In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Qur'an and supplications, introducers of the Holy Prophet and Imams (`a)
I have no fresh subject to talk about and do not regard myself entitled to talk about the Messenger of God (s) and Imam as-Sadiq (`a). I am not in the position to talk about these issues. I only want to tell the gentlemen that the Qur'an is the one introducing the noble Messenger. Just as the Noble Messenger and Imam as-Sadiq (`a) and the Promised Mahdi are perfect manifestations of God Almighty. The holy Qur'an is also a perfect manifestation of the Almighty God. It has manifested with all the Names and Attributes and has endowed the Imam of the Time and the Noble Messenger with all the spiritual insight that are not known to us not to mention the Names and Attributes. The same is true with Imam as-Sadiq and the other Imams, but the one introducing him (s) is the Divine Book itself; that is, the more one examines this sacred scripture, the more one will be acquainted with the one who brought it and his characteristics.
The Qur'an is a table spread out for all classes; that is, it has a language, which is for both the laymen and the philosophers, a language for both the literal mystic and the man of gnosis in the real sense of the word. In this noble Book, there are issues the most important of which are the spiritual ones. The Noble Messenger and the other prophets did not come here to establish a government. Government is not the sublime objective; they did not come to implement justice here; justice is also not the sublime objective. All these are preludes. All the efforts they made, whether by Prophet Nouh, Prophet Ibrahim and extending down to the Noble Messenger- all the tribulations they endured and the hardships they experienced were preludes to a subject: to introduce the Sacred Essence of God. The main objective of the heavenly scriptures, the highest of which is the Holy Qur'an, is exactly to introduce God Almighty, with all His Names and Attributes. Common people can understand a lot from it; the special people can understand higher issues and a select few among the special ones can even understand loftier issues. But no one can understand it to the fullest. Anyone who wants to be acquainted with the Prophet should get acquainted with the Qur'an and no one can do. Thus, no one can be acquainted with the Prophet. His introducer is his own Book The introducer of Imam as-Sadiq (`a) after being introduced by the Prophet himself, is his own existence. This jurisprudence, which has been made known through his words, is meant to meet the needs of mankind from the beginning to the end. This jurisprudence has answer to every problem that would arise- novel issues and the ones to come later, which we presently do not know- and there is no need for us to make an esoteric interpretation of it.
The Book, the Sunnah and the jurisprudence, most of which had been presented by Imam as-Sadiq (`a) provide answers. This jurisprudence provides answers to all the outward and spiritual, philosophical and mystical needs of the entire humanity all the time till the Day of Resurrection. They are like this. They are introducers of these great personages and we cannot describe them the way they deserve it.
The supplications of the Imams of guidance raise the same issues presented in the Book of God. Their supplications have a different language. The Qur'an has a certain language; a certain mode of expression and it has all the subjects but most of them are hidden which cannot understand. The supplications of the Imams (`a) have another condition. According to our mystic Shaykh and teacher, the supplications are ascending. He used to describe the Qur'an as a descending book as it has descended from above and the supplications of the Imams are an ascending book; they are the same as Qur'an and ascend. They are approximately Qur'an's answer. Anyone who wants to know the stations of the Imams should refer to their works; their works are their supplications. The most important of them is their supplications and the sermons they used to deliver such as the Sha`baniyyah invocation, Nahj al-Balaghah, supplication on the Day of `Arafah, and the like, about which one does not know what to say.
In any case, we are incapable of expressing gratitude for this favor that we belong to a school of thought that utilizes these two sources: the source of revelation and the source of guardianship. Only a few of the other schools has this second source, and we cannot duly express gratitude for this grace. We pray to God Almighty so that we could duly express gratitude for this grace.
Once we read the contents of the noble verses or examine the conduct of the Prophet, we can see that one of the works, which was, of course, not the objective but a prelude, is the establishment of justice in the world. The Prophet wants to implement justice so as to solve those problems that one wants to solve. From the moment when revelation came down to prophets, one of their problems was this one; they used to challenge the oppressors, the tyrants and the blood-suckers. Each of them used to challenge in various forms. We should not assume that a certain prophet only stayed inside his house and prayed or explained the laws. It is not so; they explained the laws and strived to implement them.
Prophets and formation of Islamic government
Prophet Abraham used to discuss the issues; then, he also removed the idols. His act at the time was similar to the act of person who dares to desecrate sanctities. He used to challenge them in such a way. He used to explain the issues but he also used to oppose tyranny; he used to oppose oppression. The arrogant global powers had injected us the notion that religion should not interfere in politics. This has been part of their policies in keeping the Muslims backward and not allowing them to raise opposition. Thus, they persuaded Muslims and conducted so much propaganda that many strata would say," What the clerics have to do with politics? What are you doing? You go and engage in your invocations!" These people even imagine that Jesus Christ (`a) whom they follow only talked about spiritualities. They thought of our prophet in the same light. From the beginning, he was supposed to stage opposition. At the time when he was newly born, he said," I brought a book." The Qur'an thus narrates that when he was newly born, when his mother was annoyed by the calumnies the Jews made against her, as he was born he said:" Do not be disappointed. If someone would come to talk to you, say that you are fasting- and she was perhaps fasting- and go and ask the child." They came; Jesus Christ (`a) was newly born. They accused Mary of talking nonsense. Mary still indicated that they had to approach the child. They said:" How could we talk with this child? Then, he began saying," God has given me a Book". Take note of what he says! This issue of giving a Book indicates that there is a prior matter for which he has to be born." He has given me a book, and advised me to do this and that;" he tells all those things. Jesus Christ, as such, would not stay at home and preach. If he only wanted to preach, then why he was crucified?! Why was he subjected to molestation?!
And that is the same with other Prophet and that is the most apparent of those things. The Holy Messenger (s) came, formed an administration and established a government. This implies that he was involved in politics and government. Establishment of government is nothing but involvement in politics and entering the realm of politics. Therefore, they injected this notion among Muslims to the extent that some came to believed that they had to go to the mosque and leaver the governance and politics to them. Through this they wanted to afflict us.
The Muslims should wake up. The Muslims should study the conduct of the prophets, the Holy Prophet of Islam in particular. They should see what the prophets have done and how we should emulate them. Had the Prophet come and stayed only in the mosque, reciting the Qur'an, and not doing anything else, then we had to do the same; we have to emulate him. But the one who has come as our prophet, was engaged in struggle from the first day of his mission in Mecca and he continued this struggle, albeit a different manner, when he moved to Medina. As he came to Medina he formed a government. He sent off propagators. He sent governors everywhere as far as he could. He gave glad tidings to the people that" We will conquer the world; we will annihilate evil; we will subjugate Rome; we will extinguish Iran; that is, we will extinguish their present state of idol-worship and fire-worship." The Prophet revived the humanity within such a short period of his life span.
The Muslims should emulate him. We should do whatever he has done. He formed a government and we should form a government too. He fought and we should fight too. He engaged in defense and we should engage in defense, too. Therefore, if we really follow the Holy Prophet, if we really follow the Imams of guidance, then we should know what they did during their lifetime. Did they just sit and explain the issues? If they were merely explaining the issue, what did they do that the oppressors and arrogant had to kill them, imprison them, exile them, and send them away and not allow anyone to visit them? Notwithstanding all these difficulties, you can see how jurisprudence endures and how it will endure, and all are from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
May God Almighty save you and us from the mischief of these arrogant powers, and wake up the Iranian and other nations and Muslims to rub the nose of these arrogant powers in the dust and humiliate them just as they have been presently humiliated.
May god's peace and mercy be upon you.