THE IMAM HAS WILAYAH (GUAURDIANSHIP)

[Taqavi]

Does the Imam have Wilayah (guardianship)?

 

Yes, the Imam has both Wilayah at-Takwiniyyah (natural), and Wilayah at-Tashri'iyyah (legal). Several verses of the Qur'an and many hadiths consider Wilayah as fixed for the Imam, some of which were mentioned in the previous questions.

In some verses of the Qur'an, Allah has given his wilayah (guardianship) to the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt, such as:

1.     “Only Allah is your wali (guardian) and His Apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow” [1]        
No Muslim doubts that Allah (a) has the ultimate authority on everything in the universe and it’s logically feasible for him to bestow his authority, in a "limited fashion" and to a "certain extent", to others. However, the word “إنّما” in the ayah is for strict limitation so it indicates that Allah (swt) has granted this authority, only and strictly to his noble prophet Muhammad (s), then the ayah adds another group to the list as if it’s completing the last ayah. “Those who keep up prayers…” also bear the title of wilayah who is none but Imam Ali (as).[2]          
 

2.    “O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.”[3]

 

Just like the previous one, this ayah also shows that wilayah – that universal authority, originates from Allah (swt) and he’s the first one, then it’s handed down to the messenger and “Ulul amr”(Imams)

In several narrations indicate the Imam's wilayah:

1.    In a narration in the explanation of Ayah "Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with the truth that you may judge between the people"[4], Imam Sadeq(a) said: Allah has not delegated this matter to any of His creation except the Prophet and the Imams (a) and it is ongoing in the guardians of the Prophet (s) [5]

2.    In another narration, Imam Sadeq(a) said: that Allah trained his prophet and then he delegated to his prophet what he wanted to do, and everything that was delegated to the prophet was also delegated to us as Imams. [6]

3.    It is stated in another narration, every virtue that Allah gave to the Prophet was also given to Imam Ali (a) and he said: that I have been given virtues that have not been given to anyone, such as I know about deaths and troubles, I am aware of the races of people and the true rulings, and by Allah's permission, I give good news to people, all of this Allah has enabled me to do with His permission. [7]

4.    In Ziyarat Jami'a al-Kabirah, Imam Hadi (a.s.) said:"The return of creation is to you, and their reckoning is with you, and the speech that separates truth from falsehood is with you, and Allah's signs are with you"[8]

As a result, according to the Qur'anic verses and hadiths, it can be said that Allah has given his guardianship to the Holy Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt.

 

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[1] .Al-Ma’idah: 55, إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ.""

[2] . The ayah refers to Imam Ali (as), for more info please check out different quranic exegeses.

[3] .Al-Nisa: 59, يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ""

[4] . An-Nisaa: 105, " "إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

^[5] . (Usul Kafi/Kulaini/vol. 1/p. 268) « لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا فَوَّضَ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ إِلَّا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ إِلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ «إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِما أَراكَ اللَّهُ » وَ هِيَ جَارِيَةٌ فِي الْأَوْصِيَاءِ ع.»

 

^[6] . (Usul Kafi/Kulaini/vol. 1/p. 268) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَدَّبَ رَسُولَهُ حَتَّى قَوَّمَهُ عَلَى مَا أَرَادَ ثُمَّ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ- «ما آتاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَ ما نَهاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا» فَمَا فَوَّضَ اللَّهُ إِلَى رَسُولِهِ ص فَقَدْ فَوَّضَهُ إِلَيْنَا.

^[7] . (Usul Kafi/Kulaini/vol. 1/p. 197) ..لَهُ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ مَا جَرَى لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص الْفَضْلُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَنْ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ.... عُلِّمْتُ عِلْمَ الْمَنَايَا وَ الْبَلَايَا وَ الْأَنْسَابَ وَ فَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ فَلَمْ يَفُتْنِي مَا سَبَقَنِي وَ لَمْ يَعْزُبْ عَنِّي مَا غَابَ عَنِّي أُبَشِّرُ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَ أُؤَدِّي عَنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ مَكَّنَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ بِإِذْنِه‏

[8] . (Ziyarat Jamea Kabira) «اِیابُ الْخَلْقِ ِالَیْکُمْ، وَحِسابُهُمْ عَلَیْکُمْ، وَفَصْلُ الْخِطابِ عِنْدَکُمْ، وَ آیاتُ اللهِ لَدَیْکُمْ»