Imam Sadiq’s (P.B.U.H.) Invitation to the Imamate

When Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) died, circumstances changed in favor of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) due to the multifold activities that Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) and Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) themselves had done. I will disclose Imam Bāqir and Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.T.) plan in two words for you, which, at that time, was of course, among the secrets; the very secrets that you have heard it was said for example Jābir b. Yazīd Ju‘fī was one of those entrusted with secrets, and that may Allah’s curse be on anyone who spread out our secret, and so on; those secrets that, if any person had spread them out, Allah’s curse would be upon that person. Those are the same secrets that I would like to disclose, which, however there is now no problem to disclose today; rather it is imperative that people know what the Imam (P.B.U.H.) wanted to do–Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) plan was that after Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) demise he would get everything organized and launch an overt uprising and overturn the Umayyad ruler–that used to change government every day–and was indicative of the utmost weakness of the Umayyad system and the goal was to bring in forces to Medina from Khurāsān, Rey, Iṣfahān, Iraq, Ḥijāz, Egypt, Morocco and all the Muslim regions and all of these regions that were fairly widespread in all these regions of Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) party network–meaning Shi‘ites–forces come from everywhere to Medina and the Imam (P.B.U.H.) would deploy a military division to Shām and overthrow the ruler of Shām and he himself raise the flag of the Caliphate and come to Medina and establish the government of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). This was Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) plan.
Therefore, when they were in the presence of Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) and spoke in the last days of his life and he was asked, “Who is the Upriser (Qā’im) of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household?” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) glimpses at Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) and says: “Apparently, I see that this (Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.)) is the Upriser of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household.” Of course, you know that the Upriser of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household is a common name not a specific name; it is not the name of the Imam of the Time (P.B.U.H.), Imam Mahdī (P.B.U.H.) is the final Upriser of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household, but all of those who rose up from Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household Ahl al-Bayt over time–whether they were victorious or not–are the Uprisers of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household and the narrations that state that when our Upriser does rise up, he will do such and such works, he will create such welfare and prosperity, he will spread such and such a justice; at that time it was not meant to be Imam Mahdī (P.B.U.H.). What was meant was one from among Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household who is supposed to establish the government of right and justice; when he rises up, he will do these things and it was also right. It was Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) that was supposed to be the Upriser of Muḥammad’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household of that time. It was under such circumstances that Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) attained the Imamate.
Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was a man of struggle; a man of science and knowledge and a man of organization. But you have all heard about him being a man of science and knowledge; Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) study circles and the educational arena that this honorable Imam (P.B.U.H.) had created was unparalleled, both before and after his life time, in the history of the Shi‘ite Imams’ (P.B.U.T.) life. All the truthful words of Islam and the main concepts of the Qur’ān that had been distorted during a century or so by spiteful, corrupt, or ignorant people were all stated in a proper manner by Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) and this caused the enemy to feel threatened by him. But you have heard less about him being a man of struggle. Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was engaged in an extensive and continual struggle; a struggle for seizing the government and power and for creating an Islamic and ‘Alawite state. That is to say, Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was paving the way to eradicate the Umayyads and replace them by bringing to power an ‘Alawite government, which is the true Islamic government. This is clear for someone who pays attention to and studies the life of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.).
But many have never heard of the third dimension, the man of organization. Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) had created a colossal organization of those who believed in him and the supporters of the movement of ‘Alawite government throughout the Muslim world from the farthest reaches of Khurāsān and Transoxiana to North Africa. What exactly does the organization mean? It means when Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) wishes what the people should know, he tells it to his representatives, who are stationed throughout the Muslim world, to let the people know it. That is they collect funds and the budget from all over the Muslim world in order to manage the massive political struggle of ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.). That is his lawyers and representatives should be present in all cities so that Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) followers may refer to them and ask the Imam (P.B.U.H.) about their religious as well as political duties. Like a religious duty, a political duty is binding. The one whose obedience is obligatory and who is the guardian of affairs, whose religious and Islamic judgments (fatwā) such as prayer, legal alms (zakāt), fasting, and the other obligations is the same with his political judgments and political orders in the field of jihād, diplomatic relationships, the interior relations of the country and all issues; the obedience of all of them is obligatory. Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) had created such a colossal organization and he struggled with the Umayyad’s system through this organization and with the assistance of those who were a member in it. Of course, the life story of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) is very important and instructive; he struggled with the Umayyads for ten years and another long period with the ‘Abbasids. While his victory over the Umayyads had become assured and imminent, the ‘Abbasids turned out to be an obstructive and opportunist element, who took over the front line and after that Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was forced to struggle both against the Umayyads and the ‘Abbasids.
There are some narrations by the famous historian Ṭabarī relating that this noble Imam (P.B.U.H.) fought against the Umayyads in the first ten years of his Imamate. During this period, the struggle of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was open, meaning there were no secrecy, no prudential concealment (taqīyya), or reservation. The reason for this was that the Umayyad caliphs were so busy that they no longer had a chance to seek out Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) and the Shi‘ites and to show aggression toward them. … So Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) did not need to practice secrecy. … On the day of ‘Arafah Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) would go stand among this massive crowd of people–Where had they all come from? From all parts of the Muslim world; from Africa, from the Middle East, from Ḥijāz, from Iraq, from Iran of those days (Persia), from Khurāsān, from Afghanistan of those days, from Eastern Turkistan–there were pilgrims from everywhere. If you blow up a bomb here, you have blown up it in the entire Islamic world; if you speak one word, it is as though you have spoken it through a worldwide advertising network. Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) would come among this crowd and explicitly and officially announced that, “O’ people! The rightful ruler is no one other than Ja‘far b. Muḥammad (P.B.U.H.) and not Abī Ja‘far Manṣūr”. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) would also state his reason, and it was not a verbal and rational reasoning that the people of those days did not have the patience to hear, as clearly there was no one in this group to listen to this kind of reasoning; but the Imam (P.B.U.H.) mentioned another kind of reasoning, because in order to convince the people Manṣūr ‘Abbāsī and others had pretended that they were the successors of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and they had also forged for themselves a lineage and would claim that they were the offspring of ‘Abbās. They had two lineages and would use one at a time.
One of them was that they would say, “We are the offspring of ‘Abbās, the paternal uncle of the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and after the Prophet’s demise, the Caliphate belonged to the Hashemite and ‘Abbās, the holy Prophet’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) uncle, was the oldest amongst the Hashemite and so-called the most matured of them all. So, the Caliphate after the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) belonged to ‘Abbās and after him it would belong to us as we are the offspring of ‘Abbās. This was one claim. They used to speak about another lineage, as well; they used to say that they were the offspring of ‘Alī ‘Abbāsī, ‘Alī b. ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās. They were right, they were either the grandsons of ‘Alī ‘Abbāsī or the sons of ‘Alī ‘Abbāsī; and he was the disciple of Muḥammad Ḥanafīyeh, who was the son of Amīr al-Mu’minīn, Imam ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib (P.B.U.H.) and he was the son-in-law of the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). After the holy Prophet, (P.B.U.H. & H.H.), the Caliphate was passed on to ‘Alī, it was passed from ‘Alī on to Muḥammad Ḥanafīyeh–not Ḥassan and Ḥusayn–and it was passed from Muḥammad Ḥanafīyeh on to the son of ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās–who was their grandfather–and it was passed from ‘Abdullāh to them, so they [claimed that they] were the caliphs.
They made a lineage like this and this was convincing enough for the minds of the people of those days; as their level of thinking was low. Thus, while the Imam (P.B.U.H.) was standing among that large crowd, he would state the true lineage of the Imamate;
«ایها الناس ان رسول الله کان الامام»
[O People! Indeed, the holy Prophet of Allah was Imam.]
The holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) himself was Imam, meaning that he was the guide and leader of society.
«ثم من بعده علی بن ابی طالب»
[Then after him is ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib.]
That is the very Shi‘ite logic; then Ḥasan, then Ḥusayn, then ‘Alī b. al-Ḥusayn, then Muḥammad b. ‘Alī and then I am the Imam. He would introduce himself as the Imam and this required a lot of courage. This was not a normal statement, it was not a simple statement; this was indeed the greatest announcement of opposition; and Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) used to do this during the Umayyad period of rule, during the latter part of the Umayyad period of rule. Not during the ‘Abbasid period of rule, all affairs were accomplished through the use of taqīyyah, and concealment; the reason for this was that the ‘Abbasids would utter the slogans of ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) and their statements; their features were like ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) but their actions were like those of the Umayyads.
During the period of the Umayyad rule, the struggle was like that; during the period of the ‘Abbasids rule–which was longer–the struggle was carried out more secretly and the ‘Abbasids were involved in a deviated movement that used one opportunity, impeding the revolution, meaning that they deviated the revolution that Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) was in the process of creating and this is an ever existing danger for all revolutions. Sometimes that revolution’s rightful strategy, which is congruous with the basic criteria and standards of a revolution, will be substituted with a false, deviated, vicious, and vain strategy of rightful slogans; this is why man must be alert and observant. The people of that time were not observant; until years later, perhaps until thirty years later or twenty years later, the people living in remote areas–after the ‘Abbasids had come to power–imagined that this was the result of their struggles that they have done for ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) and they imagined that the government of ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) was truly this, not knowing that these rulers were usurpers.
1980/05/09
Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) went through two phases in this period; one from the year 148 A.H. until Manṣūr’s caliphate. This is one period; which is a period of tranquility and prosperity. The one that became well-known due to the dispute between the Umayyads and the ‘Abbasids, which is known to have provided an opportunity for the Imams (P.B.U.T.), pertains to this period. In Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) time no such thing existed. In Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) time the Umayyads were in power and Hishām b. ‘Abdul Malik was also the greatest personality of the Umayyads.
He was a man of the Umayyads and the greatest personality of the Umayyads after ‘Abdul Malik. Therefore, in Imam Bāqir’s time, there were not any differences between anyone and there was no one that could cause an opportunity for the Imams (P.B.U.T.) to make use of. This was the case in Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) time; and as such it was a time, during which slowly but surely the Umayyads invitation began and coincided with the zenith of the uprising of ‘Alawite Shi‘ite’s invitation throughout the Muslim world.
… When Manṣūr came to power, of course, the situation became difficult, and the lifestyle of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) shifted back to the period of the life of Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.); repression became dominant, like the very time that the Imam was exiled; he was repeatedly exiled to Ḥīra, Rumayla, and [numerous] other places. Manṣūr called the Imam to his presence several times. One time he said:
«قتلنی الله ان لم اقتلک»
[May Allah kill me if I don’t kill you!] Once he sent an order to the ruler of Medina:
«أن احرق علی جعفر بن محمد داره»
[Burn the house of Ja‘far b. Muḥammad]. So the Imam (P.B.U.H.) came in the middle of the flames of the fire and demonstrated a strange display, saying,
«أنا ابن اعراق الثری»
[I am the son of the beating veins of the earth.], which, well, this demonstration suppressed those opponents even more, and these clashes between Manṣūr and Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) were very severe. He repeatedly threatened the Imam (P.B.U.H.).
Of course, some reports have mentioned that the Imam (P.B.U.H.) humiliated himself before Manṣūr are not true. I checked the reports myself, and found them baseless, mostly traced to Rabī‘ Ḥājib, who was definitely an evil-doer, and a close associate of Manṣūr’s. Some naive people have even called him a Shi‘ite! Can anyone believe it? I studied Rabī‘ b. Yūnus’ biography and discovered that he was [absolutely] loyal to ‘Abbasids’ organization, indeed a servant of theirs, and Manṣūr’s confidant, who did him many services. If it had not been for Rabī‘, others–his uncles–would have seized the caliphate when Manṣūr died. He, therefore, faked a will nominating Manṣūr’s son–Mahdī–the caliph. So Mahdī became the caliph. Besides, there was Faḍl b. Rabī‘, the son of this [same] Rabī‘ b. Yūnus. It is thus evident that Rabi’ b. Yūnus’ family were fully devoted to Banī ‘Abbās and had no sincerity toward the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.). He faked things to convince people that such a personage as the Imam (P.B.U.H.) ought to humiliate himself before the caliph so that others would realize their own duty. Anyway, the clash between Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) and Manṣūr was so serious that it ended in Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) martyrdom in the year 148 A.H.
The important and outstanding features of Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) life as far as it is related to the especial viewpoint of our discussion are as follows:
Explaining and Propagating the Issue of the Imamate.
Propagating and Explaining Religious Practical Laws according to Shi‘ite Jurisprudence and also the Interpretation of the Qur’ān Based on Shi‘ite Perspective.
The Existence of secret Politico-Ideological Organizations.

At this time we will return to the main topic; that is that like the other Shi‘ite Imams (P.B.U.T.), Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.), the outstanding stanza of his invitation is comprised of the topic of the “Imamate”. To prove this historical reality, the most conclusive piece of evidence is the abundant narrations that have narrated with total clarity and definitiveness the claim of the Imamate to have been upheld by Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.).
As I will explain, the Imam (P.B.U.H.), while disseminating and propagating this issue, was viewing himself in a phase of that struggle that he should directly and explicitly repudiate the rulers of the time and introduce himself as genuinely rightful of Wilāya (guardianship) and the Imamate; and as a rule this action would only occur when all the previous steps of the struggle had been carried out successfully; the political and social awareness emerged in a wide stratum; potential preparedness was felt everywhere; the ideological grounds had been created in a notable gathering; the necessity for a true government and justice had been proven for a large multitude of people and finally the leader had made a firm decision for the ultimate struggle. Without all these, proposing the name of a certain person as the rightful Imam and guardian of the affairs of society would have been a hasty and useless action.
Another point that should be considered is that, in some cases, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) does not content himself with proving the Imamate for himself; but along with mentioning his own name he recalls the names of the other rightful Imams (P.B.U.T.) and his ancestors prior to him, and in fact he propounds the succession of the Imamate of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) as connected and inseparable. Given the fact that the Shi‘ite thinking has condemned all the former unjust statesmen and considered them to be “cruel and oppressive rulers”; this action can refer to the continuity of jihād (holy struggle) of the Shi‘ites of this time to that of the passed times as well. In fact, with this statement, Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) considers his Imamate to be an inevitable result that is derived from the Imamate of his predecessors and brings it out of its unprecedented, rootless, and baseless state and connects his line of hereditary succession through a trustable and indubitable channel to the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). Now look at some examples of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) method of invitation:
The most interesting narration I have seen on this matter is a narration by ‘Amr b. Abī al-Miqdām, which depicts an amazing spectacle. The 9th of Dhul Ḥijja is the day of ‘Arafah. A stupendous gathering of people assembled in ‘Arafāt in order to perform the especial rites of that day and the inherent representatives of the people throughout Muslim inhabited regions, from the farthest bonds of Khurāsān to the coast of the Mediterranean, are gathered. Here, one single timely word can do the work of the most extensive communication network at that time. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) has taken himself to this gathering and has a message. [The narrator says,] “I saw the Imam (P.B.U.H.) standing among the people and delivered his message three times as loudly as possible, with a voice that must resonate everywhere and in all ears and be spread throughout the Muslim world by means of the listeners. He turned his face to another direction delivered that same message three times. Once again, he turned toward another direction and uttered that same statement three times and again shouted the same message. Thus, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) repeated his speech twelve times. This message was uttered with these phrases:
«ایها الناس! ان رسول الله کان الامام و ثم کان علی بن ابی طالب ثم الحسن ثم الحسین ثم علی بن الحسین ثم محمد بن علی، ثم …»
“O’ People! The holy Prophet of Allah (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) was the leader (Imam), after him ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib is the Imam, then Ḥasan, then Ḥusayn, then ‘Alī b. Ḥusayn, then Muḥammad b. ‘Alī, then….”
There is another tradition narrated by Abī al-Ṣabbāḥ Kunānī, in which Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) describes himself and the other Shi‘ite Imams (P.B.U.T.) in this way: “We are the ones whom Allah made people’s obedience to us necessary. Both the spoils of war (anfāl) and premium property (ṣafwa al-māl) are ours.” Premium property is choice property which the arrogant tyrants have allocated to themselves and had deprived those deserving this property from attaining it and when this confiscated property comes out of the clutches of the defeated oppressors through the victory of Muslim warriors, it is not, like other booties, divided until it is placed in the hands of one person and give him a fake grandeur and false pride; rather, it is entrusted to the Muslim ruler and he uses them to the general interests of Muslims. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) introduces himself as the person in charge of the premium properties and also the spoils of war–which is also related to the Imam (P.B.U.H.)–and with this statement he clearly indicates that today it is him who is the present ruler of the Muslim society and all this must reach him and be at his disposal and be used or distributed as he deems it right.
In another narration, he mentions the names of the former Imams (P.B.U.T.) one by one and gives testimony of their Imamate and that obeying their commands is obligatory and when he gets to his own name, he keeps silent. Those who are listening know very well that after Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) the heritage of science and government is in Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.) control. In this way, he also propounds is right to rule and also expresses his relations and connections to his eminent ancestor, ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib, with an argumentation-like tone. One can find abundant narrations like this in chapters of the book “Argument (Al-Ḥujjat)” by al-Kāfī and also in volume 47 of Biḥār al-Anwār that explicitly or allegorically speaks of the claim to the Imamate and of the invitation to it.
Another decisive document is the evidence which alludes to the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) comprehensive propagating network throughout Muslim countries and makes the existence of such a network indisputable. This evidence is so abundant and well-reasoned that even if there had not been one explicit tradition, it would not have been discredited. The researcher on the biographies of the Imams (P.B.U.T.) that had not been compiled, asks himself: “Didn’t the Shi‘ite Imams (P.B.U.T.) have preachers and missionaries in different regions of the Muslim county to preach about their Imamate and take a pledge of obedience and support from the people at the end of the Umayyad period? In this case, then how are the signs of this organizational connectedness justified; the signs that can be so clearly seen in the financial and intellectual relationships between the Imams (P.B.U.T.) and the Shi‘ites? How are these funds and properties from all over the world carried to Medina? How are so many questions about religious issues raised? How can such a widespread invitation to Shī‘ism be accomplished? How can this unique popularity and respect for ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) be spread in the important parts of the Muslim country? How can this host of transmitters of traditions and narrators from Khurāsān, Sīstān, Kūfa, Baṣra, Yemen and Egypt gather around the Imam (P.B.U.H.)? Which powerful hand had created all of these? Can one consider this to be a coincidence or are these spontaneous events to be a factor involved in these proportionate and co-related events?
Despite all this adverse propaganda that was, without exception, being spread by those who propagated to the benefit of the regime of Umayyad Caliphate and even the name of ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib (P.B.U.H.) was referred to as the most condemned figure of Islam on the pulpits (minbars) and during sermons, was it possible that without the existence of a strong propagation network ‘Alī’s household (P.B.U.T.) to be so popular and charismatic that people would rush to merely see and benefit from them and offer their friendship and bond to them from the farthest and unfamiliar parts of country and to traverse long distances and come in to Ḥijāz and Medina to learn the science of religion–which, according to Shi‘ite belief is like politics and governance–from them, and on several occasions, impatiently resort to military action, and the narrators put it, demand them to upset and revolt? If the Shi‘ites’ armaments were used only to prove the Imams’ (P.B.U.T.) knowledge and the piety, then what could their appeal for military action mean?
It may be asked that if such a widespread and efficient propagation network did exist, why is there no mention of it in history and no incident is explicitly reported about it? The answer, as it was pointed out earlier is, in short, because the reason for this anonymity should be sought in the obsessive adherence of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) companions to the reputable and progressive principle of taqīyyah that prevented any alien from penetrating in the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) administration, and the failure of the Shi‘ite’s jihād in that stage from coming to power, which in turn is caused by several factors. If the ‘Abbasids would not have come to power either, undoubtedly their covert efforts and activities and their bitter sweet memories that they had experienced from their propagation activities would have remained in hearts and no one would have heard of them and they would not have been recorded in history.
When we talk about taqīyyah, you may say that taqīyyah belonged to a time when a dominant government was in power and we were hiding ourselves and did not say anything due to fear. No, at that time fear was not the issue of taqīyyah:
«التقیة ترس المومن»
[Taqīyyah is the shield of the believer.] Where do they use the shield? The shield is used in the battle field and when conflict comes into play. Therefore, there is taqīyyah in the field of battle, since it functions as fear, amulet, trench, and the shield.
At that time it was also like this. When we verbally denied Islam when our life was in danger, it meant that we delivered the blow on the body of the malevolent enemy; but in such a way that he could not see the sword or the hand that was holding the sword nor the sensing the raising and bringing it down; rather he only felt its pain. This was taqīyyah. Those who practiced taqīyyah when in danger of their life in those days practiced it the same way. For example they would write down communiqués secretly and out of sight of the enemy, in hiding places, with thousands of considerations and cares, that when the communiqués were distributed, they would completely ruin the reputation of the government. This practice was like the blow of a sword that, when it rises, it comes down on the back and skull of the enemy. Therefore, we did taqīyyah, meaning that we would not allow the enemy to understand what we are doing. Taqīyyah, was the shield and the one who practiced taqīyyah, would hide his self behind the shield. This is the meaning of taqīyyah. Nowadays it means the same thing.
1989/02/12