irfandar

UlumeQur'an(Kanzal'Irfan),examiningeachoneofthe120versesfromtheQur'anwhichare

believedtohavebeenrevealedfortheMahdiaccordingtoSeyyedHashimalBahrani(d.1107

AH/1695AD),aprominentShi'itescholarandmufassir,whoreliedupontheShi'itetraditional

reports.1

Resultsofourresearchshowthat:

InhisMajma'alBayan,ShaykhTabarsihasinterpretedasconcerningtheMahdionlynineverses

fromamongthe120versesreportedbyalBahrani.Theseninearethefollowing:

Qur'an2:3Qur'an4:159Qur'an9:33



InhisTafsiralMizan,MuhammadHusaynTabataba'ihasalsointerpretednineversesandeight

ofthemarethesameasthoseinterpretedbyShaykhTabarsi,althoughhegivesabroader

meaningtotheversesoftheQur'an[2:3],[21:105]and[24:55].Hisnineareasfollows:

________________________

1SeyyedHashimalBahrani:SimayeHazrateMahdidarQur'an,p.23.




InherMakhzanal'Irfan,BanuNusratAminhasinterpretedsixversesfromamongthe120

versesandfourofherversesarethesameasthoseoftheaboveauthors:




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Therefore,theMajma'alBayan,thealMizanandtheMakhzanal'Irfanhavefourversesin

common.TheMajma'andthealMizanhaveeightversesincommonandintotaltherearetwelve

versesdiscussedbythesethreemufassirinthatwewillpresentbelow.Wemaytherefore

concludethatthesetwelveversesareamongthemostimportantones.

1)Qur'an21:105

BeforethisWewroteinthePsalms,aftertheMessage(giventoMoses):Myservants,the

righteous,shallinherittheearth."1[YusufAli21:105]

A TafsirMajma'alBayanbyShaykhTabarsi

Concerningthemeaningofthefirstpartoftheverse"walaqadkatabnafiazzaburmimba'diadh

dhikr"("BeforethisWewroteinthePsalms,aftertheMessage(giventoMoses)"),ShaykhTabarsi

reportsseveralviews:1

1 ZaburarealltheProphets'Books.Themeaningoftheverseisthen'Wewroteinallthe

Prophets'BooksaftertheMotheroftheBookswhichisinHeaven'.ZaburandKitab(Book)have

thesamemeaninghere.

2 ZaburaretheBookswhichwererevealedaftertheTawrah(Torah),andDhikrinthisverse

meansTawrah,sotheversemeans"aftertheTawrah,WewroteintheZabur".

3 AccordingtoSha'bi,ZaburistheBookoftheProphetDavidandDhikristheBookofthe

ProphetMoses.HealsosaysthatDhikristheQur'anandtransformsmimba'd(after)tominqabl

(before).

Concerningthesecondpartoftheverse:"innaalardhyarithuha`ibadiyaassalihun"("My

servants,therighteous,shallinherittheearth"),Tabarsireportsitsmeaningfromseveral

commentators:

1 SomedefinethewordardhastheearthofHeaven.Sotheversemeans:"Myrighteousservants

shallinherittheearthof

________________________

1Majma'alBayan,Vol.16.p.170

Heaven".Accordingtothisview,thisversedoesnotconcerntheMahdi.


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2 SomedefinethewordasthesameEarthwearelivinginandwhichwillbelongtotheUmmaof

theProphetMuhammad.AstheProphetsays:"TheEarthwasgatheredforme,andtheEastern

andWesternpartsofitwereofferedtome.AndsoontheKingdomofmyCommunity(Umma)will

recoverallofthem."1Regardingthisverse,ImamBaqirassertsthattheserighteousservantsare

theCompanionsoftheMahdiattheEndofTime.Toconfirmthesestatements,thereisatradition

thatboththeShi'itesandtheSunnitesreportasemanatingfromtheProphet:"Evenifthere

remainsonlyadayontheEarth,GodwillprolongituntilHewillbringforthapiousmanfrommy

progenysothathewillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwasfilledwithoppressionand

tyranny."2

AfterhavingreportedthattheverseconcernstheMahdi,ShaykhTabarsimentionsatradition

whichdeniestheMahdiandgiveshisownopinion.Hewritesthat,inhisworkalBa'thwaan

Nushur,ImamAbuBakrAhmadibnHusaynBayhakicitesseveraltraditionsinthisregard;his

grandsonÀbdullahibnMuhammadibnAhmadalsoreportedalloftheseinthe

year517AH,butthetraditionreportedfromAbuÀbdullahHafezfromMuhammadibnKhaled

fromAbanibnSalehfromHasanfromAnasibnMalek,claimingthattheProphetsaid:`Thepeople

arelivingindifficultyandmiserliness....andMahdiisnoonebutÌsaibnMaryam'1isfirstofalla

traditionreportedonlybyMuhammadibnKhaled,andsecondlyboththelatterandAbu'Abdullah

Hafezareunknown.Finally,declaredTabarsi,thereisalsodisagreementintheIsnadorthe

transmissionalchainoftheHadith:onceMuhammadibnKhaledreportsthetraditionfromAban

ibnSalehfromHasanfromAnasfromtheProphet,andoncehereportsthetraditionfromAban

ibnAbiÀyyash(whocanbeomitted)fromHasanfromtheProphet,andthischainof

transmissionisbroken.

Tabarsifinallyconfirmshisposition,saying:"Thetraditionswhichclearlyconcernthe

reappearanceoftheMahdihaveamoretrustworthychainofnarration.Inthesesametraditions,

itisreportedthattheMahdiisfromtheProphet'sprogeny.Amongthem,thereisonethat

Bayhaki'sgrandsonreportsinhisworkfromAbuAliRudbary,fromAbuBalaibnDas,fromAbu

DawudSajestani.....fromtheProphetwhosaid:'Evenifthereremainsonlyonedayontheearth,

GodwillprolongituntilHewillbringforthapiousmanfrommyprogeny.'Andinsomeofthese

traditionsitisreportedthattheProphetalsosaid:'Hisnameisthesameasmynameandhewill

filltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwasfilledwithoppressionandtyranny.'Alsohereportsa

traditionfromtheProphetwhosaid:'TheMahdiisfrommyprogeny,andfromthedescendants

ofFatimah'."

B TafsirdMizanbyAllamaTabataba'i

AsfortheZabur,severalmeaningsarereportedbyAllamaTabataba'i1fromdifferent

commentators:


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1 Apparently,theZaburistheBookwhichwasrevealedtotheProphetDawudasmentionedin

anotherpartoftheQur'an:"waaataynaDawudZabura".

2 SomecommentatorsbelievethatthisreferstotheQur'an.

3 SomeareconvincedthatitconcernsalltheBooksingeneralthatwererevealedtothe

Prophets,orthatwererevealedtotheProphetsafterMoses.However,thereisnoapparent

supportforthisview.

ForthewordDhikr,Tabataba'ireportsthat:

1 SomebelieveitmeanstheTawrahbecauseGodusedthewordDhikrintwootherplacesofthis

samechapter,clearlyreferringtotheTawrah.

2 SomesaythatitreferstotheQur'anbecauseGoduseditseveraltimesintheQur'anwiththat

meaning.Ifthisisso,the

________________________

1AlMizan,vol.14,p.453

factthattheZaburcomesaftertheQur'aninthisversewheretheQur'anwasrevealedbeforethe

ZaburisnotaproblembecausethisordercorrespondstotherankoftheBooksandnottotheir

chronology.

3 DhikrisalsosaidtomeanalLawhalMahfuz(theProtectedTablets),butaccordingto

Tabataba'ithisisnotcorrect.

ForInheritance(waratha),Tabataba'ireportsthatRaghibsaysInheritancemeansthedonationof

goodstosomeonewithoutanymonetaryexchangeandthattheinheritanceoflandmeansinthis

versethetransferofthatlandfromotherstothevirtuouspeopleaswellasthewealthand

abundanceofthislandwhichbelongsexclusivelytothem.Thisinheritancemaybethisworldlyor

otherwise.

Tabatabai'sviewisthattheverseherehasageneralmeaningandthattheinheritancetowhichit

refersconcernsboththisworldandthehereafter,andthatthosewhosaythatitconcernsonly

theinheritanceinthehereafterareinerror.Also,thecommentatorswhobelievethattheverse

concernsexclusivelytheinheritanceinthisworld,interpretingitforthetimeoftheMahdi's

reappearance(aboutwhichthereareauthentictraditionsfromtheProphetreportedbyboth

SunnitesandShi'ites)arealsoinerror.ThetraditionsconcerningtheMahdi,evenauthenticand


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certain,cannotbeappliedexclusivelytothisverse,accordingtoTabataba'i.Tabatabaialsorefers

totheTafsiralQummiinwhichitiswrittenthatthewordDhikrmeansallthedivineBooksand

thattheZaburcomprisesthepredictions,praisesandprayers(du'a).Asfarastheinheritanceof

landbythevirtuousisconcerned,itismentionedthatitreferstotheMahdiandhisfollowers.

TabatabaiconcludesthatthetraditionsconcerningtheMahdiandhisadvent,whetheroriginated

bytheShi'itesortheSunnites,bytheProphetortheImams,aresonumerousthattheyare

consideredasmutawatir,reportedbyseveralunbrokenchainoftransmitters,andauthentic.It

wouldperhapsbebettertorefertotheworksdevotedspecificallytothissubject.

C TafsirMakhzanal`IranbyBanuNusratAmin

BanuAmin1firstreportsfromseveralcommentatorsthemeaningofZaburandDhikr.The

meaningofZabur:

1 Accordingtosomecommentators,theZaburmeanstheBookoftheProphetDawud(David),as

GodsaysintheQur'an4:126("waaataynaDawudZabura')andintheQur'an17:55.

2 OthersclaimthattheZaburreferstotheQur'an.

3 Also,theZaburissaidtoconsistofalltherevealedBooksortheBooksrevealedafterthatof

theProphetMusa(Moses).

________________________

1Makhzanallrfan,Vol.10p.309

ThemeaningofDhikr:

1 Accordingtosomecommentators,itmeanstheTawrah,becauseGodusedthewordDhikr

severaltimesintheQur'anwhenreferringtotheTawrah.

2 ItisalsosaidtorefertotheQur'anbecauseitwasusedtoindicatetheQur'anondifferent

occasions.Inthiscase,thefactthattheZaburcomesaftertheDhikr(Qur'an)intheversedoesnot

meanafterinchronologicaltimebutinthesensethatitcomesaftertheDhikrbecauseofits

lowerrank.

3 TheZaburissaidbysometorepresentthealLawhalMahfuz.

BanuAminthenbrieflyreportsthecommentators'viewsconcerningthesecondpartoftheverse

("Myservantstherighteous,shallinherittheearth"):


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1 ThemeaningofArdhistheearthofHeavenwhichthevirtuousandpiousservantsofGodwill

inherit,aswecanseeintheQur'an23:11andintheQur'an39:74.

2 ArdhisalsosaidtobeasacredlandthattheCommunityoftheProphetwillinherit.

3 Ardhistheearthandtheverseconcernspeoplewhohavefaithingeneral.

4 ThevirtuousmembersoftheCommunityarebeingreferredtohere;itissaidthat,attheEndof

Time,theUmmaoftheProphetwillconquertheearthanditsunbelievers,andwillruleit.

Atthispoint,BanuAminreportsatraditionfromImamMuhammadalBaqir(fifthImam)

concerningtheRighteousmentionedintheverse:"ThesearetheCompanionsoftheMahdiatthe

EndofTime,whowillconquertheEasternandWesternpartsoftheearth".Sheaddsthat,in

confirmationofthis,thereisatraditionreportedbytheShi'itesandtheSunnites,accordingto

whichtheProphetsaid:"EvenifthereremainsonlyonedayonEarth,GodwillprolongituntilHe

willbringforthapiousmanfrommyprogenysothathewillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequity

asitwasfilledwithoppressionandtyranny".1Moreover,sheaddsthatthetraditionsconcerning

thereappearanceoftheMahdiandhisdescendencyfromFatimaarenumerousamongthe

Shi'itesandtheSunnites."

2)

Qur'an

24

:

55

Allahhaspromised,tothoseamongyouwhobelieveandworkrighteousdeeds,thatHewill,ofa

surety,grantthemintheland,inheritance(ofpower),asHegrantedittothosebeforethem;that

HewillestablishinauthoritytheirreligiontheonewhichHehaschosenforthem;andthatHewill

________________________

1ThesametraditionisreportedbyShaykhTabarsiinhistafsirofthesameverse,seenote5.

change(theirstate),afterthefearinwhichthey(lived),tooneofsecurityandpeace:'Theywill

worshipMe(alone)andnotassociateaughtwithMe.'IfanydorejectFaithafterthis,theyare

rebelliousandwicked.1[24:55]



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ShaykhTabarsiexplainstheverseas:2"Godpromisedtothosewhosincerelyhavefaithandare

obedientthathewillmakethemheirsoftheancientsandthatHewillgrantthemalltheAraband

nonArabunbelievers'lands,andwillmaketheminhabitantsandgovernoroftheselands,inthe

samewayashemadetheBaniIsra'iltheheirsoftheancientsanddestroyedthetyrantofEgypt,

andgrantedallhisgoodsandlandstothem."Hethenreportsseveralviewsconcerningthisverse

:

1 SomecommentatorsbelievethatitconcernstheProphet.

2 SomesayitconcernstheUmma.

3 FromthesayingsoftheImamsoftheAhlalBay!,itisreportedthatitconcernstheMahdifrom

theProphet'sdescendants.ThefourthImamoncerecitedthisverseandsaid:"ByGod,these

peopleareourShi'itesaboutwhomGodwillaccomplishallthepromiseshemadeinthisverseby

thehands

2Majma'alBayan,Vol.17p.161

ofamanfromamongus,whoistheMahdiofthisCommunity."TheProphetsaidabouthim:

"EvenifthereremainsonlyonedayonEarth,GodwillprolongituntilHewillbringforthapious

manfrommyprogenyandwhoisnamedasIam,sothathewillfilltheearthwithjusticeand

equityasitwasfilledwithoppressionandtyranny"1ThesametraditionwasreportedbyImam

BaqirandImamSadeq.

ShaykhTabarsiaddsthattheexpression"alladhinaamanuminkumwa`amiluassalehat"("those

amongyouwhobelieveandworkrighteousdeeds")referstotheProphetandtheAhlalBaytand

thatthisversegivesthemthegoodnewsthattheywillbetheCaliphs(governors)andwillseize

powerineverylandandthatduringtherevolutionoftheMahdi,theywillbemadesafe.

Moreover,heaffirmsthatthemeaningof"kamaestakhlqfaalladhinaminqablihim"("asHe

grantedittothosebeforethem")isthat,beforethemalso,Godgrantedthegovernorship

(khilafa)andpowertothosewhodeservedit,suchasAdam,DawudandSulayman,aswecansee

inthefollowingverses:

Qur'an2:30;Behold,thyLordsaidtotheangels:"Iwillcreateavicegerentonearth."Theysaid:

"WiltThouplacethereinonewhowillmakemischiefthereinandshedbloodwhilstwedo

celebrateThypraisesandglorifyThyholy(name)?"Hesaid:"1knowwhatyeknownot."[2:30]1

Qur'an38:26;0David!Wedidindeedmaketheeavicegerentonearth:sojudgethoubetween

menintruth(andjustice):Norfollowthouthelusts(ofthyheart),fortheywillmisleadtheefrom

thePathofAllah:forthosewhowanderastrayfromthePathofAllah,isaPenaltyGrievous,for

thattheyforgettheDayofAccount.[38:26]2


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Qur'an4:54;OrdotheyenvymankindforwhatAllahhathgiventhemofhisbounty?ButWehad

alreadygiventhepeopleofAbrahamtheBookandWisdom,andconferreduponthemagreat

kingdom.[4:54]3

Finally,concerningtheMahdi,ShaykhTabarsiremarksthatconsensushasbeenreachedamong

alltheImamsconcerningthissubjectandtheirconsensusisaproof(hujja)becausetheProphet

said:"Iamleavingamongyoutwoweightythings:theBookofGodandmyprogeny.Theywill

neverbeseparatedfromeachotheruntiltheymeetmeagainnexttothefountain".


Tabataba'iexplainsthatthisverseconstitutesabeautifulpromisefromGodtothebelieverswho

alsoworkedvirtuousdeeds;Hepromisedtohavethemliveinajustandvirtuoussociety,toput

theearthattheirdisposal,tomaketheirreligionreignonearth,toreplacetheirfearbysafetyso

thattheywillnolongerbeafraidofthehypocritesandtheirtricksortheunbelievers,andsothat

theywillbeabletoworshiptheirGodfreelyandinsafety.Theverseandthepromisementioned

initisexclusivelyaimedatthosebelievers(mu'minin)ofrobustfaithbutwhoalsocarriedout

virtuousdeeds.

AccordingtoTabataba'i,thisversewasthesubjectofstrongdisagreementamongthe

commentators.Hethenreportstheirdifferentopinions:

1 SomeofthemsaidthattheversewasrevealedabouttheCompanionsoftheProphetandthat

GodfulfilledthepromiseHemadetothembyputtingthelandattheirdisposal,makingtheir

religiontriumph,orbyreplacingtheirfearbysafety.Infact,afterthedeathoftheProphet,during

thetimeoftheCaliphs(al Khulafaalrashidin),GodenabledIslamtoprogressandgaindignity,

andconsequentlytheMuslims'fearofHypocritesandunbelieverswasassuaged.These

commentatorsalsosaidthatthebelievers'inheritancementionedinthisversereferstothe

inheritanceofthefourCaliphsaftertheProphetorotherwiseonlytothefirstthreeCaliphs.

2OthercommentatorssaidthattheverseisaimedattheCommunity(Umma)oftheProphetin

general.AndthemeaningoftheinheritanceoftheProphet'sUmma,thesupremacyoftheir

religion,andthereplacingoftheirfearbysafety,isthattheyinheritedtheearthinthesameway

thattheCommunitiesbeforeIslaminheritedtheearth.Oritcanalsorefertotheinheritanceof

theCaliphsaftertheProphetinwhichcaseGodfulfilledHispromisebymakingtheCaliphs

triumphovertheunbelieversandconquercitiesandcountriesoftheworld.

HereTabataba'iremarksthat,accordingtothetwodifferentviewsexpressedabove,thisverseis

amongthepredictionsoftheQur'anbecausegoodtidingsarementionedthatwerenotfulfilledat


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thetimetheversewasrevealedandeventhehopeoftheirfulfillmentwasabsent.

3OthercommentatorssaidthatthisverseconcernstheMahdiwhosereappearanceispredicted

innumerousauthentictraditions,acknowledgingthathewillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequity

asitwasfilledwithtyrannyandoppression.Themeaningof"alladhinaamanuminkumwa

`ameluassalehat"("thoseamongyouwhobelieveandworkrighteousdeeds")referstothe

ProphetandtheImamsfromhisfamily(AhlalBayt).

Tabataba'icommentsontheverseandgiveshisownopinion:"Whatweunderstandfromthe

verse,leavingasidethemanyinstancesofnegligenceonthecommentators'part,isthattheverse

isundoubtedlyaimedatsomeofthepeopleoftheCommunity(Umma)andneitheratthe

CommunityasawholenoratsomedesignatedindividualsfromtheCommunity,andthesepeople

arethepeoplewhobelieveandworkrighteousdeedsasmentionedintheverse.Thismeaningis

clearintheverse,andthereisnoevidence,eitherinthewordsoftheverseorintellectually,that

"thepeoplewhobelieveandworkrighteousdeeds"areexclusivelytheCompanionsofthe

Prophet,ortheProphethimselfwiththeImamsfromhisfamily,ortheCommunityasawhole".

Headds,"Themeaningoftheirinheritanceofearth,liketheinheritanceoftheCommunitiesof

thepast,isthatGodwillmakeofthemavirtuoussocietywhowillinherittheearthasHedidfor

theCommunitiesofthepast.Thisinheritanceisdependantontheirbeingavirtuoussocietyand

notonparticularindividuals.AlsotheinterpretationofthisinheritanceastheDivineCaliphateor

theDivineKingdomandauthority,liketheKingdomofDawud,SulaymanandYusuf,ishighly

unlikely,becausetheQur'anwouldnottalkaboutsuchProphetsbysaying"alladhinamin

Qablihim"("thosebeforethem").Moreover,thisexpressionappearsmorethanfiftytimesinthe

Qur'anandinanycaseitisappliedtotheProphets."

Concerningthevirtuoussociety,theauthoraddsthatthiscanonlybecomearealityinthetimeof

theMahdi:"ItisclearintheversethatGodpromisedtothosewhobelieveandworkrighteous

deedsthatHewillsoongrantthemasocietythatwillbevirtuousinallitsmeanings,thatwillbe

purifiedfromblasphemy,hypocrisyanddebauchery,thatwillinherittheearthandinwhichthe

Truereligionmastersthebeliefsanddeedsofitspeople,thatwillbeinsafetyandwillhaveno

fearfromenemiesfrominsideoroutsideandthatwillbefreefromtheoppressors,tyrants,and

dictators.Suchapureandperfectsocietyhasneverexistedintheworld.Neitherhassucha

societyexistedsincethebeginningoftheProphet'smission.Butifasocietysuchasthisever

becomesareality,itwillinevitablybeduringthetimeoftheMahdi,becausethetraditions

reportedbynumerousunbrokenchainsoftransmitters(AkhbarMutawatira)fromtheProphet

andtheImamsofhisfamilyconcerningthecharacteristicsoftheMahdiandhisgovernment

mentionthecreationofsuchasociety.Ofcoursethepeopletheverseisaddressingarevirtuous

peopleingeneralandnotonlytheMahdiinparticular."


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us,andheistheMatadiofthisCommunity,aboutwhomtheProphetsaid:Èvenifthereremains

onlyonedayonEarth,GodwillprolongituntilHewillbringforthapiousmanfrommyprogeny

whosenameisthesameasmynameandhewillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwas

filledwithoppressionandtyranny.'AsimilartraditionisreportedfromAbiJa'far(fifthImam)and

AbiÀbdillah(sixthImam).Tabataba'isays:"TraditionsarereportedfromtheImamsconcerning

thesubjectthatwementionedpreviously.AlsotheMajma'alBayern,afterthetraditionreported

above,mentionsthat:'Inconsequence,"alladhinaaamanuminkumwaàmeluassalehat"

("thoseamongyouwhobelieveandworkrighteousdeeds")aretheProphetandhisfamily.'

Tabatabaicomments:"Thereaderhasunderstoodthattheverseisgeneralandthetraditiondoes

notarguemorethanthat.IntheworkalDurralManthur,itismentionedthatibnAbiHatemand

ibnMarduyehreportedfromBara'abouttheinterpretationoftheversethathesaid:'Itwas

revealedaboutus,becausewewerelivinginfearandinsecurity'.Itappearsfromthistradition

thatthemeaningof'alladhinaaamanu...'istheCompanionsoftheProphet,butthereadermust

haverealisedthattheversedoesnotargueatallinfavourofthismeaning."


BanuAmin1reportsdifferentviewsconcerningthisversefromtheworkofShaykhTabarsi,

Majma'alBayan:

1

The

verse

concerns

the

Companions

of

the

Prophet.

2 Accordingtoibn'AbbasandMujahid,theverseisgeneralandconcernsthewholeCommunity

oftheProphet.

________________________

1Makhzanal'Irfan:Vol.9p.137

3 ItisreportedfromtheAhlalBaytthatthisversewasrevealedbythefamilyoftheProphet

abouttheMahdi,whileÀyyashireportsfromAliibnalHusayn(fourthImam)thattheImam

recitedtheversesaying:'ByGod,thosewhoaredescribedinthisverseareourselvestheAhlal

Bayt

and

God

will

fulfill

what

is

said

in

the

verse

through

a

man

from

us

who

is

the

Mahdi

of

this

CommunityandwhoisthepersonaboutwhomtheProphetsaid:'Evenifthereremainsonlyone

dayonEarth,GodwillprolongituntilHewillbringforthapiousmanfrommyprogenywhose

nameisthesameasmynameandhewillfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwasfilledwith

oppressionandtyranny.'"1AsimilartraditionisreportedfromAbiJa'far(fifthImam)andAbi

Àbdillah(sixthImam).Accordingtothistradition,weunderstandthat"thoseamongyouwho


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believeandworkrighteousdeeds"refertotheProphetandhisfamily,andtheversegivesthem

thegoodtidingsthatduringthetimeoftheMahdi'suprising,HewillmakethemGovernorsonthe

earthandwillenablethemtoliveinsecurity.Godalsosaysthattheydeservethegovernorshipas

didAdam,DawudandSulayman.AlsoalltheImamshaveaconsensusonthissubjectandtheir

consensusisconsideredasaproof(hujja)becausetheProphetsaid:"Iamleavingamongyoutwo

weightythings:theBookofGodandmyProgeny.Theywillnotbeseparatedfromeachotheruntil

they

________________________

1Seenote5

meetmenexttothefountain".1Suchconditionsasthosedescribedintheversehavenever

occurredinrealityforthebelievers,buttheymustoccuronedaybecauseGodneverbreakHis

promises.

3)Qur'an2:3

WhobelieveintheUnseen,aresteadfastinprayer,andspendoutofwhatWehaveprovidedfor

them;2[2:3]


ShaykhTabarsi3explainsthattheverseconcernstheattributesofthevirtuousonesguidedby

thelightoftheQur'an.Theirfirstattributeistheirbeliefintheunseen(ghayb).Hethengives

severalviewsconcerningthemeaningofghaybhere:

1 itmeansjurisprudence

2 theDayofJudgement,theHeaven,theHell(accordingtoHasan)

3 anythingfromGod(accordingtoibn'Abbas)

4 theQur'an(accordingtoZirribnHubaysh)

5 anythingthatisoutsidetheknowledgeofordinarypeople(accordingtoibnMas'ud).Here,

ShaykhTabarsimakesaconnectionbetweenthisverseandtheMahdiandsaysthatthisview

includeswhattheImamssaidconcerningtheOccultation(ghayba)oftheMahdiandthetimeof

hisAppearancesincenoonebutGodknowsthedateofhisappearance.


Tabatabai,1inhisexplanationoftheterm"alGhayb"(theunseen),saysthatitistheoppositeof

"theperceived",andthatwecannotperceivethroughourusualsenses.Headdsthatthetermis

usedtodenoteAllah,andHisgreatsigns,includingtherevelation,whichisreferredtointhe


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Qur'an2:4;AndwhobelieveintheRevelationsenttothee,andsentbeforethytime,and(in

theirhearts)havetheassuranceoftheHereafter.2Heaffirmsthatitalsoincludesthehereafter,

butinthisverse,thebeliefintherevelationandinthehereafterhavebeenmentionedseparately.

Therefore,"theunseen"musthavebeenusedonlytomeanAllah.Inthiswaythebeliefinthe

threefundamentalsofreligionbecomescomplete.

TabatabaithenreportsfromtheMa'anialakhbaratraditionfromImamalSadiq(sixthImam),

whosaidthat:"WhobelieveintheUnseen"meansthosewhobelieveintherisingofal Qa'im

(theMahdi)andconsideritastheTruth."

________________________

1AlMizan:Vol.1,p.68

Theauthorcommentsthatthisexplanationisgiveninothertraditionsalso.ButTabataba'iadds

thatinordertointerprettheverseasconcerningtheMahdiinthiscaseimpliestransformingthe

generalmeaningoftheversetoaspecificone,theversehavingageneralmeaning.


BanuAmin1describesthewordGhaybinthisverseassomethingthatisnotperceptiblethrough

oursenseslikethesenseofhearingorthesenseofsight.Shegivesasexamples,theexistenceof

God,theHereafterthatwecannotperceivethroughourusualsenses,ortheImamoftheTime

whoisnotvisibleandhiddenfromoursight;however,atthesametimeshesaysthatheis

attentivetothesituationofhisShi'ites.Shethenexplainsthesuperiorityofthosewhohavefaith

andarelivinginthetimeofthegreatOccultationoftheMahdi,whichisthemostdifficultperiod

inwhichtopreserveone'sfaith:theProphetinhisgreatnessdeclared,concerningbelieversof

thistime,thathewasimpatienttomeetthemandconsideredthemashisbrothers.Thereare

alsotraditions.BanuAminargues,concerningtheimportanceofthosewhobelieveduringthe

periodoftheOccultation.Sheaddsthatifwecanfindbelieversinthistime(ofthegreater

Occultation)whobelieveintelligently,i.e.afterhavingcarriedoutsomeresearchandnotonlyby

imitatingtheirparents,wecansaythattheyare

________________________

1TafsirMakhzanal'Irfan:Vol.1p.91.

evensuperiortobelieversattheverybeginningofIslamwhohadanopportunitytobewiththe

Prophetandtolearndirectlyfromhim,andalsotherewerefewertemptationsforthemofbeing

leadastrayfromthetruthcomparedtothetemptationsofourtime.


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traditionisreportedbyTha'labiinhistafsirandsimilartraditionsarealsoreportedbytheShi'ites

amongthetraditionsconcerningtheMahdifromAbiÀbdillahalSadiq(sixthImam)andAbiJa'far

alBaqir(fifthImam).


TheauthorofalMizan2reportsfromtheworkalDurralManthuratraditionreportedfrom

Hakim(whoconsidersthetraditionasauthentic)whoreporteditfromAbuHurayrawhosaysthat

theProphetofGodsaid:"Inthefuture,amanwillcomeoutfromDamascuswhowillbecalled

Sufyani,andthetotalityofhisfollowerswillbefromthetribeofKalb;hewillstarttokilland

massacre,hewillevenopenthewomen's

wombs,andwillassassinatethechildren,untilthetribeofQayswillriseagainsthim,andhewill

endupkillingQays,andhewillnotleaveaplacefreeofhisoppressionandviolence.Atthat

moment,amanfrommyHouseholdwillcomeoutandwillreachSufyaniandwillsendhisarmyto

suppressSufyaniandhisarmy,andfinallyhewillputhimtoflight,defeatinghimandhisarmy.

SufyaniandhisfollowerswillthentraveltoBaydaand,inthatplace,theywillhaveanaccident

andbeswallowedupbytheearthandnoneofthemwillremainbutonepersonamongthemwho

willdescribeforpeoplewhathappened."Tabataba'iadds:"Thistraditionhasbeenreportedfrom

theSunnitesmanytimeswhetherindetailorbriefly,andwasreportedfromseveralchainsof

transmittersfromibn'Abbas,ibnMas'ud,Hudhayfah,AbuHurayra,thegrandfatherofÀmribn

Shu'ayb,UmmSalama,Safiyya,Àa'isha,andHafsa(theProphet'swives),andNufayra(thewifeof

Qa'qa'),andalsofromSa'idibnJubayr".

And,concerningtheShi'itesources,Tabataba'ithenreportsfromtheTafcirQummithatitis

written:"MyfatherreportedatraditiontomefromibnAbi'Umayr,whoreporteditfromMansur

ibnYounus,whoreporteditfromAbiKhalilKabulithatImamAbiJa'farsaid:IswearbyGod!Itis

asifIamrightnowseeingthealQa'imwhoisleaningagainsttheHajar(alHajaralAswad=the

blackstone)andisinvitingpeopleinthenameofGodtomaintainhisRight,andthenheissaying:

'Opeople,whoevertalkswithmeaboutGod,knowthebestaboutHim.Opeople,whoevertalks

tomeaboutAdam,IknowthebestabouthimandIamtheclosesttohim.Opeople,whoever

talkstomeaboutNuh(Noah),Iknowmorethananyonethebestabouthim.Opeople,whoever

talkstomeaboutIbrahim(Abraham),IamclosertoIbrahimthananyoneelseis.Opeople,

whoevertalkstomeaboutMusa(Moses),Iknowthebestabouthim.Opeople,whoevertalksto

meaboutÌsa(Jesus),IamclosertoÌsathananyoneelseis.Opeople,whoevertalkstomeabout

Muhammad,IamclosertoMuhammadthananyoneelseisandIknowhimthebest.Opeople,

whoevertalkstomeabouttheBookofGod,IamclosertotheBookofGodthananyoneelse.'At

thatmoment,hewillgetclosertotheMaqamIbrahim(sanctuaryofAbraham)andwillperform

tworak'aprayersandwillswearbyGodastohistruthfulness.'ImamAbiJa'farthensaid:'ByGod,

heistheoneindistressintheQur'an27:62;Or,Wholistenstothe(soul)distressedwhenitcalls


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openupthewomen'swombsandkillthreehundredwellknownmenfromthefamilyoftheBani

'Abbas;thentheywillmovetowardKufaandwilldestroythewholearea;afterthat,theywillgo

toShamwhileaguidedarmyemergesfromKufawhowillfollowthemandaftertwodaysof

travelingtheywillkillmostofitsmembers,pillagingandtakingcaptives.AndSufyaniwillsendone

ofhisarmiestoMedinaandforthreedaysandnights,theywillpillagethecity,thenmoveto

Mecca,andthentheywillreachBayda',GodwillsendGabrieltodestroythem.Gabrielwillhitthe

earthwithhisfeetandallofthemwillatoncebeswallowedupbytheearthandthisisthe

meaningofthewordsofGod:"Ifthoucouldstbutseewhentheywillquakewithterror;butthen

therewillbenoescape(forthem),andtheywillbeseizedfromaposition(quite)near"and

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Mahdi_in the Quran