The Mutual Rights between the Imam and his Followers

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع مَا حَقُّ الْإِمَامِ عَلَى النَّاسِ قَالَ حَقُّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَ يُطِيعُوا قُلْتُ فَمَا حَقُّهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ يَقْسِمَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ وَ يَعْدِلَ فِي الرَّعِيَّةِ فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي النَّاسِ فَلَا يُبَالِي مَنْ أَخَذَ هَاهُنَا وَ هَاهُنَا.

“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘What are the rights of the Imam over the people?” He replied, “Of his rights over them is that they must listen to him and obey him.” I then asked, “What are their rights on him?” He replied, “Maintain among them equality and justice among the followers. When this prevails among the peop

هَكَذَا وَ هَكَذَا وَ هَكَذَا وَ هَكَذَا يَعْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ خَلْفِهِ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ.

“this way, this way, this way and this way, meaning thereby front, back, right and left.”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَا تَخْتَانُوا وُلَاتَكُمْ وَ لَا تَغُشُّوا هُدَاتَكُمْ وَ لَا تَجْهَلُوا أَئِمَّتَكُمْ وَ لَا تَصَدَّعُوا عَنْ حَبْلِكُمْ‌[2] فَتَفْشَلُوا وَ تَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ‌ وَ عَلَى هَذَا فَلْيَكُنْ تَأْسِيسُ أُمُورِكُمْ وَ الْزَمُوا هَذِهِ الطَّرِيقَةَ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَوْ عَايَنْتُمْ مَا عَايَنَ مَنْ قَدْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ‌[3] مِمَّنْ خَالَفَ مَا قَدْ تُدْعَوْنَ إِلَيْهِ لَبَدَرْتُمْ وَ خَرَجْتُمْ و

“Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) has said, ‘Do not be deceitful to your leaders, do not confuse your guides, do not be ignorant of your Imams and do not cut off the rope of your unity, least you will fail and be disgraced. On such foundation your affairs must be based and you must strictly live within such system. Had you been

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ نُعِيَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص نَفْسُهُ وَ هُوَ صَحِيحٌ لَيْسَ بِهِ وَجَعٌ قَالَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ- قَالَ فَنَادَى ص الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً وَ أَمَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارَ بِالسِّلَاحِ وَ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ ص الْمِنْبَرَ فَنَعَى إِلَيْهِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أُذَكِّرُ اللَّهَ الْوَالِيَ مِنْ بَعْدِي عَلَى أُمَّتِي أَلَّا يَرْحَمُ عَلَى

‘The Holy Prophet (sw) was given the news of his own death while he was in a good health and he did not suffer any pain.” He said, “The trusted Spirit came to him.” He said, “The Holy Prophet called for a prayer in congregation. He then ordered the Muhajir and Ansar (people from Makka and the people of Madina) to arm t

جَاءَ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَسَلٌ وَ تِينٌ مِنْ هَمْدَانَ وَ حُلْوَانَ‌[2] فَأَمَرَ الْعُرَفَاءَ أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالْيَتَامَى فَأَمْكَنَهُمْ مِنْ رُءُوسِ الْأَزْقَاقِ يَلْعَقُونَهَا وَ هُوَ يَقْسِمُهَا لِلنَّاسِ قَدَحاً قَدَحاً فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا لَهُمْ يَلْعَقُونَهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَبُو الْيَتَامَى وَ إِنَّمَا أَلْعَقْتُهُمْ هَذَا بِرِعَايَةِ الْآبَاءِ.

“Honey and fig were brought to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) from Hamadhan and al-Hulwan (places near Baghdad). He asked the his officers to call in the orphans. They were allowed to lick honey from the containers while he himself distributed them among the people. People asked, “Why should the orphans be allowed to lick the

أَنَا أَوْلَى بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَ عَلِيٌّ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِي فَقِيلَ لَهُ مَا مَعْنَى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ قَوْلُ النَّبِيِّ ص مَنْ تَرَكَ دَيْناً أَوْ ضَيَاعاً فَعَلَيَّ وَ مَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ فَالرَّجُلُ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وِلَايَةٌ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ وَ لَيْسَ لَهُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ أَمْرٌ وَ لَا نَهْيٌ إِذَا لَمْ يُجْرِ عَلَيْهِمُ النَّفَقَةَ وَ النَّبِيُّ وَ أَمِيرُ

“The Holy Prophet has said, ’Isma‘il have more authority over every believer than their own selves and after me Ali (a.s.) will such authority.” He was asked, “What is the meaning of that?” He said, “These are the words of the Holy Prophet (sw), ‘One who would pass away his debts and liabilities become my responsibilit

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ أَوْ مُسْلِمٍ مَاتَ وَ تَرَكَ دَيْناً لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي فَسَادٍ وَ لَا إِسْرَافٍ فَعَلَى الْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَقْضِيَهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْضِهِ فَعَلَيْهِ إِثْمُ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ- إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقاتُ لِلْفُقَراءِ وَ الْمَساكِينِ‌ الْآيَةَ[1] فَهُوَ مِنَ الْغَارِمِينَ وَ لَهُ سَهْمٌ عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِ فَإِنْ حَبَسَهُ فَإِثْمُهُ عَلَيْهِ.

"The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: 'Any believer or Muslim who dies while leaving behind a debt not incurred for unlawful or extravagant reasons, it will be the responsibility of the Imam to pay it off. Otherwise, its sin is upon him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says: 'Welfare funds (zakat) are only for the po

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا تَصْلُحُ الْإِمَامَةُ إِلَّا لِرَجُلٍ فِيهِ ثَلَاثُ خِصَالٍ وَرَعٌ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنْ مَعَاصِي اللَّهِ وَ حِلْمٌ يَمْلِكُ بِهِ غَضَبَهُ‌[2] وَ حُسْنُ الْوِلَايَةِ عَلَى مَنْ يَلِي حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَهُمْ كَالْوَالِدِ الرَّحِيمِ. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِلرَّعِيَّةِ كَالْأَبِ الرَّحِيمِ.

"The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: 'The imamate is not suitable for anyone except for a man who possesses three qualities: piety that safeguards him from the disobedience of Allah, forbearance that controls his anger, and excellence in guardianship over those under his care, such that he treats them with the compassion

قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَ لَقِيتُ الطَّبَرِيَّ مُحَمَّداً بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى ع يَقُولُ‌ الْمُغْرَمُ إِذَا تَدَيَّنَ أَوِ اسْتَدَانَ فِي حَقٍّ الْوَهْمُ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ أُجِّلَ سَنَةً فَإِنِ اتَّسَعَ وَ إِلَّا قَضَى عَنْهُ الْإِمَامُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ.

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muawiya Bin Hukeym, from Muhammad Bin Aslam, from a man from Tabaristan called Muhammad, said, ‘Muawiya said, ‘And I met the Al Tabary, Muhammad, after that, so he informed me saying, ‘I heard Ali asws Bin Musa asws saying: ‘The debtor, when he lends a loan’, or ‘borrows rega