Means (Way) to Allah (PART IV)

(The Leader)

• Why do we need a leader?
• Who is the leader during the Major Absence?
• The blessing of leadership…

Why do we need a leader?

In the days of Imam Al Mahdi, he himself took care of interpreting the religious rulings relevant to people’s lives and relations. He was the leader of the people who used to refer to him in every aspect of their lives’ and religion’s affairs. He determined their roles and functions according to the events and circumstances in all levels: politics, economics, legal system, stance with respect to the rulers, laws, enemies and heresies. As the leader explains and illustrates rulings, he also tries to apply them whenever possible and as frequent as possible.

Should we look to the Islamic rulings, we shall find that they cover all details of people’s lives and relations. One time they are relevant to man’s behavior and his relation with Allah and how to build and practice the same and on other times they are relevant to the relationship of man with his soul, food, clothing, work, sight, tongue and morals. At other times, they are relevant to man’s relations with creatures around him such as animals, water, people, Muslims and others. If we contemplate, we will find rulings such as:

1- Chopping the thief’s hand.

2- Stoning the fornicator.

3- Deciding the matters among people.

4- Defense and Jihad ruling.

5- Rulings relevant to money such as almsgiving (zakat), one fifth Islamic tax (khoms, etc…).

6- Relations among countries.

Contemplating such rulings and other rulings similar to them, we find that they need to someone who applies and executes the same. Such executors would be institutions and not individuals because such issues are the jobs and tasks of governments and states.

Such government issues can be executed under the leadership of a prophet or an infallible Imam, but during the absence of the Imam, who would execute such rulings and supervise them?

Who should we refuge to?

If we refer to logic, it would guide us to the religious jurisprudents who are highly knowledgeable in the rulings of Allah. Should we ask the Imam, the answer would come as follows: “As for the occurring events, then refer to those who retell our sayings. They are my alibi on you and I am the alibi of Allah on you.”¹ Imam Al Mahdi is the one who appoints the religious jurisprudent as a leader to succeed him. The leader after Imam Al Mahdi is the religious jurisprudent leader.

Who is the religious jurisprudent leader?

A religious jurisprudent leader is the leader assigned by Imam Al Mahdi during his absence to be heading the government which has the right to execute the necessary policies and rulings to hold harmless and defend the Islamic nation against the greed of enemies. The religious jurisprudent leader is the general leader of the nation. On the basis of his knowledge, education, science, courage and competency, he is qualified to execute the rulings of Islam and not to allow any enemy to strike Islam and its rulings, loot the resources of Muslims, kill Muslims, falsify the belief and religion, and spread heresies. He is the safeguard of the nation’s frontiers and resources from the looters. Consequently, the religious jurisprudence leadership is must and indispensable or we shall become a nation without a leader, and a religion without a guide and a flock of lamps that have no shepherd or defender in a forest of wolves. The religious jurisprudent leader is indispensable and we must follow him that is like praying, fasting, performing hajj, etc… It is even more essential than other rulings because if it were absent, no rulings would be executed or applied, and if it is present, frontiers would be guarded and religion and believers would be defended. If we worship day and night and then we do not follow the religious- jurisprudent leader it will be as if we had not worshiped at all.

The blessing of religious-jurisprudence leadership…

Undoubtedly, the presence of the religious-jurisprudent leader and the same being followed and obeyed are important factors in Allah’s blessing and support because he is the link with Allah, the Prophet and Imams (peace be upon them) and we have actually lived the blessing of the religious-jurisprudent leader. Come and let us see how.

If the Mujahidin (fighters) of the Islamic Resistance did not believe in the religious-jurisprudent leadership, believers in Lebanon would not have triumphed over that enemy. Also, if it weren’t for the instructions and orders of the religious-jurisprudent leader, who was Imam Khomeini at the time, there would not have been any Islamic Resistance. He himself ordered that such resistance be established and founded.

Would Imam Khameini not go on with what Imam Khomeini had started, the resistance would not have continued or even triumphed. He personally looked after the resistance directly and issued orders and directions and supervised its work. He blessed the resistance with his instructions, supplications and support.

The Islamic Resistance was an answer to the call of the religious-jurisprudent leader to fight Israel. A group of believers, including Martyr Sayyed Abbas Al Moussawi, abided by this ruling and went on under the auspices of the religious-jurisprudent leader. The resistance fighters set themselves to take the burden and costs of executing this ruling with all its exhaustion, suffering, wounds and martyrdom until Allah granted those believers the victory that no Arab army or king could achieve anything like it. So, Allah granted the Islamic nation glory due to the obedience of this small group to their leader.

By the blessing of the jurisprudent leader and the compliance to his orders, the triumph of the nation is achieved. A victory which no one ever believed that small group would accomplish over a very powerful country in a very weak state.

Conclusion

O Dear! Would you close your eyes block your ears and tell that there is no way to know your duties or would you abide by the orders of the jurisprudent leader who shall be an alibi on you if you do not obey him and who shall an alibi in your favor if you do comply to his teachings?


* "Beginning of the Path", "Leson Twelve". By: Islamic Cultural Knowledge Organization. Knowledge Center for Islamic Studies and Researches.

^{1- Wasael Al Shiia, V18, P101, Hadith9.}