Sometimes, we feel the need to think. It is something we may not engage in as often these days. Thinking gives us perspective, and usually when we gain perspective on something, we pursue it. If we continue, we gradually gain understanding, and once we have understood it and it is pleasing to us, we form a belief and conviction about it.
Have you ever wondered how accurate the beliefs we hold are? Can we rely on them? If we have doubts about them, what should we do? In short, how can we be sure of the correctness of our beliefs and convictions?
One of the ways to ensure the correctness of our beliefs and their alignment with divine revelation, the guidance of the Holy Qur’an, the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and the pure Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is by presenting our faith to the religious scholars.
From the time of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the matter of gaining assurance regarding the conformity of religious beliefs with Islamic principles has been addressed by presenting one’s faith and beliefs to the learned ones. People would, if possible, present their religious perceptions directly to those esteemed figures or to scholars who had a deep understanding of the religion [1].
For example, one of the companions of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) who sought assurance regarding his beliefs by presenting them to his Imam was Sayyid Abd al-Azim Hasani [2]. Perhaps it would be beneficial to follow this story from the words of Sayyid Abd al-Azim himself:
I entered the presence of my master, Imam Hadi (peace be upon him). When he looked at me, he said to me: “Congratulations to you, for you are truly one of us.”
I said: “O son of the Messenger of God (PBUH), I wish to present my faith to you, and if it meets your approval, I will remain steadfast in it until I meet God.”
Imam (peace be upon him) said: “Speak, O Abd al-Azim.”
At this point, Sayyid Abd al-Azim began to speak, describing his belief in God and His oneness. He then affirmed the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the imamate of his successors, beginning with Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (peace be upon him) and the pure Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), naming each one until he reached Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), whom he acknowledged as his Imam, successor, and rightful leader.
Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) then said to him: “After me, my son Hasan will be the Imam, the successor, and the rightful leader.” He then asked: “Do you know how the people will be during the time of his successor?”
At this point, Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) briefly explained the period of the occultation of the twelfth Imam.
Sayyid Abd al-Azim continues: “I acknowledged that your friends are the friends of God, and your enemies are the enemies of God.”
Afterward, in the presence of his Imam, he confessed his belief in the Day of Judgment and the afterlife, elaborating on his beliefs in this regard. Finally, he said: “Indeed, after the affirmation of the Wilayah (guardianship), the obligatory duties are prayer, almsgiving (zakat), fasting, pilgrimage (hajj), jihad, enjoining good, and forbidding wrong.”[3]
Once Sayyid Abd al-Azim completed presenting his faith before Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), the Imam confirmed his beliefs, instructed him to remain steadfast in them, and prayed for him to remain firm in his religion.
But can we still present our faith today?!
Today, the need to present one’s faith may be greater than in the past. Just as the Ziyarat al-Aali Yasin teaches us to present our faith, if we wish to protect our beliefs from distortion and personal interpretations, we must present our faith to those who have knowledge of the religion and who have acquired it through the Qur’an and the hadiths of the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).[4]
(From the book “Sharh Hadith Arz al-Din” by Ayatollah Safi Golpaygani, with some abbreviations and additions)
Footnotes:
[1] The importance of presenting one’s faith is emphasized in some of the prayers and supplications that have been passed down from the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). For example, Ziyarat al-Aali Yasin, which has been transmitted from Imam al-Mahdi (AJ), is one such supplication.
[2] Sayyid Abd al-Azim Hasani, a descendant of Imam Hasan (peace be upon him), whose shrine is located in the city of Rey, near Tehran.
[3] This refers to the branches of religion.
[4] For further study of the topic of beliefs, refer to the article “My Life and Belief” on the website.