THE GHULU AND THE CORRECT BELIF IN THE STATUS OF AHL-ALBAYT (AS)

[Taqavi]

What is the difference between ghulu and the correct belief in the status of Ahl al-Bayt (AS)?

 

To understand the difference between exaggeration (ghulu) and the true belief in the status of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), it’s important to define ghulu. Linguistically, ghulu means to exceed limits or to go beyond moderation.[1] In a more technical sense, Sheikh Mufid described ghulu as exceeding boundaries and exaggerating concerning prophets and imams. [2] Imam Baqir (AS) further clarified this concept by stating that a ghali is someone who claims something about us that we have not asserted about ourselves. [3]

It should be noted that the ghulu discussed in jurisprudential and theological texts refers to certain false beliefs held by some individuals, which lead to their classification as disbelievers. These beliefs include considering the Holy Prophet and the Imams (AS) to be God, believing that the Imams can also be prophets, or claiming that love for the Ahl al-Bayt negates the need for worship and the avoidance of sins. Such beliefs are examples of shirk (polytheism) or a denial of a fundamental principle, both of which result in disbelief.[4]

In contrast, matters such as the Imams' knowledge of the unseen, the Ahl al-Bayt's wilayah at-takwiniyyah, their pure nature and creation, etc., have been continuously discussed in reliable books of Kalam, and in accordance with the hadith of Imam Ali (AS), who said: “Beware of exaggeration concerning us. Say that we are God’s servants, and say whatever you wish about our virtues,” [5] a limit has been set for it, and they have warned against attributing matters that contradict the principles of religion.

These points make it clear that although the status of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) is highly honorable, and no matter what we say or think about them, we will not reach the essence of their being and exalted status, but we should not raise them above the level of servitude, being created, and being dependent on God, and attribute to them qualities that contradict the necessities of religion. [6]

Therefore, the difference between ghulu and the correct belief in the status of Ahl al-Bayt (AS) depends on a correct understanding of their position and the extent of belief in their status.  Imam Reza (AS) also explained that the meaning of people's servitude to Ahl al-Bayt (AS) is that people must obey us because God has made this obedience obligatory. [7]

When Imam Reza (AS) noticed that some people attributed the attributes of God to Imam Ali (AS), he said that the Commander of the Faithful ate, drank, and married like you, therefore, one cannot imagine divine attributes for him. [8]

Also, Sudayr narrates that Imam Sadiq (AS) entered the session in an angry state and said that people think we have knowledge of the unseen, while no one but Allah has knowledge of the unseen. Sudir says that I told Imam Sadiq (AS) that we know you have a lot of knowledge, but we do not attribute the knowledge of the unseen to you; the Imam, explaining his knowledge, said: The person who had knowledge of the book with him and brought the throne of Bilqis in the blink of an eye had as much knowledge as a drop in the sea, and now, is someone who has some knowledge of the book wiser, or someone who has all the knowledge of the book? Then the Imam pointed to his chest and said that all the knowledge of the book is with us. [9]

Thus, it becomes clear that when the Imam denies knowledge of the unseen, he does not mean the extraordinary knowledge that he himself possesses, but rather refers to a specific knowledge that is unique to God and is referred to as inherent and independent knowledge, but he considers the extraordinary knowledge given to him by Allah to be proven for himself.

Considering what has been revealed to us from the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), it can be said that the Ghulat are those who believe in the prophethood of the Ahl al-Bayt, the transmigration of the souls of the Imams, the granting of independence to them, and divine attributes for them, and some even believe in the divinity of the Ahl al-Bayt. [10]

Conclusion:

Considering all these points, we understand that the Imams (AS) have virtues and characteristics that are unimaginable for humans. These virtues are beyond ordinary humans, but it must be emphasized that these characteristics are different from the attributes of Allah, and divine attributes cannot be attributed to them. Imam Sadiq (AS) also considers the knowledge of the unseen to be exclusive to Allah, but he sets limits for his own knowledge that seems beyond human understanding. Therefore, the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) are superior beings, while they always count as servants of Allah, and this is the correct belief about them. Considering these points, the difference between exaggeration and the correct view lies in the correct understanding of the position of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and precisely identifying the essence of exaggeration.

 

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[1] . Al-Nihayah fi Gharib al-Hadith wal-Athar: Majd al-Din Ibn al-Athir, vol. 3, p. 382.  /   Lisan al-Arab: Ibn Manzur, vol. 15, p133.

[2] . Tasheeh al-I’tiqad: Sheikh Mufid, p: 131

[3] . Al-Kafi: Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni, vol.2, p.75.

[4] . Wilayah Takwini wa Wilayah Tashri’i: Sheikh Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani, p 41.

[5] . Al-Khisal: Sheikh al-Saduq, vol. 2, page: 614. And the words of Imam Sadiq (AS): “Make us created servants, and say about us what you wish except for prophethood.” Alkharayij w aljarayih: Al-Rawandi, Qutb al-Din, Vol: 2, P: 735.

[6] . Farhang-e Ghadir: Javad Mohaddesi, Publisher: Qom: Ma’ruf, 1387, p: 448.

[7] . Al-Kafi: Sheikh al-Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, Vol. 1, p. 187.

[8] . Bihar al-Anwar: Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi, vol. 25, p. 275.

[9] . Al-Kafi: Sheikh al-Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, vol. 1, p. 257.

[10] . Buhuth fi Sharh al-'Urwa al-Wuthqa: al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, vol. 3, p. 306 / Ghulu; Haqiqat wa Aqsam-e An: Seyyed Kamal Heydari, translated by Pajouheshkadeh Hajj va Ziarat, pp. 27-42 / Naqsh-e Ghulu dar Inhiraf-e Aqa’id va Afkar: Muhammad Helli, p. 31 / Ghulu va Tafviz dar Gostareh-ye Ayat va Rivayat-e Ahl al-Bayt (as): Seyyed Alireza Mousavi, p. 12.