The Scholars

Imam Rohoullah Al-Mousawi Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, “The scholars are the manifestation of Islam. They are the illustrators of The Qur’an, and they reflect The Noblest Prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household).”

With Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred), the scholars have a special prestige. How should not it be so, and he is the walker on the path of Islam whose Prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) declared, “The merit of the scholar on the others is like the merit of The Prophet on his nation”?!

The scholars are:
1- The Inheritors of the Prophets: The scholars did not inherit the prophets’ money but inherited their lores and their role in the nation, and the narratives indicated this fact. It is ascribed to God’s prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) that he said, “The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. The inhabitants of the sky love them, and the whales in the sea ask forgiveness for them when they die till the Day of Judgment.”

2- The Manifestation and Guides of Islam: The true Islam can not be known but through the scholars. By means of the scholars, one can get in touch with Islam on both the scholastic and the practical levels. Therefore, seeking after Islam with others rather than the scholars is a sort of illusion and mirage. It is related in the narrative ascribed to The Prince of the Believers (God’s peace bestowed upon him) that he said, “The scholars are the guides to God.”

Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) confirmed this in some of his speeches where he said, “For hundred of years, Islam’s scholars have been the refuge of the wretched ones. And the weakened have always been watered from the pure water of the knowledge of the great jurisprudents.”

Side to side with their scholastic and cultural struggle for God’s sake- which is verily better than the bloods of the martyrs in some of its aspects- the scholars have endured throughout the centuries the bitterness in order to defend the religious and natural sacredness. They have suffered the captivity, exile, prisons, harm, annoyance, and harsh words. And then they arrive at The Divine Presence as great martyrs.”

3- The Guards of Islam: This is the great title which Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) called the scholars with. He (May his secret be sacred) said while addressing a group of scholars, “Break through the issues and interfere in [all] the affairs. It is not true that the one of you says, ‘I am a jurisprudent, and I have nothing to do with anything else.’ Yes, you are a jurisprudent, but you have to interfere in [all] the affairs. You have to interfere in the fates of the people. This is so because you are the guards of Islam, and thus you have to guard it.”

God’s prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) pointed out to this role in several narratives, among which is the following: “The scholars are like the stars in the sky by which [the people] are guided in the middle of the darkness of the land and the sea. Once the stars are effaced, they are about to be misled.”

In addition, during the period of the absence of The Master of This Time Imam Al-Houjja Al-Mahdi (May God hasten his honorable revelation), this role is confirmed. It is related in the narrative ascribed to Imam Ali Al-Hadi (God’s peace bestowed upon him) that he said, “After the absence of our Qa’em [God's last authority from the Household of God's prophet] (May God hasten his honorable revelation), nobody would not have renegaded from God’s religion had it not been for the scholars who have been calling for it, indicating it, defending it by means of the evidences of God, and protecting God’s weak mankind from the nets of Satan and his soldiers and from the traps of those who declared enmity against God.”

What Have the Scholars Offered?

It is our right to ask about the reason of this distinguished prestige which is granted to the scholars; about the way which they gained their great privileges in the eye of Islam; and about the secret that underlies The Impeccables’ (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon them) confirmation of their role in the narrative which we have already mentioned.

What the scholars have offered to us clarify a part of the secret of this prestige.

What the Scholars Have Offered Throughout History

His Eminence Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, “It is doubtless that the scholastic Hawzas and the committed scholars have, throughout the history of Islam and of Shiism, formulated the most important fortified base for Islam in the face of the campaigns and the deviations.”

Our great scholars, as Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) also indicated, have, throughout history, carried out their religious responsibility in the best way. He (May his secret be sacred) said, “Had not it been for the presence of the jurisprudents of Islam since Sader Al-Islam [The Rise of Islam] and till nowadays, we would have now known nothing about Islam. This is so because the jurisprudents are the ones who have been introducing us to Islam; and they are the ones who have studied the Islamic jurisprudence and jot it down; and they are the ones who have suffered and then handed it to us.”

The Struggle for God’s Sake in the History of the Scholars

The scholars have not carried the heavy scholastic responsibility only but have carried, in addition to this, the burden of the confrontation with the tyrants and the preservation of the Islamic society in all the available means and capabilities.

Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) referred to the importance of this role in some of his speeches where he said, “Side to side with their scholastic and cultural struggle for God’s sake- which is verily better than the bloods of the martyrs in some of its aspects- the scholars have endured throughout the centuries the bitterness in order to defend the religious and national sacredness. They have suffered the captivity, prisons, harm, annoyance, and harsh words. And then they arrive at The Divine Presence as great martyrs. The great martyrs are not only the martyrs who have died in the battles and in the wars in Iran. There is a big number of the unknown martyrs from the Hawzas and the scholars who have been, without been known, killed by the hirelings and the cowards while they have been spreading the divine lores and standards.”

Look at Sayyed Abdul Houssein Sharafeddine, that scholar who struggled for God’s sake and who faced the French during their occupation of and dominance over the country. In addition, look at the Scholar Al-Madrasi in Iran who faced the oppressing governments until he martyrized. Moreover, here is the great reference Al-Shirazi in Iraq who launched on The Revolution of the Tobacco… And so had the scholars been constantly present in the fields of the struggle for God’s sake till His Eminence Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) rose: “In which Islamic public revolution do not we find the Hawza and the scholars as the first ones who approach martyrdom? Moreover, they stood over the gallows, with their purified bodies paving the path with martyrdom in the bloody events.”

He (May his secret be sacred) also said, “Everybody who is well acquainted with the history knows that the scholars are the ones who rose against tyranny throughout history.”

The Pursuit of the Scholars

Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, “I have to clarify to all the scholastic Hawzas- Kom’s Hawza to Mash’had’s Hawza to all the Hawzas you see all around- and to tell you, ‘Today, you are at the top of the list of those who are pursued by the evil aims of the great countries.”

Several factors have collaborated to make the scholars be pursued every here and there. Not only have the weapons incurred their bodies but also the tongues have incurred their prestige and their rank among the people. From the factors that have made the scholars be pursued are:

1- The Colonialists’ Plots
The tyrants and colonialists who are greedy of dominating the nation and its capabilities would not have missed this historical and effective role that is played by the scholars. Accordingly, this tower and fort was constantly exposed to danger and will constantly be as Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) foretold, “From now and then, the Islamic world is going every now and then to witness an explosion resulting from the fury of those who are looting the world against a scholar who is struggling for God’s sake. This is so because Islam’s noble scholars have never submitted to the capitalists, the worshippers of money, or the leaders. They have always protected their honor and this attribute with which they are distinguished.

After the colonialist have been frustrated as regards making the scholars at its service, it had nothing more but to incur the prestige of the scholars among the people in order to turn them away from them and to prevent them from having any influence on the people.

2- The Intrigue of Colonialism
Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, “From the major methods they [the colonialists] followed in order to achieve their evil and dangerous goals against Islam and the Islamic Hawzas is the insertion of perverted and corrupted members into the scholastic Hawzas.”

“The great danger resulting from this is sensed in the short term and in the abuse of the name of the scholastic Hawzas through their [the inserted members] improper deeds and through their perverted morals and methods. And the very great danger from this is sensed in the long term when a person or several persons, even though they are hypocrite and deceitful, reach high ranks and thus become responsible of informing [the people] of the Islamic lores…”

Sometimes, the case may not be that this person is inserted by the colonialists. It may, therefore, be that this person lacks the major elements of the searcher for knowledge and that he does not have the capacity of carrying this great responsibility with which he is charged. As a result, he does not pass the exam.

3- The Love of This Life
There is a group of the people who have forgotten the aim The Most High God created them for. The greatest concern of this group is this life in this world and the fake embellishments it contains. These perverted people who are clung to this life believe that the major obstacle which comes in the way of their attainment of their forbidden interests and aims is the scholars along with the clearness of vision they have and the strictness of their attitudes where they care for no blame for the sake of God’s Cause. Therefore, they, consciously or unconsciously, move into slandering the scholars and into weakening their attitude and their positions in the hearts of the people.

Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) referred to a part of this in some of his speeches: “Does the religious responsibility demand that the human being insult the Muslims? insult the scholars? insult his colleagues? Does the religious responsibility mean so? It is this life, sirs. It is the fancies of the soul!"

4- The Street Boys
There is a group from the people who are fond of the bad talk and of the backbiting and fabricating stories not for a specific aim but just for a moral educative problem that drives them to interact with every propaganda and rumor without any reason or specific aim. Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, “Everybody who looks in Jawaher Al-Kalam [The Jewels of Talk] book recognizes the efforts of the jurisprudents on whom the street boys are daring today in order to determine for them their religious responsibility!"

The Religious Responsibility towards the Scholars

The religious responsibility towards the scholars is summarized by activating their role and by facilitating their missions in the manner that guarantees the application of the religion and the preservation of the message. The narratives referred to some details which start from sitting with them, for the narratives confirm the necessity of sitting with them and benefiting from them as is related in the narrative ascribed to God’s prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) in which he said, “He who welcomes the scholars does welcome me. He who visits the scholars does visit me. And he who sits with the scholars does sit with me. And he who sits with me does sit with my God.”

It is also ascribed to The Prince of the Believers (God’s peace bestowed upon him) that he said, “I wander of the one who wants to have any many fellows while he does not accompany the sagacious and pious scholars whose merits he will gain; with whose lores he will be guided; and whose company will adorn him!”

It is also related in another narrative ascribed to The Prince of the Believers (God’s peace bestowed upon him) that he said, “Sit with the scholars, so that your knowledge will increase and your manners will be improved.”

These narratives clearly point out at two benefits that the human being gains from sitting with the scholars. The first benefit is represented by the knowledge that the scholars have. Many Qur’anian verses confirm the importance of this benefit, such as the following Saying of The Most High God: ﴾…Say, “Are those who know equal to those who know not... ¹﴿

The second benefit is represented by the manners, for the role of the scholars is not restricted to teaching but includes as well educating [the people] the manners of Islam and assuming the morals of The Prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household).

It is deduced from the following narrative ascribed to The Prophet: “He who sits with the scholars does sit with me and he who sits with me as if sits with my God” that the benefit that is gained from sitting with the scholars can not be restricted to a certain extent and that it involves every possible benefit. This is so because The Most High God is The Absolute Good, and sitting with Him is equivalent to the unlimited absolute benefit. In addition, the narrative resembled sitting with the scholars to the sitting with The Most High God i.e. every good is to be expected in this sitting.

Lokman (God’s peace bestowed upon him and upon our Prophet and his Household) recommended his son with: “O Son! Sit with the scholars and approach them closely, for The Most Glorious and Reverent God enlivens the heart with the light of wisdom as He enlivens the earth with the rain of the sky.”

Consequences of Forsaking the Scholars

Sitting with the scholars is one of the paths leading to The Most High God. Moreover, it is the fort that protects the human being at trials and difficulties as Imam Ali Zein Al-Abideen (God’s peace bestowed upon him) indicated in his supplications which constitute a complete school for educating the human being on all levels. He (God’s peace bestowed upon him) said, “Or may be You [addressing God] did not find me in the councils of the scholars, so You let me down!!”

Imam Zein Al-Abideen (God’s peace bestowed upon him), therefore, referred to all the bad consequences that are resulted from turning away from the scholars and from not benefiting from them with one word which summarizes everything i.e. letting down. Once The Most High and Glorified God lets us down, then what will remain for us?! Oh God, make me never weakened by myself even for the twinkling of an eye!

There is a narrative ascribed to The Prophet (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) which we must refer to and meditate on completely because it rings the bell of danger for the Muslims, especially in this time. He (God’s prayers and peace bestowed upon him and his Household) said, “There will come a time when my nation will escape from the scholars as the sheep escape from the wolf. Then, The Most High God will afflict them with three things. First, He will efface the blessing from their money. Second, He will empower a tyrant authority over them. Third, they will get out of this life void of faith.”

We ask The Most High God that the time that is meant in this narrative be not our time.

For Reading

Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred)
The Dearly loved Governor

…I remember that Bahbahan city was exposed to the shelling of the forces of the governing regime in Iraq during the Iranian- Iraqian War. In the evening of that day, we were serving The Imam (May his secret be sacred), and we stayed for a while waiting for his coming out from his room. When His Eminence (May his secret be sacred) came out, the first thing he talked about was that tragic event. Bitterness was clear in the manner of The Imam (May his secret be sacred); and the words of distress and grief and anguish mixed with his talk as if he himself was wounded in that event.

Even more, The Imam (May his secret be sacred) did not cry for the death of his elder son whereas he burst into tears due to the calamity of the sons of the nation.

Verily, seeing The Imam (May his secret be sacred) in that state affects the human being and grieves him. Verily, how sympathetic and merciful is the heart of The Imam (May his secret be sacred), and how it burns and softens for the conditions and situations of the people!

On the other hand, we notice that the people fill their own hearts with love, sympathy, and affection towards The Imam (May his secret be sacred). Even more, they ardently love him with all their entity and feelings.

This love is not exclusive to the Iranian people but to all the people who have been acquainted with The Imam (May his secret be sacred) even by a little degree. They feel linked to him with the bonds of affection and with ties of love because they know that he (May his secret be sacred) dedicated himself to serve the humanity and to preserve its interests and that he (May his secret be sacred) stood in the line of the weakened during their conflict with the tyrants…

Such are the attributes of the Islamic governor!²

1- The Noble Qur'an/ Al-Zumar [The Groups] Chapter/ Verse 9
2- The Muslims’ Authority The Leader The Reference Sayyed Ali Al-Khaminaei (May God lengthen his presence among us)