Judgment of Imām Zamān (mgehr) between Shia and Sunni

The twelfth story is, the debate between a Shiite and a Sunni. In the second chapter of the last lines of, ‘Riyāḍ al-ʿulamāʾ’’s first part, the knowledgeable and grand scholar, Mīrzā Abd Allāh Isfahānī, the student of ʿAllāma al-Majlisī (mGmhs),that Shaykh Abu al- Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī al- Qāsim Ḥasemī, the grand and perfect scholar, known as Ḥasemī, who is of nobles of our companion elders. And it is obvious that he has been a companion from the old days. ʿĀmīr Sayyid al-Ḥusayn al-ʿĀmilī, known as ‘Mujtahid’, contemporary of Shah Abbas the great,  at the end of his risāla in which he mentioned the conditions of the Sunni people in this world and the hereafter, stating some of the debates between Shiite and Sunni, he  said as follow:

The second  is, a strange story that took place in the pure town, Hamedan, between a Twelver Shi’a and a Sunni person which I saw in an old book, which is likely to be written three hundred years before this. It was written as follows:

There was an old friendship and companionship between one of the Twelver Shi’a scholars whose name was Abu al- Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī al- Qāsim Ḥasemī, and one Sunni scholar, called Rafīʿ al-Dīn Ḥusayn. They had a partnership in their properties and were together in most situations and on trips. But, none of them hid his religion or his belief from the other. Abu al- Qāsim used to call Rafīʿ al-Dīn Nāṣibī, as humor, and on the other hand, Rafīʿcalled Abu al- Qāsim as Rāfiḍah

Since their companionship, they’ve never had a religious debate, until once a discussion happened between them in the mosque of Hamedan, which they called it Mosque of Atigh.

During their discussion, Rafīʿ al-Dīn Ḥusayn knew such and such people superior to Amir al-Mu’minin (pbuh). In return, Abu al- Qāsim denied his idea and knew Amir al-Mu’minin (pbuh) superior to such and such people.

Then, Abu al- Qāsim argued for his religion with many verses and Aḥādīth, and mentioned many states, kiramahs2,  and miracles which have been performed by His Majesty. But, Rafīʿ al-Dīn said the contrary, and argued for superiority of Abī Bakr over Amir al-Mu’minin (pbuh), bringing reasons like his kind relationship and companionship in the cave1, and addressing him as as-Șiddīq Akbar, among Muhājirūn2 and Anṣār3.

And he also said that Abu Bakr was special among the Muhājirūn and Anṣār in terms of relationship4, caliphate, and Imamate. He also added that there are two Ḥādīths stated by the Prophet (pbuh&h) in the honor of Abī Bakr; one of which is that “You are as my shirt, etc.”

And the second is that, “Follow two people after me, Abī Bakr and ʿUmar.” The Shiite Abu al- Qāsim, after hearing these words from Rafīʿ al-Dīn said, ‘How do you prefer Abu Bakr over Sayyid Ūsīa5.

He asked, ‘Why do you consider Abu Bakr prior to Walīs [the Infallible Imāms (pbu th)] who are the successors, the proved Walīs and the standard bearer of all Jinns and Humans. They are decision makers for the people of hell and heaven; while, you know that Excellency [Imām Alī (pbuh)] is Siddiq Akbar7, Farooq Adhar8, the brother of the Messenger of God (pbuh&h), Batul9 (pbuh)’s husband?! Furthermore, you know that Excellency slept in the Messenger of God’s bedclothes toward, when he had to [the Prophet (pbuh&h)] escaped from the darkness immorality of disbelievers and went toward the cave. Also, he shared hardship and with the Messenger of God (pbuh&h).

In addition, the Messenger of God (pbuh&h) banned all the doors of entering the Companions to the mosque, but the one for the Excellency [Imām Alī (pbuh]. He let Alī (pbuh) stepped the Prophet (pbuh&h)’s noble scapula, in order to break the idols, in the early times of Islam. Also, The Glorious and supreme Almighty God married Fātimā (pbuh) to Alī (pbuh), among the groups of angels. He also fought with ʿAmr ibn ʿAbdiwadd, conquered Khaybar and there was not the slightest doubt The Almighty God, against those three people.

Moreover, the Messenger of God (pbuh&h) likened Ali (pbuh) to four prophets (pbu th), when he stated, ‘Whoever likes to see Âdam and knows his knowledge, see Noah and knows his realization, see Mūsā and knows his firmness, and see Jesus and knows his piety, then looks at Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib (pbuh).

تى اَقُلْ مَوْلاى اَفْضَلُ مِنْھُما

اَكُنْ لِلَّذى فَضَّلْتُه مُتَنَقِّصا

اَلَمْ تَرَ اَنَّ السَّیْفَ يُرزْرى بِحَدِّهِ

مَقالُكَ ھذا الْسَّیْفُ اَحْذى مِن العَصا

It’s like you say,

“The sword is sharper than the staff!”

This comparison questions the effectiveness of the sword.

and when the young man ended reciting these two couplets, Abu’l Qāsim and Rafīʿ al-Dīn were astound by his eloquence and rhetoric. But as they wanted to ask more questions about him, he disappeared from their sights and they couldn’t find him! Yet, when Rafīʿ al-Dīn observed that extraordinary and shocking event, he left his false religion and converted to Twelver Shīʿīsm [Imāmīyyah].

After explaining this story from the book, the author of “Riyadh” said:

That young man seemed to be His Excellency Qā’im (mGehr). So, it emphasizes what, we will mention in the chapter 9. Well, the previous two couplets exist in the scholars’ books; having been changed and added:

يَقُولُونَ لى فَضِّلْ عَلِیا عَلَیْھِمُ

فَلَسْتُ اَقُولُ التِّبْرُ اَعْلى مِنَ الَحصا

اِذا اَنَا فَضَّلْتُ الاِمامَ عَلَیْھِمُ

اَكُنْ بِالَّذى فَضَّلْتُهُ مُتَنَقِّصا

اَلَمْ تَرَ اَنَّ السَّیْفَ يُزْرى بِحَدِّهِ

مَقالَةُ ھذا السَّیْفُ اَعْلى مِنَ الْعَصا

It is said to me,

“Prefer Alī (pbuh) over them!”

I will never say that gold is more valuable than sand!

If I give priority to the Imām over them; In fact, I have showed him unimportant/ in a low rank.

Then he stated, ‘Perform a noon, an afternoon and an evening prayer with the intention of night prayer.’ And I did so. After that, I asked His Excellency Ḥujjat (mGehr), ‘Should I perform night prayer? ‘He stated, ‘Yes, you should! But stop performing such improper prayers that you used to!’

Anyhow, he stated many other things that I can’t remember!

Well, I requested, ‘O, my Mawlā! I wonder if you permitted me to serve you at any time?!’ Also, I beg you to give me a book based on which, I can behave!’ There he stated, ‘I gave a book to Maula Muḥammad Taj, for your sake.’ I could remember him in my dream! ‘So, he stated, ‘Go and take that book from him.’

Then I went through the door of the mosque, which was opposite to the Excellency, and kept on going towards Dār al Batik*, which is a neighborhood in Isfahan.

Anyway, when I went to that person and he saw me, he said, ‘Were you sent by Sāhib al Zamān (mGehr) to me?’ I reacted, ‘Yes!’ So he took out an old book from his … As I opened the book, I found out it’s a prayer book.’ Therefore, I kissed it, put it on my eyes and left him to go to Sāhib al Zamān (mGehr).

But I woke up and that book was not with me! So, I started supplicating, crying and moaning about losing that book, until dawn…

When I got praying and its following prayers done, it had fallen into my heart that Mawlā Muhammed is indeed Shaykh Baha’i. And the reason the Excellency named him Taj, is because he was best known by other scholars. So I went to his teaching place beside the central mosque and saw him contrasting Sahifa-Kamilah (with references.)  The reader (of Sahifa-Kamilah) was Sayyid Sālih Amir Dhu faqār Golpayegani. Anyhow, I sat for an hour in order to let him get his work done and it was obvious that his words were in accord with the Sahifa document. But because of the sadness that was overwhelming me, I did not understand his words [the reader] and their [Mawlā] words. Well, I started crying and I went to the Shaykh and told him about my dream.

Whoever student that takes it, do not comply with the terms of the Waqf (endowment), but you do. So, take a look at this book and get whatever you need.

So I went to the library with him. The first book that he gave to me, was the one which I saw in my dream. So I began to cry and lament, and said, ‘It is enough for me! I don’t remember whether I told him about my dream or not.

[Anyhow], I went to the Shaykh and began to compare [my book] with his version that his paternal grandfather had copied from Shahid. And Shahid (mGmhs) had copied his own from the version of ʿAmīd Al-Ruasā and Ibn Sakūn, and he had compared it with the version of Ibn ʾIdrīs, without or just by one intermediary. The version that His Majesty Sāhib al- Amr (mgehr) has gifted me, was copied from the version of Shahid.

Finally, it was found out to be in agreement with that version; even the texts in the margins. When I got through comparing, people began to refer to me to compare [their versions]. Thanks to His Majesty Ḥujjat’s (mgehr) blessing, “Al-Ṣaḥīfah” looked like an ascending sun in every house, and face in Isfahan and other cities, because people have various [versions of] Al-Ṣaḥīfah.

Most of them became righteous and supplicants, Mustajab-ud-dawaat¹⁰. These all are the results of His Majesty Sāhib al- Amr’s (mgehr) miracle. Anyhow, I can not count what God has gifted me because of the Al-Ṣaḥīfah…

The author, Muḥaddith Nurī said:

In Biḥār al Anwār, Allāmah Majlisī (mGbhs) briefly mentioned some of Sahīfa – al Kamilah; with his father’s permission [as his father was of scholars too].

There, he said, ‘I am going to narrate from Sahīfa – al Kamilah which is called “Zabūr Ale Muḥammad, and the Bible of Ahl al Bayt (pbu th). And according to many documents and various ways, the complete prayer of it is this. [Now] I am going to narrate it. Yes, I got it from our Mawlā Sāhib al Zamān, Khalīfa al Raḥmān (mGehr), in a long dream, etc.’

 

*It’s the old name of the district Aḩmadābād, in Isfahan.

1.      The Thawr cave, where the Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h) with the companionship of Abī Bakr, at the beginning of Hijra (the Immigration) in Laylat al-Mabit sought shelter there from the disbelievers.

2.      It means, miracles which are done by the Imams, but they are permitted by God

3.      The Emigrants or Muhājirūn were those Meccan Muslims who emigrated to Medina by the Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h) instruction so as to evade the persecution by the Meccan disbelievers.

4.      The helpers or Anṣār, the heplers of the Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h) were Muslims in Medina from Aws and Khazraj clans who allied with the Prophet (pbuh&h) before his migration or Hijra, and after his migration to Medina they helped him and the Muhajirun.

5.      Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h) was married to Abu Bakr’s daughter.

6.      Sayyid Ūsīa means the master of successors, as Amir al-Mu’minin (pbuh) was the best successor for Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h).

7-     It is a title used for Imām Alī (pbuh), which means, The older [best] friend (of the Prophet(pbuh&h)). *Unfortunately, it was fakedly used for Abu Bakr.

8-     It is a title used for Imām Alī (pbuh), which means, Separator or distinguisher

between truth and falsehood. *Unfortunately, it was fakedly used for Ummer Khaṭṭāb.

9-     It means, pure virgin and the one who is focused on God with all her heart, and is cut off from anything else. The second meaning was used for Her Majesty, The lady Fātimā Zahrāʾ (pbuh).

10- It refers to the people whose prayers are answered by God.