Giving Charge of the Religious matters to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) and to the Imams (a.s.)

he went see abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and heard him say the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, discipline and education His Messenger with His and said, “You certainly possess a great degree of moral discipline and education.” (64:4) He then let him be in charge as He, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “. .whatever the Messenger brings to you, you must take it (obey) and whatever he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7) Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “. . whoever obeys the Messenger, he has obeyed Allah. .” (4:80)” The narrator has said that then the Imam (a.s.) said, “The Prophet of Allah then let Ali and the Imams be the in charge (of the religious matters) and you then acknowledged it while others denied it. I swear by Allah, we love you to say when we say and remain silent when we remain silent. We are between you and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Allah has not placed any goodness in the opposition to us.” A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from abu Najran from ‘Asim ibn Humayd from abu Ishaq who has said that heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. He cited a hadith similar to the above one.

“I was in presence o abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) a man asked him about a verse of the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. The Imam (a.s.) explained it to him. Then another person came to see the Imam (a.s.) and asked him about the same verse. The Imam (a.s.) gave him a different explanation. This made as many things to my mind as Allah willed, as if my heart would have been shredded with knives. I then said to myself, “I left abu Qatada in Syria who would not make a mistake in even the letter ‘waw’ and now I have come to this man who makes all this mistake. At this another person came in to see him and asked him about the same verse. He then explained to him completely different from what he had explained to me and to the man just before. My soul relaxed at this point and I came to know that it was because of fear. He has said that then he (the Imam (a.s.) turned to me and said, “O ibn ’Ushaym, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, made Solomon son of David in charge (of religious matters) and said, “This is our gift to you, you may do with it favors to others or with hold without being held responsible for anything. .” (38:39). He also made His Prophet the in charge and said, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7) Of whatever the Messenger of Allah is made in charge he has made us the in charge thereof.”

he heard abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has made the Holy Prophet in charge of the affairs of His creatures to see how their obedience is. He then recited this verse of Holy Quran, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7)

he heard abu ‘Abdallah say the following to some of the companions of Qays al-Masir. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, discipline and education His Messenger. He then made his discipline and education to be the best. When his discipline and education was complete He said, “O Muhammad, you certainly possess a great degree of moral discipline and education. (64:4). Then He made him in charge of the affairs of the religion and the nation (Muslim) so he would manage the social matters of the His servants with wisdom. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, said, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7) The Messenger of Allah was protected, successful and supported by the Holy Spirit. He (the Messenger of Allah) does not slip, make a mistake in any of the matters of the management of the social matters of the creatures. He is educated with the education of Allah. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, commanded to perform the prayer in two and two Rak‘at form totalling ten Rak‘ats. The Messenger of Allah added two more Rak‘ats to each prayer and only one Rak‘at to the Maghrib prayer (the prayer at sun set). Such additions became just as the obligatory ones and it is not permissible to disregard them. They are obligatory at home and on a journey. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, granted him permission in all of it. Thus, the obligatory prayers became seventeen Rak‘ats. The Messenger of Allah then setup the tradition of optional prayers totaling thirty four Rak‘ats which is double the number of the optional prayers. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, granted him permission for this. All the optional and obligatory prayers total fifty one Rak‘ats of which there is two Rak‘ats in a sitting position after (al-‘atma) ‘Isha prayer which is counted as one Rak‘at in place of Witr. Allah made fasting of the month of Ramadan obligatory which comes only once in a year. The Messenger of Allah set up the tradition of fasting in the month of Sha‘ban and three days fasting of every month and the number of days in it totals twice as much as the obligatory fast. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, granted him permission for all of this. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, made just wine unlawful to consume. The Messenger of Allah pronounced all intoxicants drinks unlawful. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, granted him permission in this case also. The Messenger of Allah pronounced certain things as permissible and pronounced other things as detestable but did not declare them prohibited as unlawful. He only pronounced them prohibited in a permissible prohibition and detestable. He then spoke of such prohibitions as permissible but then such permissible matters became obligatory for the servants (of Allah) like the obligation of abiding by what is prohibited and determined. The Messenger of Allah did not grant permission in the matters that were prohibited as unlawful (to violate) prohibitions or what he pronounced as an order to follow as an obligation and binding. A great deal of the intoxicants drinks he pronounced as unlawful to consume and he did not grant permission to any one to consume them. The Messenger of Allah did not grant permission to anyone to further shorten the prayers tha consisted of two Rak‘ats that were added to what Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, had made obligatory. In fact, He made them binding and necessary like an obligation. He did not grant permission to anyone in this matter except those on a journey. No one has the right to give permission in such issues until the Messenger of Allah grants permission. Thus, the order of the Messenger of Allah concord the orders of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. The prohibitions of the Messenger of Allah concord the prohibition of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. It has become obligatory for the servants (of Allah) to submit to his commands as it is obligatory for them to submit to the command of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High.”

he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) and abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, made His Prophet the in charge of His creatures to se how their obedience is. They then recited the following verse of the Holy Quran. “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7)” Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hajjal from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from Zurara a similar hadit.

“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, disciplined and educated His Prophet to the level that He wanted and said, ““O Muhammad, you certainly possess a great degree of moral discipline and education. (64:4). The He made him the in charge of His religion and said, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7) Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, declared the laws of inheritance and did not assign any part for the grandfather. The Messenger of Allah assigned one sixth for him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, granted permission in the matter in His words as follows. “This is our gift to you, you may grant it others or keep it without being held responsible (38:39)”

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.) sanctioned the compensation for a damaged eye and the blood-money for the slain person. He pronounced the consumption of Nabidh (a beverage from dates) and all intoxicants as unlawful.” A man asked the Imam (a.s.) said, “Did the Messenger of Allah sanction this law without receiving any thing (from Allah)?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, so it could be founnd out who obeys the Messenger and who disobeys him.”

“I found in the Nawadir (works) of Muhammad ibn Sinan narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan who has said that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said the following. “No, I swear by Allah, that He has no made anyone of His creatures the in charge except the Messenger of Allah and the Imams (a.s.). Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “ We have sent down to you the Book with the truth, so that you may judge between the people by that which Allah has shown you (4:105) and it is continued to be valid and in full force with the executors of his will.”

“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, disciplined and educated His Messenger until he was well established in whatever He wanted. Then He made him the in charge as He, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7) Of whatever Allah has made His Messenger the in charge He has made us also the in charge of it.”

he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the the following words of Allah. “This is our gift to you, you may grant it others or keep it without being held responsible (38:39)” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Solomon was given a great kingdom. This verse continued to apply to the Messenger of Allah. He had authority to grant whatever he wished to whomever he wished and withhold from whomever he wished. Allah granted him a favor greater than what He had granted to Solomon as He has said, “. .what the Messenger (of Allah) you, you must take (obey) and what he prohibits you, you must desist from. .” (59:7)”