SADAD’s Introduction
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
May all praise be due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may all blessings and salutations be upon the best of His creation, Mu’hammad and his virtuous purified progeny.Ayatollah Sayed Ja’far Murtadha al-‘Ameli, may God be pleased with him, was one of the most prominent jurists, theologians, exegetes of the Qur’an, and investigative historians of the Islamic world. This brief paper is a translation of his response to an inquiry about non-Shi’i martyrs.1 The original question asked was: “Who is [considered] a martyr? Is everyone who dies defending their nation a martyr regardless of their religion? Are the opponents [of Shi’ism] who do not take Ahl al-Bayt (a) as guardians, [still considered] martyrs (shuhada’)?”This response from Sayed Ja’far Murtadha is important for numerous reasons, namely that it debunks the extremist misconception spread by those who fail, hopefully due to lack of awareness, to differentiate between Sunni Muslims and those who take Ahl al-Bayt (a) and the Shi’a as enemies (nawasib). This misconception may seem silly and unimportant at first glance, but it resurfaces every time a Palestinian martyr falls defending his homeland and religion from the illegal occupation. Each time it does, it lowers devotion to Islamic causes, disturbs Islamic unity, and misrepresents the stance of the Shi’a on this matter.
All the while, Sayed Ja’far Murtadha had explicated this issue clearly and brilliantly. We ask God to have mercy upon him and the deceased defenders of the sect, and to resurrect them with the best of His creation, the Prophet Mu’hammad and his infallible progeny (a). If anyone is interested in donating to fund these projects and publications, please contact SADAD through our social media accounts. God says in the holy Qur’an: {The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allāh. It is those who are the truthful.}.2
SADAD Media & Publications
23 Safar 1445 AH
The Guardianship of Ameer al-Mu’mineen (a)
It is established for us that Islam and affirmation of the guardianship of Ameer al-Mu’mineen (a) are prerequisites for the acceptance of actions, such that a non-Muslim is not considered a martyr even if they are oppressed when they are killed. The difference is that the reward of the martyr is from God, whereas the right of the oppressed is to be taken from their oppressor, who is punished as a killer.
As for the opponents who do not follow ‘Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt (a), they are two categories:
The first category are those who abandoned the guardianship [of Ahl al-Bayt (a)] due to shortcomings on their behalf despite knowing there is a dispute regarding this issue, so they neglected and ignored it; or knew the truth but arrogantly rejected it. The actions of such people are not accepted, according to clear texts stating so, and as indicated by the verse: {O’ Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allāh will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.}.4
The verse considers not conveying the guardianship of ‘Ali (a) the same as conveying nothing of God’s message, for it said: {then you have not conveyed His message}. It did not state: ‘{and if you do not} then the message remains incomplete’. What this indicates is that everything remains incomplete without the guardianship of ‘Ali (a); and God does not command that which is incomplete – whether it be of the actions of the limbs such as prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), struggle (jihad), Mecca pilgrimage (‘Hajj), etc. or the actions of the heart, such as beliefs, love for those of proximity to God (awliya’), hate for His enemies, etc.
Furthermore, Imam al-Ridha (a) points to the fact that his guardianship is a condition of testament to the belief in the One God becoming a sanctuary from the Hellfire, let alone the guardianship of ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (a). He says in his report of the narration from the Messenger (s), from Gibra’il, from God, that He said: “The expression of “La Ilaha illa
3 Translator: Although the respected author did not mention their sources in the original text, these are all mentioned or implied by narrations.
Allah” is My fortress, and whoever enters My fortress is safe from My punishment”. The Imam (a) then said: “Under its conditions, and I am of its conditions”.
The second category are those who abandoned the guardianship [of Ahl al-Bayt (a)] as a result of their incapacity – whether the reason behind their incapacity was their inability to repel the misconceptions that are brought up, or their absentmindedness and inattention (without them having any stubbornness towards the truth and its people). They seek salvation and perform virtuous actions according to what they have been told or what they can. These people are presented with the guardianship of ‘Ali (a) in the Hereafter. If they accept it, their actions are completed by its virtue, corrected and accepted, lifting them to the status of happiness {in a seat of honor near a Sovereign, Perfect in Ability}.6
As for those who are unqualified and do not have the actions that raise them to the levels of happiness and salvation, the guardianship will be presented to them; and so will be the Hellfire. They will have the chance to obey or disobey – and perhaps this will be an instance of divine use of time, or place, or both together as we have explained in our book Tafseer Surat “Hal Ata”,7 which is available for review.8
Conclusion
Therefore, one whom is likely incapable of reaching the truth but has acts of righteousness and is killed in battle struggling against the enemies of Islam – and is not a stubborn rejector [of divine truth after knowing it] but rather strove to please God – is highly likely to be included in God’s mercy and granted His Godspeed. They may then accept the guardianship when it is presented to them {on a day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit * but only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart}.9 They will then reach eternal happiness and be resurrected with Mu’hammad and his pure progeny, may God’s blessings and salutations be upon them all.
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