A series of moral, doctrinal, and social statements from the esteemed religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, may his shadow remain (Words of Wisdom, episode number 1)
Divine Anger
The Almighty God says in the Holy Quran: "It is greatly hated by Allah that you say what you do not do. O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?" [Surah As-Saff] This verse points to a quality that not only believers and Muslims should adhere to, but it is also accepted by every human being, whether good or bad. Even if we inquire about the opinions of so-called bad people, or oppressors, or sinners regarding someone who advises others to do good but does not act on their own advice, they would all reject it. The idea that someone who is themselves an oppressor advises others against oppression, or that someone who is involved in sin guides others to avoid sin, is something that not only the devout reject, but even those with weak beliefs, sinners, and even careless individuals do not find acceptable.
The Naturalness of the Alignment Between Words and Actions
The naturalness of the alignment between words and actions has its roots in human nature. Certain matters related to religion and a person's beliefs, or whether they are religious or not, cannot be overlooked. Regardless of an individual's inclinations and beliefs, they do not like to call others to do good deeds that they themselves do not practice, nor do they wish to commit sins while advising others against them. Naturally, every human being cannot tolerate such contradictions. God Almighty has instilled this nature within every person. This innate nature helps distinguish right from wrong and guides individuals toward goodness and righteousness. God Almighty also mentions this in the Holy Quran: "So set your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. And adhere to the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created people. There is no change in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know."
Fitrah assists humans in understanding good from bad. It acts as a teacher within every individual and observes their actions, allowing them to inherently recognize the correctness or incorrectness of their deeds. Based on this God-given nature, God Almighty revealed the verse: "Why do you say what you do not do?" Why do you advise others to do good deeds that you do not practice yourself? Or why do you refrain from bad actions while encouraging others to avoid them? Why do you recommend justice to people while not adhering to it yourself, and why do you commit injustice while asking others not to engage in it?
Examples of the Oppression of the People Towards the Ruler
The discussion of oppression has come up, emphasizing that one should not oppress others and should discourage oppression in others. Perhaps the limits and scope of oppression are not clearly defined for people. Oppression is very broad. It can occur in any relationship and any group, even without the individuals realizing it. For example, husbands and wives in their ordinary relationships and during their shared life are very susceptible to oppressing one another. Likewise, parents can oppress their children, and vice versa, children can oppress their parents. In all these family relationships, failing to respect each other's rights or trampling on them is considered oppression.
Similarly, just as a seller may oppress a customer through underpricing and deceit, a customer may also oppress a seller by neglecting their rights. A ruler oppresses people by not respecting their rights. The opposite is also true; sometimes a nation oppresses its ruler. This second situation is often seen with good rulers who, unfortunately, sometimes face ingratitude and disobedience from their people. A clear example of this is the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said about the numerous hardships he faced from his community: "No prophet has been harmed as I have been." Who were the ones that harmed the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) that he refers to in this way? Is he referring to the polytheists and disbelievers of Mecca and the enemies who fought him over the years? These are not the only cases. The harm that the Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to was primarily the harm inflicted by his own people; that is, those who were among the Muslims and appeared to be part of them, but in reality, they always harbored enmity and discord against the Prophet (peace be upon him). These individuals, known as hypocrites, prayed alongside other Muslims, fasted, performed pilgrimage, and even participated in jihad, yet they harbored ill intentions towards Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him). For this reason, whenever they had the opportunity, they would express their malice and ill beliefs, seeking to harm the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) through sabotage and betrayal.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) stated in one of his sermons:
"I was a commander, and now I have become one who is commanded." This statement was made in response to the sabotage of his companions and their disobedience to his commands. When he saw his companions' reluctance to obey him, he made this remark. His words were directed at those whom the Quran reproached with "Why do you say what you do not do?" The companions of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), by disobeying him, certainly committed a great injustice against him; those who had an Islamic appearance and were religious, and perhaps even discouraged others from oppression. The oppression of the people against their ruler is somewhat similar to the oppression of a customer against a seller, but on a much higher level with more destructive and far-reaching consequences.
Two Seemingly Contradictory Matters
There is no doubt that the level of each person's awareness of good and bad matters, as well as their understanding of good and bad actions, is not the same. The essence of the matter, which is the understanding and pleasant feeling towards good actions, and conversely, the unpleasant feeling towards bad actions, is an innate quality that is divinely placed within every human being. Here, we are looking to examine the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding wrong, which, as we know, is one of the religious duties. The question is whether if someone commits a wrong themselves, based on what was discussed regarding the verse "Why do you say what you do not do?", the obligation to forbid wrong is lifted from them. The answer is no. Avoiding sins and wrongdoings is an obligation, and forbidding those wrongdoings is another obligation. Each of these must be observed in its own right. With this in mind, if someone does not pray, even though they have sinned and their action is undesirable, they still must encourage others who do not pray to pray, based on the obligation to enjoin good. This is a separate issue. We are talking about two religious obligations, each of which has its own requirement. According to the verse "Why do you say what you do not do?", one of these obligations is not lifted. The intention is to avoid sin and forbid wrong, as well as to act upon obligatory and good matters, and to enjoin them; both are obligatory actions, and even if one is neglected, it does not negate the obligation of the other. Thus, if someone wrongs others and also does not forbid wrongdoing, they have committed two forbidden actions.
Despite all this, what God, the Blessed and Exalted, has commanded the prophets to do, and what the prophets have guided God's servants based on, is that a person must act upon what they command others and also adhere to avoiding the things they prohibit others from. This behavior is evident in the conduct of the prophets of God, peace be upon them all, as well as our infallibles, peace be upon them
On the Subject of the Authority of the Sayings, Actions, and Approvals of the Infallibles Peace be Upon Them
From the infallibles (peace be upon them), three things are a proof for us: their sayings, actions, and approvals. All three of these are worthy of following and deserving of imitation and practice. The Holy Quran explicitly commands us to follow the commands of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), which include his sayings, actions, and approvals, in the following verse:
'Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it; and what he forbids you, abstain from it; and fear God;
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) also declared the obligation of following his progeny and the Imams after him for Muslims when he said: 'Indeed, I am leaving among you two precious things: one is the Book of God and the other is my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt.'
This narration clearly indicates the legitimacy of the Imamate of the infallible Imams from the descendants and lineage of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family). In the continuation of the narration, following these two precious things is considered a means of salvation, and it states:
'As long as you hold on to them, you will never go astray, and they will not separate from each other until they return to me at the pond [on the Day of Resurrection].' As long as you hold on to them [and follow them], you will surely not be misled.
Based on the teachings derived from the infallibles (peace be upon them) through their sayings, actions, and approvals, which are all binding and obligatory for us, the distinction between good and evil is clear, and the divine obligations and prohibitions are not hidden from us. Therefore, there is no excuse for neglecting an obligation or committing a prohibition. Moreover, whatever we speak regarding the divine lawful and unlawful, based on our innate nature and divine command, as well as following the practices of the infallibles (peace be upon them), it is obligatory for us to act upon it and align our words and actions with obedience to divine commands."
Abdul Malik Marwan and the Duality of His Words and Actions
Studying the behavior of the opposing line of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), meaning the caliphs who came to power after the martyrdom of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family), as well as those who occupied the seat of caliphate for centuries after the martyrdom of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), reveals a completely different set of actions, sayings, and approvals compared to the practices of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) and Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him). Comparing this with the teachings of these two great figures is enlightening. Studying the differences will provide a healthy and correct perspective on Islam and its teachings. In general, one can learn from both good and bad people. From the good, we can learn goodness, and from the bad, we learn what evil is, what its consequences are, and what the ultimate outcome will be. For this reason, we will take a brief look at the behavior and conduct of one of the Umayyad caliphs, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, and how inconsistent his actions and words are.
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan held various governmental positions besides the caliphate for a long time, during which he nurtured the desire to rule. He intended to establish an Islamic government and rule over the people for a while, although it would be a government based on injustice and far from the teachings and traditions of the noble Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) and Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him)
As recorded in history and referenced in various narrations (including by the late Allameh Majlisi, may Allah be pleased with him, in his esteemed book "Bihar al-Anwar" and other hadith collections), Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, whose reign was filled with the persecution and torture of faithful men and women, as well as their imprisonment and exile, has left a dark mark of oppression on the pages of history during those bleak years. It is narrated that one day in the holy city of Mecca, while he was preaching to the people in the House of God, a man from the crowd stood up and loudly addressed Abd al-Malik, saying: "How can you speak these words while not acting upon them yourself? You encourage us to abandon wrongdoing, yet you and your workers are entirely engaged in oppression and corruption. Whom should we follow, your words and sermons, or your disgraceful actions?" Abu Hamza Thumali, who witnessed this incident, recounts that as soon as the man finished speaking, Abd al-Malik's soldiers did not spare him and immediately arrested him. Abu Hamza mentions about the fate of that man: "And this was the last we saw of him, and we do not know what became of him; this was our final encounter with that man, and we never learned of his fate.
There is no doubt that the behavior of that man was commendable and praiseworthy, as it is necessary for someone to stand up against a tyrannical ruler whose actions contradict his words and to object to him, so that, as the Holy Quran states in the following verse, the truth and the right path may be made clear to the people. The verse is as follows:
"Let those who perish perish based on clear evidence, and let those who live do so based on clear evidence; so that those who are lost [and misguided] do so after the proof has been completed, and those who are revived [and deserving of eternal life] have also had the proof completed for them."
For this reason, in the narrations of the infallible Imams (peace be upon them), speaking the truth in front of a tyrannical ruler is repeatedly praised. It is evident that enduring the truth can only be tolerated by a just and pious Imam, meaning a ruler who governs based on justice and piety. Otherwise, tyrannical and oppressive rulers can never bear to hear anything contrary to themselves, even if that statement is true and entirely correct. In such cases, they usually react angrily towards the speaker of that truth. This is why the esteemed Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) stated the importance of speaking the truth in front of oppressive rulers: "The best jihad is a word of truth spoken in front of a tyrannical ruler.
The essence of this matter is to enlighten the people, which is referenced in the previously mentioned verse. The importance of this topic is such that it is considered a communal obligation (wajib kifa'i). This means that as long as there is no one to uphold it, it is obligatory for everyone to stand against the tyrannical ruler and expose his oppression and corruption. However, if someone fulfills this obligation, it is lifted from others.
The command to enjoin good and forbid wrong, which are two obligatory duties, also have a communal obligation. When there is no one to perform them, it is obligatory for everyone to do so. But if someone enjoins good or forbids wrong, the obligation of these duties is lifted from others. This matter is mentioned in practical jurisprudence books and is accepted by all. The Holy Quran, which is the source of the narrations, and the books of jurisprudence and religious rulings, are based on this heavenly book and also on the hadith sources from the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) — which are fully aligned with the Quran — have stated the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding wrong. Therefore, as much as people become aware of good and understand the falsehood and injustice of wrong, the performance of these two duties becomes obligatory for everyone. Once a number of people strive for this important task, it is lifted from others.
It should be noted that obligations are divided into two categories: individual (عينی) and communal (کفایتی). Individual obligations are obligatory for everyone, such as the daily prayers. However, communal obligations become obligatory for everyone until someone fulfills them, after which it is lifted from the rest.
In the Enlightenment of the Infallible Imams Peace be Upon Them
The Almighty God, in the verse "So that he who perishes may perish by clear proof, and he who lives may live by clear proof," clearly illustrates the reason for the steadfastness of the prophets and the infallible ones (peace be upon them) against the oppression of their time. With a little reflection on the actions of the prophets of previous nations—those who were tortured by the rulers and oppressors of their time, and those who were killed—we realize that their endurance of hardships in the path of preaching and enlightenment was all aimed at revealing the truth and distinguishing right from wrong. Our last Prophet and the infallible Imams (peace be upon them) also sacrificed their noble lives for this cause. It is narrated: "None of us (the Ahlul Bayt) is except that he is either poisoned or killed." This painful fate befell all our Imams and infallibles, and even the blessed existence of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) will not be safe from this fate, as he too will ultimately sacrifice his noble life in the path of clarifying God's religion and distinguishing truth from falsehood.
If we closely observe the anti-oppression actions of the infallibles (peace be upon them), we understand that the reason Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him)—despite being a pious scholar and very kind—spent many years in prison was nothing but acting upon the jihadist saying, "A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler." All that torture and long imprisonment was solely for this reason. Similarly, the reason Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) did not submit to Yazid and his tyranny was to expose his injustice and wrongdoing. The martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) was also in realization of "A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler." The behavior of that person who could not bear to hear the seemingly good words and advice of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan and spoke out in protest, revealing his inappropriate actions to others, was nothing but acting upon "A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler."
What has been discussed serves as a practical guideline for all of us Muslims to strive to align our actions with our words, so that we do not become examples of the Quranic verse "Why do you say what you do not do?" which is a great and unfortunate reproach. I hope that the Blessed and Exalted God grants us the ability to act upon this lofty Quranic teaching and strengthens us all on this path. May God’s blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family.
