Objection From Sunnis: the Ghayba Goes Against How the World Normally Works and What People See with Their Own Eyes

Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 22

Book 1, Chapter 22

Objection From Sunnis: the Ghayba Goes Against How the World Normally Works and What People See with Their Own Eyes

1 hadith · 1 commentary

Commentary #1

قال مخالفونا إن العادات و المشاهدات تدفع قولكم بالغيبة فقلنا إن البراهمة تقدر أن تقول مثل ذلك في آيات النبي ص و تقول للمسلمين إنكم بأجمعكم لم تشاهدوها فلعلكم قلدتم من لم يجب تقليده أو قبلتم خبرا لم يقطع العذر و من أجل هذه المعارضة قالت عامة المعتزلة على ما يحكى عنهم أنه لم تكن للرسول ص معجزة غير القرآن فأما من اعترف بصحة الآيات التي هي غير القرآن احتاج إلى أن يطلق الكلام في جواز كونها بوصف الله تعالى ذكره بالقدرة عليها ثم في صحة وجود كونها على أمور قد وقفنا عليها و هي غير كثيرة الرواة. فقالت الإمامية فارضوا منا بمثل ذلك و هو أن نصحح هذه الأخبار التي تفردنا بنقلها عن أئمتنا عليه السلام بأن تدل على جواز كونها بوصف الله تعالى ذكره بالقدرة عليها و صحة كونها بالأدلة العقلية و الكتابية و الأخبار المروية المقبولة عند نقلة العامة. قال الجدلي فنقول إنه ليس بإزائنا جماعة تروي عن نبينا ص ضد ما نروي مما يبطله و يناقضه أو يدعون أن أولنا ليس كآخرنا فيقال له ما أنكرت من برهمي قال لك إن العادات و المشاهدات و الطبيعيات تمنع أن يتكلم ذراع مسموم مشوي و تمنع من انشقاق القمر و أنه لو انشق القمر و انفلق لبطل نظام العالم. و أما قوله ليس بإزائهم من يدفع أن أولنا ليس كآخرنا فإنه يقال له إنكم تدفعون عن ذلك أشد الدفع و لو شهد هذه الآيات الخلق الكثير لكان حكمه حكم القرآن فقد بان أن الجدلي مستعمل للمغالطة مستفرق فيما لم يستفرق. و أما قوله ليس بإزائهم من يدفع أن أولنا ليس كآخرنا فإنه يقال له إنكم تدفعون عن ذلك أشد الدفع و لو شهد هذه الآيات الخلق الكثير لكان حكمه حكم القرآن فقد بان أن الجدلي مستعمل للمغالطة مستفرق فيما لم يستفرق. و أما قوله ليس بإزائهم من يدفع أن أولنا ليس كآخرنا فإنه يقال له إنكم تدفعون عن ذلك أشد الدفع و لو شهد هذه الآيات الخلق الكثير لكان حكمه حكم القرآن فقد بان أن الجدلي مستعمل للمغالطة مستفرق فيما لم يستفرق. المسمومة و حنين الجذع و ما في بابه و لكن هذه عامة الأمة تقول إن هذه آيات رواها نفر يسير في الأصل فلم ادعيت أن أحدا لا يدفعك عن هذه الدعوى. قال الجدلي و لما كان هذا هكذا كانت أخبارنا عن آيات نبينا ص كالأخبار عن آيات موسى و الأخبار عن آيات المسيح التي ادعتها النصارى لها و من أجلها ما ادعوا و كأخبار المجوس و البراهمة عن أيام آبائهم و أسلافهم. قلنا قد عرفنا أن البراهمة تزعم أن لآبائهم و أسلافهم أمثالا موجودة و نظائر مشاهدة فلذلك قبلوه على طريق الإقناع و ليس هذا مما تنكره و إنما عرفناه للوجه الذي من أجله عورض بما عورض به فليكن من وراء الفصل من حيث طولب‌. قال الجدلي و بإزاء هذه الفرقة من القطعية جماعات تفضلها و جماعات في مثل حالها تروي عمن يسندون إليه الخبر خبرهم في النص ضد ما يروون. فيقال له و من هذه الجماعات التي تفضلها و أين هم في ديار الله و أين يسكنون من بلاد الله أ و ما وجب عليك أن تعلم أن كتابك يقرأ و من ليس من أهل الصناعة يعلم استعمالك للمغالطة. قال الجدلي و ما كنت أحسب أن امرءا مسلما تسمح نفسه بأن يجعل الأخبار عن آيات رسول الله ص عروضا للأخبار في غيبة ابن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن علي بن موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام و يدعي تكافؤ التواتر فيهما وَ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعانُ‌ فيقال له إنا قد بينا الوجه الذي من أجله ادعينا التساوي في هذا الباب و عرفناك أن الذي نسميه الخبر المتواتر هو الذي يرويه ثلاثة أنفس فما فوقهم و أن الأخبار عن آيات رسول الله ص في الأصل إنما يرويها العدد القليل و المحنة بيننا و بينك أن نرجع إلى أصحاب الحديث فنطلب منهم من روى انشقاق القمر و كلام الذراع المسمومة و ما يجانس ذلك من آياته فإن أمكنه أن يروي كل آية من هذه الآيات عن عشرة أنفس من أصحاب رسول الله ص عاينوا أو شاهدوا فالقول قوله و إلا فإن الموافق‌ ادعى التكافؤ فيما هما مثلان و نظيران و مشبهان و الحمد لله. و أقول و بالله التوفيق إنا قد استعبدنا بالإقرار بعصمة الإمام كما استعبدنا بالقول به و العصمة ليست في ظاهر الخليقة فترى و تشاهد و لو أقررنا بإمامة إمام و أنكرنا أن يكون معصوما لم نكن أقررنا به فإذا جاز أن نكون مستعبدين من كل إمام بالإقرار بشي‌ء غائب عن أبصارنا فيه جاز أن نستعبد بالإقرار بإمامة إمام غائب عن أبصارنا لضرب من ضروب الحكمة يعلمه الله تبارك و تعالى اهتدينا إلى وجهه أو لم نهتد و لا فرق. و أقول أيضا إن حال إمامنا عليه السلام اليوم في غيبته حال النبي ص في ظهوره و ذلك أنه عليه السلام لما كان بمكة لم يكن بالمدينة و لما كان بالمدينة لم يكن بمكة و لما سافر لم يكن بالحضر و لما حضر لم يكن في السفر و كان عليه السلام في جميع أحواله حاضرا بمكان غائبا عن غيره من الأماكن و لم تسقط حجته ص عن أهل الأماكن التي غاب عنها فهكذا الإمام عليه السلام لا تسقط حجته و إن كان غائبا عنا كما لم تسقط حجة النبي ص عمن غاب عنه و أكثر ما استعبد به الناس من شرائط الإسلام و شرائعه فهو مثل ما استعبدوا به من الإقرار بغيبة الإمام و ذلك أن الله تبارك و تعالى مدح المؤمنين على إيمانهم بالغيب قبل مدحه لهم على إقامة الصلاة و إيتاء الزكاة و الإيمان بسائر ما أنزل الله عز و جل على نبيه و على من قبله من الأنبياء صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين و بالآخرة فقال‌ هُدىً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَ مِمَّا رَزَقْناهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ وَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَ ما أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَ بِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ أُولئِكَ عَلى‌ هُدىً مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ‌ و إن النبي ص كان يكون بين أصحابه فيغمى عليه و هو يتصاب عرقا فإذا أفاق قال قال الله عز و جل كذا و كذا أمركم بكذا و نهاكم عن كذا و أكثر مخالفينا يقولون إن ذلك كان يكون عند نزول جبرئيل عليه السلام عليه‌ فَسُئِلَ الصَّادِقُ عليه السلام عَنِ الْغَشْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَأْخُذُ النَّبِيَّ ص أَ كَانَتْ تَكُونُ عِنْدَ هُبُوطِ جَبْرَئِيلَ عليه السلام فَقَالَ لَا إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ كَانَ إِذَا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ص لَمْ يَدْخُلْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَسْتَأْذِنَهُ وَ إِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ قَعَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قِعْدَةَ الْعَبْدِ وَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ مُخَاطَبَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِيَّاهُ بِغَيْرِ تَرْجُمَانٍ وَ وَاسِطَةٍ.

Our adversaries say that the normal conditions and visibilities in the world prove your belief in occultation false. We shall only say this to them: Brahma people can say to Muslims regarding the miracles and signs of the Messenger of Allah that: All of you have not witnessed those signs and miracles, so it is possible that you may be following something that you are not obligated to follow or you may be having faith in something regarding which your excuse will not be acceptable by Allah on the Judgment Day. Due to this opposition and doubt, a majority of the people of the Mu'tazila sect, as is mentioned about them, say that except for the Holy Quran the Messenger of Allah did not have any other miracle. But one who admits to the factuality of miracles and signs other than the Holy Quran should say that it is possible by the Almighty Allah to allow such things because He is capable of it. And then he may speak of those happenings about whose authenticity we have seldom become familiar through the narrators.
The Imamiyah say: Now we shall prove the authenticity of those traditions and reports that are only found in our collections and which our Imams have mentioned. They prove that it is possible with the explanation that the Almighty Allah is capable of it. And on the basis of logical and Quranic proofs and the traditions that are acceptable in the view of narrators of Ahle Sunnat, they are true. Now the disputing party will say that: There is no group in our opposition that narrates a tradition from the Messenger of Allah that may contradict and refute this report or claims that our first is not like our last. He shall be asked: Then why did you deny the statement of Brahmi who told that normal conditions in the world, visible facts and laws of Nature show as impossible for a poisoned and a burnt up hand to speak and how is it possible for the Moon to break into pieces? And if the Moon is broken up into pieces the system of the Universe will fall into disarray. But he says that there is no one who could refute their claim that their first is not like their last. Regarding this he shall be told that this shall be severely refuted.
Then if a large number of people have witnessed those signs, their factuality is just like the authenticity of Quran. Hence it is proved that the disputer is creating a misunderstanding and inventing a difference in something which has no difference. The disputer says: Are you refuting our statement that during the lifetime of our Prophet and after his passing away innumerable followers had witnessed those miracles and signs like the shading cloud, the speaking hand, the crying of the tree trunk and such other sensational things? The whole community says that these signs and miracles are such that in fact very few have narrated them. Then why did you claim that no one can refute your stand? The disputer says: If the matter is thus, the traditional reports regarding the miracle of the Holy Prophet are like the reports about the miracles of Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa that the Christians claim. And in this way they are like the reports that Magians and Brahmas relate about their forefathers and past people of theirs. We shall reply: We have understood that people of Brahma sect are of the opinion that the examples and similarities of their ancestors and past people are visible even today, that is why they have willingly accepted them and it is something that cannot be denied. The disputer says that there are in opposition of this sect groups that are having superiority and some groups narrate in the same way as those who support their reports with chains of narrators from whom they have related those reports and from the aspect of textual proof (Nass) their reports are in total contradiction of the reports of this group. He shall be asked: What are those groups who possess precedence? And where do they live on the earth? It is not necessary for you to know that this book of yours shall not be read and even the art of disputation which you are not unaware of, will know how you create misunderstanding.
The disputant says: I do not doubt that any Muslim can permit himself to consider traditions regarding the miracles of the Messenger of Allah to be equal to the traditions that prove the occultation of Ibnul Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa bin Ja’far and that he should claim that they are same in the matter of being widely related (Tawatur). And help is sought from only the Almighty Allah. He shall be told: You have indeed explained the reason why we have claimed similarities in this matter. And we have told that the report we label as widely related (Mutawatir) is one that is related by at least three or more narrators. And the traditional reports on the miracles of the Messenger of Allah are in fact related by a lesser number of reporters. And the contest between you and us is that we ask the tradition scholars as to who are the reporters of traditions about the splitting the Moon and speaking of hand and etc? Then if it is possible for him to narrate each of those reports on the authority of ten companions of the Holy Prophet who had witnessed that miracle with his own eyes, his claim would be correct. If not, why is it that he has claimed similarities and equality between the two?
Praise be to Allah. And I say: And the good sense (tawtheeq) is from Allah only. We have confessed to the infallibility of the Imams and have faith in it, while the fact is that infallibility is not any tangible or visible thing. Now if we confess to the Imamate of an Imam and deny his infallibility it would tantamount to denial of his Imamate. If it is lawful and possible, we confess to all the matters about the Holy Imams that are unseen to us. Consequently it is also lawful to believe in the Imamate of an Imam who is unseen (in occultation). And this occultation is also due to some exigency that only Allah, the Mighty and the High knows. It makes no difference whether we may be able to reach to its reality or not.
And I say: Indeed the circumstance of the occultation of our Imam is like the advent of the Holy Prophet and it is like that because when His Eminence was in Mecca he was not present in Medina and vice versa. And when he was in journey he was not at home and vice versa. And His Eminence in all conditions was present in one place and absent from other places. In spite of that the proof did not become invalid for those in whose vicinity he was absent. In the same way the proof of the Imam is not invalidated by us even though he may be unseen by us.
From the rules and regulations of Islam the most important factors of servitude of men is the confession to the occultation of the Holy Imam. And it is so because Allah, the Mighty and the High has described a believer to be one who has faith in the unseen before saying that he should pray, pay Zakat and believe in all that He has revealed on His prophets. Thus the Almighty Allah says: «It is a guide to those who guard (against evil). Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them. And who believe in that which has been revealed to you and that which was revealed: before you and they are sure of the hereafter. These are on a right course from their Lord and these it is that shall be successful» (2:2-5).
It is also a fact that sometimes in the presence of his companions the Holy Prophet used to become unconscious and profusely perspire and when he regained consciousness he said that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime had said this, ordered you this and prohibited you from that. And most of our opponents say that it was so when Jibraeel descended for him. Hence it was inquired from Imam Ja’far Sadiq whether unconsciousness occurred for the Holy Prophet only when Jibraeel came to him? He replied: “No, whenever Jibraeel came to the Messenger of Allah he did not enter without first seeking permission. And when he entered he used to sit before the Prophet like a slave sits before his master. The above condition used to occur on the Prophet when Allah, the Mighty and Sublime addressed the Holy Prophet directly without any intervening medium.”

Hadith #1

حَدَّثَنَا بِذَلِكَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُلْوَانَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع‌ فَالنَّاسُ لَمْ يُشَاهِدُوا اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يُنَاجِي رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَ يُخَاطِبُهُ وَ لَا شَاهَدُوا الْوَحْيَ وَ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْإِقْرَارُ بِالْغَيْبِ الَّذِي لَمْ يُشَاهِدُوهُ وَ تَصْدِيقُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي ذَلِكَ وَ قَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِهِ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ وَ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ وَ إِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحافِظِينَ كِراماً كاتِبِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ ما تَفْعَلُونَ‌ وَ نَحْنُ لَمْ نَرَهُمْ وَ لَمْ نُشَاهِدْهُمْ وَ لَوْ لَمْ نُوقِعِ التَّصْدِيقَ بِذَلِكَ لَكُنَّا خَارِجِينَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ رَادِّينَ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ قَوْلَهُ وَ قَدْ حَذَّرَنَا اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَقَالَ‌ يا بَنِي آدَمَ لا يَفْتِنَنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطانُ كَما أَخْرَجَ أَبَوَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ نَحْنُ لَا نَرَاهُ وَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا الْإِيمَانُ بِكَوْنِهِ وَ الْحَذَرُ مِنْهُ وَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص فِي ذِكْرِ الْمُسَاءَلَةِ فِي الْقَبْرِ إِنَّهُ إِذَا سُئِلَ الْمَيِّتُ فَلَمْ يُجِبْ بِالصَّوَابِ ضَرَبَهُ مُنْكَرٌ وَ نَكِيرٌ ضَرْبَةً مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ إِلَّا تُذْعَرُ لَهَا مَا خَلَا الثَّقَلَيْنِ وَ نَحْنُ لَا نَرَى شَيْئاً مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ لَا نُشَاهِدُهُ وَ لَا نَسْمَعُهُ وَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَنْهُ عليه السلام أَنَّهُ عُرِجَ بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ نَحْنُ لَمْ نَرَ شَيْئاً مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ لَا نُشَاهِدُهُ وَ لَا نَسْمَعُهُ وَ أَخْبَرَنَا عليه السلام مَنْ زَارَ أَخَاهُ فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ شَيَّعَهُ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ يَقُولُونَ أَلَا طِبْتَ وَ طَابَتْ لَكَ الْجَنَّةُ وَ نَحْنُ لَا نَرَاهُمْ وَ لَا نَسْمَعُ كَلَامَهُمْ وَ لَوْ لَمْ نُسَلِّمِ الْأَخْبَارَ الْوَارِدَةَ فِي مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ وَ فِيمَا يُشْبِهُهُ مِنْ أُمُورِ الْإِسْلَامِ لَكُنَّا كَافِرِينَ بِهَا خَارِجِينَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ ..

Narrated to us Hasan bin Ahmad bin Idrees narrating from his father from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Muhammad bin Husain bin Zaid from Husain bin Alawiyan from Amr bin Thabit from His Eminence, Ja’far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq that he said: “People did not see Allah, the Mighty and the High speaking secretly to the Messenger of Allah and neither did they see the divine revelation, whereas it has become obligatory on them to confess belief in the unseen. And in this regard they must testify to the Messenger of Allah and consider him truthful. And in his Clear Book, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime has told us: He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher at hand. (50:18) And the Almighty Allah also says: And most surely there are keepers over you. Honorable recorders. They know what you do. (82:10-12) Neither we have seen nor met them and if we do not testify to it we shall go out of the pale of Islam. We shall be rejecters of the statement of the Almighty Allah, whereas Allah has ordered us to beware of the deception of Satan and He says: O children of Adam! Let not the Shaitan cause you to fall into affliction as he expelled your parents from the garden. (7:27) We cannot see the Satan whereas it is obligatory on us that he bring faith in his existence and be careful of him. And the Holy Prophet says regarding the matter of grave that when a dead body is asked about something and it does offer the correct answer, Munkir and Nakeer will hit it with such a blow that as a result of it, except for the two weighty things (Thaqlayn), all that the Almighty Allah has created will shudder. And we have not seen any of these neither have we heard about it. In the same way we have been told that His Eminence went up to ascension (Meraj) whereas we have not seen anything from it nor heard it directly through the Holy Prophet .
And the Holy Prophet has told us that: “Behind one, who visits his brother-in¬faith for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, will walk seventy thousand angels saying: You are fortunate and may you enjoy Paradise.”
Now it is something that we can neither see nor hear. So if we do not accept the authenticity of traditions that speak about such matters of Islam we will go out of the pale of Islam.