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The system of
al-walayah has two main aspects; the first of which goes
with belief in the Unity of God, (tawhid) which, according to
Ibadhis, cannot be complete without belief in the following
precepts:
i)
Walayah,
with God; that is, to obey His orders and avoid what he has
forbidden.23
ii)
Walayah
which all Muslims in general, (walayat al-jumlah).
c) Walayah
with those who were preserved from sin. (المعصمون
), and those who were mentioned in the Quran by name as being
people of Paradise, (المنصوصون).
Whosoever ignored or neglected this aspect of al-walayah,
is a polytheist, (mushrik).24
The second aspect
is that walayah, constitutes a part of the mutual rights
of the believers.25 Those who ignore or neglect this obligatory
duty are Hyprocrites.26
To return to the
first aspect, most authors who discussed this subject speak
about the following three issues:
أ.
Walayah
with God, i.e. obeying God’s orders and avoiding what He has
forbidden. On the other hand thee is the walayah of God
with the believers, explained as His guidance, support, and
protection for them.27 This was the issue on which the
theological question arose, as to whether God’s (walayah),
with the Believers or His baraah, from the Infidels is
immutable for His knowledge of their deeds is absolute.28
II
Walayah with all Muslims in general, Mankind, Jinn, forbears
and their posterity, up to the Day of Judgement, with no
particular person in mind. This includes all the believers of
peoples of the past ages, the believers of the present and the
future, whether Mankind or Jinn.29
III
Walayah with those preserved from sin, (masumun).
This must be directed to the Angels, Prophets, Apostles of God,
and to other ‘awliya’ of God, mentioned in the Quran by
name or description,30 as also those who were commended by the
Apostle of God.31 The following are the ‘preserved from sin’
mentioned in the Quran, commended by God, Who granted them
Paradise.
أ)
All
Prophets and Apostles of God in general, but especially Adam and
Muhammad as combining the offices of Prophet and Apostle.32
ب)
The
Priests and Monks mentioned in the following verses of the Quran;
“…..And thou surely find the nearest of them in love to the
believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians;’ that, because
some of them are priests and monks, and they wax not proud, and
when they hear what has been sent down to the Messenger, thou
seest their eyes overflow with tears because of the truth they
recognise. They say, ‘Our Lord, we believe; so do thou write us
down among the witnesses. Why should not we believe in God and
the truth that has come to us, and be eager that our Lord should
admit us with the righteous people?’ And God rewards them for
what they say with gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein
dwelling forever, that is the recompense of the good-doers.”33
ج)
The
people of he Cave, (The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus); for being
mentioned in the following verse, “… When the youths took refuge
in the Cave saying, ‘Our Lord, give us mercy from thee, and
furnish us with rectitude in our affair.”34 And, “We will
relate to thee their tidings truly. They were youths who
believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. And
We strengthened their hearts, when they stood up and said, ‘Our
Lord is the Lord of heavens and earth; we will not call upon any
God, apart from Him.’”35
iv) The people
of the Trench, (أصحاب
الأخدود ),
about whom the Quran speaks in the surah of al-Buruj,
verses 4-11.
د)
The
people of Jonah, for being mentioned in the following verse; “……
Except the people of Jonah; when they believed We removed from
them the chastisement of degradation in this present life, and
We gave unto them enjoyment for a time.”36
vi) The
Sorcerers of Pharaoh, who were described in the Quran as
follows: “….. And the Sorcerers were cast down, bowing
themselves they said, '‘We believe in the Lord of All being, the
Lord of Moses and Aaron.’”37
ز)
Habib,
the carpenter, who was mentioned in the following verses, ‘Then
came a man from the furthest part of the city running; he said,
‘My people, follow the Envoys. Follow such as ask no wage of
you, that are right-guided. And why should I not serve Him who
originated me, and unto whom you shall be returned? What, shall
I take, apart from Him who intercession, if the All merciful
desires affliction for me? Surely in that case I should be in
manifest error. Behold, I believe in your Lord; therefore hear
me. It was said, ‘Enter Paradise.’ He said, ‘Ah, would that my
people had knowledge that my Lord has forgiven me and that He
has placed me among the honoured.’”38
ح)
The
believer of the house eof Pharaoh, who is described in the Quran
as, “a believer of Pharaoh’s folk that kept hidden his belief.”39 |
