['Aalim Network QR] Taqlid/Representatives of Imam

[Ummulbanin <workshop@popmail.dircon.co.uk>]

________________________________________________________________________
|                          w           w     w                          |\
|                           ||          ||   | ||                       |\
|                    o_,_7 _||  . _o_7 _|| 4_|_||  o_w_,                |\
|                   ( :   /    (_)    /           (   .                 |\
|                                                                       |\
|           ||  ||         |  ||   |T              |     | ||    |      |\
|   . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o   _|_c 4_|_||   _|,_p q |\
|  (_): /         (_): . :            /        (_S           (_S      / |\
|                                                                       |\
|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
|_______________________________________________________________________|\
Assalamu 'alaykum
The following question was answered by Dr Liyakatali Takim.

Salaams & Duas
Ummulbanin Merali - Moderator - 'Aalim Network
*******************************************************************************
QUESTION:

My question is regarding taqleed. 

There are many 'scholars' who reference the quran and quranic ay'ats to 
'prove' their point, I am a little disturbed by the implications which 
are unknowingly accepted by those who follow, adhere to and (esp.) 
preach this train of thought. 

It is known by ALL marja-as that, during the small occultation, there 
were only THREE (3) naib-e-imams that were appointed BY SAHIB-UZ-ZAMAN. 
The LAST of these naibs was a man called Hussain ibn Ruh. 
So, when it is common knowledge to these Islamic leaders that Hussain 
ibn Ruh was the last OFFICIAL naib-e-imam, why DON'T they tell the facts 
the way they are, instead of insisting that others follow them (i.e. 
taqlid) through misinterpreted quranic ayats and ahadees? 


ANSWER:

Salaamun 'alaykum,

First of all, there were 4 (not 3 as you state) agents appointed directly 
by our twelfth Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance). The 4th agent was 
called Ali b. Muhammad al-Samarri who died in 940-41.

I am quite puzzled by your question. Are you suggesting that referring to 
Qur'anic ayats is wrong? In fact, even when the Imams would answer 
questions they would also refer and quote Qur'anic verses. Moreover, our 
present day maraji' are also the deputies of the Imam although they are not 
directly appointed by him (i.e. not al-na'ib al-khassa). As a matter of 
fact, when the twefth Imam was asked  by Ishaq b. Ya'qub as to who the 
Shi'as should refer to in matters pertaining to religious issue during his 
ghayba, he said "refer to my ruwwat (narrators of traditions)".

You also suggest in your question that the maraji' are deliberately 
concealing facts and misinterpreting verses to mislead people. This is an 
improper suggestion for you to make. What facts are they concealing? Most 
Shi'as are aware that the 12th Imam had four deputies during the short 
occultation and that during the major occultation the fuqaha guide the 
community due to the rescript issued by the Imam referred to above.

Moreover, as they are experts in the field, we refer to them in matters 
pertaining to religious guidance.

Should you have any specific question on taqlid, please forward it to the 
alim network and an alim will be happy to answer it.


With salaams and du'as

L. Takim