Abandoning the Imam’s Words

The collective amnesia ordered by Imam al-Sadiq, as discussed in our last article, was a process initiated by the Imam to disassociate from concepts and figures fundamental to Shi'i theology

Concepts, previously crucial to the Imam's teachings, were redefined by the Imam from 'truthful, intrinsic, faith pillars' to being ultimately described as pieces of heresy and evil characterizations of the Ahlulbayt.

This process certainly was not a one-off event, or a series of isolated incidents. One must not be deluded to believe it was specific to the person of Abu al-Khattab.

The 'collective amnesia' was a systematic, all-encompassing maneuveur to protect the lives of Shi'i adherents and protect the Shi'i creed in the face of many challenges that afflicted followers of al-Sadiq (as).

The purpose of this action was no other than one reason.

Taqiyya.

Hence,

Our article today will study how the "collective amensia" was employed by al-Sadiq (as) through the following hadith said with regards to Abu al-Khattab:

(Rijal al-Kashi)

Narrated Hanan ibn Sudayr, from Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq), who said:

‘I pity the bodies who were burnt with Abu al-Khattab’ [i.e, crucified and burnt by the Abbasids after Abu al-Khattab's rebellion].

Then he mentioned Musa ibn Ashaym, and said:

‘He [Ibn Ashyam] used to come to me — along with his companion and Hafs ibn Maimun — and ask me questions. 

I would tell them the truth. Then they would leave me and go to Abu Al-Khattab, who would tell them the opposite of what I said. They would follow Abu al-Khattab's words and leave aside my words.’”

638- حمدويه بن نصير، قال: حدثنا أيوب بن نوح: عن حنان بن سدير عن أبي عبد اللّه عليه السّلام قال: اني لا نفس على أجساد أصليتمعه يعني أبا الخطاب النار ثم ذكر ابن الاشيم، فقال: كان يأتيني فيدخل علي هو و صاحبه و حفص بن ميمون‌

و يسألوني، فأخبرهم بالحق، ثم يخرجون من عندي الى أبي الخطاب، فيخبرهم بخلاف قولي، فيأخذون بقوله و يذرون قولي

So without further adue

Let us begin!

A) Abandoning the Imam's words

The eras of these Imams al-Baqir and al-Sadiq represented the greatest level of interactions that our Imams had with structured school of thoughts representing Sunnism, Mutazilism, and other strains that existed back then.

"Structured" meaning that these sects now had a clear, defined list of beliefs - acceptable and unacceptable beliefs, historical and contemporary personalities, books.

Whereas before Imam al-Baqir, these schools of thoughts were much more fluid and lacking such rigidity - particularly with regards to clearly defined beliefs.

With this new emerging phenomenon of socio-religious groups, our Imams had different way of treating them.

When the Imam decides the social and security situation is ripe, the Shi'a were ordered to publicly proclaim their beliefs which contradicted the defined beliefs of the above mentioned sects.

When the Imam decides that the situation is unsafe, the Shi'a are to disassociate from their previously proclaimed beliefs -

Not in actuality, but all out of taqiyya.

The following hadith by Fudayl ibn Yasar clearly outlines the situation:

(Mukhtasar al-Basair)

Al-Fudayl ibn Yasār, narrates from Abū Ja‘far (al-Baqir), who said:

“Do not exclaim belief in al-jibt and al-tāghūt (that Abu Bakr & Umar represent Meccan polytheistic idols)

And do not exclaim belief in al-raj‘ah (the Return of the Imams before Day of Judgement).

If they (Sunnis) say to you, ‘But you used to say that,’ then say, ‘As for today, we do not say it.’

For indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to win people’s hearts with a hundred thousand dirhams so that they would refrain from harming him - so can you not win them over with mere words?”

وعنهما عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر عن حماد بن عثمان عن الفضيل بن يسار عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال لا تقولوا الجبت والطاغوتولا تقولوا الرجعة فان قالوا لكم فإنكم قد كنتم تقولون ذلك فقولوا اما اليوم فلا نقول فان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قد كان يتألف الناسبالمائة ألف درهم ليكفوا عنه فلا تتألفونهم بالكلام

وروي أيضا: لا تقولوا الجبت والطاغوت وتقولوا الرجعة، فان قالوا: قد كنتم تقولون؟ قولوا الآن لا نقول،

The purpose of public proclamation, then subsequent retraction is to ensure the preservation of the teachings of the Imams.

In the sense that -

If the Shi'a were ordered to preserve the Imams' teachings in a purely secretive fashion - while maintaining a purely Sunni exterior,

Eventually, future generations with no contact to Imam al-Sadiq would think that the Imam never ordered such concepts to have even been taught in the first place.

The evidence for this? 

There is no tangible evidence that previous generations practiced such teachings.

Even in the generation contemporary to the Imam, it wouldn't be long before people start to believe the taqiyya is true and truth is false - if the Imam keeps insisting on it by saying:

(Basai'r al-Darajat)

"After that same hadith I uttered is publicized and is brought up to me, I would say: I never said it"

بصائر الدرجات: إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن جميل بن صالح، عن منصور ابن حازم قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: ما أجد من أحدثه ولو أني احدث رجلا منكم بالحديث فما يخرج من المدينة حتى أوتي بعينه فأقول: لم أقله.

If the Imam keeps insisting regarding his true ahadith, that he "never said (them)" - 

How could he (the Imam) still preserve the truth anyway?

In answering this querstion, we are led back to al-Fudayl ibn Yasar once again:

(Tahdhib al-Ahkam)

Narrated ‘Ali ibn Sa‘id al-Basri who said:

I said to Abu ‘Abd Allah (peace be upon him): "I live among Banu ‘Adi. Their muezzin, imam, and all the people of the mosque are Uthmanis (i.e, Sunnis who favor Uthman), and they disassociate themselves from you and your Shia. I live among them, so what do you say about praying behind their imam?"

He (Imam al-Sadiq) said: "Pray behind him."

He (Imam al-Sadiq) said: "Do not recite silently in your prayer, the Sunni prayer leader's words suffice you from having to recite."

And if you had gone to Basra, al-Fudayl ibn Yasar would have asked you (about my words), and I would have told him what I have told you. So would you follow Fudayl's words and abandon mine?"

Ali said: So I went to Basra and informed Fudayl of what [Abu ‘Abd Allah] had said. He replied: "He knows best what he said, but I heard him and his father both say: Do not count the prayer behind a nasibi (one who harbors hatred for the Ahl al-Bayt); recite for yourself silently as if you are praying alone."

So I followed Fudayl’s words and left the words of Abu ‘Abd Allah (peace be upon him).

* (95) * 7 - الحسين بن سعيد عن ابن أبي عمير عن عمر بن أذينة عن علي بن سعيد البصري قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام انينازل في بني عدي ومؤذنهم وامامهم وجميع أهل المسجد عثمانية يتبرؤن منكم ومن شيعتكم وأنا نازل فيهم فما ترى في الصلاة خلفالامام؟ قال: صل خلفه قال: قال: واحتسب بما تسمع ولو قدمت البصرة لقد سألك الفضيل بن يسار وأخبرته بما أفتيتك فتأخذ بقول الفضيلوتدع قولي، قال علي: فقدمت البصرة فأخبرت فضيلا بما قال فقال: هو أعلم بما

قال ولكني قد سمعته وسمعت أباه يقولان لا تعتد بالصلاة خلف الناصب اقرأ لنفسك كأنك وحدك قال: فأخذت بقول الفضيل وتركت قول أبيعبد الله عليه السلام

Imam al-Sadiq informed his companion Ali al-Basri that praying behind a nasibi prayer leader is permissible and suffices him from having to recite during prayer.

Yet, Imam al-Sadiq told Ali that if he goes back to Basra (where such prayers would be held) and he asks Fudayl ibn Yasar this same question -

Fudayl would answer him differently, and Ali will follow Fudayl's words and leave aside Imam al-Sadiq's.

So who exactly is Fudayl?

Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) said:

“Indeed, the earth finds peace through al-Faḍīl ibn Yasār.”

ـ قال الإمام الصادق(عليه السلام): «إنّ الأرض لتسكن إلى الفضيل بن يسار»

Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) said:

“May Allah have mercy on al-Faḍīl ibn Yasār - he is one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt."

۵قال الإمام الصادق(عليه السلام): رحم الله الفضيل بن يسار، هو منّا أهل البيت»

Shaykh al-Mufid:

(Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar is one of) the eminent jurists and leading scholars - those from whom the halal and haram, the legal opinions and rulings, are taken - against whom no criticism is made, and for whom there is no way to reproach even one of them.

عده الشيخ المفيد في رسالته العددية من الفقهاء الأعلام و الرؤساء المأخوذ منهم الحلال و الحرام، و الفتيا و الأحكام، الذين لا يطعن عليهم،و لا طريق لذم واحد منهم

Can someone who is spiritually "from the Ahlulbayt", a man whom "the earth finds peace through him", 

And is an eminent jurist "those from whom the halal and haram, the legal opinions and rulings, are taken - against whom no criticism is made, and for whom there is no way to reproach even one of them."

Issue an order that goes against Imam al-Sadiq? 

Did the narrator (Ali al-Basri) seriously not understand Imam al-Sadiq's prophecy of him going to Fudayl, taking his fatwa, and violating Imam al-Sadiq's words?

It is evident that Fudayl understood Imam al-Sadiq's words, but saw them in a different light as us.

He saw Imam al-Sadiq's words:

"So would you follow Fudayl's words and abandon mine?"

As meaning:

"If you meet Fudayl, ask him about this fatwa. He will give you the real answer, whereas I currently cannot do so out of taqiyya."

In the same vein as the followingn hadith:

(Basa'ir al-Darajat)

Note: the “Musa” mentioned below is not al-Kadhim (as), who was not born at the time of Imam al-Baqir.

The report is referring to one of Imam al-Baqir’s elite by that name

“On the authority of Jabir, who said:

I asked Abu Jaafar, peace be upon him, about a matter.

He (Imam) said: If you meet Musa, ask him about it.

I (Jabir) said: ‘Do you not know the answer?’ 

Imam said: Yes, I do.

I said: What is the answer then?

Imam said: I am not authorized to do so.”

40 - بصائر الدرجات: أحمد بن محمد، عن أبي عبد الله النوفلي، عن القاسم، عن جابر قال:

سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام عن مسألة أو سئل فقال: إذا لقيت موسى فاسأله عنها، قال:

فقلت: أولا تعلمها؟ قال: بلى، قلت: فأخبرني بها، قال: لم يؤذن لي في ذلك (3).

This brings us back to our original hadith of discussion:

(Rijal al-Kashi)

Narrated Hanan ibn Sudayr, from Abu Abdullah (al-Sadiq), who said:

‘I pity the bodies who were burnt with Abu al-Khattab’ [i.e, crucified and burnt by the Abbasids after Abu al-Khattab's rebellion].

Then he mentioned Musa ibn Ashaym, and said:

‘He [Ibn Ashyam] used to come to me — along with his companion and Hafs ibn Maimun — and ask me questions. 

I would tell them the truth. Then they would leave me and go to Abu Al-Khattab, who would tell them the opposite of what I said. They would follow Abu al-Khattab's words and leave aside my words.’”

638- حمدويه بن نصير، قال: حدثنا أيوب بن نوح: عن حنان بن سدير عن أبي عبد اللّه عليه السّلام قال: اني لا نفس على أجساد أصليتمعه يعني أبا الخطاب النار ثم ذكر ابن الاشيم، فقال: كان يأتيني فيدخل علي هو و صاحبه و حفص بن ميمون‌

و يسألوني، فأخبرهم بالحق، ثم يخرجون من عندي الى أبي الخطاب، فيخبرهم بخلاف قولي، فيأخذون بقوله و يذرون قولي

Abu al-Khattab was the conduit of Imam al-Sadiq's orders to the people of Kufa (as discussed in our first two articles), he was the Imam's emissary and appointed spiritual guide over the Kufans.

Abu al-Khattab's eminent status would mean that when the Shi'a "would follow Abu al-Khattab's words and leave aside (Imam al-Sadiq's) words.’”

It is because the Shi'a understood Imam al-Sadiq as telling them to do so, to violate his (the Imam’s) words - because what he (the Imam) is telling them is taqiyya, whereas Abu al-Khattab's words represent the Imam's true teachings.

In the same way as Fudayl and Ali al-Basri

I hope this was beneficial

Wasalaam

John Andaluso