Fundamental of Islam according to Quran chapter 1

Fundamental of islam according to Quran 

foreword 

When I was busy for the second time writing Introduction to the Holy Quran translated by my friend , Mr. Mir Ahmed Ali , Late Mr. Mohammed Ali Khuraasaani , Internal Auditor P. I. A. , suggested me to dictate to him a brief outline of fundamentals of Islam according to Shia faith. Every now and then , whenever he had opportunity , he took dictation from me. Hardly we had finished the work , God deprived me of this sincere and zealous friend whose ambition was to introduce the teachings of Shia school of thought in English language. The religious zeal of Mr. Khuraasaani was not confined to him alone , his wife equally shared his love and devotion for the propagation of Truth. The mutual zeal of husband and wife in achievement of this holy aim was a valuable asset for our mission. Unfortunately , for some time the shock of her husband's death brought the work to a standstill. However , the work as a whole is the result of initiation of the interest of husband and wife and I have no option but to dedicate the work to them and pray God to bless them both for the services rendered by them in this Cause. 

Here I have to mention another friend of mine , Mr. Syed Mohammed Murtaza who was assisting me ever since my undertaking to produce a new introduction to the Quran. Besides noting 

my dictation , he has translated into Urdu this treatise which is the first part of my religious work. I thank him for his sincere devotion which was an encouragement for me to carry out the work , in spite of my indisposition. 

I request my readers to go through the work with critical insight and inform me of any shortcoming whatsoever. 

Karachi Pakistan August 1971 , Haji Mirza Mahdi Pooya

Self Evident Terms and Propositions 

explaination 

Verily the religion with God is Islam (Submission to God's will) 

3: 19 

And those to whom the book had been given did not differ but after the Knowledge (of the truth) had come unto them , out of envy among themselves And whosoever disbelieveth in the signs of God , then , verily , God is quick in reckoning. 

Deen (religion) is a term used in several meanings which are not totally irrelevant from each other ; one is a figurative expression of the other. Here the term strictly means submissive attitude of human conscience towards some Sacred Object. The Sacred Object means a superhuman controlling power whose pleasure and displeasure are responsible for happiness and sufferings of man. Hardly can anyone claim to be without religion in this sense. Thus the history of religion and its development are the same as the history of the development of human consciousness. Of the various religions in their highly developed form , the religion of Islam is usually classed among the latest. But as it is presented in the Quran 

and defined in this treatise , the reader will find it the oldest or rather the only religion , the development of which is correlated with the development of human consciousness. In other words as the Quran says it is the only faith with which human consciousness is born. The varieties of religion are nothing but the outcome of the rebellious nature of power seekers or other selfish motives. The main source of Islam is the Holy Quran which is known to all. The Quran postulates the existence of Superhuman Power or Person as the Creator and Controller of the whole universe of which man with his conscience and volition is a part. Thus the Quran says the religion is a submissive attitude of human conscience towards that Almighty Power. It is the only religion approved by the Almighty Ultimate Power or person. To Him every finite thing or being has willingly or unwillingly submitted. No salvation can be secured by any being but through submission to Him. All Muslim schools of thought are unanimous in this definition of Islam. The differences between the various schools of thought in Islam concern only with the details of this submissive attitude. The purpose of this writing is to place before the readers a brief outline of fundamentals of Islam as advocated by the Shia Ithna ’Ashari , which is one of the oldest schools of thought in Islam. To achieve this purpose , it is essential to acquaint 

the readers with the knowledge of the following Self Evident Terms and Propositions. 

Cause and Effect 

None with commonsense and average intelligence can ever doubt about the existence of God. One May as well deny his own existence in some sense or the other rather than denying or even doubting about any Effect being without any Cause. 

The thing or being by which another thing or being exists or on which the existence of another thing or being depends ; is called a Cause. 

The basis of all scientific investigation is that there can be no effect without a cause. The word Cause is a term meaning a thing somehow responsible for the existence of a being or another thing: and this is of two kinds , the Structural and Creative. 

The structural causes are the parts and the components of the effect. 

The Creative or Agential causes are the producing or originating factors , bringing the structure into existence but they are not the part of the structure. 

The structural cause is sub divided into two kinds , Material and. Formal. The material cause is the thing out of which the structure is made. The formal cause is the shape or form by which the structure is what it is. 

The creative cause means the factor which produces the parts and affects their arrangement. This cause consists of two kinds Genetic and Objective , the former is called the First or the Active , and the latter is called the Ultimate 

or Final Cause (purpose or motive). 

No man with commonsense , has ever denied or doubted the necessity of the Structural cause. Every thing owes its existence to its component parts and to the Form in which they are arranged together. 

The thing or being which depends on or owes its existence to something else is called an Effect or Phenomenon. 

The existence of an effect cannot depend on a non being or nothing or nothingness. This implies that the chain of an effect and its cause should end in a self existing cause , otherwise it would mean the existence of a being or a thing by a non being , or naught ; the absurdity of which is self evident. 

Every thing or being of composite nature is an Effect , i. e. , its existence is not by itself , as it depends at least on its parts and its existence is caused by them. The parts of a being or beings cannot be non beings. The question arises whether the parts exist by themselves or they are also composite whole depending on their parts? If they are also composed of parts , then we have to trace back the process till we reach the Final components which will lead to the conclusion that they are beings of non composite nature existing by themselves on which the whole edifice of the effects and their causes stands. But , no being of a dimensional nature presentable in the term of Space 

and Time , can ever be of a non composite nature as the simplest and the smallest being which occupies space is dimensional and geometrically divisible and depends on its parts. 

Therefore , no dimensional being can be taken as a self existing being and thus considered as the First or the Beginning in the chain of beings. We have either to accept that the chain is based on non beings , the absurdity of which is self evident , or we are forced to step out of the realm of the material chain in the search of a non composite , non dimensional self existing Being and assert that the chain of cause and effect is based on this Being. This means that the whole dimensional realm presentable in the terms of Space and Time is an effect and the phenomenon of a Non dimensional Non material being. On this ground we have to leave the dimensional realm and proceed in search of the self existing being responsible for the phenomenon of the chain of cause and effect in the realm where the experimental logic and method has no approach to it at all. (1) 

Having the definition of the cause and effect in view , mankind has been questioned by the following verses of the Holy Quran: 

Or were they created without there being anything , or are they the creators? 

52: 35 

Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay! they have no certainty 

52: 36 

Or have they the treasures of your Lord with them 

? Or have they been set in absolute authority! 

52: 37 

The Concrete and Abstract Part 

We have said that any being of composite nature depends for its existence on its parts and hence it is an Effect , a Phenomenon and Unreal. Here it is to be pointed out that the parts and the components of a composite being may be of two kinds , Concrete and Abstract. 

The Concrete parts are those which our mind observes. , side by side in the realm outside the mind such as the parts of an organic , chemical or geometrical compound. 

The Abstract parts are those found in a being in the course of the mental process and analysis , but outside the realm of mind the parts are merged into each other as one entity such as the logical parts of a Definition , Genus and Differential. Genus , being the aspect found in an idea which is common in other ideas too , and Differential being the aspect which is peculiar to one and is not found in anyone else. 

In any case , composition means dependence on the parts. Hence the composite being becomes an effect and a phenomenon and thus unreal , be the parts , concrete or abstract ; because though the abstract parts , Genus and Differential are merged into each other as one outside the mind , in fact they are two different things. 

Therefore , the same would be the case of beings dependent on abstract parts in 

logical definition. They are also effects , phenomena , unreal and non self existing being. 

The Absolute Oneness of Self Existing Being 

As we had to step out of the limitation of Space and Time in search of the Self Existing being we have also to step further out beyond the logical limitations which consists of the abstract parts of Genus and Differential. 

Hence the Self Existing Being must be unlimited , not presentable in the terms of Space and Time , Genus and Differential. It should be beyond all dimensional and non dimensional limitations and as such it cannot be but One ; because the idea of the 2 Self existing Beings implies limitations of both , having a common aspect of being self existent and the aspect by which they are distinguished from each other ; hence composite and dependent on their parts. 

The conclusion is that the Self existing Being is One , the Real Unit which is not divisible at all , in any sense of the term , and in any respect or form or any aspect imaginable. Therefore , it is the Real Unique , the like of it in any sense is not possible. 

Self Consciousness of Self Existing One 

This Unique Unit by which the finite beings in part and as a whole are existing , is not absent from Itself. Hence it is conscious of Itself. Consciousness means presence of the Known to the Knower , presence of one thing to (or for) the other. 

If the thing or being is present to Itself then the being is conscious of “Itself” and consequently becomes conscious of anything else which is present before it or stand 

by it. But if the being (or thing) is absent from Itself , it cannot be self conscious , hence unconscious of other things standing by it. 

Unconsciousness of Dimensional Being or Thing 

All the dimensional beings are composed of dimensional parts and every dimensional part occupies a portion of space not identified with the portion occupied by the other parts. Hence every dimensional part is absent from the other dimensional parts. The conclusion is that all dimensional beings are devoid of self consciousness and consequently devoid of consciousness. 

On the other hand , anything or being which is non dimensional and non material , be it composed of abstract parts such as finite mind (which is composed of Genus and Differential) , or be composed of no parts at all such as the Absolute Unit in question (which is unlimited and infinite) , is not absent from itself because either it has no part at all or it consists of parts which do not occupy different portions of space. The parts are merged into each other and their separation is only mental and a conceptual process. 

Regarding the non dimensional Being or Absolute Unit , it is obvious that It cannot be absent from Itself on account of its absolute oneness. Though the non dimensional beings which are finite consist of parts and hence dependent , yet the parts are one and identical outside the mind and the realm of conception. Hence they are also not absent from their own selves. Each is present to itself , hence 

conscious of itself and consequently conscious of whatever is present before it. 

The conclusion is that whatever is non dimensional is conscious and whatever is conscious is non dimensional. Therefore the Absolute Unit by which all beings exist and stand is necessarily present with every being , as its holding or sustaining factor is self conscious and conscious of all that exist by it , hence Living. Therefore , the reference to the Absolute Unit responsible for the whole Phenomenon called Universe , should be in terms of He instead of it. 

In the light of the above statement , one can realize that the personal pronoun He refers to a well known Person , has no real application but to the Absolute One and no term or word can be taken as a real reference to the Absolute One but this personal pronoun He. Therefore there is no real He but the Absolute One , there is no real term for Him but He. 

The fundamental articles of faith as given by this school of thought are nothing but various aspects implied in the idea of Absolute Oneness of Self Existing Being. Therefore , without the knowledge of these articles , the submissive attitude of human consciousness towards that Sacred Object would be imperfect. These fundamental articles of faith are: 

1. The belief in the Unity or Absolute Oneness of the Real Sacred Object (God). 

2. The belief in His justice as the total of all His analytical attributes and excellences. 

3. The belief 

in the necessity of Nubowwat (Prophethood) and 

4. Imaamat (the Divine Vicegerency). 

5. The belief in the Resurrection and Final purpose of creation.

1. Absolute Oneness of God 

absolute oneness of God 

Unity means belief in absolute Oneness of God , in the sense that He is not composite and divisible in any sense of composition and divisibility. It implies negation of all limitations because limitation in any sense implies composition , and a composite being is not self existent. A self existent unlimited being is not definable , so any attempt to conceive Him by any external or internal means of our limited power of understanding is futile. But He is realizable by every being , in the sense , that every limited being can realize His Existence and Essence as manifested in His Attributes. His Attributes can be presented in two ways Affirmative and Negative. All His Affirmative Attributes refer to assertion of His Absolute Unity. All His Negative Attributes refer to negation of limitation and composition. Thus they are reducible to negation of limitation and composition. 

His Negative Attributes 

For the beginners , the Negative Attributes can be explained as follows: He is not describable in any physical or anthropomorphic terms. He is not consisted of body , color and size. It is not possible for any creature to see or sight Him , to imagine and conceive Him. He is not to be presented in the terms of substance or contingent , matter or form. It is not possible to localize Him in any part of space or confine Him to any part of time. He is not to be aligned and counted with any 

being. Although as a Creator , He is with every thing but nothing can be coexisted or coextended with Him. All these negations mean the negation of limitation and composition.

His Affirmative Attributes 

His Affirmative Attributes are of 3 types. 

1. The Essential Attributes or the Real Attributes of the Essence 

2. The Essential Relative Attributes 

3. The Relative Attributes 

1. The Essential or the Real Attributes of the Essence mean such ideas which are implied in the very idea of Unity of Essence and are identical with it and not in relation to anything else. These are (1) Unity , (2) Self Existence , (3) Self Consciousness , (4) Self Love and (5) Life: (life should not be taken here as what is found in plant , animal and man. Life , here , means the total of above mentioned Attributes 1 , 2 , 3 and 4). 

The above qualities are attributed to Him - the Godhead , Allah , in consideration of His Essence only. The subject and object of each of these attributes are identical in as much as there is no difference among the Knower , knowing and the known , or the lover , loving and the beloved and so forth. 

2. The Essential Relative Attributes mean such ideas which are said about Him but in consideration of His relation to the objects other than Himself , and these are: 

Knowledge of objects other than Himself 

Will - the love for expression and manifestation 

Love of objects other 

than Himself 

Might or Hold over objects other than Himself. 

In the popular preliminary treatise on the fundamental articles of faith , Hearing and Seeing are counted as His Relative Real Attributes. Besides these two , Speech is also counted as one of His Relative Real Attributes by some schools of thought in Islam. So far as the first two above mentioned attributes are concerned , they are Real Relative Attributes but they are not separate Attributes other than His knowledge of the object. Every thing is known to Him , be it quality or quantity , substance or contingent , big or small , seen or unseen , physical or spiritual. He is Omniscient ; every thing is present to Him , be it the object of hearing or seeing , taste , smell or touch or of any other sense , external or internal. The reason for counting Hearing and Seeing among His attributes as it is mentioned in the Quran is just to emphasize that the objects of the two are also present to Him , like the objects of all other senses. Regarding the last one , Speech , if it means the Might and Power and Ability to speak , it refers to His two main Attributes Knowledge and Might. As such it is not a separate Attribute besides Knowledge and Might. If it means the process of speech or origination of audible and intelligible words , then it can not be classed as 

one of His attributes. It is one of His acts of creation and as such His words and speech are created by Him like other created things. The origin of the idea of counting Speech among His attributes and considering it as uncreated as other attributes , is to be traced back to the ancient theory of Logos which was formulated by the Alexandrian Jewish school of thought. The same theory was later on adopted by the Christian theologians as the Word of God identified with Him and as the Uncreated Second Person in the Trinity of Godhead. 

According to the Quran , every thing or being is an outcome of Divine Will , attention or intention which is termed in the Quran as “Command of God = Be and it is”. In this sense whatever is manifested in any sphere or realm of creation , administration and legislation is the Word of God , an outcome of His Imperative Will. In some way or other , every Word of God represents His Will and is manifestation of His attributes. As such the Quran counts Jesus as one of His created words in the realm of creation and the Quran itself , Tawraat or the other scriptures , as His words in the realm of legislation. The Quran says that the words of God are innumerable in either realms therefore these cannot be accounted for by limited powers. 

And were every tree that is in the earth (made 

into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink) with seven more seas to increase it , the words of Allah would not come to an end Surely Allah is Mighty , Wise. 

31: 27 

But the words of God , though all are created and manifestation of His Will , differ from each other in comprehensiveness. The more comprehensive the word , the Higher will it be in its representative status and closer to God in the hierarchy of beings from the primal matter upto the highest spiritual entities. On this ground , the most perfect created Word of God in the realm of creation is the Last Prophet , and the Book Quran with which he was sent is the most perfect Word of God in the realm of legislation. 

And perfect has become the word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is none to change His words and He is the All Hearing and the All Knowing 

6: 115 

However , it should be borne in mind that as Ali (A. S) says , “The Word of God in any realm is His work , therefore , it is created” , be it Christ or Mohammed or the Quran or anything else. 

The above qualities are attributed to Him in consideration of His Essence , in a relative sense , in as much as the object is other than the subject. Both types of attributes shown above are the analytical attributes inherent in the very idea of 

Absolute unity of the Infinite (Godhead). 

3. The Relative Attributes are innumerable , such as Creator , Sustainer , Forgiver , Ruler , Helper and so forth. Any adjectival idea about Him in relation to some aspect of his action is the relative attribute. The number of relative attributes are known to Him alone. The Quran says: 

Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Beneficent God Whichever you call upon , He has the best names. 

17: 110 

For a more detailed list of His excellent names one can refer to the famous Supplication of Jawshan al Kabeer. These are attributed to Him in consideration of His Actions or in consideration of His Relation to His Creatures or to what He has been doing and will continue to do. 

The third type of His Attributes are drawn from , or are the result of the second type , the Essential Relative Attributes. Again , the second type of Attributes are derived from the first type , the Essential Attributes. Finally , His Essence is beyond any limitation , definition and comprehension , These are all that a finite being in his utmost effort can say about Him - Allah. Allah is the only great name for his essence and existence which is but All Excellence. A creature cannot conceive beyond this. 

This concept of the Absolute Oneness and Infinity of the Essence and Attributes of Godhead present Him as the unique in unity or the Unique 

Unit in the true sense of these two terms - to Whom all finite beings owe their existence , qualities , and all excellences they possess. This concept leaves no room for imagining any thing as second or opposed to Him or to match with Him , because any such idea would mean limitation affecting His Absoluteness , and consequently making Him of composite nature , finite and dependent on His components. 

This concept eliminates all possibilities of anything emanating from Him , as the very idea of emanation means divisibility contradicting His Absoluteness. He did not beget nor is He begotten ; hence the idea of Fatherhood and Sonship has no place in this concept of Godhead. 

All finite beings are His creatures dependent in their very existence on His Will. The word Qayyoom expresses one of His attributes that He is self sustaining and everything is sustained by Him. 

And of His signs is that the heavens and the earth stand firm by His command then when He summoneth you with a (single) summons from out of the earth , lo! ye come forth. 

30: 25 

Being Absolute and Infinite , no finite being or thing , with all their limitations can be considered as His incarnation and His complete manifestation , because the finite beings even as a whole are , after all , finite , while He is Infinite. 

Therefore , there is no room for deification of any being in any form , whether man as the 

microcosm or the whole Universe as a macro man , It is quite true that creatures represent His attributes and the representation varies according to the stages of perfection but even the foremost in perfection is limited and submissive to the infinite one. The highest and the most accomplished creature is nothing but His servant and slave , within His complete hold - a hold , in its true meaning of Power. No polytheism , no trinity or dualism , no incarnation and anthropomorphism have any place in this concept of the Unity of God Head - Allah , “Nothing is like of Him. ” 

The Creator of the heavens and the earth He hath made for you pairs of yourselves , and of the cattle also pairs Whereby He multiplyeth you Nothing is like of Him ; And He is the Hearer , the Seer. 42: 11 

The justification for man or any other created and finite being for naming and describing God with Excellent Attributes is that when man and other beings find some excellences in themselves , they feel that the same attributes in its highest sense should exist in the Creator. For example , man found life in his self and felt that something corresponding to this life in its Highest sense , must be Existent beyond his Self , This applies to all other excellences which we may find here in our self and in beings surrounding us. We are thus obliged to feel that these excellences 

and beatitude are also present in the Infinite Absolute in such a limitless degree that befit His Absolute Unity and Infinity. 

Beyond this point , why and wherefore do not prevail ; and here definition and description fail , but love for realization and assimilation and reflection of His attributes is ever increasing and surges on. This leads man to a deeper and yet deeper submission to His Will and the desire for coming in communion with Him. 

Finally , man approaching to Him in this submissive way will absorb his own will in His. The result is the rise of man from the limitations of the temporal life , which is the cause of the demoralization of the human soul , to the horizon from where he sees , and realizes the whole Universe as the Kingdom of God and manifestation of His universal Love and Grace. Ultimately such man's will becomes His Will , his order becomes His order , his actions become His action. He follows no course in his life and activities but whatever is revealed to him by Him.

2. Justice of God 

This is the belief in the truism that the Self Consciousness in the Essence of Godhead manifests in His Essence of Self Love which again manifests in the Love for Self Expression. The Love for Self Expression means the Will to Act. Being Absolute , identified with all Excellence and Perfection , He has the means for Self Expression within Himself: this is the Might or Power. 

The 

Will (Love for Self Expression) means Creation ; hence Creation is the manifestation of His Love and Might. Thus the purpose of action is Self Expression therefore , it , necessarily , is in complete accord and harmony with the purpose. This harmonious arrangement and accordant synchronization of His action with His power is His Justice. It is the placing of everything in its precise point in order to create Unity through harmony and to achieve the purpose. Hence Justice is the necessary qualification of His action: that is to say His Action and Justice are inseparable. 

His Action , or Creation , being the outcome of Love , is the manifestation of His Grace but not with the expectation of any return for Himself. Therefore , His Grace pervades the realm of creation , which is presented in the term All Pervading Grace. But each creature receives of His Grace as much as its capacity allows it to do so. This is termed as His specific and particular Grace as the specific Grant of Grace is in accord with the capacity or merit of the Recipient ; it is called Justice. Therefore , here again , His Grace and Justice are inseparable. 

Whatever He grants , He grants out of pure Love with no expectation of any return for it. Hence His Grace is the Grace in its true sense , and as He grants precisely in accordance to the merit or capacity of the Recipient 

- nothing more and nothing less , it is Justice. Taking into account both the aspects , Grace and Justice as inseparable principles of His action , His attribute of Cherishing = Ruboobiyyat is manifested and He is frequently mentioned in the Quran as the “Lord Cherisher of the Worlds. 

Of His relative attributes Grace and Justice as presented above are two principles one manifested by the other. Grace implies Justice and Justice implies Grace. They in turn are manifestations of His relative real attributes which are the manifestations of His real attributes ; and the very idea of Oneness implies them in all. Thus justice is the most comprehensive attribute of God through which all His attributes are manifested , as it has been emphasized upon as a fundamental principle of faith , next to the believe in His unity , The same comprehensive excellence , Justice. has been made the ultimate object of human life , It is for the achievement of this Godly excellence that God has established His Vicegerency on the earth and continued to commission prophets after prophets and accompanied them with Books and Wisdom i. e. Balancing Power. 

Indeed We sent Our apostles with clear proofs , and We sent down with them the Book and the Scale that people may establish themselves in justice ; And We sent down iron wherein is latent (in its use) mighty power and also benefits for mankind and that God may prove who helpeth Him 

and His apostles in secret ; Verily God is All Strong , the Ever Prevalent. 

57: 25 

Justice and injustice are presented in the Quran in various other verses as the principle standards by which human virtues and vices are to be judged by God and man himself , here and hereafter. 

We have tied every man's action (2) to his neck ; 

17: 13 

which we will bring forth unto him on the Day of Resurrection in the form of an unfolded book. 

(It will be said unto him) “Read thou thy book ; Sufficeth thine own self today , as reckoner against thee. ” 17: 14

3. Prophethood = Nubowwat 

prophethood 

This is the belief in the principle of Prophethood and Leadership , also termed as Divine Vicegerency or the Central Authority over the universe localized in man , bestowed by God. This action of His is the manifestation of His Grace and Justice which again are the manifestations of His Will and Might. His Will and Might are also the manifestations of His self consciousness and self Love which are the immediate manifestations of His Unity and Infinity. 

Cherishing implies planning and developing each part of the Plan. It means each part has been provided with all the necessary means to develop its full aptitude. Thus God gives everything its distinctive limit and then guides it to develop its fullest aptitude. The Quran conveys this idea of Cherishing in the verse below: 

Said he (Moses): “Our Lord is He Who gave unto everything its 

(suitable) form , and then (also) guided it (aright) ” 

20: 50 

In this way , God cherished matter to develop from its primal form into various complicated forms of celestial and terrestrial bodies , and from the simplest form to more and more complicated forms of elements (air , water , minerals etc. ) and other inanimate beings , till the process of development progressively reached the stage of plant and animal , from its simple and less complicated form into more complicated being , and finally Man - the most complicated form of being - arrived. 

The Lord Cherisher of the Universe thus brings forth man according to the Plan. As a rule , in this process of creation and manifestation , the Center of every system or society of beings appears first on the scene , and then its satellites ; so was the First Man caused to appear on the scene of creation as the Central Personality , combining in him all the excellences to which he was apt. Though those excellences might not have been in a developed form yet there was not any defect in the First Man , unworthy of his position in the Order of Creation. The first man was the top in the hierarchy of the beings , the base of which was primal matter. As Adam (A. S) carried in him the potentiality of all excellences which had to manifest and develop in his issues later on. The Quran asserts 

: 

Indeed , We created man in the best structure (mold). 

95: 4 

Then We reverted him to the lowest of the low , 

95: 5 

Save those who believe and do good deeds , for them shall be an incessant recompense. 

95: 6 

This deterioration of man to the animal character is of secondary stage only to which some of the issues of Adam are subjected , otherwise , among his issues there are persons whose potentialities remained intact as the exceptional clause in the above quoted verses asserts. They adhered to their best original mold (mind and body) in which they were created. 

It is necessary , here , to clarify certain important points on this subject in order to maintain the continuity of right thinking and remove the ambiguity resulted from wrong interpretations and assumptions: 

1. Distinction of Man As Gifted with Controlling Power 

2. Refutation of Fall of Adam 

3. The Concept of Miracle 

4. The Knowledge of the Names Caused Superiority of Adam over the Angels 

5. The Quran As the Everlasting Miracle 

6. Divine Law of Selection 

7. Continuity of Vicegerency in the form of Prophethood or Imaamat (Divine Leadership) - Finality of Prophethood and Continuity of Latter 

8. The Application of Man's Intellectual Faculty to the Guidance Acquired By Him 

Distinction of Man as Gifted with Controlling Power 

Gifted with the Power of Intellectual Expression , the appearance of man on the scene of creation marked a new era in the history of evolutionary course of creation. That is to say , he was created with the potentiality to receive impressions from the 

spiritual and material Worlds surrounding him , and to reproduce these impressions in the same form as received , which is termed as Discovery , or in a new form , which is termed as Invention. 

With the inherent intellectual faculty and power of Discovery and Invention , man appeared on the scene of Creation not to be governed by the Laws of Nature , but to subdue and employ all the natural resources in order to achieve the ultimate aim for which the process of Creation began. That is to say , in order to develop his own Conscious Self as the focus of all that was in the Universe , hidden or apparent , man was ordained to be the most compact and comprehensive representative of God's attributes and excellences. This true representation of God's attributes and excellences by man is Submission. The various grades of status of vicegerency is in accord with it. 

It is the creation of man , which the Quran terms as the appointment of the Vicegerent of God on Earth: 

(Recollect O Our Apostle Mohammed) When said thy Lord unto the angels: “Verily I (intend to) appoint a vicegerent in the earth” 

2: 30 

Although the angels (intellectual , psychical forces functioning in the process of Creation) and all other material and immaterial , celestial and terrestrial beings represent the Divine Attributes in some way or the other , yet none of them is so compact and comprehensive in the representative status as man. 

That is why every other being has been termed as the sign of God but none except man has been chosen and termed as the Vicegerent of God. 

Refutation of Fall of Adam 

The specific and precise quantity of matter , which carried the potentiality of becoming man , did not suffer any fall , reverse or shortcoming which might have prevented it to reach its destiny. The first portion of matter which succeeded in assuming the form of man carried with it all the potentialities for the further development , awaiting human species. As mentioned earlier , the First Man , without having any drawback or shortcoming , formed the Central Part or Pivot of human society. This Center , besides governing its own satellites , also governs all the subordinate centers of animal , plant and inanimate societies , on the principle that every higher center in the evolutionary course of development governs the lowest centers , otherwise , the parts which form the universe as a whole will be instantaneously disintegrated. Thus , the truth is established that Man is the topmost of all creatures and Foremost in the progressive movements towards the Absolute Perfection = Allah. So It is not justifiable to associate the term original sin with Adam and conceive it inherited or inheritable by his issues. He is , therefore , the link between the Creator and all His other creatures.

The Concept of Miracle 

When such a man has to appear on the scene of human society and introduce himself to the people as the Divine Teacher and Representative of God on earth , it is necessary that he should have sufficient evidence to bear the testimony to 

the truth of his declaration ; that is , he should utter such words and exhibit such deeds which could not be uttered or performed by any natural means within the power of a finite being. This is termed as a Miracle. 

The whole conception , from the Unity of God down to the necessity of Prophethood and Leadership and indispensability of the Prophets and Leaders having sufficient evidence to bear the testimony to the truth of their claim , has been forwarded in the Quran: 

But the well grounded in knowledge among them and the believers (who) believe in what hath been sent down unto thee and what hath been sent down (unto Our apostles) before thee , And the establishers of prayer , And the givers of the poor rate (charity) and the believers in God and the Last Day (of Judgment) ; These (it is whom) soon We will give a great recompense. 

4: 162 

Verily , We have revealed unto thee (O Our , Apostle Mohammed) as We did reveal unto Noah and the Apostles after him ; We did reveal unto Abraham , and Ismaae’el and Isaac and Yaqoob and the tribes and Jesus and Job and Jonah , and Aaron , and Solomon , And We gave to Dawood Psalms 

4: 163 

And apostles We have (already) mentioned unto thee before and apostles We mentioned not unto thee ; And God spoke unto Moses directly discoursing. 

4: 164 

(We sent) apostles as givers of glad tidings and warners so that there 

may not remain any argument for people against God , after (the coming of) these apostles , And God is Mighty , Wise. 

4: 165 

But God beareth Witness , through what He hath sent down unto thee (O Our Apostle Mohammed) He sent that down , with His knowledge And the Angels (too) bear witness ; And sufficient is God for a Witness. 4: 166 

Indeed We sent Our apostles with clear proofs , and We sent down with them the Book and the Scale that people may establish themselves in justice ; And We sent down iron wherein is latent (in its use) mighty power and also benefits for mankind and that God may prove who helpeth Him and His apostles in secret ; Verily God is All Strong , the Ever Prevalent. 

57: 25 

What Names Caused Superiority of Adam over the Angels? 

The knowledge of the names caused superiority of Adam over the angels. The First Man had been given , and he carried with him , the names (symbols) of the Intellectual Entities who were to appear on the scene of Creation as the Highest Norms of human perfection. The appearance of these intellectual entities is inevitable for the realization of Divine object by man. They are the excellent names representing all the Divine Names in view of their nearness to Allah and are manifestations of the names of all beings on account of infallibility of their nature = absence of all natural defects. It was due to the knowledge of the names of these 

Entities that caused Adam , the First Man , to be made the Vicegerent of God on earth , and the angels were commanded to prostrate before him. Then through Adam (3) , the angels came to know those Symbolical Names of the Intellectual Entities the knowledge of which made man superior to them. This point is explicitly expressed in the Quran as quoted below: 

And He taught Adam the names , all of them , and then set them unto the angels and said , “Declare ye unto Me the names of these if ye be truthful. ” 

2: 31 

They said: “Glory be to Thee , we have no knowledge save what thou hast taught us , Werily Thou (alone) art the All Knowing , the All Wise. ” 

2: 32 

Said He “O Adam inform thou unto them their names , ” 

When he had informed unto them their names ; Said (the Lord): “Said I not unto you that verily , I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth and know that which ye declare and that which ye conceal? ” 2: 33 

And when We said unto the angels “Prostrate ye before Adam” they all prostrated save Iblees , he refrained and was puffed with pride and was turned into one of the reprobates. 

2: 34 

5. The Quran As The Everlasting Miracle 

Of the innumerous evidences forwarded by the Holy Prophet as the proof of his claim , the most important and everlasting is the Quran itself: 

And say those who disbelieve 

: “Thou art not the Apostle of God. ” Say thou (O Our Apostle Mohammed): “Sufficient is God a witness between me and you and he with whom is the knowledge of the Book”. 

13: 43 

It is proved by the Holy Book that it is not only a testimony of Mohammed (S. A. S) being the last of all prophets and foremost in the order of Divine leadership but also of Mohammed (S. A. S. ) being in himself a proof of the authenticity of other Divine religions and prophets. The personality , excellences and the Divine guidance of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (S. A. S. ) are supreme in the order of Divine leadership and every word of his is final. The particular titles which the Holy Prophet has given to his preceding and future Divine leaders should have to be accepted as the only testimonial for their Divine excellence. Whoever has been addressed by the Holy Prophet with the title of Nabi , Rasool , Imam , Mawla , Siddeeq , Khaleefa will be considered as such. 

Among all the Divine books the Quran is signified by the title of Mohaimin = authoritative Guardian , which is one of the excellent names of God. The Quran is forwarded to mankind as the unchallengable Word of God and the greatest of all miracles of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (S. A. S. ) till eternity. 

Had We 

sent down this Quran , on mountain , thou (O Our Apostle Mohammed! ) wouldst certainly have seen it (the mountain) humbled itself ; and rent as under for the fear (4) of God ; 

59: 21 

And we set forth these similitudes unto mankind that they may reflect 

The Quran , as the Word of God , is a prodigious dynamic force and has been working in the minds of mankind by producing revolution and evolution in the human society. It has cured the blind and deaf in heart by feeding them with new thought and knowledge. 

By applying even a very negligible portion of this dynamic force - and that too in not quite a proper manner - the Muslims succeeded in establishing the great civilization and culture known to historians as Islamic. If the force of the Quran were to be put into action in its entirety with all the precision implied in it , it will not only totally change the face of human civilization but it will at the same time , change the relation of every part and particle of this apparent Universe as a whole. 

The spiritual appreciation of the point that the Holy Prophet Mohammed is the last in the order of Prophethood and the First and Topmost in the order of Leadership , is beautifully expressed in the Persian Quatrain: 

Thou hast come before all the proud Kings of the world , though has appeared last of all. O Last of the Prophets , thy 

Nearness (to God) has become known to me: Thou comest last , as thou comest from the farthest distance. ” (Which distance is nearest to God). 

پیش ازهمه شاهان غیورآمده 

هرچندکه آخر بظهور آمده 

اىختم رسل قرب تومعلومم شد 

دیر آمده ز راه دور آمده 

6. Divine Law Of Selection 

Ever since his appearance on the scene , Adam too did not suffer any fall , draw back or shortcoming in his progressive course. Adam propagated and his issues began to multiply but it was necessary that in the lineage of his issue there should be a line carrying with it this potentiality further and further , and in no stage in this lineage diminishing or defect should occur which would mar its progress. This is termed as the Divine Law of Selection (5) which is synonymous to infallibility of nature in recipiency of the chosen issues of this lineage which is the basis of infallibility of their will power when they reach conscious stage. This is the source of their action which is completely submissive to the will of God. This is the perfect submission , that the will of Creature should be the manifestation of the Will of Creator and his action should be in complete obedience to His order. The principle of Divine Selection is explained in the following Quranic verses: 

Verily , God did choose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of ‘Imraan above all the worlds , 

3: 33 

Offspring , one from the other ; 

3: 34 

7. Finality of Prophethood and Continuity of Vicegerency in the form of Imaamat 

From Adam to Noah , from Noah to Ibraaheem and his descendants , in two branches , the Ismaae’elites and Israelites , this potentiality began to actualize in the form of many apostles and leaders different from each other in the limitation of the nature 

of the task entrusted to them by God and to the extent of the time and space of their jurisdiction. Along with the progress of the human intellectual faculty of Discovery and Invention in the spiritual and material spheres , the task and the jurisdiction of the vicegerency had to expand on one hand and it had to develop from particularity to universality on the other. The Divine Guidance started with Adam and conducted by the successive Vicegerents of God , in the course of its progress towards universality , should reach its final stage. This does not mean the end of progress. It means that mankind does not require any new guidance and instruction to be imparted by the medium of a new Divine Teacher. It implies that the guidance and instructions already acquired by man are now sufficient for him in the course of his further progress. 

The above point has an example in the system of education which begins with the primary schools and reaches its finality at the university level. But the attainment of the highest degree will not mean that there is no more room left for any further attainment , in theory , or in practice , for a degree holder. 

8. The Application of Man's Intellectual Faculty to the Guidance Acquired By Him 

All that is required at this stage is the application of man's intellectual faculty to the guidance acquired by him in order to find out the implications of that Divine guidance. In other words , when Revelation reaches its final stage 

of universality and comprehensiveness , there shall be no room left for any new Divine message to be revealed to man. The next phases will be: 

the Consolidatory Period or codification of revelation 

The Rationalization of Revelation and Lastly 

The Implementation of Rationalized Revelation throughout the sphere of humanity. 

Thus the very conception of Prophethood and Apostleship has in it the implication of finality when human intellectual faculty reaches its maturity ; maturity in the sense of being able to grasp the denotation , connotation and implications of revelation through rational approach. Man may not always remain incapable of grasping Divine guidance through his power of reasoning. The question of non recipiency does not arise in relation to the rationalization of revelation because the continuity of life and rationalization are inseparable. The perfection of life is a guarantee for the perfection of the rationalization of revelation and these stages of perfection belong to the period of implementation of revelation through which we are passing. Thus there is no necessity of a new revelation. Divine revelation in this sense came to end with the departure of Holy Prophet Mohammed (S. A. S. ) the last of all prophets. 

However , humanity is , indeed , in perpetual need of and dependent on Divine Blessings and Cherishing and it cannot survive without being nurtured by the same. The Divine Leadership or Medium , in his function of receiving Blessings from God and diffusing the same to the World , has 

no finality in this sense.

4.Divine Leadership = Imaamat

part 1 

This is the belief in the necessity of Divinely Chosen Leadership as a medium between Creator and creature and its continuity till the Resurrection Day. This again is an outcome of the principle of God's Cherishing. 

In order to keep man on the progressive Right Path during his journey towards the ultimate object of creation , God ordained , that in the human society there shall never be a vacuum with regard to a Pivot or Central Man who is blessed by God directly , and through whom the whole society of mankind is blessed. A blessed pivot as such is functioning in two ways - as the medium between the Absolute and finite beings and as the norm and model for guidance of humanity. As a medium he should continue to exist successively without an interval , from the beginning of creation i. e. since the existence of Adam , the First Man , till the achievement of the ultimate object of creation. In performance of this function , it is not necessary that he should be known to every member of the human society. But as a model and norm for the guidance of the other members of the society , he should be known to them and continuity is not necessary. It may be from time to time with interval in between. During this period the pivot remains incognito in order to give chance to individuals for 

using their discretion and free will in their activities and developing their aptitude. The guidance should not entail any blind following , so the continuity of the presence of the model on the scene of human society as a teacher and guide is not needed. In other words constant and continuous existence of a perfect man one after another as a pivot of human society is a necessary sequence of the Principle of Universal Cherishing or ar Ruboobiyya al Mutlaqa , although his presence as a cognizable person is not always necessary. This function of the Pivot is termed as Imaamat or Khilaafat = Vicegerency of God on earth. 

Such a personality in functioning as a teacher and guide to the members of human society provides them with all requisite means to develop their aptitude fully , of their own free will and choice. This function is needed only from time to time , and not continuously. Thus , the presence of the Pivot is necessary when he has to perform this function , which is termed as Prophethood = Nobowwat. This is the distinctive function of conveying the Divine Message of God to mankind and informing them of what is right and what is wrong , so that they may choose any one of these two courses , right or wrong , of their own free will. 

Thus it will be observed that each and every Prophet of God is an Imam (Divinely Appointed Leader) as well as Rasool or 

Nabi (Divine Prophet or Messenger of God). All the Imams (Divinely appointed Leaders) , on the other hand , are not necessarily Divine Prophets or Messengers of God. They are Divinely appointed Successors (or Executors) to the Prophets of God and the Vicegerents of God on earth. 

The first function i. e. Prophethood assumed its complete and perfect form with the Revelation and Declaration of the Quranic verses: 

This day have I perfected for you , your religion , and have completed My favor on you , and chosen for you Islam (to be) the Religion ; 

5: 4 

And perfect is the word of thy Lord in truth and justice ; There is none who can change His words , and He is the All Hearing and All Knowing. 

6: 115 

With regard to the second function , the person who has been commissioned by God to deliver the Last Message and Guidance (the Quran) is also the topmost in Leadership. As such his Divine Leadership shall continue till the Resurrection Day. This is the Great Kingdom given by God to Aale Ibraaheem in addition to the Book and Wisdom which He has gifted them. 

Or do they envy the people for what God hath given them of His grace ; But indeed We have given to Abraham's children the Book and the Wisdom and We gave them a Great Kingdom. 

4: 54 

The Book refers to the Last Message , the Holy Quran , which comprehends all the previous Revelations. 

The Wisdom refers to the intellectual Power of the purified members of the children of Ibraaheem to give true interpretation of the last Book of God. The phrase Great Kingdom refers to the Kingdom , which is declared Great by God and not which man may consider it great or otherwise. This Great Kingdom is the Kingdom of God. 

God's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what (all) is in them ; 

5: 120 

And He (alone) hath the power over all things. 

The Great Kingdom means the authority and power that God has gifted them execute His Will on one hand and the absolute obedience to their order and directives that God has made incumbent on the people on the other. This power and authority which the prophet was endowed with and which continued with the successive Imams of his House did not manifest to the mankind in its entirety. In other words , the practical domination and exercise of Divine Authority over mankind in particular and the universe in general , have not come to such evidence as to be realized by each and every man. 

The first Gift of God to the Family of Ibraaheem has already come into manifestation in the form of the Quran - the Book , the Word of God. The second Gift that of Wisdom has come into evidence in the form of the Teachings and Precepts of the Last of His Prophets and his Divinely Purified and Declared 

Successors. The third Gift , that of the Great Kingdom of God , although has already been bestowed on them along with the other two Gifts , is to be manifested totally at the destined time. Therefore , it is true that Prophethood has reached its final stage through the Last of the Divine Messengers , Mohammed (S. A. S. ) and there is no further Divine Message to be delivered to mankind ; and the Wisdom which Mohammed (S. A. S. ) and his Divinely purified Successors were endowed with by God in its delivery to mankind passed through gradual stages and reached its finality through the 11th Imam of the House of the Holy Prophet , Hasan al ’Askari (A. S). 

The first of the two gifts , the Book in its gradual revelation reached its final stage of completion nearly 3 months before the demise of the Holy Prophet. The second gift i. e. Wisdom or Divinely gifted power of understanding and explaining the contents of the book needed a long period. It took nearly 300 years to reach its final stage. This is the period during which the 11 declared Imams from the House of Prophet had to shoulder the task of placing the requisite wisdom or explanatory Divine directives within the reach of the people as a supplementary part of the constitution of Islam. These two gifts are termed as Kitaab and Sunnat = teachings of 

the Holy Prophet. To perform the task of conveying and placing them within the reach of the people , the presence of Imams as teachers was necessary. 

However , the constitution reached its final stage in the sense that the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet , as supplementary part of the constitution , were mirrored in the lives and teachings of the Imams of the House and this was recorded in the form of collections like Kaafi. Then there was no need for the presence of Imam as a teacher. On the contrary it was a Divine blessing that the Imam of the time should disappear from the scene as teacher so that the people may have respite and chance to apply their power of reasoning and discretion in order to grasp , understand and digest the denotations , connotations and implications of the Divine constitution i. e. Kitaab and Sunnat. It was a blessing to give people the chance of putting all out efforts to rationalize the revelation. This period is termed the period of Ijtehaad.

part 2 

Therefore , the continuous existence of vicegerents of God on the earth is an outcome of Divine Grace. The appearance of these vicegerents from time to time in the form of prophets , messengers and Divine teachers is another manifestation of His grace. The incognito existence of the vicegerents during the interval between the prophets before the advent of the Last Prophet and the incognito existence of 

the 12th Imam of the House of Holy Prophet after the completion of the teaching period of the Divine constitution are further manifestations of grace of God. 

When this period of rationalization or application of the human Power of Reasoning (Ijtehaad) reaches its climax , in a right or wrong course , the time will be ripe for the Universal Manifestation of the Great Kingdom of Aale Ibraaheem bestowed upon the Family of Ibraaheem in the person of the Last Guide or Leader (Imam) of the House of Mohammed (S. A. S. ). This 12th Imam (Mahdi A. S) and nobody else , can claim to combine in him all the spiritual and blood heritage from Adam to the Last Prophet , Mohammed (S. A. S). He represents both the branches of the House of Ibraaheem - the Ismaae’elite branch through his father and Israilite branch through his mother Nargis , who was a direct descendant of Simon Peter , the true successor of the Holy Prophet Jesus. 

The Last Imam will appear with psychic and spiritual forces on his disposal , which surpass in potency all the physical forces known to mankind at the climax or end of the period of Rationalization. The potency of this Force as compared to that of the Atomic Energy can be appreciated if we compare the latter to the primitive energy of mules and camels. The energy used by man at present has overcome all the space distances of 

the earth by means of radio , television , supersonic jets and other atomic devices. Above this , man in his rational progress of dominating matter expects to establish communication with outer space regions and other planets. But with the use of psychic and spiritual force of unimaginable dynamism , the 12th and Last of the Divinely appointed Guide and Leader , the last Imam of the Age will not only remove the spatial distance between people of different regions , but he will also remove the time distances in between and establish direct communication with those who in our limited concept of time are considered to have been of the past. This will come to evidence at the advent , or appearance of the Last Imam. The establishment of communication with the Present and Past is termed the “Raj a’t = Return” which is the minor or Lesser Resurrection. This will usher the era of the manifestation of the Great Kingdom of God , which He has bestowed on the family of Ibraaheem in fulfillment of His promise: 

(This is) the promise of God! Faileth not God His promise , but most people know not (this). 

30: 6 

It must however be emphasized that the appearance of the Last Imam shall not , in whatsoever manner , affect any change or abrogation in the religion of Islam , as presented by the Last of the Divine Messengers , the topmost of the Divine Guides and Leaders , Mohammed (S 

. A. S. ) inclusive of the explanatory comments given by him and his Divinely purified successors , the 11 Imams. This Era signifies the evidence of the practical execution of all the denotations , connotations and implications of those Divine Teachings under the Great Kingdom of Aale Ibraaheem. 

The state of affairs at the climax of Minor Resurrection and the ushering in of the Major Resurrection can be better appreciated , if we ponder over the comparison already indicated between the ushering in of the Minor Resurrection and the climax of Ijtehaad i. e. application of Human Power of Reasoning. 

In concluding the discourse on Belief in Imaamat the following points should be emphatically born in mind as a part of the belief. 

1. The Continuity of Imaamat as a medium between Creator and creature ; and that the Imam may live in recognizable or non recognizable manner. 

2. The status of Imaamat is a Divine gift given to none but to a person who is purified from all physical and spiritual defects and uncleanness which may affect the state of his absolute submission to the Will of God. Thus the Imam of the time means a person who is foremost in the hierarchy of creatures in obedience to the will of God and representing His Will to mankind: this is submission for which genie and man are created. 

3. This Imaamat starts with Adam and through a successive chain of the most submissive persons descended from him 

, reached Ibraaheem ; from Ibraaheem is continued in two branches of Israelites and Ismaae’elites. Israelites branch ended with its last link Jesus who disappeared from this terrestrial scene in an unusual way. This Ismaae’elites branch continued to carry the same submissive status , generation after generation without any gap but remained in non recognizable manner till it appeared in the person of the Holy Prophet. 

And that which We have revealed unto thee of the Book , It is the truth testifying that which hath before it , Verily God ; about His servants is All Aware , All Seeing. 

35: 31 

Then made We the inheritors of the Book (Quran) those whom We chose from among our servants ; But of them is he who causeth himself to suffer a loss , and of them is he who followeth the middle course , and of them is he who is the foremost in Goodness by God's permission ; That is the greatest excellence. 35: 32 

4. The Quran declared that the chain will continue after the prophet in the same chosen and purified members of the House of Prophet and they shall inherit whatever God has gifted to Ale Ibraaheem. The Prophet declared in unequivocal terms: 

“whoever dies without knowing the Imam of his time , his death will be paganic death. ” 

من مات ولم یعرف إمام زمانه مات میتة جاهلیة 

He also declared in unequivocal terms that the number of Imams after him shall be 12 , nothing more or nothing less 

. He , according to Ithna ’Ashari school of thought mentioned also the names of all the 12 Imams who will succeed each other. There are many traditions narrated from Sunni sources supporting the above contention. In any case , throughout the history of Islam , no one can point out the names of 12 persons from the Ismaae’elite branch of Aale Ibraaheem who after the Holy Prophet succeeded each other carrying in them the excellence and purity which would make them deserve the status of being foremost in submission to the Will of God but the Holy 12 Imams of the House of Holy Prophet. The last of them , Mahdi is , as already pointed out , the son of 11th Imam. He was born on the 15th of Sha' baan 254 H. at Saamarra , Iraq. He combines in him , as his 11 predecessors , all the excellences required for inheriting Imaamat (the Divine Leadership) of Ibraaheem which was carried by two branches of Israelites and Ismaae’elites. He represents Aale Ibraaheem in its full significance. He has been born and is living in terrestrial form as a pivot and medium between the Creator and the creature , but in non recognizable manner , till the period of Ijtehaad is over. For the person of so great spiritual accomplishment , the question of the length of life does not arise. His soul is strong and high and is far from being fettered with the conditions of matter 

. His Will power controls his body and other material things so his life and death are under his disposal and his will is controlled by none but by His (i. e. God's) Will. 

5. The Imam's reappearance will follow the immediate descent of Jesus as his follower. As such the Imam shall establish the Great Kingdom of Aale Ibraaheem throughout the world.

part 3 

6. The establishment of his Kingdom will be necessarily associated and followed by the Minor Resurrection which means the Return of all the leading righteous personalities who had performed important role in promoting this right cause. Along with their return , a group of their opponents - wrong doers - who had played a leading role against the sacred cause will also be brought to the scene for condemnation. 

This belief in the Minor Resurrection or Return of the leading righteous personalities and the leading wicked does not mean any rebirth or imply Hindu and Greek theories of transmigration of soul into a new body through the process of birth. It means a gathering of a group of leading personalities , who have died before , in the final stage of the total manifestation of Great Kingdom of Ale Ibraaheem. They gather and meet each other in the same manner as in the Major Resurrection all individuals and groups who lived in the different part of time and space will meet each other. The difference between the two Resurrections and Returns is only the question 

of partial and total (Resurrection). Raj a’t means al Qyaamat as Sughra and al Qyaamat means Raj a’t al Kobraa. In what manner and shape the former and the latter are possible is asserted in the Quran. 

brief sketch of the life of 12 Imams along with the life of Holy Prophet and his daughter Faatima (S. A) , the Lady of Paradise , and their contribution towards the advancement of Islam and Message will be dealt with separately. 

Here the point to be noted is that the 11th Imam AI Hasan al Askari (A. S) passed away on the 8th of Rabeeul Awwal 260 H. at Saamarra , the Military Cantonment of Abasside Caliphs , in Iraq. The 12th Imam , Al Mahdi (A. S) was then about 6 years old. Though his birth like the birth of Moses , for almost the same reasons , was kept in secrecy , yet ever since his birth , the 11th Imam used to introduce him to his chosen and confident disciples as his successor and the expected Mahdi of the Holy House. The 11th Imam used to reiterate and confirm the prophecies of his predecessors regarding the occultation of the 12th and his continuous existence for a very long time in the terrestrial realm in non recognizable manner discharging his duty as a pivot and medium between the Creator and creatures. He is the real administrator of his jurisdiction which is as wide as the jurisdiction of the messengership of his grandfather , the Last Prophet 

which is as extensive as Lord Cherisher's universe. He receives Divine blessings and grace and diffuses them to his surroundings in unknown and non recognizable way. During this period of occultation , his relation in this terrestrial region and his domination over it is not severed and ceased ; it is only the people that ceased to have regular and recognizable communication with him. This period of occultation is divided into two parts: Minor and Major. During the period of Minor Occultation , the regular communication of people with the Imam was not totally ceased. People used to have regular communication and correspondence with the Imam mostly through his 4 nominated successive agents known as an Nowwaab al Arba'ah = four deputies. Some of the prominent disciples had even the chance of direct communion with the Imam. The names of the 4 nominated Deputies are: 

1. Othmaan bn Sae’ed al A’amery who used to discharge the duties of Deputy during the life of the 10th and 11th Imams. 

2. Othmaan's son , Mohammed bn Othmaan who also used to discharge the duties of the Deputy during the two previous Imams. Both , the father and son were certified by the 10th and 11th Imams as their most reliable and sincere representatives. 

3. Abul Qaasim Husain bn Rooh Noobakhti who was nominated by Mohammed bn Othmaan as his succeeding Deputy. 

4. Ali bn Mohammed As Saimuri who succeeded the third through nomination by the third. 

All these nominations were confirmed by showing irrefutable testimonies. 

This period 

lasted for 70 years. It ended with the death of the 4th Deputy in the year 330H. , one year after the death of Kulaini , the author of Kaafi. As Saimuri received an Epistle from the Imam 10 days before his death to the effect that the period of Minor Occultation was over and he should not nominate anyone to succeed him as his special deputy. During this period , a few impostors claimed to have the status of Deputies but all were exposed by the Imam and were denounced by the Shia School of thought. 

Then the Major Occultation started which will be continued till the time of reappearance of the Imam. During this period no person as particularly nominated Deputy has been existing or will exist. Almost all the Imams and particularly the 10th , 11th and the 12h , declared and affirmed the authoritative status of those pious and righteous scholars who were exclusively following the faith of Ithna Ashari and have attained the scholarly ability to understand the denotations , connotations and implications of the aforesaid constitution of Islam , Kitaab and Sunnat through sound rational approach which is termed as Ijtehaad. This class of scholars have been declared by the vicegerents of God to have the right of discharging the duty of a person deputized and nominated by the Imams within the limit of their ability. According to Kitaab and Sunnat , the people who have not attained the standard of scholarly 

ability termed as Ijtehaad , has to follow in all the controversial issues the opinion of living Mujtahid who is the superior most in knowledge and piety. 

In case there is no superior most or is not verifiable , the non Mujtahid has the option to adopt one of the topmost Mujtahids of equal standard and follow his opinion in the controversial issues. The author has dealt with the subject in his Treatise on Occultation. For further details , one should refer to the Chapters on Ijtehaad and Taqleed in the literature on the Principle of Shia Jurisprudence. 

During this period of Major Occultation , there are many reliable stories of certain persons communication and contact with the 12th Imam , but all those stories and events show that the contact or communication was mere accidental and circumstantial. Otherwise none can claim to have the honor of regular communications with him (the Imam). There is no doubt that piety , devotion and attachment to the Holy House and their directives bring one to the state of receiving more blessings and unnoticed guidance from the Imam in his effort to solve the problems of religious importance facing him. 

However , recognition of the authoritative status of qualified living Mujtahids of the time , as representatives and general deputies of the Imam , during his Major Occultation , is the necessary part of the Theocratic form of government recognized and advocated by Ithna Ashari Schools of Shia faith. It differs from all theocratic 

forms of government recognized or advocated by other schools of thought in Islam or in other religions of the world. It has nothing to do with any temporal and secular forms of government , (be it monarchy , constitutional or despotic , dictatorship , democracy or republic). It differs from the form of Imaamat prescribed by Zaidi schools of Shia or the schools of Ismaae’elite Shia. It differs from the authoritative status recognized by some schools for the saints of mystic orders. (Vide author's Treatise on Occultation).

5. Resurrection = Qiyaamat 

explaination

part 1 

Resurrection is a belief in the manifestation of the Highest sphere of God’s authority over and above all His creatures. 

And what makes thee know what the Day of Judgment is? 

82: 17 

Then again what maketh thee know what the Day of Judgment is? 

82: 18 

(It is) the Day on which no soul owns not any thing (helpful) for another soul ; 

82: 19 

And the (entire) command on that day shall be God’s (alone) What! Think they not that they shall be raised 

83: 4 

For a Great Day. 

83: 5 

The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds. 

83: 6 

The Day when the fact is realized all the agencies of creatures will be submerged in the Will of God. This is the Day when the will power bestowed on man by God to choose his actions will come to an end. 

Resurrection literally means to Rise , but as a religious term it means to 

Rise to a higher state of life. It has been applied to the lives of individuals after death and the intermediary stage. The saying of the Holy Prophet is: 

“He who dies his Rise has been realized. ” 

من مات فقد قامت قیامته 

The term Resurrection has also been applied to the days of the establishment of the Divine Kingdom on earth in the Person of the vicegerents of God as the Lesser Resurrection. But Resurrection is a term mostly used in the Quran and Apostolic sayings for the Final Collective Rise of mankind in particular , and other creatures in general to the highest sphere of manifestation of God's authority and Kingdom: 

Verily , in this , there is a sign for him who feareth the chastisement of the Hereafter ; The Day for which mankind shall be gathered together , And that Day shall be witnessed (by all) 11: 103 

Say “Verily the ancients and the later ones” (from beginning to the end). 

56: 49 

Shall certainly be gathered together unto the tryst of the Known Day. 

56: 50 

From the Quranic verses quoted herein , and those that are not quoted , together with the Apostolic statements , the following facts are established about the Life Hereafter beyond any doubt. 

1. Death does not mean the annihilation of the Conscious and Cognitive Ego. The Ego after its severance from its material body does continue being conscious of itself and of its past. 

2. Death is merely a shifting from one state 

or phase or stage of lesser sensitivity to a stage (phase) of higher sensitivity. 

3. Of the sensory faculties , whether external or internal , none is destroyed by Death ; on the contrary all these are furthermore refined and sharpened. 

4. The only relationship which is severed by death is the direct relationship of the Conscious Ego with the Outer material world , with which it was connected through External senses. 

5. The whole attention of the Conscious Ego will be diverted to: 

the memories of the Past and what are preserved in the subconscious , and even unconscious layers of the Ego 

the higher spheres of beings above the Conscious Ego (the angelical realm). In other words , the focal center of human consciousness will no more receive any direct stimulation through external senses ; but it does receive stimulation from within its limited spheres beyond the material spheres. Therefore Death should be taken as a step towards a higher stage of life whether pleasant or painful. The pleasure or pain of a new born child , whose external and internal sensories are not yet developed , is less in degree to those of a mature person. Similarly , the pleasure or pain of the Conscious Ego after death is greater in degree than the one who is still fettered with the material world. The Quran expresses this fact in the following verse: 

(It will be said): “Thou wert heedless of this , now have We removed from thee thy veil 

, so thy sight today is sharp. ” 

50: 22 

Therefore , the material life is a veil on human senses and consciousness. On the removal of this veil by death all the faculties are sharpened. This is confirmed by the tradition of the Holy Prophet who said: 

“Man is (at present) in a state of sleep , when he will die he will awake”. 

الناس نیام فإذا ماتوا انتبهوا 

The movement of every Individual , as well as the societies of Beings as a whole , is towards God , who has created them. The Quran points out this fact: 

“Verily the death from which ye flee , verily it meeteth you , Then ye shall be returned unto the Knower of the unseen and the seen then will He inform you of whatever ye used to do. 

62: 8 

They ask thee of the Hour (the constant move) whereto (is) its anchorage? 

79: 42 

Wherein art thou of its notion? 

79: 43 

Unto thy Lord (alone) is its termination! 

79: 44 

The epitome of this movement is expressed in another verse: 

Those Who , when misfortune befalleth them , say , “Verily we are God's and verily unto Him shall we return”. 

2: 156 

Thus there is no return to the lower stage of Consciousness and there is no possibility whatsoever of any rebirth. 

Death is , therefore nothing but a shift and change from one stage of Existence to a higher one which ultimately terminates towards God. This ascending 

movement is true of every part and particle of the material Universe with its specific societies and systems and also the universe as a whole. 

As mentioned earlier , shifting of any being from this material world means its Resurrection: such Resurrection may be of an individual , or a group of entities , or of all groups and societies of beings. The state or stage between the death of an individual , a member of a group in creation , and the death or Resurrection of the whole group is termed Intermediary stage. 

In this Intermediary stage , the individual may enjoy or suffer the effects of his individual faith and action. Therefore , this stage is also known as Purgatory: it begins with the agony of death - the last moment of the departure of the soul from the body - to the next stages , which include the funeral and burial in whatsoever form these may be. The Quran portrays this moment as follows: 

Why then do ye not (help) when the soul of the dying man cometh up to the throat? 

56: 83 

And ye then (remain) only gazing (at him). 

56: 84 

And We are nearer to him than ye , but ye see (Us) Not 

56: 85 

The immediate and pressing pain and pleasure will be experienced by the departed soul followed by the questionnaires put to him by the specific angelical Guards attached to every individual. This will be augmented by the appearance 

of the individual Records of his past which will cause him rejoicing or grief. 

And couldst thou see when they are made confronting the (Hell) fire , then they shall say , “Would that we were sent back and we would not belie the signs of Our Lord , and we would be of the believers. ” 

6: 27 

Nay , it has been manifested to them what they did conceal before ; 

And if they were sent back , they would certainly return to what they were forbidden and most certainly they are liars. 6: 28 

Until when death cometh unto one of them , sayeth he: “My Lord! Send me back again (into the world) ” 

23: 99 

That I may do (the) good which I have left undone”. By no means! it is but a word he sayeth ; And before them shall be a barrier until the day when they are raised (again). 23: 100 

And indeed We Created Man and We know whatever his soul whispereth unto him , And We are nearer to him than his (very) life vein. 

50: 16 

When receive (and record all doings) the two (angels) appointed to receive , sitting (one) on the right and (the other) on the left. 

50: 17 

He pronounceth not a word but is unto him a watcher ready (to record). 

50: 18 

And the stupor of death cometh in truth ; that is (the state) which thou wast wont to shun. 50: 19

part 2 

And 

when the Trumpet is blown , It is the day Promised (warned against). 

50: 20 

And every soul shall come , accompanied with it a driver and a witness. 

50: 21 

(It will be said): “Thou wert heedless of this , now We have removed from thee thy veil , so thy sight today is sharp. ” 

50: 22 

In this Intermediary stage , the Individual cannot do anything to redeem the wrong done by him in the past nor can he improve his position by any further action of his ; but the good deeds of the living members of the family or Group to which he belongs may be of avail to him in reducing his pain or multiplying his pleasures. 

Moreover , the Holy and Exalted souls leading the Group to which he belongs , have the power to redeem his sins and increase his pleasures. Inspite of the severance of physical ties , the spiritual tie of Love between the departed soul with the righteous souls left behind or with those righteous souls who had departed before him , is not severed: this Love transcends all material barriers. Therefore , there is a way possible of salvation for the individual soul in the Intermediary stage - not by his own action but by the blessings and good deeds of the righteous members of his family or the group to which he (that individual soul) belongs. The Quranic verses assert the utility of the prayers and blessings 

of the righteous ones such as prophets , for their departed ancestors , their followers , disciples and for their offspring and posterity. The prayers of those who are the Carriers of the Throne of God (Bearers of the Divine Knowledge) and of those Believers whose status is closer to them are the best evidence of the stability of the spiritual tie of Love of the Higher Exalted souls of a group with the lower souls belonging to the same group. 

(These are those) who said unto their brethren while themselves held back: “Had they (the Martyrs) obeyed us , they would not have been slain” 

Say (O Our Apostle Mohammed! ) “Ward off from yourselves death if ye be truthful. ” 3: 168 

And reckon not those who are slain in the way of God , to be dead ; 

Nay! alive they are with their Lord being sustained , (in the presence of their Lord). 3: 169 

Rejoicing in what God of His Grace hath granted them , rejoicing for those who have not yet joined them from behind them , that no fear shall come on them nor shall they grieve. 

3: 170 

And when Abraham said: “My Lord! Make this city secure and keep me away and my sons from worshipping idols. ” 

14: 35 

My Lord! make me keep up prayer and from my offspring (too) O our Lord , and accept my prayer: 

14: 40 

O our Lord! grant me protection 

and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning shall come to pass! 

14: 41 

Those who bear the Arsh and those around it celebrate the praise of their Lord and believe in Him and seek forgiveness for those who believe in Him (saying): “O Our Lord! Thou comprehendeth all things in (Thy) mercy and knowledge , therefore , forgive Thou those who turn (unto Thee) and follow Thy way , and save them from the torment of the Hell. ” 

40: 7 

“O Our Lord! Admit them into the ever blissful gardens which Thou hast promised unto them and those who do good from their fathers , and their wives and their offspring ; For Thou art the Almighty , the All Wise! ” 

40: 8 

And keep them from evil deeds And whomsoever keepest Thou off from evil , this day indeed Thou hast (bestowed mercy on him , And that is a Mighty Achievement. ” 

40: 9 

And said Noah , “O my Lord! Leave Thou not on the earth of the unjust ones , a single dweller (alive)! ” 

71: 26 

“O my Lord! Forgive Thou me and my parents and him who entereth my abode believing in (Thee) , and the believing men and the believing women , and increase not unto the unjust in caught save perdition! ” 

71: 28 

The Intercessions which are evident from the Quranic verses , may apply to the Intermediary stages or to the stage of Total Resurrection 

. However , there shall be no more Intercession after the end of Total Resurrection. 

After the Lesser Resurrection , and preparatory to the last stage , all beings shall die , in the sense that they have to depart from their previous forms and shapes. This includes all the celestial and terrestrial entities , which shall give out all their latent potentialities. This state will be preceded by the First Blowing in the Forms = Blowing of the Trumpet by the Angel of Death Izraaeel. It will be followed by the Second Blowing of the Trumpet by Israafeel. 

They have esteemed not God , as is His due ; While the whole earth shall be in His grip on the Day of Judgment and the heavens rolled up (shall be) in His right hand , Hallowed is He , and Exalted is He , high above what they associate (with Him). 

39: 67 

And (when) the Trumpet is blown then whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth shall swoon (die) save those whom God hath willed (to keep alive) , Then the Trumpet shall be blown again , then lo! they shall stand up awaiting (observing the situation). 

39: 68 

And the earth shall get radiant with the light of its Lord , and the Book (of deeds) shall be set , and the prophets shall be brought up and the witnesses , and (it shall) be judged between them , and they shall not be 

dealt with unjustly. 

39: 69 

And every soul shall be paid in full what it hath wrought , and He knoweth best what they do. 

39: 70 

It will be observed significantly in verse 39: 68 quoted above that God has expressly included an exception , “except such as Allah pleases (to keep alive) ”. It means , there are certain Entities who will not be affected by the First Blowing of the Trumpet and will not be subjected to a loss of consciousness described in verses 7: 46 and 48 as “Men who know all by their marks and the Occupants of the most Elevated Places” and who will still remain in the highest cognitive state even though “All those that are in the heavens and all those that are in the earth shall swoon”. 

And on the most elevated places there shall be men who know all by their marks 

7: 46 

And the Dwellers of the most elevated places shall call out to men whom they will recognize by their marks saying: Of no avail were to you your amassings and your behaving haughtily. 

7: 48 

From the verses of the Quran , it will be observed that the Blowing of the Trumpet will occur twice. The first Blowing will cause a severance of all considerations and ties of kinship , which is clearly expressed. 

And when the trumpet is blown , there shall be no ties of kindred between them on that day , nor shall they ask 

of one another. 

23: 101 

Then (those) whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy , they shall be the successful ones , 

23: 102 

And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light , they are those who shall lose their souls , abiding in Hell ; 

23: 103 

Yet God promises in the Quran the re establishment of the ties of kinship in the form of fatherhood , motherhood , sonship , brotherhood and conjugal relationship in the life after the Major Resurrection. This assertion is contained in the following verses: 

Give thou (O Our Apostle Mohammed) the glad tiding unto those who believe and do good deeds , that for them are gardens beneath which flow rivers , And whenever they are provided with fruits therefrom they shall say , “This is what we were provided with before! ” and they shall be provided with the like (of it) And for them shall be mates purified. They shall dwell therein. 2: 25 

The garden of perpetual bliss which they will enter and also the righteous among their parents , their spouses , and their offspring ; And the angels shall enter unto them from every portal. 

13: 23 

“Peace (be) unto you (saying) for that ye persevered in patience! (and now) how excellent is the sequel of the eternal abode. 

13: 24

part 3 

Verily the pious ones shall be in the midst of garden and fountains ; ” 

15: 45 

(The angels saying unto them: ) “Enter ye therein in Peace 

, Secure. ” 

15: 46 

And We will root out whatever rancor be in their hearts , (they shall be) as brothers , on dignified couches , face to face 

15: 47 

And those who believe and follow them their offspring in faith , We will unite with them their offspring and We will lessen not unto them aught of their (good) deeds ; Every man shall be responsible for what he hath wrought. 

52: 21 

The two apparently differing situations of severance of relationship and establishment of same have been clarified by the Holy Prophet as his comment on the verse in the following apostolic tradition: 

“All the distinctive consideration and ties of kinship shall be severed on the Day of Resurrection except those distinctive consideration and ties of kinship established through me. ” 

کل حسب ونسب منقطع یوم القیامة إلا حسبى ونسبى 

It implies that with the First Blowing of the Trumpet , all the then existing forms and ties are severed ; and by the second Blowing of the Trumpet new forms and shapes will be given to beings and a new tie of kinship will be established. However , the Root of this ties shall be the Last of the Divine Messengers , Mohammed (S. A. S. ) Who in the highest degree of perfection , is the First and the Last of all created beings. 

Therefore , after the Major Resurrection , the relationship or kinship of people to each other , as stated so clearly in the 

Quran will be established in accordance with the degree of their attachment to the Root of that Tree which is termed in the Quran as the Good Tree. 

Seest thou not how God setteth forth a parable of a good word (being) like a good tree , whose root is firm and whose branches (reach in the heavens). 

14: 24 

Yielding its fruit on every moment by the permission of its Lord? 

And setteth forth God parables for the people that they may reflect. 

14: 25 

And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree growing from the surface of the earth , it hast naught of stability. 

14: 26 

Establisheth God (in strength) those who believe , with the firm word in the life of this world and in the hereafter ; And God leaveth the unjust ones to stray ; And doeth God what He willeth. 14: 27 

During the stage of Total Resurrection - after the second blowing of the Trumpet - there are series of sub stages wherein the hidden aspects of the action of man and other creatures will become evident to each individual and to the group to which he belongs ; these aspects of the action have remained hidden to him and his group till that particular stage of the manifestation of the Final authority of the Absolute - Allah - is reached. During the various sub stages indicated above the individual will be hailed after the leader who had led him. The 

Quran says: 

(Remember) the Day (of Judgment) when We will summon every people to the name of their Imam (Leader) ; Then whosoever is given his book in his right hand , these shall read their books (with pleasure) , and they shall not be dealt with (even) a shred unjustly. 17: 71 

And whosoever is blind in this (life) , he shall be blind in the hereafter (also) and far more away from the path (right). 

17: 72 

The above two verses also point out the important fact that those who are spiritually blind in this world shall have a keener sense of error and blindness in the hereafter. 

Then shall occur the unfolding of the Individual Record of actions of each individual and also the Record of the Group to which that individual belongs as proclaimed in the Quran. 

And thou (O Our Apostle) shalt see every people kneeling down ; Every people shall be called unto its book ; Today ye shall be recompensed for what all ye used to do. 45: 28 

This is Our Book that speaketh against you with justice ; Verily , we used to record whatever ye used to do. 

45: 29 

The next sub stage of bringing forth the External and Internal witnesses of Deeds is portrayed and asserted by the Quran in the following revelations: 

And thus We have made you a group of middling stand that ye may be witnesses over mankind and the Prophet be (a) witness over you ; And We 

did not fix the Qiblah towards which thou wert at , but that We might distinguish him who followeth the Prophet , from him that turneth back upon his heels ; And this was surely a hard thing for many except for those whom God hath guided ; And God would not make futile your faith (in Him) ; Verily God unto mankind is Affectionate (and) Merciful. 2: 143 

Then certainly We will question those unto whom (our apostles) were sent , and certainly will We also question the sent ones. 

7: 6 

Then certainly We will relate to them with knowledge For We were not absent. 

7: 7 

And the measuring (of the deeds) that day is certain So whomsoever's weight (of good deeds) be heavy , those are they who shall be successful. 

7: 8 

And those whose measure (of the deeds) is light , those are they whose souls suffer because of the injustice they used to do to our signs. 

7: 9 

And on the day when We will raise up in every people from among themselves , a witness (upon them) And bring thee (O Our Apostle Mohammed! ) as a witness upon (all) these ; And We have sent down upon thee the Book (the Quran) explaining everything , and a guidance , and mercy , and glad tidings unto those who submit themselves (to God). 

16: 89 

And on the day when the enemies of God shall be collected together unto the fire , then they 

shall be ranked in groups. 

41: 19 

Until they come unto it (the hell) ; their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them , as to what they used to do. 

41: 20 

And they shall say unto their skins: “Why witness ye against us? ” They shall say: “Who maketh everything speak , caused us to speak and He it is Who created you first , and unto Him ye shall (all) be returned. 

41: 21 

And ye covered unto yourselves (merely) lest that your ears and your eyes and your skins should bear witness against you , but (it was) that ye thought that God knoweth not most of what ye did. 

41: 22 

The Middle (medium or perfectly balanced) Group 

أمة وسطا 

is not the general Muslim Community ; the word Ummat used here is not in the sense of a community , nation or followers etc. This word means a particular class of people who are endowed with such requisite qualifications as God made them witnesses for Himself over all mankind. Then God addresses the Last of His Prophet , Mohammed (S. A. S. ) that He is to be the witness over all these witnesses. In this manner , God clarifies the expanse of His mercy and justice by entrusting the function of final witnessing to two groups of being , one above the other who are Pure and Perfect and nearest in communion with Him. 

Further on 

, it will be observed that these Pure and Perfect Beings will be made by God the Distributors of the abode of Bliss and Hell. They will recognize men by their marks and they will be the occupants of the High Place as already clarified before. These Beings , indeed , are those who have been exempted by God's will from being subjected to swoon at the time of the Blowing of the First Trumpet which is expressed in the Quran. 

The sub stages , progressively , will lead to the stage of Reckoning as stated in the Quran: 

We have tied every man's action to his neck ; (which) We will bring forth unto him on the Day of Resurrection in the form of an unfolded book. 

17: 13 

(It will be said unto him) “Read thou thy book ; Sufficeth thine own self today , as a reckoner against thee. ” 

17: 14 

In the stage of Reckoning , as it is apparent from the above verses , the individual creatures are made the Reckoners of their own actions. There are verses also which show that God directly or through His authorized Angels and Vicegerents will perform the Reckoning of actions. There are verses which ascribe the Reckoning to God , using personal pronoun , in first person , plural number. There are some other verses in the Holy Quran which point out that God alone is the Reckoner and that He is the quickest of all Reckoners. 

Once 

Ali (peace be upon him) was asked how God would reckon the deeds of the innumerable individuals and communities in a single moment or on a single Day. He replied: 

“In the same manner as He has been nurturing and sustaining all His Creatures (as it is evident to all) in a single moment of each day”. 

یحاسبون کما یرزقون

part 4 

Therefore , whether the reckoning is ascribed to God Himself or to His authorized Agents , the sense of Absolute Authority of the Absolute one - Allah - is not in the least and in any manner impaired or affected. There is no contradiction between these two assertions: these assertions only manifest the unbounded expanse of His authority. This point can be clearly understood by other Quranic assertions , where in his decrees , executed by His Authorized Agents , are expressly mentioned. 

So ye slew them not but God slew them , 

8: 17 

And thou threw not (the dust) but God threw it , 

And that He might test the believers by a gracious trial from Him ; 

Verily God is All Hearing , All Knowing. 

In one of the sub stages during the Total Resurrection , the Individuals shall speak to those who led them astray and those whom they had followed ; there will be a confrontation which will be of no avail , The Holy Quran depicts this happening as follows: 

And they shall come forth before God all together , then shall say the weak unto those who were arrogant: 

“Verily we had been your followers , can ye therefore avert from us any part (of the chastisement of God? ” 

They would say: “If God hath guided us , we too would have surely guided you ; It is the same to us (now) whether we implore (impatiently) or we are patient (now) there is not for us (any) way of escape. 14: 21 

And Satan shall say after the affair is decided: “Verily God promised you the promise of truth , and I gave you promises but failed to keep them to you And I had no authority over you except I called you and ye responded unto me ; So blame me not but (rather) blame yourselves ; I can’t be your aider (now) , nor can ye be my aiders ; Verily I disbelieved in your associating me with God from before ; Verily the unjust ones , for them shall be a painful chastisement. ” 

14: 22 

Inspite of the above mentioned dialogues contained in the Divine revelation , there are yet other verses which assert: 

Woe on that Day unto the rejecters! 

77: 34 

This is the day when they shall speak not , 

77: 36 

And it shall not be permitted unto them so that they may offer excuses 

77: 36 

The apparent contradictory assertions will clearly be understood in the light of the fact that there are several sub stages on the Day of the Major Resurrection. In one of those sub stages none of the evil 

doers shall be allowed to speak or repeat their excuses. This point is very adequately dealt with by the learned and holy scholar of the 4th century Higra , Abu Ja’far Mohammed bn Ali bn Baabawaih of Qum , known popularly as Shaikh Sadooq in his famous Treatise , entitled The Beliefs (I’teqaadaat). 

Then shall come the sub stage of the Balancing of the Deeds which is mentioned in the Quran: 

O ye who believe! do stand firmly with justice , Witnesses for God's sake , though it be against your own selves or your parents or your kindred , Be he rich or poor , for God is closer (than you) to them both ; Therefore follow not your inclination , lest ye deviate (from the truth) And if ye swerve (from the truth) or turn aside , then Verily God is All Aware of what ye do. 

4: 135 

And We shall set up the balances of justice on the Day of Judgment , so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least ; And even if there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed , (even that) We will bring it (into account) ; And sufficient are We (as) Reckoners. 

21: 47 

And the heaven , He did raise it high , and placed the scale (within reach) 

55: 7 

So that ye may not transgress in scales. 

55: 8 

And maintain ye the measure with justice and do not cut short the scale. 

55: 9 

Indeed We sent 

Our apostles with clear proofs , and We sent down with them the Book and the Scale that people may establish themselves in justice ; And We sent down iron wherein is latent (in its use) mighty power and also benefits for mankind and that God may prove who helpeth Him and His apostles in secret ; Verily God is All Strong , the Ever Prevalent. 

57: 25 

The above verses of the Quran which deal with the subject of Balance and Scales indicate that: 

1. everything that has been created by God is in a precise and proportionate measure , 

2. for every measured thing , there is a standard scale , or criterion , which if properly used , enables man to apprehend that measured thing , no matter how far such measured things may be away from the reach of man , and 

3. human attainments depend to a great extent upon proper measuring of the things created by God. 

The height of human attainment and penetration through universe can be achieved by those who have used precisely the Scale set by Allah: thus they have also been granted by Him the Divine Authority. This is referred to in the Quran: 

O ye peoples of jinn and humans , if ye can penetrate the bounds of the heavens and the earth , then do penetrate ye through ; 

55: 33 

(But) ye cannot penetrate but with (Our) authority! 

55: 34 

In every stage for every individual and human society , and for every aspect of creation there shall 

be a Balance and Scale till the Final Day of Judgment. This scale or balance shall inevitably be Infallible. An infallible scale can be used effectively only by the All just and Omnipresent God , or by His Infallible Vicegerents , for however accurate the scale may be , if the one who attempts to use it , is subject to error , the result of the measurement cannot be precise. 

Thus according to the Quran , there have been , and are and shall always be the balance and the scales for justice , The Infallible is commanded to measure with precision , and guide mankind with Truth so that man's action shall be in harmony with Divine Ordinance , each and everything created by God. The Quran refers repeatedly in general the necessity of Balance and prescribes it as an inevitable standard for the final measuring of all things including character , beliefs and all actions of human beings individually or collectively as a group. 

O ye who believe! Be upright for God , bearing witness with justice , And let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably ; 

Act ye equitably that is nearer to piety …. 

5: 8 

The importance of the Apostle and the Book and the Scale is obvious from the Divine Revelation. They are supplementary to each other and necessary for the establishment of justice and witnessing of the truth since man was created. 

The individual's action falls within the cognizance 

of Scale from the time he becomes conscious of his Being which is referred to in the Quran: 

And indeed know ye the first growth , why then ye reflect not? 

56: 62 

This is in reference to the origin of the Individual self ; that is the first stage or state when he comes into being. 

It is Adam or every descendant of his , who is made to realize upon his becoming conscious of his self , that he has been caused to exist by the Cause of all Causes , the Infinite , the Incomprehensible , through His quality of Cherishing (Ruboobiyyat). A Covenant is made between man and God ; man accepts the responsibility. Thus no one will be excused on the Day of Resurrection for his denial of the Truth. God reminds and warns man: 

When brought forth thy Lord from the children of Adam , from their backs , their descendants and (when) made them bear witness upon their own selves (saying): “Am I not your Lord? ” 

They replied “Yea! We do bear witness. ” (This We did) lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment “Verily we were (unaware of this fact) ” 7: 172 

Or lest ye should say: “Verily associated (with God) only our fathers from before (us) and we are their descendants after them (following them): 

Wilt Thou then destroy us for what the vain doers did? ” 7: 173 

Therefore , Islam is the religion 

of Universal Justice , and the Holy Prophet of Islam and his purified successive Vicegerents are presented as the scale of all scales in this world and the life hereafter until the Last stage of the Total Resurrection on the Day or Judgment. It makes no difference to ascribe the function of measuring in this world or hereafter to the Absolute Infinite One , (to whom belongs the sovereignty of the entire Universe in the Realms of Creation and Legislation) or to the Angelic Agencies or to the Infallible Vicegerents of the Absolute One. All of these agencies and vicegerents after all , in their actions and thoughts are completely and totally in submission to the Will of God. God has indeed clearly described in the Quran His Infallible Vicegerents , the Purified Ones who shall inherit the Earth:

part 5 

And indeed We did write in the Psalms (Zaboor) (given to David) after the Reminder (Tawraat given to Moses) , that the earth , shall inherit it My servants righteous. 

21: 105 

Verily in this is a lesson to the people who worship (Us). 

21: 106 

And we sent thee not (O Our Apostle Mohammed! ) but a Mercy unto (all) the worlds. 

21: 107 

Whether the development begins with the creation of Adam or with the creation of the Primal Matter the existence of the Scale is inevitably complementary to that of the Right Path. The Scale and the Right Path proceed together , side by side , in 

every stage of development , till the Last stage of Resurrection , the Day of Judgment. 

Therefore , every individual and every community of conscious beings will be judged by God , and shall be rewarded or punished. Yet , God will not finalize His Judgment before the stage of Intercession is substantiated by those who have been bestowed by God with the authority of being witnesses over entire creation and truth. These Witnesses of the truth , according to the Quran represent the universal grace and love of God and are authorized to intercede and redeem the shortcomings of the people who are subordinate and attached to them. 

Then comes the stage , when every being will assume its Final Form and be placed under the Final Classification: 

And ye shall be (sorted into) three kinds: 

56: 7 

Then (will be) the people of the Right hand: Oh! What (a happy state shall) the people of the Right hand (be in)! 

56: 8 

And the people of the Left hand: Ah! What (a wretched state shall) the people of the Left hand (be in)! 

56: 9 

And the Foremost (in faith and virtue) shall be the Foremost (in receiving their reward) , 

56: 10 

These are they who shall be brought nigh (unto God) 

56: 11 

As pointed out above , there shall be 3 main classifications of Beings on the Day of Judgment. One of which will be the Foremost of the Foremost Ones. This group will 

direct or supervise the other two groups towards their earned destination , by the permission of their Lord: 

And We will remove whatever rancor be in their breast , there shall flow beneath their abodes rivers , And they will say: “All praise be (only) to God who guided us to this and we would not have been guided had not God guided us ; Indeed did come the apostles of Our Lord with the truth” ; 

And it shall be cried out unto them that: “ (Behold! ) This is the Garden of which ye are made heirs for what ye did”. 7: 43 

And will call out of the inmates of the Garden (of Paradise) unto the inmates of the (Hell) fire (saying): “Indeed we have found what promised us our Lord to be true ; have ye too found what promised your Lord to be true? ” They will say: “Yes. ” 

Then a crier will cry out between them that “The curse of God is on the unjust , ” 

7: 44 

Who hinder (people) from Allah's way and seek to make it crooked , and they are disbelievers in the hereafter. 

7: 45 

And between the two there shall be a veil And on the heights there shall be men who know all by their marks , And they shall call out to the inmates of the Garden (Paradise): “Peace be on you , ” 7: 46 

They shall not have yet entered it , 

though they do hope (thereof). 

And will call the occupants of the heights unto the inmates of the (Hell) fire whom they will recognize by their marks ; They will say: “Of no vial had been your amassing and what ye used to act proudly” 

7: 48 

(Behold ye! ) “Are these they whom ye swear that God will bestow not His mercy on them? 

Enter ye in the Garden (Paradise! ) No fear shall be on you nor shall ye grieve. ” 7: 49 

But (Those) who made their religion a pastime and play and whom the life of the world hath deceived. So today We neglect them as they did neglected this day of theirs and as they did deny Our Signs. 

7: 51 

It is clearly understood from the Divine Revelations that the Foremost of the Foremost Ones are indeed those who shall be the Distributors of Paradise and Hell ; and they are referred to in the Divine Revelation as the Dwellers of the Most Elevated Places , Men who know all by their marks , Witnesses of Truth and the Vicegerents of God on Earth. Their ultimate Companionship with us is asserted by the Quran: 

And whoever obeyeth God and the Apostle (Mohammed) these shall be with those on whom God hath bestowed favors of the Prophets , and the Truthful , and the Witnesses and the Righteous ones , And excellent are these as companions! 

4: 69 

Before giving the details of the Persons 

who have been given the authority by God to intercede , the following clarification will have to be noted: 

The Quran repeatedly asserts that no intercession forwarded by any created being shall be accepted by God. 

O ye who believe , Spend (in alms) out of what We have provided you with ere the day cometh wherein there shall be no bargaining , nor friendship , nor intercession ; And the unbelievers they are the unjust. 

2: 254 

And warn thou with it (the Quran) those who fear that they shall be gathered unto their Lord (thinking that) there shall not be for them , besides Him , any guardian or an intercessor , so that they may guard (themselves against evil). 

6: 51 

Those who have leaned on false support and relied on such intercession shall come to grief and will be completely disillusioned on the Day of Resurrection when the final Judgment will take place. Their plight is portrayed in the Quran: 

And indeed ye come to us (bare and) alone as We created you at first , and ye have left behind your backs what We bestowed on you , And We see not with you your intercessors , those whom ye asserted that they were , in your affairs , the associates (of God) ; Indeed are now severed the ties between you , and hath gone away from you what ye (falsely) asserted. 6: 94 

Do they wait for aught but the final sequel? 

On the day 

when its final sequel comes about , those who neglected it before will say: “Indeed came the apostle of Our Lord with truth ; are there for us (now) any intercessors that they may intercede for us? Or could we be sent back so that we might act other than what we did act? ” 

Indeed they have lost their souls , and what they forged hath gone away from them. 7: 53 

God clarifies the intercessors whose intercession shall not prevail , and also those for whom there shall be no intercession by any other intercessors as well. 

Or , have they taken intercessors other than God? Say thou: “What! even though they have no power over anything , nor do they understand. ” 39: 43 

And (thou) warn them , then , of the approaching Day , when (men's) hearts shall rise up to their throats choking , For the unjust shall not have any compassionate friend nor an intercessor who should be obeyed. 

40: 18 

Now , it is evident that the intercession of those who are not given any authority or power shall not prevail as they lack Might and knowledge , It is also clear that those for whom no intercession shall prevail are the unjust ones , The Divine Revelations proceed further to assert that the intercession of those who are chosen by God , and specially permitted , authorized and even covenanted by Him to do so , shall be accepted 

by God. 

God! There is no God but He , the (Ever) Living , the self subsistent , by Whom all subsist Slumber seizeth Him not nor sleep , His it is whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth , Who is he that can intercede with Him but with His permission , He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them , While they can not comprehend anything out of His Knowledge save that which He willeth. His Throne extendeth over the heavens and the earth , And the preservation of them both , tireth Him not , And He is the Most High and the Most Great. 

2: 255 

Verily , Your Lord is God Who created the heavens and the earth in six days (terms) and is firmly established on Arsh ; He regulateth everything ; No intercessor can there be save after His leave ; This is God , your Lord , Therefore Him (alone) worship ye , Will ye not then mind? 

Unto Him shall return ye all ; (T his is) the promise of God in truth ; 

Verily , (it is only) He (who) beginneth the creation , then causeth it to return that He may with equity recompense those who believe and do good ; And those who disbelieve , for them shall be the drink from the boiling fluids and a painful chastisement for they did disbelieve. 10: 3 , 4

part 6 

Knoweth He what is before them and what 

is behind them , and they can not intercede but for him whom He approveth , and they , of His fear , tremble. 

21: 28 

These specific beings , to whom God has granted permission and authority to intercede , are described by Him as the Ones “whose word God is pleased with”. 

On that day shall avail no intercession (of any) save (that of) whom hath permitted God , and whose word He is pleased with. 

20: 109 

There is yet another verse which clarifies the above verse by explaining what is meant by the word with which God is pleased with. 

On the day whereon shall stand the spirit and the angels arrayed , They shall speak not save he whom the Beneficent God giveth leave and who spoke (only) the truth. 78: 38 

The Divine Revelation proceeds onwards to describe the qualifications of those who are , by the permission and authority from God , the Intercessors with Him on the Day of Resurrection for the final judgment. The following verse of the Quran asserts two of the qualifications , being Witnesses of the Truth and having the Knowledge with certitude. 

And those whom they call besides Him , own not any power of intercession , save he who beareth witness of the truth and they know (the truth). 

43: 86 

It has , already , been explained earlier , when discussing Middle Group (2: 143) that the Witness over mankind is the Middle (perfectly balanced) Group and 

the Holy Prophet is the Witness over them and the Word Ummat used in this verse does not mean the general Muslim community. This fact is clarified by God in the Quran. 

And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words then he fulfilled them ; (God) said , “Verily I am making thee Imam for mankind; ” 

(Abraham) said: “And of my offspring? ” 

(God) said: “My covenant includeth not the Unjust. 

2: 124 

Then Ibraaheem prayed: 

Our Lord! Make us (two) Muslims submitting (only) to Thee and of our progeny (make) a group submissive (only) to Thee And show us the ways of Devotion and turn to us (mercifully) Verily Thou and Thou (alone) art the Oft Returning , the Most Merciful. 

2: 128 

This is the prayer of Ibraaheem for himself and his progeny , after he was declared an Imam , Leader by God , and the word used is Ummat for them. Thus does one verse of the Quran clarify the other verse. It is clear that the word Ummat (Group) used here is identical with the other word Imam or the Leader. Ummat (Group) here does not mean the led but it obviously means the Imam i. e. Leader or Guide. This Middle (perfectly balanced) Group of entities Ummat e Muslima are indeed distinguished with the quality of leading mankind towards the Right Path. 

Having clarified these points , the Divine Revelation proceeds in identifying the two , the Witness of Truth 

and the Muslim Group (Ummat e Muslima) of Ibraaheem's progeny for whom he prayed. The Quran asserts: 

And fight (endeavor) ye in (the way of) God as is due to Him ; He hath chosen you and hath laid not upon you any hardship in religion ; The faith of your Father Abraham ; He (God Himself) named you Muslims before and in this , that the Apostle may be a witness over you and ye be witness over the people ; So establish ye prayer and pay the poor rate and hold fast by God ; He is your Master How Excellent the Master and How Excellent the Helper! 

22: 78 

When God has appointed Ummat e Wastaa intercessors , the Holy Prophet Mohammed (S. A. S. ) has been declared by Him the intercessor of intercessors. 

These Intercessors have been chosen by God. They are permitted and authorized by God to intercede ; they have been described and their qualifications defined clearly in Divine Revelation. Earlier in the discussion on Prophethood and Divine Guidance and Leadership , the Quranic verses on the Law of Divine Selection and the Divine Endowment have been explained. 

God Himself chooses the Intercessors and endows them with the permission to intercede. 

And how many an angel in heavens are whose intercession is of no avail at all save after that God permitteth whomsoever He willeth and chooseth. 

53: 26 

Some of the descriptions and definitions given in the Quran to recognize the Intercessors are that they shall 

be the Best of the Group , the foremost in Goodness and the Middle (or the perfectly balanced) Group - Ummat e Wastaa. To quote yet another verse of the Quran: 

Then made We the inheritors of the Book (Quran) those whom We chose from among our servants ; 

35: 32 

But of them is he who causeth himself to suffer a loss , and of them is he who followeth the middle course , and of them is he who is the foremost in Goodness by God's permission ; 

That is the greatest excellence. 

The Intercessors have been kept away from all physical and spiritual uncleanness by God and purified by Him with the utmost extent of purification. 

Verily , God intendeth but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanness O ye the People of the House , and purify you (with) a thorough purification. 

33: 33 

These purified Beings have been in Communion with the Word of God , the Quran , from its primordial state all along ; and shall remain so beyond its historical state of revelation. The Quran asserts: 

Verily it is Quran honorable. 

56: 77 

In a Book that is protected 

56: 78 

Toucheth it not save the purified ones. 

56: 79 

Sent down by the Lord of the worlds. 

56: 80 

The Holy Prophet reiterates in his famous authentic tradition of the two weighty entities: 

إنى تارک فیکم الثقلین: کتاب الله وعترتى أهل بیتى، ما إن تمسکتم بهما لن تضلوا بعدى أبدا وإنهما لن یفترقا حتى یردا 

على الحوض 

I am leaving amongst you two Weighty Things: the Book of Almighty Allah and my progeny. So , take care how you treat them after me. They shall never part company until they come to me at the Pool (of Kawthar). 

Therefore , the Imams of the House of the Holy Prophet (S. A. S. ) are the Intercessors besides the Holy Prophet himself and Faatima (S. A. ) the daughter of the Holy Prophet. These Purified and Divinely selected persons are identified with the holy Prophet and distinguished from all mankind by God with great force in the Quran. 

But whoever disputeth with thee therein after the knowledge hath come unto thee , Say (O Our Apostle Mohammed! ) (Unto them) “come ye , let us summon our sons , and (ye summon) your sons , and (we summon) our women and (ye) your women , and (we summon) our selves and (ye) your selves and then let us invoke and lay the curse of God on the liars! ” 

3: 61 

Our women are represented by Faatima (A. S) , the only daughter of the Holy Prophet ; our sons are his two grandsons , Hasan and Husain (A. S) ; Our souls are represented by The Soul of the Holy Prophet and is identified by God as Ali (A. S) , who happened to be the cousin and son in law of Mohammed (S. A. S. ) 

. 

This verse was revealed on the occasion of the great confrontation with Christians (Mubaahala). There are also Apostolic traditions bearing witness to this fact referred to in the Divine Revelation in connection with the great historical event in the life of the Holy Prophet: 

“I and Ali are from one Light” 

أنا وعلى من نور واحد 

“Faatima is part of myself” , 

فاطمة بضعة منى 

Finally God has made covenant with these Divinely selected and purified Beings , and has promised them , as befits His Divine Justice and Mercy , the right of intercession. This promise is in return for the fulfillment of their part of the covenant. The Quran states as follows: 

They shall own not any intercession , save he who hath taken a promise from the Beneficent (God to do so). 

19: 87 

(This is) the promise of God! 

30: 6 

Faileth not God His promise , but most people know not (this). 

Is the recompense for good aught but good? 

55: 60