Chapter Six – The Doctrine of Zuhur (Emergence)

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Chapter Six

The Doctrine of Zuhur (Emergence)

 

This refers to the emergence of the Imams for some people after their demise and their subsequent return to their graves. Al Majlisi has established a chapter by the title, Chapter regarding them emerging after their deaths and extraordinary things occurring at their hands.[1] Hence according to the Shia the Imams can emerge after their deaths and some people can see them. This emergence is not specific to a time like Raj’ah, rather it is subject to the intention of the Imams, so much so that they have attributed the following to Amir al Mu’minin:

 

يموت من مات منا وليس بميت

Whoever dies from amongst us does not really die.

 

Their narrations also mention that Abu al Hassan al Rida would meet his father after his death, he would receive advices and suggestions from him.[2]

One Shia even narrates that he went to visit Abu ‘Abdullah:

 

تشتهي أن تري أبا جعفر( بعد موته)؟ قال: قلت: نعم. قال: قم فادخل البيت فدخلت فإذا هو أبو جعفر

Abu ‘Abdullah said to him, “Do you desire to see Abu Jafar (after his demise)?”

He said, “Yes.”

Hence he told him, “Stand up and enter the room.”

When he entered the room suddenly he saw Abu Jafar.[3]

 

Another Shia claims that he went to visit Abu al Hassan:

 

أتحب أن تري أبا عبد الله يقول: فقلت: وددت والله. فقال: قم فادخل ذلك البيت، فدخلت البيت فإذا أبو عبد الله عليه قاعد

Abu al Hassan said to him, “Do you desire to see Abu ‘Abdullah?”

He said, “By Allah I desire to see him.”

He thus said, “Stand up and enter that room.”

And when he entered the room he saw Abu ‘Abdullah sitting.[4]

 

And Abu ‘Abdullah is reported to have said:

 

أتي قوم من الشيعة الحسن بن علي عليه السلام بعد قتل أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام. فسألوه فقال: تعرفون أمير المؤمنين إذا رأيتموه؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: فارفعوا الستر فعرفوه فإذا هم بأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام لاينكرونه

Some Shia came to visit Hassan ibn ‘Ali ‘alayh al Salam after the assassination of Amir al Mu’minin ‘alayh al Salam and asked him (about Amir al Mu’minin).

He replied, “Will you recognise Amir al Mu’minin if you see him?”

They said, “Yes.”

He thus told them, “Lift the veil,” and when they did, Amir al Mu’minin ‘alayh al Salam was suddenly before them without doubt.[5]

 

This belief of theirs extends even further when they claim that the people who passed away centuries ago can emerge from their graves for them. The following narration appears in Basa’ir al Darajat:

 

عن عباية الأسدي قال: دخلت علي أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وعنده رجل رث الهيئة، وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام مقبل عليه يكلمه، فلما قام الرجل قلت: يا أمير المؤمنين من هذا الذي أشغلك عنا؟ قال: هذا وصي موسي عليه السلام

‘Abayah al Asadi says, “I went to visit Amir al Mu’minin and there was a person seated by him who was in a shabby condition. Amir al Mu’minin was paying attention to him and talking to him. When the person left, I asked, ‘O Amir al Mu’minin who is this who is keeping you busy from us?’ He said, ‘This is the successor of Musa ‘alayh al Salam.’[6]

 

Their narrations also state that ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu would go to the graveyard of the Jews and he would address them:

 

فأجابوه من جوف القبور: لبيك لبيك مطاع فقال: كيف ترون العذاب؟ فقالوا: بعصياننا لك كهارون، فنحن ومن عصاك في العذاب

They would respond to him from the bellies of the graves and say, “We are present, we are present, O the one who deserves obedience.”

He would ask them, “How do you find the punishment?”

They would say, “Because of disobeying you like how we disobeyed Harun. Hence we and whoever disobeys you will be in the punishment.”[7]

 

Their narrations likewise state that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam emerged after his death to order Abu Bakr to obey ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma,[8] likewise Abu Bakr and ‘Umar emerge for the Imams in every season of Hajj so that they may pelt them whilst pelting the Jamarat.[9] It is therefore narrated that Muhammad al Baqir once took five pebbles and threw them at a place besides the Jamarat, and when he was asked as to why he had done so, he said:

 

إذا كان كل موسم أخرجا الفاسقين الغاصبين، ثم يفرق بينهما ههنا لا يراهما إلا إمام عدل، فرميت الأول اثنين والآخر ثلاثة. لأن الآخر أخبث من الأول

When the season of Hajj comes, the two sinful usurpers are extracted from their graves, they are then separated and no one besides the just Imam is able to see them. Hence I threw the first of them with two pebbles and the other with three due to the latter being worse than the former.[10]

 

These are but some narrations which I have presented in this treatise. Al Majlisi has mentioned that he has stated most of the narrations related to this topic under the following chapters: Chapter regarding Barzakh (life in the grave), Chapter regarding the disbelief of the three, Chapter regarding the disbelief of Muawiyah, and the Chapters regarding the miracles of Amir al Mu’minin and the rest of the Imams.[11] Their narrations regarding this fallacy are thus abundant. Al Majlisi has asserted that this emergence of theirs will be in their actual bodies, he then says:

 

والإيمان الإجمالي في تلك الأمور كاف للمتدين المسلم لما ورد عنهم ورد علم تفاصيلها إليهم صلوات الله عليهم

Having over-all belief in these phenomena and consigning the actual implications and meanings thereof to the Imams is sufficient for an adhering Muslim.[12]

 

Analysis of this Doctrine

I have not come across anyone who has analysed this doctrine of the Shia despite it being popularly narrated in their narrations and reports. It is such a doctrine that merely presenting it is enough to show its falsity, for under no circumstances can it be in harmony with the authoritative texts, clear reasoning, and sound human disposition. It is an indictment to the Shia dogma which relegates it to those fallacious dogmas which were born in the minds of people. It is one of the many aspects of this dogma which clearly indicate to the invalidity of Shi’ism along with the doctrine of occultation, Raj’ah and Bada’. The copious narrations which they have in this regard strongly indicate to the proliferation of lies in their tradition, and to the fact that their narrations do not enjoy any authenticity whatsoever despite their abundance, as long as they support their fallacious beliefs which are refuted by reality. They are so fallacious that they are only reported by a small amount of Shia, had they existed they would have been widely narrated by the Muslims.

The invalidity of the return of the dead to this world before the Day of Judgement is established through the divine texts and the consensus of the Ummah, as has passed. These fallacious beliefs upon which their dogma rests are considered to be from their flaws and disgracing assertions. It is probably the wisdom of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala that they have been exposed, for it is the system of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala that he disgraces and debases those who endeavour to attribute to him a religion that he did not reveal, as is established by the facts of history.

 

NEXT⇒ Chapter Seven – The Doctrine of Bada’

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[1] Bihar al Anwar 27/303-304; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 78.

[2] Bihar al Anwar 27/303-304; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 78.

[3] Bihar al Anwar 27/303-304; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 78.

[4] Bihar al Anwar 27/303-304; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 78.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Basa’ir al Darajat p. 81; Bihar al Anwar 27/305.

[7] Kanz al Fawa’id p. 82; Bihar al Anwar 27/306.

[8] Bihar al Anwar 27/304; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 82.

[9] Bihar al Anwar 27/305; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 82.

[10] Bihar al Anwar 27/305-306; Basa’ir al Darajat p. 82.

[11] Bihar al Anwar 27/307.

[11] Bihar al Anwar 27/307.