THE 14 ARE TRUTHFUL
In his speech on October 25, 1984, Allama Ali Naqi Naqvi talked in length about the Ahlulbayt, who, he said, are meant by the term ‘truthful’ in Quran. A Quranic verse addresses the faithful and asks them to understand the elements of greatness of Allah, and be with those who are truthful. The very fact that these two are mentioned together is a clear indicator that the greatness of Allah can be understood through being with the truthful, whoever they are.
In explanation of this verse, Allama says: If we ordinary people are to call somebody truthful, we say so from the limitations of our viewpoint. We do not know whether the person who is being referred to be truthful is really truthful or not. We do not know whether what he says and what he thinks is same or not, but if his thoughts are different from his acts, then how can the character be truthful. How are we to perceive what is there in the heart? Clearly, it is not possible. What’s inside is beyond our comprehension.
Suppose we realize that the thoughts and actions of the person being termed as truthful are on the same lines, but how can we see whether his modalities of senses and mind are on the true path? If we do not understand all this, how true is it to label somebody as ‘truthful’? However, this is when we ordinary people call somebody truthful. If the one who is the Knower of all - Allah or God - says a person or a group of persons to be truthful, then it means the Knower of all has found all their deeds as truthful, their thoughts too as truthful and also their modalities of the mind and senses as truthful. Only when He has seen through His immense Knowledge, He would have said so. This means that neither a word uttered by them can be away from truth, neither an action of theirs can be away from truth, and not even the purpose in mind can be different from truth. God calling them truthful is a guarantee by Him for all their words, all their acts and all their thinking.
If God calls an entire group as truthful, this would mean that the whole group is such that He is taking guarantee for the truthfulness of all their words, all their acts, all their thought-processes. Be it a group of 5 or 12 or 14.
Now ponder over this! There are two people who have differences, one says something, the other says something else, one does something, and the other does something else. In such a scenario, it is possible that both are wrong, but it is not possible at all that both are truthful. And here none else but God calls an entire group as truthful. We will have to believe that all the persons who are included in this group, who are being referred to as the truthful ones, are united in words that they utter, the acts that they do, and the thought-processes that influence the mind. This is so because they all have the devatma-sakti working in them about which the Upanishads tell that all Devatas were similar, as spokes of a wheel.
When there are 14 such persons, then it would mean that the eyes are of 14 but the vision is one, hands are of 14 but the work is one, feet are of 14 but the purpose is one, their mission and goal is one.
The skin-colour of the 14 can be different. Isn’t it possible that all fall in the highest parameters of beauty, despite being of different colours? Height can be different, names can be different and even a bit of nature can also be different, but that mould of the character that befits them to be truthful, will be one.
In case of the Ahlulbayt, names are different and because of living in different times and faced with different situations some virtues of character became more highlighted than the rest, the appellations too are different. Someone got more chance to reveal the secrets of hidden knowledge, so his appellation became Baqar; the enemies recognized someone’s truthfulness as well, so his appellation became Sadiq; someone had to control his anger all through his life, his appellation became Salim.
Despite this, the basic character is one. Owing to the mould of character being one, when the Prophet would tell their names, he would say:
The first of them is Mohammad, the middle of them is Mohammad, the last of them is Mohammad, all of them are Mohammad.
If it is not possible for us to identify one truthful person, when we do not know whether the truthful acts being committed by him are also committed in private, when we do not know what is there in the person’s heart and how his modalities of mind function, then how would it be possible for us to identify more than one truthful people, Sadiqeen (plural of sadiq or truthful).
God, who has asked us to be with those who are truthful, should be shedding light on their identity as well. Otherwise, He asks us to be with those who are truthful, and we are unable to recognize who are really the truthful ones, then this verse would remain just for reciting and remembering but not for acting and following.
And He is addressing us directly. There are certain verses of the Quran that were addressed directly to the Prophet, but this is addressed to us. If we, after more than 1400 years since this verse was revealed, are finding problem in identifying the truthful ones without guidance from God, the people in the time of the Prophet too would have faced this problem. After all, they too were intelligent, and they had direct access to the Prophet. It is they who were being directly addressed in Quran, then why is it they didn’t ask the Prophet about the identity of those truthful ones, whose company is made obligatory on us. And if they did ask, somebody should show us one instance in the books, which tell us that they asked, and what did the Prophet reply in return.
And if no such incident is mentioned that people came to ask from the Prophet regarding the identity of these truthful ones, then we will have to believe that the Prophet did reveal their identity but the people forgot what was told to them or disbelieved or disregarded what was said.
Let us see some of the incidents when they were identified as the truthful ones. Remember that there are two ways to tell. First way is to bring all the truthful ones at a place and show their faces to the public so that they can see and recognize them. This is the way that even the less wise ones, who do not feel any need to use their wisdom, or do not have the urge to ponder or investigate, will get to see all the truthful ones of the chain, who were present in that time. Thereafter, each truthful one would keep identifying the next to us and their presence would continue till the end of this world.
We do not have to search much to find this incident. In broad daylight, the Prophet brought these people to public view and the Quranic verse that was revealed and the Prophet’s act together showed who these truthful ones were?
This act of Prophet Mohammad was performed in the Maiden-e-Mubahila and the verse of Quran that justify about the identity of these people is the Ayat-e-Mubahila (verse pertaining to Mubahila). Mubahila means ‘mutual imprecation to prove truth of one’s point’.
We give in brief the background of what happened at Maidan-e-Mubahila (the ground of Mubahila).
The centre of Christian activities in Yemen was located at Najran. When the message of Islam reached Najran, the Christians there decided to send a delegation to Medina. Consequently, a delegation of 70 people was sent comprising all the revered priests and clergy.
Says Allama Naqvi: “I wish to congratulate them on their reasonable act that they realized that it was a matter concerning religion and there was not a need to send an army. So those who were the soldiers from the field of religion were sent. Generally it is believed that they were sent to investigate but when we look at the incidents that unfolded, we realize that they were not there just to investigate but also to reach upon an agreement, in case the need arise. It means that the delegation was empowered to decide as to do whatever they thought best.
I wish to address the people from that religion from whom this delegation was sent. You were so reasonable at that time, why did you leave its side so much so that that the picture that you portrayed of Islam was one having sword in one hand and the book in other. If this was the way in which Islam spread, then why was sword not drawn against you? Sword not coming against your delegation is a proof that sword was drawn only against those who came with drawn swords.
The delegation from Najran came to Medina. They had heard that they were going to the ‘Tajdare Medina’ – the ‘crowned ruler of Medina’. This is one of the appellations given to the Prophet, and it clearly shows the mentality of the Muslims of the time. Is it difficult to comprehend from this why the Caliphate of the Muslims turned into a monarchy that conquered territories to spread their domain? As long as Prophet Mohammad was at the helm of affairs or one of the truthful persons was a Caliph, no such aggression was witnessed.
The Christian priests comprising the delegation too had this material notion of power and greatness in mind. Therefore, they got garments stitched that befit a royal durbar. They came to the Prophet wearing those. Before coming they had heard several accounts of Prophet’s manners and courteousness. Contrary to this, the Prophet did not even look at them. They kept waiting till they were sure that this was a wilful act. Then they went back saying that we had heard so much about the Prophet’s manners and courteousness, but this experience on the contrary showed ill manners and discourtesy. However, they had heard so much about the Prophet’s courteous behaviour towards all that their own experience wasn’t enough to discount what they had heard. If this was not so, why did they wait? They should have gone back. They started inquiring from people about this behaviour and when people couldn’t tell, they were led to the doorsteps of one where all, who couldn’t get right answers, came to seek knowledge – the doorsteps of Ali.
All who had not been able to answer the question of these priests too were accompanying them. Perhaps the behaviour of Prophet was contrary to what they too had seen all through. Ali looked at their clothes and asked whether they went to meet the Prophet wearing those clothes. They said yes, thereby meaning that this was not against the durbar culture. Ali said to them that they were the priests, they were the ones who were supposed to have left the world, and these clothes do not befit them.
Thereafter, they went to meet the Prophet wearing simple clothes and he stood up to greet them. This incident is a reminder to those who said after the demise of the Prophet that Quran was sufficient for them. What to say of Quran, even the actions of the Prophet could not be understood without coming to the doorsteps of Ali.
Discussions started and whatever the Prophet said, they agreed to it. In the end, discussion reached a stage where they asked Mohammad his view on Isa (Jesus). Mohammad read the verses from Chapter Imran. They said all this is correct but do you consider Isa as the son of God or not? Mohammad replied in negative. Then they argued saying that if Isa was not God’s son then whose son was he. The verse was revealed from God that said that Isa’s position was similar to Adam. Here there is one of the two parents, Adam was born both without a father or mother.
They could not have opposed this logic as Adam’s birth without a father and mother is explicitly told in the Bible. However, those who do not wish to believe cannot be made to believe by even God or His Prophet. Then the verse that was revealed seemed to be admonishing them. It said that even after such proofs, if they do not believe then tell them to come, we bring our sons and you bring your sons, we bring our women and you bring your women, we bring our selfs and you bring your selfs and then let’s come for Mubahila. We both pray to God for God’s wrath on those who are not truthful.
From this it is evident, and no logical reasoning is required, as the Quran itself is giving a proof that when every argument fails and yet doubts remain, the truthful people are brought in front. Can there be a better proof that mere Quran cannot be enough? Truthful people were brought when the verses of Quran failed to convince the Priests!
Remember that from opposite the opposite is recognized. If it would have been said that Allah’s wrath be on the kafirs then it would have meant that those who were brought against them were Momins (with complete faith). If it would have been said that Allah’s wrath on the zaalemeen (unjust) then it would have meant that those who were brought against them were aadil (just). Both these terms have been used in Quran on several occasions. Nobody can be better than God in usage of words and seriousness of the subject. Here Quran is saying that Allah’s wrath be on those who are not truthful thereby confirming that those who would come against them would be truthful. Let’s look at the Maidan-e-Mubahila and find who all came, because those who would come are sure to be the truthful ones that God is referring to in the other verse.
Historical narrations tell that when the day of Mubahila dawned, Prophet Mohammad came out of his house in such a manner that he was in the front, with Husain (his younger grandson) in one of his arms and holding the finger of Hasan (his elder grandson) by the other. Fatima (his daughter) was behind him who was followed by Ali (Fatima’s husband and father of Hasan and Husain).
Those who are aware of the public psyche would know that the very coming the Christian delegation to Medina must have aroused interest. Moreover, all meetings with the priests were held at a public place, viz. the mosque.
It is but natural that people’s curiosity was aroused so as to see the faces that Mohammad was to bring along. If some secretly cherished the hope of being among them, we do not know. There is no doubt that several people must have accumulated at the site, even if for the sake of curiosity. That the priests had already positioned themselves when the Prophet appeared is evident from the discussion that followed.
As the Prophet drew near with his entourage of four viz. two children, his daughter and her husband, the chief of the priests asked his companions not to go ahead for Mubahila with Mohammad. History has recorded his words in the following manner: “I am seeing faces if they ask the mountain to move, it would move from its place.””
After all, they were the truthful ones described in the Quran and when God speaks, His words are absolutist in nature. Just as when He guarantees the purity of the Ahlulbayt, that means not an iota of impurity (in actions or thoughts or in the nature of their spirit) could come near them.
This incident clarified the Quranic verse and revealed for all times who these truthful ones were. As we said earlier, God’s words are always absolutist in nature. And God in Quran is asking us to be with the truthful ones. If we won’t know the identity of the truthful ones, who would we follow!
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