“O My Master! I don\u2019t have the opportunity to be in your presence all\nthe time. So whom should I accept and whom should I obey?” \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the question that Ahmad ibn\nIshaq asked Imam Askari (PBUH). This may be the question of all Shiites today.\nIndeed, what should we do in the time of occultation of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Definitely the Shiites should have a\nstable social system in the world in order to stand against incident and\nenemies. This system is formed by the leadership of Marjas (the sources of\nemulation). It means that Shiites refer to clerics who are trustees of Allah\n(SWT) for their Islamic rules. At the time of Imam Askari (PBUH), the basis of referring\nto Marja was initiated. As a result of the Shiite scholars being the\nrepresentatives of the Infallible Imam (PBUH), their role became much more\nsignificant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many narratives describing\nthe role of clerics among the people. In one of them, Imam Askari (PBUH)\nnarrated from his ancestor, Imam Sadiq (PBUH):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“All the\npeople have to emulate the cleric who is pious, takes care of his religion,\nacts against his carnal desires and obeys the command of his Imam.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On this basis the scholars, who were\nenlightened by the guidance of Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH), undertook the affairs of\ncommunity at the time of Imam al-Askari (PBUH). In some cases, these clerics\nwould write letters to the Imam to ask for guidance concerning their problems,\nand the Imam would answer them in sealed letters. These sealed letters became\nknown as \u201cTawaqi”. Some of these letters became very famous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, Uthman ibn Saeed Amri\nwas one of the most important Marja at the time of Imam Askari (PBUH), and the\ninfallible Imams (PBUT) made reference to his high ranking. He had an\noutstanding position in the eyes of Shiites. Moreover, Imam Hadi (PBUH) and\nImam Askari (PBUH) suggested that their followers refer to him. Ahmad ibn Ishaq\nsays in this respect,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When Imam\nHadi (PBUH) passed away, I went to Imam Askari (PBUH) and asked him, ‘O My\nMaster! I don\u2019t have the opportunity to be in your presence all the time. So\nwhom should I accept and whom should I obey?’ He answered, ‘Abu Umar is a\ntrusted and honest man in everything. What he says to you is on behalf of me\nand what he declares for you is on behalf of me.'”(1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uthman ibn Saeed and some others (2)\nwere representatives of Imam Askari (PBUH). Because of the presence of such\npeople during these times, the leadership of the Shia clerics was reinforced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thereby the leadership of Marjas can\nwork as a political doctrine as well as a firm and stable means of calling\npeople to Allah (SWT) and organizing a school of thought for society. This\nsystem can also serve a political system for the community as the government\nwould be returned to its true owners (Infallible Imams).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This system is far from the quarrels\nof clans and partiality. From the time of the Infallible Imams (PBUT) up to\nnow, Shiites have always lived according to this method and have benefited from\nthe wonderful ability of this system, though sometimes there were reasons which\nprevented this system from making complete progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In conclusion it can be noted that one\nof the most important aspect of Imam Hassan Askari’s (PBUH) time was the\nconsolidating of the leadership of Shia clerics. Today, during the occultation\nof Imam Mahdi (PBUH) this system is one of the main bases of leadership for\nShiites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Taken from\n“Life of Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH)”, Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi\nModarresi, with summarization)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On behalf of the Roshd website, we pay\nour condolences upon the 8th of Rabi al-Awwal, the martyrdom of the pure and\nrighteous Imam, Imam Hassan ibn-Ali al-Askari (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1- Hayat al-Imam al\nAskri, p.155<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2- For further\ninformation about these persons, refer to the book by Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi\nModarresi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“O My Master! I don\u2019t have the opportunity to be in your presence all the time. So whom should I accept and whom should I obey?” \u2026 This is the question that Ahmad ibn Ishaq asked Imam Askari (PBUH). This may be the question of all Shiites today. Indeed, what should we do in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[23589,23591,17778,23588,23365,18070,23590,23592,18418,17955,21841,23593],"class_list":["post-4695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2007-03-27","tag-accep","tag-allah","tag-consolidator-of-emulation-sources","tag-imam-hasan-askari","tag-islamic","tag-maste","tag-obey","tag-occasion-letters","tag-people","tag-presence","tag-rules"],"yoast_head":"\n