These comments of mine I sent to the reverend scholar Dr. Abdul Aziz Sachadina for his perusal. My intention was to solicit his clarification whatever he might deem necessary in case of my being erroneous in understanding any of the themes on the contents of his book. I even rather went too jar to request him to translate himself this comments into English. He favored me with answer:
"Your comments about my book I have read. I see befitting it is what you have explained and commented in a way of your own view of the universe should be published either along with the book or into a separate edition. As for its translation into English is concerned I consider it a labor of unbearable endeavor. Hence, I may be excused and my apology be accepted.
..… In the cases at the close of my lecture when your letter and comments reached we debated thereon and indeed benefited there from. I pray Allah, the Merciful, the Just, and the Knower of the intentions hidden in the bosoms to proling the shadow of your existence and presence on our heads that is a paternal one to me. Please don't forget me in your prayers."
I have given the above extract from his letter in order to appreciate the greatness of character and the eximious quality of endurance that is in his bosom; and the generosity of Dr. Sachadina. Secondly, once again I have drawn out of it the striking- sincerity of his strong faith in Islamic principles and in the guardianship of Infallible Imams, (the Members of the Prophet's House,)
particularly that of HAZRAT Mahdi (A. S.) (The twelfth of them) Thirdly repeatedly I have to remind that his thesis on the bases of explaining the causes of events due to historical factors as occurrence without taking into consideration of divine view of univerag3 to make familiar that category of people who adopted the above method for analysis,
enabling them to analyze faith to mastership (Imamat) and Mahdaviat (Mehdi) with the same Idea, limited cognition which they have had from that Religions and Islamic principles.
Of course we reject the root of this assumption as such from one and it will be cleaned from explanation that this method of study could not be generalized to all the events and occurrence nor answerable,
The misunderstanding which is comprehend from this hook is that (respected author) has not given importance to such a very basic point cleanly, And this may lead the readers of little information to conclude that the Real and Right Islam which Shia'sm is what this analysis says.
Such misunderstanding will he removed by these explanation as well as makes it clear that this type of analysis is not reliable; (because) subjects such as birth of Faith to God, the unseen world, prophethoos, the mastership (Imamat) and Mahdaviat (Mahdism) can not be analyzed by this method.
To look into the causes of events whether historical ones or common ones is a different thing and to impose the analysis into the facts and the cause of the events and to trim a cause to run away from facing the real cause and the reason of the facts is quite a different thins.
So it became clear that in such explanation or index according to Dr. Sachadina we do not have any main dispute.
By the power of Allah and His strength we both are in the line of Islam, following the book and progeny (of Holy Prophet), brother of each other. We have only tried to clear that this type of writing and introducing Shia does not create misunderstanding for some people Thee comments shows the weakness, unreliability and unreality of such cognition about Shia the real principles of Islam which comes out form such analysis.
We announce our readiness to answer to any type of question around our comments and explanation and welcome to receive any kind of question and objections.
May peace be upon those
Who follow the guidance
Thanks to God who bestowed to us the power of thinking and that of distinguishing the right from wrong.
Salutations to the pure soul of the last of the Messengers, Mohammed Bin Abdullah who, through his radiant mission removed the veil of ignorance and darkness from the human eye, and guided his followers to the right path and showed them how to live in the best manner. Blessed be his progeny, the members of his house, Caliphs, and his successors, the twelve Imams,
particularly the twelfth one - Imam of the present age, Mahdi, the awaited one, the Redeemer of the Universe, he who will bring the long awaited justice. This book debates and discusses the contents of the book "Islamic Messianism" written by the respected scholar, Abdul Azeez Sachedina.
Although the contents of this book have an immediate bearing on the contents of the previously named book, yet, it stands with an independent entity of its own due to the magnitude of the discussion framed within historical, Islamic and scientific bounds,
which is in itself fascinating factor. Indeed, this book at the same time, helps completes where that one lurks short, and corrects the image, if obfuscated in the other book.
Matters are so discussed that the reader could grasp the sense without referring to the other book. Whoever walks in the corridors of the edifice of this book will become acquainted with the building of the other one without paying a visit there.
Those who adhere to their subject because of their belief, and those who look into this subject because of their curiosity, and those to whom desire of investigation has approximated to this subject would in any case, feel interested in their excursion and their fatigue would be compensated as they relax in its premises.
Indeed, it is my wish from the Almighty to guard the pen either mine or that of others forms deviation. May He determine the end, no other than to focus the light upon truth when we comment on others' writings or express our views about their composition?
Not at all is it the desire nor is it ever in design to disparage one's literary efforts or conceal them or belittle a wit or dig into other's research in order to point out their mistakes or personal errors. No. Never. May God ward off such malevolence?
"There is no success to me except from Allah whom I depend upon and whom I resign to."
Foreword
The form of research varies and the outlook differs in investigations about the religious matters and those of the faith of those who believe in God and the unseen world.
The acceptance of this truth, or in other words, such a view of the universe that the world is created by God, in it is a subject that entails research. With regards to Islam we hold belief in God's existence and His being omnipotent, All Knowing, Almighty, All Wise and that He sent the Messengers for the guidance of the people.
Obviously in such a way of investigation we connect the Mission of Muhammad to God Himself. Now the validity of this connection is to be explored.
On, the issue of Imamate and Mehdism; we faithfully and unanimously make inquiry into the relation of these two (Imamat and Mehdism) with the reality so that to understand as to whether these two subjects are based on an Islamic Pedestal or only attributed to Islam.
The forms of research differ even in that of belief in God. In order to reach the truth and the correct view of the universe, one seeks to launch an inquiry.
This occasions him to conquest the view of the universe held by those who know God and those who ignore God. Now, such an inquirer or investigator deals with both sides of the coin, negatively and positively, because he has not yet formed a belief. He is still in a search. So, this is a way of research and study. Another way of research about the events and beliefs is, in a historical term, the material view of the universe.
Although, he himself might not be materialist, but wants to know the materialistic causes. This and such a type of study is valid only in the ambit of the material view of the world and could provide causes and effects within the limits of its range, but does not stand authentic to establish the fact or deny it because from the aspect of the Divine view of the universe it is not a standard.
Besides, it would not go beyond a concatenation of feeble guess. It would only crawl like a centipede but could not run with the impetus of the gallop of a horse. Here we are not in the situation of making a comparison between these two aspects of viewing the universe and to prove the Divine view of the universe.
Nor can we say that the material view of the universe or historical one, whatever it may be called, if it is to be considered to be the absolute one towards negating God and the unseen world, then they are mistaken because the material view of the universe is short to constitute a consummate scope of all truth and can not pose itself as a reality to be believed. One may reject the divine view of the universe; but his path terminates at ignorance - absence of knowledge and not the knowledge of absence.
In such a disquisition of the material view despite the severance of the connection between this visible world with the absent one, the invisible causes that give birth to an incident or a belief or a thought, because the butt of their question. As such, they are after a material and historical cause for the birth of a thought, a system, a school, a movement and so forth.
So, this outlook in the causes that lead a belief or an opinion to appear in a circle of unbelievers is nothing but a series of presumptions which carry, even to themselves only a value not more than the worth of a guess. It is not a viewpoint believable o of its own entity in the subject matter.
It is not consummate nor compendious nor far stretching one even to those who are wandering in the wilderness of conquest and have not yet reached the oasis of any particular view of the universe. It is, indeed, void for those who hold an Islamic and Divine view of the universe.
When such a fundamental difference exists between the two methods of study and disquisition one should avoid the conjugation of these two in discussions and arguments.
There are many that are quite inadvertent to this fact, and therefore, become victims of the error that is the consequence of the coition between these two different ways of disquisition. Therefore they fell prey to mistakes when they study the Divine view of the universe, without a belief in it they will classify it as a second or third grade issue.
They make their research in the issue of messengers and apostles and, the belief in its essentiality; in the same fashion, that is, from the historical aspect. They bring forth other issues, those of economical and material ones; and conjugate them although there exist no relation with the invisible world. A Divine view of the universe or the belief in God is, in fact, a cardinal issue. But they treat it on the same basis dwelling on the causes, which are ended by the element of time or succumb to it.
So, such they proceed and such they pay no heed to these points, and, accordingly by fall in the abyss of error which to them appears as a valley of principles, where their imagination which had given link between the historical event takes the shape of facts. Thus they float distant from the shore of the Divine view of the universe because not being in its current they can not enter into its flow. Great issues such as the prophet hood and Imamate to them are a true history of the events that once occurred.
So, here we can conclude that the respected scholar, Mr. Abdul Azeez Sachedina, has endeavored greatly and toiled much but only to attain the outlook of the second category; what he saw from Shia and Mehdism has been written in this book; The knowledge about him that I have, tells me that he is an ardent Shia and a Staunch believer in "WILAYAT" and "IMAMAT of Mahdi."
That a series of historical effects caused the events, and that Imamate and Mehdism among them which precede the belief in the prophet hood, to presume such and attribute this to the writer it will be unfair.
It is not so. He has chosen this method of analysis from the historical aspect because of his own foresumption to make the Shia religion and Mehdism comprehensive for those who regard the growth of the schools in line with the material view of the universe and on such a foundation rest their analysis.
This he has done because of his knowledge o them to whom realities are only a historical series of events, interlinked and interwoven, chained in the continuity of time only to become the cause for the effect of the other. In other words, whatever the history it is a fact and a reality; and, which therefore, can not be denied.
He has adopted such method of analysis although in principle wrong and erroneous to present the gist so that the thought might not be looked improbable and not excite wonder,
astonishment nor tempt them the vilification. By such an analysis we infer that the writer has made an attempt to elevate the Shiasm and the school of Mehdism in their understanding as a consummate, complete, and advanced one with participation in revolutions and changes which can not be ignored.
Yet, this should be said as we pointed out earlier that this way of study and investigation neither attains truth nor does it reflect the facts. The outlook of the universal Divine view is at difference with it. The Divine view is not mentioned, neither openly nor indirectly, in the book. Reflecting these points and the method of raising the issues and the difference between the outlooks towards these issues are not known to many.
There is every likelihood of a mistake. To divert the attention of such ignorant to the gist of the issue and to divert their sight to the original point and to acquaint them with the Imamate and Mehdism, we will present our readers a few explanations about the issues raised in that book. We hope our readers will at least acquire some advantages and benefits that he may use latter on.
What we have explained, is the need; there is not need to depend upon the matters about which we have explained. Each chapter that occurs to us we shall explain by the help of God.