Imam Zayd (as) and Imamate

Reposted

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Salaam brother,

Hope you had a wonderful Eid InshAllah. Eid Mubarak! Quick question, I found this hadith:
Furat ibn Ibrahim al-Kufi relates a narrative from Abi Hashem al-Rummani who has it on the authority of Imam Zayd (AS) who said in a long discourse: “I avow that none of us – the descendants of both al-Hasan and al-Husayn – never claimed to be imposed leaders on all the Muslims (by this he may be referring to the issue of divine appointment and the Prophetic text). I affirm that my father ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn did not say so as I lived with him until he passed on. Muhammad ibn ‘Ali did not do so either as I also lived with him until he passed away. My nephew did not utter such a claim neither, after him. Then he said: An Imam from among us who commands the leadership of the Muslims is he who bears arms and upholds the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His triumphant Prophet (P). How can Muslims have a leader (Imam) who is imposed on all the Muslims, who lives in bedroom comfort, withholding the argument for his legitimacy, with a closed door policy, and with rampant injustice. We know nothing of this behavior! Tafsir Furat al-Kufi, p. 475.

Does this mean that Imam Ali (as) was not the divinely appointed Imam after the Prophet s.a.w.? JazakAllah Khair.

Walakam as Salaam

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wa alaykum as salaam.

I do not know of this report's authenticity. If it is authentic, it doesnt imply what the translator has proposed. If you omit the part of the text that is in the brackets ( ), the meaning of the text is quite clear. Keep in mind that the text in brackets are the translator's words, not that of the Imam. The imam (as)--if this is indeed his saying--is simply stating that the Imamate is not something to be imposed by force on the Muslims, neither is it something that is hidden from the masses. Rather, the imam (as the Zaidis believe) is one who makes his imamate known and manifest. Look at the key phrase "...withholding his legitimacy..." It is therefore the job of the imam to make his legitimacy known and the Muslims are obligated, not by force but by the religion, to follow such person.

This has nothing to do with the claim of Imam Ali (as) or subsequent imams regarding the Prophetic appointment.

And Allah knows best!

Also what is the percentage of Zaydi who believe in explicit appointment of 3 imams and what is percentage of Zaydis that hold that 3 imam’s appointment was implicit ?

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What a more important question is: What was Imam Ali’s (as) opinion regarding what the first 3 caliphs did? Did he consider them as usurpers of his right?

The answer to this can be seen in the 3rd sermon of Nahj al-Balâgha as well as in the annals of history. Anyone with opened eyes can see the truth!

Regarding the percentage of Zaydis who believe in the explicit or implicit appointment of Imam ‘Ali (as), I’ve never taken a census of the Zaydi population so I can’t provide this information. Once again, we pose the question: Did Imam ‘Ali (as) believe that he was appointed explicitly or implicitly?

When Amîr al-Muminîn (as) was elected by the Muslims to be a caliph, he called all the Companions to the court of Rahba to bear witness that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, said to him: ((Whoever I have authority over, Ali has authority over)). After which, many of them stood up and said that they heard it. We cited the sources of this in our translation of Al-Jawâb ar-Râqi . Please refer to it.

If Imam ‘Ali (as) did not believe that he was explicitly appointed by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, on the Day of Ghadîr, why did he make the Companions bear witness that they heard it 20+ years after it happened?! Are we to assume that he made them bear witness that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, appointed him as a 4th caliph or a teaching sheikh?! Certainly not! He made them bear witness to show them that he was not their imam because of some election 25 years later but rather it was an authority EXPLICITLY given to him by the Final Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, on the 18th of Dhul-Hijjah.

Regarding the origin of the Zaydi belief in the appointment of Imams ‘Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Hussein, upon them be peace; this has been the belief of Ahl al-Bayt since day one! However, we quote Imam Zayd (as) himself! In his “Kitâb Tathbît al-Wasiyya,” Imam Zayd bin ‘Ali (as) said regarding Amir al-Muminîn (as):

“Then, ‘Ali, may Allah bless him, was more entitled for guardianship over the people by Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. He was their imam after their Prophet.”

Imam Zayd (as) then said regarding Imams al-Hasan (as) and al-Hussein (as) in the same text:

“The ones that had more authority over the people and were most entitled for guardianship were al-Hasan and al-Hussein. This is because they were the offspring and issue of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. Al-Hasan was not better than al-Hussein except that he was the oldest of the offspring. The statement of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, concerning them was the same. Both of them were the offspring of Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. They were the most deserving of it over the people and were over them by ‘Ali.”

In one of his khutbahs about the Imamate, Imam Zayd (as) also said:

“Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, was taken in death. The most entitled of people in guardianship afterwards was Amîr al-Muminîn ‘Ali (as). Then Amîr al-Muminîn ‘Ali (as) was taken in death, and the most entitled of people in guardianship afterwards was Amîr al-Muminîn al-Hasan bin ‘Ali (as). Then Amîr al-Muminîn al-Hasan bin ‘Ali (as) was taken in death, and the most entitled of people in guardianship afterwards was Amîr al-Muminîn al-Hussein bin ‘Ali (as).”

Therefore the belief in the first three imams is the belief of Imam Zayd bin Ali (as) in his own words. It is not the belief of someone who came later and attributed it to Imam Zayd (as).