AL-BABU ’°L-HADI ‘ASHAR A TREATISE ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SHI'ITE THEOLOGY HASAN B, YUSUF B. ‘ALI IBNU'L-MUTAHHAR AL-HILLI WITH COMMENTARY BY MIQDAD-I-FADIL AL-HILLE ‘TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC BY WILLIAM McELWEE MILLER, M.. LONDON PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY 1 GROSVENOR STREET, Wr 1928FOREWORD In the year 1924 T had the privilege of studying for a few months under Dr. Duncan B. Macdonsld of Hartford Theo- logical Scmunary, and of reading with him the Arabio creed of An-Nasafi, a concise statement of the tonets of the Sunnito ‘Muslims. Before leaving Hartford I asked Dr. Macdonald ‘to outhne a course of study which I might proftably follow after returning to my work in Persia He suggested that T should try to find a Shi'ite oreed, similar to that of An-Nasafi, ‘and translate it into English, sinco no adequate statement of the Shi'ite doctrines was available for English readers. ‘Accordingly, on reaching Meshed T began to make inquines in order to discover come such creed which was gencrally ‘accepted by the Shiite doctors For some tame I was un- ‘succasafal, but at lat one of my Mullé frends euggested to me “ AlBabu 'I-Hadi ‘Ashar,” assuring me that it was Just: the book that I was seeking. He said that 1t was widely used im the madrasas of Mesbed as an introduction to scholastie theology and the uadl (the “principles” of tho faith), and ‘was gonerally accepted as a correct exposition of the Shi'ite doctrines 1 secured a copy of the book, a very poor litho- graph dated 1320 a.x., and begon to read it with the Mulla, ‘without whose assistance I could have made but little headway mit, T found that the work consisted of a brief statement of the Shi'ite “ prinexples” and a detatled commentary on the same, all in Arabic. ‘The text (matn) alone was too condensed to be of much value to the student, ‘The commentary was some- ‘what long, but the argument wae in most places co close that it would have bean dificult to condense, so I domded to ‘translate it in full. At Dr. Macdonald's suggestion I have added a few notes, principally in order to explain the differenoes between the Shi‘ite and Sumnite doctrines. In my translationvill FOREWORD T have endeavoured to adhere as closely as possible to the original. Tn quoting the Koranic verses I have followed Rodwel’s translation, except that, for the sake of uniformity, T havo always used tho terms Alldh ond Movsonger (rastl) instead of God and Apoetle, I wish to express here my deep appreciation to Dr. Mac- donald, who inspired me to undertake this task and aided mein performingit. am also indebted to Dr. R. A. Nicholson of Cambridge University for his great kindness in correcting my manuscript and securing its publication, WILLIAM MoE. MILLER, Tau Aunican Paxsorresian Mission, ‘Maemxp, Pans, December 23, 1997,TABLE OF CONTENTS ‘Sxwrou of ‘ALLua-T-Hnii (ay max TRaxetaToR) + xuoDUOnON BY THE COMMENTATOR (I AND 2)- = ‘Tae Necessrre or rae Kwownnpos or mam Parcs ‘or Ratiorox (3:20) ra I, SecTIon OxE: THE PROOF OF THE SELF-EXISTEST (21-37) Tl, Broo Two: Autin’s Poserrvs Quassrs (98:82) - (1) Hea Powerful and Bree (28.20) = (2) Hos Knowng (61-06) = = () Ho Loving (67-58) = (4) Mone Willer anda Dutkcr (9900) > (G) Ha 1a Peroatvar (06-68) soe (6) He ta Verncious (61-82) WL, Geortow Tanna; Avcin’s Pasvarcva Quaucemme (89-110) (1) Ho isnot compounded (82-85) - =~ @) He w not a body (80-90) - @) Ho us not a loous for onginated things (nto) (4) He i not ramble (100-102) : (8) He has no partner (102-105) (Q) Te has no does and states (100-108 (7) Ho has no need (100-110) = IV, Suomon Foun: Auuin’s Josie (1-101) = (2) Reason i tho judge a to geod and ond (11-117) @) Men are free agents (118-122). = (@) Bri is impossible in AMAA (195-126) : @) Allih acta woth an aim (27-148) + = () This aim is man’s advantage (129-190) (8) Tablas neosaeary (191-143) == (6) Kindness in incumbent upon Allah (144-148) (6) Resompea for waferng is soumbeot wpon Aah ‘das-io1) - @ sssarsssx TABLE OF CONTENTS YY, Baomos Five: Prormzcy (162-173) = + +o (1) roof of the mason of Mubammad (157-169) = 58 (2) The Prophet must be mmmtne to sm (164-168) = 58 ) The Prophet must be all his life immune to sin (167-160) 0 (4) The Propet mut be the Dt of the peopl fs ‘g0 (170,171) = & (6) Tho Prophet must be free from all defects (172-173) - 60 Vi. Snomon Sox: Toe Iniscare (174218) = = =O (1) The Titimato we nocemeary (174-178) == 8 (@) Too Imim most be ummone ton (179185) = 6 (@) The Imam must be spocited (180-188) = = 08 (4) Tho Iman muct be the bat of he people of (0-190) ° (6) The Imm after Mubammad are ‘Al (101-200) sed hh eleven descendents (210-218) cy) VIL. Stovion Sevex: Tar Reruns (219244) - 8. (1) The Resurrection, Bre, eal ete, must be sooopted (210.995) « + 8 (2) Reward and Punsshinent 226236) == = 84 (@) Repentance 297240) + ee 8 (4) Command and Prohibition (241-244) >. 9 Notes ox rum Text (ny tux Tearstavor) = = 2 Ieper or Nass axp Inrontanr Amante Worms - 102,SKETCH OF ‘ALLAMA-I-HILLE ‘Hasax b. Vout b. ‘Ali b, Mutebhar al-Hill, commonly known ‘5 ‘Allama-i-Hill or ‘Allama, was born 19 Ramadlin 648/1250, and died 11 Mubarram 726/1326, He studied jurisprudence and scholustic theology snd the principles (usd), od Arabio ‘and the other soiences of the law with his uncle, the Doctor of the people of the House (of the Prophet), Naymu’d-Din AbG'L Qhsim Ja‘far b. Sa'id-1-Hulli entitled Mubaqags-Awwal (d. 7126 1925; see Browne's “ Persian Literature in Modern Tunes,” pp-878, 408), and with his fathor Shayldh Sadidu'd-Din aout b. alMutahhar. And he studied philosophical subjects with the ‘master of mankind, Khwaja Naghru'd-Din-i-Pist (d, 672/1274; ‘see Browne, p. 405), and others of the Shiites ond Sunmites. ‘Allima 2 said to have wntten 500 books. Among his ‘works mentioned in the Qisasu’I-"Ulamé ws “ Minhaju’s-Salah,” ‘which consisted of ten chapters. “‘Al-Babu ‘Had! ‘Ashar”” ‘was later added to this book aa on oleventh chapter. ‘The ‘math (text) only ix the work of ‘Allima. ‘The commentary was written by Miqdid--Fédi, also of Bulla, who lived and ‘commentaries on theological works during the Istter part ofthe sighth oontury am ‘alldma was born just eight years before the capture of ‘Baghdad by the Mongols, During his youth Persia was ruled by the fl-Khans, the descendants of Hiligd. It was a time of bloodshed and confusion, but with the invasion of the ‘Mongols there also came a revival of trade and of letters. Tho first f-Khans were heathen, but they showed great favour towards the Chrietane, and camed on nogotations with the Christian rulers of Europa regarding a united attack upon the Muslims, Accordingly there was more freedom for the discussion of religious questions than had previously exited. levee of the I-Ehane re on the point of boomai SKETCH OF ‘ALLAMA-L-HILLL ‘ng Christians, but the influence of Ielém finally provailed, and at Inst sn 1295 a.n. (whon ‘Allima was forty-five yours of age) Ghézin became a Muslim and threw his influence on the side of Islim., He showed great favour toward the Shiites, and enriched the shrines of Karbala and Mashhad. Ghizin was followed by Oléytt Khuda Banda, who had ‘boon baptuzed im infancy as a Christian, but who, on his accession to the throne in 1805 .., confirmed the Islimic laws of hia predecestor. At fit he was a Hanafite; Inter he lnchned to the Shif'ite doctrme, and finally, after soeng & vison on the occasion of a vist to the tomb of ‘All at Najaf, he became a Shi'ite, He was fond of religious discussion, and the doctors of the various schools were brought before hum to expound thar doctrines. The followmg stones, which tell something of “AllAma’s part.n the king's conversion, are taken from the “ Qusagu’l-Ulama,” which was written m 1290 AH. by Muhammad b, Sulaymin of Tanukibun (see Browne, pp. 354, 356). Tn tho history of Hafiz Abri (s00 Browne's “Perman aterature under Tartar Dominion,” pp 424-428) sss recorded ‘that when the falsity of the faith of the people of tradition and ‘agreement (the Sunmites) had to some extent become clear to Saltin Oljéyt@ Mubammad-Khuda Banda (1308-1916 a p., eve Browne's ‘Person Literature under Tartar Dominion,” Pp 46-51), he commanded that the Iminte doctors be sum- moned. When ‘Allima came with the other doctors it ‘was appomted that, Khwaja Nizimu’Din ‘Abdu'-Malik-- Maright, who was the greatest of the Shafi'ite doctors, and in fact of all the Sunnite doctors, should dispute with the honoured ‘Allima. And ‘Alléma disputed with the Kherija and proved the uninterrupted aneoeasion of the Commander of the Faithful (CAll) and, the fallacy of the claim of the three Shaykhs of the Sunnites with convincmg arguments and clear reasons, and he set forth the pre-eminence of the rebgion of the Imamtes in such o manner thet there was no posnbility of doubt lett to those who were present. And when the Khwaja heard the reasons of the honoured “Allama, he said, “ The strength of the arguments is exceedingly plain, but since past generations have‘SKETCH OF “ALLAMA‘-HILLE it walked in a cortam way, and men at present have drawn the curtain of silenee over their mustakes in order to bridle the agnorant.and remove the differences in the faith (kalima) of slim, rt is therefore fitmg that they should not rend the veil ‘and curse them.” ‘A story ia told of Sultén Dijayts, who had a wife whom he loved very much. Once he spoke the tnplo divorce formula to her, and the lawyers of Islim said there was no way to take her back except by her first being mared to another ‘and having him divorce her. He inquired whether there wae not some other seot which provided another way. ‘They replied that the Imamutes did, but they were few in number. 80 he sent to Hilla for the doctors, and ‘Allama came to him, On entermg the room he took off kis shoes aud came in with them m hus hand, ‘The courtiers blamed him for not pros- trating himself, but he answered that one should bow before God only. Then they asked hum why he had not left his shoes atthe door. Hereplied that he had heard that the Prophet had gone to a meeting of Malikites and hus shoes had been stolen, ‘and since there were Mabintes present he wanted to watch hie ‘shoes. They laughed at hum for hss ygnaranee, and told him that Malic had ved 100 years after the time of the Prophet. He sud he had forgotten, 1t was not the Mabikites but the Hanbalites. Aga they corrected hum, and so for all four of the sects of tho Sunmtes. “‘ Then,” ho said, “sf all four of the ‘Imams lived after the Prophet, how chd they ongmate these sects ¢”” And he completely refuted their doctrines. We are told that ‘Allama was once gomg to Karbala on pilgrimage nidmg on a donkey, when a stranger jomed him. ‘They began to talk, and the stranger proved to bo a very learned man, ‘Allima brought to hum all his problems, and hhe solved them, He answered ‘Alldma’s objections by refer- ring him to certaun traditions of which he was ignorant, grving book end page end lino, and whon ‘Allama later consulted these books he found that all the references were correct. Finally ‘Alléms asked him whether the Hidden Imm could be seen or not. Just then ‘Allama’s wlup fell to the ground. ‘The stranger stooped and picked it up and gave it to hum,xiv SKRTOH OF “ALLAMA-LHTLLE saying, “ Why not see him, when hus hands are in yours *” and then he disappeared, ‘As for Migdéd-i-Fadil, the author of the commentary, I have been unable to Jearn anything of the story of his life from the biographies which I have consulted. He is not eo well known as ‘Allama, but for our purpose his commentary is of more value than is the mata of ‘Allama, which is frequently. ‘too condensed to be wholly intelligible.AL-BABU ’L-HADi ‘ASHAR INTRODUCTION 1, Autin the Most High did not create the world an vain, am which case He would be only a trifler, but with purpose and ‘wisdom which can be ascertained by those who consider. And ‘He specuied that purpose expressly when He said, ‘I have not created Jmn and men, but that they should worship me” (Koran 51:56) Henee xt 1s mcumbent upon everyone who belongs to the company of rational bemgs to respond to the ‘Lord of the Worlds. And smce that 1s impossible without & certain knowledge (ma‘nfa) of Him, xt 1» incumbent upon ‘every responsible person who knows lh to arouse the slothful and guide the ernng by writing out and explamng the introductory treatises of men of understanding. And among these mtroductions 1s the one called. al-Bébu ’l-Hddt ‘Ashar ("The Eleventh Chapter”), one of the compositions of our Shaykh and Imam. and the Imém of the world, the ‘most knowing, the most excellent, and the most perfect, the Bultan of the masters of mvestigation, the preceptor of those who search and examine, the wnter on subjects for intellectual anvestigntion, the arranger of legal reasons, the sign of Allah in the worlds, the heir of the wisdom of the prophets and apostles, the perfection of the People and the Rehgion, Abi ‘Mangir al-Hasan b. Yasuf b. ‘Ali b. al-Mutabhar al-Hulli ((Alléme-:-Hill)—may AMlah senetafy his spmt and alumina ‘us tomb. 2, And m spite of the concweness of its expression this treatise abounds in knowledge, and im spite of the abbreviation of its style t abounds in wealth. And m tame past I had had the desire to write something as an aid to the understanding of it by composmg the reason and proofs, an response to the request of some of the brethrea, Then hindering events and 1a AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR the nebutis of treacherous fortune held me back from finishing it, for these things cut a man off from accomphehing hus will and attauning hus purpose, and stand between him and his dese. Then there oocurred gatherings and discussions on several journeys, along with the piling up of business and the disturbance of my thoughts, And some of the great be- sought me to go back to the connderation and thought of ‘what I had frst written and to return to what I had collected. Bo T agreed to thear request, for All&h the Most High made xt meumbent upon me to respond to at, m spite of the lack of worldly goods and the excessive number of engagements which Ihundered me from doing 1t. And I bogm xt soolang aid from Allah the Most High for it, snd drawing near to Him by means of st, and Tealled it al-N4f'u l-Yaums [-Hashe in explanation of al-Bébu "l-Hédt ‘Askar. And there 18 no success except ‘through Allah, in whom I trust and to whom I shall return.AL-BABU ‘LHAD! ‘ASHAR (THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER) 3. CONCERNING WHAT 18 INCUMBENT (wajib) UPON ALL UKALEATS REGARDING Tax ENOWLEDOE (ma‘nis) OF TRE FOUNDATIONS oF naLIaIOx (din). Itiscalled the Eleventh Chapter because the writer made an abbreviation of the “ Msbahu'l-Mutahayid " which Shaykh ‘ict wrote concernmg worship and prayer, and arranged it in ten chapters and gave to thus abbreviation of the " Misbih ” the title of “‘Mimhaju'sSalah." And since that book was ‘concemed with the science of conduct (‘amal) and worship fand prayer, these things required a knowledge (ma‘nfa) of the Object of worship and of Him to whom prayer is offered. So he added this eleventh chapter. 4. Bevo rscusmenr (wujib) as 2 word means established ‘and failen, as in Allah's word, “" And when they are fallen (wajabat) over on ther sides (Koran 22: 37). And in usage sodyib is that the negloct of which involves blame under certain carcumstances. And xt is of two kinds. (1) that which is incumbent am itself, thst is, that which uo one ean perform for another; and (2) that which is moumbent by sulficrenoy afayatan), and 1 1s the oppoate of the first. Knowledge (ma‘nfa) 1s of the first kd, and for that reason he said, “itis meumbent upon all mukallafs.” 5. And a woxattay u a human being, ahve, adult (males over fifteen and females over nine years of age), and rational. So dead persons, children, and insane persons are not mukallafs. 6. And rouxnartons (agi) 18 the plural of agl, and is that ‘upon which something else is built, 7. And meiieroN (din) a8 @ word means requital, as sad tho Prophet, “As thou treatest mon (tadinu) so shalt thou be treated.’” And in usage it means way (tariga) and law (shar), ‘and that is the meaning here. And this science is called 34 AL-BABU ‘HADI ‘ASHAR “foundations ” because the other religious sciences, tradition ‘and junsprudence and exegesis, are built upon xt. And it depends on the veracity of the Messenger. And the veracity of the Messenger depends on the veracity of the Sender and His qualities and Hs justice and the imposmbihty of there demg ovil in Him. And the soionos of “foundations” is that in which the unity of Allah the Most High and His qualities and His justice and the prophecy of the prophets and the acknowledgement of that which the Prophet brought and the mémate of the Imims and the rebura (ma‘éd) are anvestigated, 8, AND THR DOCTORS HAVE ATS, AGREED IN CONSIDERING. INcUMMENT THE KNOWLEDGE (ma‘nfa) OF ALLAN THE WosT HIGH AND OF HIS POSITIVE AND PRIVATIVE QUALITIES AND OF AND OP PROPHECY AND OP THE IMAMATE AND OP THE RETURN. 9. Those of the people of Muhammad who have the power to loose and bind (that 1s, the muillds, f. Matt 16. 10) have agreed in saying that a knowledge of these things 1s mcumbent, and thew agreement 1s a convincmg proof for all—for us Shi'tes, because of the presence among them of the One Immune to Sin (al-ma‘stim, thats, the Imim whose authonty alone 1s sufficient for the Shiites); and for the rest (the Sun- ites) because of the Prophet's word, “My people will not agree m an error” 10, And in adeation to agreement, the proof that knowledge is moumbent 1s of two kinds, rational (‘aqli) and traditional cam‘). (1) Now the rational proofs are two. (a) The first 18 ‘that knowledge guards against the fear which results from differences, And guardmg against fear 15 moumbent, for feat 1s pam to the soul. Now guarding against pain 18 possible, ‘Therefore reason pronounces incumbent the guarding against fear, hence guarding against 1t 1s incumbent, [From the presence of religious differences among ‘men rt is evident that many men do not know God, and thot therefore they will go to hell. Thus results m fear, from which only the knowledge of God can save us.)PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE —& (©) Second, expression of gratitude to a benefactor is in- cumbent. But this cannot be done unless one knows him. ‘Now it 1s incumbent, for all rational beings know that failure to express gratitude deserves blame, But it cannot be done without knowledge, For the expression of gratitude must be of a land suitable to the condition of the one to he thanked, and that comes only from knowing him—otherwse it is not ‘an expression of gratitude Now the Most High Creator 1s a Benefactor Therefore expression of gratitude to Him 1s incumbent. Therefore the knowledgo of Him is moumbont.* And since tallif (the mmpostion of a task) 1s necessary (wanb) on rational grounds, as shall appear later (see pars. 181-148), xt 1 meumbent that one know the announcer (cauballigh) of at, that 1s the Prophet, and the guardian of xt, ‘that as, the Imm, and the Return, because dallff requires the necesaity (Wwuyiib) of requatal.” 11. (2) Now for the traditional proof, which 1s of two lands: (a) Furst, the word of the Most High, “Know then, that there 18 no god but Alléh” (47-21) And this1s a command making it incumbent. (8) Second, when there descended the word of Allah, “Very. in the creation of the Heavens and of the Earth, and in the suecession of the mght and of the day are signs for men of understanding” (9. 286), the Prophet said, “Woe be to hum who reads this with hus tongue but has not, reflected upon xt!” Thus he attmbutes blame an case of failure to zeflect upon xt, that 1s, the fatlure to make deduction (istidlal) from what the verse contamed in the mention of the heavenly and earthly bodies, because in them are evidences of workmanship and power. And the knowledge (‘ilm) of these things cortamly proves the existence of their Creator (Géni’), and His power and His knowledge Hence reflection ‘and deduction become incumbent. and that was what we were seekang to demonstrate, 12, Anp az oF Tas 15 By PROOF (dalll), Nor BY 1MGTATION (taqlta). 13. And Paoor (dali) as a word means « director (murshid) and guide (dail), and in usage st means a thing the knowledge6 AL-BABU "L HADI ‘ASHAR (‘ilm) of which nocossitates the knowledge of another thing. ‘And sinoe Imowledge (ma‘rifa) is incumbent, it is necessary that it he acquired by means of reflection and deduction. For ma‘rfa is not of necessity (Gari), for what is known of necessity is that in which rational beings do not differ. Now “idm is acquired by means of the smallest cause by the direction of tho mind upon it, or by the perooption of it by tho sonsos, such as the judgment that one is a half of two, and that fire ‘burs, and that the aun ia bnght, and likewise that we are sub- Ject to fear and anger and strength and weakness and so forth. 14, But ma‘rifa is not hke that, because there 1s a difference of opinion about it, and because it cannot be acquired merely by the direction of the mind upon it, and because it cannot be perearved by the senses. Hence the first statement 18 de- monstrated, because ‘idm includes both necessary knowledge and speculative (nazar!) knowledge. Hence speculation and deduction become incumbent. For that without which » thing absolutely mcumbent cannot bo performed and by which it is controlled ia itself incumbent. (There are two kinds of ‘obligations (wajib), absolute, hike namfz, and conditioned, like hajj.) Because whenever anything on which a thing absolutely incumbent depends 18 not iteelf mcumbent, then the thing absolutely incumbent either remains mcumbent or ‘it doce not. If the first be the case, then there becomes: rocessary a tabltf which cannot be performed, and ths 12 impossible, an shall Inter appear (pars. 134-138). And if the second be the case, then it becomes necessary that a thing absolutely incumbent shall cease to be incumbent, and ‘thus also is impossible, [That is, knowledge is incumbent, therefore investiga tion is also ineumbent. For if it were not, then either a thing (namely, ma'rifa) would be incumbent which could ‘not be attamed—and this is impossible; or else a thing sbeolutely incumbent becomes non-incumbent—which is also impossible.] ‘16. And speculation (nazar) is the orderly arrangement of ‘known facts (umiir) in order to arrive at another fact. And in‘PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE 7 ‘explanation of this—first the soul (nals) conceives the objoct sought, thon xt soguimes the sound promises nocossary for makmg a deduction, and then it arranges them mn order so aa to amive at a knowledge of the object. 16, And 1 18 not possible ()4'2) that knowledge (ma‘nts) of the Most High be by mutation (taqlid). And tagld is the acceptance of the word of another without proof (dali!) And this statement of ours has two aspects. (1) Furst, when mankand are equal m respect of knowledge (‘slm) and differ ‘rom one another in beef, then @ mukallaf must either accept all that which others believe (im which case the agreement of things uzeconeilable becomes necessary), or else he must ‘accept somo things and not others, In the latter caso there ss ‘ther something to eause a preponderance of opinion (rar yib), or there m not. If there be somethimg which causes the preponderance, then that 1s the proof (dalil), But xf there be not then at becomes necessary for there to be » preponderance without anything to cause x, and this 1s mposable, 11. (2) Socond, the Moat High has blamed imutation (taqlid) by His word, “But say they, ‘Venly, we hava found our fathers of that persuasion and verily by ther footateps do we guide ourselves’ (48.21). And He has mcited us to epecula- ‘ton and deduction by His word, “ Bring me a Book sent down by them before thie Koran, or trace of their knowledgo—if ‘ye are men of truth ” (48: 3). 18, AND 60 19 18 NECESSARY TO MENTION THOSE THINGS AEOANDING WHICH 1518 NOT FOSSIDLE FOR A SINOLE MUSLIM 10 DE LONORANT, AND WHOEVER 15 IGNORANT AB 10 ANY OF Tina 1s ovTeiDs ‘Tun nox (ibqe) oP BELIEVERS xD [DRSERUPS RVERIARTIO PUNISHMENT. 19. Smee the knowledge (maria) of the above-mentioned things has been proved to be incumbent, 1t necessarily follows that i is incumbent upon every Muska. ‘That 1, he should aim the two teoimonice (that there 1s no god but Allh and that Mubaromad i» His Prophet) in order that throngh kmow- ledge he should become a behever, aceording to the word of the Most High, “The Arabs of the desert eay, ‘ We believe"8 AL-BABU ‘L-HAD! ‘SHAR, Say thou: Ye believe not; but rather say, ‘ We profess Ielama’” (49: 14). He denied faith (al-imén)* to them, although they affirmed their belof im divinity and prophecy, because their futh did not dene ita exutenee from speculation and dedue- tion, And since reward (thawéb) 18 conditioned by faith, one who 1s ymnorant of the knowledge of these things deserves everlasting pumshment. For everyone who is undeservmg of any reward whatever, provided he 1s 1n posscasion of the qualities which constitute the conditions of fallff (soo par. 5), 18 deserving of punishment by agreement (of all Muslims). 20. Boxp (ribqa) is a long rope with space enough to bind animals within it, And the author uses the term metaphor- cally for the mchuave command which rests upon believers, the desert (for obedience to which) is roward and everlasting honour.SECTION 1 21, AND HR WAS ARRANGED THI CHAPTER IN SRCTIONS, THE FIRST SECTION 18 IN PROOF OP THE SELP-EXISTENT (waybu'l-wujddi brdhatiby, the necessarily exnstent an steel!) So Wa eAY THAT BVERY oDJECr oF THOUGHT 15 MITTEN ‘NEOFSGARILY BXISTRNT ORJECTIVELY IN ITSELF, ORS POSSTELE OF EXISTENCE IN TTSELF (mumbinu'bwwid). oR ELSE 18 IMFOSSIBLE OF EXISTENCE IN srseue (smumtanr‘u'L-wayid) 22, The subject which w supreme and of extreme importance 1m this science 18 the Proving of the Creator (Sims) So he begins to do this And as an mntroduetion he gives a division ‘of the objects of thought, because the argument to follow depends on this explanation And m explanation of that, EveRY Onsecr oF THOUGHT (culla ma‘gGil) means the form (as-sira) which 1s aquired m the mind whenever we bring objective existence into relation to it Then at 1s either sound for it (the objective existence) to be qualified by xt (the ‘mentol mage) in taelf, or sb 19 nob, IF xb 18 not sound for xb to he qualified by xt mn staolf, thet 1s impnssible existence +m self, a8 (for example) the Creator's having @ partner. But xf it 1s sound for it to be qualified by tt, then 1t1s either neces- sexy (wiih) for xt to be qualified by 1t an xtaclf, or xt as not, Ii tho former bo truo, thon xt 1 the necessarily ezvstont on usolf, namely, Allah the Kxalted, and no other. And if the latter be true, then it 18 posnile of ertstence mn self, namely, all centrtes (mawjidét) apart from necessary existence. 28, But we have confined the ‘‘ Necessary” (al-wayib) to that which 1s necessary an uself, to guard agaunst the necessary Because of something else, such as the necessity of the existence ofan effect when & sufficient causa is present. (That 1s, there are two kinds of noocooary, self-eeroent and anvalont in aome- thing elso—but the torm the Necessary should be used only of the former.) So the effect is necessary, not in itself, but rather because of the existence of a sufficient cause. °0 AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR 24, And wo have also confined the “impossible” to that which is impossible an stsef, to guard against the impossible Because of tomsthing else, auch aa the smpossibihty of the existence of an effect without its cause. And these two sorts (aamely, the necessary because of something else and the im- possible because of something else) belong to possible existence. 95. And as for the “ poasible,” ts exastonoe doce not come about because of something else, 20 xt 18 of no use to confine it to that which 1s posmble m steel, except to explam that it does not come into being except in that way. ‘There is no need of guarding against anything besides, 26. We vill end this discussion by mentioning two matters of amportance on which tho ditouesion that is to follow pends. (1) The first 18 the charsotonsaties of the nesssanly existent in uself, which are five* (a) First, ats existence 18 not, necessary both because of staelf and because of something else at the same tume, otherwise its exstence would certauly be Aweontinued on the discontmuance of the emstenee of the ‘other thing, in which caso at would not be the necessary 2m ataelf, and that 18 contrary to the promises. (8) Second, ste ‘existence (wnjad) and ats necessity are not additions (28d) to ft, otherwise t would have been in need of those two, and would then have been the possible. (c) Third, composition, (tarkib) 1s not true of it, because a thing composed 1s in nood of parts distinct from xt, and that 1s posnible existence, and posible exutence is not the selfexstent. (i) Fourth, xt ‘cannot be a part of another thing, for then it would have been parted from that other thing, and that 18 possible existence. (That 1s, God has no father or source.) (e) Fifth, t cannot be ‘rue of toro thingo, ao shall appear in the proofs of the Unity (Chat is, there are not two necessarily self-existenta). 21. (2) The second matter is the characteristics of the ‘possible, which are three: (a) Fust, one of the two sides (mean existence and non-existence) 18 not better for t than the other, bat both are equal in relation to at, ike the two sides of balance, And making one of the two sides to preponderate certainly comes shout by a cause outside of itself. For if one of them were better for it than the other, then the oocurrencePROOF OF THE SELY-EXISTENT n of the other (that is, the worse) cither comes about or it does not. If the worse ooours, then being better is not a ancient cause; and if the worse does not occur, then the first supposi- ‘ron regarding 11s necessary for it (that 1s, that one alternative 1s better for it than the other). In this case the possible ‘becomes eather the necessary or the impossble, ond that ‘cannot be, 128. (8) Second, the possible needs amover (mnathth). Ror ‘when the two sides (I mean, its exustence and non-existence) ae equal in relation to t, the preponderance of one of the two over the other 1s not posnble unless there be something to ‘eause a proponderance. And the knowledge of this evident, 29. (c) Third, the possible-which-abides needs a mover, not only to bring it mto existence (see 6) but also to continue an existence, But we have said this because possibility (al- amkén) 1s required for the qudaity of the possible, and po ‘ity cannot be removed from rt, otherwise its change from possibibty to necessity or imposabihty would bo required. ‘Now it has already been proved that need (ihtsy) 18 required for possibility, and possiblity 18 required for the quiddity of the possible, Now the requirement of something required as rteelf requred. Hence the need of the quddity of the pposnblo 1s roquired—which 13 what we sought, 80, Axn THERE 18 No DOU? THAR HERE (IN THE UNIVERSE) THERE 18 THAT WHICH BXIGTS OY NECESSITY, IP THIS BE THE [NECESGARY IN ITSELF, THEN THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE SEEK- 0, AND IF IT BE THE FOSSISUE, TREN 1T WOULD NEED A BRINesR-IvTo-mxIsTaNCE (mijid) WmIoK WOULD Baa I ‘INTO EXISTENCE OF wecEserTy. Now Iv THR BRINGER-INTO- RXISTENCH RE THE NRCESQARY TK TINELE, THEN THAT WAR ‘WHAT WR WERE SEEKING, AND IP IT BE THE POSSIBLE, THEN TT WOULD NEED ANOTHER BRINGER-INTO-EXISTENGE, Ir rr BE ‘THE FIRST, THEN IT 16 A CIRCLE, AND THAT 15 A FALLACY OF wnorssrry, Ap IF IT BE ANOTHER POSSIBLE, THEN IT 18 AN ‘ENDLESS CHAIN, AND THAT als 18 4 Fattacy. For aut Tae {HINKS 1 THIS ORATN WHICH INCLUDES ALL POSSIBLE XXISTENCRS (al-mumkinét) ARE POSSIBLE OF NECESSITY. HENCE THEY2 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ASHAR SHARE IN THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF EXISTENCE IN THEMSELVES, HeNor THEY NEED OME DRINGER-INTO-EXISTENCE NECES- SARILY OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES. TREN THAT 18 THE NECESSARY (al-wAyib) OP NECESSITY—WHICH Was WHAT WE WERE SEEKING, 81, Among all the dootors there are two ways of proving the Creator (1) Furst, aecking for proof in effects (éthix) ‘which need a cause for their existence, such as 18 indicated in ‘His Mighty Book in the word of the Most High, “ We will show ‘thom our sigao an different countnies and among themeclves tll xt become plain to them that xt 1 tho truth” (41:53) And this 1s the way of Ibrahim the Friend, for he sought for proof 1m the settings of stars, which 1s disappearance, and that requires motion, and that requures becoming (hudth), aud that requires the Most High Creator 82. (2) Second, that one should speculate (nazar) about that which exists iteelf, and divide it into the necessary and. the possble, that division may bear witness to the existence of the necessary from which proceed all of the posnble emst- ‘ences which are separate from xt And there 1s reference to ‘this m that which descended, m the word of the Most High. “Ts at not enough for thee that thy Lord 1s witness of all, tugs © (too 83, And in this chapter the writer has referred to both ways at once. He refers to the first m connection with Hs being powerful, the explanation of which 1 to follow (see par 38) And the second is what 1s mentioned here. And as for his statement that thou shouldest say, “If the Necessary, the Most High, does not exist, then either @ circle or an endless chain must follow,” (#t 1s clear that) both of the things neces- sitated are false, hence that which necessitated them, that 1s, the non-existence of the Necessary, 18 mn hike manner false, And there is neod here of an explanation of both matters, first of the neossnty for a ole and an endless chaan, and sooond of the fallacy of both of them. 34, (1) Now in explanation of the first matter, (we would. say that) there are here quiddities (mabuyyét) which are quali- fied by objective existence of necessity. If the NecessaryPROOF OF THE SELY-EXISTENT B cxista along with them, then that was what we were seeking. ‘And if xt does not: exist, then it becomes necessary that. all ‘these quiddities share m possibihty, for there 1s no middle ground between them (that 1s, between the possible and the nevessary), ‘Then m this case they (the quiddities) must of neceenty have a mover (mu’aththir). And if ther mover 15 the Necessary, that 1s what we sought to prove And f ts ‘the posnble, then xt: needa another to produce at. Now if ‘that mover be what we first supposed (if t be caused by the other possible), 1t resulta in a curcle. And af xt be another posuble, we wall transfer the discussion to that and say what wo said regarding the first—and the reeult 1 an endless chain, So the necessity (Iuztim) of hoth of them has been proved (that: 4s, either a circle or an endless chain must result in case there 1s no Necessary) 85. (2) And im explanation of the second matter, namely, the fallacy of the calc and the chain, we say. (a) that a ole moans the dependence of a thmg upon something which 1 ‘tne depends on xt, as for example that A shonld depend on B, and B on A—and that 1 a fallacy of necessity, For st would ‘then be necessary that the first thing should be both existent and non-existent at the same time, and that cannot be, For when A depends on B, then A.1s dependent on B and on all on which B depends, And among the things on which B depends 1s Aitself. Then A must depend on tself. And that on which something depends precedes that which depends on it. ‘Then ab as necessary for A to precede itself, And that which pre- codes, by the fact that t precedes, comes into existence before that which follows. So m this case, A comes into existence before itself. Hence it 1 both existent. and non- existent at the same time, and that 1s impossible. 30, (6) And an endless chain 1s the arrangement of causes and effects an such # way that esch one which precedes 1s the cause of the one which follows, ond eo on—and this also 1s fallacious. For all the individual links of this chain, which includes all posuble existence, are poauble because they possess the quality of need. Hence they all share in possi- bulity. Hence they need a mover(a cause), And thelr mover« AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR ia cither themselves or part of themselves or something external to them. And all of these alternatives are absolutely fallacious. 87. Frnt, 1t is imposmble for » thing to be moved (ta’thir) by itself, for otherwise it would be necessary for it to precede staclf, and this ia a fallacy, an was proved above. And the second is impossible, because uf the mover of them (the units of the chain) be a part of them, then xt becomes necessary for fa thing to be the mover of itself, because xt (the mover) 8 cone of thour number and alao one of thasr eausos (‘lal). Than it would have to precede itself and its causes—and this also 1s a fallacy. And the (proof of the fallacy of the) third alver- native 1s of two lands. (a) Furst, the thing extemal to them ‘must be necessary (wapb), moe it as presupposed that all possible existences are united im this chain, and there remauns no external entity (mawj0d) except the Necessary (al-wayib). For there 15 no middle ground between the Necessary and the possible Hence our conclusion has to be true. (8) Second, af the mover of each smgle individual of the Imks of the cham be something external to them, then two independent causes (Alla) would have to unite m producmg one singis effect, and this 1s a fallacy. For the euppostion was that cach of the links of tha chain be the mover of the one that follows (But ‘according to this third alternative) it has been supposed that for each of the links there be also an external moving (ta'thir). ‘Then two causes would have to unite in producing one eimgle effect, and that cannot. be, otherwise x would have to he independent of the two causes, in spite of its bemg in need of ‘them both. Thea two contradictories would have to agree, ‘and that is amposnble. Hence the endless cham 1s absolutely false. So the fallacy both of the curcle and of the chain has ‘been demonstrated, and that was what we sought, namely, the existenoe of Allah the Most High,SECTION I 38, ConcemNG HI8 POSITIVE QUALITIES (ap-ifftu'th- thubitiyya), week ann iawn. First, THR Most HIGH 18 POWERFUL (qidit) AND FREE (mukhtér). For THE WORLD 18 ax onomaren Tame (mubdath), ron x 19 a nopy (ism). AND EVERY BODY 18 INSEPARADLE FROM ORIGINATED THINGS, T MEAN MOTION AND REST, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ORIGINATED ‘THINGS, FOR BOTH REQUIRE CONSEQUENCE (masbiqiyya) IN REFERENCE TO SOMETHING ELSE. AND THAT WHICH 18 1N- SEPARABLE FROM ORIGINATED THINGS 18 OP NECESSITY ITSELP Ax onrarvareD THING, HENCE THERR IR A MOVER TN TT, NAMELY ALLAH THE MOST HIGH, THE POWERFUL AND FREE. For 1 THE CAUSE WERE A MECHANICAL CAUSE (mOjib) THEN ‘oP wEoBssITY 115 mPvacT (athar) WOULD NoT REMAIN DEAIND, m, ‘THEN TRAT WOULD REQUIRE FITHER THE PRIORITY (adam) oF THE WoRLD on THE ORtoIN (buddth) oF ALAR ‘THE MOST HIGH, BOTH OF WHICH ARE FALSE. 80, When he finished proving the essence (dhit) he began to prove the qualities (aft). And he placed first the postive qualities, for they possess existence (wujid), while the negative qualities possess non-existence (‘adamiyya). And exustenoe ranks above non-existence, end thot which ranks highest should come frst. 40, And he began with His bemg Powertal, because creation requires power (qudra). And here we will make some antro- ductory remarks which wall include the consideration of the clementa of this discussion. 41, We say then that the Powerful and Free is He who if He walls to do anything does it, and if He wills to leave it, leaves it; and who acts with purpose (qaed) and will (rida), And 0 mechanical cause is the opposite, ‘There are several differences between them—thst 1, between the free agent (auukhtés) nd the mechanical cause (mijib). (1) Furst, the 156 AL-BABU 'L-HADI ‘ASHAR free agent is able to act or cease from acting, while the mechanical cause is not. (2) Second, the act of the freo agent; 18 consequent upon imowledge and purpose and wall, while ‘the mechanical cause 18 not, (3) Tt 18 posable for the act of the free agent to follow itm tame, whale the act of mechantcal cause cannot be separated from xt, as (for example) the oun's sgring hght and fire's burning. 42 And the world (‘élam) 18 all that exists besides Allah the Most High, And an onginated thing (mouhdath) 18 that ‘which 1s consequent upon something else or upon non-existence (‘adam). And a prior thing (qadim) 18 the opposite of this. And body (j1sm) 15 that bounded thmg (mutahayyi2) which reoetves division in three directions And hayyis and makin are one single thing, namely, an mmagmary measure of space (farigh) which bodies occupy by commg into it And motion 1s the commg of a body mto a place after bemg m another place. And rests the second eoming mito one place. 43. Now that ths has been explained, I say that since the ‘world 15 a thng ongmated, there is m it a mover, namely, Allah the Most hgh, the Powerful and Free, And (I have ‘made) hare two claims (1) the fret, that the world ws an ongane ated thing, and (2) the second, that its Creator must possess free will (khtyér) In explanation of the frst claim, (I say that) by world (a-‘dlam) the scholastic theologians mean the heavens and the carth and what 1s m them and what 19 be- ‘ewoon thom, and that 1 either bodies (ajsim) or acadents (arid), both of which are omgmated (a) As for bodies, they ‘cannot be quit of motion and rest, both of which are omginated ‘things, and all that cannot be quit of an onginated thing 18 atealf cn ongmated thing. Now « body cannot be quit of ‘mation and rest, because every body mnst necessarily have a Place (makin). And since this 1s true, either the body ‘remains an the place, which is rest, or b as removed from at, which 16 motion—for of nooceaity there 10 no middle ground between the two. But rest and motion are ongmated things, because they are consequent upon something else. And nothing por 1s consequent upon something else. ‘Then no ‘motion or rest 1s prior, Hence both are ongunated things,ALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES " for there 1s no middle ground between a thmg pnor and e thing origmated. And motion and rest are both consequent uupon something else, because motion means the first comung (hugil) mto the second place, hence of necessity it 1s con- sequent upon a first place. And rest means the second coming, anto the first place, hence of necessity xt 18 consequent upon a first commg. And all that which cannot be quit of ongmated ‘things 18 itself an onginated thing, for if 1619 not an onginatedt ‘thing then it is a pror thing. And m this case either st has swith it im pronity something that 1s onginated. or 1t has not If xt has, then pronty and ongiation would have to be united in one thing ab the same time, and that cannot be And if x has not, then that which hae been known of necesaty, namely, the mposubility of the separation of ‘onginated things from it, would have to be false, and that cannot be. 44 (6) And acodents are onginated becauss they need bodies for therr existence, and that: which needs an originated ‘thmgis even more itself an originated thing. 45. (2) And an explanation of the second claum, (I say that) fan onginated thing, when its quiddity (mAhiyya) 12 quabfied at one tume by non-exastence and later by existence, 1s possible exustence Then it needs a mover. If that (mover) be a free agent, then that was what wesought, Aud fst bea anechantcal ‘cause, then its effeot (athar) cannot follow xt m tume. Henoe ats effect must be prior. But xt had been proved that it 18 ongmated. Hence its mover must also be ongunated, for they are mutually necessary—and both things are umpossible, For st has been demonstrated that if Allah the Most High be ‘& mechanical cause, there follows of necessity either the pnonty of the world or the ongin of Alléh the Most. High, both of which are untrue, Hence it 1 proved that the Most High ia Powerful ond Fre, which 1s what we sought, 46, AND HIS POWER 18 CONNECTED (yata‘allagu) wiTH aul DETERMINED THENOS (almaqdérét). Fon THE causa WHICH MAKES THEM NEED HIS POWER 18 PossIpiLITY. AND a8 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘THE RELATION OF HIS ESSENCE TO ALL THINGS 18 EQUAL. Hence ms rows 19 UNIVERSAL, [Determined things are posmble existence. The re- lation of His essence to all possible existence is equal. ‘Therefore His power extends equally to all determined ‘hings—that is,» unrvereal.] 41. When he hod proved bnofly that the Most High is Powerful, he began to explain the universality of His Power. And the philosophers (hukams) have disputed about it, when ‘they said that He 1s One (walnd) and there proceeds from Him nothing but what ws one, And the Thanamiyya thought that He did not have power to do evil (ash-sharr.) And an ‘Nazzim* held that Ho did not havo power to do whet was evil (al-qabih). And al-Ballht denied His powor over things like those which are in our power. And the Jubba'iyya held it impossible for His power to extend to those very things which face in our power, Ani reality (al-layg) 1 opposed to all of these 48, And the proof for our contention 1s that every hindrance a relation to His easenee and in relation to what 1s determined (maqdar) has been removed Hence the universal connection (Ca’allug) of His power 1s necessary. (That 1s, neither im Allah nor in the thing determued 1s there any hindrance— hhonce His power extends to all.) 49. Now the expontion of the first statement (of the text) in that which neoesertates Hix beng Powerful m His essence. And the relationship (nisba) of His essence to all things 18 equal, because of rs umqueness (tajarrud), Henve that which as necessitated by it (namely, His Power) 1s also equally related, which ia what we sought. 80. And the second statement 1s true, because that which necessitates a thing’s being determmed (maqdi) is ite possibility. And possiblity partakes of everything (all corestion is one in possessing possibilty), Henoe it is sound (ghha) for determination also to become a partaker in possible existences, which is what we sought, And when all hindrance in relation to the Powerful and m relation to what is deter-ALLAR'S POSITIVE QUALITIES ww mined is removed, then ite universal connection is necessary, hich is what we sought. [Alléh is Powerful (qidit), and His power extends to all existence provided that neither im the gédw nor in the magddr is there any hindrance, For instance, Allah 18 able to create a partner, but 1n this case there 1s @ Inndrance, for a partner to Allah 1s meapable of recerwing existence ] And know that the occurrence of everything conncobed with His Powor is not necessary. Although Ho has power over everythmg, only some of the things over which He has power actually occur. And the Ash‘antes agree with us in the universality of the connection (of His Power), but they cla that what He has power over always occurs, as mill be explained later, f Allah wills, 51, Secon, THE most mGH 15 KNOWsNG (‘Alim) For xx PERFORMS ACTIONS WiticH ARE ria (muhkam) aND PERFECT (mutqan), AND EVERYONE WHO DOES THAT 15 OF NECESSITY 62, Among the number of His positive qualities 1s His being. Knowmng. And The Knowing One 1s He to whom all things are clear m such a way that what is present to Him does not become absent, 53. And a vin ann Penvecr act 1s that which includes ‘matters strange and wonderful and unites many charac- tentics, {4, And there are two proofs that He 1s knowing: (1) Furs, Ho w a froo agent, and every free ogent is knowing. The ‘minor premise (tat He 1s a free agent) was explained above. ‘And a8 for the major premise, (Know that) the act of a free agent follows his purpose, and to purpose « thing without having knowledge of i is impossible. (2) Second, He has performed firm and perfect acts, end everyone who does ‘the like is Imowing of necessity. Now that He performs such acts is manifest to whoever considers His creation: the heavenly bodies, on whose movements the characteristics» AL-BABU "L-HADI “ASHAR of the four seasons are arranged, as is explained in the sciences; and the things on the earth, in which there appears the wisdom revealed in the three kmgdoms (murak- Kabst—mmeral, vegetable, and animal), and in the strange things which are embraced by them, and an the wonderful ‘haraotoristica which they possess. And af there wore nothing lee besides the formmg of man, cortaunly the wisdom deposited fn his creation and the orderimess of his formation and his vwenves and the benefits which depend on them would be sufficient (to demonstrate the perfection of Allah's acte), as 1s mdvoated m the word of Allah, “Have thoy not con- sadered within themselves that Allih hath not ereated the ‘Heavens and the Barth and all that 1s between them . . . *”” (00: 7). And among the wonders deposited an man’s con- stitution s this, that every one of his members has four powers, that of attraction (jédhiba), retention (mimka), digestion (hidima), and excretion (daf'a). As for attraction, sance the body 1s constantly undergoing dissolution 1t needs the power of attraction that xt may attract thet which wall replace'what has dissolved from it. And xt needs the power of retention, bacanse the food which 1s taken m as shppery (lazy), and the organ is also shippery. Hence xt must have the power of retention that digestion may take place And the power of digestion 1s needed, because xt changes the food into ‘what ie fitted to become part of the body of the eater, And exeretion is the throwing off of the food which was 1m exoasa of what was digested, which was prepared because of another member. And everyone who performs actions which are firm and perfect is knowing, for this 18 self-evident to one who ‘understands theso mattors and considers thom. 55. AND HIS KNOWLEDGE 18 CONNECTED WITH EVERY KNOWN ‘THING (ma‘lim), BECAUSE OF THE EQUALITY OF THE RELA- Foner OF au xnOWS Tuin09 TO mit, OM nx i a¥ING (per), 2x0 118 POOPED Tuat ZVERY 1IVEHO O28 SHOULD Seer arent kwown Sucre, Madew Tule MOOT om Eiy, RECAUAR OF THR TMPOSEIRLITY OF HIS REINO DH END OF ANOTHER,ALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES a 86. The Most High Creator knows everything that can properly be known, whether necessary or posnble, pnor or ‘ongmated. This 18 contrary to the philosophers, mn that they have demied that He has knowledge of parts (al-yuz'iyyat) as parts (He knows them as a whole, not as parts), because change in them would necessitate change in the Inowledge which resides in His essence. We reply that what changes 1s the relative connection, not the essential knowledge. And the proof of our position 18 that it 1s proper for Him to know every known thing—therefore this (kmowlodge) 1 necossary for Him And 1 1s proper for Him to know every known thing because He 18 Living, and everyone that lives can properly know (a dead thmg cannot know, knowledge being a property of life). And the relationship of this propnety (for hhum to know all things) to all that 1» apart from Him 1s an ‘equal relatuonshrp (that 1s, xt 1s equally proper that He know all things), Hence the relation of all known things to Him 1s also equal And the proof that whenever a thing 1s proper for the Most High, xt 1» also necessary for Him 1s this His qualities belong to His easonce (dhitiyya), and when a quality which belongs to the easence is proper it 18 also necessary, otherwise He would have need of something else, in that His essence was qualified by something other than He, Then the Most High Creator, as regards His knowledge, would be in need of something else, and that 1s impossible. (In both man and God knowledge 1s proper (Sahih), but whale in man xt 18 possible (mumkin), 1n God it 18 necessary (wayib), for belong- ng to His essence it cannot be possible ) BT, Tarp, ae dose ssait 18 Liviwa (hayy), Decauen me 19 POWERFUL AND KNOWINO—KENCE OF NECESSITY HE 18 LIVING. 08, Among His positive qualities His bemg Living. And ‘the philosophers and Abi'-Hasan al-Bagri say that His hfe moana tho propristy (jhha) of Hs being qualifed by powor and Imowledge And the Ash‘antes say that Life is a quality 1m excess (24’1d) of His essence, as distinct from this propnety (as held by al-Bagzi). And the first (the opmion of al-Basti) 1s reabity, for the root of the matter ists not bemg sn excess."2 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘And st has been proved that the Most High Creator 1s Power- fal and Knowing, hence of necessity He 1s Laving, which is what we sought. (That is, Lafe 18 the essence stself, and 80 also are Knowledge and Power.) 89, Fours, mux usr mou 1s 4 wruuen (murid) asp 4. DISIKER (Kiimh), BECAUSE THE SPECIALIZING (talchaig) OF THE PERFORMANCE OP ACTS TO ONE TIME AND NOT 70 ANOTHER REQUIRES TRAT THERE BE A SPECIALIZER (mukhasss), AND suar 18 Witt (alaréda), AND DBOAUEB THE MooT HIGH OOM MANDS AND PROHIBITS, AND THESE THINGS REQUIRE OP NECRS- Si WILL, AND DISLIKE. 60, Now all Muslims are agreed that He has the quality ‘Will, but they difer as to xts meammg. Abd'I-Hasan al-Basti sad that st meant Allah’s knowing what advantage (maclaba) 1s m an act, as a motive for its performance (that 1s, when Alléh knows that a certain act 1s advantageous. then that Jknowledge 1s wil, and becomes the motive for its performance), And al-Bokhisi sad that sts meaning 1s that Allih 1s not overcome (maghlib) and 1 not forced (mukrah) This moaning here 1a negative, and the speaker (al-Rukhisi) has taken mn place of Wall that which makes Will necessary 61, And al-Balkht said that m Allah’s acts wild means Es knowledge of them, and in the acts of others 1t means Hs commanding thom’ Now we reply, if he means by will absolute knowledge, then that 1s not will, as shall appear later. And if he means knowledge which 18 confined to advantage (that 18, the knowledge of those things which Allah sees are advantageous), then that 1 like what al-Basri smd And Hi commanding xt indeed requires will, but xt not wall 62. And the Ash‘antes and Karrémitest and a group of ‘Mu‘taziltes say that Will 1s a quality im excess of the essence, which 1s separate from Power and Knowledge, and belongs ‘copeoually to Hus act. But thon they disagreed among them- selves—the Ash‘amites say that this bemg in excess 18 a prior dea (ma‘na); and the Mu'tazihites and Karrémites say that it as an omgmated idea, And the Karrimates say that xt mberes (qi’m) im Hhs essence (as accidenta inhere in a substance),ALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES 2 ‘and the Mu‘tazihtes say it is not in a locus (mahal), (that as it does not so inhere, for Allah’s essence 1s not « place m which qualities can inhere), And the fallacy of this doctrine of excess wall soon appear. And what al-Basrt said 1s reality, for ‘tro reasons, 63, (1) Bust, the epecialmng an tho performance of sots at one time and not at another, and m one way and not in another, in spite of the equality of times and states m relation to the Doer and the recipient, necessanly requires a specifier (makhagsis) And this specaficr 1s either (@) the Power which eaides in the essence, which 1s equally related to all things, and therefore cannot properly specializ-—and, moreover, ite function 1s moving (ta’thir) and performmng (Id), not pre. ferning (tarjih), (0) or else rb1s absolute knowledge—but that 1s consequent upon the appomtment of the possible and the decree of ats ussung. Hence it 1s not the specializer, otherwise xt ‘would certamly precede, and that 18 not posible. And xt 18, clear that the remaining quahties cannot properly specialize. Hence the speciahzer 1s © special kind of knowledge (namely, Knowledge of what 18 odvantageous) which necessitates the appointment of the pasuble and the nocessity of sts ssowng from Him, ‘Thats, itis knowledge that the possible contains fan advantage which cannot be acquired except at that time and m that manner And that specishzer 1s Wul 64, (2) Second, tho Most High commanded m His word, «Establish the worship”; and He prohibited m His word, “Do not draw near to adultery.” And command of a thing requires of nevesaty the wilhng of rt, and prohibition of a thing requires of necessity the dishke for at. Hence the ‘Most High Creator 1s o Willer and a Disiker, which 1» what ‘we sought. 65, Now there are here two matters of importance (1) First, Hs disliking 1s His knowledge that an act contans & cause of corruption (mafseda) which detoro Him from performing xb, Just as will 1s Has knowledge that the act contains advantage ‘which 1s the motive (da'tya) for its performance, (2) Second, ‘Will 1s not m excess of that which we mentioned (it 18 the ceaence itself, not in excess of the essence), otherwise 1t would* AL-BABU 'L-HAD! “ASHAR be exther a prior idea (mo‘nd), as the Ash‘antes say, im which case the plurality of pror things would be necessary; or else ‘an originated thing. If the latter, then either (a) it would be a quality mhering in His essence, as the Karrdmites say, ‘and He would be a loous for originated things—and that is false ‘a shall appoar later, af Allah walla; or (8), 2¢ would bo. quality ‘of something else, and then st would be necessary for His command (bukm) to be referred to someone else, and not to ‘Hun, And Wall as not an a place, as the Mu‘tazihites say. For there are two ezrorem this Furst, b nocossitates an endless chain, because an originated thing is consequent upon the wall of the originator. ‘Then m that ease Will would be an ongmnated ‘thig Then if we move the discussion back a step i becomes cham. Second, the impossibibty of a quality’s exsting outade of a place. 66, Fiera, THE Most HIGH 15 4 PERCEIVER (mudnk), BE- CAUSE HE IS LIVING, AND IT IS THEREFORE PROPER FOR HIM TO PERCEIVE. AND THE KORAN HAS COME IN TO PROVE IT FOR IM, HENCE IF 15 INCUMBENT THAT IT DE CONFIRMED (xthbit) (by us by reason) 10 BELONG To ma. 67, By traditional proofs xt has been demonstrated that ‘the Most. High has Perception (udrak). And Perception 1s (omething) additional to Knowledge For we find a difference botwoon our Anowledge of black and white and » ternfying sound and a pleasant. one, and our perception of these thmgs ‘And this addition 15 due to the smpression (ta’thir) of the senses, However, rational proofs lead us to beleve that senses and organs aro impoomble for the Most High, and there fore this addition 1s impossible for Him Henoo in this case hs Perception ts His Knowledge of objects of perception (imudrakat) * 68 And the proof that at 1» proper for Him to have the ‘quality of Peroeption 1 the came as that by which we proved that He knows all known things, (namely), by His bemg Laving (see par. 58). 69, SIXTH, THE MOST HIGH 18 PRIOR (gadim) AND FROM ‘ETERNITY (azali) axD aprDINe (baqi) AND to urERNrrY (abadi),ALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES » BECAUSE HE 15 THE NECESSARILY mxisTaNT © Hnxon NoN- EXISTENCE, BOTH PREVIOUS (sibiq) axD consnquENT (Iéhiq), 18 FOR HIM IMPOSSIBLE, 70, These four qualities are required in order that His existence be necessary (wajib). And Paton is that entity tho existence of which is not derived from anything cleo And Fnou Erenvrry is the being related to (musibib) the ascer- tained ages” (the ages after creation—mubsqqaq) and “imphed ages" (the ages before creation—mugarrar), as regards the past. And Aproma i» existence that continues ‘and that 16 related to all ages And To Erenyrry 1s bemg Telatod to all ages, either ascertamed or imphed, as regards ‘the future And Eternal (sarmadi) compnses all ages TL And the proof of this 1s that smec 1t has been proved that He 1s Necessanly Exastent, non-existence 1s impossible for Him absolutely, whether it be previous, on the supposition (taqalr) that He 1s not from all etermity, or consequent. on the supposition that He 1s not to all etermity And since absolute non-existence 18 imposible for Him, rt 1 proved that He 1s Pnor and From Eternity and Abiding and To Eternity, which, as what we sought. 12, SevENTH, THE MOST miGH 15 4 SrEAKER (mutakallin), DY THE AGREEMENT OF ALL AND pY sPuxcH (al-kalim) 18 INTENDED LETTERS AND SOUNDS WHICH ARE AUDINLE AND ORDERLY AND THE MEANING OV THE MOST HIGH'S BEING 4 SPRAKER I8 THAT HE BRINGS SPEECH INTO EXISTENCE IN SOME SORT OF BoDY (Jism), AND THE EXYLANATION OF THE ASH: ‘ARITES 15 CONTRARY TO REASON. 73. Among the qualities of the Most High 1s His being Speaker. And in that Muslims have agreed, but after that they differ m four pomta (maqémét): (1) Furst, im the way in ‘which they prove this quality The Ash‘antes say rt 1s reason {aql). And tho Mu‘taalites say xt 18 tradition (sam'), aooord- tng to the word of the Most High, “ And discoursing did Allah discourse (takallama) with Moses” (4. x62). And this is reahity (that 1s, the Mu'tazihte position), because there 1s no rational evidence (dalil), and the evidence which they adduce26 AL-BABU "LHADI ‘ASHAR is not complete. Now all the propheto have agrood an this (that Allah speaks). (And af one says that the vary fact that ‘there are prophets isa rational proof that Alléh speaks—for how could they speak unless He first spoke to them *we reply) that the proof of their being prophets is not dependent on this (that 12, Hie Spealang), because 1t 1» possible to attost (the validity of the mussion of) the prophets apart from Speech, {for it a8 rather dependent on miracles, otherwise a cele would have to follow. (That 18, the prophet says that Alldh 1s a Spoaker, but the truth of is bemg © prophcb depends on Allah's bemg a Speaker) Hence xt 18 noumbent: to prove (athbét) x for Him, For it x possible to deduce (intl) the truth of prophecy from muracles apart from the Koran, or cle from the Koran considered not as Speech but as a muracle, And undoubtedly there 1s disagreement (taghéyur) about tmuracles Hence at 1s necessary to prove (by tradition that All 1s a Speaker) 74 (2) As to the quiddity (mahiyya) of His Speech. The Ash‘arites thought x¢ was a pnor idea (ma‘na) mherent 1m His essenoe which 1s expressed in various terms (“ibardt) and 12 distinct from Knowledge and Power Hanes xt uz neithor letters nor sounds nor commands nor prohibitions nor narra- ‘uve nor interrogation nor any other such form of speech * 1%, And the Mu'tazites and Karrémtes and Hanbabites say it x8 letters and sounds compounded m such a way as to express something And this 1 reahty, for two reasons (@) Fast, that which takes provedence (al-mutabidir) m the ‘opmion of mtelhgent people 1s what we have mentioned (namely, that Aalém is epeech), because they do not attnbute the quality of speech to one who does not possess that quahty, such as one who 1s silent or dumb, (Speech means speaking, not merely having ideas 1n one’s mand, as the Ash’antes say ) (®) Second, what they have said cannot be conceived (ghayra mutagewwar). For that which they conocived 10 either essential Power from which proceed letters and sounds, and ‘they have said that Speech 1s other than that—nor can the other qualities properly be the source of what they have said. And whenever a thing cannot be conceived st cannot beALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES u properly proved, for attestation (tagdiq) 1s consequent upon ‘conception (tagawwur). 76, (3) Third, as to that in which the quality Speech ‘imheres, The Ash‘antes, because of ther doctrine that 1t 15 an ides (ma‘né),* say that at anheres in Hhs essence. And hose who say that itis ltters and sounds have difored among ‘themselves. The Hanbalites and Karrimtes say that it 1mheres in His essence, so according to them He speaks with letters and sounds. And the Mu'tazites and Imimutes say (ond this 1» reality) that it ws anherent m something else, not 1n His essence—as when He made spoech to exist (awjada) 1m the bush, and Moses heard xt And the meanmg of His bemg a Speaker 1s that He makes Speech, not that He 1s one an whom Speech mberes® And the proof of thst 1s that Speech 18 4 possible thing, and God Most High has power over all posable existences, TT. And what we mentioned (namely, the Ash'ante doc- trme) 18 to be rejected, for two reasons (sanad) (a) Firs, af speaker be that m which speoch meres, then the aur im which letters and sounds mhere would be a speaker, and that 1s not ‘true. For the lexieographers do not call anything a speaker except that which makes speech, not that m which speech heres, and im this way voice (ag-sudd) 1s something othr than a speaker And they say that a yinni speaks through {‘ald) the tongue of an epileptic, because they believe that the ‘maker ({G'u) of the speech that 1a heard from the epileptic 18, ‘the pinnt 78, (b) Second, Speech 1s either an idea (ma'nd}—and the fallacy of this has been proved, or rt 1s letters and sounds— and it 1» not posmble for them to mhere m His essence, for ‘then He would become the possessor of senses, because the existence of letters and sounds necessanly depends on the eustence of ther mstruments. Then the Most High reator ‘would become the posscesor of sonses, and that is fala, 79. (4) Fourth, as to the pnonty or ongin of Spooch. Now the Ash'antes said that the idea was prior. And the Hanbalites said that the letters were pnor. And the Mu'taziltes sad that Speech was an origmated thing, and38 AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘that is the reality, for soveral reasons: (a) First, if it were ‘pnor, then a plurality of pnor things would be necessary, and that as false, for the calling anything besides Alléh prior 1s mfdebty (kuft) by the agreement of all® Hence ‘the Christians aro guilty of infidchty in affirming the pmonty of the Persona (al-uqnim). (8) Second, it 1s com- pounded of letters and sounds which become non-existent ‘when succeeded by others. And non-existence 1s not possible for a prot thmg (¢) Third, af t were pror then xt would necessarily follow that Alléh hes, But that which 1 nocosa- tated 1s false (namely, Alléh’s lying), hence that which necesai- tated 1t (haldm’s being pnor) 1s false also And the proot of ‘this necessity (of His bemg a har) 1s that He informed us of His sending Noah from ctermity (f'1-azal), by the word of the ‘Most High, “ We sent Noah to hus people” (71 1) And He ‘ud not send him from etermity, since there 1s nothing previous to eternity (If the word of Allah was from eternity, then ‘Noah must have been sent before eternity !) Hence at would bo ake 80 (d) ourti, sf tt were pror, then His word would be nonsense (‘abath), mn the word of the Most High, “ Observe prayer and pay the legal impost ” (22 78), because m eternity ‘there was no mukallaf Now nonsenee x6 ovil (qabih), hence xt is impossible for the Most High (f) Futh, the word of the ‘Most High, “Every fresh (muhdath) warning that cometh to them from their Lord they only hear to mock xt" (21 2) ‘And warning (dhukx) 18 the Koran, becauso of the word of the Most High, “Verily wo have sent down tho warming (adh- dhukr), and verily we wall be its guanhian ” (19.9), " For truly to thee and to thy people 161 an admonition (dhukr) " (43. 43) ‘And He has attributed to it the quality of ongun (hudath), ‘hence xt 16 not pnor. And tho word of tho author and the statement that the Ash‘antes are not to be accepted refer to what we have mentioned m these places, 81, Exons, Tas Moor uioH 18 veractous (eédiq). For tar (al-kidhb) 18 oF wecessrry evn. (qabih) axp ALLAR THR ‘MOST HIGH 18 FAR REMOVED FROM EVIL, BECAUSE I 18 IMPOS- SIDLE YOR HIM TO HAVE ANY IMPERFECTION (nage).ALLAH'S POSITIVE QUALITIES a 82, Among Hhs postive qualities 1s His being Veracious. And veracity 1s a report that corresponds to reahty, and a he 1s a report that does not so correspond. Because if He were not Veracious He would be a liar, and that 8 false; for a he 1s of necessity evil, and it would be necessary for the Most ‘High Croator to be qualified by what ia evil, and that 1s falso, because of what shall later appear. And a he as an mper- fection, and the Most High Creator 1s far removed from im- perfection,SECTION UIT 69, Concexwina ms rmivarive (salbiyya) guautrizs, Watcm ARE seve. FIRST, TRE MOST MIO 18 NOT coM- Pounpen (murakkab), OTHERWISE HE WOULD DE IN NEED OF MEMBERS, AND THAT WHICH 18 16 NEED (muftaqit) 18 PoSsTRLE (existence) 84, When he finished the positive qualities he began on the privative ones The first (tho positive) are called the qualities of perfection (kamal), and the second the qualities of glory (jaldl) And if you wall, all the qualities may be quahties of glory. For the affirmation of His Power means the negation (salb) of impotence ‘aj2) in Him, and the afirma- ‘hon of knowledge moans the negation of ignorance mn Him, ‘and likewise for the other quabties. And im truth whst can ‘be understood by our reason (al-ma'gil land) of His qualities 1 nothing but negation (suldb) and relationships (xd8tht), ‘And the lnnst (kunk) of His essence and qualities is veiled from the consideration (nazar) of reason (‘ugil). And no one knows ‘what He 1s but He Himself 85. Now the author mentioned here seven qualities. The first is that He is not compounded. And a compounded thing as one which has parts And the opponite of compounded 1s single (basit), and it 1s what does not have parts. And com- pontion (tarkib) 1s sometimes objective, aa the composition 1m bodies of atoms (jawébir) and accidents (a'réd); and some- ‘umes it 18 mental (dinhn!), as the composition of quddity (mihiyya) ond limits (hudd), like the composition of genera, (ajnis) and speotes (fugil). And a compounded thmg mm both, senses is in need of its parts, because it is imposnble for xt, objectively or subjectively, to be realized and distinguished without its parts, And its parts are other than it, because ‘tho part can be separated from it. And the part 18 not called the whole, And thst from which a thing can be separated 1s wALLAH'S PRIVATIVE QUALITIES 3a distinct from it. Then a compounded thing is in neod of something else, honco xt is possible (existence). Therefore, if the Most Exalted Creator were compounded He would be posible (existence), and that cannot be. 86. Secon, mE 13 NOT A BODY (jist), NOR AN ACCIDENT (‘arad), Non ax aTost (Jawhar), OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE NEED OF A PLAGE (al-makin), RECAUSE TP 18 IMPOSSIBLE FOR BODY TO BE SEPARATED FROM ORIGINATED THINGS THEN {HE WOULD BE AN ORIGINATED THING, AND THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE 87, The Most High Creator 1s not a body, contrary to the Anthropomorphists (mujassima) And mony ix that which hhas length and breadth and depth And acetoesr 1s that which abghts (al-hall) m a body and has no existence without xt And the proof that the Most igh 1s not an accident or & body is of two kinds" (1) Furst, sf Ho were one of thoso two He would be possible exstence But this necessity 1s false, hence ‘that which necessitates it 18 fal also And for the explana- ‘ton of this necessity—we know of necessity (bid-dardra) that every body needs a place, and every accident needs a locus {mahall) “And plaoe end locus are other than body and accident Hence they are in need of somethmg other than themselves. And that which needs something else 1 the posable, Hence if the Most High Creator were a body or an, ‘accident He would be possble existence. (2) Second, 1f He were a body He would be an omgmnated thing, and that is mmposuble, And in explanation of this, no body ean be quit of originated things And that which cannot be quit of origmated thmgs 1 itself an ongimated thmg, as we have previously explained Hence, if He were # body He would be an ongimated thmg But He ws prior. Then contra- dictories would have to agree, ond that 1s impossible. 88. AND 111s Nor PossiBLe THAT ME BE 1x A PLACE (makin), ‘FOR HE WOULD THEN HAVE NEED OF IT, 89. And these two qualities are negative. (1) The first is, that He 18 not in a place, contrary to the Christians and some of the $f, And what is understood by incarnation (huldl—2 AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘ghtng) is the anhering (q1yém) of one entity (mawjia) jn another entity m ouscossion. And af they itend this meaning, then itis false For then the Neotssary would have to be m need, and that:cannot be. And sf they intend some other meaning, then first of all we would have to concerve it, ‘and afterwards pass judgment on at, either rejecting at or affirming it 90. (2) Second, Ho ss not m a direction (iha) And diroo- ton te the gnal (maqged) of a moving chyect, and 1e connected with the world of sense, And the Karrimtes thought that, ‘He was m the direction of heaven (fawaiyya), and they ‘supposed this from the hteral meaning of a text (nal), and that, aw false Beoauee, if He be mn o durcotion, then either Ho does, not need st, in which ease He wall not alight an 1t, or else He does need xt, an which case He would be the possible And ‘the Iiteral traditional meanmg possesses mnterpretations (ta'wilét) and bearings (mahi!) which are mentioned in the proper place For smce coxporcality (jiemiyya) and what follows from xt has on rational grounds been proved imposible for Him, then either (a) another interpretation 1 necestary— for 1 18 umpossible to use both (tradition and reason). other ‘wise contradictones would have to agree, or (b) both must be rejected, mn which case both of the contradiotones would havo to be removed (a logical mpossbsbty), or (¢) tradition must ‘be used and reason rejected, in which ease reason also wosld hhave to be rejected, because of the rejection of sts foundation (Reason 1s fundamental (asl, tradition 18 consequent (tar")— af the former 1s rejected the latter 1s ampossble ) 80 (d) the fourth posabulity remains, namely, tho use of reason and the anterpretation of tradition. 91. Aw Pieasune (al-ladhdha) axp pars (alalam) ane Not ‘VALID FOR HIM, BECAUSE IT 18 INPOSSIBLE FOR THE MOST HIGH ‘TO RAYE A FAYSIOAL CONSTITUTION (iuzé)), 92, Pain and pleasure are things that we perceive intornally (wijdént), hence they do not noed explanation. And xt has ‘been sad of them that pleasure 1s the perception of what 18 agreeable with regard to ite bemg (mun bayth) agreeable, andALLAH'S PRIVATIVE QUALITIES 3 pain is the perception of what 1s disegroeable (anundfi) with regard to ats being disagreeable. And pleasure and pain may he either xenon or mental. Tf the perception ix by the ssonses they are sensuous, and if it is by the mind they are mental, Since this 1s determmed, we say that. pain 18 im- possible for the Most High, as all reasonable bemgs ogree, ssmoe He 1s subject to nothmg that is disagreeable (mundéi— contrary to His nature). And pleasure, sf xt be sensvous, 18 Iikewise impossible for Him, because 1t results from having & ‘physical constitution, and a physical constitution 1s impossible for Him, otherwise He would be a body. And if be mental, the philosophers have affirmed xt for Hum, also the founder of the Ya‘giiingga (sect)! from among uz Ror the Most High Creator 18 qualified by His perfection, which 1s worthy of Him, forts impossible for Him to have any mperfection. Never- theless, He percerves by His essence and His perfection. Hence ‘He we the Most Glonous Perootver and the Most Exalted Per- caiver hy the most: complete perception, and by pleasure we ‘mean nothing other than that. 99, But the scholastic theologians have restnoted their statements to the demal of pleasure to Alléh, either because of ther behef thet mental pleasure (also 1s) denied to Allah, ‘or beeanso of its not having been mentioned m the Majestic Law. For the qualities of Allah and His names are restricted, and 1 1 not permissible for any but Him to venture mto ‘them, exept with His permission. And even af pleaouro 15 ‘posable for Allah from the pomt of view of (human) reason, yet it 18 not polite (to attnbute xt to Him), because rt may ethaps be impossible (for Him) for some reason or other which we do not know. 94. Nom DORs HE UNITE WITH OTHER THAN HIMSELY, (CAUSE UNION (alattihéd) 15 ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM 95. Unon may be used in two scuses, figurative and real. (2) Figurative union 10 ono thing's becoming another thing am being (al-kawn) orm corruption (alfasid). (Foran example 2 Tho tramlstor had wnteen “the author of ‘Ya'gat,'" which T have corested by conjecture. T.A.N. ;3M AL BABU ‘L-BADI ‘ASHAR of being—water becomes mist; of corruption—seed in the ground dios and becomes a new plant.) Either (a) there 18 no addition (idifa) of another thing, as their saying that water Decomes air and air becomes water; or (6) there 1s an addi- ‘tion of something else, a8 it 18 sad that dirt becomes mud by the addition of water to it, (2) Aud real umon is when two entation beoome one entity. 96. Since that is determined, know that tho first 1s alto- gether impossible for the Most High, hecanse created being (ai-kawn) and corruption are impossible for Him. And as for the second, some Chnistians say that He has united with hnst, for they say that the chvimty (éhdtiyya) of the Creator hao united with the humanity (adeituya) of ‘loi, And the Nagnyya say that Ho has united with ‘All, And some of the Sifis aay that He has rmited with those who know God (‘énfin). Now, if they mean somethmg other than what wwe have mentioned rt 1s first necessary to conceive 1t, then to paso judgment upon it. And af they mean what wo have mentioned (namely, real union), then xt 18 altogether fals, because tunion a8 an atself amposnble (there x8 no such thing, fas real union). Therefore xt 18 impossible that it should be proved (to occur) in anything else, Now xt 18 amposable, because uf after the union of two entities they continue to cast, there 18 no union, because they are two, not one, and 2f they become non-emstent together, this also 1s not umon, but a third entity, and sf one of them becomes non-ennstent, ‘and the other continues to exust, this algo s not wnion, because non-existence cannot unite with existence, 97. Tainp, Tun Most MoH 18 NoT A Locus (mahall) ron ORIGINATED THINGS, RRCAUSE OF THE IMPOSRIRILITY OF FIG BEING ACTED UPON (inf'él) BY ANYTHING ELSE, AND THE IMPOSSIBUATY OF IMPERFECTION IN HK. 98, Know that there are two ways of conndering (i*ibérén) ‘tho qualities of the Most High: (1) The first of these refers to the casentual Power atsolf and the easential Knowledge ateclt and to the other qualities themaslves. And (2) the seoond refers to the connection (ta’allug) which these qualities haveALLAH'S PRIVATIVE QUALITIES » swith the things determined (mugtadayét) by them, such as the control of Power over that which is decreed (maqdéz), and of Knowledge over that which is known. And, according to this second sense, there is no dispute about these qualities, being thungs which are relative, in addition (to the essence), ‘and changing as the things with which they are connected change and vary. 99, But m regard to the firt senso, the Karrimites thought that the qualities are originated things and are renewed in ‘nke manner as the things with whic they are connected are renewed They said that He was not Powerful at first, but later became Powerful, and that He was not Knowing, but later bocame Knowing. And tho reality 1» contrary to this. For what 1s renewed in what they mentioned is the relative connection. And they mean that, tis self-evident. Other- wise, b 1 false for two reasons: (1) First, uf His qualities are ‘things ongnated and renewed, it would be necessary for Him to be acted upon and to change. But the neceesty 1s false, hhenoe that which nevessitates x x false also, And there are ‘two proofs of this (a) Furst His qualties are essential, and ‘ther change would require the change of the essence and xts bbemg acted upon. And (6) second, the ong of the qualities would necessitate the origia of His abibty to be a locus for thom, and that would roquiro the pasibility and changeable- ness of the locus. But st 1s umpossible for tho nature (mabiyya) of the Mast High to he subject to change and passibiity. Hence His qualities are not originated, which 18 what we sought * (2) Second, the qualities of the Most Hhigh are perfect, qualities, because xt 1s umpossible for them to have umperfeo- ton. And if they wero onginated ond renewed He would not have perfection. And not having perfection s imperfection —and Allah, the High, the Great, 1s exalted above that | 100, FouxTs, ocUzax vision (ru'ya) OF THis Must HIGH 18, IMPOSSIBLE, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WHICH CAN BE SEEN osexsens Dmmecrion, Fon 1m 18 OP NECESOITY EITHER OPPOSITE TO ONE, OR ELSE IT 18 LIKE SOMETHING OPPOSITE. ‘THEN HE WOULD BE A BODY, AND THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. AND8 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR I THE WORD OF THE MosT MIGH (to Moses) “THOU sHALT or sue uz” (7: 139)—aND lan 18 THR ETERNAL. NEGATIVE. 101. The philosophers and the Mu‘tazhtes* hold that the vision of Him with the eye is umpossible, because of his beng ‘incorporeal (mujarrad.) And the Anthropomorphusts (mujas- ‘sima) and Karrémates hold that it 1» possible to eco Him with the eye face to face. And the Ash‘antes believe that God 1s mmcorporeal, and (yet) say that the vison of Him 1s valid,* contrary to the opinion of all sane men. And some of the Ash'antes say, “By viswn we do not mean the impression (imtiba’) (of the object on the optio nerve) or the swing of rays, but the state which 18 acquired from the vision of an object after the acquattion of the knowledge (‘ilm) of it.” ‘And others of them say that the meaning of the vision of Him 1s that He uncovers Himself (yankashifu) to believing creatures ‘on the Last Day hke the uncovermg of a visible full moon. And the realty 18 that if they mean by that. a complete mant festation (al-kashfu't-timm), then that 1s admutted, for on the ‘Day of Resurrection perfect knowledge (al-ma‘nifa) wll become necessary (Jardri). Otherwise st cannot be concerved except as coular vision, and that 1s falao both by reason and tradition. 102. (1) It 1s false by reason, because if He be viuble He ‘must ben a direction, and therefore be a body, which 18 false, as has been previously shown For every visble thing 1s either oppoaite, or 16 hike somethmg oppomte (fi km’ mugébul), as the image m a mirror, and that 1s necessanly true And everything opposite or like an opposite 18 in a direction, Hence if the Most, High Creator be viable He must be m a dhrection, which 1s fale, (2) And at as also false by tradition, for eoveral rossons (a) Furst, when Moses acked for vision (of Him) he received the answer, “Thon shalt not see me” (7: 139), and lan 1s the eternal negative’ according to the Iexicographers. And since Moses did not see Hun, certaunly no one cleo hao seen Him. (6) Second, im tho word Allah, “No vision taketh in Hum, but He taketh an all vision” (6, 103) Ho desenbes Himself by denymg that eyes can perceive Him. ‘Hence proving that He 1s visible 1s a fault. (3) Third, He made 6 great matter of thesr seeking for @ vision of Himself,ALLAH'S PRIVATIVE QUALITIES a ‘and attached blame to it, and threatened (the guilty), soying, “But a greater thing than this did they ask of Moses! for they said, ‘Show us Alléh plainly” and for this thew wickedness did the fire-storm lay hold on them” (4: 152). “They who look not forward to meet us say, ‘If the angels be not sent down to us, or unless we behold our Lord...’ Ah! they are ‘proud of heart, and exceed with great excess 1” (21: 22). 103 Frere, 4 rantwen (wsli-sharik) 18 DEN TO HOM, on aNoTHgR (in case of a plurality of deities), 18 WHICH CASE. ‘THE ORDERLINESS OF EXISTENCE WOULD BE DESTROYED, AND BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPOUNDED. SINCE TWO NUGESSARIES WOULD SHARE IN IMING NECESSARILY BXISTENT, IN [WHICH CAS THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A DIsTINGUISHER (mi), 104 Scholastic theologians and philosophers have agreed 1m denying to the Most Migh a partner. for several reasons: (1) First, the traditional proofs which pomt to this, and also the agreement of the prophets, which 1s here a proof, because thor veracity does not rest on their affirmation of the Umty @) Second, the proof of the scholashe theologians, which 18 called “the proof of hindrance” And that 1s taken from ‘the word of the Most High, “Had there been in either heaven or earth gods beside Allah, both surely had gone to rum” (21:22). And ths means that if He had a partner, the destruc- ton of the orderlmess of existence would follow of necessity, ‘and that is false In explanation of this—af the wall of one of the two (gods) came mto connection with the production of moving body, then undoubtedly xt 1s posable for the other god to will sts rest, or it 2 not (a) If st w posuble, then un- doubtedly either the wall of both will be carried out—in which ‘case opposites would have to be reconciled, ot else the will of neither of them wall be carned out—m which case the body would havo nesthor motion nor rest; or the will of (only) ono of thom will be earned out, in which case two evils will result: (a) first, preponderance (tarjih) without any one to give preponderance, ‘and (8) second, the impotence of the other (god). (0) If itis not possible for the other god to will ts rest, then st necessarily38 AL-BABU ’L-HADI ‘ASHAR follows that he is impotent. For there is no hindrance exoept the connection of the will of that other god (with the body). ‘But impotence on the part of gods is false, and preponderance without one to give preponderance is impossible. Hence the destruction of the orderliness of existence would be nooossary, and that also is impossible. 105. (3) Third, the proof of the philosophers and its explans- tion, If there be in existence » Necessanly Existent, then both of the gods must be possible existence. For in this case they would both share in being nocessanly existent, And ‘undoubtedly they oan either be distinguished from ono another or they cannot. For if they cannot be distinguished they do not acquire duality. And if they can be distingushed, it is necessary that each one of the two be compounded of that inwhich they are one, and thet by which they are distingwshed. And every compounded thing 1s posible existence. Hence they both are possible existences, and this was contrary (to ‘our premises). 108, Snerm, reas (ma‘éni) axo sTares (ahwal) ane DENTED ro mun wosr wou. Because 1 wz Went POWERYUL RY HIS POWER AND KNOWING BY HIS KNOWLEDGE AND 80 FORTH HE WOULD HAVE NEED IN HIS QUALITIES OY THAT 1DEA. THEN HE WOULD BE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE, AND THAT I8 CONTRARY (to our promises). 107. The Ash'antes hold that the Most High 1s Powerful by His Power and Knowing by His Knowledge and Living by His Life, and so for all His other qualities, and that these are prior ideas m addition to His essence and mhering in it.* ‘And the Babshamiya say that tho Most High is equal to (musiwi) any other essence, and 1s distinguished from other essences by a state (hila) which 18 called godhood (uldhiyya). ‘And this state produces in Him four states: being powerful, mowing, being olive, and omsting. And elale (hil) aooording to them is s quality belonging to an entity (mawjid), and ‘existence (wujld) and non-existence (‘adam) do not possess this quality. And they say that the Most High Creator is ‘Powerful in relation to (bi-'tibér) that state of being powerfulALLAH'S PRIVATIVE QUALITIES Ey and Knowing in relation to that state of knowing, and so for the other qualities. And the fallacy of this contention is nevessary (dari), for a thing is either an entity or a non- entity, since there is no middle ground. 108. And the philosophers and the investigators (mubagq- ‘gfin) among the scholastio theologians aay that the Most High is Powerful by His essence, and so for the other qualities. And when we say, “the essence is Knowing and 1s Powerful,” ‘what is imagined to be an addition (24’1da) 1s relative and is ‘edaition only an the mind, nob objcotivaly. And this io the realty in our opmnion, because if He were Powerful by His Powor (qudra) or state of bemg powerful (qadinyya), and Knowing by His Knowledge (‘ilm) or state of knowing (‘ahmuyya), and so forth, then at would follow that the Necessary would, have need of somethmg else m His quahties. Because those ideas and states are distmet from His essence absolutely And everything which is m neod of something else 18 possible enstence. And if His qualities be mn addition to His essence, then He would be possible existence, which 1s contrary to our premses, 109, SEVENTH, THE MOST HIGH 18 SELF-SUFFICIENT (ghaniyy) ROM ANYTHING BISE REQUIRES THAT HE BB WITHOUT NRED OF ANYTHING ELSE, AND THAT BVERYEMING BESIDES MIM BE 1M NEED OF HIM. 110. Among His negative qualities 1s His being absolutely self-sufficient and not m need of another, nether i His essence nor in Has qualities, For the novcasity of His ematence, which has beon established for Him, roqures His bemg absolutely ‘without need as regards all things beside Himself. For uf He ‘were 1n need (muhtd)) He would have to want (iftagara) something, and then He would be possible exstence, and ‘Allah is oxaltod above that! Rather tho Croator, whose greatness 1 glorions, 12 without need of anything bendes ‘Himself. And everytinng (tat is) 1s an emanation (rashha— ‘ozing) amongst the emanations of His exustence, aud a mote (dharra) amonget the motes in the rays of his mumsficence.SECTION IV 111, Concerta susTice (‘adl), AND IN TP ARE SEVERAL sumECTS FoR nevEsTiGATION. (1) Fimst, nEason (al‘aql) (OP NBOBSEITY PASSES JUDGMENT AS TO WHAT ACTIONS ARE Goon (hasan), SUCH AS THR RETURN oF A TRUST (fund) AND ‘DOTNG GOOD (ihsin), AND VERACITY WHTOH 18 PROFITABLE, AND 48 TO WHAT ARE EVIL (qubih), SUCH AS INJUSTICE AND AN muuniovs Lin For THOSE WHO DRNY AML SYSTEMS OF LAW, LIKE THE MALAIIDA AND THE PHILOSOPHERS OP INDIA, JUDGE {2000 AND EVIL, THUS, AND MOREOVER IP THEY ARE DENTED BY REASON THEY WOULD ALSO BE DENIED BY TRADITION, BECAUSE LAW-GIVER (ash-shin') 112. When he finshed the discussion of the Umity he began the discussion of Justice. And the meaning of Justice 1s that ‘the Most High 1s far removed from every evil act and from emg remiss in what 1s mcumbent, And since Justice depends ‘on the knowledge of good and evil as determined by reason, hhe mtroduced the discussion of that first And know that ‘an act the conception of which 18 necessary (darn) either ‘has @ quality in addition to its origination (huddth), or 1t has not. An example of the latter 1s the movement of one who ote thoughtlosely (as-edht) and of a slospar And as for tthe former, either reason hates that addition or it does not: —if it does, that is evil (al-qabih), and if reason does not hate i, its good (al-hasan). (That 1s, an act wluch oue ean, mow of necessity, such as the things we eee and hear, either has @ moral quality in addition to ite occurrence, o it has not. If it has, and reason does not hate t, at is good—other- wise it is evil.) 118, Either (1) the doing and not doing of an act is equal, ‘and thie is mubdh (indifferent); or (2) xt 15 not equal. And oALLAR'S JUSTICE a (m this latter case) if the not doing of it is preferable, then if the opposite (namely, the doing of rt) us forhdden xt 1s hard, otherwise it is mairdi And af the doing of 1t 1s preferable, ‘then if the leaving it undone is forbudden, rt wp ; or af the Toaving 1t undone 1s permanble xt 18 manddb (or mustahabb). (2) Doing and not domng equal’ mb, (2) Domg and not domg not equal : (a) Not doug preferable fo} Dome orton artim (2) Domg it not forbidden: makridh (@) Doing of wt preferable Ate an ome at (omustabat 114 Since this 18 explamed, know that good and ev! are ‘used in three senses (1) Furst. a thing's bemg a quality of perfection, such as our saying that knowledge 1s good, or quahty of smperfection, such as our saying that ignorance 1s ovil (2) Seoond, a thing’s bemg agrecable to nature, a pleasures, or disagrecable ta xt, as pains (8) Thind, good 1s that the domg of which deserves praise an this world and reward m the world to come, and evil 1s that the domg of which deserves blame im this world and puushment im the ‘world to come. 115 And there 1s no difference of op:mon as to the first ‘wo senses being determined by reason But the scholastic theologians have differed regarding the thmd sense ‘The Ash‘arites say that there 1 nothing in reason which can guido to (2 knowledge of) good and evil m this third sense, Dut Jaw (must he the guide), and whatever it calls good 1s ‘good, and whatever it calls evil 1s evil And the Mu‘tazihtes ‘and Imimites say that there 1s that m reason which can ‘guido to it, and that good 1» good mn steelf, and ovil » evil in atself, whether the Jawgiver pronounces 1t so or not* And ‘they reply to them (the Ash‘snites) as follows. (1) First, we know of necessity that some actions are good, such as veracity ‘which 15 profitable and faxmness and domg good and returninge AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR 4 trust and rescuing one who is perishing and other such things, without needing law (to tell us so); and that others are evil, such as an injurious lie and injustice and doing harm to one who does not deserve it and other such things, without having any doubt at all about it. For this judgment ia inherent (markiz) in human nature. For when wo say to a person, “If you speak the truth you will get a dinar.” and he be unprejudieed, by reason alone he will recognize the truth and desire to speak 1. UI. (9) Beoond, af that which recognises (mudeil) good and ovil were law and nothing cls, it would follow that they could not be known apart from it. But this necessity 1s false, hence that which necessitates 1t 18 false also. And the ‘explanation of this necessity 18 that it s umpossible of nevessity for a thmg conditioned to be bmdmg apart from the con- dition, And the explanation of the fallacy of the necesnty is that those who do not beheve m a law, hike the Malaluda and the phulosophers of India, do affirm that some actions are good and others evil without hemtatmg m the matter For af this (knowledge) consisted m what 1s learned from law then they would not have pronounced an opinion, LIT. (@) Third, af rational good and evil be demed, then ft becomes necessary that legal good and evil be denied also, But all agree that this necessity 2s false Hence that which necessitates it 18 false aleo, And the reason for this necessity (for the denial of legal good and evi!) 18 the dem, in this case, of the evil of # he on the part of the lawgtver, when reason does not pronounce it evil, 60 that he gives the he to hunself And when the evil of a he m hum 1s demed, then the trust- ‘worthiness of what ho talla us regarding good and evil must be denied also. (Thats, tall reason teaches us that a he ws evil, ‘we cannot trust the lawgiver—for perhaps he is lying to us.) 118, (2) Scop, ws ane rams somTs (fa‘iline bi'Lilchti- yar), AND NECESSITY REQUIRES THIS: (a) BECAUSE OF THE NECESSARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAN'S FALLING FROM ‘THE ROOF AND HIS GOING DOWN FROM IT BY A LADDER— OTHERWISE OUR RESFONSIBNLATY (tak) FoR A THING WOULDALLAH'S JUSTICE e ‘BE DAPOSSIBLE, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE NO IN; (6) AND BECAUSE OF THE EVIL OF MIS CREATING 4N ACT I US AND ‘THEN PUNISHING US FOR I; (¢) AND BECAUSE OF TRADITION. 119. The belief of Abu'I-Hasan al-Ash‘ar! and those who {ollow hi is that all actions take place by the Power of Allah ‘tho Most High, and no action whatever belonge to the creature. And some of the Ash‘arites say that the essence of the act 1s of Allah, and the creature has fasb, which they explain as the action’s being obedience or disobedience (that 1s, the moral quality of the oot belongs to man, the aot steclf 1» Allah's) * And some of them say that xts meanmg is that when the creature determines to undertake some thing, Allah the ‘Most High creates the act thereupon. And the Mu‘tazlites? ‘and Zaydites® and Imimtes say that actions which proceed from the creature, and their qualities, and the Aas which they apoke of, all take place by the power and choice of the creature. and he 18 not foreed (maybir) to act as he does, ‘but he can act and he can refram from acting, and this 1s the reality, for several reasons: (1) First, wo find a necessary Aifference between the wtumg from us of an action which results from purpose and motive, like the descent, from the roof by a ladder, and the issuing of an action of another sort, like fallmg from the roof either by vonstraint or accidentally. For we have power to refram from the first (action), but not from the second. And af actions were not ours, then thoy ‘would all be of one uniform kind without any distmetion. But a distinction 1s present, Hence actions are ours, and that is what we sought. 120, (2) Second, xf the oreature were not the brnger-into- ‘enstence (mijid) of us actions, then his tallif would be ‘impossible, othermse he would be responsible for what he is unable to perform. And we say this because in this case he would not have power to do that for which he1s responsible. For if he wore responsible, the respoambility would be for something which he was unable to perform, and this is falso, by the agreement of all. And when he is not responsible (tmukallaf), he is not disobedient (‘é) when lhe opposes (God's will), but by the agreement of oll he is disobedient.“ AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR TAL. (8) Third, if the creature were not a bringer-into- ‘existence of his actions, and did not have power over them, then Allgh would be the most unjust of unjust bemgs. For ‘ance the evil action proceeds from the Most High (not from man), it us amposnble for the creature to be punished for xt, for ho has not performed st. But all agree that tho Most High punishes, Then He would be unjust—but He 1s exalted above that! 122, (4) Fourth, the Mighty Book which 1s the Divider (fargin) between true and false teaches everywhero the relation (idéfa) of the action to the ereatura and its ocourrence by his will, according to the word of the Most High, * Woe to those who with their hands transcribe the Book corruptly, and then say, ‘Thus xs from Allah,” that they may sell xt for some mean price! Woe to them for that which their hands hhave wntten! and Woe to them for the gains which they have made!” (2 73)“ ... they follow but a conceit” (6° 116)“. . . So long as they change not what 15 1n their hearts” (8. $5) ‘‘. . . Hewho doth evil shall be recompensed fort” (A 122)“. . . Pledged to Allah 1s every man for hie actions and these desert” (52 2x) And all the veraos of promise and threatenig and blame and praise (prove this), and they are more than can be numbered. 193. (3) THIRD, REGARDING THE mMrossmmuaTY OF EVIL (qubh) voc sm, RecauSE HE HAS THAT WHICH DETERS NE FROM IT, WHICH 18 THE KNOWLEDGE (‘ilm) OF EVIL, AND HE HAS NO MOTIVE FOR DOING EVIL, BECAUSE THE MOTIVE WOULD DE EITHER NEED, WHICH 18 IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM, OB THE ‘wrspow (hikina) OF IT, WHICH 18 BXOLUDED HERE, AND BECAUSE THE PROOP OF PROPHECY WOULD RE IMPOSSIBLE 1 18 WERE POSSIBLE POR EVIL TO PROCEED FROM HIM 124, Tt 1s amposuble for the Blost High to be the doer of evil, This 1 the belief of the Mu'tanites, But to the Ash‘antes Ho us the Doer of everything, be 1t good or evil. ‘And the proof of what we have said 1s twofold: (1) First, that ‘which would deter Him from evil exusts, and the motave for doing evil does not exst, and whatever 1s thus cannot comeALLAH'S JUSTICE o to pass of necessity. Now as for the existence of a deterrent (cs-sindf), xis the knowledge of evil, and Allah the Most High mows it; and as for the non-existence of a motive—the motive 18 either need of it, and this 15 impossible for Him, ‘because He needs nothing, or 1s the wisdom of xt, and this also 1s impoauble, because there 12 no wisdom in ovil. (2) Second, 1f evil were possible for Hum, then the proof of prophecy ‘would be impossible But this necessity 18 false by universal agreement, hence that which necessitates it 1s false also. ‘And an explanation of thie nesossity in case Ho could do evil, the attesting of a false prophet would not be evil for ‘Him, and m such a case assurance (jazm) as to the veracity of prophecy would be impossible, and this 1s self-evident 195 Hence rv rms cass THE WILL TO DO RIL IS DAPOSSIBLE yor une, ror rr (that wil) 18 evr 126 The Ash‘anites hold that the Most High 1s the Willer (muurid) of all contingent existence, be it good or evil, vice or virtue, faith or unbehef, because He 1s the briageranto exastence of everything, and 1s therefore also the willer of 1 And the Mu'tazshites® hold that it i imposuble for Him to will evil and unbebef, and that 1s the reality. For the wil to do evil ss itself evil For we know of nevessity that yust 4s rational begs blame the doer of evil so also they blame ‘the willer of xt, and the command to do it So the saymg of the author, “i this case,” stated the result, namely, that the impossibility of the evil act (in Him) necessitates the ampossibihty of the will to dot. 197, (4) Founns, ascanixe THE PAO THAT THB MooT ‘MrGH ACTS WITH AN ANM (gharad), RECAUSE THE KORAN TEACHES 18, AND BECAUSE THE NEGATION OF If WOULD RESULT IN vanrry (al‘abath), ND THAT 18 BVI. 198, Tho Ash‘ontes hold that the Most High doos not aot with an aim, for if He did He would be amperfeet, and would be seeking to perfect Himself by that aim, And the Mu'tazlhtes say that the actions of Allih are effected (au'allal) by uns, otherwise He would be acting in vain“6 AL-BABU 'L-HADY ‘ASHAR ‘and Allah is exalted above that. And this is the opinion of ‘our companions the Imimites, and it is the reality, for two reasons: (1) First, the traditional—and the teaching of the Koran regarding this 18 clear, scoording to the saying of the Most High, “What ' did ye then think that we had created you for pastime (‘abath), ond thet yo should not be brought back gam to us?” (28: 117); and, “I have not created Jinn and ‘men but that they should worship me” (61" 56); “We have not ‘created the heaven and the earth and what is between them for nought (batil) ‘That 1» the thought of the infidels” (98: 26). (2) Scoond, the rational proof is that if t were not thus (that Allah has an am im. all His actions) it would necessanly follow that He acts m vain But this necessity 18 false, hence that which nevesitates it is false also. Now the reason for its bemg necessary is evident. And the necessity 1s false, for a vain thing is evil, and one who is Wise (hakim) doee not engage im what 1x evil And as for the aaymg that af He acted with an aim He would be seeking to perfect Himself by that aim, certamly xf the am benefited Him He would neceasanily be seeking to perfect Himself, and He 1s not ke that. But tho aim 1s bonoficul for tho profit (nat) of the creature, or else it because of the requirements of the order (nizim) of existence, and this does not necessitate a seeking for perfection (on the part of Allah) 199, Asp THE Amt OF ALLAN 1S NOT THE INTURY OF MAN, BECAUSE THAT I8 RUT, RUT (RATHER) MIS PROFTT (naf*) 180, Since it 1s established that the action of the Most High 1s effected by an arm, and this aum concerns not Himself but ‘others, then mn such a case His arm 1s not the myury of others, for that m the opimon of rationsl bemgs 1s evi—as af one should give powoned food to another with the purpose of Jolhng him, And since the aim 13 not mjury, 1t 18 certamn that 1s profit (naf'), which is what we sought. 181, Haxce Twene uver px daiff, wintou 19 nespowsrorarY (ba'th) To HIM TO WHOM OBEDIENCE 18 DUE (wayib) IN THAT 1 WHICH 18 LABOUR (mashagga) BY WAY OF 4 BEGINNING (‘ala jihati'lubtidd) ox conprrion oF KNOWING,ALLAH'S JUSTICE “ 132, Tt has boon proved that tho aim of the action of the ‘Most High is the profit of the creature. And there is no real profit except final reward (thawab). For everything except ‘that is either guarding against injury or acquiring profit that 1 not abiding, and it 1s not good that that should be the aum in the creation of man. Than final reward at the first is ov:l, 4s shall be explained later (that 18, one must first labour, then receive a reward (see par. 143]). Hence wisdom requires that ‘aiiff be the means (tewassut) (of attaining rewanl). And tallif xe derived from kulfa, which means érouble, and an usage 1t 18 that which our author mentioned. 135, And da'th for a thing 18 being responsible for it. And 1B TO WHOM OBEDIENCE 18 DUE 1s Allsh the Most High. So for that reason he says, “Dy WAY OF a BEamNTNG ” (first of all), because the obbgation to obey any other than Alléh, such ‘a8 prophet, imam, father, lord, or bencfactor follows, and is consequence of, obedience to Allah, And his saying, “1 ‘THAT IN WHICH 18 LABOUs," was to guard aguinst thal an which 1s no labour, such as the responsibility of marrying, ‘which produces pleasure, and of partaking of foods and drinks which produce pleasure. (Only those commands which re- quire us to do distasteful things, such as namd: (worship), ‘za (fasting), and 30 forth, must be obeyed, and have rewards and pumsbments. Alléh commanded marnage, but sf one does not marry he s not punushed, and if he does ho1snot rewarded ) 134, And his saying, “ OX coNDrTioN OF KNOWING,” means ‘on condition that the mukallaf knows what task has been laid ‘upon hum, and knowing 1s one of the conditions of the (akiif’s emg good. And the conditions of 1ts being good are three (1) The first of these concems ‘allif xtsclf, and 1s fourfold. (a) frst, the absence of a cause of corruption mit, since such @ cause would be evil, (2) second, its preceding the time of the act (we must be told our duty before the time to perform it), (0) third, the possibility of ita performance, because tabltf for something that cannot be done 1s evil, (d) fourth, the presence (in the act) of a quality in addition to bemg good (busn), since one is not responsible for (the performance of) ‘nubs (o0e por. 118).4s AL-BABU 'L-HADE ‘ASHAR 185. (2) The second concerns Him who imposes the task (omnkalli), that 1s, the Author (f2'l) of the tallff, and xt 18 fourfold. (a) first, His knowledge of the qualities of an action, ‘whether 1t 18 good or evil; (6) second, His knowledge of the measure of the reward and punishment which each single ‘mukallaf desorvos, (2) third, the power of gromg to cach ono ss due, (d) fourth, His not bemg a doer of evil. 136. (8) The third concems the mukallaf, that 1s, the one upon whom rests the dali, and xt 1s threefold. (a) fist, hus power over the act, because 18 12 ampoauble for one to havo 4 task imposed on him (taHlif) which ho cannot perform, such as the taklff of a blind man for a dot m the Koran, of of a cenpple for flying, (0) second, hus knowing what task has been uunposed upon hum, or the possibility of lus kuowing it, for the ignorant man who 1s able to know 1s not excusable, (6) third, the possibihty of the means (of performing) the action. 187. Then that which 1s covered by ‘abiif 1s either know- ledge (‘ilm), or supposition (zann), or deed (‘amal) (a) Know- ledge 1s either rational, such as the knowledge of Alldh and Hus qualstios and His justice and His wudem and of prophecy and of the Imimate," or traditional, such as (the knowledge ‘of) the religious ordimances, (b) and supposition 1 lke (finding) the direction of the qubl, (c) and decd 1s ike worship, 198, Ormmwise ue wocLn ne ax mxcrmen (mughsi) 70 ‘EVIL, IN THAT HE CREATED (IN MAN) THE PASSIONS AND THE DESIRE YOR EVIL AND THE HATRED OF GooD. HENCE THERE vor Bp A RESTRAINT (six), AND THAT 18 fall. 189, This 18 a suggestion that talléf 1s incumbent on philo- sophical grounds, And this 1s the belief of the Mu'tazilites, ‘and at 18 the realty, as opposed to the doctrme of the Ash‘antes, for they do not make anything incumbent (wapb) ‘upon Allah the Most High, either laliff or anything cleo, And the proof of what we have suid is that af st were not thus ‘Allah would be the author of evil. In explanation of this, (we say that) He has created in man passion (ash-shahwa) and desire for evil and hatred of and aversion to good." Hence ifALLAH'S JUSTICE rr He did not lay upon man as a task the incumbence of that ‘which is inoumbent and the evil of what which 18 evil, and promuse (him rewards for obedience) and threaten him (with amishment for disobedience), then Allah the Most High ‘would be meiting man to evil, and inciting to evils evil. ‘MO, AND KNOWLEDGE (‘ilm) 18 NOT SUFFICIENT, BECAUSE BLAME 18 EASY (to best) IX ATTAINING AN OBJECT DESIRED. LL, This 18 the answer to a supposod question, namely, why the knowledge that one ss worthy of blame for domg evil does not prevent one from domg evil, and why the knowledge ‘that one 1 worthy of prawe for doig good does not snduce ‘one to do good, in which case there would be no need for taki, because the aim would be realrzed without it? (This 3s the position of the Ash‘antes.) The author answers that Knowledge 18 not suffcient, because frequently man finds bblame for evil easy (to bear), since by means of 1t he attains Ins object ‘This 1s especially true m view of the presence of sensual motrves, which m most people triumph over rational motives. 142. AND THE REASON FOR (ablif’s BRING Goon 18 THAT rr APPRISES (men) OF REWARD (ath-thawab), THAT 18, OF ‘THE MERITED ADVANTAGE WHICH 18 JOINED (muyénn) WITH EXALTATION (atta‘sim) AND VENERATION (al-ylél), THE BEGINNING WITH WHICH 18 INPOSSIBLE (that 18, God cannot reward men for actions which have not been commanded them, Hence He first appomts them tasks, and then rewards ‘them for domg ther). 143. This also 1s an answer to a supposed question, the suppostion being that the reason for laklif's bemg good i either that it brings punishment, which 1s absolutely false, (for pumshment 1 not @ good), or that it brings reward, which 18 aloo false, and that for two reasons: first, the unfidel who dies in his unbelief 18 & mukallaf in spite of hns failure to acquire reward, and second, reward 15 decreed (maqdar) by Allah the ‘Most, High in the beguming, and therefore there 1s no ad- ‘vantage in tallff’s bemg a means of reward. The author ‘wo AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR replies that the reason for takiff's being good is that it apprises (ted) men of reward, not that it brings them reward. And apprising is universal as regards both believer and unbeliever, ‘And that reward 18 decreed by Allsh the Most High in the beginning is admitted, but it is impossible for Him to begin swith it except by moana of tablff (that 1, to sowasd mon with. out first appomting tasks for them). or reward consists of exaltation and veneration, and reason pronounces the exalta- tion of & person who does not deserve at to be evil. And the author vays in explanation of reward, that x6 1» “merited advantage which 16 yoned with exaltation.” Now advantage (naf}) compnses reward (thawab) and grace (tafaddul) and recompense (‘1wad). Hence by the condition that 1t be menited, grace is excluded, and by the condition that it be jomed with exaltation, recompense is excluded. (Recompense as merely wages paid—but Allah does more—He pays us our due and exalts us besides. Hence this 1 not recompense but reward.) MA. (6) Fir, necanpine THE Facr THAT KuvDNeEss (luff) 3s INCUMMENT vPOX THE MOST WGN. AND LORD 1s suAT WHICH BRINGS THE CREATURE NEAR TO OBEDIENCE AND KEEPS HIM YAR ¥ROM DISOBEDIENCE, AND IT IS NO FART (azz) or apmary (tamkin), AND Tf DOES NOT GO AS FAR AS COK- PULstOn (alslji?) FoR THE AIM OF THE INPOSER OF TASK (al-Mukallf) oerexns veox rr. For wHENever He WHO WILLS AN ACT FROM ANOTHER (that 18, when Allih wills that man do something) KNOWS THAT HE WILL NOT DO I? EXCEPT WITH THE AID OF AN ACT WHICH THE WILLER CAN PERFORM WITHOUT ANY TROUDLE, THEN IF HE DORS NOT PERFORM 1P HE WOULD BR CONTRADICTING HIS OWN AIM, AND REASON PRONOUNCES THAT EVIL—AULAW 16 EXALTED ABOVE THAT ' 145, On what does the performance of obedience and. the refraining from disobedience depend? (1) Firt, on tho prosenoe of the power and means without which the act cannot be performed: and (2) second, on the presence of lulf (kindness), by which one who is responsible (mukaaf) for ‘am act of obedience which he cannot perform without lulfALLAH'S JUSTICE a ‘is enabled to draw near to obedience and refrain from dis- obedience, (for example, in worship the aots of kneeling, speaking, ete., are ours, by Allah's lf). 146, And hus saying, “rr 18 No PART OF ABILITY,” refers to the first part, namely power, for power in actions 1s not luif, but rather a condition of their possibilty. (My power to pray is not Alldh’s Kindness to me—rather it 1s the necessary con- dition of the posnbility of my obeying the command to pray ) And his saying, “rr DOES NOT GO AS HAR AS COMPULSION,” in true, because if xt went ao far as compulsion xt would nullify taklif. 147. And smce this 18 settled, then know that luff 18 some- ‘umes shown 1 the act of Allah, in which ease st 1s meumbent upon Him, and sometimes tis shown mn the act of the mukullaf, in which case 1t 1s incumbent upon the Most High to inform the mukallaf of his duty and make xt mcumbent upon him, ‘and sometimes it 18 shown in (the act of) someone other than Allth and the mukallaf (namely, the prophet), in which case 1 becomes a condition of faklif that one know the prophet, and thot Alléh make moumbent on hum that act (namely, delwerng has message), and confirm it for kim. And our saying that they (the three kinds of luff) are all noumbent: on Allah is because He would contradict His anm xf this were not the case. And contradiction of aum 1s evil for Him, 148, And the explanation of this 18 that when He wille that, someone perform some act, and knows that the man for whom 1s willed will not perform the desired act unless the Willer ‘aids him with an act which He performs with him, such as an act of kindlinese (mulétafa) toward him or of correspondence with him (mukitaba) or of sending to him or of stnving for ‘him, and so forth, in which there 1s no trouble (mashaqqa) for Him—then if He does not do these things which He had resolved to do, rational bemgs would judge thet He had ‘contradicted His purpose, and would blame Him accordingly. And like this is what (the author) said regarding the Most High Creator, that 1f, when He wills the performance of obedience and the removal of disobedience, He does not do that on which these two things depend, He would then be contradictinga AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR, His aim, And contradiction of aim is evil, and Alléh is exalted above thet, the Most High and Most Exalted ! 149, (6) SteTH, IX REGARD TO THE FACT THAT AN ACTION WW RECOMPENSE (‘swad) FOR THE SUFFERINGS (Alam) WAIOH MEANING OF RECOMPENSE Id A DESERVED ADVANTAGE 1 WHICH 18 NO EXALTATION OR VENERATION—OTHERWISE HE WOULD BE UNJUST, AND ALAM I8 EXALTED ABOVE THAT. AND av 19 INCUMBENT THAT IT DE I BXOHOS OF THE SUFFERING, ‘OTHERWISH IT WOULD BE IN VAIN. 150. In the suffermg which living creatures experience cither some sort of evils recognized (and that proceeds entirely, frou us), or ese evil 8 not recoguized in it, in which ease i is ‘good. And several things have been mentioned as to the good of pam: first, its being deserved, second, its containing advantage in excess (of the pamn) which benefits the sufferer: third, its contaimmg protection from injury in excess of the ‘pan, fourth, its being common to man, fifth, 1s contarming sort of protection, And this good sometimes proceeds from ‘the Most High, and sometimes proceeds from us. And that ‘which proceeds from the Most High 1s for our advantage, and 68 necessary that there be m rt two things" (1) Fust, recom- pense for the suffermg, otherwise He would be unjust, and Allah 19 exalted above that, And st 1s necossary that tho recompense be mn excess of the pain to the extent that every rational beng be satisfied. For 1t 1s evil in our opinion (fi'sh-shahid) to cause anyone to suffer m order to recompense hm for the suffermg without (givmg hum) something in exocss, because that would be m vain. (2) Second, there must bo (om the sufferg some) kandness (luff), exther for the sufferer or for another, that it may not be in vain, But as for that suffering which proceeds from us in which there is some sort of ovil—it is inoumbent upon Allah to avengo the sufferer of his tommentor, because of His justice (‘adl), and because the Koran tesches it. And in this case the recompense must be equal to the suffering, And if it were not thus He would be unjust,ALLAH'S JUSTICE 38 1BL, And here there are soveral matters of importance: (1) Fust, recompense (al-iwag) is a merited advantage in ‘which is no exaltation or veneration. By the condition of Deing mented it is distinguiahed from grace (tafaddul), and by the condition of being without any ezaltation it 1s distin- gushed from reward (thawéb)* (2) Booond, 1+ fo neccesary that recompense be abiding (dawim), because xt 1s not good 1m our opmion (fsh-shihid) for one to endure perilous woes and painful and great and laborious tras for a small transient advantage, (8) Ib as not novessary that the recompense be oquired in this world, for posubly Allah knows that there 1s an advantage in it delay. Hence, rt 1s sometimes acquired am this world, and sometimes it 18 not. (4) He who receives the recompense for his sufferings at the last day will be exther of those who are rewarded or of those who are punished. ‘And if he be of those who are rewarded, then at 18 euficient for Allah to give him his recompense, that at, that He divide Xt up into penods, or that He show grace to hum in some such way. (The Ash'antes say that Paradwe 1s in itself sufictent reward for paun, but the Shi'ites say thet a recompense 1 also neccesary.) And af he be of those who are puniahed, Allah will cancel « part of his purushment because of hus former sufferings, in such o way that the lightening of it will not, be evident to hum, since He will divide the measure of 1t nto periods. (6) The ouffermmg which proceeds from us to others, cathor by the command (amt) of the Most High or elze by Hs permisnon, and that which proceeds from crestures such as the dumb brutes, and lke the wasting of profit for the ad- vantage of someone else winch proceeds from Him, and the downpour of woes which come from something other than the ‘act of man—tho recompense for all this 1s incumbent upon Allah the Moat. High, because of His Tustioe ('xdl) and His ‘Meroy (Karam).SECTION V 102, CONCERNING PROPHECY: THE PROPHET (an-nabl}—oN WIM BE PEACE "—18 A MAN WHO BEINGS 4 MEssAOE (al-mukhbit) YuOM ALLAN THE MOST HIOM WITHOUT THE MEDIATION OF ANY HUMAN BEDNG, 1109, When he had finished the discussion of Justice he on~ nected with it the discussion of Prophecy, because of sts bemg ‘a branch of xt, And he defined the Prophet as a MAN WHO BRINGS A MESSAGE PROM ALLAH WITHOUT THE MEDIATION OP ANY HUMAN azine, And by the term “may,” angel 18 ex- cluded. And by the term, ‘'A BRINGER OF A MESSAGE PROM ALLAH,” every one 18 excluded who brings a message from ‘any besides Allah, And by the term (which requires) the ab- sence of human medtion, the Imi and the doctor (‘lim are excluded, for they are brngers of a message from Allah through the mediation of the Prophet 154, Since this 1s settled, then know that (the existence of) Prophecy and sts being good (husn) are necessary (wijib) om Philosophieal grounds, oontrery to the Barehmiyye ond the Ash‘anttes* And the proof of this 1s thet since the purpose 1m the bringing of mankind into existence 18 the advantage (maslaha) which accrues to them (that is, Allah creates man not for Hs own glory but for man’s good), then bringing them near to that in which their advantage consists and restraining ‘them from that which would corrupt them 1s necessary on philosophical grounds, And that is (true), either im their ‘present state or their future state. 105. (1) As for their present state, since for the preservation of the human race necessity requires a society (mé'), and fance an @ society every mndividual opposes hue companion in seeking what he needs, then a society must result. in con- tentions and disagreements which arse from the love which every individual has for hunwelf and the desire that he has for hs own profit, notYor that of another, so that st would end oePROPHECY 3 1m the corruption and extinction of the race, Hence wudom demande the extence of justice which will ordain a law to ba ‘put nto effect among men 1m such a way that every individual ‘may obey its commands and heed 1ts prohibitions. Then it ‘that law were ordaimed for them, the result would be the seme as at first (namely, disorder and anarchy), because every mndividual has his own opmion which his reason and desire dictate and hia nature necessitates, Henoa m such & case there must be a lawgiver who can distinguish between the verses (dyat) and teachmngs (of the Koran) which prove his own veracity, that » proclamer be appounted for the law by Allah to promise rowards to the obedient and to threaten with punishment the disobedient, that he may mvite man to obey his commands and prohibitions. 166, (2) And as to their future state—now since final blessedness (8a'8da) 18 not acquired except by the perfection of the soul (nafs) by real knowledge and right actions, and sanoe attachment to tho things of the world and the absorption of the mind mn the garment of flosh prevent the attainment of that: m the most complete manner and the most direct way, ‘or if tt 1s attained at 1s mingled with doubt and opposed by fear—hence in such a case the existence of a person 1s required ‘who does not have that hindering attachment, 20 that he can ‘gwe them proofs and make them plan to them, and make doubts to vanish and protect men from them, and asawt that to which their reasons guide them (that 18, natural religion), ‘and explain that to which they have not been guided (namely, perfect knowledge), and remind them of their Creator an: thar Object of Worship, and appomt them acts of devotion (Cabadat) and mght actions, what they are and how they are to he performed, in order to secure for them nearness to Al ‘and repeat them for men in order that they may through Tepetition seek to keep his admonitions, lest cazelessness and forgetfulness, which are man’s second nature, overeomo them ‘And this person who 1s needed both for the present and the future state 18 the Prophet. Hence (the existence of) the Prophet 1s necessary (wyib) on philosophical grounds, and that 18 what we sought.0 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR 187, AND of THIS THERE ARD SEVERAL SUBJECTS oR T- revioatiox. (1) Fist, REGARDING THE PROPHETIC MIBSION (nubuwwa) oF OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD R. ‘ARDUTLLAR R. “ABDU'L-MUTTALIB, THR MESSENGER OF ALLAR (UPON HIM BE veacg') (And he is a prophet) BECAUSE MIRACLES (muiza) (WERE WROUGHT DY HIS HAND, SUCH AS THE KORAN AND THE SPLITTING OF THE MOON AND THB ISSUING OF WATER FROM BETWEEN HIS FINOERS AND THE FEEDING OF A GREAT MULTI- TUDE WITE A LITTLE Poon AND TH PRATRING ALZAWE OF PERRLES IN HIS HAND, AND HIS MIRACLES WERE MORE THAN CAN BE xuspenep, Now HE CLAINED TO BE A PROPHET, HeNce Me 18 VeRACiOvS (gidiq), OTHERWISE THE INCITING OF THE muballof 70 EVIL WOULD BE NGCESBARY, AND THAT 15 1M POSSIBLE. 158. Since problems vary according to the changing of the ‘umes and of people, as in the case of a sick person whose con dition changes as regords the nature of his cure and the use of ‘modiemes acoording to the vanation of his constitution and the fluctuation of hus disease, so that at one tume he 1s cured by something which at another time would not he able to cure him, therefore prophecy and laws (shari'a) must vary according to the variation of the problems of man in different ages, And ‘this 1s the mystery mm the abrogation of some codes of laws by ‘others, till prophooy and law culminated (intabat) an our ‘Prophet Mubammad, whose prophecy and law by the demands ‘of reason (al-bikma) abrogate (nisikh) that which preceded ‘them, and will themselves abide so long as cakiff abides, 189. And the proof of the valty of hus prophetic mission fs that he claumed to be a prophet, and miracles were wrought by hus hand, and whooveris thus s really prophet. ‘Thorefore ‘wa need to explain threo matter: ist, that he clatmed to be & prophet, second, that miracles were wrought by his hand; and ‘third, that whoever 1s thus 1 really a prophet, (1) As for the first, ss proved by the agreement of all men, so that no ope denies it. 160. (2) And as for the second—now a miracle (nu'jz) 18 ‘4 thnng (amr) which breaks m upon the ordinary course of nature m accordance with a claum (eg., he must fist say, “IPROPHECY ov will heal this blind man,” and then heal him), and united with ‘ purpose (tahaddl) the doing ofthe lke of which is impossible for man. If 1t does not break im upon the ordinary course of nature, then it 18 no miracle, as, for instance, the nang of ‘the sun in the east, And it must accord with a claim, because at is to prove the truth of that which he claims, For af the riracle did not 20 accord, as n the esse of Musaylima the Liar, then xt would not prove his verseity. And it 1s smposuble for men to do the hike of t, because ft should occur frequently at would not attest (the truth of) propheey. 161. Now there 1s no doubt that miracles were wrought by the hand of our prophet, and this 1s known by taudtur (trust- ‘worthy tradition which has come down by a numbor of ind pendent lines without a break), which soquaints us with necessary knowledge (‘Im) And among his miracles 18 the Gracious Koran with which he challenges (tahadda) men and seeks from them the brngng ofits hike. But they have not bbeen able to do st For the eloquent orators of the purest ‘Arabs were impotent, and their impotence even led them to war and fighting which resalted an the loss of their hives and property and the captivity of their wives and children. For sunce they were better able to defend themselves agaist that, (tthe muracle of the Koran) because of thex mastery of sn- dyvidual words and the arrangement of thom, inasmuch as they ‘were people of eloquence and style and spooch and oratory and ‘conversation and repartee, thert turning hack from that to war 18 a proof of their impotence. For a rational creature will never choose the harder course when the easier 1s open to him, ‘except when he 1s ampotent to do the easier, 162. And others of his miracles are the aplitting of the moon, and the gushing of water from betwoen his fingers, and the feeding of a great multitude with a ttle food, and the praning of Allah of pebbles in his hand, and the speech of the powsoned. wild calf (warning Muhammad not to eat xt), and the snowing of the five-year-old camel (warning bim of danger), and the speech of dumb animals, and the telling of things hidden, and the answermg of his prayers, and others that cannot be numbered for multitude which are known from books of8 AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR miracles and history. So that the record of more than one thousand miracles has been preserved, the greatest and most ‘exalted of which is the Mighty Book—“ Falsehood, from what- ever side xt cometh, shall not, come nigh it, 1618 a mauve sent down from the Wise, the Prasseworthy” (#1: 42)—which their hearts did not embrace and which their ears did not hear, and by the exccasive rejection of which (the like of xt) was not produced, and the darkness has not been illumined except by , 168. (8) As for the third, xf he were not veracious m bis ‘lam to be a prophet, then he would be a liar. And that 18 false, since 1t would necessitate the meiting of mukallafs to obey a har, and that 1s evil which the Wise (Allah) would not ‘commit, 164. (2) Secon, REGARDING Hrs rMMONTTY TO SMW (‘gma AND IMMUNITY TO SIN 18 A HIDDEN KINDNESS (lutf) WHICH AULAR THE MOST HIGH SHOWS TO (the Prophet) ON WHOM Hz Has LAID Tis TASK (mukallaf), THAT HE MAY HAVE NO (ma‘nya), AVTHOUGH HE MAR THR PowER (qndra) TO Do 80, For IF 17 WERE NOT 80 ONE COULD HAVE NO CONFIDENCE 1N HIS WorD. THEN THR VALUE OF HIS PROPHETIC MISSION WOULD BE NULLIFIED, AND THAT 15 IMFOSSIBLE, 165, Know that o person immune to sim (ma‘gim) shares ‘with others m the kindnesses which bring men near to All And m addition to that, because of the nature of his aonl (malaka nafsimyya), he enjoys a special form of kdness ‘which Allah bestows upon him, s0 that because of that he does ot chooee to forsake obedience and to commit am, although hho has tho ability to do so. (An angel does not have that ability.) And aome hold that the Ma‘yim exnnot commst sin, and this 25 false, otherwise he would deserve no praise. 100, Now thet this is settled, know that there 1s a difference ‘of opinion regarding the mmunity of the prophets to sm, And the Khinjites (al-Khawéry) held that sos (dhundb) ‘were posable for them, and accordmg to them all sin 12 mn- fidelity. And the Hashwitest held that 1t was posuble for them to commit the great sins. And some of them demed‘PROPHECY 60 (that they committed them) intentionally but not that they committed them unintentionally, and they held that the intentional committing of small sins was possible, And the Ash‘atites denied absolutely thet they could commit the ‘great sins, but they allowed the small ones untentionally eommitted. And the Tmamites have made unmumty to all ‘mn, intentional and unintentional, absolutely necessary (wjib), and that as the realty, for two reasons* (1) The fist is that to which the author referred, and his explanation 1s that af the prophets were not ma'stim the value of therr mismon would be nullified, And this necessity 18 falee, hence that which neces- sutates it is false also. And the explanation of tins nevesmity is that when disobedience 1s posnble for them no confidence ‘can be placed in their word, because i this case a lie would ‘be possible (j@’x) for them. And when no confidence could bbe placed in them, then their commands and prohibitions ‘would not be obeyed. ‘Then the value of thetr mission would bbe nullified, and that 18 impossible. (2) Second, if em (dhanb) proceeded from them :t would (still) be meumbent to follow ‘them, because tradition teaches that to follow them 1s incum bent, But that would be impossible, for it would be evil (to follow a man who 1s @ smnet) Hence xt 19 amposaible for sim to proceed from thom, which 18 what wo sought. 167, (8) THIRD, HE 15 IMMUNE TO SIN FROM THE FIRST OF ‘Mis LIFE To THE LAST OF 11, DECAUSE TIME HEARTS OF MEN WILL NOT BE BOUND IX OBEDIENCE TO ONE IN WHOM HAS BEEN ‘OBSERVED DURING HIS PAST LIFE VARIOUS SINS GREAT AND ‘SMALL AND THAT WHICH THE SOUL HATES, 168. Those whom we mentioned (the Ash‘arites) who assert ‘the immunity of the prophots to sin hold that this epphes to them only after their mspiration (waby), though they deny that they were previously guilty of infidelity and repeated sin. ‘And our companions (the Imémtes) say that immunity to sin in absolutely noooosary (waysb) both before inspiration and after 1 to the end of life, And the proof of that s what the author mentioned, and its self-evident. 169, And that which is found in the Mighty Book (47: 21), “Ask pardon for thy sin (dhanb)!”, and in the traditionso AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘hich might lead one to imagine that they had been guilty of sin involves (only) their leaving the better course (tarku'l- awlt). Thus what resson teaches us harmonizes with the verscity of tradition, although all of this which has been mentioned has various aspects and mplieations. And thou canst read the book, “ The Clearing of the Prophets” (Tanzthu’l- Anbiyé), which Sayyid Murtedé ‘Alamu'l-Hudé al-Mésawt ‘composed, and other books also, and if T did not fear to prolong the diseusnon I would quote a sample of t, 170, (4) FouRTH, 17 18 NECHSSARY THAT THE PROPHET BE ‘THE Bust (afdal) OF THE PEOPLE OF HIS AGE, BECAUSE IT 15 EVIL, DOTH DY REASON AND TRADITION TOR AN INFERIOR (al- maf@il) To HAVE PRECEDENCE ovER 4 suPERIOR (al-fadil). ALLAN THE Moon HOH SAYS, “18 HE THEN WRO GUIDETR INTO THE TRUTH THE MORE WORTHY TO BE FOLLOWED. OR HE ‘WHO GUIDETH NOT UNLESS HE BE HIMSELF GUIDED? WHAT ‘THEN HATH BEFALLEN YOU THAT YE 60 suDGE ?” (10 36). ML, Teas necessary (wayib) that the Prophet possess all the quahtiee of perfection and superiority, and xt 1s necessary that hhe ben that respect superior to and more perfect than every individual of the people of his age. For it 18 evil, both by ‘reason and tradition, for the Wise and Ommscient (Alléh) to give to the mferior who needs perfecting precedence over the superior and the perfector. (It as evil) by reason, a5:8 evident, ‘ince it a8 evil in the opinion of authonties to make a begunner 1m yunsprudence take precedence over Tbn ‘Abhis and others Ike hum among the lawyers. ot to make a beginner in logic take precedence over Anstotle, or to make @ begmner im grammar take precedence over Stbawaiht and al-Khal,* and 0 in all tho sciences. And (it 18 evil) by tradition, as the Praised One mdicated im tho verses quoted and in others. 172, (6) FVPTH, 17 18 NECESSARY THAT HE BE FAR REMOVED FROM BASENESS (Jand’a) ON THE FART OF MIS MALE ANCESTRY xp rnom Desavcmeny (‘iht) OF THE FEMALE, AND FROM DEPEOTS IN HIS CREATION AND FROM FLAWS IN CREATION, SINCE THAT WOULD BE ImpsRFECTION. THEN HE WOULDPROPHECY a ‘OSE HIS FLACE IN MEN'S HEARTS, AND THAT 18 CONTRARY ‘TO WHAT WE ARE SEEKING. 173. Since what io sought in creation is completo attach- roont (ingiyéd) to tho prophet and that mon’s hearts should ‘welcome him, itis necessary that he possess the qualities that, are praiseworthy, such as the perfection of reason and of sagecity and of prudence, anil the absence of forgetfulness, cand strength of opmion and of vigour and of greatness and ‘of celfrestraint and of courage and of generosity and of lber- lity and of bounty and of kindness and of zeal and of tender- ness and of mery and of humty and of meekness, and 20 forth, and that he be free from everything which would couse amperfection m Ham. And that would be caused either by Ins relationship to something outside hunself, such as the Daseness of hns fathers and the debauchery of his mothers, ‘or by his relationship to himself, and that 1s esther: (1) an his condition (shwél), ouch as cating on the road (an unseemly thmg for» prophet), and associgtion with corrupt people, and ‘that he should be a silk-weaver who weaves with his feet, ‘or that he should bleed people, or be a street-sweeper, or have ‘any such base ocoupation; or (2) 1m his character (akbléq), such as rancour and ignorance and malice and envy and harsh- ‘ness and rudeness and avarice and cowardice and covetousness of the world and desire for rt and paying attentnon to the people ‘of the world and excusing them from Allah's commands and ‘other such faults, or (3) m his nature (tabi‘a), uch as leprosy ‘and elephantsania (judhim) and msanity and dumbness and imperfection of mind, for im all this there 1s mperfection which -would cause him to lose hus plaoe m men’s hearts.SECTION VI 114. Concerning the Imémate. AND 1 CONTAINS BEVERAL SUMJECTS FOR DISCUSSION, (1) Finst, THE IMAMATE 15 A UNIVERSAL AUTHOITY (nydsa) LN THE THINGS OF KELTON AND OF THE WORLD BELONGING TO SOME FERSON AND DERIVED nowt (miyéba) smn rnormpr, Axo rr 13 rnonssany (wijib) Acconpmsa 70 Rrasox. Fon TRE MAMATE 18 4 KINDNESS (from Allsh) (Int), aND We KNOW ARSOTATTELY THAT WHEN MEN HAVE A CHIEF (ra‘is) AND A GUIDE (murshid) WHOM THEY OBBY, WHO AVENGHS THE OFFRESSKD OF HIS UFFRESSOR AND RESTRAIND THE OPFRESSOR FROM TIS OPPRESSION, THEN THEY DRAW WEAR TO SOUNDNESS (salth) AND DEPART PROM COR- RUPTION. AWN WR HAVE SHOWN PRRVIOUSEY THAT KINDNESS 18 INCUMBENT UPON ALLAE* 175, Thos 18 the discussion of the ImAmate, which follows Prophecy, and is a branch of xb, Now “ran mAaate 15 4 UNIVERSAL AUIIORITY I THE TINGS OF RELIGION AND OF THE WORLD BELONGING TO A PERSON”... And ats being iunversal is the drvision (fasl) which distingmishes at from the dominion (wnliya) of judges and vicegerents. And ‘IN THE THINGS OF RELIGION AND OF Tit WORLD,” explains that to ‘which 1t appertains, Hence 1t concerns the world as well as rehgion. And ite DeLoNema To a rensox calls attention to ‘two matters: first, ho who 1s worthy of the Imimate 1s a person appomted and specified by Allah and His Prophet, not any chance person; and second, xt 18 not possible that there be more than one individual at any one penod who is worthy of it, And some of the learned (fudala) have added to the defni- ‘ton comething regarding 1ts beng fundamental (algéla), and hhave said in the dafinstion of tho Imimato that itis a universal authonty in the things of religion and of the world belonging to @ person by fundamental right. And in this way they Buarded against » vioegerent (né'1b) to whom the Imém would sgive universal domimon. And such an authority would be @THE IMAMATE 6 universal, but not fundamentally oo. But in reality he would be excluded by the condition of ats being universal, for the above-mentioned vicegerent: would not have authonty over Ins Imém, and hence his authority would not be universal. ‘And in all this the defimtion of the TmAmate corresponds ‘with that of Prophecy. Hence in this case there must be added to xt the words, “by the nght of vicegerency derived from the Prophet,” or “by means of a man” (that 1, not ‘rom Allah direct, but through the mediation of the Prophet). 176. Smee thou hast grasped this, then know that men have disagreed as to whether the Imaméte x moumbent (wajib) or not. And the Khirpites say that it 18 not meum- bent at all And the Ash‘arites and Mu‘tazhites say that st 1s meumbent upon man, but then they disagree. The Ash‘antes, say that this is known by tradition, and the Bfu'tazlites say (it 18 known) by reason And our companions the Imémites say that 1t 1» incumbent upon Allah the Most High by reason, ‘and this s the reality. And the proof of rte reality us that the Tmimate 18 kidness (Iutf), and every sort of kindness 18 meumbent upon Allah the Most High Hence the Imamate 15 imeumbent upon Allah the Most High The major premise wwe have already explained. And the mmor premise 15 that Kxndness (luff) euch as that which thou hast known (from our previous explanation) as that which brings the creature near to obedience and keeps him far from disobedience, and this xdea (ma‘nA) js realized by the TmAmate And in explanation of this, (we say that) whoever has known dark experiences and has exammed political principles knows of nevessty that whenever men have among them a chief and a guide whom they ‘obey, who restrains the oppressor from his oppression and ‘the unjust man from his myustice and avenges the oppressed of his oppressor, and along with thet; leads them to rational phnciples ond relygious duties, and restrams them from the corruptions which cause the destruction of order in their worldly affairs, and from the evils which result in wretchedness in the world to come, so that every individual might fear that punishment. then because of this they wil draw near to soundness and depart from corruption. And by fuif we mean6 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR nothing except this, Hence the Imémate is Iuf, and that is what we sought. 171, And know that everything which proves (dalla) that Prophecy 1 necessary proves also that the Imémate is neces- sary. For the Imimate is the successor (khuléfa) of Prophecy fand stands in ste place (gé'sm magdmabé), except in the matter of receiving (talaga!) divine inspiration (wahy) without ‘@ mediator, And in the same way in which Prophecy is incumbent upon Allah the Most High on phulosophueal grounds, 120 aleoin the Fmimate, 178. And those who bold that st 18 mncumbent upon man (chalq) say that xt 8 moumbent upon them to appomt a ruler to guard their persons from harm, for guarding agaust harm 1s incumbent, And we say that we have no quarrel with them as to the Imimate’s bemg protection from harm and as to ats bemg meumbent. But our quarrel 1s about their saying that it has been bestowed (tafwid) upon men, for m this cage there would be an actual confhict (between Allah and men) regarding the sppomtment. of Imims, and x would result an ‘harm, whereas what 1s sought 16 the decrease of harm. And all ‘his ia also guarded against by the fact that immunity to sin awanecessary condition (m the Imam), and that his appomntment (nags) by the Prophet 18 necessary. 179, (2) Secon, vr 1® NecwssARY THAT THE neh BE, HAMAS To sm (ma‘sim), OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE AN ENDLESS CHAIN, FOR THE NERD WHICH DEMANDS THE IMAM 18 THE RESTRAINING OF THE OFPRESSOR FROM HIS OFFRESSION AND THE AVENGING OF THE OPPRESSED OF HIS OFPRESSOR. Now uf 1f WERE POSSIELE YOR HIM 10 BE NOT DUNE TO SIN THEN HE WOULD NEED ANOTHER TAM, AND THERE WOULD BE AN ENDLESS CHAIN, AND THAT 16 IMPOSSIBLE. AND ALSO BECAUSE IF HE COMMITTED SIX (ma'giya), AND IF IT WERE TROUMDENT UPON MEN TO DIEAFPROVE OF Hint, HB WOULD LOSE I PLACE IN MEN'S HEARTS, AND THE VALUE OF HIB APPOOYTMENT WOULD BE NULLIVIED. AND IF IT WERE NOT ‘Necessary (that he be immune to sin), THE COMMAND TO DO WHAT W APPROVED BY ALLAN (alma'rif) AND THE FRO-THE IMAMATE 6 HIBIMION AGAINST WHAT 18 DIEAPPROVED (al-munkar) WOULD CRASH TO BR INCITEMENT, AND THAT 18 TPORATRER, AND A1S0 BECAUSE HE 18 THE GUARDIAN OF THE LAW, IN WHICH ‘CASE 5 MUST BE IMMUNE TO SIN IN ORDER THAT IT BE BANE ROM ADDITION OR 1088, AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE WORD ‘OF TEE MOST sHIGH, “MY COVENANT EMDRACETH NOT THE EVILDORRS ” (2: 178). 160, When he had proved that the Imamate is necessary he ‘began to explam the qualities which constitute the necessary condition for the validity of the Imémate. And among them 16 immunity to sm, the meaning of which thou hast come to know. Now there 18 a difference of opimon as to its being ‘@ necessary condition in the Imam. Our compamons the ‘Twelvere and the Ismi‘iites have consdered it » necessary condition, as opposed to the other socte (freq). And the author sought to establish the belif (madbhab) of our com- ‘Panions by several proofs: 261, (1) Fust, if the Imam were not immune to sin, then 16 ‘would be necessary for the number of Iméms to be without Tumt. And thet which 1 necosestatod 1s false, honoe that ‘which necesmtates xt 12 false also. And m explanation of this necessity—we have already explained the cause which makes ‘us need an Imam, that 13, the resiraiming of the oppressor from his oppression, and the avengmg of the oppressed of his ‘oppressor, and tho leading of the pooplo to that in which their ‘soundness (salah) conaista and turmng them away from that ‘which results m their corruption, Then fhe were not immune ‘twaun there would be need of auother Imiin who would restrain Jum from his error (khatd). And we transfer tho discussion, to thaf other Imim. Then it would be necessary for the ‘number of Imims to be without mut, and that 1s false. 162, (2) If he were not immune to am, then sin would be possible (jz) for hum, Let us suppose that he committed fin, Thon 1n thie cago there would have to follow either the loos of the value af hus appomtment, ar tha nullifying (eu) cf his command to do what 1s approved and hus prohibition of ‘what 1s disapproved. And that which 1s necessitated 1s false 1m both sts parts, Hence that which necessitates it is false ’% AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘leo, And in explanation of the necessity (wo say that) ‘whenever he commits sin xt either (a) inoumabent upon men to disapprove of him, or(b):tis not. From the fret alternative (@) it would necessarily follow that he would lose his place in ‘men’s hearts, and that after bemg a commander (dir) he would have to bevome obedient to commands (mus'mdr), and after being a prokibitor he would have to heed the prohibitions (of others). And im such a oase the value cought for in his appomtment, namely, the elevation of hus place an men's hearts ‘and their obedience to his commands and probibstions, would be lost, And from the second alternative (6) it would neces- sarily follow that his command to do what 1» approved and his prohibition of what 1 disapproved would become non-incum- bent, and that 1s false by the agrooment of all. 188. (8) Third, he as the guardian of the Inv, and xt 18 amcumbent that everyone who 1s such be mmune to sin (a) Furst, because the guardian of the law might be e1ther the Book (the Koran), or muawdfer tradition (that which has come down mn @ number of mdependent. unbroken Imes), o agreement (al-aymi’), or fundamental absolution (al-basi’atu'l- ashyya—eg., when a Mushm isin doubt as to whether Ramadan 16 over oF not he can pass judgment im his own mind that it 18, over and proceed to break the fast), or reasoning (qiyds), of tradition that has come down in a single hne (khabara'l- wihid), or satshdb (when one 18 n doubt as to whether some- thing that was clean bas become uncloan ot not, he has the night to say, “I decree (hukm) that this 15 clean ”—ths 15 tstishdb). And no one of these 1 proper (sith) for guarding the law. The Book and tradition are not, because they do not contain (wafi) all the commandments (ahikim), although 1m every sstuation Allah bas a command which ste mcumbent, to Inow (tahsil) And agement (jymi') 18 not, for two reasons first, it 8 unable to meet most situations, although Alldh has @ command for (each of) them, and wevoud, ou the supposition of the non-existence of one mmune to sin, there 1a m agreement no convincing proof (huyje). Hance agroo- ‘ment is unprofitable, because of the possiblity of error m every {individual of them, and so in all of them. And Allah the Most‘THE IMAMATE or High pomts to the posnbility of error in all of them in His ‘word, ‘If be die, therefore, or be slain, will ye turn upon your heels ?” (8:138). And the Prophet said, “ Beware lest after ‘me you refer your affairs to unbebevers ” (namely, Abd Bakr, etc,), And this address 1s not directed to any except those to ‘whom oror is absolutely possible, (That 12, 1 case there 12 no Imim who 1s ma'yim, it 1 possible for the agreement of Delievers to result: in error.) For man 1s not forbidden to fly to the sky, because 1t 18 absolutely imposible for hum to do so. 164, And fundamental absolution 15 not able to guard the law, because x requires the removal (irtifi') of most of the commandments of the law. And it may be said that what 18 fundamental (al-al) 1s the absolution of man from the oblige- tion (dhimma) of what 1s meumbent and forbidden And the three remaining (namely, quyde, Fhabaru'l-edhad, and salshdb) all are abke m placimg importance upon supposition (az-2ann), and supposition especially gives no satisfactory knowledge of realty And the proof for the rejection of guys 1s estab- Iished, because our law 8 but upon the difference m things that agree (muttafigat), euch as the meumbence of fasting on ‘the last day of the month of Ramadin and 1ts heme forbidden ‘on the first of (the following month) Shawwl, and the agree- ment im things that differ, such as the obligation to make ablution from both urme and stools, and the agreement of oth acaidental murder and zhdr in requinng atonement (ksfféra) (Zshdr 18 when a man says to his wife, “ you are ‘as my mother to me” He then has to make atonement before he becomes lawful to hum again) Not only so, but the ‘Lawgiver cut off the hand of the petty thicf but not of one who stole large sums (ghigb), and he scourged men for accusing people falsely of adultery and made four female witnesses necessary for it, but not for blasphemy (luff). And all of thus precludes giyds. And the Prophet of Alléh has sad, © After me thie pooplo wall act somo by the Book and come by tradition and some by qiyds, and whenever they do thus then they have gone astray, and have led astray (others), ‘and nothing remains to be the guardian of the lew except the Imm,” And that is what we sought, And the Most High6s AL-BABU “L+HADI "ASHAK Creator has indicated this by His word, “But if they would zeport them to the Messenger, and to thoce who arein authority ‘among them (that is, the Imm), those who desire information ‘would learn it from them” (4: 85)* (6) Second, since he is, the guardian of the law (he must be immune to sin), for if he ‘were not immune to sim there would be no security against ‘addition and loco and change and interchange in the law. (4) Fourth, everyone who ss not immune to sin 19 unjust (lm), and nothing unjust 1 proper for the Imimate. Hence ‘no one who is not immune to sin 1s fit for the Imamate, And ‘the mmor premise is true because an unyust person 1s one -who places anythng mn a situation other than 1ts own, and ‘one who 1a not immune to em ie thus. And the major premise as true because of the word of the Most High, “My covenant embraceth not the evildoets” (2118). And the meaning of “ covenant” 18 the covenant of the Imémate, for the verse points to that, 186, (3) Tum, rt 18 wBonstany THAT THE DUM BE sprormreD (mangig) von (the Tmimate), RROAnSE THRECNITY ‘70 SUN 18 A MATTER OP THE HEART WHICH NO ONE PERORIVES, BOT ALAR THE MOST HIGH. HENCE THE SPECIFICATION MUST BE MADE BY ONE WHO KNOWS THAT THE IMAM MAS THE haxomr so aot (Seay) FOR 7, oR GoM emacs veracry. (That i the imi mut be sponte by AMG, not by the people.) 187, Thus is a reference to the way of appomtang the Imm, ‘And agreement has been reached that 1m appomting the Inmdm the specsfication can be made by Allih and His Prophet, ‘or by a previous Imim in an sndepandent way (without the voice of the people). And verily the disagreement is as to whether or not his appomtment (ta‘yin) can be in a way (cabab) that as other than specification (nage) (by Allah and ‘tho Prophet). And our companions tho Imimites deny that absolutely, and say that there is no way except nage. For we have explamed that immunity to sin is & necessary condition of the Imémate. And immunity to sin is « hidden‘THE IMAMATE cy matter, and no one is informed of it exoopt Allah. Henoe 1m such a ease no one can know in whom itis (to be found), unless He who knows the unseen (al-ghayb) make it known. And that comes about in two ways: (1) first, by making it known to someone immune to sin, such as the Prophet, and then he talle us of tho Imém’s immunity to sin ond of his appoutment (ta'yin), (2) second, by the appearance of miracles wrought by his hand to prove his veracity m claiming the Imamate, 188. And tho Sunnites say that whenever the people (arama) acknowledge any person as chief (baya’at), and are convinced of his abihty (ist'dad) for st (the ImAmata), and his power amereases inthe regions (khitat) of Islam, he becomes the Imam. And the Zaydites say that any rational ascetic Fayimite who comes forth with the eword and claims the Imimate 18 the Imim, And the reality 1s contrary to all of thus, for two reasons" first, tho Imémate 1s a succession (khuléfa) from Allah and His Messenger, and 1t cannot be acquired except bby the word of them both; and second, the establishing of the Imimate by acknowladgmg anyone as chief and by his claim to xt would resnlt mm cont (ftna), because of the probabulity that every party would acknowledge some different. person as Imim, or that every rational Fétumrte would clam the Imimate, and then fightings and struggles would result. 189, (4) Fourts, rr 18 Necestury naar THE new BE ABSOLUTELY THs BEST (aldal) OF THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF WHAT MAS BEEN SAID ABOVE REGARDING THE PROPHET 100, It 1s necessary (wiyb) that the Imim be the best ‘of the people of his age, because he takes precedence over (ugaddam) all. And if there were among them one better ‘than be then the worse (mafdal) would have to take pre- cedence over the better, and that would be evil (qabth) szcording to resson and tradition. And this hae been already explained in (the section on) Prophooy (par. 170). 101. (6) Forma, re nei ATER THe MESSENGER OF ALLAE 18 ‘ALt B, aDt TALI, (1) BECAUSE OF HIS SPECIFICATION (nagQ)70 AL-BABU “L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘WHICH HAS COME DOWN IN SEVERAL SEPARATR LINES (muta- witir) rao Tm rmopmer. AND (2) BECAUSE HE IG THE ‘BROT OF THE PROFLE OF HIS AGE, BY THE WORD OF THE MOST MIGH, “OURSELVES AND YOURSELVES” (8: 54), AND THE RQUAL OF THE BEST 15 THE BEST, AND BECAUSE OF THE (mubdhala). Axp (8) azcavse rr 1s wzcussany (wiyib) 70R THE DAM TO BE TMUNE TO SIN, AND THERE 18 NO ONE ELSE BESIDE HIM OF THOSE WHO CLAIM TH IMAMATE WHO 18 ATUNE, ‘70 om, DY THN AoREEMENT oF aut, Hnxon ne 16 Tm mAs, Axp (4) BECAUSE HE 18 THE MogT KNOWING (a‘lam), FOR THE COMPANIONS CONSULTED HIM ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS, AND [HE DID XOT CONSULT ANY ONE OP THEM; AND BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF THE FROPHET (UPON HIM AND HIS DESCENDANTS BE Peace |), ‘att 18 THE BEST OF YOUR JUDGES (aqda),” AND JUDGMENT REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE, AND (6) BECAUSE HE 18 MORE ASCETIC THAN ANY ONE ELSE. 80 THAT HE DIVORCED ‘THE WORLD THRES TIMES, 102, When he finished the cond:tions of the Imimate he ‘began on the appointment of the Imim. And men have differed regarding that. And some say that: the Imim after the Messenger of Allah was al-Abbis b. ‘AbduI-Muttalb, because he was hi heir, And ihe multitude of Muslims say that he was Abi Bakr b, Aba Quhifa, because the people chose him. And the Shi‘ites say that he was ‘Alt b. Abi ‘Téhb because of the appointment (nage) which came down durect to hum (mutawétir) from Allah and His Messenger, and that is the reality, And the author hss proved ‘Als right an several ways: (1) Fust, that consecutive tradition from the word of the Prophet which the Shi'ites quote regarding, the right of ‘Ali, by which certain knowledge can be obtamed, namely, “ Greet hum as the chuef of the believers” (bramratr'- smu’mnfn), and, “Thou art the successor (Khalifa) after me,” and other such words which prove what wo sought ‘Hence he is the Imém, and that is what we sought. 193. (2) Seoond, he is the best of men after the Messenger ‘of God* ‘Then he is the Imim, because it would be evil for the worse to take prosedenoe over the better. And he ia‘THE IMAMATE a the best for two reasons: (a) first, he is equal to the Prophet. Ana the prophet 1s the best (afdal), hence his equal 1s also the best, otherwise he would not be equal to him. And he is his equal because of the word of the Most High, in the ‘verse of “‘curamg one another ” (3 : 54), “‘and ourselves and yourselves."> And the imtention (murid) in “ourselves” 36 ‘alt b. Abi Tahb, an 18 proved by sound tradition. And ‘without doubt the intention 18 not that his self (nafs) 1s ‘Ali's self, because union (ittihéd) 1s false. Henoe hus mtention 1s “Inko him” and ‘equal to him,” ao x6 18 card, “ Zayd 19 0 ‘a hon,” that ws, 18 lke him m bravery. And since he 18 equal to him he 1s the best, and that was what we sought. 194, (2) Second, im the “cursing one another ” (meident) the Prophet had need of him, and of no one else of the com- ‘pamions and kindred, m his prayer. And he who was needed as better than anyone else, esperially in those great events (that 1s, the debate with the Christians of Nayrin) which are among the bases and foundations of (the validity of his) Prophecy. 105, (3) Third, it 1s neceseary for the Imim to be mmmune to an And no one for whom the Imimate 1s clasmed ss rmmune to sin except ‘Alt Hence no one but him 1s Imam, ‘Now the mmor premise has already been explained, And the ‘major premise 1s true, because all are agreod that ‘Abbas and Abi Bakr wore not immune to ain, Honco st comes about that he 1s the Imdm. Otherwise agreement would hhave to be nulhfied 1f we established immunity from sin for ‘anyone except him, or else the age would have to be quit of any Imém who was immune to sin, and both (alternatives) are falso. 196. (4) Fourth, he 1s the most knowing of men after the Messenger of Allth, hence he 1s the Imim, Now he 1s the most knowing for several reasons" (a) first, he was mghty (chedtd) sn eurmizo (hads) andl sogeesty (dhaka) and in desire (ure) for learning, and he was the constant compamon of tthe Prophet, who was absolutely perfect after Allah the Most ‘High, and had mighty love for hum and a desire to teach Jum, And whenever these qualities are united m a person2 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR it is necessary (wijib) that he be more knowing than anyone cleo besides that teacher, and that is self-evident, 197. (6) Second, the greatest of the doctors among the Companions and the Suocestors (tibr‘tn) used to consalt him about the problems which they met and to take his word, and to refer to lum contrary to therr own opuuons (1thid), aud tuo us oxplaimed m the books of story and biography 108. (¢) Thin, all the masters of tho arts (funtin) and sciences (‘ullia) refer to him. For the commentators take ‘the word of Tbn ‘Abbas, and he was one of ‘All's diseples, as he said, ‘‘‘Alt explained for me the bd m bremilldh from the beginmng to the end of the mght.” And the masters of scholastic theology go to him—the Mu‘tazihtes, m that they refer to Abi ‘Alf al-Jubb#’t, and he m matters of knowledge refers to Ab0 Hashim b, Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya, and he refers to his father ‘Alt, and the Ash‘antes, because they refer to Abu'lHasan al-Ash‘art, and he was the disciple of Aba ‘Alt al-Jubbs', and the Imémites, whose reference to ‘AI is evident. And af there were nothing else exoept his ‘word (kalim) m “Nabju’I-Balagha” and other books m Which are recorded discussions of drvimty, the Unity and Tustice and Destiny (qada) and Decree (qudar), and the manner of progress on the way to Alléh (sulk) and tho Aegres of real knowledge, and the principles of oratory and the rales of eloquence and other sciences, there would he in {it enough to satisfy one who considers and to warn one who thinks, As for the masters of junsprudence, the reference of the chief of the mujiahids of the various sects to the discaples of ‘Alt is well mown, And hie wonderful decinons m yuo prudence are mentioned m their own place, such as his decision 1m the affair of the man who had swom that he wonld not loose the chain of hus slave that (the other man) might give ite weight in silver. [A certain man saw a slave with a chain on hus feet, and vowed to give the woight of the chain ma alver to the poor af the owner would loose him. The owner refused to take off the chain, and the man did not Imow how to ascertain the weight of it go that he could pay his vow. “Alf told‘THE DLAMATE Ey him to pu the lave fat in «basin of water, then it ns up out of the water, and put in enough to male the water no to whero st waa before] ‘Also his decision in the matter of the owner of the loaves of bread (who did not mow how to divide them equitably), and s0 forth 199. (@) Fourth, the word of the Prophet regarding him, “Alt i the best judge of you all’ Now it 18 well known thot judgmont (qadé) has need of many sciences. Hence “AIF as mastor of thom all. 200, (¢) Fifth, the word of ‘All, “If a cushion be placed for ‘me and I ait upon at, then 1 will judge (hum) among the people of the Tawrit according to their Tawrat, and among the people of the Furqén according to thor Furgin, and among the people of the Inyil according to their Inyil, and among the people of the Zabir according to their Zabar. By Alldh, there 1s no verse that has descended by might or by day, in the plan or on the mountain, without my knowing upon whom 1 has descended and regardmg what xt has descended.” And this proves his mastery (ihita) of all the divine sciences. And since he 18 the most knowing he 18 therefore the one appointed for the Imémate, and that 1s ehat was sought. 201. (5) Ho 1s the most acostie of men after the Prophet of Allah, Hence xt comes about that he as the Imim, for the most azcetic 1s the best. And as for his being the most ascetic, we must examme his words (kalim) regarding asceti- asm (zuhd), and his sermons and commands and probubitions, and his shunning the world, the evidences of which are manufost in him (not in word but in dood), so that he divorced the World three times. [The world came to him in the form of a beautiful tasden and he pronounced the tnple formula of divorce, thereby making her unlawful for him] ‘And he shunned worldly pleasures of food and drink and raiment, and he was not known by anyone to be entangled in anything worldly. He even used to lock up his vessel of bread, and when they asked him about that, he said, “I" AL-BABU "L-YADI “ASHAR fear lest one of my children should put in it some buttered bread.” And the fact that he distmbuted hus own food and Ins family’s food to the poor and the orphans and the prisoners is 9 sufficient proof of his asceticism. And a verse of the ‘Koran descended regarding that, proving his excellence and hus munity to om. 202. AND THE PROOFS OF THIS CANNOT BE NUMBERED TOR aounrrupE, 209. The proofs of the Imimate of ‘Alt aro more than can be numbered, 90 that the author composed © hook on the Imimate and named st ‘ Kitibu'l-Alfayn” and mentioned an tt two thousand proofs for his Imamate, And a multitude of the doctors have compoved so many treatises on this subject (fann) that xt 18 imposnble to encompass them, but we will ‘mention here come of them to exalt and blese him by remember- tng his exeellenees. And they are of several sorts (1) First, the word of the Most High, ‘ Verily your protector (walt) 18 Allah and His Messenger, and those who believe, who observe Prayer, and pay the alms of obbgotion, and who bow m worship” (5 60). And (the understanding of that) depends on several prelummaries (mugaddamét). (0) Furst, the Jexicographers say that ““ Verily” (imnamd) 18 to restrict, (hase) the meanmg. The poct said, “I am a protector, a helper, a brave man, verily either I or one Inke me will defend therr relatives.” And f this verly did not restrict the meaning, then his boast would not be fulfilled (6) Second, by wait the antention is etther the worthuest to control (al-awit. br’'t-tagarruf) or the helper (an-ngur), smce mn this place absolutely no other ‘of the meanmgs (of wali) 8 sound. But the second meaning (namely, the helper) 18 here false, becanse help does not belong ‘exclusively to those two (Allah and His Messenger). Hence the first (meaning) is singled out. (c) Third. the address w to believers, for what immediately precedes ie, “O yo who believe, should any of you desert hus rehgion” (5: $9). Then ‘He says, “Verily your walf 1s Allah and His Messenger.” ‘Hence the pronoun (your) applies in truth to them (Lelievers). (@ Fourth, the intention by ‘“ O ye who believe” in the veree‘THE IMAMATE % ‘is some of the believers, for two reasons: fire, if st were not thus, then every mdrvidusl believer would become walt m his own person in the meaning mentioned (see (a)), and that is false; and second, the desenption which he gave of them does not apply to all of them, that 1, the giving of alms while am tho stato of bowing im worship (ruk'), sco the phrasr expresses a state of being (hihyya). (¢) Fifth, the tention Dy this some 18 “Ali b. Abi Tahb exclusively, because of sound tradition and the agreement of most of the commentators ‘that while he wae praying boggar begged him for something, and he gevo hum bis signet ring while ho was bowed m worship. And since ‘Alf1s the worthiest to control among us, he singled out to be the Imim For by Imim we do not mean anything exoept this. 204, (2) Scoond, a mutausétyr tradition has been handed. down that when the Prophet. returned from the farewell pilgnmage to Mecca he commanded them to alight at the Pool (ghadir) of Khum at noon And the loads (of the camels) ‘were placed for hum im the form of a pulpit And he addressed ‘the people and called for ‘Alt and lifted him up with hie hand ‘and said, ““O people, am T not better (awla) for you than ‘your own souls” They saxd, “ Yea, O Prophet of Allah ?” He said, “Let whoever owns me us his master (mawla) own thus ‘Ai as his master. © Allah, befriend (wih) whoever befriends him and hate whoever hates him, and help whoever helps ‘Alt and forsake whoever forsakes him, and compass tum with reality as he goes about !” And he repeated that, to them three times, And the mntention mn mawld 18 awl (the better), because the frst of the narrative, “Am I not better for you (awli bikum)?” mdieates that And in the ‘word of the Most High regarding the unbelievers (67: 14), “Your sbode the fire'‘—This shall be your master (maw- lakum),” the meanmng 1s, “xt is better for you (awlé bikum).” And also xt is not posable hore for mawld to have any other ‘meaning, such as neighbour (al-jér) or releaser of a slave (mau'tag) or ally (bali) or nephew, for it 18 impossible that ‘the Prophet should stand in that tame of excessive heat and call the people and inform them of things which did not have6 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR, ‘any greet value for them, such as that whoever was his neighbour or the reloaser of his save, oto., waa ‘Alls likewise. And since ‘AIT is the hest (awla) among us he is the Imém 200, (8) Third, a mulaiodhr tradition (nase) has come down, ‘to us that the Prophet said to ‘Alt, “ Thou hast (received) the same poottion from me which Hértin had from Masi, except ‘that there 18 no prophet after me.” Ho confirms for hm, therefore, all the degrees (maxitsb) which Hiiriin had from Misi, and he excepts prophecy. Now one of the postions which Hard reverved from Mis was that of being hus successor (khaltfa), although he died before hum, And ‘Alt lived after the Messenger of Allah. Hence his succession 1s established, fmnce there 1s nothing to cause his displacement (cawal). 206. (4) Fourth, the word of the Most High, “Oye who believe ! obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those among you invested with authonty” (4 62). And by “those invested with authority” the intention 18 exther one who 18 known to be immune to sin, or i 18 not. ‘The second alterns- ‘ive 1s false by agreement, because it 18 impossible that Allah should command absolute obedience to one to whom error 1 poanble, Hance the fret ie singlod out. Hance st comes about that he 15 ‘Ali. Abi Talib (upon hum be peace), sxnce immunity to sin was not claimed for anyone except him and Jus descendants, “Hence they are the ones intended, and thet 1s what was sought, And this deduction 18 contained exaotly 1n the word of the Most High, “‘ Behevers fear Allah and be ‘with the sincere (a8-s8cigtn)” (9: 120). 207, (6) Fifth, he claimed the Imimate, and muracles were ‘wrought by his hand, and whoever is ke that us veracious in Jus claim. Now that he claumed the Imimate us evident, and ‘the records of his words and complaints and quarrels are ‘well known from the books of biography and history, so that ‘when he saw that they had deserted him he sat down in his hhonse and busied hamself with collecting the Book of the ‘Lord (the Koran). And when they sought him to acknow- Tedge him as their chiet he refused. Then they kindled a fire in his house and forced him to go out. And his sermon entitled Shgshgiyya in ‘“Nabju'l-Balighs” will eufBce to‘THE IMAMATE n make thee aware of his complaint in this matter, And the miracles wrought by his hand were many. Among them are the removing of the gate of Khaybar,* and conversing ‘with ravenous beasts on the pulpit of Kifa, and the lifting up of a great stone from the mouth of the well when the army ‘could not remove it, and malang the sun to go back so that at retumed to its place in the heavens, and others which cannot be numbered, And every one who 1s bke that 1s Yeracious (sidiq). Hence he 1 veracious, because of what hhaa been previously said regarding Prophecy. 208, (6) Sixth, either the Prophet appomted (nage) an Imam, or he did not. ‘The second altemative 18 false, for ‘two reasons. (a) Furst, the appointment of an Imam 1s m- ‘cumbent upou hun, to perfect religion and to appoint its ‘guardian And if the Messenger of Allah had failed to do that he would have failed in doing what was incumbent (wanb). () Second, since his (Muhammad's) compassion and lovingkindness for the mutallafin and hus care for their advantage was so grest that he taught them the places of punfication (istmyé) and impunity (janiba) and other things which rz of far loss importance than tho Imimate, xt 13 impossible thet 1n hus wisdom and immunity to sin he should not specify for them him whom they should consult im their problems and im ther povate affairs and in thew needs, Hence the first (alternative—that he appomnted an Imma) is sagled out (aa true). And the mass of the people did not claim that anyone had been appornted except ‘Alt and Abi Bakr, Hence it follows that the one appomted was either “Alt or Abi Bakr. And the second alternative 1s false, hence the fit 1 singled out, 209, Now the second (altemative) 1 false for several reasons. (a) First, if AbQ Bakr was the one appointed, then the dependence of his authonty on the acknowledgment (boy's) of the people was ein and an smpugning of the Imém- ‘ate. (8) Second, af he was the one appomted, then he would hhave mentioned that, and would have clamed it at the time ‘when the people acknowledged hum, or after at, or before it, singe “ there is no ‘ur (attar) after “Ards ws dead” (said by a8 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR wife when her husband ‘Aris died). But he did not claim it, hhence he was not the one appointed. (c) Third, if he was ‘the one appointed then his asking to be excused from the ‘sucoession, When he said, “Excuse me, I am not the best of youwhen ‘Allis among you,” was a great sin, forit would have ‘boon a rojection of Allah and His Messenger. Hanoo xt would hhave impugned hus Imimate (4) Fourth, if he had been the ‘one appointed he would not have been m doubt at his death as to his worthiness of the succession. But he was iu doubt, ‘20 that he said, “O that I had aaked the Messenger whether 1n this matter tho nght was with tho Ansire or not!” (c) Fifth, af he was the one appointed, the Messenger of Allah would not have commanded him to go out with the army of Usima b Zayd. For the Messenger of Allah was ill, and bus soul had warned him of death, #0 that he sad, “ By soul wars ‘me of my death, and Iam about to be taken, because Jibrail used to present himself to me with the Koran once every ‘year, and this year he presented himself to me with xt twice,” ‘And sf this were the situation and the Imam were Abii Bakr, then he would not have commanded hin not to remam behind Usama But he urged all to go ont, and he cursed all who should stay behind hum, and he found fault with them when they remained belund them —(f) Sixth, af there m no one except Ali among thore for whom the Imimate 1s claimed who 28 fit for it, then he is singled out for it And tho first statement 1s true because they were all unjust (cium) because of their Previous unbelief, according to the word of the Most High. “My covenant embraceth not eval doers” (2° 118) ‘20, THEN AFTER HIME 05 SON AL-HASAN, THEN Al-HUSAYN, THEN ‘ALL D AL-HUSAYN, THEN MUHAMMAD B ‘ALL At-BAQIR, ‘THEN JA'PAR D. MUHAMMAD AS-SADIQ, THEN MCSA D. JA°PAR ALAZM, THEN ‘ALL 8, MOSA ARRUDA, THES MUHAADAD Bo ‘ALL ALIAWAD, THEN ‘ALT B. MOHAMMAD AL-HADI, THEN ALHASAN B. ‘ALI AICASKARI, THEN MUHAMAD 3 AL-HASAN ‘THE LORD OF THE AGE (SimISU'Z-ZAMAN}—THE BLESSING OF avin BE urow Tum! BECAUSE BACH ONE OF THEM WHO PRECEDED APPOINTED HIS SUCCRSSOR, AND RECAUSE OF THE PRECEDING PROOFS.‘TRE IMAMATE n 211, When he had finished establishing the Imamate of ‘Alt he began to establish the Imimate of the Imime who ‘were steadfast 1n authority after him, And the proof of that; is of several kinds: (1) First, the appointment (nase) of the Prophet (Allah bless hum, ete.) And concerning this is his word to Husoyn, “This i my son Husoyn, an Imém, the son ofan Imim, the brother of an Imam, the father of nine Imims, ‘the nmth of them beng the one of them who shall anse (al-qa’um) and the greatest (afdal) of them.” And again (there 1») that which Jébir b, ‘Abdu'llah tho Ansést related. He said, “ When the word of the Most High descended, ‘ 0 ye who Delieve ! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those among you invested with authonty’ (4°62), T said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we know Allah and obey Hum, und we know thee and obey thee, but who are those vested wrth authorty whom Allah has commanded us to obey? He aid, ‘O Jab, they are my successors and the possessors of authonty after ‘me The fist of them 1s ‘Ali, then after him 1s his son al- Hasan, then al-Husayn, then ‘Alt b al-Husayn, then Muham- ‘mad b ‘Ali (and you will soon sec him, O Jabur, and when you ‘00 him then give him my greetings), thon Ja‘farb Muhammad, then Misi b Ja‘far, then ‘Ali b Misi ar-Hida, then Muham- mad ‘Allaf-Jawad, then“AMb Muhammad, then al-Hasan b, ‘ali, then Muhammed b al-Hasan (he will fill the earth with equity and justice Just as xt 15 (now) full of myustice and oppression) ".” 212. And agam (there 18) that which has been related from ‘the Prophet, that he said thet Allah chose Friday from among the days, and the month Ramadan from among the months, ‘and the mght of gadr from among the mghts. And He chose the prophets from among mankind, and He chose the Mes- sengers from among the prophets, and He chose me from among the messengers, and He chose ‘All from me, and He chose al-Hlasan and al-Husayn from ‘Alt, and Ho chose from. al-Husayn his executors (awaiyd), who are nine of his de- soendants, who should prevent the erring from leading others astray from their region, and the destroyers from mukung ‘heir profession, and the ignorant from interpreting,0 AL-BABU 'L-HAD! ‘ASEAR, 213, (2) Second, the appointment by each one of them of his successor, which has come to us by mulauttir traditions, ‘which are too many to be numbered, And the Imémites have related traditions regarding their succession (tabagtt) which are contradictory. 214. (8) Third, 1 is nooessary that the Imim bo smmuno to ‘sm, and there 1s no one besides them who ia mmune to sin. ‘Hence no one besides them 1s an Imém, The explanation of the first statement hs been already given. And the second stotement 1 truc by agreement that im the time of cach one of them immunity to sin was not claimed for anyone exoept them. Hence they are the Iméms. 215, (4) Fourth, they are better than anyone else of the people of their tume, as 1s known from the books of biography ‘and history. Hence they are the Iméms, because xt would be cel for the worse to take precedence over the better. 216. (6) Fifth, each one of them clamed the Imamate, and miracles were wrought by his hand. Hence he 1s the Imim, And the explanation of this has preceded, and the Imémutes have related ther miracles m their books. ‘And there 1: a book for thee regarding this, “Khari’u'l Jard'h (*)” of arRawandi, and other books also on this same subject. 217. A matter of mportance—the Twelfth Imém 1s ahve and existent (mawyid) from the fume of hus birth (256 4.x), to the end of the penod of tallif. For n every age there must be an Imam immune to sin, because the proofs are universal (‘umdm), and beside him there no one mmune to sin. Hence he 1s the Imim, And the thought that 1t 1» unlikely that anyone like hum should remain alive 1s fala, for st 1s posable, especially amce it has occured m previous times to the fortunate (as-su‘ada) and the unfortunate (al-asharyé) (the saved and the lost) to live longer than he has lived. And the ‘couse of his bemg hidden 1s either some edvantege which Allah has kept to Himself, or eles the number of enemies and the paneity of helpers. For m view of the wisdom of the Most High and the ImAm's immunity to sin xt 1s impossible that ‘Allah’s Kindness (luff) be hindered. Hence it is because of‘THE IMAMATE, at ‘someone else (that is, the enmity of men), and that is what was sought. 218, O Allah, hasten his joy, and cause us to behold his victory, and make us his helpers and hus followers, and sustazn us with Ins obedience and his good pleasure, and protect us ‘rom hus opposition and his anger, by the Real (al-hagq) and by him who speaks m venty (the Prophet or Imam) !"SECTION VII 2819. Concerning the Return (ama‘éd). Tam sevens ane AGREED AS TO THE NECESSITY OF THE PuYsioat (bedani) RETURN, BECAUAR TP THERE WERE NO RETURN (akl{f WOULD BE EVIL, AND BECAUSE IT 15 A POSSIBLE THING, AND THE ‘vanactovs (the Prophet) nas INroRatEp U9 THAT IT 19 ASSURED ENCE I 15 BEAL—AND BECAUSE OF THE VERSES WHIOE ‘TEACH IT AND WHIOW DENY HIM WHO CONTRADICTS TT. 220, Ma'éd is the time of return, or its place, But what, is intended here 1s the new existence (al-wujidu’th-thént) for bodies (ajséd) and their return after their death and decom- Position. And it ia real and comes to pass, contrary to the philosophers (hukama). And the proof of that is of several kinds: (1) Frst, the agreement of Mushms regarding it, with ‘out ony demal of st among them. And their agreement is & convincing proof (hujja). (2) Second, if the ma'dd were not, real then tallff would be evil. And the consequence is false, hhence the precedent is false also. And 1m explanation of the ‘conditional statoment—talllf ws labour which roquires a com- pensation. Hence labour without recompense would be injustice. But recompense cannot be acquired in the penod of taliif, Hence in this case there must be another abode in which the reward for good actions can be acquired, other- wise tali{f would be injustice, and that would be evil—and Allah 1s exalted above that 221. (8) Third, the assembling of bodies 1 possible, and the Voracious informed us of its occurrence, hence xt is real. And it is possible, for the members of a corpse have the ‘capacity of being united and of having life bestowed upon them, otherwise they could not have previously possessed the quality of life. Allah the Most High knows the members of ‘every person, because of what has been previously said as to ‘His knowing all knowable things and His having power to ‘unite them. For that is possible (existence), and Allah the 82‘THE RETURN 8 ‘Most Hligh has power over all possible existences. Hence it is established that the making alive of bodies is possible, And the Veracious informed us of ita occurrence, for itis established by mudawdér tradition that the Prophet used to prove the physical ma‘dd and to believe in it, Henoo it is real, and that jn what was sought. (4) Fourth, the teaching cf tha Koran that it is established and its denial of one who contradicts 1t. ‘Hence it is real, And the first proposition 1s true, for the ‘verses which teach it are many. For instance, the word of the Most High, “And he moototh ue with arguments, and fongetteth his creation: ‘Who,’ saith he, ‘sball give life to ‘bones when they are rotten t” Say: ‘He shall give life to them ‘who gave them being at first, for in all creation is he skilled *” (86: 78, 79), and other verses. 299, AND THE RESURRECTION (be'th) OF EVERY ONE TO WHOM A RECOMPENSE MUST BE GIVEN OR WHO MUST GIVE A RECOMPENSE 15 NECESSARY (WAjib) BY REASON, AND THE RETURN OF EVERY OTHER IS NECESEARY BY TRADITION. 298. Those whose return 1s necessary are of two classes, the return of the frat of thom iz necessary by reason and ‘tradition, and everyone who has a right (baqq) to reward or recompense will get his night, and everyone against whom anyone has a right of punishment or recompense will have to give it. And the second class are those who have no right to receive or to give, be they men or some other animals either domestic or wild, And their retum is necessary by tradition, because the Koran and mucauoder traditions teach 1. 294, AND THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OP ALL THAT THB PROPHET TAUGHT 18 NECESSARY, SUCH A8 THR mRIDGE (Sirét) AND ‘THE scates (Mizin) AND THE SPEAKING OF THE MEMBERS (of the body) axo Tae rurnve oF THE BOOKS. FOR TRESS ‘EGS ANB POSEIDLE, AND THE VENACIOUS HAS TAYORMED ‘Us oF tae, Hexor THE CoNPEssION (j‘tiif) oF THEK 15 icuMBENT. 225, Since the Prophetahip and Immunity to sin of our Prophet are established, it is also established that he is* AL-BABU "L-HADI ‘ASHAR ‘veraoious in everything which he related, whether it be (1) pre- ‘vious to his ago, as what he related of the previous prophets ‘and their peoples and of former generations, and so forth; cor (2) in his own age, as what he related of the meumbenoe cof the things incumbent and the unlawfulness of things ‘unlaveful and the proferonce (nadb) of things profarablo and the appointing of the ImAms, and other information; or (@) after his age, exther (a) in the world of taklif, as what he said to ‘Ali, “After me thou shalt fight with the coveuant= breakers (on-nalathin) and the wrongdoer (al-qéoitin) and the horotios (al-mangin),” or (2) after taklf, euch as tho states, of death and what 1s after xt, namely, pumshment and the ‘grave and the Bridge and the Scales and rewards and the speaking of the members and the flying of the books and the states of the nismg up (qrydma) and the nature of the as semblng of bodies and the states of the mukallaf an the resurrection. And xt 18 meumbent to acknowledge and attest all that, because 1t 18 all possible and there 1s no impossibility about. And the Veracious has mformed us of ts occurrence, hence 119 real. 226, AND OTHER THINGS ARE REWARD (thawib) AND PUNISH MENT (198b). AND THE EXPLANATION OF THESE THINGS (that 1s, the extent of the reward and punishment) WHICH Has BEEN BANDED DOWN 18 PROM THE SIDE OP THE LAW (that 18, not bby rosson)—MAY ALLAN BLESS THE LAWGIVER! 227, He means that among the number of things which the Prophet taught aro reward and punishment, And there has been a difference of opinion as to whether they are known by reason or tradition, ‘The Ash‘arites say that they aro known by tradition. And some of the Mu'tazilites say that reward 1s known by tradition, becauso acts of obedience are not pro- portionate to their reward and are not sufficient to merit the {great favours which ho shows us, in view of which no one is worthy of reward. And that 1s the belief (madhhab) of al- Balkhi. And the Mu'tazilites of Basra say 1t 1s by reason, because cakiif demands it, and because of His word, “In recompense (jazé) of their labours past” (56:23). And the‘TE RETURN 8 ‘Mu'tazilites hold that punishment is neoessary (wAjib) ime- ‘vocably (batman) for the unbeliever and the person guilty of a great sin, And our belief (madbhab) 1s that which has ‘been stated above, which proves the necessity of reward by reason, And as for punishment, even though xt includes kindness (luff—n preventing sinning), xts occurrence m the cease of one who 1 not an unbeliever who dies in his unbelief (namely, in the case of « believer who dies 1n great sin) is not fixed (that 1, such a one shall not remain in hell), 298, And thoro are horo sovoral mattors of importance: (1) Bust, one deserves reward and praise for dong what 1s incumbent (wéjib) and preferable (mandab) and what is ‘opposed to evil, and for forsaking evil, on the condition that he does what 12 incumbent because it is moumbent or because cof tho reward (wayh) of sta boing noumbent, and (that he doos) ‘what i preferable and what 18 opposed to evil, and forsnkes evil, mn the same way. And he deserves blame for domg evil and forking what 1s incumbent, 229, (2) Second, the contmuance of mented reward and punishment 1s absolutely necessary 1m the ease of one who ‘dies m faxth and of one who dies in unbelief, because of the continuance of praise and blame for what they deserve, and (because) the opposite of each of them comes into effect af it be not continuous (if there 1s not reward there must be punshment), sinoo thero 1s no middle ground betwoen thom, ‘and they must of necessity be pure from the blending of the ‘opposite, otherwise we will not understand them properly, And it 1s necessary that reward be accompanied by exaltation ‘and pumshment by contempt, for he who obeys 1s worthy of exaltation absolutely, and he who commits sin 1s worthy of contempt absolutely. 280, (8) Third, xt 16 possible for the deserving of reward to depend upon @ condition, since af xt did not, then he who mow Alléh the Most High’ but did not Imow the Prophet ‘would be worthy of reward, and that 1s false. Hence (reward) is conditioned upon fulfilment (muwafit), accorimg to the word of the Most High, “Venly, af thow jom partners with Allah, vain shall be all thy work” (89:65). And His word,C) AL-BABU ‘L-HAD! ‘ASHAR “ And whoever of you shall tum from his religion and dio an infidel, their works shall be fruitless in this world, and in the next: they shall be consigned to the fie” (2: 214). 231. (4) Fourth, “they who believe and who clothe not thea faith with emor” (6: 82), they are worthy of lasting reward absolutely, and “thoy who are nfidele and dio infidels ” (2: 156), they are worthy of lasting punsshment absolutely; and he who believed, “‘and with an action that as night . . . mixed with another that is wrong” (9: 103), 1f the wrong was, 4 small sin then ito forgiven hua, by the agreement of all, and af st was © great sin, thon ho either (a) repented, and then is sbsolutely of thos2 who are rewarded, by the agreement ofall; ‘or (6) he did not repent of st, an which case he either deserves reward for is faith, or he does not, and the second alternative as falee, because it would result m myusties, and because of the word of the Most High, “And whosver shall have wrought ‘an atoms weight of good shall behold 1t”” (99° 7). Hence the first 1s appomted (that 1s, he deserves reward). ‘Then either (a) reward comes first, and afterwards he ss punished, which asfalse by the agreoment of all that whoever enters the Garden vwill not come out of st. Hlanoa in this ease (the doctrine of) punishment would have to be false, or ()he 18 first punished, ‘then rewarded, and that 1s what was sought. And (thus s true) Ddecause of the word of the Prophet about those who came ‘out of the fire (looking) like charooal. And when the people of the Garden seo them they will aay, “These are the people of Hell” Then they will be commanded to wash themselves 1m the Spring of Lafe, and they will come out with their faces Ike the moon on tho night when 11s full. 282, And as for the versos which teach the punishment of the disobedient and the wicked and their abiding an the fire— row the intention in abiding (khultd) 18 & Jong stay, and xt is frequently used an thus sense, And the intention in sicked ‘and disobedient 1s those who are perfoot (keémal) m thesr wieked- ness and disobedience, and they are the unbelievers (al-Kufiar), ‘by reason of the word of the Most High, “ These are the Infidels, the Impure” (80: 42), thus reconciling this verve with the verses which teach thst punishment belongs exclusively to‘THE RETURN 0 ‘the unbelievers, as for mstance the word of the Most High, “ Venly, this day shall shame and evi fall upon the infidels (6: 29), and other verses. 235, Then know that he who commits a great sin (al-Kabtra) ‘wll verily be pumshed when (idha) he does not have ons of ‘two thmgs: (2) First, the forgiveness of Allah. For His forgivenees 1s hoped for and expected, especially because He Jhas promised itm His word, “He fongwveth them ans” (42: 24), “and to pase over many things” (0: 18), " Venly Allah will not forgive the union of other gods with Himself! But other ‘than this He will forgwe to whom He pleaseth” (4:51). “Fall truly of merey as thy Lord unto men, despito their ams” (18: 7). And breaking a promise cannot be approved in the Absolutely Generous. And alto hecanse of Fis praising ‘Himself as bemg “the Forgimg, the Mereiful.” And thet does not apply to small sins (as-saghtra), nor to great sins ‘that have been repented of For all have agreed that punish- ‘ment falla from them (they are not punished), for m this ease there would be no value in their forgiveness. Hence it is specified that xt be the great sma preceding repentance (that 1, ‘unrepented of), and that 1s what was sought. 254, (6) Second, the intercession (shafi‘a) of our Prophet, the Messenger of Allah (on him be peace). And his anter- cession 18 expected, rather st has occurred, according to the word of the Most: High, ‘Ask pardon for thy sin, and for Delevers both men and women” (47°21). Now he who com- mits a great sin 1 (still) a believer, because of his attestation ‘of Allah and Has Messenger and his confession (iqrar) of what the Prophet brought, and that 1s faith (Iman), Because én aa word means attestation (tagdiq), and hero 1s like that. And good works are not a partof it! (And the Prophet ‘will mtervede for believers, for the term) 1s connected with the ‘verb, which requires that 1t be different from 1t (that 1s, the ‘word believers in the verse 15 connected with the verb ask ‘pardon by the conjunction and, which shows that he 1s to ‘ask pardon for believers as well as for himself). And smco Allah commanded the Prophet to seek pardon he did not ‘Leobey, for he 1s ummune to sin, and his seekang pardon was8 AL-BABU ‘“L-HAD! ‘ASHAR ‘accepted for his people, thst he might be satisfied, sccording to the word of the Most High, “And in the end shall thy Lord be bounteous to thee and thou shalt be satisfied ” (93: 5). ‘This is according to his (Mubammad's) word, “I have stored ‘up my interoeesion for those among my people who have committed great ain.” 285. And lmow that our belief (madhhab) is that the Imims can mteroede for sinners among their Shf'ites just as the ‘Messenger of Allah can, without any difference. For they hove mformed us of that, and thor smmunsty to ain prevents them from lying. 236. (0) Fith, it 1 necessary to confess and attest. the states and situations of the Resurrection, and the nature of the reckoning, and the coming of men from their graves, naked and barefoot, and the prosenoe with every soul of a dnver and ‘8 witness (two angels), and the states of men in the Garden, and the explanation of their ranks and the nature of their blessings of foods and drmks and marnages and so forth, of what eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard nor the heart of man concerved (ef. 1 Cor 2:9). And likewase (it 18 necessary to attest) the states of the Fire and the nature of punshment in rf, and the various pans in xt, sovonhug to what the versce and sound traditions have taught, and about which the Muslims aro agrood. ‘For the Voracious has an- formed us of all that, and there 1s no rational difficulty 1n its hence t 1s the reality, which 18 what we sought, 237. AND REPENTANCE (at-tawha) 18 INCTMRENT, 238, Repentance 1s contntion (nada) for evil (al-aabib) in the past, and forsaking at in the present, and the deter- ‘ination not to return to stim the future, And itis inoumbent, because by agreement contntion for every evil and every Temssness in what is mcumbent is incumbent; and because tradition also teaches that it 1s incumbent; and also because it 1» o protection againat harm, and protection from harm, even if it be supposed (maynin), is incumbent. ‘Then there ‘must be contrition for evil because xt is evil, not from fear of the Fire, and not to protect one’s soul from harm, otherwise itis not repentance,‘THE RETURN 89 289, And mow that ain (dhanb) is either against the Most High or against men, If it be against the Most High it is (a) exther an evil act, in which case contrition and the deter- ‘mination not to repeat it ae suficent for 1; or (6) xis remuss- neas in what 1s incumbent. Tn the latter case there ether romaine time to purpoae to do at, which a repentance for it; or else the time is past. In this case either the duty dis- appears with the passing of the tume for it, ke (omitting) the prayers of the Feast (‘Tdu'l-Fitr—which cannot be said on ahothor day), an which oase contrition and the determina tion not to repeat (the offence) are sufficient; or st does not Qusappear, mn which cage it 18 meumbent to make 1 good (anda). 240, And af st 9 against men, xt consits either of leading someone astray in religion by an erronoous decision (fatwa), an which case repentance and guiding him aright and making mown to hum the error (are incumbent), or else of anustice regarding some night or other, in which case repentance for 46, recompensing him or his hers, or askang him to forgive 1 (are moumbent). And f he 1s not able to do that, thon it meumbent that he determine to do ut. 241, AND commanvina (men to do) waar 15 APrROVED py ALLAn (al-ma'rif) aND Prowsrrina (them) rRost Dore WHAT IB DISaPPRovED BY wn (al-munkat) (18 meumbent), PROVIDED THAT HE WHO COMMANDS AND PROMIBITS KNOWS ‘THAT WHAT I8 APPROVED IS APPROVED AND WHAT 18 Dis- APPROVED 15 DISAFFROVED, AND THAT IT CONCERNS THINGS THAT ARB YET TO OCCUR, DECAUSH THE COMMAND TO DO [SOMETHING THAT 1S PAST OR THE PROMIBITION FROM DOING TP 18 NONSENSE, AND THAT IT 18 POSSIBLE THAT I SHOULD HAVE SOME EFFECT, AND THAT TP 15 SAFE PROM HARM. 242, And command (alamr) 18 seeking an. act from another authontatively, and prohibion (on-nahy) 1s socking tho forsaking (of on act) authontatively. And what is approved is every good (hasan) act which 1s charactenzed by some quality im addition to its gooduess. And what is disapproved is eval (al-qabib). And since this 1» settled, there are here% AL-BABU 'L-HADI ‘ASHAR, ‘two matters for discussion: (1) First, the doctors have agreed. ‘that the commandmg (men) to do what is approved snd the ‘prohibiting them from doing what is disapproved are in- cumbent, but they then disagreed in several points: (a) Furst, is at incumbent by reason or by tradition? Shaykh Tist hheld tho first (position), ond Sayyidu'l-Murtadi the second, ‘and the author also held the second. And the Shaykh gave as his proof that this commanding and prohibiting were Kindness (luff) om domg what 15 moumbent and forsaking hab 18 evil, and hence they were moumbent by reacon. We say m reply that what 19 moumbent by reason does not belong exclusively to the mdividual (but belongs to Allah). (What 18 tedy by reason belongs exclusively to Alléh, what 18 wb for man 1s all traditional ) Hence m this case 1t would be ‘incumbent upon the Most High, and that 1s false. For af He id these things (command what 1s approved and prohibit what 18 disapproved), then every evil thing would have to Ve removed and every incumbent thing would have to be performed, sunce commanding 1s inciting (haml) to » thing and prohibiting 1s hindering from xt, But what occurs 1s the opponte of that. And if He did not do that (that 1s, f the evil in the world 18 due to His not having commanded and prolubsted), then He would have failed to perform what 1 aneurmbent. But He 1s the Wiss (Hakim), and this objection needs examination (cannot be acceptod). 243, (b) Second, are they incumbent upon the mdividuals themselves, or may another act as substitute? The Shaykh hheld the first and the Sayyid the second, The Shaykh gave ads hs proof that moumbence 1s unrversal without any special- zation, according to the word of the Most High, ‘‘ Yo are the Dest folk that hath been raised up unto mankind, ye enjomn the Just (al-me'rif) and ye forbid the Evil (al-munkar) (8:106). And the Sayyid gave as proof the fact that what ‘was desired (ol-magyid) was thet what was moumbont should bbe performed and what was evil should be removed, and therefore he who performs 1t (commands to do good and forbids evil) suffices for another (who does not), And also because of the word of the Most High, “And that there may‘THE RETURN a ‘be among you a people who invite to the Good, and enjoin ‘the Just, and forbid the wrong” (3: 100), 244, (2) The second dueussion 1s about the conditions of ‘their being incumbent, four of which the suthor has here mentioned: (a) First, the knowledge on the part of hum who ‘commands and prohibits that what is approved 1s approved and what 1s disapproved 1s disapproved, sce af 1t were not ‘thus he would surely command what was not approved and prohibit what was not disapproved. (6) Sooond, that they bbe things which will occur in the future, for a command to cdo what s past, or a prohubition to abstaun from xt 1s nonsense, ‘and nonsense 16 evil. (@) Third, that he who commands and prohibits consider st poanble that his commanding and pro- tubiting have some effect, for when he 1s sure that 1t will be ineffective, or considers 1t mprobable, 1t ceases to be m- ‘cumbent. (d) Fourth, the safety from harm of him who ‘commands and prohibit, affecting either himself or any other Muslin, resulung from lus commanding and probibiting, For if he thinks 1t probable that harm will result, 1t ceases to be meumbent. And commanding and prohibiting with the heart and the tongue and the hand are incumbent and 1t should not be done in a severe manner when a gentler 1s posable, 245, And this 1s what I set out to finish and to wnte, and what st waa my lat to collect and arrange, in spite of the small demand (for such a book) and my being short-handed {as to funds), along with the occurrence of journeys and the disturbance of my thoughts, However, I have hope in the ‘goodness of the Most; High that He will make 1t profitable, and that He will make xt pure before His face, Verily, He hhears and He answers, and Allah 1s the Best of those who Grve Success and who Appoint! Praise be to Allah the Lord ‘of the Worlds, and the blessing of All&h be upon Muhammed and all of his desoondants!NOTES Par. 10. * The Matanlitos ao “agreed that the pnsple of mars and thankfalnee for lewnge are witb bnfore One hears (Che Prophet) (Shahrastani, ed. by Cureton, “al-Milal wa'n-Nibal,” p. 29), But the: Sabrent postion nas that a'r ktown to be seumbent not by zoason but by tradition only eae her tht th Shiites hold thatthe aro all known by ronson, wheree the Aab'ente potion is that they are known only By teadion, Par 10. “and wath ogard to ad (bind acoeptancn)—the learned der. Some ay that dons nt aon, and that the mgd (hind eceptr) ssannbelevor (ii), Tonal Arabs (643) ld thn and an Sa tod tho inter gave hi commentary on hn Kd engthy refat: tion of thoe who hold that Yad esufinnt (Crowd of alu Macdonald, Development of Malm Theology,” ote, p. 316)..‘Tho Mansitea wieh thir cmphans on reson rejeted Yai and the ‘Shistes have followed thom. Por. 18, * In the creed of al-Nasafi, “ Belief and Islam are ono (Macdonald, “Development,” p. 312) But the Shi'ites consider sim to be wider ‘than faith, See par 234, Par. 38. ‘Tho Sunnites usually tut tho postive qualities as follows: Lafe, Knowledgo, Power, Will, Hoarmg, Seomg, Speaking (creed of al- Ghaezill, Macdonald, “Development,” p. 304) Tho Shiites agree ‘with thom as to the frst four qualtics, though they place Power fist. ‘But m place of Hearing and Seoing they put Porcerving. They retain Speaking, but add two more to the bat, namely, Beg Eternal and Versatty. Par. 47. Par, 50. ‘By donying that Allah docs everything that He has Power to do the Shi'ites try to guard Hum from evil without limiting Hhs Power. 2NOTES 8 Par. 58. * The Siftians held that the divine qualities were etemallyinerent in tho cate of Alldh The Mu'tauites rejected ths doctrine, be- ‘enuso “if the qualities share m promty they would share m godhood ‘tho,” and the moltspeity of eternal exitanere would have to result, tnd thu they denied ‘They atid that the qualities were not in adon ‘the eoence, but were the cence tel. Thos Allah 6 Knowing by Ths easene, not hy Hn Knowledge, ands Powerfal by His esence, not by Hiv Power. (Shahrastini, p20, Macdonald, Development,” 136, Sel, "The Faith of Llam,”thrdedition, pp 104,195 ) ‘ho’ Ash‘anten held that tho qualities wore inherent in tho coence, and were im addition {0 the eaence "He has qualities from all eternity exetingn His emence.” Tat they guarded themselves agaat ‘the objection of tho Mastazites by adding, “They are not He nor are thay any other then Ho ” (reed en-Nasafi, Macdonald," Develope ment,” p 309) ‘Tho Shiites adopted the Mu‘taziite doctme sn full They teach thatthe quali are the esenco sacl, and that AMG s Powel by Hi eaenco, Known by Hi eaence, ee. Par €2. * Soo Macdonald, Development,” p. 170, to. Par 63 * The doctnne of Wills being a form of Knowle 1 also de to Mo'tasinto mfuenee Abii Hudhey] (@ © 226 41) “endenvoured— tnd thu he we followed by mos ofthe Ma'aniter—to cut down the number of Allah's attribute i Will, ho mad wat 0 form of Hie Knowledge, He knew that there wae god man ation, and that know” edge was His wll” (facdonald " Development,” p. 137) Par 61. * ‘his quality of Perception 1s gaven m plac of the two quali of Hoarig and Sight which are slwaym matuded in the orthodox ht. ‘Tho Shi'ites mnhorted from the Ma'tasitet a dalike to all expresions ‘which scomed to mvggeet anthropomorphiem, end they here resolve Hearing and Sight into th Knowledgo of things hoard end sen. Par. 70. * Tho orthodox taht 18 thos stated in tho creed of al-Gherilt (Gacdonsld, “Development,” pp 90304): And we witneos that Hi ‘speaks, commanding, forbidding, prasng, theatonmg, witha speech ‘rom all eternity, prior, subuiting m Ths ewvonce, not resem tho speech of crested things. Tt is not « sound which ongintor through Uh slipping out of au, o trang of Bodin; norm its letter which 38 seperated of by the closng dowa « ip or movng « tongue «And {he Qurén is reposted by tongues, writen in copien, preserved in ‘bara: yot 1,1 pie ofthat, x prior, bunting m the eaence of Allth, not subject to. divsion and separation through boing teunaferrd 1 Iearta and Tooves. And MA heard the speech of Aldh without* AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR sound and without a letter, jst as the pious sce the essence of Alla {in the other world, without substance or an attribute.” Pan 70, * al-Aah‘ari ad said, “We teach that the Qur'én u Allah's Word, tnd that it unerosted, and that whoever saye itis created isan un~ ‘ebiover (kifir)” (Macdonald, “Development,” p. 206). The Shiite roply is that the calling of anything pror except the divine essence is afr! Po Verscity i not given as one of the divine qualities m any of the Sunaute creeds, nor have I found any mention of by the Mu‘tazites. But ita admssion by the Shf'tes to the ht of the postive qualities 1» ‘no doubt due to their emphans upon Justice m Allah's character. Par. 90 “The Ma‘tanbites have agreed in rejecting companson (tashbih) ‘of Him of every sort, an to direction or loeus or form or body or limit ‘on or motion or decreas or change or impression, and they have made 3 incumbent to expan (ew) the figurative (mutashibih) verses (Sluhrastini, p 20) ‘This was « protest agamst tho anthropomorph- jam of tho Hanbalits and Karrdmitos who took hterally the state- rents ofthe Koran about Allah's hinds, face His sating on His throne, ste ‘Tho Arh‘antes also rejected thi anthropomorphus, but they felt xt wan impious to pry into the nature of Allah and try to explain ‘what was meant by His hands and Hs throne. “Hence they mmply ‘firmed that “Allah hs settled Himself upon Hos throne,” that He “hus a countenanco—and two hands—and two eyes, without asking ‘hwo (bila knyfa)” (reed of al-Ash’art, Macdonald, “Development, ‘pp. 204, 190). ‘The Shits follow the Mu‘tanlites mn holding that the ‘stthropomorphusma must be explained (a'wil) Par 99. * See note on par. 88 Par. 101, * “They have agreed in denying the vaion of Allsh the Most High ‘ath the eyes in the future Ife" (Shakrastini, p. 20) ‘Tho Shiites ‘agree wholly with the Mf‘tanlites inthis mstter. * al-Auh'ar oui, “ Wo bole that Alldh atthe Day of Resurrection ville rinbleto the eyes, asthe moon sen upon the mght of the fall, ‘oon; the belovers wil see Him . .. We teach that Mooee besought Allah that he might see Huma mn this world; then Alldh reveeled Humacf ‘to the mountain and tuned wt mto dust and taught Moves thereby that the could not oce Ham in thas world (Qur. 7, 39)” (Macdonald, “De- velopment,” p. 206). ‘And according to the creo of an-Naasf, “That there 1s « Visom (wy) of Alldh the Most High 1 allowed by reason and certied by tradition (ang. A proof on authoraty haa come down withthe afirma~NOTES 98, tion that behovers have a Vision of Allah the Most High in Paradise tnd that He 1 soon, notin a place or ina direction or by facing or the {joing of glances or the placing of a distanco between him who sees ‘and Allah the Most High ” (Macdonald, “Development,” p. 310). Par. 102. * This i in reply to the Ash’antes who sand that the vision of AIA ‘was dented Moses only int world. Par, 108, See Macdonald, “ Development,” p. 160. Par. 107. * See note on par. 58. Por. 111. ‘Tho Sunnute theologians do not mako Justice one of the Principles (090!) of religion. ‘The Shi'ites owe their emphasis upon Justice to their connection with the Mu'taziites, who ealled themselves “the people of Unity and Justice ” (Shahrastant, p.29, Macdonald, “ Development,” P 136) Par. 115, * According to Shahrastin’ (p. 20) tho Mu‘tazibtos hold that ‘The ‘cognition of good and evils also wathin the province of reason; nothing as known to be nght or wrong until reason hes enlightened us as tothe stanton ” (Sll, “The Festh of Ialam,”p. 197) ® Note that only an smuriousliousconadered oval Shr'tes hold that 1m some exreumstances lying 1s not only justifiable but 18 poatvely smoumbent. Por. 119 * Sco Macdonald, “ Development,” p.192 In the creed of al-Ash'ari (Macdonald, p, 204) wo read: “There it no Creator but Allah The ‘works of ereatures aro created and predestined by Allih, as He aad (Qur. 87, 94), “And Allah hus created you and whut yo do.” Man 1s Able to create nothing.” ‘So alo the creed of an-Nasafl (Macdonald, p. 310): “And Allah the Most High 1s the Creator of all stiona of His creatures, whether of “unbebef or bobf, of obedience or rebellion, all of them are by the will, fof Allah and His gontence and Hb conclusion and His decreeing. And ‘to Hi creatures belong actions of cho1co, for which they are rewarded ‘or panished, and the good in thewo 18 by the good pleasure of Allah (da) and the vilon them 18 not by His good pleasure " > Tho Mu'tantes insuted upon man's freedom, and dened kas, “Thoy are united that the creature has power over and creates his ‘actions both good and evil.” "The Zayditos wore & Shi'ite sect who derived thar name from ‘Zayd, 0 grandson of Hunayn (ese Macdonald, "Development," p. 36 ete).6 AL-BABU ‘L-HADI ‘ASHAR Par 120, ‘Tho Ash'antes replied to thus objection thet AIlAh gavo man the ‘bility to perform tho action-** And the ability todo the aston (issé's) ‘ges along with the action and asthe essence of the power (quire) by ‘hich the action take place, and this word ‘ability "means the snd: reas of the causes and instruments and hima (Macdonald, p. 310) Par. 126, +“ Wowstnees that Hoan a Willer of the things that ar, a Director ‘ofthe thigs that happen, there doce not come about inthe world, soon ‘or unseen, itle oF much, amall or great, good or evil, advantege oF disadvantage, faith or unbelief, knowlsdge or ygnoranee, success or ‘except by Hs ‘What Ho wills, and what He |. Not «glance ‘who looks, ora slip of ono who thinks is outside of Hia will He the Crostor, the Bringer back, the Door of that which He wills” (Creed fal GhazzAl, Macdonald, “Development,” p 202 ) * Shahrastint says that the M'tazilites taught that *the Lord {x removed from having evil end injustice and tmbelief and diaobed- ‘ence attributed to Thum, because af He had created myustice He would ‘bo ungust" (. 30). Par. 130, ‘Tho Ash‘antes held that “st 1s not incumbent upon Allah the Most “High to do that which may be bost for the ereaturo " (cra of an- ‘Necafi, Macdonald, p 300) “There is nothing mcumbent upon Allah, ‘agama tho dootrimo ofthe Ma'tazites, who say thet 118 moumbont ‘upon Allh todo that which is bost (salah) for the creature "(See the creed of al-Fadali where the Aah'ariteanawer to the Ma'tazite postion asgiven—Macdonald, p 313 ) "Tho Mataailites misted that AUsh could do nothing which was not for tho good o” the creature “And they have agreed that the Wise (41-Hakim) doos nothing except whst advantageous (slih) and good {hay and because of His wisdom i 19 necessary for Him to consider tho advantage of the creatures _ But they difered aa to what 18 moat ‘dvantagoous” (Shahrastén, p29) Seo Macdonald, “Development,” p. 188, Par. 131 So ar as Told discover, tats mentioned only once the Sunnie creeds translated by Dr. Macdonald and published in his * Develop- ‘ment ” Tho emphasis placed upon ti the Shite orods a due tothe Shite dootrine that Alldh must do what is best for man, and therfore rust give man reward n the future fe. But Alldbs Just, and ean- rnot reward one who has no desert, Heneo He must grve man the ‘opportunity to carn reward, Hence Ho must mpose tasks for man to perform, that reward may be mented. But Allah will do more for ‘am than morely give im a recompense for hu labour, forthe merited ‘dvantage wll be joined with exaltation (sco per. 142).‘NOTES ” Par. 197. * Note that tho Sht'tes hold that tho wy! must be known by reason. ‘Tho orthodox bolif 1s that tho upd! must bo known by tradition, and that reason has to do only with the fura*(Sll, "Tho Faath of Islam,” p-190), Par 139, * Teas tho bolof of both Shi'sts and Sunnites that man waa eroatod witha desire for evi as well ws for good. ‘This desir has ta soa in the nafo--ammdra, which must thoraforo bo constantly kopt under by ‘al, ‘tho sat of all good denes. Par 143, * The Mu'taxibtos also distinguished between reward, rocomponse, ‘aud grace. “Kecomponso (‘wad) and grace (tafaddul) have another ‘moaning from reward (¢hawib) " (Shabrestint, p. 30) Par, Md. Tatfss anything that Allah docs, other directly or mdroctly, to make 1 easir for man to oboy and harder for him to duobey — Shakrastint says that tho Mu'tanlites diffred among thomsclves as to whether Tlf was wsiyvbfor Allah or not. None of tho Sunnitocrovds translated Ly Dr Macdonald tho" Development ” mention [uf nd the Sunnites «dnl not noed the doctrino, for sue they held that all of man's actions ‘wore roatod by Alli there was no foar that His will would not be dono But tho Shivtee and Mitaziitor, since they inated upon man’s fre dom, hndn somo way to mak sure that Allah would attain His purposo ‘m human affairs And so they sot forth tho doctrine of lif, by whucl “Allah indluonoed men to do His wll, but did not foree thom, Par. 151. * Seo note on par. 143°, Par, 164. * Soo noto on par. 180, Par, 100. * Whon Musaylima, tho falo prophet of Arabia, td to roproduce tome of tho miracles of Muhammad the result was just tho opposite ‘of what ho denired Tho application of hus saliva mado sore eyes bind, and wounded Limbs leprous, and frosh water brackish ! Soe “The Hyét-ul-Kuloob " (Hernck), p. 208, Par 164. In tho Sunnito croods of an-Nosafi (@ 637 4x) and al-Ghazzdlt (2. 605 4m) and al-Asb‘at (dc. $2) 41) there 18 no mention of “iyma aa e quality necessary for 8 prophet However, i the Into erood cof al-Fadall (13th oontury Au.) wo road that ono of tho noosasary ‘things for memengers is thei being preserved (‘igma) from falling to 7cy AL-BABU 'L-HADI 'ASHAR ‘things forbudden (mubarram) and dishiked (makrth)" (Macdonsld, P.M), and thus now the orthodox bebe. Be Sell, “The Fath of Islam," p. 244, Par, 108, * Refer to Bel, . 244, note 2, Par. 111. * Refer to Nucholwon, “A Literary History ofthe Arabe," p. 43. Par. 114. * Contrast with the Shiite conoeption of the Imim that of the Sunnis, ax exprewed sn tho creed of an-Nasafi (Macdonald, pp. 313- 314): "Tho Milne cannot do without a leader (min) who shall ‘ocoupy hao withthe enforomg of hee deeinons and sn mantasning thei esictve ordinances and guarding tte frontiers, and equipping ‘hoi arming, and recering their alms, end putting down robbence and thuving and highvaymen, and mamtaming tho Friday services and the Festivals, and removing” quarrels that fell bobween oreatares, and reonirng idence bearing on legal clams, and mnerying mune, malo and female, who have no guardians, end dividing booty. And st 8 ‘ncenney that tho lender should be vistbl, not hndden and expeted to ‘pear (mantear) and that he shouldbe of the tribe af Qurayah and ‘not of any other. And ho i not aasigned exclanvly to th sons of Hashim nor to the children of Abv” And itt not condition that ho should be protected by Allah from sin (gms), nor that he shouldbe the ‘most excallent of th peopl of hu tine, bat it 88 condition that ho should be ews jure, Mush, fe, male, so, adalt, should be {00d governor and should bo able wo carryout decree end to guard tho Fatrwtieordaanoss (adda) of alam and to protect the wronged again. ‘hum who wronged him. And ho isnot to bo dapowed from the ladar- ship on account of immorality or tranny.” ‘The Sanntes want an arthly rule with suficent power to govern ‘ho Maslin state and ropulso al eemic, while the Shiva leak for fone who can eetabluh the Kingdom of Heaven on oath and bring en ‘end to all the evils of tho world. When ‘one recalls tho historical ‘tuations the tne when the Sho creed waa writin it dora nt ween strange that ator tho horrors of tho Mongol mvasion and tho wars tnd confunon which followed, somo men abould long for & wnless {mm who was able o retrain the oppreaor from bis oppreaion and ‘avenge the oppresed of his oppresoe.” Par. 184, * For Sunmtes the Foundations of religion aro the Koran, the Sunna, ‘jmé', and Qiyds. It is evident from the text that the Shi'ites rejeot ‘ll of these as msuficent an themselves, and look to a divinely guided mim, who alone can interpret the Koran and mak known to men ‘their duty. The Shi'ite mujiahide are the representatives of the hidden