One of the deviations that has existed in various religions and led to the misguidance of some of their followers is ghulu [1] (exaggeration) concerning the saints of that religion. In some cases, the status and rank of the saints of certain religions have been elevated to the level of divinity. This issue also existed in Islam and Shiaism, where exaggeration about the status of the Imams and deifying them has occurred in some instances. However, what is important is how the saints of a religion react to the phenomenon of ghulu and exaggeration regarding their position.
The following story, which is derived from the life of the tenth Shia Imam, Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), serves as an example of how the Shia Imams dealt with this deviant phenomenon:
One of the founders of the deviant beliefs, especially ghulu (exaggeration), during the time of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) was a person named Ali ibn Huska. He sought to mislead simple-minded people who were unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, and also to gain personal benefits by gathering people around himself, by spreading false beliefs as Shia doctrines. The heresies and false ideas propagated by him included the following:
- Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) is the Lord, Creator, and Ruler of the universe.
- Ibn Huska is a prophet and has been sent by Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) to guide people.
- All Islamic obligations, including Zakat, Hajj, and fasting, have been exempted for anyone who follows him.
These claims were outlined in a letter written by one of Imam Hadi’s companions, which he sent to the Imam:
“My master, may I be your sacrifice; Ali ibn Huska claims to be one of your friends, and that you are the eternal and primeval God of the universe, and he is the intermediary and prophet sent by you. He claims that you appointed him to spread these beliefs. He holds that prayers, Zakat, Hajj, fasting, and all religious obligations are for recognizing you and people like him, who claim to be the gate (bab) [2] and even prophets! As a result, he considers himself a complete believer, exempt from duties like prayer, fasting, and Hajj, and he says that the meaning of all religious laws is what you have understood. Therefore, many people have followed him. If you deem it appropriate, kindly give an answer to this, to save them from misguidance and destruction.”[3]
In response to these deviant claims of Ibn Huska, Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of the Islamic obligations such as prayer, Zakat, fasting, Hajj, and the principle of Wilayah (leadership), and completely disavowed him. He issued a command to oppose, expel, and deal with him and his followers. This is explicitly mentioned in the Imam’s reply to the letter:
“Ibn Huska, may God’s curse be upon him, is lying. Know that I do not consider him one of my friends. What is wrong with him? May God keep him away from His mercy! I swear to God, He did not send Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) or any of the prophets before him except with the pure faith, and with prayer, Zakat, fasting, Hajj, and Wilayah; and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) invited people only to the one God, who has no partners. Likewise, we, his successors from his family, are servants of God, and we do not associate anything with Him. If we obey Him, we receive His mercy, and if we disobey, we are punished. We have no excuse before God; rather, He has authority over us and all of His creation. I disavow anyone who makes such claims, and I seek refuge in God from such false words. You too should expel them, may God distance them from His mercy, and put them into difficulty.”[4]
(Source: “The Life of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him)”, by Ayatollah Baqir Sharif al-Qurashi, with some additions and changes.)[5]
Footnotes:
[1] Ghuluw: Exaggeration in describing someone or something, often to the point of attributing divine qualities to humans. It commonly refers to elevating someone to the status of God or believing in the incarnation of God in a person. (From Amid Dictionary)
[2] Bab al-Allah: A title used in some hadiths and prayers for the Prophet of Islam and the family of the Prophet (peace be upon them). Some prominent companions of the Imams also used the title “Bab” because of their special characteristics. After the Occultation, some individuals claimed this title, but they were not recognized by the Shia or their leaders. (From Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, Volume 1, Bab al-Allah entry)
[3] (From Rijal al-Kashi, Chapter on the Ghulat (Extremists) contemporaneous to Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), Volume 2, p. 804)
[4] Same source.
[5] The text is adapted from the Persian translation of the above-mentioned book by Mr. Gholamhossein Ansari.