Ulu l-Amr Verse: Difference between revisions

The Uli al-Amr verse or the Ita’a (obedience) verse is the verse 59 of sura [[al-Nisa’]] which commands believers to obey Allah, the Prophet (s), and Uli al-Amr (those vested with authourity). The verse is one of the Qur’anic proofs for the [[infallibility]] and imamate of Imam ‘Ali and other twelve imams.

One [[Muslim]] and a Jew got disagreement on a subject. The Jew said: “Let’s go to Muhammad (s) for judgment” for the Jew knew that the Prophet (s) would not accept bribe; but the Muslim said: “Let’s go to Ka’b b. Ashraf” because the Muslim knew that he will accept bribe and will judge for him. After the event the verse of Uli al-Amr revealed and commanded the believers to obey Allah, the Prophet (s), and Uli al-Amr; and in times of any dispute refer to Allah and his Prophet (s).

In the view of the Shi’a exegetes, there’s no doubt that the verse indicates the infallibility of Uli al-Amr. The reasoning is based on two main points:

* The word Uli al-Amr is mentioned immediately after the word “al-Rasul” (the Prophet) and because the obedience of the Propeht is unconditionally necessary, due to his infallibility, so the obedience of Uli al-Amr is also unconditional. So it results to the infallibility of Uli al-Amr.

In addition to Shi’a scholars some [[Sunni]] scholars, like al-Fakhr al-Razi accepts that the verse indicates the infallibility of Uli al-Amr.

Although al-Fakhr al-Razi accepts that the verse indicates the infallibility of Uli al-Amr; but considers its instance, the whole of [[Muslims]] and claims that we cannot identify the infallible and recognize them. But his claim is wrong because it is pointless for God to command us to obey who we cannot identify. And when it’s fixed that Uli al-Amr are infallible, so by knowing the infallible, obviously Uli al-Amr could be identified. By the [[Tathir verse]] the infallible are introduced as [[Ahl al-Bayt]].

Also there are many hadiths in Shi’a sources which explain that the instance of Uli al-Amr are Imams (a):

* Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari says: “When the verse revealed, I asked the Prophet (s): ‘We know Allah and his Prophet, but who are Uli al-Amr that God attached their obedience to your obedience?’, the Prophet (s) said: ‘They are my successors and Imams of Muslims after me, first of them is ‘Ali, then Hasan, then Husayn, then ‘Ali b. Husayn, then Muhammad b. ‘Ali,…’

* [[Imam al-Baqir]] says in the exegesis of the verse: “Uli al-Amr are from the children of ‘Ali and Fatima, till the day of judgment.” He aslo said: “By Uli al-Amr, God only intended us and commanded all the faithful to obey us until the judgment day.”

* [[Imam al-Sadiq]] says: “Uli al-Amr are ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, Hasan, Husayn, ‘Ali b. Husayn, Muhammad b. ‘Ali and me, praise God that introduced your Imams and leaders to you when people deny them.