11. Al-Washiya fee Naqde Aqaidush Shia1
I preferred not to mention the title of this book and wished that one knew
about it at all, because among all the books, it is the most disgraceful. But its
publication made it obligatory for me to inform the public about the character of
its author and also present some samples of his writings.
Every page of this book is a source of shame for Islamic Ummah and more
so for those of the same view! I don’t know what should I write about the book of
one, who has deserted the practice of Prophet and Quran, because he laid the
foundation of issuing commands, making condemnations, talking nonsense and
weakening, abusing and presenting disgraceful comparisons; and to play with
Book of Allah and interpret it according to his corrupted view and deficient mind
in any way he likes.
As if Quran is revealed today and before him, no one has understood it and
no one has expressed any opinion about it. No book is compiled about this and no
traditions have come down about it. As if Islam has just arrived as a new religion
without being accompanied by any book or literature.
What is the value of an ignorant man and his book? One, who regards the
Ummah in all specialties, merits and perfections obtained from messengership in most special of the specialties to be same prophethood; who regards them to be
partners of Prophet and messengership of Ummah in all senses of messengership
of Prophet and thinks that Surah Qadr is messengership of Ummah connected to
messengership of Prophet without any gap. And by the verse:
لَقَدْ جَاءَ كُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ
“Certainly an Apostle has come to you from among yourselves.”2
And the verse:
ۖمُّحَمَّدٌۭ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ
“Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves.”3
…proves the messengership to the Ummah.
Allamah Shaykh Mahdi Hajjar Najafi, residing at Mauqil4 endeavored much to refute this author.
If this man had not mentioned in his book anything, except fictional stories
regarding the Ummah and no other falsehood, it would have been sufficient to
prove his ignorance and ill fame. Following are some of the examples:
1. First objection
He says: “Like the Prophet, the Islamic Ummah is infallible, in the sense
that in obtaining, retaining, propagation, and fulfillment of message, whatever
message the Prophet delivered, they also memorized it like the Prophet and
whatever the Prophet propagated, they also like Prophet, propagated. And it
learnt and propagated all Islamic teachings. Islamic Ummah is more
knowledgeable of Quran and Sunnah than all the imams, and today awareness
and knowledge about Quran and Sunnah has reached to such a level that is more
than the knowledge of Ali and his descendants. Among the great divine favor on
the Prophet and then the Ummah is that a large number of their descendants have
reached to the level of more than the imams and companions of Prophet.
In every circumstances that arises, this Ummah is much more
knowledgeable than them, because it is the inheritor of knowledge of Prophet. I
don’t deny the belief of Shia regarding infallibility of the Imams, on the contrary
I refute their claim that Islam was and is always deficient and till Judgment Day;
that it is needful of infallible Imams, whereas Ummah is nearer to infallibility and
guidance than every infallible Imam and it is a mere claim to say that Imams are
infallible, however infallibility of Ummah is obvious and clear through testimony of Quran. And people, after the Prophet, due to maturity of wisdom, are greater
than them and they cannot remain debased forever.”
Reply to first objection
All this is nothing more than conjecture and nonsense, which is very
unlikely from a wise scholar, what to say about one, who regards himself as a
jurist. As if this man is talking in his dreams.
Is there no one, who can ask him: If Islamic Ummah is infallible and Hafiz
of all principles and laws of religion, and Ummah in every period, conveys them
to next generation without any decrease and increase and did not forget any issue
or did not remain ignorant of them, what is the meaning of the statement that
cognition of Ummah is more than that of the Imam and their being near to
guidance? Are the Imams in his view, out of Islamic Ummah and are not
protectors of religion? Is infallibility and propagation of religion not present in
them?
According to his view, there should be no ignorant person in the Ummah,
whereas the fact is that ignorant ones of Islamic Ummah have filled all Muslim
countries of the world and their acts and statement testify to their ignorance.
Also, no difference should appear in their religious issues, while the fact is that
difference are present from the time of the companions till date as is clear to
everyone.
Does he exclude Ali and his sons from Islamic Ummah that he says that the
knowledge of Ummah is more and perfect than that of Ali and his sons?
And when did the knowledge of Ummah become so strong that he should
deliver such a definite verdict?
Perhaps, I can say: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) is more aware of the
giver of this verdict and more aware of their knowledge, wisdom and insight; that
he left two heavy things: Book of Allah and his progeny, that is the Holy Imams
(a.s.) for guidance of Ummah after himself and said:
“As long as you remain attached to them, you would never be misguided
after me, because they would never separate from each other till they come to me
at the Pool of Kauthar.”
As for limiting guidance to attachment with those two and following their
statements till Judgment Day, it informs us that they are having such sciences and
awareness, which the Ummah lacks. And that it is not possible for the Ummah to
be free of error, and veils of unseen are not removed for it. So much so that it can
make them needless of guidance in times of perplexity. And according to this
clear traditional report the progeny, in knowledge and guidance, equals Quran.
They are knowers of secrets of Quran.
If Ummah or some of them had been like the Holy Imams (a.s.) in
intelligence – what to say being more learned than them – definitely this clear
tradition would have been a useless statement. Also, if the knowledge of Ummah today is more than the knowledge of Ali and his sons, as this poor man has
imagined – then how the Prophet was not aware of that and as if, without
recognizing the Ummah, he said:
“Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) is the most knowledgeable person of my Ummah
after me.”5
How did he declare Ali (a.s.) as the vessel of his knowledge and gate of the
city of his knowledge?
How can Hafiz Nishapuri, on the basis of consensus of Ummah, decide that
Ali is alone the heir of the knowledge of Prophet?
These statements imply that the Ummah should also be wiser and
knowledgeable than the Prophet; because Ali is the heir of all the sciences of
Prophet and Ummah is more knowledgeable than Ali (a.s.), thus Ummah is more
knowledgeable than Prophet!
Also, how can the Prophet order his Ummah to obey his Ahle Bayt (a.s.)
after him, and introduces them saying: “They are created from my essence and
they are bestowed with my understanding and knowledge.”?
If people had reached perfection and they are needless of successorship of an
infallible Imam till Judgment Day, as this foolish man thinks, then why the
Ummah delayed the funeral of the Prophet for three days? It is clearly mentioned
in Ahle Sunnat books that the funeral of Prophet was delayed, because people
were in pursuit of something of greater importance, which was choosing of a
Caliph.6
The man, who thinks that people are needless of an infallible Imam till
Judgment Day, how can he imagine the severe need of people of that time for a
non-infallible imam?