|
The Waqifah
By: Muhammad Rida Ja‘fari
Mufid (r.a.), writes: "After what we have described [concerning the division over concerning this group, ash-Shaykhu l'Isma‘il and ‘Abdullah al-Aftah], the Imamiyyah continued to follow the system of imamate until the death of Musa ibn Ja‘far (‘a.s.). Upon his death, they were divided into groups. The majority of them accepted the imamate of Abu 'l-Hasan ar-Rida (‘a.s.), believed in the nass concerning him, and followed the ideal path.
A group of Shi‘ahs believed in waqf181 with Abu 'l- Hasan Musa [al-Kazim] (‘a.s.), claimed that he is alive and that he is the Awaited al-Mahdi. Some from this group believed that al-Imam al-Kazim had died, and that he will be raised up again, and that he is the Qaim after that [i.e., after his death].
"The Waqifah differ among them concerning ar-Rida (‘a.s.), after the death of his father Abu 'l-Hasan Musa (‘a.s.). Some of them say that they [i.e., ar-Rida and the latter Imams, ‘a.s.] are the successors of Abu 'l-Hasan [al-Kazim] (‘a.s.), his officers and judges until the time of his appearance; and that they are neither imams themselves nor have they ever claimed imamate. Others say that they [i.e., ar-Rida and the latter Imams,‘a.s.] are misguided, mistaken and unjust; and they say horren- dous things particularly about ar-Rida (‘a.s.), and even accuse him and his successors of kufr!
A group, which was on the truth, isolated itself by such ridiculous beliefs! They even denied the imprisonment and death of Abu 'l-Hasan [al-Kazim], (‘a.s.), and believed that it was all a fantasy of the people; they claim that he is living in occultation, and he is the Mahdi. They also believe that he appointed Muhammad ibn Bishr,182 a client of Banu Asad, as incharge of his affairs. They believed in ghuluww (exaggeration), in relaxation of shari‘ah restrictions, and in transmigration of souls.
"The Waqifah cling, in their beliefs, to some ahadith that they have narrated from Abu ‘Abdillah [as-Sadiq] (‘a.s.). For example, they say that when Musa ibn Ja‘far (‘a.s.) was born, Abu ‘Abdillah (‘a.s.) went to Hamidah al-Barbariyyah, the mother of Musa (‘a.s.), and said, 'O Hamidah! Congratulations! Congratulations! The kingdom has come into your house.' They also say that when he was asked about the Qaim [i.e., the Awaited al-Mahdi], he answered, 'His name is same as that of the barber's razor.' [The razor in Arabic is known as: musa.]
"In response to this sect, we may ask: 'What is the difference between you and the Nawusiyyah (the group that stopped with Abu ‘Abdillah [as-Sadiq, ‘a.s.]); the Kaysaniyyah (the group that stopped with Abu 'l-Qasim [Muhammad] Ibn al-Hanafiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him], the son of al-Imam ‘Ali, [‘a.s.]); the Mufawwidah (the group that rejects the death of al- Imam al-Husayn [‘a.s.], and yet believes that he was killed [in Karbala’]); the Sabaiyyah (the group that rejects the death of al- Imam ‘Ali [‘a.s.], and claims that he is alive); and the Muham- madiyyah (the group that rejects the death of the Messenger of Allah [s.‘a.w.a.], and claims that he is alive)?' Whatever they use to shatter the beliefs of the groups that we have mentioned here, that same argument will also shatter their belief and prove their own falsehood.
"As for the first hadith that they have mentioned, we say: 'What prevents you from believing that what as-Sadiq (‘a.s.), meant by "the kingdom" could be the imamate over mankind, the right of obedience of an imam over the people, and the authority of legislation [i.e., not the kingdom in the sense of political and governmental authority which was availed for none except al-Imam ‘Ali during his caliphate and al-Imam al- Mahdi (‘a.s.), when he appears]?
What proof is there in his statement to Hamidah that "The kingdom has entered your home" concerning the designation for his son or that he will rise [at the end of time] with the sword? Have you not heard the Almighty Allah saying: . . . We have, indeed, given to Ibrahim's children the Book and the Wisdom, and we have given them a grand Kingdom (4:54). There, the Almighty meant the kingdom of religion and excellence over the world. [This interpretation is clearly supported by the next verse: Some of them (i.e., of those who were granted a portion of the Book) are those who believed in it and some of them are those who turned away from it, and hell is sufficient to burn.]'
"As for their narration that when as-Sadiq (‘a.s.), was asked about the name of the Qaim, he said that his name will be same as that of the barber's razor, we say: If it is a correct narration – even though it is not a well known hadith – then we say that as- Sadiq (‘a.s.), was actually indicating the one who will rise to the position of imamate after himself, and not the one who will rise with sword [i.e., the Awaited al-Mahdi, ‘a.s.], because we know as a fact that each Imam rises to the position of leadership after his predecessor. So, the proof you cling to is nothing but blind- ness of heart?
"Moreover, it can be said to them: 'What is the proof for the imamate of Abu 'l-Hasan Musa (‘a.s.)? What is the evidence that his father designated him as a successor?' To whatever proof they cling to for this, we can show to them a similar proof on the imamate of ‘Ali ar-Rida (‘a.s.) and the certainity of the designation made (by his father, ‘a.s.), in his favour; [and it could be more correct to say that: "and the certainity of the designation by his father on him (‘a.s.)"]; and this is something that they cannot find an escape from it!
"As for those who believe that ar-Rida (‘a.s.), and his suc- cessors were the agents of Abu 'l-Hasan Musa (‘a.s.), and that they have not claimed the imamate for themselves, it should be known that this is a false statement, which does not deserve consideration to reject an obvious fact [i.e., in rejection of what has been approved of the fact that they were claiming imamate for themselves, indipendantly, not that they were claiming to have deputyship and represantation from the Imam]; 'and not all the Shi‘ahs of these people and other non-Shi‘ahs are from the pure Zaydiyyah.' " ]?
This sentence is somewhat confusing, per- haps it means: 'And not all these people are the Shi‘ahs of the Imams (‘a.s.), but among them there are non-Shi‘ahs of the pure Zaydiyyah.' Anyhow, this is the meaning ash-Shaykhu 'l-Mufid (r.a.), wanted to clearify, and it is attested to by his own following statement.]
"And whoever study the view carefully, will certainly realize that they ascribe imamate to themselves [without firmly believing in it wholeheartedly] and that the callers to such affair [imamate] are of their own elite among the people [for they are the ones who embrace such sects, not the common followers among the people who simply follow them blindly and without a firm belief].
"There is no difference between these sects in their falsehood and the isolated sect of the Kaysaniyyah who claimed that al-Hasan and al-Husayn (‘a.s.), were the agents of Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah, and that the people had not paid allegiance to the two as Imams [but just as agents of Ibn al-Hanafiyyah]! The falsehood of this statement is obvious and does not need any elaboration.
"As for the Bishriyyah [sic. it should be al-Bashiriyyah, the followers of Muhammad ibn Bashir], the evidence of the death of Abu 'l-Hasan [al-Kazim] (‘a.s.), the proof of the imamate of ar-Rida (‘a.s.), baselessness of the idea of incarnation, the union of the souls and the necessity of jurisdic injuctions [the neces- sity for people to adhere to the injuctions of the shari‘ah and live according to them, without being discarded as those people claim], falsehood of exaggeration and transmigration of souls collectively as well as singularly prove the futility of their ideas."183
Notes:
181. [Translator's Note: "Waqf" means stopping. It means that in their belief in imamate, the Waqifah stopped at al-Imam al-Kazim (‘a.s.) whom they considered as their last Imam. The term: waqifah, as a name for this group, is derived from waqf.]
182. The correct name is: Muhammad ibn Bashir.
183. al-Fusulu 'l-mukhtarah, vol.2, pp.253-6.
|
