Ulu l-Amr Verse: Difference between revisions

'''The ʾUli l-ʾAmr verse '''(Arabic: آیة أولي الأمر) or the '''Iṭāʿa''' (obedience) [[verse]] is the [[verse]] 59 of [[sura al-Nisa']] which commands believers to obey [[Allah]], [[the Prophet (s)]], and [[Uli l-Amr]] (those vested with authority). The verse is one of the Qur'anic proofs for the [[infallibility]] and [[imamate]] of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] and other [[Twelve Imams (a)]].

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 l-Amr revealed and commanded the believers to obey Allah, the Prophet (s), and Uli l-Amr; and in times of any dispute refer to Allah and his Prophet (s).<ref>Al-Tabrisi, Majma' al-Bayan, vol.2 p.264</ref>

In the view of the Shi'a [[exegete]]s, there's no doubt that the verse indicates the [[infallibility]] of Uli l-Amr. The reasoning is based on two main points:

* When God commands to obey someone unconditionally, it results in his infallibility; because if he is fallible and commands us to do a [[sin]], at the same time, we must obey him (because God commanded us to do so), and not obey him (because we must not commit sins).<ref>Muhammad Hasan Al-Muzaffar, Dala'il al-Sidq, vol.2 p.17</ref>

* The word ''Uli l-Amr'' is mentioned immediately after the word ''al-Rasul'' (the Prophet) and because the obedience of the Prophet is unconditionally necessary, due to his infallibility, so the obedience of Uli l-Amr is also unconditional. So it results in the infallibility of Uli l-Amr.<ref> Al-Tabrisi, Majma' al-Bayan, vol.2 p.64</ref>

Although al-Fakhr al-Razi accepts that the verse indicates the infallibility of Uli l-Amr; he considers its instance, the [[consensus]] of Muslims and claims that we cannot identify the infallible and recognize them.<ref> Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Mafatih al-Ghayb, vol.10 p.113</ref> However, there are many [[hadith]]s in Shi'a sources which explain that the instance of Uli l-Amr are the Shia 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 l-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 [[Imam 'Ali (a)|'Ali]], then [[Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a)|Hasan]], then [[Imam al-Husayn (a)|Husayn]], then [[Imam 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a)|'Ali b. Husayn]], then [[Imam al-Baqir (a)|Muhammad b. 'Ali]],…'<ref>Sulayman Qunduzi, Yanabi', p.494</ref>

* [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]] says in the exegesis of the verse, "Uli l-Amr are from the children of 'Ali and [[Fatima (s)|Fatima]], till the [[Day of Judgment]]." He also said, "By Uli l-Amr, God only intended us and commanded all the faithful to obey us until the Day of Judgment."<ref>Al-Sayyid Hashim al-Bahrani, p.383,386</ref>

* [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] says, "Uli l-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.<ref>Al-'Ayyashi, Al-Tafsir, p.252</ref>

* Tabrisi, Fadl b. Hasan. n.d. ''Majma' al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an''. Beirut: Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi

* Muzaffar, Muhammad Hasan al-. n.d. ''Dala'il al-Sidq li Nahj al-Haqq''. Tehran: Maktaba al-Dhujaj

* Razi, Fakhr al-Din al-. n.d. ''Mafatih al-Ghayb''

* Qunduzi, Sulayman al-. n.d. ''Yanabi' al-Mawadda''. Dar al-'uswa

* Bahrani, Al-Sayyid Hashim al-. n.d. ''Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an''. Qom: Isma'ilian

* 'Ayyashi, Muhammad b. Mas'ud al-. n.d. ''Al-Tafsir''. Tehran: Maktaba al-'Ilmiyya al-Islamiyya