One of the attributes possessed by the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is “Fasl al-Khitab.” The phrase “Fasl al-Khitab” is a term from literary terminology that means a decisive statement, one that separates truth from falsehood and ends disputes. In the Holy Quran, “Fasl al-Khitab” is considered one of the blessings that God granted to Prophet David (peace be upon him), as it is stated: “We strengthened the kingdom of David and gave him wisdom and the ability to judge decisively” [1]. With his special insight, or through divine inspirations, he could distinguish between the false claimant and the truthful one, resolving people’s disputes, making his words a final judgment. The Shi’a believe that “Fasl al-Khitab,” whether through insight, divine inspiration, or statements that distinguish truth from falsehood, is present in the family of the Prophet (peace be upon them). The history of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is filled with numerous examples of this quality. They would end disputes with their knowledgeable judgments or, with their divine knowledge, clarify the truth for people in such a way that even the great opponents of their truth would be convinced. For example, the debates and discussions of the Imams (peace be upon them) with the leaders of other religions, who were propagating their beliefs, were in this context. Below is an example from the life of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him):
Once, Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) visited a monastery where a Christian monk would preach to the people once a year. The Imam entered the monastery without revealing his identity. When the monk saw him, he sensed a certain awe from him. He stopped speaking and said, “Are you a stranger here?”
The Imam (peace be upon him) replied, “Yes.”
The monk asked, “Do you agree or disagree with us in terms of religion?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “I am not one of you.”
The monk said, “Perhaps you are from the Islamic community.”
The Imam (peace be upon him) replied, “Yes.”
The monk then asked, “Are you one of the scholars or just from the common people?”
The Imam (peace be upon him) replied, “I am not one of the common people.”
The monk realized that the Imam was a prominent figure from the Islamic community, so he said, “I have some questions for you. My first question is, you believe that the tree of Tuba in Paradise is in the house of your Prophet, yet all of its branches are spread throughout Paradise. How is this possible?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “There is a similar example in the world. The sun is in one place, yet its light covers everywhere.”
The monk then asked, “My second question is, you believe that the food of Paradise never diminishes. How is that possible?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “This too has a parallel in the world. You can light many candles from a single candle, yet the original candle does not lose any of its light.”
The monk continued, “You say that there is shade in Paradise. How can there be shade in Paradise?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “In the world, before the sun rises, it is neither night nor day, yet there is a time when there is shade. This is what God refers to in the Quran: ‘Do you not see how your Lord spreads the shadow?'[2]
The monk asked, “You believe that everything in Paradise is pure and without impurities. How is that possible?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “This too has a parallel in the world. A child in its mother’s womb eats and drinks, but there are no impurities.”
The monk then asked, “You believe that in Paradise, as soon as the inhabitants desire something, it is instantly brought to them by the servants of Paradise without needing to be commanded. How is that possible?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “In the world, when a person intends to do something, their hands, feet, eyes, ears, and all other parts of the body move without needing separate commands.”
Finally, the monk asked, “Do you believe that the key to Paradise is made of silver or gold?”
Imam Musa (peace be upon him) replied, “The key to Paradise is the phrase ‘There is no god but God’ that is uttered by a person.”
The monk confirmed the accuracy of the answers, and as a result, both he and many others present there embraced Islam, all thanks to the blessed presence of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him).[3]
This is an example of “Fasl al-Khitab,” where Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) separated truth from falsehood for the Christian monk. By receiving answers to his questions, the monk realized that someone who responds in such a way must be connected to the divine source of knowledge. Thus, the truth became clear to him, and he believed.
(Taken from “Safir al-Wilayah,” by Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Zia Abadi, with some changes and additions)
Footnotes:
[1] Surah Sad, verse 20
[2] Surah Al-Furqan, verse 45
[3] Manaqib Ibn Shahr Ashub, Vol. 4, p. 311