Superiority of Imams(as) over Ulil Azm

Ni’matullah al-Jaza’iri (rh) writes:

Know that there is no disagreement among our companions(rh) , about the superiority of the Prophet Muhammad(saw) over other prophets(as) because of Mutawatir narrations, the disagreement is only about the superiority of the chief of believers and the pure Imams(as) over other prophets except their grandfather Muhammad (saw). A group said they are better than all other prophets except Ulil-Azm as they are better than the Imams (as), another group said they were equal, and the majority of our late scholars agreed on the superiority of the Imams (as) over Ulil-`Azm and this is the correct opinion. 

📚Al-Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah V1,P32

Shaykh Hurr Al Amili(rh) writes:

Chapter ,,The Prophet and the twelve Imams (as) are better than all other creations from prophets and past successors and angels, and that the prophets are better than the angels.”

From Abu Abdallah (as) who has said the following. When mentioning the Messenger of Allah (saw) he said: Amir al-muminin Ali (as) has said:Allah has not created any creature better than Muhammad (saw).

From Abdullah Bin Waleed Al Samman who said: Abu Jafar (as) said to me: Oh Abdullah! What the Shias say regarding Ali and Musa and Isa ? He (the narrator) said: May I be sacrificed for You! And from which of the situations are you asking me? He said: I am asking you about the knowledge. As for the merit, so they as are equal’. I said: May I be sacrificed for you ! So, what should I be saying regarding Them ?’ He  said: ‘By Allah ! He is more knowledgeable than Them.

Then he said: ‘O Abdullah! Aren’t they saying that from the knowledge, for Ali  is what is for the Rasul ?’ I said: Yes. He said: Then dispute with them regarding it. He said : ‘Allah(swt) Said to Musa(as) : And We Prescribed to him in the Tablets, Advice from all things [7:145], so we know that all of the matters were not explained to Him . And Allah(swt)  Said to Muhammad(saw) : and We shall Come with you as a witness upon these (witnesses). And We Revealed the Book unto you as a clarification of all things, [16:89].

Imam Jafar(as) said: Allah(swt) Created the Determined ones from the RasoolAllah(saw) , and merited them with the knowledge, and we inherited their knowledge, and we are merited upon them as regarding their knowledge, and knowledge of RasulAllah(saw) , and what they did not know, and we know knowledge of the Rasool and their knowledge(as well).

📚Al-Fusool V1,P403-406

Shaykh As-Saffar(rh) writes: 

Regarding The Imams(as) being superior than Musa and Isa(as)

Abu Jafar(as) said : Musa (as) asked a question to the scholar (Al-Khizras), there did not happen to be an answer with Him , and the scholar asked Musa(as) a question, there is not happen to be an answer with Him , and if I  had been between the two, I would have informed each one of them with an answer to the questions, and would have I asked both of them a question, there would not have been with them any answer.

Imam Jafar(as) said: By the Lord of this House and by the Lord of this Kabah! – three times. If I was between Musa and Al-Khizr , I would have informed them both that I am more knowledgeable than they are, due to what wasn’t in their hands.

📚Basair Ad-Darajat V1,P446-448

 

Death without an Imam

From al-al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said the following. “ One day abu ‘Abdallah (as) spoke to us and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “Whoever would die and is not under the (guardianship) of the Imam his death would be like a death in ignorance.” The narrator has said that I asked, “Is that what the Messenger of Allah has said?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, by Allah, he has said so.” I then said, “Do all who die without acknowledging the Imam die as if died in ignorance (without religion)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, that is right.”

From ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words the Messenger of Allah. ““Whoever would die and is not under the (guardianship) of the Imam his death would be like a death in ignorance.” The narrator has said I then asked, “Is it death in disbelief (in religion)?” He said, “It is death in error .” I then said, “Thus, whoever would die today and would not have an Imam would his death be considered as if he has died in ignorance (without religion)?” He said, “Yes, that is true.”

From al-Harith ibn al-Mughira who has said the following. “I said to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) , ‘the Messenger of Allah has said, “Whoever would die without knowing who his Imam is he would die as if has died in ignorance (of religion).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “That is true.” I then said, “Is it the ignorance of uneducated people or ignorance of ones not knowing his Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It means the ignorance that is disbelief, hypocrisy and error?”

From al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever would follow the religion of Allah without hearing (instructions) from a truthful (Imam) person Allah will cause him, inevitably, to suffer hardships. Whoever would claim to have heard from a source other than the one Allah has opened for him, he will be considered as polytheist. The source and door that Allah has opened is the one that trustworthy in the matters of the hidden secrets of Allah.”

📚Al Kafi Shareef V1,P376-377

Sheikh Al Majlisi writes:

Sheikh At-Tusi said: "Whoever fights commander of faithful(as) becomes a disbeliever, as it was established by agreed opinion of group (i.m shias). Because whoever fought him, he rejected his Imamah, and fought (against) it. And fighting (against) the Imamah is disbelief, like fighting (against) the prophethood is disbelief. Ignorance in them is same same. And his saying: Whoever dies without knowing Imam of his time, dies with death of ignorance. And death of ignorance couldn't happen except if on disbelief.”

📚Bihar Al Anwar V32,P321

The Holy Prophet said: Whoever dies without an Imam dies a Pagan death. And whoever pulls their away from obedience He comes on the day of judgement without any argument.

Footnote:Sahih

📚Musnad Abu Dawood At-Tayalisi Published by Dar Al-Hajr V3,P425

Narrated from Aswad Ibn Amar from A’asim from Abu Salih from Muawiya: The Holy Prophet(saw) said: Whoever dies without an Imam dies a Pagan death.

Footnote:Sahih 

📚Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal V13,P188

Abdullah Ibn Omar said: The Holy Prophet(saw) said whoever leaves Jamaa in the amount of one foot. He has thrown away the rope of Islam from his neck. Whoever dies and doesnt have an Imam(guide) of the group verily he dies the death of Jahiliyya...

-Hadith is sahih per conditions of the two sheikhs(bukhari muslim)

📚Mustadrak Ala Sahihain V1,P150

,,Abdullah ibn Umar came to Abdullah ibn Mutii during the battle of Harra during the reign of Yazid ibn Muawiya. Abdullah ibn Mutii said:Please sit down. Ibn Omar replied: i didnt come here to sit down i have come here to warn you of a hadith i heard from The Messanger of Allah:Whoever defies the caliph he will have no excuse in front of Allah and any such person if they die without the pledge of allegiance they die as pagans.”

📚,,Sahih” Muslim P942

Hafidh ibn Hajar writes:

,,The death of Ignorance is the death of the people of Jahilyyah who were astray because they didnt have a leader. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that such a person dies as a Kafir rather he dies as a sinner.

The second possibility is that a person dies exactly like the pagans from pre islamic period did and thats the apparent meaning which has a proof in another hadith where The Holy Prophet(saw) said: A person who goes astray from obedience to The Imam by one foot throws away the rope of Islam from his neck.”

📚Fath Al-Bari V13,P7

 

Kissing the hands of scholars/rulers?

Chapter on Kissing

Hadith#2.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Rufa’ah ibn Musa from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “No one’s head or hand is kissed except those of the Messenger of Allah or one who is intended to be for the Messenger of Allah.”

Sheikh Mazandarani comments:

His saying: (or the one who is intended to be for the Messenger of Allāh ( ‘it is intended for his successors, and this is shown in the tradition that is following’

Hadith#3.

Ali has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Zayd al-Narsi from Ali ibn Mazid Sahib al-Sabiri who has said the following: “Once I went to see abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) and I held and kissed his hand and the Imam said, ‘This is only for the Holy Prophet or his successors.’”

Sheikh Mazandarani comments:

His(as) saying: (As for that (kissing the hand), it is not correct except for the Prophet or the Successor of the Prophet), ‘it is apparent (from this) that it is impermissible to kiss the hand of other than those two.’

Hadith#5.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-‘Amraki ibn Ali ibn Ja’far from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following: “Whoever of the relatives kisses a relative out of compassion he has not committed any offense. A brother may kiss the cheek of his brother. Kissing an Imam is between his eyes.”

Sheikh Mazandarani comments:

His (as) saying: (whoever kisses his relative out of compassion) – it is for the compassion or for relation, and the kissing here, and it is in the general (sense), but it is desirable that he intends to kiss other than the hand of a man because of what has passed

📚Sharh Usool Al Kafi V9,P65-66

 

Sheikh Mazandarani comments on The rulers before the advent of Al Qaim

Chapter ,,Seeking leadership”

Hadith#8 

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) asking, ‘Do you think I do not distinguish the bad from good among you? Yes, by Allah, the bad ones among you are those who love people walking behind him. Such a person is inevitably a liar or a helpless one (due to his ignorance) in his opinion.’”

Mohammad Salih Mazandarani in a commentary on this hadith writes:

,,Every ruler untill the advent of Al Qaim is a liar, a sinner.”

📚Sharh Usool Al Kafi V9,P300-303

Sheikh Al Majlisi:Hadith#8-Sahih

📚Miratul Uqool V10,P125