What we will examine here are the words of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) contained in the book of “Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl” where there are some subject matters in the materials quoted from the Imam (P.B.U.H.) which refer to the above-mentioned points.
Of them are the statements and sayings addressed to the general public and it is clear that the addressee is not one of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) friends, confidants and followers. In these statements and sayings, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) always refers to the Qur’anic verses because the general public did not perceive Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) as an imam and asked for the evidence of his words. For this reason, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) referred to the verses either directly or metaphorically. In this narration, there might be fifty or more verses of the Qur’an−used either directly or figuratively. However, in another narration since the faithful [the Shi‘ites] are addressed, we find it totally different. As they knew Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) and accepted his sayings and statements, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) did not refer to the verses. If you look at [this narration] from the first to the last word, you would find few Qur’anic verses.
In a detailed narration from “Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl” under the title of “the sermon delivered to the rest of his companions and his followers and reminded it to them every Friday”,, we find that this sermon was for the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) companions, followers and friends to recite it every Friday in their gatherings or even individually. Here, the circle of addressees is a wide one which can be deducted from the evidences in this detailed narration. In this narration, firstly, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) did not use the words, “O’ believers,” or “dear brothers,” and alike; rather he used “O’ people,” which means it is a public discourse whereas in some other narrations, the discourse predominantly is addressed only to the faithful. Hence, this narration addresses the general public.
Secondly, there is no statement in this narration which indicates any explicit reprimand or rebuke of the ruling regime. It is only about articles of faith–which one should know–and reminding Islamic beliefs and teachings; and as I told you the tone of all these statements and sayings is preaching. In this regard, this narration also begins as; “O’ people, fear Allah and know that you will inevitably return to Him.”Then the Imam (P.B.U.H.) addressed Islamic beliefs and sensitized the people to the fact that they had to understand Islam correctly. This shows that the people did not know the true Islam and indeed, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) sought to provide the people with the motivation to understand Islam and its teachings properly.
See, for example, how Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) used an interesting method where he says, “First of all, they will ask you about the Lord that you were worshipping.” In this part, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) indicates one should fear of the moment they are left alone in their grave and the two angels−namely Munkar and Nakīr –break in to their grave and ask firstly about the Lord whom they worship. In other words, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) tries to awaken the motivation of his addressees to know Allah and fully comprehend monotheism. They ask about “the Prophet whom was sent to you.” Here, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) clarifies the motive for comprehending the matter of prophethood. They inquire into “the religion that you were following”. And they ask about your book “that you were reciting (and taking as guide)…”
Among these authentic ideologies and basic doctrines of Islam, i.e. monotheism, prophethood, the Holy Qur’an and religion, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) demonstrates his fundamental point saying as, “and the imam to whom you were adhering loyally”. Here, he referred to the issue of the Imamate. For the Infallible (P.B.U.T.), the issue of the Imamate means the issue of the government as there is no difference between the government and the Imamate in the Imams’ (P.B.U.T.) eyes. Although master and imam may carry different connotations, these two issues–Wilāya and the Imamate–are the same in the Infallibles’ (P.B.U.T.) words and so mean the same. The word “imam” here means the one who is responsible for guiding and directing you in terms of religion as well as supervising your mundane life activities in terms of worldly affairs−i.e. the successor of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)…Imam (P.B.U.H.) means the leader of the community, that is, the one whom we learn our religious affairs from and our worldly affairs are administered by. Therefore, obeying him in terms of both religion and worldly affairs is compulsory for us… but you see in the world of Shi‘ism how this case (the role of the Imam) was wrongly embedded [in the people’s minds] over the centuries. In the past, people used to think that as there was someone who ruled over the society, managed daily affairs, declared war and made peace, did whatsoever he wished, imposed taxes, gave commands, there should have also been a person who modified and reformed their religion! The first one is regarded as governor and the second one is seen as imam at the time of the Infallibles and the [Islamic] jurist at the time of the Occultation [of Imam Mahdī (P.B.U.H.)]. That is we imagined (the role of) imam at the time of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) as (the role of) a religious scholar at the time of the Occultation [of Imam Mahdī (P.B.U.H.)] and this, of course, is a wrong perception.
The word “imam” means leader. Whenever Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.) went to Minā or ‘Arafāt, he addressed people saying: “O’ people, the Messenger of Allah was an imam.” That is imam means the one who has the administration of both religious and worldly affairs of people in his hands. The Islamic society, during the reign of ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān, in the era of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), misunderstood the meaning of this word because the Imamate of the society, which means the administration of the affairs of people’s lives as well as the contraction and expansion of their lives–which represent a significant part of the Imamate–was robbed of its true holders and given to those who were not authorized. Such an inept person (i.e. ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān) saw himself as imam and the people considered him so as well. This means people considered ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān–as his father, Yazīd and those (sat on the throne) after ‘Abdul Malik–as an imam and had accepted him as the leader of their society and ruler of the people’s social system. This was firmly entrenched in the people’s mind.
So when Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) says you will be asked about the Imamate in the grave, he means you are asked if you choose a rightful imam. Is the one who rules and leads the society, in which you live, really an imam? Is he the one whom Allah is pleased with? Through these words, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) awakens people and makes them sensitive to this issue. In this way as a speech addressed to the public, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) revived and awakened in people’s mind the issue of Imamate, which the Umayyad regime was not inclined to be talked about. This was one of the quiet methods used by Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) in this area we will later on refer to more stringent ones, as well.
Based on these, we find that in public addresses, the Imams (P.B.U.T.) revive Islamic teachings, including those teachings that the Imam particularly intends to impart, through preaching in order to make people recognize and learn the two following points which are mainly discussed in this sermon:
First: These statements addressed to the general public are neither didactic nor reminding or exhorting. In other terms, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) did not elucidate in details the issue of monotheism for people nor interpret the issue of Prophethood. Rather he reminded these issues and used the issue of prophethood to touch a chord with the people. Why? Because the society in which Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was living had not been too distant from the era of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and thus it was not deviated and distorted wholly from the Islamic beliefs. Also, there were a lot of people who had lived at the time of the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H. & H.H.), the Caliphs and our great Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) such as the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.), Imam Ḥasan (P.B.U.H.), and Imam Ḥusayn (P.B.U.H.). Socially, the situation had not yet reached the stage where the Muslim community fall into mistake and become distorted either on the issues of monotheism and prophethood or Resurrection and the Holy Qur’an. Of course, those issues gradually went out of their minds, and the material life led the people to the point that they disregarded the Islamic thought, belief, and tendency. The worldly and material issues in the society had put the people under such a pressure that they consigned morale and good deeds to oblivion and did not seek to know and understand about; there were only commonplace affairs when they learned anything. The people did not have the same perception, feeling, sensitivity and understanding of monotheism as the people’s living at the era of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and shortly after him. These needed to be reminded so that the people could remember and understand them because indeed there was no distortion to be rectified.
This was not so in later eras, such as Imam Ṣādiq’s (P.B.U.H.). On that time, a lot of lecturers and the so-called Islamic philosophers and thinkers had emerged who sat under various titles in the mosques, such as the Prophet’s Mosque, and even Masjid al-Ḥarām or Shām Mosque, and taught deviant beliefs and thoughts. There were people such as “Ibn Abī al-‘Ujā” teaching and reasoning the doctrines of atheism, i.e. the belief that Allah does not exist. That is why when you reflect on the sayings of Imam Ṣādiq (P.B.U.H.), you find monotheism, prophethood and the like are argumentatively expressed. Because there needed to express an argument to face with the opponents’ arguments. But this is not found in Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) words. The Imam did not seek to express the Islamic teachings argumentatively; rather, he referred to and reminded them to people. “They will ask from you about monotheism and prophethood in the grave.” You see this is for the people to get motivated and look for what they had forgotten and to remember them.
In short, there is no sign of deviation and distortion from the Islamic thoughts and doctrines, even by the rulers, in the era of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.). However, there are some cases as the poem which Yazīd recited drunkenly when the prisoners of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) were brought in:
“Hāshim were [only] playing with the [matter of] government and,
That was not because of religion and [Divine] revelation.”,
However, we can say that this utterance was delivered under the influence of a drunkenness. Even people as ‘Abdul Malik and Ḥajjāj did not dare to declare violation of the principles of monotheism or prophethood in public. ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān recited the Holy Qur’an to the extent that he was known as one of the then Qur’an reciters. But, once the news of his inauguration as the caliph reached him, he kissed [and closed] the Qur’an and said, “This is where you and I shall part.”, That was the fact and he did not refer to the Qur’an afterward. Whenever Hajjāj b. Yūsuf, whose injustice and oppression you have heard about, (and certainly what you have heard is far less than what he really perpetrated), when delivering a speech from the pulpit, he used to enjoin people to piety. Hitherto, we see Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) focused his life on reviving the Islamic thoughts and reminding them to people in order to get their consideration out of the quagmire of the material incentives and passions and bring them back to Allah, religion, and the Qur’an.
Second: As I have referred to earlier, in this public statement, all of a sudden the Imam (P.B.U.H.) emphasized on the issue of the Imamate. This is like what we faced at the time of the Shah that amid talking about Islamic issues, one would have said, “O’ people! Think about Allah, monotheism, and prophecy and also the issue of government.” This is exactly how Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) referred to the issue of Imamate in his sermon. This word “government” was a forbidden word during the ex-regime’s era as well. If someone sought to say people should open their eyes to the government, it was not something that the government easily turned a blind eye to; however, if one said the same sentence through preaching and as the words of a devoted and pious man, it was more acceptable for the regime; in other words, it would not increase the sensitivities of the then government. This is the first type.
Give Warning to Personages Against the World’s Properties and Prosperities
The second type is consisted of the speeches addressed to an especial group. Although the identity [of the addressees] is not known, it is clear that the Imam (P.B.U.H.) had addressed a group of those who had opposed and violated the ruling regime. And indeed, they were the followers of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and believers in the succession of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) [after the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)].
Fortunately, we find in the book “Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl” an example of this type of speeches given by Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) (because we do not find such example of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) sayings in other books and other resources despite the fact that there had been a lot of similar examples in the life of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) although most of them had been died out and forgotten under the impact of various incidents that took place in that era of repression, torture, persecution and killing of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) companions and only a few of them [sayings] have reached us).
The second type starts as follows, “May Allah guard you and us against the trickeries of the oppressors, the tyranny of the envious, and the violence of the despots.” This statement shows that the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and the group have something in common and it means that they are all being threatened by the ruling authorities, and it is evident that the issue is associated with a specific group who are the followers of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.), friends, and companions. In this type, the speech is started with, “O’ believers”. Unlike the first type of speeches and statements which are started with “O’ people,” or “O’ son of Adam,” this one starts with “O’ believers”. In other words, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) accredited and endorsed the faith of those who were addressed by this statement. Those were the true faithful who believed in the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.) and the views of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.).
As the Imam (P.B.U.H.) began to speak, it became clear that his addressees are the faithful–i.e. the companions of the household of the Prophet (P.B.U.T.): “O’ believers! Do not be misled by the tyrannical rulers and their fellows who are desiring only for the pleasures of this world, tending to it, and deceived by its attractions.”,
The original meaning of these words is to protect these believers and prepare these groups for the future. It is clear that during those intense and unseen conflicts between the followers of the Imams (P.B.U.T.) and the followers of the tyrants, the Imams’ (P.B.U.T.) followers have suffered the greatest deprivations… naturally those who strive suffer from some deficiencies in their daily lives while others live in the lap of luxury. Indeed, the biggest danger threatening the strivers is to show a great tendency toward such luxury [life] which would not be afforded except by abandoning the holy striving.
In this statement, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) mostly focuses on this point that the people should be warned of the common luxuries of such glittering, picturesque and deceptive worldly well-being which are being achieved only through getting closer to the tyrants. For this reason, you find similar connotation in this statement, and many other quoted narrations and short sayings of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) that the Imam (P.B.U.H.) is warning the people of the world.
What does “warning of the world” mean? It means keeping people away from a trend gravitating people toward luxury in order to destroy their faith and granting them some concessions with the aim of reducing the strength of their striving; and truly this statement addresses the faithful. This cannot be found in the statements addressed to the general public. In public statements and speeches–as we said before–it is often said, “O’ people! Turn to Allah, reflect on the grave and the resurrection and prepare yourselves for tomorrow and so on.”
So what does the Imam (P.B.U.H.) mean by this second type of speeches and statements? What he means is to create a cadre. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) sought to make the necessary cadres of the faithful for the appropriate time so as to warn the believers against gravitating toward the axis of power and mendacious luxury. Furthermore, the Imam repeatedly mentions the ruling regime, unlike the first type of speeches and statements, and calls it devilish; as for example, he says, “The affairs which you come across every day and night from the darkness of the strife, and the new innovations, and the unjust traditions, and the commotions of the era, and the dignity of the Sultan, and the whisperings of Satan.”,
Here, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) instantaneously mentions “the whisperings of Satan” after mentioning “the dignity of the Sultan”. In other terms, he wants to draw, frankly, the ruler of that time and puts it next to Satan! In the sequel, there is an interesting sentence (which I mention here due to its importance and reference to what was mentioned earlier), “[Because] all discourage the hearts from taking lessons from it, and boggle it from finding guidance and the recognition of the people of the truth.”, These incidents happening in the days and nights of human life−in the era of repression−prevent the hearts from their intentions and the motivation required for striving and struggling.
Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) preached in the same former method which I have mentioned: lest the incidents of life make you forget and disregard your way. The Imam many a time mentions the sultan and tyrant ruler in his sayings. And in another saying, he says, “And beware of the company of the disobedient ones and the help of the unjust ones.” Here, he warns of establishing association with the disobedient ones. But who are the disobedient ones? The ones were attracted to the unjust regime of ‘Abdul Malik. [The Imam reminds:] “May it never occur to you [the Shi‘ites] to become their friends and help the tyrants!”
Now, imagine this personality of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) and compare it with what image you have of him in your mind. Do you still see Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) as a reticent, oppressed and patient Imam who had nothing to do with life? No, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) was indeed the one who gathered some of the faithful and his friends, his companions and his followers and warned them by this way of getting closer to the darkness and forgetting the striving, and prevented them from deviation from this path. In other words, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) motivated them and filled them with joy and happiness for the day they become influential in creating an Islamic government.
Among the things that I find very interesting and important in this part of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) sayings is where he refers to some of the incidents happened in the Infallibles’ (P.B.U.T.) lives. In this part, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) addresses the people, “Do you remember [or know] how much you were under the pressure by the unjust rulers?”–i.e. those pressures which during the reign of Mu‘āwīya, Yazīd, and Marwān were exerted on the followers of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) as well as the battle of al-Ḥarra, the incident of ‘Āshūrā, the martyrdom of Ḥujr b. ‘Adī and Rushayd al-Ḥijrī and dozens of other important and well-known incidents which the followers of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.) had experienced and kept in their minds. By describing the old experiences and reminding these bitter incidents, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) urges people to remain steadfast in their striving. Now, consider this sentence, “By my life, you have matters from the past which were from days in which you were free from strife, pre-occupations, and engagements which have evidenced for you to avoid the misguided.”,
This sentence means that you are experienced people and know very well what the people of tyranny and corruption–i.e. the tyrant rulers–would do if they dominate. Therefore, now you know that you should avoid, keep away from, and confront them.
In this speech, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) raises the issue of the Imamate explicitly. This means the issue of the caliphate, Wilāya on Muslims, the ruling over people and the administration of the Islamic government. Here, Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) articulates the issue of Imamate openly while at that time he could not clarify this issue for the general public. Then he adds, “So give priority to the Commands of Allah and the obedience to the one whose obedience Allah has made obligatory.”
Here, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) not only specifies the philosophy and foundation of Imamate in the Shi‘ite views but also it denotes the one who should be obeyed second to Allah. If the people of that time had thought on this matter, they could easily have found that the obedience to ‘Abdul Malik was not obligatory as it is not reasonable to assume Allah makes obligatory the obedience of ‘Abdul Malik. With all the oppression, injustice, corruption, and tyranny of ‘Abdul Malik, it was apparent to the people that he could not be worthy of obedience. In order to prevent the possibility of any misconception arising in the mind of his addressees, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) adds, “Do not give priority to the commands, which come to you from being obedient to the tyrants about the attractions of the world as oppose to that of Allah but rather submit to Him and the Masters of the Command from among you.”, In this part of his saying, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) explicitly talks about the issue of Imamate.
The Imam (P.B.U.H.) both in this saying and in the former one focuses on the two key issues of the three issues that we have mentioned previously: one is the renewal of Islamic thought and beliefs of the people and the urge to make them learn and reconsider religion, and the other is the political dimension of “Guardianship” which means the issue of government and the leadership of the Islamic administration. In this way, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) familiarized the people of that time with these two issues and in fact he was promoting his intended administration–which means the ‘Alawite and the Divine Islamic government.
There is another type of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) sayings which is more important than the previous ones, in which the Imam (P.B.U.H.) openly calls people to form an Islamic organization. Of course, the invitation is addressed to those who follow the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.). Otherwise, if it were addressed to the general public, it would have been disclosed and caused the Imam (P.B.U.H.) difficulty and turmoil. Thanks Allah, there is an example of this type of his words in “Tuḥaf al-‘Uqūl”.
The Imam (P.B.U.H.) began this way, “The sign of the ascetics–those abstinent from the worldly pleasures and the desirous for the Hereafter–is that they desert every mate and associate, and they abandon every friend that does not take their trend.”, This is an open call to form a “Shi‘ite organization”.
Here, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) teaches people to desert those who do not take their trend, who do not have the same motives, who are not after [establishing] the ‘Alawite and the right government. Of course, they should communicate and socialize with them but this socialization should be like how Iranians before [1979] Revolution dealt with, for example, the neighborhood grocer whom everyone knew was related to SAVAK or an adjutant who kept an eye out for the people. The Imam teaches people that they should stay away from those who oppose them and are against the ‘Alawite and the right government.
Another type of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) words is the general sayings which do not have the particular aspect that I mentioned, such as Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) Risālat al-Ḥuqūq (Treatise on Rights). It is a detailed letter attributed to Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) which had reached the size of a treatise. Here, treatise means letter and the “Treatise on Rights” is actually a letter written by the Imam (P.B.U.H.) to one of his companions reminding of the rights and duties of the individuals and people over each other. But indeed it is in size of a treatise which if one translates and publishes, it would be in size of a book–it might have been published up to now. In this treatise, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) refers to all the rights and duties which people have over each other in different [social] positions. He also states the right of Allah, your organs and physical faculties, your eye, your tongue, your hand and your ear over you as well as the right of both the governor of the Muslim community over you and your right over the governor of the Muslim community, your right over your friends, your neighbors, and your family. He mentions all of these types of rights that govern relations between individuals in the Islamic government. In this letter, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) gently–without mentioning the government, striving and the future [Islamic] administration–states the foundations of the affairs of the future [Islamic] administration so that once it was established either in the era of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.)–which was a remote possibility–or in later times, people would be aware of and prepared for it. In other words, he familiarizes people with the Islam whose [true] government will be established in the future. This is another type of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) eye-catching words.
The other type is exactly what you find in Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādīyya and this book demands a very detailed discussion–it behooves to research on this noble book. Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādīyya includes a set of supplications in all the areas which one should heed and discern in a thoughtful and vigilant life. Most of its supplications are related to the human being’s heartfelt and spiritual relations. This book is consisted of countless supplications, prayers, invocations and various spiritual and progressive aspirations. And within these supplications and invocations, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) provides the people with the motivation of [leading] an Islamic life.
One of the results that you can get from supplicating, and we have mentioned it over and over again, is the instilment of right and pure motives in the hearts. In this regard, when you recite, “O’ Allah, make good the outcomes of our affairs,” this supplication revitalizes the remembrance of the outcomes of your affairs in your heart and prompts you to reflect on the consequence of your affairs. Sometimes the human being overlooks the consequences of their affairs. They live and do not pay attention to this fact that the consequences of what we do are very determinative, distinguished, and important. When you pray, it will awaken the need to improve the consequences of your affairs. But how you accomplish it is another matter. I just want to give an example about the role of supplications and prayers in providing right and proper motives. Indeed, a book like Ṣaḥīfat al-Sajjādīyya is full of noble praying motives for humans which if they pay heed to, this book is indeed sufficient for awakening a society and leading it to goodness. Furthermore, there are numerous short narrations quoted from Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), of which I mentioned an example earlier, “Is there no free man who can leave this chewed morsel [of the world] to those who like it?” See how important this saying is. What is this chewed morsel? The same worldly ornaments, palaces, and luxuries as well as all those things which trapped the weak-willed hearts during the reign of ‘Abdul Malik. These are called the chewed morsel. All those people, who sought to serve ‘Abdul Malik or his servants and followed his trend, were indeed after this chewed morsel. Here, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) says, O’ believers! Do not go after these chewed morsels so as not to appeal to ‘Abdul Malik. Such revolutionary and striking words are numerous in the speeches of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) which we will discuss later, God willing. Among them, the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) poems are prominent. Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) was a poet, composed poems and the theme of his poems was the same subject matter we will mention later, God willing.
Of important sections of the life of Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) is to see if the Imam (P.B.U.H.) had acted in a hostile manner toward the caliphate regime or not. In the previous sections, I briefly referred to this subject and here I will explain more:
