notifications_active Weekly Meshkat-e Noor Session: Thursdays at 20:30 at Haj Reza Mosque
Hello, Haji:
Was Imam Husayn’s (AS) uprising aimed at establishing a government, and was it political?
َّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ
Imam Husayn’s (AS) uprising sought to bring God’s sovereignty to the fore and overthrow tyrannical governments. Governance is the Imam’s rightful claim, assigned to him by God. At certain times, however, circumstances made it expedient to tolerate such rule temporarily, in order to complete the proof and awaken the community to the tyranny it faced.
The Imam is God’s proof, God’s wali, God’s vicegerent, and God’s representative on earth. One of his duties is to establish God’s sovereignty—that is, rightful rule belongs to the Imam by an undeniable right, and God has appointed him to rule. Thus, removing tyrannical regimes that obstruct God’s legislative sovereignty on earth is among the Imam’s primary duties. Yet at certain times, for the sake of the greater good, and so that people might be sifted, the trial brought to its conclusion, God’s proof conveyed, and the community awakened to the tyrants, such regimes have been tolerated as a matter of expediency!
النساء : 59 يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا أَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنازَعْتُمْ في شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ الرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَ أَحْسَنُ تَأْويلاً
O you who believe! Obey God, and obey the Messenger of God and those vested with authority [the Prophet’s successors]. If you disagree over anything, refer it to God and the Messenger [and seek their judgment], if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better for you, and brings the best outcome.
المائدة : 55 إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا الَّذينَ يُقيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكاةَ وَ هُمْ راكِعُونَ
Your guardian and wali is none other than God, His Messenger, and those who believe: those who establish prayer and give alms while bowing.